[Jim Skidder]

I've been offline because of this Texan snowstorm, it's terrible here.

The creek is frozen solid and my giant spiderworts are all dead.

[Jim Skidder]

And this cunt, our mayor, doesn't give a fuck.

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

The good Texans who elected the legislature and governor decided to turn the Texas power generation and distribution over to a profit making private company. As with most late stage parasitical capitalism, everything was neglected except making tons of money. If you have a tv and Dallas is shown, you'll notice all the streetlights and big buildings and banks are lit up and warm while people in their homes have no heat or water(frozen pipes). The private power company took Texas off the national grid. That means that areas with excess capacity could have sent electricity to Texas but it can't happen now.

The governor has pleaded with the Biden administration to declare an emergency and send tons of money, workers, and supplies to help and since the Democrats are the other capitalist party, they probably will. Many Texas legislators, including its two senators, mocked California for having wild fires caused by the power company and tried to keep federal wild land fire fighters out. They also voted against aid for New jersey and New York for hurricane Sandy relief a few years ago.

Texas - for every dollar is sends to the federal treasury gets back $1.24 - states like those in the northeast get back less than they pay in. Welfare for the rich and for those who won't govern responsibly.

[Jim Skidder]

No let up with our weather, I had to take a bike ride to the big city just to buy a cup of tea the other day.



Better news though, the temperature has risen and all the snow has melted.



The creek has become a drive-thru.

[Sonofsmegma]

Wish Teesside could experience weather like that more often.

[Jim Skidder]

It's all Biden's fault, I read about it, I knew I should have voted for Trump.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 05398.html

My little shack is ruined.

[Dr Ron Jock]

It's all Biden's fault, I read about it, I knew I should have voted for Trump.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 05398.html

My little shack is ruined.

Texas voted Republican you thick cunt, but it serves you right if you voted for the other lot, it would be God's command.

Donald would have made Texas safe and definitely not had a nigga chick as his second in command.

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

It's still winter on Mt Washington this morning: -8F and wind a steady 86 mph

[Jim Skidder]

It's warming up here in Texas, but more rain is forecast for next week.

I will be very busy on the high prairie reviving all my coneflowers and spiderworts before the next deluge, and my shack is still awash.

[Sonofsmegma]

Hope things dry up there soon Jim.

It's a shame the river Tees doesn't flood and carry Routemaster and his house - and his fucking bus - out to sea.

[Jim Skidder]

The rain missed us so Mrs Skidder was able to fix the shack up.




One of my dafs has started flowering.

It's going to be 80f in a few days, so I'm looking forward to lazing about on the veranda, fuck the spiderworts and the goldeneye phlox.

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

Mt Washington this morning


temperature: -26F
wind chill -79F
wind - 101 mph
wind gust - 121 mph

a nip in the air, eh?


Wind gusts are expected to reach 150 mph and the wind chill factor to remain at -80F or a little lower until the temperature rises a bit and the wind slows down as the pressure gradient tends to even out. Probably a good morning to linger over the second cup of tea.

[routemaster]

I’ve just been reading up about Mt Washington - apparently in 1880 a stage coach driven by a drunk driver crashed killing one passenger. Just the one?

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

It was a controlled crash


There is a funicular train that goes from the bottom to near the top on one side. There is a paved road on the other and bus service. We took the bus and walked down climbing the three peaks on the way - bottom is about 1500 feet. It was a tougher day than I bargained for with half of it above tree line and quite a bit of bouldering to do.

[routemaster]

I wonder what possessed someone to climb up there in the first place?

[Father Hasil Cocteau, SJ;]

It is an easy walk-up from at least two sides so I guess curiosity. Why do people climb all 53 14,000 foot peaks in the USA not counting Alaska? Or Everest or K-2? Or Alconcagua, the highest peak in the western hemisphere?

Wheeler Peak, a 13,000+ peak in what's now Great Basin National Park, Nevada, was an integral part of the heliograph communication network that stretched for 1000 miles. Being very clear in that arid area, heliographic signals could be sent from peak to peak in a matter of minutes. The remains of the station are still there, or at least they were the last time I was on top. There are also 3000 year old bristlecone pines in the park. It was a lonely existence because hardly anyone lives in the area today and there were just scattered Paiute camps in the 19th century.