In the New Year, if Tabs has a link to an article that’s paywalled, can you tell us the particulars in Tabs so those of us who aren’t subscribers to The New Republic can figure out which 2 new books about economics are being reviewed?
"In light of an official statement from the White House that President Biden was aware in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would knowingly defy two congressional subpoenas, we are compelled to examine as part of our impeachment inquiry whether the President engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding of Congress,” Comer and Jordan wrote.
OK, wireless charging in the road is a phenomenally bad idea. Typical charging losses for a parked car in a carefully aligned situation are from 30-60%.
Some newer systems can achieve 90-93% while PARKED, using proprietary systems.
Mis-alignment and low dwell times while driving on a road are going to lead to astonishingly bad efficiencies.
On top of all this, few if any EVs have the equipment to even use wireless charging.
This is going to be beta max vs VHS times a million in complexity to implement.
There are far better uses of the resources to solve EV charging. In the next couple years Toyota will release a new solid state battery the cant burn, and can be charged in 10 minutes. That will make all these band aid solutions obsolete over night.
The New Republic article sounds interesting, but it is paywalled.
On a personal note, had a tech in at 8:00 this morning, to look at the furnace and the dowsed pilot light on the water heater. He said he could do nothing; there is still too much water on the basement floor and the water heater will just have to be replaced, the insulation in its base has been rendered useless by being wetted. Why aren't water heaters always mounted a few inches off the floor? So, it seems the only thing to be done is to call my homeowners insurance people and worry about the inevitable premium increase next year.
IDK if a failed water heater is worth the insurance claim, or if it's even covered?
How old is the water heater? New ones are usually under $1000, and if you have someone handy in the friends and family group, they are not hard to replace, like for like.
Heck, I'd do it if I was not 3000 miles away.
And they are supposed to sit on a 3 inch slab of foam now, mostly for heat retention, but does help with some minor flooding.
Apparently there are now microwave water heaters that extremely affordable. It’s a good possibility that it would be less expensive to just pay out of pocket than make a claim because insurance. You pay it for years, make one claim and then they dump you. They’re assholes.
I already feel I'm on shaky ground with them; when I dumped Travelers to combine my existing Geico auto insurance with their homeowner's policy (thus getting a little discount on both) they wanted me to use the camera on my phone to video a virtual inspection for them, sending me a link to a program that was supposed to facilitate that. It didn't work, and I took both still and video pix for them inside and out, which they never got, and they just dropped it.
After I pay the first installment of my 2024 property tax bill, I won't have 1K in either cash or credit. And all my friends are scattered from Montgomery County to Maine. The one person I felt I could ask that kind of favor from died last year. Thanks again, easelox, for all your help with selling the Golf. I believe the WH is about 10 years old, I remember Dad had it replaced after I came here in 2013.
And minor flooding is what I have- and inch, inch and a quarter in the deepest corner of the uneven concrete floor.
That really sucks! 10 years is likely out of warranty, but worth looking it up if you can find the receipts. Some water heaters have 12 year warranties, rare, but they exist. Typical is 3-6 years.
One of the reasons I love this site are the awesome references like that Jim Carroll reference! What a great song! I love Patti Smith's cover too, where she ends each chorus by shouting "But we're alive!"
Wireless charging in the road? OMG what a waste of resources.
Each transformer/charging unit is several tons, the size of a storage pod. (like 8 x 8 x 8 feet minimum, basically a solid copper coil)
To wire up even one parking place is a dubious investment.
With the inefficiencies, it's a dumb idea.
Bus depots successfully deploy them, but the bus driver has to be specially trained to hit the target exactly, and then kneel the bus down for proximity.
Fun fact: if you're on the bus and your phone has wireless charging, it will start charging in your pocket.
It’s Thornton, helping you ring in the new year: https://open.substack.com/pub/martiniambassador/p/a-visit-from-thornton-right-on-your
what would it be like without you 'Tini?!! Crappy, that's what!
FAB presentation today :-)
The ghost of Guy Lombardo plays somorously in the background.
Is Thornton looking wilder, or is that just the perspective from our town?
Thornton!!
Salve, Thornton!
Thanks, Martini, I am honored. And Thornton is snoozing.
That's actually one of the first pics I took of him, at the PetSmart!
Also, for a second when I saw the gif, I thought, "Wow, that cat looks a lot like Thornton" before the penny dropped.
There’s nothing like a Thornton picture to get the clicks and likes 😄
You are such a good cat dad, recognizing which picture that was. I went through the Wonkette archives to find it.
That Thornton is SUCH a good looking kitty. Thank you, 'Tini!
Isn't he?!
There are ugly cats?
Mine has a missing tooth and freckles that make his nose look dirty.
Bat Cat XD It is his broken nose
I just saw the pic and Bat Cat is gorgeous, what broken nose?
Michael Rapaport’s cat Wilfred is ugly
No he’s not, I love him!
Ma!
You make a good point--I cannot think of one.
This guy's not having a good day. https://substack.com/profile/156178059-zap/note/c-46218114?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=2kzfrf
I guess my brain has been eaten by toxo because all I see is a beautiful lion mandible and ear shapes
Okay, that is one UGLY cat, poor thing.
The morning after a catnip bender.
Happy New Year!!! 🎉🥂🍾
I always enjoy the news stories you curate. Thanks, and Happy New Year!
In the New Year, if Tabs has a link to an article that’s paywalled, can you tell us the particulars in Tabs so those of us who aren’t subscribers to The New Republic can figure out which 2 new books about economics are being reviewed?
