UPS dropped 5 Chex cereal boxes off today, 4 more Chex boxes to come.

I did't bother with the eclipse since it was not here and that can be seen via youtube.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Wet 'n' wild!

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Regarding fiber to the home... Since ~1 year I have a fiber loop burried in the lawn, ten meters from the front door of my appartment house. Now it is the task of the house owner (a cooperative) to lay fiber cables inhouse to the individual apartments. The fiber provider (former national telco) only pays for cheapest plastic ducts inhouse through the hallway, which the owner rejects. So it's up to him to finish fiber connections. Completion date is unforeseeable. Last time I heard about was 'end of 2023'.

With fiber, tariffs up to 1,000 MBits/200 MBits (download/upload) are available.

But my Internet is already sufficient without fiber. The majority of Germany's classic phone network in cities and most villages was upgraded to Fiber to the Node (FTTN) in the last decade (public subsidies). From the node (streetside cabinet) it's only ~250 meters of old copper wires to my phone jack which enabled VDSL2 (50 Mbit/s down, 10 Mbit/s up). Five years ago the telco renewed many line cards in the outdoor DSL access modules. Since then I could order so called "Super Vectoring VDSL" (ITU-T G.993.2 Annex Q, profile 35B... up to 35 MHz bandwidth) with a maximum of 250 MBit/s down, 40 MBit/s up. Telcos VDSL is extremely reliable here. Malfunctions are rare and short-timed.

I only pay for (throttled) 50 Mbit/s down, 10 Mbit/s up (€40/month: Internet & landline phone flatrate). 250/40 MBit/s would cost me €55 per month.

Fiber tariffs are the same than VDSL tariffs. Same data rates, same prices. Fiber 1,000 MBit/s costs €80/month; Fiber 500 MBit/s is €60.

I opted for IPTV (public channels in HDTV, usual commercial ones only in SDTV for additional €10/month. More channels, streaming, PayTV, etc. costs extra. This way I don't need a separate CableTV contract (~ €10 ... €25/month). Satellite antennas aren't allowed (rental conditions). Regardless if I own a TV or not I have to pay another €18.36 each month (household fee) for public broadcasting (TV & radio). Refusal leads to bank account seizure, fines; even imprisonment if fines aren't paid.

Back in the Delta. Low this morning was 57f and sunny. The high is expected to be 75f. It sure beats snow in Reno. I'm taking my kayak out today.

Quite a day with a few ups and downs... Literally.

So... We have today's progress with new equipment installation: Zero.

We have had lots of remedial work and frustrations... And everything is piling up onto Thursday...

At least two of the long running processes are running smoothly. However, there be many metaphorical worms to untangle yet... May involve buckets of 'em...

Here's gaining fortitude for what the morning brings!


(Oh... And I've suffered the first fish 'n' chips on account of there being nothing else. One of the group (not I yet) suffered a bad stomach a mere one hour later!...)


Hey ho!

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Heat pumps in clothes washer/dryer combos and they aren't vented, any experience out there?

Samsung @ 5.3 cuft $2,198.00, LG @ 5.0 $2,198.00, GE @ 4.8 $2,298.00 is what
I've seen on the Home Depot website, Lowes I have now looked there.

Turns out if I want to put my chest freezer next to one of these, then the width can't exceed 27", so the GE is out as it's 28" wide, my Freezer is 32.25" wide and the space where my washer and dryer are at is 59.5" wide. The GE is sold at Lowes for the same amount, the other two are 27" wide each.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Good start but already behind schedule for the day... At least we can get some good progress made!

What is that saying about best laid plans??


All under a sunless grey-white overcast.

And it looks like one of the team has a few days of a bad stomach to suffer... In a healthy contrast, I'm on my healthy lunch!

All good green-yellow colourful fun!

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

https://www.speedtest.net/result/16114144332

You bought the Porsche even though you know there are no roads to drive really fast... still... half a gigabit... is nice to have.

https://www.speedtest.net/result/16114144332

You bought the Porsche even though you know there are no roads to drive really fast... still... half a gigabit... is nice to have.

Its 1/2 the cost of the DSL line it replaced.

Such are the peculiarities of the prices charged by telcos for "service to the door".

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Are we winning yet?

Carlos - is this yours b any chance?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-68778690

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Hazy sunshine for a calm day, weatherwise at least.


So, we got a big delivery exactly to schedule early in the morning.

We now need to shift a few gears to do something with it!

And that has to be TODAY...

Meanwhile, there's a bit of a head scratcher still as to how best to fit things in place...


All good fun?

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

Carlos - is this yours by any chance?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-68778690

No. I wish it was. Redwood City has determined that it's illegal to allow people to live on the San Francisco Bay, so they have evicted all of the houseboats. Other cities don't agree. That house was en route to Sausalito which embraces houseboats.

Well that sucks, hopefully the houseboat will make it to the destination.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

It made it. Just took longer than expected.
Not your normal moving day.

Under a bright overcast. The sunshine must be up there somewhere.

And... Gaining access to get the job done is almost like an Indiana Jones archaeological 'adventure'... We're only two days behind where we'd like to be.

Meanwhile, a manager has asked why we can't "just do it"... There is no comprehension there that 30+ years have intervened and there's a lot of 'hubris' to undo and greatly improve upon...

New ways can be a very healthy Good New Way...

(However, doubt we'll get enough time for the sort of training needed to be given for good operations... Will 'good enough' be good enough?...)


All good fun.

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

I accepted a new job yesterday. I will be the NEPA Director for the Great Basin Institute. I will be helping with forest restoration efforts throughout the Sierra Nevada mountains and supervising conservation work for the US Forest Service, and local governments in California and Nevada.

Oh, it's sunny and clear. at 7 in the morning it's already 57f and high should reach 65f.

Congratz Carlos.
Sounds interesting.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.