Guess I'll Have to Up My Goal Again

My goal for KN@PPSTER in 2023 was to put up at least 550 posts over the year.

This is post number 692 for the year. That's by far the most posts in a single year since I started this thing in 2004, and 126 more posts than last year.

So in 2024, I want to increase my goal, while not promising quite as much as I've ever done.

So I think 650 is a good goal to go with.

I plan to keep up the daily Wordle hints, which would get me up to 365 by default. But you never know. Maybe I'll get tired of Wordle or it will go away or something.

I haven't decided yet whether I plan to post NFL predictions/outcomes next season. If so, that's a couple of posts a week for the 17-18 weeks of the regular season, plus the post-season. Call it another 40 posts or so if I continue it.

But even if any of that goes away, it's the quadrennial "big election year," which means I'll likely be posting both general political thoughts and various election predictions.

So 650 isn't exactly a stretch. It's just promising what I expect to be able to deliver.

I'll consider it a success if the blog gets more interesting, even if I don't manage the number.

Have a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2024!

My Very Special Christmas / New Year Present to Myself

Thing One:

Thing Two: An Announcement of Sorts

Wordle 925 Hint

Hint: Like seawater or coarse language. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

SecureSpend: Just Really Bad at Delivering Services or Intentional Scam?

Since I'm "un-banked" but would sometimes prefer the convenience of a debit card over cash, I occasionally buy a Visa "gift card" for use in traveling or even around town.

Maybe three weeks ago, I bought a $100 Visa gift card at a reputable store (where I've bought them before with no problem), and instead of getting one of the ones that look all prettified and "gifty," I went with the "SecureSpend Prepaid Visa Card." I put $100 on it and as soon as I got home I activated the card and chose a PIN at the web site listed on the card. The idea behind this was that now that I have a scooter, I could use it for e.g. gas and incidentals, probably for quite a while.

The other night, I finally decided to use it to buy something. Declined. "Illegal transaction."

I thought it might have to do with what I was buying (CBD) and where (a "smoke shop").

So yesterday, I happened to be in Trade Joe's and have a small total, and decided to give it another try. Declined (no explanation from the cashier except that it could be "network issues").

Went to the associated web site again, plugged in the card information. Response: "A system error has occurred. Please try logging in later."

Called the toll-free number, went through the menu, punched in the card information. Response: "There is a problem with your card. Press 1 to return to the main menu or hang up to end the call." And there's no place else to go from the main menu.

A little bit of web searching turned up a crap ton of similar complaints, over a long period of time.

Maybe they're just really bad at doing what they supposedly do, or maybe they're a scam. Either way, I suggest avoiding them.

Wordle 924 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle is the charm unless you're at bat. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: T

Wordle 923 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle is highly valued but generally treated as irresponsible. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: C

Just Got Back ...

... from lunch with reader GL, whom I appreciate a great deal, and which reminded me to let the rest of you know I appreciate you a lot too. I wish all of you a happy 2024!

While I was out, I also stopped by the shop where I bought the scootie (I'm fascinated with that name after reading a report from India calling them that (and telling me about how two were seized by police in Kashmir after their young riders posted a video of dangerous road stunting) and talked with the guy there about two things:

1. What I should move into scootie-wise if I want to do much freeway riding. He said 250cc or above and don't let me talk anyone into a 150cc for anything more frequent than occasional exit-to-exit action. He only keeps 50cc vehicles in stock, but said to get back to him with my desire and price range when I'm ready and he's sure he can get me something new or used.
2. The operating condition of the current scootie. After describing the behavior and the conditions under which it occurred, he opined that a good carburetor cleaning will almost certainly set things right. And as it happened, cleaning or replacing (I have a spare already) the carb was my next guess already. So as soon as I have access to my mechanic friend's garage/tools/advice, I'll get that done. No point in opening the thing up to the elements (it's slightly rainy this week) with a minimal tool set and very little knowledge. But I'm hopeful that the thing will be running by some time this weekend (if I hadn't mentioned it, yesterday I drained the gas tank and refilled it with fresh fuel and fuel treatment, to no effect).

