Meanwhile, From The Nose Bleed Section

They caught the person responsible for planting the fake pipe bombs (or were they fake?) on January 6 when the supposed insurrection was in full swing. Bondi said the last group of supposed administrator of the alphabet agencies were sitting on their hands, and whistling to the wind. Who knows? We haven't been given much to warm our hearts on justice being served. 

Speaking of justice. Regardless of what is reported, placed in investigation, or tossed around Congress, I don't have a fuzzy feeling about the state of justice in the United States. Too many obvious criminals are allowed to continue their stints in Congress, or allowed to sell books, when they should have been flogged, tarred and feathered, tied to a rail, and tossed into a pit of raw sewage.

I don't know how everyone feels, but the economy sucks. Inflation has stolen at least 25% of my income in the last four years, and nobody is reporting how they performed the procedure outlined above in solving this problem. 

Illegals have shown the worst of people in other countries only become problems in other countries. The best solution is to deport any found, close down all immigration, and give at least twenty years for those that legally immigrated to become accustomed to the American way of life.

Regardless of what's being reported, the desperate adds on television indicate the Christmas sales will be abysmal. The deals are too good, and in my opinion, it looks like the major outlets will do just about anything to break even. 

Trump has suggested giving newborn families $1000 for each baby. That's fair, but I won't my share to be retroactive to the year I was born and the money gathering 6% interest. 

I'm helping my wife to make some homemade vegetable beef soup. We have different opinions, but manage to work together on the production. It tastes really good, and the slow simmer will bring out all the flavors.

It's Better, But....

Our county has been working on improving the drainage in our subdivision. As far as I know, this is the first time this has been done since it was started back in the late seventies. I'm guessing the numerous appeals on property taxes has created some attention. 

The subdivision was built by a somewhat shady developer. The original road was created by using borrowed soil for the road bed, and the ditches left by "borrowing" the soil were never profiled for drainage, and the property owners just threw some culverts into the ditch to gain access to their property. This created some problems, since this resulted in ponding between some culverts, which led to constant wet ditches, and the crappy road (which was only oiled sand) took a beating. Eventually the county took over the road, placed a durable surface, and this helped. 

The original developer tried to mitigate water problems by building a levee around the subdivision, and placed a pump station to pump out the water. This was a disaster, since the pump station was a joke, and fell into disrepair. The levee now not only blocked natural drainage, it caused the adjacent creek to pond water upstream, which slowed down drainage further. Holes were cut in the levee, which helped mitigate the created problem, but the original drainage problems still existed. 

The county just finished profiling the ditches, cutting them to drain, and this helped the drainage tremendously. They're now water-jetting the culverts to remove sediment. Some culverts obviously need to be changed to facilitate drainage, but whether that happens is yet to be seen. With the improved drainage, and limited funds, I don't see this happening. We'll see, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

So, How Much Did They Feed Them?

According to this article, soybean oil may cause obesity.  Maybe it does, but maybe they fed the mice a half gallon each every day, with a pack of cookies. That would make them fat, and help continue the funds for research.

Lack of Accountability

I've been reading reports about how SNAP money was being paid to illegal aliens, with some being transferred to other countries. That's terrible, but what is most terrible is the fact those in charge of the money allowed it to happen. To me, that's treason. Regardless of whether there's a declared war, or not, giving aid to foreign countries at the harm of the United States economy can be described in no other way.

Dreary, Wet and Cold

Up to a few days ago, we had weather that was the wonderful balance between Summer and Winter. Mild temperatures kept it from getting above eighty, or below the mid-fifties. No rain, pleasant sun, and dry. That's over for now. 

The day before yesterday brought thunderstorms at night, and 5 1/2 inches of rain. Yesterday it was mostly cloudy and the temperature didn't get above the mid-fifties. Today it started raining before sunrise, and at 10:30 tonight, there's still a misting rain. The temperature never reached past 45 degrees, which made the nasty weather worse. 

Tomorrow is supposed to allow clearing, but more rain is forecast starting Wednesday night and last into the weekend. At least it's not supposed to freeze, but miserable weather is expected. 

All together we've had around 8 inches of rain, which will saturate the ground. Until Spring arrives, the ground will be soft, and venturing off pavement can lead to calling a wrecker. Hopefully, we won't get much freezing weather, or any frozen precipitation. Down here, that's always a recipe for shutting most everything down, too many car wrecks, and the dreaded times without electricity.

After It's Over

We had a good Thanksgiving. Only one child was there. The great nieces, and nephews, were at their other parents, as mandated by child custody decisions created by bureaucrats and attorneys. It's one of those possession things. Regardless of how it affects the children, the legalities of failed marriages plod along, and their absence is felt by all. 

Still, it was good. The feast was notable, and the deserts on one table would have made any bakery proud. Everyone was satiated, and everyone enjoyed the warmth of love that fills such gatherings. I completed the festivities with a nap that carried to dusk. 

Tonight, the stars are as brilliant as they can be with the sky glow of street lights, and the nearby city. The moon has a halo, which is the harbinger of future rain. It will settle in over the next few days, and the weather folks are forecasting wet, cold, dreary weather into next week. We've enjoyed weeks of what can only be described as fantastic weather, which like all good things, doesn't last forever. 

Christmas is the next big holiday. Merchants seem almost panicky with their deals, promises of wonderful products, and their attempt to create anxiety for not jumping on the deals they offer. I understand their attempts, but wonder what the inflation strapped public will do. It might not be that good of a season for merchants, and I wonder how they'll deal with their possible overstocked inventory. The tax man is coming, and anything in inventory is ripe for taxing. 

I'm changing my Medicare plan next year. I liked my medigap plan, but their notifications told me the extra $500 each month I can save by going to a PPO Advantage plan is necessary. Even if my cost reach the maximum amount, I'll still be ahead. That sucks, but it is what it is. Inflation has been cruel to my retirement, and I have to cut where I can. 

I think I'll put up the small strings of Christmas lights tomorrow. It's a short task, since there aren't that many lights, and the hooks I originally placed are still there. It adds to the season, and my wife loves the soft glow they give to the porch. It's pleasant to sit out there on a cold winter night, with a cup of coffee, some relatives, and good conversation. 

Sometime, over the next few weeks, we'll light the big pile of trees, and limb I cut. It's going to be a monster fire, and lawn chairs will be at a distance. We'll slowly move closer, since our plan it's lit on a cold night. We'll sit, converse, ruminate, and stare at the embers. For a short period of time, all will be good, and all will be peaceful. 

It's Never the Same

We're planning a family feast tomorrow. It's my in-laws, because that's all I have. All my grandparents, parent, and siblings are gone. There will be no more Thanksgivings together, and even though I'm part of my wife's family, it's not the same. I miss what will never be again, and every year it seems to be little harder to find the exuberance I once had for the holidays. It is what it is, but acceptance is no where near what Thanksgiving once was.  

I have to add that today is one of those wonderful days I remembered from years ago. There's an excitement in the air, the azure sky is laced with high clouds, and the high temperature will be in the mid sixties. Such days are a blessing, and I'm thankful.

Forty Five Reprobates

I was reading a news report where 45 people were arrested for participating in dog fighting. All were given a $5000 fine, and if convicted, face up to a year in jail, and a $4000 fine. I don't think that quite sends the message. My penalty would be placing all in a large cage, giving each one a knife, placing one key on the floor for unlocking the door, and telling them the one that escapes with the key is the only one to survive. When the last one finally leaves the cage, shoot them. I know that sounds harsh, but dog fighting is one of the most cruel of all "sports" created by humans. Those involved shouldn't be in society. 

Trees That Had To Go

We had a sweetgum tree that was well on the way out. At about 30 feet tall, only about 10 feet had leaves this year, and the very top to was obviously rotten. I took it down the day before yesterday. The trunk was about 18 inches in diameter, and the wood very hard. I'm guessing it could be rated as a hardwood, but from past experience, it's not something you want to place in a fireplace. It pops too much, and spreads embers. I dragged it in two pieces to the fire pile, and cut it into pieces easy to manage. 

Yesterday, with a yes vote by all with a vote, I took down a willow tree on the edge of the pond. It started as a nuisance, was chopped away many times, but was abandoned after it kept coming back. The last few years had shown it wasn't healthy, and some limbs were failing. 

Cutting this down was interesting. Due to the initial efforts to eradicate it, the resulting tree had nine trunks of varying sizes. The thickest was around 18 inches, and the thinnest around 6 inches. All sections were at least 20 long. With the pond down, getting around the tree was easy, and a tow strap attached to a side-by-side guaranteed those over the water wouldn't have to be fished out of the pond. 

The tree was dragged to the burn pile, and we started stacking what I cut yesterday. We'd pull a section up to the pile, I'd whittle it down to manageable pieces, and it was stacked. We finished today, and now have a huge pile of trees to burn. 

We haven't had much of any cold weather, but it will come. At that time, the pile will be lit, and we'll spend long evenings tending it, until it's all burned up. 

Sharing the Danger

    It was a typical Summer evening; temperature in the mid eighties, high humidity, and the twilight had faded away. I had set up all the advance warning signs, which involved the interstate and a major highway that merged. The changeable message board was a mile down the interstate to warn of the impeding lane closure, I was hooked to lowboy trailer, with a two man crew ready to start setting out barrels to close the lane. We were waiting for a hired police officer to help while we worked. We paid for them to help with dealing with traffic. A police car with flashing lights would slow traffic down, when nothing else would work. 

    I had already set up the lane closure on feeder highway, but hadn't tied it to the interstate. As we reached the interchange, we would complete the lane transition and go to work.

