Peregrinating
2018

January

1 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

HappyNewYear

I heard a few firecrackers just before I went to bed but that was very early in the evening. I don't know what happened at midnight but it could not have been much nor very close because I slept through the start of the New Year.

I have no plans to anything different today than any other day. Started another H. G. Wells book that will keep me entertained. When I need a break from it I do some more drawing on the cushion cover pixel art.

As for New Year Resolutions - I don't make them. There are things that I would like to see happen but I do not possess the firm intent to make them happen. Like losing weight - at the beginning of last year I would have liked to lose 10 pounds. Here it is the first day of the new year and I have only 15 pounds to go! HA

I was disappointed in this short book. The author devoted most of his writing to propagandizing the then (1928) relatively new profession of public relations. I have quoted almost everything that I found of interest with one exception. He made reference to TV advertising in connection with radio. This was the beginning of the 'Golden Years' for radio so he was way out there on the 'bleeding edge' when he wrote about TV. Television was available in crude experimental forms in the late 1920s but did not become commercially available until after WW II.

"The political apathy of the average voter, of which we hear so much, is undoubtedly due to the fact that the politician does not know how to meet the conditions of the public mind. He cannot dramatize himself and his platform in terms which have real meaning to the public. Acting on the fallacy that the leader must slavishly follow, he deprives his campaign of all dramatic interest. An automaton cannot arouse the public interest. A leader, a fighter, a dictator, can. But, given our present political conditions under which every office seeker must cater to the vote of the masses, the only means by which the born leader can lead is the expert use of propaganda…
Politics was the first big business in America. Therefore there is a good deal of irony in the fact that business has learned everything that politics has had to teach, but that politics has failed to learn very much from business methods of mass distribution of ideas and products." - Propaganda, by Edward L. Bernays

Just one of the many predictions for 2018 that will be forthcoming by any and all those that try to predict what will happen in this New Year.

"We will be witness to the collapse of the world’s foremost empire. This is not mere conjecture. The US has all the symptoms that historically precede a collapse, and we’re now coming close to the final stages.
And, if history plays out yet again, as it has repeatedly, we can expect that, in the lead-up to the collapse, the controls by governments will become increasingly draconian. As we consider “more to come,” we should be braced for the likelihood that the worst controls are yet to be revealed." - More To Come by Jeff Thomas

2 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I noticed a bit of shuffling here in the Park during the week between Christmas and the New Year. Some RVs left and others arrived. The Airstream that was a couple spaces west of me has left and a new arrival is now parked a couple spaces to the east. Similar changes happening at other places in the Park.

This book, published in 1895, was H.G. Wells's first literary publication in book form. The pieces in the book were drawn from thirty or more articles by Wells published in the Pall Mall Gazette beginning in 1893. So it is a book but not a novel but rather a compilation of prior published magazine short stories. This was very common at the turn of the 20th century for many authors. The 'Uncle' has a lot of good sense and I did not detect any socialist leanings in his conversations nor in George's. A very quick and enjoyable read. Recommended!

James Howard Kunstler has posted his predictions for 2018 Forcast 2018 - What Could Go Wrong. He does not have a very good track record forecasting economic happenings but he just might get 2018 correct. I think he does better with some of his other predictions but they are all a fun read.

Not much happening here. The good weather continues although there is a guess that we have a 30% chance of rain one day next week. Maybe get high temperatures of 80-81 this Friday and Saturday while the East is freezing and buried under snow.

3 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Not a lot happening today, a lot like most of my days. I did cook up some sardine and potato patties this morning for future 'linners'. They could be the high point of my day.

Yesterday I spent a lot of time on the Internet looking for future camps in 2018. I will be staying in my 'domicile' Park during February - April. Sent an email to a Park that I wanted to stay at in May and received a prompt reply that my reservation was confirmed. I know already that they are a Park that I want to stay at - they respond to email! No such luck with two other Parks that I asked for their monthly rates - too busy?

The other thing that I have done in this New Year is 'thin the herd' of blogs that I read on a daily or semi-daily basis. That does not mean that I'll be reading fewer because I have added some but so far there has been a net reduction.

I have started reading two books. One of them is by Merrick and like his previous two is comprised of short stories. These short stories will be read as breaks from a history tome Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time by Carroll Quigley. It is 1,348 pages in hardback and over 28,000 locations on Paperwhite. It will take some time!

4 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I misunderstood the introduction to the Merrick book and therefore wrote that it was another collection of short stories. When I wrote that I had only read a few 'pages' of the introduction. It is a novel but I will still be switching back and forth between the two books.

The big thing that I have on the agenda for today is to get holding tanks dumped and fresh water tank filled. The fresh water being the most important. I could probably put off dumping for a few more days but the water tank is almost dry.

In this article Roger Stone is making predictions that I think will probably come true. The Russian collusion will fail during 2018 and most likely the 25th Amendment effort. The longer that takes the better for President Trump's life expectancy because when that fails I think the Deep State will try to kill him. What the Deep State does not understand is killing him will not keep them in power; they are going to have to kill all the 'deplorables' also.