NFL Week 17 Picks

My NFL picks for this weekend, as posted at ESPN's Pigskin Pick'em site (straight picks, no spreads, etc., and I've created a group for those who would like to play along with me):

• Cleveland Browns beat New York Jets
• Detroit Lions beat Dallas Cowboys*
• New England Patriots beat Buffalo Bills*
• Chicago Bears beat Atlanta Falcons
• Indianapolis Colts beat Las Vegas Raiders
• Los Angeles Rams beat New York Giants
• Philadelphia Eagles beat Arizona Cardinals
• New Orleans Saints beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
• San Francisco 49ers beat Washington Commanders
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Carolina Panthers
• Miami Dolphins beat Baltimore Ravens*
• Houston Texans beat Tennessee Titans
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Seattle Seahawks*
• Denver Broncos beat Los Angeles Chargers
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Cincinnati Bengals
• Minnesota Vikings beat Green Bay Packers

"Upset" picks -- that is, where my pick disagrees with the majority of Pigskin Pick'em players (as of the time I make my picks, but if I notice a change I'll mark that) -- are marked with asterisks. If I make any changes to my picks, they will be made before the game in question kicks off, and specifically noted in an update to this post.

Wordle 922 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle is a school. Enroll as a student!

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: L

There Are Many Places I Want to See, or See Again

From about 2008 (when I attended the Libertarian National Convention in Denver) to about 2015 or 2016 (when I started visitng my parents and attending family funerals after I moving to Florida in 2013), I barely traveled. In fact I think I went for about three years without ever getting more than 50 miles from my house.

From 2015 or so to 2021, if I traveled it was almost entirely for family or work purposes -- Libertarian Party stuff and those visits/funerals.

In 2021, one of you took me to PorcFest, which was probably my first real "vacation" in at least 20 years.

Now that I'm a gummint-licensed driver, I'm thinking about getting a vehicle with some range (still haven't got the 50cc scooter sorted out) so I can go places I've been but want to visit again (New York and New Orleans probably top that list), as well as places I've never been (Miami, Key West, San Francisco, etc.),

The list is actually very long. If I had several months with zero responsibilities/commitments, I think I'd probably get on a motorcycle and drive to New Orleans, then Austin, then Phoenix, then Vegas, then San Diego, then LA, then San Francisco, then Portland, then Seattle, then Yellowstone, then Omaha, then Racine, then Saginaw, then Philly, then NYC, then Boston, then Manchester, then Bangor, then back down the coast to DC, Richmond, a bunch of Civil War battlefields, several places in North Carolina, Beaufort, Savannah, Miami, Key West, and home.

That's a partial list of stopping points (11 of which I've been to before). And if I got a passport I'd probably throw some Mexican and Canadian destinations in for good measure.

The reason a motorcycle or larger scooter makes sense to me is that Tamara's not as keen on that kind of leisurely travel as I am. Maybe when and if she retires, we'll be one of those couples that remodels a school bus into a tiny traveling home, but until then if she travels long distances it's for work and/or family reasons. Also, she kind of prefers to fly, and I'm kind of interested in getting back to going down unfamiliar roads and seeing the country.

NFL Week 16 Outcomes

My picks (posted here), with "Tom was right" picks in green and "Tom was wrong" picks in red:

• New Orleans Saints beat Los Angeles Rams*
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Cincinnati Bengals*
• Los Angeles Chargers beat Buffalo Bills*
• Indianapolis Colts beat Atlanta Falcons
• Seattle Seahawks beat Tennessee Titans
• Detroit Lions beat Minnesota Vikings
• Washington Commanders beat New York Jets*
• Green Bay Packers beat Carolina Panthers
• Cleveland Browns beat Houston Texans
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Chicago Bears beat Arizona Cardinals
• Miami Dolphins beat Dallas Cowboys
• Denver Broncos beat New England Patriots
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Las Vegas Raiders
• Philadelphia Eagles beat New York Giants
• San Francisco 49ers beat Baltimore Ravens

I guess 8 right / 8 wrong is better than last week's 7 right / 8 wrong, but I'm not really impressing myself much with my late-season picks. Only one of my "upset" picks panned out, and I don't really consider it an "upset" -- the Bengals just aren't really feeling like a big deal this year, and the Steelers keep getting better.