    He soon showed, I walked to his car, and explained what we had in mind. He said something at that time that always stuck in my mind: "They don't pay any more attention to you than they do a trash truck." He was right. Even though we had strobes on the vehicles, and an arrow board to direct traffic, too many drivers didn't pay attention to us any more than they did a trash truck. 

    I was glad to have him there. We didn't have the usual last minute lane changes by drivers. They respected the police car. They knew their uh-ohs would lead to something more than just an apology for scaring the crap out of us, and knocking down some barrels. 

    The officer stayed, until we pulled all the barrels to the shoulder before the 5:00 am morning rush started. I turned off the arrow board, and left it on the shoulder. A short trip down the interstate allowed me to swing the message board to where traffic couldn't see it. The morning crew would arrive later in the morning, and be ready to close the lanes after the rush was over. They had until 3:00 pm to pull the patches, replace the concrete, and achieve compressive strength before opening to traffic. The did so, and picked up all the traffic control devices. 

    It was a lot of preparation, and work, for three small patches in the paving. We lost money, but it was a district wide paving repair project, so we made it up on other sections. This finished our work in this area, and we soon moved a few dozen miles away to repair another section of highway.

    The officers words hit home. The strobe lights didn't demand the attention like what was on the police car. We were soon changing out strobe lights with high intensity light bars to alert drivers to the dangers ahead. We weren't dangerous, but their fellow drivers were; especially at night. Night is when the bars closed, and the drunks ventured home.

New Highway Construction

The local Interstate is in the process of connecting feeder highways, widening, and upgrading to connect sections already completed in the city it travels through. It's overdue, but money takes time to be granted by TxDot, and the design takes years to complete after the funds are available. The construction will stretch until near 2030, and the normal complaining is in full force. 

Added to this construction is the near future widening of an arterial highway. Right-of-way is almost completed, and the design looks like it's completed. The construction will involve about about 8 miles of widening, and the completed construction will take up the complete right-of-way. From past experience, the initial construction will involve turning one shoulder into a travel lane, and removing the other lane to construct the new concrete. Before that happens, part of the new drainage structures will be completed, and eventually this section will be opened to divert traffic. The other section will be completed, and the highway project will be done. 

This all means years of detours, dealing with the most ignorant of drivers, constant complaining, and my efforts to avoid all by taking alternate routes. I'm lucky, I can avoid these sections of highway, and not have to deal with the new construction. My experience tells me the worst of drivers seem to be found in construction zones, and the havoc they cause is something I avoid like the plague. With the sometimes poorly maintained detours knocking out front end alignment, taking extra time by traveling other routes is worth the effort.

Ravages of the Sun

Yesterday, I went to my biannual visit to my dermatologist. As usual, there were things to hit with the liquid nitrogen, which left some places to eventually scab over and fall off. It's the fruits of my youth, and according to my doctor, probably the result of a severe sunburn I was afflicted with when I was young. I can pinpoint the sunburn. I received it when I was about 10 years old, and it left huge water blisters that eventually peeled. The pain was barely tolerable, and can best be described as second degree burns over 75% of my body. It wasn't an even trade off for a day at the beach.

I don't think many people realize the sun emits ultraviolet radiation that is destructive. Like all ionizing radiation, it destroys cells, and cuts DNA like a knife. The result is mutations, and with me, these mutations result in seborrheic keratosis, basic cell carcinomas, and melanoma. Most are only unsightly, and annoying, but melanoma is deadly. I've been lucky with only one melanoma that was stage zero at removal.  

I now wear hooded, long sleeve shirts, with a hat and gloves, when I venture out in the sun. I should have worn the same during my years of working in the sun, but youth, and ignorance, led to where I am today. My ignorance is now my sentence, and I will deal with this until I'm gone. 

What Has Passed

My family had veterans that served from WW1 to Desert Storm. None were killed, but all had someone to remember that reminded them of the perils of service to the organizations designed to preserve peace with force. My family didn't have to deal with the loss of a loved one to the perils of combat. For those that did, this is the day their service is not forgotten. Society may forget many things, but should never forget those paid the ultimate price.

The Best Solution

 New York City elected (and I use that term loosely) a new mayor that is not only not qualified to do anything but sharpen his criminal skills, is a Moslem Marxist. Whether the elections was corrupted, or not, the city needs to have all U.S. funds removed, and the state of New York completely responsible for the bastard child of destruction. Let the hair fly with the hide, and televise the reactions when the city is exposed as a hive of grifters.

So...Another "Election"

 While elections are important, it's more important to guarantee the votes are legal. While all the hoopla is about the candidates, or expenditures, the fact elections are not honest is pushed onto the back burner. Until everyone is forced to appear in person, and their finger dipped in ink, elections are just another way of fooling all of the people some of the time.

Time, Money and Common Sense

 There are roughly 342 million people in the United States. If 30% spent an average time of one minute changing their clocks, that's 102 million minutes of time spent adjusting clocks. That's 1.7 million hours of what I consider wasted time, and wasted money, if the adjuster is being paid. Common sense says such things are stupid, since an easier solution of manipulating when people go to work is to change the arrival time. Of course, that requires common sense, which Congress, bureaucrats, and a substantial amount of citizens are lacking. 

Reading Between the Lines

The shutdown of some Federal money laundering will lead to some nasty reactions. Mostly rioting, destruction of property, and outright stealing by those that feel taxpayers should pay for their survival. In my opinion, it was planned, Schumer (and his minions) are instrumental in the destruction, and should, at the least, be prosecuted for sedition. There is no good outcome from their actions, and organizing a violent event to change the government is sedition.  

A Drop in the Bucket

 The Department of State eliminated nearly 100 million in unnecessary travel expenses.  That's not much in what the nation spends, but to a lowly person that worked all their life, it's mind boggling. When I consider the low-life, lazy, wasteful, puke-shits that wasted this money, it only reinforces my belief most government workers are unneeded, and the most important things are ignored.

**spit**

A Needed Invention

Spammers, and telemarketers, need to wear a collar, and those abused by them allowed to push a button on their phone that gives them a jolt of electricity similar to that supplied by a cattle prod. I would buy the ap, and use it daily. 

Massive Irony

No kings protests abounded nationwide. It's ironic that they are protesting, but have little comprehension of the fact a monarch would quell the uprising with extreme violence, round up the leaders, and hang their heads from pikes in the pubic square. After all, they tried more than once to murder the man they're calling a king, and a king never allows his enemies to raise the sword against him more than once.

The Hunt Is On

The likes of Antifa are finding their backs aren't covered by the government. To make things worse, they are finding they're now hunted, there is no escape, and their traitorous acts to usurp the laws of the United States are not be congratulated by the liberal media. Next, they'll find their financial support disappearing faster than their protected status. Financing terrorism carries penalties as tough as practicing terrorism. 

Perspectives

 An entire small factory explodes, and after a few hours on the news, it's mostly forgotten. Meanwhile, there is tremendous hoopla about the hostages being freed. Out of all they took, only twenty came out alive. Palestinians are now fighting among each other, which is how it always starts. They fight with each other, one group becomes the big dog group, they terrorize their citizens, the terror group amasses money, the money is used to attack Israel, Israel steps in, the current group of terrorists are mostly eliminated, and it all starts over. Will there ever be peace? Sure, but one side has to be decimated to the point there is little left.

Inflation is being taken under control...or not. Out of my multiple decades of watching this show, it will never be under control, unless some drastic measures are taken to reel in the ass-clowns that are elected to perform their particular form of grifting. Their grift is a small percentage of the thievery, but they manage to convince those that help them steal elections their share will be worth the effort to enrich those slipping the money under the table.

Some cities are refusing to accomplish one of the most basic of reasons people accumulate in one place. The crime they allow, and promote, guarantees someone will find their short trip to the corner store will not be a pleasant experience. To add insult to injury, illegals are sucking up public funds, and attacking the officers trying to round them up for deportation. The city officials are not only condoning the actions, they're promoting the violence. Trump wants to have the military return the peace. I wouldn't. I'd just cut off access to the city, declare it a disaster zone, make anyone wanting to travel to the city go through a checkpoint, and wait for the reaction. It would take less than three days for the cities to straighten up.

The United States government is shut down...kinda...not really. It's the dog and pony show that happens when the grifters try to perpetuate their current grift. Some type of arrangement will eventually be made, the expendables will be announced, the deficit spending will continue not being addressed, and the machine will continue its laborious clanking purpose to finance those with few scruples, with plenty of waste. The increasingly ignorant will still not have a clue, but will fight for their place at the public trough.

Insurance costs are rising. The exact reasons are never really clear, but there's money to be made on those that have enough to try and pay the costs. Those on a fixed income don't really have a chance. The elderly are most affected, since their income is eaten by inflation at a rate that constantly places them further behind. 

There's more, and I'm just preaching to the choir, but I feel better by complaining. It doesn't do much, but as they say: "It ain't rape if you don't scream." 

It's Different for Them

I've been laid off a few times in my life. Some were temporary, but most were permanent. It was part of the process: do your job, finish a project, and the job is over. Go find another. 

I've been watching some news reports about the government shutdown. There are some reports that state some of the layoffs may be permanent, and some may not be paid for not being at work. Otherwise, just like the private sector, which funds all government jobs, government employees may not get paid if they're not at work, or their job is over. That, and those that created this huge mess (just like in the private sector) are getting paid right along. 

I really don't know what to think, but some things suck. 

