There ain’t a thing in the world stupid enough so nobody tries to do it. I have my gob smacked, my jaw fell under the table and I concussed myself slighly by catching my forehead too fast.
AlexanderZsays
Am I the only one who thinks it weird that the man’s pants are all the way down, but his underpants are up?
rqsays
AlexanderZ
Maybe only due to his age. I know up until about the age of 5, both the older kids peed like that.
Loftysays
Funniest thing is when a visiting boy child would rush to the toilet and not realise that in the Lofty household the toilet lids are left down. Wet trouser knees are sooo embarrassing.
Caine
Uhm, yes, I do, but that’s the first time people couldn’t reach me there.
Lemme see, I also got a couple of googlemonster addresses, I’ll mail you one of those
Giliell, yeah, I get your emails fine, but I can’t ever reply, because I get a failure notice, and I don’t know why. Anyway, I’m just so relieved the horses made it -- our postal clerk kept insisting that I get a hold of you, so you could tell me what province or state you were in. After staring for a moment, I just kept repeating GERMANY. They finally managed it.
Caine
I hope you got the mail with the other address, if not yell here.
+++
I once had the perfect bathroom to make dudes pee while sitting: The ceiling was too low to stay afoot. The house was a turn of the century city house where the bathrooms used to be communal. The individual bathroom was crammed into a corner of the kitchen and since we were the topmost level we were under the roof. You had to carefully walk backwards with your butt searching for the bowl so you didn’t knock your head on the ceiling.
+++
Apart from that, I aten’t dead, just very, very busy.
our postal clerk kept insisting that I get a hold of you, so you could tell me what province or state you were in. After staring for a moment, I just kept repeating GERMANY. They finally managed it.
The idea that other countries may have a postal delivery system that is different from the USA but which also works may be beyond comprehension.
ledasmomsays
While visiting brother, sister-in-law and their young twins, I was invited to use the upstairs bathroom if I did not want visitors. Went upstairs, found bathroom, noted that next to the toilet was a quite low window with no curtain. Sat, looked out window, noticed that it faced a similar window in the next house over, which also had no curtain.
Luckily my bladder is not as shy as it used to be, but I imagine it could be unnerving for someone who stood up to pee.
AlexanderZsays
ledasmom #16
next to the toilet was a quite low window with no curtain. Sat, looked out window, noticed that it faced a similar window in the next house over, which also had no curtain.
Spoooky.
I bet there is a Halloween story in there somewhere. :)
chigau (違う)says
Does anyone think that briue1987 will comment somewhere on Affinity?
How desperate for attention do you have to be if you obsessively monitor a place you know you’re not welcome at in order to sneak back while the “homeowner” is away?
I hadn’t even read the open thread at Pharyngula, just went over and skimmed a bit. I find it very amusing that FTB is simply so irrelevant it’s not even a subject at the ‘pit anymore. As that’s the case, it would be great if I stopped seeing a constant stream of referrers from the ‘pit.
rqsays
Giliell
And not only sneak into the homeowner’s place, but his neighbours, too. Apparently when PZ is away all of FtB is suddenly without other bloggers who moderate their own posts. We have revealed your sockpuppet sekrit, Caine!
I find it very amusing that FTB is simply so irrelevant it’s not even a subject at the ‘pit anymore.
Yeah, I mean he just accidentally stumbled upon Pharyngula just when PZ’s away, right?
I mean, like the time I accidentally typed “The Shoop’s Roost” into the search bar instead of the address line to find out that the pit wasn’t only reading there as well but also wishing for me to be gang raped.
Total coincidences, you know…
Oh yes, and of course, they are above all that now, or at least that’s one story spun, and it couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’d be amazed if they dropped FTB/Orbit/ and all of us from their chat board, but that isn’t going to happen.
I don’t go over there and read. I did a couple of times months ago, to see just how much abear was lying to me via email, and I saw more than enough. No desire to go back. Never had a desire to go in the first place.
Right now, the referrers from their little chat board keep adding up. Idiots.
Saadsays
The popularity and prevalence of something is clearly what determines its value. This is why Christianity is true, Islam is almost all true, and atheism is false.
Ice Swimmersays
Today I went to see the student matinee of Sibelius Academy (the highest level music school in Finland, part of the Finnish University of Arts) for the first time. It’s free, and the students (mostly string instrument players, a clarinetist and pianists) played well. The programme featured Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Cesar Franck, Kalevi Aho and Jean Sibelius. Aho’s trio for viola, clarinet and piano was a positive surprise, I had my doubts about modern art music, but the piece got me.
Saadsays
Some amusing input on diversity in games from gamers I came across on a tech forum today. It gave me a case of the facepalms, so I thought I’d share:
If there’s one thing I dislike about BioWare, it is their catering to SJWs.
I agree. I’ve always rolled my eyes when I read articles of Bioware talking about how they were trying to keep their games “diversified” for the sake of diversity.
Nothing kills an organic narrative faster in my opinion than heavy handed approaches of social commentary, aka “Look at us, we’re diversifying. See, see we are diverse!”
As long as I play a character that is fleshed out and acts like a human would in the situations they are in, I couldn’t care less what gender/ethnicity they are.
I agree with the above two posts. I understand that they feel compelled to cater to them though, since it makes up a very large part of their audience lol.
The irony in the last sentence of the second quote is tasty.
As long as I play a character that is fleshed out and acts like a human would in the situations they are in, I couldn’t care less what gender/ethnicity they are.
Unless they’re not a straight white guy, then I care a lot.
Saadsays
As long as I play a character that is fleshed out and acts like a human would in the situations they are in, I couldn’t care less what gender/ethnicity they are.
So they should naturally be a huge proponent of Sarkeesian’s critiques then.
Unless by “fleshed out” they mean women characters wearing no armor and hardly any clothes in armed combat situations.
Ice Swimmersays
The first snow has arrived here with eastern winds making lake effect snow from the sea. Pretty much nothing during the morning rush hour, but the afternoon rush hour is a another story.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
I changed my display name.
What will happen?
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
OK, for Affinity.
rqsays
Ice Swimmer
It was one of two headlines for us this morning. They chose FIRST SNOW PARALYZES CITY!!!, so I guess they’ve realized they’ve been preparing people for this one at least.
Ice Swimmersays
rq @ 35
Here the sensationalizing headlines were Snow Chaos and the the classic one. It’s just that drumming about the Snow Chaos started a bit early resulting to SoMe ridicule, as snowing didn’t start properly at Wednesday morning.
miles linkssays
Ice Swimmer: oh my dog, where are you at to get snow already?
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
I’m at 53°N.
We had 10cm of snow a couple weeks ago.
It all melted.
I hung the laundry on the line outside today.
It dried quite nicely.
rqsays
Ice Swimmer
Well, the current prognosis is “winter will not release its grip!” for an indeterminate length of time. I guess I have to pull out the kids’ winter boots after all (I was putting it off in favour of the theory that things will progress as usual: small pluses until the end of December, harsh winter conditions from mid-January to early February, weird things to follow).
56.49°N, for anyone interested.
Ice Swimmersays
miles links @ 37
60°N. Finland.
rq @ 39
Yes, it’s going to be snowy (only 3 cm now, but more to come) for at least a week. After that, who knows.
October was one of the least rainy ones ever here.
StevoRsays
Been the wettest winter and spring I can recall here in Adelaide, South Australia. Just storm after storm and lots more rainfall than average despite only being La Nina “Watch” status according to our Bureau of Meteorology.
with sluggish ice growth and warmer than usual temps :
On October 20, 2016, Arctic sea ice extent began to set new daily record lows for this time of year. After mid-October, ice growth returned to near-average rates, but extent remained at record low levels through late October. High sea surface temperatures in open water areas were important in limiting ice growth. October air temperatures were also unusually high, and this warmth extended from the surface through a considerable depth of the atmosphere.
On another matter altogether, this item on songbirds, the evolutionary history of bird families and some ecological & fire safety connections :
is pretty interesting and informative and worth viewing I hope. I haven’t read the Tim Low book ‘Where Song Began’ referred to here but its been added to my reading list if I can find a copy.
Well, we’ve been promised snow next week. Given that we were running ‘Roud in T’s last week. And then people will complain about it being too cold and that climate change is a hoax. Sure, my chrysanthemum is still in bloom, but no global warming, right?
StevoRsays
Please use as best suits & helps :
***
I feel scared and depressed.
With two days till the USA election; it is too frighteningly close and the prospect of a President Trump is all too plausible -- and this has huge impacts on the world as a whole.
If it was just something that only affected the United States then I’d keep quiet and not be so worried. It’d just be their choice affecting them. But it isn’t and I am. The trend it sets, the implications it has, horrify me. Those trends and implications are really long term -- decades and then some.
I am NOT going to tell my US friends here on facebook who I know are great, intelligent, kind people and fully capable of making up their own minds and know far more about their nation than I do, how to vote.
But I will say if I was a US citizen I would be voting for Hillary Clinton because of the reality of Global Overheating and the need to act to mitigate it, because of human rights including the rights of women to control their own bodies and just be respected as human beings and for LGBTQI people to be likewise respected and treated equally; because of the possibility of conflicts globe-wide and the nightmare that is a thin-skinned, ridiculously willfully ignorant fool like Trump having his tiny, tiny orange fingers on the nuclear button of the world’s largest superpower. Because of so much more in the example and direction it sets our pale blue dot, socially, culturally, economically, ethically.
No, Hillary Clinton isn’t perfect although like with our former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the media and right-wing has
pilloried and demonised and abused her incredibly unfairly and never given her a fair go. So much mud flung at her, so little based on fact, so little that should stick -- but so much that has anyway because I think so many hate her already without really understanding why or being willing to listen to her and the reality that fact checkers tell us and we can check for ourselves is true. Hillary Rodham Clinton is flawed; she is humanly imperfect and she’s not ideal. Her Presidency will likely be troubled and stymied in Congress by the dropkicks that refuse to just do their jobs and not the greatest. But compared to the utterly vile, hate-filled tormenting torture horror of the alternative .. Whoah!
No, I won’t tell my US friends how to vote but I will plead with them and okay outright beg them because the thought of Trump as POTUS has me scared and depressed and the world is more than bad enough already without a possible Trump Presidency.
I remember the 2000 election and the presidency of Dubya Bush the Lesser and all the harm that did our collective reality. I hope we’ve learnt from that. I would hate to see it repeated only super-sized and I don’t know that we’d survive it.
Please, let reason and compassion and sense -- and Hillary Clinton -- prevail. Please.
StevoRsays
I didn’t think Trump would seriously run.
I didn’t think he could possibly be the Repub nominee.
And now .. I’m seriously scared.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
Appalling.
Ice Swimmersays
The world is no longer just upside down, it’s crumbling.
StevoRsays
The metaphorical -- very much NOT literal -- darkness in the world closes in?
Very well: then I shall light more (metaphorical) candles.
Even if there are tears trickling down my cheeks whilst I light them. They’ll be lit and burn against The Dark.
World has not ended yet -- I (& us all) can and will still stand up for what is right.
Because it is needed now more than ever.
Hate hasn’t won yet. Won’t let it do so.
Even if Trump is POTUS now.
We’ll fight him. Ain’t never over.
Thankyou to all who fight and do what you can to stop the hate and harm and horror.
You matter. Don’t forget that please.
rqsays
I thought I would find a small island of happiness by going into the bookstore -- the book that caught my eye was “2017: War With Russia”. Yeah, fuck you, bookstore.
Because we need something good and someone being decent today: Theirs
Crimson Clupeidaesays
Anyone here have any experience with fundraising they’d be willing to share?
I’m in the process of trying to put together a benefit for a friend who needs dental work. The insurance won’t cover it because they say it’s ‘cosmetic’. He’s actually missing teeth and needs implants…he’s a musician who can’t play because of this. I know how important that can be to someone who lives music (this guy is actually in the local musician’s hall of fame).
I’ve made some local contacts with people who have connections in the local music scene, and I’m going to see if I can negotiate some kind of deal with his (or another) dentist as well.
I hate that we have to do shit like this for what should be basic medical necessities, but what little we have may soon be lost again. =(
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaidensays
So forgive me for being clueless and out of touch with what’s been covered on Affinity, but has Honour Water been covered here?
From my stats page, a particularly infuriating search string:
how much are the professional protesters for nodapl making
Crimson Clupeidaesays
Oh gods…really? Professional protestors? Unlike, for instance, the actual paid ‘security’ people? There aren’t enough facepalms….
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
Leonard Cohen has walked on.
rqsays
So 2016 just isn’t going to get any better, is it. Should have restarted it back in January when we still had a chance.
cubistsays
The Electoral College still has to do its thing. Two of the EC crew swore, pre-election, that they wouldn’t cast their electoral votes for Clinton even if she won the popular vote; this is a thing that members of Electoral College can do. In fact, contravening the results of the popular vote is exactly and precisely what the creators of the Electoral College intended the EC to do.
So.
The EC does its thing on 19 December. What if 40-odd EC members from Trump-victory states decide to screw the popular vote, and cast their electoral votes for Clinton?
No, I don’t think that scenario has a hope in hell of occurring. Still… food for thought.
Saadsays
Trump was just asked if he would be banning Muslims and he responded “thank you very much” and walked away.
This is actually happening. It was like a what-if nightmare scenario during the campaign and now it’s a reality. This is all so draining emotionally. I only have so much outrage before I start feeling numb and helpless.
Caine, thank you for having this awesome blog. Somehow you’ve managed to have an active blog that is free of the condescending privilege-splainin’ liberal assholes who think they’re allies. Even PZ’s blog has a couple of these people posting. The good thing is, they post regularly so they’re easy to scroll past.
And lastly: a gigantic FUCK YOU to each and everyone who tells us we’re overreacting to this. And an equal sizedFUCK YOU to each and every liberal shitbag that is still trying to justify not voting for Hillary.
Saadsays
Trump’s official statement on banning Muslims was removed from his website and is now up again. Not linking to it of course.
He also has charts there claiming to show the number of Syrian refugees coming to the US.
And lastly: a gigantic FUCK YOU to each and everyone who tells us we’re overreacting to this. And an equal sized FUCK YOU to each and every liberal shitbag that is still trying to justify not voting for Hillary.
Right there with you. I’m past tolerating anyone doing the overreacting thing or using the “oh you think it’s bad now” gambit, or any variation on. No. Things are that bad, right here, right now. Yes, it’s going to get worse. Today, it’s bad enough. Fuck.
Oh, and if you’re concerned about running into sonofrojblake in a thread, no worries. I dumped him into moderation yesterday, and none of his subsequent posts made it past vetting. I won’t allow anyone deliberately attempting to harm people.
I can’t read in depth at Pharyngula right now. Just can’t take it.
rqsays
I read through a couple Pharyngula threads today. Well, started out reading, later just skimming. Hooooo boy, I shouldn’t have, because I just reduced myself to tears all over again about how little people care about collateral damage, unless it’s someone they despise causing the all-too-human collateral damage. Then it’s okay to rant and rave about how it’s evil to put others in the line of fire, but when it’s for their own cause (i.e. shaking up the USAnian Establishment Election Machine), then it’s perfectly fine.
Or at least, that’s the message I got from the vast majority of apologetics in the comments.
Can we have another resounding chorus of ‘FUCK YOU’? All together now…
Saadsays
I’m just sticking to the Political Madness thread for now since Lynna and SC post informative stuff there.
Jesus Fuck, the whining, the apologists. I have to stay the fuck away from Pharyngula.
Saadsays
My favorite was Jake’s post.
I’m thinking, “we know who you are and we remember all your posts… Trump’s win didn’t zap our memories”.
rqsays
Pharyngula is not a pretty place right now, despite the people trying to argue in favour of… who the fuck am I kidding. It’s just not a pretty place right now.
Rob Grigjanissays
A poem by Charles Bukowski;
a challenge to the dark
———————————-
shot in the eye
shot in the brain
shot in the ass
shot like a flower in the dance
amazing how death wins hands down
amazing how much credence is given to idiot forms of life
amazing how laughter has been drowned out
amazing how viciousness is such a constant
I must soon declare my own war on their war
I must hold to my last piece of ground
I must protect the small space I have made that has allowed me life
That’s a good poem. It’s very sharp, and it’s on point to the current state of things. I like the lack of concession; I wish I felt that strength right now.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
I am curious…
do those people with the “Confederate” flags and trucks and tweets know any history?
.
do they think that, this time around, their targets are going to just sit there
and be targets?
.
Because I think there will be blood.
That’s one of the things I’m afraid of. There will be people willing to kill. Earlier today, I read an article about two Trumpoids who rammed a veteran with their truck.
Caine
I am also concerned that the “Confederates” do not seem to understand that,
this time, there will be resistance.
We know too much to go back and pretend.
Yep, there’s a lot of people getting hurt already. And I doubt that the assholes who are going like “oh, I’m not happy that Trump won, I’m just happy Clinton lost” as if those weren’t the exact same thing will put themselves in front of the marginalized folks who can’t duck their heads and act like it’s not about them.
No, not going to Pharyngula right now.
Well, meet Hörnchen, the latest addition to our ever growing flock.
I also have a horrible cold and no idea about how I’ll make it through the day tomorrow.
Other than that I can attest to many of the things the author says in the article. Think about stuff that was actually good. You’ll find something. I know self care isn’t a substitute for burning down the system*, but you cannot do the latter without the former.
My homeopathy loving GP gave me a prescription for antibiotics. I think I’m going to die…
AlexanderZsays
I’ve had my cat put down today. He was roughly 19.5 y.o. (nobody knows when exactly he was born, I got him when he was already a few months old). Here he is when he was roughly 14 and still full of life (he was very active and playful until 16y.o. and even half a year ago he could still make very difficult jumps all the way to kitchen shelves, 20cm below the ceiling, to get an angle on the food below).
—
Sorry for being an asshole to you lately.
Oh, Alexander, I’m so sorry. It’s so tough when you lose them after having them so very long. I still remember having to do the same to my 21 year old cat, who we raised from birth (her parents had to go into quarantine with cat flu, the other kits died.)
He was very beautiful, what was his name?
AlexanderZsays
Thank you, Caine!
His name was Sima. Originally he was supposed to be a girl. My mother got him from a co-worker who lied about his age (my mother wanted a month old kitten because she was afraid an older kitten would reject the family) and his gender (my mother feared that a male cat would piss everywhere. She was right about that one).
Officially my mother changed it to Simon, but we never called him that. I always called him Sima and he always came, even when he was angry with me.
Later, when he was around 2y.o. he was diagnosed with a serious urinary tract disorder, and went down hill since then. He had to be operated twice to remove his entire genitals to make the urinary tract wide enough for him to pee. His heart even stopped during the operation and the vet had to massage it back to beating. The vets gave him a 15% chance of survival. Twice.
But he recovered and since he was 4 to 14 he ruled every apartment I lived in, the nearby streets and made sure that even the neighbor’s dogs don’t bark too loud or too often (he had no problem with well behaved dogs).
After 14 he started getting less dominating, but he still defended my flat from invaders -- cats and even a human thief. You can’t see it in the photos, but he had a scar over his eye and multiple scars behind his ears. He was a real fighter, in more ways than one.
I still remember having to do the same to my 21 year old cat, who we raised from birth (her parents had to go into quarantine with cat flu, the other kits died.)
Sounds like you’ve been a great human to your cat! It must have been extremely hard on you.
BTW, I keep saying to myself that I don’t want another pet (he was technically my second pet, but the first one that I actually remember), but people like you and many other that clearly love their pets despite grieving for them when die and go on to adopt new ones give me strength.
BTW, I keep saying to myself that I don’t want another pet (he was technically my second pet, but the first one that I actually remember), but people like you and many other that clearly love their pets despite grieving for them when die and go on to adopt new ones give me strength.
When my sister’S dog died she and her husband said they wouldn’t adopt any more pets unless they knocked on their door. One evening there was somebody knocking at the window. A red tom was sitting here and demanding to get in. He was named Karlchen and comes by occasionally for food, shelter and snuggling. Some time later a red lady cat appeared. Probably his sister. Lilly doesn’t really live with them either. They’re both half strays who know where they can find a safe haven. But Lilly isn’t neutered and they already noticed that she was pregnant twice. Every time she’d stop coming by for a week or so and then reappear and eat for, well, half a dozen cats. Literally.
Until a few months or so, when she knocked on the window. When my sister went to the window, she was sitting there with a tiny, malnourished, flea ridden kitten in her mouth. When she saw my sister she dropped the kitten and left. They took the kitten in, took him to the vet, nourished him. Now Mr. Spock (named thus because his ears were bigger than the rest of him when they got him) has fully adopted them.
rqsays
AlexanderZ
*hugs* here, too.
What a resilient cat. And 19.5, that’s a very long-lived kitty.
My kitty growing up decided to die at about 20 years of age. Even knowing she’d had more of a life than other cats in terms of years, and knowing she was failing health-wise, it wasn’t easy.
*hugs* to all adopted humans of elderly cats!
Giliell
I love the Karlchen story. Yay Mr Spock!
blfsays
(Testing, testing, …
Just checking some browser customizations.)
As apologizes for using up some of everyone’s bandwidth,
more bandwidth usage! A bit of a fun link I stumbled across recently, Ialma — Dance Like a Galician (video).
blfsays
(More testing, sorry…)
So another apology / fun video, Katzenjammer — A Bar in Amsterdam, complete with frozen trumpet valve (but no penguins as you-know-who pouts out). The dancers are an extra treat, Katzenjammer is an energetic live act all by themselves.
blfsays
(And now for something different, this is not a test…)
Whilst washing dishes — they were demanding a seat, or at least a washbasin, at the UN — and listening to someone’s channel, this came up, Katzenjammer — Hey Ho (On The Devil’s Back). I was immediately captivated by it, partly as it seems somehow relevant, besides being performed by a bloody good band. (Apologies it’s not a live video, the live video versions I’ve looked at since have so far failed to impress, with awful sound or horrible camerawork.)
Saadsays
Do we know what percentage of Trump’s votes were from white people (regardless of gender)?
AlexanderZsays
Saad
There are exit polls like this one.
Whites seem to have divided in a similar way to what happened in previous elections (supported by the fact that since 2004 GOP voting block was roughly 60m, while the Dem block varied greatly from 58m at 2004 to 69m at 2008). The really big surprise is that black and Hispanic voters had given a greater share of their votes to GOP this time around (8% vs 6% and 29% vs 27% for blacks and Hispanic vote percentage in 2016 vs 2012, respectively).
Note however that voter turnout was extremely low, so while Trump got a higher share of non-white vote than Romney in 2012, he still likely has gotten less non-white votes than Romney 2012. In other words I really don’t know whether his voting block was whiter than for Romney, but even if it was, it wasn’t by much.
— rq
*hugs* to all adopted humans of elderly cats!
I second that!
— Giliell
That’s a wonderful story! And what a smart cat that Lilly is -- she knew the family would take care of her kitten.
Ice Swimmersays
Saad @ 90, Alexander Z @ 91
So 58 % of Non-Hispanic white voters voted for Trump and he got about 60 million votes. There are about 251 million voting age people in the U.S. I don’t seem to find any ready-baked data on the ethnic/racial composition of the voting-age people. Any way, it’s maddening that the 60 million got to screw up the world even further.
The Army invites the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to engage in discussion regarding potential conditions on an easement for the pipeline crossing that would reduce the risk of a spill or rupture, hasten detection and response to any possible spill, or otherwise enhance the protection of Lake Oahe and the Tribe’s water supplies. The Army invites discussion of the risk of a spill in light of such conditions, and whether to grant an easement for the pipeline to cross Lake Oahe at the proposed location. The Army continues to welcome any input that the Tribe believes is relevant to the proposed pipeline crossing or the granting of an easement.
But there’s no invitation for the oil company to participate in said discussion. Nope, the responsibility is all on the tribe. Coincidence?
Heh. Probably not.
Saad
I think it was 59% white dudes and 53% white women (fuck them all). The Latin@ vote and black male vote was kind of surprising*, although it seems that voter suppression inflated their share in percentage as opposed to actual numbers.
*There are always those willing to kick themselves in the genitals for the approval of a white man.
blfsays
Today is Beaujolais Nouveau, reports the mildly deranged penguin between giggles, hiccups, and cleaning her teeth of fragments of glass, corks, and vin waiters. In celebration, we present PDQ Bach: What’s Your Sign?, which had both of us laughing so hard, long, and often the village has been renamed Le village de manchots de fromage fou (or something like that, I was too busy quaffing to pay much attention, it might have been Le village des pingouins enrégés de fromage). I was on the floor, she was on the ceiling, albeit either we or they must have changed places at times, as I distinctly recall falling from one to the other, laughing all the time.
Caine
In the interest of stocking up the cute, would you like me to send you Zoo pics?
Today is Beaujolais Nouveau, reports the mildly deranged penguin between giggles, hiccups, and cleaning her teeth of fragments of glass, corks, and vin waiters.
Damn, I totally forgot. Not that I’d taste anything, mind you.
stellatreesays
Just wanted to stick my head up to thank Caine and all the commenters for this amazing space. I know I’m a pretty new commenter and I don’t add much to discussions, but I learn so much from all of you. I’m very grateful now, as I have no practical ideas for how to resist the current situation. Your experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated.
In the interest of stocking up the cute, would you like me to send you Zoo pics?
Absolutely!
Stellatree, I think right now, all we can do is to be vigilant, protest if possible, and support those organizations which are going to need a lot of help, like planned parenthood.
stellatreesays
I’m trying to get myself in the mind frame that I can conquer my agoraphobia enough to get out and protest. I feel very strongly that I’m not going to let another sexual predator ruin my life on any scale, let alone people even more vulnerable than I am. There’s a queen teen center, a food pantry, and a Planned Parenthood in my neighborhood I’m going to contact to see if they need volunteers. I’m on disability so I can’t donate money but I have lots of time.
stellatreesays
*queer teen center, stupid auto correct.
blfsays
Damn, I totally forgot.
So did I, almost… I went to a favourite resturant last Tuesday for lunch — something which seems to be becoming a habit, as Tuesday is market day here in the village and it’s en route — and the chef / owner happened to mention to me today would be Beaujolais Nouveau, and he’s doing a special Beaujolais-Burgundy menu. I had thought it was next week, having glanced a bit too briefly at the calendar.
The mildly deranged penguin is not too much use for reminders. She just repositions the Earth, Sol, or whatever whenever the date is wrong, inconvenient, or should be repeated. Or so she says. I think she just drives the Massive Orbital Cheese Vault to a new location and then complains at all the calendar-makers.
Not that I’d taste anything, mind you.
Taste, or taste of, anything? With the mildly deranged penguin whizzing arou—DUCK!—nd, it’s important to be clear on these things. Not that 8y€mm/aQ(throws a bit of cheese across the room, so the mildly deranged penguin takes off from the laptop’s keyboard in hot pursuit…)… Ahem. Sorry about that. As I was saying, not that you-know-who would pay much attention, especially if there is a cheeseboard in the vicinity.
Stellatree, that sounds good, but please remember, self care comes first. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t help anyone else. If you can’t bring yourself to protest, volunteering for indoors work is just as important.
Taste, as in having a nasty cold (possibly bird flu, so the MDP better keep her distance). Given all the medication I’ve taken recently I don’t think I’m fit for consumption.
Caine
Be prepared!
Stellatree
*fistbump*
I’ll keep your backs on the net.
blfsays
[I have] a nasty cold (possibly bird flu…
Ah. Ok. Well, not Ok. Hopefully you will mutate into a bird — um, I mean get better — soon. The mildly deranged penguin suggests trying for, of course, a penguin. The best birds, she says. Avoid ducks. Tasty, but otherwise a load of quackings.
Forget kale, forget quinoa. This season’s foodie craze in Moscow is homegrown, affordable and full of nutrients. It’s rat.
Well, not quite rat, but nutria, a giant orange-toothed rodent also known as coypu or river rat, and indigenous to southern Russia. […]
[…]
The nutria burger at Krasnodar Bistro is pale, juicy and fairly bland, somewhere between turkey and pork. It came in a soft bun, with plenty of relish and served on a chopping board. It tasted pretty good […]
Nutrias multiply at an alarmingly fast rate, making them an easy and cheap animal to farm. […]
[…]
Other nutria delights on offer at Krasnodar Bistro include nutria hotdog, nutria dumplings and nutria wrapped in cabbage leaves. For diners who smell a rat when it comes to nutria, there are plenty of other options using the meats of southern Russia, including a spicy kidney and sweet potato pie and a succulent, delicious and blissfully rodent-free grilled chicken with plums.
A more direct approach then stuffing the buggers into bird puppets.
blfsays
[N]utria, a giant orange-toothed rodent also known as coypu or river rat, and indigenous to southern Russia.
That bothered me when I was quoting the article @107, since the coypu is indigenous to South America. This odd claim might be the result of some confusion with the name “nutria”, which as Ye Pffft! of All Knowledge points out, “The name ‘nutria’ is generally used in North America, Asia, and throughout countries of the former Soviet Union; however, in Spanish-speaking countries, the word ‘nutria’ refers to the otter. To avoid this ambiguity, the name ‘coypu’ […] is used in Latin America and Europe.”
Or perhaps the author misunderstands “indigenous”.
StevoRsays
In other giant rodent related news of possible interest :
Africa’s giant rats are already being used to sniff out landmines and detect tuberculosis in humans, but they soon they could turn their superior noses to protecting other animals by finding illegal wildlife trophies being smuggled out of African ports.
The US-financed project is still in its early stages — the rats which will be trained to scuttle over shipping containers in search of pangolin scales were only born in October — but the aim is to prove by late 2017 that their powerful sense of smell can distinguish the illegally traded items even if they are stashed in coffee or other scent-masking substances in containers before they are loaded onto ships for export.
Also not much-heralded that I know of but impressive Peggy Whitson’s milestone -- oldest woman in space and now living aboard our largest & best yet “brick moon” :
Suggestion : Any anti-DAPL Water Protectors know if North American species could be trained to do this maybe? Not sure if a problem there but could perhaps be handy?
80K votes were missing after the computer “glitch” in Durham, which has NC’s highest concentrations of African American voters. Both of those were states Clinton lost by less than the amount of missing votes. In both states, especially in WI, they may affect the downticket races as well.
ADDED: 800K mail-in votes in FL were “never returned” according to the election board there. INVESTIGATE!
Seems Trump might’ve been right about the election being rigged after all ..
AlexanderZsays
You know, I don’t blame Obama and Clinton being conciliatory towards Trump. As president and rival nominee they have to do that to maintain a semblance of democracy. Maybe it would have been better to drop the pretense, but there are certainly good arguments against that.
But for the life of me I can’t understand what Sanders is so happy about. An ally? Really? So as long as Trump raises the minimum wage he has no problem with outright Nazism and sexual predation of women?
See, this is why Sanders deserved to lose to Clinton.
— StevoR
I love those rats! Mines, TB and now pouching -- there is nothing that they can’t sniff out.
That writer could have spent a few moments learning. Most healthy rodents have orange teeth. It’s one of the quickest ways to assess rodent health. If their teeth aren’t orange, they aren’t pulling the necessary nutrients from their diet.
On a parenting fail scale from 1 to 10, how bad is usurping your kids’ craft project in the name of helping her speed things up so she won’t lose interest?
On a parenting fail scale from 1 to 10, how bad is usurping your kids’ craft project in the name of helping her speed things up so she won’t lose interest?
Maybe a 2. You have to do what you can to stave off the loss of interest.
I stopped myself after adding some 10 cm to the scarf and I ordered my own knitting loom…
blfsays
orange-toothed rodent
That writer could have spent a few moments learning.
Canine@113, Thanks, I was not aware of that; as you imply, perhaps the writer should have mentioned that is normal for in an healthy burger-to-be. Yet there is no mistake here by the author, orange teeth are a fact, as are other characteristics mentioned. The obvious error is saying the animate sandwiches are “indigenous to southern Russia”. So whilst the writer did make a mistake, it (presumably) is not “orange teeth”, which is simply not-explained and perhaps cited as a curiosity. Not wrong per se, but also not a freaky feature of a forthcoming meal. Yes, space and other constraints permitting, the author could have written a better article. My own first preference is to avoid or correct errors, then to enhance the information.
(For what it is worth, I have not checked either the author’s claim of coypu having orange teeth, or Caine’s claim healthy rodents tend to have orange teeth. I have no reason to doubt either claim.)
blfsays
Me@117, “Canine@113…” — Oops! Please move whichever n you don’t like to some other place where it pleases you.
blfsays
I stopped myself after adding some 10 cm to the scarf
(a) That reminds me of the story behind Tom Baker’s legendary very long Doctor Who scarf: It was apparently knitted for him / the show by an elderly fan(?), and she didn’t want to stop…
(b) In yer case, are †-shaped scarfs common in the area?
(b) In yer case, are †-shaped scarfs common in the area?
Since I don’t even know what that is, I guess the answer is “no”
blfsays
You said you added c.10cm to a scarf. You didn’t say you made it longer, so I was wondering it you added a 10-ish cm crosspiece, or perhaps something else jutting out, so turning the | shape into a L or Y or € or other shape not(?) commonly associated with a scarf. Admittedly, some of the the more exciting scarf shapes, such as Ü or # or & or π are perhaps easier with a bit of space-time dimensional engineering / adjustments, or a barrel of strong vin and a steam-powered bicycle pump…
Saadsays
I’ve been away for a few days and simply don’t have the energy or patience to read through the comments at Pharyngula, so I’ll be catching up here.
stellatreesays
I just saw two goldfinches in my back yard! That’s the first time I’ve seen them in fifteen years in California. Growing up in Maryland, my mom had special thistle feeders for them, so I have nice memories of them. I’ll have to see if I can get some thistle plants to attract them.
