MaxRedline

Onions Ain't Easy

A new rail shipping center is expected to be constructed and will function via a partnership between onion shippers, Malheur County, Americold, and Union Pacific Railroad. However, some officials were under the impression that dirt would be moving by now, and the delay has onion suppliers wondering if they will be able to ship the next harvest from the new location.

They're a big crop in Oregon, but shipping them out has long been problematic.  The planned rail center there should speed the logistics up - but only if they can get the darned thing built and running smoothly. That's always been a problem for farmers in the arid lands around Malheur County, and one that isn't going away soon enough for the cash-strapped area. We'll just have to see how the project ultimately pans out for them; the area's got a lot of history behind it. Pretty part of the state, but nothing's ever come easy out there.

Malheur's a very large county; its name, however, is French for "bad water".

 

To The Moon, Alice!

It's best known for its cars here on Earth, but Toyota is looking out of this world for its next vehicle - all the way to the moon. 

They're working with Japan's space agency (JAXA) to produce a lunar exploration vehicle as part of its ambitions to help people live on the moon by 2040, and beyond that, Mars.

The vehicle being developed with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is called the Lunar Cruiser, with the name paying homage to the Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle.

And it won't be long before the Lunar Cruiser becomes a reality, with its launch set for the late 2020s.

They must be planning to send it up there in modules. It doesn't seem likely that they can ship the whole unit up there at once. In any case, it's sure to give astronauts tons of fun. Just maintenance should be a hoot.

How do you do an oil change on this thing? That's just for starters....

 

 

Lizards Not Leaping In Florida

Low temperatures have prompted bizarre warnings about potential injuries from 'falling iguanas' in Florida.

Weather warnings have been issued to warn shocked locals that they may be hit by an iguana as temperatures plummet.

Iguanas, which are cold-blooded reptiles, can get so cold that their bodies become rigid, making them unable to cling to whichever branch they're on, causing them to fall to the ground.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/plummeting-temperatures-cause-iguanas-fall-26045730

It's not a shock to locals when the temperatures fall; it's the visitors who may need the warning.

The lizards usually recover just fine as they warm up.

 

 

 

Get Your Stuff Together

This year's tax filing season will begin on Jan. 24, 17 days earlier than last year, the Internal Revenue Service announced Monday.

How special!

 

 

 

Migration

California already has some of the highest taxes in the United States and is losing residents as a result.

So, their answer? Another tax hike! Naturally. They've evidently never heard the old bromide: when you're in a hole, stop digging.

California lawmakers have introduced a plan to almost *double* state tax revenue, at an additional cost of $12,250 per household.

So glad I didn't follow the herd by moving there in the 60s and 70s. I suspect they can kiss their business startups goodbye.

Understandably, over-taxed residents are moving to places like Arizona, Oregon, and Texas. But frankly, we neither need nor want more Californians here, as all too often the refugees bring their voting habits right along with them.

In the words of the late, great governor here: "Welcome to Oregon! But don't plan to stay."

 

As Usual, Portland Carries Lead Weight

While the EPA demands utilities take action when lead levels surpass 15 ppb, Dr. Bruce Lanphear, who has been studying lead poisoning for 25 years, said lead in drinking water can have detrimental health impacts once levels hit 5 ppb. He recommends Portlanders in high-risk homes use filters for their water.

The water bureau says the homes most at risk for lead in the water are those with copper pipes joined with lead solder, which were generally built or plumbed between 1970 and 1985. That’s potentially up to 15,000 homes, according to the bureau. Twice a year, Portland will sample water from the highest risk homes — those built between 1983 and 1985.

Edwards, the Virginia Tech Professor, said Portland holds the distinction as the largest major city consistently displaying high concentrations of lead in their water samples for high-risk homes.

The city's much-ballyhooed Pure Bull Run water isn't so pure once it hits the pipes.

Bottled water is likely fine, but folks may want to steer clear of Portland-area beer producers. I get mine from brewers in Eugene and points south.

 

Democrats On The Move

California is 50th and Illinois 49th on the list for the second consecutive year, indicating those states once again witnessed the largest net losses of one-way U-Haul trucks.

[…]California remained the top state for out-migration, but its net loss of U-Haul trucks wasn’t as severe as in 2020. That can be partially attributed to the fact that U-Haul simply ran out of inventory to meet customer demand for outbound equipment.

https://trendingpolitics.com/lol-there-arent-enough-u-hauls-for-fleeing-californians/?

It looks as though they're not willing to sleep in the beds they've made.

Sorry, Californians, but we have too many of you already here. Try Arizona or Texas.

 

Says The Guy Who (So Far As We Know) Has Never Had Kids

Pontiff laments ‘denied parenthood’ and people who ‘substitute cats and dogs for children’.

Two Faced.

 

I've Always Thought Of It As "Mike"

Amazon's done it again! Their facial recognition software identifies Mooch Obama as male.

Maybe it'll score a two-fer and identify Barry as female.

That pair's never struck me as quite right.

 

 

Whole Foods Falters

It may not be dead yet, but it's in a pickle. It doesn't look as though Bezos/Amazon made a good purchasing decision (they own Whole Foods, wholly).

I believe I'll continue to buy elsewhere, for the present.

Freddies has half a gallon of milk for 89 cents, this week....

 

As Usual, It's All About Alex

It’s starting to get old ignoring the very obvious, strange, and deranged sexual frustrations that underpin the Republican fixation on me, women,& LGBT+ people in general.

These people clearly need therapy, won’t do it, and use politics as their outlet instead. It’s really weird

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 31, 2021 

It's been old since the day the New Yawk Stupids voted the boob into orifice.

AOC Claims Republicans Criticize Her Because Of ‘Deranged Sexual Frustrations’