Sustainable SW Blogs

the rest of the story...

One tool I have found very handy out here is an air compressor.  My 15 year old Porter Cable has been showing its age for the past year.  Finally got to the point where it was blowing the breaker on my generator every time I fired it up.  Trouble shot the issue back to the pressure switch.  Found a replacement online - a no-brainer as far as shopping goes.  Replace the switch for $95 or buy a whole new compressor for $107.  89,94,61,0,C

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Finally figured out the settings for a decent live stream on YouTube with my slow upload speed using free software.  85,92,55,0,B

The latch on my tailgate has gotten progressively worse over the past year.  Just replaced it today for $17 (including shipping).  76,82,56,0,B

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Working on live streaming video again.  Stay tuned...
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Just had a burn out last night.  How long do the 12 volt light bulbs last from those Harbor Freight solar panel kits?  Almost 4 years.  84,90,67,0,B

While what happened in Las Vegas is certainly a horrible tragedy, at least we are done hearing about the NFL now. For about a week I had been commenting on Facebook that I wonder what the next issue will be that will drown out the last.  Interesting how some really important issue grabs the attention of everyone on social media for as long as their attention span will allow - or until something new comes along. How many times has the gun issue come to the forefront only to fade away after people lose interest and move on to the next pressing issue? One might think they could stay on point about gun deaths but it seems that so called "mass shootings" are the only thing that gets their attention...and for only so long. Perhaps it is because overall gun violence is most common in poor urban areas and frequently associated with gang violence, often involving male juveniles or young adult males. I guess poor young bad guys killing each other isn't as bad as a sudden "attack on a large group of innocent victims".  At least 40 people are murdered every day in the US, yet there is no daily outcry.  Although "mass shootings" are slightly on the rise lately, they still account for a small fraction of overall gun-related deaths (yet they always get extensive coverage in the media).  It should be noted that from 1968 - 2017, approximately 1.5 million people have been killed by firearms in the U.S. It that same time period, Americans have asserted their "right to choose" by willfully killing over 50 million babies in abortion clinics at a current rate of over 3,000 per day.  An "attack on a large group of innocent victims" that never gets a whisper in any media.

Facebook sent me a reminder this morning.  Hard to believe on this day 7 years ago I had just finished putting 72 sheets of tin on the greenhouse roof.  At the time, I was a bit over zealous on my rain catchment calculation.  The roof gives me 1,500 gallons per inch of rain.  BTW - thanks for all the words of encouragement on getting to work on cleaning out the greenhouse.  I am almost convinced.  84,88,70,0,B 

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Hugh Hefner died last night. I'm sorry he's dead. I'm sorry for his family. But mostly I'm sorry for the incredible damage he did to society as one of the pioneers of the sexual revolution and a driving force behind our cultural decay.
It's unfortunate that we must point out the fact that Hefner was a pornographer and a pimp. That his life's work was to amass a collection of desperate women who were willing to be used and exploited. But we must tell this truth in order to combat the untruths that people are now saying about him.
We live in a country where men like Hefner are immediately canonized upon death. I've seen Hefner described as a "hero" and a "role model." These are lies, and we must call them lies. The fact that Hefner is dead does not change the fact that he was a peddler of filth. If a man wishes to be remembered as virtuous and decent, he must live virtuously and decently. We don't become virtuous and decent when we die, as if death itself washes away every bad thing we've done. Quite the opposite, actually. Death is when we reckon with the bad things.
I've been assured that Hefner is "in a better place" now. I realize this is just a thing we say about all dead people, no matter who they are and what they did. And indeed it's possible that Hefner repented before death and has now entered the Better Place. But to confidently state as fact that a pornographer is in Heaven is arrogant and dangerous. Pray that God has mercy on him, but do not run around declaring that a man who spent his life having orgies and taking pictures of naked women must necessarily be reaping eternal rewards.
Let's try to be serious for a change. Let's treat the death of a man like Hefner with somber honesty. It is always sad when someone dies. It is even sadder when a corrupt and decadent man dies. We may have hope that a man of great faith and goodness is in Heaven. We may have the same hope for the corrupt man, but it is a slimmer hope. So, we simply trust in the mercy and justice of God, knowing that He will deliver us all to the destinations we have chosen. And, if we must learn anything from Hefner's life, it's that a life of selfish pleasure seems so pointless once it's over. That is the great lesson he taught us.
May God have mercy on him and all sinners. Amen.
- Matt Walsh

I have noticed that Chupa's neck feathers appear rather "ratty" about this time of year.  From what I have read, apparently mice and rats will chew on chicken feathers in the fall to prepare nests for their winter offspring.  Chickens are exceptionally sound sleepers and rodents are fond of chicken coups...attracted to the cozy, warm atmosphere.  I wonder if I can get video of a mouse gnawing on Chupa's neck at night... 70,77,64, .09",B

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Contemplating another long overdue project.  Not sure if I really ready want to tackle this mess as I am a bit out of practice when it comes to something so overwhelming.  Vote in the comments if you think I should.  I could use some encouragement... It would certainly make for a good time lapse video.  70,76,64,0,B

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Although the official equinox occurred a couple of days ago...the actual equinox at TFL is today.  84,86,68,0,B

Here is an official notification from Google for my blog readers in Europe.