"Longtime Donald Trump advisor and confidante Roger Stone warned that the globalist establishment would do everything in its power to stop the president from draining the swamp, even if it means taking him out John F. Kennedy style. ..The Deep State's “Plan A,” Stone said, is the imploding “investigation” into alleged “Russian collusion” by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. If and when that fails, which Stone suggested was likely, the establishment would move to “Plan B.” In essence, that plot would involve trying to get a majority of Trump's cabinet to declare him unfit for office. This would allow Trump to be removed under the U.S. Constitution 25th Amendment — another scheme Stone said would probably flop. Last but not least, though, if all else fails, Stone warned of “Plan C”: Killing the president." - Deep State “Plan C” Is to Kill Trump, Advisor Roger Stone Warns by Alex Newman.

"In four decades we covered the distance that had taken Rome three centuries. As late as the mid-1960s—God, it’s hard to believe—America was still the greatest nation on earth, the most productive, the freest, the top superpower, a place of safe homes, dutiful children in good schools, strong families, a hot lunch for orphans. By the 1990s the place had the stench of a third-world country. The cities were ravaged by punks, beggars, and bums; as in third century Rome, law applied only to the law-abiding. Schools had become daytime holding pens for illiterate young savages. First television, then the Internet brought the decadence of Weimar Berlin into every home." - from the Preface, Victoria: A Novel of Fourth Generation War by Thomas Hobbes (nom de plume)

5 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Shopping at Fry's where I got groceries for me and gas for Desperado. Patches did not get left out, I stopped at Tractor Supply and got her some more Earthborn Meadow Feast.

While at Tractor I looked for some Carhartt Cargo Pocket pants that they offer online. Wanted to have a hands-on experience before buying but they had none in the store. I'll now wait until I get to Sierra Vista and if the store there does not have any I take my chances with an online purchase.

It was also time to do laundry again. So while that was in the washer and dryer I put away groceries and got today's website posting started. Not much to say which is not news. Still no email reply from either of the two RV Parks that I have asked for their monthly rates. I am looking for others, if they can not tell me what their rate is I probably do not want to stay there. "If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it." - J. P. Morgan

I also noticed that I used a lot of Verizon data yesterday. Checked to see what version of Chrome I was running and saw that I had been updated to 63.0.3239.116 which had been released on 15 December 2017 but not for me until yesterday.


The only addition that I will make to this photo and caption is that the award was made in 2015.

6 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I completed another cycle of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on 3 January. I was taking 2400mg/day of the ibuprofen again but reduced the acetaminophen to 1500mg/day. As each of the 10 days on the acetaminophen went by my hands hurt more and more. After only one day back on the ibuprofen they felt much better.

Fire And Fury by Michael Wolff will now become the source document for the push to remove President Trump using the 25th Amendment. The 'golden shower' dossier was the basis for an impeachment attempt that has soured and looks to be a blowback against those that tried to use it. I am of the opinion that this 25th Amendment attempt will fail also but hope that it drags out until 2019.

I have noticed that in reporting this recent Eastern USA severe weather that the politically correct terminology has shifted once more. Algore originally sold Global Warming but when that rallied the disbelievers it was changed to Global Climate Change. Now the prefered term seems to be Extreme Weather yet the believers will quickly argue that extreme cold snaps do not disprove Global Climate Change/Warming yet extreme heat waves prove the theory.

There is some Good News however. Maybe Sex Robots Will Make Men, Not Women, Obsolete by Cathy O'Neil is a feel good story in this age of War On Women.

"My observation is that whenever one person is found adequate to the discharge of a duty... it is worse executed by two persons, and scarcely done at all if three or more are employed therein." - George Washington

7 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Another very quiet day. When I say quiet I speak of the absence of activity on my part. There may be things happening but not involving me.

One of those happenings is the Park has really filled up since the beginning of 2018. As I walk out of the Park to get onto 3rd Ave I see less and less empty spaces. Don't walk to the west but can see from where I am parked that all of the western part of the Park has also filled up.

It might be that all that cold weather in the East has convinced people that Yuma with 80° daily high temperatures might be the place to be. We do have a slight chance of rain on Tuesday with the high temperature predicted to be only 70 on Tuesday and Wednesday then back up to near 80.

I have still not received any reply from the two RV Parks that I have asked for monthly rates. I'm not very optimistic that I will hear from them so have changed my idea of where I will travel this year. Sent an email to a dentist office requesting an appointment in August and if I get that I'll then try to find a RV Park near by.

I have been reading Victoria: A Novel of Fourth Generation War by Thomas Hobbes (nom de plume) online in serial postings on traditionalRight.com. This along with the two books that I'm switching back and forth reading on Paperwhite is about all that I have going on.

8 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I received a reply from one of the two RV Parks where I was trying to get a monthly rate. This one wanted $650/month. I will not be staying there. After sending 3 emails to the second RV Park I have received no reply; I will not be staying there either.

I did not like this book as well as the others of Merrick's that I have read. The lack of Customer Reviews may be an indication that it has not been read by very many people since it was published in 1892. If you want a look at what life was like for a single woman in the late 19th century this book will paint a good picture.

