Chevrolet And Poor Engineering
[Mon Aug 10 11:54:29 AM CDT 2026] Chevrolet was founded on November 3, 1911, by Swiss race car driver Louis Chevrolet and General Motors founder William C. Durant. Created to provide affordable, reliable vehicles, it grew into an American automotive cornerstone and the volume leader for General Motors. [Source] craigsmithchevrolet.com. These are well know facts. Chevrolet was my favorite car brand. In my opinion their engines were of good design, a favorite of hot-rodders due to the fact they were easy to work on, very reliable and made good power.
They still make good power, but working on these cars after let's say 1997, is a nightmare. Why are so many “SAE Society of Automotive Engineers” certified technicians quiting? One reason is that a dealership pays flat rate. This means, if the repair book says this particular job takes two hours. That is what the tech gets paid, two hours, even though, thanks to insane engineering it will take far more than two hours. Many newer vehicles, GM, Ford, et al don't have the techs to fix the cars, some don't even have the parts to fix cars and trucks on under warranty vehicles! Crazy.
You may also see this earned patch on a automotive technician's shoulder. A ASE certification is an official credential from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence that proves a technician's skills. To earn it, you must pass a specialized multiple-choice test and have one to three years of hands-on work experience. These credentials must be renewed every five years. Get that, buy $100,000.00 USD for tools and equipment go to ANY dealership and they will hire you, because everyone else has quit. The poor engineering comes to play when a tech needs to disassemble half the engine compartment to replace a couple of spark plugs in the rear of the engine. There are countless other examples I won't go into, I'm sure you get the idea.
The Torque Converter
[Tue Jul 14 10:54:27 AM CDT 2026] For cars with automatic transmissions each have one of these. The torque converter sits in between the engine and transmission. It a fluid coupling, there is no metal to metal contact between the crankshaft of a internal combustion and the transmission input shaft. This is why you can stop the vehicle at a red light or whatever the reason and the engine keeps running. A manual transmission cannot do this without dis-engaging the clutch.It is transmission fluid, a turbine and stator inside the converter that transfers torque to the transmission and ultimately the axles and wheels. The science is based on hydraulics. You will find a detailed description of a converter, torque multiplier here. How a Torque Converter Works. The converter in the picture is from a Ford after-market part which costs $2,549.00. This one is not a stock part, and looks to be TIG welded shut, Factory converters are also welded shut so you cannot change the internals to achieve different performance, namely the Stall Speed. After-market converters are designed mostly for race applications, and are far more expensive but adjustable.
Tech Tip: If you are stuck in traffic, throw the car in neutral. This is to prevent the converter from over-heating the transmission fluid, and save the clutch packs in the transmission from wear, saving you money!
Park Your Car Properly
[Wed Jun 24 10:40:53 AM CDT 2026] The part on the left is a automatic transmission parking pawl. This piece locks into the main shaft of your transmission preventing the car from moving. They are all the same basic shape and can cost between $30 USD to over $100 dollars. If you leave your vehicle on a hill, big or small and the pawl breaks, the car will roll until it hits something. Not good.So, how do you park without torturing your trans or trans-axle? Here is how. Stop the car with the brake pedal of course, then hit the E-Brake. Put the car in park, release the foot brake. If you did it properly the car won't move.
Now the weight of the car is held by the emergency brake, also known as the parking brake. When you return to your vehicle, take the shift lever out of park, foot on the brake. No clunk this time, no strain or destruction on the shift linkage! Release the E-Brake and you are on your way. Take care of your car, it will take care of you.
The “Car Buyers Guide”
[Tue Jun 16 02:39:59 PM CDT 2026] The current state of affairs of car buying, I categorise in three basic tiers. These are just suggestions, your mileage may very. (no pun intended). These numbers are strictly theoretical although they are rough guidelines. Auto manufacturers are engaging in planned obsolescence, they force you to spend more than most people can afford. Furthermore, the engineering in these cars certainly have the “WOW” factor but little regard for longevity.