Cheaper Than a Funeral

This report about bodies being found in the bayous around Houston state there is no serial killer involved. I can understand the reasoning. Houston is large, the bayous/drainage canals, are many, and the cost of a funeral is way beyond what people want to spend on someone that may only be an acquaintance, or as broke as they are. It's a sign of the times. The bodies will be treated with respect, and cremated after an autopsy. That, and without any sign of criminal violence, an investigation will be short. 

The Streets May Become Safer

After risky loans to illegals, a company is going bankrupt. From personal experience, removing the vehicles of illegals is a good thing, and this is a step in the right direction. Besides the drain on the economy from bad loans, no insurance, never handling traffic violations, and ignoring common decency have also been a result. Getting them off the roads will increase driving safety. It amazes me the company was allowed to function at all.

Another Bothersome Task

It's been two seasons, so as usual, the riding mower needs new blade spindles. In a perfect world, they'd last for a decade, but the world isn't perfect, and with sealed bearings, they will fail after the hard use they receive every season. Each season requires two blade replacements due to the tough Bahia, what we call Pine Ridge Sand, and two acres each cutting. 

I ordered the replacements, which are a little different. The bearings will have grease fittings, which means keeping the spindles greased will theoretically prolong the life of the bearing. We'll see, but even if they only last two seasons, I'll be be ahead. OEM parts are four times as expensive, last only two years, and they probably buy them from the same manufacturer I do. 

So, they arrived. The old spindles, which were exact matches of the OEM spindles, were done. Out of three, only one spun freely, but trying to save it was a fruitless effort, since the bolts were self-tapping and broke off when the spindle was removed. 

The new spindles were threaded, and bolting them on was easy. I put a few shots of grease in the zert just to insure there was grease. After cutting an acre of grass, I'm satisfied. Time will tell how long they last, but considering the cost of buying OEM parts, I could change them every season and still come out ahead.

When The Slush Calls Markers

I've been watching the current effort to fund the government. Some are showing they're showing signs they're throwing logic to the wind, which looks like they're understanding their slush fund managers are calling in some markers. Of course, with some, it looks like political suicide, but that usually doesn't have as drastic of an ending that their benefactors can provide.

As Things Wear Out

I've been involved with some infrastructure repairs. They were enlightening, since the things never seen have a huge impact on the health of a community. 

Storm sewers are one thing. Water needs to be drained, and the amount of water can increase to uncontrollable amounts with the construction of a subdivision or shopping center. Water can't soak into the ground, the velocity increases, and even a small blockage by elevation changes can turn an area that never flooded into a raging torrent. When the fact most storm drains are never cleaned, debris restricts the flow, and increases in water come into play, the result can cause destruction, a decrease in property values, and and increase in insurance rates. Trying to prevent this is a huge problem with engineers, and in rural areas, there may only be minimal amounts of drainage studies that prevent understanding of long term effects that influence future development. 

Sanitary sewers are another problem. Law requires a separation between them and water lines, with the sewer below the water line. This presents a problem with water line leaks finding cracks, or open joints in sewer pipes, which leads to an increase in the amount of sewage to be treated, the loss of money required to treat the water, and in worst cases, sinkholes developing after failures from the soil being washed away. 

Water lines aren't supposed to leak, but they do. Aging systems have pipe that was wonderful as designed, but certain ground conditions cause problems. This pipe, which is called AC pipe (a mixture of asbestos and cement) is hard, but brittle. To compound the brittleness problem, the joints are narrow, which can lead to the male end of the pipe slipping past the gasket in the female end. Ground movement can either crack the pipe, or separate the joint. This may lead to long term leak that can be hard to find, or a catastrophic failure leading to a massive water loss, the introduction of pollutants into the pipes, and a boil water notice for consumers. 

Every larger city I worked in had infrastructure that was very old. Water lines could be everything from cast iron pipe, to AC pipe. Sewer pipes could be everything from brick, to concrete, to ductile iron. All are prone to failure, and with sewage, the acid formed from the gas attacks concrete. The result of that may be a shape of a pipe, with the top almost gone, except for a thin layer of concrete, or packed earth. Water lines break when subjected to ground movement due to drought. 

From what I've seen, there is either no, or a poorly run, master plan including funding for the upkeep. It's just a finger crossing hope somehow money will be found, or granted. This never has worked, and the deterioration continues.

Like a Bad Penny

I've had a collections on my credit report popping up again, even after notifying credit agencies it's fraud. Apparently, it won't go away until there is a police report included with the FTC case. That, and filling out all the paperwork needed by the creditor (ATT) with the FTC report, police report, and why the charge is being disputed. I filed with the local Sheriff's Department, waiting for a copy of the report, cussing the AI representatives of ATT (Did you know you cannot speak with a real person that works for ATT?) and thoroughly am irritated by the entire mess. What I don't know is where the account originated, how the information required was presented, and if whoever used the info will do it again. If so, may they develop a severely uncomfortable, itchy fungus on their genitals and have to sit in church for a long sermon.

Accumulating Guilt

Guilt has been a strong method of control for the last few decades. If you don't tolerate, and accept, those that choose crime, decide they need to have their privates mutilated, obviously ridicule your culture, destroy your property while rioting, crash into your car without insurance, enter the country illegally, refuse to work, refuse to tolerate your beliefs, and do so while ridiculing your religion, you're a fascist, Nazi, misogynist, Zionist, homophobic, piece of crap, and you should feel guilty. It worked for a long time, but with people starting to push back, the results will not be pretty, but necessary.

Lacking Good Judgement

Jimmy Kimmel, which is supposedly a comedic commentator, has injured his staff, those that produce his shoe, and his advertisers. Why? Because he's a dumbass without the sense to understand his responsibility. His show is on hold, but regardless if it's only for a short period of time, somebody is hurt financially because Kimmel forget to put his brain in gear before he spoke. 

Vitriol and Stupidity

The man that murdered Charlie Kirk thought he was doing his cause a great service. Instead, he galvanized all that find the group of transgender militants as a danger into pushing back. The result is those willing to voice their vitriol are finding not only is their opinion not appropriate, those they depend on for their economic survival are destroying that survival with firings, and the loss of customers. They deserve nothing better, and will find they've not only lost an audience, they've gained staunch enemies with no mercy in mind. More violence on their part will lead to a warranted effort to end their ability to cause problems.

If It Quacks Like a Duck

I've been watching the news, listening to commentary, and digesting the assassination of Charlie Kirk. On one side, the cheering is nauseating. On the other, the demand for retribution is strong. What happens next is the big question, but I am seeing the reactions to those celebrating the assassination are finding they lack a job, probably lack a successful near future, and some will lose a business. That, and those only willing to be in a mob are looking for a place to hide. Backpedaling is a good description of some with more public exposure, but their past postings, or rants, are still to be found, thrown into their face, and their hypocrisy exposed. 

The big change is government officials that once either condoned the violence, or turned their heads, are being exposed, fired, and those that might have been sympathetic scurrying for cover. The media is finding their over-the-top commentators too expensive to keep. Hundreds of millions is the cost, and shrewd investors are moving their money to more secure investments. 

I'll be watching how this all advances. One thought is once peaceful people will violently react to those that spent years belittling years of societal advancement. Trying to destroy the moral fiber of citizens is never taken lightly, and anger that builds over long periods of time is released explosively. We'll see, but my hope is law is enforced fairly, those that are obviously trying to destroy the U.S. society are prevented from their task, and the sanity of a peaceful society is sought.    

I'm Still Angry

 The attacks on the United States in 2001 were a deliberate act of war. The war continues, the attackers are being allowed into the U.S. without restraint, and the evil hides behind a religion. How it reached this point is almost beyond comprehension, but I don't see anything good coming from the action. 

Being Safe

My sister-in-law's well pump stopped working. I checked the electricity to the pressure switch, realized the points were in bad shape, and went for another switch. 

I killed the power to the pump, used my voltmeter to check there was no voltage, and changed the switch. It reminded me of why I always check to insure the power is indeed not on.

Years ago, the company I worked for needed some more office space. An old single-wide mobile home was purchased, and the goal was to build a connecting porch to the office, remove the old bathroom, remove the old kitchen appliances, and use the additional area for closets and additional storage. One requirement was removing the plumbing to the bathroom, and the old water heater. 

A cousin of the boss was there during the process. He was a crewmember of an electrical line crew, and the son of an electrical contractor. I was helping in disconnecting the water heater, and he was to verify the electricity to the water heater was disconnected. He told us he killed the breaker, and I took a pair of end cutters to the Romex to the water heater. 

The flash was brilliant, a few pieces of molten wire burned my hand, and when I was less startled, and could look, I looked at the end cutters. A good pair of 9 inch Kleins was now trash. One side of the cutting blades was gone. 

So, I verify with a volt-meter. Even the best of "experts" can make a mistake, and their mistake can kill you.

Switching at Night

I live about 6 miles from a construction material yard. In the yard are thousands of tons of different size stones, including the different gradient concrete aggregates and the crushed limestone for road base. Railroad tracks are in the yard, which allows storage as rail cars are unloaded. They're called unit trains and they're usually somewhere around 100 hopper cars filled with about 100 tons in each car. It's how railroad companies ship such things, and unless a supplier has the facility, the supplier is forced to buy the material from a supplier that does have the facilities to handle a unit train. Unless the supplier has equipment to dump the cars, a contractor with specialized equipment unloads the car by either a clam-shell bucket attached to an excavator, or the excavator travels up a ramp, straddles the sides of the car, and the operator moves down the cars while unloading to either trucks, or to where front end loaders can stack the material. 

