Breakdown of categories:
Seinfeld posts....3
Politics...............12
People...............5
How to..............8
Current events...4
About the blog...3
Okay, that's enough. It was about politics this week. The election is coming up.
The highlights of the week, with the first of the two making the "best of" list already:
Rage about Ebola, not panic says Ann Coulter
School Filing ‘Racial Discrimination’ Against
Here's a list of "Best of" posts that I found:
Obama:'We're Still Trying to Recover;' NBER
ELVIS PRESLEY - Blue Suede Shoes
Evening wrap 5/19 ( this one was the first one about Thorium )
Al Fin: "Cowboy Commentary", aka "Eat your veggies" The Flag banner is posted in order to defy those who would make patriotic symbols illegal or disreputable.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
WordPress.com
Bentonite-water filtration lab 2
This is going into the new series that is a spinoff from the off-the-grid series. It is about digging post holes and the first post is here. The previous post here. The next post will be here when I add it.
The current lab, which is written about in this post, partly involves making bricks out of bentonite and sand. The first test used the sand I got originally for the water filtration test. It didn't drain well, so I bought another batch of sand, which is free of clay. The water filtration went well with this batch of sand. That's the sand I'll be using on this attempt.
I used the same amount of sand/bentonite mix, which is 6 parts sand, and 1 part bentonite. The procedure I used was to place the six parts sand into a pan and slowly add water. It turned out that 6 ounces of water turned the sand into a slurry. To that I added the bentonite, or should I say, I added the slurry to the bentonite. I worked the slurry/bentonite mix as long as I could with a plastic spoon, but it became too unmanageable, so I used my hands. This time, I was wearing gloves, which simplified the cleanup.
After working the mixture for awhile, I noticed that it was getting pretty thick, so I poured it into its mold. The mold is the lower half of a 2 liter Dr. Pepper bottle. It seems to want to have a lot of voids, so I worked it carefully so that the voids were filled in.
I put the mold into the sun on the balcony. The last one is still there and it is still drying. As I mentioned, not too good of a result.
Cleanup went a lot easier. I used about 10 ounces of water to clean up the pans. I collected the water and will try filtering it again. It is very bad water at this point. It is not expected to be worthwhile to get the water completely clean. So, I'll go easy on the water filtration part of the lab.
It may well be useful to go over the objectives for this lab:
Update:
Cleanup yielded about a cupcake's worth of sand/bentonite. The mixture is going to dry slowly, if indications hold up. It doesn't look like I mentioned above that I added 4 ounces of water along with the 6 ounces that got the sand to form a slurry. The extra 4 ounces were added after the slurry and bentonite were mixed together. The reason it may take a long time to dry is that it may have been just a little too much water after the bentonite was added. Instead of 4, maybe 3 1/2 ounces.
No water could be saved from the cleanup. That's 10 ounces for the cleanup, and 10 ounces for the mixture.
Other than that, everything looks good.
A bit off topic: I checked out the PVC page and that pipe is going to cost more than I thought. It may be worthwhile to think that one over just a bit.
Next
The current lab, which is written about in this post, partly involves making bricks out of bentonite and sand. The first test used the sand I got originally for the water filtration test. It didn't drain well, so I bought another batch of sand, which is free of clay. The water filtration went well with this batch of sand. That's the sand I'll be using on this attempt.
I used the same amount of sand/bentonite mix, which is 6 parts sand, and 1 part bentonite. The procedure I used was to place the six parts sand into a pan and slowly add water. It turned out that 6 ounces of water turned the sand into a slurry. To that I added the bentonite, or should I say, I added the slurry to the bentonite. I worked the slurry/bentonite mix as long as I could with a plastic spoon, but it became too unmanageable, so I used my hands. This time, I was wearing gloves, which simplified the cleanup.
After working the mixture for awhile, I noticed that it was getting pretty thick, so I poured it into its mold. The mold is the lower half of a 2 liter Dr. Pepper bottle. It seems to want to have a lot of voids, so I worked it carefully so that the voids were filled in.
I put the mold into the sun on the balcony. The last one is still there and it is still drying. As I mentioned, not too good of a result.
Cleanup went a lot easier. I used about 10 ounces of water to clean up the pans. I collected the water and will try filtering it again. It is very bad water at this point. It is not expected to be worthwhile to get the water completely clean. So, I'll go easy on the water filtration part of the lab.
It may well be useful to go over the objectives for this lab:
- Learn how to make adobe bricks
- Find out how the drill responds to different types of these bricks
- Learn something about how to recycle the materials---such as water, sand, and bentonite
- Use those findings in helping me make my post holes at da ranch.
Update:
Cleanup yielded about a cupcake's worth of sand/bentonite. The mixture is going to dry slowly, if indications hold up. It doesn't look like I mentioned above that I added 4 ounces of water along with the 6 ounces that got the sand to form a slurry. The extra 4 ounces were added after the slurry and bentonite were mixed together. The reason it may take a long time to dry is that it may have been just a little too much water after the bentonite was added. Instead of 4, maybe 3 1/2 ounces.
No water could be saved from the cleanup. That's 10 ounces for the cleanup, and 10 ounces for the mixture.
Other than that, everything looks good.
A bit off topic: I checked out the PVC page and that pipe is going to cost more than I thought. It may be worthwhile to think that one over just a bit.
Rage about Ebola, not panic says Ann Coulter
Rage
Ebola is a lot more dangerous than any of the fears whipped up by liberals. Peter Piot, the Flemish scientist who discovered Ebola in 1976, recently told the British Guardian:Hey, if that guy says it's dangerous, ought we be a little concerned? Not so, say liberals. That's why they need to be shown the door on Tuesday. Be sure to vote.
"I always thought that Ebola, in comparison to AIDS or malaria, didn't present much of a problem because the outbreaks were always brief and local. Around June it became clear to me that there was something fundamentally different about this outbreak. ... We Flemish tend to be rather unemotional, but it was at that point that I began to get really worried."
