"In a democracy (‘rule by mob’), those who refuse to learn from history will be the majority and will dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance."
But at least it didn’t stem from from riots or some such, not that one would ever expect such here in America’s Third World County. The “African Grocery” with apartments above and mosque next door: complete loss. Two injured–one a firefighter. No, no riot, but still not a Good Thing. The Somalis in that town will miss their specialty grocery and mosque. Not a lot of crossover with the Pacific Islanders’ grocery here in town, either.
Not all THAT much, but after this AM’s “wood chucking exercises,” I slowed down with a cuppa coffee enhanced with a weed tad of cayenne pepper and baking cocoa. Enjoyed the cat-in-the-lap, too. Had to. He said so. After release from “lap duty,” some stretches, etc. Better. Pulse high of only 114 BPM, cool down and recovery to lowest of day: 51 BPM. Getting a wee bit better. Maybe I can eventually make the doc less of a liar the next time he tells me I’m in “pretty good shape for someone [my] age.” *heh* Maybe.
Nah, don’t always get me down.
Lil P0106 error code on Son&Heir’s 2010 Jetta (pretty nice car, that) that cleared when new PCV valve installed recurred with a P2178 (idle rich) added. MAF sensor/throttle body problem? MAF sensor connector was cracked. Cleaned out oil after removing, cleaning, checking throttle body, sealed MAF sensor connection after Deoxit cleaning of connectors. So far, no errors, but we’ll see. May need to replace a bit of electrical harness/connectors and MAF sensor, if it recurs. *shrugs* And then, of course, there’s always *tum-dum-tum-DUM!* taking it to the mechanic. *heh*
Methinks I’ll check things under the hood on my Wonder Woman’s 2010 Jetta, too, when I change the oil. *shrugs* Who knows? Maybe at least Deoxit* a few electrical connections there, too.
*I love the various Caig Deoxit products. Solved quite a few problems over the years using them. Their dielectric grease is apparently head and shoulders above similar products, going by the results I have had eliminating household electrical problems using it (solutions implemented a decade ago have held up). Computer and electronic woes dealt with, sound quality improvement from sound equipment. Vehicle woes wiped out. Improved network connections. Nice products, IMO.
I have now participated in three Decennial Census efforts as an enumerator. 2000 and 2010, and now 2020. I worked in each of them for a couple of reasons:
1. The Census is one of the very few things the “feddle gummint” does that have a clear, unequivocal constitutional mandate, and as much as I gripe about the feds exceeding their constitutional limits, I do appreciate any of the few opportunities I have to support legitimate exercises of federal power.
2. In the first two, I got paid (admittedly not much) to simply add a bit of “side business” to a hobby of mine: driving the back roads of America’s Third World County™. 2020? Notsomuch.
This time, the whole thing was so very screwed up from the very beginning that every new screwup simply made the whole thing a real drag. You know the old saying, “Once is happenstance; twiceis coincidence; three times is enemy action”? Yeh, that. *sigh* I thought at first, as the “training” began, “Oh, this is just incompetence.” But then as “training” continued and continued to worsen I started to wonder how the actual field work might go. I mean, after all, there were a few mapping problems in 2000 and 2010, but surely the GPS positioning and such like used by the mapping crews that supposedly worked in 2019 and who had their work checked in the update operation at the beginning of 2020 would make things better there? Right?
No. Mapping problems from 2000 that had been corrected for the 2010 Census were inexplicably re-introduced in 2020, and naturally even more were introduced, to the point that roughly half of the work was just saying, “THERE IS NO SUCH ADDRESS, NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN THERE. EVER!” or variations on that theme. And then new things like retail businesses that have been in existence for 30-40 years listed as housing units (NEVER have been, and were not so listed in previous censuses). Housing units listed with THREE DIFFERENT ADDRESSES, at least one of which was physically impossible. And more, much, much more.
And then there were things like specific instructions via updates to handheld devices (iPhones with software provided by an obvious low bidder) issued for all interviews, reporting, etc., instructions to do such and so that when followed led back to management wusses who had no clue whatsoever how to perform their part of the instructions.
Cases dropped when reported. Reporting devices (yes, I asked other enumerators) frequently “borked,” even losing a days’ worth of work. Obscurantist case reporting parameters within the software that worked. . . inconsistently. Re-re-re-re-interviews of cases already completed, reported, submitted, and accepted.
It goes on. And on. And on.
It is almost as though a conspiracy of dunces set out to sabotage the entire effort. Well, that and apparently blatant fraud, especially on the part of the mapping operations. (NO ONE could honestly have “mapped” some of the locations listed. Period.)
