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Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
I wanted to try to make a good activated charcoal straw filter, and then use that to clean up some water that came from my sand filter. Results were disappointing. Although the straw filter will work on really dirty water, it seems to have its limitations.
Not only that, I tried taking that water just filtered, and then running it through the distiller to see what the best water I could get would be with a real sample. Again, the results were disappointing. I got the TDS to show 300 or so. Not really very good.
The distiller isn't working like I think it should. It seems to get impurities from the heater hose.
The water seemed cleaner, though. But there wasn't that much of it. Still having problems with that weak link I mentioned before. I cannot fix that until I can get to the hardware store, and that won't happen until I feel better than I do now.
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, December 31, 2016
This time last year
Actually, I started to do a year in review type post, but it looks too complex. I looked at posts from the first week of Jan, and that will be a review of sorts.
One thing I was doing was New Year's resolutions. One resolution was to promote the blog. That one didn't get kept. Another was to take care of my health better. This one was kept for almost the whole year. However, at the end, I seemed to have reverted to some old ways. For instance, I had lost at one time, nearly 33 lbs. Now I have gained about five pounds of it back.
This past year was the lightest blogging since I blogged full time. Less than a thousand posts this past year. At the peak in 2011, I did 2500.
Audience numbers are up, but I am skeptical of that. This is still pretty much an obscure little outpost on the web.
One thing I was doing was New Year's resolutions. One resolution was to promote the blog. That one didn't get kept. Another was to take care of my health better. This one was kept for almost the whole year. However, at the end, I seemed to have reverted to some old ways. For instance, I had lost at one time, nearly 33 lbs. Now I have gained about five pounds of it back.
This past year was the lightest blogging since I blogged full time. Less than a thousand posts this past year. At the peak in 2011, I did 2500.
Audience numbers are up, but I am skeptical of that. This is still pretty much an obscure little outpost on the web.
Friday, December 30, 2016
The Customer-Employee Challenge - by Robert Ringer
The Customer-Employee Challenge - by Robert Ringer: For many years, I felt a moral obligation to inform business owners whenever I thought they had a personnel or customer-service problem they may not recognize. I say moral obligation, because I, for one, have always been grateful when a customer — or anyone, for that matter — took the time to call to my …
Comment:
People don't want to hear negative things, even if it is constructive criticism. You have to be "nice" these days.
It is the sign of the times.
How do you make people be good? You cannot. It is something they have to want for themselves.
Comment:
People don't want to hear negative things, even if it is constructive criticism. You have to be "nice" these days.
It is the sign of the times.
How do you make people be good? You cannot. It is something they have to want for themselves.
M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S "A POINT OF VIEW": Gov.Palin In Gallup's Top 10 Most Admired Women In...
M.JOSEPH SHEPPARD'S "A POINT OF VIEW": Gov.Palin In Gallup's Top 10 Most Admired Women In...: Governor Palin holds no office, has no regular media platform and yet for the eight consecutive year is listed in Gallup's "Most...
Comment:
No knock here on Palin. Just want to say one thing... these things don't tell you anything useful. For example, Hillary is number one all those years, but does that make her fit for the office of President of the United States?
I am having trouble with a doctor's office that is supposedly highly rated. I am wondering whether these ratings really tell you anything useful. That is all.
Comment:
No knock here on Palin. Just want to say one thing... these things don't tell you anything useful. For example, Hillary is number one all those years, but does that make her fit for the office of President of the United States?
I am having trouble with a doctor's office that is supposedly highly rated. I am wondering whether these ratings really tell you anything useful. That is all.
A comprehensive system? Maybe.
This post will fit into my off-the-grid series of posts. It will be classified under the general subcategory, or subseries. It can read end to end by following the links, or the entire series can be accessed through the table of contents post.
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Prev Next
I want to tie together a few posts in order to show how this can fit together into a neat plan.
First of all, the last few posts show how one can transport hydrogen safely from one spot to another with a solid material, such as smelling salts. Smelling salts are relatively safe, certainly safer than fossil fuels, if you want to compare. Also safer than transporting plain old ammonia.
You can also use the smelling salts to obtain fresh water, or to recycle dirty water. My plan is to use only five gallons of water daily, of which I wish to keep at least fifty percent of it, so as to only need to replace it with a couple gallons of fresh water daily. This is obtainable from a fuel cell system that could be purchased from a company I contacted not that long ago.
Sure, you can make hydrogen out of smelling salts. But you still need the ammonia to make the smelling salts. You can get that from a nuclear power source, such as a molten salt reactor.
A plant to make smelling salts using a molten salt reactor could be a killer app for both fuel cell cars and molten salt reactors.
A thought for the night!
As for me, I'd like my own little moonshot to work, but I have to get well first.
That's a whole 'nother problem.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Solve for X: Rob McGinnis on global water scarcity ( reposted from 2012)
note:
Smelling salts can desalinate water and be a source of ammonia for a fuel cell, that produces even more water and electricity.
Now all you need is to separate the ammonia from the carbon dioxide. There's a way...
the original post follows immediately...
Update:
Some background info from Business Week.
Smelling salts can desalinate water and be a source of ammonia for a fuel cell, that produces even more water and electricity.
Now all you need is to separate the ammonia from the carbon dioxide. There's a way...
the original post follows immediately...
Update:
Some background info from Business Week.
Back of the envelope calc for fuel cell production
Let's say you had a fuel cell that could produce 3.5 kwh continuously. If you ran it for five hours, that would produce 17.5 kwh of power. Plenty enough to run a household.
The amount of hydrogen needed for that could be about a kilogram. The reason for that assumption is that a fuel cell vehicle can get about 60 miles on a kilogram of hydrogen.
An electric car can go about 4 miles on a kwh of electricity. For a Tesla, that's about 50 kwh for a vehicle for 200 mile range.
So, roughly about the same as above: 15 kwh of electricity gets you about as much as a kilogram of hydrogen from a fuel cell.
So, the above fuel cell could use about one kilogram, as stated.
It takes about nine kilograms of water to produce the hydrogen for one kilogram hydrogen.
That's about twenty pounds of water, or about two and half gallons of water. The fuel cell would produce not only electricity, but two and a half gallons of drinking quality water.
Now for the interesting part: It would take about one and a third pounds of smelling salts to yield a pound of water. That means that twenty pound of water would require about twenty six or a little more of smelling salts.
The smelling salts could be broken down to ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia can break down to hydrogen for the fuel cell.
The tech exists that could do all that. Economics? Not sure, but there's an outfit that can make the ammonia cracker and of course there's companies that make smelling salts. The last piece is to collect the ammonia from the smelling salts.
I think it is all feasible.
The amount of hydrogen needed for that could be about a kilogram. The reason for that assumption is that a fuel cell vehicle can get about 60 miles on a kilogram of hydrogen.
An electric car can go about 4 miles on a kwh of electricity. For a Tesla, that's about 50 kwh for a vehicle for 200 mile range.
So, roughly about the same as above: 15 kwh of electricity gets you about as much as a kilogram of hydrogen from a fuel cell.
So, the above fuel cell could use about one kilogram, as stated.
It takes about nine kilograms of water to produce the hydrogen for one kilogram hydrogen.
That's about twenty pounds of water, or about two and half gallons of water. The fuel cell would produce not only electricity, but two and a half gallons of drinking quality water.
Now for the interesting part: It would take about one and a third pounds of smelling salts to yield a pound of water. That means that twenty pound of water would require about twenty six or a little more of smelling salts.
The smelling salts could be broken down to ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia can break down to hydrogen for the fuel cell.
The tech exists that could do all that. Economics? Not sure, but there's an outfit that can make the ammonia cracker and of course there's companies that make smelling salts. The last piece is to collect the ammonia from the smelling salts.
I think it is all feasible.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
straw man
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Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
An experiment with straws and coffee filters may have yielded a good way to filter water. Good for my purposes, that is.
I took some rather dirty water and managed to get it much cleaner. Still not clean enough for the distiller, though.
The water I used was even dirtier prior to this treatment. I used a bottle of dishwater that had been sitting around for awhile. Heavier particles had sunk to the bottom, lighter materials settled on the top. I rigged up a straw with suction squeeze ball thingy to take the cleaner water in the middle.
The straws were then stuffed with the coffee filter paper. It is rather slow to filter, though. I suppose I can make a lot of straws to speed up the filtering.
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
An experiment with straws and coffee filters may have yielded a good way to filter water. Good for my purposes, that is.
I took some rather dirty water and managed to get it much cleaner. Still not clean enough for the distiller, though.
The water I used was even dirtier prior to this treatment. I used a bottle of dishwater that had been sitting around for awhile. Heavier particles had sunk to the bottom, lighter materials settled on the top. I rigged up a straw with suction squeeze ball thingy to take the cleaner water in the middle.
The straws were then stuffed with the coffee filter paper. It is rather slow to filter, though. I suppose I can make a lot of straws to speed up the filtering.
Perhaps a combination of paper and activated charcoal in the straw could yield even better water.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Lets be clear
With respect to alleged Russian hacking, it should be noted that the only reason the Dems are complaining is because they lost. If they had won, would we hear a peep from them about this so called hacking?
The Dems do not care about national security or election integrity. They are just pissed about losing.
The Dems do not care about national security or election integrity. They are just pissed about losing.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Water experiments continued
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Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
The second attempt at water distillation is nearly ready. I bought more heater hose so as to put distance between delicate parts and heat. A cooling mechanism might be a good touch.
Only quality water in this stage. Activated charcoal filtration should come last, before zero water filtering and or distillation. What I found is that filters clog easy. Pre-treatment before filtration should be the proper procedure.
In addition, my techniques for washing dishes is getting better. I use less water and get higher quality water before filtration.
I am pleased with my progress.
Update:
Not pleased with outcome of second attempt. Water is not pure and there was a leak. The leak is probably fixable, but the water quality may not be fixable per the apparatus as configured. What next? May want to wait awhile in order to collect water samples for more testing.
Update:
Took apart the apparatus, and discovered lots of dirty stuff. Perhaps a good cleaning will make a difference?
Or the apparatus is contributing the dirty stuff somehow, so a cleaning will not make a difference.
We will see.
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
The second attempt at water distillation is nearly ready. I bought more heater hose so as to put distance between delicate parts and heat. A cooling mechanism might be a good touch.
Only quality water in this stage. Activated charcoal filtration should come last, before zero water filtering and or distillation. What I found is that filters clog easy. Pre-treatment before filtration should be the proper procedure.
In addition, my techniques for washing dishes is getting better. I use less water and get higher quality water before filtration.
I am pleased with my progress.
Update:
Not pleased with outcome of second attempt. Water is not pure and there was a leak. The leak is probably fixable, but the water quality may not be fixable per the apparatus as configured. What next? May want to wait awhile in order to collect water samples for more testing.
Update:
Took apart the apparatus, and discovered lots of dirty stuff. Perhaps a good cleaning will make a difference?
Or the apparatus is contributing the dirty stuff somehow, so a cleaning will not make a difference.
We will see.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Same dude, 42 years later
1969: Grand Funk Railroad performs before Hugh Hefner, Barbi Benton and guests at the Playboy Mansion.
Then, this song plus another song played together live some 42 years later:
The point? Oh, I don't know. Just noticing a few things, that's all.
By the way, Barbi Benton was in Playboy, and I definitely had a look!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Obligatory, 12.20.16
A thought just occurred to me...
Could it be that such things as anthropogenic global warming were invented in order to impose scarcity upon the rest of the population? The difference between this and Forced Artificial Scarcity (FARTS) is a subtle one. Whereas, FARTS is presumed to be well-meaning ( for your own good ), the other is decicedly malevolent. That is to say, those who wish to impose artificial scarcity know full well that there is no need for such a drastic step. Indeed, there is abundance everywhere. But with abundance goes their privileges. There would be no way distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd.
Let's put it another way: if everybody could have everything that everybody else had, there would be equality, and the elite definitely do not want anything like that.
I'm not saying everybody should be equal, but nobody should be deprived in order to satisfy somebody's ego.
