Put the marker down

 

Rerun just now of "Air Disasters" on the Smithsonian Channel. Reporting on crashes from the 20th century, the investigators played with model planes and model airports, which was hilarious but illustrated situations for the TV audience.

Other shows used printed maps, where features were marked and measured.

The most recent episodes, however, are about 21st century crashes, so investigators use computer monitors to display graphics.

The one showing right now has an investigator use a black marker to circle stuff on a map of a crash site. Circle aircraft descent lines, other data.

On a flat-screen monitor. 

So the Real Life air-crash department has a huge budget, or the TV show has a huge budget to replace monitors.

On your marker, get ready, get set ... scribble!

-30-

 

Take your Meta and sit on it

 

I used to work for people who lived by magical thinking. They changed the names of stuff and told everybody the stuff itself changed.

No, it didn't.

Dear Dorky Mark: You're filthy stinking rich because your Facebook eats the souls of children. Because your minions ignore the parts of the world that doesn't speak, read, write English.

Change names of your umbrella company every 30 seconds ... it will still be Destructor of Democracy, Poisoner of Facts, Mind-sucker of the Globe. And not in a good way.

-30-

 

Early-warning System Charley

 

I participated in the two-day deluge of rain across Northern Nevada by cursing about water running in where it should not have.

The Truckee River went from rocks rinsed by a garden hose to an actual river, in about four hours. Fast flowing, chocolate water, foam. It's still got water in it today, but a couple feet less.

About two hours after the rain started on Sunday, Charley Le Chat Noir asked for my attention. He's 17 pounds and sounds like a squeeky mouse.

We visited the entry way, where he stared at the ceiling, then at me, then at the ceiling, where rain on the skylight was fast and loud. He accepted my claim that it was all OK.

But a couple hours later, he led me there again, and sniffed a wet spot on the carpet. Yep, the skylight was leaking. Again. After being repaired at least four times.

Out came plastic bowls. By Monday night there was maybe an eighth of an inch of water in them. Peeling paint overhead. Very wet cobwebs.

I was not surprised by water appearing in the garage, since the patio's not properly sloped. There are sand bags, but the friend who moved sand into undamaged bags last month filled three so full that I cannot lift them. They don't lie flat, either. I had to move one to roll out the garbage bin and didn't put it back.

My bad. Lazy, lazy bad.

Someday I have to move the cat carriers off the top of the packing box where the water flow ends to check what's in it. The recently-wet bottom's caving in. 

 And probably toss out the contents.

-30-

Hold your hat!

 
I want to be a good neighbor, but come on!

Rolled the trash bin to the curb this morning, in gusty winds.

National Weather Service reports wind gusts in the Truckee Meadows this morning from 21 mph to 32 mph. Wind speed’s got to be higher here in the Truckee River canyon.

Spotted trash blown onto my lawn, and into a rose bush.

Recovered 6-bottle crates, flattened: 3 Kona brand beer, 1 Modelo. Plus 2 pizza boxes.

I stuffed them back in the bin next door, which had its lid open. I’ve seen the nice people who live there enjoying bottled beer in hot weather.

Didn’t glance outside again for 1.5 hours. That bin was on its back, lid open. The next bin was also down and open, with stuff fallen out.

For a laugh, I tried to set them upright. Nope. Way too heavy. I did stuff a couple bags back into one.

Garbage pickup occurred a few minutes ago. Both of them are upright and empty.

Way to go, garbage guy!

-30-

Early judgment: Guilty

 

I am major-ly disappointed in the alleged criminal mastermind, Elizabeth Holmes, on trial for scamming millions from investors for Theranos, a biotech company that aimed to produce health diagnoses from a single drop of the patient's blood. Maybe a couple drops.

Not disappointed because her company crashed, burned, cratered, disintegrated. Not because Theranos caused major damage to famous men on her board of directors.

The source is her defense: a man made me do it.

What a coward. Her Sisterhood membership card must be found and burned.

-30-

 

Oh come on ... really?

 

I know my problems don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, but for f-ing's sake.

A bat flew in when I opened the back deck's screen door to let a cat in, 7 p.m.-ish Aug. 30.

Catastrophic fires, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, victory for the American Taliban's gynophobia.

I got a bat. Curse words fail.

The cat, at least, showed me where the bat landed, clinging high up on a wall. I would have found it anyway because it was making chirping noises. Standard size, dark fur.

While it did loops around the living room, I closed doors — bathroom, bedrooms, laundry. Closed window blinds, so that the door to the deck was the only light source.

Opened the screen. Stepped back.

Bat flew to freedom.

I gotta get me some better curse words.

 -30-

 

Ahh, can I fingerpaint, too?

 

Today's National Weather Service forecast map is a work of art. 

The various shades of orange, hot pink, reds mark excessive heat. The gray blobs warn of bad air quality. The splat of yellow is tornado warning.

I'm under the dark green flash floods warning in Northern Nevada.

Let it rain!

 

 

-30-

World upside down

 

Today's confusing. There's this thing in the sky ... I think it's the color Blue.

After my quick trip to the grocery store, my head wasn't dripping sweat.

