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A variety of maps, writings, and photos on a various topics that can’t easily be categorized into a county or place.

Before the big rain and slop storm β˜”

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We haven’t had much rain this autumn but just wait for it – wait for it – two plus inches of rain is expected or maybe it will be more slop then anything, you know slush, road salt and big glops of wet white crap following out of the sky. Pretty much what one would expect these days.

I am just hoping for not too much snow up north 🌨️ or at least it won’t last long, as I plan to head north after Thanksgiving for at least three nights, maybe more. I am undecided but it could start out along the East Branch and then drive north to the Vanderwhacker Woods and ride either back to Camp Santoni or Essex Chain Lakes on the mountain bike, assuming there isn’t too much snow. But it’s good it’s going to be snow and wet, as I have plans for a big fire. πŸ”₯ Especially if there is a bunch of leftover pallets and other scrap wood from hunters who set up camp for the season. Plus more motor oil and other burnables I might have. I also probably will get up early on Black Friday to hike, hopefully before the crowds. πŸ‘ͺ No way in hell am I going anywhere need a store that day. It’s Buy Nothing Day for a reason.

It’s off to work after showering 🚿 on the mountain bike 🚡 for the last time this week as tomorrow will be much too wet, so I’ll be busing it. But it’s fine, I have afternoon meetings downtown, and I don’t exactly love riding up the State Street Hill, especially in the rain. Kind of a cloudy day today before the rain, but it looks like it will hold off until I’m home in the evening. Went for a nice evening walk, finished off most of the bean soup πŸ₯£ and this morning cooked up more rice and lentils with tomatoes. πŸ… Breakfast was cornbread pancakes I cooked up with lots of tumeric and more stevia then I’m proud to admit. It was too sweet with that fake sugar, and I didn’t remember to add any salt. πŸ₯ž Topped them with non-fat Greek yogurt. I’ve gotten into my dairy habit again, though I’m not eating those big blocks of cheese anymore.

Been spending a lot of time lately studying Autotools, Cmake, Visual Studio and Build Environments. πŸ–₯️ I am just trying to figure out what build environment I like best and what I should put my efforts into learning how to code. I feel like I have a very good grasp of C / C++ languages and also Rust after studying them but I need to get better at setting up a professional-like build environment to manage my code, and make sure every day I’m writing a little bit of code. I was all about Rust but that language has it’s limitations – – almost all of it’s binaries are statically linked – – and it’s one of those odd languages. But I also want to a good package manager, so I maximize my use of libraries while writing code rather then re-creating the wheel, 🎑 as results are more important then trying to create what has already been created by others who know far more then I do.

Also been trying to finish up my libraries books πŸ“š which return automatically on Hoopla today. I keep getting out my 10 Hoopla books each month, and then I get busy and only end up skimming half of them. There is so much to learned by doing more reading, but many nights, I get home and I’m fried, preferring to watch silly YouTube videos πŸ“Ί on my phone about homesteading or technical topics, especially old technology – – thinks that teach some things – – but aren’t really practical things. It’s not a complete waste of time, but I could be using my time better, though at times after work I”m so fried. 😴

120/240V Single Phase 3 Wire Explanation And Demonstration

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The split phase system in America is a bit confusing but actually it's kind of ingenious in the sense that no wire has more than a 120 volt potential to ground. But it turns out there is more than meets the eye - the nuetral line actually carries any current not equal between the two phases back to the transformer - and if it's disconnected only the lowest amperage of the two phases will work. Fascinating stuff.

Cannon

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Taken on Thursday November 5, 2015 at Notes.

Tuesday, Tuesday. 😎

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Another fairly decent day on tap with rain coming in on Thursday. So maybe I’ll be able to ride in tomorrow but that’s it for the week. I don’t love riding in the dark but what’s the alternative?

Nice morning this morning, sun β˜€οΈ is rising it is clear. Eggs for breakfast 🍳, last night was the bean soup. Cut back a little bit on the coffee β˜• this morning only two cups as the percolator was low and I wasn’t going to make up another pot. Caught a mouse 🐁 in the mouse trap after replacing a battery in it yesterday. The smell of baking bread 🍞 and the cold really brings them in.

Going to ride in a bit after showering 🚿 but first some reading πŸ“–. Today I’m going to try to not be late to work. Its not a big deal but it sets a bad example. It’s been busy at work lately. πŸ“ƒ With the sun, this should be a nice day for riding in. 🚴 The bicycle has been working good lately, the gears and chain nice and tight βš™ though I noticed it’s off a gear so I probably need to adjust the cable slightly to make sure i can get up into high. Figuring I’ll replace the chain again at the end of the year, this time myself. I have to get a cable breaker but they’re not expensive.