I'm 141-99 for the season so far and in the 84.8th percentile among players of the ESPN Pigskin Pick'em game.

Wordle 921 Hint

Hint: In movies, Doc said Johnny wasn't one, while Ralphie wanted one for Christmas.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: D

Wordle 920 Hint

Hint: Problems with today's Wordle? Gimme a call, and the answer will be right in the palm of your hand!

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: P

Wordle 919 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle is a bit of a paradox -- which is to day, it brings itself to mind.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: E

Wordle 918 Hint

Hint: According to John Newton, today's Wordle is Amazing.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: G

A Bonus Thanks for Asking! Answer to a Question That Wasn't Asked in a Thanks for Asking! Thread

Somewhere -- and now I can't find it, so perhaps it was in a dream -- reader Thane Eichenauer (who recently had a scooter stolen) asked me what anti-theft measures I take vis a vis my 50cc scooter.

Thanks for asking, Thane!

I haven't had a lot of occasion to consider anti-theft measures, as the only time I've parked the scooter away from home has been for brief runs into stores to pay for a buck or so in gas.

The "on-bike" anti-theft devices are, so far as I can tell, two:

1. The theoretical need for a key to activate the ignition (I doubt this is much trouble to get around); and
2. A "steering lock" that holds the front wheel in a single position so that the scooter can't be scared (I also doubt this is much trouble to get around).

I live in a low-crime area, I park the scooter near my front door ( a motion-activated porch light would come on if anyone walked up to it in the night), and I don't leave the key in the ignition.

I've been thinking about additional measures, such as running a bicycle cable lock through the front wheel and around into the passenger compartment (or around a tree, bicycle parking rack, etc.), or a bicycle "U" lock through the rear wheel, possible also around some other part of the bike.

Of course it's small and only weight 200 pounds or so, so a determined thief could just throw it in a truck, haul it off, and deal with locks at his leisure unless those locks actually connected the scooter to some more permanently placed object.

One reason I've so extensively decorated the bike is to deter theft. There are a bazillion scooters in Gainesville, and I figure a thief cruising store parking lots, etc. for one to steal will tend to go with the most anonymous-looking models instead of something that will stand out on surveillance video of his truck driving down the road later. If the police cared, which seems unlikely.

It's a conundrum. More so when and if I can get the damn thing running.

Scooter Update

I went out this morning and bought starter fluid and Heet (to get moisture out of the gasoline). With the help of a jump-start battery pack (I've been draining the battery trying to start the machine), with the air filter removed and using starter fluid, I got it going and it seemed to have a little more power (more like 25-30mph than 15-20mph).

It's got power and spark. I've fiddled with the air (wide open, manually choked, filter on) with no discernible changes. And I can get it started sometimes, and when not the starter grinds along, so I don't think it's the starter mechanism.

So, it's a fuel problem. I'm hoping that after the Heet has had some time to work, it will be back to full power. If not (unless my mechanic friend is feeling better and has suggestions), then I'll drain the gas tank and refill it. I suppose it's possible that I got bad fuel -- maybe the station had regular flowing through its premium pump and I've not got enough octane? -- or that there's a lot more moisture in the system that hasn't come out yet. I know there's some kind of "moisture pot" under the carburetor, but I haven't figured out how to get to that yet. It could also be the petcock or fuel filter, but I just replaced the latter. It's not "vapor lock," because I've tried everything with the gas cap off.

Mysteries, mysteries.

Wordle 917 Hint

Hint: As the bottom of the mountain asked the top of the mountain, "what's your angle?"

