Sunday Rant - 3413

[date Sun, Aug 25, 2013 at 10:58 PM]

PN:

If only the above motivational poster were true….. Lots of excitement at the homestead this weekend. Woke up Saturday morning thinking that the clothes washing machine was kind of loud. Then I remembered I hadn’t started the washing machine……..

The hot water tank had reached the end of it’s service life. Here’s how it looks in (early) retirement –

The new tank installation was a challenge, because the world has changed to “lead free” solder. Little did I know that the lead free solder works best with (fresh) lead free solder flux. The new solder has two primary make-ups, the difference being melting point. I did not know this. The fix on Saturday night wasn’t fixed – 4 leaky joints….. Perseverance was rewarded. I taught myself to solder with “lead free” solder, and late Sunday there are no visible leaks, water or gas. Here’s a picture of the new tank in it’s place –

My wee housey was built in the late ’60’s or early ’70’s – it has cloth covered wiring. As such there is a real need to assess “upgrades” to worn out or timed out appliances / services / structure. I figured this would be a good time to take the next step in converting from all copper water infrastructure to PEX. Here’s a picture of the modest beginning – a bridge from the new feed to the old distribution. A winter project for sure (unless something else demands attention) –

A website of note…………. www.todayifoundout.com ………….. (did you know the first legal slave owner in the (soon to be) U.S. was a black man?):

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/08/the-first-legal-slave-owner-in-what-would-become-the-united-states-was-a-black-man/

As the immortal Chuck Berry said it, “c’est la vie, it goes to show you never can tell”……………. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoDPPgWbfXY

CANADA

There is always a reticence to discuss “indigenous peoples” in polite society. What with “Raven” and “Coyote” and “Crow (not Russell – that’s spelled different) and “Salmon” all telling “the way it was (and is……)”, the only certainty is that they were here at the start of time – and no argument contrary is permitted. Not so fast, Beaming Moon Cloud………….. A University of Pennsylvania-led team of anthropologists says Native Americans started migrating away from the Altai region – which lies at the intersection of what is today Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan – roughly 20-25,000 years ago. Pass this on to your native friends. They are “immigrants” too:

http://www.tgdaily.com/general-sciences-features/61062-native-americans-traced-to-siberian-mountains