"In light of an official statement from the White House that President Biden was aware in advance that his son, Hunter Biden, would knowingly defy two congressional subpoenas, we are compelled to examine as part of our impeachment inquiry whether the President engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct a proceeding of Congress,” Comer and Jordan wrote.
Comer and Jordan knew in advance too....
🍑💨 goes Comer. 🍑💨 goes Jordan. 🏃♂️💨 goes the guy who gave the “visitors” the high fist.
OK, wireless charging in the road is a phenomenally bad idea. Typical charging losses for a parked car in a carefully aligned situation are from 30-60%.
Some newer systems can achieve 90-93% while PARKED, using proprietary systems.
Mis-alignment and low dwell times while driving on a road are going to lead to astonishingly bad efficiencies.
On top of all this, few if any EVs have the equipment to even use wireless charging.
This is going to be beta max vs VHS times a million in complexity to implement.
There are far better uses of the resources to solve EV charging. In the next couple years Toyota will release a new solid state battery the cant burn, and can be charged in 10 minutes. That will make all these band aid solutions obsolete over night.
It never ceases to baffle me why democrats are so shy about taking credit for their successes.
Personally, I'd sooner buy a hummer than a Hummer. 😉
“2023 was the hottest year in 125,000 years. Who’s the endangered species here?”
Sorry, WaPo rates this as mostly false as the thermometer wasn’t invented until 1654 and so we can’t prove it wasn’t hotter before that.
This is an actual argument in Oil Country. Ask me how I know!
The New Republic article sounds interesting, but it is paywalled.
On a personal note, had a tech in at 8:00 this morning, to look at the furnace and the dowsed pilot light on the water heater. He said he could do nothing; there is still too much water on the basement floor and the water heater will just have to be replaced, the insulation in its base has been rendered useless by being wetted. Why aren't water heaters always mounted a few inches off the floor? So, it seems the only thing to be done is to call my homeowners insurance people and worry about the inevitable premium increase next year.
IDK if a failed water heater is worth the insurance claim, or if it's even covered?
How old is the water heater? New ones are usually under $1000, and if you have someone handy in the friends and family group, they are not hard to replace, like for like.
Heck, I'd do it if I was not 3000 miles away.
And they are supposed to sit on a 3 inch slab of foam now, mostly for heat retention, but does help with some minor flooding.
Apparently there are now microwave water heaters that extremely affordable. It’s a good possibility that it would be less expensive to just pay out of pocket than make a claim because insurance. You pay it for years, make one claim and then they dump you. They’re assholes.
I already feel I'm on shaky ground with them; when I dumped Travelers to combine my existing Geico auto insurance with their homeowner's policy (thus getting a little discount on both) they wanted me to use the camera on my phone to video a virtual inspection for them, sending me a link to a program that was supposed to facilitate that. It didn't work, and I took both still and video pix for them inside and out, which they never got, and they just dropped it.
After I pay the first installment of my 2024 property tax bill, I won't have 1K in either cash or credit. And all my friends are scattered from Montgomery County to Maine. The one person I felt I could ask that kind of favor from died last year. Thanks again, easelox, for all your help with selling the Golf. I believe the WH is about 10 years old, I remember Dad had it replaced after I came here in 2013.
And minor flooding is what I have- and inch, inch and a quarter in the deepest corner of the uneven concrete floor.
That really sucks! 10 years is likely out of warranty, but worth looking it up if you can find the receipts. Some water heaters have 12 year warranties, rare, but they exist. Typical is 3-6 years.
Morning dear Wonketariat! I am baking 60 minute quick bread for sandwiches. That is all.
NYTimes: The US is on track for a record decline in homicides in 2023.
.
Reuters: Drug makers set to raise US prices on at least 500 drugs in January.
"These are the magazines that died, died."
One of the reasons I love this site are the awesome references like that Jim Carroll reference! What a great song! I love Patti Smith's cover too, where she ends each chorus by shouting "But we're alive!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejADCVBdUq4
"I don’t know, I am not a pavement scientist!"
Allow me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nEs3vODGrE
LOL
Wireless charging in the road? OMG what a waste of resources.
Each transformer/charging unit is several tons, the size of a storage pod. (like 8 x 8 x 8 feet minimum, basically a solid copper coil)
To wire up even one parking place is a dubious investment.
With the inefficiencies, it's a dumb idea.
Bus depots successfully deploy them, but the bus driver has to be specially trained to hit the target exactly, and then kneel the bus down for proximity.
Fun fact: if you're on the bus and your phone has wireless charging, it will start charging in your pocket.
I fail to see what any of that has to do with early 90s lo-fi indie rock!
apologies, I didn't click your link at first.
No apologies necessary; I was just goofing around.
same.
I am the king of missing the point and responding seriously anyway, so totally on brand.
Maybe you would reach your paid subscriber goal faster if the reward was not “cat photos.” I repeat my question: Why cats?
NASA Space Cat begs to differ.....
https://youtu.be/fWa7WWA8YsE?si=XjmCRl3q-UcMLz4w
Now, now....
https://youtu.be/IkOQw96cfyE?si=nZP2VyS18Qi3uz_g
As far as I know it's how you pay for things on the internet?
https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kritzer_01_15/
I would accept mandrill butts if it kept me from having to look at Donald Trump's pucker every day.
“From the comments, how to pronounce words good and do other stuff good too.”
Some of the words are “library” and “often,” God help us.