Good morning!!!!

[rswyan]

Next piece of foam board is cut, glued up, placed, and braced …

There’s only a 21” wide section of that wall left to do, which I’ll hopefully get to later today.

 

[daugen]

RS, go to sleep, you are working too hard
but make sure your alarm system still works while you have that wall apart.

good morning all. Wonky keyboard driving me crazy, ordered a new one, they are cheap,must have
gummed up a key on this.Wacking it upside down didn't help. I'll type one letter and get ten.

should be a nice day, warming up a little and staying warm through Christmas. Snow flurries on Tuesday
will look nice but do nothing probably.

woke up too early on a morning I could have slept in. Oh well. So coffee is brewing.
six hours is enough for me some nights, others happy to get eight.
Dennis, doesn't sound like you are getting enough.

now if we could all mimic David's dog, now that's a contented pup.

was afraid front inflatables were going to fly off yesterday, need to check on them today,
they are probably leaning in the direction of wind. They say 50-60 mph gusts went through here.
After dinner last night power went off twice, but then came back on 3 minutes later.
I have a lot of flashlights just in case.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have bought a lot of flashlights over the years, and they just don’t last. Couldn’t find a working one last night. Not the batteries, usually switches in them.

 

[Wagtail]

Still trying to catch up.

Mate, although I enjoy your responses... please 'give it up' and join the present. "We" know that you read our posts... anything you can respond to you can "quote".

I did have a long conversation, earlier this week, with my Aunt and she is very concerned with, not only the cognitive abilities of my Sister (post stroke), but with her longevity after the fact. My Sister simply doesn't have much in the way of 'motivation'.

She (Sister) really only wants to text. Hmmmm...

 

[daugen]

trick with flashlights is to check them once in a while.
like the one in your car console you haven't used in three years...
owning an rv, I know Dennis has lots of flashlights
I keep two in rv, one in car, and three in the house.
of course I used to own a Radio Shack and am into flashlights.

I think today's longer lasting batteries help but important to get rid of ones
they give you free if they aren't alkaline. Carbon zinc will leak and wreck flashlight.

I love the fact that the lowest power level of small batteries is called Heavy Duty, when they
are actually nothing but.
and just what does "long lasting" mean? til next week?...

battery companies eager to upsell us to new chemistries, not sure LI makes sense for more
than button batteries or large storage batteries.

 

[rswyan]

RS, go to sleep, you are working too hard

LOL … no.

Took my last Prednisone yesterday so probably won’t be quite as amped up in the coming days …

but make sure your alarm system still works while you have that wall apart.

Yeah … it’s still functional … and constantly trying to phone home like ET …

good morning all. Wonky keyboard driving me crazy, ordered a new one, they are cheap,must have
gummed up a key on this.Wacking it upside down didn't help. I'll type one letter and get ten.

These days I only buy keyboards which have actual mechanical switches.

Which reminds me I need to order one for the mini.

They’re cheap enough these days … though a really good one will set you back a couple hundred …

 

[sodamo]

Is that normal? I thought most localities had a per capita tax.

Not that I recall anywhere I’ve owned, Me, NJ, FL, Va, Ga, Hi.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Interesting you bring up flashlights, because as I went out last night to put fence rail up, I thought of all the flashlights I have and none work worth a crap
It’s not the flashlight batteries, it’s flashlight themselves. Have a little one on my nightstand, bought as 3 pack. Can turn it on, lights up ok, move it in different direction, light goes off, or dims. Shake it, light might come back on. Might not. Give it a whack, light might come on.
Looking inside, nothing looks wrong. Good batteries, no corrosion from batteries, looks like front and back of battery holder would make good contact.


Even expensive Duracell flashlights from Costco had same issue. Works sometimes, flicks off. Smack it to get it shining again.

Some of better ones are headlamps I used when with Boy Scouts. I use thrm the most as they work better.

I see YouTubers pushing flashlights they get for free to be pushed, but cost $50+. Not gambling that much to find out.