Tonight, as I was sitting on the porch after midnight, I heard the low rumble of the train engines. If I had to guess, they were either delivering filled cars, or removing those already empty. The low rumble would fluctuate as the engines revved to handle the increased load on the friction motors. When the train was ready to leave, I heard the engineer sound the horn. One long blast, then another long blast, a short blast, and the final long blast. I was told this is a cadence for "The train is coming". The damp, cool night air allowed a clear sound. For someone not knowing what it was, the low sound would be missed in the other background noises of the night. 

The rumble of the cars slowly faded as the train moved away. I listened longer, and two owls called to each other. The male would call, and the female would answer. Their call disturbed a neighbor's dog, which barked a warning for good cause. 

The dew is light tonight. That's usually an indication of rain in the near future, which matches the forecast. We have a stationary front sitting on top of us, and the uplift between the two air masses will lead to showers. So far, heavy rain isn't forecast, but than can change. Stationary fronts have led to torrential downpours in the past, and the low pressure impulses along the front can lead to some areas getting rainfalls in double digits. 

So, Summer is starting to fade. How much time before we have the first strong cold front is unknown, but the event is inevitable. The night temperature will drop to well below seventy degrees, the air will become dry, and the promise of cold days will become reality. I'm ready for it. Yard work won't be necessary, the insects will disappear, and the cool, clear nights will offer stargazing.

Credit Where Credit is Due

My wife is a quilter. Quilters are a special bunch, enamored by good selections of fabric, and will roam long distances to visit one they like, or one they've never been to before. With my wife, going with her to a quilt store is like bringing a child to a candy store. It's a pleasant feeling to see her so happy, and her excitement is infectious. We've been to many in Texas, and will probably venture to see more.

One of her favorites, and one we've been to many times, closes its doors at 3:00 pm today. The owners are retiring, and it appears nobody wants to take on the store. After forty years in business, I'm thinking many, like my wife, will miss it. Multiple generations of quilters were steady customers. 

In a way, it was a landmark for quilters in the Houston area. The owners offered a huge selection of fabrics, and Charlie was an expert on the repair, and maintenance, of the Jenome sewing machines they sold. During the annual Quilt Festival, hoards of quilters would visit to  wander through another shop, and take advantage of sales. Before we met, my wife would drive about 100 miles to visit.

So good bye "Painted Pony". Quilters will miss the store, and my wife has some melancholy due to losing a store she loved to visit over the last three decades.

Stale Crackers

Cracker Barrel changed the logo, the CEO is a DEI nut, and 94 million went down the drain. The worst thing about it is how it's probably permanent. The chain, from what I've been told, doesn't have the food people remember, the menu is smaller, the complaints were ignored, and those (like me) that entertained the thought of going for a meal there, will not do so. I've eaten there in the past, but that's been decades ago. 

 My suggestion is the stockholders bail while they can. Too much has happened, the brand is forever tarnished, and the costs to stay open will not be sustainable with the reduced sales. Those future people sitting on the front porch might only be vagrants looking for a place to get out of the weather.

Maybe the First Big Fish

Years have passed, many in government created mayhem with their actions, and some managed to tightrope walk the line between the main political opinions. Bolton is one, and he managed to walk the tightrope for decades; but in the process, he became friends to nobody, couldn't be trusted, and now looks like a convenient sacrificial lamb to satisfy the lust of the masses. I'm thinking they'll insure his errors are sufficiently shown as egregious, he will be convicted, his sentence will be harsher than anticipated, and both political parties will be satisfied with the results. My hope is he will be the first in dealing with those that chose sedition, and the final number of convictions will be large. 

What it Is

No matter how it's sliced, diced, explained, or hidden, the United States government stole over 25% of my money over the last five years by borrowing unconscionable amounts of money on credit, and allowing inflation to hide the thievery. A less polite society would be stacking bodies.

Swimming in the Heat

I decided this morning was the time to clean the condenser coils on my outside unit. I try to do this once each season, and usually do the same for some in-laws. A/C's last much longer when the coils are kept clean, and operate more efficiently, which helps with the electricity usage. 

It's not a long project. It usually takes about an hour, and involves removing the side panels for access to the coils. Turning off the unit, and killing the power to the outside unit is first. Removing some sheet metals screw is next. Easing up the fan housing allows the side covers to be removed. Usually, a few will just fall out. After the coils are exposed, I spray on a commercial coil cleaner, allow it to work for a few minutes, and then flood the coils with water to remove the cleaner. I'll flush out around the compressor at the bottom, and rinse around the base. 

It took the amount of time I figured, and the project came out good, but that little time in the heat led to being soaked with sweat, which doesn't dry in the high humidity of morning. That, and without anything to evaporate the sweat, I felt like I had run a marathon. I might should have waited for evening, when the unit is in the shade.

I might venture this afternoon, when shade allows, and take care of the in-laws units....or not. I will clean them over the next few days, but maybe only one a day.

Crime and Obfuscation

Since the police in D.C. now have new bosses, the current administration is touting how many are being arrested. That's a good thing, but what about the Clintons, Clapper, Comey, Schiff, Pelosi, and all the others that were so blatant in their crimes? What about those that frequented Epstein's island? I get the feeling the effort is just hiding the fact some of the most dangerous of criminals are still free, drawing a salary, and laughing about their actions in the past. 

**spit** 

They Should Stay Gone Longer

Regardless of their theatrics, the Texas Senate passed the redistricting map, which was the impetus for Democrat Congress members to run away. It was a grand performance, but now they have to come home to face the consequences. Their money provider had his funds cut off, they are being fined $500 each day they don't return, and in my opinion, they need to stay away for a long time. The fines will add to the public funds, although I doubt many have the funds to pay their fine. 

Cause and Effect

A local city is kicking around a method to improve their water, and sewer, infrastructure. They raised their rates last year, and according to citizens, it didn't do anything. Some want the rates to be raised, and some want to borrow the money. Both options mean the money collected was either never enough, or was used for another purpose. My opinion is it was wasted on administrative costs not associated with anything other than shuffling paper, employee perks, underfunded pensions, and the general complete lack of fiscal responsibility by those in government. The decision, regardless of what it is, will lead to more people leaving, less tax money due to devaluation of real estate, more bureaucracy, and another nail in the coffin of fiscal health. It's the city way. I'm glad I don't live there, and glad I never had the loss of clarity and wanting to move there.

Early to Bed Early to Rise

I went to sleep early last night. I was tired, and followed my brains demand to get some sleep. The reward was to wake before 5:00 am, and have the opportunity to enjoy the quiet of the early morning. 

With the Perseids in full swing, I saw two meteors by accident. If I had been out earlier, watched more closely, I probably would have seen more. Still, I did observe Venus, and Jupiter, which were close the morning. That, and noticed Orion fully above the horizon. That's the harbinger of the approaching colder days. Summer is starting to fade, and the morning temperatures reflect the change. 

My little dog decided to join me on the porch for awhile. He had to have a short bark at something only he was aware of. Whatever it was, the bark must have chased it off. Then again, since I'm not completely aware of dog society, it might have been a morning shout-out at the dogs in the neighborhood. If so, they didn't respond. He wanted back in, so I honored his request.

Texas Democrats fled to other states to avoid their responsibility. It's a figurative holding of breath to show their childish displeasure of not getting their way. I have a feeling they'll get a spanking, and since Beto's funds for helping are cut off, and he's being investigated, the tantrum might yield more grief than anticipated. The new threat of punishment is having them removed from office due to abandonment. If that sticks, the Democrats in Texas might find their mouths wrote a check their asses can't cover.

Local news brings reports of shootings, traffic mayhem, displeasure of highway construction, and the mishmash of reports that fill the spaces. Some actually have follow-up, but many don't. 

I'm getting tired of the refuge ducks that appeared a few months ago. They're nasty, loud, and why relatives keep feeding them is beyond my comprehension. Without food, they could just wander off, or return to the derelict neighbor that allowed them to escape from their pen. In the past, when confronted by escaped animals, he denied ownership. This time has been no different, but with 21 possible pots of duck gumbo wandering around, the colder weather might bring some good meals. I need to learn the easiest way to dress out a duck. Domestic duck has a wonderful flavor, which is much better than wild duck.

...and I have to add: If you don't pay your traffic tickets, you go to jail. If you attempt a coup, nothing happens, and you get a book deal from publishers that would sell their mother's wheelchair for improved sales.

Playing the Game

I was in charge of a paving widening project in a local city. It was a Summer project, right in front of an elementary school, and was anticipated to be complete before school started. Everything was going along as planned, and even though the inspector had a tendency to be a problem on some details that were ridiculous, I felt we would be complete as anticipated. 

We were placing cement stabilized base for under the proposed new concrete paving. Even with an unmarked, and repaired, water line leak that flooded the base, I felt the base was processed as needed, graded, and after the curing time, wanted my inspector to run a density to continue. 

He arrived, ran his density, and proceeded to tell me the density was just shy of the 95 proctor. Knowing the game, and my specifications, I asked if he had placed his gauge probe into the subgrade. He had, and I explained to him the project didn't have a bid item for working the subgrade, but would be glad to stop, request a change order, and when approved, remove the base, process the subgrade, run density on the subgrade, replace the base, and get paid for the entire process. He paused a minute, thought about what I just said, and ran another density in just the base. It passed, and we started setting paving forms. 

I'd been burned in the past by similar things due to my ignorance of specifications. I learned the hard way, and refused to be rolled over by inspectors that didn't have a complete grasp of the entire picture. If I had to go to the engineer, I wouldn't hesitate. While they could beat me up with the spec book, I had the same book, and could swing with the best of them. 

