Packy's Place

Edge of tomorrow – Groundhogs day on Steroids. I just watched Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise. It was so much like Groundhogs day with Bill Murray that it was scary. Except that it was in the future and the concept was battling aliens. Yet, there was too much similarity to discount the reliving of the same time, day after day after day, until you got it right. It was just a bit weird. I’m just saying.

Lately I've been fixing things with tiny screws. My graphics card cooling fan started making noise. I removed that and used sewing machine oil to quiet that down. Petroleum jelly helps to hold tiny screws to tiny screwdrivers when you are putting the screw back in. This is the second time I've had to take the card off and oil the fan. I may investigate a better oil to use. I seem to remember using 3in1 oil on the old cpu fans on my 486, either that or wd-40, and that had to be repeated also. I also recently repaired a PS4 controller. A tiny tab on a trigger broke off. Evidently this happening quite frequently with these controllers. After I had started taking it apart i found out that you could send the controller back on warranty. Unless of course there were tool marks on the screws. Shoot foot self.

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior: "A democracy is always Temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent Form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until The time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous Gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority Always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from The public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally Collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a Dictatorship." "The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the Beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 Years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to grea...

  I’m liking Manhattan , the story of the development of the Atomic Bomb. This is out in the middle of nowhere in the desert. In a town created and controlled by the military. I’m liking Outlander, a lady gets sucked back two hundred years in Scotland after touching a druid stone. I’m liking Gotham , early Gotham City, Bruce Wayne aka Batman has just lost his parents. I’m liking Scorpion, a group of geniuses help to solve some interesting problems. Watched the first episode of Bad Judge, this has the potential for being very entertaining. Too soon to get all excited. Watched the first episode of Selfie, this also has the potential for entertaining and amusing. I’m watching The Mysteries of Laura, critics are not impressed or they weren’t with the first episode. I’m not sure. I think this can work. A divorced mom with twins that gets her called to school too often is also a police detective. The husband is also with the police department.

When I first got my bike out it wasn't running very well. Sputtering a bit. Then the weather started getting ugly warm. I guess I'm not as dedicated to riding as I once was. Anyway, spent a little time puttering, and found the Idle-mixture screw was seriously out of adjustment. So, readjusted that, and also put in some STP gas treatment. Took it for a ride this evening just about the time the sun was going down. Temperature still wasn't too special but better than during the day. It is running much better. Not too impressed with the output of my alternator, or mebbe it's just my old battery. Lights are ok and will get me by. I may just need to ride it more to keep things in a better state of readiness. Regardless, it still felt good to get my bike out and catch a little wind. Made me smile. :)

My daughter is home for the summer, or at least a couple of months She will be leaving for Germany at the end of August. Back to the University of  Tuebingen. This time for the whole year, not just a term. She is inline for taking the Motorcycle Riders Course to get her Motorcycle endorsement. I can only imagine that means I will have to get the wife’s Harley running, so that she will have something to ride. Sadly it still needs  the Electric start fixed. It needs a new starter. All other components have been replaced for the Electric start. I guess we’ll see how this sorts itself out. I think I have sorted out the problem with mine. It wasn’t running the way I like. I haven’t had a chance to take it out since doing some tinkering. Should be better.

This is what my wife envisioned. She drew it up, and had her brother assemble it. The cabinets were all made by a local cabinet making company. Self closing drawers and doors. All Kitchen Aid appliances. When ever the debris is cleared i’ll add some pictures of the finished product. Still some cleanup and organizing to be taken into considertaion.

Except for the two pickup loads of leftovers and some odds and ends to take care of, the remodel job is essentially done. It’s nice not to have to hear the hammering and such, and try to sleep through it. It all looks good too. I’ll work on getting a good shot or two that sort of tells it all. I’m still working on getting my computer room back. It got a new wood floor too.

I just got done watching a film called “Death  by China” I found it quite disturbing. Since the entry of China in to the World Trade Organization, they have been slowly raising there economy to a new level.. while sinking ours. This isn’t all their fault though. Our own big corporations have  had a lot do with this degradation of our economy. By moving their operations to China to save a few dollars, they have created a serious imbalance of trade between our country and that of the Chinese. Analysts say we need about 25% of our work force in a manufacturing environment. We only have about 9% in manufacturing. Jobs in manufacturing pay a better wage, and they create jobs beyond their facility in support that is needed to make it work. We can not rely on  the Chinese to deal in good faith with us. They aren’t doing it now. There is no reason to believe they will do it in the future.

As you might imagine, I’ll be happy when the remodel is done. Although things are starting to look better. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. The wood floor is going to be pretty. We’ll see how it works out.