As if that isn't enough to making owning a vehicle difficult enough the technicians are leaving due to the pay they get to fix these cars and extremely expensive parts. Making matters worse, dealerships pay them according to book numbers to fix problems. Not for the actual time it takes them to make the repair. Wait! more bad news, the auto industry restricts owners of these vehicles to fix their own cars. Hence the pending, “Right to Repair Act.”
- Tier 1 Car: Buy new in full, or finance it. Financing is a loan, you will pay more. At 150,000 miles, sell it.
- Tier 2 Car: 150,000 miles or higher, assuming you are second owner (tier two buyer) Consider selling at or around 200,000 miles.
- Tier 3 Car: Assuming third owner or later, this tier is for those without funds to afford more expensive vehicles. Once beyond 200,000 miles, repairs can be exorbitant. Some would call these high mileage vehicles, “A beater with a heater. ”
The “history” Command
[Tue Jun 2 03:06:39 PM CDT 2026] I assume the majority of Linux users are aware of the history command in a terminal, or shell. At any time a user can type `history` and see previous commands scroll by. Useful in it's self you will notice each entry of past commands are prefixed by a number. Using the number, prefixed with a `!` a bang called by some, also known as an exclamation point.
For example, you want to repeat the command, simply use the number with a `!`. Example, to repeat command numbered 500, you would just type: !500 and hit enter, that entry will be executed. Be sure the number you use is what you want. You want to add or append your ~/.bashrc file with these lines.
These are my settings below.
# append to the history file, don't overwrite it
shopt -s histappend
# for setting history length see HISTSIZE and HISTFILESIZE in bash(1)
HISTSIZE=1000
HISTFILESIZE=2000
Color Prompt Codes
[Tue Apr 28 07:30:58 PM CDT 2026] For those who spend much of your time in a terminal why not make it pretty. Below is a slice of my BASH shell colored prompt. Bash (Unix shell) Bash is an interactive command interpreter and scripting language developed for Unix-like operating systems. You can do countless things in Bash. This is a small example. Copy/paste the code into your .bashrc or similar. “Bourne Again Shell.”
Include the tailing single quote. You can use emoji's, and all sorts of silly stuff. The file that you edit to use or change this environment variable, in my case is in my /home/$username/.bashrc file. Copy/paste this line into your .bashrc file. Comment the existing PS1 line with a # this will tell the shell to ignore that line, and it will use yours.
FCC Bans Foreign Made Routers
[Sat Apr 4 11:00:14 AM CDT 2026] As of March 2026, the FCC has banned the sale of new consumer Wi-Fi router models produced outside the US, citing national security risks. Existing routers already in homes remain legal to use, and this rule does not apply to previously purchased or authorized devices. The ban specifically targets future, foreign-made consumer-grade equipment. FCC. Read the PDF for yourself.
The FCC banned new, foreign-made consumer Wi-Fi routers effective March 2026 to mitigate severe national security risks and supply chain vulnerabilities. Officials cited “unacceptable” risks, noting that malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-manufactured gear to disrupt critical infrastructure, enable espionage, and target American households. This legislation, while an expensive one for home and business networks, is for a fact, a good idea. Cyber-attacks are without a doubt a massive problem. The problem is finding a USA made router.
Don't Mess With Our Ships
[Wed Mar 18 7:00:00 PM CDT 2026] Not a subtle title for this post, but true since John Paul Jones (Considered Father of the US Navy) made it clear, no one messes with The US Navy. This post is directed to Iran. The USA may have brought this war to your country, but it is Iran and it's proxies that declared death to America and Israel fifty years ago. Iran refuses diplomacy and is clearly intent on possessing nuclear weapons. The world cannot allow Iranians 6th and 7th century radical idealogy to possess nuclear weapons. “Stuxnet” slowed your weapons enrichment, but apparently that wasn't enough. So, say hello to our little friends, “Helios” and “Odin.”
