Everyone was worried about the crowds coming to central Texas, and elsewhere, for yesterday’s eclipse.  As far as I can tell, none of the problems, notably traffic jams, materialized.  I think the hype, including pre-emptively declaring a state of emergency, scared lots of people off.

This morning, however, I had to take friends and family to the airport.  Not a pleasant experience on a good day.  I braced myself for the worst.

To be fair, the airport in Austin was built for a much smaller city, but very little effort has gone into keeping up.  The pick up / drop off lanes are my vote the most dysfunctional driving experience anywhere, at least in the US.

The signs approaching the airport said you can drop off at the pick up spots and vice versa.  Completely useless and maybe even counter productive.  The airport is basically saying: we give up on even the illusion of some sort of order or control.  It’s a free for all.  Every man for himself.

I was headed for the drop off lanes when the car in front of me, a taxi, swerved into the pick up lane at the last minute.  I boldly followed.  What I saw was something I had never seen before.  The pick up zone was completely empty. I’ve been here many times at all hours and all times of the year and have never seen anything remotely like this.

I parked, unloaded and said goodbye, leisurely.  On the way out I rolled down the passenger side window and asked the crossing guard: where is everybody?  He just shrugged.

Every now and then I run across something that I’m certain must be fake.  But this is from the BBC and appears authentic. Once I saw the photo of this person I was less surprised.

Ringleader of global monkey torture network, ‘The Torture King’, is charged

From yesterday.

MILWAUKEE OPPENDRIVER NUCLEAR-POWERED DRILL

From the Guardian UK.

US children’s book author accused of killing husband also charged with poisoning attempt

Maybe I’m reading too much into this but certainly the end of a era in Central Texas.

Willie Nelson moves 2024 4th of July Picnic out of Texas

The world’s largest oil company says the transition away from fossil fuels is failing.  This is after large cuts to production.

The reality I see is factories cranking out electric cars and solar panels.  Every time an EV or a solar panel rolls off the assembly line, some small but permanent destruction of traditional energy demand occurs.

I have had an EV for about 5 years.  I don’t forsee ever going back to a gasoline powered car.  Both my children have EVs as do many friends.  I suspect they feel the same.  And it isn’t about any political or social agenda.  They are just better cars.  Faster, quieter, more convenient, lower maintenance.

When I look at the technology trends for solar panels and batteries, it seems to be even more of a no-brainer.  Electricity is the future.  Thanks oil, you got us this far.  Time for a new technology to take the baton.  From CNBC.

Saudi Aramco CEO says energy transition is failing, world should abandon ‘fantasy’ of phasing out oil

From the Atlantic.  Many I have read, many I want to read and a few I probably won’t read (looking at you, Faulkner and David Foster Wallace).  Was surprised to see Oscar Zeta Acosta on the list but no Hunter Thompson.

The GREAT American NOVELS

Post-WW II use and testing of nuclear weapons has left everything slightly radioactive.  If you need, say, steel that is not radioactive, you need to get it from something made before WW II.  One source is old shipwrecks.  From Wiki.

Low-background steel