Could it be that such things as anthropogenic global warming were invented in order to impose scarcity upon the rest of the population? The difference between this and Forced Artificial Scarcity (FARTS) is a subtle one. Whereas, FARTS is presumed to be well-meaning ( for your own good ), the other is decicedly malevolent. That is to say, those who wish to impose artificial scarcity know full well that there is no need for such a drastic step. Indeed, there is abundance everywhere. But with abundance goes their privileges. There would be no way distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd.
Let's put it another way: if everybody could have everything that everybody else had, there would be equality, and the elite definitely do not want anything like that.
I'm not saying everybody should be equal, but nobody should be deprived in order to satisfy somebody's ego.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Off grid discussion
This post will fit into my off-the-grid series of posts. It will be classified under the general subcategory, or subseries. It can read end to end by following the links, or the entire series can be accessed through the table of contents post.
Prev Next
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It seems that I have succeeded in getting my water usage way down. I haven't audited it yet, but it could be something like five gallons per day. Less than a gallon for washing dishes. Not counting black water because I will use an incinerating toilet out there.
Distilling water is being practiced now. Dishwashing techniques and filtering techniques are also being practiced. These haven't been perfected yet, but I am hopeful.
The cold weather is giving me an idea of what it takes in terms of energy for heating. The summer months were helpful in that regard as well. I'm getting a lot of good practice in these techniques. However, it is still going to be quite a challenge to get energy usage down to where I'd like. Last night was cold, for example, and I used way too much energy.
In terms of building, I'd like to use the RV as is. To keep it secure, I will need a way to install it permanently on site. This will require a plan, and the plan needs to kept simple. I like the RV because it has everything already. Just have to get it there and get it installed. Plus a septic system, in which I think a small holding tank would be ideal if I could get it approved.
Progress is slow, unfortunately.
Sunday, December 18, 2016
An idea that will never be implemented
....because it would make too much sense.
It would make it much harder for Dems to win outside their enclaves.
It would make it much harder for Dems to win outside their enclaves.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Heh
Like I said: cry me a river.
Update:
There may be people out there who do not understand why this is so absurd. Let me try to help you if you are one of those people.
Harry Truman once was quoted as saying: "the buck stops here." It means the President is the one ultimately responsible for whatever happens in his administration. So, something just happened in a Democrat administration to a Democrat. Who is responsible for letting that happen?
Hillary's emails got hacked? Would that have anything to do with her failure to follow the law, which, incidentally, is why such a law exists--- so that things like this don't happen?
Obama is President. Hillary wanted to be President. So, it is Trump's fault that they could not take care of their own interests ( and our own country's interest besides) ?
An act of war? Espionage has been going on since the nation state began. If you lose that game, you likely lose any resultant war, if this is declared as a casus belli. Espionage is the eyes and ears of a nation state. If you are blind ,deaf, and dumb, then how do you expect to win a war?
Hillary's complaint is that someone got the better of her, so she is going back to mama for a good cry.
Grow the fuck up.
Update:
There may be people out there who do not understand why this is so absurd. Let me try to help you if you are one of those people.
Harry Truman once was quoted as saying: "the buck stops here." It means the President is the one ultimately responsible for whatever happens in his administration. So, something just happened in a Democrat administration to a Democrat. Who is responsible for letting that happen?
Hillary's emails got hacked? Would that have anything to do with her failure to follow the law, which, incidentally, is why such a law exists--- so that things like this don't happen?
Obama is President. Hillary wanted to be President. So, it is Trump's fault that they could not take care of their own interests ( and our own country's interest besides) ?
An act of war? Espionage has been going on since the nation state began. If you lose that game, you likely lose any resultant war, if this is declared as a casus belli. Espionage is the eyes and ears of a nation state. If you are blind ,deaf, and dumb, then how do you expect to win a war?
Hillary's complaint is that someone got the better of her, so she is going back to mama for a good cry.
Grow the fuck up.
Water distiller apparatus nearly ready for testing
Prev Next
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
With the last post, I mentioned three different ideas being tried. I tried gathering rainwater, but it looks too dirty for my zero water filter.
I tried the zero water filter and it works fine. It is only for obtaining potable water. Relatively clean water only will go into this filter.
How to get to the zero water filter point?
That was to be the water distiller. Relatively dirty water can go through this and if it is still not clean, the filter can be used for the last step.
There are some issues in setting this up, though. However, I have made some progress and a test may be possible soon.
Getting a gallon of water per day out of the dirty water flow will take a lot of energy. This step is primarily an experiment.
Managing the water issue is the key to success in my "moonshot".
Update:
Test was unsuccessful. A part melted, and the water was not clean. Fix the problem, and try again.
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
With the last post, I mentioned three different ideas being tried. I tried gathering rainwater, but it looks too dirty for my zero water filter.
I tried the zero water filter and it works fine. It is only for obtaining potable water. Relatively clean water only will go into this filter.
How to get to the zero water filter point?
That was to be the water distiller. Relatively dirty water can go through this and if it is still not clean, the filter can be used for the last step.
There are some issues in setting this up, though. However, I have made some progress and a test may be possible soon.
Getting a gallon of water per day out of the dirty water flow will take a lot of energy. This step is primarily an experiment.
Managing the water issue is the key to success in my "moonshot".
Update:
Test was unsuccessful. A part melted, and the water was not clean. Fix the problem, and try again.
Friday, December 16, 2016
A personal post
After that last post, which was very unsympathetic to the lefties, I now write a post that some may think as an appeal for sympathy.
Those who disagree with me may read it with pleasured scorn. They might well be glad to hear that I am having troubles.
Troubles indeed! The worse trouble in this world that a man can have. A matter of life and death itself. All the while, not having any monetary means by which to meet that challenge.
A lot of lefties are quite rich, you know. They could help, but would they?
Would I even bother to ask?
Ask for what? Well, I would like to get my biopsy done at MD Anderson in Houston. The doctor there is highly recommended, but need I 26.5k bucks to get a consultation, which is money I do not have. By the way, that money does not pay for the biopsy itself. You can see that this will run into quite a bill.
I may have other options, but this one is preferred.
I would accept help from most quarters. But if the price is too high, I will choose another option.
Those who disagree with me may read it with pleasured scorn. They might well be glad to hear that I am having troubles.
Troubles indeed! The worse trouble in this world that a man can have. A matter of life and death itself. All the while, not having any monetary means by which to meet that challenge.
A lot of lefties are quite rich, you know. They could help, but would they?
Would I even bother to ask?
Ask for what? Well, I would like to get my biopsy done at MD Anderson in Houston. The doctor there is highly recommended, but need I 26.5k bucks to get a consultation, which is money I do not have. By the way, that money does not pay for the biopsy itself. You can see that this will run into quite a bill.
I may have other options, but this one is preferred.
I would accept help from most quarters. But if the price is too high, I will choose another option.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Cry me a river
As I said before. If the Dems got hacked, it is their own fault.
They want to divide the GOP. It would be foolish to listen to them. If they cared about national security, they would have been more careful.
They want to divide the GOP. It would be foolish to listen to them. If they cared about national security, they would have been more careful.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Can the election be thrown into the House?
Possibly, if this story isn't more fake news.
Could Hillary win outright? Only if a substantial number of GOP electors vote for Hillary.
If nobody gets a majority in the electoral college, the election goes to the House, which is controlled by the GOP. Now, in the House, they can consider only the top three vote getters. It would seem likely that only Hillary and Trump plus a possible third candidate could be considered. That third candidate more than likely would be a GOP candidate. It would seem inconceivable that enough GOP electors could flip to Hillary in order to make her president.
Even if Hillary won the electoral vote, it still has to be certified. Considering the circumstances, it would seem likely that a challenge to that outcome would have to be considered. In my opinion, the GOP in the House would have to be nuts to give it to Hillary. The anti Trump contingent is too small to put another GOP'er other than Trump in the White House.
In my opinion, this is fake news because this isn't going to happen. It is mere speculation.
Update:
No way Hillary wins. Even if the Electoral College (EC) selects Hillary, a Congressional challenge can be made on the basis of tampering with the EC. The GOP led Congress would be foolish to allow Hillary to win, and to thus become president. They would then put a GOP'er in the White House. They could not choose anyone other than one of the top three vote getters. One of those may not even be Hillary if more electors voted against her than for her. There aren't enough never Trumpers to deny Trump victory.
conclusion: FAKE
update:
Game, set, match!
quote:
So, none of this talk means a doggone thing.
FAKE
Could Hillary win outright? Only if a substantial number of GOP electors vote for Hillary.
If nobody gets a majority in the electoral college, the election goes to the House, which is controlled by the GOP. Now, in the House, they can consider only the top three vote getters. It would seem likely that only Hillary and Trump plus a possible third candidate could be considered. That third candidate more than likely would be a GOP candidate. It would seem inconceivable that enough GOP electors could flip to Hillary in order to make her president.
Even if Hillary won the electoral vote, it still has to be certified. Considering the circumstances, it would seem likely that a challenge to that outcome would have to be considered. In my opinion, the GOP in the House would have to be nuts to give it to Hillary. The anti Trump contingent is too small to put another GOP'er other than Trump in the White House.
In my opinion, this is fake news because this isn't going to happen. It is mere speculation.
Update:
No way Hillary wins. Even if the Electoral College (EC) selects Hillary, a Congressional challenge can be made on the basis of tampering with the EC. The GOP led Congress would be foolish to allow Hillary to win, and to thus become president. They would then put a GOP'er in the White House. They could not choose anyone other than one of the top three vote getters. One of those may not even be Hillary if more electors voted against her than for her. There aren't enough never Trumpers to deny Trump victory.
conclusion: FAKE
update:
Game, set, match!
quote:
Electoral votes have to be validated by each individual state's secretary of state.
Since over half of those states bound the electors by law the official is within their rights to refuse to count that vote.
State legislatures have almost total power over how electors are chosen, so if a massive wave of electors decided to break from their pledge, the state legislature could effectively choose their own slate.
So, none of this talk means a doggone thing.
FAKE
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Fake news?
Fake news is in the news. But here's the real news. It has always been fake. If you think the news is about the facts, well, you are an innocent one aren't you?
Fake news isn't fake until somebody doesn't like it. Until then, it is the "real news".
Reminds me of what I read in the book You Can Negotiate Anything--- "once you get past the phony tinsel, you get to the real tinsel".
Fake news, schmake news. It is all fake. Always has been. Always will be.
Fake news isn't fake until somebody doesn't like it. Until then, it is the "real news".
Reminds me of what I read in the book You Can Negotiate Anything--- "once you get past the phony tinsel, you get to the real tinsel".
Fake news, schmake news. It is all fake. Always has been. Always will be.
Question of faith
If the Catholic Church is infiltrated by heretics, then how do you trust it?
For the record, I am not Catholic. But why would I convert?
Speaking only for myself, I would not trust this church.
The sheep have no earthly shepherd.
For the record, I am not Catholic. But why would I convert?
Speaking only for myself, I would not trust this church.
The sheep have no earthly shepherd.
Ridiculous ruling to a non controversy
Or it should not be a controversy. The courts have no say in the matter---period. The state legislatures have plenary power to choose electors. The court cannot overrule the Constitution.
Let the Colorado electors do what the state lege has indicated. If there is a state law against changing their vote, then that is a state matter, not a federal one.
The fed judge should not have gotten involved.
Let the Colorado electors do what the state lege has indicated. If there is a state law against changing their vote, then that is a state matter, not a federal one.
The fed judge should not have gotten involved.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Navigating the blog
There's a lot of stuff here. More than 10k posts. I tried to keep it organized.
You may come here for various reasons. For example, the topic of space. I don't post exclusively on any topic, such as space, so there's a bunch of topics. Perhaps you would rather not read through all that stuff to get what you are interested in. To show only those posts in a topic, simply click on the label post at the bottom of a post in which you are interested. This will pull up all posts labelled similarly.
You may come here for various reasons. For example, the topic of space. I don't post exclusively on any topic, such as space, so there's a bunch of topics. Perhaps you would rather not read through all that stuff to get what you are interested in. To show only those posts in a topic, simply click on the label post at the bottom of a post in which you are interested. This will pull up all posts labelled similarly.
 |
| To pull up all posts with this label, click on the label. Easy as pie. |
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Thought for the day, 12.11.16
Something I heard before: "you cannot earn your salvation." Check out this, John 7:49
Don't remember why I stopped here at this verse. Just something about that thought that go my attention.
