Giant storm on Uranus
A joke is being mightily contained.
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, August 9, 2014
Calibrating the altitude on the handheld gps
Using the TopoQuest Map Viewer
My impression is that the device is a lot more accurate than what I thought.
My impression is that the device is a lot more accurate than what I thought.
Facts are stubborn things
One source of that quote that I can recall attributes it to Stalin of the Soviet Union. Another attributes it to John Adams, the second president of the United States.
Whoever said it was right. As of now, I'm having to deal with some stubborn facts that are not to my liking. Just now, I've come home from the usual oil change that I reserve for Saturdays, since my time is so limited during the week. I noticed some uneven wear on my front tires, which is trouble spot. Sure enough, after checking out the front end, it looks like a thousand dollar repair job to set it right.
After all the money that I've been spending, this is most unwelcome news. But not unexpected. After all, the van has nearly 300k miles on it. Stuff is going to start wearing out and that's going to take a lot of money to keep it rolling down the road. On the other hand, replacing the vehicle with a new one will cost plenty as well.
If I keep the van, I will have to have a use for it besides making deliveries. I've considered making an RV out of it. I mentioned that to the repair shop proprietor and he offered to sell me his. The price was a bit out of my range. Besides, you have everything to worry about with an RV that you worry about with an auto. Plus it is a living quarters. It will have to be insured and so forth.
The van can be risked, an RV that costs plenty cannot. That's an easy decision.
Another vehicle will cost significantly less than the RV. You may have to insure both vehicles for awhile. But upon renewal, only one. The renewal will be nearly 10 months from now. If I get a pickup truck, it will require a camper shell. Those aren't cheap anymore.
Back to the van: I was thinking of making it taller by cutting away the roof and putting a top on it. Forget that. More expense that I cannot afford.
One thing is certain: the Van will have to be replaced in any event. It won't last another 100k miles, which is what I need it to do. Or could it? Not without a lot of repair work.
The realities of moving out to El Paso involve a lot of stubborn facts like these. It still takes money to make it in this world. That is a stubborn fact that cannot be overlooked.
Whoever said it was right. As of now, I'm having to deal with some stubborn facts that are not to my liking. Just now, I've come home from the usual oil change that I reserve for Saturdays, since my time is so limited during the week. I noticed some uneven wear on my front tires, which is trouble spot. Sure enough, after checking out the front end, it looks like a thousand dollar repair job to set it right.
After all the money that I've been spending, this is most unwelcome news. But not unexpected. After all, the van has nearly 300k miles on it. Stuff is going to start wearing out and that's going to take a lot of money to keep it rolling down the road. On the other hand, replacing the vehicle with a new one will cost plenty as well.
If I keep the van, I will have to have a use for it besides making deliveries. I've considered making an RV out of it. I mentioned that to the repair shop proprietor and he offered to sell me his. The price was a bit out of my range. Besides, you have everything to worry about with an RV that you worry about with an auto. Plus it is a living quarters. It will have to be insured and so forth.
The van can be risked, an RV that costs plenty cannot. That's an easy decision.
Another vehicle will cost significantly less than the RV. You may have to insure both vehicles for awhile. But upon renewal, only one. The renewal will be nearly 10 months from now. If I get a pickup truck, it will require a camper shell. Those aren't cheap anymore.
Back to the van: I was thinking of making it taller by cutting away the roof and putting a top on it. Forget that. More expense that I cannot afford.
One thing is certain: the Van will have to be replaced in any event. It won't last another 100k miles, which is what I need it to do. Or could it? Not without a lot of repair work.
The realities of moving out to El Paso involve a lot of stubborn facts like these. It still takes money to make it in this world. That is a stubborn fact that cannot be overlooked.
Muhammed Ali screwed up
The championship boxer changed his name from Cassius Clay, who he was said to be named after. Even if he wasn't named after Cassius Clay, he should have been proud to have a name like that. For Cassius Clay was one bad-ass SOB.
From Wikipedia these two excerpts as examples:
From Wikipedia these two excerpts as examples:
- His anti-slavery activism earned him violent enemies. During a political debate in 1843, he survived an assassination attempt by a hired gun, named Sam Brown. Despite being shot in the chest, Clay defended himself. He seriously wounded Brown with his Bowie knife and threw him over an embankment.[ comment: You have to be pretty tough to throw somebody over an embankment, especially if you are wounded.]
- While making a speech for abolition in 1849, Clay was attacked by the six Turner brothers, who beat, stabbed and tried to shoot him. In the ensuing fight, Clay fought off all six and, using his Bowie knife, killed Cyrus Turner [ six to one, and he still came out on top!?! He puts Muhammed Ali to shame. He was the Greatest, and Muhammed Ali was just the latest.]
Friday, August 8, 2014
Stockman's The Implosion is Near-Signs of the Bubble's Last Days
kitco.com Taylor-Stockman
Sounds very serious and mostly is. But nobody is listening, of course.
We are indeed living in the most perilous times since I began writing this newsletter back in 1981. If ever there was a time to own gold, it’s now despite what Wall St. propaganda tells you. And it might also not be a bad idea to examine your belief in our Creator of the Universe
Sounds very serious and mostly is. But nobody is listening, of course.
Homemade Drag/ Grader
Kudos for some creative thinking.
Update:
Perhaps I can make my own grader with some aluminum mesh screen and a couple weights rigged up like I saw on another video. Not sure that it will be strong enough though. It could rip quite easily. I was thinking of nailing together a few 2 by 4's and make a scraper/grader out of the aluminum stretched across it. The weight would fit on top of the 2 x 4's.
Hmm. That may not work. Not strong enough. Worth thinking about though. It may not have to be all that strong for what I intend for it.
Update:
Perhaps I can make my own grader with some aluminum mesh screen and a couple weights rigged up like I saw on another video. Not sure that it will be strong enough though. It could rip quite easily. I was thinking of nailing together a few 2 by 4's and make a scraper/grader out of the aluminum stretched across it. The weight would fit on top of the 2 x 4's.
Hmm. That may not work. Not strong enough. Worth thinking about though. It may not have to be all that strong for what I intend for it.
Grasspave2 and Gravelpave2 permeable paving for grass and gravel surfaces
Gonna need something like this to have access to property.
Update:
Prev Next
This will go on the list as the next entry in the off-the-grid series.
Related post here. Another not so related post here about solar power advances.
Update: ( 9/19/2014):
Thought I'd relate the thought that this option is too expensive. A home made idea is an improvement upon the concept. The concept is to leave space for grass to grow. The home made idea is to use posts and lay them side-by-side with space in-between them so as to allow the grass to grow. The posts should be cheaper than this stuff.
Update:
Prev Next
This will go on the list as the next entry in the off-the-grid series.
Related post here. Another not so related post here about solar power advances.
Update: ( 9/19/2014):
Thought I'd relate the thought that this option is too expensive. A home made idea is an improvement upon the concept. The concept is to leave space for grass to grow. The home made idea is to use posts and lay them side-by-side with space in-between them so as to allow the grass to grow. The posts should be cheaper than this stuff.
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