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

Five Dollars Here, Five Dollars There, Before You Know it the State of Florida Considers You an Educated Driver

When I was preparing to get my Florida driver's license, I took the "drug and alcohol" course required for all new driver's license applicants. I still don't know if I needed to take it (as it turned out, I didn't have to do anything else but pay the fee and have my photo taken, since I had previously been licensed in Missouri, a long time ago), but I took it.

Now I'm taking the "mature driver course," because hey, it costs five bucks (where I'm taking it -- more on that below) and supposedly gets me a break on insurance premiums of some kind. Also, I thought I might learn something.

As far as learning anything goes, both these courses are a complete bust. I already knew that driving while intoxicated was bad before I took the drug and alcohol course, and the mature driver's course is just a bunch of re-hashed basic driver information combined with cautions about how as you get older you may have hearing, vision, and memory problems, arthritis, etc. ... and should be really, really careful.

The real bummer is that both of these courses are four hours long ... whether you want them to be or not.

Each page of course information has a timer for "time required to spend on this page." Including three mandatory breaks of, IIRC, 12 minutes or so. You can't proceed until the timer expires.

I haven't looked up the statutes governing this stuff, but you just know that the people lobbying for these courses to be required/offered, with a tie-in to driver licensing, got a requirement to the effect that "the course shall encompass no fewer than four hours of instruction" or whatever, even though what you might really need to know comes to 15 minutes or so, after which it's three hours and 45 minutes of 1) repetition, 2) horror stories to drive home the points, and 3) sitting there waiting for the timer to finish running.

Of course, there's nothing to stop you from getting up and taking out the garbage, trying yet another tip/trick for getting your scooter started, watching a music video, or whatever ... as long as you keep the course window open so the timer doesn't stop.

Other than the stupid timers, the courses are simple, the quizzes and finals are easy (and it's all "open book"), and the courses are cheap  -- I get mine from $5 Traffic School (not an affiliate link), which is exactly what it sounds like, except that the drug and alcohol course adds a $3 state fee of some kind.

I've been doing the mature driver course over the last couple of days, in between doing other stuff. I should finish it this evening.

Scooter Blues ...

I'm still hoping to make a 70-mile trip on the scooter tomorrow.

But at the moment it doesn't want to start, and when it does start it tops out at about 20mph and dies after about a quarter mile.

From a little bit of reading, I see that these vehicles tend to get that way if they're not started on a near-daily basis (a lot of the "tips and tricks" videos start off with "left it sitting while you went off on spring break?"), and none of the "tips and tricks" that don't involve tearing everything open have worked.

My neighbor/mechanic has been down with flu. Hopefully he's back around again, but I haven't heard back from him. I personally think it's a fuel problem, and may be related to the earlier "left it out in the rain" thing. Maybe I'll get it fixed tonight, and make that trip tomorrow. Maybe not. Maybe there's some way in which it's suddenly well and truly fucked. I guess I'll find out. Maybe it's jealous that I'm already looking for the next two-wheeled vehicle. But lying down and dying on me doesn't seem like a very smart way to make me re-think. Maybe I'm anthromorphizing a 50cc scooter.

Wordle 916 Hint

Hint: Of the five senses, this is the one you're most often  likely to need someone else's consent to use.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: T

Wordle 915 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle used to work in the construction business.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: B

Ah, So It's Going to be THAT Kind of Week

I'm not sure how many years we've had the current microwave, but it decided to shit the bed this morning. Always "running," but it doesn't heat. No obviously fixable reason.

Fortunately, I found a decent deal with delivery tomorrow, so I guess anyone who wants pizza rolls or whatever will have to rough it and use the toaster oven.

Probably the best time in the current 30-day window that it could pick to go rogue. Thanksgiving dinner leftovers are long gone and we've still got a few days until Christmas dinner leftovers become a thing.

Update: Canceled the order -- turned out we had a microwave sitting in storage from Tamara's mom's estate.

So Far This Year ...

... I've redeemed Microsoft Rewards Points (not an affiliate link -- they seem to have that sometimes and other times not) for $70 in Amazon gift cards (and a couple of entries in sweepstakes/giveaways).

