Today’s Zoom Net kicked off at 0755 with Scott being the first to arrive, closely followed by Roger, Gary, Mary, and Lynn. It was good to have Scott back with his show’n’tells as he started off with questions on his broken-down power supply. Those are some big heat sinks! That brought up the question of hard drive magnets and if it was worth it to extract them. John offered that he’s done it quite a few times, but questions the relative merit considering these can be had for very little at Amazon, designed exactly for specific purposes. Creative tip: Scott uses a small magnet on the side of a screwdriver for picking up small screws.
It seems a meeting can’t go by without reviewing grass mowing, cost of service, and how often to sharpen blades. My grandfather used a mower similar to the one on the right. He would sharpen it every few times he used it, getting the blades sharp enough to cut through a piece of cigarette paper. Well, he was a machinist and engineer.
The Chinese are apparently considering an increased interest in chip manufacturing given that Taiwan has the bulk of the business. Tesla was previously affected, however, the manufacturer found a way around the problem by opting to use microcontrollers instead, and redesigning the software to be compatible with different chips from other supplies. Gary expressed he was waiting for the Cybertruck. Better place your order, Gary! $100, refundable!
Lynn submitting final grades then off till June. He has one student that is protesting testing procedures. The case is before the department chair.
On the Space-X front, customers are beginning to signup for Starlink which promises fast Internet connections for remote users. This service is also attracting the attention of nomadic dwellers, here and abroad. The “dish” is about the size of a pizza pan. It may even be acceptable in HOA areas.
Though it didn’t come up on the call, it’s exciting to note that Space-X has successfully landed SN15 in Boca Chica, TX. This is the craft being developed to take us to the moon and Mars.
It seems that Roger has more zoning problems with HOA taking issue with his backyard shed. I think we’re all sympathetic to his plight, given the sheds been there for three decades or more. Being that we had a quorum, we decided to hold a vote to determine if Roger is a “Bad Guy” It was close, but I think he’s been acquitted…
Mary’s let us in on her Camino training. She is considering some hikes in the Wichita Mountains, and some in Colorado were suggested by Lynn. We brought up a map of the Camino routes for all to see. Here is a link to her blog. Check it out! As of tomorrow, she’ll be leaving in Three Months, Three Weeks, and Three Days! John’s going to stay home to feed the vegan chickens…
Under old business, John brought up the amount of money we’re paying in taxes whenever we buy gasoline. Here is a link to a page that elaborates on that topic. As a Tesla owner, John would be happy to pay more “in lieu of” tax for us to move more toward sustainable fuels.
Next Zoom Net: Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 0900 Central. Same login procedures. Hope to see you then!
