Althouse: Sunrise.

March 7, 2021

Sunrise.

Talk about anything you like.

133 comments:

Shouting Thomas said...: If I had to choose between banning porn or feminism, I’d ban feminism.; 3/7/21, 11:51 AM
Narr said...: Lovely image-- I awoke to a bright rectangle of sunlight moving across the wall towards the mirror, about 9 a.m. That's late, even for me.

Forecast here is for some superb partly sunny days, and already some crocus and other early plants are coming out, and the birds are noisier.

After much discussion and inspection, and some remedial measures already mentioned, we still have the chimney/roof leak. We have some more work scheduled this week, since at least one theory of the leak has been eliminated.

Narr
Money pit, sweet money pit; 3/7/21, 12:04 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: The covid19 vaccines are experimental. I don't know if people are being told.

People should be thoroughly informed before taking untried, gene therapy.

If something goes wrong, Trump is going to be blamed.; 3/7/21, 12:11 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: @Lem

Got my first shot yesterday.

You get a multi-page disclaimer with the shot that tells you that the vaccines are experimental and that nothing is promised.; 3/7/21, 12:13 PM
rcocean said...: If you want to understand why we got Trump in 2016, look at the DC Republicans and how they've behaved since Jan 6th. The face of the DC republicans is (1) Mumbles McConnell, some sullen turtle who can't raise the energy to speak publicly except to attack Trump, and (2) bland, plastic man McCarthy, who says little and does nothing. There's a complete Vacuum of leadership.

Since Pelosi has zero intention of being bi-partisan and will pass the most radical legislation with 10 vote majority, while is McCarthy going along with the Charade? why isn't he pulling the Republicans out of Congress in protest? Why isn't he saying anything? what a Clown!; 3/7/21, 12:14 PM
rcocean said...: Texas is open. Florida is open. much of the South is open. Meanwhile, the blue states are locked up tight. And the dummies like it that way!

California, for instance has something like 6-7 million people who've been vaccinated or already had the disease. Why is everything still locked down? People should just be cautioned to wear masks and social distance. But nope, the Dummies say nothing and like sheep will only do what their "fearless leader" tell them to do.

I bet you 10-1 the same Democrat deadheads that voted for Cuomo, would vote for him again. Scratch a Democrat and you'll find a stupid sheep.; 3/7/21, 12:19 PM
fleg9bo said...: Our 10-year-old furnace died week before last and couldn't be fixed because Lennox no longer makes the needed part (heat exchanger) for our model. Imagine having to buy a new car because Chevy stopped making carburetors for your 2011 Chevette. OK, that's not a good analogy because no Chevette ever lasted 10 years and Chevy wisely stopped making them a long time ago.

That was the bad news. The good news is that we were 9 years and 11 months into a 10-year warranty, so we got a free replacement. More good news: the replacement model was out of stock so we got a much better furnace at no cost.

The bad news is that labor wasn't covered by the warranty so we had to pay the $3500 for installation. The good news is that we aren't going to be arguing about where our stimulus check is going to be spent.

It took two guys 6½ hours to install the thing. That works out to $269 per hour each. I think most of the money will go for more TV advertizing.

So we had almost 3 days without heat since it died on a Friday and got replaced on Monday. With overnight lows of 39, it was a piece of cake after having been without heat and electricity for four days from the ice storm.

A few months ago there was a brief discussion about songs that were covered frequently and Hallelujah was mentioned. I want to terminatedly close that discussion by asserting that the best version of that song is by Pentatonix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ; 3/7/21, 1:12 PM
ALP said...: Two things:

I LOVE the word "henchmen" - it appears in the post about #Metoo below. Henchmen, henchmen, henchmen....gives me a thrill every time I see it.

On the 'where is the anti-pornography movement?' - I've been wondering 'where is the SIMPLICITY movement of this generation?'; 3/7/21, 1:28 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: What was the saying about trading liberty for safety? Resulting in having neither? Bet some old white guy said that. Whatta rube!; 3/7/21, 1:49 PM
Iman said...: Is dat a pill in your pocket, or orange you jus extra glad to see me?

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/mtn-os030521.php; 3/7/21, 1:55 PM
Iman said...: After much discussion and inspection, and some remedial measures already mentioned, we still have the chimney/roof leak. We have some more work scheduled this week, since at least one theory of the leak has been eliminated.

Narr
Money pit, sweet money pit

Don’t get your dauber down. We’re starting demo on Wednesday for a $70k kitchen renovation. My wife watches HGTV way too much and I’m paying a steep price for indulging her.; 3/7/21, 2:00 PM
Yancey Ward said...: A $70k kitchen had better come with a live in chef and a replicator.; 3/7/21, 2:24 PM
Tomcc said...: Very nice photo, once again.
Money pit, sweet money pit
Going for iterations of possible solutions is...expensive. Gird your loins, my friend.
If you want to short cut that process, replace the roof. And always take advice from strangers on the internet!; 3/7/21, 2:31 PM
Browndog said...: BlueAnon.

That's it. That's the comment.; 3/7/21, 2:35 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: I filled up the car at Costco (Redmond WA) this morning for $2.499/gal. Gas buddy reports the price at the same store at $2.999/gal. Someone must of fat fingered the price on my pump. I'll take it.; 3/7/21, 2:43 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: We spent about $65K on a kitchen+ remodel in 2013. It was a complete remodel, tore out the pantry, replaced the linoleum with 18" tile, tore out the suspended ceiling and added skylights and can-lights, new cabinets plus quartz counter tops. The tile extended into the dining room and front hall/entryway. The pantry was one of those blackhole pantries: anything more than 6" from the front disappears into the back, never to be seen again until a complete cleanout is done. Well worth the expense.; 3/7/21, 2:52 PM
MadisonMan said...: My wife watches HGTV way too much and I’m paying a steep price for indulging her.
Every HGTV show is the same.; 3/7/21, 2:56 PM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: We replaced the 30 year old heat/AC unit on our beach house a year or two ago. The tech looked at it, said it was unfixable, but: You'll be lucky to get 10 years out of whatever we put in now. Hate to tell you, but they don't make them like that anymore!; 3/7/21, 3:06 PM
Joe Smith said...: "I filled up the car at Costco (Redmond WA) this morning for $2.499/gal. Gas buddy reports the price at the same store at $2.999/gal. Someone must of fat fingered the price on my pump. I'll take it."