Patches was not feeling well yesterday. She threw up her breakfast when we went for our afternoon walk and then seemed to be better. Still acting listless this morning but I think she is doing fine, still has a good appetite.

I'm doing much better. I have been able to almost make a closed fist with the right hand for the past couple of days. Can't do it with the left hand but it is better also. Less knee and shoulder pains although those were not very bad before starting this latest ibuprofen cycle.

Russiagate Turns On Its Originators by Paul Craig Roberts is a good article. I have no quotes from it just suggesting that it be read.

9 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I had planned on having breakfast at the original Los Manjares De Pepe restaurant on the west side of Yuma this morning. But the plans were for naught because the restaurant was closed for repairs. From the look of the exterior it was probably in need of them.

I then went to Coco's where I had been before while in Yuma and got their Mediterranean Omelet. Not very good, lots of grease came with the home fries and the flour tortilla. All for a higher price than I like to pay. Not recommended!

The reason for me being out and about on a non-shopping day was to see if my hands were capable to shooting the S & W 442 that I traded for back in November. I tried to dry fire it when I first got it and it hurt so much to squeeze the trigger that I quit that. I have tried again off an on since then and today was the day selected to see what the recoil will do to my hands and wrists. I'll report tomorrow.

There is an indoor range at Sprague's where I shot a couple years ago and that is where I went this morning. I guess I could have walked to the top of a desert ridge on State Trust Land not far from the Park where I have heard people shooting but don't like to do that. There is also one outdoor range northeast of Yuma off AZ95 that I could have gone to but I don't know if they have targets or target stands. Ajo did not.

The only other thing that I have going on is the download and starting to read Volume III of Lord Of The Rings. I'll be switching back and forth between it and the very long history book, probably finishing it first.

10 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

When I went into Sprague's yesterday at 9:30 the wind was just starting to pick up. By the time I came out an hour later it was blowing an official 25 mph but I think it was even more than that. There was sand blowing across 3rd Av as I drove back to the Park and visibility was reduced to maybe 5 miles. It was coming from the south southeast which is unusual, normally it comes from west northwest.

Then around 3:00 the rain came. Not a lot (.17" officially) but it rained during our usual afternoon walking time. When it stopped around 4:00 we did go out but I cut the walk short when I was getting a lot of spray from passing vehicles - especially trucks!

My shooting yesterday was good and bad. The good was I shot better than what I did with the Governor. At distances up to 15 yards I was on the 'paper' with every shot, at 25 yards I had 3 out of 5 which is good for me. The bad was the recoil. Not bad where I was expecting it to be but rather in the web between thumb and index finger. Overall the hands took it reasonably well.

I now need to do a LOT of dry fire. I do not have a nice smooth, uninterrupted squeeze which resulted in a locked up trigger - not good. A LOT of dry fire will also soften up the trigger pull as well as strengthen my index finger. I'm pleased!

The Democrats are following Hollywood's lead with plans to all wear black for the State Of The Union Address. I have sent a message to the White House: "I would like to see President Trump return to the historical State of the Union annual message to a joint meeting of Congress. Mail it in!
The Democrats want to turn the joint meeting into circus. Give them something that will really blow their minds especially the media."

11 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

This is the first of 7 two color cushion covers that I will be drawing. I turned this into 3 colors by changing the background from white as shown on the cross stitch web page. It was drawn as 201x201 pixels and that is what you see here although it looks very good at 200% also. The pastel colors do look washed out on my Acer Chromebook at either size, much more so than when viewed in Linux GIMP.

Almost all morning was spent at Foothill RV getting the vinyl insert trim replaced. The job took a couple hours but the guy that did it was an hour late showing up to do it. Not pleased.

While I was waiting for him to show up I went next door and got their Greek Omelet again. Forgot to specify that I wanted homefries and got hash browns - get the home fries. The omelet was a good as the last time, it is the Tzatziki sauce that really makes it special!

Then when I got to Fry's to get groceries there was a crowd because it was nearing noon. Plus there was an accident at one of the entrances that had happened not long before I got there. Not much trouble getting in but they had not cleared the exit by the time I was ready to leave and the parking lot was a madhouse.

That has put me way behind on my regular routine. Don't have the 'linner' salad made. Don't have the yogurt dessert made. Don't have this posting ready for my website. Have not even looked at any of the News nor daily blog reads.

12 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Now that I have the had Desperado's trim replaced the next thing to do is give her a wash and wax. There have been a couple mobile wash guys come into the Park. One of them stopped by and gave me his card and then a few weeks later I saw him washing a neighbors RV. I'm going to get him to come and do Desperado soon.

I didn't miss much in the News yesterday. Perhaps I missed the shitstorm that president Trump created with his disavowed shitstorm comment but that should continue for a few more days. He does have a way about him that keeps him on the "front page' everyday. HA

Not doing much today. Making progress reading Return Of The Kings, that is volume III od Lord Of The Rings as well as Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time. I have started another cushion cover pixel drawing. This time I am going to see if I can do something to 'enhance' the pastel colors. Not sure what that might be but I'll experiment.