Oh yeah. If they spent half as much time fighting racism as they spend defending their totally not racist Trump voting family and friends maybe thy could change things…
+++
In other news, I got my knitting loom. First lesson: patterns that work on a 41 peg loom look totally different on a 36 peg loom. A bit holy…
blfsays
[P]atterns that work on a 41 peg loom look totally different on a 36 peg loom.
The mildly deranged penguin says to use the average, and built another 2.5 holes into the 36-pegged loom or pattern. and also any lurking peas.
Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will visit United States President-elect Donald Trump after his inauguration, he told reporters on Wednesday.
Talking at the conclusion of a four-day visit to Mongolia, the Dalai Lama said he looked forward to meeting Trump, adding he wasn’t worried about harsh rhetoric used during the campaign.
“Sometimes I feel during the election, the candidate has more freedom to express,” he said, adding that once in power all Presidents were forced to work with “reality.”
“So I have no worries,” he said.
Speaking to reporters in Ulaanbaatar, the Dalai Lama said he considered the United States a leading nation in the “free world.”
StevoRsays
If the word ‘kin’ refers to some sort of family relationship then does that mean pumpkins are related to pumps?
Ice Swimmersays
Saad @ 130
PZ has a better beard.
StevoRsays
Just in case you haven’t already seen Dana Hunter’s blog on “thanksgiving” day this is spot on I think :
Of course, Australians -e.g. me* -- can’t talk either given what happened to our Indigenous Peoples too. We cannot change our history -but we shouldn’t ignore its realities and what really happened and pretend it wasn’t that way either. Nor should we forget what we did to the First Peoples here in Australia or in the Americas and so many other places too.
* I live on what was once Kaurna and Peramangk land. Near Colebrook house where they housed many victims of our Stolen Generations** of Indigenous Australians incl. Ithink Lowitja O’Donohue***
** Hear Archie Roach’es song ‘Took the children away’ moving song here :
There’s a wonderful “fountain of tears” sculpture & mural marking the site today.
cubistsays
Possibly good news…
During today’s service, the St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in Menlo Park, CA did their “Prayers of the People” as they always do. This time around, one of the things the “people” are praying for is “all victims of violence, including… Standing Rock”.
Menlo Park is a fairly wealthy community—St. Bede’s, in particular, is literally across the street from the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Which is less of a distinction than you might think, since SLAC is, like, two miles long, but still.
Will send the pastor an email with a link to your bog, Caine.
Cubist, thank you for that! I’m holding on to hope, but as you’ll see, the ACoE gave us all an eviction notice -- we’re supposed to pack up and be gone by Dec. 5th. Isn’t going to happen. My thanks to the Pastor though, it all helps, and it’s appreciated.
cubistsays
Hmmm. The Amazon.com wish list is still a thing… methinks I shall pass that along to St. Bede’s as well. You’ve posted that URL before, Caine, but perhaps it might be appropriate to do so again, maybe even put it in that side box with the “Drain the Swamp” permanent link?
Ice Swimmersays
A frivolity:
Today I’m forty-two. Not much in the way of celebration, but Sibelius Academy has two free level A woodwind student conserts, one by a flutist and the other by a bassoonist. I love woodwinds. The first starts in 12 minutes.
Happy Birthday, Ice Swimmer! I hope you enjoy the concerts.
Ice Swimmersays
Thank you, all. The first concert featured beauty and weirdness.
Ice Swimmersays
And the second concert was also good, the music had beauty, virtuosity and restlessness.
The flute concert featured music by Salvatore Sciarrino (modern, weird), Michel de la Barre (baroque, beautiful) and Morton Feldman (modern, strange).
The bassoon concert featured music by Camille Saint-Saëns (romantic, beautiful), Olav Berg (modern, restless), Alexandre Tansman (modern, groovy) and Bernhard Henrik Crusell (classicism, virtuosity).
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaidensays
I’ve been thinking a lot about “Cowboys & Indians” lately. Now there’s commentary up (well, another commentary) at ICTMN discussing media treatment of the Bundys vs. the water protectors through the lens of “Cowboys & Indians”. And while I don’t need to tell anyone here how racist the movie tradition is, some people insist there’s no proof and that it’s ridiculous to connect the movie tradition with ongoing racism.
There was just a long segment on the kids’ news about Standing Rock. They didn’t show the violence (but the armoured vehicles) but interviewed the kids there.
Really cool and of course my kids thought it especially cool that they knew this before and had already seen pics.
rqsays
Caught an article in the news this morning (this one), and I would just like to point out some cringe-worthiness within:
Yesterday, Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier told CBC News the veterans’ movement does not make sense.
“That’s not going to prove anything and it’s not going to fix anything, he said.
Kirchmeier also expressed concern that veterans could bring with them an element of violence.
I guess he missed the part where the police have already been engaging in rather severe and life-threatening violence. Not just threats of it.
Saadsays
Just re-watched the excerpt leading up to “God Damn America” from Jeremiah Wright’s sermon.
*chills*
StevoRsays
Powerful TV show on Indigenous Australians and Australian racism and issues with them here :
Which was shown recently. Excellent, moving and thought-provoking viewing although just scraping the surface and so many unanswered question -- could have been done a bit more in-depth and with more historical information.
Also the debate following it on NITV an Indigenous focused TV broadcaster :
Was well worth watching and perhaps more informative than the show itself even.
Not sure if people can see it outside Oz -- hopefully those with better computer-fu than me will be able to manage it but there’s also video clips and more here :
including some good tweets responding to one of the racist (& former political party bosses) comments.
blfsays
Today is market day in the village, and for the first time in about three weeks I managed to get out the front door with adequate time to visit the outdoors market. Wound up making three trips, each (as it so happened) more expensive than the previous: Basic foodstuffs, return for loads of (dried) wild mushrooms (the lair now seems of edible fungus), and then to the shop for some vin. All would be Ok-ish except that near the main entrance to the market, some elderly guy with a saxophone and an accompanying recording decided to set up and play seasonal music.
Or at least I assume that’s what he thought he was doing. He may have also been offering Chinese Water Torture, sans the Chinese and the Water. He seemed to have only three notes, um–Umm–Paumblah, which he played over and over again regardless of the tune coming from the speaker. The recording itself seemed to consist of only two songs, both sung in English, either by a lady who couldn’t sing or else a distressed donkey. At. Such. A. Slow. Pace. It. Induced. Yawning. (Yawns.) Small dogs were running away in terror, silently, not even yipping or howling, obviously putting all their energies into dragging away the fool at the other end of the leash. There were no children to be seen or heard, quite remarkable as the building he was sitting next to is the local school. Even the nice lady in the wine shop — who had obviously been listening to the stuff all morning — was cringing.
The worse part is I decided to skip my usual morning cappuccino, as the shop was just around the corner, easily within audio range. Perhaps the best part was the mildly deranged penguin is nowhere to be seen…
Ice Swimmersays
Perhaps the best part was the mildly deranged penguin is nowhere to be seen…
I’ve been often out of cheese lately, except for Swedish Industrial Cheddar. Maybe this is why.
I’ve been mostly too late for the monthly market day for years.
Thousands of birds slaughtered and export ban extended as France is put on high alert following outbreak in south-west
French foie gras producers have been forced to slaughter thousands of birds being prepared for the lucrative Christmas market to prevent the spread of a virulent strain of bird flu.
[…]
The increased alert came after an outbreak of a particularly severe form of bird flu, the H5N8 virus, was reported at a duck farm in the south-west of the country, prompting fears it could spread throughout the region.
This virus has never been detected in humans, unlike other strains, but millions of farm birds were slaughtered in Asia in 2014 before it arrived in Europe.
[…]
The latest outbreaks come as French foie gras producers approach the busiest time of year ; foie gras […] is a traditional staple of le reveillon, the Christmas Eve meal, and accounts for about one-third of annual sales.
[…]
The mildly deranged penguin isn’t too concerned. She’s gone to fetch her collection of samurai swords and will slice up any pea that tries to infect her, the cheese, or which is foolish enough to disturb the weather on Mars.
Today I got an overdose of mansplaining.
The location I work at on Wednesdays is pretty new and small: the classroom, a small computer room, a small kitchen, an office. Usually it’s just the students, the teacher, and occasionally the social workers.
I came in this morning, turned on the heating, and it didn’t get warm. After an hour and half I phoned the central office to report the problem. 5 minutes later my male boss (who never works there and just occasionally drops in) called back and asked if I’d flipped the switch.
Well, yes…
Next the technicians arrive and try to explain to me that the floor heating takes such a long time to get warm. Like I haven’t been there for a couple of weeks now and know how long it takes to get warm…
Jesus. Yes, of course it’s impossible for women to know how heating works!
I wish I wish we had central heat, our furnace is struggling like crazy to heat the house, but the thermostat won’t budge over 60. I’d kinda like 67 F or so. It’s below zero, and 40mph winds have been going strong the last two days.
blfsays
Giliell@153, I wasn’t there so I won’t say it wasn’t mansplaining. Reading it from a purely technical point-of-view, the boss’s action is understandable, albeit possibly poorly executed. I myself would be happy the boss was paying attention, albeit quite possibly annoyed if the query / suggestion wasn’t helpfully phrased. People are sometimes surprised how often the obvious is overlooked (the switch) or insufficiently double-checked (is it really switched on?). A “second option”, so to speak, isn’t a bad idea, but an unsolicited one requires some “diplomatic” skill to not offend.
No cheese was harmed during the writing of this comment, which, I presume, could be read as penguinsplaining, albeit hopefully mild and not too deranged…
blfsays
It’s below zero, and 40mph winds have been going strong the last two days.
You really aren’t gonna like me, but it’s sunny again here today, c.13 (C), and it’s been like that for around a week or so now. I’ve even got the skylights open. Cool beer at the outdoor cafe…? Or a hot chocolate, I suppose, to help you thaw out…?
Just out of curiosity (I know I could check on the ‘Net): Is the “below zero” (F, I presume) the air temperature (my guess) or the “feels like” due to wind chill?
blf
NO, seriously, I’ve been there for a few weeks. I wouldn’t have managed for that long without learning how you flip the switch. Besides, the switch is right next to the dial where you regulate the temperature and it has a fucking light that goes on when it’s turned on. So yeah, that’s pretty fool proof.
Caine
The house will finally get the new heating next week, which is about time. It will be a nice ecologically friendly pellet heating. But we’ll also apparently have a temperature shift of 15-20°C tomorrow.
Is the “below zero” (F, I presume) the air temperature
This one. The windchill puts way below zero. It’s serious cold outside, that wind hits you at 40mph, and you are chilled to the bone. Air temp is around -5 F right now, I think.
Giliell:
The house will finally get the new heating next week, which is about time. It will be a nice ecologically friendly pellet heating. But we’ll also apparently have a temperature shift of 15-20°C tomorrow.
That sounds good. I wish we could afford to redo our system, it’s ancient. So, you’re going to a bit cooler now. Good time for heating.
[…]
Photographs showed a grey veil of dirty air trapped over the city, masking the horizon and, at times, landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Experts said it was the longest most intense spike in pollution for at least 10 years and was expected to continue for at least another day if not longer.
Following a ban on vehicles with odd-number licence plates on Tuesday, it was the turn of those with even numbers to be told to leave the car at home on Wednesday. To encourage them, public transport in the city and suburbs was free.
The alternate-day vehicle bans have only been introduced four times in the last two decades, and never before for two consecutive days.
[…]
Ice Swimmersays
Giliell @ 153
I’m sensing a technical-cultural difference in how we heat. Here, heating tends to be on 24/7 when it’s cold and using floor heating intermittently might introduce cracks into the structures used here (if intermittent heating is normal I’d guess the structures are designed for that). OTOH, we have thick insulation in the walls and triple-glazing is the used almost exclusively (not sure how it is in the lower latitudes).
What does integration mean? Does it mean contributing to society? Or assimilating into British culture?
If the former then I believe every Muslim woman I have ever met is integrated. They go to university, work, take their kids to school and chat with their teachers, take part in school fairs and bake for every bake sale and charity event. Even when they struggle to speak English they contribute to British society and their local communities. […]
[…]
I’m a pensions professional working in the City at the head office of a large high street bank. Would you consider me integrated? I pay taxes, give to various charities and proudly buy several poppies every year.
“Buy poppies” refers to the British tradition of wearing a poppy on Armistice Day (Veterans Day) in honor of those slaughtered during WW I. They are usually sold by charities.
I wear a hijab, don’t drink or eat pork, don’t take part in football discussions (no interest or knowledge), don’t go to pubs or bars and am not always passive aggressive, diplomatic or polite. I do, however, always chat about the weather. Still consider me integrated?
My mother-in-law has lived here for nearly 40 years and can’t really speak English at all but she can understand it. She works, helping take special needs children to school every day. If that’s not integrated I don’t know what is.
blfsays
[W]e have thick insulation in the walls and triple-glazing is the used almost exclusively (not sure how it is in the lower latitudes).
Unsurprisingly, given where I live (South of France), here even double-glazing is rare. Modern buildings do, I think, tend to have insulation, but perhaps more to help them stay cool during the hot summers. Older buildings, like the one containing the lair, don’t, but are typically built with think walls and tile or wooden floors.
The windows, especially in older buildings, have shutters (heavy wood is common) on the outside surface, opening outwards, the glass is on the inside surface, opening inwards. The gap in-between can be substantial; e.g., in-between in one the lair’s windows is a potted plant (securely chained down to keep from being blown away by the wind when the shutters are open, or crawling into the lair and eating the cheese when the glass is open).
One trick to using that window design during the summer is to open both the shutters and the glass during the night, letting the cool(er) air in, and then close them during the day, so it doesn’t get quite so hot.
It can drop down to freezing during the winter, so heating is needed. Many buildings use radiators; some (modern?) buildings have some sort of a central system which invariably overheats some spots and ignores other spots.
Some modern buildings are plopped down seemingly without taking any of the local environment (or the people inside) into account. For instance, the building I used to work had thin walls, completely exposed on all sides, and a totally inadequate A/C system. If there was even the slightest wind, you could not open the windows: The wind would typically fling them completely open (quite dangerous as they were quite heavy). There were no shutters (I don’t know about insulation).
Here, heating tends to be on 24/7 when it’s cold and using floor heating intermittently might introduce cracks into the structures used here (if intermittent heating is normal I’d guess the structures are designed for that).
I couldn’t tell you about that. I do as instructed with the workplace. I hate floor heating with a passion. I think it dries the air even more than regular radiators. It’S bearable at work, but I could never have one at home. I tend to run around barefoot (slippers are another thing I hate) and walking barefoot on floor heating is a recipe for fainting because your feet tell your body that the temperature is way higher than it actually is.
OTOH, we have thick insulation in the walls and triple-glazing is the used almost exclusively (not sure how it is in the lower latitudes).
That’S the standard we’Re bringing the house to now. Horrible big government gives you some nice incentives if you renovate ecologically friendly. Paid for by the Marshall Plan. Yes, that money is still here and being used…
We could have gone for geothermal if we’d gone for floor heating, but see above.
Caine
That sounds good. I wish we could afford to redo our system, it’s ancient. So, you’re going to a bit cooler now. Good time for heating.
Oh, it’S going to be warmer. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Also, we’re not living there yet. But yeah, it’s about time, because with temperatures regularly dropping below 0°C and no heating we’re a bit worried about the water pipes… We have a small gas oven we use to keep things from freezing.
Also, we can only go on with the renovations once water and heating have been renewed. Then we can do the bath, lay the tiles, put up wallpaper and maybe even move in one day. But electricity is almost finished. New roof, windows and insulation will follow in spring. We’re getting that building up to a 2016 standard.
Ice Swimmersays
Giliell @ 163
I couldn’t tell you about that. I do as instructed with the workplace. I hate floor heating with a passion. I think it dries the air even more than regular radiators. It’S bearable at work, but I could never have one at home. I tend to run around barefoot (slippers are another thing I hate) and walking barefoot on floor heating is a recipe for fainting because your feet tell your body that the temperature is way higher than it actually is.
I see. Here floor heating is mostly used for bathrooms and such. Radiators, water or electric, are used for living space. The fainting thing is good to know (new info, also now I know to be careful if I were to spend time in floor-heated dwellings, it would be a huge crash if I were to faint [men can faint as well, right?]). I’ve heard before that for example the Dutch will turn off the heat when not at home for a few hours, which sounds, well, exotic (and can make economic/ecologic sense if the structures are lightweight and badly insulated).
Ice Swimmersays
blf @ 162
Unsurprisingly, given where I live (South of France), here even double-glazing is rare. Modern buildings do, I think, tend to have insulation, but perhaps more to help them stay cool during the hot summers.
They started using double-glazing in about the 18th century here (probably around the same time glass windows started to be more commonly used by wealthier yeoman farmers), and triple-glazing started to become popular in the 1970s because of the oil crisis. Shutters aren’t used.
Ogvorbis: I have proven my humanity and can now comment!says
Boy is leaving his job at the French kitchen high-end restaurant. He met a man at the local cigar store (who is also the co-owner of the cigar store). They got to talking. Both are foodies. Turns out the guy had just bought a recently closed, but very popular, sub shop. And has hired Boy to be the manager. At a substantial raise in pay. His exec chef from the high-end restaurant is very happy for him and considers it a really good next step in his kitchen career. His store opens on the 17th. Wooot!
Caine: Stay warm.
We finally were able to replace our 60-year-old-coal-furnace-converted-to-burn-gas-in-1971-and-had-a-25-gallon-boiler-with-multiple-holes-in-the-pressure-vessel. We no longer have what sounds like either a jet engine or an incontinent dragon residing in our basement. And, with only a 4 gallon boiler, the lag time is very low so we no longer set the heat at 62F and go from a low of 54F to a high of 74F.
Had Reubens for dinner last night. And they were good.
And has hired Boy to be the manager. At a substantial raise in pay. His exec chef from the high-end restaurant is very happy for him and considers it a really good next step in his kitchen career. His store opens on the 17th. Wooot!
Wow! That’s fantastic, I wish him all the best. I’m gonna make myself Noodles Romanoff today. Butter, sour cream, fresh grated parmesan. Oh, and noodles.
Ogvorbis: I have proven my humanity and can now comment!says
Sounds delicious. I like sour cream, Wife does not, so I don’t use it much.
Dinner tonight (after Wife and I hit the gym) will be cubed up chicken stir fried with sweet and chili peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, corn and black beans. Served with blue corn chips and cotija cheese.
The fainting thing is good to know (new info, also now I know to be careful if I were to spend time in floor-heated dwellings, it would be a huge crash if I were to faint [men can faint as well, right?]).
I’m not claiming it’s universal, but if your body heat system is easily upset and if you have a tendency to become light-headed, it’s better to be careful.
I once did that “fainting into the arms of a young man” thing. Not cool. Not cool. But the doc in the ER was cute, so there’s that…
I’ve heard before that for example the Dutch will turn off the heat when not at home for a few hours, which sounds, well, exotic (and can make economic/ecologic sense if the structures are lightweight and badly insulated).
Which is bad science. You’ll need more energy to re-heat the building if t has significantly cooled down than you need to keep a temperature. What makes sense is to reduce temperatures over night or so.
Ogvorbis
That’S great news! I hope boy has lots of fun and success.
dinner
Paella. Cooked on the open fire in summer, frozen and thawed. I’ve had another evening appointment tonight (#3 and it’s only Thursday). Man, I wished the kid could just stay in primary school until she gets her degree…
I think the school I went to tonight is better for her than the other one I went to on Tuesday, but we decided to let her decide (after we narrowed the schools down to two). Because the best school won’t have a chance if she doesn’t want to go there.
Argh, people (if you’re also reading at the Speakeasy, you’ll get a double post here)
On Tuesday we had our christmas party at work. Now, our students (mostly young men from Syria and Iraq) weren’t in a particularly serene mood and quickly replaced our christmas music (and I had even made a playlist of Arabic christmas music sung by a popular Syrian singer!) with their pop music and started dancing.
And yes, there was a fight, or an almost fight. That stuff happens. It’s a mixture probably of having young men who are all by themselves, cultural factors and I suppose also a lot of trauma: when they’re triggered and feel like they’re in a situation again where they were scared and helpless, they explode. But the rest of them will always interfere, separate the fighters, calm them and then they will all hug and kiss and be the best friends again*.
Anyway, the situation was quickly under control again and everybody celebrated until we all cleaned up again. I think we all went out there thinking it was a good day, albeit with some chaos and a few critical moments, and glad they had some fun.
Apparently, from what the caretaker told the facility manager (who wasn’t there), it was pure chaos and those “three poor women couldn’t deal with all that”. My colleague kept wondering who those “three poor women” were until I told her “he means us”. Yeah, let’s talk about totally non-sexist western men again.
*This is a different point but I think worth mentioning: Not only can Arab men learn some new things about the relationships between men and women and everybody else, I also think that Western men could learn a lot from Arab men. They care a lot for each other. They will hug and kiss and do emotional labour for each other. When somebody is hurt they will be all tender and soft towards that person.
Apparently, from what the caretaker told the facility manager (who wasn’t there), it was pure chaos and those “three poor women couldn’t deal with all that”. My colleague kept wondering who those “three poor women” were until I told her “he means us”. Yeah, let’s talk about totally non-sexist western men again.
Always. Always there has to be at least one man who will insist women can’t do jack shit, can’t handle jack shit, can’t cope with jack shit. I’d like to think I’ll live long enough to see the end of that, but it won’t happen.
Ice Swimmersays
Diary of a culture rat:
Yesterday attended a lecture by Leif Segerstam (composer, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, has made over 300 symphonies) and Lauri Supponen (composer and multi-instrumentalist). It was fun and full of random (both composers employ randomness in their works, so it was fitting).
Today, I’m seeing the Chamber Music Exam Matinée (Kamarimusiikkitutkintomatinea in Finnish) of the Sibelius Academy. Some notes: You need a big chamber with well-upholstered furniture if you use saxophone for chamber music. Also very high-heeled pumps may not be the ideal shoes for a violinist playing standing up, however the said violinist took her shoes off during the Allegro part of Mozart’s Violin Sonata in G Major (K. 301) after nearly falling over while playing, without missing a beat in any part of the situation.
Chigau, doesn’t work that way. Just have to get another motor, but that won’t happen until Monday at the earliest. Just got a text and an email from Rick, wanting me to call, I hadn’t realized how cold it was -- went and looked at the outside thermostat, and it’s -15 F.
Water’s still okay, and I have electric heaters going all over the place, and we have two portable propane heaters, but I haven’t used them yet.
Ice Swimmersays
Brr. At least you have the electric and propane stuff, but still not fun at all.
Ice Swimmer, no, not fun, but the wind has finally died, and we have power, so it’s all good. Could be much, much worse, like April of ‘010 -- no power for close to two weeks, and sub zero temps. (We have a generator!)
Thanks, Giliell! I just got back in from putting bird food out on the front deck, holeeeee shit is it ever cold! Makes inside feel positively balmy. Gloves did. not. help. I’ve never been more grateful for a lack of wind.
I swear, the quality of commenters at Pharyngula is constantly decreasing.
Or rather they are still the same dudebros they were 10 years ago while the rest of us including PZ moved forward.
rqsays
Giliell
I think I have some idea of the thread(s) (well, one in particular but a second springs to mind) you’re speaking of.
Every time I think hey maybe I should go spend some more time at Pharyngula again, I suddenly realize that no, really, it’s okay.
StevoRsays
Sometimes Humanity -- my species -- lives up to the other, better meaning of that word.
Sometimes this world is bloody overwhelming, the horror and shitness of it that I see in the news grinding down every day. And I have to stand back and get some perspective.
Not that the horrors and shitness of things isn’t out there. It is. Far too much.
But that there is also so much good as well. So many good people trying to understand the world and beyond. Living their lives in ways aimed at making things better.
Carl Sagan famously described science as a candle in the dark against the hordes of ignorant, superstitious willfully ignorant haters that would blow it out to keep their own minds safe from challenging tough questions and doubts.
Amnesty International and symbolically candles stand for human rights, for innocent human lives, for hopes and good principles and the best aspects of who we all can be flickering amidst the metaphorical Dark Times/ Places / forces of Ignorant bullying Cruelty and abuses, atrocities that I and most of those I know have been so far spared from and hopefully will be yet.
This has been a grim year for world news. The Far Right Bullies, outright neo-nazi fascists for flip’s sake have risen and got their way with Brexit and Trump and Pauline Hanson’s zombie-return in Oz among more.
Feels sometimes like we’re holding candles up against those seeking to pull them down and blow them out. Those who want us all to live badly clawing brutally at each other in the stifling blind darkness, biting and smashing, punching down and hating each other like zombie rabid dogs in an ever shrinking cage.
Well, we won’t. I won’t let them win. Not if I can help it.
And I know I’m not alone because I can see so many other candles, held aloft, waving and glowing and burning still against the horrors and worst of our world and our human nature.
Candles held aloft in defiance and in peace by a lot of good people who are still out there fighting and keeping the flames burning for us all. Who want to make things better for everyone, kinder, fairer, more well understood and providing more opportunities for more candles, everyone’s candles, to show who they are and can be at their best.
To all those other metaphorical candle holders, thankyou.
I’m tired, you’re likely tired too and there’s a long night looming ahead. But we have our strength and hope yet and we’ll keep the flames of hope alive. There are an awful lot of good people out there in the world.
The many who try to understand, to help others, to be good and kind and make things better. You know who you are and in striving for the better world, we know we help to make it so.
That I know and know you know and thank you all for.
& again, I am sorry, I know I’ve been an arsehole in the past. I regret that now and cannot change it without a time machine -- if I could change it and stop myself then I would. But I won’t be such a douche as I was then again.
StevoRsays
My life’s* ethical philosophy in three lines :
1) People are people, just like you and I, treat them accordingly -- whoever and whatever else they may be.
2) World is already bad enough without anyone needing to make it any worse when we have better choices so ..
3) Think and be kind.
Most of all that last one. If I have any slogan or epitaph let it be that.
* I know I haven’t always lived up to this & I am sorry for that.
StevoRsays
Too many men forget that the first part of gentlemen is the word gentle.
This. This is what we do -- what some of we can do -- at our best. Together. Let’s never forget it. Not just art or science or engineering or humanity. But all of the above combined; gloriously and splendidly fused together for everyone’s joy. Everyone’s benefit. We explore. We discover and we see wonders and find awe and new perspectives and learn from it.
I hope.
StevoRsays
We = Humans. People.
rqsays
I swear, the quality of commenters at Pharyngula is constantly decreasing.
That appeared on Allen West’s FB page and was taken down. Turns out they don’t mean it so it’s fine! Somebody just mistakenly chose those words and mistakenly put them on Mattis’s picture and mistakenly posted it to FB.
rqsays
By taking it down, they’re conceding to superstition.
Saad
Well, when German AfD politicians proposed that German soldiers should “protect the border with weapons” and were asked if the wanted to shoot women and children seeking refuge and answered “yes”, they later claimed they’d slipped with the computer mouse…
It was one of the most spectacular deaths in the known universe: an enormous star in a distant galaxy met its doom and as a parting shot released a brilliant flash of light half a trillion times brighter than the sun.
The cosmic display was described as a record-breaking supernova by astronomers who studied the event last year. But according to fresh observations, this was no common or garden stellar explosion. Instead, the intense burst of light which outshone the whole Milky Way came from a star that suffered a much rarer fate: death by supermassive black hole.
[…]
The mildly deranged penguin points out such gizmos are also good for making Chargrilled Galaxy. Serve with a platter of spicy sauces, and a hearty red. (May contain incinerated planets.)
Holy shit. I was asked to provide a five point lesson plan for direct actions to take in environmentalism, learned from Standing Rock. Eeeesh. I came up with four.
One thing’s for sure, I still don’t like homework.
rqsays
I was asked to provide a five point lesson plan
Yay, I guess? In the sense that it’s great to see your knowledge and experience acknowledged like this? But I agree on the homework. :)
Well, got the new motor in the heater, works again. Then…
skipping the grisly details, yesterday evening, I’m sporting a large lump on my head, a bruised forehead and a sliced open right arm. This morning, noted that the air from vents is not warm. Why? Basement is now flooded, burst pipe.
Fortunately, it was the downstairs lav pipe that burst, easy enough to cap the pipe off and deal with it in Spring. If it had been any other pipe, it would have been disastrous.
Glad to hear the heating is going in tomorrow, Giliell. It’s one major worry off your shoulders.
rqsays
Caine
Oh man, hope you heal quick, too! I’m glad the pipe emergency can be dealt with in spring, but still… be warm, be safe!!
StevoRsays
Of possible interest for the other Aussies here :
***
Close The Camps*
Rolling Actions, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
First Saturday of every month @ 2 pm until the camps are closed
Search #CantStandBy for local details.
***
Transcribed from fb image.
& here :
At 2pm on the first Saturday of each month people are gathering at 147 assembly points around the country to stage peaceful demonstrations against mandatory detention as part of the #CantStandBy movement.
Australia’s offshore detention centres have attracted widespread and consistent criticism since the country re-introduced its policy of “offshore processing” in 2012.
Currently, people who arrive in Australia by boat without a visa seeking asylum are sent to either Nauru or Manus Island, where most are held in indefinite, arbitrary detention. They are told they will “not, under any circumstances, be settling in Australia”, but there are no other viable resettlement options for them.
At present, there are 843 men held on Manus Island, and 466 people, including 50 children, in the Nauru detention centre. Most have been held on the islands for nearly three years.
The United Nations has found that Australia’s immigration detention regime breaches international law, amounting to arbitrary and indefinite detention, and that men, women and children are held in violent and dangerous conditions.
One asylum seeker was murdered by guards on Manus Island, while another died because there were no appropriate antibiotics to treat infection.
FWIW, I have no connection to this Close the Camps movement other than sharing this and have only just heard of it and these events tonight.
Caine, I haven’t received anything yet. Which addy did you use?
blfsays
First off Caine, get better.
Second, the mildly deranged penguin is concerned about any cheese stored in the cellar. She can mount, she says, an emergency eating operation. (I suggest telling her it’s all Ok, as she’s currently rummaging around looking for spare Doctor Who scarves and tactical nuclear shells, which apparently are effective against FBPMs (Frozen Burst Pipe Monsters).)
Third, the fifth item is clear: “There is no fifth item.”
Anbei sende ich den zugesagten Rezept.
Dies war schwierig zu übersetzen. Hoffentlich wird es verstehbar:
Teig soll man mindestens 1 Woche, lieber aber 1-3 Monate vor Backen vorbereiten.
1. Mahl (00) 500 g, Honig 500 g, Honig aufwärmen un wenn sich ein Schaum Zeigt, abkühlen mit zwei Löffeln Wasser. Warmes Honig in das Mahl eingiessen und grundlich durchmischen bis die Masse glatt ist. Dann die Masse in einen Kunststoffbeutel geben oder in Folie einpacken und entsprechende Zeit (siehe oben) in Kühlschrank ablegen.
2. Nach Entnahme aus Kühlschrank die Masse auf Raumtemperatur aufwärmen lassen (kann auch in Mikrowelle zein um Zeit zu sparen) und auf Streifen schneiden oder hobeln.
3. 4 Eigelbe, 250 g Puderzucker, 2 Kaffeelöfel Soda, und 1 Löffel Pfeferkuchengewurz (siehe weiter) durchmischen zusammen und mit den Streifen aus der Teigmasse -- Streifen langsam nach einem addieren, nicht alle, sonnst klebt sich alles in einen Knäuel.
4. Langsam Mahl einmischen (ungefähr 250 g) so lange, bis die Masse nicht mehr klebt und lässt sich modellieren wie Knetmasse. Für grossere Sachen (z.B. Pfeferkuchenhaus) soll mehr Mahl nei, für kleine Sachen (Weihnachtsbaumschmücke) kann das Teig noch Etwa mehr fliessen. Es ist gut das Teig mehrlmals auswalzen, biegen, auswalzen usw. bis die Masse echt gleichmässig ist. So kann man auch die klebrigkeit kontinuerlich überwachen. Dies ist die schwierigste Arbeit, bei uns muss dies von mir oder von meinen Fater gemacht sein, weil Mutter nicht mehr genug Kraft dafür hat.
5. Ausgeschnittene Sachen sollen je nach Grosse ca 10 Minuten bei 170°C gebacken sein. Es ist gut auf einer Pfanne alle Sachen ungefähr der gleicher Grösse und Dicke haben. Und weil es sich echt schnell backt, es ist gut erst alles zuschneiden und vorbereiten und erst dann mit dem Backen anfangen. Als unterlage ist es gut Backpapier nuzten, oder die Pfannen gut fetten. Exakte Backzeit ist Erfahrungssache -- als Orientierungskriterium soll die Obefläche Etwa rosa sein.
Der Guss: 1 Eiweiss, 150-200 g Puderzucker, 1 Löfel heises Wasser und ~ 1 Kaffeelöffel Zitronensaft. Dies mit hölzernem Kochlöffel auf einen Schaum durchmischen und 20 minuten unter Deckel stehen lassen. Wenn zu dicht = Zucker, wenn zu dünn = Zitronensaft einmischen.
Pfeferkuchengewurz: Kann man entweder fertig kaufen, oder vorbereiten -- 10 Nelke, 20 Kugeln Pimet, Sternanis, Zimt und Fenchel nach Geschmack (1 Kaffeelöffel)
-50 (factoring windchill) is supposed to hit Saturday. I can hardly wait.
Ice Swimmersays
Why the fuck must the winter be so hard just this year there? Fimbulvetr and Ragnarök?
I hope you can save the pipes.
blfsays
Ok, I have — with the help of an elderly slice of tuna, an even more elderly lemon, and a baseball bat — explained to the mildly deranged penguin the cheeses are safe. One of the lemons, however, ran away.
