Saturday, January 28, 2017

Water experiments conclude

Prev    Next

Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.

Looks as though the new interface with the tea kettle is as bad or worse than the old interface. It seals okay, but there is some contamination somehow.  It shouldn't be happening, but something is definitely happening, and this is the likely culprit.

This concludes these experiments.  It wasn't to be a serious device anyway.

I learned that using non-contaminating materials is important.  Perhaps even crucial.  The commercial device which uses stainless steel could be the ticket.

This has implications for the solar device.  What do you use in the solar device, which won't contaminate the distillate?  Perhaps you could use some stainless steel.  Painting the device is probably not a good idea.  Anything that contacts the water must be pretty stable and non-toxic.

Perhaps this experiment was worth what I learned.



Trump and the Church Militant

Trump and the Church Militant: How ‘bout them apples?

comment:

happy warriors, but rinos are wimps like the Bushies


While there is still time

Things are getting worse.  It may be accelerating.  Seems like I can't do much anymore to escape the pain.

While there was the opportunity, I thought I would warn you about something.  I've been fooling around with these people for over three months now.  Nothing has happened even though these people have to know that I have a serious condition.

The first MRI was in October.  That was when the mass was detected.  It took over a week to get that information to me.  Why so long?

It took nearly three weeks to get the next MRI, which was ordered based upon the findings of the first.  Why three weeks?  Should it not have been done immediately?  Indeed.  Why not call me in for another MRI right after that mass was found?  Why would it take three weeks to get another MRI when these people had to know that it was a serious condition?

But wait.  After the second MRI, it took three more weeks to see a neurosurgeon who was to do the biopsy, which was recommended by the second MRI.  Again, why three more weeks?  After the second MRI, it should have been apparent that something should be done as soon as possible.  In fact, that was what the PCP said to me.  I was told this as if it were my fault.  What am I supposed to do, operate on myself?

Of course, that wasn't the end of this nightmare.  No, no, no.  It has been another two months since that doctor's visit, in which the neurosurgeon told me that it could kill me.  If it was so serious, why wasn't something done right away?  Well, something was done right away.  But the biopsy got cancelled somehow for the flimsiest of reasons.

It was to be rescheduled, but that never happened.

So, here I am, waiting for medical care that should have been given expeditiously, but is being withheld.

Money was the issue?  I still had insurance in October.  I have "insurance" now, but nothing is happening even now.  Even after all this time.  I saw the doctor on Tuesday.  He asked me the same question.  It is like it is somehow my fault for their lack of effort, or what have you.  Nothing seems to happen.  This latest doctor says call him in a week if nobody calls me in for an appointment.  Again, why a week?  After all this time?

I don't think they can blame this on money, or the lack of it.  The fact is, they just don't want to treat my condition.

Obamacare was supposed to help me.  Okay, where's the help?  Don't see it.

Just thought you people might want to know the truth about what is happening here.

Ah, the truth.  Or does that matter to anybody anymore?


Update:

Note that I haven't named names.   I could, you know.   Some of the names are of people who have high falutin' reputations.  Well, maybe it isn't their fault, but you are judged by the company you keep.


Friday, January 27, 2017

Ray Price

Song written by Willie Nelson.  For the good times may ring a bell if you don't recognize him here.  I didn't.




Thursday, January 26, 2017

Fabrication aggravation

This one won't go into the off-the-grid series of posts.  This is decidedly trial and error, mostly error.  The thing I am trying to do now is to fabricate an interface between the tea kettle and the tubing, which won't leak, nor will it degrade under heat and pressure of the steam. 

The last iteration of the device included an automotive heater hose from the kettle to the tubing.  It degrades under the aforesaid conditions, and fouls up the results and every darned thing else.

I am cleaning up the parts again, plus making the mentioned upgrades.  However, the upgrades are leaking.  It is necessary to keep working at it until the thing can be ready for another run.

Update:

I may have something that won't leak , but may leak at the end where the kettle connects to it.  I haven't tested it yet, since it required more work, and now that work is completed.  If this part leaks, then I will have to make another  If the fabricated part doesn't leak, then I need to make a gasket of some kind so that the two pieces can be joined together, and then I will have something.

Update:

Finished fabrication.   If it works, then the next run can take place.  If that happens, and all goes well, I could be "in business".

Update:

Did a run.  No leaks, but still not getting clean water.  It does look like contamination of the remaining water is no longer taking place.  The dirty water must be coming from somewhere else, but where?



Funeral today

Perhaps I should attend, but I am not going.  It is a long way over and a long way back.  That last trip to Houston took a lot out of me.

Hopefully my absence will not cause a problem.  I suppose I could show up.  However, I have decided to follow other priorities.  My regrets are genuine.