13 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to make the pastel colors brighter on the second cushion cover that I have started drawing. I tried changing the Saturation values which worked with one of the pastels but then it was too close in color to the contrasting second color. I ended up changing the Saturation, Hue and RGB color mix of that one until I found something that I liked. I may change them all again before I finish this cushion but for now it looks good.

I had my neighbor call the mobile car wash fellow yesterday and he was not here this morning at 8:00 as he said. Yuma sort of operates on Mexican Time like Algodones uses Arizona Time. Still not here at 9:00 Arizona Time, he may show up later today and then maybe not.

The only other thing I had going on was making some more sardine and potato patties for future 'linners'. I'm having some chicken pozole today that I made up a few days ago and should have one more meal of that remaining. Maybe put a big salmon fillet in the Roaster tomorrow.

14 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Franco's RV Wash & Wax showed up a few minutes after I posted to my website yesterday. They got Desperado washed and while it was drying before being waxed they washed the woman's pickup slide in camper that is in the space on the west side of me. There were at least 3 others in the Park that stopped by to talk about getting their RVs washed. Desperado is looking FINE; except for the parking lot scars that now show up when the dirt is removed.

I made up another batch of dessert this morning but that is about all I am going to do today. There will be the daily routine of reading and some more pixel art drawing. Morning and afternoon walks of course because Patches is hard to live with if I don't do that.

"..[T]he powers of financial capitalism had another far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences. The apex of the system was to be the Bank for International Settlements in Basle, Switzerland, a private bank owned and controlled by the world's central banks which were themselves private corporations. Each central bank... sought to dominate its government by its ability to control Treasury loans, to manipulate foreign exchanges, to influence the level of economic activity in the country, and to influence cooperative politicians by subsequent economic rewards in the business world." - Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time, Carroll Quigley

Not much has changed since 1930 has it?

15 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I'm not sure why but the ShoutBox is now trashed. It will only show the last message posted. I have asked YellBox to fix it but past experience was that took some time and probably a few more requests before it gets fixed.

I look forward to your continued Shouts but they will not show up if I or someone else responds. If it is not fixed within the next couple of days I'll take it down

I didn't get that salmon fillet in the Roaster yesterday but plan on doing so today. That plus reading the two books that I have on the Paperwhite and drawing the second cushion cover pixel art is all that I have going on.

James Howard Kunstler has another good blog posting today Who Moved My Xanax?. I have quoted his closing but the entire posting is good. I also noted that he self identified as being an "(ex-)liberal". I don't recall that he has ever done that before but have noted the change in his writing from left to right.
"The immigration quandary remains, with its vexing questions. What if there isn’t enough of an American common culture left for anybody to assimilate into? Are we obliged to admit everyone in the world who wants to leave their own country? Do we care about how people get here, or how they behave once they are here? Does anything go, and nothing matter?"

16 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Another routine day which included the holding tank dumping routine. The fresh water tank has been rather low for three days and I have been putting off filling it, I prefer to do both chores at the same time.

The Shout Box is back. There seems to be a known 'bug' that results in the situation where a new post deletes the previous one. So only the most recent posting is shown. I may have activated that bug when I tried to include an Emoji that was not part of the Shout Box offerings. So my account has been fixed but I think the 'bug' remains.

I think I'll have 1/3rd of the second cushion cover pixel drawing completed by the end of today. It has been an easier draw that the first one I did. I have also been making good progress reading volume III of Lord Of The Rings. The history tome is coming along but there is a LOT remaining.

17 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Another shopping day and another breakfast at Los Manjares De Pepe - Foothill. I had a slightly different shopping list today so it took me a bit longer to find everything. That worked out just fine because I needed to stop at the Post Office which did not open until 8:45.

When I got there I found only one clerk open and had a to wait a few minutes. A second clerk opened her window, retrieved my Arbuckles Coffee that I had shipped General Delivery and I was out the door while clerk one and her customer were still hard at it.

When I got back to the Park I knew that there would be somewhat of a problem for me to get into my space. I now have a neighbor directly in front of me where I have been able to pull in and the back straight into my space. To make it even harder both that neighbor and the one to the west of him park their 'toads' in front their RVs which narrows the street. I got 'er done but it was not as simple as it once was.

That about does it for today. Get this posted and get 'liner' ready and I'm through.

18 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

The NEWS is all about President Trump's annual medical check-up. The Media hammered the White House doctor with some 80 questions, many of them not questions at all but rather statements that he was expected to confirm. When he did not confirm them he was branded a liar. When The Hillary doctor issued her a clean bill of health the Media claimed that was all that was needed to dispute any talk of her being in poor health.

The really BIG thing seems be how tall is President Trump. If he is 6' 3" then his BMI indicates that he is overweight but at 6' 2" he is considered obese. So assuming he is 6' 2" he would need to lose #6 to have the same BMI as he now has assuming he is 6' 3". Is this something that anyone other than the Media really care about?

I think the entire issue of his health could be settled once and for all if he would just open a pickle jar at a White House News Briefing.