Good deeds alone will not be enough to get to Heaven. For example, let's say you do bad things to get rich. Then while approaching death, you give it all away to charity. Does that save you? Maybe not. You cannot earn your way to Heaven.
Don't remember why I stopped here at this verse. Just something about that thought that go my attention.
Good deeds alone will not be enough to get to Heaven. For example, let's say you do bad things to get rich. Then while approaching death, you give it all away to charity. Does that save you? Maybe not. You cannot earn your way to Heaven.
Groupthink
Perhaps you have heard of the term. Won't define it here. All I can say, when I see arguments between Democrats and Republicans, is the groupthink of each group arguing against each other, with their own groupthink ideas that neither one recognizes.
It's like a Frenchman arguing with a German about the French language, and the German shooting back in German about the German language. They talk around and through each other while not understanding a single thing that they have heard each other say.
It becomes just so much noise.
It's like a Frenchman arguing with a German about the French language, and the German shooting back in German about the German language. They talk around and through each other while not understanding a single thing that they have heard each other say.
It becomes just so much noise.
Glacial progress
Getting things organized, for better or for worse.
Went into Houston to retrieve all my stuff and brought it out here. Paying for it, too. I am sore this early morning.
That bit about wishful thinking may be more of my BS. Well, everyone is entitled to be full of it from time to time.
Still waiting to hear back from the financial aid lady. Since she didn't contact me, I am going to mention it to the admissions lady, cuz she said to do that if the financial aid lady didn't call back. By the way, that doesn't seem encouraging.
Things are on the move, so to speak. But progress is as slow as a glacier.
Went into Houston to retrieve all my stuff and brought it out here. Paying for it, too. I am sore this early morning.
That bit about wishful thinking may be more of my BS. Well, everyone is entitled to be full of it from time to time.
Still waiting to hear back from the financial aid lady. Since she didn't contact me, I am going to mention it to the admissions lady, cuz she said to do that if the financial aid lady didn't call back. By the way, that doesn't seem encouraging.
Things are on the move, so to speak. But progress is as slow as a glacier.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
This isn't wishful thinking
As those who may be reading must know by now, I have a cancer. Perhaps I have not related it clearly enough, though. The last doctor's visit I had said it in terms that was the equivalent of getting hit by a 2x4 across the head in order to get my attention--- this can kill me. It just might. But I want to continue.
I want to continue because I have something that I would like to do. That something is my "moonshot", which is to make my idea of living out there on my land a reality.
It is a moonshot because it is difficult. It would have difficult without the cancer. This cancer would seem to make it impossible. Actually, any rational person at this point would say that it may well be impossible.
But I am going to try anyway. I want my life to mean something.
I think I may be able to beat the cancer. That may be wishful thinking. So far, nothing has happened that has caused me to think it has become truly impossible. So, I am keeping my options open.
I want to continue because I have something that I would like to do. That something is my "moonshot", which is to make my idea of living out there on my land a reality.
It is a moonshot because it is difficult. It would have difficult without the cancer. This cancer would seem to make it impossible. Actually, any rational person at this point would say that it may well be impossible.
But I am going to try anyway. I want my life to mean something.
I think I may be able to beat the cancer. That may be wishful thinking. So far, nothing has happened that has caused me to think it has become truly impossible. So, I am keeping my options open.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Trump’s Best Appointment…Ever!
Trump’s Best Appointment…Ever!
Dick Morris likes the appointment of Scott Pruitt to run the EPA.
Talking about draining the swamp. The biggest swamp in DC must be the EPA. Hopefully, Morris is right.
Dick Morris likes the appointment of Scott Pruitt to run the EPA.
Talking about draining the swamp. The biggest swamp in DC must be the EPA. Hopefully, Morris is right.
Focus Fusion Update
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Skip a rope
Hey, it back to being full of shit again. Time for a bit of moralizing. But it is true, just the same.
What gives with the Democrats?
Looks like they are going into meltdown mode. Remember when they said that the GOP was the "party of no"? According to this, with the Democrats, being the "party of no" is now cool.
Lots of articles like this point to a kind of hysteria overtaking the lefties. How will this play in Peoria? Will they make things worse for themselves, or will they implode?
Lots of articles like this point to a kind of hysteria overtaking the lefties. How will this play in Peoria? Will they make things worse for themselves, or will they implode?
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Obligatory, 12.7.16
Two weeks ago, I met the doctor who told me some bad news. They wanted to do the biopsy right away, but it didn't happen because I didn't bring someone with me. If the person I had talked with about this meetup would have said "bring somebody", then I would have brought somebody.
Same pattern throughout. And one wonders why one gets pessimistic. This has been going on for months.
It will cost a bunch of money anyway. Maybe that is why they are dragging their feet.
If I am wrong, I would be happy to be corrected.
I am sure I made some mistakes along the way.
But I am trying to do what I can.
Same pattern throughout. And one wonders why one gets pessimistic. This has been going on for months.
It will cost a bunch of money anyway. Maybe that is why they are dragging their feet.
If I am wrong, I would be happy to be corrected.
I am sure I made some mistakes along the way.
But I am trying to do what I can.
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Obligatory, 12.6.16
Things are getting to be a bit much.
There's a lot of good things seeming to happen, but on the other hand, nothing is happening. It is kinda weird.
I need to freeze the clock, somehow. Not enough time to do all this stuff.
There's a lot of good things seeming to happen, but on the other hand, nothing is happening. It is kinda weird.
I need to freeze the clock, somehow. Not enough time to do all this stuff.
Thought for the day
I remember reading something in one of the many self improvement books that I read. It may have come from Napoleon Hill's Success Though A Positive Mental Attitude and Dale Carnegie's books.
That something is this: not even a bad man, like Al Capone, thinks of himself as evil. If rebuked, he may well get angry with you.
Men prefer the darkness and not the light. This is a paraphrasing of that something from the Gospel of John.
Here is what prompted this post:
I have had some conversations recently that seem to confirm that things have gotten bad out there.
I'd rather not add to it, but who knows when one does something evil? For you may not be thinking of it as evil.
That something is this: not even a bad man, like Al Capone, thinks of himself as evil. If rebuked, he may well get angry with you.
Men prefer the darkness and not the light. This is a paraphrasing of that something from the Gospel of John.
Here is what prompted this post:
I have had some conversations recently that seem to confirm that things have gotten bad out there.
I'd rather not add to it, but who knows when one does something evil? For you may not be thinking of it as evil.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Mayor of Realville
Limbaugh likes to say that he is the mayor of Realville. I think Limbaugh is full of shit. Therefore, I am running for that office! Yessiree, Bob.
Cancer is Realville as it gets. Try getting cancer when you have no money and all you get is doors slammed in your face.
Way too many people full of shit out there. Time to cut through the bullshit, if that is even possible.
Update:
Limbaugh has to promote his show. I understand that. Just don't take this dude literally when he says stuff like this.
He isn't the "doctor of democracy" either. If anybody is the doctor of democracy, it is guys doing real shit like the guys who worked on the thorium reactors. All Limbaugh does is talk. While that is a necessary thing, nobody should mistake it for the people who do the real shit out there.
I can be as full of shit as he is. Anybody can do that.
Cancer is Realville as it gets. Try getting cancer when you have no money and all you get is doors slammed in your face.
Way too many people full of shit out there. Time to cut through the bullshit, if that is even possible.
Update:
Limbaugh has to promote his show. I understand that. Just don't take this dude literally when he says stuff like this.
He isn't the "doctor of democracy" either. If anybody is the doctor of democracy, it is guys doing real shit like the guys who worked on the thorium reactors. All Limbaugh does is talk. While that is a necessary thing, nobody should mistake it for the people who do the real shit out there.
I can be as full of shit as he is. Anybody can do that.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Obligatory, 12.4.16
What prompted this post? Trying to shut down my brokerage account. I made a note of a phone number. Maybe they will answer their phones. Nobody seems to do that anymore.
Spent a lot of time going through emails, and found no news about my account. But I cannot access it for some reason. Going to have to be Sherlock holmes here to figure this one out? I don't have time for that.
So why spend so much time on my water experiment? Let's just say Murphy's Law keeps on keeping on. Things keep going wrong, that's all.
Sometimes I need to keep focused, and I don't.
Spent a lot of time going through emails, and found no news about my account. But I cannot access it for some reason. Going to have to be Sherlock holmes here to figure this one out? I don't have time for that.
So why spend so much time on my water experiment? Let's just say Murphy's Law keeps on keeping on. Things keep going wrong, that's all.
Sometimes I need to keep focused, and I don't.
Saturday, December 3, 2016
A few ideas being tried out
Prev Next
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
Made a trip to the hardware store and got two things. Thing #1 was a zero water filter. It comes with a water tester that will tell you how much stuff is in your tap water. I was surprised by how much.
The filter does get it down to zero, according to the tester.
I don't think I want to use this on real dirty water. The instructions say that even tap water with a lot of stuff in it will clog the filter. These filters ain't cheap, I suspect.
Thing #2 was the equipment needed to set up a distiller apparatus that will go on the stove top. Now this one has been written up a couple times already. The thing that makes this different is that I actually decided to do something about it. I am attempting to run that experiment and get some distilled water out of this thing. It will need some work in order to set it up.
Another thing I am doing is collecting rainwater. It is a rainy day out here, and I have actually collected plenty of water. Funny how that is. All these years, one gets water from someone else. Now here I am getting it for myself. What a concept!
Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.
Made a trip to the hardware store and got two things. Thing #1 was a zero water filter. It comes with a water tester that will tell you how much stuff is in your tap water. I was surprised by how much.
The filter does get it down to zero, according to the tester.
I don't think I want to use this on real dirty water. The instructions say that even tap water with a lot of stuff in it will clog the filter. These filters ain't cheap, I suspect.
Thing #2 was the equipment needed to set up a distiller apparatus that will go on the stove top. Now this one has been written up a couple times already. The thing that makes this different is that I actually decided to do something about it. I am attempting to run that experiment and get some distilled water out of this thing. It will need some work in order to set it up.
Another thing I am doing is collecting rainwater. It is a rainy day out here, and I have actually collected plenty of water. Funny how that is. All these years, one gets water from someone else. Now here I am getting it for myself. What a concept!
I may be slow, but eventually, I will get there
There have been many times when I figured out something that really puzzled me. But my pattern is that it takes me a long time, and it is too late by the time I do figure it out. This may have led me to write that "truth is a slippery thing". You see, truth is what I seek. It is just that I am not so good at finding it. If I had a high quality brain, maybe I could have done something in the world. If not the world, then my own life.
I look around and I don't feel encouraged. Maybe it is just me not having things figured out, or maybe I am on the right track and it hasn't been confirmed yet.
Whatever.
In the larger scene, there was a writeup about the "free market system". Hate to break it to you people, but that is going away. We have the corporations to thank for that. As long as the corporations have control over everything, the push will be against them. This will lead to more government control as a counter to corporate power.
It would not be a bad idea to regulate the corporations, but we are already doing that.
Regulations will fail because the corporations control the government. Once they lose control, then the socialists will control it. Then the "free market" will be dead. It may well be most of the way there already.
Trump's victory won't last. Am I right? We'll see.
I look around and I don't feel encouraged. Maybe it is just me not having things figured out, or maybe I am on the right track and it hasn't been confirmed yet.
Whatever.
In the larger scene, there was a writeup about the "free market system". Hate to break it to you people, but that is going away. We have the corporations to thank for that. As long as the corporations have control over everything, the push will be against them. This will lead to more government control as a counter to corporate power.
It would not be a bad idea to regulate the corporations, but we are already doing that.
Regulations will fail because the corporations control the government. Once they lose control, then the socialists will control it. Then the "free market" will be dead. It may well be most of the way there already.
Trump's victory won't last. Am I right? We'll see.
Friday, December 2, 2016
Liar, liar, pants on fire
Jill Stein says her bid for recounts is not targeted at Hillary or Trump. Then why stop at three states? If all three flipped, Hillary could win.
Bullshit alert, bullshit alert.