It generally takes me 1-2 minutes a day to earn a sort of "base" 50 points for clicking on the day's link (10 points), clicking on and completing a short quiz (30 points), and answering a single poll question (10 points). And there's actually a particular point in my morning routine where I have about that amount of time to kill between a couple of sequential/timed activities, so it works out.

I get more points for every Bing search I do, bonuses for doing those first three things multiple days in a row, etc. I get extra points for doing my searching in Microsoft Edge (or, if I happen to be on my phone, which is rare, in the Bing app). And there are other, additional points opportunities which I rarely mess with, but which are of the "a moment of your time" variety.

Of course, I'm feeding big data to Big Data. But at least I'm getting paid for it! If you like that idea, go for it.

Wordle 914 Hint

Hint: Trouble solving today's Wordle? No big deal -- a pox on it!

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

Grocery Delivery: Some Quick Thoughts on Kroger v. Instacart

When I first started getting postcards in the mail about grocery delivery from Kroger (not an affiliate link -- I don't think they have an affiliate program), I assumed someone had made a huge mistake. So far as I know, there's not a Kroger store within 100 miles of me.

But the cards kept coming, and then my son noticed that their "rewards points" could be used to buy some newfangled video game "DLC" stuff that he wanted. So I looked into it, and yes, they deliver in Gainesville.

I'm a big Instacart (affiliate link! I get ten bucks if you use it!) fan. I started using them when Tamara was out of town for quite a while, and when I had no driver's license. Good service and a variety of local stores to choose from. These days, I mostly use them to bring stuff that I don't want Tamara to have to lift, even when her post-hernia-surgery weight restrictions are gone.

I've done two orders with Kroger so far, and here are the differences I see:

• Instacart offers more variety. I can choose from lots of local stores like Aldi, Sam's Club, Publix, etc. With Kroger, it's just the single store. But so far I've had no problem finding the groceries I'm looking for.
• On price, Kroger seems comparable to Publix and Walmart. They have their own store brands. They have sales. They have coupons. Etc. I prefer Aldi for many things, and Sam's Club for soda (they sell cases that come to about what soda goes for on sale elsewhere), but I don't see that Kroger is especially expensive compared to its competitors.
• Instacart provides same day delivery, with a $2 per order discount if you're willing to pick a "window" several hours out. Kroger's quickest delivery is next-day, and the delivery charge is $9.95 for quicker delivery, $6.95 for later delivery. Instacart is $4, plus a 5% "service fee," and the latter applies even if you have their "premium" membership. Kroger's delivery charge includes everything except the listed prices plus sales tax.
• Speaking of premium memberships, we pay about $10 a month to Instacart -- no delivery fees on orders over $35, but there is that "service charge." Kroger's premium service costs $59 a year and has free next-day delivery, presumably with no "service charge." And finally ...
• I always tip my Instacart driver, a minimum of five bucks. I don't resent that extra cost. I get good service and like to reward it. BUT ... Kroger doesn't accept tips, period. So when I order from them, I'm saving at least $5 right off the top.

So, I may very well decide to switch to Kroger. And you might want to look into them yourself.

NFL Week 16 Picks

My NFL picks for this weekend, as posted at ESPN's Pigskin Pick'em site (straight picks, no spreads, etc., and I've created a group for those who would like to play along with me):

• New Orleans Saints beat Los Angeles Rams*
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Cincinnati Bengals*
• Los Angeles Chargers beat Buffalo Bills*
• Indianapolis Colts beat Atlanta Falcons
• Seattle Seahawks beat Tennessee Titans
• Detroit Lions beat Minnesota Vikings
• Washington Commanders beat New York Jets*
• Green Bay Packers beat Carolina Panthers
• Cleveland Browns beat Houston Texans
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Chicago Bears beat Arizona Cardinals
• Miami Dolphins beat Dallas Cowboys
• Denver Broncos beat New England Patriots
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Las Vegas Raiders
• Philadelphia Eagles beat New York Giants
• San Francisco 49ers beat Baltimore Ravens

"Upset" picks -- that is, where my pick disagrees with the majority of Pigskin Pick'em players (as of the time I make my picks, but if I notice a change I'll mark that) -- are marked with asterisks. If I make any changes to my picks, they will be made before the game in question kicks off, and specifically noted in an update to this post.