Day of experimentation
Seems like I'm learning things every day.
This morning, I'm learning about water filtration. The thing that is new, and not so new, is how clay screws it all up. Get some clay in that water and getting it out again is a real pain in the neck.
For example, I recovered most of my sand from one of my filtration devices. But that sand now contains some of the clay that I used in making the bricks from Bentonite. I wanted to see if I could recover water used in the cleanup, so I conducted the filtration on that water. The water fouled up the filtration, even with only a little bit of Bentonite in it. So, I still managed to get relatively clean water out of it, and I decided once again to run it through my remaining uncontaminated filter. It isn't working as well as it should, as the water is still cloudy.
Conclusion? If there's any clay at all in a water sample, getting it clean is going to be a bitch.
But I do have some water that may be of use somewhere, perhaps irrigation.
The sand is now recovered, so the new Bentonite test can take place, but that will have to wait until later, as I have to run a chore.
This morning, I'm learning about water filtration. The thing that is new, and not so new, is how clay screws it all up. Get some clay in that water and getting it out again is a real pain in the neck.
For example, I recovered most of my sand from one of my filtration devices. But that sand now contains some of the clay that I used in making the bricks from Bentonite. I wanted to see if I could recover water used in the cleanup, so I conducted the filtration on that water. The water fouled up the filtration, even with only a little bit of Bentonite in it. So, I still managed to get relatively clean water out of it, and I decided once again to run it through my remaining uncontaminated filter. It isn't working as well as it should, as the water is still cloudy.
Conclusion? If there's any clay at all in a water sample, getting it clean is going to be a bitch.
But I do have some water that may be of use somewhere, perhaps irrigation.
The sand is now recovered, so the new Bentonite test can take place, but that will have to wait until later, as I have to run a chore.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Home again 10/31/14
It's Halloween and it's an opportunity to have a party. Like Yakov Smirnov always said "what a country".
It used to be a kid's thing, but the grownups are in on it nowadays. Perhaps it has always been so, but if not, it is definitely that way now. Kids used to go out "trick or treating". Perhaps they still do, but only with those people they know. After a few incidents with the candy, the kids stopped as far as I can tell.
When I was a kid, the grownups would like to give the kids some candy when they knocked on the door and said "trick or treat". There were a few that didn't, but we never gave it a thought.
I think the last trick or treat night I took part in was when I was about 10.
Somebody out on the job asked me if I saw anybody in Halloween costumes. A few. Actually, not that many. One of them was quite sexy, but I don't think I'll mention that now.
Here's a post I merged in with this one. It is a short one with a Halloween theme:
Well, this post isn't about Halloween, but it started that way. It is actually the weekend, and it's time to do those weekend things I do when there's time to do it. Once I got home, I got a bit curious about one of my water filters, so I took it apart. Taking it apart gave me some idea of what I might face when I get out there on da ranch and do some post hole digging. When sand gets packed tightly enough, it's really hard to make headway in it. We'll see how the drill does.
As for the drill, it needs power, so I ordered a generator today. It will arrive next week. I'm still waiting for all of my drill bits to arrive. All but one piece is here now. The generator and these pieces cost money, drat it. I'm trying to avoid that, but there's no avoiding it.
Today, I got some free gloves. I mentioned some gloves that I saw at one of my stops, and he said take some. That was nice of him. These gloves will keep my hands clean while I mess with the sand and Bentonite.
The idea was to drill into the "bricks" I am making with the Bentonite. But that's not working out too well. Cleaning out the filter is telling me something, though.
I haven't figured out exactly how I am going to make the posts when I get to "da ranch". That is, after the holes are dug. I want to put a PVC pipe down the hole, and then cement around it. Another PVC pipe will fit into this ( on the outside of it) so as to be about 7 feet tall. I will make an elbow joint there, and connect it to the next post with a "T" piece that runs between the two posts, which should be about 8 feet apart. The last post will have an elbow joint just like the first. Thus, there will be three posts connected together, and standing about 7 feet tall. There will be another set of 3 posts about 8 feet away from these, giving 2 lines of 3 posts each. The only permanent pieces are the ones that are cemented into place. The large pieces will be assembled and disassembled on each trip out to da ranch. In other words, it will be a portable canopy. To complete the canopy, tarps will be placed on top of the connected posts. The tarps will be staked down for stability.
The point is that I don't know how much cement I want to use in the posts. Or if I want to use rebar in order to make it stronger. Will the PVC be strong enough if there's strong winds as they sometimes get out there? That's what I was thinking about with regard to these post holes.
All of this will be completed ( I hope ) when I make my next trip to da ranch in late November.
Next
It used to be a kid's thing, but the grownups are in on it nowadays. Perhaps it has always been so, but if not, it is definitely that way now. Kids used to go out "trick or treating". Perhaps they still do, but only with those people they know. After a few incidents with the candy, the kids stopped as far as I can tell.
When I was a kid, the grownups would like to give the kids some candy when they knocked on the door and said "trick or treat". There were a few that didn't, but we never gave it a thought.
I think the last trick or treat night I took part in was when I was about 10.
Somebody out on the job asked me if I saw anybody in Halloween costumes. A few. Actually, not that many. One of them was quite sexy, but I don't think I'll mention that now.
Here's a post I merged in with this one. It is a short one with a Halloween theme:
Using da coffin at da ranch.
Da coffin will be a box with a bed inside. The box will be small so as to require as little energy as possible to keep it warm in the winter. Or cool in the summer.
Not to be confused with Dracula, or anything.
Well, this post isn't about Halloween, but it started that way. It is actually the weekend, and it's time to do those weekend things I do when there's time to do it. Once I got home, I got a bit curious about one of my water filters, so I took it apart. Taking it apart gave me some idea of what I might face when I get out there on da ranch and do some post hole digging. When sand gets packed tightly enough, it's really hard to make headway in it. We'll see how the drill does.
