Friday, September 30, 2016

Today's Family Reading

Robert S. Woodbury, History of the Milling Machine (1960).  Family Reading, because I read in front of my Sherline CNC mill, so it could bask in the glory of its illustrious ancestors.  What I did not, until reading this, is the milling machine invented, largely by Eli Whitney, was not a vertical mill, but a horizontal mill like this:

This is a highly technical book.  If you aren't pretty familiar with mills, much will be over your head and profoundly dull.  The last chapter is about the most recent development: computer control mills, the size of a room because of the computer.

A video showing how a horizontal mill works.

You could have knocked me over with a feather

I'm beginning to approach university presses about my new book on early American gunsmithing and gun Manufacturing. One of the university presses that I approached said "No," which I rather expected, but the editor indicated that she was familiar with my work, and suggested an editor and press to try.

How Eco-Extremists Reduce Their Carbon Footprint...

And show their contempt for the 1%. 9/29/16 Heat Street:
After attending campaign events in Greenville, the former first daughter took a private jet to Asheville, just a five-hour drive away, to attend a roundtable event on “clean energy.” Asheville is a paradise for hippies who love the environment.
The global warmists really mean "You peasants are living too well.  The fossil fuels are reserved for your betters."

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Headed to New England October 10

My wife has recovered from that flu so away we go!

Word 2010 Problem

No, I'm not still using Word 2010, but my wife is.  The problem is an unexpected blank line between two paragraphs with different styles.  How it looks on screen:

Here are the paragraph forrmatting tabs for the first paragraph:
and for the second paragraph:

Does anyone have any theories as to what is causing that extra spacing after the first paragraph?

UPDATE: 0 pt not auto for after paragraph.  Thanks to my very observant and helpful readers.





Surprising Results From Debate

It appears that many voters thought Trump won.  That mystifies me, but as Instapundit points out:
But I’m reminded of something a consultant once told me: You think those ads for porcelain collector plates are tacky and awful. But the porcelain collector plate people run those ads because they work — with the people who buy porcelain collector plates.
Remember: Trump for many voters is: "I'm mad as hell and I'not going take this anymore." 

Wonder Why Clinton Did So Well?

This article suggests several health-related theories for the box and earpiece she was wearing.  More likely, her handlers were watching the debate and telling her how to respond to Trump.

Remember: Concerns About Illegal Voting Are Racist and Without Basis

The Cascade Mall shooting suspect, Arcan Cetin, may face an additional investigation related to his voting record and citizenship status.
Federal sources confirm to KING 5 that Cetin was not a U.S. citizen, meaning legally he cannot vote. However, state records show Cetin registered to vote in 2014 and participated in three election cycles, including the May presidential primary.
Cetin, who immigrated to the United States from Turkey as a child, is considered a permanent resident or green card holder. While a permanent resident can apply for U.S. citizenship after a certain period of time, sources tell KING his status had not changed from green card holder to U.S. citizen.
While voters must attest to citizenship upon registering online or registering to vote at the Department of Licensing Office, Washington state doesn't require proof of citizenship. Therefore elections officials say the state's elections system operates, more or less, under an honor system.

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

An Amazon Review of Hilary Clinton's Book That Isn't Selling

here:
I ordered this book from the Clinton Foundation for 2.5 million USD. It came with a certificate good for one free ambassadorship and a guaranteed seat on the State Department advisory board. I only give it one star because when I received the book I found all the pages had been deleted.

Yet Another Argument Against Travelocity

When I cancelled our flight Monday morning, I was told we would get a bit more than $200 flight credit from each airline, good for a year.  What I wasn't told is there is a $200 change fee when you again book a flight with thos flight credits, making them worth about $60.  Nearly worthless but a good way to keep you dealing with Travelocity's barely comprehensible agents.  Next time I book entirely through the airline websites

Maybe I am mistaken, but when Travelocity started, I believe they charged the fare you would get directly from the airline.  Now I see they charge a booking fee on top of the ticket.  It isn't much but unlike traditional travel agents, who got a kickback from the airline allowing them to charge you the airline's price, now you pay extra to deal with people who I can barely understand, and vice versa.

Even more reason to skip these vampires: both United and Delta let you specify flexible dates and show you better fares (sometimes much cheaper) than Travelocity.

And the Millionaire Left is Preparing

9/28/16 Hollywood Reporter:
Oscar winners, sports stars and Bill Gates are building lavish bunkers — with amenities ranging from a swimming pool to a bowling alley — as global anxiety fuels sales and owners "could be the next Adam and Eve."
Given the increased frequency of terrorist bombings and mass shootings and an under-lying sense of havoc fed by divisive election politics, it's no surprise that home security is going over the top and hitting luxurious new heights. Or, rather, new lows, as the average depth of a new breed of safe haven that occupies thousands of square feet is 10 feet under or more. Those who can afford to pull out all the stops for so-called self-preservation are doing so — in a fashion that goes way beyond the submerged corrugated metal units adopted by reality show "preppers" — to prepare for anything from nuclear bombings to drastic climate-change events. Gary Lynch, GM at Rising S Bunkers, a Texas-based company that specializes in underground bunkers and services scores of Los Angeles residences, says that sales at the most upscale end of the market — mainly to actors, pro athletes and politicians (who require signed NDAs) — have increased 700 percent this year compared with 2015, and overall sales have risen 150 percent. "Any time there is a turbulent political landscape, we see a spike in our sales. Given this election is as turbulent as it is, we are gearing up for an even bigger spike," says marketing director Brad Roberson of sales of bunkers that start at $39,000 and can run $8.35 million or more (FYI, a 12-stall horse shelter is $98,500).
The people who are voting for Clinton (because  she claims wants to increase taxes on the rich) are preparing for what a lot of them can see coming.  If these were just fallout shelters, I would think them paranoid, but they clearly are expecting the collapse of civil society brought on by their support of progressive ideas.

