Tragedy

Work takes me by obscure places off the beaten path. Today was one.  There is a nice memorial to the 1/27/2001 airplane crash that took ten lives near Byers, CO.

Detail are below for those interested.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_State_Cowboys_basketball_team_plane_crash

Normally stoic, places like this make me choke up.

Boring

Business yesterday took me around the Nebraska Panhandle. Miles and miles of miles and miles. Not as bad as Texas, if that is a recommendation.

At least the weather was decent as was the remuneration.. 

 

Whacko Theory

 

May You Live In Interesting Times

Attributed to the Chinese, scholars claim this curse is of Western origins.

  https://grammarpartyblog.com/2020/04/07/origin-of-may-you-live-in-interesting-times/

This has so irritated the Communists running China, who feel they have been insulted, that they created the WuFlu and unleashed it.

“You want interesting times? We will give you interesting times”.

Makes as much sense as anything, don’t you agree?

In The Rear With The Gear

A grandson is in the South Carolina National Guard. Some units (MPs) are being activated and sent to some foreign hellhole. His response to my inquiry is he is assigned to the rear of the rear units; one unlikely to ever be deployed. That makes me happy!

Xiben and his woke appointees couldn’t pull off a proper guard mount inspection let alone putting their asses on the line in any manner to back up our troops.

What Goes Around Comes Around

The Mainstream Media, or as Bloviating Zeppelin labels American Mainstream Maggots, work for just a handful of companies owned and run by the rich. They, the media, report and/or slant, what they are instructed by their employers. Disagree?

They are opposed by our own 21^st Century samizdat, aka The Internet, and a few courageous individuals reporting real news, however inaccurately. From them we learn of the FBI and January 6, and the recent imported fanatic they shot down in Texas (after he served his purpose) and many other perfidious operations by our own government.

OK, WSF, where the hell is this going? Just this. Since WWII our clandestine operations all over the world has left a legacy of tried and proven means and methods to destabilize and disparage those regarded as enemies. A few those blew up for whatever reasons got some publicity but most were, and remain, buried in secure files under lock and key. Pick an Alphabet agency, your choice.

All those tried and proven methods are now being used against the citizens of the United States, IMO. The swamp, stung but not broken by President Trump, is in ascendancy.

Around the world there must be many who were on the losing side of US clandestine operations taking quiet satisfaction in seeing what goes around comes around. They are a resource, if willing to be used, as a source of knowledge of what worked against “us”.

The ugliness is just beginning. To save our Constitutional Republic, we must embrace the ugliness or just roll over.

As always, YMMV

(Securing the pad nearest the stove)

Swiped from Falsebook.

Ain't Progress Wonderful

From the local rag’s 100 years ago today.

A fire at a house in the 800 block of 16th Street was extinguish with little damage. But Greeley Fire Chief C.P. Chetwood warned residents that when they call the fire department for a fire, they should give their address. Many callers leave the telephone before giving their address.

A short lived job while in college was swing shift at an airfreight forwarder. One night the heating unit on the roof started a fire. My boss got on the phone, called the Fire Department number (pre 911) and shouted,

“The fucker is on fire! Send a truck!”

Then he hung up. I called the fire department number and gave them our address before evacuating the building.

At the time this occurred, porn movie theaters were open. Tickets were quite expensive.  Our company handled the movement of the film (way pre digital days) around the country. The film containers were labeled “Machine Parts”

A brilliant plan was hatched. Rent a projector and screen and have a movie party on the loading dock. Invitations were sent out, refreshments brought in, and the party began. Unfortunately for the host, my boss, all the films turned out to be gay men doing their thing. The “party” fizzled.

As a recently married man, I had no interest in porn movies (still don’t) so I missed the party.

As an old fart I can appreciate the many benefits of the digital age.

Predator Encounter

A few of us graybeards were taking the other evening about wildlife encounters when the topic of mountain lions came up. That stirred a memory of the closest encounter I’ve ever had with any predator. Please bear with me as I set up the scenario.

Near Brighton, CO, Barr Lake State Park is an old bison wallow turned irrigation reservoir.

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/barrlake

The farmer co-operative that owns it allowed the state to develop a park there. Water is king and dry years will see the reservoir drained nearly dry. During wet times a series of elevated boardwalks will have inches to feet of water under them.

In past years I lived and worked out of Brighton. For exercise I would walk the eight mile trail around the lake. One day I was on that portion of the elevated boardwalks when I heard the sound of an animal running towards me. Suddenly, around a bend about 25’ from me appeared a mountain lion, or cougar, or puma; whatever is your preference. The walkway is barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The lion passed directly by me with inches to spare and didn’t even slow down. It did eyeball me.

Shaken, I stood stock still, other than drawing my Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special. I could hear the fading sounds of the mountain lion running away. Then I wondered, “What in hell could scare a lion so badly it would flee as fast as it could run?” Turning in the director the mountain lion ran I started walking with many a glance backward. I never saw anything else but when I reached my car I promptly left the park.

Grumble, Bitch, Complain

DISCLAIMER:  I have the highest respect for big rig drivers. That is a job I found, in my earlier years, I wasn’t able to do in a safe manner.

As opposed to owner/operator trucks, most company trucks have speed governors to limit top speed. Many are set at 70 mph. What happens when one truck, limited to the same top speed, is 2-3 mph faster than another? Why, the faster truck passes the slower truck at an agonizing snail pace.

Yesterday business took me to North Platte, NE allowing me to share Interstate 76 and Interstate 80 with the big rigs. Patience, of which I’m especially deficient, was tested.