We completed the project in time, it was bought within a short period of time, and after decades, the paving is holding up. 

Never Say "Yes"

I get robo-calls from different supposed local numbers. The newest scam I find is on my voice mails. The recording asks if it is me and continues with "Just say yes". In a perfect world, these scammers would be caned 20 lashes and forbidden any electronic communications under penalty of death. 

Dealing with the Minions

Tomorrow, I will go to the appraisal office, look the minions in the eye, and explain to them...once again...their form of extortion, regardless of how they justify it, is wrong. In spite of what the law allows, a 61% increase of the appraised amount in 7 years is not acceptable. I will observe their vapid expression, know my trip will probably not yield much, but I will...once again...be satisfied I tried. 

I think if their schedule included the appeals of everyone being taxed on their property, they would have a clue they're not being good citizens. Regardless of what you can get away with, wrong is wrong, and extortion is immoral.

**spit**

Local News is Filled With with WTF's

There was an accident on a rural highway last Friday night. It doesn't make a lot of sense, which makes me begin to wonder. News reports state a family of five was riding in a sport utility vehicle, drove out on to the highway, and struck by a commercial vehicle. Four died, one is critical, and the driver of the commercial vehicle was injured. To add insult to injury, a woman plowed into one of the sheriff's vehicles working the accident. All of this happened at around 11:30 at night, which makes me wonder how the commercial vehicle wasn't noticed by the utility vehicle. After all, it was night, this section of highway has a long sight distance, and both drivers should have seen the other. 

A bicyclist was struck by a pickup in the middle of the day. From what I gather from the report, the cyclist veered into the path of the pickup, and was struck by a mirror. The highway, which I am very familiar with, isn't a place to ride a bicycle anytime at all. It's busy, there is no bike lane, people in that area have a tendency to rush to their destination, and even if you're a well behaved cyclist, one blip, while glancing at a phone, can mean a terrible occurrence, when the driver of an automobile isn't paying attention. The cyclist didn't live.

A pickup T-boned another pickup this morning. The driver of the pickup that T-boned the other truck was ejected when their truck flipped on its side. He didn't survive, and the driver that was T-boned only suffered minor injuries. The photos show a truck that suffered more damage than the posted speed limit would allow. The street is filled with businesses, and has a multitude of traffic lights. 

Maybe it's the heat, but all the accidents sure look like they could have been avoided. I'll never know the entire stores, unless a criminal charge is filed. 

Meanwhile, on the local section of Interstate, construction is well underway, traffic is terrible, and a daily accident is almost a guarantee. I stay off the interstate. There are many other ways to travel, and much safer.

So, What's Going On?

My page counts have been more than in the past. Judging by past experience, it appears the counts rise during the work week, which I attribute to spam. The last two days have been much different. Yesterday, over thirty thousand supposedly visited my site. Today, it's not even noon and over fifteen thousands visits have already been logged. Either I've become very popular, or AI is in overdrive looking for places to make some money.

Water Logged and Pickle Juice

The climate where I live isn't as hot as a desert, but with the humidity, the heat index can bring conditions as brutal as any desert. Working outside brings sweat immediately, and it doesn't dry. Clothes are soaked within minutes, and regardless of how much water you drink, it doesn't replace the electrolytes. Your stomach is bloated with water, and severe heat cramps are soon to arrive. 

I've tried many different things, but a supplement called Medi Lyte is a big help, and nothing helps better than slugging a few gulps of juice from a bottle of pickles. Products like Gatorade help, but I found too much will not do the job, and have seen people vomit after drinking too much. 

When I worked, we would fill two large water jugs each day. One was plain water, and the other had half the powdered Gatorade that was considered the right amount. I kept supplements on hand, and watched the crew closely. Over the years, I had a few I had to place in an air-conditioned truck to cool down, and had one I had to call for an ambulance. His reaction to the heat led to hyperventilation, which aggravated his heat exhaustion. I had one employee that had to be driven home because his heat cramps prevented him from driving. 

I had days where I know I drank well over a gallon liquid during a day at work. On one project, I literally poured sweat from my work boots in the evening. The 16 hour days, brutal heat, and lack of sleep whittled 20 pounds off me in a month. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't.

So, stay hydrated, avoid exposure to the heat, and keep a bottle of pickles handy...just in case.

Looking at the News

- According to a report, Obama, and his minions, intentionally created false reports to influence the 2016 election, and continued this subterfuge throughout the first term of Trump. I'm waiting to see how this plays out, but thinking some strong words, a wrist slap, and warning are the only consequences.  

- A reporter has PTSD due to their encounter with angry citizens after the attempt to kill Trump. Harsh words are certainly destructive, especially when you consider the reporter probably received an award for not pissing their pants in first grade.

- Comey's daughter was fired. She should be happy. She will now have a substantial amount of money for a book, become the darling of the Democrats, and can pontificate without losing her job.

- Out of the 160 missing in the Guadalupe flood, careful analysis of the list has revealed only 3 are missing. I really don't know what to think of this, except someone kept the list from the media and did a good job of whittling away at the names when someone was accounted for.

- NPR has lost a huge amount of its funding. Tears are common, people are upset, and there's now more money for the government to squander.

-Stephen Colbert's show is ending. One report stated it was losing millions, which I can see. If most people are like me, those watching could be counted in one living room.

-The only person that truly knows what happened on Epstein's island is languishing in prison, with information that some people would rather not be revealed. I think she should have her sentence commuted, be protected from future prosecution, and allowed to spill the beans. I'll buy some popcorn if this happens. 

- Local news reports show crime is rampant in the nearby bigger city. The usual suspects are revealed by photographs, and it's not hard to envision where they started their life.

- An order from Amazon disappeared somewhere in Texas. If someone happens to find it, I hope the parts fit their lawnmower. 

Keeping The Electricity Flowing

My electricity is furnished by a co-op. It's a different critter from the huge companies that have to bow to the whims of shareholders. There is no profit to be realized, and it shows. They go along the transmission lines with a machine that has a telescoping boom with a spinning blade on the end. From what I see, they keep the limbs about 10 feet from the lines. Since the go from the ground, to the top, limbs can't sag into the lines during an ice storm. Although the proximity of the trees doesn't prevent them from falling, and causing problems, keeping them from touching during high winds is a plus. I dealt with that where I used to live. The big, conglomerate power company didn't give a rodent's fanny about my concerns. 

It looks like it would be fun to operate. The cab is enclosed, so swarms of wasp, or bees, can't attack during the work.

Saturday Musings

We've had a wet Summer so far. Plenty of rain, and a shower at least twice a week. Since it's Summer, the showers can be tropical in nature with a deluge that can bring over an inch of rain in less than an hour. The yard loves it, and if I was inclined to do so, would need mowing twice a week. 

The flood in Kerrville is raising the question of "How did this happen?". I can answer that. The Guadalupe is known for floods, since much of it meanders through limestone hills with little soil. Floods happen, time allows people to forget how bad they can be, and the river doesn't forgive those that wait to go to high ground. It's a tragedy, and the near future will bring an awareness not seen for decades.

I don't know what to think of the Epstein file debacle. If the evidence isn't there, there's nothing to see. From my perspective, the evidence isn't nearly as important as investigating the investigators. Until the public is insured there were no improprieties, the suspicion will be toward government employees that committed crimes as egregious as the crimes committed by Epstein.

The economy may be better, but inflation is worse. That is the most destructive force in any economy, and if it's not handled, the results will be terrible.

For some reason, a neighbor allowed 21 Pekin ducks to escape. I have a feeling they didn't want to keep feeding them, and they've taken residence in our pond. They're nasty, loud creatures, that remind me of why I'm not a fan of ducks. I have a nephew that likes to duck hunt. Without a season on domestic ducks, he needs to fill his freezer. Duck gumbo is one of the best meals I ever ate. Maybe they'll invite me over.

Local city governments are assuring me of my decision to not live in a city. They show an incompetence that rivals the worst of any government, piss off money for astoundingly stupid things, and while their streets fall into disrepair, a shooting is becoming a daily occurrence.

I've been watching where the moon rises every night. It isn't the same every night, and from what I've read, it's the difference between its orbit at 5 degrees from the ecliptic and Earth's 23.5 degree tilt from the ecliptic. I used to not notice such things, but now I do. I haven't gone so far to attempt the mathematics to determine the location every night, although I could probably find a chart on the internet. It's not that important at this time, and I'd rather do something else...maybe take a nap.

The Power of Water

My wife found this photo on the internet. It's an example of how moving water has power that is only equaled by the most powerful of hydraulic machines. The guardrail, which was attached to a post, was twisted like a rubber band when the water spun the post around the attachment point. 

I've placed this type of rail. The rail at the far left is called a Thrie-Beam bridge connection. It's attached to the concrete rail barely seen on the far left. Immediately after the attachment, there are four wood posts closely placed on 18 inch centers, and after that, the next post is 6 feet, 3 inches from the last post in the configuration. You can see where the post was pulled from the concrete mow strip, spun until it finally was torn away, and the rail was twisted in the process. 

This is the destruction humans faced when the flood waters on the Guadalupe tore through the flood basin. Such force doesn't leave much, when people are caught in the flood. Remains may never be found since there may not be any to be found. 

God rest their souls.

What Can They Do?

Some judges are ignoring opinions by the Supreme Court. So, what can they do? Cut off their paycheck? Write them a nasty letter? Kidnap their dog? Send an enforcer to threaten mayhem? From what I've seen, the nasty letter is about all they do. I'd rather they send an enforcer.  

