Automotive Night – One (or is it Two?)

This past Winter, I noticed one of the rear license plates light flickering. Uh oh, hopefully a flaky bulb (LED… supposed to last..) and not a flaky connection. Then I noticed that one of the rear brake lights was if not out, quite dim. Oh joy. And after a particularly nasty bought of the “Will it start” game, the Li-battery pack wasn’t charging via the main charger port.

A couple nights back I had a night off and went looking into the brake light issue. Swapped ‘bulbs’ left to right and vice versa. The problem moved. This was a relief. New bulbs are less annoying than tracing wiring flakiness. Replacements were ordered, and arrived yesterday (despite checking the box for slower shipping and Monday delivery). This this past night, the new bulbs (LED again) were put into service and the one good old one kept as a spare.

Went to look into the license plate light situation… and dark all around. Crap. This meant either both bulbs failed or the wiring did. Voltmeter time. And I’d been meaning to check the Lithium pack charger with a meter as well.

Results: Lithium pack charger was dead. No voltage out at all. Hrmm.. is the ‘lighter’ plug fused? Why, yes, yes it is. And the fuse tested bad – infinite resistance. Alright, simple fix, IF the charging circuitry isn’t fried and blowing fuses. On to the plate lights. Voltage! Nearly 12 V. Car isn’t running, other lights and things are on, so “almost 12 V” is good. Dig out an old bulb and try it. It works. The only problem is that it’s been so long since dealing with ANY filament device that I overlook that the dang things get HOT fast and managed to.. well, maybe it’s not a burn, or at least not a bad one, but I’m feeling it. The one bulb will do for a few days. Replacements ordered…

And then came Orvan’s Quest For Fuses. As this is a thing in a lighter plug, it’s the mini cylindrical style. Convenience stores (cigarette stands that sell motor fuel, and a few other things, on the side) only carry the blade style fuses. So, out to the truck stop, which tends have almost anything automotive that is somewhat user-replaceable… at convenience store or greater prices. Found the kind needed in a 2-pack, and paid IMO a bit too much, fully expecting that the replacement would be burned out instantly. Hallelujah! The expensive fast-blow fuse survived!

There’s more work to do. The cabin climate control fan needs replacing (I have the replacement, what I need is time, room, and decent weather) as it tends to either whine or scream. A new battery and new tires are probably both Good Ideas. And I recall the battery tray is fine, but the clamp (to the tray, not the posts) needs something. But I can look into that another night. For now, things are at least legal, if perhaps borderline.

Quieted the Pipes

A while ago the old washing machine gave out and was replaced. The replacement works well enough, but the valves in it shut off hard and fast. The result was that water flowing in the pipes suddenly had nowhere to flow to and there was a “water hammer.” This was not only loud enough to be noticed, but was subjecting the plumbing to shock.

Looking into things, there are “water hammer arrestors” that give the flowing water something to work against that has at least some ‘give’. A pair of the piston (rather than air bubble) type was purchased, and Sunday morning (after or just before a hardware store opened – just in case a visit would be needed) these were finally installed. Also confirmed that the hoses had been replaced with the good reinforced sort – if they had not been, that would’ve been a hardware store trip or such.

The installation itself was easy. Getting access to things was another matter. A small out-of-the-way cubby for a stacked washer & dryer might look nice, but it’s a pain to work in. Especially when the dryer’s power cord is only almost long enough when things are out far enough to do anything. The power was shut off at the breaker while things were worked out for that – mixing 240 V and even a little water? No.

But it did all get done, put back, and a load of towels (with a few left out nearby, just in case) run. No banging. No leaking. Huzzah. Double checked that the dryer vent hose remained connected (mirror on a telescoping stalk made this easier. Breaker switched back on. And while I can hear the washing machine, I hear the motor run (or the drum spin) and the water flow.

Is WordPress being stupid at you?

https://foxfier.wordpress.com/2021/03/29/wordpress-classic-editor/

St. Patrick’s Day Song (,A Biologist’s)

For this day, which might as well be called America’s Irish excuse to drink:

My Methylated Neighbors III

A few nights ago I noticed flashing lights (red and blue, mostly red) outside. Them again? Yup. Ambulance out front. And a couple squads, and one other vehicle that did not have lights flashing – though that might have been unrelated. A couple days later there was bit in the Police section of the paper about “Assisted ambulance at the $NUMBER block of $STREET. and nothing more. Overdose? Fight? Probably not, it was quiet earlier. Something unrelated? No idea. But yes I did think, “Well, there they go again.”