Gold and silver prices have been increasing since the beginning of the year, especially these past 4-5 days. Not much of that increase has 'trickled down' to the stock price for Hercla unfortunately. My smaller holdings in a gold fund is tracking the increase much better but I need to see Hecla prices get with the program.

19 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Trying to put together a camp circuit for 2018 and have been contacting dental offices for my August cleaning. The first office did not respond to 3 messages on their web page Contact Form. The second office did respond to the second message but wanted to do a full exam, periodontal pocket probings and xrays. Thanks but no thanks, I pay for all that in April. The third office has not yet responded to message number 2 and the fourth office has not responded to their first message. I may have to pick a different town but there are still some dentist offices I have not tried yet. HA

The third and last volume of Lord Of The Rings. This is the shortest of the three with half the book comprised of Appendix A to F plus an Index. The story for all practical purposes is complete about 1/4th of the way through the third volume. The more I read the less I liked the total book. I guess I just don't appreciate the fantasy genre but don't understand all the gushing praise that the book received. I have read it but doubt that I will be selecting any more of J. R. R. Tolkien.

With all the NEWS about sexual harassment I thought that this story might shed some light on what might be a contributing cause. I think it is an old story.

A good looking biker stops by the Harley shop to have his bike fixed. They couldn’t do it while he waited, so he said he didn’t live far and would just walk home.
On the way home, he stopped at the hardware store and bought a bucket and an anvil. Next, he stopped by the feed store and picked up a couple of chickens and a goose. However, he now had a problem, how to carry all of his purchases home.
The owner said, “Put the anvil in the bucket, carry the bucket in one hand, put a chicken under each arm and carry the goose in your other hand.”
“Hey, thanks!” the biker said, and out the door he went.
But in the parking lot, he was approached by a little old lady who told him she was lost. She asked, “Can you tell me how to get to 1603 Mockingbird Lane?”
The biker said, “Well, as a matter of fact, I live at 1616 Mockingbird Lane. Let’s take my short cut and go down this alley. We’ll be there in no time.”
The little old lady looked him over cautiously, then said, “I am a lonely widow without a husband to defend me. How do I know that when we get in the alley you won’t hold me against the wall, pull up my skirt, and ravish me?”
The biker said, “Holy smokes, Lady! I’m carrying a bucket, an anvil, two chickens, and a goose. How in the world could I possibly hold you up against the wall and do that?”
The lady said, “Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket, put the anvil on top of the bucket, and I’ll hold the chickens.”

A more serious article on the subject of feminism is Blaming the Victim by William S. Lind.

"Fortunately, both in the United States and in Europe, the day of moral collapse are coming to a close. Reality is returning as a political force. Reality tells us that if we want to keep men and women from sexually harassing each other (bat your eyelashes, girls), we have to keep them separate. Reality facilitates doing so, because it recognizes that men and women are not interchangeable. They are inherently different, their minds work differently and their traditional social roles reflect their inherent differences."

20 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I woke up to the sound of wind blowing. Desperado was not rocking so I knew it was not blowing too hard but when we stepped outside I could see a lot of dust in the air although it was still dark (background lights). Our route was north this morning and there were lemon groves that gave us protection so it was not a bad walk although it felt colder than it has been.

The official wind measure was 18-24 mph with gusts of 25-39, a wind advisory has been issued and the high temperatures for the next 3 days are thought to be down in the mid 60s. Winter has arrived in Yuma.

Just a few words about the FISA Memo. I paraphrase Reverend Jeremiah Wright "Obama's chickens have come home to roost.” It will not only be Obama's chickens but a lot of the people that flocked with him. If it is possible the Media will be held in even lower repute for their part in the scandal.

The Las Vegas shooting is such a farce I don't know why the law enforcement organizations even want to play their part. The Media is all in for providing as much misinformation or no information as possible. Move along now, nothing to see here!

"A laptop computer recovered from the Las Vegas hotel room where Stephen Paddock launched the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history was missing its hard drive, depriving investigators of a potential key source of information on why he killed and maimed so many people, ABC News has learned." - 25 October 2017, by Jack Date, Mike Levine & Pierre Thomas ABC News
"Four laptops and three cellphones were found inside his hotel suite. On one of the computers, investigators found hundreds of photos of child pornography. The same computer was used to search for the height of the Mandalay Bay, how to remove hard drives from laptops, the location of gun shows in Nevada and information about several other Las Vegas casinos." - 19 January 2018, by Ken Ritter And Mike Balsamo, Associated Press

The one computer that was missing its hard drive deprived investigators a key source of information. But there were 3 others that have still not revealed a motive. Perhaps the investigators have devoted the past 3 months to studying the child pornography and comparing it with what was found on the alleged shooters brothers computer. No time to search for motive.

21 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Alright! The federal government has been shut down. The Republicans blame the Democrats the Democrats blame the Republicans and the Media blames President Trump. I don't place blame on anyone and say - Alright!

Let us see what we can do without and then quit spending taxpayer money on stuff that is not needed nor wanted by anyone other than those receiving the government handouts.