As for the drill, it needs power, so I ordered a generator today. It will arrive next week. I'm still waiting for all of my drill bits to arrive. All but one piece is here now. The generator and these pieces cost money, drat it. I'm trying to avoid that, but there's no avoiding it.
Today, I got some free gloves. I mentioned some gloves that I saw at one of my stops, and he said take some. That was nice of him. These gloves will keep my hands clean while I mess with the sand and Bentonite.
The idea was to drill into the "bricks" I am making with the Bentonite. But that's not working out too well. Cleaning out the filter is telling me something, though.
I haven't figured out exactly how I am going to make the posts when I get to "da ranch". That is, after the holes are dug. I want to put a PVC pipe down the hole, and then cement around it. Another PVC pipe will fit into this ( on the outside of it) so as to be about 7 feet tall. I will make an elbow joint there, and connect it to the next post with a "T" piece that runs between the two posts, which should be about 8 feet apart. The last post will have an elbow joint just like the first. Thus, there will be three posts connected together, and standing about 7 feet tall. There will be another set of 3 posts about 8 feet away from these, giving 2 lines of 3 posts each. The only permanent pieces are the ones that are cemented into place. The large pieces will be assembled and disassembled on each trip out to da ranch. In other words, it will be a portable canopy. To complete the canopy, tarps will be placed on top of the connected posts. The tarps will be staked down for stability.
The point is that I don't know how much cement I want to use in the posts. Or if I want to use rebar in order to make it stronger. Will the PVC be strong enough if there's strong winds as they sometimes get out there? That's what I was thinking about with regard to these post holes.
All of this will be completed ( I hope ) when I make my next trip to da ranch in late November.
Next
Ted Cruz and The Speech
http://m.nationalreview.com/article/391253/time-people-choose-ted-cruz
He's no Reagan, but he could do.
He's no Reagan, but he could do.
What's on the agenda this weekend?
A reminder to read this stuff from Al Fin
Some links obtained from that post:
Cash crops which include bananas I'm interested in cash crops cause I'm gonna need some cash.
Al Fin has some interesting posts. This is a reminder to check it out.
Plus, I will continue to work on the Bentonite lab and water filtration.
Some links obtained from that post:
Cash crops which include bananas I'm interested in cash crops cause I'm gonna need some cash.
Al Fin has some interesting posts. This is a reminder to check it out.
Plus, I will continue to work on the Bentonite lab and water filtration.
Ace: CDC: FYI, Ebola Can Be Transmitted Through Droplets In the Air
wha???
Perhaps you can call it a government on the way out. Hopefully on Tuesday.
CDC has been deliberately misrepresenting the transmission pathway of ebola by stating, over and over and over again, that it was not an "airborne" pathogen.- AceWhat do you call a government that puts you at risk and then lies about it?
Perhaps you can call it a government on the way out. Hopefully on Tuesday.
School Filing ‘Racial Discrimination’ Against Students Who Refuse Muslim Education
School Filing ‘Racial Discrimination’ Against Students Who Refuse Muslim Education
comment:
What is f*@#?!?
What the hell kind of crap are they teaching kids these days? No prayer in school, but okay to prosletyze Islam. It ought to be a case for the Supreme Court, but don't bet on it.
Update:
Looks like the school is in the UK. Oops.
comment:
What is f*@#?!?
What the hell kind of crap are they teaching kids these days? No prayer in school, but okay to prosletyze Islam. It ought to be a case for the Supreme Court, but don't bet on it.
Update:
Looks like the school is in the UK. Oops.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Bentonite experiment update
This didn't work out too well. As mentioned in an earlier post, the main piece cracked badly, which indicated too much clay. The other two pieces are too small to be useful for further experimentation. I did play around with the bigger of those two pieces just before writing this. It did have the feeling of clay. Some of it has hardened pretty much, but it is still wet. I think I used too much water. Unfortunately, I didn't keep close track of the water added. I'm thinking maybe 20 ounces, perhaps less. The mixture started out too dry in my opinion, but changed dramatically to being too wet. There may be a trick to mixing up this stuff.
I did keep close track of the sand added plus the Bentonite. Relatively close, I should say. Sloppy lab procedures again.
Just four weeks from today, I could be out there again. The time is passing rather quickly, and I get the feeling I won't be ready, drat it.
I did keep close track of the sand added plus the Bentonite. Relatively close, I should say. Sloppy lab procedures again.
Just four weeks from today, I could be out there again. The time is passing rather quickly, and I get the feeling I won't be ready, drat it.
Dick Morris: Suddenly Hillary Turns Anti-Wall Street
This one was sharply edited because of the copyright notice. Only the first paragraph was included. Worth a read, just follow the link
You have received this DickMorrisReports e-mail because you subscribed to it at DickMorris.com, signed one of our petitions, or someone forwarded it to you. To opt out, see the links below.
|
 |
He that has the heart to help has earned the right to criticize
If I am not mistaken, that was from Abraham Lincoln.
I think I have earned that right. Anybody who complains about the blog has not earned the right to criticize it.
You can leave if you wish. The refund check is in the mail.
I think I have earned that right. Anybody who complains about the blog has not earned the right to criticize it.
You can leave if you wish. The refund check is in the mail.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Will Start Reusing Launch Vehicles Next Year
Cutting Costs | MIT Technology Review
Actually, if you were to reduce the mass that needs to be lifted, and then transported, you'll save more. Thus, this milestone is just the beginning of what could be done. People will look at the numbers, get discouraged, and say we should quit. That'd be a mistake.
Musk said he hopes to eventually send rockets to Mars (see “The Deferred Dreams of Mars”). But he admitted that the cost of space travel needs to come down by a factor of about 10,000If he is successful with his reusable rockets, the cost will have gone down by a factor of 10. Only a thousand more to go!
Actually, if you were to reduce the mass that needs to be lifted, and then transported, you'll save more. Thus, this milestone is just the beginning of what could be done. People will look at the numbers, get discouraged, and say we should quit. That'd be a mistake.
