Good morning!!!!

[Wagtail]

Good "Tibb's Eve" (Tuesday) morning. Overnight Low of 11C and it's presently 21.6C, partly cloudy with a breeze. There was a paltry 0.2mm in the gauge @ 0900, but every little drop helps.

So far I'm contemplating going 'into town' to do my grocery shopping a day early, instead of tomorrow's Christmas Eve. Other than that, a few of my trees could do with a lower branch trim as my hat/earmuffs were nearly knocked off during my last mowing session.

Not much else going on, take care all.

 

[two_bit_score]

A lot of young, have no idea how finances work. Loans, interest, etc Schools have failed, they were too busy trying to get people to change their genders, when they needed to know how loans work, how interest works, etc... They can't even write. Pokemon didn't teach it either. Even my own are not as aware as they should be.
Our education system needs to get back to the basics.

Yet some people still think that more money poured into public education bureaucracy equates to better educated students.

It's the same with over designed elaborately styled school buildings that cost X multiples of what they should and could cost if built correctly for the purpose.

They don't get a better education in a billion dollar building when a million dollar building would do. And yet those multi-million dollar bonds financing those buildings, which also carry a huge cost to maintain and operate each year - ALL year long - keep getting passed somehow.

 

[two_bit_score]

I haven't been to the River Walk since the late 1980s. Remember eating at one of the mexican places along there, and getting sick afterwards...lol And how disappointing the Alamo was to see in the city.

Well, you're not from Texas so you get a pass if you can't appreciate the history of the Alamo. It really is a Texas thing - like Tex-Mex food.

 

[two_bit_score]

Yes, it is totally surrounded by "city". It is not the fort in the John Wayne movie. There is a Ripley's "Believe it or Not" across the street.

Phil Collins of Genesis had a big collection of artifacts that he donated back to the museum.

If anyone wants some great Texas history reading, google the Council House Fight, then followed by the Great Raid of 1840.

And here is a great book if anyone wants to read about the Texas Revolution.

Amazon.com

>>>Winner, T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award, Texas Historical Commission
Summerfield G. Roberts Award, Sons of the Republic of Texas
Honorable Mention, Certificate of Commendation, American Association for State and Local History

Hardly were the last shots fired at the Alamo before the Texas Revolution entered the realm of myth and controversy. French visitor Frederic Gaillardet called it a "Texian Iliad" in 1839, while American Theodore Sedgwick pronounced the war and its resulting legends "almost burlesque."

In this highly readable history, Stephen L. Hardin discovers more than a little truth in both of those views. Drawing on many original Texan and Mexican sources and on-site inspections of almost every battlefield, he offers the first complete military history of the Revolution. From the war's opening in the "Come and Take It" incident at Gonzales to the capture of General Santa Anna at San Jacinto, Hardin clearly describes the strategy and tactics of each side. His research yields new knowledge of the actions of famous Texan and Mexican leaders, as well as fascinating descriptions of battle and camp life from the ordinary soldier's point of view.

This award-winning book belongs on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Texas or military history.<<

 

[two_bit_score]

Good Tractor Morning TBS,

Thank you sir , good time had by all, here is a picture of the grands piled out in front of my oldest sons house.

They are sure having a great time!

 

[txdon]

Popgadget are any of your planes equipped with Garmin's Autoland?
Read in ABC News: Small plane lands itself safely with Autoland in 1st emergency use, company says — ABC News
"More than 1,700 in-service aircraft are equipped with the system, according to the company.
"According to Garmin's website for Garmin, Autoland "directs the aircraft to a suitable airport nearby for landing based upon a variety of conditions, including, but not limited to, weather, terrain, approach, runway and aircraft suitability."
The system does not work if the aircraft is experiencing mechanical issues, fuel exhaustion or if flight controls aren't able to move freely, the website states. "

 

[two_bit_score]

Sandhill Cranes have more of the Tan color in wing area during the summer months.
No peacocks at my place. I have seen them in the park about 2 miles west of me.