Make sure you check to see if it's regular or premium.

Gas Buddy is crowd-sourced so if you pay a different price you should report it to make the app more accurate...; 3/7/21, 3:13 PM
narciso said...: http://www.vassarbushmills.com/?p=70671; 3/7/21, 3:18 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: The $2.999/gal price is in line with last week's price of $2.899/gal. The price quoted by gas buddy was the regular price.; 3/7/21, 3:25 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Joe, Wray, Nancy, and Kamala's America; 3/7/21, 3:27 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: The $2.999/gal price is up $0.55/gal since Joe "Malvolio" Biden was installed as our overlord. That's a 22.5% increase over 6 weeks. Got to love all those layoffs in the oil/gas/pipeline industries. Malvolio's going to be the best president ever, before he retires due to dementia.; 3/7/21, 3:29 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: But antifa is just an idea! They're not real. Portland's Ted Wheeler is reaping what he sowed. So is their D.A, Mike Schmidt, who's never met a rioter he could prosecutre.; 3/7/21, 3:32 PM
MadTownGuy said...: New Yorker: The Wasting of the Evangelical Mind

"Evangelicalism in America, however, has come to be defined by its anti-intellectualism. The style of the most popular and influential pastors tend to correlate with shallowness: charisma trumps expertise; scientific authority is often viewed with suspicion. So it is of little surprise that American evangelicals have become vulnerable to demagoguery and misinformation."

Here's why I can't take the author seriously. If he believes this is true of evangelicals but not of the New Left, he's self-decieved.; 3/7/21, 3:33 PM
narciso said...: Oh

https://m.theepochtimes.com/biden-to-sign-election-executive-order-to-increase-voting-by-criminals_3723677.html?utm_source=gab; 3/7/21, 3:34 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The soft corrupt left coddle their hard left goons. It's all mob tactics.; 3/7/21, 3:35 PM
chuck said...: Our 10-year-old furnace died week before last

My 20 year old furnace died last December, the control board burned up. Got replaced with a York as the installers didn't have a Lennox in stock. Total cost was about $2100, so I'm guessing you have a fancier model than I do. Had to keep warm for a couple of days using electric space heaters, the temperature was in the low teens.

Thing is, after 20 years everything needs replacement: water heater, stove, roof, and washing machine.; 3/7/21, 3:44 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Lem said..
The covid19 vaccines are experimental. I don't know if people are being told.

People should be thoroughly informed before taking untried, gene therapy.

If something goes wrong, Trump is going to be blamed.

Excellent point. They are experimental. The vaccines are also filled with chemicals to survive their not being deep frozen. My poor father had one dose and it make him ill.
My communist pal with no immune system - made her feel sick. but she's a true believer in anything Fauci or the democrats push. I'm certain if Trump were at the helm, the very same vaccine(s) would be suspect - and they would follow Kamala's lead and refrain.

I'm nervous about the science.; 3/7/21, 3:52 PM
I'm Not Sure said...: "The $2.999/gal price is up $0.55/gal since Joe "Malvolio" Biden was installed as our overlord."

Gas was $2.04 at the corner station in the first week of January. It went up to $2.79 on Friday.; 3/7/21, 3:58 PM
Narr said...: Hah, 70k USD is about what we have left on the mortgage!

We've done a lot of work in phases since we bought the place in '06. It was a one-owner built in '54, spacious Ranch-style ('roman' brick) 3/2 with den and carport. About 7k for floor refinished and the whole interior painted before move-in. New roof about 8k in 2012. New sewer line to street about 5k in 2015. New central AC&H 2018 about 8k. Tankless waterheater last year about 5k.

Not counting the master bath shower redo (just the shower), exhausts in both bathrooms, and new kitchen floor and counter tops--two countertop surfaces in the kitchen were still original linoleum (yuhh), but the side with the sink and wet wall had a putrid 70s greenish-grey yellow (likewise). New double sink and dishwasher.

We insisted on keeping the stout metal kitchen cabinetry, fronted with wood doors which we had taken down and refinished, and copper drawer facings--a first-rate 50s detail that was one of the best features of the place--along with the big brick dividing wall between the living and dining rooms, which contains the completely unused gas fireplace for the living room, and a planter. It looks solid, but the hard to access side of the slap-dash portion of the chimney in the attic, which my wife crawled over to (I'm way too bulky for the low clearance and duct work) and took photos of, is pretty clearly either adding to or causing some stress on the seal or flashing by settling and slipping.

The kitchen and bath remodel involved some mold treatment and putting some electric outlets on the outside front and back, so it ended up at about 13K in 2016.

Narr
She's my Neanderthal honey!

Narr; 3/7/21, 4:00 PM
Andrew said...: "A few months ago there was a brief discussion about songs that were covered frequently and Hallelujah was mentioned. I want to terminatedly close that discussion by asserting that the best version of that song is by Pentatonix:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ"

I fully agree. Ive never heard a more powerful version.

But the recent one with Andrea Bocelli and his young daughter, in an empty auditorium filled with candals, is also very moving.

https://youtu.be/iIiqxyIuMJk; 3/7/21, 4:05 PM
n.n said...: New Yorker: The Wasting of the Evangelical Mind

Progress of diversity dogma and bigotry in the rarefied climate of the Fourth Estate. So Pro-Choice. Lose your religion.; 3/7/21, 4:09 PM
Jersey Fled said...: If you don't want the vaccine, great. Just don't make me wear a mask (I got the vaccine) because you are afraid I might give you the disease. Even though the chances of me giving the disease to you are close to zero.; 3/7/21, 4:09 PM
Jersey Fled said...: Fun fact of the day:

The CDC released a report on March 5th that claimed that mask wearing reduced the transmission of the disease and deaths by a "statistically significant 2% to 3%.

