Hippy Steve

Water your plants and trees today or tomorrow morning. Early heat waves are rather tough on them. Getting a good drink ~before~ the real heat sets in helps them much more than trying to revive a wilty plant with too little too late.

I heard back from RePowerFlow who made my LiFePo4 batteries. They had sent a new bluetooth module and instructions on how to open up the battery. Way better than cutting it open. they have hidden screws under plastic caps.

Would like to disassemble it more to get eyes on the cells, but am afraid to. In the mean time, I'm doing a true top-balance of the cells with a power supply connected directly.

US immigration agents in Oregon used a custom-made app to identify neighborhoods and people to target, and had daily arrest quotas they sought to meet during operations, courtroom testimony has revealed. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/13/ice-agent-court-testimony-oregon

Testimony in a December hearing in the case provided a remarkable acknowledgment by an ICE officer of how daily target arrest numbers played out at the local level, and appeared to contradict the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials’ repeated claims that officers didn’t have quotas. Trump adviser Stephen Miller has publicly said the administration’s target was 3,000 daily arrests. In the hearing, an ICE agent identified as JB testified that his team was given a verbal order to target eight arrests a day.

The hearing also appeared to be the first time that ICE disclosed in court its use of an app called Elite for operations. But JB explained that Elite was a “newer app” given to ICE agents. The app, he said, is “kind of like Google Maps” and shows how many individuals with an “immigration nexus” are believed to be in a certain area. Another officer testified that a “nexus” could mean any history of contact with immigration officials, which could include a naturalized US citizen.

Elite, JB said, helped officers identify areas with a more “dense population”, meaning a higher likelihood of finding people to detain. Another agent described the Woodburn complex as a “target-rich” area. JB said he did not know how Elite “leads” were generated, saying the app “pulls from all kinds of sources”.

It's not just oil: The Iran war is threatening to reignite food inflation — the price shock voters feel most directly — at the worst possible time for President Trump and Republicans. https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/iran-war-food-inflation-trump-midterms

The American Farm Bureau Federation warned in a letter to Trump this week that "supply chain shocks are expected to drive already record-high input prices even higher."

Gulf states now menaced by war produce nearly 49% of the world's urea, a critical solid nitrogen fertilizer, and about 30% of its ammonia, according to AFBF.

The U.S. also gets about 97% of its potassium from foreign sources, plus 18% of its nitrogen and 13% of its phosphate.

"Fertilizer's not an option to farmers — it's a critical input that determines the crop yield and ultimately the food supply for the American people," said AFBF president Zippy Duvall.

"It's not just a farm issue — it's a food security issue and an economic issue for the entire country," Duvall added. "When farmers face supply shortages or price increases, those impacts ripple through the entire food chain."

aw crap. Another one...

Amazon's driverless taxi brand Zoox announced that it’s partnering with Uber to bring its robotaxi experience to Uber’s platform in Los Angeles starting next year. https://ktla.com/news/local-news/zoox-partnering-with-uber-to-bring-robotaxi-service-to-l-a-next-year

NYMag Intelligencer: Six commercial ships in the Persian Gulf were struck in less than 24 hours as of Thursday, including two oil tankers that were set ablaze off the Iraqi coast. A total of at least 16 commercial ships, including 10 oil tankers, have been attacked in the Persian Gulf since the Iran War began. Despite efforts by the U.S. and others to address the crisis, the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil supply is moved, remains effectively closed. The war’s impact on shipping and the oil industry, as well as on the global oil market, continues to worsen. Iran’s new supreme leader has announced that the strait will remain closed, and the regime has not only repeatedly targeted ships in the Persian Gulf, including with seaborne drones, but is now reportedly mining the strait as well.

WSJ: JERUSALEM—Israeli officials now assess that Iran’s ruling regime is unlikely to fall in the immediate future, as Tehran’s battered rulers remain in control and conditions on the ground aren’t yet ripe for a popular uprising, people familiar with the matter said.

Nearly two weeks into the war, Iran’s military and political leadership appears functional and responsive to events, while its domestic opponents have been cowed by a heavy security presence. Israeli officials assess that changing the equation would likely require many more weeks or months of fighting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he wasn’t sure if Iranians would be able to topple the Islamic republic although he said Israel was working to create the conditions that would allow for it.
____

I wouldn't credit "heavy security presence" with no people protesting in the streets. When another country is bombing your kids, your ire tends to go towards them rather than government that's oppressing you in less immediate ways.