NFL Week 15 Outcomes

My picks (posted here), with "Tom was right" picks in green and "Tom was wrong" picks in red:

• Las Vegas Raiders beat Los Angeles Chargers
• Cincinnati Bengals beat Minnesota Vikings
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Indianapolis Colts*
• Denver Broncos beat Detroit Lions*
• Cleveland Browns beat Chicago Bears
• Atlanta Falcons beat Carolina Panthers
• Green Bay Packers beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Houston Texans beat Tennessee Titans
• Miami Dolphins beat New York Jets
• New Orleans Saints beat New York Giants
• Kansas City Chiefs beat New England Patriots
• Washington Commanders beat Los Angeles Rams*
• San Francisco 49ers beat Arizona Cardinals
• Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo Bills
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Baltimore Ravens*
• Philadelphia Eagles beat Seattle Seahawks

Another sub-50% week -- seven right, eight wrong. Better than last week, though. I forgot to note the Commanders/Rams game as an upset prediction in my original pick post. That's fixed here. None of my upset picks worked out. The big surprise for me was the Cowboys losing to the Bills, who I thought were pretty much done in. I'm 133-91 for the season so far and in the 84.7th percentile among players of the ESPN Pigskin Pick'em game.

We're at the point in the season where shit gets real -- division championships, wild card playoff berths, seeds for home field advantage, etc. are all in play.

As a Chiefs fan, my big worry is that the Chiefs end up playing the Dolphins for the AFC championship. My religious beliefs require me to always pick the Chiefs to win, but that probability tests said beliefs.

Wordle 913 Hint

Hint: You can have dinner at it, or keep all your options on it. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: T

Another Helpful Scooter Hint ...

... because anyone who reads this blog knows that once I get onto a topic (tent living, bicycles, whatever), I tend to remain obsessed with it for some time. The hint:

For the love of God, cover your scooter if it's parked outdoors and you're expecting rain.

I forgot to do that last Friday.

It's not just that the seat gets wet.

It's that having rain blow around your scooter means moisture may get into your air filter/intake/carb/coil, etc. and that the thing may then not want to start until it gets dry.

I thought I'd actually go out for a ride IN the rain on Saturday night, but all I got out of it was "rrrrr ..... rrrrr .... rrrrr," with the engine never really "catching." During a dry period on Sunday, I managed to get it started, rode it for a few minutes to blow any remaining moisture out, then covered it (a cover was one of the first things I bought for it -- in fact, I may have ordered it before I got the scooter itself).

Of course, if you have a garage or other covered parking, none of this is really relevant to you.

Wordle 912 Hint

Hint: If nothing else, today's Wordle is certainly good for a laugh or two. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: F

Wordle 911 Hint

Hint: Unless you're a pig or a vegetarian, chances are good you think today's Wordle makes everything better. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: B

Wordle 910 Hint

Hint: Whenever I see today's Wordle on a table or desk, or for $5 at a yard sale, I think to myself "wow, man, it's a small world." 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: G

Of Weather Forecasts and Travel Plans ...

I had tentatively planned to take the scooter on its longest ride yet tomorrow -- up to High Springs or even Fort White, then back -- until I saw the weather forecast: "Rain showers in the morning will evolve into a more steady rain in the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph." Not the greatest cycling weather, especially since I haven't purchased a rain suit yet.

So today I took it on a 24-mile ride around town, stopping only for gas.

Once again, none of that "loses power, wants to die" nonsense that was going on before the air filter change, fuel filter change, carb/idle adjustment, etc. It runs solid until I tell it to stop running.