Will try for more sleep, need to get up for breakfast in 3 hrs. Been up since 12:30

 

[daugen]

a poll tax is totally regressive and clearly not liked

There aren't many states with a true, widespread "per capita tax" (a flat tax on all residents), but rather some
local jurisdictions within states (like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio) impose them, often called Poll Taxes or Occupational Taxes, separate from state income or property taxes, funded by residency, not income or property ownership, to provide local services. States with high overall state and local tax burdens include Hawaii, New York, Vermont, and California, but this reflects various taxes (income, sales, property) not a single per capita tax.
Key Takeaway: Per Capita Taxes are Local, Not Statewide

• Definition: A per capita tax is a fixed fee per person, regardless of income or property, often required for adult residents.
• Where Found: Primarily in local municipalities and school districts in states like Pennsylvania (where it's common), New Jersey, Ohio, and parts of others.
• Not a "Per Capita Tax" in the State Sense: When you see per capita data from the Tax Foundation or Census Bureau, it's about total state and local tax collections divided by population, not a universal per capita tax itself.
• 
  States with High Overall Tax Collections (for context):
  While not a per capita tax, these states often rank high in total per person tax collections (state & local combined):
• High Overall Tax Burden: Hawaii, New York, Vermont, California, Maine, New Jersey, Illinois.

So, while no state has a blanket per capita tax, you'll find them locally in many areas, especially in the Northeast and Midwest.

I look at those states with high tax burdens and pretty sure they all make schools and
education a top priority. Very expensive to provide top quality education for all kids.
I have seen the opposite in coastal NC. The schools just aren't important, aggravated by
reality that wealthier parents all send their kids to alternative schools. When your elementary school is
rated 2 out of 10, and you've got kids at their most formative years, well you wind up with a lot of less well
educated folks.

 

[rswyan]

Two suggestions:

Maglite

And

Streamlight

Have never had an issue with either brand and the Maglites are over 30 years old.

They just work.

 

[ronjhall]

Coffee is brewing. 19° with cloudy skies this morning. Heading to 38° with chance of rain or snow. After topping off bird feeders. Spent of the day practicing conserve energy. Today will do some limb cleanup. Then have several Christmas gifts to deliver.

Everyone stay well and safe.

Good Morning All.

 

[daugen]

the alternative is when you have a community that decides to make education
a top priority, as in where I live.
and why I can't afford a nice house here.
renting here makes a lot of financial sense when "middle class" homes cost well over a million dollars.
Ken lives in township right below me and I'd expect Upper Makefield's description to be identical
in our local school district, 93 percent of teachers have a masters degree.
Our little public school with less than 100 kids per grade was rated number 2 in PA recently.
that doesn't come cheap.

if you go into Google AI and ask it how your township compares to national average, results can be interesting:
Solebury Township is significantly more educated than the U.S. average, with a large percentage of residents holding Bachelor's degrees or higher (over 54% as of 2000 data), far surpassing national figures, and boasts highly-rated schools (like the New Hope-Solebury School District) known for high teacher qualifications and strong student performance, reflecting a very affluent and academically focused community within Bucks County, PA
.
another factor is often the best schools are located near the best hospitals.
Medical centers and universities bring a lot of money to town, driving up
real estate prices

 

[daugen]

Two suggestions:

Maglite

And

Streamlight

Have never had an issue with either brand and the Maglites are over 30 years old.

They just work.

yes
standard issue for EMS
carried one as fireman for many years
but heavy and will break your toe if you drop it...
I'd rather have a lighter ABS case.
But those brands clearly use decent switches.
Buckeye is right, if they spent another dime on quality of the switch,
flashlights would be much more reliable.

and if you lose a maglight or streamlight, you will cry.
I'd make mine orange

Top-Tier Reliable Brands

• Fenix: Widely considered the gold standard for consumer-grade reliability. Their lights often include 5-year warranties and are built from A6061-T6 aluminum with HAIII hard-anodized finishes.
• SureFire: Primarily a tactical brand, they are renowned for "bombproof" reliability. Many models are made in the USA and used by military and law enforcement elite.
• Zebralight: Famous in the enthusiast community for "boring reliability". They use potted electronics (internals encased in resin) to survive extreme shock and drops that break most other lights.
• Streamlight: A standard-issue brand for many government agencies, including the FBI as of early 2025. They offer a limited lifetime warranty and focus on extreme durability for professional use.

 

[ronjhall]

No per capita tax in Michigan. But they tax everything else. Income, sales, gas, property and anything else they can think of.