This confirmed a Dutch study which found a 2% reduction.

Fun fact #2:

The Moderna and Pfizer vaccine reduced serious cases and deaths by 95%; 3/7/21, 4:28 PM
DavidUW said...: stopping in FL to set up one biz of my empire that I'll be running from St. Kitts.

They still like to require masks in that magical 6 feet from the door to your table, but there's a declining willingness to enforce.

Wondering how long it will take California to give up on this crap. Possibly never.; 3/7/21, 4:34 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: The CDC released a report on March 5th that claimed that mask wearing reduced the transmission of the disease and deaths by a "statistically significant 2% to 3%.

The CDC may say the results are significantly significant, in that they can confidently determine the results were not within the margin of error. In the real world, not the airy laboratory world of science experiments (there's nothing worse in an engineering development team that conducting a "science experiment" that is incapable of solving a problem.), that difference is insignificant.; 3/7/21, 4:42 PM
stevew said...: Mrs. stevew and I just built a new house. I'd have to go look to be sure but I bet the cabinets, appliances, and plumbing were more than $70k and there was no demo involved. It is a higher end kitchen design but not the highest you could create (no Sub-Zero fridge(s) or Viking ranges for us).

In other news: we had two of our four grandkids here from yesterday morning until about 1pm today. Ages 4 1/2 and 2 1/4. These two are terrific but holy shit is child care exhausting. I can't imagine trying to work a full time job and manage home child care at the same time.

If Congress had tried to pass a $2T Emergency Spending bill back in GWBush's days can you even imagine the reporting and response from the Press and Democrats?; 3/7/21, 4:45 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Here's why I can't take the author seriously. If he believes this is true of evangelicals but not of the New Left, he's self-decieved." (sic)

How do you know if he does or does not believe this of the "New Left?" Does he discuss the left in his article, or does he focus only on evangelism? (He's correct, by the way.); 3/7/21, 4:45 PM
Robert Cook said...: "If you don't want the vaccine, great. Just don't make me wear a mask (I got the vaccine) because you are afraid I might give you the disease. Even though the chances of me giving the disease to you are close to zero."

How do others know this? What would stop someone who had not had the vaccination from saying he or she had had it? Also, how well does being vaccinated prevent one from being a carrier of the virus to others?; 3/7/21, 4:50 PM
Jersey Fled said...: The CDC may say the results are significantly significant, in that they can confidently determine the results were not within the margin of error.

Right. That's why I put "statistically significant" in quotation marks. Or meant to, anyway.

A 2% reduction is not all that significant in real world terms.; 3/7/21, 4:51 PM
Howard said...: Your damn right the vaccine is experimental. Life is an experiment. No guts no glory; 3/7/21, 4:53 PM
Jersey Fled said...: Come on RC. That's a little out there even for you.; 3/7/21, 4:54 PM
Jersey Fled said...: Why do I find myself agreeing with Howard lately?; 3/7/21, 4:56 PM
MadTownGuy said...: Robert Cook said...

"How do you know if he does or does not believe this of the "New Left?" Does he discuss the left in his article, or does he focus only on evangelism? (He's correct, by the way.)"

It was conspicuous by absence of any mention of the Left of any sort in the article, though in the author's defense, that wasn't precisely what it wss addressing. The "anti-intellectualism" of Evangelicalism was repeated over and over, though, just so it wouldn't be missed (I'm surprised he never used the word 'Neanderthal').

As to the misspelling of 'self-deceived,' silly me, I trusted Autoincorrect.; 3/7/21, 4:56 PM
Breezy said...: If you are worried that the virus may kill you, get the vaccine. It’s not my job to take care of you. I don’t even know you. Everyone needs to evaluate the risks for themselves and do what they need to do. Godspeed.; 3/7/21, 5:03 PM
Ray - SoCal said...: Strange...

Blue Anon

Google and Urban Dictionary are censoring...

Urban Dictionary Bans "Blue Anon" Entry Defining Liberal Conspiracy Theorists; Google Censors Search - zero hedge

The idea of Blue Anon, seems synonymous with JournoList, which was a private Google group of 400 journalists that figured out the needed spin on stories.

I believe there is something still like this used for the elite news media. Way to much of the same words being used.

The “strong leadership” one on Cuomo did not age well...
https://mobile.twitter.com/theMRC/status/1356653859851014146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1356653859851014146%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fmedia%2Fbrutal-montage-shows-media-obsession-cuomo; 3/7/21, 5:23 PM
Mark said...: The Biden Police State militarized zone is so much worse than previously imagined.

Went down to walk the perimeter this afternoon. It is not just a single level of fencing, but includes a "no man's land" between two lines of fencing in many areas. It is also not just around the Capitol, but extends west out to Third Street and five blocks south all the way down to E Street. With the freeway being right there, there is no way to walk around the zone.

To the north, the militarized zone extends diagonally all the way up to Union Station. From there to the east along Massachusetts to Second Street down to Independence and Pennsylvania. I don't know the rest since, knowing that we could not go around in a loop, we turned around and went back at that point, having already walked about 2 and 1/2 miles.

Every so often, there were National Guard standing there with weapons at the ready on the other side of the prison fencing, with razor wire atop.

This is Joe Biden's America.; 3/7/21, 5:31 PM
Mark said...: We also saw multiple tent cities around the perimeter of the militarized zone.

I assume they are homeless. But from the way that they are being treated here, they could also have been National Guard.

Joe Biden's America.; 3/7/21, 5:33 PM
Original Mike said...: Congratulations Badger Hockey!

The men won the Big Ten Regular Season Championship yesterday.
The Regular Season Champion Lady Badgers won the WCHA Tournament today.