PBS: U.S. military refueling plane crashes in Iraq
Rescue efforts were underway, U.S. Central Command said Thursday.

Concerned about a couple cells in one of my 24v LiFePo4 batteries. Cells 4 and 5 once above a certain voltage just race into overvoltage. This battery will be relatively well balance until it hits 28V, then a minute later it's seriously out of balance and gone into overvoltage protection at 29V.

Any thoughts?

#OffGrid #DIY #Solar #Batteries #LiFePo4

What kind of fresh hell scam is this. Random number sending a contact card. I'm afraid to open that. Should I be?

Thanks, Trump...

Honda Cancels All Three EVs That It Planned to Build in the U.S. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a70722299/honda-0-series-suv-saloon-acura-rsx-canceled/

The automaker was blunt in its announcement of the changing plans, citing American tariff policies and the unpredictable nature surrounding American EV incentives and fossil fuel regulations. In its release marking the announcement, Honda made it clear that it expected to incur further financial losses over the long term if it went through with launching the cars.

lol.

Your Corporate Jargon–Loving Coworker Might Actually Be as Stupid as You Think, Study Shows https://gizmodo.com/your-corporate-jargon-loving-coworker-might-actually-be-as-stupid-as-you-think-study-shows-2000732901

We all know that guy, and yes, your suspicions are true: Advocates of corporate speech aren't the sharpest pencils in the office.

Based on a battery of tests on over 1,000 office-worker volunteers, a cognitive psychologist with Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences has found a strong link between a person’s positive opinion of corporate bullshit (BS) and the general weakness of their analytical skills.

Remember the ICE lawyer who had a breakdown in front of the judge just 6 weeks ago? “What do you want me to do? The system sucks. This job sucks. And I am trying every breath that I have so that I can get you what you need..." then she asked to be held in contempt so she could get 24 hrs of sleep...

Well, she's running for Congress now. but as a democrat and is trying to primary Ilhan Omar. So screw that. Your 15 minutes of fame are up.

lol. TechDirt: Beavers Are Not Moose: Buc-ee’s Sues Competitor Over Cartoon Moose Branding

CNN: A high-ranking retired US Air Force major general who once commanded a base long associated with UFO lore has been missing for nearly two weeks, and authorities are appealing to the public for help locating him, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in New Mexico.

Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, 68, left his Albuquerque home on foot at approximately 11 a.m. February 27 and has not been in contact with family or friends since, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. His cell phone was left behind, the sheriff’s office told CNN. The sheriff’s office issued a Silver Alert the next day, which remains in effect. An unspecified “medical issue” has added urgency to the search.

McCasland held some of the most sensitive positions in the US military, according to the Air Force. An astronautical engineer with degrees from the US Air Force Academy, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, he held a series of high-level posts during his career.

He served as chief engineer on the Department of Defense’s Global Positioning System program, system program director of the Space Based Laser Project Office and director of special programs at the Pentagon. He also commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — a base long rumored to house extraterrestrial debris linked to Roswell, despite Air Force denials.

Following his retirement, McCasland worked with To The Stars, Inc., a company co-founded by Blink-182 musician Tom DeLonge that says it studies information about unidentified aerial phenomena.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bought data from the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples’ precise movements over time, in a process that often involves siphoning data from ordinary apps like video games, dating services, and fitness trackers, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document obtained by 404 Media.

The document shows in stark terms the power, and potential risk, of online advertising data and how it can be leveraged by government agencies for surveillance purposes. https://www.404media.co/cbp-tapped-into-the-online-advertising-ecosystem-to-track-peoples-movements/

Oh look. More supply driven inflation coming...

StraitsTimes: About 10% of global container fleet caught in Hormuz backup, shipping CEO says

*EDIT* to fix link https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/28/i-live-in-constant-fear-surge-in-giant-sinkholes-threatens-turkeys-farmers

egads.

‘I live in constant fear’: surge in giant sinkholes threatens Turkey’s farmers

Falling groundwater, extreme heat and water-intensive farming are accelerating land collapse, forcing a rethink in agricultural practices

Fatih Sik was drinking tea with friends at home when he heard a rumbling sound outside that grew to a loud boom, like a volcano had erupted nearby. From the window, he saw water and mud shoot into the sky, as high as the tallest trees, less than 100 metres away.

