Window Wells and the Administration

Greetings Earthlings. We have spent the last four days doing maintenance on the window wells.  Spokane is the only place I've ever seen this style of building, which is not to say no one else does it.  There are two bedrooms downstairs, there has to be emergency egress in case of fire, so they put in windows that are partially below grade.  I have to tell you, the idea that a little kid will be able to open the windows, boost them selves out of the window, and then climb up the rusting metal ladder unaided is just stupid.  

Anyway, we've been recaulking and then painting the ancient window frames.  The worst part of all of this, is getting in and out of the well.  This is me moving dirt away from the window.  New gravel was added to keep dirt from bouncing up when it rains.  Notice the ladder on my right.  It's not secured to anything, there's nothing to hang on to when climbing out.  I hate ladders as it is.

Here is Jim painting.  He's 5 foot 11, you can see how deep these suckers are.  Thus far we've had one baby rabbit fall in (twice) and one quail chick.  Both were successfully rescued.

 Today was probably the last good day for the fried egg peonies.

Who knows what the AMOC is?  It's this.  The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a massive system of ocean currents in the Atlantic Ocean that acts as a global climate conveyor belt. It transports warm, salty surface water from the tropics northward to Europe, and sends cold, dense deep water back south.  It's critical to maintaining temperatures in Europe, and the tropics.  Currently the rate of flow is slowing.  How do we know this?  Science.  The US spent many years and dollars putting buoys in the oceans to keep track of temperatures, salinity, flow rates, and the AMOC.  47 in his infinite wisdom is having all of the buoys removed.  Now NOAA can't surveil the oceans.  This is just devastating for the US and the rest of the world.  Here is an unlocked article from NYT.  Of all the things that man has done, this has hit me the hardest, stupid just stupid.  Here is an AP article that's slightly better.

This is what NSF had to say about the reasoning behind this.  “…aligns with N.S.F.’s wider strategy to have a nimbler approach to prioritizing support for evolving scientific priorities and emerging technologies as well as a deliberate approach to smart life cycle management within its portfolio of research infrastructure.”

Iran has quit talking to the US.  They have the Strait of Hormuz, we have nothing to threaten them with.  When asked how he felt about this, 47 had this to say.

"I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less."

That's also what he said when asked about how he's feeling about the current US cost of living and people struggling to pay for gas and food.

Then there is this from Larry Ellison, supreme ass hat of the entire universe.  I'm not sure exactly who gave him the job of global surveillance.  

There is just so much about which to be outraged, but I think I'm just going to give it a rest.