Of course it is directed at Trump. She has no chance of winning, and if she was telling the truth, she would want recounts in all the states.
Bullshit alert, bullshit alert.
Of course it is directed at Trump. She has no chance of winning, and if she was telling the truth, she would want recounts in all the states.
Obligatory, 12.2.16
Emotionally speaking, this may on the verge of becoming a roller coater ride.
I was feeling a bit down yesterday. Then something happens that made me feel better, but now I am feeling down again.
The thing that is getting me down is hard to describe. It would be easy to say exactly what comes to mind, but that may not be correct. I could be Sgt. Friday, and give you only the facts, but that could be a mistake, too.
I heard something a couple days ago that might be applicable here. Things are not necessarily what they appear to be.
Here's a thought that may not be too risky in terms of making a mistake: Jesus spoke in parables because he knew that those people would not understand. It is in the Gospels, check it out, if you are interested. Anyway, what Jesus was saying was the same thing: things are not necessarily what they appear to be. Or what you think they are. The truth of a thing could be staring you in the face, and you would never see it. It could be speaking loud enough to equal a loudspeaker, and you still would not hear it. The truth of a thing cannot reach you unless you are prepared to receive it.
I was feeling a bit down yesterday. Then something happens that made me feel better, but now I am feeling down again.
The thing that is getting me down is hard to describe. It would be easy to say exactly what comes to mind, but that may not be correct. I could be Sgt. Friday, and give you only the facts, but that could be a mistake, too.
I heard something a couple days ago that might be applicable here. Things are not necessarily what they appear to be.
Here's a thought that may not be too risky in terms of making a mistake: Jesus spoke in parables because he knew that those people would not understand. It is in the Gospels, check it out, if you are interested. Anyway, what Jesus was saying was the same thing: things are not necessarily what they appear to be. Or what you think they are. The truth of a thing could be staring you in the face, and you would never see it. It could be speaking loud enough to equal a loudspeaker, and you still would not hear it. The truth of a thing cannot reach you unless you are prepared to receive it.
Thursday, December 1, 2016
obligatory, 12.1.16
I don't want to seem morbid here, so here goes nothing. It is going to be necessary to get my affairs in order. Just spent time checking through some stuff and it is time consuming. Here it is, late in the morning, and I cannot say that I have accomplished a damned thing. That even though I have been busy.
A thought here: if you are poor, don't get sick. You can't afford it.
On the wider scene, just want to mention that Trump's pick for Treasury is not what I would have liked to have seen. This society is in the grip of the corporations, and his choice looks like the grip is going to get tighter. Trump ran as a populist, but if this is any indication, he will govern like a plutocrat. Disappointing.
A thought here: if you are poor, don't get sick. You can't afford it.
On the wider scene, just want to mention that Trump's pick for Treasury is not what I would have liked to have seen. This society is in the grip of the corporations, and his choice looks like the grip is going to get tighter. Trump ran as a populist, but if this is any indication, he will govern like a plutocrat. Disappointing.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Get rid of the Electoral College?
The more that this goes on, the more I am convinced that they are crazy as bedbugs.
By the way, the Electoral College was not this:
Voters don't choose a president. It has been the custom of the states, whose job is to select the electors. In other words, the legislatures of the states choose the electors who then choose the president.
These electors either don't know the law, or they do know the law. If they do know the law, then the above statement is a LIE.
The courts have no say in how the state legislatures choose the electors. It would be interesting to see how this gets decided in the courts, and who is doing the deciding.
In order to get rid of the Electoral College, YOU MUST GET A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Only a leftist nincompoop would ever think that a mere lawsuit is going to change this, unless he figures that the courts are already corrupted by a bunch of leftists who would disregard what the SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND has already said on the matter. Courts may not change the legal charter of the nation at their whim.
By the way, the Electoral College was not this:
The electors spearheading the effort, like Colorado’s Polly Baca and Washington state’s Bret Chiafalo, say they aren’t explicitly attempting to unravel the Electoral College. They argue that they’re merely returning it to its historic function as a safety valve in the event voters choose an unfit president[ emphasis added]
Voters don't choose a president. It has been the custom of the states, whose job is to select the electors. In other words, the legislatures of the states choose the electors who then choose the president.
These electors either don't know the law, or they do know the law. If they do know the law, then the above statement is a LIE.
The courts have no say in how the state legislatures choose the electors. It would be interesting to see how this gets decided in the courts, and who is doing the deciding.
In order to get rid of the Electoral College, YOU MUST GET A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Only a leftist nincompoop would ever think that a mere lawsuit is going to change this, unless he figures that the courts are already corrupted by a bunch of leftists who would disregard what the SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND has already said on the matter. Courts may not change the legal charter of the nation at their whim.
Frustration
Being an old guy, I have to get up in the middle of the night and pee. It's the prostate, you see. One of the problems with being a guy is that this is likely to happen to you when you get to be an old fart. But, like a lot of things, you can learn to live with it.
So, I get on the internet and sometimes look around and post something. Fer instance, I checked into the Chordoma Foundation in order to get some info on this disease, and maybe see if I can get some help, cuz I am really gonna need it.
So what happens? My computer connection is too slow or not working at this hour. Funny thing, the people said that the data limit is down at this hour, but what they don't tell you is that you cannot access it anyway. In other words, it is BS.
I am noticing that a lot these days. So many things are false. Then when you need something that you thought would be there for you, it isn't. It can be frustrating.
Yeah, I know. Bitch, bitch, bitch...
So, I get on the internet and sometimes look around and post something. Fer instance, I checked into the Chordoma Foundation in order to get some info on this disease, and maybe see if I can get some help, cuz I am really gonna need it.
So what happens? My computer connection is too slow or not working at this hour. Funny thing, the people said that the data limit is down at this hour, but what they don't tell you is that you cannot access it anyway. In other words, it is BS.
I am noticing that a lot these days. So many things are false. Then when you need something that you thought would be there for you, it isn't. It can be frustrating.
Yeah, I know. Bitch, bitch, bitch...
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Chordoma
It's a type of cancer that I may have. It is not confirmed yet, that is what the biopsy will be about.
Why mention it now, since I don't know for sure? I dunno. Maybe to have something to yak about.
Chordomas are rare. It may be a one in a million thing. Talking about bad luck, huh?
Chordomas affect the spinal column, from the skull to the tailbone. Mine is in the southern region.
But let's not get too premature with this yet. It is preliminary.
I'm doing some stuff to prepare. One thing that I need to do is to get some help. I am going to check out the Chordoma Foundation. You can ask to join through email, and that is what I did. There are akso facebook pages, twitter and so forth. I had to dig around to find my information on those pages that I have visited for awhile.
Why mention it now, since I don't know for sure? I dunno. Maybe to have something to yak about.
Chordomas are rare. It may be a one in a million thing. Talking about bad luck, huh?
Chordomas affect the spinal column, from the skull to the tailbone. Mine is in the southern region.
But let's not get too premature with this yet. It is preliminary.
I'm doing some stuff to prepare. One thing that I need to do is to get some help. I am going to check out the Chordoma Foundation. You can ask to join through email, and that is what I did. There are akso facebook pages, twitter and so forth. I had to dig around to find my information on those pages that I have visited for awhile.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Obligatory, 11.28.16
Today was like most days. It does not seem very productive. Yet, I had several discussions today about what I am dealing with. If you are not familiar with this blog, I have had a preliminary diagnosis of cancer. I am doing what I can to cope with that reality.
I suppose in comparison with the larger scene, this is rather boring stuff to read. I will try to relate a few things so that you may gain something from it, provided that you are interested.
For example, I like to watch this video about the Gospel of John. However, it may require a deeper understanding, and in that spirit, I have come across something that discusses it line-by-line. It is an interesting education. Question: One may wonder why I bother with this if my life is hanging in the balance? The answer: Death is inevitable for us all. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we will always be around. Since we are mortal, the question arises about what happens after this brief time on earth is over. It is the essence of religion, would you not say?
I'm not trying to preach. I am just relating what I am doing. You can think of it what you will.
I suppose in comparison with the larger scene, this is rather boring stuff to read. I will try to relate a few things so that you may gain something from it, provided that you are interested.
For example, I like to watch this video about the Gospel of John. However, it may require a deeper understanding, and in that spirit, I have come across something that discusses it line-by-line. It is an interesting education. Question: One may wonder why I bother with this if my life is hanging in the balance? The answer: Death is inevitable for us all. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that we will always be around. Since we are mortal, the question arises about what happens after this brief time on earth is over. It is the essence of religion, would you not say?
I'm not trying to preach. I am just relating what I am doing. You can think of it what you will.
Shipping Up To Boston---- Dropkick Murphys
Ever watch the movie called Departed? They ought to call that movie "Rats". Seems like all the characters in that movie are "rats". Actually, all the major characters in that movie get whacked, so Departed is a good name too.
Why mention this? I was going through my videos and I saw this movie and remembered this song. But I also posted about it at about the time I went in for a colonoscopy in 2012. I researched my blog and found it there close to the others written at that time.
I was taking things seriously then, but let myself believe that nothing seriously was wrong because the results came out negative. And there you are.
Why mention this? I was going through my videos and I saw this movie and remembered this song. But I also posted about it at about the time I went in for a colonoscopy in 2012. I researched my blog and found it there close to the others written at that time.
I was taking things seriously then, but let myself believe that nothing seriously was wrong because the results came out negative. And there you are.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Obligatory, 11.27.16
Long night last night as my brain wouldn't shut down and I kept on thinking. Or is it worrying?
Woke up this morning in something of a bad mood. It has passed a bit. The thing that is bugging me is that I seemed to be stymied. I can't do things until I know something, but then I have to wait until I know something.
But when I get there, they are all going to expect me to do things already and I am not prepared to do anything at all.
For example, I'm still getting moved in out here, but now I may have to turn around and go back. It hasn't been easy do this much, so now I am expected to go back and repeat all this????
Well, I may have some help available. But there's limits to that. Do I really want to put everything in others' hands, after that limit is reached? These are people I don't know. After all the things they have told me that were wrong? Trust is questionable.
This isn't looking good.
I am told that when confronted with situations like this, one response is suicide. I am not of that mind, but I also not in the mind of turning over everything to people I don't know nor trust.
There was a mention of the Kevorkian route. I am not of that mind.
Those are some examples of what's on my mind about now.
Woke up this morning in something of a bad mood. It has passed a bit. The thing that is bugging me is that I seemed to be stymied. I can't do things until I know something, but then I have to wait until I know something.
But when I get there, they are all going to expect me to do things already and I am not prepared to do anything at all.
For example, I'm still getting moved in out here, but now I may have to turn around and go back. It hasn't been easy do this much, so now I am expected to go back and repeat all this????
Well, I may have some help available. But there's limits to that. Do I really want to put everything in others' hands, after that limit is reached? These are people I don't know. After all the things they have told me that were wrong? Trust is questionable.
This isn't looking good.
I am told that when confronted with situations like this, one response is suicide. I am not of that mind, but I also not in the mind of turning over everything to people I don't know nor trust.
There was a mention of the Kevorkian route. I am not of that mind.
Those are some examples of what's on my mind about now.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Obligatory, 11.26.16
Given what I said previously, it may be inferred that the blog may be drawing to a close.
Maybe not yet. I still have to go to that biopsy. It may not be doomsday, or it may be. It hasn't happened yet, and maybe it won't.
It may be premature to bury the blog is what I am saying. But if it is doomsday, then I may not be up to blogging or much of anything else while this thing is being treated.
Having said all that, let me write just a little about what is going on in the world of politics. Once again, I have to ask why these people are doing what they are doing. Do they really think that Hillary Clinton is going to be president? Do they really think that they can pull this off? Evidently, the DO think that, or otherwise why do it? On the other hand, perhaps they think that they can impair Trump so much that he cannot govern. Who knows?
Trump has been rather generous with them, I'd say. Maybe it is time to reconsider.
Maybe not yet. I still have to go to that biopsy. It may not be doomsday, or it may be. It hasn't happened yet, and maybe it won't.
It may be premature to bury the blog is what I am saying. But if it is doomsday, then I may not be up to blogging or much of anything else while this thing is being treated.
