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My first cat as a kid was aptly named Cotton and a truly wonderful kitty. She was all white, and a snuggle bug who loved her three "kids".

I indifferent to the draft. I have no idea why it is such a big deal. Yeah I follow the team but I don't know why someone would want to watch the draft. To me the draft is an administravice thing. It would be like watching accounts payable. I don't watch Linda in Accounts Payable print out checks. I definitely don't want to travel half way across the country to see her do it live.

sharper image

Is this from the Neiman-Marcus catalog that I learned aboot from Dennis the Menace?

I'd say #2

China's Temu Takes Over 17% Of US Market Share, Cutting Jobs From American Amazon And Decimating Small Businesses A while back, I mentioned some incredible deals I got from Temu, $1.17 sneakers, $1.99 tools, 25% off entire orders, etc. and it got a mixed reaction. Since then, I haven't been buying from Temu or other China-based companies as a protest of China's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But many of those decimated American small businesses mentioned in the headline make their money selling Chinese-made products that they buy cheap and then mark up a lot. A lot of things I get from Amazon or Walmart online,, not mentioned on its Amazon, etc. page, or from Costco turn out to be made in China or in some 3rd World Country in what's likely a Chinese-owned factory. So I wonder if I'm just being ripped-off for not buying from Temu. Some years ago, the tour group I was in stood in light rain in Shanghai and a street vendor, with a huge handful of beautifully-made folding umbrellas, walked toward us. The umbrellas would sell for around $20 in US stores. I wondered if we could bargain her down to $5 per umbrella when she called out, "Umbrella. One dollar." I immediately realized why Walmart was making big profits on items they sell "cheap." It also made me wonder, after 9-11, why Walmart objected to Pres. Bush when the Port of Hong Kong said it could check all shipping containers for dirty nuclear bombs for a few pennies per item before they were shipped to America. So people like me, living just several miles from a major port where Bush gave the government supervision contract to an Arab company, wondered if we'd be Chernobyled while Walmart saved a tiny fraction of their profits.

I'd rather rebuild my deck.

Connections Puzzle #319 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟩🟪🟪 🟪🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪

The deviations here are not standard

#2 and keep looking....oh and see if they are hiring

On the road finally at 7:20. Dogs have settled in for the moment.

With my parents project I used my flatbed scanner that I still have, but several issues. While would load 3 at a time, it was so slow. While photos could be scanned at 300 to 600 dpi, small negative and slide scans required bumping it up to 2400 dpi minimum. The other issue, scanned in jpg (default) or tif requiring even longer scan times - but more adjustments available in LightroomPhotoshop than jpg. With the box/camera setup, much faster despite one at a time and shoot in RAW. Was blown away when started bringing out detail in the shadows or under exposure that wasn’t even apparent when projected on a screen - but somehow recorded in the RAW photo. It doesn’t matter which method I use, flatbed or light box, they all need final finishing in Lightroom. While heard of the light box method, already had most of the components, camera, lens, video led light, white poster (foam) board for internal lining, so tested the concept with a cardboard Amazon box heading for recycling. Was blown away with the differences noted above so built box with a couple modifications. Wood is rigid, but added footpads so wouldn’t rock on table. Also, while heat was never an issue with an LED light source where would be with incandescent, did notice a temp rise, so designed the fan cooling with a low decible computer fan that accepted a USB power source. Did design a foam tunnel with upper and lower air pull by the fan but a flat surface raised off the back wall that is the back surface directly in from the slide opening so the fan doesn’t show through the slide.

Who's wants to buy one?

The photos are the stuff my dreams are made of! They remind me of a place I’ve been

My Dad had a Slingerland set from the 60s, it was a Gene Krupa series. His was pearl white like this, but he had 2 up, 1 down and never used bottom heads

Oh, and a full spectrum camera.

But?

Thank you. Yes, those were shot with a 590nm filter

This is a piss poor substitute for real help, but…

me too

The local news is making a big deal about the NFL draft coming to Green Bay next year. I never realized it was that big of a deal because I never paid attention to football.

I called a helpline last night. I told them I wasn’t in crisis. But I was. i went to bed at 11:30, but I woke up at 2:00.

Use filters? The photos are beautiful !

28 here right now. We are in a band of fruit growing counties south of Lake Ontario that is vulnerable to a hard freeze. And Finger Lakes vineyards are, too. Hopefully the damage isn’t too bad.

I was busy because Wo46 was also up at 5