BrianW

I use a rat zapper for chipmunks and squirrels. Jus put some bait in and they get shocked and are dead instantly. Way more humane than than drowning them in bucket water traps.

I had a small fence setup for the puppy before we got 230ft of vinyl fence put in this month. I shoveled his area all winter and were I put the snow piles it looked like I put down lesco.

It's been almost full sun all morning here around New Haven.

I tried out the Ecoscraps brand from Home Depot which I guess is the same product as Milorganite. Seems to be working great. Its my first time trying it as we just got a puppy so wanted something safe for him. Nice green up underway here on the CT shoreline with many trees leafing out.

Interesting article on how America will have a huge surplus of vaccines but can't donate any extra to other countries for liability reasons. We are also gearing up to produce most of the world's vaccines according to the article. The 2005 law gives manufacturers of vaccines and therapeutics developed in response to public health emergencies sweeping protection from liability, and makes the U.S. government a guarantor of that protection. The law provides an “almost Star Trek–level ‘shields up,’” said Nicholas Pace, a senior social scientist at the RAND Corporation. But “the moment that vial walks across the border, PREP has no effect. The cross-border liability problem is a huge one.” https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/04/why-the-us-still-cant-donate-covid-19-vaccines-to-countries-in-need

You can pretty much find out everything you want to know about your genetics/health with a DNA test now. I paid a few companies to analyze my DNA for health risks and traits. Its scary how accurate it is.

Yep. Here is CT's covid death rate by age. If your young and healthy your like 4000x more likely to probably die in a car crash or accident.

What a mess in Europe with the vaccine. Family member who works at a school In Spain is flying home just to get the vaccine. Vaccines are suspended there indefinitely and will only be open to 65+ when they restart. I think she said they only have the AstrZenca one approved there.

It was $14.98 for a 43lb bag that covers 2500 sq/ft. I'm only doing a 5000 sq/ft fenced in area for my puppy so only needed 2 bags. I didn't want to use any harsh fertilizer in his area. A big lawn would be pretty expensive. I guess its basically the same product as milorganite. It’s composed of heat-dried microbes that have digested the organic matter in wastewater treatment plants.

Dropped my sewer microbe sludge today. Home Depot had the ecoscraps brand. Definitely has a little poop smell to it and you can see the corn and seed kernels in it. Lol. The good thing is the puppy didn't seem to notice it at all on the grass and didn't mess with it.

I have a few friends that teach in some of the cities in CT. They all said like half the kids had little or zero remote learning. I don't think people fully realize the psychological harm done to these kids. It was reported last December that there were more child suicides in CT in that single month alone than all of 2019. 40 kids a day are waiting to get into the Yale Psychiatric hospital Here is a good article on the topic. Thousands of students didn’t show up for school this year. Where are the children? Hospital officials warn they have reached “a crisis level” as more kids show up at their emergency departments in distress, typically with threats of self-injury or suicide — and a record number of 40 children from low-income families on any given day are now stuck in the hospital while they await a bed in a psychiatric treatment facility. One in three students with ADHD is now chronically absent from school, and half of those with a diagnosed emotional disturbance, such as anxiety or bipolar disorder, are missing an excessive amount of school. https://ctmirror.org/2021/03/15/thousands-of-students-didnt-show-up-for-school-this-year-where-did-they-go/

My sister in law and friend who had covid last year had pretty severe reactions to the Moderna vaccine. My sister in law said she has sores in her mouth and a skin rash and flu like symptoms. She said she might not take the second dose. It probably doesn't make sense for someone that had covid to get it. I'm thinking the vaccine messes with their natural antibodies. Both had mild cases of covid originally and said the vaccine was worse than actual covid.

I work in a high demand skilled trade and there is still a ton of loyalty in the trades. I have been with my company 12 years. There is such a massive shortage of state licensed electricians, plumbers, hvac, etc. If employees are treated like shit its easy to walk as there are 25 other companies hiring and offering sign on bonuses. My company has to constantly offer better benefits to compete. It's like the complete opposite of the corporate office world.

They have been in full bloom for the last week or so on the CT shoreline. Everything seems a bit ahead this spring. Down in southwest CT its like full leaf out.

The reviews are pretty stellar. It looks like its mainly cedarwood oil and a bunch of other plant based oils. The ticks are out of control here already. The concentrated bottle, if your willing to mix seems really affordable for the coverage. They also have a sprayer you can attach to the hose. https://www.wondercide.com/pages/our-ingredients

To those in CT on wells I highly recommend getting your well tested for Arsenic and Uranium. A friend in Guilford had a well that was dangerously high in Uranium. https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/usgs-state-health-officials-warn-of-possible-high-levels-of-arsenic-and-uranium-in-some-private-conn-wells/2460394/

I travel all over the state but mostly work in southwest CT. The Stamford/Greenwich area is weeks ahead of most of the state. Its like full on leaf out in some parts down there.

Thanks. For tick/insect control everyone seems to recommend wondercide. Anyone have any experience with it? https://www.wondercide.com/collections/yard-and-garden-pests

What does everyone use for lawn fertilizer with pets? We got a puppy in November and fenced in a 5000sq/ft area for him. Want to use something natural/organic to make the lawn nice for him. Saw this at Lowes. I guess its made from sewage sludge? https://www.lowes.com/pd/PROCARE-36-lb-2500-sq-ft-4-3-0-Natural-Lawn-Fertilizer/1000696136

Can see it here well. Does anyone else use this ap Windy? It's pretty awesome. Has a ton of cool data including all the popular models. I highly recommend checking it out.

I got one scheduled at the Old Saybrook drive through site this Saturday. CT is doing really well with the vaccine. I believe we have the 3rd highest state vaccination rate now.

We put in a deck a few years ago and had to get a zoning variance. What a nightmare and long and expensive process. Had to go in front of the zoning board multiple times to get them to approve it. The whole process took like 6 months.. They also made me spend a few thousand on a survey before and I after I built the deck. As much as a pain it was now a days you need to do it. My neighbor built an addition without permits like 5 feet from the property line where we have a 25 foot zoning setback. The town caught it and made his life a living hell. He had to spend big money on lawyers as the town wanted him to rip it down. Also, now a days everything is checked much more thoroughly when houses are sold. If you have an illegal addition, deck, shed, etc you can almost guarantee it will be found when you try and sell.

A friends brother is a store manager at Lowes who is making like 5x his normal salary in sales bonuses. They often exceed their average weekly pre-covid sales in a single day now.

Just saw some data here from Yale New Haven Health. The drop off on older ages being admitted to the hospital has been massive. The vaccine is clearly having a big impact on the older vulnerable population. Around 80% of the deaths in CT have been in the 85+ age group. Balcezak said that, since Dec. 27, the hospital system has seen a 77 percent reduction in the number of hospitalized Covid patients over the age of 75. It’s seen a 72 percent reduction among Covid-positive patients between the ages of 65 and 74. It’s seen a 66 percent reduction among Covid-positive patients between the ages of 55 and 64.