If they had just misunderstood Blast from the Past, this might be okay.  In addition to being an entertaining comedy, it was also a commentary on the collapse of our civilization since the 1960s.

It's Coming, I Fear

Race war. 9/27/16 WFTS:
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. - Deputies found graffiti in Hillsborough County at two different locations.
One wall was hit along Gornto Lake Road in Brandon, with the phrase "kill white people" spray painted. Other tags read "black lives matter" and "BLM."
The left has been promoting it through universities for some time.  The Democrats see it as their only chance to exercise permanent power.

Gun control is largely driven by progressive fear of blacks; they keep trying to use this fear to terrify whites into support for what Clinton calls "commonsense gun safety laws."  A full race war will justify much more severe laws, because such a war will end as an irrational slaughter not just of whites, but of blacks who don't share this hatred and just want to work, raise their kids, and share the American dream.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

An Unreasonable Request

I am writing a book on gunsmithing and gun making in early America.  I need some methodical people to read through the footnotes and verify that of the source appear in the bibliography.  This is a "posthole" type of history; the sort of highly detailed history that only a university press will publish because the only commercial market will be gun collectors.  This gives you the chance to read it first.
Yes, this is part of demolishing Haag's new book before it starts appearing in antigun legal briefs and then court decisions.  Since Haag's book of lies is based on Bellesiles' "scholarship," I am demolishing any last defenders or disciples of his as well.  Take no prisoners!

I will be adding a chapter or two later on the role that gunsmithing and manufacture had in creating the modern world by way of machine tooling.

If interested in this absurdly boring task, email me at clayton AT claytoncramer.com.

UPDATE: I have two people working on this now.  That should be enough.

More Machine Abuse

I showed the video of a dot matrix printer playing "Eye of the Tiger."  But there are more:



and:



Clever use of hard drives with covers removed.

Bizarre Gadgets for Travel

The flu-like symptoms my wife has that prevented us from travelling have been afflicting me as well, but I don't barely notice leg muscle pain which is where I am having it.  I thought it was treadmill related.  I guess not.

I complained about the distance between gates at DIA and a reader pointed me to this gadget, reviewed in 9/27/16 Telegraph:
An American entrepreneur has come up with the “Modobag” – a piece of carry-on which is designed to convey grown-ups through busy airports with the minimum possible effort.
On the down-side (when compared to ridealong bags for junior travellers), the Modobag does not look like a creature from the African savannah or a medieval fairytale. On the plus side, it does come with a motor, a steering pole and brakes – meaning you can drive it all the way to your flight’s last call without working up a sweat or a shortness of breath.
The Modobag can even reach speeds three times faster than walking – an indoor setting of 5mph; an outdoor setting of 8mph – making missed connections a thing of the past.

Clinton Trump Debate

My son characterized what it would be like as a "dumpster fire."  At least he is learning cynicism about politicians.  It was indeed a great disappointment.

Clinton was a polished and impressive liar, attacking Trump in ways that were quite effective.  Trump responded pretty well to her personal attacks but repeatedly failing to take opportunities.  Some examples:

1.  When asked about cybersecurity threats, he should have said,  "Secretary Clinton claims to be concerned yet her email actions show a blithe unconcern about protecting classified documents."

2. When crtiticized for proposing to cut corporate tax rates that would benefit the rich, he should have pointed out that the U.S. has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrialize world and that the rich not only funded Clinton's campaign but also are funding Clinton's campaign.

3.  When Clinton argued for banning "assault weapons," and passing commonsense "gun safety" laws, Trump should have said what he has said in his speeches, criminals don't obey laws, and reminded everyone that "gun safety" is really gun control aimed at the law-abiding and these laws have been tried without success.

My wife doubts it will change any minds.  I agree.  Trump should spend time preparing for the next one.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Blue Line Cakes Matter

What are the chances that the progressives will want to punish these cake bakers?  9/26/16 Macon Telegraph:
Walmart is apologizing for refusing to make a police officer’s retirement cake last week after an employee told the cop’s daughter that her “thin blue line” cake design might be considered racist.
The police officer’s daughter, who has remained anonymous, told radio host Todd Starnesthat she went to a Walmart in McDonough, Georgia on Thursday to ask for a cake with the American flag in black and white with a blue stripe added in.
But one of the employees at the bakery balked at the common police officer emblem, telling the woman “the design could be perceived as racist and nobody feels comfortable decorating the cake,” she recounted to Starnes. When she asked for a simpler cake, with just one blue line on a chocolate background, the employee said she didn’t “feel comfortable” with that design either.