Another modern convenience that will kill us.

https://scitechdaily.com/a-single-clothes-dryer-can-discharge-up-to-120-million-airborne-microfibers-annually/

Upside is useless government parasites and office holder will have a new fertile field to tax and impose burdensome regulations. Strictly for our own good, of course. Note at the bottom the funding sources for the study are listed.

Cannabis vs COVID?

https://scitechdaily.com/cannabinoids-from-hemp-prevent-covid-19-coronavirus-from-entering-human-cells/

That could seriously damage the pharmacy industry’s bottom line.

Inflation

Remember when new tires were under $75? This week my primary vehicle got four dedicated and aggressive snow tires. With all the add on fees and taxes the final tab was $510+. My work requires driving on dirt roads that become muddy and all season tires are inadequate. The tires perform well but cost me about 1-2 mpg vs all season tires. While I don’t plan any trips over the Rockies, I’m ready if I need to go.

A set of snow chains and an air pump live year around in my vehicles. If you need to use chains, put them on as tight as you can then inflate your tires to take out all the slack.

Political Correctness Stupidity

Half Baked Conspiracy Theory

If those who do not study history doomed to repeat it, are those who do study history emboldened to repeat it? To use the bits and pieces to form their own vision and methods for their own ends?

Should your goal be overthrowing the existing political structure of the United States, would the Weimar Republic and Hitler’s rise to power offer many useful strategies? Political unrest, hyperinflation, unemployment and critical shortages deliberately created might be your plan.

What is happening here this very moment?

Civil unrest helps. Do you see much difference between these two?

As always, YMMV

Education

Long term friends are teachers and ranchers in Northwest Colorado. They well know hard work and overcoming adversity. She spent thirty years teaching from an extremely rural one room school to being a superintendent.  With her permission I’m posting something from her Facebook page.

Middle of the Night Musings: What wonderful benefits I have received from the high school education I was given. Back in the Dark Ages, 1960 -1964, when I was in high school, we lived in a small town surrounded by 3 military bases. This was during the Cold War when military numbers were rapidly increasing and so the population within the district was rapidly increasing. However, since the military bases were providing the bulk of housing for the people moving into the district and because the Federal Government doesn’t pay property taxes, there wasn’t enough money in the district coffers to build so many schools so quickly. Most of the funding for the schools came from the Federal Government in the form of “in lieu of taxes” funds. A little secret I’ve learned over the years is that with Federal money comes Federal strings. In the case of the schools, that was a good thing. The schools came well built, fully equipped, well-staffed with well paid teachers, and offering a broad educational opportunity in the offerings of classes, the number of clubs, sports, and other extracurricular opportunities. Not very many high schools had an aeronautics club which had its own flight simulator which was given to them by the Air Force Academy. (That was where I learned that I didn’t have the stomach for becoming an astronaut or even a pilot. I do mean stomach for it because I had a tendency toward air sickness). It was in Future Teachers of American that I confirmed that becoming a teacher was good choice for me. We were required to select a degree track and a minor track which determined the classes you took in order to graduate. The philosophy was that if you weren’t going to college, they wanted you to be able to go out get a job where you could support yourself build a future when you graduated from high school. I chose the college prep as a major and a business track as a minor. Besides stenography, office skills, and classes on using and maintaining the various office machines in use at that time, I had to take two years of typing. I really appreciate all the money and time, encouragement and experiences that I was given in my education to help me lead a fulfilling life; but what it now boils down to is that thanks for the 2 years of typing so that I can sit at my computer without a back lit keyboard, in the middle of the night, and type with enough accuracy that I can share my ramblings with others. If I start to type gibberish or have some typos, you’ll know that I got off line literally.

Western Nebraskans

Business today took me to Scottsbluff among other places. Heading back South on Highway 71 I paused at the old Stage Hill Road parking area to clean the windshield, check automotive fluids and eliminate personal fluids. With both my hood and trunk open, within ten minutes had two vehicles stop and ask me if I needed help.

On the Colorado side of Highway 71, about ten mile North of Highway 14, is this limestone formation. There is nothing else like it for miles in any direction. I’ve always want to explore it but it is on posted private property.

Banner does well on car rides but he loves visiting my sister where he is spoiled rotten. Today I left him with her as my trip was over ten hours.

He makes himself at home.

Habits

When I was married, one of her less than charming traits was never being able to find her glasses, keys, wallet, etc. It seemed like every departure was delayed for a “treasure hunt”.

Despite having six+ pairs of eyeglasses, she would still drive at night without glasses. She wrecked two cars over the years driving without her glasses. By luck and the grace of God none of the kids were hurt.

This morning I was reminded of those days when I couldn’t find my house keys. Banner needed his morning outdoor latrine visit. We went anyway and a neighbor let us back in the building.

I am organized, as you can see in the picture, mainly because I operate on autopilot in the morning until I have my coffee.

Last night I was distracted by a neighbor as Banner and I arrived from his 10 pm last call. The neighbor was commenting on his new coat.

As usual, I found my keys in the last place I looked, which was next to the coffee pot. Yes, I live the title of my blog.

Trivial Decision

 

This Chinese made drill is many years old but has served me well for the occasional uses I’ve needed. The chuck is hand tightened and that has always been an annoyance.

The battery no longer holds enough charge to last long enough to complete a job. Replacement batteries, if you can find them, are in the $50 range.

Under $100 are many new tools, some not much more than $50. I'm not a tradesman using it for work.

My trivial decision is, do I get a new drill or a new battery? Please understand, I am not frugal, I am CHEAP! Any recommendations?

Say I grit my teeth and buy a new one. What do I do with my current one? I hate the thought of throwing away a still functional tool. Perhaps I can donate it to ARC and maybe someone else can get some use out of it. Suggestions?