The mildly deranged penguin did find a Doctor Who scarf, but is puzzled by the teeth-holes. Anyone know a monster who takes Ԫ-shaped bites but only seems to eat the red?
She also says a good way to deal with wind chill is to keep your tuxedo feathered up tightly. Hibernation, she says, is overrated. Flame belching dragons are not overrated — just tricky to use — be sure to point them away from the plumbing, unless you like molten pipe in your watersteam.
Why the fuck must the winter be so hard just this year there? Fimbulvetr and Ragnarök?
I’m tempted to think so. Water is back, no more bursting. The pipes are wrapped in heat tape, and yet more insulation. I dearly hope this is the last of the problems.
blfsays
So you don’t need the dragon then?
The mildly deranged penguin found one sleeping (she’s not being very clear as to where she found it), which is now gently snoring on the floor on the main room. She’s trying to work out how to wake it up without causing it to yawn, stretch, blink, burp, or demand breakfast, all of which tend to result in roasted cheese and smoked lair fondue.
Unfortunately, Ching & Worter’s classic work, Waking a Dragon, isn’t very helpful, consisting mostly of a numerous warnings in ALL CAPS followed by many exclamation marks (!), and numerous pages burnt dark black.
Well, it’s good that the pipes are no longer frozen, as the dragon might have caused the frozen pipes to burst as they get warmer. After periods of extremely cold weather here, there are often news of frozen pipes bursting as the ice expands when it gets less cold.
Caine @ 217
May you be warm and safe!
blfsays
Right. Well, she’s given up on Waking a Dragon, and is now downloading a copy of The Art, Science, and Suicide of Starting Your Dragon. That will be amusing, as it’s commonly considered to be magic brownie inspired ramblings of banana slug, translated by a Moog Synthesizer. The resulting rock opera, however, was a critical and popular failure, albeit the original cast recording can be found for negative prices on various ‘net sites — the current owners will pay you to take the recording off their hands…
blfsays
The mildly deranged emergency cheese eater has gotten all excited — I can tell because she forgot to ignore gravity and fell off the floor — about these instructions:
Sea pretty lions fly, fly, fly,
two by the to too too we and dragons,
smell sound sunflower snores,
wakey and fly coffee with strawberry cheesecake, please.
I suspect the dragon will have a long nap. I do hope it stops snoring, however…
Tethyssays
I’ll take the dragon. The boiler is down and my space heaters are barely able to keep up now. -50 is coming? gah, that is going to cause me some problems if I can’t get repairs completed tomorrow.
Got the propane tanks topped off today too, so that’s $660 gone, along with a couple of hundred dollars worth of heat tape and insulation. I will be so glad to see this year done. Be even happier to see winter go away, but it’s a long time til that one happens.
The boiler is down and my space heaters are barely able to keep up now. -50 is coming? gah, that is going to cause me some problems if I can’t get repairs completed tomorrow.
Oh fuck. I am so sorry you’re having trouble too! All my best wishes and hopes you can get this dealt with, quickly. As usual, the weather people are sending out conflicting reports -- there’s one says snow tonight, and that means warmer, but I haven’t seen so much as one flake fall.
Tethyssays
I keep wondering why they are forecasting 6- 10 inches of snow? That happens above 20, but not when its this cold.. This year has been nothing but issues with various pipes. The boiler is fine, but the gas line has a leak and the utility company and I have been having a little war. They insist I must get a complete pressure test, and don’t care if I freeze to death or destroy my heating and plumbing systems in the meantime.
blfsays
Tethys, “I’ll take the dragon” (@223), “the gas line has a leak” (@226)… um, even the mildly deranged penguin can spot a small, albeit LOUD!, flaw here…
────────────────────
Locally it’s cloudy, c.13°C, maybe some light rain later turning into a possibly of superheated steam should the dragon wake up.
Main crisis of the day is I didn’t buy enough oranges at market, so don’t have a full bottle of juice. Also, no cheese, you-know-who ate it whilst trying to get big, green, and scaly to open his(?) eyes.
Ice Swimmersays
Tethys @ 226
May the gas company come to their senses and fix the leak!
This morning: house warm, yes. Water running, yes. Did it snow? No. Sub-zero temps? Yes.
Saadsays
Good to hear. A warm house with running water. If only the sub-zero temps would go away now (well, but not in a global warmingy sort of way).
One thing I can’t complain about living in the South is the weather. Though it is a bit annoying how drastically this state’s weather can vary within a matter of a day or two.
blfsays
The dragon’s still sound asleep. I returned from lunch to discover the mildly deranged penguin had apparently tried to wake it by blowing smoke up its nostrils. That doesn’t seem like a good idea, but in any case it didn’t work.
This being the mildly deranged penguin, it was the first time I’ve ever had to use an iceaxe to chip my through smoke. She’s mostly finished cutting the smoke up and shoveling in out though the window, giving me nasty looks because I hid the dynamite.
Tethyssays
Ice Swimmer
May the gas company come to their senses and fix the leak!
They will not fix anything inside my house, but they did come find where the leak is. (It is shut off, blowing up my house is not on my bucket list)
I had it looked at, and the plumbers won’t even touch it for less than $1,000, and because of code it might cost me 10,000.
I am rather fucked.
I had it looked at, and the plumbers won’t even touch it for less than $1,000, and because of code it might cost me 10,000.
I am rather fucked.
Oh hell. I wish we lived closer, Rick could probably figure out how to fix it.
Tethyssays
Thanks, Caine. It is a simple repair, the pipe dope has broken down. It’s another instance where the laws make what should be simple repair into a nightmare of bureaucracy, because nobody wants to get sued. The plumber was really nice about it, he didn’t even charge me for the call and estimate.
No shit. This winter has cost us around $1,200 so far.
blfsays
I gather then that if the pipe dope has broken down in one or two places then the recommendation(? requirement?) is for all the joints to be inspected and repaired / rejoined. Presuming it is something like that, and given how dangerous gas leaks can be, I can see their point.
In some locales I seem to recall their are various mechanisms for obtaining professional help, or grants, or low-interest loans, or some combination thereof, for repairs of essential services. Gas — which I assume is used for heating, if not also cooking — should qualify as an essential service in a very cold clime. (Apologies, I realise this probably is not any real help…)
Gas — which I assume is used for heating, if not also cooking — should qualify as an essential service in a very cold clime.
Most people in nDakota have electrical everything -- electric stove/oven, electric water heater, all that. Can’t speak for Minnesota, but I expect it’s much the same there, because if you aren’t in the city, you heat via propane, which you have to pay for, hence the not many gas appliances. (We have a gas stove/oven because I hate electric for cooking, but do have the electric water heater and all that, and they suck.)
cubistsays
Caine, how good or bad are the prospects for solar power in your neighborhood? Supposing money weren’t an issue (which it is, of course, but still), would solar even be a viable option to consider?
Caine, how good or bad are the prospects for solar power in your neighborhood?
Not good. I live in a town with a population of 79. If you include all the outlying farms, then 200. Cable television won’t even come out here.
Tethyssays
I gather then that if the pipe dope has broken down in one or two places then the recommendation(? requirement?) is for all the joints to be inspected and repaired / rejoined.
The have ridiculous code requirements. My house was built in 104, bringing it into compliance with modern building codes is impossible, but it’s still a legal requirement for a licensed professional.
My house is actually built to a far higher standard than modern construction, but that also means there is no such thing as a cheap repair.
In some locales I seem to recall their are various mechanisms for obtaining professional help, or grants, or low-interest loans, or some combination thereof, for repairs of essential services.
Supposedly, but so far every one that I have contacted has informed me that they can’t help me, but I should go ahead and apply for energy assistance because I qualify. Its enough to make you bang your head into the wall repeatedly.
Tethyssays
1904
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaidensays
1904
Well, I was **wondering** where you lived, Tethys.
…And also whether the gas pipes were original.
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaidensays
@Caine:
So, recognizing that the initial capital outlay can be prohibitive, and thus not talking about whether the average person in your town can access solar power economically speaking, is it even possible practically speaking for a person to get a good amount of power from photovoltaics in your neck of the prairie? Do you get a lot of days of sun per year? Is there lots of tree-shade that would make siting difficult?
I think that’s more what Cubist was asking.
I wish there was even a remote chance that the USA could get a “solar towns” initiative like Australia has, but assuming Trump is elected monday, that’s blown for at least 4 years.
The truth is some difference -- significant difference! -- can be made simply by having a person with knowledge of both the local context and energy efficiency. But you can’t simply choose not to use the energy that prevents your pipes from breaking. You can cut energy use back, but you can’t eliminate it, and what you use still has to come from somewhere. I wish to heck that we could get governments that would recognize that the combined costs of generation + transmission for “cheap” fossil fuel energy very often exceeds the costs of local generation of “expensive” solar/wind energy. We could do a lot of good in the world **and** save money just recognizing the reality around which Brazil and India already structure their power infrastructures.
rqsays
If you go solar, make sure there’s legislation in place for those times when you’re overproducing energy back into the grid -- they have it in Australia, but they don’t here, so you might actually be putting electricity back into the grid, but the power company won’t pay you shit for it because it’s not explicitly stated that they must in the legislation.
Or maybe that’s just how they do things here. Letter of the law and all that.
cubistsays
What Crip Dyke said. Financial obstacles can sometimes be finagled around, but if there just isn’t enough sunlight to make solar a viable option in the first place, all the finagling in the world won’t help. I’d like to continue discussing this in private, Caine; if you share this desire, I’m pretty sure the WordPress back end will tell you my email address.
Thanks, Caine. It is a simple repair, the pipe dope has broken down. It’s another instance where the laws make what should be simple repair into a nightmare of bureaucracy, because nobody wants to get sued. The plumber was really nice about it, he didn’t even charge me for the call and estimate.
Holy fuck. I recently got estimates for different heating systems and 10k € was about what a complete new gas heating system was close to and that’s in Germany where we worship St. Bureaucracy*.
What Crip Dyke said. Financial obstacles can sometimes be finagled around, but if there just isn’t enough sunlight to make solar a viable option in the first place, all the finagling in the world won’t help.
Yep, we looked into solar for the house and while sunlight isn’t the problem, the house faces almost exactly North-South. Ideal is East-West because it means your panels get sun almost all day.
If you go solar, make sure there’s legislation in place for those times when you’re overproducing energy back into the grid
In Germany, feeding into the grid is the standard. One of the incentives was* that you’d get a guaranteed high price for your solar energy and just paid the standard lower price for the energy you consume. Friends of mine put solar on their roof when they needed to replace the roof and the money they make with solar pays off the loan for the roof.
*They constantly reduced that amount.
*For example, the steel chimney isn’t up to standard for solid fuel, therefore we need to get another steel chimney. That’s an additional 3k…
Loftysays
Giliell
Yep, we looked into solar for the house and while sunlight isn’t the problem, the house faces almost exactly North-South. Ideal is East-West because it means your panels get sun almost all day.
As the price of solar panels drops, putting on two complete systems becomes affordable. Having one set facing east and one set facing west means that you are producing power, especially in summer, when you can use it yourself. This is seen as a good thing by some people in the power industry.
As the price of solar panels drops, putting on two complete systems becomes affordable. Having one set facing east and one set facing west means that you are producing power, especially in summer, when you can use it yourself.
Yep. I think in a panel generation or two it will be a sensible thing. Right now the panels would have paid off in twice their expected life time, which isn’t economical or ecological.
Loftysays
Solar panel prices are of course only a part of the total installation cost, and payback time depends very much on the tariffs, rebates and installation costs. I spent a year watching solar panel prices before I plunged into a 1.5kW system purchase in 2008. Since then I’ve seen the panel price per watt drop by around 90%. Still, after 8 ½ years mine have paid for themselves so I mustn’t grumble. If I ever move house the new residence will have every square metre of available roof space covered in panels and a house battery. But that may be many years away.
The whole town is near to old growth tree forest. Our house is extremely shaded, surrounded by trees, and the roof is partially covered by tree branches.
Lofty
Yeah, efficiency plays a big role as well. For now we’re going with reducing the need. *Sigh* Did I mention that we’ll need to replace the windows we thought we could keep as well? Whatever idiot made them and put them in was an idiot. No wonder the company no longer exists. As my dad in law said, I’m going to get a nice greenhouse out of the old windows. I’m probably going to put Spain out of business….
Caine
Ever looked into geothermal heating?
blfsays
Hurrumph! For the second time in the same number of weeks, the mains electricity breaker at the meter has tripped. None of the lair’s own breakers have tripped. Odd.
Both times there was a heavy and near-identical load in the lair: Heaters, the kettle boiling some water, the stove (cooker), and possibly the fridge and/or water heating mystery mechanism‡; plus the laptop I am typing this on, the ADSL modem, several lights (all LEDs?); and so on…
Even so, I find it odd the breaker tripped, and perhaps more so that it was the mains outside breaker that tripped, rather than the internal mains (or a specific circuit) that tripped. At the moment I doubt anything is wrong, that particular load has never(?) been run before: The kettle and one of the headers are both completely new additions, they have no precedents (and are, as far as I know, on separate circuits).
This is, of course, nowhere as serious as not having gas / heating in subfreezing conditions, or having a soundly sleeping dragon taking up much of the main room.
‡ I’ve never understood how the hot water works in this installation of the lair. I’m charged for it by the water company (to the extent I understand the bill), as-if there was a heat-exchange or -recovery or similar community system here in the village (which is not impossible), yet it seems to be the case that if the power is off (multiple days) there is no hot water. Which the exception of a mystery cupboard outside that I cannot open (no key), there’s no obvious place for an “in”-lair heater. Weird…
No, they are systems that have been modified and remodeled multiple times, and the only way to find out what is live and what is not is to rip out large sections of the ceiling in my finished basement. It was code when I bought it, so clearly it is not unsafe, it’s just that modern plumbers take one look and freak out. None of the old pipes got removed over 100 years, so they just don’t even know what they are looking at half the time. The original line is in place, but it’s capped off and defunct. This is the line he is using to justify the ridiculous price for a couple hours of work.
They don’t WANT to deal with it, because losing their license is their primary concern. Thankfully, the coldest air is now moving east and I have managed to keep all the other piping systems in a liquid state. Staying up all night monitoring the temperatures is not my idea of a fun week-end.
Tethyssays
blf
Even so, I find it odd the breaker tripped, and perhaps more so that it was the mains outside breaker that tripped, rather than the internal mains (or a specific circuit) that tripped.
It is possible for the circuit breakers to go bad, is that something the utility company could check? Moisture getting inside of them can cause resistance issues, that are most apparent under heavy electrical load. We don’t have outside breakers in this climate. Winter is just too harsh in Minnesota.
Ice Swimmersays
blf @ 253
France is big on nuclear power which is cheap on off-peak hours, so having a electrically heated, centralized hot water system might make sense.
Re my electrical mystery, and also the hot water mystery (@253): Just a short comment on “outside” or “outside the lair”— That means inside the building, which means you must (unlock and) open the main door, but outside my lair, i.e. you don’t have to (unlock and) open my door. It would be a “communal staircase” if the main door was actually communal (it isn’t, my lair has the only known-functional inner door, so the staircase is “mine”, and indeed the staircase’s lights are connected to my meter (as I discovered due to the recent outages)).
So the meter and main breaker are inside the building, albeit in an unheated area. I won’t rule moisture out, but at the moment am not minded to pursue that route.
There is a very definite correlation between hot water and the power, plus evidence of a storage / heating tank; the whole system acts just as-if there is a heater somewhere nearby, with two exceptions: I cannot find it (other than perhaps behind a mystery door in that “outside” staircase), and I seem to he charged for it on the water bill. I may, however, be misunderstanding the water bill (it’s not exactly a model of clarity).
Ice Swimmersays
blf @ 259
This is all just guesses.
Unheated area? Yeah, there could be condensation and living near a salty sea may mean having salt spray in the air. Another thing that comes to mind is that the breaker may getting old and the springs or magnets weaker which might make the electrical contact incomplete, causing there to be heat or the breaking action getting slower which could erode the contacts.
Another thing that came into my mind is, could it be a RCD/GFI or other leakage current device in the main breaker that’s tripping? Say, if there’s an insulation fault in the kettle that only comes up when it’s a bit too full or something like that.
Some updates on the Berlin attack:
The Pakistani refugee who’S been arrested is free again, apparently he had no connection to the attack, which means the armed terrorist is still on the run
blfsays
Ice Swimmer@260, Thanks for the comments and suggestions! Condensation did occur to me, which is why I mention unheated; but salty air did not — thanks!
As I recall, there is a seal / certificate indicating the date of the meter (and hence the breaker), as well as the Wattage. I need to get those values, eventually… and compare the Wattage to both the estimated load and the internal breaker’s Wattage…
blfsays
Continuing me@262 (in reply to @260), Both the kettle and new “heater” are new only in the sense there weren’t both here last winter. Whilst it is possible one or both has, or has developed, a fault, I would be a bit surprised…
Kreatorsays
Fighting games usually exploit stereotypes without any shame or care whatsoever, so this stood out to me today: the developers of the “Killer Instinct” video game actually went ahead and consulted tribal representatives in order to give their Indian (specifically, from the Nez Perce/Niimíipu Tribe) character a culturally accurate makeover. A video describes part of the process.
PS: I’ve never actually played this game, I stumbled upon the story by chance.
StevoRsays
What I want for Christmas :
Kindness. Understanding. Hope.
Knowledge and goodness generally.
A different US President -- Hillary not Trump. A different Aussie Prime Minister, Shorten, or even better, Penny Wong or best of all Richard Di Natale. A humane refugee policy which treats people like people and which I’m not ashamed of.
Pluto restored to full planethood.
Lower greenhouse gas emissions globally and here, more understanding of everything. Eta Carinae going supernova -- or maybe T Pyxidis? (Not Betelgeuse or Antares, I’d miss them too much.)
A lot more funding and resources and public awareness for bushcare. The survival and improved chances of same for our endangered species of flora and fauna.
The rediscovery and recovery of the thylacine and so much more I know I almost certainly won’t get.
The happiness of dogs and cats and other living things. (Just not deadly or awfully nauseating ones like viruses, nasty bacteria, prions and protozoa.)
Friendship. Appreciation of other humans who I know are good people.
The chance to go out bush to new places and see new things,
New wonders and new discoveries which I know I will see. Better science, better understanding, refinements and perhaps revolutions in what we know and what we seek to know.
Successful space missions, successful earth missions, good people succeeding, learning and making everyone’s lives better.
The chance and actuality to be happy. More than I already am.
That’s all. Also way too much I know.
But please, please 2017 and Xmas. That’s what I’d really love.
(That and a faster than light starship of my own -- and I mean much faster than c. ;-) )
Note : These things are NOT in any particular order.
StevoRsays
Y’all may have seen already but in case not or y’might like to see again :
A Dutch Girl at Breakfast is considered to be a rarity because, compared with hundreds of works in pastel, only 30 of Liotard’s oil paintings are known to have survived. This was believed to be the last in private hands.
Taco Dibbits, general director of the Rijksmuseum, said the work had the same atmosphere of peace and simplicity as Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, which the museum also owns.
A historic church in the City of London is to be reunited with a magnificent 16th-century carving that was stolen from it decades ago.
[…]
Klaas Muller, an art specialist in Brussels, bought the work in good faith in Belgium last year. He agreed to return it unconditionally after being approached by Christopher A Marinello, a lawyer and director of Art Recovery International, which specialises in the recovery of stolen, missing and disputed cultural property.
[…]
He said: “As a good faith buyer under Belgian law, Muller could have easily defended his possession of this monument. Instead, he chose to be magnanimous by willingly and enthusiastically returning a work of art that clearly belongs to St Katharine Cree.
“Muller’s actions should teach the trade a thing or two about the possession of stolen and looted works of art. It is not always about protecting profits and it is always the season to do the right thing.”</blockquote.
You know I have usually no qualms with companies having to pay a few millions, but in this particular case the parents should be in prison for manslaughter instead of getting as few million as a reward for killing their children.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
I was cleaning up and found the bag with my long-lost knitting project.
Socks.
Actually, tabi. Socks with separate spaces for big toe and other toes.
It’s a standard sock pattern except for the toes.
but that’s not the issue
the issue is turning the heel
whilst drunk:
2nd row: K3. Sl 1. K1. psso. K1. Turn.
3rd row: P4. Ptog. P1. Turn.
4th row: K5. Sl1. K1. psso. K1. Turn
and so on
I actually know what that means and can easily accomplish it.
Sober.
So maybe tomorrow.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
srsly
I’m trying to tidy for the night.
I’ve been knitting with dpn’s and since I switched from round to flat knitting, two needles went missing.
This is serious. I knit in bed. All the gear is spread about and needs to be collected and stored before using the bed for sleeping.
So I put all the yarn and tools in the appropriate containers.
Still missing two needles.
Tearing my hair in frustration, I find the missing needles in my top-knot.
.
It’s really good that I don’t drive much anymore.
…squirrel!!!….
cubistsays
The Xmas Eve service at St. Bede’s was interesting. The “Prayers of the People” mentioned “Standing Rock activists” in specific. The sermon was all about political power, and the responsibility of using said power wisely—to my mind, there was a definite ‘liberation gospel’ vibe, which may or may not have been intended.
I still think all religion is a net detriment to the world, but if I ever do have the power to eradicate religion, I think I’m gonna eliminate St. Bede’s last.
blfsays
It’s not the Hunting of the Snark, or even the Hunting of the Megapode, but the Hunting of the wren festival (pictures): “This festival is held every St Stephen’s Day, the 26 December, in Dingle, Ireland. A fake wren is paraded around the streets on top of a decorated pole”.
Apparently, “Celtic myth had it that the robin, which was suppose to represent the new year, killed the wren, which represented the old year, during this time.” And in ye olde days they — the festival — actually did hunt a wren. (No word on what happened to the inner rat.)
The research team, led by Dr. Xing Xu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing and Dr. Shuo Wang of Capital Normal University in Beijing, studied 19 skeletons of Limusaurus inextricabilis.
The individuals ranged in age from baby to adult, showing the pattern of tooth loss over time. The baby skeleton had small, sharp teeth, and the adult skeletons were consistently toothless.
Also from there & with the same species although dating back to 2009 is this item on how dinosaurs lost their fingers and what this implies for the evolution of birds :
So I finally noticed that this is an endless thread. Speak about catching on fast…
I just had worst christmass holiday so far. On tuesday I went for a bit of fresh air in the garden. In order to do something to pass the time I wanted to cut back a few twigs from willows near the pond. Regular, easy job that I have done a thousand times before, it never even occurred to me that I should need safety gear, which I do use quite often and I do not mind at all being called a wimp (I call it carefull). Only this time one of the twigs whipped me with the tip right across the left eye. One night of agonizing pain and anxiety whtether I will get blind or not. Sixteen hours of sleep after physicians care and reassuring words that odds are in favour of healing without permanent damage (and after eating painkillers) provided there is no infection. Two days of blurred vision in one eye and no functioning stereoscopic vision and limited ability to read.
Luckily I got no infection and vision is slowly returning to normal. I can read again at last.
I got a taste of how my father sees since childhood and no wonder he cannot do any of the fine manual work my mother and I excel at. I have to admit I was scared shitless, my work is all I have of value to offer to this world.
Stay safe and do not mind being over-cautious. There really is not such thing as being too carefull.
Ouch, Charly, I hope this heals quickly and without damage.
Ice Swimmersays
Charly @ 276
May your eyes get well soon!
Loftysays
Charly, that sounds like a close call. Working eyes are such precious things. Get well soon.
……………
Anyway, it’s been an interesting Exmess period here. A blisteringly hot 41°C Exmess day (record breaking of course), then on the 27th a monster tropical storm system tramps right across the continent and thugs the neighbourhood. The power has been out at Chateau Lofty for nearly 66 hours, thousands of trees blown down and massive damage to power lines throughout the state. Some of the 100 000+ affected customers will only get reconnected sometime tomorrow. Fortunately Partner and I were well supplied with Exmess leftovers and a Jerry can of fuel went into the generator to keep the fresh food from going off. Internet was pretty sparse too, mobile reception from a tower some miles away. Anyway, we’re grateful that nothing much happened on our block apart from a load of dropped leaves and twigs. Storms like this show how little we are prepared for climate change and more frequent disasters. Barely over one and the next one is upon you.
Ice Swimmersays
Lofty @ 279
41°C, that’s way too much for sleeping and way too little for sauna. Hope the power comes back quickly.
Loftysays
Ice Swimmer, I meant to say that the power came back on here after nearly 66 hours, so we’re finally back to normal. 41°C was the Exmess maximum in the city below us, thankfully with judicious house closing and a small air conditioner we kept our abode under 30°C inside. I’ve been in the city in above 40°C temps a few times in the past, it’s quite hard to walk very far without the brain melting.
The days after the storm were a bit steamy and no real way to keep cool other than an electric fan. Having nothing really physical to do helped enormously. Today was nice and cool, under 22°C before lunch so I cut the grass going bezerkers in the back 1/2 acre. Need to poison some blackberries next week, they’re trying to take over. I’ll be wearing full protection.
Lofty
I’m wondering: we’ve been talking about renovation and insulation lately: are such attempts also made in the warmer latitudes? As my grandpa used to say: what’s good against cold is also good against heat!
+++
Hoping you all have a nice New Year’s Eve.
We’ll be with some friends and stay the night, eating too much. We’ll have a 1980s inspired fingerfood buffet. I still need to make the filled eggs :)
+++
Talking ’bout the house, the chimney got a new pipe made of very durable steel. The heating will be installed at the start of January, then it’s water and sanitation.
Yesterday I tried to take some bird pictures, but I failed for various reasons:
-it was very foggy
-my measly 255mm lense (I asked my sister’s husband to look for a used bigger one)
-with the birds in the bushes, the autofocus is no use and by the time I get the manual adjusted they’re usually gone
-the little one helpfully shouting “THERE’S A BIRD!!!!” whenever she saw one.
Ice Swimmersays
Happy New Year’s Eve to you all!
I’m going to sauna (and swimming in the sea) and then fresh and clean from old year’s dirt and grime to the final gig of the tour Amorphis is making, with a friend of mine.
Giliell @ 284
I tried to photograph some tits (blue and great) with my phone, but no decent shots as I couldn’t get close enough.
Giliell, I think that autofocus and serial shots is essential for photographing birds in the trees. The downside is that you get about 1 in 100 shots thats usefull, because often it focuses on the bushes behind/in front of the bird. But manual focus is just a no-go, because they do not stay still long enough. I get sometimes a feeling they know whats going on, wait untill I get them into focus and then just as I press the button “whoooosh”.
When photographing on the feeder manual focus is of more use, but you have to wait for the bird to sit on the feeder and pose. I managed to get a few good pictures that way.
Of course I have no real experience photographing birds so do not take my word for anything. My recipe so far is just point the lens, push the button like mad and sort the pictures afterwards.
rqsays
Charly
May the eye heal without damage, and since I know little about your handcrafts, I can safely say you do have value beyond them.
Ice Swimmer
We had our end-of-year sauna at christmas, so we’ll just have to endure the new year with a week’s worth of grime.
Giliell
And yet, a strangely appropriate comment…
Also I see you having fun with your new lenses. :)
+++
Happy New Year to everyone as we cross into yet more of the future.
Loftysays
Giliell
On the subject of insulation, houses in Australia have traditionally been quite poorly insulated and more recently fitted with massive air conditioning units. When we bought this house 20 years ago it was very poorly insulated and had vast areas of 3mm thick single glazed windows facing the bush. I fitted a pitched roof instead of the flat roof it had and added loads of insulation. Sadly double glazing is too hard a concept for the glaziers around here to grasp so I’ve been on you tube looking for DIY ideas. Some of our windows are now glazed with recycled shop windows of 10mm laminated glass and a few have been fitted with extra panes inside. I’m thinking of purchasing polyester batts and putting them into some of the windows facing away from the best views, just for the summer. A whole frame wall facing the main summer afternoon sun direction got doubled in thickness a couple of years ago and that does make a difference. The house is now barely adequate at holding a temperature difference with the outside, at least it’s better than absolutely terrible. The lag between indoor and changing outdoor temperature is now around 4 to 5 hours instead of 1 to 2 when we bought it. Spend another few thousand and we might make it to 6-7 hours, or just give up and keep running the small air conditioner or burn wood in the slow combustion stove.
……………..
As this is New Years Eve and after 9pm down here, it’s almost time to wish everyone a HNY if they can find one. Somehow we need to keep our spirits up, 2016 has not been particularly nice. I can hear some fireworks down the hill already, sound like that travels for miles.
……………….
Finally to cap off a remarkably odd year, our rain gauge has measured 1536mm of rain this calendar year or just over 5 feet. That and the multiple of “once in 50 year” storms has been quite an experience. “Normal” rainfall is around 900 to 1000mm or 35 to 40 inches. And I suspect that in hindsight 2016 will seem to have been a good year compared to what’s coming. At least half the farmers wheat crops were successfully reaped before the most recent monster storm so their income from that should tide them over until the next disaster. Wine growers who sprayed for various molds and fungal rots are cautiously optimistic of a good harvest in a month’s time.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
Happy New Year to all.
Loftysays
And to set the tone for 2017 I wake to find it cool damp and drizzly outside. Never mind, I’ll take the bicycle to town and strengthen up the legs a bit for a few hours. Dull gray overcast suits my mood better.
Well, we already got lucky. Some asshole set off fireworks right next to a crowd with kids out to watch the official town fireworks. Apparently forgot that fireworks are supposed to have a vertical element, not a horizontal one, so yeah, we got lucky, but damn if my heels ain’t singed. I wish firework sales were so much more regulated here.
cubistsays
Am currently house-sitting for friends who are off to jolly old England, or at least the UK. They have a hummingbird feeder in their back patio—and some hummers have used it today! Will try to get pics of the little beasties.
I was just getting a few more things done, when I felt myself snagged on something. The something was a nail, through my fucking arm. Pulled my arm off the nail, and I am declaring this day done. I will be sleeping in, so slow start tomorrow.
Ice Swimmersays
The sauna was hot and the sea water cold and high. The Amorphis gig was a good one, they played well.
In the afternoon, while going to the bus stop, saw a red fox in daylight in the wild for the first time. It crossed a patch of lawn behind a fence, crossed the street and disappeared on a wooded knoll.
Ice Swimmersays
Caine @ 297
Ouch, hope the wound heals without problems.
Loftysays
Ow. Nail Bite is horrible. Hope the nail was clean and your tetanus shots are up to date.
chigau (ever-elliptical)says
See?
Cleaning house is bad!!M!
I hope it’s not serious.
Hekuni Cat, Social Justice Ninja, MQGsays
Happy New Year! May 2017 be better than we fear.
I also hope to be around more this year than last.
We had a great time at our friends’ place, ate too much and watched other people burn their money.
+++ Lofty
Sadly double glazing is too hard a concept for the glaziers around here to grasp so I’ve been on you tube looking for DIY ideas.
OK, we’re currently upgrading to tripple. I’d send you the old ones if it weren’t prohibitive…
+++ HEKINICAT!!!!
*pouncyhugs*
+++
Ouch, Caine, get well soon.
+++ rq
My hopes are that in the age of international terrorism private fireworks will finally be banned. I love watching a good firework, but most people are just not acting responsibly enough.
cubistsays
I now have a couple dozen shots of hummingbirds. Will photoshop on ’em and see how many (if any) turn out to be worth sharing with the world.
cicelysays
Hey.
--
cicelysays
And now, to read the Thread, with an opening round of *pouncehugs* (or *other appropriate-and-acceptable gestures of goodwill and support*) for all!
___ Ogvorbis!!!!I/i> *releasing the potentially-hazardous pouncehug-pile-under-pressure*
I hope you have been well.
--
Wait…it is possible to send Horses via email??? *shudders, and vows to Never Open The Email Again*
--
Did something dire happen to Pharyngula while I was Away? *making a mental note to go have a look-see*
(Belatedly noticing the date on the reference.
I’ve…been gone longer than I realized….)
-- Ice Swimmer:
Today I went to see the student matinee
My Lazy Brain read that as, “I went to see the student manatee”….
:D
-- *unwelcome Election Day flashback* Not overreacted/overreacting.
--
Irony: Confederate flag-wavers who say, “You lost. Get over it.”
--
“Acknowledge that emotions require energy.”
And that, Friends and Roving Countrymen, is why I fell out of balance, into the Dark.
:( :( :( :( :(
--
Belated condolences, AlexanderZ, on the loss of your Sima-cat. *hugs*
My Midnight-cat was supposed to be female when we first picked him out from the no-kill shelter’s selection outside the local Petsmart. No visible testicles; they dropped sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Damn, I miss him, still.
Even though I love my Bitsy and our Tig.
-- Giliell, I loved the Origin of Mr. Spock story.
:)
--
100
cicelysays
I confess, I am now just skimming.
--
Hoping to hear better news further down-Thread for Caine’s ailing heater.
-- rq, “On Handsome Guys and Lying” made me *snortle*
--
That “better news” seems to have come tempered with burst-pipe badness. *hugs* and sympathies for Caine, however belatedly.
-- blf:
“Single copy, first edition, slightly foxed and extremely dragoned.”
--
And now, doom for Tethys’ pipes.
:( :(
-- Crip Dyke:
I wish to heck that we could get governments that would recognize that the combined costs of generation + transmission for “cheap” fossil fuel energy very often exceeds the costs of local generation of “expensive” solar/wind energy.
I seem to remember hearing from a friend who is Trapped In Oklahoma, that there’s some kind of legislation forbidding going solar and telling Big Coal And Oil to fuck themselves sideways.
--
260
cicelysays
StevoR, that was an interesting pair of articles you linked to @274 (tooth loss in Limusaurus inextricabilis, finger loss and wings).