Awesome work!; 3/7/21, 5:36 PM
stevew said...: Clearly our Mark is lying, so says the WaPo, NYT, etc.; 3/7/21, 5:38 PM
Mark said...: Imagine having to buy a new car because Chevy stopped making carburetors for your 2011 Chevette.

I had a Shove-it in Michigan. Bought it used. In the dark of night. Didn't notice that the flooring was actually some plywood under the carpet to cover the big hole in the metal floor. I was young, stupid. First car I bought myself. The support structure holding the body above the engine and front axle also rusted through about a year later.; 3/7/21, 5:40 PM
Michael K said...: Wondering how long it will take California to give up on this crap. Possibly never.

It may depend on whether they can throw out signatures in the Newsom recall fast enough to keep him in office. They have the team from Georgia and Michigan working full blast, I'm sure. If the 2 million signatures get too close, he might have to adopt hated "red state" policies.; 3/7/21, 5:44 PM
Mark said...: Walking along the militarized zone barriers, I could easily imagine some anti-personnel mines being placed on the other side, as well as a few of those big robots from RoboCop with machine-gun cannons for arms, for people that got too close to the fence -- "WARNING, you have 20 seconds to move away from the fence. You have 15 seconds" (person moves far back). "You now have five seconds" (person runs away) "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" robot guns them down in a hail of a thousand bullets.; 3/7/21, 5:54 PM
Mark said...: The Enforcement Droid, Series 209, or ED-209, were a fully-automated series of peacekeeping machines created by Omni Consumer Products.

The ED-209 was armed with three automatic cannons, two on the left platform, one on the right platform with an auto-shotgun and a rocket launcher capable of firing three rockets. It also had additional combat programming, enabling it to perform melee attack at closer ranges.; 3/7/21, 6:00 PM
Lucien said...: ALP: What’s the difference between a henchman and a minion? I think henchmen are a better class of minion. I also think a fiasco is a gayer version of a debacle.; 3/7/21, 6:03 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Furnace vs heater. Soda vs pop sneakers vs tennis shoes.

I call my home heater a heater while my Chicago pal calls hers a furnace. Is this a regional thing?; 3/7/21, 6:13 PM
chuck said...: Does he discuss the left in his article,

That is not the question, the question is if he is left himself. Given that the article is in The New Yorker the odds are that he is, in which case it is the kettle calling the pot black. The most consistently anti-science movement over the last two hundred years has been the left, disgustingly so.; 3/7/21, 6:17 PM
narciso said...: Next question

https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/michael-luo; 3/7/21, 6:27 PM
Owen said...: Lucien @ 6:03: “I think henchmen are a better class of minion.” Agree. I think minions are just above toadies and just below sycophants, while henchmen are an entirely different class of liege-men: more like colleagues or cronies, with some degree of autonomy and imagination.; 3/7/21, 6:29 PM
Old Star said...: Mark-
A couple of Claymores or Bouncing Bettys would complete the scene, don't you think?; 3/7/21, 6:40 PM
Tinderbox said...: If Congressional spending money can be rabbited by the trillions and trillions of dollars out of thin air, then why tax anybody anymore? To whom do we owe all of this debt? Ourselves?
China?; 3/7/21, 6:45 PM
farmgirl said...: https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-future-of-democracy/how-can-the-press-best-serve-democracy

Tell the TRUTH; 3/7/21, 6:49 PM
n.n said...: Your damn right the vaccine is experimental. Life is an experiment. No guts no glory

Yes, an exercise in risk management.; 3/7/21, 6:54 PM
n.n said...: Google and Urban Dictionary are censoring...

A steering engine and urbane (a false or deceptive presentation of civility and refinement) dictionary united... reunited in common cause.; 3/7/21, 6:58 PM
n.n said...: The Biden Police State militarized zone is so much worse than previously imagined.

A police state? A union of state and corporate special and peculiar interests, a model of a fascist government, conveniently linked from the Antifa website. Throw another baby on the barbie, cannibalize her profitable parts, sequester her carbon pollutants, it's over. Go along to get along.; 3/7/21, 7:01 PM
Iman said...: Let’s see... bought our place in Oct 2001, had interior repainted and new carpet before moving in.

And then:
Exterior repainted in 2006
New plaster and tile in pool 2012
New laminate flooring in first floor (except kitchen and master bedroom) and reno’ed 1/2 bath in 2013
New windows in 2014
Remodeled master bath (first floor) in 2016
New fencing in 2017
Reno’ed 2nd floor Jack and Jill bathroom in 2019
New HVAC both floors and new carpeting in master bedroom, loft and 2nd floor in 2020; 3/7/21, 7:22 PM
narciso said...: Meanwhile:

https://mobile.twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1368613336674410496; 3/7/21, 7:30 PM
Narr said...: Thanks for the on-the-ground reportage, Mark. If travel is allowed this summer, I may have to come up to DC to see for myself. (No, I don't think they'll give it up, or the hapless Guardspersons, in a few weeks or months.)

It has become obvious to me that every government in the world is exploiting the new technologies of surveillance, persuasion, and control TO THE MAX. The Tech Titans may find that their great minds are no match for puny weapons when push comes to shove, despite the alliance of convenience they enjoy currently.

Speaking of puny, my wife feels worse today than she did yesterday, after her vaccine on Friday.

Narr
The Swampies have contracted Kremlin-envy; 3/7/21, 7:30 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: How are you folks surviving the madness?

My family is on the verge of emotional collapse. The grandkids cannot stand the confinement any longer. Mom and Dad are completely worn out.

And we don’t have any financial or childcare problems. Grandpa filled in on the childcare so Mom and Dad could go to work. But, I’m running out of gas, too. I’m 71, and I’ve had a full time childcare job for a year.

I’m counting the days to the end of the school year when I can take a break, and hoping the kids are back in school full time next fall.