Having said all that, let me write just a little about what is going on in the world of politics. Once again, I have to ask why these people are doing what they are doing. Do they really think that Hillary Clinton is going to be president? Do they really think that they can pull this off? Evidently, the DO think that, or otherwise why do it? On the other hand, perhaps they think that they can impair Trump so much that he cannot govern. Who knows?
Trump has been rather generous with them, I'd say. Maybe it is time to reconsider.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Let me outta here!
You may wonder how I can be so calm.
Maybe it will be a delayed reaction like in this movie. He told them not to let him out, but he changed his mind...
Maybe it will be a delayed reaction like in this movie. He told them not to let him out, but he changed his mind...
Obligatory, 11.25.16
A few thoughts this morning...
- Always the social critic, I suppose. Just now tried to resolve a problem with a bill, but they want to use computers all the time. The overreliance upon computers is a feature of corporations, which has become a bugaboo for yours truly. I see this pattern over and over again. Corporations are just too darn remote. The further away you are from a problem, the harder it is to perceive it. Just sayin'.
- With my medical issues, big changes are coming soon. Frankly, I don't know if I can move fast enough to make these decisions. Besides, that is just the beginning of what they will mean for the future. One thing I most likely will have to do is give up my property out west. Yep, that will have to go. That opportunity isn't viable any longer. I could wait for the final diagnosis, but I will have to be extremely lucky to avoid having to make this decision.
- Most likely, I will have to make frequent visits to the doctor. This may mean I will have to move back to Houston. There may be a long rehab. Etc. Etc.
- It is too early to talk about treatment until final diagnosis. That is what the doc said, anyway. However, this could involve some rather radical treatment. That is why it would be extremely fortunate if the worst case scenario is not the one I have to deal with. The odds of this kind of luck is rather low, I'd say.
- What went wrong? Another question that is too early to answer. One thing is clear. This cannot be detected without an MRI. I could have sought one a lot sooner, but there was the cost issue. Turns out that this concern may have been unnecessary. If I had any advice to anyone in a similar situation: get the MRI. I got one for 750. That may hurt some budgets, but it is a lot lower than what I thought it would be. Seems like I remember having one for two grand in 1994, so I was expecting a much higher number. But that will lead me back to social criticism, don't you know. There's a lot wrong in our society. But you probably already knew that.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Obligatory, 11.24.16
The doctor appointment is now in the can. It looks as if my worst fears have been realized.
He laid it on me hard--- it is an aggressive cancer. I saw the image and it looks like a monster.
I still need to do the biopsy, but I don't anticipate that the news will get any better.
Now I get to think about this from this time to that, which may be about a week.
I probably won't be able to continue the blog much longer. Or to put it mildly, I will be busy doing something else, if something can be done.
Of course, much has to be decided, and soon. Not all the info is in yet.
He laid it on me hard--- it is an aggressive cancer. I saw the image and it looks like a monster.
I still need to do the biopsy, but I don't anticipate that the news will get any better.
Now I get to think about this from this time to that, which may be about a week.
I probably won't be able to continue the blog much longer. Or to put it mildly, I will be busy doing something else, if something can be done.
Of course, much has to be decided, and soon. Not all the info is in yet.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Quick post, 11.23.16
There's not much time left before I have to go to my appointment.
Some thoughts to share before I go.
Some thoughts to share before I go.
- Being a thinking man may be a blessing or a curse. I don't know which, but I do know that I like to think.
- That said, I note that Trump is said to be reversing himself. It seems likely that this will happen, but if it is happening, it is still a disappointment. That allows me to segue into another thought.
- Politics is that way. It is the art of making people feel things so as to get them to do things. The trouble is that this can lead to some bad outcomes. In my opinion, most of the troubles in the world can probably be traced to that. That said, the thought is that anger is the fuel of politics. Anger is to politics what gasoline is to the internal combustion engine. Without anger, politics can go nowhere, which is analogous to running out of gas.
- An example is racial politics. The legacy of slavery begat Jim Crow. Which in turn begat the Civil Rights Movement. Which in turn begat the things that we see today. None of these things are actually solving any of the problems associated with racial problems. Instead, they are fueling the racial animosity that in turn fuels politics of race. It's the anger that comes with these acts that fuels the politics. If the politicians actually solved the problems, the anger would disappear. It could no longer be politicized. Therefore, politics isn't about solving problems.
Aren't you glad I am around to explain these things? But I jest. A little.
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Counting Cars TV show
I'm doing what I don't normally do, and that is watch TV. Maybe I didn't know what I wuz missing.
Actually, something like this may have been more up my alley at one time. It would definitely be up somebody's alley, whose name I know, but won't mention.
Actually, something like this may have been more up my alley at one time. It would definitely be up somebody's alley, whose name I know, but won't mention.
Monday, November 21, 2016
More complaints
Let's see. I have this doctor's appointment for Wednesday. This is less than 48 hours. They are asking me to provide stuff that takes longer than 48 hours to get. Or maybe it does.
Just wondering why, because doctors aren't cheap. If I don't have this info, then my visit may be more social than medical. Nice to meetcha, doc! Now why am I here??
I figured that he should have had this info already. If he needed it, I should have gotten an advisory to provide it much sooner than this. Now I don't know if I can get it in time.
Just saying, folks. Things are screwed up, but you knew that already. But some of you want Hillary, anyway.
Go figure.
Seems like something high value like this should have more customer service. You can get better customer service at Mickey D's. This isn't an isolated case. Indeed, this is the rule, not the exception.
Just wondering why, because doctors aren't cheap. If I don't have this info, then my visit may be more social than medical. Nice to meetcha, doc! Now why am I here??
I figured that he should have had this info already. If he needed it, I should have gotten an advisory to provide it much sooner than this. Now I don't know if I can get it in time.
Just saying, folks. Things are screwed up, but you knew that already. But some of you want Hillary, anyway.
Go figure.
Seems like something high value like this should have more customer service. You can get better customer service at Mickey D's. This isn't an isolated case. Indeed, this is the rule, not the exception.
Another example of what has gone wrong
I was viewing the NextBigFuture site when the webpage crashed.
Hello! No way shit like that should be happening. This stuff should have been corrected years ago.
We might as well be back in the nineties when the web was new and full of bugs.
People can't manage their way out of a wet paper bag. Give me a freaking break.
Hello! No way shit like that should be happening. This stuff should have been corrected years ago.
We might as well be back in the nineties when the web was new and full of bugs.
People can't manage their way out of a wet paper bag. Give me a freaking break.
An example of what has gone wrong
Here's an article about the new 'stealth' bomber.
The problem is the expense and the time lag between concept and delivery. By the time the thing gets ready for combat, it may well be obsolete.
We need new leadership, and hopefully we will get it. Trump criticized the F35, which is another prime example of this kind of numbskullery. Perhaps this one can get junked as well.
Trump says he can cut taxes and build new infrastructure. All of this without adding to debt. According to conventional thinking, this is impossible. But the problem is with the conventional thinking. Trump went outside the box to get elected. If we are fortunate, he will govern outside the box, and we will be better off for it.
The problem is the expense and the time lag between concept and delivery. By the time the thing gets ready for combat, it may well be obsolete.
We need new leadership, and hopefully we will get it. Trump criticized the F35, which is another prime example of this kind of numbskullery. Perhaps this one can get junked as well.
Trump says he can cut taxes and build new infrastructure. All of this without adding to debt. According to conventional thinking, this is impossible. But the problem is with the conventional thinking. Trump went outside the box to get elected. If we are fortunate, he will govern outside the box, and we will be better off for it.
Doctor's appointment
On Wednesday. It's the Big One, I suspect. What I mean is that when I walk out of there, I am going to know what my future is, and that is what is worrying me a bit.
It could well be worrying over nothing, but it may be something. Not knowing which is which is a bitch. But knowing which is which can also be a bitch. You can't win sometimes.
One thing I think I will know is what this surgeon wants to do. When a surgeon wants to do something to you, it tends to concentrate your attention.
Know what I mean?
It could well be worrying over nothing, but it may be something. Not knowing which is which is a bitch. But knowing which is which can also be a bitch. You can't win sometimes.
One thing I think I will know is what this surgeon wants to do. When a surgeon wants to do something to you, it tends to concentrate your attention.
Know what I mean?
Thoughts about climate change and whatnot
Time after time, I have come up with arguments against this claim. But, even so, I am willing to consider the possibility that I am wrong. After all, one theme of this blog has always been that there are solutions to the problems, including this one, provided that it is really a problem.
It is also been one of my observations that these people really don't want the solutions, even though they claim they do. That's because every time somebody comes up with an idea to solve this "problem", these people show little interest, or outright hostility to the idea.
So, what is going on here? Again, I have noted that this is rent seeking behavior, as opposed to problem solving behavior. For, if the "problem" were to be solved, the rents would no longer be collectible. The rents can only be collected while the "problem" exists. Therefore, climate change can never be solved, because solutions are not being sought. No, it is the rents that are being sought.
May I mention once more, that one of my goals here was to think in terms of principles. The principle here is that entire lines of rent seeking behaviors could be invented that supposedly handled "problems", but don't really. Furthermore, we could have an entire economy built on the proposition of solving problems that do not even exist. Therefore, values are not being created, but destroyed!
Finally, may I add that this blog was created to explore what has gone wrong in our civilization.
The election of Trump may be a solution to the problem, because the problem is a social one, which is caused by our politicians, who do nothing but create problems so that they can have a reason for their own existence. These people are called liberals. They do not create values, but the opposite. They pretend to solve problems that do not exist, and while doing so, collect rents from us all, which feed them. Well, it is high time to stop feeding these parasites.
I know that this may sound harsh to some folks. However, if it is true, it is true. Note however, that truth is suddenly unacceptable in this society. You can't tell the truth anymore. This lies at the heart of the phenomenon which has become known as political correctness.
Truth itself is attacked as a relative thing, as there can be no truths. This has become known as post modernism.
Language has been attacked. "Gay" has become to mean homosexual. Indeed, if one calls another a homosexual, one may get punished for it, if these people were to get their way. Once again, thinking in terms of principles, the entire language can be turned upside down in order to accommodate these people in getting what they want. What they want is not to solve a problem, but to manage to seek some advantage, which may be monetary as in a rent, or a social advantage.
Anyway, this was to be a lead into another proposal to solve a problem related to global warming.
Why do it? Nobody is really interested anyway.
One could do it as a mental exercise. Somehow, that is not satisfying. This is why I sought a lab of my own. I bought some land in order to have my own "moonshot". This means it is a way of testing my own theories, and then writing about them. Not that anybody would actually be interested.
I have written about the Apollo company. They make fuel cells that could power automobiles. The claim is that these can be produced at a competitive price. If this is true, which I can neither confirm nor deny, then it would be a prime example of the phenomenon I have just mentioned. There's a solution, but nobody's interested.
I contacted this company and spoke with a fellow on the phone. Nothing came of this. I got the impression that the guy wanted to make a fortune off his product. This may be unjust of me to say, but I could swear that this fellow was seeing "stars".
Does it mean his product is no good? I don't know. But it seems to me in order to make it more real to people, you need to have real live installations in place. The Wright Brothers were considered phonies until they flew their heavier than air contraption around the Eiffel Tower. Once they did that, it could no longer be denied.
Anyway, an idea occurred to me to make this work in order to make energy and water. You see, a hydrogen fuel cell makes water while making energy. What a concept!
On my little ranch out west, I could certainly use water and energy.
How to get my "fuel"? The idea isn't new. I would use smelling salts. Smelling salts release ammonia, which can be collected. The ammonia could be cracked to produce hydrogen, which goes into the fuel cell and makes energy and water.
The logistical problem is to get the smelling salts into the place. Then a way has to be made to process it into hydrogen.
For every ton of smelling salts, I could get 640 lbs of water, plus enough electricity to drive a fuel cell car nearly 2,000 miles! That might translate into about 500 kwh of electricity. That's a lot of water and a lot of electricity for my little cabin!
If I could prove that, what would it mean? Maybe the world would yawn. But they could not deny the truth of its existence. But would the truth matter anymore in this society?
It is also been one of my observations that these people really don't want the solutions, even though they claim they do. That's because every time somebody comes up with an idea to solve this "problem", these people show little interest, or outright hostility to the idea.