Once again, the top speed I logged (I only ran my GPS speedometer app the last few miles) was 40mph. So that will just have to do. I don't think it will have a problem cruising at 30mph, so that's my "calculation speed" for trips that aren't in town traffic.

I am definitely starting to long for something that goes fast enough to scare myself on, though.

Wordle 909 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle is certainly a subject of discourse and debate. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: T

Wordle 908 Hint

Hint: When you haven't done this or that thing, but are positively inclined toward doing it. 

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: W

NFL Week 15 Picks

 My NFL picks for this weekend, as posted at ESPN's Pigskin Pick'em site (straight picks, no spreads, etc., and I've created a group for those who would like to play along with me):

• Las Vegas Raiders beat Los Angeles Chargers
• Cincinnati Bengals beat Minnesota Vikings
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Indianapolis Colts*
• Denver Broncos beat Detroit Lions*
• Cleveland Browns beat Chicago Bears
• Atlanta Falcons beat Carolina Panthers
• Green Bay Packers beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Houston Texans beat Tennessee Titans
• Miami Dolphins beat New York Jets
• New Orleans Saints beat New York Giants
• Kansas City Chiefs beat New England Patriots
• Washington Commanders beat Los Angeles Rams
• San Francisco 49ers beat Arizona Cardinals
• Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo Bills
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Baltimore Ravens*
• Philadelphia Eagles beat Seattle Seahawks

"Upset" picks -- that is, where my pick disagrees with the majority of Pigskin Pick'em players (as of the time I make my picks, but if I notice a change I'll mark that) -- are marked with asterisks. If I make any changes to my picks, they will be made before the game in question kicks off, and specifically noted in an update to this post.

Wordle 907 Hint

Hint: I had money. Now I don't. Where'd it go?

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

NFL Week 14 Outcomes

My picks (posted here), with "Tom was right" picks in green and "Tom was wrong" picks in red:

• Pittsburgh Steelers beat New England Patriots
• Atlanta Falcons beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Detroit Lions beat Chicago Bears
• Indianapolis Colts beat Cincinnati Bengals*
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Cleveland Browns
• New Orleans Saints beat Carolina Panthers
• Houston Texans beat New York Jets
• Baltimore Ravens beat Los Angeles Rams
• Las Vegas Raiders beat Minnesota Vikings*
• San Francisco 49ers beat Seattle Seahawks
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills
• Denver Broncos beat Los Angeles Chargers
• Dallas Cowboys beat Philadelphia Eagles*
• Miami Dolphins beat Tennessee Titans
• Green Bay Packers beat New York Giants

Wow ... wow ... that was a terrible week for me. Five right, ten wrong. But I'm still 125-83 for the season and in the 87.8th percentile among players of the ESPN Pigskin Pick'em game. And just to be fair, the Chiefs would probably have won if not for the herculean efforts of the Buffalo Bills' MVP, referee Carl Cheffers.

For next week, try, try again.

Wordle 906 Hint

Hint: Looking for Wordle hints? They're right here in front of you, unlike those others further away.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: T

Is It Just Me Or ...

... is American politics even more boring than usual lately?

Something about the Election 2024 dynamic -- not just the likelihood of a Trump-Biden rematch, though that's certainly a big part of it -- reminds me of the old (and for all I know, current) network TV practice of trotting out 20-30 episodes of a show per season and filling the remaining 22-32 weeks with re-runs of those same episodes.

How many times have they run the "shutdown just any minute now, cliffhanger, haha gotcha again!" three-parter this year? Can anyone remember? Does anyone care?

Please, won't someone fly Marjorie Taylor Greene out to Hawaii for a water ski shark jump, or drag Ted Cruz to the dentist and have it turn out to be Tim Conway, or something, anything, to make this fun and/or exciting?

Wordle 905 Hint

Hint: Frank Lloyd Wright and Hugh Laurie have today's Wordle in common.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: H

Wordle 904 Hint

Hint: To solve today's Wordle, you'll have to discover a series of links.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: C

The Good Scooter News and the Bad Scooter News

The good scooter news is that that "bogging down, wants to die after being stressed a bit" problem seems to be gone. I just took it on a 12.8-mile ride, pushing it as hard as it would go at several points, and it never acted like it had a problem delivering power.