No Sanctuary For Criminals
[Thu Jan 22 03:21:47 PM CST 2026] On January 24, 2026, Alex Jeffrey Pretti was killed by ICE Agents allegedly Pretti was carrying a legal handgun, this following the killing of Renée Good on January 7 by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. These were avoidable deaths to be sure, but why was Pretti carrying a weapon to begin with, at a “ peaceful protest? ” I saw the video footage a Ms. Good using her vehicle as a weapon. These events led to less “ peaceful protests ”. Authorities were there to apprehend and arrest known felons. Personally, I would not get in their way. But my point is, why no love for the following women.
- Laken Riley, A 22-year-old nursing student killed while jogging in Georgia; a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally was convicted.
- Jocelyn Nungaray, A 12-year-old girl in Houston allegedly strangled by two Venezuelan men who had recently crossed the border illegally.
- Rachel Morin, A mother of five killed in Maryland; the suspect was a citizen of El Salvador in the country illegally.
- Megan Bos, An Illinois woman whose death led the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to honor her as a victim of a crime allegedly committed by an illegal immigrant.
Monkey See Monkey Do
[Thu Jan 22 03:21:47 PM CST 2026] This phrase in the title of this article has been used for stupid people for 100 years. Monkeys will do what they see other monkeys do. Now take a look at the mob mentality going on in certain anti-ICE cities. In neurophysiology this behavior is a product described as 'mirror neurons.' as they respond to the sight of the monkey itself performing the act, as well as to the sight of an external agent performing the same (or a similar) action.
Yeah, I see that shit going on in anti-ice protests. Agitators and 'well meaning people' start unrest and morons join in. Probably the same people that elected a president that left this country with no borders. Now it's up to Trump to clean up the mess because with open borders every despot in the world came in! WTF. Immigration Customs Enforcement Agency “ ICE “ is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security and has a stated mission is to conduct criminal investigations, enforce immigration laws, preserve national security, and protect public safety. Crime statistics point out the necessity for the agencies. If monkeys get in their way, then they... the monkeys are part of the problem.
US Merge Sign
[Mon Jan 5 11:45:47 AM CST 2026] For those drivers not aware of what this sign means, allow me to inform you. First of all yellow, diamond shaped signs are exclusively informational signs. In ths case the merge sign indicates there is an on-ramp ahead and on your right. If you can safely move to your left as to allow the possible merging traffic, do so although you do not have to. This is strictly a courtesy. As to the driver doing the merging, this sign does NOT give you the right to merge with traffic. You are only allowed to merge, or join the main road when it can done safely. If you cannot merge safely, you stop until the way is clear. For an indepth explanation signage go here. Traffic Sign Encyclopedia.
Entropy - Why it matters
[Fri Nov 28 4:05:18 PM CST 2025] With everything in the USA these days, not to mention the whole world going crazy, I feel the root of the problem lies in basic physics. Science tells us, and it has proven itself for millennia. One millennium is one thousand years. So how can entropy be involved with the mayhem going on today.
I'm sure you have probably heard the phrase, “ The history book on the shelf, is always repeating itself. ” That statement has proven itself over and over again. Empires have crumbled throughout history due to a combination of internal and external factors, such as overexpansion, internal divisions, and external invasions. How many revolutions have occurred in just the last 2000 years. Will, or can that happen to the United States? It certainly can, without proper maintenance just like anything it will descend into chaos and collapse. The laws of physics tell us that. History has proven that.
Things are out of hand, shootings, killing, fighting etc. Humans are indeed and technically intelligent animals. What people are supposed to do is rise above animalistic behavior. The philosophical doctrine that humans are animals in their essential identity and are persons only through their contingent properties. These five aspects of entropy below, are proven science. Just my two cents
- 1. Symbol S For a closed thermodynamic system, a quantitative measure of the amount of thermal energy not available to do work.
- 2. A measure of the disorder or randomness in a closed system.
- 3. A measure of the loss of information in a transmitted message.