Read more here: http://www.macon.com/news/nation-world/national/article104188001.html#storylink=cpy

Why Travel Insurance Matters

Two years ago, I could not go to Texas because of a stroke.  I cancelled the flight and received a $200 flight credit that had to be used within a year.  So worthless.  For the last two trip resvations I made, I bought travel insurance that covers you if you or a companion traveller gets sick.

My wife/research assistant/ersatz nurse has been in severe abdominal pain for a couple days and decided this morning she was too sick to fly to Connecticut for research  The travel insurance is going to cover this.

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Speaking of Antiques...

It works great. Just posted it to boise.craigslist.org: HP DV5126 laptop for sale - $30 (Horseshoe Bend)
Okay it's 11 years old, but it works, dual core processor 1.25 GB RAM, 500 GB hybrid disk drive, big screen (15.5" diagonal), CD/DVD burner with HP's cute but not very useful LightScribe option. It includes a keyboard protector and USB to parallel port adapter (new in box). Why those? I had planned to use it in a harsh environment to control a CNC mill; a genuine parallel port is required. Currently ruuning a Debian Linux variant, but it ran Windows 7 well, and ran Windows 10 without difficulties. Also includes a Gigabit LAN to USB adapter because there are no Windows 10 drivers for the Ethernet port. Big and clumsy, but for your kid headed off to college, better than trying to write papers on a SmartPhone. (I have had students who were proud of this form of self-abuse.) Linux currently the OS installed, but you can have the Windows 7 Professional retail package that I bought for it if you want that instead. Includes the oversized laptop case.

Get Your Antique Nerd Hat Out

Another Progressive Attack on Free Speech

9/24/16 Hollywood Reporter:
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday signed legislation that requires certain entertainment sites, such as IMDb, to remove – or not post in the first place – an actor’s age or birthday upon request. 
Remember: if you are a progressive, burning the American flag or virtual child pornography are protected free speech, but a truthful statement of an actor's age is not.

I'm Honored

I'm told that Second Amendment Foundation awarded me their Scholar of the Year honor at the Gun Right Policy Conference yesterday. Starting at 5:05

I Am Afraid to See How They Will Implement This

California Gov. Jerry Brown kept up his assault on climate change Monday, pushing through a law meant to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from dairy farms and landfills.
"You know, when Noah wanted to build his ark, most of the people laughed at him?" Brown said, per the Sacramento Bee, adding that that ark saved Earth's species.
"We've got to build our ark, too, by stopping ... dangerous pollutants." Brown's approval of Senate Bill 1383 goes after short-lived climate pollutants, which include methane, black carbon, and HFC gases, per the AP....
One of the main methane culprits: manure. Per the bill, dairy farmers have to cut methane emissions to 40 percent below 2013 levels by 2030. Under a cap-and-trade plan, farmers will receive aid from the $50 million or so raised via polluter fees, which they can then put toward machinery that uses methane to create energy they can in turn sell to electric companies.
I am trying to imagine the device that captures flatulence but not the ... solid outputs.  From the ever interesting Small Dead Animals.

I Had No Idea I Was "Mentally Deficient"!

9/25/16 Daily Caller:
With the presidential race tighter than ever as it heads into its final stretch, panicked Hillary Clinton supporters are desperate to find a way to discredit, not just Donald Trump, but anyone who would dare support him. Last Sunday, a Clinton surrogate from Virginia added to the candidate’s own list of names for Trump voters (which most recently included “deplorable” and “irredeemable”) by describing them as “mentally deficient.”
Northern Virginia Delegate Mark Levine (D-45) issued the characterization during a Fox News segment that discussed comments Donald Trump made during a campaign rally in Miami on September 16.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/25/virginia-politician-and-clinton-backer-brands-trump-supporters-as-mentally-deficient-video/#ixzz4LH4nLHhJ

SEO Services

That's Search Engine Optimization if you didn't already know.  For the last few months I was getting spam comments on the Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog that pointed to a gun training guy in Boston.  Eventually, I got so tired of deleting them I contacted him.  He did not know.  He was paying some firm in India to do SEO services for him, and this was what they did--spam my comments!  And the comments had at best an apologetic tone about gun ownership.  He said he would have them stop, and I no longer see that spam, but I am begiining to see other spam comments look like SEO services and even less relevant to the posts.

How Can You Tell the Left Controls the Courts?

9/23/16 Yahoo News:
Changing your baby's diaper is just another part of a day in the life of a mom, right? Of course. But now, that daily act could be a much bigger issue for some moms.
Last week, a ruling in the Supreme Court of the State of Arizona determined that any act that involves "intentionally or knowingly" touching a child under fifteen's "private parts" would be deemed child molestation - and one of those very acts could be diaper changing. What?!
Essentially, it has to do with semantics. One of the problems in the ruling - which came after a man convicted of molestation appealed the court to interpret that the "touching" part of the ruling require sexual intent. Unfortunately, the court refused and upheld the original language.