Highly enjoyable.
Would Read Again.
--
Hoping for the Best Possible Outcome for your eye, Charly.
-- Caine:
Happy New Year, here’s to keeping hope alive.
Yes. YES.
Sorry to hear about the hull-breach. Ouch!
Tetanus shot?
--
Acceptable New Year to One and All.
Squid bless us, every one.
--
--
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Been a while since I posted here. The last year and half have been eventful in some ways.
First update on the Redhead.
Earlier this year we got her transferred from private insurance to medicare + supplement policies. YUGE difference. We got the therapists back in, and they actually caused a problem. She was exercising so much that she opened 14 stress ulcers on top of her previous wound at crease of her buttock/leg about an inch from back groin area. Very necessary for sitting, etc. We got that cleared up, and therapists are back for a bit. We’re just very careful how we get her spun around from lying in bed to sitting on the edge of the bed. Hopefully, they can stick around long enough to get her to be able to transfer from the bed to wheelchair/commode/lounge chair/stair lift/car. But, over the weekend, she seems to have a recurrence of some kidney stones, which has done a number on various functions. It appears to be clearing up except for her appetite.
Now me.
I’ve been retired about 1.3 years now. The company I worked for was getting rid of some of us old farts. I was surprised, but when I saw the severance package, it was where do I sign, and when can I leave? Later analysis showed that 60% of my paycheck at that time was going to expense to run the household, and 60% to the CNA help for the Redhead so I could work full time. Reduced the CNA help to three days a week, and also reduced their hours, only overlapping when we were standing the Redhead on our own. That staunched the red ink.
Collected all my IRA/401k/pension benefits into one account. Made me happy I made large contributions that were company matched over the years into the more risky, but higher yielding stock market accounts. Presently diversified in multiple accounts. Might last long enough if Trump doesn’t bankrupt the country.
Today I got my early 2009 iMac to boot after a few months. Think it needs a good cleaning. I have one program on it that strips the DRM from the commercial DVDs I bought, and it requires a maximum of OSX of 10.6. My new iMac requires a minimum of 10.11, and doesn’t have an optical drive. That now gives me a working collection of an Apple IIe, G3 iMac (gift), G4 Mac Cube. plus the early 2009 iMac on top of the present iMac (4k retina).
Happy 2017 to all. Best wishes to all.
Did something dire happen to Pharyngula while I was Away?
*making a mental note to go have a look-see*
assholes being assholes as usually.
+++ Nerd
Glad retirement is working out for you and the Redhead. Here’s hopes for improvement.
Hekuni Cat, Social Justice Ninja, MQGsays
Giliell and cicely -- *returnpouncehugs*
We played D&D yesterday afternoon. Most of our low-level characters are students who were knocked unconscious and left in the jungle as part of their final exam. The group seems to have a knack for getting into trouble and taking on opponents who are higher level than they are. It’s really a miracle they’ve survived. :D
Ice Swimmersays
Happy Newish Year for all! Welcome back Hekuni Cat and cicely!
December had a lot of matinees/manatees and recitals, but then a bit before Xmas, the Xmas break of the Sibelius Academy began and will continue until January 29th, so now there is almost no free classical music live. I know, First World Problem. Besides, there will be music anyway.
Ice Swimmersays
Nerd of Redhead @ 310
Hoping for the best for you and the Redhead!
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Finally able to try an experiment I’ve been wanting to do for ages. The Redhead likes multilamp chandeliers, and the one in the living room where she is uses 60 watt bulbs. Eight of them, and the fixture runs 24/7/365 (minus power outages) as the Redhead prefers to sleep with the lights on. A back of the envelope calculation says that one fixture is about 20% of our electric bill. We have a seven bulb fixture in the dinning room (on most of the day), and a five bulb fixture in the master bedroom, which is mostly off unless I am in the room doing chores or getting dressed. The CFL candelabra bulbs were too ugly for the Redhead, and I tended to agree with her.
The fixture in the master bedroom went *flashKzot * when I was replacing bulbs last week, and the socket that caused the spark is unrepairable. So I ordered a new five bulb fixture, but ordered some LED bulbs that look like the incandescent bulbs, and by the reviews, look like incandescent bulbs in action. Each bulb uses just 7 watts, and is good for years. If it looks good, I’ll sneak the sixth bulb into the fixture in the living room. If there aren’t any complaints, I’ll slowly replace the incandescent bulbs as they die out with LED bulbs.
I’ve replaced all of the non-candelabra tungsten bulbs in the house with CFLs, and I may change those for LEDs as they die, and my supply of CFLs is depleted.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Oh, forgot to leave a link to the LED candelabra bulb. My bad. Here.
Nerd, I hope thosee LED bulbs really hold up to your expectatons. I have mixed experience with LED bulbs. Their power consumption is as low as promised -- I have converted whole house to LED lights years ago and it is noticeable on the electricity bill. The light they give is bright from get-to, nice and it causes me no trouble. However they do not last as long as promised, approximately 20% of them begin to flicker after only one-two years (I guess bad soldering on some LEDs) and have to be replaced. This is significantly below the promissed 10.000 to 15.000 running hours, and they are not exactly cheap. I tried three different manufacturers and they all had the same problem.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
This is significantly below the promissed 10.000 to 15.000 running hours, and they are not exactly cheap. I tried three different manufacturers and they all had the same problem.
Yeah, I noticed the same design from several places. Indicating one manufacturer that had several distributors.
When I switched over to CFLs, there were some that were no better than the tungsten bulbs as to longevity. Then there is the CFL spotlight lamp over the back door still going strong after 4 years of 24/7/365, IIRC.
Which is why I avoid being one of the early adapters to any new techology. There are still some bugs in the system.
cicelysays
Hey, Nerd!
Glad to hear that you and the Redhead seem to be doing okay! :).
-- Giliell! *return-moar-pouncehug*
Ah.
Well, if it’s just another conclave of assholes, I don’t need to go have a look; I Am Not A Proctologist, nor do I play one on teevee.
-- *extra-pouncyhug* for Hekuni Cat.
My group is currently playing Mutants and Masterminds. We are currently mid-melee with a group of villains that is trying to make off with the unwisely-large-and-physically-present swag-pile of a visiting foreign notable (political?business?both?—status unclear). I feel that the opposition will decide that Enraging my character, then inadvertently getting one of their own trapped inside a steel cylinder with her, was, in retrospect, a mistake.
--
Thanks for the Welcome Back; Ice Swimmer; it’s good to be back.
--
StevoRsays
Wonder if he’ll take her up on this and what else she might say / sing with that platform? :
cicely and Hekuni cat
Back when we still managed to play, the two most dreaded things were
1. Doors we could spend days in and out of game in front of them, sometimes even without simply trying the handle…
2. The particular game master A (who’s generally a very good one with fun for all) trying something new/something he always wanted to try/testing the group for their fighting power and generally overestimating it.
cicelysays
Doors.
Don’t tell me about doors! *snort*
This one time the DM (later to become The Husband) let us waste the better part of a session trying to get this one door open—push, pull, bump, slide, and numerous other verbs denoting (increasingly-violent) motion—and then it suited him to point out that we didn’t think to ask him if the damned thing had a knob.
Great were the lamentations that night, to the accompaniment of air-borne sodas and flung dice.
Then there was the time he hid the McGuffin inside the large and intricate lock of the front door to the dungeon/tower. We’d salvaged the lock—as Loot—and therefore were carrying the damned thing with us, all throughout the structure, above-ground and below, fruitlessly searching. That took up an entire session; then we spent the next session tearing up the paved walk-way that lead up to the tower—all the way back to the road. After which, we meticulously un-landscaped a sizeable clearance back from the now-un-paved walk-way, on both sides.
It wasn’t until, in frustration, one character—the one carrying the McGuffin-laden lock—committed suicide by jumping with all her gear into the functionally-bottomless moat, that he clued us in. *strangled scream*
Wife and I went to Florida to visit the inlaws. Girl and her fiance flew down (which we kept secret from our niece — she was very surprised). My old Ford Taurus — a 2008 with 160,000 miles — needed about $1,000 worth of work. All small shit (a flap valve in the ventilation system has a stripped gear, one tyre has a really weird wear pattern, one brake pad is too thin, etc. — all normal for a car with 160,000 miles) so we traded cars for a week with boy.
Boy’s car is a Hyundai Elantra with a manual transmission. We loved it. We got between 40 and 45 miles a gallon for the whole trip.
We ate lots (I gained five pounds). Visited Hontoon Island State Park — neat place. I saw bald eagles, cattle egrets, moor hens, gallinules, great blue herons, great egrets, little blue herons, sharp-shinned and red-tail hawks, sandhill cranes. Lots of fun. Nothing new for the life list.
While we were in Florida, Boy stayed up in PA managing his new restaurant. And he got a call from a guy he knows at a dealership — he had Boy’s dream car in the showroom. Boy went and looked at it and promised to come back when his trade-in came back from Florida.
On the drive home, Wife and I mused about how much we liked the Elantra and tried to figure out a way to buy it from Boy. The problem was, by the time we could put together financing, even through our credit union, Boy’s dream car would be gone.
We got home on Saturday. On Monday, Boy bought one of these . Except his has orange and black wheels and the turbo four banger.
On Tuesday, I walked into the same dealership and said that I had the extra key for the Hyundai they took in trade yesterday. Then I asked what they wanted for it. And two hours later, I walked out with a 2014 Hyundai Elantra with a six-speed manual and only 19,000 miles.
So now, for the first time, Boy’s car is bigger than mine. And has lots and lots of goodies. And it really is his dream car.
Cicely:
Thanks for the pounce higs. Right back atcha.
Actually, pounce higs to one and all.
Happy new year.
I hope it is better than 2016. Part of me wants to say that it can’t get worse. But, I’m an historian. I KNOW it can get worse.
Ogvorbis
*pouncehug*
What a nice toy boy got himself and yay for you for getting a nice deal out of it as well. 6 speed manuals are nice. One thing I’m looking forward to when I start my new position is that we’ll switch cars again. Standing rule here is that we’re sensible people and the one who drives more km gets the Diesel that needs between 6 and 7 l per 100km (don’t ask me how many miles per gallon that is) and not the brick wall with engine that needs between 8 and 9 l of normal fuel.
cicely
And you still married that guy? ;)
+++
Damn
Got a call from the painter teling us that he can only do our house between June and July because until a few weeks ago we couldn’t sign any contracts and of course he first scheduled the people who could. *sigh*
But that’s the one part that doesn’t affect the inside of the house, so I guess we’re fine. I’d loathe to have new heating/water/electricity/windows done while already living there.
Ogvorbis: A bear of very little brains.says
Cicely:
6 litres per 100 kilometres is about 39 miles per gallon.
7 litres per 100 kilometres is about 33 miles per gallon.
(I cheated and Googled it)
The best part about getting the hand-me-down car is that it has 140,000 fewer miles and no issues that will cost me anything right now. The better mileage is a bonus.
Preliminary report on the LED candelabra bulbs. I like, and more importantly, similar enough the Redhead might go for it. It does have a yellow glow like the hot tungsten filaments, and gives off light in a vertical “string” like the hung filaments in a typical candelabra bulb.
Ogvorbis: A bear of very little brains.says
Shit.
I am so sorry, Giliell. That was totally out of line. I apologize.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Forgot to add the results of one important test. With incandescent bulbs, I can tell the difference between my dark blue socks and dark brown socks, since it is a broad spectrum light. The CFLs put out certain wavelengths since it mercury being excited. The socks merge into a mass of dark and are almost impossible to sort. Under the LED bulbs. the socks were easy to sort.
Ogvorbis
Don’t worry, I’ve been called much worse than “cicely”
And yes I’m just kidding around.
Ice Swimmersays
Ogvorbis,
Good to have you back and glad your newer wheels go with less juice now.
blfsays
On LED and CFL lightbulbs which fail significantly prematurely: Have your electrics checked. CFLs (especially, particularly the newer models) are rather sensitive to various electrical phenomena that rarely bother incandescents. I have no idea about LEDs, but suspect they may also be.
And, unsurprisingly, the quality of the LEDs and CFLs also matters…
All my CFLs, bought c.1990 (c.25 years ago!) were still working when I replaced them with LEDs c.3 years ago. Two had developed the “dim yellow startup” annoyance over the c.20 years of operation (none had it initially), but none has ever failed. The only CFL which did fail was one obtained c.2005, which was of obviously cheaper construction than ye olde faithfuls. (I now don’t recall how long it lasted, multiple years but I cannot remember how many.)
To-date, the only LED which has failed on me is a cheap one I bought about five years ago as part of a trial. It failed within a year or so as I recall, and also had a tendency to flicker; a more expensive but obviously better-constructed model purchased and used concurrently for comparison neither flickered nor failed (and is still being used). The additional LEDs I am now using are of similar good construction.
Excepting that one failed LED, the only problem I’ve had is due to the weight: The high-quality ones are rather heavy (that cheaper failed one was noticeably lighter, albeit still heavier than an incandescent). One fitting detached as a result, basically pulled out of the wall by the weight (it obviously wasn’t well secured in the first place!). And at the moment, the weight(apparently) is somehow causing another fitting to loose the connection, causing the light to either not turn on or suddenly turn off. I have not investigated other than to confirm it is not the LED(nor the switch & wiring) which is at fault.
Rather funnily, since I’ve been using CFLs and LEDs for such a long time now, I have no idea what impact they have on my power bills! I changed over to CFLs over the course of about two years, so never noticed any dramatic “instantaneous” drop in power costs; and the LED switchover was concurrent with relocating the lair, so I have nothing to compare it to.
Ice Swimmersays
blf @ 333
My guess is that the lighter led bulb failing is due to insufficent cooling as LEDs need fairly big heatsinks because they are sensitive to high temperatures and too cold to be cooled radiatively like incandescent lighbulbs.
At least voltage spikes can be much more harmful to LED lights because they can destroy semiconductor components (which both LEDs and some of the driving components are), either by making them permanently shorted or non-conductive.
blfsays
Ice Swimmer@33, Yes both points are broadly my guesses as well. I’m not too up on LEDs-for-lighting technology, so tend to extrapolate from low-power LEDs & related power circuitry used in electronics; that extrapolation leads towards those points. Thanks!
I should point out, by the way, the LED lighting being talked about here (under 10W) do not actually get that hot, you can hold one that has been illuminated for hours. It is warm, and you may want to put it down, but it’s nothing like as hot as an incandescent. (For instance, I “fix” the one fixture which can suddenly turn off merely by tapping whichever LED is in it with my bare finger — for unknown-as-of-yet reasons, that reestablishes the connection within the fixture and it lights up again.)
blfsays
In @335 I was reply to @334, obviously…
Ice Swimmersays
Cold air and open sea:
An article (in Finnish) with video and pics. The Gulf of Finland is still mostly ice-free and fairly warm for the season (0 °C to 1 °C near the shore, as much as 2 °C to 3 °C in the middle of the Gulf), but air is -16 °C to -18 °C. This makes the evaporation from the sea condense near surface.
blfsays
I meant “replying“…!
cicelysays
Ogvorbis:
I hope it is better than 2016. Part of me wants to say that it can’t get worse. But, I’m an historian. I KNOW it can get worse.
Indeed.
We are not—yet—doing re-runs of the Thirty Years’ War. Smallpox remains in check. Cannibalism is, afaik, negligible in USAia.
Why, the wars over potable water haven’t even begun!
I know it was in answer to Giliell’s post, but thanks for the translation; I learned to do physics in metric, but in everything else my brain is programmed in English system. :)
I wish we could get a good, new-to-us car; two Saturdays before Christmas, we slid—happily, at low speed!—into a utility pole and crunched up the driver’s-side-front to hell-and-gone. It doesn’t seem to affect the steering, etc….
Also, we experimentally determined that the seat belts work, so there’s that; nothing worse than bruises was had.
-- Giliell:
Hey, what can I say?
He’s got a killer sense of humor.
:D
-- Giliell:
Ogvorbis
Cicely:
I take that as a compliment ;)
As long as you don’t accidentally take my knees! :)
I would not wish those on a moderately-mortal enemy! *pause*
Wouldn’t mind palming them off on Mr. Tangerine Man, though….
--
Ice Swimmersays
blf @ 335
I’m not that knowledgeable about how they have implemented the LED bulbs nowadays (is there a regulator or just a capacitor for limiting AC current, rectifier, smoothing cap and a small resistor?).
However I think it’s still true that if the junction of the LED is hotter than 80 °C -- 120 °C, the LED is going to degrade and if the energy efficiency is still something like 50 %, a heatsink of some kind is good to have. A point source of heat with a power of 0.5 W to 5 W is going to make things nice and toasty if there’s nowhere for the heat to go.
cubistsays
[singing] “Heeeyyyy, Mister Tangerine Man, kill a dream today…”
rqsays
Ice Swimmer @337
Heeey, we got warned about the same phenomenon, too! In official media: “Want to go see the sea boil?” along with a nice decent explanation of why that happens. Didn’t see it myself, but the article you post has some impressive pictures.
Here’s some sand and snow wind sculpture to go with that boiling sea.
Ice Swimmersays
rq @ 342
The woodgrain pattern is gorgeous. Also, looks like vanilla-coffee ice cream.
I did venture out today and took some pictures, but due to the cold weather, didn’t venture far enough south to catch the sea smoke. I visited Tamminiemi, a presidential residence 1940-81, residence of the former president Kekkonen 1981-86 and museum since 1987. Also bought a Museum Card that gives entry for about 200 museums in Finland for a year and costs about 65 €.
The experience was like visiting somebody else’s (well-to-do but not rich) grandparents’ house without them being home. While 450 m² or 4800 sq.ft. isn’t a tiny house, for a residence of a head of state it’s surprisingly small and the interior is fairly simple and modest looking even though the art and furniture is worth a lot.
After the museum I took some pictures, started feeling cold and took a bus and tram and went to sauna and then home.
blfsays
Ice Swimmer@340, Yes, I concur. I also have no idea what the power circuity used is; and it would not surprise me if different models / manufacturers / quality use different circuits. As far as the temperature goes, my comments @335 about being able to hold one applied to the unit as a whole including its enclosure (what you see in the blister wrap packaging). Individual component parts, such as the LED(junction), could be, and very probably are, quite hot; at the enclosure (what you hold) the unit, however, is noticeably not-as-hot as the unit / bulb of an incandescent.
Loftysays
On the subject of household LED lamps, most use a little circuit board with a switchmode power supply. These are more efficient than the simple series resistor used in simple DC units but generate loads of RFI which can cause trouble elsewhere in your dwelling. In the failed LED lamps that I’ve dismantled, the switchmode board lives inside of a central plastic tube where it is isolated from the heat sink fins. It also gets hot in there. There was a guy on yoo toob who specialised in dismantling consumer products and he pointed out how poor the electrical isolation was in some of the lamps he dismantled. The aluminium backed circuit board that the LED chips are soldered to had bare millimetres clearance to the screws holding it to the heat sink. The slightest insulation failure would send the heat sink live to mains voltage.
Anyway, LED lamps are evolving at a rapid pace. I remember purchasing my first LED bulb from a specialist electronic retailer at vast cost. The bulb was the size of a walnut, buzzed horribly and failed inside three weeks. So when I’d destroyed yet another pendant bulb on our ceiling with an accidentally waved arm, I bought recessed fittings allegedly suited to CFLs. Well, they don’t like to be confined. Numberless cooked CFLs later I went to second gen LED bulbs.
Those bulbs went quite well considering how much I paid for them but the colour temp was not satisfactory. So I was well pleased when last year some good looking bulbs of 5000K (daylight) colour temp appeared on the market. I even bought a small prism to check their spectrum which was surprisingly complete. Their light spread is more like 270 degrees rather than the 180 degrees of the gen 2 types.
But the final nail in the coffin for the recessed globe fittings was when I spotted on ebay a bulk lot of flat round 5000K lamp fittings where the driver box is entirely separate from the lamp unit itself. At around $100 for a box of 10 I installed 7, gave a one away to a friend and kept 2 for spares. They’re wonderful for all round vision and have been in for 6 months now without problems. How much money am I saving on power? Dunno, but it’s my kind of fun mucking around with lighting.
blfsays
Heh, I’ve never heard of “recessed fittings allegedly suited to CFLs”. The idea strikes me as odd, as they do get hot — and suggests one reason I’ve had an insignificant number of problems with both CFLs and LEDs — besides waiting for the price to be reasonable (albeit not cheap), time for the bugs to be worked out of the earlier more expensive units — is they have always been installed in fairly open fittings with good air (ventilation). Not deliberately, it’s just sortof worked out that way…
Loftysays
blf, well, live and learn I say. The new LED flat faced fittings are all black finned cast alloy on their backs and shed heat very efficiently. Also they are always instantly at full brightness when switched on, especially nice in winter.
….
Giliell, elsewhere you mentioned a vacuum cleaner you couldn’t get a plug for. Some of those vacuum cleaners had exactly the same appliance plug with round pins as the bare element ceramic electric jugs that were popular around the 50’s and 60’s. I was a collector of those things for a little while, many moons ago. I still have the odd plug or two hanging with its cord off a nail under the stairs. Yes the stores sold out of spare plugs aeons ago. Ebay would be my idea of a place to look for cords for jugs of that era. I also wonder how long it would take to fit a modern IEC socket in place of the original, like a desktop computer socket.
….
Northern hemisphere dwellers: hope the cold is not too insufferable in your area, in South Oz it’s back to over 40C for the next two days. I’m staying home with the blinds half drawn.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Northern hemisphere dwellers: hope the cold is not too insufferable in your area,
It’s cold, but I hauled the parka out of the closet and it makes a huge difference walking around in our wind.
When my CFLs fail, they usually show some charring around the top of the base unit where the glass tubes go through. Heat did them in. CFLs work in enclosures on our stairwell and bathroom. They are not high wattage though but they do put out some heat.
Prior to the experiment, I had four LED bulbs running, two in the sconce above my desk and two in little cans on my bookcase that shine the light off the ceiling. No problems with early death and both have produced steady light. I’m beginning to think that maybe 60 Watt equvalent LED candelabra bulbs may be too much for the bedroom.
Lofty
No, that wasn’t me. The words “Giliell” and “vacuum cleaner” don’t go together well. At least the evil EU has stopped the race to “who builds the cleaner that needs the most energy”.
+++ re: cold
Not too bad here, but we needed to turn the water at the house off. Heating still not complete.
+++
Near me there’s currently a big police operation. They’re clearing explosives from a house, probably meant for a terrorist attack. You are allowed to guess the ethnicity and political affiliation by the lack of news coverage….
Loftysays
Giliell,sorry about that, that’s what happens when I rely on my faulty memory. A search through Caine’s archives shows it was brucegee1962 with the 1950s vacuum cleaner.
I know that I have problem with my electricity, but there is nothing I can do about it. I had the whole house overhauled, all circuits etc. changed, but that is all I can do. The rest of the problem is that I am at the “End of the line”, and I have therefore fluctuations. That is the property of the infrastructure here and there is nothing Ican do about it.
But the new LEDs that I installed last year hold nice so far, and they are running a lot.
You are allowed to guess the ethnicity and political affiliation by the lack of news coverage….
White man with self-inflicted lack of hair?
rqsays
Gilill
Your link is borked. I wanted to see the brave Lego pirates with their stash of Kinderegg prisoners…
rqsays
Speaking of graphic design, gobi, I looked through your blog and there’s at least two sets of pictures that could just be published as small books of illustrations that tell their own story -- one is the crows and the dragonflies, and the other is the yellow zeppelin. Also want to see more of the giraffe. :) (Also, not so gruff, really -- was expecting worse!)
Ü-Eier as in “Überraschungseier” Überraschung = surprise.
Germans have a tendency for shortening compounds to first letter + second noun. Ü-Eier, O-Saft (Orangensaft, orange juice) A-Saft…
Professors and administrators at the best universities in the land have gone so deeply into identity politics that they can only regard him as an atavistic clod. They have raised the ordinary frictions of daily affairs into a melodrama of microaggression, heteronormativity, and ableism, and Trump won’t respect the new rules.
Yes, we know he won’t. And that’s a good thing according to this asshole?
We all saw how he loves mocking people with disabilities for example.
Hypersensitivity is out of control. Nobody wants to provoke others, so everyone carries an invisible trigger-meter. I see it in my students’ eyes when anything about race, sexuality or politics comes up. A flicker of fear crosses their faces. You can imagine the silent calculation in their heads that tells them to stay silent.
This is a civic plight, and it’s contrary to the wide-open American spirit of free expression and tolerance. Our national poet Walt Whitman sensed the genius of the nation in the banter and repartee of the working class — “the blab of the pave,” he called it — and it included rough slang and raucous jokes. He would find the language of higher education today repressed and bureaucratic.
The personal bearing of Donald Trump is a direct challenge to this timidity. He must realize that people flocked to his rallies because there, for an exhilarating hour, they escaped from the pressures of political correctness and white guilt, male guilt, American guilt, and Christian guilt. The contrast between those rollicking crowds and the dour atmosphere on the quad was stark.
Wait, is this guy saying Trump rallies provided these tough brave alpha warriors with much needed safe spaces because they couldn’t handle being called out on their bigotry?
Ogvorbis: A bear of very little brains.says
Finally. Someone found something useful to do with brown bitter liquid.
cicelysays
cubist:
[singing] “Heeeyyyy, Mister Tangerine Man, kill a dream today…”
I’m not sleeping ’cause it seems that we are stuck with you….
-- Ogvorbis
Finally. Someone found something useful to do with brown bitter liquid.
I use it to prevent Morning Keyboard Face, but different (brush)strokes….
;)
--
Would you believe it?
Tonight as I was preparing dinner, the doorbell rang. I was a bit surprised because for once I hadn’t ordered anything on the internet.
“Good evening, I’m collecting signatures for the candidacy of the NPD in the upcoming election”
I closed the door rather rapidly, loudly and without any female delicacy.
I know, I know, it’s now my fault if people vote for them…
@Giliell, if there is any news article (any at all) about this incident, I would appreciate if you send me the link. I like to point right-wing terrorists to all those refugee haters in refugee-free areas (including, but not limited to, CZ).
Foremost, it’s not your culture. Without the context of culture, you don’t understand the sacred or the ceremony involved. It’s an incredibly white thing to say Heyoka are “very inspiring”. They aren’t there to provide outsiders with inspiration or anything else -- this is an intimate and deep part of Lakota life. A very spiritual part. Wakinyan, what does that mean to you? I know what it means to me, and so much more, but you don’t have the background, y’see?
Oh gods, I don’t want to be rude, but if you’re looking for inspiration, can’t you find something a bit closer to your own culture?
@Caine
I apologize for my insensitivity. I realize the Heyoka are not mine to claim and failed to show that consideration.
I am looking at my culture for inspiration and will stop posting about this. I like the Heyoka and their relationship with thier people and want to avoid any offense.
I am looking at my culture for inspiration and will stop posting about this. I like the Heyoka and their relationship with thier people and want to avoid any offense.
It’s not a matter of offense as much as it’s weariness over yet more appropriation. The Heyoka have a profound an multi-faceted meaning and importance among the Lakota oyate. There should also be respect, that respect dictating that the Heyoka not be borrowed in any sense.
Since you’re looking at Heyoka, perhaps you’re just going back to other deep roots, those of tragicomedy. Comedy and Tragedy have ancient, venerable roots, and our relationship to those two faces is ever important. The use of tragicomedy has a lot to do with developing and maintaining empathy, as well stretching our ability for insight and perception. Tragicomedy also pays court to the importance of laughter, of fun, because without those, we lose the ability to cope with the darker sides of reality.
Charly Here
I think you have an idea where that is. If you’re searching on the Tagesschau homepage you won’t find anything…
Ice Swimmersays
Yesterday it was -17 °C at 19:50 (7:50 pm) and -7 °C at 20:40 (8:40 pm) in Helsinki. Of course, the rise in temperature was compensated by more wind. Now it’s snowing, -3 °C and the wind is blowing the snow all over the place.
cubistsays
Sitting Bull and Crazy horse were Heyoka? Damn. I had no idea.
Saadsays
Schools and most work places closed early yesterday and were completely closed today. News channels had constant “WINTER STORM” coverage.
It was 26 F this morning with some snow on trees and rooftops. Roads were clear.
Ice Swimmersays
Saad @ 376
Not even any black ice on the roads? (Looks like wet asphalt, but it’s a thin layer of ice and slippery.)
I am very proud of myself: I neither yelled at my father in law nor did I throw things at him. Damn stubborn guy.
Nah, can’t be that a woman with a college degree might know something or at least have an idea or two. Automatically disqualify.* Let’s do it his way and end up in a “painted myself into a corner” situation.
*Last week it was the damn mats you need to put between the old wooden boards and the new tiles. When I said we need them it was bullshit. When the guy from the tiles shop said it it was “yes, of course!”
@Caine
I do not want you to be weary, and I decided I would always consider criticism from you a long time ago. That is not rude to me. That is how you feel and I want to hear about it.
I’ve mentioned the Heyokato be inspirational in writing before and I would be happy to avoid that in the future if you wish. I cannot help what I feel when I read about them, but want to respect how you feel about them. I can’t know what Heyoka are to you, or the Wakinyan and I don’t want to pretend to.
Thank you for the link about Tragedy and Comedy. I have a personal interest in humor and society and will enjoy reading that.
Saadsays
Ice Swimmer,
I’m sure some smaller roads had them but they treated the main roads the night before.
We’re famous for freaking out over a little bit of snow and planning on shutting the city down, especially after the unusually high amount of snow we got in 2014. In the 22 years I’ve lived here, I can only remember like 3 or 4 winters where it was actually risky to drive.
Ice Swimmersays
Saad @ 380
A bit fussy administration. Here they clean the streets and roads, if needed, day and night, although a multi-day heavy snowfall may be too much for the capacity of the street/road maintenance system. Salt is used for the car lanes when it’s effective (down to -10 °C), though they tend not to salt too heavily, as there has been concerns over making the groundwater salty, especially in areas where groundwater is used by the water utilities.
Caine, if you have 8 Minutes to spare, I would like to know what you think about the point of this video: -click-
I found myself agreeing with it and at the same time thinking that it is not as simple as that.
Ice Swimmersays
It seems that the sculptor discussed in the video has made some appropriately creepy church doors.
Well, those doors are creepy as hell, but they do show that a skill and effort went into doing them. This is why I caught myself thinking “it is not as simple as that”.
House Bill 2 requires a physician or technician to perform an ultrasound, describe and display the ultrasound images to the mother, and provide audio of the fetal heartbeat to the mother before she may have an abortion.
The text of the bill says the pregnant woman may choose to avert her eyes from the images, and request the volume of the heartbeat be turned down or off.
[. . .]
The bills will go before Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin for final approval. The bills include an emergency provision that allows the laws to take effect as soon as they are signed by the governor.
House Bill 2 requires a physician or technician to perform an ultrasound, describe and display the ultrasound images to the mother, and provide audio of the fetal heartbeat to the mother before she may have an abortion.
You know when people complain about doc using language you can’t understand? This is the time to do so intentionally.
Fuck those bastards. Is there also a bill attached that guts school funding and child care support?
rqsays
Saad
Define “an unusual amount of snow”, I’m curious. (Is that those 3 inches you mentioned before?)
+++
Sooo… what’s the point of it all if the patient can avert their eyes or have the volume turned down? To waste everyone’s time and money?
+++
The Baltic States are officially in northern Europe -- this will take some adjusting, as I’m conditioned to perk my ears at the mention of eastern Europe. Also, can’t call us former Soviet republics anymore, nyah nyah.
In case anyone was wondering.
Saadsays
rq,
Yeah, that’s unusual for us. There were some patches of ice on the more obscure roads and people’s yards had a thin layer of snow on them. My wife went to work as usual at 6 am in the morning and got there just fine. But we had 24/7 coverage of SEVERE WINTER STORM scaring the crap out of people as usual and the grocery stores were swarmed and the bread and milk aisles were cleared out.
Saadsays
rq, #388
Sooo… what’s the point of it all if the patient can avert their eyes or have the volume turned down? To waste everyone’s time and money?
It’s so messed up that they want to require the physician to basically force something upon a patient. Why would a doctor show something to a patient which would the patient have to avert their eyes? It’s so fucked up from every angle. The scary part is Bevin will most likely sign it too. The guy’s a bigot of the highest order (this is the governor of the state where brave and valiant Kim Davis stood up for the sanctity of marriage in).
Saadsays
rq,
I forgot to mention: This Friday, the temp is supposed to go up to 70 F (21 C). This morning it is 24 F (-4 C).
Saad
That’s quite the leap! Is spring already arriving for you? Or will it just be warm for winter?
(For comparison, I feel the need to mention that we’ve gone from -27 (Saturday) to -2 (today)… same magnitude, different feel. :D)
Well, we got like a whole three inches of snow (and people act like they’ve never seen anything like it) but of course it’s expected to have turned into slush by the time the kids come home from school.
On the bright side we seem to be establishing a reciprocal side walk clearing pattern with the neighbours to be.
Saadsays
rq,
That’s just how weird our weather is here. In a couple of weeks, it’ll be cold again.
Saad
Celsius, not Fahrenheit. Which still comes to something like -16F… Okay, never mind, that still looks pretty cold.
I hope most of the cold comes back (down to -20 is perfectly bearable), because otherwise we lose the track and the ice rink, and it would be nice to get at least a couple weeks’ worth of fun out of the work that went into both. A bit more snow would be nice, too; I would love for some of what fell on Caine to have been redirected our way, but I’ll take whatever else comes along (if there’s any snow left at all).