Activities related to national security (like the military services), safety and order (air traffic control, law enforcement) and medical care (veterans’ hospitals) are among the essential activities that carry on. So does the U.S. mail, since the Postal Service has its own funding stream. U.S. Treasury debt auctions continue, Social Security and Medicare checks get mailed, food stamps are distributed.

I believe some of those "essential activities" could also be shut down i.e. the Trillion $ spent of national security could be reduced (Homeland Security) and we would still be secure.

My two Arizona Senators voted with the Democrats, Senator Flake voting NO and senator McCain did not vote. Arizona really has only one Senator now and he is a lame duck Republican that will vote the Democrat Party line simply because he hates president Trump.

The wind was only building in intensity yesterday morning. Around noon I could feel Desperado rocking a bit and the wind had shifted from the northwest to west and there was sand blowing in the street in front of me.

When we went out for our afternoon walk as soon as I got to 3rd Ave where I could see sand blowing across it with visibility of about a mile I decided we would be doing an extended potty walk in the Park. We were having what the locals call a "Yuma Blizzard".

It was clear, calm and cold (42°) this morning. We walked south and on the return I was walking on fresh sand dunes, small ones but dunes nonetheless, that built up across the road shoulder to the pavement. There would probably have been sand on the pavement also but traffic kept it from accumulating.

I got a dental office appointment finally after contacting 5 offices. I am now having the same problem finding a RV Park. One was a NO because of Patches breed. A second one does not take monthly reservations more than 3 months before arrival but offered me a weekly rate that I can not afford.

22 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I could hear the wind machines in the lemon grove to the north as we walked that way this morning. But before we finished our walk they shut down. It was warmer this morning at 44 ° than yesterday so why the wind machines? There were only a few running versus all of them when we had the cold snap so maybe it was just testing.

When I had my kitchen faucet replaced I asked about the water pump and was assured that it was working fine. That the faucet was leaking which caused the pump to run when shut off. I accepted that but still had my doubts. I am now reasonably sure that the pump has an internal leak or the pressure switch is going bad.

I'll take it to a shop in Huachuca City when I get there but meanwhile I need to fill the fresh water tank every week. I full tank seems to exert enough pressure on the lines that the pump does not run but even then it does not seem like I am getting the pressure that I once had.

The Las Vegas police preliminary report for what they titled a Mass Casualty Shooting at the Las Vegas Village venue on 1 October 2017 was released on 18 January 2018. Everything that I had read before lead me to believe that all 58 victims had died in the 'venue' or were taken from there and subsequently died at a hospital.

But guess what is said on page 34, "Seven additional victims were located and recovered from the exterior perimeter. Their body positions and locations suggested they had been placed at these locations."

There was an 8th victim that was was also found near the perimeter but she is not included in the total nor has she been named. There is a private surveillance tape that strongly suggests that there was a helicopter hovering over her location but investigators never have asked to view the tape.

The more we know the less we know. Who 'placed' those 7 victims near the perimeter, two of them almost ½ mile away from the venue? Why has this rather obvious victim #59 been ignored? OK, its all over, move along now nothing to see here!

"What does this tell us of the future? What can be done to turn these great powers back to a more free-market system? Well, the bad news is that that’s unlikely in the extreme. To be sure, we, from time to time, have inspired orators, such as Nigel Farage or Ron Paul, who remind us what we “should” do to put these countries back on track, so that they serve the people of the country, rather than its leaders. But, historically, such orators have never succeeded in reversing the trend one iota. - Capitalism Has Failed, Jeff Thomas

23 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I woke up around 5:00 and could hear the wind machines again but when I got up they had been shut down. Not all of them however, there were still some farther north that were running that I could hear when we got outside. The low was 47° so I am not sure why they had the wind machines working.

There were only a couple things different about this shopping day. First, at my favorite Mexican restaurant the cook and the waitress sat down for their breakfast just before I left. What were they having? Big Mac and fries! LOL

The second thing was getting back into my space at the Park. I had the same problem as last time with the neighbor vehicles in front of me but there was an added challenge. I acquired a neighbor right next to me on the east side. When I say right next to me there is about 4' between his pickup and Desperado. I backed in there like I knew what I was doing. It took a few GOALs but no more than any other time.

I will finish the latest cushion cover pixel drawing soon. Doubtful that it will be today but certainly within the next few days. I'll continue doing these 7 and experiment with changing the cross stitch yarn colors to something that shows up on a web browser when done in pixel art.

24 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I have started experimenting with breakfast and dessert. For the past couple of months the breakfast dish was made up of hulless barley, nut (hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans), dry fruit, chopped dates, vanilla and maple syrup a little butter when reheated. This was good but made for a difficult clean up when reheated if not watched VERY closely - it tended to carmelize. I am changing that but have not found something that I'm willing to admit that I have been eating. The experiments are not going all that well.

Dessert is different. In the past I have mixed up Greek Gods Honey Yogurt, nuts, frozen fruit (mostly blueberries), vanilla and maple syrup. Changed the frozen fruit to the dry fruit and chopped dates. Winner, Winner - we have a winner!!