Cascades Mall Shooter Middle Eastern Muslim Not Hispanic

I confess, they are similar enough in appearance that a low-res picture would be unclear. 9/25/16 CNN:
Cetin immigrated from Turkey and is a legal permanent resident of the United States, authorities said. It's unclear when he moved to the US....
State authorities said it's too early to rule out terrorism or anything else because their investigation is in its preliminary stages. Before the suspect's arrest, an official with the FBI had told reporters there was "no evidence at this time" of a link to terrorism. 
He might just be mentally ill.  From reading this article, I lean towards mental illness.
A Twitter page in Cetin’s name (identified as his page by the New York Times) contains this 2015 post:
cetan6
In another post on Twitter, Cetin suggested Hillary Clinton should be on the new $10 bill. However, he also included Hitler’s wife in that list.
arcan5
Hmm.  Four women killed at makeup counter.  We know how the jihadi feel about makeup.  Don't know if there's an exemption for sheep.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

The Video of the Charlotte Shooting

9/24/16 NBC News shows the video taken by the dead guy's wife.  Curiously she keeps shouting at her husband, "Keith, don't do it."  Do what?  NBC also points out that after the shooting there appears to be a gun on the ground.  9/23/16 WSOC reports:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tests revealed Keith Scott's fingerprints, DNA and blood were on a gun recovered at Tuesday’s officer-involved shooting scene, police sources told Channel 9 reporter Mark Becker.


Missouri "Constitutional Carry"

9/14/16 Columbia Missourian:
JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri became the latest state to allow residents to carry a concealed weapon without a permit when lawmakers supported the change Wednesday. 
Starting Jan. 1, gun owners will be able to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. The remaining provisions in the bill, including the expansion of "stand your ground," will take effect in 30 days. 
Tense debate during the legislature's annual veto override session encompassed themes of race and class as lawmakers clashed over whether to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of Senate Bill 656. In the days leading up to the session the debate drew national attention, with organizations on both sides of the issues working to influence lawmakers. Another controversial part of the bill is its "stand your ground" provision, which will allow residents to use deadly force on public property if they perceive a threat. 
I still think having a license is a good idea both to speed up verification by police that you aren't in a prohibited category or when visiting states that are still in the dark ages. 

Friday, September 23, 2016

Another Reminder That Idaho Is In The U.S., Unlike California

I saw this logo on an SUV: MissConcealed.com:
Miss Concealed began as a quest to find functional, comfortable, feminine and stylish conceal carry options for myself, family and girlfriends. Searching through the internet, local gun shops, sporting goods stores and gun shows it was apparent that the firearms industry had not yet caught up with the uprising in female gun ownership. Since 2009 the concealed weapon permit for women across the nation has increased by 89% yet the firearm industry still maintains to mainly cater to the male firearm owner. Ladies want options other than black, green and camo for their conceal carry options. Hearing and reading of the desires of women asking and searching for conceal carry options that cater to a ladies needs, I set out to do what I could to give ladies a choice. Hidden Heat Lace products are designed and assembled in the USA, Hidden Heat 3, 4 and Bra-ly Concealed are made in the USA by Miss Concealed.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

STL to gCode Converters

Suggestion on which program for converting STL file to gCode equivalent?  Many are for 3D printing.  I want one for gCode to be fed into LinuxCNC to operate a mill.

Lessons Learned on This Trip

1. Really tiny jets are miserable to fly in.

2.  It isn't the weight of what you are carrying that is the biggest hassle, but how many things you have to carry unless your parents bought the optional extra hands options.

3. Smallest possible radius matters when getting on and off tiny jets.

The notebook wasn't too bad on weight, but awkward getting in and out of seat.

The Bose headphones (a gift from HP at a time when our workplace was very noisy) were light, but one more hand.  The travel pillow is light, but one more hand!  Next step: backpack for the notebook in a foam slipcase, power supply and external mouse in a side pocket.  Bose case in the backpack.  One hand, about eight pounds.

3. Looking for the cheapest rental car for a day in Austin, Expedia gave me E-Z Rent A Car as the cheapest option.

  a.  At the counter, they were closed and directed us to Advantage at the next counter.
  b.  The quoted price included only one driver.  Add $11 for my wife.  Many rental agencies charge you nothing for a spouse.

Next time, pay a bit more upfront to rent from Enterprise.

Tapmatic

I was a bit concerned about the sound:

But it did do what I wanted.  The problem was that I needed to through hole tap, and the hole wasn't deep enough.  Also, it takes several passes, just like tapping by hand, because of debris buildup.

Why Isn't This Getting More Media Attention?

President Barack Obama is poised to veto legislation exposing Saudi Arabia to court action over the 9/11 attacks, stepping in to defend legal precedent and an awkward ally, but inviting election-time opprobrium.
White House officials say Obama will reject the "Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act" by a Friday veto deadline, after a little over a week of deliberation.
The administration is worried the bill -- passed unanimously by Congress -- would undermine state immunity, setting a dangerous legal precedent.
Obama's aides tried and failed to have the legislation substantially revised, and now face the prospect of Republicans and Democrats joining forces to override the presidential veto, a relatively rare rebuke of White House power.
Families of 9/11 victims have campaigned for the law -- convinced that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.
Passed unanimously by Congress?