I don’t know how people less favorably placed than us are surviving.; 3/7/21, 7:40 PM
R C Belaire said...: In Michigan, we have furnaces in houses and heaters in garages. More/less same design and same fuel.; 3/7/21, 7:45 PM
narciso said...: Capitol fever (the hunger games reference is intended); 3/7/21, 7:52 PM
Gospace said...: Heater can mean anything. Most of the time, if it’s forced air and feeds through ductwork it’s referred to as a furnace. If it’s wall or ceiling mounted forced air and only heats a single space, it’s a heater. Ah, but more confusion. If it’s a ceiling mounted heater the heat source could be fuel, making it a furnace, or electricity, making it an electric heater, or hot water (or steam) coming from a boiler, making it a hydronic heater.

What always caused confusion when I worked in a big box was when people came in and said they needed a new boiler when they really needed a new furnace. Not interchangeable. Interestingly enough the entire time I worked in a big box no one ever ever asked for a new furnace if they needed a new boiler. And the vast majority of people looking for a new boiler knew the BTU rating they needed and the fuel. Not so with people needing a new furnace.; 3/7/21, 8:10 PM
Mark said...: There is a BIG move afoot by our environmental betters to outlaw the use of natural gas.

Not too long ago, it was praised as a clean energy source. Now it is as bad at Hitler.

So much for your gas-fired furnaces and stoves.; 3/7/21, 8:15 PM
farmgirl said...: https://bartonchronicle.com/protestors-support-ups-store-owner/
This is happening in my neck of the NEK; 3/7/21, 8:31 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: RC : interesting that different name is used for same appliance. My home heater is fueled by oil and produced forced hot air.I’ve lived in homes with natural gas fueled heater and also one with a boiler that had steam pipes in every room.; 3/7/21, 8:39 PM
Joe Smith said...: "RC : interesting that different name is used for same appliance."

Interesting fact: In England, a car trunk is called a 'boot' and a bathroom is called a 'loo.'

You can look it up.; 3/7/21, 8:45 PM
MadisonMan said...: How are you folks surviving the madness?
My wife and I tell each other we're very glad the kids are out of school. Having a dog has helped.; 3/7/21, 8:48 PM
Mike of Snoqualmie said...: My wife and I got the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Apart from my wife's sore should, we've had no side effects from the injections.; 3/7/21, 8:48 PM
narciso said...: Carrying over from the dowd thread
https://www.teneo.com/senator-christopher-j-dodd-joins-teneo-as-a-senior-advisor/; 3/7/21, 8:50 PM
Gospace said...: So Vermont’s state motto needs to be changed from “Freedom and Unity” to “Submit or else!”.; 3/7/21, 8:52 PM
farmgirl said...: Not w/out resistance, but the Liberals are encroaching. Real estate market is so tight, property taxes will increase 9%, I’m hearing.; 3/7/21, 8:56 PM
J. Farmer said...: @MadTownGuy:

New Yorker: The Wasting of the Evangelical Mind

"Evangelicalism in America, however, has come to be defined by its anti-intellectualism. The style of the most popular and influential pastors tend to correlate with shallowness: charisma trumps expertise; scientific authority is often viewed with suspicion. So it is of little surprise that American evangelicals have become vulnerable to demagoguery and misinformation."

Here's why I can't take the author seriously. If he believes this is true of evangelicals but not of the New Left, he's self-decieved.

It isn't a response to criticism of a group to say the same criticism could be made of some other group.

I did not read the linked article, but I think your quoted excerpt concisely describes a current subset of evangelical voters, particularly those aligned with the so called "religious right." Although there are a lot of theological and doctrinal splits among the Christian right, it has largely been dominated by a peculiarly American brand of charismatic, revivalist, Pentecostalist "health and wealth" prosperity gospel preached by sordid figures like Oral Roberts, Jim Bakker, Pat Robertson, Judith Meyers, etc. Check out the 1972 documentary Marjoe.; 3/7/21, 9:00 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: The New Yorker is an asshole publication that played a major role in flogging the Russia collusion hoax.

They are the leading purveyors of demagoguery and misinformation.

The evangelicals were correct in voting for Trump. They’re smarter than the The New Yorker... a not particularly difficult task.; 3/7/21, 9:09 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: That “health and wealth” gospel is Calvinism.

A remarkably smart and successful theology that made Northern Europe the envy of the world.; 3/7/21, 9:10 PM
DavidUW said...: ST-
Surviving by treating it as a variant of house arrest.

Either turn inward to derive strength.

Or quit. I did it. Fuck this shit.

As for the New Yorker commentary. Didn’t read it but I’m certain it’s the usual stupidly certain college level atheism argument where the persons opposed to religion are so ignorant they think they have come up with new arguments against religion and religious people.; 3/7/21, 9:14 PM
narciso said...: I included some of the other offerings from that writer to ahow his bete noires; 3/7/21, 9:49 PM
Lawrence Person said...: Followup on a water/gas shutoff tool.; 3/7/21, 9:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Andrew: Thank you.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ"

Food for the soul.; 3/7/21, 9:56 PM
Francisco D said...: Mike of Snoqualmie said...My wife and I got the Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Apart from my wife's sore should, we've had no side effects from the injections.

My wife had both injections of the Pfizer vax, felt crappy for a few days with shoulder pain. I had my first shot on Friday with no ill effects. The difference may be that I have had flu shots for quite a few years as required by my job. She never had a flu shot before the WuFlu.

She has only had the flu once in her life. We both strongly suspect that she had the WuFlu in January 2020 and her really strong immune system defeated it. That is pretty much what the vax is supposed to do.; 3/7/21, 10:07 PM
Narr said...: ST--you have no reason to recall, but you barked at a comment of mine on 2Blowhards many years ago. I mentioned my and my three brothers' failure to give more than one grandchild (my son) to our long-widowed and not very healthy mother. Even then my son, 35 next month and never married, gave me no reason to expect any grandchildren of my own--to which I expressed a bit of . . . not relief, but resignation and understanding.