Groaning and a moaning
What a title to a post, huh? There's so little time. That's one thing I'm a moaning about constantly. Yesterday, I got a call for a delivery at about the time for going home. There wasn't any way out of it, I had to go clear across town at the worst possible hour. By the time I got home, anything that I had planned just got deep sixed.
No friggin' time.
So, I'll just do a free form post about things in general for the rest of this post. There's not time to organize myself and try to make something coherent.
One thing I'm noticing while driving around town is all of the construction. We may have a construction boom going on in this town. Hard to believe how much this town has grown and is still growing. There's a spot I went to that I just mentioned above --- it was in the boonies in the nineties. Now it is completely built up. Insane growth. I'm all for growth, but I hate the rat race aspect of it.
I have so little time, that my posting suffers and my stats suffer. Sometimes I think, who the f**k cares? If these people are so anxious to read my stuff, then why didn't they support me when I did it full time? I don't have to spend so much time working and making money because nothing comes in from this blog. Nothing. Ever. If I don't post something every day, they won't even come here.
As long as I was out, I stopped by a car lot where there was a vehicle that was up for sale. I thought I might convert it to an RV. It was a lot nicer than I thought, and they wanted too much for it. So much for that idea.
I have a lot of ideas that don't seem to work. Yet another one was to raise chinchillas. The problem with any idea that might work is that a lot of people already have that idea! Raising chinchillas seems like it ought to pay pretty good, but a little investigation shows that it doesn't really. I'm suspecting a rigged game. A chinchilla coat could go for $50k, but one lousy pelt goes for 20 bucks!?! Sure, it takes a lot of pelts to make a coat, but not that many. Something ain't adding up, ya'll.
I see that the butch dyke mayor has backtracked a little. Maybe it's time for the GOP, but don't expect too much. They are just as much to blame for this crap as the Democrats. When I say crap, I don't necessarily mean that the GOP supports the butch dyke crowd. No, they support some other crowd that is trying to screw you out of something. You see, that's what it is all about today. Somebody wants to screw you, so changing places and changing names doesn't make any difference. They'll all screw you in one way or another anyway.
Barnhardt has a post up about the patron saint of lost causes. Uh, she must be reading my mind.
No friggin' time.
So, I'll just do a free form post about things in general for the rest of this post. There's not time to organize myself and try to make something coherent.
One thing I'm noticing while driving around town is all of the construction. We may have a construction boom going on in this town. Hard to believe how much this town has grown and is still growing. There's a spot I went to that I just mentioned above --- it was in the boonies in the nineties. Now it is completely built up. Insane growth. I'm all for growth, but I hate the rat race aspect of it.
I have so little time, that my posting suffers and my stats suffer. Sometimes I think, who the f**k cares? If these people are so anxious to read my stuff, then why didn't they support me when I did it full time? I don't have to spend so much time working and making money because nothing comes in from this blog. Nothing. Ever. If I don't post something every day, they won't even come here.
As long as I was out, I stopped by a car lot where there was a vehicle that was up for sale. I thought I might convert it to an RV. It was a lot nicer than I thought, and they wanted too much for it. So much for that idea.
I have a lot of ideas that don't seem to work. Yet another one was to raise chinchillas. The problem with any idea that might work is that a lot of people already have that idea! Raising chinchillas seems like it ought to pay pretty good, but a little investigation shows that it doesn't really. I'm suspecting a rigged game. A chinchilla coat could go for $50k, but one lousy pelt goes for 20 bucks!?! Sure, it takes a lot of pelts to make a coat, but not that many. Something ain't adding up, ya'll.
I see that the butch dyke mayor has backtracked a little. Maybe it's time for the GOP, but don't expect too much. They are just as much to blame for this crap as the Democrats. When I say crap, I don't necessarily mean that the GOP supports the butch dyke crowd. No, they support some other crowd that is trying to screw you out of something. You see, that's what it is all about today. Somebody wants to screw you, so changing places and changing names doesn't make any difference. They'll all screw you in one way or another anyway.
Barnhardt has a post up about the patron saint of lost causes. Uh, she must be reading my mind.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
After Ferguson, 'Dear White People' Arrives Right On Time
Free Republic
They've got a howler in that article:
How do you get a black man in the white house, when blacks are about 13-15% of the population? How can such a thing happen? If a white man became president in a country where they represented such a minority of such a size, there'd be a howl of protest for the disparity and the obvious "racism".
We have a racial spoils system that is inherently racist. The people who benefit from it are black people themselves, but there's also a social cost. For these people do not truly advance the black people's cause as a whole, but advances but a small portion of them. The rest are being exploited to benefit a few. That's how I see it.
I get the impression that the left really doesn't want the black people to be well educated. They need an underclass for political agitation. I'd even say they want black people to underachieve so that they can point at it as an example of "white privilege".
Blaming some outside force for your problems does nothing to help you solve yours.
They've got a howler in that article:
But the most important moment in the film is when Samantha White, defines racism: “Black people can’t be racist, she says. “Prejudiced, yes, but not racist. Racism describes a systemic advantage based on race. Black people can’t be racists since we don’t stand to benefit from such a system.” --- prospect dot org
How do you get a black man in the white house, when blacks are about 13-15% of the population? How can such a thing happen? If a white man became president in a country where they represented such a minority of such a size, there'd be a howl of protest for the disparity and the obvious "racism".
We have a racial spoils system that is inherently racist. The people who benefit from it are black people themselves, but there's also a social cost. For these people do not truly advance the black people's cause as a whole, but advances but a small portion of them. The rest are being exploited to benefit a few. That's how I see it.
I get the impression that the left really doesn't want the black people to be well educated. They need an underclass for political agitation. I'd even say they want black people to underachieve so that they can point at it as an example of "white privilege".
Blaming some outside force for your problems does nothing to help you solve yours.
Released Ebola Nurse Kaci Hickox Works For CDC…Her Lawyer Is A White House Visitor
Free Republic
comment:
Her rights supercede the public interest, eh? So, if she gets Ebola, she has the right to spread it around?