Ordered contacts online on Friday, πŸ‘€ and delivered them yesterday. I was going to the eye doctor but I hate my eye doctor and didn’t want to take time off. Plus they are always trying to upsell you on something. πŸ’Έ I should get checked out at some point, or really the solution is to spend the big bucks and get Lasik surgery. Then no more itchy eyes, expensive contacts, or solution to mess with. Get up as soon as you get up and see clearly, no more messing with glasses. πŸ‘©β€βš•οΈ

High Temperature in Albany in November, 2010-2024

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Date 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Nov 1 44 55 49 70 47 62 56 49 59 70 48 57 69 47 74
Nov 2 50 57 48 58 47 63 64 68 64 50 38 54 67 49 53
Nov 3 51 57 46 43 55 72 59 64 57 53 41 49 68 57 49
Nov 4 45 50 44 42 64 69 53 50 51 51 56 49 71 55 54
Nov 5 47 49 42 52 60 72 57 57 48 56 64 50 76 59 72
Nov 6 45 53 40 60 48 73 51 63 54 49 70 52 72 53 77
Nov 7 46 59 36 57 48 60 53 43 59 46 70 57 69 63 62
Nov 8 38 67 45 45 47 54 59 47 49 37 72 62 53 44 61
Nov 9 44 68 49 44 50 56 50 47 42 39 67 63 51 49 51
Nov 10 50 66 54 51 56 59 50 45 42 47 70 58 65 53 57
Nov 11 55 44 64 48 62 51 54 33 41 43 67 55 69 48 61
Nov 12 59 52 67 45 58 56 45 44 47 33 56 59 71 42 53
Nov 13 63 57 63 36 44 56 58 41 44 26 42 51 49 41 45
Nov 14 61 57 44 52 40 44 58 40 33 37 42 49 42 50 46
Nov 15 51 61 40 56 39 59 46 47 29 50 52 46 40 51 51
Nov 16 50 55 40 59 40 59 55 53 40 38 47 44 42 61 57
Nov 17 57 48 45 61 42 48 56 40 44 38 40 51 44 65 β€”
Nov 18 49 42 48 62 39 55 57 46 37 41 28 65 43 58 β€”
Nov 19 41 50 49 42 34 62 64 52 40 38 41 45 39 50 β€”
Nov 20 51 69 45 38 40 56 42 42 39 37 56 44 35 40 β€”
Nov 21 38 49 52 45 32 48 34 54 40 47 48 49 38 39 β€”
Nov 22 55 39 53 48 40 51 37 46 19 48 41 48 48 43 β€”
Nov 23 57 38 56 45 53 40 37 37 28 45 43 37 49 48 β€”
Nov 24 43 46 45 27 70 44 40 48 40 41 40 42 49 46 β€”
Nov 25 34 53 35 32 62 47 47 52 42 50 46 40 49 42 β€”
Nov 26 42 60 44 34 41 53 43 46 45 58 52 41 54 43 β€”
Nov 27 40 58 36 39 32 64 42 43 40 57 49 34 48 47 β€”
Nov 28 38 60 38 32 31 58 45 45 40 47 47 33 50 36 β€”
Nov 29 44 64 46 33 32 41 53 56 43 37 47 35 38 37 β€”
Nov 30 50 61 38 31 43 39 52 45 39 33 55 35 52 47 β€”
Andy Arthur, 8/20/24
NWS Observations, Albany Airport.

Rural America is Getting Redder

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ο»ΏI often think Rural America, at least in New York State is getting redder, while the inner suburbs and even some of the outer suburbs are getting bluer. Maybe that observation is antidotal, not based on facts, but I could also see that being true.

Rural areas are undergoing a lot of change, old ways of doing things are being confronted by a new reality of the world that doesn’t work the way it once. Technology continues to replace mechanical labor, automation means more economic output with fewer people working in rural areas. Natural resources are more regulated, but also are managed much more efficiently with greater output.

The problems of cities – pollution, crime, and violence – are spilling over onto the ways of rural life. While most rural areas don’t have a significant issues on this front, urban politicians which tend to be Democratic are pushing for one-size fits all solutions, noting the real problems they face. And that is generating a reaction against their policies in rural areas.