My Commie Went *SPLAT* on the Sea…

Over at accordingtohoyt.com I’ve had a couple times where I started to parody “My Bonny Lies over the Sea” with communists getting the Pinochet drop-treatment on and into the briny deep. This most recent time, Sarah pushed for me to finish the work. I posted a first pass here:

https://accordingtohoyt.com/2021/02/06/okay-fine/#comment-746634

That got a suggestion for a couple tweaks, which seemed reasonable, so I’ve incorporated them. Thanks to Roger Ritter. I decided to also change “to me” to “to we” to try to have it make that tiny bit more sense. Grammar suffers for that – and poetic license. I was also asked to provide a link so it would not be forgotten. Thus, I am putting a copy here. What amuses me perhaps even more than anything else about this, is that Sarah, on MeWe, explained that I was perhaps her “sweetest” blog commenter (evidently I’m not that good at this monstering thing) and I was doing this.

Anyway, this is the second-pass:

Commies go *SPLAT* on the ocean,
Commies go *SPLAT* on the sea,
Commies go *SPLAT* on the ocean,
O bring back our Liberty!

Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty, to we
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty.

O blow ye Commies out o’er t’ ocean,
O blow ye Commies out o’er t’ sea,
O blow ye Commies out o’er t’ ocean,
And bring back our Liberty.

Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty, to we
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty.

Last night as I lay on my pillow,
Last night as I lay on my bed,
Last night as I lay on my pillow,
I dreamt that Marxism was dead!

Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty, to we
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty.

Commies went *SPLAT* on the ocean,
Commies went *SPLAT* on the sea,
Commies went *SPLAT* on the ocean,
And that brought back Liberty.

Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty, to we
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back our Liberty.

My Methylated Neighbors II

A few days before the Big Goings On, there was a precursor:

“a small container containing 1.52 grams of meth, a glass meth pipe withe meth residue, a plastic baggie with meth, three butane torches, a digital scale, and two different kinds of pills. Both kinds of pills are Schedule II controlled substances. “

That was discovered in a backpack that was apparently forgotten at the local mall. The fellow who forgot it was also of that particular household. I wonder if the third member of the bunch will be in the news or if he is just lucky enough to lack a purse or backpack or such.

My Methylated Neighbors

That is almost certainly a wildly incorrect usage of the term “methylated” but it fits well enough with what non-(bio)chemists are apt to make of it. Not too far away, or perhaps not nearly far enough away, are some neighbors with what police have described as “interesting family dynamics” to coin a euphemism. Translated, it means it is not unusual to hear at least part of quite loud and vulgar arguments. Not even creative vulgarity, alas. These can happen at all hours, day or night. Generally, such are ignored. If they are enough to disturb sleep, well, that rates calling for some intervention.

I had been under the impression that the husband (I presume) was the problem, the wife (I presume) was the quiet, stable one, and the kid (well, the youngest of the trio) was following in father’s misplaced footsteps. This could be wrong, of course. I do not know the “interesting family dynamics” in detail – and I suspect that is for the best.

A bit over a month ago there was a LOT of police activity in the area. This is not new. Over the last several years it has come to the point where if I see two or three squads parked in the area I just kinda shrug and figure, “Oh, them again.” and go on with my business. This was different. Many more than three squads. Add a few sheriff’s cars. And a… couple other things? Checking the local newspaper’s web site the next several days revealed nothing. Not even a generic “responded to an incident at” entry. Odd.

Well, recently the coverage was updated with an article rather than a log entry. Here is an excerpt:

In the purse, officers discovered approximately eight grams of meth, a plastic baggie containing meth residue, a plastic baggie containing pills determined to be Xanax, a package containing psilocybin mushrooms, a meth pipe, and over $2,000 in United States currency. Xanax is a Schedule IV controlled substance. Psilocybin is a Schedule I controlled substance.

In the remainder of the house, officers discovered other paraphernalia containing meth residue and additional Xanax pills.

And their next door neighbors have at least a hint of being similar.

Yeah. Lovely neighborhood. I’m so thrilled. Then, the closer neighbors, who I know rather better even as nonsocial I tend to be, are good.

Moo.

Moo.

Happy Moo Year!

Happy Moo Year!