And They All Live in Idaho

9/21/16 Yahoo News:
America may hold a reputation as a country of gun owners, but a new survey shows that roughly half of the nation’s weapons are owned by just three percent of the population.
Three percent of Americans own eight or more firearms, a cumulative 133 million of the country’s 265 million weapons, according to an unpublished survey from Harvard University and Northeastern University, whose results were reported by the Guardian and The Trace on Monday. These “super owners” have a multitude of reasons for accumulating their stash, from the guns' investment value, to their historical significance, to concerns about personal protection, the primary factor motivating about two-thirds of all gun owners, according to the study. 
 That's why I anywhere I drive in Idaho, I see bumper stickers with the Idaho map caricatured into a pistol or some other indication of gun love.  (I am part of the "super owners" class and there is nothing of this sort on my cars.)

While many gun owners are staunch in their defense of what they consider their Second Amendment right to protect themselves, some experts say that the fear that motivates many to accumulate weapons can be dangerous in its own right....
And, like the majority of gun owners, some super owners are interested in personal protection against more typical crime. Yet while the idea of self-defense is a powerful motivation to for buy weapons, many public health experts say that concerns about violence are largely unfounded.
“The desire to own a gun for protection – there’s a disconnect between that and the decreasing rates of lethal violence in this country. It isn’t a response to actuarial reality,” Matthew Miller, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and Northeastern University, and an author of the study, told The Guardian. 
Because after one of these "super owners" commit suicide, the rest of his stash will let themselves out of the safe and go on a rampage?  If fear of violence isn't a good reason to own a gun, why is it a good reason for gun control?

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

At Denver Airport

Why didn't I book a flight from gate B84 to gate B20?

Why Progressive Values Lack Survival Value

A progressive French Jewish acquaintance sent a link to an article about how "Islamophobia" is the modern equivalent to 1930s anti-Semitism.

This results in the following questions Andre will never confront:

1. Is fear of Islamic terrorists setting off bombs in our cities truly Islamophobia?

2.  Did militant Jews engage in widespread terrorist acts against Germans in the 1920s and 1930s, or was Nazi focus on "decadent Jewish culture" the equivalent?

For many Jewish progressives, they will have to be marched into Islamic Auschwitzes before they figure this out.  Andre is now on the spam list.

Austin Went Well

Apparently I was clear, the audience laughed at the punchlines, and most claim ed not to realize I had recovered from a stroke.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Ever Done Agile Development?

Then you might appreciate this:

McClatchy Newspapers Say Clinton Supporters Promoted Birtherism

9/16/16 McClatchy:










Another Gun Control Success Story

The meat cleaver maniac who hacked an off-duty cop is a Palestinian busted two months ago while screaming in Arabic outside a Brooklyn synagogue.
Suspect Akram Joudeh was only in New York for Thursday’s Midtown rampage because he was appealing a deportation notice — with a hearing set for Oct. 14, a high-ranking NYPD source told the Daily News.
Cops found two knives inside Joudeh’s car after answering the July report of an erratic man on Shore Parkway in Brooklyn shout “Allahu Akbar!” — or “God is great” in Arabic.
But the source said investigations by the NYPD and FBI showed Joudeh, 32, was emotionally disturbed and not a terrorist threat.
Doubtless true, but ISIS is very effective at inciting people like themselves.

Why Is Trump Gaining in the Polls?

Events like these.  9/18/16 Washington Post:
A man armed with a knife who stabbed eight people inside a Minnesota mall Saturday night was killed by an off-duty police officer, authorities said.
 The attack occurred around 8 p.m. inside the Crossroads Mall in St. Cloud, Minn., about 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis, according to media reports.
The suspect, who was wearing a private security uniform, made at least one reference to Allah during the attack and asked at least one person whether they were Muslim before attacking them, according to the St. Cloud Police Department. Seven of the victims were treated and released, and one was admitted to a hospital.
So, Methodist, Southern Baptist, Assemblies of God, Mormon, which do you think he is?

9/18/16 CNN:
New York blast 'obviously an act of terrorism,' but not linked to international group, Cuomo says.

The ISIS cheerleaders disagree:
Supporters of the Islamic State rushed to celebrate Saturday night’s powerful explosion in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood that injured at least 29 people, even as no group or individual has been arrested or claimed responsibility.
“The lions of the Caliphate roar in New York, we cause you pain inside your house, the carrier of the Cross,” wrote one Twitter user who went by the name “I am ISIS, come and block me.” The account was soon suspended. Another, called “The Lone Wolves,” tweeted with the Arabic hashtag #ExplosionManhattanNewYork “Oh God burn America, take revenge in the name of your oppressed slaves and believers’ blood.”
Others tweeted about “good tidings that keep coming” from New York, and one user affiliated with al-Qaeda in Syria tweeted: “Oh God go against America, the head of infidels. Oh God, count them and kill them one by one, and do not spare anyone of them.”
9/18/16 CNN:
The man who stabbed at least eight people at a Minnesota mall Saturday before being shot dead by an off-duty police officer was a "soldier of the Islamic state," according to an ISIS-linked news agency.
Obviously done by homegrown Lutheran Conspiracy!  Probably a lone wolf.  Remember: Assuming every Muslim is a terrorist because of a few such incidents is prejudice; assuming that every gun owner is a threat because of a few incidents is just good public policy!

