This. I have white marble countertops that remain pristine because I re-seal them every 9-12 months. Only takes an hour or two of total work and nary a stain (I'm totally tempting fate with that statement, but I am not particularly careful with them and they're great!).
"Not all stone countertops need to be sealed. Some types of granite, like Ubatuba granite, for instance, is so dense that it won’t absorb anything anyway. It has a very low absorption rate and a low chance of staining.
However, the vast majority of natural stone countertops do need to be sealed once in a while. This is particularly true of counters with a honed finish. For these stones, sealant plays a vital role in keeping your countertop resistant to stains. A sealant also makes it easier to keep your kitchen countertop clean and looking good.
Properly sealing natural stone is important because most stones are porous — Quartz, which is engineered from natural stone, is the exception to this rule. "
not sure we have a stand-out centerpiece, but we have a circular wooden dining table that seats 6-8 people, is made from Mexican mesquite, and weighs at least 200 lbs!
i havent fully decided yet. for 20+ years i have made chili cheese dogs, but being more health conscious and no eating much meat, i might decide otherwise.
our guests are bringing over some Philly pretzels .. even though i ams ure they dont care who wins
Am enjoying Shrinking (ATV+) more than the Guardian (or was it the NYT) thinks I should. I enjoyed E4 last night.
Watched the first 30 min of The Last of Us also. Started off (too) scary for me. But then had a time leap to (I think will be) "this is how day-to-day life is in this world", which I might be able to handle!
Can't believe SMU to the Pac is a real possibility but I 100% understand why Kliavkoff would want to get the Dallas market before settling the new deal. Big XII kinda scooped us by inking their extension.
FWIW, SMU has decent academics (and is looking to move up further) and officially separated from the United Methodist Church in protest of anti-LGBTQ+ stances, even defending a lawsuit. And we do need a new sanction magnet since USC left.
is not that great at having opinions ... Cal/Stanford was very ambiguous
is Alabama football better than Cal?
Comparing the football programs of Alabama and Cal is a matter of personal opinion, and it depends on what factors you consider when making a comparison. However, in recent years, Alabama has been one of the most successful college football programs in the country, consistently ranking near the top of the national rankings and winning multiple national championships. Cal, on the other hand, has had a more inconsistent record and has not been as successful as Alabama in recent years. Ultimately, it's up to each individual to decide which program they believe is "better."
I got through to ChatGTP. I asked it this as a history buff:
"Tell me about the fall of the Roman Empire"
The response:
The fall of the Roman Empire is a significant historical event that took place in 476 CE. It marked the end of Ancient Rome and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe. The Roman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in history, spanning three continents and controlling much of the Mediterranean world. However, several factors contributed to its decline and eventual collapse.
One of the main reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire was economic decline. The empire was facing increasing financial difficulties, which were exacerbated by rampant inflation and a declining currency. Additionally, the empire's vast size made it difficult to maintain a strong central government and to effectively defend its frontiers from invaders. The Romans faced threats from various Germanic tribes in the north, as well as from nomadic tribes in the east.
Another factor in the fall of the Roman Empire was political instability. The empire was ruled by a series of weak and ineffective emperors, many of whom were overthrown by their own military leaders. The lack of strong leadership and the frequent changes in power made it difficult to maintain a stable government and to effectively deal with the empire's problems.
The final blow to the Roman Empire came in the form of invasions by Barbarian tribes. In 476 CE, the Germanic King Odoacer marched on Rome, captured the city, and deposed the last emperor, Romulus Augustus. This event marked the end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.
In conclusion, the fall of the Roman Empire was a complex and gradual process, brought about by a combination of economic, political, and military factors. Its legacy continues to be felt in modern times, with the Roman legal system and its architectural and engineering achievements still influencing the Western world today.
CAL
Go Bears!!!
Centerpiece
Marble kitchen countertop. Did not realize how absorbent marble can be.
You are supposed to seal the marble or granite every 6 months to keep it clean.
This. I have white marble countertops that remain pristine because I re-seal them every 9-12 months. Only takes an hour or two of total work and nary a stain (I'm totally tempting fate with that statement, but I am not particularly careful with them and they're great!).
i did not know this .. we have lived in our house for almost 10 yrs w/o resealing counter
neither did I. an interwebs found this:
https://www.leshermarble.com/blog/how-to-seal-countertops/
"Not all stone countertops need to be sealed. Some types of granite, like Ubatuba granite, for instance, is so dense that it won’t absorb anything anyway. It has a very low absorption rate and a low chance of staining.
However, the vast majority of natural stone countertops do need to be sealed once in a while. This is particularly true of counters with a honed finish. For these stones, sealant plays a vital role in keeping your countertop resistant to stains. A sealant also makes it easier to keep your kitchen countertop clean and looking good.
Properly sealing natural stone is important because most stones are porous — Quartz, which is engineered from natural stone, is the exception to this rule. "
Now I gotta check what type of marble we have!
not sure we have a stand-out centerpiece, but we have a circular wooden dining table that seats 6-8 people, is made from Mexican mesquite, and weighs at least 200 lbs!
old photo in old house
https://photos.app.goo.gl/HMwE1coYXh7Jj2xr8
Central
Central air is overrated and Americans are addicted to it.
Mini splits are the way to go.
