I Will Be Dropping Off For A While .................

[Hugin&Munin]

Hm - that 'surge arrester' looks interesting - what kind of surges does it arrest?

These brown porcelain pieces have been made here near my hometown since 1901. This part is a surge arrester (lightning protection) for high-voltage long-distance lines with a voltage of 380,000 volts AC. Since a lightning can reach up to 100 million volts DC, if it hits the line, insulators could be destroyed by the arcing arcs and these parts conduct the energy of the lightning into the earth.

 

[captivecuties]

These brown porcelain pieces have been made here near my hometown since 1901. This part is a surge arrester (lightning protection) for high-voltage long-distance lines with a voltage of 380,000 volts AC. Since a lightning can reach up to 100 million volts DC, if it hits the line, insulators could be destroyed by the arcing arcs and these parts conduct the energy of the lightning into the earth.

So…even more lube than before?

 

[Loinclothslave]

this slave humbly submits that it shall be traveling overseas for two weeks from Friday, visiting it’s MASTER, and hopes no one will notice or care about it’s brief absence.



it will be in it’s happy place!

 

[Loxuru]

this slave humbly submits that it shall be traveling overseas for two weeks from Friday, visiting it’s MASTER, and hopes no one will notice or care about it’s brief absence.



it will be in it’s happy place!

Enjoy the trip, @Loinclothslave .
Good to inform us about your journey, so we don't have to alert the police to go behind a runaway slave! It saves you from a public whipping (in the nude, of course) after getting caught!

 

[Loinclothslave]

Enjoy the trip, @Loinclothslave .
Good to inform us about your journey, so we don't have to alert the police to go behind a runaway slave!

Oh, yes, such was it’s intention…

It saves you from a public whipping (in the nude, of course) after getting caught!

Wait, what? MODS!! this slave needs to delete it’s previous post!

Perhaps if it asks nicely, someone will report it as a runaway anyway? Is it usual for escaped slaves to run towards their MASTER?

 

[Loxuru]

Oh, yes, such was it’s intention…

Wait, what? MODS!! this slave needs to delete it’s previous post!

Perhaps if it asks nicely, someone will report it as a runaway anyway? Is it usual for escaped slaves to run towards their MASTER?

Just discard the safe conduct certificate from your master!
We'll make a call to the authorities meanwhile! Expect them on your return!

 

[fallenmystic]

I haven't been active on CF lately because of a series of personal/family issues triggered by my father's passing away last week.

It's been an insanely tumultuous week, and the thoroughly exhausting, despicable, and exploitative (i.e. throw away all your savings to vultures and scammers because that's what you're supposed to do when your family member passes away where I live) practice called Korean funeral service didn't help.

At any rate, I expect at least a couple more weeks before things get settled (if ever) so I can casually browse the forums and continue my AI render thread.

P.S. Here's an interesting trivia about Korean funeral customs - Traditionally, they withdrew from all social life and moved to a makeshift hut when their parent passed away. And they were supposed to stay there for whopping 3 years while doing nothing but praying for the deceased every day, eating only a minimal amount of simple food.

Of course, modern society doesn't allow such kind of excess but the gist of it still remains. Now we're supposed to mourn for 3 days - instead of 3 years - straight doing nothing but mourning and greeting visitors in a designated place. What's become worse, however, is that they introduced all sorts of exploitative (e.g. the dead is supposed to wear a simple but insanely expensive coarse garment which will get burned with the body anyway. And you'll pay something like $5,000 for performing a certain Buddhist ceremony, which is only a fraction of the total expense of the entire funeral) practices.

Anyway, sorry for the ranting. But having just found a small window of respite from all those stuff, I needed a place to vent.

 

[captivecuties]

I haven't been active on CF lately because of a series of personal/family issues triggered by my father's passing away last week.

It's been an insanely tumultuous week, and the thoroughly exhausting, despicable, and exploitative (i.e. throw away all your savings to vultures and scammers because that's what you're supposed to do when your family member passes away where I live) practice called Korean funeral service didn't help.

At any rate, I expect at least a couple more weeks before things get settled (if ever) so I can casually browse the forums and continue my AI render thread.

Condolences to you and sorry for your loss.