Saadsays
-27 F and -16 F might as well be the same for me. The lowest I can recall experiencing is like 19 F. =/
But in all honesty, I think I would like to experience temperature and snow like that just to see how it feels.
rqsays
You’re welcome to visit (January is best for that), but I feel some location in North America might be more accessible to you. Ottawa (Ontario) is nice this time of year, I hear.
rqsays
Poor tree. I think my parents have a photo of themselves with that tree from their days of youth-before-kids and travelling.
blfsays
It’s been near-freezing the last week or so (air temperature), and when the Mistral is blowing, sub-freezing (wind chill). Today it’s raining and warmer, but will probably return to the colder weather soon-ish…
At the moment the village is “dead”, that is, few visitors, the yacht crews are mostly home for the holidays, and hence whilst the shops are largely open, many restaurants and bars are shut for well-deserved vacations. At the moment, I’m the only person in the bar (other than a very bored barkeeper), which is unusual — and the (outdoor) market this morning was (semi-)deserted.
rqsays
So.
I was made an offer at work that requires a major financial sacrifice (I’m talking burnt offerings and possibly blood but no children -- I mean, a pay cut in excess of 60% of my current income) for six months, after which I would be returned to my current level and then some, with additional responsibility and status stuff on top of that. Technically this is something I want, but that I’ve been avoiding for years because of the financial sacrifice, which (unfortunately) amounts to being a Very Big Deal for our family, even though it is only six months. The pay-off, though, would most likely be worth it, plus I’ve received some pretty positive reinforcement and outright expressions of support despite the difficulties from immediate and slightly superior colleagues. Practically, I’ve always said no because of the potential extreme financial security, and that’s pretty much the biggest (well, only) stumbling block for me.
Personally, I want to say ‘yes’, but I currently feel like it would be impossible to follow through because of that financial sacrifice. So maybe I should just do it?
Relatives of a young Aboriginal woman whose death in custody sparked protests around the country hope a new song by a member of The Cat Empire will put attention back on her case. Ms Dhu was just 22 years old when she was locked up for unpaid fines in the Port Hedland police station in August 2014. She died three days later of septicaemia and pneumonia from an infection in a broken rib.
One of all too many cases here.
StevoRsays
A musical blast -emphasis on blast -- from the past. If only it weren’t still so relevant right now. Great old album from the ’90’s (?) :
‘Political Prisoners’ song from Insurge’s “Power to the Poison people” album an old Aussie band from the 1990’s (?) -rest (?) of that album can be found on youtube too I think -- quite a lot of it for sure anyhow (WARNIG : SWEARING. Confronting.)
If you cannot decide, try to flip a coin. If you then feel compelled to toss it again, then do the opposite, if not, the coin has decided for you.
I have used this to uncover what I want at subconscious level.
(I am not saying it works perfectly).
A bill aimed at decriminalising domestic violence to preserve the “tradition of parental authority” has easily passed through the first stage of approval in the Russian parliament.
Ultra-conservative MP Yelena Mizulina, who chairs a committee on family and women’s affairs, proposed the bill to have “battery within families” taken out of Russia’s criminal code, removing the right of victims to press charges.
“In Russian traditional family culture parent-child relationships are built on the authority of the parents’ power,” she told a meeting of parliament in Moscow. “The laws should support that family tradition.”
The proposed law was approved by 368 MPs, with only one coming out in opposition.
[. . .]
“Battery carried out towards family members should be an administrative offence,” Ms Mizulina continued. “You don’t want people to be imprisoned for two years and labelled a criminal for the rest of their lives for a slap.”
And the MP who proposed the bill is a woman and chair of the committee on women’s affairs.
“Battery within families”
Fuck.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
In a sad note, the Redhead died yesterday after a brief illness. We met in junior high, dated through high school and college, and got married when I was in graduate school. We were married for 43.6 years. She will be missed.
Ogvorbis: A bear of very little brains.says
Oh, Nerd, I am so sorry. You have my love and sympathy.
Saadsays
Nerd, very sorry to hear the sad news. You two must have so many great memories together.
Nerd
I’m so sorry. You have my deepest sympathies. You always sounded like the couple I’d like us to be in 30 years.
rqsays
Saad
Ah but remember Russia isn’t actually that bad! Get along!
+++
Nerd
My deepest sympathies to you. :( ♥ ):
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaidensays
Nerd, I am very fortunate to have no idea what that must be like. My thoughts are with you & anything I can send by USB you can consider to be on its way.
In a sad note, the Redhead died yesterday after a brief illness. We met in junior high, dated through high school and college, and got married when I was in graduate school. We were married for 43.6 years. She will be missed.
Oh Nerd, I am so sorry. So very sorry. All the love you shared will carry you through the grief.
In a sad note, the Redhead died yesterday after a brief illness. We met in junior high, dated through high school and college, and got married when I was in graduate school. We were married for 43.6 years. She will be missed.
Oh Nerd. I’m so so so so sorry. Your time together will forever be remembered.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
Thanks everybody for their support.
One bit of the Redhead’s forcing an issue is working for me now. We bought burial plots 10-15 years ago, along with a prepaid funeral plan (I forgot the latter). Still some costs, but FFFAAARRRR less than if she hadn’t pushed the issue at that time. I know, as I stopped by their competitor up the road from from the cemetery first.
It worked both ways, as my shoving as much money into the 401ks (which she griped about) that would be matched by the employer worked out well when I retired.
Unless Drumpf and the rethugs trash the economy and cause rampant inflation, of course.
Fabulous idea.
’cause they always get it in the bowl with their eyes open!
:Laughs: Yep, they do, don’t they?
We don’t miss. It splashes.
What’s wrong with peeing sitting down?
Saad:
Nothing. Most parents insist on teaching the dude way of doing, though. Seems silly to me, just sit down and do your business like everyone else.
***smacks self in head*** So THAT is what TNET means! I thought it was some kind of news station…
Outer space -- “where no man has gone before”. Has a ring to it. Literally.
There ain’t a thing in the world stupid enough so nobody tries to do it. I have my gob smacked, my jaw fell under the table and I concussed myself slighly by catching my forehead too fast.
Am I the only one who thinks it weird that the man’s pants are all the way down, but his underpants are up?
AlexanderZ
Maybe only due to his age. I know up until about the age of 5, both the older kids peed like that.
Funniest thing is when a visiting boy child would rush to the toilet and not realise that in the Lofty household the toilet lids are left down. Wet trouser knees are sooo embarrassing.
Giliell!
Emailed you back about the horses, but I always get a ‘failed delivery’ notice -- tells me you don’t have a yahoo email address.
Caine
Uhm, yes, I do, but that’s the first time people couldn’t reach me there.
Lemme see, I also got a couple of googlemonster addresses, I’ll mail you one of those
Giliell, yeah, I get your emails fine, but I can’t ever reply, because I get a failure notice, and I don’t know why. Anyway, I’m just so relieved the horses made it -- our postal clerk kept insisting that I get a hold of you, so you could tell me what province or state you were in. After staring for a moment, I just kept repeating GERMANY. They finally managed it.
Caine
I hope you got the mail with the other address, if not yell here.
+++
I once had the perfect bathroom to make dudes pee while sitting: The ceiling was too low to stay afoot. The house was a turn of the century city house where the bathrooms used to be communal. The individual bathroom was crammed into a corner of the kitchen and since we were the topmost level we were under the roof. You had to carefully walk backwards with your butt searching for the bowl so you didn’t knock your head on the ceiling.
+++
Apart from that, I aten’t dead, just very, very busy.
Caine
The idea that other countries may have a postal delivery system that is different from the USA but which also works may be beyond comprehension.
While visiting brother, sister-in-law and their young twins, I was invited to use the upstairs bathroom if I did not want visitors. Went upstairs, found bathroom, noted that next to the toilet was a quite low window with no curtain. Sat, looked out window, noticed that it faced a similar window in the next house over, which also had no curtain.
Luckily my bladder is not as shy as it used to be, but I imagine it could be unnerving for someone who stood up to pee.
ledasmom #16
Spoooky.
I bet there is a Halloween story in there somewhere. :)
Does anyone think that briue1987 will comment somewhere on Affinity?
that answers that
chigau
Are you clairvoyant?
How desperate for attention do you have to be if you obsessively monitor a place you know you’re not welcome at in order to sneak back while the “homeowner” is away?
I hadn’t even read the open thread at Pharyngula, just went over and skimmed a bit. I find it very amusing that FTB is simply so irrelevant it’s not even a subject at the ‘pit anymore. As that’s the case, it would be great if I stopped seeing a constant stream of referrers from the ‘pit.
Giliell
And not only sneak into the homeowner’s place, but his neighbours, too. Apparently when PZ is away all of FtB is suddenly without other bloggers who moderate their own posts. We have revealed your sockpuppet sekrit, Caine!
rq:
Ooops. I just can’t get the hang of this conspiracy business.
Yeah, I mean he just accidentally stumbled upon Pharyngula just when PZ’s away, right?
I mean, like the time I accidentally typed “The Shoop’s Roost” into the search bar instead of the address line to find out that the pit wasn’t only reading there as well but also wishing for me to be gang raped.
Total coincidences, you know…
Giliell:
Oh yes, and of course, they are above all that now, or at least that’s one story spun, and it couldn’t be farther from the truth. I’d be amazed if they dropped FTB/Orbit/ and all of us from their chat board, but that isn’t going to happen.
I don’t go over there and read. I did a couple of times months ago, to see just how much abear was lying to me via email, and I saw more than enough. No desire to go back. Never had a desire to go in the first place.
Right now, the referrers from their little chat board keep adding up. Idiots.
The popularity and prevalence of something is clearly what determines its value. This is why Christianity is true, Islam is almost all true, and atheism is false.
Today I went to see the student matinee of Sibelius Academy (the highest level music school in Finland, part of the Finnish University of Arts) for the first time. It’s free, and the students (mostly string instrument players, a clarinetist and pianists) played well. The programme featured Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Cesar Franck, Kalevi Aho and Jean Sibelius. Aho’s trio for viola, clarinet and piano was a positive surprise, I had my doubts about modern art music, but the piece got me.
Some amusing input on diversity in games from gamers I came across on a tech forum today. It gave me a case of the facepalms, so I thought I’d share:
The irony in the last sentence of the second quote is tasty.
Unless they’re not a straight white guy, then I care a lot.
So they should naturally be a huge proponent of Sarkeesian’s critiques then.
Unless by “fleshed out” they mean women characters wearing no armor and hardly any clothes in armed combat situations.
The first snow has arrived here with eastern winds making lake effect snow from the sea. Pretty much nothing during the morning rush hour, but the afternoon rush hour is a another story.
I changed my display name.
What will happen?
OK, for Affinity.
Ice Swimmer
It was one of two headlines for us this morning. They chose FIRST SNOW PARALYZES CITY!!!, so I guess they’ve realized they’ve been preparing people for this one at least.
rq @ 35
Here the sensationalizing headlines were Snow Chaos and the the classic one. It’s just that drumming about the Snow Chaos started a bit early resulting to SoMe ridicule, as snowing didn’t start properly at Wednesday morning.
Ice Swimmer: oh my dog, where are you at to get snow already?
I’m at 53°N.
We had 10cm of snow a couple weeks ago.
It all melted.
I hung the laundry on the line outside today.
It dried quite nicely.
Ice Swimmer
Well, the current prognosis is “winter will not release its grip!” for an indeterminate length of time. I guess I have to pull out the kids’ winter boots after all (I was putting it off in favour of the theory that things will progress as usual: small pluses until the end of December, harsh winter conditions from mid-January to early February, weird things to follow).
56.49°N, for anyone interested.
miles links @ 37
60°N. Finland.
rq @ 39
Yes, it’s going to be snowy (only 3 cm now, but more to come) for at least a week. After that, who knows.
October was one of the least rainy ones ever here.
Been the wettest winter and spring I can recall here in Adelaide, South Australia. Just storm after storm and lots more rainfall than average despite only being La Nina “Watch” status according to our Bureau of Meteorology.
( http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/outlook/ )
Meanwhile in the Arctic ocean something strange seems to be going on with the sea ice recovery :
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/
with sluggish ice growth and warmer than usual temps :
On another matter altogether, this item on songbirds, the evolutionary history of bird families and some ecological & fire safety connections :
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4194557.htm
is pretty interesting and informative and worth viewing I hope. I haven’t read the Tim Low book ‘Where Song Began’ referred to here but its been added to my reading list if I can find a copy.
Well, we’ve been promised snow next week. Given that we were running ‘Roud in T’s last week. And then people will complain about it being too cold and that climate change is a hoax. Sure, my chrysanthemum is still in bloom, but no global warming, right?
Please use as best suits & helps :
***
I feel scared and depressed.
With two days till the USA election; it is too frighteningly close and the prospect of a President Trump is all too plausible -- and this has huge impacts on the world as a whole.
If it was just something that only affected the United States then I’d keep quiet and not be so worried. It’d just be their choice affecting them. But it isn’t and I am. The trend it sets, the implications it has, horrify me. Those trends and implications are really long term -- decades and then some.
I am NOT going to tell my US friends here on facebook who I know are great, intelligent, kind people and fully capable of making up their own minds and know far more about their nation than I do, how to vote.
But I will say if I was a US citizen I would be voting for Hillary Clinton because of the reality of Global Overheating and the need to act to mitigate it, because of human rights including the rights of women to control their own bodies and just be respected as human beings and for LGBTQI people to be likewise respected and treated equally; because of the possibility of conflicts globe-wide and the nightmare that is a thin-skinned, ridiculously willfully ignorant fool like Trump having his tiny, tiny orange fingers on the nuclear button of the world’s largest superpower. Because of so much more in the example and direction it sets our pale blue dot, socially, culturally, economically, ethically.
No, Hillary Clinton isn’t perfect although like with our former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the media and right-wing has
pilloried and demonised and abused her incredibly unfairly and never given her a fair go. So much mud flung at her, so little based on fact, so little that should stick -- but so much that has anyway because I think so many hate her already without really understanding why or being willing to listen to her and the reality that fact checkers tell us and we can check for ourselves is true. Hillary Rodham Clinton is flawed; she is humanly imperfect and she’s not ideal. Her Presidency will likely be troubled and stymied in Congress by the dropkicks that refuse to just do their jobs and not the greatest. But compared to the utterly vile, hate-filled tormenting torture horror of the alternative .. Whoah!
No, I won’t tell my US friends how to vote but I will plead with them and okay outright beg them because the thought of Trump as POTUS has me scared and depressed and the world is more than bad enough already without a possible Trump Presidency.
I remember the 2000 election and the presidency of Dubya Bush the Lesser and all the harm that did our collective reality. I hope we’ve learnt from that. I would hate to see it repeated only super-sized and I don’t know that we’d survive it.
Please, let reason and compassion and sense -- and Hillary Clinton -- prevail. Please.
I didn’t think Trump would seriously run.
I didn’t think he could possibly be the Repub nominee.
And now .. I’m seriously scared.
Appalling.
The world is no longer just upside down, it’s crumbling.
The metaphorical -- very much NOT literal -- darkness in the world closes in?
Very well: then I shall light more (metaphorical) candles.
Even if there are tears trickling down my cheeks whilst I light them. They’ll be lit and burn against The Dark.
World has not ended yet -- I (& us all) can and will still stand up for what is right.
Because it is needed now more than ever.
Hate hasn’t won yet. Won’t let it do so.
Even if Trump is POTUS now.
We’ll fight him. Ain’t never over.
Thankyou to all who fight and do what you can to stop the hate and harm and horror.
You matter. Don’t forget that please.
I thought I would find a small island of happiness by going into the bookstore -- the book that caught my eye was “2017: War With Russia”. Yeah, fuck you, bookstore.
Because we need something good and someone being decent today: Theirs
Anyone here have any experience with fundraising they’d be willing to share?
I’m in the process of trying to put together a benefit for a friend who needs dental work. The insurance won’t cover it because they say it’s ‘cosmetic’. He’s actually missing teeth and needs implants…he’s a musician who can’t play because of this. I know how important that can be to someone who lives music (this guy is actually in the local musician’s hall of fame).
I’ve made some local contacts with people who have connections in the local music scene, and I’m going to see if I can negotiate some kind of deal with his (or another) dentist as well.
I hate that we have to do shit like this for what should be basic medical necessities, but what little we have may soon be lost again. =(
So forgive me for being clueless and out of touch with what’s been covered on Affinity, but has Honour Water been covered here?
From my stats page, a particularly infuriating search string:
Oh gods…really? Professional protestors? Unlike, for instance, the actual paid ‘security’ people? There aren’t enough facepalms….
Leonard Cohen has walked on.
So 2016 just isn’t going to get any better, is it. Should have restarted it back in January when we still had a chance.
The Electoral College still has to do its thing. Two of the EC crew swore, pre-election, that they wouldn’t cast their electoral votes for Clinton even if she won the popular vote; this is a thing that members of Electoral College can do. In fact, contravening the results of the popular vote is exactly and precisely what the creators of the Electoral College intended the EC to do.
So.
The EC does its thing on 19 December. What if 40-odd EC members from Trump-victory states decide to screw the popular vote, and cast their electoral votes for Clinton?
No, I don’t think that scenario has a hope in hell of occurring. Still… food for thought.
Trump was just asked if he would be banning Muslims and he responded “thank you very much” and walked away.
This is actually happening. It was like a what-if nightmare scenario during the campaign and now it’s a reality. This is all so draining emotionally. I only have so much outrage before I start feeling numb and helpless.
Caine, thank you for having this awesome blog. Somehow you’ve managed to have an active blog that is free of the condescending privilege-splainin’ liberal assholes who think they’re allies. Even PZ’s blog has a couple of these people posting. The good thing is, they post regularly so they’re easy to scroll past.
And lastly: a gigantic FUCK YOU to each and everyone who tells us we’re overreacting to this. And an equal sizedFUCK YOU to each and every liberal shitbag that is still trying to justify not voting for Hillary.
Trump’s official statement on banning Muslims was removed from his website and is now up again. Not linking to it of course.
He also has charts there claiming to show the number of Syrian refugees coming to the US.
Saad:
Right there with you. I’m past tolerating anyone doing the overreacting thing or using the “oh you think it’s bad now” gambit, or any variation on. No. Things are that bad, right here, right now. Yes, it’s going to get worse. Today, it’s bad enough. Fuck.
Oh, and if you’re concerned about running into sonofrojblake in a thread, no worries. I dumped him into moderation yesterday, and none of his subsequent posts made it past vetting. I won’t allow anyone deliberately attempting to harm people.
I can’t read in depth at Pharyngula right now. Just can’t take it.
I read through a couple Pharyngula threads today. Well, started out reading, later just skimming. Hooooo boy, I shouldn’t have, because I just reduced myself to tears all over again about how little people care about collateral damage, unless it’s someone they despise causing the all-too-human collateral damage. Then it’s okay to rant and rave about how it’s evil to put others in the line of fire, but when it’s for their own cause (i.e. shaking up the USAnian Establishment Election Machine), then it’s perfectly fine.
Or at least, that’s the message I got from the vast majority of apologetics in the comments.
Can we have another resounding chorus of ‘FUCK YOU’? All together now…
I’m just sticking to the Political Madness thread for now since Lynna and SC post informative stuff there.
rq:
Yes, we can. As Giliell said, fuck is the word of the decade.
Jesus Fuck, the whining, the apologists. I have to stay the fuck away from Pharyngula.
My favorite was Jake’s post.
I’m thinking, “we know who you are and we remember all your posts… Trump’s win didn’t zap our memories”.
Pharyngula is not a pretty place right now, despite the people trying to argue in favour of… who the fuck am I kidding. It’s just not a pretty place right now.
A poem by Charles Bukowski;
a challenge to the dark
———————————-
shot in the eye
shot in the brain
shot in the ass
shot like a flower in the dance
amazing how death wins hands down
amazing how much credence is given to idiot forms of life
amazing how laughter has been drowned out
amazing how viciousness is such a constant
I must soon declare my own war on their war
I must hold to my last piece of ground
I must protect the small space I have made that has allowed me life
my life not their death
my death not their death…
Rob @ 66:
That’s a good poem. It’s very sharp, and it’s on point to the current state of things. I like the lack of concession; I wish I felt that strength right now.
I am curious…
do those people with the “Confederate” flags and trucks and tweets know any history?
.
do they think that, this time around, their targets are going to just sit there
and be targets?
.
Because I think there will be blood.
Chigau:
That’s one of the things I’m afraid of. There will be people willing to kill. Earlier today, I read an article about two Trumpoids who rammed a veteran with their truck.
Actor Robert Vaughn has walked on at 83 years old.
isa Napoleon Solo
Caine
I am also concerned that the “Confederates” do not seem to understand that,
this time, there will be resistance.
We know too much to go back and pretend.
I fear there will be a lot of blood.
Yep, there’s a lot of people getting hurt already. And I doubt that the assholes who are going like “oh, I’m not happy that Trump won, I’m just happy Clinton lost” as if those weren’t the exact same thing will put themselves in front of the marginalized folks who can’t duck their heads and act like it’s not about them.
No, not going to Pharyngula right now.
How To Get Through This: Tips From A Lifelong Depressive.
I think that person is watching me over the computer
Giliell:
Me too. I have an overwhelming urge to take a nap. I’m giving in to it.
Well, meet Hörnchen, the latest addition to our ever growing flock.
I also have a horrible cold and no idea about how I’ll make it through the day tomorrow.
Other than that I can attest to many of the things the author says in the article. Think about stuff that was actually good. You’ll find something. I know self care isn’t a substitute for burning down the system*, but you cannot do the latter without the former.
*Oh noes, I used violent language! I’m the worst.
Caine @ 75
Thank you! Saved and linked.
It’s too cloudy, here.
My homeopathy loving GP gave me a prescription for antibiotics. I think I’m going to die…
I’ve had my cat put down today. He was roughly 19.5 y.o. (nobody knows when exactly he was born, I got him when he was already a few months old). Here he is when he was roughly 14 and still full of life (he was very active and playful until 16y.o. and even half a year ago he could still make very difficult jumps all the way to kitchen shelves, 20cm below the ceiling, to get an angle on the food below).
—
Sorry for being an asshole to you lately.
Oh, Alexander, I’m so sorry. It’s so tough when you lose them after having them so very long. I still remember having to do the same to my 21 year old cat, who we raised from birth (her parents had to go into quarantine with cat flu, the other kits died.)
He was very beautiful, what was his name?
Thank you, Caine!
His name was Sima. Originally he was supposed to be a girl. My mother got him from a co-worker who lied about his age (my mother wanted a month old kitten because she was afraid an older kitten would reject the family) and his gender (my mother feared that a male cat would piss everywhere. She was right about that one).
Officially my mother changed it to Simon, but we never called him that. I always called him Sima and he always came, even when he was angry with me.
Later, when he was around 2y.o. he was diagnosed with a serious urinary tract disorder, and went down hill since then. He had to be operated twice to remove his entire genitals to make the urinary tract wide enough for him to pee. His heart even stopped during the operation and the vet had to massage it back to beating. The vets gave him a 15% chance of survival. Twice.
But he recovered and since he was 4 to 14 he ruled every apartment I lived in, the nearby streets and made sure that even the neighbor’s dogs don’t bark too loud or too often (he had no problem with well behaved dogs).
After 14 he started getting less dominating, but he still defended my flat from invaders -- cats and even a human thief. You can’t see it in the photos, but he had a scar over his eye and multiple scars behind his ears. He was a real fighter, in more ways than one.
Sounds like you’ve been a great human to your cat! It must have been extremely hard on you.
BTW, I keep saying to myself that I don’t want another pet (he was technically my second pet, but the first one that I actually remember), but people like you and many other that clearly love their pets despite grieving for them when die and go on to adopt new ones give me strength.
You are all wonderful humans!
Alexander
When my sister’S dog died she and her husband said they wouldn’t adopt any more pets unless they knocked on their door. One evening there was somebody knocking at the window. A red tom was sitting here and demanding to get in. He was named Karlchen and comes by occasionally for food, shelter and snuggling. Some time later a red lady cat appeared. Probably his sister. Lilly doesn’t really live with them either. They’re both half strays who know where they can find a safe haven. But Lilly isn’t neutered and they already noticed that she was pregnant twice. Every time she’d stop coming by for a week or so and then reappear and eat for, well, half a dozen cats. Literally.
Until a few months or so, when she knocked on the window. When my sister went to the window, she was sitting there with a tiny, malnourished, flea ridden kitten in her mouth. When she saw my sister she dropped the kitten and left. They took the kitten in, took him to the vet, nourished him. Now Mr. Spock (named thus because his ears were bigger than the rest of him when they got him) has fully adopted them.
AlexanderZ
*hugs* here, too.
What a resilient cat. And 19.5, that’s a very long-lived kitty.
My kitty growing up decided to die at about 20 years of age. Even knowing she’d had more of a life than other cats in terms of years, and knowing she was failing health-wise, it wasn’t easy.
*hugs* to all adopted humans of elderly cats!
Giliell
I love the Karlchen story. Yay Mr Spock!
(Testing, testing, …
Just checking some browser customizations.)
As apologizes for using up some of everyone’s bandwidth,
more bandwidth usage! A bit of a fun link I stumbled across recently, Ialma — Dance Like a Galician (video).
(More testing, sorry…)
So another apology / fun video, Katzenjammer — A Bar in Amsterdam, complete with frozen trumpet valve (but no penguins as you-know-who pouts out). The dancers are an extra treat, Katzenjammer is an energetic live act all by themselves.
(And now for something different, this is not a test…)
Whilst washing dishes — they were demanding a seat, or at least a washbasin, at the UN — and listening to someone’s channel, this came up, Katzenjammer — Hey Ho (On The Devil’s Back). I was immediately captivated by it, partly as it seems somehow relevant, besides being performed by a bloody good band. (Apologies it’s not a live video, the live video versions I’ve looked at since have so far failed to impress, with awful sound or horrible camerawork.)
Do we know what percentage of Trump’s votes were from white people (regardless of gender)?
Saad
There are exit polls like this one.
Whites seem to have divided in a similar way to what happened in previous elections (supported by the fact that since 2004 GOP voting block was roughly 60m, while the Dem block varied greatly from 58m at 2004 to 69m at 2008). The really big surprise is that black and Hispanic voters had given a greater share of their votes to GOP this time around (8% vs 6% and 29% vs 27% for blacks and Hispanic vote percentage in 2016 vs 2012, respectively).
Note however that voter turnout was extremely low, so while Trump got a higher share of non-white vote than Romney in 2012, he still likely has gotten less non-white votes than Romney 2012. In other words I really don’t know whether his voting block was whiter than for Romney, but even if it was, it wasn’t by much.
—
rq
I second that!
—
Giliell
That’s a wonderful story! And what a smart cat that Lilly is -- she knew the family would take care of her kitten.
Saad @ 90, Alexander Z @ 91
So 58 % of Non-Hispanic white voters voted for Trump and he got about 60 million votes. There are about 251 million voting age people in the U.S. I don’t seem to find any ready-baked data on the ethnic/racial composition of the voting-age people. Any way, it’s maddening that the 60 million got to screw up the world even further.
This looks like good news to me…
https://www.army.mil/article/178278/statement_regarding_the_dakota_access_pipeline
cubist
Nice statement.
So there’s this:
But there’s no invitation for the oil company to participate in said discussion. Nope, the responsibility is all on the tribe. Coincidence?
Heh. Probably not.
Saad
I think it was 59% white dudes and 53% white women (fuck them all). The Latin@ vote and black male vote was kind of surprising*, although it seems that voter suppression inflated their share in percentage as opposed to actual numbers.
*There are always those willing to kick themselves in the genitals for the approval of a white man.
Today is Beaujolais Nouveau, reports the mildly deranged penguin between giggles, hiccups, and cleaning her teeth of fragments of glass, corks, and vin waiters. In celebration, we present PDQ Bach: What’s Your Sign?, which had both of us laughing so hard, long, and often the village has been renamed Le village de manchots de fromage fou (or something like that, I was too busy quaffing to pay much attention, it might have been Le village des pingouins enrégés de fromage). I was on the floor, she was on the ceiling, albeit either we or they must have changed places at times, as I distinctly recall falling from one to the other, laughing all the time.
Caine
In the interest of stocking up the cute, would you like me to send you Zoo pics?
Damn, I totally forgot. Not that I’d taste anything, mind you.
Just wanted to stick my head up to thank Caine and all the commenters for this amazing space. I know I’m a pretty new commenter and I don’t add much to discussions, but I learn so much from all of you. I’m very grateful now, as I have no practical ideas for how to resist the current situation. Your experience and knowledge is greatly appreciated.
Giliell:
Absolutely!
Stellatree, I think right now, all we can do is to be vigilant, protest if possible, and support those organizations which are going to need a lot of help, like planned parenthood.
I’m trying to get myself in the mind frame that I can conquer my agoraphobia enough to get out and protest. I feel very strongly that I’m not going to let another sexual predator ruin my life on any scale, let alone people even more vulnerable than I am. There’s a queen teen center, a food pantry, and a Planned Parenthood in my neighborhood I’m going to contact to see if they need volunteers. I’m on disability so I can’t donate money but I have lots of time.
*queer teen center, stupid auto correct.
So did I, almost… I went to a favourite resturant last Tuesday for lunch — something which seems to be becoming a habit, as Tuesday is market day here in the village and it’s en route — and the chef / owner happened to mention to me today would be Beaujolais Nouveau, and he’s doing a special Beaujolais-Burgundy menu. I had thought it was next week, having glanced a bit too briefly at the calendar.
The mildly deranged penguin is not too much use for reminders. She just repositions the Earth, Sol, or whatever whenever the date is wrong, inconvenient, or should be repeated. Or so she says. I think she just drives the Massive Orbital Cheese Vault to a new location and then complains at all the calendar-makers.
Taste, or taste of, anything? With the mildly deranged penguin whizzing arou—DUCK!—nd, it’s important to be clear on these things. Not that 8y€mm/aQ(throws a bit of cheese across the room, so the mildly deranged penguin takes off from the laptop’s keyboard in hot pursuit…)… Ahem. Sorry about that. As I was saying, not that you-know-who would pay much attention, especially if there is a cheeseboard in the vicinity.
Stellatree, that sounds good, but please remember, self care comes first. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t help anyone else. If you can’t bring yourself to protest, volunteering for indoors work is just as important.
Taste, as in having a nasty cold (possibly bird flu, so the MDP better keep her distance). Given all the medication I’ve taken recently I don’t think I’m fit for consumption.
Caine
Be prepared!
Stellatree
*fistbump*
I’ll keep your backs on the net.
Ah. Ok. Well, not Ok. Hopefully you will mutate into a bird — um, I mean get better — soon. The mildly deranged penguin suggests trying for, of course, a penguin. The best birds, she says. Avoid ducks. Tasty, but otherwise a load of quackings.
Thanks, Giliell, hope you feel better soon!
Just came across this inspiring post today, there’s a lovely video at the bottom of this amazing kid who makes stuffed animals for children in hospital:
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/campbell-remess-stuffed-animals-for-sick-kids
A 40-foot high killer burger! Hot rat is so hot right now: Moscow falls for the rodent burger:
A more direct approach then stuffing the buggers into bird puppets.
That bothered me when I was quoting the article @107, since the coypu is indigenous to South America. This odd claim might be the result of some confusion with the name “nutria”, which as Ye Pffft! of All Knowledge points out, “The name ‘nutria’ is generally used in North America, Asia, and throughout countries of the former Soviet Union; however, in Spanish-speaking countries, the word ‘nutria’ refers to the otter. To avoid this ambiguity, the name ‘coypu’ […] is used in Latin America and Europe.”
Or perhaps the author misunderstands “indigenous”.
In other giant rodent related news of possible interest :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-18/african-giant-pouched-rats-trained-to-sniff-illegal-trophies/8039354
Excerpt :
African Giant pouched rat wikipage : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambian_pouched_rat
Reveals its also known as the Gambian pouched rat and backs up the trainability and blood
houndrat skills.This is one science mission NASA is doing on Earth and probably needs to be better known & appreciated :
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/icebridge/index.html
Also not much-heralded that I know of but impressive Peggy Whitson’s milestone -- oldest woman in space and now living aboard our largest & best yet “brick moon” :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-18/nasa-astronaut-becomes-the-oldest-women-to-travel-to-space/8038264?section=science
Wedgetail eagles versus mining drones :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-17/wedge-tailed-eagles-bring-down-drones-in-goldfields/8033056?section=science
Suggestion : Any anti-DAPL Water Protectors know if North American species could be trained to do this maybe? Not sure if a problem there but could perhaps be handy?
Via Dana Hunter’s blog :
ttp://the-orbit.net/entequilaesverdad/2016/11/14/stop-trump-take-action-today/#more-31376
Seems Trump might’ve been right about the election being rigged after all ..
You know, I don’t blame Obama and Clinton being conciliatory towards Trump. As president and rival nominee they have to do that to maintain a semblance of democracy. Maybe it would have been better to drop the pretense, but there are certainly good arguments against that.
But for the life of me I can’t understand what Sanders is so happy about. An ally? Really? So as long as Trump raises the minimum wage he has no problem with outright Nazism and sexual predation of women?
See, this is why Sanders deserved to lose to Clinton.
—
StevoR
I love those rats! Mines, TB and now pouching -- there is nothing that they can’t sniff out.
Blf:
That writer could have spent a few moments learning. Most healthy rodents have orange teeth. It’s one of the quickest ways to assess rodent health. If their teeth aren’t orange, they aren’t pulling the necessary nutrients from their diet.
On a parenting fail scale from 1 to 10, how bad is usurping your kids’ craft project in the name of helping her speed things up so she won’t lose interest?
Giliell:
Maybe a 2. You have to do what you can to stave off the loss of interest.