Since I retired in "early" in 2015, and even after my second portion of eldercare hell had passed in 2018, nothing has happened in the country or the world that looks any more propitious for future generations.

But I manage to stay cheerful, myself.

Furnace v heater. Damn I hate this tech pedantry. We have a gas-fired forced-air heater in an outside-facing closet space (complete with 50s sliding doors), with AC compressor and heat exchange just outside it on a pad. Come to think of it, the 30 gal. water heater we replaced in that same space was one we had to put in soon after moving in, so I forgot that expense, and the heater/furnace too! More thousand$.

I've rented both apartments and small houses with floor furnaces, and my Granny's house had radiator heat.

There's not enough time in the world for me to waste on some New Yorker writer's analysis of E/evangelicals.

Narr
Never on Sunday; 3/7/21, 10:11 PM
Anonymous said...: Robert Cook -"What would stop someone who had not had the vaccination from saying he or she had had it?"

I hereby proclaim that I have not been vaccinated! I also hereby proclaim that I have never worn a mask.

I watch in wonder at the herd behavior, and how easily they are spooked.

Ranchers understand herd behavior. They yell, 'Hyahh' to get the herd to move.

With Humans, you yell, 'Science'. Same thing.; 3/7/21, 10:12 PM
narciso said...: Yes the yawker presents the chewbacca defence while offering up the gospel of derrick bell.; 3/7/21, 10:13 PM
StephenFearby said...: Take on Oprah's highly-touted interview with Megan Markel / Prince Harry tonight.

Although the trauma of watching the whole thing proved way too much for me to bear, it's very clear they're definitely made for each other. That's because they're both BATSHIT CRAZY.; 3/7/21, 10:16 PM
JML said...: Our radiant heat developed a leak. It turns out the house was built when some new improved mesh distribution for the hot water was used, and was found to be flawed and is now unrepairable. So we had to installed two combo forced air units on the roof where we had our swamp coolers. This required an upgrade to the electrical panel, new gas lines, etc. It took a lot of work and almost four weeks. We used space heaters in that time - our electric bill was high, even with the solar panels we have.; 3/7/21, 10:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Robert Cook -"What would stop someone who had not had the vaccination from saying he or she had had it?"

I hereby proclaim that I have not been vaccinated! I also hereby proclaim that I have never worn a mask.

I watch in wonder at the herd behavior, and how easily they are spooked.

Ranchers understand herd behavior. They yell, 'Hyahh' to get the herd to move.

With Humans, you yell, 'Science'. Same thing.; 3/7/21, 10:19 PM
narciso said...: Tovarich cuomo

https://mobile.twitter.com/omriceren/status/1368730623486160905; 3/7/21, 10:19 PM
Anonymous said...: Robert Cook -"What would stop someone who had not had the vaccination from saying he or she had had it?"

I hereby proclaim that I have not been vaccinated! I also hereby proclaim that I have never worn a mask.

I watch in wonder at the herd behavior, and how easily they are spooked.

Ranchers understand herd behavior. They yell, 'Hyahh' to get the herd to move.

With Humans, you yell, 'Science'. Same thing.; 3/7/21, 10:19 PM
narciso said...: Except pasteur or jenner would be surprised if they were told an innoculation would recquire the same protocols before it was developed.; 3/7/21, 10:22 PM
Yancey Ward said...: “I think henchmen are a better class of minion.” Agree. I think minions are just above toadies and just below sycophants, while henchmen are an entirely different class of liege-men: more like colleagues or cronies, with some degree of autonomy and imagination.

"I like the personal touch you can only get from Hired Goons."

Montgomery Burns.; 3/7/21, 10:36 PM
Mark said...: So where do you see this country, this world, being in ten years? In twenty? In forty (the time between Reagan's first year and now)?

Certainly, if we look backward those periods of time, there have been some great technological advancements. But is the world better? Is society and culture better? Is humanity better? Or worse?

Have we run our course?; 3/7/21, 10:38 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Jersey Fled said...

"Why do I find myself agreeing with Howard lately?"

Let's explore some possibilities......1st question, were you recently vaccinated for COVID?; 3/7/21, 10:42 PM
Mark said...: https://twitter.com/60s_batman/status/1053276237320413184; 3/7/21, 10:43 PM
Ken B said...: Jersey Fled:”Why do I find myself agreeing with Howard lately?”

You definitely needed to improve your opinions. Even so, Howard?; 3/7/21, 10:47 PM
Ken B said...: Newsom might face a recall election , but watching the Democrats enforce voter Id is fun. I think it will happen.

However, Newsom will win the election, easily. Californians WANT the kind of government they are getting. Nothing can persuade them that the the choices they make at the ballot are the problem.; 3/7/21, 10:52 PM
Joe Smith said...: "However, Newsom will win the election, easily."

Maybe. But he'll be tainted forever : ); 3/7/21, 10:55 PM
Joe Smith said...: My wife wanted to watch the Oprah interview.

MM is an insufferable cunt.

She's playing the race card...she's whiter than me, and I'm Italian.; 3/7/21, 10:58 PM
Ken B said...: Joe Smith
They can recall him twice!

Seriously, it’s sad watching smart, earnest people on Twitter who actually believe they will get rid of Newsom. You can’t even get rid of the absurd school boards in California.

I was offered a job in CA in the late 80s. Even then a few friends warned me off, which surprised me. Right they were.; 3/7/21, 11:00 PM
Ken B said...: Joe Smith
But is she whiter than Chris Cuomo? He's black on the inside.; 3/7/21, 11:02 PM
Yancey Ward said...: What will the world look like in 10-20-40 years. The demographic changes are probably inescapable now- the US will increasingly look like Mexico and Central America with a rotting infrastructure that will increasingly fail to work (see Texas and California). Europe will increasingly look like Egypt and the rest of north Africa.