The bad news is that it still tops out at 40 miles per hour, and that's on nice, long, level stretches of good road. That's up from 37mph before I did the things I've done to it, and it's not bad, but I wish I could get even another two or three out of it.

The non-cosmetic things I've done to it:

• Replaced the air box with a "performance air filter" right next to the carb;
• Adjusted the carb fuel/air mixture and the idle;
• Changed out the existing CDI box for a "racing" model that says it has no RPM restriction;
• Upped the weights in the CVT transmission from 5 grams to 6 grams.

I think that's it. I still want to have a look at the exhaust system and make sure there aren't any restrictive measures there, and maybe look for and remove restrictions leading into the carburetor and go to slightly larger carb/jets.

But, you know, 40mph isn't bad for a 50cc scooter. It will get me reasonable distances in reasonable times. I still plan to wait on putting the big bore kit in, and may not do so at all, beccause I'm getting more and more certain that come spring I'll want to just go ahead and get a motorcycle license and either a 300-500cc motorcycle or at least a 150cc or 250cc scooter. Something that will handle freeway speeds.

Wordle 903 Hint

Hint: If you want to solve today's Wordle, you'd better get your brain in gear.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

Wordle 902 Hint

Hint: Today's Wordle might describe both a block of cheddar and the tool you cut it with.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

NFL Week 14 Picks

My NFL picks for this weekend, as posted at ESPN's Pigskin Pick'em site (straight picks, no spreads, etc., and I've created a group for those who would like to play along with me):

• Pittsburgh Steelers beat New England Patriots
• Atlanta Falcons beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Detroit Lions beat Chicago Bears
• Indianapolis Colts beat Cincinnati Bengals*
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Cleveland Browns
• New Orleans Saints beat Carolina Panthers
• Houston Texans beat New York Jets
• Baltimore Ravens beat Los Angeles Rams
• Las Vegas Raiders beat Minnesota Vikings*
• San Francisco 49ers beat Seattle Seahawks
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Buffalo Bills
• Denver Broncos beat Los Angeles Chargers
• Dallas Cowboys beat Philadelphia Eagles*
• Miami Dolphins beat Tennessee Titans
• Green Bay Packers beat New York Giants

"Upset" picks -- that is, where my pick disagrees with the majority of Pigskin Pick'em players (as of the time I make my picks, but if I notice a change I'll mark that) -- are marked with asterisks. If I make any changes to my picks, they will be made before the game in question kicks off, and specifically noted in an update to this post.

Wordle 901 Hint

Hint: Shakespearean Wordle hint: "To solve today's Wordle, perchance to dream."

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: S

Wordle 900 Hint

Hint: Half of humankind, give or take.

Not Enough? Get the first letter of today's Wordle after the ads below.

New to Wordle? Here are some thoughts on how I go about solving each day's puzzle.

First Letter: W

NFL Week 13 Outcomes

My picks (posted here), with "Tom was right" picks in green and "Tom was wrong" picks in red:

• Dallas Cowboys beat Seattle Seahawks
• Indianapolis Colts beat Tennessee Titans
• Los Angeles Chargers beat New England Patriots
• Detroit Lions beat New Orleans Saints
• Atlanta Falcons beat New York Jets
• Pittsburgh Steelers beat Arizona Cardinals
• Miami Dolphins beat Washington Commanders
• Denver Broncos beat Houston Texans*
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Carolina Panthers
• Cleveland Browns beat Los Angeles Rams*
• San Francisco 49ers beat Philadelphia Eagles*
• Kansas City Chiefs beat Green Bay Packers
• Jacksonville Jaguars beat Cincinnati Bengals

Eight right, five wrong. Of my three upset picks, two didn't pan out. I'm now at 120-73 for the season and ranked in the 89.9th percentile among players of the ESPN Pigskin Pick'em game.