 

[FrankO]

I haven't been active on CF lately because of a series of personal/family issues triggered by my father's passing away last week.

It's been an insanely tumultuous week, and the thoroughly exhausting, despicable, and exploitative (i.e. throw away all your savings to vultures and scammers because that's what you're supposed to do when your family member passes away where I live) practice called Korean funeral service didn't help.

At any rate, I expect at least a couple more weeks before things get settled (if ever) so I can casually browse the forums and continue my AI render thread.

It's especially hard with a parent ...they've been there your entire life, they are giants, ever present personalities. They nurtured and sustained you, helped when you were down, enjoyed your triumphs and achievements, and were an integral part of you.

That said, time heals all things, after the initial grief everything will settle down again, and your parents become happy affectionate memories that you find yourself smiling about in the future. Your dad's bad jokes, your Mum's hovering whenever you appeared, the good times and occasions become what you remember.

And that's the way I think parents would like it ... to be remembered with a regular smile.

 

[fallenmystic]

It's especially hard with a parent ...they've been there your entire life, they are giants, ever present personalities. They nurtured and sustained you, helped when you were down, enjoyed your triumphs and achievements, and were an integral part of you.

That said, time heals all things, after the initial grief everything will settle down again, and your parents become happy affectionate memories that you find yourself smiling about in the future. Your dad's bad jokes, your Mum's hovering whenever you appeared, the good times and occasions become what you remember.

And that's the way I think parents would like it ... to be remembered with a regular smile.

I miss my dad but my emotions have been the least important issues I had to deal with. The craziest thing I had to do was find a suitable home to live with my mom and actually move in in a single day, and that was after burning all my meagre savings for meaningless funeral stuff.

If the reason why the Korean funeral custom is so exhausting is to help the remaining family members to forget about the sadness, I suppose it worked brilliantly for me.

Anyway, I shouldn't vent like this on and on, which wouldn't be good for anyone. Thanks for your kind words. I much appreciate it.

 

[Wragg]

Anyway, I shouldn't vent like this on and on, which wouldn't be good for anyone.

You vent to your heart's content, FM, you're among friends here.

I'm deeply sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[Loxuru]

I haven't been active on CF lately because of a series of personal/family issues triggered by my father's passing away last week.

My sincere condolences for the loss of your father, @fallenmystic .

 

[Eulalia]

I miss my dad but my emotions have been the least important issues I had to deal with. The craziest thing I had to do was find a suitable home to live with my mom and actually move in in a single day, and that was after burning all my meagre savings for meaningless funeral stuff.

If the reason why the Korean funeral custom is so exhausting is to help the remaining family members to forget about the sadness, I suppose it worked brilliantly for me.

Anyway, I shouldn't vent like this on and on, which wouldn't be good for anyone. Thanks for your kind words. I much appreciate it.

It's good you've a place here where you can share your feelings - it's a very special place, one where you can feel at home and just be

 

[wulf]

I miss my dad but my emotions have been the least important issues I had to deal with. The craziest thing I had to do was find a suitable home to live with my mom and actually move in in a single day, and that was after burning all my meagre savings for meaningless funeral stuff.

If the reason why the Korean funeral custom is so exhausting is to help the remaining family members to forget about the sadness, I suppose it worked brilliantly for me.

Anyway, I shouldn't vent like this on and on, which wouldn't be good for anyone. Thanks for your kind words. I much appreciate it.

I am so sorry for your loss as well, and may your grief mellow with time.

I completely sympathize with your rant about funerals and/or religious or traditional ceremonies. Obviously such activity is for the living and not the dead, and is a huge waste of money for a ceremony that most people would rather not have to attend anyway if the truth be known. People can mourn the loss of a friend or loved one without the expensive public display and all the trappings that go with it.
It's called the 'Death Care Industry', which is an oxymoron imo, and it earned $21.7 billion in the US in 2021. I will not be contributing to that obscene figure, and neither will anyone in my family.

 

[Frank Petrexa]

I am so sorry for your loss as well, and may your grief mellow with time.