Saturday, September 17, 2016

No, Tapmatic Is Not A Robot Entry to Dancing with the Stars

Still struggling with the 1/2"-13 tap into acetal, but the 1/4"-20 tap through 1/8" thick aluminum works well.  It looks a bit cheesy but it works.

Imagine the Media Storm if a Republican Did This

9/15/16 New York Observer:
Hillary Clinton’s campaign is stealing from her poorest supporters by purposefully and repeatedly overcharging them after they make what’s supposed to be a one-time small donation through her official campaign website, multiple sources tell the Observer.
The overcharges are occurring so often that the fraud department at one of the nation’s biggest banks receives up to 100 phone calls a day from Clinton’s small donors asking for refunds for unauthorized charges to their bankcards made by Clinton’s campaign. One elderly Clinton donor, who has been a victim of this fraud scheme, has filed a complaint with her state’s attorney general and a representative from the office told her that they had forwarded her case to the Federal Election Commission.
“We get up to a hundred calls a day from Hillary’s low-income supporters complaining about multiple unauthorized charges,” a source, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of job security, from the Wells Fargo fraud department told the Observer. The source claims that the Clinton campaign has been pulling this stunt since Spring of this year. The Hillary for America campaign will overcharge small donors by repeatedly charging small amounts such as $20 to the bankcards of donors who made a one-time donation. However, the Clinton campaign strategically doesn’t overcharge these donors $100 or more because the bank would then be obligated to investigate the fraud.
Fortunately they won't run the country the way they campaign.

I wonder how many of these victims will still vote for her because it's all about the candidate's plumbing!

This isn't new.  The Observer points to this 8/13/07 New York Times article:
But like a certain home run record, Mrs. Clinton’s big numbers might require an asterisk.
Her campaign has since had to subtract hundreds of thousands of dollars from its first-quarter total because of a variety of problems, including donors whose credit cards were mistakenly charged twice, contributions exceeding the legal limit and checks that bounced. As a result, her total was reduced to $25.6 million — dead even with Mr. Obama, whose first-quarter take also shrank, albeit to a lesser degree.
A fundamentally criminal bunch.  That's why progressives love her so  much.

Making the Chuck Stay

I mentioned the problem I was having getting the drill press chuck to stay while tapping.  My assistant told me trick he learned in shop class at College of Western Idaho.  Freeze the chuck and arbor and then insert it.  How does that work?  The arbor shrinks when cold allowing you to tap it higher up in the tapered hole.  When the arbor warms up, it expands into the tapered hole making a press fit.

Guns Are Evil Except When Wielded by the Government

9/16/16 The Hill:
Trump: Clinton's bodyguards should drop guns and 'see what happens to her'
Ditto for Bloomberg.

Sleep Apnea

I have been treadmilling 40 minutes a day, 7 days a week , along with working out at a gym 40 minutes a day, three days a week for months and not losing any weight.  My wife has recently noticed my snoring problem has returned, usually an indicator for me of sleep apnea.  After my 2014 aortic valve replacement, the sleep apnea problem went away probably because I lost weight.  The heart attack/stroke diet plan also helped shed about 30 pounds.  (An unpleasant and expensive way to do it.)  I have also been struggling with exhaustion, another sign of sleep apnea; you keep waking up at least for a few seconds, and the quality of sleep is therefore poor.

For a very long time, I used and praised BreatheRight strips to reduce snoring and as an alternative to a CPAP mask, which is much like a horror film.  They also made a slight difference in weight.  Perhaps because improved oxygen flow burned more calories in my sleep.  Sleep apnea is unfortunately a positive feedback loop problem: the less energetic you are, the more you gain weight, and the extra weight aggravates the sleep apnea.

I have resumed to use of the BreatheRight strips.  My sleep requirement has shortened by a couple hours a night, and I have lost several pounds in the last four days.  My energy levels are rising as well.  The snoring has ceased.  Not cheap, but well worth it!

Clinton Foundation Charity Primarily for the Clintons

9/16/16 Daily Caller:
Just 5.7 percent of the Clinton Foundation’s massive 2014 budget actually went to charitable grants, according to the tax-exempt organization’s IRS filings. The rest went to salaries and employee benefits, fundraising and “other expenses.”
The Clinton Foundation spent a hair under $91.3 million in 2014, the organization’s IRS filings show. But less than $5.2 million of that went to charitable grants.
That number pales in comparison to the $34.8 million the foundation spent on salaries, compensation and employee benefits.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/16/just-5-7-percent-of-clinton-foundation-budget-actually-went-to-charity/#ixzz4KW9yZZqu
What a shocker!  I do not contribute to charities where less than 80% of incoming funds are used for the stated goal--which limits a bit who gets money from me.  Many of the telemarketers who call up to ask for contributions to groups that purport to help peace officers are like the Clinton Foundation with most of the money paying staff and telemarketers.  I remember some years ago looking at much of the federal government's help to the poor was actual payments to the poor and surprise, surprise!  More than half was spent on administration.  As Milton Friedman once pointed out, if you ask college-educated people to design a system to help the oor, the major beneficiaries are the college-educated people who staff the system.