I am almost 55- I will probably live to see the collapse of the US government's finances- something I wasn't sure of a decade ago. My nieces and nephews will suffer the the consequences of my and the preceding generation's stupidity.; 3/7/21, 11:08 PM
Joe Smith said...: "The demographic changes are probably inescapable now- the US will increasingly look like Mexico and Central America with a rotting infrastructure that will increasingly fail to work (see Texas and California)."

If you've ever been to Mexico, the decay is everywhere you look.; 3/7/21, 11:18 PM
Ken B said...: Yancey Ward
When I moved to the US in 1998 I was optimistic for the country, less so for Canada. I’m not much more optimistic for Canada than I was, but I am pessimistic about America. Maybe the woke craze will burn itself out, but I don’t expect it to. It really is a new religion, and the birth of a new religion is always accompanied by violence. We have seen only a relatively small amount so far, but that will change. For various reasons that will be worse in America than anywhere else.

Canada also has a possibility you don’t: break up. America desperately needs to break up, but few will admit it, and the constitution makes it difficult. Devolution would be a possibility, except the blue states won’t allow it.; 3/7/21, 11:18 PM
narciso said...: Well mexico has rarely had what one could call humane government there was the liberal regimes of benito juarez fa followed by warlords and dictators like santa ana and porfirio diaz the last stood for some 30 years thats kind of an accomplishment.; 3/7/21, 11:21 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Oh, Canada is completely fucked if the US is- that border is completely indefensible.; 3/7/21, 11:23 PM
narciso said...: Franklin said (yadda yadda) well were up atound the point the greeks were from the fall of hippias to the oligarch of the 30; 3/7/21, 11:27 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Franklin's is a pretty good analogy now that I think about it. The 30 Tyrants was pretty much the end of Athen's golden age, and it is a pretty good description of the ruling class of the US today. The only thing really missing is a military defeat- who will be our Sparta?; 3/7/21, 11:35 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Or could we just use the War on Terror began by the execrable Bush Jr. That looks like a defeat of major proportions.; 3/7/21, 11:36 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Anyway, goodnight all- it is the end of a very long day for me.; 3/7/21, 11:37 PM
narciso said...: The pelopennesse was a 30 year endeavor, but if you start at the gulf war, you might have a point.; 3/8/21, 12:02 AM
narciso said...: We went to war for the saudis and thr kuwaitis in the gulf war, and that drew us into the tribal squabbles in the kingdom, we further got involved in the balkans (where these players along with turks and pakistanis were active) the afghan interlude was pretext for this.; 3/8/21, 12:11 AM
J. Farmer said...: @Shouting Thomas:

That “health and wealth” gospel is Calvinism.

A remarkably smart and successful theology that made Northern Europe the envy of the world.

Even if one accepts that very Weberian take on Calvinism, it is not accurate to compare Calvin to modern-day prosperity theology, which has its roots mostly in the emergence of pentecostalism, the various American spiritual movements of the late 19th century, and works like "The Gospel of Wealth" and "Acres of Diamonds."

I believe the fusion of Christian traditionalism and liberal capitalism is an unholy alliance within modern American conservatism. Since the ascent of the "religious right" as a political force in America in the late 1970s, they have supported the neoliberal agenda of market liberalization, deregulation, privatization, and globalism. Over that same time period, social conservatism has been steadily declining. The "liberal urban elite" have become larger, wealthier, and much more powerful.; 3/8/21, 12:32 AM
narciso said...: The balkans as much as chechnya perhaps the phillipines were the training montage for al queda.; 3/8/21, 12:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Every generation thinks the World should stay the same as it was when they were children.

And yet, no man dies in the Country he was born in.; 3/8/21, 12:39 AM
Gospace said...: JML said...
Our radiant heat developed a leak. It turns out the house was built when some new improved mesh distribution for the hot water was used, and was found to be flawed and is now unrepairable.

Radiant heat is great. It's not possible to build radiant heat into a slab that won't someday leak. Hence, I will never do it.

Now radiant heat into a first floor with open joists in the basement- that I would do. But not a second floor. Because the first floor ceiling would be completely ruined by the time you noticed a small leak, of the first floor would be flooded by a large one... So- a one story house with basement.

If I ever get around to building a house- it will have a boiler for heat. Question is- central air or the more efficient split unit air conditioners with multiple zones. If central air, then I'd put in an "A" coil for heating. Send the hot water through the "A" coil. And heat the how water supply as another zone on the boiler.

Oh, if you're buying a boiler- don't let anyone talk you into a super efficient one. My real world experience working on them is- initially, they're super efficient. 2-3 years later, you cannot tune to be any more efficient than an old fashioned sectional cast iron boiler. My current household boiler is almost 50 years old. Says "Made in West Germany" on it. The super efficient boilers have a 10-15 year lifetime. If you have to buy 3 boilers in 50 years, versus 1 still running, the overall efficiency is nowhere near as good, because it takes a lot of energy to make a boiler. And more energy to transport, install it, get rid of the old one.... I'm actually somewhat surprised I haven't had to replace the burner blower motor yet. But I know how to do that should that day come.; 3/8/21, 1:07 AM
D.D. Driver said...: That “health and wealth” gospel is Calvinism.

A remarkably smart and successful theology that made Northern Europe the envy of the world.

Shouldn't that same theology have predicted that the decline of Northern Europe was inevitable?; 3/8/21, 3:20 AM
gadfly said...: Lem said...
The covid19 vaccines are experimental. I don't know if people are being told.
People should be thoroughly informed before taking untried, gene therapy.
If something goes wrong, Trump is going to be blamed.

3/7/21, 12:11 PM
Shouting Thomas said...
@Lem
Got my first shot yesterday.
You get a multi-page disclaimer with the shot that tells you that the vaccines are experimental and that nothing is promised.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not dig into genes and alter DNA. While technically still experimental, the evidence of harm after 300 million shots have been jabbed is statistically non-existent. Now with the J & J vaccine we have just the shot for Lem that is made from reproduced fetal cell lines originally taken from aborted babies some fifty years ago.