So, what is going on here? Again, I have noted that this is rent seeking behavior, as opposed to problem solving behavior. For, if the "problem" were to be solved, the rents would no longer be collectible. The rents can only be collected while the "problem" exists. Therefore, climate change can never be solved, because solutions are not being sought. No, it is the rents that are being sought.
May I mention once more, that one of my goals here was to think in terms of principles. The principle here is that entire lines of rent seeking behaviors could be invented that supposedly handled "problems", but don't really. Furthermore, we could have an entire economy built on the proposition of solving problems that do not even exist. Therefore, values are not being created, but destroyed!
Finally, may I add that this blog was created to explore what has gone wrong in our civilization.
The election of Trump may be a solution to the problem, because the problem is a social one, which is caused by our politicians, who do nothing but create problems so that they can have a reason for their own existence. These people are called liberals. They do not create values, but the opposite. They pretend to solve problems that do not exist, and while doing so, collect rents from us all, which feed them. Well, it is high time to stop feeding these parasites.
I know that this may sound harsh to some folks. However, if it is true, it is true. Note however, that truth is suddenly unacceptable in this society. You can't tell the truth anymore. This lies at the heart of the phenomenon which has become known as political correctness.
Truth itself is attacked as a relative thing, as there can be no truths. This has become known as post modernism.
Language has been attacked. "Gay" has become to mean homosexual. Indeed, if one calls another a homosexual, one may get punished for it, if these people were to get their way. Once again, thinking in terms of principles, the entire language can be turned upside down in order to accommodate these people in getting what they want. What they want is not to solve a problem, but to manage to seek some advantage, which may be monetary as in a rent, or a social advantage.
Anyway, this was to be a lead into another proposal to solve a problem related to global warming.
Why do it? Nobody is really interested anyway.
One could do it as a mental exercise. Somehow, that is not satisfying. This is why I sought a lab of my own. I bought some land in order to have my own "moonshot". This means it is a way of testing my own theories, and then writing about them. Not that anybody would actually be interested.
I have written about the Apollo company. They make fuel cells that could power automobiles. The claim is that these can be produced at a competitive price. If this is true, which I can neither confirm nor deny, then it would be a prime example of the phenomenon I have just mentioned. There's a solution, but nobody's interested.
I contacted this company and spoke with a fellow on the phone. Nothing came of this. I got the impression that the guy wanted to make a fortune off his product. This may be unjust of me to say, but I could swear that this fellow was seeing "stars".
Does it mean his product is no good? I don't know. But it seems to me in order to make it more real to people, you need to have real live installations in place. The Wright Brothers were considered phonies until they flew their heavier than air contraption around the Eiffel Tower. Once they did that, it could no longer be denied.
Anyway, an idea occurred to me to make this work in order to make energy and water. You see, a hydrogen fuel cell makes water while making energy. What a concept!
On my little ranch out west, I could certainly use water and energy.
How to get my "fuel"? The idea isn't new. I would use smelling salts. Smelling salts release ammonia, which can be collected. The ammonia could be cracked to produce hydrogen, which goes into the fuel cell and makes energy and water.
The logistical problem is to get the smelling salts into the place. Then a way has to be made to process it into hydrogen.
For every ton of smelling salts, I could get 640 lbs of water, plus enough electricity to drive a fuel cell car nearly 2,000 miles! That might translate into about 500 kwh of electricity. That's a lot of water and a lot of electricity for my little cabin!
If I could prove that, what would it mean? Maybe the world would yawn. But they could not deny the truth of its existence. But would the truth matter anymore in this society?
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Could it be true?
Sometimes, a little detective work can lead you to a question.
So, what is the answer?
I suspect that a connection has been made, but getting the answer would be like pulling teeth.
Just for the record, I do not like to guess. So, we are not getting anywhere like that.
So, what is the answer?
I suspect that a connection has been made, but getting the answer would be like pulling teeth.
Just for the record, I do not like to guess. So, we are not getting anywhere like that.
Homemade water distiller
From movie "Patton": All Glory is fleeting
It may be well for the Trumpsters to keep this quote in mind. Sure, this victory is glorious, but things can go wrong, and often do.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Thank goodness the liberals lost
If Hillary won, they would have done just anything, including ruling the Constitution unconstitutional.
The argument is based upon a faulty premise, which is admitted early on. The voters do not elect the president, which the argument admits. The legislators of the various states do that through the Electoral College system.
The legislatures of the states have plenary power to choose electors. Plenary powers means they cannot be overruled---period. The method used is through the holding of popular elections. However, there is NOTHING in the Constitution that requires that the people are to vote for the president. The state legislatures decided that, which is their respective right. They could undecide that as well. That's because the courts do not have a doggone thing to do with the election of a president. The court should butt out completely on this one.
But leave it up to the liberals and you'd have the end of that. That's because if the Supreme Court decided to interfere in the election, then it would become the law of the land even though the Constitution does not give such power to the court. Under a liberal court, the Constitution would become meaningless. They would rule the Constitution unconstitutional.
The argument is based upon a faulty premise, which is admitted early on. The voters do not elect the president, which the argument admits. The legislators of the various states do that through the Electoral College system.
The legislatures of the states have plenary power to choose electors. Plenary powers means they cannot be overruled---period. The method used is through the holding of popular elections. However, there is NOTHING in the Constitution that requires that the people are to vote for the president. The state legislatures decided that, which is their respective right. They could undecide that as well. That's because the courts do not have a doggone thing to do with the election of a president. The court should butt out completely on this one.
But leave it up to the liberals and you'd have the end of that. That's because if the Supreme Court decided to interfere in the election, then it would become the law of the land even though the Constitution does not give such power to the court. Under a liberal court, the Constitution would become meaningless. They would rule the Constitution unconstitutional.
Connections between Cold Fusion theories and EM Drive Theory
Something about how EM Drives might work reminded me of how Cold Fusion might work.
I recall this part of the video about Cold Fusion, which describes it as a possible quantum effect.
Speculation: Could it be related to dimensions? A surface effect is in two dimensions. It moves through a three dimensional object, but the reactions occur at the transition between three down to two dimensions. Quantum effects can be really strange.
I recall this part of the video about Cold Fusion, which describes it as a possible quantum effect.
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| Fire From Water |
Friday, November 18, 2016
Space Drive, Not your daddy's warp drive
Is it for real, or is it a dud?
Put it on a spacecraft and test it.
Update:
Could it be for real because of the weirder-than-weird quantum effects?
Quantum effects could transcend what we would consider normal.
Put it on a spacecraft and test it.
Update:
Could it be for real because of the weirder-than-weird quantum effects?
Quantum effects could transcend what we would consider normal.
The Bee Gees: I started a joke
Free wifi at this place, and by-golly-by-gosh it works.
The joke is in the comments, but the joke is on you if you read them. I read them, and now the joke is on me.
Can you take a joke? I may have to find out soon.
The joke is in the comments, but the joke is on you if you read them. I read them, and now the joke is on me.
Can you take a joke? I may have to find out soon.
America did the right thing in electing Trump
All you have to do is to read the quote of Mark Twain, which I have across the banner.
The world is shocked, shocked that Trump won. It only gratified a few of us, but astonished the rest.
These people are corrupt and they damn well know it. The reason they are astonished is that they think everybody is as corrupt as they are.
The world is shocked, shocked that Trump won. It only gratified a few of us, but astonished the rest.
These people are corrupt and they damn well know it. The reason they are astonished is that they think everybody is as corrupt as they are.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Obligatory, 11.17.16
Once again, I am back in Houston to do the usual stuff.
Posting will be light in the interim.
Posting will be light in the interim.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Revisiting water filtration part three
Prev Next
Another water subseries post in the main series of off-grid posts.
This is the third of three posts in which I attempted to get a satisfactory result from water filtration from water left over from washing dishes.
A method of washing dishes has been obtained. Here's the procedure. After cooking and eating the meal, clean the pan by using a paper towel. This will get off most of the food residues, but not all of the oil. To break down the oil, use an alcohol. I am using rubbing alcohol. I do not recommend anyone else doing this, as it requires care so as not to ingest any of it. Not good for you. One could substitute hard liquor for this purpose, as it is an alcohol as well. However, I decided that it is too expensive, and besides, I feel confident I can clean off the rubbing alcohol, so I am not worried about it myself. But you don't try this at home.
Anyway, the next step is to use a moist towels that are mostly used for cleaning hands It may also be alcohol based. This cleans off the rubbing alcohol. A moist paper towel and a quick rinse off with tap water finishes it off.
The process can be repeated with all the dishes. I used only about four ounces of water, which is only slightly clouded when I collected it. It is a good candidate for further cleaning.
Maybe I won't use filtration at all. Not sure if the results are good enough. If not, I will start to consider other methods.
Once I finish my methodology for the kitchen, I will move on to the bathroom. I need to process about five gallons a day, total. Kitchen water is just a small amount of that total.
Another water subseries post in the main series of off-grid posts.
This is the third of three posts in which I attempted to get a satisfactory result from water filtration from water left over from washing dishes.
A method of washing dishes has been obtained. Here's the procedure. After cooking and eating the meal, clean the pan by using a paper towel. This will get off most of the food residues, but not all of the oil. To break down the oil, use an alcohol. I am using rubbing alcohol. I do not recommend anyone else doing this, as it requires care so as not to ingest any of it. Not good for you. One could substitute hard liquor for this purpose, as it is an alcohol as well. However, I decided that it is too expensive, and besides, I feel confident I can clean off the rubbing alcohol, so I am not worried about it myself. But you don't try this at home.
Anyway, the next step is to use a moist towels that are mostly used for cleaning hands It may also be alcohol based. This cleans off the rubbing alcohol. A moist paper towel and a quick rinse off with tap water finishes it off.
The process can be repeated with all the dishes. I used only about four ounces of water, which is only slightly clouded when I collected it. It is a good candidate for further cleaning.
Maybe I won't use filtration at all. Not sure if the results are good enough. If not, I will start to consider other methods.
Once I finish my methodology for the kitchen, I will move on to the bathroom. I need to process about five gallons a day, total. Kitchen water is just a small amount of that total.
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Who said that climate change was going to kill anyone?
Are these people serious? The only claim that I have ever seen was that this man made climate change was to supposed to raise temperatures a few degrees. It was supposed to happen over a long period of time, such as into the next century. If some folks seem to think that this is going to kill people, then I think the hysteria has gone a bit too far.
Maybe the sea level rises ( assuming that the theory is correct ), maybe temperature patterns change and crops fail. But that can be adjusted to.
Hurricanes kill people. Weather events can kill people. Climate doesn't because it is way too general a term.
For example, a frigid arctic type climate can kill you, but that is your choice to try to live in such a climate. You can avoid a climate, and seek more amicable climate elsewhere. It doesn't have to kill you unless you insist upon living in an unfavorable type climate.
Climate change is a topic that can be discussed, but how do you discuss it in an environment of hysteria?
Maybe the sea level rises ( assuming that the theory is correct ), maybe temperature patterns change and crops fail. But that can be adjusted to.
Hurricanes kill people. Weather events can kill people. Climate doesn't because it is way too general a term.
For example, a frigid arctic type climate can kill you, but that is your choice to try to live in such a climate. You can avoid a climate, and seek more amicable climate elsewhere. It doesn't have to kill you unless you insist upon living in an unfavorable type climate.
Climate change is a topic that can be discussed, but how do you discuss it in an environment of hysteria?
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Revisiting water filtration, continued
From the last time, I had worked a bit with coffee filters and my big sand filter.
Since the throughput is slow, and activated carbon is not cheap, I decided to try an experiment today. I used charcoal briquette, which I crushed into a powder. This was used as a filter in the same manner as the activated carbon. However, it left an orange tint to the water, which isn't good.
A run through with the activated carbon removed the tint. Now the idea is to use a lot of charcoal, and then clean up that result with a small amount of activated carbon.
The final pass will be through the sand filter, but I want to make that a slow pass. A dump of a gallon of water at a time goes through it too fast. I want it to seep through really slowly. How to do that?
Need to figure out a way to slow drip into the sand filter. An idea occurred to me. Why not use the activated carbon for a final cleanup? The sand filter treatment is not likely to be as clean as I would like.