You know, I get the strong impression that the Democrat party is a nest of corruption. But you'll never know about it because it is all kept pretty hush, hush.
Hickox was released from Ebola quarantine in Newark, N.J., Monday afternoon after the White House pressured New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to release the nurse that was working in Sierra Leone with Doctors Without Borders.
comment:
Her rights supercede the public interest, eh? So, if she gets Ebola, she has the right to spread it around?
You know, I get the strong impression that the Democrat party is a nest of corruption. But you'll never know about it because it is all kept pretty hush, hush.
Sheryl Attkisson: CBS Honchos Ordered Me to Present a False Account of Obama's Words on Whether Benghazi Was a Terrorist Attack
Ace
This is the news media that people say that they trust. The fact of the matter is that they are a bunch of liars.
It may seem like whining, and to me, it has indeed seemed like whining, but to complain about the media is hardly enough. They should be rather loudly denounced as the liars that they are.
This is the news media that people say that they trust. The fact of the matter is that they are a bunch of liars.
Turns out that Steve Kroft had conducted a “60 Minutes” interview with Obama the day after the attack, portions of which had never aired. When Attkisson did a story on the flap, her CBS bosses instructed her to use a particular script and a particular sound bite that seemed to back up the president’s version. [ emphasis added ]
It may seem like whining, and to me, it has indeed seemed like whining, but to complain about the media is hardly enough. They should be rather loudly denounced as the liars that they are.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Tiny houses save Orlando owners money
clickorlando
Tiny houses are making a splash. What the hay.
Update:
That post is way too sparse. Okay, I'll write something else. I checked my Bentonite bricks and they are drying up slowly. One of them cracked badly, which is a possible indication of too much clay. Hmm. Didn't use but 1 part in 7. That must mean a significant amount of clay was already in that "sand". That also is confirmed by the drill test I did, in which I made a perfectly round hole in it and it didn't break apart as the soil sample did. This tells me that the clay content was quite significant, even more clay than the soil sample, perhaps BY FAR.
Also, just checked out some generators and found one on Amazon (Sportsman GEN2000LP Review) that got a lot of bad reviews. Needless to say, I won't be buying that one. There's a Honda generator that I'm considering, but it costs a thousand bucks. Lotsa money that!
Tiny houses are making a splash. What the hay.
Update:
That post is way too sparse. Okay, I'll write something else. I checked my Bentonite bricks and they are drying up slowly. One of them cracked badly, which is a possible indication of too much clay. Hmm. Didn't use but 1 part in 7. That must mean a significant amount of clay was already in that "sand". That also is confirmed by the drill test I did, in which I made a perfectly round hole in it and it didn't break apart as the soil sample did. This tells me that the clay content was quite significant, even more clay than the soil sample, perhaps BY FAR.
Also, just checked out some generators and found one on Amazon (Sportsman GEN2000LP Review) that got a lot of bad reviews. Needless to say, I won't be buying that one. There's a Honda generator that I'm considering, but it costs a thousand bucks. Lotsa money that!
The GOP has a message, they may have the guy, but will they make the pitch?
The message is that "We deserve better"
The guy could be Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who has delivered good government.
The pitch should be "we can do better than this", and the above is why. Will they make the pitch, or will they dissolve into quarrelsome ineptitude, which seems to be their default mode.
The guy could be Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who has delivered good government.
The pitch should be "we can do better than this", and the above is why. Will they make the pitch, or will they dissolve into quarrelsome ineptitude, which seems to be their default mode.
Prepare for Scott Walker 2016; If He Wins Re-election, He's Our Man
Free Republic American Spectator
There's a problem here. If he's your man, why aren't you helping him more now? They are leaving him out on the vine by himself. Pretty easy for the Democrats to cut him off.
I was a bit wrong on my last post. Personalities will get you into the front door. But you have to take it from there yourself. If Walker has a problem, he can't rally enough people to him. If he is really the guy, he wouldn't be struggling the way he is.
If there's a problem with conservatives, it is their nature to leave their own dangling at the end of a rope that the Democrats make for them.
There's a problem here. If he's your man, why aren't you helping him more now? They are leaving him out on the vine by himself. Pretty easy for the Democrats to cut him off.
I was a bit wrong on my last post. Personalities will get you into the front door. But you have to take it from there yourself. If Walker has a problem, he can't rally enough people to him. If he is really the guy, he wouldn't be struggling the way he is.
If there's a problem with conservatives, it is their nature to leave their own dangling at the end of a rope that the Democrats make for them.
Does the GOP really understand Reagan's success?
Where's my Reagan? That's a question that you may hear from time to time.
My opinion has been that the GOP really doesn't understand Reagan's success. For if they did, they could repeat it, and wouldn't have to ask where he is. It seems to me that the country was foundering before he was president and is foundering again after he left. The GOP is in search of what they can't perceive, and as such, seemingly unable to put that successful formula back together again.
Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of "The Speech" that is said to have launched Reagan's career. In that speech, I believe that there's a key to understanding what's wrong with our politics today. Reagan said:
Reagan was non-ideological, yet conservative man. How can that be? Well, to me, it is the only way to be. You don't get conservatism through ideology. In fact, ideology can be said to be un-American, if you were to define America by its constitution. For the constitution blocks ideological approaches. For those relying upon ideology, the constitution is a barrier to their dreams. With its checks and balances, it is a clear statement against the ambitions of politicians. You just can't trust them. Reagan knew that. He pointed out that a leading politician of that time no longer trusted the constitution. It sounds a lot like certain politicians today.
The thing that the GOP relies upon too much is money. Money isn't wealth, it is a proxy for wealth. If true wealth is squandered, the money is no good. Therefore, money isn't going make good governance. It may make a difference in an election, though. Thus, to the politicians, it is all about the next election, and not about governing. It is said that 70% of the people are angry about the direction of the country. If there's one thing that the politicians should be thinking about it is that. But their attention is upon the wrong thing, their attention is upon getting campaign donations and what the latest polls say. People are angry because they don't see improvements. People expect improvements, the kind of thing you get with good governance. It's about governing, not about winning elections.