The 47-year-old knew what it was, because it is common in Karapınar, Konya, a vast agricultural province known as Turkey’s breadbasket. A giant sinkhole had opened up on his land. Fifty metres wide and 40 metres deep, it had appeared almost a year to the day after a previous one had formed. It was August – the hottest month of the year.

Sik was born on the farm he now owns, which his father ran before him, yet he says scientists have told local people the area is no longer livable. One house nearby has collapsed into a sinkhole. “Every night I pray before I go to bed and when I wake up I pray again,” said Sik. “I live in constant fear that a sinkhole will take my house.”

Konya, part of the once-fertile Central Anatolia region, gave life to ancient civilisations, including what is believed to be the world’s first agricultural society, at Çatalhöyük, in about 8,000BC. It is dotted with the remnants of water cults, Hittite sacred springs and Roman aqueducts, and once offered vital watering holes to traders on the Silk Road. Now, though, the land is drying up. Turkey is on the brink of a major drought crisis, with almost 90% of the country at risk of becoming desert.

#ClimateEmergency

Guardian: Reports are emerging that the US is involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran’s capital. Associated Press reported that a US official and a person familiar with the operation said the US is participating in the Israeli strikes. They spoke on condition of anonymity, AP said. Reuters has also cited an unnamed Israeli defence official as saying the Israeli operation in Iran was coordinated with the US. The Guardian has been unable to confirm this.

On the lighter side...

Guardian: A “Pastafarian” in rural Queensland has vowed to fight to keep his driver’s licence featuring a photo of him wearing a colander on his head, arguing it’s a matter of freedom of religion. But the state government has told him he must hand it in and get a new one, as it was issued “in error”.

Shadikillah, 28, said he converted from Islam to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in 2021 while a university student in his home country of Indonesia due to his growing doubts about the religion in which he’d been raised.

After his Facebook post of his new licence “went viral”, Shadikillah said he was contacted by a government official last week telling him it was not legitimate religious headgear. “Which is absurd – they don’t have the authority to decide what religious headwear is appropriate or not."

The Queensland government’s website states that headgear is only permitted to be worn for licence photos if it is for religious purposes. Queensland and other states have ruled that Pastafarianism does not count as a religion for driver’s licences. Shadikillah said he and other Pastafarians wanted to “be recognised and respected just like any other religion” and that the law should apply equally to everyone.

#PastafarianRights

Yikes. A country of 1.5 Billion people running out of water.

Ancient stepwells brought back to life as India begins to run out of water as parts of the country head towards “day zero” when no water will be available https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/feb/26/ancient-stepwells-brought-back-india-run-out-water-day-zero

“It was such a joyous moment to see water collecting into the stepwell after clearing 40 years of garbage,” says Hajira Adeeb, a 45-year-old resident of Bansilalpet, who grew up seeing the well become transformed from the community’s water source to a dumping ground. “I visit almost every day. The area is clean and lit up in the evenings. I enjoy sitting there.”

India is famed for its stepwells – multi-storey structures built to provide access to groundwater, with steps and platforms descending to the water level. Thousands were built across the country near natural aquifers – underground porous rock saturated with water – mostly between the 11th and 18th centuries.

#ClimateEmergency

Any entomologists on here? We have an ag entomologists in the community who left some traps here to put out in spring.

specifically, we're aiming to catch any bark beetles for identification. We had a scare in the late fall when we found some grubs in large rounds of Oak that were brought up here when we were splitting it. But it's really hard to get positive ID on grubs. All of that wood has been tarped and sealed up.

We're now looking at mid to high 70s and maybe even 80s and sunny this week. Would this trigger beetle emergence? Should I put the traps out now or wait another month?

Today in #LeopardsAteMyFace REDFORD, Texas—Plans for a border wall through the Big Bend region of West Texas are raising alarms among residents and elected officials. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/17022026/big-bend-texas-border-wall/ U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intends to build border barriers throughout this remote region of Texas that encompasses ranchland, small towns and a cherished state and national park. Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) waived 28 laws for environmental protection and historical and archeological preservation to expedite construction in a more than 150-mile stretch from Fort Quitman in Hudspeth County to Colorado Canyon in Big Bend Ranch State Park. An online map posted by CBP indicates that “smart wall” construction is planned both within the state park and in neighboring Big Bend National Park. The highest elected official for Brewster County, Judge Greg Henington, spoke against the wall during a public appearance in the county seat of Alpine on Feb. 12. Big Bend National Park is in Brewster County. “This county judge sees no reason to go with a border wall in Brewster County,” Henington, a Republican, said. “I get border security, but there are other ways to do it.” David Keller, a noted archaeologist of the region, characterized the plans for border barriers in the Big Bend as “the military industrialization of one of the last, great, unspoiled places remaining in the United States of America. One of our most beloved national parks and our state’s largest park will be scarred beyond repair,” he said.