I stopped myself after adding some 10 cm to the scarf and I ordered my own knitting loom…
Canine@113, Thanks, I was not aware of that; as you imply, perhaps the writer should have mentioned that is normal for in an healthy burger-to-be. Yet there is no mistake here by the author, orange teeth are a fact, as are other characteristics mentioned. The obvious error is saying the animate sandwiches are “indigenous to southern Russia”. So whilst the writer did make a mistake, it (presumably) is not “orange teeth”, which is simply not-explained and perhaps cited as a curiosity. Not wrong per se, but also not a freaky feature of a forthcoming meal. Yes, space and other constraints permitting, the author could have written a better article. My own first preference is to avoid or correct errors, then to enhance the information.
(For what it is worth, I have not checked either the author’s claim of coypu having orange teeth, or Caine’s claim healthy rodents tend to have orange teeth. I have no reason to doubt either claim.)
Me@117, “Canine@113…” — Oops! Please move whichever n you don’t like to some other place where it pleases you.
(a) That reminds me of the story behind Tom Baker’s legendary very long Doctor Who scarf: It was apparently knitted for him / the show by an elderly fan(?), and she didn’t want to stop…
(b) In yer case, are †-shaped scarfs common in the area?
Since I don’t even know what that is, I guess the answer is “no”
You said you added c.10cm to a scarf. You didn’t say you made it longer, so I was wondering it you added a 10-ish cm crosspiece, or perhaps something else jutting out, so turning the | shape into a L or Y or € or other shape not(?) commonly associated with a scarf. Admittedly, some of the the more exciting scarf shapes, such as Ü or # or & or π are perhaps easier with a bit of space-time dimensional engineering / adjustments, or a barrel of strong vin and a steam-powered bicycle pump…
I’ve been away for a few days and simply don’t have the energy or patience to read through the comments at Pharyngula, so I’ll be catching up here.
I just saw two goldfinches in my back yard! That’s the first time I’ve seen them in fifteen years in California. Growing up in Maryland, my mom had special thistle feeders for them, so I have nice memories of them. I’ll have to see if I can get some thistle plants to attract them.
Stellatree:
Oh, nice! Thistles grow wild around here, couldn’t get rid of them if you tried. :D
Finally had some time to look at Pharyngula. Jesus Christ. What a sopping wad of whiny excusism.
I just came in here to say “Some people”. Not enough fuck-yous in the world. Self-awareness is apparently lacking in more than just the alt-right.
rq:
Oh yeah. It’s an epidemic.
Oh yeah. If they spent half as much time fighting racism as they spend defending their totally not racist Trump voting family and friends maybe thy could change things…
+++
In other news, I got my knitting loom. First lesson: patterns that work on a 41 peg loom look totally different on a 36 peg loom. A bit holy…
The mildly deranged penguin says to use the average, and built another 2.5 holes into the 36-pegged loom or pattern. and also any lurking peas.
I wish Steve Bannon didn’t look like PZ.
Dalai Lama isn’t worried about the Trump administration
If the word ‘kin’ refers to some sort of family relationship then does that mean pumpkins are related to pumps?
Saad @ 130
PZ has a better beard.
Just in case you haven’t already seen Dana Hunter’s blog on “thanksgiving” day this is spot on I think :
http://the-orbit.net/entequilaesverdad/2016/11/24/real-story-thanksgiving/
Of course, Australians -e.g. me* -- can’t talk either given what happened to our Indigenous Peoples too. We cannot change our history -but we shouldn’t ignore its realities and what really happened and pretend it wasn’t that way either. Nor should we forget what we did to the First Peoples here in Australia or in the Americas and so many other places too.
* I live on what was once Kaurna and Peramangk land. Near Colebrook house where they housed many victims of our Stolen Generations** of Indigenous Australians incl. Ithink Lowitja O’Donohue***
** Hear Archie Roach’es song ‘Took the children away’ moving song here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br83o_JpIFw
Which sums this issue up powerfully.
*** See : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowitja_O%27Donoghue
There’s a wonderful “fountain of tears” sculpture & mural marking the site today.
Possibly good news…
During today’s service, the St. Bede’s Episcopal Church in Menlo Park, CA did their “Prayers of the People” as they always do. This time around, one of the things the “people” are praying for is “all victims of violence, including… Standing Rock”.
Menlo Park is a fairly wealthy community—St. Bede’s, in particular, is literally across the street from the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Which is less of a distinction than you might think, since SLAC is, like, two miles long, but still.
Will send the pastor an email with a link to your bog, Caine.
Cubist, thank you for that! I’m holding on to hope, but as you’ll see, the ACoE gave us all an eviction notice -- we’re supposed to pack up and be gone by Dec. 5th. Isn’t going to happen. My thanks to the Pastor though, it all helps, and it’s appreciated.
Hmmm. The Amazon.com wish list is still a thing… methinks I shall pass that along to St. Bede’s as well. You’ve posted that URL before, Caine, but perhaps it might be appropriate to do so again, maybe even put it in that side box with the “Drain the Swamp” permanent link?
A frivolity:
Today I’m forty-two. Not much in the way of celebration, but Sibelius Academy has two free level A woodwind student conserts, one by a flutist and the other by a bassoonist. I love woodwinds. The first starts in 12 minutes.
Happy Birthday, Ice Swimmer!
Happy birthday, Ice Swimmer. Enjoy the music. :)
Happy Birthday, Ice Swimmer! I hope you enjoy the concerts.
Thank you, all. The first concert featured beauty and weirdness.
And the second concert was also good, the music had beauty, virtuosity and restlessness.
The flute concert featured music by Salvatore Sciarrino (modern, weird), Michel de la Barre (baroque, beautiful) and Morton Feldman (modern, strange).
The bassoon concert featured music by Camille Saint-Saëns (romantic, beautiful), Olav Berg (modern, restless), Alexandre Tansman (modern, groovy) and Bernhard Henrik Crusell (classicism, virtuosity).
I’ve been thinking a lot about “Cowboys & Indians” lately. Now there’s commentary up (well, another commentary) at ICTMN discussing media treatment of the Bundys vs. the water protectors through the lens of “Cowboys & Indians”. And while I don’t need to tell anyone here how racist the movie tradition is, some people insist there’s no proof and that it’s ridiculous to connect the movie tradition with ongoing racism.
Well, what about the fact that racists themselves see their behaviour excused by having “watched too many Westerns”? Is that too fucking indirect?
There was just a long segment on the kids’ news about Standing Rock. They didn’t show the violence (but the armoured vehicles) but interviewed the kids there.
Really cool and of course my kids thought it especially cool that they knew this before and had already seen pics.
Caught an article in the news this morning (this one), and I would just like to point out some cringe-worthiness within:
I guess he missed the part where the police have already been engaging in rather severe and life-threatening violence. Not just threats of it.
Just re-watched the excerpt leading up to “God Damn America” from Jeremiah Wright’s sermon.
*chills*
Powerful TV show on Indigenous Australians and Australian racism and issues with them here :
http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/first-contact
Which was shown recently. Excellent, moving and thought-provoking viewing although just scraping the surface and so many unanswered question -- could have been done a bit more in-depth and with more historical information.
Also the debate following it on NITV an Indigenous focused TV broadcaster :
http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/809603651529/awaken-first-response-first-contact-special
Was well worth watching and perhaps more informative than the show itself even.
Not sure if people can see it outside Oz -- hopefully those with better computer-fu than me will be able to manage it but there’s also video clips and more here :
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/first-contact-2016-on-sbs-the-tv-moment-that-will-shock-australia/news-story/01c451076a482be80010fda2836f166a
including some good tweets responding to one of the racist (& former political party bosses) comments.
Today is market day in the village, and for the first time in about three weeks I managed to get out the front door with adequate time to visit the outdoors market. Wound up making three trips, each (as it so happened) more expensive than the previous: Basic foodstuffs, return for loads of (dried) wild mushrooms (the lair now seems of edible fungus), and then to the shop for some vin. All would be Ok-ish except that near the main entrance to the market, some elderly guy with a saxophone and an accompanying recording decided to set up and play seasonal music.
Or at least I assume that’s what he thought he was doing. He may have also been offering Chinese Water Torture, sans the Chinese and the Water. He seemed to have only three notes, um–Umm–Paumblah, which he played over and over again regardless of the tune coming from the speaker. The recording itself seemed to consist of only two songs, both sung in English, either by a lady who couldn’t sing or else a distressed donkey. At. Such. A. Slow. Pace. It. Induced. Yawning. (Yawns.) Small dogs were running away in terror, silently, not even yipping or howling, obviously putting all their energies into dragging away the fool at the other end of the leash. There were no children to be seen or heard, quite remarkable as the building he was sitting next to is the local school. Even the nice lady in the wine shop — who had obviously been listening to the stuff all morning — was cringing.
The worse part is I decided to skip my usual morning cappuccino, as the shop was just around the corner, easily within audio range. Perhaps the best part was the mildly deranged penguin is nowhere to be seen…
I’ve been often out of cheese lately, except for Swedish Industrial Cheddar. Maybe this is why.
I’ve been mostly too late for the monthly market day for years.
me@149: the lair now smells of edible fungus
The peas are rampaging again, Bird flu hits French foie gras industry at busiest time of year:
The mildly deranged penguin isn’t too concerned. She’s gone to fetch her collection of samurai swords and will slice up any pea that tries to infect her, the cheese, or which is foolish enough to disturb the weather on Mars.
Today I got an overdose of mansplaining.
The location I work at on Wednesdays is pretty new and small: the classroom, a small computer room, a small kitchen, an office. Usually it’s just the students, the teacher, and occasionally the social workers.
I came in this morning, turned on the heating, and it didn’t get warm. After an hour and half I phoned the central office to report the problem. 5 minutes later my male boss (who never works there and just occasionally drops in) called back and asked if I’d flipped the switch.
Well, yes…
Next the technicians arrive and try to explain to me that the floor heating takes such a long time to get warm. Like I haven’t been there for a couple of weeks now and know how long it takes to get warm…
Jesus. Yes, of course it’s impossible for women to know how heating works!
I wish I wish we had central heat, our furnace is struggling like crazy to heat the house, but the thermostat won’t budge over 60. I’d kinda like 67 F or so. It’s below zero, and 40mph winds have been going strong the last two days.
Giliell@153, I wasn’t there so I won’t say it wasn’t mansplaining. Reading it from a purely technical point-of-view, the boss’s action is understandable, albeit possibly poorly executed. I myself would be happy the boss was paying attention, albeit quite possibly annoyed if the query / suggestion wasn’t helpfully phrased. People are sometimes surprised how often the obvious is overlooked (the switch) or insufficiently double-checked (is it really switched on?). A “second option”, so to speak, isn’t a bad idea, but an unsolicited one requires some “diplomatic” skill to not offend.
No cheese was harmed during the writing of this comment, which, I presume, could be read as penguinsplaining, albeit hopefully mild and not too deranged…
You really aren’t gonna like me, but it’s sunny again here today, c.13 (C), and it’s been like that for around a week or so now. I’ve even got the skylights open. Cool beer at the outdoor cafe…? Or a hot chocolate, I suppose, to help you thaw out…?
Just out of curiosity (I know I could check on the ‘Net): Is the “below zero” (F, I presume) the air temperature (my guess) or the “feels like” due to wind chill?
blf
NO, seriously, I’ve been there for a few weeks. I wouldn’t have managed for that long without learning how you flip the switch. Besides, the switch is right next to the dial where you regulate the temperature and it has a fucking light that goes on when it’s turned on. So yeah, that’s pretty fool proof.
Caine
The house will finally get the new heating next week, which is about time. It will be a nice ecologically friendly pellet heating. But we’ll also apparently have a temperature shift of 15-20°C tomorrow.
blf:
This one. The windchill puts way below zero. It’s serious cold outside, that wind hits you at 40mph, and you are chilled to the bone. Air temp is around -5 F right now, I think.
Giliell:
That sounds good. I wish we could afford to redo our system, it’s ancient. So, you’re going to a bit cooler now. Good time for heating.
The peas (see @152) have opened a new front, Paris bans cars for second day running as pollution chokes city:
Giliell @ 153
I’m sensing a technical-cultural difference in how we heat. Here, heating tends to be on 24/7 when it’s cold and using floor heating intermittently might introduce cracks into the structures used here (if intermittent heating is normal I’d guess the structures are designed for that). OTOH, we have thick insulation in the walls and triple-glazing is the used almost exclusively (not sure how it is in the lower latitudes).
There’s a wonderful reader’s letter in today’s Grauniad, Every Muslim woman I’ve met is integrated. I suggest reading the whole thing. Some excerpts:
“Buy poppies” refers to the British tradition of wearing a poppy on Armistice Day (Veterans Day) in honor of those slaughtered during WW I. They are usually sold by charities.
Unsurprisingly, given where I live (South of France), here even double-glazing is rare. Modern buildings do, I think, tend to have insulation, but perhaps more to help them stay cool during the hot summers. Older buildings, like the one containing the lair, don’t, but are typically built with think walls and tile or wooden floors.
The windows, especially in older buildings, have shutters (heavy wood is common) on the outside surface, opening outwards, the glass is on the inside surface, opening inwards. The gap in-between can be substantial; e.g., in-between in one the lair’s windows is a potted plant (securely chained down to keep from being blown away by the wind when the shutters are open, or crawling into the lair and eating the cheese when the glass is open).
One trick to using that window design during the summer is to open both the shutters and the glass during the night, letting the cool(er) air in, and then close them during the day, so it doesn’t get quite so hot.
It can drop down to freezing during the winter, so heating is needed. Many buildings use radiators; some (modern?) buildings have some sort of a central system which invariably overheats some spots and ignores other spots.
Some modern buildings are plopped down seemingly without taking any of the local environment (or the people inside) into account. For instance, the building I used to work had thin walls, completely exposed on all sides, and a totally inadequate A/C system. If there was even the slightest wind, you could not open the windows: The wind would typically fling them completely open (quite dangerous as they were quite heavy). There were no shutters (I don’t know about insulation).
Ice Swimmer
I couldn’t tell you about that. I do as instructed with the workplace. I hate floor heating with a passion. I think it dries the air even more than regular radiators. It’S bearable at work, but I could never have one at home. I tend to run around barefoot (slippers are another thing I hate) and walking barefoot on floor heating is a recipe for fainting because your feet tell your body that the temperature is way higher than it actually is.
That’S the standard we’Re bringing the house to now. Horrible big government gives you some nice incentives if you renovate ecologically friendly. Paid for by the Marshall Plan. Yes, that money is still here and being used…
We could have gone for geothermal if we’d gone for floor heating, but see above.
Caine
Oh, it’S going to be warmer. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Also, we’re not living there yet. But yeah, it’s about time, because with temperatures regularly dropping below 0°C and no heating we’re a bit worried about the water pipes… We have a small gas oven we use to keep things from freezing.
Also, we can only go on with the renovations once water and heating have been renewed. Then we can do the bath, lay the tiles, put up wallpaper and maybe even move in one day. But electricity is almost finished. New roof, windows and insulation will follow in spring. We’re getting that building up to a 2016 standard.
Giliell @ 163
I see. Here floor heating is mostly used for bathrooms and such. Radiators, water or electric, are used for living space. The fainting thing is good to know (new info, also now I know to be careful if I were to spend time in floor-heated dwellings, it would be a huge crash if I were to faint [men can faint as well, right?]). I’ve heard before that for example the Dutch will turn off the heat when not at home for a few hours, which sounds, well, exotic (and can make economic/ecologic sense if the structures are lightweight and badly insulated).
blf @ 162
They started using double-glazing in about the 18th century here (probably around the same time glass windows started to be more commonly used by wealthier yeoman farmers), and triple-glazing started to become popular in the 1970s because of the oil crisis. Shutters aren’t used.
Just heard Dominic the Fucking Donkey Shit Holiday Song for the first time this holiday season. blf, I’ll take your poorly played saxover any day of the sidereal year.
Boy is leaving his job at the French kitchen high-end restaurant. He met a man at the local cigar store (who is also the co-owner of the cigar store). They got to talking. Both are foodies. Turns out the guy had just bought a recently closed, but very popular, sub shop. And has hired Boy to be the manager. At a substantial raise in pay. His exec chef from the high-end restaurant is very happy for him and considers it a really good next step in his kitchen career. His store opens on the 17th. Wooot!
Caine: Stay warm.
We finally were able to replace our 60-year-old-coal-furnace-converted-to-burn-gas-in-1971-and-had-a-25-gallon-boiler-with-multiple-holes-in-the-pressure-vessel. We no longer have what sounds like either a jet engine or an incontinent dragon residing in our basement. And, with only a 4 gallon boiler, the lag time is very low so we no longer set the heat at 62F and go from a low of 54F to a high of 74F.
Had Reubens for dinner last night. And they were good.
Ogvorbis:
Wow! That’s fantastic, I wish him all the best. I’m gonna make myself Noodles Romanoff today. Butter, sour cream, fresh grated parmesan. Oh, and noodles.
Sounds delicious. I like sour cream, Wife does not, so I don’t use it much.
Dinner tonight (after Wife and I hit the gym) will be cubed up chicken stir fried with sweet and chili peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, corn and black beans. Served with blue corn chips and cotija cheese.
Ice Swimmer
I’m not claiming it’s universal, but if your body heat system is easily upset and if you have a tendency to become light-headed, it’s better to be careful.
I once did that “fainting into the arms of a young man” thing. Not cool. Not cool. But the doc in the ER was cute, so there’s that…
Which is bad science. You’ll need more energy to re-heat the building if t has significantly cooled down than you need to keep a temperature. What makes sense is to reduce temperatures over night or so.
Ogvorbis
That’S great news! I hope boy has lots of fun and success.
dinner
Paella. Cooked on the open fire in summer, frozen and thawed. I’ve had another evening appointment tonight (#3 and it’s only Thursday). Man, I wished the kid could just stay in primary school until she gets her degree…
I think the school I went to tonight is better for her than the other one I went to on Tuesday, but we decided to let her decide (after we narrowed the schools down to two). Because the best school won’t have a chance if she doesn’t want to go there.
Argh, people (if you’re also reading at the Speakeasy, you’ll get a double post here)
On Tuesday we had our christmas party at work. Now, our students (mostly young men from Syria and Iraq) weren’t in a particularly serene mood and quickly replaced our christmas music (and I had even made a playlist of Arabic christmas music sung by a popular Syrian singer!) with their pop music and started dancing.
And yes, there was a fight, or an almost fight. That stuff happens. It’s a mixture probably of having young men who are all by themselves, cultural factors and I suppose also a lot of trauma: when they’re triggered and feel like they’re in a situation again where they were scared and helpless, they explode. But the rest of them will always interfere, separate the fighters, calm them and then they will all hug and kiss and be the best friends again*.
Anyway, the situation was quickly under control again and everybody celebrated until we all cleaned up again. I think we all went out there thinking it was a good day, albeit with some chaos and a few critical moments, and glad they had some fun.
Apparently, from what the caretaker told the facility manager (who wasn’t there), it was pure chaos and those “three poor women couldn’t deal with all that”. My colleague kept wondering who those “three poor women” were until I told her “he means us”. Yeah, let’s talk about totally non-sexist western men again.
*This is a different point but I think worth mentioning: Not only can Arab men learn some new things about the relationships between men and women and everybody else, I also think that Western men could learn a lot from Arab men. They care a lot for each other. They will hug and kiss and do emotional labour for each other. When somebody is hurt they will be all tender and soft towards that person.
Giliell:
Always. Always there has to be at least one man who will insist women can’t do jack shit, can’t handle jack shit, can’t cope with jack shit. I’d like to think I’ll live long enough to see the end of that, but it won’t happen.
Diary of a culture rat:
Yesterday attended a lecture by Leif Segerstam (composer, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, has made over 300 symphonies) and Lauri Supponen (composer and multi-instrumentalist). It was fun and full of random (both composers employ randomness in their works, so it was fitting).
Today, I’m seeing the Chamber Music Exam Matinée (Kamarimusiikkitutkintomatinea in Finnish) of the Sibelius Academy. Some notes: You need a big chamber with well-upholstered furniture if you use saxophone for chamber music. Also very high-heeled pumps may not be the ideal shoes for a violinist playing standing up, however the said violinist took her shoes off during the Allegro part of Mozart’s Violin Sonata in G Major (K. 301) after nearly falling over while playing, without missing a beat in any part of the situation.
There’s a remarkably informative infographic on DAPL at America’s Finest News Source.
Well, the ancient heater I was complaining about? It died yesterday. Well, the blower motor died. In sub zero temps. Gonna be a fun four days.
Caine
If the heater part still heats, can you use another fan to move the air?
Or is that just asking for a fire?
Chigau, doesn’t work that way. Just have to get another motor, but that won’t happen until Monday at the earliest. Just got a text and an email from Rick, wanting me to call, I hadn’t realized how cold it was -- went and looked at the outside thermostat, and it’s -15 F.
Water’s still okay, and I have electric heaters going all over the place, and we have two portable propane heaters, but I haven’t used them yet.
Brr. At least you have the electric and propane stuff, but still not fun at all.
Ice Swimmer, no, not fun, but the wind has finally died, and we have power, so it’s all good. Could be much, much worse, like April of ‘010 -- no power for close to two weeks, and sub zero temps. (We have a generator!)
Caine
My sympathies!I hope you can get it fixed soon
Thanks, Giliell! I just got back in from putting bird food out on the front deck, holeeeee shit is it ever cold! Makes inside feel positively balmy. Gloves did. not. help. I’ve never been more grateful for a lack of wind.
I swear, the quality of commenters at Pharyngula is constantly decreasing.
Or rather they are still the same dudebros they were 10 years ago while the rest of us including PZ moved forward.
Giliell
I think I have some idea of the thread(s) (well, one in particular but a second springs to mind) you’re speaking of.
Every time I think hey maybe I should go spend some more time at Pharyngula again, I suddenly realize that no, really, it’s okay.
Sometimes Humanity -- my species -- lives up to the other, better meaning of that word.
Sometimes this world is bloody overwhelming, the horror and shitness of it that I see in the news grinding down every day. And I have to stand back and get some perspective.
Not that the horrors and shitness of things isn’t out there. It is. Far too much.
But that there is also so much good as well. So many good people trying to understand the world and beyond. Living their lives in ways aimed at making things better.
Carl Sagan famously described science as a candle in the dark against the hordes of ignorant, superstitious willfully ignorant haters that would blow it out to keep their own minds safe from challenging tough questions and doubts.
Amnesty International and symbolically candles stand for human rights, for innocent human lives, for hopes and good principles and the best aspects of who we all can be flickering amidst the metaphorical Dark Times/ Places / forces of Ignorant bullying Cruelty and abuses, atrocities that I and most of those I know have been so far spared from and hopefully will be yet.
This has been a grim year for world news. The Far Right Bullies, outright neo-nazi fascists for flip’s sake have risen and got their way with Brexit and Trump and Pauline Hanson’s zombie-return in Oz among more.
Feels sometimes like we’re holding candles up against those seeking to pull them down and blow them out. Those who want us all to live badly clawing brutally at each other in the stifling blind darkness, biting and smashing, punching down and hating each other like zombie rabid dogs in an ever shrinking cage.
Well, we won’t. I won’t let them win. Not if I can help it.
And I know I’m not alone because I can see so many other candles, held aloft, waving and glowing and burning still against the horrors and worst of our world and our human nature.
Candles held aloft in defiance and in peace by a lot of good people who are still out there fighting and keeping the flames burning for us all. Who want to make things better for everyone, kinder, fairer, more well understood and providing more opportunities for more candles, everyone’s candles, to show who they are and can be at their best.
To all those other metaphorical candle holders, thankyou.
I’m tired, you’re likely tired too and there’s a long night looming ahead. But we have our strength and hope yet and we’ll keep the flames of hope alive. There are an awful lot of good people out there in the world.
The many who try to understand, to help others, to be good and kind and make things better. You know who you are and in striving for the better world, we know we help to make it so.
That I know and know you know and thank you all for.
& again, I am sorry, I know I’ve been an arsehole in the past. I regret that now and cannot change it without a time machine -- if I could change it and stop myself then I would. But I won’t be such a douche as I was then again.
My life’s* ethical philosophy in three lines :
1) People are people, just like you and I, treat them accordingly -- whoever and whatever else they may be.
2) World is already bad enough without anyone needing to make it any worse when we have better choices so ..
3) Think and be kind.
Most of all that last one. If I have any slogan or epitaph let it be that.
* I know I haven’t always lived up to this & I am sorry for that.
Too many men forget that the first part of gentlemen is the word gentle.
StevoR:
A concept rooted in misogynistic chauvinism.
Also classism.
@ ^ rq & Caine : Agreed and good points.
***
In other news :
Source : https://www.facebook.com/NASAJuno/videos/1279046525494711/?pnref=story
This. This is what we do -- what some of we can do -- at our best. Together. Let’s never forget it. Not just art or science or engineering or humanity. But all of the above combined; gloriously and splendidly fused together for everyone’s joy. Everyone’s benefit. We explore. We discover and we see wonders and find awe and new perspectives and learn from it.
I hope.
We = Humans. People.
Including their camouflage skills.
Hadn’t come across these people before:
Honest Government Advert -- Dakota Access Pipeline
and the Australian edition:
Honest Government Advert -- Carmichael Coal Mine
“Fired by Obama to please the Muslims, Hired by Trump to exterminate them”
That appeared on Allen West’s FB page and was taken down. Turns out they don’t mean it so it’s fine! Somebody just mistakenly chose those words and mistakenly put them on Mattis’s picture and mistakenly posted it to FB.
By taking it down, they’re conceding to superstition.
Saad
Well, when German AfD politicians proposed that German soldiers should “protect the border with weapons” and were asked if the wanted to shoot women and children seeking refuge and answered “yes”, they later claimed they’d slipped with the computer mouse…
Our heater is a fucking Carrier. It’s about killing us to give that company so much as a dollar.
A couple of these should keep everyone warm, Star met spectacular fate: death by supermassive black hole:
The mildly deranged penguin points out such gizmos are also good for making Chargrilled Galaxy. Serve with a platter of spicy sauces, and a hearty red. (May contain incinerated planets.)
On handsome guys and lying.
Holy shit. I was asked to provide a five point lesson plan for direct actions to take in environmentalism, learned from Standing Rock. Eeeesh. I came up with four.
One thing’s for sure, I still don’t like homework.
Yay, I guess? In the sense that it’s great to see your knowledge and experience acknowledged like this? But I agree on the homework. :)
Well, got the new motor in the heater, works again. Then…
skipping the grisly details, yesterday evening, I’m sporting a large lump on my head, a bruised forehead and a sliced open right arm. This morning, noted that the air from vents is not warm. Why? Basement is now flooded, burst pipe.
I need a cave to crawl into, stat.
Okay, now one with the hoods off!
Burst pipes dealt with. Imma go collapse.
Gods, Caine I’m sorry to hear. Burst pipes were our biggest fear with not having heating and stuff.
Good news: Heating people start working tomorrow.
Fortunately, it was the downstairs lav pipe that burst, easy enough to cap the pipe off and deal with it in Spring. If it had been any other pipe, it would have been disastrous.
Glad to hear the heating is going in tomorrow, Giliell. It’s one major worry off your shoulders.
Caine
Oh man, hope you heal quick, too! I’m glad the pipe emergency can be dealt with in spring, but still… be warm, be safe!!
Of possible interest for the other Aussies here :
***
Close The Camps*
Rolling Actions, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
First Saturday of every month @ 2 pm until the camps are closed
Search #CantStandBy for local details.
***
Transcribed from fb image.
& here :
Source : https://socialfeed.info/at-2pm-on-the-first-saturday-of-each-month-people-are-gathering-12082066
Plus youtube clip : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8OpWom4cU
* These camps :
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/25/ferrovial-staff-risk-prosecution-for-managing-australian-detention-camps
FWIW, I have no connection to this Close the Camps movement other than sharing this and have only just heard of it and these events tonight.
This morning: no water. Pipes frozen. Fuck, I HATE sub zero weather. Rick’s on his way home with heat tape.
Giliell, just forwarded gingerbread recipe to your gmail.
Caine, I haven’t received anything yet. Which addy did you use?
First off Caine, get better.
Second, the mildly deranged penguin is concerned about any cheese stored in the cellar. She can mount, she says, an emergency eating operation. (I suggest telling her it’s all Ok, as she’s currently rummaging around looking for spare Doctor Who scarves and tactical nuclear shells, which apparently are effective against FBPMs (Frozen Burst Pipe Monsters).)
Third, the fifth item is clear: “There is no fifth item.”
Fourth, there is no fourth item.
Giliell, the giliell79 one. Let me know if I need to forward it again.
Blf, thanks! Working on it. No cheeses in the root cellar, the cheeses is safe.
Or, I could just do this:
Anbei sende ich den zugesagten Rezept.
Dies war schwierig zu übersetzen. Hoffentlich wird es verstehbar:
Teig soll man mindestens 1 Woche, lieber aber 1-3 Monate vor Backen vorbereiten.
1. Mahl (00) 500 g, Honig 500 g, Honig aufwärmen un wenn sich ein Schaum Zeigt, abkühlen mit zwei Löffeln Wasser. Warmes Honig in das Mahl eingiessen und grundlich durchmischen bis die Masse glatt ist. Dann die Masse in einen Kunststoffbeutel geben oder in Folie einpacken und entsprechende Zeit (siehe oben) in Kühlschrank ablegen.
2. Nach Entnahme aus Kühlschrank die Masse auf Raumtemperatur aufwärmen lassen (kann auch in Mikrowelle zein um Zeit zu sparen) und auf Streifen schneiden oder hobeln.
3. 4 Eigelbe, 250 g Puderzucker, 2 Kaffeelöfel Soda, und 1 Löffel Pfeferkuchengewurz (siehe weiter) durchmischen zusammen und mit den Streifen aus der Teigmasse -- Streifen langsam nach einem addieren, nicht alle, sonnst klebt sich alles in einen Knäuel.
4. Langsam Mahl einmischen (ungefähr 250 g) so lange, bis die Masse nicht mehr klebt und lässt sich modellieren wie Knetmasse. Für grossere Sachen (z.B. Pfeferkuchenhaus) soll mehr Mahl nei, für kleine Sachen (Weihnachtsbaumschmücke) kann das Teig noch Etwa mehr fliessen. Es ist gut das Teig mehrlmals auswalzen, biegen, auswalzen usw. bis die Masse echt gleichmässig ist. So kann man auch die klebrigkeit kontinuerlich überwachen. Dies ist die schwierigste Arbeit, bei uns muss dies von mir oder von meinen Fater gemacht sein, weil Mutter nicht mehr genug Kraft dafür hat.
5. Ausgeschnittene Sachen sollen je nach Grosse ca 10 Minuten bei 170°C gebacken sein. Es ist gut auf einer Pfanne alle Sachen ungefähr der gleicher Grösse und Dicke haben. Und weil es sich echt schnell backt, es ist gut erst alles zuschneiden und vorbereiten und erst dann mit dem Backen anfangen. Als unterlage ist es gut Backpapier nuzten, oder die Pfannen gut fetten. Exakte Backzeit ist Erfahrungssache -- als Orientierungskriterium soll die Obefläche Etwa rosa sein.
Der Guss: 1 Eiweiss, 150-200 g Puderzucker, 1 Löfel heises Wasser und ~ 1 Kaffeelöffel Zitronensaft. Dies mit hölzernem Kochlöffel auf einen Schaum durchmischen und 20 minuten unter Deckel stehen lassen. Wenn zu dicht = Zucker, wenn zu dünn = Zitronensaft einmischen.
Pfeferkuchengewurz: Kann man entweder fertig kaufen, oder vorbereiten -- 10 Nelke, 20 Kugeln Pimet, Sternanis, Zimt und Fenchel nach Geschmack (1 Kaffeelöffel)
Hoffentlich ist es komplett.
Ein Paar Beispiele
Thank you, Charly and Caine
Yes, it’s totally understandable
Caine
Oh damn those pipes.
-50 (factoring windchill) is supposed to hit Saturday. I can hardly wait.
Why the fuck must the winter be so hard just this year there? Fimbulvetr and Ragnarök?
I hope you can save the pipes.
Ok, I have — with the help of an elderly slice of tuna, an even more elderly lemon, and a baseball bat — explained to the mildly deranged penguin the cheeses are safe. One of the lemons, however, ran away.
The mildly deranged penguin did find a Doctor Who scarf, but is puzzled by the teeth-holes. Anyone know a monster who takes Ԫ-shaped bites but only seems to eat the red?
She also says a good way to deal with wind chill is to keep your tuxedo feathered up tightly. Hibernation, she says, is overrated. Flame belching dragons are not overrated — just tricky to use — be sure to point them away from the plumbing, unless you like molten pipe in your
watersteam.Ice Swimmer:
I’m tempted to think so. Water is back, no more bursting. The pipes are wrapped in heat tape, and yet more insulation. I dearly hope this is the last of the problems.
So you don’t need the dragon then?
The mildly deranged penguin found one sleeping (she’s not being very clear as to where she found it), which is now gently snoring on the floor on the main room. She’s trying to work out how to wake it up without causing it to yawn, stretch, blink, burp, or demand breakfast, all of which tend to result in roasted cheese and smoked lair fondue.
Unfortunately, Ching & Worter’s classic work, Waking a Dragon, isn’t very helpful, consisting mostly of a numerous warnings in ALL CAPS followed by many exclamation marks (!), and numerous pages burnt dark black.
Blf:
I wouldn’t go so far as to say no!
Well, it’s good that the pipes are no longer frozen, as the dragon might have caused the frozen pipes to burst as they get warmer. After periods of extremely cold weather here, there are often news of frozen pipes bursting as the ice expands when it gets less cold.
Caine @ 217
May you be warm and safe!