I have some friends who say Sandhill's are really fine eating.

 

[Popgadget]

Popgadget are any of your planes equipped with Garmin's Autoland?

No. Ours are equipped with Collins ProLine avionics. The latest generation of Citations have Garmin avionics and auto throttles (required for autoland) and autoland as an option.

 

[two_bit_score]

Beautiful Day today in east Texas!

Paid property tax today, made a run to drop off a load of cardboard boxes the Christmas presents came in. Will have much more the day after with wrapping paper and other packaging. I like to just write checks but the "financial director" likes the idea of actual presents for everyone.

Took the 3 year old to the grocery store today to just show her where milk comes from. Haha. But she really had a great time and enjoyed the trip. Of course, I said "yes" too often for things she wanted and got "the look" from grandma but overall it was great!

Hope everyone has a wonderful evening and in case I'm not back on GM for a bit - Merry Christmas!

Prayers for our Nation!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Well, you're not from Texas so you get a pass if you can't appreciate the history of the Alamo. It really is a Texas thing - like Tex-Mex food.

appreciate the history, just the city that grew around it dwarfs it.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have some friends who say Sandhill's are really fine eating.

I'd turn down their next invitation to dinner.

 

[Looking4new]

Long story (fairly) short:

We sit over a formation (big area) that the gas company owns the mineral rights to.

The original gas deposits were extracted back in the 1920’s/1930’s (Rockefeller I believe)

Once the original gas was extracted and that formation was played out, the gas company (East Ohio Gas/Dominion) started using the formation as a storage reservoir … as part of the logistics of getting natural gas to the East/Northeast US.

The gas mostly comes from out of state and is injected into the formation (“Nimisila Tar Sands” IIRC) during periods of low demand (summer) and then extracted during periods of high demand (winter) when the interstate pipelines alone can’t keep up with demand.

Just like our water well, the storage wells have a finite lifetime, after which they become less efficient as far as injecting/extracting gas.

When that happens, they drill a new well and shut the existing unproductive wells down and cap them.

There were at least 3 storage wells that I know of within probably 1000’ of our property. And more fairly close by in our local community.

One of them was within 100’ of our property line, at the other end. That one they decided to shut down and cap … maybe 15 - 20 years ago ?

As part of the original sale of the mineral rights (back around 1910/1920 ?) the gas company had the right to extract the original gas … and place storage wells on the property.

So when they shut down the well above, they needed another location to site the replacement well.

And guess what ?

We were it …

While I would preferred not to have a well on the property, there’s not really any fighting it … they own the rights.

Best you can do is negotiate the best deal you can with their landman.

They will pay some compensation (one time, fixed amount) for the disruption of putting the well in, loss of trees, etc - as well as a yearly storage lease fee ($63, big whoop … ) and provide free gas … up as long as they have the well operating.

Typically, in such an arrangement, they would allow 125,000 - 150,000 mcf of gas annually for the property owners use.

I was able to get them to toss in another 100,000 mcf to sweeten the deal.

So 250,000 mcf per year.

We use less than 150,000 mcf per year to heat our home IIRC … and we keep it pretty warm (73F in winter)

So should have enough to heat the barn and the shop … at least to some degree. Enough to keep things from freezing at any rate.

Have installed a 2” Polyethylene line in the ground over to the barn … but it’s not hooked up. Still need another riser to get that hooked up, as well as extending the piping here in the house.

No gas line run to the shop at the moment …

That is a sweat deal.

The family farm up until the last of the original family was alive, (I am a direct descendant) had the mineral rights on 300 acres. 200 got sold off and the 100 the house and barn is on has a gas well. Up until 40 years ago they still heated and cooked with the gas.

3 brothers came from Northern Ireland (about 39 miles south of Ulster) 2 came to Canada and 1 stayed in the states. They were my Great Grandfather and his brother. My Grandfather conned them into sending him to University for Pharmacy and the farm paid his tuition BUT he had to give up any rights he had to the farm. That is why I do not have the farm today. Such is life.
The farm was a Crown Land Grant/Century Farm. As a Crown grant they got the mineral rights too as long as it stayed in the family name and didn't get sold. My last name is the same as theirs. The Gaelic spelling is O'Saidhail.