Update:
Another idea occurred to me: since this water may have a lot of oil and fat in it, it may be a good idea to put it into the refrigerator, and let it solidify. Then the fat can be easily separated from the water. The fat may be clogging up the charcoal filters, too. These may work better if the experiment works.
Update:
Evidently, there's not that much after all, as it yielded hardly nothing at all. The next experiment is to see if the water that has no detergent will separate any better.
Update:
Yes it did. It was quite successful in separating out solids, which precipitated to the bottom. Some lighter density material floated on the top. I'm going to try to clean it up some more using the activated carbon.
So far, I have had success with cutting down on my use of water. It may be under ten gallons per day, but I haven't measured that closely yet. However, recovery of that water is not going as well as I would hope. The water won't filter back to a clean level, although I could still try other methods to get it cleaner.
The big question at this point is whether or not it is worth it.
Since the throughput is slow, and activated carbon is not cheap, I decided to try an experiment today. I used charcoal briquette, which I crushed into a powder. This was used as a filter in the same manner as the activated carbon. However, it left an orange tint to the water, which isn't good.
A run through with the activated carbon removed the tint. Now the idea is to use a lot of charcoal, and then clean up that result with a small amount of activated carbon.
The final pass will be through the sand filter, but I want to make that a slow pass. A dump of a gallon of water at a time goes through it too fast. I want it to seep through really slowly. How to do that?
Need to figure out a way to slow drip into the sand filter. An idea occurred to me. Why not use the activated carbon for a final cleanup? The sand filter treatment is not likely to be as clean as I would like.
Update:
Another idea occurred to me: since this water may have a lot of oil and fat in it, it may be a good idea to put it into the refrigerator, and let it solidify. Then the fat can be easily separated from the water. The fat may be clogging up the charcoal filters, too. These may work better if the experiment works.
Update:
Evidently, there's not that much after all, as it yielded hardly nothing at all. The next experiment is to see if the water that has no detergent will separate any better.
Update:
Yes it did. It was quite successful in separating out solids, which precipitated to the bottom. Some lighter density material floated on the top. I'm going to try to clean it up some more using the activated carbon.
So far, I have had success with cutting down on my use of water. It may be under ten gallons per day, but I haven't measured that closely yet. However, recovery of that water is not going as well as I would hope. The water won't filter back to a clean level, although I could still try other methods to get it cleaner.
The big question at this point is whether or not it is worth it.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Thank the rednecks for defeating Hillary
Just read over this at the Mahablog. She's trying to tell you lefties that you should stop blaming the rednecks for Hillary's loss. She managed to lose this one all by her little bitty self.
I might add what I've been saying all along--- she had no business being in the White House. She needed to be defeated because she wasn't any damned good.
Now the liberals have a chance to get their shit together and come back with a much better candidate the next time. Doesn't mean they will, but they could.
You can thank the rednecks for getting rid of Hillary. She definitely wasn't any good for anybody, even liberals.
I might add what I've been saying all along--- she had no business being in the White House. She needed to be defeated because she wasn't any damned good.
Now the liberals have a chance to get their shit together and come back with a much better candidate the next time. Doesn't mean they will, but they could.
You can thank the rednecks for getting rid of Hillary. She definitely wasn't any good for anybody, even liberals.
Why the protests?
It all seems rather pointless to me. He didn't run as a small government conservative. If anything, he's a big government guy, who may not even be a conservative at all. He's not going to downsize the government. If anything, he is going to grow it.
The only thing substantive that they may be protesting is the wall, and the ban on unlimited immigration from terrorist nations.
But they can't say that. Even the Dems would run away from that.
The only thing substantive that they may be protesting is the wall, and the ban on unlimited immigration from terrorist nations.
But they can't say that. Even the Dems would run away from that.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Obligatory, 11.11.16
Today was Veteran's Day. Almost missed it before somebody said something. Yeah, it wasn't a big deal to me. Sorry.
Not to be disrespectful, or shall I say, not intentionally so.
Still cogitating over this response to the election. Amazing thing to see, but can't help wondering if it would have been different if the shoe was on the other foot. There would be a lot of bellyaching. But not like this.
Generally, conservatives don't carry on like this when they lose. It is rather unseemly, but it is liberals, so you have to take that into consideration. Conservatives may bitch, but they don't riot.
What else to discuss? I mean to do more off-grid experiments, but the only thing I seem to be doing is the lowest hanging fruit. As of today, my RV is fully set up for LED lighting. Well, yay for me.
Another thing is that I've been practicing using less and less water. I've mentioned that, though.
Still haven't set up my passive solar heater thingie. I need to buy hardware, and I am putting it off.
Something just came to mind. A question for you folks: Is America truly a free nation? We are certainly told that we are free, but I wonder if we really are free. Seems to me that certain restrictions are placed upon us that lead me to believe that this freedom claim may be a bit hyped.
For instance, there are no game wardens in Mexico, or so I have heard. You know what kind of trouble you can get into if you hunt or fish without a license? Doesn't sound free to me! What do you think?
Not to be disrespectful, or shall I say, not intentionally so.
Still cogitating over this response to the election. Amazing thing to see, but can't help wondering if it would have been different if the shoe was on the other foot. There would be a lot of bellyaching. But not like this.
Generally, conservatives don't carry on like this when they lose. It is rather unseemly, but it is liberals, so you have to take that into consideration. Conservatives may bitch, but they don't riot.
What else to discuss? I mean to do more off-grid experiments, but the only thing I seem to be doing is the lowest hanging fruit. As of today, my RV is fully set up for LED lighting. Well, yay for me.
Another thing is that I've been practicing using less and less water. I've mentioned that, though.
Still haven't set up my passive solar heater thingie. I need to buy hardware, and I am putting it off.
Something just came to mind. A question for you folks: Is America truly a free nation? We are certainly told that we are free, but I wonder if we really are free. Seems to me that certain restrictions are placed upon us that lead me to believe that this freedom claim may be a bit hyped.
For instance, there are no game wardens in Mexico, or so I have heard. You know what kind of trouble you can get into if you hunt or fish without a license? Doesn't sound free to me! What do you think?
Thursday, November 10, 2016
What's next?
Now that we've settled on who the next president is going to be, what comes next?
Some folks seem to be taking Trump's victory rather hard. If the shoe was on the other foot, how would I take it? I didn't like Obama's victory in 2012, I'll tell you that. But this time, I don't know. Hillary was definitely not the ticket--- but if she had won, I don't think I would have had a cow over it. It may have been time to hunker down though, cuz things were going to get rough.
Do these people think things are going to get rough? Really?
Still, when you see people getting upset that Hillary didn't win, it is rather curious thing to observe. What is bothering them so much? What are they worried about? Chances are, the thing that they are worried about will never happen. They might actually like what is going to happen.
Cheer up you people. The world isn't about to end yet.
Maybe not, anyway.
Some folks seem to be taking Trump's victory rather hard. If the shoe was on the other foot, how would I take it? I didn't like Obama's victory in 2012, I'll tell you that. But this time, I don't know. Hillary was definitely not the ticket--- but if she had won, I don't think I would have had a cow over it. It may have been time to hunker down though, cuz things were going to get rough.
Do these people think things are going to get rough? Really?
Still, when you see people getting upset that Hillary didn't win, it is rather curious thing to observe. What is bothering them so much? What are they worried about? Chances are, the thing that they are worried about will never happen. They might actually like what is going to happen.
Cheer up you people. The world isn't about to end yet.
Maybe not, anyway.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Trump wins
It looks like another election in which the loser wins the popular vote, but loses in the electoral college.
I can smell a big time Democrat talking point on this one.
It does show what should be considered the GOP strength v. the Democrat weakness. The GOP wins outside of the cities. The Democrats win the big cities. This gives mass, but overall mass does not win this kind of race. This kind of race requires that you win states, one-by-one. Therefore, counting on victory in a mere popularity contest won't get it done.
Yet, Trump ran a mass campaign of sorts, with the rallies and such.
Exit polls showed younger voters favored Hillary. The Obama coalition didn't turn out, though.
It is troubling to me that Hillary did as well as she did. The mass media still has enormous power to influence people. This despite all the talk to the contrary. There could be few other reasons to explain why Hillary made it as close as it was. She was a decidedly flawed candidate.
I can smell a big time Democrat talking point on this one.
It does show what should be considered the GOP strength v. the Democrat weakness. The GOP wins outside of the cities. The Democrats win the big cities. This gives mass, but overall mass does not win this kind of race. This kind of race requires that you win states, one-by-one. Therefore, counting on victory in a mere popularity contest won't get it done.
Yet, Trump ran a mass campaign of sorts, with the rallies and such.
Exit polls showed younger voters favored Hillary. The Obama coalition didn't turn out, though.
It is troubling to me that Hillary did as well as she did. The mass media still has enormous power to influence people. This despite all the talk to the contrary. There could be few other reasons to explain why Hillary made it as close as it was. She was a decidedly flawed candidate.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Election Day
Mercifully, it has arrived.
So much negativity.
Close it out with a nice little oldie from the past...
So much negativity.
Close it out with a nice little oldie from the past...
Monday, November 7, 2016
Limbaugh: The Cynic's View Prevailed
Comey's decision to reopen the email case was a distraction from the WikiLeaks revelations.
"Everything is choreographed--- a fake."
comment:
Well, I was not taken in. You cannot trust these people. To the degree that those who did may determine the outcome of this election.
"Everything is choreographed--- a fake."
comment:
Well, I was not taken in. You cannot trust these people. To the degree that those who did may determine the outcome of this election.
Spilling the beans time
We're on the eve of the election, but this isn't about that. No, this is very personal here.
I've got news, and it isn't good. That is, it isn't good for me.
Seems like I can't catch a break sometimes. Anyway, part of the reason for going to Houston was to go to see doctors. It seems like there's a pretty good chance that I have cancer, and maybe it is not good.
If this is what the preliminary seems to say, this thing is a one in a million type thing. People who get this seem healthy until symptoms appear. From what I am reading about it, a person could have this for quite some time before becoming aware of it.
Before I spout off too much, no definite diagnosis has been made. But it is being narrowed down. It isn't the prostate, if that is what you are thinking. Not the colon, either. If only it were something common like that.
I'll be going back to Houston pretty soon. Eventually, the diagnosis will be made, and treatment will probably begin immediately after that.
I suppose I can throw things, and kick things, curse up a storm --- but it is useless. Just have to suck it up and deal with it.
I've got news, and it isn't good. That is, it isn't good for me.
Seems like I can't catch a break sometimes. Anyway, part of the reason for going to Houston was to go to see doctors. It seems like there's a pretty good chance that I have cancer, and maybe it is not good.
If this is what the preliminary seems to say, this thing is a one in a million type thing. People who get this seem healthy until symptoms appear. From what I am reading about it, a person could have this for quite some time before becoming aware of it.
Before I spout off too much, no definite diagnosis has been made. But it is being narrowed down. It isn't the prostate, if that is what you are thinking. Not the colon, either. If only it were something common like that.
I'll be going back to Houston pretty soon. Eventually, the diagnosis will be made, and treatment will probably begin immediately after that.
I suppose I can throw things, and kick things, curse up a storm --- but it is useless. Just have to suck it up and deal with it.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
2016 election: Last chance?
Perhaps in contentious times like these, coming to any kind of agreement at all is just about impossible.
But if you are going to have a thing, you need to take care of it so that it can continue to work as it should. Even in times such as these, it may be hard to get an argument on this one. You have find agreements somehow.
Never ending arguments are a symptom of a societal disease, would you not agree?
When it comes to a civilization, or just a country, what would it take to keep it on track, then? Seems like the majority in this country thinks that something is wrong. Could it be that one of the two major political parties has decided to nominate a candidate that is obviously flawed? A significant number of her own party members thought so. It is no secret to anyone.
You may point to Trump as being equally flawed. But there is a difference. Hillary did it under the color of authority. Trump is still just a private citizen. Can there be a distinction? No private person can wield the kind of power a President has. The same is true for any member of a President's administration.
If you are going to have an election, then what point is it to ratify the same thing that has already occurred, and in which the majority has found fault? Hillary has been part of what has gone wrong.