I completely sympathize with your rant about funerals and/or religious or traditional ceremonies. Obviously such activity is for the living and not the dead, and is a huge waste of money

There is a guy named Bernd Heinrich who writes about nature, and wrote about a movement of people who just want to be left out in the woods when they pass on. I guess that is on the other extreme, and years from now the police would have to open an investigation.
Yes, funerals are for the survivors, and it shouldn't burden them with extra, monetary concerns.

 

[wulf]

There is a guy named Bernd Heinrich who writes about nature, and wrote about a movement of people who just want to be left out in the woods when they pass on. I guess that is on the other extreme, and years from now the police would have to open an investigation.
Yes, funerals are for the survivors, and it shouldn't burden them with extra, monetary concerns.

I will be cremated and will have the cost of that covered when I pass. It's much less expensive that a traditional burial, but it's still costly. It cost over $700 for my late wife's cremation in 2007.
I intend to have my ashes mixed with the ashes of my last 6 cats, and probably sprinkled on the graves of my parents.

 

[Naraku]

My condolences on your lose, Fallenmystic.
One week from tomorrow (Aug 22) it will ten years since my father died. Although much was preplanned and paid for years earlier, there was still a lot to go through and expenses to be handled. Fortunately for us, my mother is a strong woman and had been the main decision maker for quite sometime. Sill, things were difficult for a year or so.
I worked for 23 years in the life insurance industry and, while not directly interacting with customers, I did see how in many cases the families and especially the spouses were unable to cope with things. I hope for the best you and your mother.
Our office's primary focus was on small policies (average 10k) for seniors mainly to handle funeral expenses. When I started, 10k was the average for a funeral in the US. When I retired recently, I think the average was 18k. And yes, it is an industry and there are lots of scams. Even honest funeral homes still will take advantage of people at a time when they are vulnerable. In some ways, a funeral home is like a car dealership, trying to push you to take the more expensive options and add on extras.

There is a guy named Bernd Heinrich who writes about nature, and wrote about a movement of people who just want to be left out in the woods when they pass on. I guess that is on the other extreme, and years from now the police would have to open an investigation.
Yes, funerals are for the survivors, and it shouldn't burden them with extra, monetary concerns.

This option is being made available in some places, including one near me.

https://heartwoodpreserve.com/

I'll admit it has some appeal and fits with the instructions I gave my family: "Just dig a hole and dump me in it."

 

[wulf]

My condolences on your lose, Fallenmystic.
One week from tomorrow (Aug 22) it will ten years since my father died. Although much was preplanned and paid for years earlier, there was still a lot to go through and expenses to be handled. Fortunately for us, my mother is a strong woman and had been the main decision maker for quite sometime. Sill, things were difficult for a year or so.
I worked for 23 years in the life insurance industry and, while not directly interacting with customers, I did see how in many cases the families and especially the spouses were unable to cope with things. I hope for the best you and your mother.
Our office's primary focus was on small policies (average 10k) for seniors mainly to handle funeral expenses. When I started, 10k was the average for a funeral in the US. When I retired recently, I think the average was 18k. And yes, it is an industry and there are lots of scams. Even honest funeral homes still will take advantage of people at a time when they are vulnerable. In some ways, a funeral home is like a car dealership, trying to push you to take the more expensive options and add on extras.

This option is being made available in some places, including one near me.

https://heartwoodpreserve.com/

I'll admit it has some appeal and fits with the instructions I gave my family: "Just dig a hole and dump me in it."

Yep, worms need to eat too.

 

[Loinclothslave]

I will be cremated and will have the cost of that covered when I pass. It's much less expensive that a traditional burial, but it's still costly. It cost over $700 for my late wife's cremation in 2007.

I’m truly sorry about your loss, @wulf. I would bet a million bucks it still hurts to think of her.

I intend to have my ashes mixed with the ashes of my last 6 cats, and probably sprinkled on the graves of my parents.

The first wulf in history to rest among cats? What a touching idea!

 

[wulf]

I’m truly sorry about your loss, @wulf. I would bet a million bucks it still hurts to think of her.

Yes, but only a fraction of what it was at the beginning. As they say, time heals.

The first wulf in history to rest among cats? What a touching idea!

Hadn't thought of it that way before.

But you know, I lived with those cranky furballs for nearly half my life, so they can damn well take a dirt nap with me.