Right. Well, she’s given up on Waking a Dragon, and is now downloading a copy of The Art, Science, and Suicide of Starting Your Dragon. That will be amusing, as it’s commonly considered to be magic brownie inspired ramblings of banana slug, translated by a Moog Synthesizer. The resulting rock opera, however, was a critical and popular failure, albeit the original cast recording can be found for negative prices on various ‘net sites — the current owners will pay you to take the recording off their hands…
The mildly deranged emergency cheese eater has gotten all excited — I can tell because she forgot to ignore gravity and fell off the floor — about these instructions:
I suspect the dragon will have a long nap. I do hope it stops snoring, however…
I’ll take the dragon. The boiler is down and my space heaters are barely able to keep up now. -50 is coming? gah, that is going to cause me some problems if I can’t get repairs completed tomorrow.
Got the propane tanks topped off today too, so that’s $660 gone, along with a couple of hundred dollars worth of heat tape and insulation. I will be so glad to see this year done. Be even happier to see winter go away, but it’s a long time til that one happens.
Tethys:
Oh fuck. I am so sorry you’re having trouble too! All my best wishes and hopes you can get this dealt with, quickly. As usual, the weather people are sending out conflicting reports -- there’s one says snow tonight, and that means warmer, but I haven’t seen so much as one flake fall.
I keep wondering why they are forecasting 6- 10 inches of snow? That happens above 20, but not when its this cold.. This year has been nothing but issues with various pipes. The boiler is fine, but the gas line has a leak and the utility company and I have been having a little war. They insist I must get a complete pressure test, and don’t care if I freeze to death or destroy my heating and plumbing systems in the meantime.
Tethys, “I’ll take the dragon” (@223), “the gas line has a leak” (@226)… um, even the mildly deranged penguin can spot a small, albeit LOUD!, flaw here…
────────────────────
Locally it’s cloudy, c.13°C, maybe some light rain later turning into a possibly of superheated steam should the dragon wake up.
Main crisis of the day is I didn’t buy enough oranges at market, so don’t have a full bottle of juice. Also, no cheese, you-know-who ate it whilst trying to get big, green, and scaly to open his(?) eyes.
Tethys @ 226
May the gas company come to their senses and fix the leak!
I’m sorry for all having heating problems.
No more gas is one of the advantages of our new heating system.
But of course the price tag is a hefty one…
This morning: house warm, yes. Water running, yes. Did it snow? No. Sub-zero temps? Yes.
Good to hear. A warm house with running water. If only the sub-zero temps would go away now (well, but not in a global warmingy sort of way).
One thing I can’t complain about living in the South is the weather. Though it is a bit annoying how drastically this state’s weather can vary within a matter of a day or two.
The dragon’s still sound asleep. I returned from lunch to discover the mildly deranged penguin had apparently tried to wake it by blowing smoke up its nostrils. That doesn’t seem like a good idea, but in any case it didn’t work.
This being the mildly deranged penguin, it was the first time I’ve ever had to use an iceaxe to chip my through smoke. She’s mostly finished cutting the smoke up and shoveling in out though the window, giving me nasty looks because I hid the dynamite.
Ice Swimmer
They will not fix anything inside my house, but they did come find where the leak is. (It is shut off, blowing up my house is not on my bucket list)
I had it looked at, and the plumbers won’t even touch it for less than $1,000, and because of code it might cost me 10,000.
I am rather fucked.
Tethys:
Oh hell. I wish we lived closer, Rick could probably figure out how to fix it.
Thanks, Caine. It is a simple repair, the pipe dope has broken down. It’s another instance where the laws make what should be simple repair into a nightmare of bureaucracy, because nobody wants to get sued. The plumber was really nice about it, he didn’t even charge me for the call and estimate.
As he said, $1000.00 buys a lot of space heaters.
Tethys:
No shit. This winter has cost us around $1,200 so far.
I gather then that if the pipe dope has broken down in one or two places then the recommendation(? requirement?) is for all the joints to be inspected and repaired / rejoined. Presuming it is something like that, and given how dangerous gas leaks can be, I can see their point.
In some locales I seem to recall their are various mechanisms for obtaining professional help, or grants, or low-interest loans, or some combination thereof, for repairs of essential services. Gas — which I assume is used for heating, if not also cooking — should qualify as an essential service in a very cold clime. (Apologies, I realise this probably is not any real help…)
Blf:
Most people in nDakota have electrical everything -- electric stove/oven, electric water heater, all that. Can’t speak for Minnesota, but I expect it’s much the same there, because if you aren’t in the city, you heat via propane, which you have to pay for, hence the not many gas appliances. (We have a gas stove/oven because I hate electric for cooking, but do have the electric water heater and all that, and they suck.)
Caine, how good or bad are the prospects for solar power in your neighborhood? Supposing money weren’t an issue (which it is, of course, but still), would solar even be a viable option to consider?
Cubist:
Not good. I live in a town with a population of 79. If you include all the outlying farms, then 200. Cable television won’t even come out here.
The have ridiculous code requirements. My house was built in 104, bringing it into compliance with modern building codes is impossible, but it’s still a legal requirement for a licensed professional.
My house is actually built to a far higher standard than modern construction, but that also means there is no such thing as a cheap repair.
Supposedly, but so far every one that I have contacted has informed me that they can’t help me, but I should go ahead and apply for energy assistance because I qualify. Its enough to make you bang your head into the wall repeatedly.
1904
Well, I was **wondering** where you lived, Tethys.
…And also whether the gas pipes were original.
@Caine:
So, recognizing that the initial capital outlay can be prohibitive, and thus not talking about whether the average person in your town can access solar power economically speaking, is it even possible practically speaking for a person to get a good amount of power from photovoltaics in your neck of the prairie? Do you get a lot of days of sun per year? Is there lots of tree-shade that would make siting difficult?
I think that’s more what Cubist was asking.
I wish there was even a remote chance that the USA could get a “solar towns” initiative like Australia has, but assuming Trump is elected monday, that’s blown for at least 4 years.
The truth is some difference -- significant difference! -- can be made simply by having a person with knowledge of both the local context and energy efficiency. But you can’t simply choose not to use the energy that prevents your pipes from breaking. You can cut energy use back, but you can’t eliminate it, and what you use still has to come from somewhere. I wish to heck that we could get governments that would recognize that the combined costs of generation + transmission for “cheap” fossil fuel energy very often exceeds the costs of local generation of “expensive” solar/wind energy. We could do a lot of good in the world **and** save money just recognizing the reality around which Brazil and India already structure their power infrastructures.
If you go solar, make sure there’s legislation in place for those times when you’re overproducing energy back into the grid -- they have it in Australia, but they don’t here, so you might actually be putting electricity back into the grid, but the power company won’t pay you shit for it because it’s not explicitly stated that they must in the legislation.
Or maybe that’s just how they do things here. Letter of the law and all that.
What Crip Dyke said. Financial obstacles can sometimes be finagled around, but if there just isn’t enough sunlight to make solar a viable option in the first place, all the finagling in the world won’t help. I’d like to continue discussing this in private, Caine; if you share this desire, I’m pretty sure the WordPress back end will tell you my email address.
Holy fuck. I recently got estimates for different heating systems and 10k € was about what a complete new gas heating system was close to and that’s in Germany where we worship St. Bureaucracy*.
Yep, we looked into solar for the house and while sunlight isn’t the problem, the house faces almost exactly North-South. Ideal is East-West because it means your panels get sun almost all day.
In Germany, feeding into the grid is the standard. One of the incentives was* that you’d get a guaranteed high price for your solar energy and just paid the standard lower price for the energy you consume. Friends of mine put solar on their roof when they needed to replace the roof and the money they make with solar pays off the loan for the roof.
*They constantly reduced that amount.
*For example, the steel chimney isn’t up to standard for solid fuel, therefore we need to get another steel chimney. That’s an additional 3k…
Giliell
As the price of solar panels drops, putting on two complete systems becomes affordable. Having one set facing east and one set facing west means that you are producing power, especially in summer, when you can use it yourself. This is seen as a good thing by some people in the power industry.
Lofty
Yep. I think in a panel generation or two it will be a sensible thing. Right now the panels would have paid off in twice their expected life time, which isn’t economical or ecological.
Solar panel prices are of course only a part of the total installation cost, and payback time depends very much on the tariffs, rebates and installation costs. I spent a year watching solar panel prices before I plunged into a 1.5kW system purchase in 2008. Since then I’ve seen the panel price per watt drop by around 90%. Still, after 8 ½ years mine have paid for themselves so I mustn’t grumble. If I ever move house the new residence will have every square metre of available roof space covered in panels and a house battery. But that may be many years away.
The whole town is near to old growth tree forest. Our house is extremely shaded, surrounded by trees, and the roof is partially covered by tree branches.
Lofty
Yeah, efficiency plays a big role as well. For now we’re going with reducing the need. *Sigh* Did I mention that we’ll need to replace the windows we thought we could keep as well? Whatever idiot made them and put them in was an idiot. No wonder the company no longer exists. As my dad in law said, I’m going to get a nice greenhouse out of the old windows. I’m probably going to put Spain out of business….
Caine
Ever looked into geothermal heating?
Hurrumph! For the second time in the same number of weeks, the mains electricity breaker at the meter has tripped. None of the lair’s own breakers have tripped. Odd.
Both times there was a heavy and near-identical load in the lair: Heaters, the kettle boiling some water, the stove (cooker), and possibly the fridge and/or water heating mystery mechanism‡; plus the laptop I am typing this on, the ADSL modem, several lights (all LEDs?); and so on…
Even so, I find it odd the breaker tripped, and perhaps more so that it was the mains outside breaker that tripped, rather than the internal mains (or a specific circuit) that tripped. At the moment I doubt anything is wrong, that particular load has never(?) been run before: The kettle and one of the headers are both completely new additions, they have no precedents (and are, as far as I know, on separate circuits).
This is, of course, nowhere as serious as not having gas / heating in subfreezing conditions, or having a soundly sleeping dragon taking up much of the main room.
‡ I’ve never understood how the hot water works in this installation of the lair. I’m charged for it by the water company (to the extent I understand the bill), as-if there was a heat-exchange or -recovery or similar community system here in the village (which is not impossible), yet it seems to be the case that if the power is off (multiple days) there is no hot water. Which the exception of a mystery cupboard outside that I cannot open (no key), there’s no obvious place for an “in”-lair heater. Weird…
Heh, I didn’t know there was such a thing, “Rowers dressed as Santa take part in the annual Father Christmas regatta” in Venezia. (Actually, apparently, it’s a quite new event.)
CD
No, they are systems that have been modified and remodeled multiple times, and the only way to find out what is live and what is not is to rip out large sections of the ceiling in my finished basement. It was code when I bought it, so clearly it is not unsafe, it’s just that modern plumbers take one look and freak out. None of the old pipes got removed over 100 years, so they just don’t even know what they are looking at half the time. The original line is in place, but it’s capped off and defunct. This is the line he is using to justify the ridiculous price for a couple hours of work.
They don’t WANT to deal with it, because losing their license is their primary concern. Thankfully, the coldest air is now moving east and I have managed to keep all the other piping systems in a liquid state. Staying up all night monitoring the temperatures is not my idea of a fun week-end.
blf
It is possible for the circuit breakers to go bad, is that something the utility company could check? Moisture getting inside of them can cause resistance issues, that are most apparent under heavy electrical load. We don’t have outside breakers in this climate. Winter is just too harsh in Minnesota.
blf @ 253
France is big on nuclear power which is cheap on off-peak hours, so having a electrically heated, centralized hot water system might make sense.
Three people wounded in shooting at Islamic center in Zurich
Re my electrical mystery, and also the hot water mystery (@253): Just a short comment on “outside” or “outside the lair”— That means inside the building, which means you must (unlock and) open the main door, but outside my lair, i.e. you don’t have to (unlock and) open my door. It would be a “communal staircase” if the main door was actually communal (it isn’t, my lair has the only known-functional inner door, so the staircase is “mine”, and indeed the staircase’s lights are connected to my meter (as I discovered due to the recent outages)).
So the meter and main breaker are inside the building, albeit in an unheated area. I won’t rule moisture out, but at the moment am not minded to pursue that route.
There is a very definite correlation between hot water and the power, plus evidence of a storage / heating tank; the whole system acts just as-if there is a heater somewhere nearby, with two exceptions: I cannot find it (other than perhaps behind a mystery door in that “outside” staircase), and I seem to he charged for it on the water bill. I may, however, be misunderstanding the water bill (it’s not exactly a model of clarity).
blf @ 259
This is all just guesses.
Unheated area? Yeah, there could be condensation and living near a salty sea may mean having salt spray in the air. Another thing that comes to mind is that the breaker may getting old and the springs or magnets weaker which might make the electrical contact incomplete, causing there to be heat or the breaking action getting slower which could erode the contacts.
Another thing that came into my mind is, could it be a RCD/GFI or other leakage current device in the main breaker that’s tripping? Say, if there’s an insulation fault in the kettle that only comes up when it’s a bit too full or something like that.
Some updates on the Berlin attack:
The Pakistani refugee who’S been arrested is free again, apparently he had no connection to the attack, which means the armed terrorist is still on the run
Ice Swimmer@260, Thanks for the comments and suggestions! Condensation did occur to me, which is why I mention unheated; but salty air did not — thanks!
As I recall, there is a seal / certificate indicating the date of the meter (and hence the breaker), as well as the Wattage. I need to get those values, eventually… and compare the Wattage to both the estimated load and the internal breaker’s Wattage…
Continuing me@262 (in reply to @260), Both the kettle and new “heater” are new only in the sense there weren’t both here last winter. Whilst it is possible one or both has, or has developed, a fault, I would be a bit surprised…
Fighting games usually exploit stereotypes without any shame or care whatsoever, so this stood out to me today: the developers of the “Killer Instinct” video game actually went ahead and consulted tribal representatives in order to give their Indian (specifically, from the Nez Perce/Niimíipu Tribe) character a culturally accurate makeover. A video describes part of the process.
PS: I’ve never actually played this game, I stumbled upon the story by chance.
What I want for Christmas :
Kindness. Understanding. Hope.
Knowledge and goodness generally.
A different US President -- Hillary not Trump. A different Aussie Prime Minister, Shorten, or even better, Penny Wong or best of all Richard Di Natale. A humane refugee policy which treats people like people and which I’m not ashamed of.
Pluto restored to full planethood.
Lower greenhouse gas emissions globally and here, more understanding of everything. Eta Carinae going supernova -- or maybe T Pyxidis? (Not Betelgeuse or Antares, I’d miss them too much.)
A lot more funding and resources and public awareness for bushcare. The survival and improved chances of same for our endangered species of flora and fauna.
The rediscovery and recovery of the thylacine and so much more I know I almost certainly won’t get.
The happiness of dogs and cats and other living things. (Just not deadly or awfully nauseating ones like viruses, nasty bacteria, prions and protozoa.)
Friendship. Appreciation of other humans who I know are good people.
The chance to go out bush to new places and see new things,
New wonders and new discoveries which I know I will see. Better science, better understanding, refinements and perhaps revolutions in what we know and what we seek to know.
Successful space missions, successful earth missions, good people succeeding, learning and making everyone’s lives better.
The chance and actuality to be happy. More than I already am.
That’s all. Also way too much I know.
But please, please 2017 and Xmas. That’s what I’d really love.
(That and a faster than light starship of my own -- and I mean much faster than c. ;-) )
Note : These things are NOT in any particular order.
Y’all may have seen already but in case not or y’might like to see again :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Dg-g7t2l4
Disturbed -- The Sound Of Silence [Official Music Video]
& also :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV4oYkIeGJc
Disturbed -- Land Of Confusion [Official Music Video]
Plus this so powerful, poignant, beautiful and true :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS2vffK_niIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS2vffK_niI
(my view YMMV natch)
^ Song there is U2 Van Diemans Land.
Three mostly unrelated items except for involving fine art and their origins (in no particular order):
(1) Liotard painting returns to Netherlands after centuries in England:
(2) London church to be reunited with stolen 16th-century carving:
You know I have usually no qualms with companies having to pay a few millions, but in this particular case the parents should be in prison for manslaughter instead of getting as few million as a reward for killing their children.
I was cleaning up and found the bag with my long-lost knitting project.
Socks.
Actually, tabi. Socks with separate spaces for big toe and other toes.
It’s a standard sock pattern except for the toes.
but that’s not the issue
the issue is
turning the heel
whilst drunk:
2nd row: K3. Sl 1. K1. psso. K1. Turn.
3rd row: P4. Ptog. P1. Turn.
4th row: K5. Sl1. K1. psso. K1. Turn
and so on
I actually know what that means and can easily accomplish it.
Sober.
So maybe tomorrow.
srsly
I’m trying to tidy for the night.
I’ve been knitting with dpn’s and since I switched from round to flat knitting, two needles went missing.
This is serious. I knit in bed. All the gear is spread about and needs to be collected and stored before using the bed for sleeping.
So I put all the yarn and tools in the appropriate containers.
Still missing two needles.
Tearing my hair in frustration, I find the missing needles in my top-knot.
.
It’s really good that I don’t drive much anymore.
…squirrel!!!….
The Xmas Eve service at St. Bede’s was interesting. The “Prayers of the People” mentioned “Standing Rock activists” in specific. The sermon was all about political power, and the responsibility of using said power wisely—to my mind, there was a definite ‘liberation gospel’ vibe, which may or may not have been intended.
I still think all religion is a net detriment to the world, but if I ever do have the power to eradicate religion, I think I’m gonna eliminate St. Bede’s last.
It’s not the Hunting of the Snark, or even the Hunting of the Megapode, but the Hunting of the wren festival (pictures): “This festival is held every St Stephen’s Day, the 26 December, in Dingle, Ireland. A fake wren is paraded around the streets on top of a decorated pole”.
Apparently, “Celtic myth had it that the robin, which was suppose to represent the new year, killed the wren, which represented the old year, during this time.” And in ye olde days they — the festival — actually did hunt a wren. (No word on what happened to the inner rat.)
Good article here :
http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/limusaurus-inextricabilis-beaked-bird-like-dinosaur-04478.html#.WGJcaSnYQ3w.facebook
Also from there & with the same species although dating back to 2009 is this item on how dinosaurs lost their fingers and what this implies for the evolution of birds :
http://www.nature.com/news/2009/090617/full/news.2009.577.html
Finally there’s this beautiful illustration of an oviraptor (Tongtianlong limosus) here :
http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/tongtianlong-limosus-new-species-of.html
NB. Scroll down to end of article to see.
just checking in
golli
So I finally noticed that this is an endless thread. Speak about catching on fast…
I just had worst christmass holiday so far. On tuesday I went for a bit of fresh air in the garden. In order to do something to pass the time I wanted to cut back a few twigs from willows near the pond. Regular, easy job that I have done a thousand times before, it never even occurred to me that I should need safety gear, which I do use quite often and I do not mind at all being called a wimp (I call it carefull). Only this time one of the twigs whipped me with the tip right across the left eye. One night of agonizing pain and anxiety whtether I will get blind or not. Sixteen hours of sleep after physicians care and reassuring words that odds are in favour of healing without permanent damage (and after eating painkillers) provided there is no infection. Two days of blurred vision in one eye and no functioning stereoscopic vision and limited ability to read.
Luckily I got no infection and vision is slowly returning to normal. I can read again at last.
I got a taste of how my father sees since childhood and no wonder he cannot do any of the fine manual work my mother and I excel at. I have to admit I was scared shitless, my work is all I have of value to offer to this world.
Stay safe and do not mind being over-cautious. There really is not such thing as being too carefull.
Ouch, Charly, I hope this heals quickly and without damage.
Charly @ 276
May your eyes get well soon!
Charly, that sounds like a close call. Working eyes are such precious things. Get well soon.
……………
Anyway, it’s been an interesting Exmess period here. A blisteringly hot 41°C Exmess day (record breaking of course), then on the 27th a monster tropical storm system tramps right across the continent and thugs the neighbourhood. The power has been out at Chateau Lofty for nearly 66 hours, thousands of trees blown down and massive damage to power lines throughout the state. Some of the 100 000+ affected customers will only get reconnected sometime tomorrow. Fortunately Partner and I were well supplied with Exmess leftovers and a Jerry can of fuel went into the generator to keep the fresh food from going off. Internet was pretty sparse too, mobile reception from a tower some miles away. Anyway, we’re grateful that nothing much happened on our block apart from a load of dropped leaves and twigs. Storms like this show how little we are prepared for climate change and more frequent disasters. Barely over one and the next one is upon you.
Lofty @ 279
41°C, that’s way too much for sleeping and way too little for sauna. Hope the power comes back quickly.
Ice Swimmer, I meant to say that the power came back on here after nearly 66 hours, so we’re finally back to normal. 41°C was the Exmess maximum in the city below us, thankfully with judicious house closing and a small air conditioner we kept our abode under 30°C inside. I’ve been in the city in above 40°C temps a few times in the past, it’s quite hard to walk very far without the brain melting.
The days after the storm were a bit steamy and no real way to keep cool other than an electric fan. Having nothing really physical to do helped enormously. Today was nice and cool, under 22°C before lunch so I cut the grass going bezerkers in the back 1/2 acre. Need to poison some blackberries next week, they’re trying to take over. I’ll be wearing full protection.
Charly:
Oh, glad you are healing and your sight will be alright. Freaks me right out, the thought of losing my sight.
I know what you mean here, but that’s not true. You add considerable value to my life, and that doesn’t have anything to do with your work.
Thanks for the well-wishes. I do hope no complicatons pop-up as of late, at current rate I might be completely OK by Monday.
Lofty
I’m wondering: we’ve been talking about renovation and insulation lately: are such attempts also made in the warmer latitudes? As my grandpa used to say: what’s good against cold is also good against heat!
+++
Hoping you all have a nice New Year’s Eve.
We’ll be with some friends and stay the night, eating too much. We’ll have a 1980s inspired fingerfood buffet. I still need to make the filled eggs :)
+++
Talking ’bout the house, the chimney got a new pipe made of very durable steel. The heating will be installed at the start of January, then it’s water and sanitation.
Yesterday I tried to take some bird pictures, but I failed for various reasons:
-it was very foggy
-my measly 255mm lense (I asked my sister’s husband to look for a used bigger one)
-with the birds in the bushes, the autofocus is no use and by the time I get the manual adjusted they’re usually gone
-the little one helpfully shouting “THERE’S A BIRD!!!!” whenever she saw one.
Happy New Year’s Eve to you all!
I’m going to sauna (and swimming in the sea) and then fresh and clean from old year’s dirt and grime to the final gig of the tour Amorphis is making, with a friend of mine.
Giliell @ 284
I tried to photograph some tits (blue and great) with my phone, but no decent shots as I couldn’t get close enough.
Fuck, wrong thread, please delete, Caine.
Giliell, I think that autofocus and serial shots is essential for photographing birds in the trees. The downside is that you get about 1 in 100 shots thats usefull, because often it focuses on the bushes behind/in front of the bird. But manual focus is just a no-go, because they do not stay still long enough. I get sometimes a feeling they know whats going on, wait untill I get them into focus and then just as I press the button “whoooosh”.
When photographing on the feeder manual focus is of more use, but you have to wait for the bird to sit on the feeder and pose. I managed to get a few good pictures that way.
Of course I have no real experience photographing birds so do not take my word for anything. My recipe so far is just point the lens, push the button like mad and sort the pictures afterwards.
Charly
May the eye heal without damage, and since I know little about your handcrafts, I can safely say you do have value beyond them.
Ice Swimmer
We had our end-of-year sauna at christmas, so we’ll just have to endure the new year with a week’s worth of grime.
Giliell
And yet, a strangely appropriate comment…
Also I see you having fun with your new lenses. :)
+++
Happy New Year to everyone as we cross into yet more of the future.
Giliell
On the subject of insulation, houses in Australia have traditionally been quite poorly insulated and more recently fitted with massive air conditioning units. When we bought this house 20 years ago it was very poorly insulated and had vast areas of 3mm thick single glazed windows facing the bush. I fitted a pitched roof instead of the flat roof it had and added loads of insulation. Sadly double glazing is too hard a concept for the glaziers around here to grasp so I’ve been on you tube looking for DIY ideas. Some of our windows are now glazed with recycled shop windows of 10mm laminated glass and a few have been fitted with extra panes inside. I’m thinking of purchasing polyester batts and putting them into some of the windows facing away from the best views, just for the summer. A whole frame wall facing the main summer afternoon sun direction got doubled in thickness a couple of years ago and that does make a difference. The house is now barely adequate at holding a temperature difference with the outside, at least it’s better than absolutely terrible. The lag between indoor and changing outdoor temperature is now around 4 to 5 hours instead of 1 to 2 when we bought it. Spend another few thousand and we might make it to 6-7 hours, or just give up and keep running the small air conditioner or burn wood in the slow combustion stove.
……………..
As this is New Years Eve and after 9pm down here, it’s almost time to wish everyone a HNY if they can find one. Somehow we need to keep our spirits up, 2016 has not been particularly nice. I can hear some fireworks down the hill already, sound like that travels for miles.
……………….
Finally to cap off a remarkably odd year, our rain gauge has measured 1536mm of rain this calendar year or just over 5 feet. That and the multiple of “once in 50 year” storms has been quite an experience. “Normal” rainfall is around 900 to 1000mm or 35 to 40 inches. And I suspect that in hindsight 2016 will seem to have been a good year compared to what’s coming. At least half the farmers wheat crops were successfully reaped before the most recent monster storm so their income from that should tide them over until the next disaster. Wine growers who sprayed for various molds and fungal rots are cautiously optimistic of a good harvest in a month’s time.
Happy New Year to all.
And to set the tone for 2017 I wake to find it cool damp and drizzly outside. Never mind, I’ll take the bicycle to town and strengthen up the legs a bit for a few hours. Dull gray overcast suits my mood better.
Happy new year everyone. Lets hope against all probability that it will be less bad than the previous one.
Happy New Year, here’s to keeping hope alive.
Well, we already got lucky. Some asshole set off fireworks right next to a crowd with kids out to watch the official town fireworks. Apparently forgot that fireworks are supposed to have a vertical element, not a horizontal one, so yeah, we got lucky, but damn if my heels ain’t singed. I wish firework sales were so much more regulated here.
Am currently house-sitting for friends who are off to jolly old England, or at least the UK. They have a hummingbird feeder in their back patio—and some hummers have used it today! Will try to get pics of the little beasties.
Cubist:
Oooooh.
I was just getting a few more things done, when I felt myself snagged on something. The something was a nail, through my fucking arm. Pulled my arm off the nail, and I am declaring this day done. I will be sleeping in, so slow start tomorrow.
The sauna was hot and the sea water cold and high. The Amorphis gig was a good one, they played well.
In the afternoon, while going to the bus stop, saw a red fox in daylight in the wild for the first time. It crossed a patch of lawn behind a fence, crossed the street and disappeared on a wooded knoll.
Caine @ 297
Ouch, hope the wound heals without problems.
Ow. Nail Bite is horrible. Hope the nail was clean and your tetanus shots are up to date.
See?
Cleaning house is bad!!M!
I hope it’s not serious.
Happy New Year! May 2017 be better than we fear.
I also hope to be around more this year than last.
C, that sound’s painful. May you heal quickly.
rq -- *pouncehug* I’m glad no one was hurt.
Hekuni Caaaaat!
*pouncehugsback*
Happy New Year everyone!
We had a great time at our friends’ place, ate too much and watched other people burn their money.
+++
Lofty
OK, we’re currently upgrading to tripple. I’d send you the old ones if it weren’t prohibitive…
+++
HEKINICAT!!!!
*pouncyhugs*
+++
Ouch, Caine, get well soon.
+++
rq
My hopes are that in the age of international terrorism private fireworks will finally be banned. I love watching a good firework, but most people are just not acting responsibly enough.
I now have a couple dozen shots of hummingbirds. Will photoshop on ’em and see how many (if any) turn out to be worth sharing with the world.
Hey.
--
And now, to read the Thread, with an opening round of *pouncehugs* (or *other appropriate-and-acceptable gestures of goodwill and support*) for all!
___
Ogvorbis!!!!I/i>
*releasing the potentially-hazardous pouncehug-pile-under-pressure*
I hope you have been well.
--
Wait…it is possible to send Horses via email???
*shudders, and vows to Never Open The Email Again*
--
Did something dire happen to Pharyngula while I was Away?
*making a mental note to go have a look-see*
(Belatedly noticing the date on the reference.
I’ve…been gone longer than I realized….)
--
Ice Swimmer:
My Lazy Brain read that as, “I went to see the student manatee”….
:D
--
*unwelcome Election Day flashback*
Not overreacted/overreacting.
--
Irony: Confederate flag-wavers who say, “You lost. Get over it.”
--
“Acknowledge that emotions require energy.”
And that, Friends and Roving Countrymen, is why I fell out of balance, into the Dark.
:( :( :( :( :(
--
Belated condolences, AlexanderZ, on the loss of your Sima-cat.
*hugs*
My Midnight-cat was supposed to be female when we first picked him out from the no-kill shelter’s selection outside the local Petsmart. No visible testicles; they dropped sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Damn, I miss him, still.
Even though I love my Bitsy and our Tig.
--
Giliell, I loved the Origin of Mr. Spock story.
:)
--
100
I confess, I am now just skimming.
--
Hoping to hear better news further down-Thread for Caine’s ailing heater.
--
rq, “On Handsome Guys and Lying” made me *snortle*
--
That “better news” seems to have come tempered with burst-pipe badness.
*hugs* and sympathies for Caine, however belatedly.
--
blf:
“Single copy, first edition, slightly foxed and extremely dragoned.”
--
And now, doom for Tethys’ pipes.
:( :(
--
Crip Dyke:
So Much THIS.
Quasi-relatedly: How a Green Energy Revolution in Small-Town America will make Trump Irrelevant
http://www.juancole.com/2016/12/revolution-america-irrelevant.html
(I’ve been away so long, I’ve forgotten how to make with the linky in the texty. I am Sadness.)
I seem to remember hearing from a friend who is Trapped In Oklahoma, that there’s some kind of legislation forbidding going solar and telling Big Coal And Oil to fuck themselves sideways.
--
260
StevoR, that was an interesting pair of articles you linked to @274 (tooth loss in Limusaurus inextricabilis, finger loss and wings).
Highly enjoyable.
Would Read Again.
--
Hoping for the Best Possible Outcome for your eye, Charly.
--
Caine:
Yes.
YES.
Sorry to hear about the hull-breach. Ouch!
Tetanus shot?
--
Acceptable New Year to One and All.
Squid bless us, every one.
--
--
Been a while since I posted here. The last year and half have been eventful in some ways.
First update on the Redhead.
Earlier this year we got her transferred from private insurance to medicare + supplement policies. YUGE difference. We got the therapists back in, and they actually caused a problem. She was exercising so much that she opened 14 stress ulcers on top of her previous wound at crease of her buttock/leg about an inch from back groin area. Very necessary for sitting, etc. We got that cleared up, and therapists are back for a bit. We’re just very careful how we get her spun around from lying in bed to sitting on the edge of the bed. Hopefully, they can stick around long enough to get her to be able to transfer from the bed to wheelchair/commode/lounge chair/stair lift/car. But, over the weekend, she seems to have a recurrence of some kidney stones, which has done a number on various functions. It appears to be clearing up except for her appetite.
Now me.
I’ve been retired about 1.3 years now. The company I worked for was getting rid of some of us old farts. I was surprised, but when I saw the severance package, it was where do I sign, and when can I leave? Later analysis showed that 60% of my paycheck at that time was going to expense to run the household, and 60% to the CNA help for the Redhead so I could work full time. Reduced the CNA help to three days a week, and also reduced their hours, only overlapping when we were standing the Redhead on our own. That staunched the red ink.
Collected all my IRA/401k/pension benefits into one account. Made me happy I made large contributions that were company matched over the years into the more risky, but higher yielding stock market accounts. Presently diversified in multiple accounts. Might last long enough if Trump doesn’t bankrupt the country.
Today I got my early 2009 iMac to boot after a few months. Think it needs a good cleaning. I have one program on it that strips the DRM from the commercial DVDs I bought, and it requires a maximum of OSX of 10.6. My new iMac requires a minimum of 10.11, and doesn’t have an optical drive. That now gives me a working collection of an Apple IIe, G3 iMac (gift), G4 Mac Cube. plus the early 2009 iMac on top of the present iMac (4k retina).
Happy 2017 to all. Best wishes to all.
cicely!
*moar pouncehugs*
assholes being assholes as usually.
+++
Nerd
Glad retirement is working out for you and the Redhead. Here’s hopes for improvement.
Giliell and cicely -- *returnpouncehugs*
We played D&D yesterday afternoon. Most of our low-level characters are students who were knocked unconscious and left in the jungle as part of their final exam. The group seems to have a knack for getting into trouble and taking on opponents who are higher level than they are. It’s really a miracle they’ve survived. :D
Happy Newish Year for all! Welcome back Hekuni Cat and cicely!
December had a lot of matinees/manatees and recitals, but then a bit before Xmas, the Xmas break of the Sibelius Academy began and will continue until January 29th, so now there is almost no free classical music live. I know, First World Problem. Besides, there will be music anyway.
Nerd of Redhead @ 310
Hoping for the best for you and the Redhead!
Finally able to try an experiment I’ve been wanting to do for ages. The Redhead likes multilamp chandeliers, and the one in the living room where she is uses 60 watt bulbs. Eight of them, and the fixture runs 24/7/365 (minus power outages) as the Redhead prefers to sleep with the lights on. A back of the envelope calculation says that one fixture is about 20% of our electric bill. We have a seven bulb fixture in the dinning room (on most of the day), and a five bulb fixture in the master bedroom, which is mostly off unless I am in the room doing chores or getting dressed. The CFL candelabra bulbs were too ugly for the Redhead, and I tended to agree with her.