A List That Never Existed

According to the newest of information, Epstein didn't have a client list, and committed suicide. Of course, all involved with the investigation, or have access to that information, probably knew there wasn't any "list", since such a list was never required. There were no formal transactions, those involved didn't need to actually spend money for their indiscretions, and only needed access without scrutiny. Were there illegal activities? Of course there were. Will anyone be prosecuted? Of course not. Time is erasing any circumstantial evidence, and people with great power have already covered their bases.

Texas Hill Country Flooding

I've been to many places in the Texas Hill Country. The rivers can be dry for months, and when the heavy rains hit, they can rise extraordinarily fast. The current reports on the Guadalupe River are it rose 28 feet in 45 minutes. That's over 7 inches per minute. With that rise, in 3 minutes the rushing water will take you off your feet, and if you're lucky, there something to climb on to escape. Waiting can lead to an almost certain death, and if you're caught off guard, there is no escape. 

Unfortunately, these types of floods can't be predicted, and old timers will seek higher ground, even when the heavy shower isn't overhead. To make things worse, the rivers are clear, inviting places to surround with camps. One was inundated, many are not accounted for, and may not be found for days. 

Big and Beautiful?

I haven't read the Big Beautiful Bill. My feeling about the legislation is that since it's big, and politicians call it beautiful, it's an increase in spending, pandering to those that feed at the public trough, and in spite of any projections, will lead to more inflation. I might be wrong, but after fifty years of voting, all the hype always leads to the same madness called Federal spending. A family spending the same way would have long ago been out on the streets, wondering where the next meal will come from, and have little hope.

Dealing With Crayfish/Crawfish/Mud Bugs

We have many crawfish in the yard. They create the mounds while digging out the holes they burrow. After a rain, the mounds appear, when the yard dries, I use a drag behind my four wheeler to spread the dirt out, and mow after dragging to preserve the life of the mower blades. There is no pesticide recommended for clearing them out, but an old man that lived next door when I was being raised, used calcium carbide pellets. He'd drop one in the hole, and then step on the mound to seal the hole. It worked, but after we found out the gas generated was flammable, allowing the gas to accumulate, and the introduction of a match, would yield a small explosion that delighted. We'd buy calcium carbide, a box of kitchen matches, and spend a good part of the day busy with our endeavor. 

Calcium carbide isn't on the shelf of hardware stores like in the past. It can be ordered, but the days of miner's lamps are long over. My dad rabbit hunted with one on an abandoned airfield when he was young. He said the pale light would mesmerize the rabbits, they'd stop to stare, and end up in a pot. 

So, I just drag the yard, watch the birds eat what they can after a rain, and put up with what some call delicacy. 

Feasting Before Their Travels

I've been watching the purple martins. With dragonflies in the thousands, a pond for water, and their young growing, they have enough food to prepare for their migration in September. They'll leave in large numbers and hopefully return next year. 

There are tons of purple martin photos on the internet. Some capture them as they fly, skim ponds for water, and feast for their sustenance during migration. I'm blessed with having them close enough to watch from my porch.  

Kicking The Can Down The Road

The Supreme Court decision on injunctions appears to be an effort to avoid controversy, doesn't really solve anything, states a non-binding opinion, and will only lead to wallowing in the quagmire of our legal system. If they feel they handled the problem, they're wrong, and without an adult in the room, the children will continue their rambunctious behavior, until they light the curtains on fire. 

Taking The Bait

I'm thinking whoever leaked information on the strike in Iran is probably wondering how long before they go to jail. While they thought they were being slick, it probably was a trap, and they took the bait.

Placing the Rip-Rap

Over my career, I helped place thousands of square yards of poured in place concrete rip-rap on header banks, and other slopes. You've seen them; concrete on the slopes around the sides of overpass slopes. They keep the soil in place, which prevents the earth from washing away. 

After the slope was graded, we'd place forms, which consisted of 2 x 4's turned flat, so some wet concrete could spill under the forms. The forms were set about 10 feet apart, and the same amount of space was between each set of forms. This allowed the sections to be finished by finishers on each side. Multiple sections would be poured during the day. If the concrete set enough, the forms were stripped, and the sections in between would be poured. We called it "checkerboarding". After all the concrete was poured, the rip-rap would extend from the abutment to the toe of the slope.

At the bottom of the slope, a toe-wall was hand dug to keep the rip-rap from sliding. At set locations up the slope, trenches were excavated by hand, loose gravel was placed, and PVC pipes were placed with screen on the backside to keep the rock from leaving. These "weeps" allowed ground water under the concrete to drain, and keep the slope from failing.

We always poured from the top to the bottom. The concrete was batched very dry, and little water was ever added. Gravity helped with placing the concrete, and the excess concrete screeded wouldn't pile in front of the screed, which would usually cause the screeded concrete to slide down the slope. Pouring from the bottom to the top could be done, but the work was much harder, and having a section of fresh screeded concrete slide down the slope was the usual result. 

Finishing didn't require the most beautiful of concrete. Finishers (which I was during a pour) used wood hand floats and knee boards made from plywood with multiple nails driven through to keep the finisher from sliding down the slope. A rudimentary handle was made with pieces of 2x4 ripped down the middle. With the pours only 10 feet wide, finishers on each side could finish half without having to creep across the entire width on knee boards. 

Finishing required most all motions to be uphill. The wood floats worked up enough grout to leave a mostly smooth surface. A finishing broom dragged across the wet concrete was the final finish. Trying to finish with a magnesium, or steel, hand float caused the concrete to slump, and slide downhill. 

After the concrete was finished, we sprayed curing compound on it, and either called it a day, or moved on to another section. 

The work was hard. With many of the sections, the slope was a one-to-one slope, and spending a day working on the slope would separate the men from the boys. Those that stayed learned something useful, but I never found anyone that relished the task. If you stayed long enough, and learned all there was to learn, you moved from working in front of the screed to finishing. It didn't take me long to know that's were I wanted to be, even though it was just as hard to finish. The more I learned, the more valuable my knowledge became, and eventually I was entrusted with making it happen by pushing a crew.

Could I still do it? No, but I could teach someone, if they were willing to work hard.

Things That Wake Me at Night

I awoke at 1:00 am. As I laid in bed, I listened, couldn't find any sound that was out of place, and realized I had a tiny bit of heartburn, so I got out of bed. I dressed, walked into the kitchen, took an antacid and walked out on the porch. 

Outside, it was a typical Summer night in many ways. The temperature was in the upper seventies, the humidity was thick, a few night critters were busy with their cadence, and Scorpio was high toward the south. The difference was to the east. 

A cumulus cloud towered toward the heavens. The top was spreading out with the the wispy cirrus, which were almost overhead. The lights of the nearby larger city lit the clouds; a dim, grayish tower reminding me of a black and white photo of the Pillars of Creation.  I'd seen such things before. Nocturnal thunderstorms will signify the clash of the cooler air of the land between the warmer, moist air from the Gulf. 

I thought I heard the low rumble of thunder; faint, almost imperceptible, and making me wonder if it was just the rumble of a large truck far away. I looked toward the cloud, didn't see any lightning, and was thinking my thought about a truck was correct. 

My wife, who was now awake, came onto the porch with our dog. I told her I thought I heard a low rumble of thunder, but didn't see any lightning. She soon thought she saw a flash, while I was looking away. It took a long time, but I thought I heard thunder again. Then, I saw a flash in the top of the cloud, and counted to 40 seconds before the low rumble was heard. Soon another flash lit the top of the cloud. Thirty five seconds later a louder rumble arrived. My wife went back inside, and our dog only waited a little longer before he wanted me to let him in. He doesn't like thunder, and I imagine his more sensitive ears told him it was time to flee what he fears.

I went and checked the radar. It showed a single thunderstorm moving in our direction. I heard a few more rumbles of thunder. It wasn't long before the radar showed the rain right on top of my locations, so I went back to the porch to watch.

There was nothing left of the storm, except a thick deck of cirrus clouds overhead. To the east, pale stars could be seen. To the northwest, Canis Major was clear, and almost setting. Light rain fell, which made the entire event surreal. 

If I had rolled over and went back to sleep, I would have missed the event. Such things are rare to observe, and I treasure seeing them. So, I'll stay up a little longer, look once again, and probably go back to bed, or not. I might stay up, wait until 4:00 am, and make a trip to town for donuts. 

Heat Index and Weather Folks

The weather folks place warnings when the heat index becomes high enough to be dangerous. When the temperature, and humidity, calculate a heat index above 103 Fahrenheit, they post an advisory of a dangerous heat index. When it exceeds 124 degrees, it's considered deadly. Today, the heat index at 11:00 am is 114 degrees, yet we don't have an advisory. I don't know where the weather folks are stationed, but it isn't anywhere near where I live. 

The worst heat index I was ever exposed to was working on a roof replacement in Galveston. I knew it was brutally hot, we only worked in shifts of around 15 minutes, but we were down to 4 sheets, and needed to finish the project. Rain was forecast, and the old sheets were already removed. I didn't know at the time, but after checking on the temperature related to the humidity, the index was well above 130 degrees. My brother didn't believe me when I told him. Of course, he wasn't there, and probably thought I was exaggerating. 

That afternoon, while going to a meeting with a steel detailer, the cold air-conditioning in my truck started the heat cramps. They started in my legs and continued until they were in my back muscles. Unable to continue further, I bailed from the freeway, found a dollar store, bought a jar of dill pickles, and gulped down half the juice in the parking lot. Within minutes, the cramps subsided and I could continue. Even though I had been taking heat supplements, and drinking lots of water with Gatorade, it didn't make a huge difference. We were working in an environment not suitable for heavy exercise, and paid the price.