 

[Happy in NC]

Good morning TBN!!
27 this morning and should make a sunny 60 degrees. My kind of day.
Spent my day under the buggy wire grinding rust and loose paint so I can put on a fresh coat. Got to see if I can find some sort of undercoating or HD paint to put on it.
Ordered a pair of boots from an eBay retailer that I expected yesterday. Kept checking tracking and suddenly it said returning to seller. Got to checking out why and it turns out they have the wrong address, which was my fault. Thing is I didn't know because I have been getting packages from them for quite a while. Now it says delivery on Wed.

Time for a second cup
Everyone have a great and safe day!!

 

[wngsprd]

25 heading to 49. Wind blew everything crazy yesterday. I couldn't keep up with fixing Christmas decorations and picking up sticks. Cut my thumb on broken glass.. right through a leather glove.

Kyle, congrats to your son...great grades...looks like procrastinating pays off. Nice new tractor shoes.

Two suggestions:

Maglite

And

Streamlight

Have never had an issue with either brand and the Maglites are over 30 years old.

They just work.

Ditto...and I'll add for rechargeable, super lightweight and bright headlamps, Nitecore.

 

[m7040]

good morning, 26 going to 43 wind is down and sun is expected to return

Steelhead was dinner made on cast iron pan. Delicious as always. Usually buy 2 lbs of fish each week

I carry a Surefire and they are reliable and honer the warranty no matter how old it is. Lost one for a couple of years in the bush and found it. Clicked the switch and worked perfectly

 

[rswyan]

yes
standard issue for EMS
carried one as fireman for many years
but heavy and will break your toe if you drop it...

Almost as light as a feather (2 AAA):

It's the one in the center on the bottom in the image below, in between the 2 D cell Maglites, below the Brinkmann (another old one):

Also have a silver 3 D cell Maglite floating around here somewhere.

I'd rather have a lighter ABS case.

The old Ray-O-Vac above has a plastic case ... still works but needs batteries and could use an LED bulb upgrade. Was a Christmas present long ago.

But those brands clearly use decent switches.
Buckeye is right, if they spent another dime on quality of the switch,
flashlights would be much more reliable.

No doubt ... but whatcha gonna do ?

and if you lose a maglight or streamlight, you will cry.

No tears here ...

My StreamLight - which is normally my EDC - has been MIA for several months. Around a $60 piece IIRC ...

5" long, maybe 3/4" in diameter, 350 lumens, and normally resides in my right front pocket of whatever pants I happen to be wearing:

Used a pair of CR123A batts until I got tired of replacing those and picked up some rechargable lithiums in that form factor.

While it's a PITA that it's MIA, I'm pretty sure it's probably ... right where I set it down ... when I last used it ...

There's several possibilities - most likely are the shop or the studio.

If it really bothered me - or if I was really worried - I'd spend the time and track it down.

But it doesn't ... and at some point I'll be working wherever I last set it down and it will pop up and I'll tell it:

"Well now ... I sure am glad you found your way back to me ..."

In the meantime, I'll just use one of the other ones ...

BTW - Orange is nice ... if I had one of those I probably wouldn't be missing my little buddy ...

 

[Popgadget]

I have bought a lot of flashlights over the years, and they just don’t last. Couldn’t find a working one last night. Not the batteries, usually switches in them.

I keep one of these in my pocket at all times. Brighter than a three cell Maglight. And rechargeable. Has a rare earth magnet on the back to stick hold it in place or use as a pick up tool. All of the mag lights that I have stashed everywhere, never get used.

I also keep one of these on the lanyard with my ID when I fly.

MYCRO

Rechargeable Turbo Keychain Flashlight

nebo.acgbrands.com

 

[riptides]

27 outside right now, heading to lower 40's. Quite windy yesterday. Today is a pickup sticks and branches day.

Personally, I use a headlamp. LED's that challenge a 747 landing lights at night. Has about 6 settings from, ahh...nice cool light to crap man my retinas are burned out. Including the strobe effect to alert and confuse not only aircraft but anyone in a two mile radius. It's a SLONIK brand. Don't know who got it for me but it is also small enough to be a pocket accessory.

Need to get busy this AM. Schedules to keep. LOL. Hope all have a great weekend. Be safe.