Simplicity, always simplicity

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This post will go into the Power and electricity sub-series of the off-the-grid main series of posts.  These posts can be accessed from a table of contents and watched individually or in series from beginning to end.

This rates as a post because I want to emphasize an idea that came to me recently.  The idea is to use an automobile to charge up an electrical system, as opposed to using a completely different piece of hardware.

Two possibilities emerge from that:  1) use an electric car, or 2) use an internal combustion engine.  Of these two possibilities, the one that would offer the most direct means of accomplishing the task of charging batteries would be the ICE route.  

For example, to run the Nissan Versa at idle only consumes about 2/10 of a gallon per hour.  The question then becomes:  How much of a charge can you get from the onboard alternator?  A little research indicates that it may be better to use the car than to use the little 2 cycle generator I got.  The gasoline consumption is the same, but the amperage is superior from the car  But what is it exactly?

Don't know, but it may be around 40 amps.  That would be far better than what I already have, and would require no new hardware.

You could put about 2.5 kilowatt hours into some batteries for the price of a gallon of fuel per day.

Not super cheap, nor super simple to set up, but it could work.  Simplicity could win out on this one.

Obligatory, 10.6.17

There are so many thoughts, it's hard to keep them organized, and presented in posts that are readable.  Consequently, I have spent a bit more effort on this post, than what is usually my custom.  I made an outline first, and then filled it in with what I wanted to write about.

I'm not following the news as is my custom; instead, I will write about things closer to home.  Therefore, it is somewhat different than the usual fare on this blog.  It will largely about me.  I don't know how interesting that subject may prove to be, but here it is, just the same.

I guess this post will be largely about my struggles as of late.  My main struggle is with my health, as I have cancer.  Today, I am supposed to call for my results of the latest MRI.  It will tell in more detail how the proton therapy has gone.  First indications are encouraging.  The doctor went over some of the images while I was still in Irving.  But, it wasn't the whole picture.  Later today, I will be finding out more about those.

Another struggle is with the poverty that has ensued from this disability.  I never did have much money.  Now, I have none at all.  Indeed, it seems that I keep sliding deeper and deeper into debt.  Despite all my efforts to rein in spending, and even to go back to work, this trouble seems never- ending.  I spoke with a financial counselor at Irving, and she said "don't worry about it, just get well."  But once I get well, will the worry about the bills will make me sick all over again?

Getting well could be the key after all.  Maybe I can earn my way out of this mess.  At the moment, that seems most unlikely.  It is mostly a challenge to do much work at all.

All of this is related to what I really want to do.  I don't want to be all consumed with my health and finances.  I'd like to focus in on my "moonshot".  But the moonshot gets pushed back and back and back.  It has been three years since I began the project in earnest, and I'm still not out there.

In the meantime, I am struggling with things I am likely to encounter out there.  One thing that there is abundance of in this place is ants.  Seems like I am always fighting against another infestation, as I have found another bunch of these nasty little critters on my Coleman cooler.  So, out it goes, and I look for the ant trail to see where they got in.  It is hard to find, so that is what makes this so confounding.  It doesn't take much for them to find a way in.  I have done a lot to keep them at bay, but it is always temporary.  They are relentless.

I got lazy this morning, or otherwise, I'd be working.  Now I am fighting these confounded ants again.

In the nighttime, when the battles against the ants and whatnot, I am inclined to read.  Perhaps the news, but last night was a bit different.  I re-read the book Four Witnesses, which is about the early Church.  The ancient Romans were really not much different than we are.  That is a warning for those who think about these things.  Of course, I have mentioned this rather extensively on this blog.  Indeed, it is why I began this blog in the first place.

Our society seems to have taken a lot of missteps in my lifetime.  But is it too late to change and turn back to a better path?

That is what the "moonshot" is about.  Perhaps I will get the opportunity to finish this project.  But circumstances seem to be going against it.

The struggle goes on.  It won't end until I do, I suppose.

Obligatory, 10.4.17

Originally posted today, updated on,

10.5.17:

What did I tell you?  It was a gun free zone, and security wasn't taken seriously.   Again, I say that this country has become a completely non-serious.  If we wanted to end this crap, it would end.  But they don't want to, because it would hurt them politically to actually solve the damned problem.

later today:

Back again.  Back to the grind.  Back to being alive.  Yay, me.

Better than the alternative, btw.  Some of you may have wished that I didn't come back.  lol



the original post follows



My apologies for the lite posting.  Actually, there was time to post, but I neglected to attend to this little chore of maintaining this blog.  But, I was enjoying the luxury of having as much of the things that I now deny myself as a matter of necessity.  The luxuries are as follows:  1) a lot of space to move around in, 2) running the a/c as cold as I like 3) using as much water as I wish in order to take a shower, and 4) watching the boob tube.

As for the last in the list, it is called the "boob tube" for a reason.  The controllers of our society program us with these machines.  Your thoughts are being shaped by what you see and hear on that stupid screen.  But it is a luxury, and people love it so.  It is an opportunity for the controllers to set us one against the other, and keep us in their hip pockets.  We all love to bash our opponents on that stupid screen.  The bad guys are the guys who seem to want to prevent something to be done about something the controllers want.

The latest thing is the Las Vegas massacre.  Of course, it is yet another one of these things, and the more they show it, the more the imitators are going to want to emulate it.  The more it happens, the more the call for gun control becomes compelling.  The call to "do something" will one day become "too much" to ignore.  Or so they say.  It is probably the latest scene in the kabuki theater, which is what they continually display upon the boob tube.  The boob tube is the boob tube because the average boob will not turn it off, and think for himself about these things that keep happening.

