Author Archives: Joel

Senator Schumer, I roll my eyes in your general direction. Bring a chart to Thanksgiving dinner to bash GOP tax plan, Schumer says Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told his Twitter followers Tuesday to prepare for tax politics at the … Continue reading →

“I have no idea what his politics were, and I find that endearing even though his music was insipid like unto the Archies.” RIP, I suppose.

But it was too late. She’d already been diversified. h/t

Uh, This Flat Earther’s Homemade Manned Rocket Launch Does Not Sound Totally Advisable I’ve launched several rockets in the Mojave, and assisted with many more. Great fun. If someone had suggested that I build a big one and climb in … Continue reading →

Guys, yesterday’s post was just blathering in lieu of something better to write about, it wasn’t intended as a complaint or a bleg. Appreciate the thought, though. I got the following email from the Gulch’s high-power New York CFO: You … Continue reading →

…I’m reduced to showing you a picture of my lunch. To make money you have to spend money – I have another dog-and-horse-feeding gig on the other side of the plateau coming up in two weeks, which means I’ll need … Continue reading →

Nineteen degrees outside and falling. Woke at six to a lovely cool bedroom, thermometer says 53 which is perfect sleeping weather without having to pile the blankets a foot high. That new space heater works perfectly. Couldn’t say the same … Continue reading →

Should have gone out and taken the picture a few minutes earlier, when the hollow was still completely in shadow. This time of year is the only time you can get that shot, with the cliff on the far side … Continue reading →

h/t

…is privileged people acting sanctimonious when the rules momentarily become convenient and other privileged people go under the bus. The news has been full of rich’n’famous people dealing with accusations, often decades old, about things they’ve been doing with their … Continue reading →

She’s much larger in person, let me tell you. She’s Maya (not actually shown in the photo,) a 12-year-old blind and deaf and really cranky Shih Tzu who has never liked me. Normally she puts up with me after a … Continue reading →

Regular readers know I’m addicted to one import from cities far, far away… Trader Joe’s house blend, only whole bean need apply. Normally we keep around three cans in stock here, but with one thing or another we’re down to … Continue reading →

Of course the big question, not yet answered, was never “Do I want a space heater with a thermostat?” Duh. Of course I do. I also want a silent VTOL and the power of invisibility, but I can’t have them. … Continue reading →

Oh, yeah. That’s what I’ve been missing all these years. This was the first really frosty morning in a couple of weeks, as winter probes our defenses for weaknesses. I’ve learned a new life lesson: If you want your shelter … Continue reading →

In our last exciting episode we learned that some errant wind gust had tried to take the powershed’s roof off. I found that unacceptable, but had to think a bit as to how I was going to crank the frame … Continue reading →

I was just giving his face a good rub when I noticed something I’ve been waiting for… Look who’s getting gray on his muzzle! He was born in early March 2009, so he’s pushing 9 years old. Doesn’t seem so … Continue reading →

One reason for the morning walkie is to give Little Bear a chance to sniff out local doings. He’s a dog, and they say scent means more to dogs than sight or sound. I don’t know if that’s true, but … Continue reading →

And I don’t even know when it happened. I happened to be up on a ladder inside the powershed Saturday, doing some unrelated maintenance. I looked at the roof over the door and thought to myself, “Why did I go … Continue reading →

Okay, so Friday I … hung curtains. Yeah. That happened. Shut up. Reasons for this were entirely practical, basically all the reasons you’d want curtains on a window including, believe it or not, “people looking in.” Anyway: Having actual storebought … Continue reading →

Well, let’s face it. You can make anything with 550 cord. I’m currently macrame-ing an evil TUAKmobile with JATO bottles, ejection capsule and quad 20mm autocannon. It’s not going well: Do you know how much Arrest-me Red 550 cord costs? … Continue reading →