I liked my brother in law.  He was good natured and was hard to dislike, if you were so inclined.  He gave no reason to me to be so inclined, and I am not.  He was pretty good to my sister.  He and my sister raised two fine young men ( not quite so young now ).  He liked to work and felt pretty badly at the end when he couldn't do it anymore. 

Time will have its way with us all.  I think I can say he led a good life.  I hope the same could be said of me when it is all over.

Update:

It's over now.  All went well, so I have heard.  His appearance was good for the viewing.

He had a conventional service, for want of a better description.


Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Mary Tyler Moore dies


She seems so young here, but she was in her thirties back in the early seventies when this  show was on.  She was eighty years old.

I liked her.





Update:

It just so happens that I had some DVDs of that show.  The character that she played was of a certain character type that might be called "super-agreeable".  The curious thing about such a character is that everybody loves a super-agreeable, but such a person can neither exert authority, nor be taken seriously.  One of the episodes covered that very fact.

Another thing here, and this one relates to an observation about TV characters:  sometimes characters get mixed up with the actor, so that Mary Tyler Moore is thought of as Ann Richards, the character on the show.

I would never make that mistake.  ahem



George Strait All My Ex's Live In Texas Lyrics



Hey!  That's where I learned to swim.




Monday, January 23, 2017

Glutton for punishment

Prev    Next

Another post in the water sub series in the main off the grid series of posts.

Just  to be sure that it is the rubber degradation that is fouling up the distillate, I made another run.  This time I was meticulous in cleaning up the apparatus.  A lot of gunk was removed, and fairly clean water was used.  However, the leftover water from the distillation ( the water in the tea kettle at the end of the run) was very dirty, and there was still a rubbery smell to the distillate.  The final result was not perfect, but it can be better.

That was the last run with the rubber near, or on the kettle.

The dehumidifier has collected a gallon and a half so far.  Not exactly a lot, but it is mostly indoors, so it isn't optimized.

Practice makes perfect, it has been said.  Will work on getting there, even though it can be frustrating at times.

Update:

This may be more appropriately posted In the power subseries, I will mention it here.  Plumbing was an issue in  getting the passive solar heater together,  and I report that I have made some progress.  It should have been completed today, but I goofed again.  Need some more parts, and then it may be ready.

Little Marco at it again

During the primaries, I discovered how much I detest Marco Rubio.  This latest business with the Tillerson nomination reminds me of why.  He is a stinking liar.


Death in the family

My brother in law has passed away.  It was on early Sunday morning, or so I recollect hearing.  He lived near Houston with my eldest sibling, my sister.

Names aren't mentioned here, as I respect privacy.  I use my own name by choice.  I do not impose my choice on others without permission.

A question has arisen as to what to do with the body.

This one hits close to home because I may be on the way out soon, myself.

I was going to write to Ann Barnhardt and see what she thinks.  But then, I could look it up myself.  You can find anything on the internet.  Here's what I found.

Barnhardt is Catholic.  I'm not Catholic or anything else at this time.  I do like to read the Gospel of John, who was close to Jesus Christ Himself.  What I have read there convinces me that some of what the Catholics teach is correct.  However, there does appear to be a problem in that church, and that is another matter not to be discussed here in this post.  I respect what she says, and like to read her stuff.  But I am not so sure that this church is the only way to go, especially these days.

I was leaning towards cremation, but something about that bothers me.  It is too much like Hell!

Clearly, bodies cannot be allowed to stack up, as the human race is now numbering over seven billion souls.

It seems to be one of those "good questions".  A good question isn't answered easily.

Since I am a "space cadet", the idea of launching a body into space struck me.  Still too costly.  Besides, you don't want human bodies floating around up there.  Perhaps a mausoleum on the moon?  Still very costly.  Also, to send the bodies into the Sun would be costly as well.  The same fate as would happen with Earthly cremation would befall the body.  Only more dramatic as the Sun would vaporize anything that fell upon its surface.

That would bring us back to traditional treatments.  One thing I hate though, is the commercialization of every damned thing.  The cost of funerals is re-damned-diculous.

It is as bad as our so-called health care system.

Oh, my!  It never seems to end.

The Malta Treatment may be the answer.  But somehow, I suspect that somebody in politics would say you can't do that.  Or somebody in the church would say you can't do that.

It's cremation or getting screwed by the funeral service types.  A typical cremation isn't as expensive, or so I think.  Another one to look up on the web: and here it is.   Still seems rather pricey, though.

Money is always a problem.  Even when you die.

One can always put off that decision, but eventually you run out of time.  My time may be nearly up, so I had better decide soon.  But I can't.  However, I will before it is too late, and others will be forced to decide.


Sunday, January 22, 2017

obligatory, 1.22.17

Very windy start to this day.  It is shaking the trailer.  There may be damage for all I know.

Most likely, this would be a frequent event on the land out west.  I will need to think of ways to firm up the trailer.

If there is anything I am accomplishing right now, it is finding out what I don't know.  On that score, there's plenty.