No, I am not referring to the term of a US President, whose identity will change one way or another next week. Four years ago today, my wonderful wife and I flew from Philadelphia (no, we did not live there) to Phoenix on one-way tickets to begin our lives as Arizonans.
So much has happened in those four years and, as is the case with life, not all of it has been good. We all have to deal with good and bad because that’s life.
I wish I had something more profound to write. We are, as I have mentioned, dealing with multiple serious family health issues. We have no control over how any of that turns out.
We are, however, very happy to have relocated to the Valley Of The Sun. Hindsight is at least 20-20, but perhaps this is where we should have moved after we left Texas instead of spending 12 years in the mid-Atlantic. Can’t change the past, but maybe–just maybe–we can learn from it on occasion.
******************
OK…I worked for the New York Yankees as a consultant in 2001, the year they lost the World Series in seven games to the Arizona Diamondbacks when their closer, who is–ridiculously–the only player ever unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, blew the lead in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Seven. I worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers as a consultant from 2004 to 2006.
The current head baseball honcho for LA, Andrew Friedman, ran the Tampa Bay Rays and hired me as a consultant in 2006. The team had never had any success since its inception in the late 1990s. In my third season with the team (2008), they won the American League championship before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. People may not believe it now, but the Rays were favored to win that World Series. I worked for the Rays for five seasons, which included another trip to the playoffs in 2010.
I guess I am writing all of this to show how connected I was, sort of, to the World Series that ended last night with the Dodgers defeating the Yankees four games to one. However, I still have not watched the World Series–not even one inning–since 2009. For far from the first time: if you prick us do we not bleed?, if you tickle us do we not laugh?, if you poison us do we not die?, if you wrong us shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we shall resemble you in that. Thanks, William Shakespeare.
******************
As reported in this CNBC article and elsewhere, JPMorgan Chase has begun suing customers who allegedly stole thousands of dollars from ATMs by taking advantage of a technical glitch that allowed them to withdraw funds before a check bounced. The bank filed lawsuits in at least three federal courts, taking aim at some of the people who drew down the highest amounts in the so-called infinite money glitch that went viral on TikTok. A Houston case involves a man who owes JPMorgan $290,939.47 after an unidentified accomplice deposited a counterfeit $335,000 check at an ATM, according to the bank.
Again, even with the highest of high tech, it all boils down to human fallibility and that includes human greed. I seem to remember a case where a bank issued a check for some type of refund to a customer. However, instead of the correct amount, something like $50, the bank issued a check for $98,002. The customer lived in Auburn, Washington and his home address was in zip code 98002. The person deposited the check, waited a week and then withdrew the money in cash. I don’t think he was apprehended by law enforcement for awhile.
******************
This CNBC piece is about how many Chinese kindergartens are being turned into senior care homes as China’s birth rate continues to plummet even after the end of the very misguided one-child policy, a policy enforced through draconian methods like paying people to rat out their neighbors who had more than one child. The Chinese government is evil and, as I have often written, is engaged in a desperate effort to bring the country to something approaching first-world wealth before its population implodes. The “government” will use any and all means–legal and illegal, ethical and unethical–to reach its goals.
******************
Again, I will not link to any Free Press article because you cannot read it without a subscription. Abigail Shrier’s piece titled, “The Kindergarten Intifada” is frightening. The sub-head reads, “There is a well-coordinated, national effort between teachers, activist organizations, and administrators to indoctrinate American children against Israel.” Of course, this is exactly what Arab children have been exposed to for years. Look at the havoc that effort has wrought.
I will write once again that much of the blame falls on bad and absent parenting for allowing this to happen. Of course, school administrators, operating in a vacuum, can then do as they please and manifest their left-wing, anti-Semitic attitudes that they learned while getting degrees in “Education.”
******************
Clillary Hinton called Drump supporters “deplorables.” The lame-duck President called the same group “garbage” on Tuesday night. To me, these are just two examples of the smug, self-righteous and arrogant nature of so many on that side of the political divide.
******************
This Hemmings article is about a 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto that self-immolated in New York. The Revuelto is a hybrid. Here is the picture from the piece, but I can’t confirm with 100% accuracy it’s a photo of that particular car on fire. Fortunately, no one was harmed.
I don’t think this story, or the many others like it, will ever be seen in “mainstream news.” Electrification is NOT the answer. Internal Combustion Engines running on synthetic, non-petroleum based fuels IS.
******************
Forced induction, like supercharging or turbocharging, should also be part of the effort to reduce tailpipe emissions. By the way, did you know that cars and trucks are responsible for only 15%-20% of global CO2 emissions? Forced induction allows engines of smaller displacement to have some power and yet burn less fuel, which means lower emissions. Of course, forced induction systems for smaller engines usually means turbocharging and not supercharging.
This recent article in Automotive American gives a brief history of turbocharging in the US auto industry. By the way, despite the blog name I think the author lives in the UK.
My current vehicle has a supercharged engine of relatively small displacement that gives the car real power and acceleration, but which has allowed it to average nearly 30 MPG since it has been on the road. My next car is very likely to be powered by a turbocharged engine of almost identical displacement that allows it to have a sub-4 second 0-to-60 time and still get more than 30 MPG on the highway. Actually, given how the EPA “understates” gas mileage (in all honesty, it’s outright lying) I suspect a Supra will get about 30 MPG overall. Yep, have to show that photo one more time, even if it shows the F-Type with its old wheels.
I have to keep telling myself that March is not that far away. The probability I can wait that long is not 100%.
#FourYears!
PS, in my current battle with WordPress to downgrade my plan that will mean no more ads for readers but also no more uploading of videos, one possible outcome is the total cancellation of my account. I doubt that will happen, but just wanted to let you know it could happen. If it does, you could try to look for “Disaffected Musings” on Substack.
PPS, OK I downgraded my plan. I’m not sure if https://disaffectedmusings.com will work anymore or if you have to use https://disaffected-musings.com. WordPress SUCKS!!