Old School Engineer

Years ago, while discussing what wind force a structure needed to endure, an old engineer told me a good rule of thumb for construction in the area was 50 psf. I then asked him about round columns. He answered the force is calculated by halving the area, if it was a square column. Otherwise, a column 4 feet in diameter will endure the same force as a square column 2 feet wide. 

It doesn't sound like a lot of pressure, but I looked up a formula for determining wind force, built a small spreadsheet, and loaded some numbers in the formula. I was a little surprised, since a wind speed of a 140 mph is a hair over 50 psf. That's the wind speed of a category 4 hurricane.

After fiddling around with different numbers, it didn't take long to understand a 40 mph wind gust is much more of a force than most people envision. A 4 x 8 sheet of plywood exposed to a 20 mph wind has 32 pounds of force against the sheet. Of course, that doesn't calculate the complexities of the sheet shifting, or change in direction to the wind, but if it is suddenly hit with a 40 mph gust, the force against the sheet is now 165 pounds. That's definitely more than I can handle, and if I was in that situation, I'd have to let it go, and give up the project until the wind dies. 

Locally, two major hurricanes pretty well removed the structures that can't handle hurricane force winds; especially at the local beach. Rebuilding required adhering to codes, and grandfathered structures disappeared. The result was higher insurance rates, the loss of family properties, and a better understanding of why they want people to evacuate from the storms. I've stayed through one, knew after it started I was in for the ride, and regretted staying. There was no fleeing in a wind force that can blow your car off the road. Even reaching the car is a gamble, and if you're hit with flying debris, they'll probably add you to the list of the dead.

It Happens, But Not Often

A relative called to ask about their water well yesterday evening. They said they had low pressure today, and wondered why. I told them I would have a look, and went to examine the well. 

When I arrived, they pointed to the ground around the well, and stated it looked like it was leaking below the discharge line to the tank. I noticed the well wasn't running, and there was no pressure. Since we just had a heavy shower, and an examination of the points on the pressure switch showed it should be running,  I told them I would go for my multi-meter and check the voltage. 

After I returned, I checked the voltage at the switch. There was none, so I went to the breaker box. There was no voltage on the load side of the breaker, so I flipped it off, turned it back on, and checked again. Still no voltage. I flipped the breaker a few more times, but it didn't have a sharp click when flipped. So, since it was so late, and finding a breaker would mean a long trip to a box store, I told them I would pull it in the morning and find a replacement. 

I found the breaker this morning, replaced it, and checked the well for operation. It pressured up, so they have water again. As far as the low pressure they had, it was the tank emptying, and the air bladder allowed a little pressure before the pressure went to zero.

It's rare to have a breaker fail, but with the thunderstorm yesterday, we had a power blip, which probably killed the old breaker. It's a Square D, and not the Homeline series. They usually last a long time, but some don't; especially if they're used as a switch on a circuit that usually isn't turned off.

Garter Visitor

While sitting on the porch the other evening, my wife noticed a small garter snake under her chair. Surprisingly, she didn't panic, and only shooed it away. It slithered from the porch, only to appear a little later. 

I knew why it was on the porch. The porch light attracts the little tree frogs, and the frogs attract the little snake. It will eventually find one, have its meal, and disappear for a few weeks. It will be back for another meal, and I consider it a welcome visitor. It's harmless, and hungry. It will never be big, and the larger snakes have a good source of meals on the neighbor's property. There are plenty of chickens for a meal, and if the snakes can make it pass the pigs, they might have a chick, or an egg, for supper.

It Was Loud

We had 4 inches of rain yesterday. The result was saturated ground and ponding. After the sunset, and night fell, the cacophony of frogs filled the air. The noise was beyond the point of distraction and drowned out just about any other sound. I listened for awhile, and after having enough of the "chorus", I went back inside to have some peace. It's almost hard to believe there are that many frogs locally, but their calls in the night verify their number.

Changing a Carburetor

After dealing with removing a fuel tank, cleaning the tank, changing the filter, and putting everything back together, my efforts were a failure. My four-wheeler was still dying, and now became really hard to start. I had to do more. I had good spark, but I still needed to check the coil to determine if it was weak.

I checked the coil. The ohm reading indicated it was good. That left removing the carburetor and either rebuilding it, or replacing it. This led me to looking at the price of a new carburetor, or a rebuild kit. 

The manufacturer price for the carburetor was $450. A look at Amazon found a rebuild kit for $33, or a replacement carburetor for $32 delivered to my doorstep. I crossed my fingers, after reading reviews, and ordered the carburetor. The next step was the arduous task of removing fenders, the fuel tank, the air filter housing and finally: the carburetor.  

The carburetor was delayed in arrival, but finally arrived late Monday morning. Installing it was the reverse of removing it. I finally reached the point I could check the operation around 6:00 pm. It ran like a champ, so I started replacing all the parts required to complete the assembly. I finished right before dark, put up my tools, and breathed a sigh of relief. 

So, I have to give the engineers credit for designing the machine. The details required to design it, insure the operation, have all the parts either manufactured, or bought, and mass producing the machine is an accomplishment. The task is way beyond my expertise, and I'm impressed. 

Ignorance Can Hurt

 I was reading an article about a CNN reporter that was hit with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer in Los Angeles. Considering the orchestrated media coverage, how many individuals are videoing the mayhem, and how any police officer wouldn't have the time to differentiate rioters from media, wandering into the melee is pure madness. Ignorance can hurt, and it seems many in the media are afflicted with this ignorance. 

Like Matt Dillon

I've been watching old Gunsmoke episodes. The best are the thirty-minute episodes of the first six seasons, which were more succinct in revealing the plot, and the ultimate conclusion. Usually the conclusion was lawless behavior didn't benefit a healthy society, and regardless of opinions, laws against public safety sometime require drastic actions for prevention and vigilantism can be more dangerous than any crime. Most importantly, the show revealed the imperfections in law enforcement, and how the anarchic nature of people can appear when there are no rules for a good society. That, and how corruption can destroy a city, and outright attacks sometimes require drastic actions.

The L.A. riots currently happening are the epitome of a group of people out of control, desperately needing to be stopped, and unhindered by either a feckless, or complicit government. Sending in the National Guard guarantees two things: One is the safety of those arresting illegal invaders, and the other is the protection of the rights, property, and safety of citizens not involved. It never should have reached this point, but there is a seditious effort to destroy the city, those involved are desperate, or paid, and the drastic step of sending in the National Guard is the last measure to insure the peace of the city. 

Many in California proclaim how important the state is due to the size of the economy. The same could be said if the cartels were given full control. It's not about the money. It's about the rights of all, and the guarantee crime is not used to achieve a selfish goal. When unbridled violence is used to control, the result is a society fearful of its safety, and actions that can only be described a terrorism. 

To Some, It Was a Short Day

I've read that the landing scene in "Saving Private Ryan" is the best portrayal of the actual event. Watching it causes a visceral reaction, and those that were at the landings on Normandy were forever branded with the ravages of a battle that changed the world. Many died before they ever reached the beaches, while some died trying to secure the beaches for the landing of more troops and supplies. Those that survived were destined to continue until Germany failed. Those that made it home would mostly never talk about their time during WW2, and quietly try to reassemble what were once the thoughts of young men. The bizarre thoughts of a one time paper hanger had marred their existence.

After 81 years, even the youngest that fought on D-Day are centenarians or gone. Pausing to remember them is important. What they fought against wasn't isolated, and the sentiments of those that hate are still present.

Venting

I received a notice that my Medicare supplement insurance premium is being raised. It's more of the same line of crap that is being peddled by everyone, including Trump. Regardless of opinions, the way to solve many of the nation's problems requires solutions harder than just letting the Baby Boomers die off, and being rid of their ridiculous ideas about religion, work, responsibility, and national pride. Stringing them on a few more years removes many, and even those still alive can be easily handled due to their age.

*spit*

Neighbor's Success

A neighbor mentioned he was planning on raising pea fowl months ago. Over time, I could hear them calling, which always reminds me of the old Tarzan movies. The female would wonder over with a juvenile, but the male would perch where he could see over the fence and not venture away from his area. 

Last week, the female, and the juvenile, wandered into the yard. Along with the female were two chicks, which are not hatchlings, but definitely young. I went to get them some bird feed. They followed me to the can where we keep the feed, and as I turned to throw some feed, the mother snatched a bite from my hand.  

So, now they visit, peck for spilled bird food, and wander through the yard. I have to look before I let my dog out, since he will chase them, and the younger birds haven't yet learned to fly. They're interesting to watch, and I wonder if they'll avoid any predators or the dogs in the neighborhood. Hopefully so. I like them more than the chickens, ducks, and geese that wander through. 

The Day After Memorial Day

I had a lot of thoughts yesterday. Reading posts about remembering, and how so many lost so much, with the fact many were just cannon fodder thrown at an enemy, left a loss of words. I know the results of war, and have friends that spent long hours in terror in Vietnam. They had stories, but none told about those they knew that didn't come back, except one. His brother-in-law was in a tank unit, and died horribly when the tank was hit. It burned, and he didn't get out. His high school photo showed a smiling face filled with the exuberance of youth. His photo while in Vietnam showed a thousand yard stare. My friend spent years suffering from a syndrome that didn't allow him to stay anywhere for any length of time. We lost contact, and the years that passed tell me I'll never see him again.