- 4. The tendency for all matter and energy in the universe to evolve toward a state of inert uniformity.
- 5. Inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society.
Marxist Socialist Mayor Mamdani
[Thu Nov 6 04:52:41 PM CST 2025] NYC elected a Marxist as Mayor. He seems like a nice guy but as we know from the history of the world, great democracies have been overthrown from the inside, not the outside. I see it happening. From Antifa to the Communist Party itself along with the radical left there has been events in the last decades that
are directly indicative of tactics proposed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to overthrow democracies to Socialism and ultimately Communism.
This was instituted by Lenin in Communist Russia. It ultimately failed of course, but exists in China thanks to Mao Tse Tung, and currently Xi Jinping, now known as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In no way or form am I suggesting Mayor Mamdani isn't a threat of any kind, but it does give me pause. Reason being, Marxism can lead to Socialism, and Communism. Read the link as to what makes me skeptical. I'm no conspiracy theorist, nor am I political, just sharing my opinion. What is “Marxism”Read this article, then check out the next link.
“The Communist Manifesto” and related papers describe techniques to divide a democracy by increasing and exploiting the divisions between the Bourgeois and the Proletariat. Meaning basically the haves, and the have nots. This includes methods such as initiating and increasing friction between races, business owners versus the working class et cetera. This country has already been infiltrated by Communists and Socialists, and religous zealots. We need to be vigilant they do not succeed. Democracy works, Captalism works, we need to keep it.
Rename Gnome Terminal Title Bar
printf "\\033]0;TEXT YOU WANT HERE\\a" AI Artificial Intelligence
Linux vs Microsoft 
On the other hand the biggest and only down side of Linux is that there is a rather steep learning curve, but worth the effort. It is open-source and free, yes no cost to you. I prefer Debian Linux. Debian's program repositories consist of approximately 63,000 programs. Easily downloaded, some require configuration. With open-source you are free to modify, share, do whatever you like, just be careful what you type. You just might get it. There are literally hundreds of distributions based on Debian. Take a look at distrowatch.com.
Kill A Zombie Process In Linux
[Sat Aug 16 11:53:39 AM CDT 2025] In Debian Linux, a zombie process (or defunct process) is a process that still has an entry in the process table. This happens when the parent process hasn't yet collected the terminated child's exit status. These aren't particularly harmful, but I like to kill them. A reboot will get rid of them but we Linux folks rarely reboot. Instead run this command in a shell or terminal: ps aux | grep 'Z' you would see the defunct process. The quotes are needed. Run this to get rid of it:kill -9 $(ps -A -ostat,ppid | grep -e '[zZ]'| awk '{ print $2 }') as regular user, unless maybe it's a defunct root process.
American Disposable Cars
[Tue Jul 1 02:59:10 PM CDT 2025] Planned obsolescence is what is happening to American cars, the question maybe is this by design, and by design I mean is it the parts and the nature of the engineers to over do the not so brilliant way they attempt to accomplish better mileage? more power, both? Or is it greed? Statistics say the typical $40,000.00 USD cost of a new car is only lasting two owners even though well maintained, will incur repairs after 100,000 miles or sooner, these repairs often cannot be repaired by the dealer that sold the car, and the mechanics in the private sector are quitting the business because of complex and poor wiring practices that will fail. Include foreign made parts that fail and are extremely expensive to buy and install, adding insult to injury, something will likely need to reprogrammed.This brings us to one of the most common issues. Thanks to LED lighting and a plethora of sensor voltages for lights and dozens of sensors only require 1.5 volts, some times less, sometimes more. With less voltage thinner qauge wires can be used, just many more packed into flexible looms and routed throughout the car in tight places subject to chafing, hot or moving parts causing short circuits and knocking out sensors and the networks they communicate on. These repairs can cost hundreds and more often thousands of dollars. Heaven forbid you break a flimsy built transmission or drive train component replacement costs, begin to exceed the blue book value of the car, and they and up in scrap yards. Too expensive to repair. Sad state of affairs.