I had a second dental office reply to my emails but they want me to call them to give them more information. I probably will not be doing that. The 4 RV Parks that I have contacted have resulted in 2 NOs and 2 no replies. I am now looking at a different area and starting the dental office RV Park search all over again in that area.

"The recurrent question is how our foreign policy establishment can be so inept. It has nothing to do with political parties or who is in the White House, although some of us voted for President Trump in hope that he would not listen to the Establishment. The problem is that the foreign policy Establishment as a whole acts as if it is made up entirely of children. It does so because you cannot become a member of that Establishment unless you see the world through a child’s eyes. Our planet is a playroom in Miss Millicent’s Academy for Especially Annoying Children and Washington’s job is to make sure all the children play nicely. We are to accomplish that impossible task by forcing democracy, consumerism, and our garbage popular culture down everyone’s throat, using the U.S. military as our long-handled spoon. When other countries and cultures spit the poisonous mixture back up, we call in the drones and the bombers." - Another Strategic Blunder, William S. Lind

25 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

This is the second of 7 two color cushion covers that I will draw. I changed the yarn colors that were specified in the cross stitch pattern because they would have been as washed out as what I showed in the first cushion cover. It is drawn as 209x209 pixels and that is what you see here but it looks very good at 200%. I think I will have to change all the pastel colors to something that is going to show up better when used in pixel art. From what I have read pastels are not recommended and I can see why. I need to learn how to make the changes to Hue and Saturation that preserves the root color. I did not do that with this drawing and maybe it can not be done.

Yesterday was the start of another cycle of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. However the last cycle eliminated the acetaminophen. Nothing for pain during the past 10 days except the daily dosage of GoPo® which is not a pain reliever as such. That does not mean I was pain free and would not want to live like that much longer than the 10 days.

I can only hope that the ibuprofen will continue to work and reduce the inflammation to the point that I can get off of it also. Then perhaps the GoPo® will be enough of an inflammation fighter that I can stay off any pain meds. During these past 10 days I could almost make a clenched fist with the right hand, it hurt some to do so but I could do it. The left hand is not quite as good.

26 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

My really close neighbor on the east side loaded up his ATV toy in his Toy Hauler yesterday morning and left. The woman from Texas on my west side put her slide in camper back in her pickup yesterday afternoon. I don't know if she will be leaving today but from all indications she will be leaving soon.

This morning I went to Kountry Kitchen a second restaurant in the same strip mall as Foothill RV Supply & Service. I wanted to check it out as a possible breakfast stop when I'm back in Yuma again. Had their Spinach and Mushroom Omelet with not very good sourdough toast or hashbrowns. It may be an alternative stop but will not replace my favorite Mexican restaurant.

From there it was back to Sprague's and their indoor range. I had 'shot' some 275 dry fires since my last trip to the range and the trigger pull felt easier and smoother. I'll write about the live fire tomorrow.

I got to Sprague's almost an hour before they opened and that gave me a chance to type up this posting for the day. I certainly did not have much to say that would take an hour even as slow as I type.

27 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

The live fire at the rage went well. I don't think I scored any better than my first attempt with the 442 but I was shooting faster. I didn't lock up the trigger because the trigger pull was easier and smoother. All that dry fire seemed to have helped. The recoil was still bad but not to bad IF I can get my hand placement right EVERY time.

Speaking of recoil. I have shot with two shooting groups IDPA and USPSA, both having minimum 'power factor' requirements. Power factor is just a computation using the bullet weight and muzzle velocity of the ammunition being fired. What I have been shooting is at the low end for IDPA revolvers and too low to be used in USPSA competition.

The only recoil that I have felt that was worse were the 6 shots of .410 with 000 buckshot fired from the Governor. I didn't want to do that again and have now found that the power factor for that ammunition would be about 2x what I'm shooting now in the 442.

So much for play time, it is now chore time. Got started on my regular monthly house cleaning this morning. I'll finish that up tomorrow and do the dumping and add fresh water. I then need to get laundry done before I leave here or I'll be traveling in dirty underware.

Started the cushion cover #3 pixel drawing. It uses two dark colored yarns which when converted to RGB for the web show up very nice. I need to do some research to find out what the differences are between this very dark shade and a very light shade (pastel) for these same two basic colors Blue Violet and Cranberry.

I have almost given up on my first choice for a stop in July & August. I considered 5 RV Parks in the area. One of them was priced at the high end of budget and I have held off contacting them; of the remaining 4 I received two replies. One of them was NO because of Patches a second one has put me on a wait list. The other two have not responded to 3 emails each.

My second choice for a stop has only one Park that I was considering. They have taken that location off my list with their deposit and cancellation policy. I don't think they want Patches either but have not sent a reply since I identified her breed. I'm now trying to get a response from a Park in my third choice area. Maybe I'll have to go back to some place where I have been welcomed before? HA

28 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I had a Chrome update this month as well as a Linux update that both downloaded using Verizon. With a week remaining in the billing cycle I would sure like to have that data back because I am now on short rations.