The fixture in the master bedroom went *flashKzot * when I was replacing bulbs last week, and the socket that caused the spark is unrepairable. So I ordered a new five bulb fixture, but ordered some LED bulbs that look like the incandescent bulbs, and by the reviews, look like incandescent bulbs in action. Each bulb uses just 7 watts, and is good for years. If it looks good, I’ll sneak the sixth bulb into the fixture in the living room. If there aren’t any complaints, I’ll slowly replace the incandescent bulbs as they die out with LED bulbs.
I’ve replaced all of the non-candelabra tungsten bulbs in the house with CFLs, and I may change those for LEDs as they die, and my supply of CFLs is depleted.
Oh, forgot to leave a link to the LED candelabra bulb. My bad.
Here.
Nerd, I hope thosee LED bulbs really hold up to your expectatons. I have mixed experience with LED bulbs. Their power consumption is as low as promised -- I have converted whole house to LED lights years ago and it is noticeable on the electricity bill. The light they give is bright from get-to, nice and it causes me no trouble. However they do not last as long as promised, approximately 20% of them begin to flicker after only one-two years (I guess bad soldering on some LEDs) and have to be replaced. This is significantly below the promissed 10.000 to 15.000 running hours, and they are not exactly cheap. I tried three different manufacturers and they all had the same problem.
Yeah, I noticed the same design from several places. Indicating one manufacturer that had several distributors.
When I switched over to CFLs, there were some that were no better than the tungsten bulbs as to longevity. Then there is the CFL spotlight lamp over the back door still going strong after 4 years of 24/7/365, IIRC.
Which is why I avoid being one of the early adapters to any new techology. There are still some bugs in the system.
Hey, Nerd!
Glad to hear that you and the Redhead seem to be doing okay! :).
--
Giliell!
*return-moar-pouncehug*
Ah.
Well, if it’s just another conclave of assholes, I don’t need to go have a look; I Am Not A Proctologist, nor do I play one on teevee.
--
*extra-pouncyhug* for Hekuni Cat.
My group is currently playing Mutants and Masterminds. We are currently mid-melee with a group of villains that is trying to make off with the unwisely-large-and-physically-present swag-pile of a visiting foreign notable (political?business?both?—status unclear). I feel that the opposition will decide that Enraging my character, then inadvertently getting one of their own trapped inside a steel cylinder with her, was, in retrospect, a mistake.
--
Thanks for the Welcome Back; Ice Swimmer; it’s good to be back.
--
Wonder if he’ll take her up on this and what else she might say / sing with that platform? :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-03/donald-trump-rebecca-ferguson-inauguration-strange-fruit/8158220
***
@309. cicely : Thanks. Glad you enjoyed those & hope others did as well.
cicely and Hekuni cat
Back when we still managed to play, the two most dreaded things were
1. Doors we could spend days in and out of game in front of them, sometimes even without simply trying the handle…
2. The particular game master A (who’s generally a very good one with fun for all) trying something new/something he always wanted to try/testing the group for their fighting power and generally overestimating it.
Doors.
Don’t tell me about doors!
*snort*
This one time the DM (later to become The Husband) let us waste the better part of a session trying to get this one door open—push, pull, bump, slide, and numerous other verbs denoting (increasingly-violent) motion—and then it suited him to point out that we didn’t think to ask him if the damned thing had a knob.
Great were the lamentations that night, to the accompaniment of air-borne sodas and flung dice.
Then there was the time he hid the McGuffin inside the large and intricate lock of the front door to the dungeon/tower. We’d salvaged the lock—as Loot—and therefore were carrying the damned thing with us, all throughout the structure, above-ground and below, fruitlessly searching. That took up an entire session; then we spent the next session tearing up the paved walk-way that lead up to the tower—all the way back to the road. After which, we meticulously un-landscaped a sizeable clearance back from the now-un-paved walk-way, on both sides.
It wasn’t until, in frustration, one character—the one carrying the McGuffin-laden lock—committed suicide by jumping with all her gear into the functionally-bottomless moat, that he clued us in.
*strangled scream*
But I’m not bitter….
--
The Virus.
Hello, one and all. I have returned.
Wife and I went to Florida to visit the inlaws. Girl and her fiance flew down (which we kept secret from our niece — she was very surprised). My old Ford Taurus — a 2008 with 160,000 miles — needed about $1,000 worth of work. All small shit (a flap valve in the ventilation system has a stripped gear, one tyre has a really weird wear pattern, one brake pad is too thin, etc. — all normal for a car with 160,000 miles) so we traded cars for a week with boy.
Boy’s car is a Hyundai Elantra with a manual transmission. We loved it. We got between 40 and 45 miles a gallon for the whole trip.
We ate lots (I gained five pounds). Visited Hontoon Island State Park — neat place. I saw bald eagles, cattle egrets, moor hens, gallinules, great blue herons, great egrets, little blue herons, sharp-shinned and red-tail hawks, sandhill cranes. Lots of fun. Nothing new for the life list.
While we were in Florida, Boy stayed up in PA managing his new restaurant. And he got a call from a guy he knows at a dealership — he had Boy’s dream car in the showroom. Boy went and looked at it and promised to come back when his trade-in came back from Florida.
On the drive home, Wife and I mused about how much we liked the Elantra and tried to figure out a way to buy it from Boy. The problem was, by the time we could put together financing, even through our credit union, Boy’s dream car would be gone.
We got home on Saturday. On Monday, Boy bought one of these . Except his has orange and black wheels and the turbo four banger.
On Tuesday, I walked into the same dealership and said that I had the extra key for the Hyundai they took in trade yesterday. Then I asked what they wanted for it. And two hours later, I walked out with a 2014 Hyundai Elantra with a six-speed manual and only 19,000 miles.
So now, for the first time, Boy’s car is bigger than mine. And has lots and lots of goodies. And it really is his dream car.
Cicely:
Thanks for the pounce higs. Right back atcha.
Actually, pounce higs to one and all.
Happy new year.
I hope it is better than 2016. Part of me wants to say that it can’t get worse. But, I’m an historian. I KNOW it can get worse.
Ogvorbis
*pouncehug*
What a nice toy boy got himself and yay for you for getting a nice deal out of it as well. 6 speed manuals are nice. One thing I’m looking forward to when I start my new position is that we’ll switch cars again. Standing rule here is that we’re sensible people and the one who drives more km gets the Diesel that needs between 6 and 7 l per 100km (don’t ask me how many miles per gallon that is) and not the brick wall with engine that needs between 8 and 9 l of normal fuel.
cicely
And you still married that guy? ;)
+++
Damn
Got a call from the painter teling us that he can only do our house between June and July because until a few weeks ago we couldn’t sign any contracts and of course he first scheduled the people who could. *sigh*
But that’s the one part that doesn’t affect the inside of the house, so I guess we’re fine. I’d loathe to have new heating/water/electricity/windows done while already living there.
Cicely:
6 litres per 100 kilometres is about 39 miles per gallon.
7 litres per 100 kilometres is about 33 miles per gallon.
(I cheated and Googled it)
The best part about getting the hand-me-down car is that it has 140,000 fewer miles and no issues that will cost me anything right now. The better mileage is a bonus.
Ogvorbis
I take that as a compliment ;)
Preliminary report on the LED candelabra bulbs. I like, and more importantly, similar enough the Redhead might go for it. It does have a yellow glow like the hot tungsten filaments, and gives off light in a vertical “string” like the hung filaments in a typical candelabra bulb.
Shit.
I am so sorry, Giliell. That was totally out of line. I apologize.
Forgot to add the results of one important test. With incandescent bulbs, I can tell the difference between my dark blue socks and dark brown socks, since it is a broad spectrum light. The CFLs put out certain wavelengths since it mercury being excited. The socks merge into a mass of dark and are almost impossible to sort. Under the LED bulbs. the socks were easy to sort.
Ogvorbis
Don’t worry, I’ve been called much worse than “cicely”
And yes I’m just kidding around.
Ogvorbis,
Good to have you back and glad your newer wheels go with less juice now.
On LED and CFL lightbulbs which fail significantly prematurely: Have your electrics checked. CFLs (especially, particularly the newer models) are rather sensitive to various electrical phenomena that rarely bother incandescents. I have no idea about LEDs, but suspect they may also be.
And, unsurprisingly, the quality of the LEDs and CFLs also matters…
All my CFLs, bought c.1990 (c.25 years ago!) were still working when I replaced them with LEDs c.3 years ago. Two had developed the “dim yellow startup” annoyance over the c.20 years of operation (none had it initially), but none has ever failed. The only CFL which did fail was one obtained c.2005, which was of obviously cheaper construction than ye olde faithfuls. (I now don’t recall how long it lasted, multiple years but I cannot remember how many.)
To-date, the only LED which has failed on me is a cheap one I bought about five years ago as part of a trial. It failed within a year or so as I recall, and also had a tendency to flicker; a more expensive but obviously better-constructed model purchased and used concurrently for comparison neither flickered nor failed (and is still being used). The additional LEDs I am now using are of similar good construction.
Excepting that one failed LED, the only problem I’ve had is due to the weight: The high-quality ones are rather heavy (that cheaper failed one was noticeably lighter, albeit still heavier than an incandescent). One fitting detached as a result, basically pulled out of the wall by the weight (it obviously wasn’t well secured in the first place!). And at the moment, the weight(apparently) is somehow causing another fitting to loose the connection, causing the light to either not turn on or suddenly turn off. I have not investigated other than to confirm it is not the LED(nor the switch & wiring) which is at fault.
Rather funnily, since I’ve been using CFLs and LEDs for such a long time now, I have no idea what impact they have on my power bills! I changed over to CFLs over the course of about two years, so never noticed any dramatic “instantaneous” drop in power costs; and the LED switchover was concurrent with relocating the lair, so I have nothing to compare it to.
blf @ 333
My guess is that the lighter led bulb failing is due to insufficent cooling as LEDs need fairly big heatsinks because they are sensitive to high temperatures and too cold to be cooled radiatively like incandescent lighbulbs.
At least voltage spikes can be much more harmful to LED lights because they can destroy semiconductor components (which both LEDs and some of the driving components are), either by making them permanently shorted or non-conductive.
Ice Swimmer@33, Yes both points are broadly my guesses as well. I’m not too up on LEDs-for-lighting technology, so tend to extrapolate from low-power LEDs & related power circuitry used in electronics; that extrapolation leads towards those points. Thanks!
I should point out, by the way, the LED lighting being talked about here (under 10W) do not actually get that hot, you can hold one that has been illuminated for hours. It is warm, and you may want to put it down, but it’s nothing like as hot as an incandescent. (For instance, I “fix” the one fixture which can suddenly turn off merely by tapping whichever LED is in it with my bare finger — for unknown-as-of-yet reasons, that reestablishes the connection within the fixture and it lights up again.)
In @335 I was reply to @334, obviously…
Cold air and open sea:
An article (in Finnish) with video and pics. The Gulf of Finland is still mostly ice-free and fairly warm for the season (0 °C to 1 °C near the shore, as much as 2 °C to 3 °C in the middle of the Gulf), but air is -16 °C to -18 °C. This makes the evaporation from the sea condense near surface.
I meant “replying“…!
Ogvorbis:
Indeed.
We are not—yet—doing re-runs of the Thirty Years’ War. Smallpox remains in check. Cannibalism is, afaik, negligible in USAia.
Why, the wars over potable water haven’t even begun!
I know it was in answer to Giliell’s post, but thanks for the translation; I learned to do physics in metric, but in everything else my brain is programmed in English system. :)
I wish we could get a good, new-to-us car; two Saturdays before Christmas, we slid—happily, at low speed!—into a utility pole and crunched up the driver’s-side-front to hell-and-gone. It doesn’t seem to affect the steering, etc….
Also, we experimentally determined that the seat belts work, so there’s that; nothing worse than bruises was had.
--
Giliell:
Hey, what can I say?
He’s got a killer sense of humor.
:D
--
Giliell:
As long as you don’t accidentally take my knees! :)
I would not wish those on a moderately-mortal enemy!
*pause*
Wouldn’t mind palming them off on Mr. Tangerine Man, though….
--
blf @ 335
I’m not that knowledgeable about how they have implemented the LED bulbs nowadays (is there a regulator or just a capacitor for limiting AC current, rectifier, smoothing cap and a small resistor?).
However I think it’s still true that if the junction of the LED is hotter than 80 °C -- 120 °C, the LED is going to degrade and if the energy efficiency is still something like 50 %, a heatsink of some kind is good to have. A point source of heat with a power of 0.5 W to 5 W is going to make things nice and toasty if there’s nowhere for the heat to go.
[singing] “Heeeyyyy, Mister Tangerine Man, kill a dream today…”
Ice Swimmer @337
Heeey, we got warned about the same phenomenon, too! In official media: “Want to go see the sea boil?” along with a nice decent explanation of why that happens. Didn’t see it myself, but the article you post has some impressive pictures.
Here’s some sand and snow wind sculpture to go with that boiling sea.
rq @ 342
The woodgrain pattern is gorgeous. Also, looks like vanilla-coffee ice cream.
I did venture out today and took some pictures, but due to the cold weather, didn’t venture far enough south to catch the sea smoke. I visited Tamminiemi, a presidential residence 1940-81, residence of the former president Kekkonen 1981-86 and museum since 1987. Also bought a Museum Card that gives entry for about 200 museums in Finland for a year and costs about 65 €.
The experience was like visiting somebody else’s (well-to-do but not rich) grandparents’ house without them being home. While 450 m² or 4800 sq.ft. isn’t a tiny house, for a residence of a head of state it’s surprisingly small and the interior is fairly simple and modest looking even though the art and furniture is worth a lot.
After the museum I took some pictures, started feeling cold and took a bus and tram and went to sauna and then home.
Ice Swimmer@340, Yes, I concur. I also have no idea what the power circuity used is; and it would not surprise me if different models / manufacturers / quality use different circuits. As far as the temperature goes, my comments @335 about being able to hold one applied to the unit as a whole including its enclosure (what you see in the blister wrap packaging). Individual component parts, such as the LED(junction), could be, and very probably are, quite hot; at the enclosure (what you hold) the unit, however, is noticeably not-as-hot as the unit / bulb of an incandescent.
On the subject of household LED lamps, most use a little circuit board with a switchmode power supply. These are more efficient than the simple series resistor used in simple DC units but generate loads of RFI which can cause trouble elsewhere in your dwelling. In the failed LED lamps that I’ve dismantled, the switchmode board lives inside of a central plastic tube where it is isolated from the heat sink fins. It also gets hot in there. There was a guy on yoo toob who specialised in dismantling consumer products and he pointed out how poor the electrical isolation was in some of the lamps he dismantled. The aluminium backed circuit board that the LED chips are soldered to had bare millimetres clearance to the screws holding it to the heat sink. The slightest insulation failure would send the heat sink live to mains voltage.
Anyway, LED lamps are evolving at a rapid pace. I remember purchasing my first LED bulb from a specialist electronic retailer at vast cost. The bulb was the size of a walnut, buzzed horribly and failed inside three weeks. So when I’d destroyed yet another pendant bulb on our ceiling with an accidentally waved arm, I bought recessed fittings allegedly suited to CFLs. Well, they don’t like to be confined. Numberless cooked CFLs later I went to second gen LED bulbs.
Those bulbs went quite well considering how much I paid for them but the colour temp was not satisfactory. So I was well pleased when last year some good looking bulbs of 5000K (daylight) colour temp appeared on the market. I even bought a small prism to check their spectrum which was surprisingly complete. Their light spread is more like 270 degrees rather than the 180 degrees of the gen 2 types.
But the final nail in the coffin for the recessed globe fittings was when I spotted on ebay a bulk lot of flat round 5000K lamp fittings where the driver box is entirely separate from the lamp unit itself. At around $100 for a box of 10 I installed 7, gave a one away to a friend and kept 2 for spares. They’re wonderful for all round vision and have been in for 6 months now without problems. How much money am I saving on power? Dunno, but it’s my kind of fun mucking around with lighting.
Heh, I’ve never heard of “recessed fittings allegedly suited to CFLs”. The idea strikes me as odd, as they do get hot — and suggests one reason I’ve had an insignificant number of problems with both CFLs and LEDs — besides waiting for the price to be reasonable (albeit not cheap), time for the bugs to be worked out of the earlier more expensive units — is they have always been installed in fairly open fittings with good air (ventilation). Not deliberately, it’s just sortof worked out that way…
blf, well, live and learn I say. The new LED flat faced fittings are all black finned cast alloy on their backs and shed heat very efficiently. Also they are always instantly at full brightness when switched on, especially nice in winter.
….
Giliell, elsewhere you mentioned a vacuum cleaner you couldn’t get a plug for. Some of those vacuum cleaners had exactly the same appliance plug with round pins as the bare element ceramic electric jugs that were popular around the 50’s and 60’s. I was a collector of those things for a little while, many moons ago. I still have the odd plug or two hanging with its cord off a nail under the stairs. Yes the stores sold out of spare plugs aeons ago. Ebay would be my idea of a place to look for cords for jugs of that era. I also wonder how long it would take to fit a modern IEC socket in place of the original, like a desktop computer socket.
….
Northern hemisphere dwellers: hope the cold is not too insufferable in your area, in South Oz it’s back to over 40C for the next two days. I’m staying home with the blinds half drawn.
It’s cold, but I hauled the parka out of the closet and it makes a huge difference walking around in our wind.
When my CFLs fail, they usually show some charring around the top of the base unit where the glass tubes go through. Heat did them in. CFLs work in enclosures on our stairwell and bathroom. They are not high wattage though but they do put out some heat.
Prior to the experiment, I had four LED bulbs running, two in the sconce above my desk and two in little cans on my bookcase that shine the light off the ceiling. No problems with early death and both have produced steady light. I’m beginning to think that maybe 60 Watt equvalent LED candelabra bulbs may be too much for the bedroom.
Lofty
No, that wasn’t me. The words “Giliell” and “vacuum cleaner” don’t go together well. At least the evil EU has stopped the race to “who builds the cleaner that needs the most energy”.
+++
re: cold
Not too bad here, but we needed to turn the water at the house off. Heating still not complete.
+++
Late Christmas for the kids on the island of Langeoog: Kindereggs and Legos washed ashore after storm.
+++
Near me there’s currently a big police operation. They’re clearing explosives from a house, probably meant for a terrorist attack. You are allowed to guess the ethnicity and political affiliation by the lack of news coverage….
Giliell,sorry about that, that’s what happens when I rely on my faulty memory. A search through Caine’s archives shows it was brucegee1962 with the 1950s vacuum cleaner.
I know that I have problem with my electricity, but there is nothing I can do about it. I had the whole house overhauled, all circuits etc. changed, but that is all I can do. The rest of the problem is that I am at the “End of the line”, and I have therefore fluctuations. That is the property of the infrastructure here and there is nothing Ican do about it.
But the new LEDs that I installed last year hold nice so far, and they are running a lot.
@Giliell
shit, borkquote
@Giliell
White man with self-inflicted lack of hair?
Gilill
Your link is borked. I wanted to see the brave Lego pirates with their stash of Kinderegg prisoners…
Speaking of graphic design, gobi, I looked through your blog and there’s at least two sets of pictures that could just be published as small books of illustrations that tell their own story -- one is the crows and the dragonflies, and the other is the yellow zeppelin. Also want to see more of the giraffe. :) (Also, not so gruff, really -- was expecting worse!)
Sorry, Giliell. Here’s an E. :P
rq
Let’s try again:http://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/Ue-Eier-und-Lego-Sammeln-und-saeubern-auf-Langeoog,inseln212.html
Charly
How did you figure that one out?
Is “Ü-Eier” like u-eggs as in u-boats?
And wow that container is wrecked.
Ü-Eier as in “Überraschungseier” Überraschung = surprise.
Germans have a tendency for shortening compounds to first letter + second noun. Ü-Eier, O-Saft (Orangensaft, orange juice) A-Saft…
Emory University professor (white dude of course) says America’s hypersensitive college culture needs Trump
Yes, we know he won’t. And that’s a good thing according to this asshole?
We all saw how he loves mocking people with disabilities for example.
Wait, is this guy saying Trump rallies provided these tough brave alpha warriors with much needed safe spaces because they couldn’t handle being called out on their bigotry?
Finally. Someone found something useful to do with brown bitter liquid.
cubist:
I’m not sleeping ’cause it seems that we are stuck with you….
--
Ogvorbis
I use it to prevent Morning Keyboard Face, but different (brush)strokes….
;)
--
Would you believe it?
Tonight as I was preparing dinner, the doorbell rang. I was a bit surprised because for once I hadn’t ordered anything on the internet.
“Good evening, I’m collecting signatures for the candidacy of the NPD in the upcoming election”
I closed the door rather rapidly, loudly and without any female delicacy.
I know, I know, it’s now my fault if people vote for them…
+++
Caine
Did you see Urban Threads’ latest collection?
Giliell
I prefer to think of them as little U-eggs, sailing the ocean blue on secret missions. :) (But thanks for the explanation.)
@Caine
Would you be willing to answer some questions about the Heyoka?
Brony:
No. You shouldn’t be discussing Heyoka at all, if that’s what you’re planning. If you’re just curious, read this.
@Giliell, if there is any news article (any at all) about this incident, I would appreciate if you send me the link. I like to point right-wing terrorists to all those refugee haters in refugee-free areas (including, but not limited to, CZ).
Giliell:
Oh my. I have to get the feminist killjoy one.
@Caine
Thank you for that link. They are very inspiring people. I’m more curious but the article mentions a book.
Can I know why I should not discuss the Heyoka? Thanks again either way.
Brony:
Foremost, it’s not your culture. Without the context of culture, you don’t understand the sacred or the ceremony involved. It’s an incredibly white thing to say Heyoka are “very inspiring”. They aren’t there to provide outsiders with inspiration or anything else -- this is an intimate and deep part of Lakota life. A very spiritual part. Wakinyan, what does that mean to you? I know what it means to me, and so much more, but you don’t have the background, y’see?
Oh gods, I don’t want to be rude, but if you’re looking for inspiration, can’t you find something a bit closer to your own culture?
@Caine
I apologize for my insensitivity. I realize the Heyoka are not mine to claim and failed to show that consideration.
I am looking at my culture for inspiration and will stop posting about this. I like the Heyoka and their relationship with thier people and want to avoid any offense.
Then let’s talk about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hawk_(artist).
For some reason, I’ve only ever seen a few of his warrior drawings.
The whole collection is amazing.
https://plainsledgerart.org/plates/view/173
Brony:
It’s not a matter of offense as much as it’s weariness over yet more appropriation. The Heyoka have a profound an multi-faceted meaning and importance among the Lakota oyate. There should also be respect, that respect dictating that the Heyoka not be borrowed in any sense.
Since you’re looking at Heyoka, perhaps you’re just going back to other deep roots, those of tragicomedy. Comedy and Tragedy have ancient, venerable roots, and our relationship to those two faces is ever important. The use of tragicomedy has a lot to do with developing and maintaining empathy, as well stretching our ability for insight and perception. Tragicomedy also pays court to the importance of laughter, of fun, because without those, we lose the ability to cope with the darker sides of reality.
Charly
Here
I think you have an idea where that is. If you’re searching on the Tagesschau homepage you won’t find anything…
Yesterday it was -17 °C at 19:50 (7:50 pm) and -7 °C at 20:40 (8:40 pm) in Helsinki. Of course, the rise in temperature was compensated by more wind. Now it’s snowing, -3 °C and the wind is blowing the snow all over the place.
Sitting Bull and Crazy horse were Heyoka? Damn. I had no idea.
Schools and most work places closed early yesterday and were completely closed today. News channels had constant “WINTER STORM” coverage.
It was 26 F this morning with some snow on trees and rooftops. Roads were clear.
Saad @ 376
Not even any black ice on the roads? (Looks like wet asphalt, but it’s a thin layer of ice and slippery.)
I am very proud of myself: I neither yelled at my father in law nor did I throw things at him. Damn stubborn guy.
Nah, can’t be that a woman with a college degree might know something or at least have an idea or two. Automatically disqualify.* Let’s do it his way and end up in a “painted myself into a corner” situation.
*Last week it was the damn mats you need to put between the old wooden boards and the new tiles. When I said we need them it was bullshit. When the guy from the tiles shop said it it was “yes, of course!”
@Caine
I do not want you to be weary, and I decided I would always consider criticism from you a long time ago. That is not rude to me. That is how you feel and I want to hear about it.
I’ve mentioned the Heyokato be inspirational in writing before and I would be happy to avoid that in the future if you wish. I cannot help what I feel when I read about them, but want to respect how you feel about them. I can’t know what Heyoka are to you, or the Wakinyan and I don’t want to pretend to.
Thank you for the link about Tragedy and Comedy. I have a personal interest in humor and society and will enjoy reading that.
Ice Swimmer,
I’m sure some smaller roads had them but they treated the main roads the night before.
We’re famous for freaking out over a little bit of snow and planning on shutting the city down, especially after the unusually high amount of snow we got in 2014. In the 22 years I’ve lived here, I can only remember like 3 or 4 winters where it was actually risky to drive.
Saad @ 380
A bit fussy administration. Here they clean the streets and roads, if needed, day and night, although a multi-day heavy snowfall may be too much for the capacity of the street/road maintenance system. Salt is used for the car lanes when it’s effective (down to -10 °C), though they tend not to salt too heavily, as there has been concerns over making the groundwater salty, especially in areas where groundwater is used by the water utilities.
Caine, if you have 8 Minutes to spare, I would like to know what you think about the point of this video: -click-
I found myself agreeing with it and at the same time thinking that it is not as simple as that.
It seems that the sculptor discussed in the video has made some appropriately creepy church doors.
Well, those doors are creepy as hell, but they do show that a skill and effort went into doing them. This is why I caught myself thinking “it is not as simple as that”.
Charly:
See the front page, Sunday Facepalm.
Two abortion bills are headed to Kentucky’s asshole Governor Bevin after being passed by Kentucky’s asshole legislature
You know when people complain about doc using language you can’t understand? This is the time to do so intentionally.
Fuck those bastards. Is there also a bill attached that guts school funding and child care support?
Saad
Define “an unusual amount of snow”, I’m curious. (Is that those 3 inches you mentioned before?)
+++
Sooo… what’s the point of it all if the patient can avert their eyes or have the volume turned down? To waste everyone’s time and money?
+++
The Baltic States are officially in northern Europe -- this will take some adjusting, as I’m conditioned to perk my ears at the mention of eastern Europe. Also, can’t call us former Soviet republics anymore, nyah nyah.
In case anyone was wondering.
rq,
Yeah, that’s unusual for us. There were some patches of ice on the more obscure roads and people’s yards had a thin layer of snow on them. My wife went to work as usual at 6 am in the morning and got there just fine. But we had 24/7 coverage of SEVERE WINTER STORM scaring the crap out of people as usual and the grocery stores were swarmed and the bread and milk aisles were cleared out.
rq, #388
It’s so messed up that they want to require the physician to basically force something upon a patient. Why would a doctor show something to a patient which would the patient have to avert their eyes? It’s so fucked up from every angle. The scary part is Bevin will most likely sign it too. The guy’s a bigot of the highest order (this is the governor of the state where brave and valiant Kim Davis stood up for the sanctity of marriage in).
rq,
I forgot to mention: This Friday, the temp is supposed to go up to 70 F (21 C). This morning it is 24 F (-4 C).
The sensitive pro-torture misogynist got his fee fees hurt by Meryl Streep and attacks her on Twitter (of course)
Because that’s presidential.
Saad
That’s quite the leap! Is spring already arriving for you? Or will it just be warm for winter?
(For comparison, I feel the need to mention that we’ve gone from -27 (Saturday) to -2 (today)… same magnitude, different feel. :D)
Well, we got like a whole three inches of snow (and people act like they’ve never seen anything like it) but of course it’s expected to have turned into slush by the time the kids come home from school.
On the bright side we seem to be establishing a reciprocal side walk clearing pattern with the neighbours to be.
rq,
That’s just how weird our weather is here. In a couple of weeks, it’ll be cold again.
I can’t even imagine being in -27. Damn.
The caption for this picture…
Not to be confused with a filmmaker.
Saad
Celsius, not Fahrenheit. Which still comes to something like -16F… Okay, never mind, that still looks pretty cold.
I hope most of the cold comes back (down to -20 is perfectly bearable), because otherwise we lose the track and the ice rink, and it would be nice to get at least a couple weeks’ worth of fun out of the work that went into both. A bit more snow would be nice, too; I would love for some of what fell on Caine to have been redirected our way, but I’ll take whatever else comes along (if there’s any snow left at all).
-27 F and -16 F might as well be the same for me. The lowest I can recall experiencing is like 19 F. =/
But in all honesty, I think I would like to experience temperature and snow like that just to see how it feels.
You’re welcome to visit (January is best for that), but I feel some location in North America might be more accessible to you. Ottawa (Ontario) is nice this time of year, I hear.
Poor tree. I think my parents have a photo of themselves with that tree from their days of youth-before-kids and travelling.
It’s been near-freezing the last week or so (air temperature), and when the Mistral is blowing, sub-freezing (wind chill). Today it’s raining and warmer, but will probably return to the colder weather soon-ish…
At the moment the village is “dead”, that is, few visitors, the yacht crews are mostly home for the holidays, and hence whilst the shops are largely open, many restaurants and bars are shut for well-deserved vacations. At the moment, I’m the only person in the bar (other than a very bored barkeeper), which is unusual — and the (outdoor) market this morning was (semi-)deserted.
So.
I was made an offer at work that requires a major financial sacrifice (I’m talking burnt offerings and possibly blood but no children -- I mean, a pay cut in excess of 60% of my current income) for six months, after which I would be returned to my current level and then some, with additional responsibility and status stuff on top of that. Technically this is something I want, but that I’ve been avoiding for years because of the financial sacrifice, which (unfortunately) amounts to being a Very Big Deal for our family, even though it is only six months. The pay-off, though, would most likely be worth it, plus I’ve received some pretty positive reinforcement and outright expressions of support despite the difficulties from immediate and slightly superior colleagues. Practically, I’ve always said no because of the potential extreme financial security, and that’s pretty much the biggest (well, only) stumbling block for me.
Personally, I want to say ‘yes’, but I currently feel like it would be impossible to follow through because of that financial sacrifice. So maybe I should just do it?
Bad news sorry : http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-10/pioneer-cabin-tree-topples-in-californian-storms/8172072
One thousand years is a good innings but still. Such a loss and still way too soon.
Did anyone else watch and love this old movie (& novel) as a kid?
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170105-why-we-may-be-living-in-the-future-of-the-running-man
Well, I did & there’s some interesting echoes beyond merely the year 2017 as setting as noted in the BBC World news link there.
Also a powerful new Australian protest song and its context here :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-10/the-cat-empire-member-new-song-about-ms-dhu-death-in-custody/8172040
One of all too many cases here.
A musical blast -emphasis on blast -- from the past. If only it weren’t still so relevant right now. Great old album from the ’90’s (?) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Wt-Q5Q_gk
‘Political Prisoners’ song from Insurge’s “Power to the Poison people” album an old Aussie band from the 1990’s (?) -rest (?) of that album can be found on youtube too I think -- quite a lot of it for sure anyhow (WARNIG : SWEARING. Confronting.)
@rq
If you cannot decide, try to flip a coin. If you then feel compelled to toss it again, then do the opposite, if not, the coin has decided for you.
I have used this to uncover what I want at subconscious level.
(I am not saying it works perfectly).
From The Man Who Has It All, one of the better pages on Facebook.
Drop-and-post; sorry, am seriously behind on stuff-and-shit:
ICWA: Supreme Court Denies Hearing in Lexi Case:
Six-year-old Choctaw tribal member will remain with family in Utah
https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/culture/social-issues/icwa-supreme-court-denies-hearing-lexi-case/
:)
--
A bill decriminalizing domestic violence clears the first stage in Russian parliament
And the MP who proposed the bill is a woman and chair of the committee on women’s affairs.
“Battery within families”
Fuck.
In a sad note, the Redhead died yesterday after a brief illness. We met in junior high, dated through high school and college, and got married when I was in graduate school. We were married for 43.6 years. She will be missed.
Oh, Nerd, I am so sorry. You have my love and sympathy.
Nerd, very sorry to hear the sad news. You two must have so many great memories together.
Nerd
I’m so sorry. You have my deepest sympathies. You always sounded like the couple I’d like us to be in 30 years.
Saad
Ah but remember Russia isn’t actually that bad! Get along!
+++
Nerd
My deepest sympathies to you. :( ♥ ):
Nerd, I am very fortunate to have no idea what that must be like. My thoughts are with you & anything I can send by USB you can consider to be on its way.
Nerd of Redhead:
Oh Nerd, I am so sorry. So very sorry. All the love you shared will carry you through the grief.
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says @ #409:
Oh Nerd. I’m so so so so sorry. Your time together will forever be remembered.
Thanks everybody for their support.
One bit of the Redhead’s forcing an issue is working for me now. We bought burial plots 10-15 years ago, along with a prepaid funeral plan (I forgot the latter). Still some costs, but FFFAAARRRR less than if she hadn’t pushed the issue at that time. I know, as I stopped by their competitor up the road from from the cemetery first.
It worked both ways, as my shoving as much money into the 401ks (which she griped about) that would be matched by the employer worked out well when I retired.
Unless Drumpf and the rethugs trash the economy and cause rampant inflation, of course.
Nerd, I’m glad to hear you won’t be facing undue cost. I hope you have support at home, as well as online.
Shit, my condolences Nerd. Virtual hugs if you want’m.
I never replied directly to you before, Nerd of Redhead, but always red your comments. I’m so sorry to hear of your sad news.