ImageMagick Linux
[Tue May 20 04:16:10 PM CDT 2025] You can make these word clouds with Imagemagic. I use the Linux version but I think it's available for Windows also. I used wordcloud to create the cloud from a text file, any text file, then used the convert command from Imagemagic to insert the caption text. You install a wordcloud generator or use a free one at www.wordclouds.com . With Imagemagick you can do dozens of things to your photos. An example of the caption code below.convert -pointsize 30 -fill black -draw 'text 100,190 "caption text here" ' photo1.jpg photo2.jpg
The text numbers are coordinates as to where you want the caption in the photo. Start with any picture 'photo1.jpg' for example, the command convert will create 'photo2.jpg' or whatever you wish to call it. In the example start 100 pixels from the left and 190 pixels from the top. -pointsize is the text size, -fill is the text color, -draw is self-explanatory. Do not omit the single and double quotes. This is all done in a terminal shell. That said, Photoshop users will say, “ yeah, I can type that into an image in seconds. ” Ok, sure, just pay hundreds of dollars paying for Photoshop. Or use a Linux graphics program like “ The GIMP ” and it's free.
The IRC Protocol
[Thu Mar 20 04:00:08 PM CDT 2025] IRC was created in August 1988 by Jarkko Oikarinen, while the WWW, using the “http or better hypertext tranfer protocol” as we know it, emerged with the development of the first web browser and server in 1989. The letters IRC stand for “Internet Relay Chat.” Per Wikipedia, is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages as well as chat and data transfer, including file sharing. I learned nearly everything I know about Linux and computers on IRC. “Linux.” You can also use Microsoft Windows as well as macOS to access any IRC network. Many have a web interface for those just curious but a IRC client will serve you best. The screenshot on the left is “IRSSI”, one of my favorites, very configurable, just one client of many.
With proper configuration of the client and the IRC server. it is very private. Privacy is near extinct these days. The server I use currently Is “Libera.chat”. Very good documentation on their site and includes a web interface to test drive the network. Current global users, 31748, channels, 22,244 channels formed. MS Windows users might like “mIRC.” This client is shareware, so you'll be seeing a nag screen if you don't contribute, but it will work just as well without paying.
D.O.G.E.
[Sun Feb 23 07:33:07 PM CST 2025] While I was a bit skeptical of The “Department of Government Efficiency” at first, I think we need this government office. As for Elon Musk he is the kind to leave no stone unturned. I fear he may be too quick on the trigger. I do trust the president to surround himself with the best personel, he's done exactly that. This will create plenty of opposition I'm sure. If I were wasting money under Federal noses without the treasury department keeping track of waste and corruption, I would worry too. The fact is the U.S. needs serious change, and change is something many people do not like. From spending money we don't have, and not paying our debts et al, change is absolutely necessary. The first step is simple, common sense! Get this ship back on course.
US Idiotic Spending
[Wed Feb 5 04:02:04 PM CST 2025] If you pay taxes in the USA then this is what some of that money went in 2024. Figures from The White House. This is so ridiculous it's hard to believe. This is just a short list!
- $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities”
- $70,000 for production of a “DEI musical” in Ireland
- $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam
- $47,000 for a “transgender opera” in Colombia
- $32,000 for a “transgender comic book” in Peru
- $2 million for sex changes and “LGBT activism” in Guatemala
- $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars for a non-profit linked to designated terrorist organizations — even AFTER an inspector general launched an investigation
- Millions to EcoHealth Alliance — which was involved in research at the Wuhan lab
- Hundreds of thousands of meals that went to al Qaeda-affiliated fighters in Syria”
- Funding to print “personalized” contraceptives birth control devices in developing countries
- Hundreds of millions of dollars to fund “irrigation canals, farming equipment, and even fertilizer used to support the unprecedented poppy cultivation and heroin production in Afghanistan,” benefiting the Taliban
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