The irony is that if the GOP focused on governing, they might win this next election hands down. Good government is about solving problems. Their problem is not with finding the best personality, their problem is in how to best govern their country. They're not offering an alternative when the public would consider one. Instead of offering one, it all seems to be about political personalities and polls. Reagan wasn't successful because of his personality. Reagan was successful because he governed effectively. Reagan's problem was to revive the economy and tame the Soviet Union. He did this successfully, and he won big. Repeat that pattern of good governance and you've got a formula that will win again and again.
My opinion has been that the GOP really doesn't understand Reagan's success. For if they did, they could repeat it, and wouldn't have to ask where he is. It seems to me that the country was foundering before he was president and is foundering again after he left. The GOP is in search of what they can't perceive, and as such, seemingly unable to put that successful formula back together again.
Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of "The Speech" that is said to have launched Reagan's career. In that speech, I believe that there's a key to understanding what's wrong with our politics today. Reagan said:
“You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I'd like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There's only an up or down.”
Reagan was non-ideological, yet conservative man. How can that be? Well, to me, it is the only way to be. You don't get conservatism through ideology. In fact, ideology can be said to be un-American, if you were to define America by its constitution. For the constitution blocks ideological approaches. For those relying upon ideology, the constitution is a barrier to their dreams. With its checks and balances, it is a clear statement against the ambitions of politicians. You just can't trust them. Reagan knew that. He pointed out that a leading politician of that time no longer trusted the constitution. It sounds a lot like certain politicians today.
The thing that the GOP relies upon too much is money. Money isn't wealth, it is a proxy for wealth. If true wealth is squandered, the money is no good. Therefore, money isn't going make good governance. It may make a difference in an election, though. Thus, to the politicians, it is all about the next election, and not about governing. It is said that 70% of the people are angry about the direction of the country. If there's one thing that the politicians should be thinking about it is that. But their attention is upon the wrong thing, their attention is upon getting campaign donations and what the latest polls say. People are angry because they don't see improvements. People expect improvements, the kind of thing you get with good governance. It's about governing, not about winning elections.
The irony is that if the GOP focused on governing, they might win this next election hands down. Good government is about solving problems. Their problem is not with finding the best personality, their problem is in how to best govern their country. They're not offering an alternative when the public would consider one. Instead of offering one, it all seems to be about political personalities and polls. Reagan wasn't successful because of his personality. Reagan was successful because he governed effectively. Reagan's problem was to revive the economy and tame the Soviet Union. He did this successfully, and he won big. Repeat that pattern of good governance and you've got a formula that will win again and again.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Houston’s Lesbian Mayor And Why Joel Osteen Won’t Preach Against Homosexuality (VIDEO)
One of those wtf type things: How the hell do we in Houston end up with a Lesbian mayor?
Because it is being accepted as "normal" and "acceptable" behavior.
This video discusses some of what Jesus was alleged to have said, and it wasn't about homosexuality, it is claimed. Whoa. Jesus had plenty to say about sex outside of marriage and it was definitely declared as a sin. Is this movement towards same sex marriage a way to get homosexuals accepted as being as free from sin as a married heterosexual couple? There's plenty wrong with what these people are saying. That Osteen doesn't correct it should be a source of concern. America's pastor? Uh, oh!
Update:
Something struck me just now. These people seemed to be shocked that homosexuals should be considered as sinners. Well, my impression, and it may be wrong, is that everybody is a sinner. The premise here is that liberals must think that they are free of sin---since they are so shocked about calling homosexuals sinners. Really??? Shocked??? Hey, I'll take that a bit further. Show me a liberal that confesses that he / she is a sinner, and I'll show you somebody who isn't a liberal. The two are almost ( I say almost, because I'm not sure ) mutually exclusive. How about Jimmy Carter? He had that Playboy interview in which he confessed to having sinned in his heart because of lust ( with respect to women ). Now, is Jimmy Carter a liberal? If he says that he is in favor of same-sex marriage, then his insincerity is evident, and therefore he is a liberal. But if he is true to his prior form, he would come out against same sex marriage.
Because it is being accepted as "normal" and "acceptable" behavior.
This video discusses some of what Jesus was alleged to have said, and it wasn't about homosexuality, it is claimed. Whoa. Jesus had plenty to say about sex outside of marriage and it was definitely declared as a sin. Is this movement towards same sex marriage a way to get homosexuals accepted as being as free from sin as a married heterosexual couple? There's plenty wrong with what these people are saying. That Osteen doesn't correct it should be a source of concern. America's pastor? Uh, oh!
Update:
Something struck me just now. These people seemed to be shocked that homosexuals should be considered as sinners. Well, my impression, and it may be wrong, is that everybody is a sinner. The premise here is that liberals must think that they are free of sin---since they are so shocked about calling homosexuals sinners. Really??? Shocked??? Hey, I'll take that a bit further. Show me a liberal that confesses that he / she is a sinner, and I'll show you somebody who isn't a liberal. The two are almost ( I say almost, because I'm not sure ) mutually exclusive. How about Jimmy Carter? He had that Playboy interview in which he confessed to having sinned in his heart because of lust ( with respect to women ). Now, is Jimmy Carter a liberal? If he says that he is in favor of same-sex marriage, then his insincerity is evident, and therefore he is a liberal. But if he is true to his prior form, he would come out against same sex marriage.
Prime example of cultural hegemony
Is how the news gets reported.
The linked article describes how the media protects Obama. Hell, not only do they protect the guy, they made him. Without the media, Obama is nothing.
Obama's associations prior to his election in 2008 should have been a disqualifier. The way he handled Benghazi should have been a disqualifier. The way he is handling Ebola should be a disqualifier. Yet, there he is.
Something has to explain that. To me, it is rather obvious. But to the trained seals, maybe not.
