ShopTalk Sunday: Combat Loading – Material Handling

Actual progress around the Ure joint, even with the house guest this week.  Elaine’s son is an extremely useful fellow.  Having run something of a Home Handyman Service before going to work for the post office. Hard to explain to people sometimes, how useful (and valuable!) that wide range of “hands-on” work can be.  Seems … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Ice Storm Aftermath/Radio

Sheesh.  Not a fun week for Ure. Turning 74 this month, I thought the Sun was supposed to come out, not go falling apart on us.  And golden years?  Pah-leeze! Got up at 3 AM (*brain on fire, couldn’t sleep) Friday morning.  Wrote column, futzed around, ate and then my neighbor showed up and in … Read More

Quoting Myself, Fed Dread II – Nightmare on Wall St.

Check back for the Housing report in a few minutes.  Employment costs and more in a sec, too, (scroll down) but let’s start lightly… Quoting Ure You know why we don’t put our Peoplenomics.com content out in the public eye, right?  Because we offer some really useful ideas over there.  Here’s an exact quote from Saturday … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Industrial Arts Revival?

I keep looking for Educators to get sick of re-dividing America.  Rather than tell us how we are “All different” and “All special” it would be refreshing – as we see it – to bring back at least some baseline “Not a Victim” hands-on skills. I looked over the last month of two of Amazon … Read More

A Word from “Mr. I Told You So” – Housing data

How long ago did I tell you?  We are likely in a large Wave 3 down now.  Hold that thought.  Couple of hot economic numbers to deal with before we go deep. Breaking: Housing Data Or should we call it “partly broken?” Key part: Building Permits Privately?owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Woo-Woo Event? Fire Tank Arrives

Since this is a holiday weekend (no work Monday for many) I didn’t get serious in the shop real early Saturday.  Too damn cold.  It was 26 F and will be in the high 70’s today.  You know the saying: “Pappy didn’t raise no fool.” Besides, I’m grappling with a case of woo-woo. Hell of … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Chair Repair & The R.A.S. Project

I spend a ton of time in my office chair.  Every day of the week, I’m out here in my “office” from, at latest, 5 AM until I knock-off, which is at earliest, 3 PM.  That’s when markets close here.  Now, to be sure, I try to get up and walk around for a few … Read More

GOPeed in D.C. Loserville – Jobs Falter (along with Markets)

Not a fan of Joe Biden and his woke/left lying alliance of blustering bureaucratic blunderers.  BUT he managed to get one thing right, so credit where due: Biden: GOP speaker drama ’embarrassing,’ ‘not a good look’ | AP News “Bad Look” is Right I don’t like to use (highly-accurate, descriptive) words like “shitshow” at breakfast.  So, … Read More

Welcome to 2023 – Personal Notes

A lot going on this week and so no “ShopTalk Sunday” until next week. With the papal passing, we were dealing with our own loss locally.  Our beloved Zeus the Cat passed quietly last night after a long illness.  He was 96 in people years.  A good run for a feral cat lucky enough to find … Read More

Closing the Books on 2023: Not Very Good

A little “mood setting” is in order. Too many years as a rock & roll (and country) newscaster doing mainly mornings, teaches music first, then news. Perhaps “Wrap it Up” by Sam & Dave would work?  Or, perhaps, the “Long and Winding Road” would be better?  Well, to each their own. For us, Abba is more … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Red-necking Winter, User Dark Theme

Detailed User Note and Follow up first:  User Theme is now adjustable.  That little “crescent moon and stars thing” in the lower right of the screen.  If that icon is black background, you are in Normal (light) theme.  If the icon is white background, then you are in dark mode. People like me who have … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Shop Sound Systems, Habitat Book

The Chinese diesel heater is still working dandy out in the greenhouse lean-to we put up a year ago.  Just this morning, there was light rain coming down about 4 AM and Zeus the Cat (dealing with old age issues) didn’t want to come in the house/. One button press, and within a half hour, … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Design Failures — e-Spa Plan

Before we begin, an unashamed plug for Amazon (“get ’em while you can”) as Cyber Monday Power Tool deals are here.  Best seen with your spouse present (and you in handcuffs). If you’re not already maxed out from Black Friday, life is short and power tools are safer fun than chasing something extra (ahem) on … Read More