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.