Octopus Overlords

But when shit breaks and we call someone to fix it, they expect us to pay them for it.

A prize winning race horse still fills a barn with shit.

Today I paid Handyman Jack $60 to fix my screen door. Wife broke the handle a year ago, although she professed ignorance and innocence (ignocence). I bought a replacement handle kit. The latch came up half an inch shy of reaching the door frame. I shimmed the strike plate, and that worked for a few weeks until it didn't. The hardware store didn't have another handle that I was confident would fit, so we lived with a non-latching screen door for the past year. That meant we had to keep the front door closed all summer or the cats would let themselves out. I could only open our windows an inch because the cats are also adept at popping out the screens. We don't have AC. So with the door closed it got really stuffy in here.

It's ridiculous how happy I am to have a working screen door again. Thank you, Handyman Jack!

Kraken wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:38 pm We don't have AC.

You don't even have a portable or Windows AC unit? Treat yourself to one of these (The Wirecutter's Best portable AC unit), and your quality of life in will improve significantly.

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:57 pm

Kraken wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:38 pm We don't have AC.

You don't even have a portable or Windows AC unit? Treat yourself to one of these (The Wirecutter's Best portable AC unit), and your quality of life in will improve significantly.

Bedrooms have window units. I ought to replace mine; it's at least 30 years old and so heavy I can barely lift it (but hey, it was free!). I have one for my office, too, but I greatly prefer my window fan, and space is so tight that swapping the fan for the AC is a major operation...so I only do that if it's going to be >90 for at least 2 days.

For many reasons our storm door on front hasn't latched in 20 years or so. Has a 1 inch gap between it and the frame too. Wife always had me keep the front door closed. Kept out heat in the summer, cold in the winter, and bugs all times.....and people and family just walking in and saying howdy.

I like to keep the wooden door open now though. I need that light or its so much more depressing to me. Its a good temp right now. I keep a swatter for the bees and wasps and such that get in every day. Maybe 3 a day. But I still have and use a ribbon we used for 10 years to tie it so no one simply walks in or when theres wind or a storm blowing in so it doesn't fly off.

RunningMn9 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2019 11:39 am

gbasden wrote:

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 12:37 pm
Also, never move. Never.

Move vs. stuck in the house you've been lamenting for a decade? Seems like an easy choice, actually.

To be fair, Smoove will lament *any* house that he has to own. That’s a fixed cost.

1. Why do ants go to bed at night? All day long Im killing sugar ants in the kitchen. At night not a single ant is out. Maybe the temp change? They go more by smell right so light shouldn't be a thing. Im buying Borax next week,.

2. My injured left hand is STILL hurting and almost unusable. I did this the last of Feb and though it got a lot better it wont heal. After 2 walk in clinics and a sports medicine doc who not only did xrays but a MRI all I was told is theres a torn tendon in my wrist, some weirdness at the end of my arm bone at the wrist, and all the bones are bruised..he said hematoma. He said give it a month or so and if no better they can try physical therapy or perhaps go in and scrape the bones and joints clean. Uhh ya no. This was weeks ago I was told all this.

I still have 3 knuckles that feel jammed or out of place sorta. A bone at my wrist on the back of my hand that is lose and sticks up the more I use that hand. I HURT from it all the time. I have no strength to use it well because of the pain. Like I cant open a doorknob if theres resistance, cant open a soda, and cant pull apart to open a chip bag hardly. If I take my right hand and lightly squeeze my left side from side it HURTS. Not sure if Ill always be this way now.

Lastly when I first wake in the mornings...especially if the night was cooler....my hand feels like Ive got serious arthritis in it and cant barely move it. Even after all day I cant touch my thumb tip to my pinky.

And now Sigourney Weaver surprises that 'Alien' high school

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/27/entertai ... index.html

My stepson has a drain pipe from his trailer to my septic tank. When he empties the tank (black water tank) he opens the lid of my tank and lets it go.
Not happy with this arrangement but what am I going to do.
Anyrate yesterday I found all these soap bubbles and stains and water in my back yard.
Found out there's another tank called a grey water tank for water from the sink and shower and he thought it was all right to dump this directly in my back yard.
We had a discussion about this.
<sigh>

Where in Canada is all the flooding happening?

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 9:16 am Where in Canada is all the flooding happening?

The low part?

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 12:42 am I was told is theres a torn tendon in my wrist [snip] He said give it a month or so

You have a ruptured tendon and were told to walk it off?

Try another doctor.

dbt1949 wrote:Where in Canada is all the flooding happening?

Just west of Montreal. They've closed one bridge on to the island and they've closed the main road between two of the bridges I think.