Ad so the Census asked a federal judge to extend the deadline for submitting data. And the (Chicago area?) federal judge acquiesced. Thankfully, the SCOTUS has said, “Fugetaboutit,” and shut the thing down. Could not have happened to a better bureaucrappic monster, IMO.
50++ years on, I still get reminders–more and more often of late, as bones age–of the first lesson of horses:
Watch your feet.
Example: Article 1 Sections 9/10 include the statements, “No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States. . . ” and “No state shall. . . grant any title of nobility.”
Of course, there is an easy *wink-wink-nudge-nudge* workaround for this. The privileges, exemptions, and immunities associated with “titles of nobility” are all granted certain classes of persons now, while avoiding actual titles associated with “nobility” and substituting other titles, such as Congressman, police officer, prosecutor, judge, drivers license clerks, etc., etc., ad nauseum. See? no “titles of nobility” granted, just all the powers and privileges thereof.
Because, as we all know, some animals are more equal than others.
#gagamaggot
Reading a novel. Ran across (sub-sub-sub-plot) “I need to earn her love.”
Whatever comes of the effort, it wouldn’t be a “love” that endures. A love that endures embodies the Rogerian translation of agape: unconditional positive regard. It’s the “unconditional” that is most important. Now, that unconditional positive regard may not result in the actions the one so loved desires, if their actions are negative, because actions have consequences, and love is sometimes tough. Lovingly tough.
Not that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” but “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Attempting to earn the love of another, and thinking that being worthy of their love is a prerequisite can result in a relationship built on sand. As I remind my own Wonder Woman: it’s not my fault she loves me (since I could never really be worthy of her love but only attempt to demonstrate my own and my appreciation for hers). *heh*
New Kindle Paperwhite.
Pluses:
The display is excellent. Perfect, IMO, for reading (and since that’s much more than 99% of what I use a Kindle for, just about perfect for my purposes).
The size is very good. Easily held one-handed for long periods of time.
Does indeed appear to last longer per charge.
Waterproof (well, water resistant).
In the 32-gig version, much more room for books than my other Kindles.
Minuses:
Navigating to my library of books sucks a bit. Much less straightforward than any of my other Kindles.
No auto-orientation. Not a really big deal, but it is a minor inconvenience.
I have yet to get it to sync up properly, and navigating to :last page read” in other registered devices has yet to work.
Just navigating to a different page or location in a book is clumsy.
All-in-all, the pluses far outweigh the minuses for me. The negatives are themselves only minor irritations, and are few. The positives are all things I was looking for.
Latest 40 min “exercise bout” (yard work: tossing logs, feeding chipper, hauling and spreading bagged mulch) today in 101°F “heat index” ? 119/69 BP; 109 pulse. I’d like to reach closer to mid-upper target on pulse, but given the weather, I’m OK with it where it is for now. Combined with the two sessions pushing a mower, etc., earlier today, I may sleep well tonight. *heh*
Neat thing about the chipper is that if it doesn’t require major maintenance before the cleanup is finished, it’ll just about pay for itself in mulch! ? So, far, I’ve chipped/shredded only about 1/10 of the material I have to deal with, and it’s already produced enough mulch to equal about 1/6 of the cost of the chipper. Between that and the exercise–especially for hands, forearms, and back feeding the thing the larger limbs it will take–and “massage” benefit (holding onto the 1.5”-3” diameter limbs one of the feed chutes takes is NOT easy–a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on! ?), I’m really enjoying the chipper. And then there’s all the mulch! Love that stuff!
Enjoyed “building” a different compost pile, the other day. Some 3/8” rebar (4 – 4′ lengths) driven into the ground to hold some 6.5′ long logs in place. Dumping mostly grass clippings between that and the garage’s concrete block foundation. The ends are stacked tires–also filled with organic matter for composting. Some “drunk composting” mix sprayed on top and a lil dirt added, and it’ll be good for next year’s gardening. Just add a wee bit of dirt on top come fall, mulch on top of that.
No gardening this summer. Too much wood waste, etc., to deal with. *shrugs* ‘S’all right. Different. Gonna miss my peppers, though.
Well, not actually too many, just more than I may be able to finish in my lifetime. *heh*
And one more.
Today, I found a 40′ length of pre-built CAT7 cable at my fav “fell off the back of a truck store”. . . for a buck. Now, I have our home network upgrade 3/4 plotted out in my head.
But.
Yeh, it’s gonna have to stay in my head for a while, ‘cos I have too many other irons in the fire right now. Juggling what I’m already working on is enough for now.
Ain’t it great? Busier than I have been for a couple of decades, and no end in sight. ?