Who reset the environmental controls? I owe them a thank-you punch in the shoulder, and a piece of chocolate.

I'm enjoying it now because it won't last long.

-30-

 

Damn inconvenient

 

I'm not sure when the mental change occurred, but I just discovered that I prefer to use an online site over talking to somebody.

No way that I can find for cancelling a cell phone account via the company's online site.

Now I have to make a damn phone call. And be courteous, which is harder the older I grow.

-30-

 

Pardon me while I sweat

 

National Weather Service report for Sparks Boulevard, 4 miles from my house: 

105 F.

11 percent humidity

dewpoint 40F.

 Is it cold in New Zealand yet?

-30-

Oh my whiskers and claws

 

I have been sole human servant of 3 cats for 10 straight days, as of today.

Each of them individually is charming, in the feline way.

Two at a time, not so much.

Never 3 at a time because the white Manx attacks the Firepoint Siamese on sight. Which is way too much excitement and loose fur. Charley the long-hair goofball runs for cover.

 Their true servant's in rehab after back surgery. Sure the doctors had knives and needles. I face claws and teeth.

Get well soon, pal, and come home before I go running into the sagebrush.

-30-

Sinus rhythm

 

Oh, joy. Elm, ash, and mulberry pollen.

The inside of my head is laden with it.

Oh joy, cottonwoods are coming.

-30-

 

Wind in your sails

 

As much as I hate Amazon.com (truly evil in treatment of employees), it does deliver ... fast as Te Rehutai.

I use headphones for sound on my TV. I'm on my third set, which croaked Saturday after slowly failing for a week. Ordered replacement Monday, received it from the hands of a Prime driver today.

Also honey roasted cashews and the "Doctor Who" DVD of this New Year's episode.

The young week's best event might be the victory of Te Rehutai in defending the America's Cup yesterday. Or maybe it was today ... damn International Dateline. 7-3. Take that, Luna Rossa.

In Maori: Where the essence of the ocean invigorates and energizes our strength and determination.

There's a language that doesn't waste words.

Oh, it is also some loud, drunken holiday. Also the 91st anniversary of the birth of my Aunt Wanda, who joined any St. Paddy's Day party full of joy ... and spirits, by last call.

-30-

Day 2

 

My best friend and I made our second trek to Virginia City Thursday to receive our second Covid-19 vaccine shots.

Day 1 after: the joints inside my joints hurt.

💉

Day 2: I survived a hike through Costco, but damn I'm stiff and sore.

I hope there are good movies playing in two weeks because I'm going!

-30-

Flat World

 

Slogged my way through "The Watch" on BBC America. Tried to like it.

The "dragon burning the city" story was interesting, as was the change in Carcer.

The stumbling point was the portrayal of Vimes, head of The Watch. The bulging eyes, the twitches, the dreadful cigar ...  was there an actual character in there somewhere? The actor's clip reel won't include this show.

Pratchett's daughter disowned the project awhile ago. Right choice.

-30-

 

Road tripping

 

My best friend and I got our first vaccine shots today, courtesy of Storey County, Nevada, and Safeway pharmacies. Also appointments for second shots.

We had to drive 65 miles round trip to reach Virginia City, a strong reminder of how much I hate Highway 341, aka Geiger Grade. The summit's 6,789 feet. The Comstock's at 6,150 feet, so it is steep and twisty going into town and leaving.

Every trip with my father included the story of how he and his motorcycle parted company on a turn. Occasionally we stopped so he could see if the wreckage was still there. First couple of peeks, yes.

I knew one of the Safeway crew from the pharmacy I go to.

Storey County Emergency Management kept things moving smoothly, after appointments were pushed back 20 minutes waiting for the vaccine to thaw out.

An Only In Nevada event: Everybody on line got to study Virginia & Truckee No. 27, a stupendous machine. Some spoilsport put up a "don't climb on the engine" sign.

 -30-

 

Brain drained

 

New data on how long my attention span is: 1,000+ questions in CivicScience Polls' come-on on Slate.com.

"What the heck," I thought as I slipped down the rabbit hole with the Energizer Bunny.

Questions kept coming and coming on a wide range of topics.

Curiosity paved over.

-30-

Nice try

 

But no cigar. Madame Speaker deserves Revenge and she took her best shot. But the clock's running out and the Senate will stall, win a second white-wash.

Impeachment's for incumbents only. All this is moot Jan. 20.

Censure would have made a better impression in the history books, even though DJT doesn't know what it is and wouldn't care if he did. It would have given him a paragraph of his own, though.

-30-

 

Nagging no more

 

An answer to a mother trapped in battles with her irresponsible children:

You want to pick your battles—to steal a line from one of my favorite teachers: What’s essential, what’s important, and what’s nice to have?

— Nicole Chung, Care and Feeding, Slate.com, 01-06-2021

#

Let's turn a Narcissist's favorite tool back on DJT: The Silent Treatment.

Don't take his phone calls, don't go to his meetings, refuse to engage. He no longer exists in our space-time continuum.

We still must watch out for those White Power people who trashed the Capitol, though.

-30-