It's a hot mess. The bridge they closed is the one on the highway that connects Toronto to Montreal. Most travelled road between two cities in Canada I believe... No bueno.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 11:01 am

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 12:42 am I was told is theres a torn tendon in my wrist [snip] He said give it a month or so

You have a ruptured tendon and were told to walk it off?

Try another doctor.

Tried 3. First two told me nothing was broke. 3rd is a sports medicine place with about 10 docs and they did the MRI and found the tendon thing and stuff. I dont think it will ever be better.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 12:42 am 1. Why do ants go to bed at night? All day long Im killing sugar ants in the kitchen. At night not a single ant is out. Maybe the temp change? They go more by smell right so light shouldn't be a thing. Im buying Borax next week,.

You'll never defeat ants one at a time.

If you can find it, get TERRO ant baits. They're cheap and the most effective solution I've seen.

Lay a couple of kits out where the ants have been seen. For 24 hours you'll be disgusted as a whole swarm of ants takes the bait, but that's the point: they bring the poison back to the nest where it kills everyone. After a couple of days they'll be gone and you won't have ants again for a couple of years. Then repeat.

tjg_marantz wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 6:35 pm

dbt1949 wrote:Where in Canada is all the flooding happening?

Just west of Montreal. They've closed one bridge on to the island and they've closed the main road between two of the bridges I think.

It's a hot mess. The bridge they closed is the one on the highway that connects Toronto to Montreal. Most travelled road between two cities in Canada I believe... No bueno.

Eastern Canada. Quebec has been under siege for a few days now. Ottawa River overflowing now too.

Ill look into that Terro. Online seems to agree it works well. Costly though. Then again if something is cheap and doesn't work its a waste. Borax might help the washing machine though

It isn't that expensive if you don't buy it online. Wal-Mart carries it.

Holman wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:42 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2019 12:42 am 1. Why do ants go to bed at night? All day long Im killing sugar ants in the kitchen. At night not a single ant is out. Maybe the temp change? They go more by smell right so light shouldn't be a thing. Im buying Borax next week,.

You'll never defeat ants one at a time.

If you can find it, get TERRO ant baits. They're cheap and the most effective solution I've seen.

Lay a couple of kits out where the ants have been seen. For 24 hours you'll be disgusted as a whole swarm of ants takes the bait, but that's the point: they bring the poison back to the nest where it kills everyone. After a couple of days they'll be gone and you won't have ants again for a couple of years. Then repeat.

My experience was wholly different but the end result the same. I did not seen an increase in ants. I had the same stream for about two weeks after I put in the bait and then one day <poof> they were gone. They have been gone for about five years now. The bait is still there but no ants have come back to take it so I don't know if it requires changing. But a hearty thumbs up to TERRO results. The bait wasn't expensive either. I don't see the bait I bought. They may not make it now, though they might have replaced it with the "Multisurface Stations", though I'm sure the station was liquid. It was a sliver dollar blue cylinder, maybe 3/8ths on inch tall. I bought the sugar water trays before that but for whatever reason they didn't work as well.

I have loved this sort of thing since I was very young. From MouseTrap to MickyMouse rollercoaster car ride to the clock the used to have in the North Pier Mall in Chicago (and other like it I can no longer remember by name) to later Rube Goldberg and OK Go.

I can remember wanting to do this a child. This and puppetry. That's what I wanted to do when I grew up. I didn't know what this is but it's what I wanted to do.

Now what's he going to do with his life?

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:13 am Now what's he going to do with his life?

Construct an even more elaborate Rube Goldberg-ian Magic 8-Ball to answer that very question, natch.

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:27 am

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:13 am Now what's he going to do with his life?

Construct an even more elaborate Rube Goldberg-ian Magic 8-Ball to answer that very question, natch.

He's planning to build a much larger contraption that all his smaller contraptions can fall through and play music.

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:51 am
I have loved this sort of thing since I was very young. From MouseTrap to MickyMouse rollercoaster car ride to the clock the used to have in the North Pier Mall in Chicago (and other like it I can no longer remember by name) to later Rube Goldberg and OK Go.

Plus this exists.

GreenGoo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:52 am

LordMortis wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 10:51 am
I have loved this sort of thing since I was very young. From MouseTrap to MickyMouse rollercoaster car ride to the clock the used to have in the North Pier Mall in Chicago (and other like it I can no longer remember by name) to later Rube Goldberg and OK Go.

Plus this exists.

Yes. I seem to have forgotten to mention that. I was thinking that.