The linked article describes how the media protects Obama. Hell, not only do they protect the guy, they made him. Without the media, Obama is nothing.
Obama's associations prior to his election in 2008 should have been a disqualifier. The way he handled Benghazi should have been a disqualifier. The way he is handling Ebola should be a disqualifier. Yet, there he is.
Something has to explain that. To me, it is rather obvious. But to the trained seals, maybe not.
Antonio Gramsci...
...is a figure of high importance to the development of the left, both in Britain and the United States.
comment:
I knew about Gramsci, but not from my University education. Funny how that worked out... That in order to know someone as important as that, you had to go outside the formal educational system. Something's wrong here.
quote:
What it means is our tradition of free and open society is being threatened and is in danger of being overthrown.
comment:
I knew about Gramsci, but not from my University education. Funny how that worked out... That in order to know someone as important as that, you had to go outside the formal educational system. Something's wrong here.
quote:
Gramsci realized that a revolution could be carried out without violence and storming the barricades. Because mind is indeed free of its material environment, what Marxists now needed to do was to “take over the institutions” and thus create a “hegemony” of revolutionary ideas, theories and values.Now you can see what it is all about. Why the left doesn't permit criticism. They want a hegemony of their ideas, no dissent is to be allowed. That is in a nutshell the very thing that is happening today with all the PC BS.
What it means is our tradition of free and open society is being threatened and is in danger of being overthrown.
Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
to discuss the Pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization (i.e., the Synod on the Family that began in Rome on October 5, and which ended Sunday October 19)
What is this Synod? I didn't know. Funny how you don't know something that is important to your culture. Could it be because there's something wrong with our information and educational system? A Synod is
What is this Synod? I didn't know. Funny how you don't know something that is important to your culture. Could it be because there's something wrong with our information and educational system? A Synod is
a council held to discuss (not to decide, as Wikipedia states), relevant and important issues and Church matters. This particular Synod was held, according to Pope Francis, to discuss the "challenges of marriage, of family life, of the education of children, and the role of the family in the life of the church."This must have been important. It does appear that the media is interested in it, but what the heck is it and why didn't I know what it was? I don't think I'm uninformed or stupid.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Connecting the dots
The anniversary of the 9-11 attacks was not that long ago. It came to me just now that there was a time in which I failed to "connect the dots" about something that was going on at the time. Although it was not on the order of a terrorist attack that resulted in a loss of life, it was quite serious to me at the time. What jogged some memories of that time, and what was happening back then, was the discovery of a key that I had misplaced. The key was to a lock for a gun rug that held my only gun, a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum snub nose revolver. I bought the gun in response to events that I couldn't quite figure out at the time. Looking back, it seems incredible that I couldn't connect the dots. I can see why the Feds couldn't connect the dots either in the 9-11 attacks. Their paradigms may be blinding them to the truth---as mine blinded me---as "the truth is a slippery thing".
It is easy to attribute malice to the failure to connect the dots. After all, to everyone but the person involved, the truth of the matter may be plain. But the truth may not be plain to someone who is being hobbled by a thinking pattern that is blinding them. So it is in the case of this country. The leadership couldn't see it coming and many people think that this was a deliberate act to just "let it happen". In fact, the failure to see may not have any malice behind it at all. If your paradigms keep the truth hidden from you, you're not going to see it coming in any event nor intent. Even if malice was the intent, you may still not see it coming.
This is probably happening on a large scale, as the country may not see something that is coming. It has happened before with Pearl Harbor, the 9-11 attacks, and perhaps some event that is looming just around the corner.
I have stated over and over, but perhaps in not so many words, how there needs to be a paradigm shift in this culture. We are headed in the wrong direction, but like my case, it may not be clear why it is wrong, and how it is wrong. Perhaps at some time in the future, things may become more clear.
I've offered my thoughts. Maybe somebody in the position to do something can do something about it.
It is easy to attribute malice to the failure to connect the dots. After all, to everyone but the person involved, the truth of the matter may be plain. But the truth may not be plain to someone who is being hobbled by a thinking pattern that is blinding them. So it is in the case of this country. The leadership couldn't see it coming and many people think that this was a deliberate act to just "let it happen". In fact, the failure to see may not have any malice behind it at all. If your paradigms keep the truth hidden from you, you're not going to see it coming in any event nor intent. Even if malice was the intent, you may still not see it coming.
This is probably happening on a large scale, as the country may not see something that is coming. It has happened before with Pearl Harbor, the 9-11 attacks, and perhaps some event that is looming just around the corner.
I have stated over and over, but perhaps in not so many words, how there needs to be a paradigm shift in this culture. We are headed in the wrong direction, but like my case, it may not be clear why it is wrong, and how it is wrong. Perhaps at some time in the future, things may become more clear.
I've offered my thoughts. Maybe somebody in the position to do something can do something about it.
Water filtration test 3!
Yep, I may be getting carried away with this. However, the procedure was restarted yet again after another procedure yielded the necessity of a clean up. After using maybe as much water as the previous test, I decided to see if it was possible to retrieve water yet again from a really filthy source.
The source this time was the next procedure that I mentioned yesterday. I prepped for the Bentonite test in order to see how my drill would react to it.
Before starting, I noted that the first batch of sand that I bought for the water filtration experiment had gotten very, very hard. This indicates a lot of clay must be in that batch of sand. So, I took a drill to it, and sure enough, I managed to drill a hole all the way through the "rock". Originally, I planned to do 1 part Bentonite to 9 parts sand, but this caused me to change my plans a little. It is now estimated that the rock, plus a little more I threw in, came to 6 parts. Thus, the Bentonite's 1 part makes is 1 to 7 ratio Bentonite-sand.
I mixed up the batch into the same pan that I used previously and had just cleaned up. It wasn't mixing to my satisfaction, so I had to dip into it with my hands. This left me with a clean up job afterward, as I had this goop all over my hands. I dipped my hands under the faucet and let it drain back into the mentioned pan, hence the water.