If there is to be accountability at all, Hillary must lose. She won't ever be tried. Even if she is tried, she won't be convicted. But that doesn't make her innocent. Accountability must come from the ballot box. If it doesn't come from there, it will not come at all.
Arguments won't get far unless some standard can be set so as to resolve the argument. If the argument gets settled by putting someone like Hillary in power, it is like throwing all standards out the window. If there is no accountability, then how can there be any standards? Without standards, what can be the basis for continuance--- brute force? That can last only as long as you can muster greater force.
To maintain a civilized country, one must have something besides brute force. Indeed, that is what makes a country civilized. If brute force rules, it is the law of the jungle.
This may be the last chance we get to keep our country. If the law of the jungle prevails, there can be no more civilization. No accountability means we lost our country. Hillary has to lose.
But if you are going to have a thing, you need to take care of it so that it can continue to work as it should. Even in times such as these, it may be hard to get an argument on this one. You have find agreements somehow.
Never ending arguments are a symptom of a societal disease, would you not agree?
When it comes to a civilization, or just a country, what would it take to keep it on track, then? Seems like the majority in this country thinks that something is wrong. Could it be that one of the two major political parties has decided to nominate a candidate that is obviously flawed? A significant number of her own party members thought so. It is no secret to anyone.
You may point to Trump as being equally flawed. But there is a difference. Hillary did it under the color of authority. Trump is still just a private citizen. Can there be a distinction? No private person can wield the kind of power a President has. The same is true for any member of a President's administration.
If you are going to have an election, then what point is it to ratify the same thing that has already occurred, and in which the majority has found fault? Hillary has been part of what has gone wrong.
If there is to be accountability at all, Hillary must lose. She won't ever be tried. Even if she is tried, she won't be convicted. But that doesn't make her innocent. Accountability must come from the ballot box. If it doesn't come from there, it will not come at all.
Arguments won't get far unless some standard can be set so as to resolve the argument. If the argument gets settled by putting someone like Hillary in power, it is like throwing all standards out the window. If there is no accountability, then how can there be any standards? Without standards, what can be the basis for continuance--- brute force? That can last only as long as you can muster greater force.
To maintain a civilized country, one must have something besides brute force. Indeed, that is what makes a country civilized. If brute force rules, it is the law of the jungle.
This may be the last chance we get to keep our country. If the law of the jungle prevails, there can be no more civilization. No accountability means we lost our country. Hillary has to lose.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Revisiting water filtration
Drat it. I didn't include detailed instructions on how to make my activated carbon filter. I do recall that I had to go through several attempts to get it to work right.
Just now tried some coffee filters, but they don't filter water worth a damn.
Maybe I'll just get lazy and buy what I need. But that sort of defeats the purpose, now doesn't it?
I recall that I used tea bag papers the last time. Why would tea bag papers work better than coffee filters? Come to think of it, I haven't even used the activated carbon that I have. That can be messy stuff when it doesn't work right. It can go right through the filter paper. The trick is to get it to stop doing that.
The current idea is to run the dirty water through the carbon filter, then through a sand filter, and finally through something that gives an end result. Either a distiller or some other device.
Update:
Looks like the activated charcoal or carbon is sufficient when used only with coffee filters. However, the rate of filtration is really slow. Output seemed pretty good at first, then deteriorated after a few pints.
As can be seen, there's not much water being filtered. The rate of filtration is too slow, and so not much gets done.
While fooling around with coffee filters, I did manage to set up a sand filter. Don't want to run dirty water through this one. It's heavy. Got rocks and pebbles to go along with the sand. That's what makes it heavy.
Is all this worth it? To be worth it, I'll need to get better throughput.
Just now tried some coffee filters, but they don't filter water worth a damn.
Maybe I'll just get lazy and buy what I need. But that sort of defeats the purpose, now doesn't it?
I recall that I used tea bag papers the last time. Why would tea bag papers work better than coffee filters? Come to think of it, I haven't even used the activated carbon that I have. That can be messy stuff when it doesn't work right. It can go right through the filter paper. The trick is to get it to stop doing that.
The current idea is to run the dirty water through the carbon filter, then through a sand filter, and finally through something that gives an end result. Either a distiller or some other device.
Update:
Looks like the activated charcoal or carbon is sufficient when used only with coffee filters. However, the rate of filtration is really slow. Output seemed pretty good at first, then deteriorated after a few pints.
As can be seen, there's not much water being filtered. The rate of filtration is too slow, and so not much gets done.
While fooling around with coffee filters, I did manage to set up a sand filter. Don't want to run dirty water through this one. It's heavy. Got rocks and pebbles to go along with the sand. That's what makes it heavy.
Is all this worth it? To be worth it, I'll need to get better throughput.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Obligatory,11.3.16
Back home from Houston.
I am anxious to continue with my off-grid experiments.
As for the election, the horse race aspect does not interest me. The horse race is meant to get eyeballs, but we need brains here.
This election has been one of the worse that I can remember. The things talked about have little to do with what the nation faces. If that is the way we intend to run our affairs, then it should surprise nobody that things will continue to be on the wrong track.
But I repeat myself.
I am anxious to continue with my off-grid experiments.
As for the election, the horse race aspect does not interest me. The horse race is meant to get eyeballs, but we need brains here.
This election has been one of the worse that I can remember. The things talked about have little to do with what the nation faces. If that is the way we intend to run our affairs, then it should surprise nobody that things will continue to be on the wrong track.
But I repeat myself.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Obligatory, 11.2.16
Back in Houston. Seems like I can't get away from the place. Anyway, posting may be light, as I take care of business here.
Limbaugh had a little talk that you may find interesting. Funny how it seems that GOP types are coming home, so to speak. If Trump loses, one might ask why it took them so long.
There was something yesterday about Europeans thinking America is at the height of its power. Could these people be serious? After World War II, America had half the wealth of the world. It had a monopoly on the atomic bomb. That is when America was at the height of its power. The country is not at all in that position anymore. I suspect that statement was just more disinformation intended to keep the status quo alive. The Limbaugh talk makes America look more like Rome at the end than Rome at the height of its power. Rome at it end had leaders who cared more about themselves than the country they supposedly led. If the leadership of a nation doesn't care, that country dies. That is what happened to Rome, and is happening here as well.
Limbaugh had a little talk that you may find interesting. Funny how it seems that GOP types are coming home, so to speak. If Trump loses, one might ask why it took them so long.
There was something yesterday about Europeans thinking America is at the height of its power. Could these people be serious? After World War II, America had half the wealth of the world. It had a monopoly on the atomic bomb. That is when America was at the height of its power. The country is not at all in that position anymore. I suspect that statement was just more disinformation intended to keep the status quo alive. The Limbaugh talk makes America look more like Rome at the end than Rome at the height of its power. Rome at it end had leaders who cared more about themselves than the country they supposedly led. If the leadership of a nation doesn't care, that country dies. That is what happened to Rome, and is happening here as well.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Jet fuel from sea water
Molten salt reactor technology can enable this:
TRL of six:
TRL of six:
It is possible because there is far more carbon dioxide in water than in the air:
The process does not require electrolysis in order to obtain hydrogen:
Keep in mind that molten salt technology is nearly 50 years old. We could have had this decades ago. Why don't we? Because something is wrong.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Interesting concept
At a price of 139k, this little jewel just begs for a cheaper hack. I could use something like this to jump over the hills, and get into town without having to traverse bad roads. Ah, but ideas aren't worth much without the means to implement them.
This gizmo may have a place in some specialized mission, according to the linked story.
More likely to make it in a James Bond movie fifty years ago, when the West actually had a culture worth something.
via GIPHY
hat tip: Al Fin
This gizmo may have a place in some specialized mission, according to the linked story.
More likely to make it in a James Bond movie fifty years ago, when the West actually had a culture worth something.
via GIPHY
hat tip: Al Fin
Sunday, October 30, 2016
General off-the-grid discussion
This post will fit into my off-the-grid series of posts. It will be classified under the general subcategory, or subseries. It can read end to end by following the links, or the entire series can be accessed through the table of contents post.
Prev Next
The rubber, as it has been said, has hit the road. In other words, I am doing it for real now, although I am not on my property yet.
I have obtained the services of an RV, and I am living in the sticks, so to speak. While I am here, I can practice the techniques I will need in living out in an even more remote area.
This place has running water and electricity. It isn't nearly as demanding as it would be on my property, which has no utilities whatever.
Since I won't have water out there, I will need to practice techniques that require little water. Let's say washing the dishes. With some practice, I may be able to reduce the amount of water needed for this task to less than a gallon per day.
Besides dishes, I have been practicing taking showers with a minimum of water. While still in Houston, I timed out the shower duration and measured the water flow per minute. I figured about eight gallons in that environment.
Once getting here, the amount seems higher. It seems like all water usage is probably about fifteen gallons per day. I want to get that down to less than ten, then down to maybe five.
It seems that this trailer has two showers. The one outside had a push button shower head, which I took off and exchanged with the inside shower, which doesn't have one. Now I can turn off the thing more easily, and gives me more control. With luck, using a technique like this, I can get my water usage from showers down to three or four gallons per day.
Black water can be handled with an incinerating toilet.
I hope to recycle as much of this water as I can. I recaptured the dishwater, and could run another water experiment, but I am not set up for that yet. Earlier experiments took water worse than this and made it into clear water. I plan on building a solar water distiller, that could clean this filtered water up into distilled water.
The distiller can work for the shower water, too. Maybe I can recover half of the five gallons and get the usage down to just two and a half per day.
If my water usage can get down that low, I may be able to use a wind turbine to power a device that can capture water from the water vapor in the air. Then, if that were to be successful, I could be self sufficient in water, even before rainfall recapture techniques were employed.
Most of this discussion is about water. I also want to reduce electricity consumption to near zero, if I can. This will be accomplished through the use of solar devices and wind. A propane generator could be used as a backup.
I want to set up my passive solar experiment, but that is taking more time than I anticipated. It is not clear to me what hardware will be needed yet.
My solar panel works, but the wiring is wrong. Have to re-do that.
This should bring me up to date with where I am on this project.
Prev Next
The rubber, as it has been said, has hit the road. In other words, I am doing it for real now, although I am not on my property yet.
I have obtained the services of an RV, and I am living in the sticks, so to speak. While I am here, I can practice the techniques I will need in living out in an even more remote area.
This place has running water and electricity. It isn't nearly as demanding as it would be on my property, which has no utilities whatever.
Since I won't have water out there, I will need to practice techniques that require little water. Let's say washing the dishes. With some practice, I may be able to reduce the amount of water needed for this task to less than a gallon per day.
Besides dishes, I have been practicing taking showers with a minimum of water. While still in Houston, I timed out the shower duration and measured the water flow per minute. I figured about eight gallons in that environment.
Once getting here, the amount seems higher. It seems like all water usage is probably about fifteen gallons per day. I want to get that down to less than ten, then down to maybe five.
It seems that this trailer has two showers. The one outside had a push button shower head, which I took off and exchanged with the inside shower, which doesn't have one. Now I can turn off the thing more easily, and gives me more control. With luck, using a technique like this, I can get my water usage from showers down to three or four gallons per day.
Black water can be handled with an incinerating toilet.
I hope to recycle as much of this water as I can. I recaptured the dishwater, and could run another water experiment, but I am not set up for that yet. Earlier experiments took water worse than this and made it into clear water. I plan on building a solar water distiller, that could clean this filtered water up into distilled water.
The distiller can work for the shower water, too. Maybe I can recover half of the five gallons and get the usage down to just two and a half per day.
If my water usage can get down that low, I may be able to use a wind turbine to power a device that can capture water from the water vapor in the air. Then, if that were to be successful, I could be self sufficient in water, even before rainfall recapture techniques were employed.
Most of this discussion is about water. I also want to reduce electricity consumption to near zero, if I can. This will be accomplished through the use of solar devices and wind. A propane generator could be used as a backup.
I want to set up my passive solar experiment, but that is taking more time than I anticipated. It is not clear to me what hardware will be needed yet.
My solar panel works, but the wiring is wrong. Have to re-do that.
This should bring me up to date with where I am on this project.
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