Drew, I went with two Trojans for house batteries in my boat. They weren't cheap 10 years ago. I can imagine what they are going for today.

 

[two_bit_score]

I'd turn down their next invitation to dinner.

To each his own I suppose. It surprised me that anyone eats them but we all have different tastes in food.

 

[two_bit_score]

appreciate the history, just the city that grew around it dwarfs it.

There are so many historic sites in San Antonio that are now surrounded by the city. The Spanish Governor's Palace is one I have always admired. It is, like the Alamo, right downtown. Fantastic history there.

Spanish Governor's Palace (U.S. National Park Service)

Spanish Governor's Palace on the El Camino Real de los Tejas NHT

www.nps.gov

 

[sodamo]

Good Tractor Morning,
Can't invite the neighbors over for cider and run out.
not offering beer or wine, not at 2pm on a Sunday.
now maybe at 5...

Well Drew, I guess I better not tell you the story about my neighbor doing his leaves a few weeks ago and me bringing over a couple of Beers , at 10:45 AM

Drew, it’s always 5pm some place.

 

[sodamo]

got an annoying fine letter from PA Ezpass.
apparently when I drive my rv on the PA turnpike, because PA has no front tag, and I have
an Ebike on the back of my motorhome, their elevated cameras can't read the license plate.
The plate is not blocked at street level.

so either I pay a ten dollar surcharge every time I use the turnpike (heck no) or I take my bike
rack off. When I think of all the other folks in this state driving around with a bicycle out back, they must
sure fine a lot of people.

I'm going to dispute it, see what happens.

So what’s the problem? sent you a letter, guess they found you.

 

[Buppies]

Low in 20s yesterday high in 40s light rain now 41.

Woke up yesterday no power wreck on 220 power came back on at 4:30 second time this has happened.

Doctors visit still alive A1C under 7 so I’m still good

Son is in town good dinner

Prayers for all our Country

 

[daugen]

good morning all
coffee just beeped, ready for first cup and
34 out, snow starting to come down. One to two inches today, should make my trip
to doctor's a fun drive. Of course once it starts snowing, most people stay off the road.
I see another larger snow storm this week right after Christmas.
ho ho ho

Buppies, considering everything else you are dealing with,
maybe time to have Santa treat you with a new 24kw Generac back up gen.

 

[daugen]

Buckeye, I'm afraid those data centers are finally coming to impact you
this makes the recent stoppage of wind farm construction even more problematic

Residents of mid-Atlantic states like Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania who have spent years plagued by high electricity bills just got some bad news: Relief is not on the way.


As CNN recently reported, utility customers in Maryland and Washington, DC, are some of the first in the country to see the effects of the data center boom show up on their residential electricity bills. Much of that price increase is due to the anticipation of future demand. The energy industry can see that data centers and other customers are going to be pulling a lot more power just a few years from now. There’s not currently supply to meet that, so access to the extra electricity that will be needed soon must be secured in advance.


In the mid-Atlantic, those purchases are made through regional auctions. At a recent one, prices hit a record high — and would have gone up even more if not for a price cap set in the wake of a lawsuit brought by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.


Both the auction prices and the lawsuit reflect a growing dynamic in the region, which is home to the world’s largest cluster of data centers — in Virginia — and more being added in other states including Ohio and Maryland. Data centers are consuming far more power than currently exists on the grid, driving prices higher amid a scramble to own the rights to future power.

 

[ronjhall]

Coffee has been poured. 31° with cloudy skies this morning. Heading to 45° with cloudy skies. Water pipes checked out good. No more leaks. Did put up new insulation on all hot water water lines. Have a couple of small items to make in shop today. May help neighbor with his burn pile.

Everyone stay well and safe.

Good Morning All.