As for receiving an uninteresting write-up about the experimental drugs, I had two shots and not a single page of paper was handed to me that I remember but I simply had no interest in reading anything other than the card with my second shot appointment on it. The Covid-19 Vaccine Center I visited was concentrating on using up the Pfizer vaccine before it got warm, giving 1,000 shots per day, six days per week. About 10 caretakers mulled around in the 15 minute waiting area to answer questions about the vaccine process and to watch for bad reactions. In two sessions, observing about 50 people, I heard one lady complain of light-headedness.; 3/8/21, 4:09 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: New Music: G.A.B.O.S. (Game Ain't Based On Sympathy) By The Crack Emcee; 3/8/21, 5:36 AM
Rusty said...: "How are you folks surviving the madness?"
I retired Feb. 27. Took all my vacation pay and told them I'd be around in a couple of weeks to pick up my boxes and computer.
Saturday morning I get a call. " Can you come back? We can't figure out what you did here.
Can you train the new T&D guy?" Not my job. He was supposed to know the system before you numb nuts hired him. "OK. $100 an hour two days a week for six weeks." Click. I don't need the money. I need the aggravation even less. Five hours later. "OK. Which days?"; 3/8/21, 6:15 AM
J. Farmer said...: @Hercules, not that one though:

Every generation thinks the World should stay the same as it was when they were children.

I think there is a lot of truth to that statement. When I was a teen, I loved reading Camille Paglia but was often annoyed at her incessant references to "the sixties" or "my 60s generation." But of course, as I've gotten older, I've found myself constantly references to the 90s. I think because of the novelty of adolescence and the formation of self-identity, we will always have strong associations with the time period of our late teens and early adulthood. This is probably also why there are perennial complaints about "kids these days."

And yet, no man dies in the Country he was born in.

There used to be a joke about an old man who was born in Austro-Hungary, grew up in Czechoslovakia, got married in Russia, now lives in the Ukraine, and he never moved.

Granted, that's an extreme example, but I agree that societies are always in flux. If a conservativism really is standing "athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so," then conservatism must fail. It's a tragic endeavor. The best we can hope for is to shout, "slow down."; 3/8/21, 6:30 AM
Churchy LaFemme: said...: The best we can hope for is to shout, "slow down".; 3/8/21, 7:33 AM
Michael K said...: She has only had the flu once in her life. We both strongly suspect that she had the WuFlu in January 2020 and her really strong immune system defeated it. That is pretty much what the vax is supposed to do.

I think my wife had the Wuflu in June and it was mild because she takes HCQ for her rheumatoid arthritis. She also has had a sore shoulder since her first jab. Mine is later today. I've had flu vaccine every year because of medical school. I also had the Hong Kong flu in 1957, which was pretty serious. We'll see.; 3/8/21, 9:54 AM
Robert Cook said...: "'Robert Cook -"What would stop someone who had not had the vaccination from saying he or she had had it?'

"I hereby proclaim that I have not been vaccinated! I also hereby proclaim that I have never worn a mask."

Wow! What a brave rebel against good citizenship!

"I watch in wonder at the herd behavior, and how easily they are spooked."

Well, half a million (and counting) of "the herd" have died in just one year, with many others fighting long-term health problems from COVID. I'd say there's good reason to be spooked. Moreover, I'd say "good citizenship" should inspire one to happily do the very least one can do--wearing face masks while in public--to allay the possible concerns of others with whom one interacts, if for no other reason, (but also to do one's own tiny part in helping slow the spread of the virus).; 3/8/21, 12:18 PM
Gospace said...: Robert Cook said...

Well, half a million (and counting) of "the herd" have died in just one year, with many others fighting long-term health problems from COVID. I'd say there's good reason to be spooked. Moreover, I'd say "good citizenship" should inspire one to happily do the very least one can do--wearing face masks while in public--to allay the possible concerns of others with whom one interacts, if for no other reason, (but also to do one's own tiny part in helping slow the spread of the virus).

Why is the death toll that high? Why are so many suffering? I'll go out on a limb here and say that maybe the conspiracy theorists are correct- that the death toll needed to be high to drive Trump from office- and even then they had to cheat.

Since the very beginning of the covidiocy we've known that low Vitamin blood levels correlated with poor outcomes in the dreaded covid. In fact, if you do an internet search on Vitamin D and URIs of all kinds, including TB, low Vitamin D levels are correlated with poor outcomes in every URI known to man- or woman for the PC in the crowd.

Now, it's verified, not by anonymous internet commenters- but by actual science. At th end of the link, from real life doctors and medical researchers:

Conclusion
Vitamin D deficiency markedly increases the chance of having severe disease after infection with SARS Cov-2. The intensity of inflammatory response is also higher in vitamin D deficient COVID-19 patients. This all translates to increase morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients who are deficient in vitamin D. Keeping the current COVID-19 pandemic in view authors recommend administration of vitamin D supplements to population at risk for COVID-19

My last checked Vitamin D level is 60 ng/ml. I've had close contact with 2 people with the dreaded covid- and haven't gotten it. I also do other things to reduce my risk- useless mask wearing gestures not being among them.

Dr. Fauci didn't recommend D, the CDC didn't recommend D, other health authorities didn't recommend D, but not that Trump is out of office and being persecuted (not a typo) by NY persecutors, here comes a study that says- "Hey! Your risks go down if your vitamin D goes up! Take Vitamin D!" Something that anyone and everyone with any understanding of numbers knew over a year ago.

You're responsible for your health and the risks you take. Not me, not your doctor, not Dictator Cuomo nor Puppet Biden, not Dr. Fauci. YOU! If you believe the lie that mask wearing helps, go ahead, wear one. Forcing me to wear one, especially as the weather warms, is increasingly irritating me- and people like me- to no end.; 3/8/21, 5:14 PM