All three tube-type oscilloscopes are gone. So’s a signal tracer, two full-sized vacuum tube voltmeters (VTVM’s). And an early Heathkit Signal generator. Poof. In a cloud of fury powered by Mrs. Olson. Headed to eBaying in future weeks. (Email me if interested.) I’ve decided that for the balance of my seventies, I’m going to focus … Read More
Money first. Then a ton of interesting projects that keep us busy. We’ll do a “photo-stroll” around the shop (as of Tuesday morning) so you can get more of a feel for what Making and Doing are like outside the confines of cubicles and 300 square-foot living spaces. And why retired is usual just tired. Hosed … Read More
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
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
Last weekend’s column – the part about the Chinese sailboat build? Well, that led to me mixing up another batch of Durham’s Rock-Hard Water Putty. And that – in turn – had sent me sneaking into the kitchen. Elaine and I have very different ideas on recycling certain food containers. She looks at everything as a … Read More
Short for “Operations Tempo” it’s the kind of thing military commanders coordinate. One flank moves at a certain speed while another moves at something else. Between, an enemy is “herded” into a disadvantageous position. In markets, there is an OPTEMPO, as well. Sometimes sector moves are fast, or at other times, painfully slow. This morning … Read More
With our book on do-it-yourself home power now up on Amazon, most of the week here was focused on the next book – The 100-Year Toaster. Not surprisingly, no one has yet bought a single copy of Power in the Second Depression. It’s free on the Peoplenomics.com website in the Reader Bookshelf section. The 100-Year Toaster … Read More
Ever get tempted to buy one of those inexpensive Chinese model sailing ships on eBay? Great value – way cool. The one on the right there is a good value if you want an introductory project to real model-making skills. $11.33 each plus $3.36 for a SpeedPAK from China. The seller is m.cloud-2 out of Shanghai. … Read More
If you have ever tinkered with any kind of serious welding gear, there’s one simple – inescapable fact – that we can’t get around. Stuff’s heavy! You need a cart. Now, not everyone has a poured and polished leveled concrete shop floor in their home. Out here in the woods, my shop is a “redneck … Read More
How to become a High Output Production Writer (Part 2) This being a holiday weekend *(Easter tomorrow), we will ease into part 2 of our discussion of the writer’s craft. In part one, we went over software, settings, lighting, screens, colors, moods, keyboards…all those “little things” that don’t get the attention due them by casual … Read More
Reader note: 7:12 AM. Bit later than usual with our Sunday Epistle. But there have been some strangish things afoot here… Texas Twilight Zone Yessir, fine Saturday in the outback, until we got to the power outage part at about 4:20 PM lasy night. Right in the middle of cocktails (champaign or rum) and the … Read More
How to become a High Output Production Writer (part 1). While Wednesday Peoplenomics reports are almost entirely income, expense, and getting-ahead oriented, several readers have asked for a “short course on writing.” We get to be “of a certain age” and the impulse to share with future generations is a natural instinct among “elders.” We … Read More
Two items to go over today. One is the visiting firefighter learns cutting and welding. The other is a longish discussion of tool use. To hell with Covid. I have a bigger problem: Messy Bench Disease. MBD. One of the continuing problems around the ranch – and my office – is that I have a … Read More