I used two forms. One was the bottom end of a Dr. Pepper bottle, which allowed me to see the air voids in the mix. The other form was paper tube I scrounged from work. I cut it down to size a bit, but it is still too large. I only managed to get some of the mix in it. This will not likely be useful, but the other should be.
This procedure gives me valuable experience, as I see now the kind of problems I may have out there in getting cleaned up when there isn't very much water.
All the more reason to take it slowly, as I've been getting a bit cocky lately.
This will be a spin off from the off-the-grid series. It will link from the post called Digging post holes and be connected under to topic of construction in the Table of Contents.
Update:
As far as the cleanup afterwards, that is, of making the Bentonite-sand mixture, and obtaining water for clean up, I have found that it clogs the filters. This is not an unexpected development. However, I keep thinking through the problem, perhaps the best thing would have been to filter it through paper first. As many times as is practical. This will use up a lot of paper, but that can be either cleaned up itself, or just burned.
Another idea is just to boil off the water and collect the vapor. You could use a fresnel lens for that.
To sum up, we have two bricks, one of them may be usable. We have dirty water to clean up and a new filtration test in the works.
Next
This post is also being linked from in the water series. Previous post here. Next post here.
The source this time was the next procedure that I mentioned yesterday. I prepped for the Bentonite test in order to see how my drill would react to it.
Before starting, I noted that the first batch of sand that I bought for the water filtration experiment had gotten very, very hard. This indicates a lot of clay must be in that batch of sand. So, I took a drill to it, and sure enough, I managed to drill a hole all the way through the "rock". Originally, I planned to do 1 part Bentonite to 9 parts sand, but this caused me to change my plans a little. It is now estimated that the rock, plus a little more I threw in, came to 6 parts. Thus, the Bentonite's 1 part makes is 1 to 7 ratio Bentonite-sand.
I mixed up the batch into the same pan that I used previously and had just cleaned up. It wasn't mixing to my satisfaction, so I had to dip into it with my hands. This left me with a clean up job afterward, as I had this goop all over my hands. I dipped my hands under the faucet and let it drain back into the mentioned pan, hence the water.
I used two forms. One was the bottom end of a Dr. Pepper bottle, which allowed me to see the air voids in the mix. The other form was paper tube I scrounged from work. I cut it down to size a bit, but it is still too large. I only managed to get some of the mix in it. This will not likely be useful, but the other should be.
This procedure gives me valuable experience, as I see now the kind of problems I may have out there in getting cleaned up when there isn't very much water.
All the more reason to take it slowly, as I've been getting a bit cocky lately.
This will be a spin off from the off-the-grid series. It will link from the post called Digging post holes and be connected under to topic of construction in the Table of Contents.
Update:
As far as the cleanup afterwards, that is, of making the Bentonite-sand mixture, and obtaining water for clean up, I have found that it clogs the filters. This is not an unexpected development. However, I keep thinking through the problem, perhaps the best thing would have been to filter it through paper first. As many times as is practical. This will use up a lot of paper, but that can be either cleaned up itself, or just burned.
Another idea is just to boil off the water and collect the vapor. You could use a fresnel lens for that.
To sum up, we have two bricks, one of them may be usable. We have dirty water to clean up and a new filtration test in the works.
Next
This post is also being linked from in the water series. Previous post here. Next post here.
Water filtration test 2
Water filtration test no. 2:
No to be confused with Excedrin Headache No. 2.
As I wrote previously, it was a very good test.
Prev Next
No to be confused with Excedrin Headache No. 2.
As I wrote previously, it was a very good test.
Prev Next
Hillarynomics: Businesses don’t create jobs
hot air
This one is making the rounds. I've seen it mentioned several times. Okay, let's take a look at it here.
First of all, I watched the video of her saying this. It sounds like she wants to make a rather strong statement without providing the evidence to support it.
On the other hand, the other side of the argument presents the facts as evidenced in the quote below:
Combine this with political correctness and you get a mixture that supports poor performance and manages to cover it up with a big lie that cannot be challenged.
We are in danger of a one-party dictatorship that will not allow dissent and will not allow the orderly transfer of power that should occur when a party fails to deliver for the people. The left will not tolerate dissent and cannot produce what they promise. We need to preserve the option of throwing the bums out when they fail to live up to our expectations.
This one is making the rounds. I've seen it mentioned several times. Okay, let's take a look at it here.
First of all, I watched the video of her saying this. It sounds like she wants to make a rather strong statement without providing the evidence to support it.
On the other hand, the other side of the argument presents the facts as evidenced in the quote below:
Hillary’s argument here is entirely divorced from reality and actual data. The miminum-wage bill for which Hillary Clinton voted passed in 2007 and took effect in stages, beginning that summer. In June 2007, the Household Survey of the BLS showed that the US economy had 146.063 million jobs in June 2007, just before the increase took place. Last month’s data showed that the US economy had 146.6 million jobs — an increase of less than 500,000 in over 7 years, not “millions of jobs” as Hillary claims here. In fact, the 146.6 million is the highest it’s ever gotten since the passage of that law. In the same period, the civilian workforce participation rate has gone from 66% to 62.7%....Compare this to the “trickle-down” era of the Reagan presidency. When Reagan took office in January 1981, the US economy had 99.995 million jobs and the participation rate was 63.9%. By the end of his presidency in January 1989, the US economy had grown more than 16 million jobs (116.708 million total) and the participation rate had leaped to 66.5%. That covers nearly the same length of time since the last minimum wage hike (96 months vs 89 months), but both include about five years of technical economic recovery.
Combine this with political correctness and you get a mixture that supports poor performance and manages to cover it up with a big lie that cannot be challenged.
We are in danger of a one-party dictatorship that will not allow dissent and will not allow the orderly transfer of power that should occur when a party fails to deliver for the people. The left will not tolerate dissent and cannot produce what they promise. We need to preserve the option of throwing the bums out when they fail to live up to our expectations.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)