It is, what it is, but one day for honor doesn't seem enough. The theaters such as Vietnam show the unconscionable waste of life to satisfy the whims of politics. May we never see them again, but that's a foolish wish. The evil of the world is always present, and the battle of good over evil continues. 

Scrapes and Bruises

I wrote a longer post about some mechanical problems, but it didn't fit my mood, nor explain some complex issues. To cut it short, two problems developed: one was the replacing of a blade clutch that cut a belt on a riding lawnmower, and the other was the replacing of a fuel filter on a four wheeler. The blade clutch is done, but I'm not completely sure about the four wheeler. I removed the tank, found almost a complete clog in the fuel valve, put it all back together, and it still had some running issues. I'll change the plug and hope I don't have to rebuild the carburetor. 

I don't have detailed repair manuals. I usually will find a parts diagram, which is an exploded view of different components, and parts numbers. It can be tedious to decipher and makes me feel like a NTSB investigator examining the parts of a crashed jet. That, and the part number, when given to a dealer, results in a price that most people would call ransom. I understand they need to make some money, but when a part has to be ordered, and you can find the same thing online at a substantially lower price, you realize their markup, and sometimes it is beyond reasonable. 

Anyway, today I might fiddle with the four wheeler, or not. My back hurts from scurrying around under things and finding muscles I put in storage decades ago. That, and it's been in the 90's with 700% humidity. Those conditions mean you have to snorkel in hot water, without a mask to keep the salt water from your eyes. Adding some direct sun, for me, means covering myself with a hoodie to avoid more skin cancer. Although it's not a crises, some might think so, and anxiety will rear its ugly head. 

....and I have to add my hands, and arms, look like I've been in a claw-hammer fight with a three armed Ninja. I think engineers deliberately add extra torque on bolts to insure you smash you hand into something when the bolt finally comes loose. That, and some extra sharp edges to catch some skin when you reach into a tight area. 

I Need Some Information

 I'm kicking around with publishing a book of short stories. I've looked at Kindle Publishing, read reviews about the company, and contemplating publishing it myself. What I don't know is whether it's a tremendously complicated task, or something easily handled with a little patience and focus. Any advice is welcome.

Lost Burgers

In the past, all the local cities had two, or three, burger joints. Some had curb-side service, with some of the waitresses on roller skates. All had burgers made from select beef patties that were made by the cook. Usually, it was a mom-and-pop business, with family members as part of the staff. Some people had their own favorite place, but none served anything as objectionable as what is sometimes found today in nation-wide fast food chains. The owners had a pride that can't be reproduced. They wanted their burger to be the best, and they were successful in their effort.

Those days are gone. The small burger joints couldn't compete with the fast food restaurants, and most eventually closed. They're not completely gone, but you have to look to find them, and many times, the wait is long for a burger. That, and for many locations, a fairly long trip is required to visit. 

While there are many chains trying to present the same experience, they fail in the process. Mass produced patties just don't compare, and many times the beef isn't as tasty. Whataburger is close, but it's still not the same. There was something about the seasoning, the hand-cut fries, hand-battered onion rings, and all served in a plastic basket that can't be mass produced. Even the soft drinks had a richer flavor. They syrup could be manipulated by the owner, and the more syrup, the better the soft drink. 

So, those days may be gone, but there are still some places to be found. Usually for me, it's around an hour each way for the hamburger I crave. It's worth it.

It's Been This Way A Long Time

There's some irritation, conjecture, finger-pointing, and denials about Joe Biden having advanced cancer. Pundits, and experts, are theorizing on how long it was known, and how the media was silent. It's no different that when FDR was in such poor health, he required a wheelchair most of the time, and few citizens knew about it, while the press kept quiet. It's the game of using the power of the pen to determine policy, regardless of how the power wielded by a compromised important officials can be used for personal purposes. 

A Problem That Needs Solving

From what I see, nobody that works for the Feds can be fired without permission. That's a problem, which is probably due to undue union influence, which is another problem that needs solving. Public sector workers should never be allowed to negotiate, since those that pay their salaries have too little input into the process. When you add the approval of anyone else, including federal judges, the most important task of any employer is removed. They don't control their position, since their position is basically feckless due to their inability to determine who works for them. It's like hiring a plumber to fix a drain they're unable to fix, but you have to keep paying them, continue with a broken drain, and you have to go to a judge to fire them. That's unacceptable. 

Now What Happens?

If a man in a wheelchair in Podunk writes a nasty letter, calling for mayhem, and sends it to the President, they'll kick down his door, go through everything he has, probably arrest him, and make his life miserable. Comey posts a photo of his desires written in shells, and he'll probably just get a phone call. That's what justice has become in the United States. Until those with connections are held to the same standards as citizens with very little, there is no justice, and regardless of what your "betters" tell you, that's the way it is. That's why those Epstein bought are still not in jail. That's why judges get away with breaking the law. That's why outright slanderous calls for violence by the media are ignored. That's why people are fed up with the justice system.

Now We'll See if She Will Have Charges Dismissed

 Hannah Dugan made headlines when she hampered the arrest of an illegal alien. She is now under indictment, and has filed a motion of having her charges dismissed. I doubt the court will allow that, and the legal rigamarole starts. Next, they'll try for a change in venue, while digging for dirt on the court with jurisdiction. There will be numerous announcement hearings, where they'll try to avoid a plea for a long time. If I had to guess, if she ever makes it to the point she has to plea, it will be well over a year from now. 

Rice Rockets and Mayhem

 I live close enough to a rural winding highway to hear the motorcycles as they travel. The Harleys have their special rumble, and there may be many as they go on their weekend rides. The what I call rice rockets have a different sound. The riders have a mostly clear straightaway after a long curve, and that is where they open up, lay low over the handlebars, and reach speeds a sane person would not want to reach. We have had a few accidents, but no fatalities, but it could happen. There are deer, trees very close to the highway, and plenty of driveways on blind curves. Mistakes at around 100 mph don't lead to skinned shins, or a few bruises. I hope it doesn't happen, but it's almost a guarantee it will.

That Day Again

My mother's been gone for over a decade. My wife's mother has been gone longer. Still, there is a reason to think about our mothers today. They raised us, regardless of all our efforts to ignore their teachings, refuse to accept their wisdom, and not realizing the number of visits are numbered. They put up with our ignorance, loved us despite our faults, and sacrificed more than we'll ever know. Today, we can only miss them, and the things they taught.

So, There's a New Pope

 I don't know anything about the new Pope, except he's from the United States. So is Pelosi, Schumer, AOC, all the Bidens and the list goes on. What he does is how I'll develop my opinion of the lead politician of the Catholics. Maybe he'll do something good, but history shows he may not.

Today Is The Day

From what I've been reading, after today, certain forms of identification are required for domestic flights. Media outlets are reporting the outrage of this requirement every chance they get, and many are irritated they have now have to have this identification, but the law was passed twenty years ago, and there has been plenty of time.  

Right after the attacks in 2001, most industrial facilities required a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC). At the beginning, a driver license was an acceptable form of identification for the card. After 2005, to have it renewed, an original, or certified copy, of a birth certificate was required for most people. There were other acceptable ID's, but I don't remember what they were. Without the card, I was forbidden to enter any dock, which included every petrochemical facility where I worked, even though I'd worked in most for years. Even the guards recognized me, but would turn me away if I didn't have the card, which required over a hundred dollars of my money every few years to update, and my fingerprints.

So, here we are. They're cracking down on those that probably are not dangerous, but it is what it is. I have some sympathy for those that have to jump through hoops to obtain the correct paperwork for their identification, but not much. There was no hoopla when I had to jump through hoops to keep working, and dealing with a bureaucracy to get a certified copy of my birth certificate took more time than I wished to give.

A Tale of Two Bridges (Part Two)

 I wrote about this bridge a few weeks ago. Since then, the contractor has removed the approaches, including the fill for the approach headers. This weekend, if the weather didn't shut down the contractor, the interstate will be detoured to the service roads and the spans over the highway removed. It's something I would like to watch, but I have a feeling even trying to get close will be a lesson in futility. 

I have a feeling the contractor will work, regardless of the weather. Demolition of this type will not be hampered by bad soil conditions, and if the contractor planned accordingly, the remainder of the bridge has a hard surfaced place to be stored. It can all be done if it's raining, and considering the scope of the work, backing out is really not an option.

So, how would I perform this job? It's a simple task, and easily performed with the right equipment. The concrete between the girders is broken quickly with large breakers on tracked excavators that work their way back to the approaches. The reinforcement is cut as the machines break the concrete, and the rubble is loaded into dump trucks by front end loaders. After the material is hauled away, large mobile cranes can lift the girders and load them on extendable haul trailers. The girders are then delivered to another crane at the disposal area. The columns, and caps, can be broken with the same large excavators, and the rubble cleaned after they're removed. 

The hardest part of the work is logistics. Traffic control devices need to be at locations long before the work begins, and staged for quick placement. There is only a window from 8:00 pm Friday to 5:00 am Monday. When the okay is given, all side streets are closed, channelizing devices remove traffic from the interstate, and the work begins. Those in traffic on the interstate will face long delays due to the detours. 

The equipment has to be on hand, with spares available at a moments notice. This includes all heavy equipment, cranes, dump trucks, haul trucks, light towers, cutting torches, and electronic traffic control devices. Police presence needs to be on site, and public notices on all available media. Multiple crews will be required, since the work is around the clock until complete. 

I'll post any photos I can find, when they're available. I might even go and take a gander. Time will tell, but this one is something to watch.