Deaf hiker falls 700 feet, but when rescuers finally find her, she isn’t alone

Hero dog.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:23 pm Deaf hiker falls 700 feet, but when rescuers finally find her, she isn’t alone

Hero dog.

theanimalbible.net wrote:Somehow, Amelia lost her balance and fell down the side of the snow-covered mountain. She slid more than 300 feet before she crashed into a boulder and then slid another 300 feet.

The 21-year-old was stranded alone on the mountain. Luckily, though, she didn’t break any bones and could still walk. But she did have a big problem.

Since she had fallen so far, Amelia had no idea where she was. She was lost in an unfamiliar landscape and was wondering what she could do.

Freezing and with over 24 hours having passed since her fall, Amelia knew that she was in trouble.

But soon after, something happened that made Amelie’s heart jump.

In the distance, she saw what looked like a white wolf. Amelia was worried because she knew how wolves acted around people.

But when the white canine came closer, Amelie saw that it was wearing a collar.

The husky, whose name is Nanook, had “guide” written on his collar and was actually a trail guide dog that worked on the mountain finding lost hikers and bringing them back to the trail. Talk about finding the right dog at the right time!

Now Nanook had found Amelia and had a new mission.

Nanook helped Amelia find the trail again and stayed with her all night to make sure she wasn’t alone.

The next day, Amelia tried to cross a river, but the strong currents pulled her underwater.

Again, Nanook was right there for her. He jumped in, grabbed the strap on her backpack and pulled her out of the cold glacier water.

Sounds like Amelia really ought to take the hint and try a less perilous hobby.

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:32 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:23 pm Deaf hiker falls 700 feet, but when rescuers finally find her, she isn’t alone

Hero dog.

theanimalbible.net wrote:Somehow, Amelia lost her balance and fell down the side of the snow-covered mountain. She slid more than 300 feet before she crashed into a boulder and then slid another 300 feet.

The 21-year-old was stranded alone on the mountain. Luckily, though, she didn’t break any bones and could still walk. But she did have a big problem.

Since she had fallen so far, Amelia had no idea where she was. She was lost in an unfamiliar landscape and was wondering what she could do.

Freezing and with over 24 hours having passed since her fall, Amelia knew that she was in trouble.

But soon after, something happened that made Amelie’s heart jump.

In the distance, she saw what looked like a white wolf. Amelia was worried because she knew how wolves acted around people.

But when the white canine came closer, Amelie saw that it was wearing a collar.

The husky, whose name is Nanook, had “guide” written on his collar and was actually a trail guide dog that worked on the mountain finding lost hikers and bringing them back to the trail. Talk about finding the right dog at the right time!

Now Nanook had found Amelia and had a new mission.

Nanook helped Amelia find the trail again and stayed with her all night to make sure she wasn’t alone.

The next day, Amelia tried to cross a river, but the strong currents pulled her underwater.

Again, Nanook was right there for her. He jumped in, grabbed the strap on her backpack and pulled her out of the cold glacier water.

Sounds like Amelia really ought to take the hint and try a less perilous hobby.

Taking your avatar seriously, I see.

Holman wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 6:04 pm

Anonymous Bosch wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:32 pm Sounds like Amelia really ought to take the hint and try a less perilous hobby.

Taking your avatar seriously, I see.

Au contrare. Amelia = the human.

I felt bad for the poor dog having to drag a feckless human out of glacial water, after already having located the human and attempting to guide it back to the trail.

ended up in the hospital yesterday after taking my bike into a pothole going downhill. results: moderate concussion (the part i'm by far most worried about), six stitches above left eyelid, intense shoulder/neck soreness, numerous lacerations and abrasions. i'm home from work today and tomorrow. (stupid timing, as my health insurance starts in two days.... ...and i missed the team outing to Avengers 4 today)

Bummer. I wouldn't worry excessively about the concussion. I've had three (one major), and my brain still works most of the time.

Was Jesus' earthly dad named Joseph Christ?

I think he was Joseph the Plumber.

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:30 am Was Jesus' earthly dad named Joseph Christ?

Christ is a title, not a name.

Kraken wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 2:39 am Bummer. I wouldn't worry excessively about the concussion. I've had three (one major), and my brain still works most of the time.

(No one tell him.)

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 10:07 amChrist is a title, not a name.

One that I bestow on many NJ drivers each and every day.

So when Joseph and Mary went to checkin to the motel they didn't sigh in Mr & Mrs Christ?

dbt1949 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2019 10:15 am So when Joseph and Mary went to checkin to the motel they didn't sigh in Mr & Mrs Christ?

It was a key plot point that there were no rooms at the inn, so this is moot.

Besides, Joseph would always get miffed when Mary would sign with a flourish, The Virgin Mary.