Got most of the house cleaning chores done yesterday. I'll get out there and do the dumping and window washing when it warms up a litte. It was warmer this morning (55°) than it was a few days ago when it went down to the upper 40s. Shouldn't take long to get up into the 60s so I can complete those tasks.

There is an article about the FBI report on Mikhail Lesin's death on 5 November 2015.

Lesin the founder of RT (Russian Times) was found dead in a hotel room in Washington D. C. and the original cause of death was reported as being a heart attack. This was so reported although the medical examiner ruled that death was caused by blunt force trauma.

You have to read this article. It sure seems like Lesin's death was a 'hit' and a cover up that the FBI is still doing their best to cover. The FBI doing some of its best work, they kept the lid on this for 18 months and then issued a report that is a joke.

29 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

Last shopping day and last breakfast at my favorite Mexican restaurant. This morning I asked them to make my Special that is not on the menu, a tamale with an egg and all the usual sides. Might be back in November.

I had a short grocery list and know where everything is now so the shopping went quickly. Fry's gas station is always packed but I found an empty space and filling Desperado went quickly also. The laundry has been started and I'll use that time to get this posting started, maybe even finished and put up on my web site.

That will not use too much data. I can do all the typing off-line then when I sign on to Verizon it will automatically upload to My Google and save in the cloud. Copy and paste to my page on the web host server and it is done.

I will not be doing any News reading today in an effort to save data. I still need to get on Google Maps and prepare by 3x5 car route to the next camp although I think I know what it is without the map or a card. Probably will take two days to drive to that next camp although I could do it in one. I just don't like to do that.

I know I will not want to do it if the wind is blowing like it stated to do this morning. It was calm when we did our walk but had started to pick up by the time I went shopping. Then seemed to have backed off a bit rather than getting stronger as the day progressed.

My west side neighbor, woman from Texas with a pick-up slide in camper left yesterday. Not long after that the neighbor across the street from her also left. That got his toad out of the street but the biggest problem to my easy backing in is the neighbor directly in front of me with his toad in the street. It will not be too bad and I only have to do it this one more time.

30 January
Southern Mesa RV Park
Yuma, AZ

I got a lot of the latest cushion cover pixel art drawn yesterday. Also read a lot of the two books that I am alternating back and forth on Paperwhite. That is what happens when I try to cut back on Internet/Data usage. I say trying because I still used half of what my daily quota needs to be during the billing cycle.

I'll try to do that again today but must spend some data on Google Maps. They are data hogs so I will do my best to limit the time that I'm there.

The only other thing that I have on the to do list is make up some more sardine and potato patties. That project is underway as I type this. Then after 'linner' I need to do the stove and countertop wipe down.

"I’m not comfortable acting as a supporter or defender of Trump, but I’m even less comfortable with the appearance of a rogue security and law enforcement apparatus gone blatantly political. The so far poorly-explained antics at the FBI and DOJ reflect badly on all vested authority in the country — and especially for any faction that pretends to be on the side of justice. This is a much larger problem than the public debate seems to recognize. We are not far from a point where nobody will be able to believe anything official in this land." - Stormy Weather, James Howard Kunstler

31 January
Gilbert Ray Campground
Tucson, AZ

I used far more Verizon data yesterday than I had hoped. I need to cut way back today if I can. I'll get this posted to my website and see where I am per Chrome Data Saver which I always have to double to come close to what Verizon say I used.

On the road around 7:00 with the breakfast stop at Space Age Restaurant in Gila Bend a little after 9:00. I have driven all the alternate paved routes from Yuma to Sierra Vista so today I thought it was time to do the Interstate route. Construction near the Marana exit got me off route as shown below which added a few miles. I also took an alternate route from Sandano Rd to the campground but have shown the straightforward one. Total miles were 249 on almost this route: W 3 Ave, I-8 (112 miles), Pine St, Business 8 Phx Bypass, I-8/I-10 (96 miles), Marana Rd, N Sanslers Rd, W Avra Valley Rd, Sandanao, Rd, W Mile Wide Rd/Kinney Rd & W Mccain Loop.

The space that I was given in the campground was narrow and very difficult to get into off the very narrow street. If I parked in front of the bolted down picnic table my electric cord was too short. So I am at somewhat of an angle to avoid that and have a big rock in front of me that I will have to jockey around again tomorrow morning. I don't think I could have got into this space 7 years ago so I have learned a little.

This book gets a lot of 5 star and a lot of one star reviews. Sort of the same split that we see when the immigration issue is 'discussed'. The Left claims that the author was a racist and anyone that likes the book is also a racist. The Right sees the book as as prophecy in the same way as 1984 whereas the Left considers 1984 to be a Utopian novel. Recommended, you will love it or hate it depending on your political views.
This prophetic book is not so much about the invasion of Europe as it is about the surrendering mindset of the majority of the white French. Raspail quite ruthlessly examines how and why their culture was eroded by dissidents within, to the point that they were psychologically unable to defend themselves. Jean Anouilh perceptively called it 'A haunting book of irresistible force and calm logic'. - Customer Review at goodreads.com