Grand
walked/ran/commuted thru Grand Central almost every weekday for 20 yrs before coronavirus times.
the Oyster Bar on mid level between upper and lower tracks is one of my favorite places in NYC to get a beer and light meal.
Heating.
A High School in Little Rock, AR
Park
Zoo
Picnic tables.
West
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Pence gets subpeened re: Trump attempted coup. I expect him to remain a lickspittle despite them trying to kill him
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/09/politics/pence-subpoena-special-counsel-january-6/index.html
This is absurd. Hunter Pence had nothing to do with the attempted coup.
He's being a real wimp and afraid to upset the MAGA crowd or Trump, despite the threats he received including being hanged.
PRO
Super Bowl party menu.
i havent fully decided yet. for 20+ years i have made chili cheese dogs, but being more health conscious and no eating much meat, i might decide otherwise.
our guests are bringing over some Philly pretzels .. even though i ams ure they dont care who wins
https://photos.app.goo.gl/qFbC3Jf3CQt6RGbK6
Took delivery on bbq ribs from KC!
What time should I be over?
We are doing a baked potato bar, chicken wings and Mac salad. Should be a lot of fun.
This Sunday, right? Will be skiing...
Best day to ski/shred is always Super Bowl Sunday!
definitely! especially when a local team in the the game...slopes are empty-ish
DBD AV CLUB
This week was the first Poker Face I didn't like as much as the previous ones . . .still hilarious and fun
Am enjoying Shrinking (ATV+) more than the Guardian (or was it the NYT) thinks I should. I enjoyed E4 last night.
Watched the first 30 min of The Last of Us also. Started off (too) scary for me. But then had a time leap to (I think will be) "this is how day-to-day life is in this world", which I might be able to handle!
Finished The White Lotus (s 2) - enjoyed it, but although good, something less than "great" in my mind.
I thought it was better than S1.
(very mild spoiler)
Do you think Harper/Cam & Ethan/Daphne....you know, ended up actually doing anything?
I thought it was better than S1 as you do; your characters from S1?
No, season 2.
Aubrey plaza...did she or didnt she? Same with her husband and the other wife?
She was OK but not the biggest character, liked the Ethan/Daphne better.
Elsewhere in college
Can't believe SMU to the Pac is a real possibility but I 100% understand why Kliavkoff would want to get the Dallas market before settling the new deal. Big XII kinda scooped us by inking their extension.
FWIW, SMU has decent academics (and is looking to move up further) and officially separated from the United Methodist Church in protest of anti-LGBTQ+ stances, even defending a lawsuit. And we do need a new sanction magnet since USC left.
A new sanction magnet that we actually have a shot of beating is even better.
Too true
Irritable male syndrome: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11999307/#:~:text=The%20irritable%20male%20syndrome%20(IMS,withdrawal%20of%20testosterone%20(T).
Popular press: https://www.healthline.com/health/mens-health/irritable-male-syndrome#treatment
ChatGPT
I was amazed to learn that ChatGPT can generate OpenSCAD code for 3D structures, on request. Not super well, but impressive.
Has some creative ideas about chess: https://www.reddit.com/r/AnarchyChess/comments/10ydnbb/i_placed_stockfish_white_against_chatgpt_black/
is not that great at having opinions ... Cal/Stanford was very ambiguous
is Alabama football better than Cal?
Comparing the football programs of Alabama and Cal is a matter of personal opinion, and it depends on what factors you consider when making a comparison. However, in recent years, Alabama has been one of the most successful college football programs in the country, consistently ranking near the top of the national rankings and winning multiple national championships. Cal, on the other hand, has had a more inconsistent record and has not been as successful as Alabama in recent years. Ultimately, it's up to each individual to decide which program they believe is "better."
Cal does have a 100% winning percentage against Alabama in National Championship Games... so...
I just signed up. "ChatGTP is at capacity right now"
I left my email address so they will alert me whan I can try it out.
too many kids trying to get the computer to write their essays for them right now
I got through to ChatGTP. I asked it this as a history buff:
"Tell me about the fall of the Roman Empire"
The response:
The fall of the Roman Empire is a significant historical event that took place in 476 CE. It marked the end of Ancient Rome and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe. The Roman Empire was one of the largest and most powerful empires in history, spanning three continents and controlling much of the Mediterranean world. However, several factors contributed to its decline and eventual collapse.
One of the main reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire was economic decline. The empire was facing increasing financial difficulties, which were exacerbated by rampant inflation and a declining currency. Additionally, the empire's vast size made it difficult to maintain a strong central government and to effectively defend its frontiers from invaders. The Romans faced threats from various Germanic tribes in the north, as well as from nomadic tribes in the east.
Another factor in the fall of the Roman Empire was political instability. The empire was ruled by a series of weak and ineffective emperors, many of whom were overthrown by their own military leaders. The lack of strong leadership and the frequent changes in power made it difficult to maintain a stable government and to effectively deal with the empire's problems.
The final blow to the Roman Empire came in the form of invasions by Barbarian tribes. In 476 CE, the Germanic King Odoacer marched on Rome, captured the city, and deposed the last emperor, Romulus Augustus. This event marked the end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.
In conclusion, the fall of the Roman Empire was a complex and gradual process, brought about by a combination of economic, political, and military factors. Its legacy continues to be felt in modern times, with the Roman legal system and its architectural and engineering achievements still influencing the Western world today.
Not bad...