Of course, to progressives, this level of funding to charitable action is okay because "They mean well."  Progressivism is mostly about feeling morally superior to others, so failure to work is not a problem.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Cute, Perhaps Useful Gadget

It only cost me $2.61 with special deal I got for being a reviewer, but ordinarily $21.99 for Amazon Prime members, so yet another reminder the Chinese are engaged in foreign aid to the U.S.  The Amazon description is
Niniso Tactical Green Laser Sight 532nm with Picatinny Rail Mount Pack, Black
It is a green laser with pressure switch designed to fit 1 inch rings (25.4mm exterior diameter).

These photos were taken just after sunset (exterior llumination 55 lux).  In full daylight not so bright, of course.

From inside my garage to the shed, about 114 feet.  Plenty bright.  Even at a couple hundred yards if you knew where to look you could see it.


It's a very serious looking device, nicely finished in matte black, slightly spoiled by the words "ARMED FORCES LASER SIGHT MODULE."  I am sure no military more serious than the Duchy of Grand Fenwick has adopted it.  It might be used by the Unorganized Militia of American Liberation if things get that bad.
The pressure switch has a long coiled cord best suited to a rifle; it would be long and clumsy for a handgun, which its brightness best suits it for.

It comes in a nicely padded box cut out to fit all its parts.

What's this part for?  Not described in the manual, but it appears to be an on/off switch that replaces the pressure switch.  Talk about giving away your position and exhausting the 3.7V 1200 mAH battery out !  That's why the pressure switch is the only choice for tactical work.

Along with rings that appear to fit standard dovetails

There is this odd gadget which I guess is the Picatinny mount but designed to handle side-by-side the laser sight and a 1" optical scope.  
Is that what those lines are in the base?
  This might be useful because in daylight at a distance of a couple hundred yards, you won't see the green dot without some optical assistance.  Perhaps the most sensible arrangement.  The gadget has up/down and left/right adjustments designed to be moved with enclosed Allen wrench (instead of the more traditional screwdriver used on most scopes).  They have scew-on covers.

This would make sense for close-in combat, say if zombies attack your house or you live in California (much the same thing) and you have your AR-15 out at the time.  For a sniper, this only makes sense dusk to dawn.  Under those circumstances sure.  Downside: instruction sheet written in tragic Chinglish, but I can make out what it means.

Unraveling the Medicare Knot

 There were leftists upset that Obamacare was created, instead of expanding the existing Medicare program. There was a certain logic to that instead of the health insurers biased and very complicated scheme of Obamacare.  Medicare, howver, makes all private sector insurance seem simple.  It takes a government to really foul things up.

This is a document in process as I attempt to figure this stuff out.

The Alphabet Soup

Part A covers hospitalization and costs you nothing.  I think the reason is that, as expensive as hospital care is, it only takes a few trips when you are past your "Best By" age to remove from Social Security and Medicare.

If you paid Medicare taxes (and how, if you were employed, would you not?) it's free:
[M]ost people get premium-free Part A. You can get premium-free Part A at 65 if:
  • You already get retirement benefits from Social Security or the Railroad Retirement Board.
  • You're eligible to get Social Security or Railroad benefits but haven't filed for them yet.
  • You or your spouse had Medicare-covered government employment.
If you're under 65, you can get premium-free Part A if:
  • You got Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for 24 months.
Part B covers non-hospital medical costs.
You pay $166 per year for your Part B deductible. After your deductible is met, you typically pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most doctor services (including most doctor services while you're a hospital inpatient), outpatient therapy, and durable medical equipment.
The cost is $121.80 per month deducted from your Social Security or  Social Security Disability check.  Preventative care such as annual physicals are not subject to deductible so free.

Part C are Medicare advantage plans in which the governments hands over your Part B premiums to a private insurer along with money from you.  Still trying to figure out why you would sign up for this.  More below as I figure it out.

 Part D is a prescription drug coverage program is a private sector insurance program which you pick.  Some Medicare Advantage programs (Part C) include Part D.  This is so confusing to me that I suspect many people make less than optimal choices.  There is a monthly premium (which varies enormously, from $18.40 to $162.10 here in Idaho), an annual deductible varying from $0 to $360 with exemptions for Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs (not yet sure what those are) and every plan has its own "formulary" which is a list of covered drugs showing what you will pay for them.  Something I do not understand yet is "Gap Coverage" (also known as "the donut hole" but it appears to be some limit on your annual coverage.  This explains it.  Once you exceed the maximum amount, you pay the full prescription costs until you reach the catastrophic coverage level (total drug costs: $6154, at which point you pay 5% of drug costs.  This gap is supposed to phase out in 2020.

It appears that a very large percentage of Part D beneficiaries reach the coverage gap.  I would guess these are people with serious health problems (the kind you and I will never have).