Remember when MAGA and QAnon were freaked out about rumors of FEMA buying warehouses? An organization that is supposed to stockpile goods for an emergency.

ICE only stockpiles people.

Say what now?!?

When a predator like a lion walks through the grasslands, it makes its presence known by roaring, which can be heard miles away. Since the lion is at the top of the food chain, it doesn’t particularly require privacy. But for animals like deer, making loud sounds isn’t exactly the safest way to communicate. So, to get noticed, deer mark areas with rubs and scrapes, known as signposts. Now, a new study in Ecology and Evolution reports that these signposts hold a hidden glow, and other deer can see it. https://newatlas.com/biology/forests-glow-uv-light-deer-communication/

To investigate how the environment might glow in response to animal behaviors, the lead author of the study, Daniel DeRose-Broeckert, and his colleagues surveyed an 800-acre area in the Whitehall Forest and located white-tailed deer’s (Odocoileus virginianus) active signposts.

The team marked those signposts with flagging tapes and GPS points. From the sites, they analyzed 109 antler rubs, 37 scrapes, and 20 urinated spots. The light measurements revealed that these markers emit light in wavelengths that stand out against the surrounding environment when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays.

In an interview DeRose-Broeckert told us that deer are more sensitive to blue wavelengths and UV light than humans. A deer’s eye sensitivity picks up the wavelengths emitted by the glow, i.e., 450-460 nm and 537 nm ranges. Also, deer are most active at dawn and dusk, when the sunlight is low and visible light fades, making ultraviolet wavelengths more prominent.

The judge's order to release bunny hat boy and his father is 🔥FIRE🔥 It's a mic drop smack down history lesson. The judge pulls no punches when referring to this regime and ICE: "Observing human behavior confirms that for some among us, the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency." Never seen this signature line before: "With a judicial finger in the constitutional dike, it is so ORDERED." https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492/gov.uscourts.txwd.1172886492.9.0.pdf

WHOA. Amid a deepening ecological crisis and acute water shortage, Tehran can no longer remain the capital of #Iran, the country’s president has said. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/irans-capital-has-run-out-of-water-forcing-it-to-move/ The situation in Tehran is the result of “a perfect storm of climate change and corruption,” says Michael Rubin, a political analyst at the American Enterprise Institute. “We no longer have a choice,” said Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian during a speech on Thursday. Instead Iranian officials are considering moving the capital to the country’s southern coast. But experts say the proposal does not change the reality for the nearly 10 million people who live in Tehran and are now suffering the consequences of a decades-long decline in water supply. Since at least 2008, scientists have warned that unchecked groundwater pumping for the city and for agriculture was rapidly draining the country’s aquifers. The overuse did not just deplete underground reserves—it destroyed them, as the land compressed and sank irreversibly. One recent study found that Iran’s central plateau, where most of the country’s aquifers are located, is sinking by more than 35 centimeters each year. As a result, the aquifers lose about 1.7 billion cubic meters of water annually as the ground is permanently crushed, leaving no space for underground water storage to recover. #ClimateEmergency

Ruh-roh. Buy Now, Pay Later services have ballooned to 91 million users in the US. 25% of them use it to buy groceries. And the default rate is growing fast. This problem is largely hidden because it's a 'phantom debt' crisis not reported to credit bureaus. “In a world where, if I’m a buy-now-pay-later provider, and I’m not checking bureau data, I’m not feeding bureau data, I am oblivious to the fact that Nigel may have taken out 10 of these things in the last week,” Morris explained. “[That’s] absolutely true.” https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/16/bnpl-is-expanding-fast-and-that-should-worry-everyone/

The Governor of Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear, has declared a state of emergency in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, following a multi-car train derailment resulting in a chemical spill, according to ABC.

According to WKYT, the train was on a CSX Transportation line, and at least 15 cars were involved, including two sulfur cars that were breached and lost some of their contents.