Author: Kim du Toit

Uncertain Weather

Weather

Oh, joy… Max is usually on the money, and this doesn’t look good.

I’m not too worried about ice and such here in north Texas, because we can just hunker down at home.

What worries me is that ice storms lead to frigging power outages and those, coupled with sub-freezing temperatures are no fun at all.

Let’s see how our fabled ERCOT system handles it, but based on past performance I’m not optimistic.  (Back in 2014, we were without power for over three weeks.  At times, I didn’t think we were going to make it because the cold was that intense.)

So I’ll be bringing in the SHTF infrastructure — gas cookers, water supplies, batteries and alternative power sources, not to mention stuff like industrial-strength flashlights and so on.

If this back porch of mine goes dark, it’s most likely because of no power, i.e. no Intarwebz.  Be patient, and take care of yourselves.  And run yer taps to guard against freezing pipes because trust me, you do not want to have to deal with that, in sub-freezing temperatures.

Last time this happened to us back in 2021, we lost our apartment and most of our household goods in floods from burst pipes, and were stranded in a hotel for four months while the complex was essentially rebuilt.

Comes from living in a climate which isn’t used to this kind of temperature extreme, I guess.

But right now I sure wouldn’t mind some of that global warming stuff we’ve been threatened with.

Dept. Of Righteous Shootings

Righteous Shootings

So down in Arizona, this happened.  Executive summary:  Folks sitting at home doing family things, when an alleged intruder allegedly broke down the alleged front door.  One of the alleged family members happened to have an alleged gun, which he allegedly used to fire multiple shots into the allegedly worthless hide of said alleged intruder, whereupon said shootee’s body temperature allegedly moved quickly to room temperature.

Nothing to see here, move along.

 

Game

Shooting Sports, The Gun Thing

Is anyone else sick to death of all the fuss surrounding the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts?

I have an idea.

Let’s re-purpose the Kennedy Center.  Never mind all that artsy-fartsy stuff;  let’s turn it into a massive indoor shooting range, with all the 100-yard rifle- and 25-yard pistol ranges that the place can hold, open from 6am till 9pm, 7 days a week.  And so that it can’t be hijacked by the hoplophobes and politicians, we’ll hand over its management in perpetuity to, say, Gun Owners of America.

Now for all sorts of reasons, we’ll have to rename the place, because let’s be honest, J.F. Kennedy and shooting do have somewhat of an unpleasant association.

And I’m against naming pretty much anything after a politician, because they get enough name recognition already, the lousy poltroons.

So let’s name it after a renowned and respected American ordinary citizen, and to make it even more non-political, let’s stipulate that he’s no longer alive.  Without trying to prejudice the thing, and just to help the thought process, let me give just a few examples:  Elmer Keith, Wyatt Earp, Audie Murphy, Samuel Colt, Oliver Winchester, John Moses Browning… I think you can all see where I’m going with this one.

Pick one, and one name only, and put it in Comments / email.  You don’t need to give any reasons because I’m pretty sure it’s self-explanatory.  I’ll tally up the votes and give the people’s choice later in the week.

Oh, and you only get one vote each.  We are not Democrats.