So what does Part C (Medicare Advantage) cover that Part B doesn't?  It would appear costs that exceed the Medicare-approved amount.  But how do I find that schedule to see if Part C makes sense?   I can't find it.  The amount of advertising I see for these plans makes me wonder if they are sensible.   How many of you have experienced costs that were above the Medicare-approved amount?  I understand many providers simply eat the difference, which might explain the reluctance of many doctors to take Medicare.

A friend used to sell Medicare Advantage plans and referred me to Services for People on Medicare
(Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Program - SHIBA), an Idaho state program that apprently drives insuers crazy for giving unbiased information.  I'll call them Monday.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Missouri Now Constitutional Carry

9/14/16 Kansas City Star:

For the second time Wednesday, Republicans turned to a parliamentary maneuver to kill a Democratic filibuster and force a vote on a bill, this time to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill eliminating training and permit requirements to carry a concealed gun in public.
The maneuver, known as “calling the previous question,” was once rarely used — only five times in the Senate from 1970 to 2001, when Republicans captured the majority. But it’s now been used five times since 2014, including three times this year.
After shutting down debate Wednesday, the Senate voted to override the governor’s veto on a 24-6 party line vote. The bill moved to the House, where it was quickly approved 112-41.
It becomes law in 30 days.


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article101906277.html#storylink=cpy

Even Clinton's People Now Admit Pay for Play

9/14/16 Daily Caller:
The president of the Clinton Foundation admitted on Wednesday that there is “no question” that donors to the non-profit are helped out by the powerful former first family through “courtesy appointments.”
“There’s no question there were phone calls made to get appointments for people,” Donna Shalala told MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell in an interview.
Shalala was named president of the Clinton Foundation last year. As soon as she took over she was faced with withering criticism that the Clinton family entity was nothing more than a vehicle for the Clintons’ pocketbooks and political ambitions. Donald Trump and other Clinton critics have said that the charity is a “pay to play” scheme.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/14/clinton-foundation-president-no-question-donors-received-courtesy-appointments-video/#ixzz4KKaGPImU
It must be nice to be a megarich Democrat.

This Sounds Good for Trump

9/14/16 The Week:
Hillary Clinton's newest book is a certifiable flop by the publishing industry's standards, The New York Timesreports. Stronger Together sold only 2,912 copies in its first week of sales according to Nielsen BookScan, which charts about 80 percent of nationwide physical book sales. By comparison, Clinton's 2014 memoir Hard Choices, which also didn't meet expectations, sold over 85,000 copies in its first week, and Clinton's 2003 memoir, Living History, sold six times as many copies as Hard Choices.
Enthusiasm for the Hildabeast is underwhelming.

I Wonder Why

Gallup:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' trust and confidence in the mass media "to report the news fully, accurately and fairly" has dropped to its lowest level in Gallup polling history, with 32% saying they have a great deal or fair amount of trust in the media. This is down eight percentage points from last year.
I don't have a clue why.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Medicare Question (Since This Isn't Clear From Medicare's Website)

Working on budget for next year.  Samaritan Ministries will cost $220 per month for my wife.  I will be eligible for Medicare by then, next February or March.  I can pay another $220 to be "covered" by Samaritan Ministries as well.  It sounds like Medicare Parts A and B are sufficient that I probably don't need the additional coverage of Samaritan Ministries.  Comments?

There is something called a Medicare Medical Savings Account that is similar to an HSA.  I can't find any income limitations on it.  Are there likely enough uncovered Part A and Part B expenses to justify this?

It appears that under Part B you pay 20% of the costs after meeting the $166 deductible.  What have your experiences been?  Is that 20% pretty large if you aren't going to the doctor regularly?

Where a $15/hour Minimum Wages Take Us

The elimination of unskilled (Democrat) jobs:
The startup, which began delivery in April, is using intelligent machines to grab a slice of the multibillion-dollar pizza delivery market.
Zume is one of a growing number of food-tech firms seeking to disrupt the restaurant industry with software and robots.
"We're going to eliminate boring, repetitive, dangerous jobs, and we're going to free up people to do things that are higher value," said co-founder Alex Garden, a former Microsoft manager and president of mobile game maker Zynga Studios.
Inside its commercial kitchen in Mountain View, pizza dough travels down a conveyer belt where machines add the sauce, spread it and later carefully slide the uncooked pies into an 800-degree oven.
The startup will soon add robots to prep the dough, add cheese and toppings, take pizzas out of the oven, cut them into slices and box them for delivery.
"We automate those repetitive tasks, so that we can spend more money on higher quality ingredients," said Julia Collins, Zume's CEO and cofounder. "There will always be a model here at Zume where robots and humans work together to create delicious food."

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-09-hungry-startup-robots-slice-pizza.html#jCp
In the 1970s, when I was living in Los Angeles, supermarkets were just switching over to scanners.  A group complained the stores were going to use this to rip off customers by changing prices between pulling the item and the checkout counter.  They demanded the LA City Council require all items still be individually price tagged, which of course they did.  The group making the demand the retail clerks union, the people who tag all those items.  Local news stations were too stupid to recognize the conflict of interest.  Are these laws still in effect?