These things happen for a reason.  The reason is to continue to amass power amongst themselves, meaning the controllers, at your expense.  The controllers will not actually solve the problem, they only want the issue, so that they can continually harangue us on the need to give up more of our rights, and cede it to them, of course.

If they wanted to solve these problems, as with all the other problems, they would actually do something that will work.  Gun control will not work.  Even if it did, it should not be employed as a solution, because the controllers cannot be trusted with the power that they already have.  With the power that they already have, we continually see these kinds of events.

Was gun control in effect in Las Vegas?  I don't know, but I bet that this venue was a gun free zone. A gun free zone is an invitation for a slaughter amongst those who think about doing this kind of thing.  The obvious thing is to stop having gun free zones, unless you have air tight security.

But that won't be done because it is too obvious, and it would end these things because the opportunity to slaughter a lot of people, and get on the news, would no longer exist.  The opportunity to harangue us about gun control will no longer exist too, and that is why nothing will be done.

Who is the bad guy in the kabuki theater?  The bad guys are the ones who try to keep our rights in effect.  If you weren't such boobs, you wouldn't listen to this garbage, but so many people do.

Turn the damned thing off.  End the kabuki theater by not participating.  Vote the dirt bags out who keep perpetuating this garbage.  Stop being a boob, and be a free man with a mind of your own.

Go Big or Go Home

Mark Steyn discusses the possible breakup of Spain, and what significance it may hold going forward.

What really happened in Vegas?

Originally posted 10.5.17, updated,
later today:

14:00 :

Mental health issues seem to be at work here:  Shooter was receiving meds for anxiety.

Drug could lead to more aggressive behavior.  Say what?

Nut cases have been released from insane asylums, too.  More nuts on street could mean more mass shootings, but let's ban guns.  Right.



earlier today:

The big, big, big question here is how the hell was this possible, unless there was a lot of help?

quote:

Police later found 23 weapons inside the hotel room, including several assault rifles modified to shoot like automatic weapons. Paddock, who had checked into the hotel three days earlier, on Sept. 28, had brought the weapons to the room using "in excess of 10 suitcases," according to police ---- Buzzfeed

I noted at my motel room that there seems to be an attraction of middle eastern type men to the motel business.  Just saying.


the original post follows


All the talking heads are working their mouths double time.  It is predictable.  None of this is about solving problems.

All news reporting is sensationalized.  I checked one that was fairly straightforward, without a terrible amount of hype.  The question arises almost immediately:  how did this guy get a weapon inside a hotel so that he could shoot down below?

My guess is that after 9.11.2001, security has gotten rather relaxed.  Right after that event, in which 3000 people were killed, there was strong security in all buildings.  I know, because I did deliveries for a living.  All buildings that I went into had security in place.  It was like that, and as time went by, you can see the security getting more and more relaxed.  I can't say what it is like today, but security is probably almost nonexistent today.

These bad guys look for opportunities.  To stop them, you deny them opportunities.  Novel thought.  If only our elected representatives and the talking heads would concentrate and deal with it this manner, as opposed to taking away our rights.  Taking away our rights won't end terrorism.  But our elected representatives find terrorism more useful to them than in actually solving the problem by ending terrorism.

It is not the people's fault that the government failed in its job.  Don't punish the people, but if the government won't solve this problem, start punishing them instead.

North by Northwest

I was looking for that movie where he was running away from the plane.  Kinda like a nightmare, when something is after you, but you cannot move fast enough to get away from it.

After a lot of looking, here it is.  Considered to be one of the all time great flicks.  Alfred Hitchcock made it, don't you know.

This one also has the scene in which they are on Mount Rushmore.  You remember that one, don't you?

Leaving for Irving tomorrow

Just now preparing for the trip.  Packed my bag, and so forth.  I reserved a room near the treatment center, which is where I will get the MRI.  So, tomorrow will be a travel day, and blogging will be light in the interim.

Before doing the above, I wanted to work a bit on my solar panel.  I had it on the ground, but there's a dog in the area that likes to visit.  The dog walked on it, leaving its paw prints.  So, the panel had to be moved to a better location.  I placed it on top of the crate.  It is about three feet tall, so it is dog proof.

It had gotten filthy too, which caused a loss in efficiency.  So now it is cleaned up and ready to go for more work.  Yay, solar panel.

May need some supplies before leaving.  I'd like things to be in good order when I get back.  Hopefully, that will be Wednesday night.

Why fight?

Must you fight to preserve the good?

On this earth, you must.  When the commies take over, the Amish will be killed off.  Then they will see that the good will die with them.

"Come out from among them, and be ye separate".  Yes, that may be necessary in this age.  There is not much good left out there.

There's not much time, either.

Bob Seger: Main Street

I was in downtown Austin today.  Frankly, I do not like downtown Austin much at all.  Reminder to  self: Avoid downtown.  It is only a place where bad stuff can happen, and probably will if you hang around there long enough.

I didn't "get down" on Main Street.  But the song is still good.

Why nothing will be done about the NFL

The boycott won't last.  As mad as the fans are, they will be back.  How do I know this?  I kept tuning in on the radio to see how the Texans did today.

Not that I don't know what it is like to have a Sunday without Football.  The Oilers left for Tennessee, and after the first couple seasons, it got to be pretty easy.  But most fans have not had that experience, so, they will take the abuse of the national symbol like they take everything else.

My position stands.  If you ( meaning any GOP politician, including Trump ) want things to change, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.  A boycott won't cut it.  That's cuz you will be back.  The NFL knows this, so they won't take all this very seriously.

Whining about double standards is not going to be taken seriously.  Stop being weenies, you guys.