VTVOICE

under the other. :-)

pounds in an era when the average soldier was 5’7”, this Portuguese-born orphan became a legendary Continental soldier. At the Battle of Camden, he reportedly carried a 1,100-pound British cannon off the battlefield on his shoulders so the enemy couldn't capture it. He fought in numerous major battles, survived multiple severe wounds, and wielded a massive, custom-made 5-foot broadsword that George Washington ordered for him.

"Virginian Hercules" famously carried a 1,100-pound British cannon off the battlefield on his shoulders to prevent its capture?

USA? My wife thinks that, being a USA-born woman, this may add assurance if her birth certificate has deficiencies, like not listing her birth parents.

(making him 73, not 60). AI botched the death math only.

Javie An "Jay" Byrd III went straight into his long career in industrial plant management and manufacturing right in the Tidewater area of Virginia, working his way up to plant manager for Chesapeake Hardwood after his time with Georgia-Pacific. He had a long career in manufacturing and industrial operations, working for Georgia-Pacific, Plywood Panels Inc., and Bennett Mineral Company. He was known for being incredibly mechanically minded and loved restoring and fixing old cars. He was also an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing and was a member of the North American Fishing Club. His family has deep ties to the Suffolk/Nansemond and Chesapeake areas of Virginia. He was preceded in death by his father, Javie An Byrd Jr., and his grandfather, Javie An Byrd Sr. Javie An "Jay" Byrd III passed away in April 2019 at the age of 60. He was a resident of Chesapeake, Virginia.

"The dot-com parallel from '96 to '00 is actually the best proof that the long-term bull case is right, even if the next couple of years are going to be incredibly messy. MrBayAreaHokie is spot on about corporate reality. Right now, companies are burning millions on AI tokens just to show off fancy PowerPoint decks and fake productivity metrics to their boards. It’s the late 90s all over again, when every legacy company spent a fortune on "e-commerce consultants" who didn't actually change the underlying business. And he's right about the danger—the moment corporate America faces a margin squeeze and pulls back that superficial spending, over-leveraged startups like OpenAI and Anthropic are going to have a brutal wake-up call with their debt obligations. But here is why the tech wins anyway: Look at what happened after the 2000 crash. The hype faded, and the bad business models went bankrupt, but the physical fiber-optic cables and server infrastructure remained. Because the infrastructure was already built, the cost of tech plummeted, and the internet finally became the actual foundation of the global economy. If the current AI bubble pops and these startups default, it won’t mean the tech was a fraud. It just means the market is doing what it always does—clearing out the idiots and the over-leveraged hype to make room for real, disciplined deployment." ** Edited by VTVOICE at 7/3/2026, 9:43:43 AM

AI generated: "Ed Zitron is a tech analyst, author, podcaster, and the CEO of EZPR, a national public relations agency specializing in tech startups and media relations. Over the last few years, he has emerged as one of the most prominent, outspoken critics of the technology industry, particularly targeting Silicon Valley’s hypergrowth mindset, cryptocurrency, and the generative AI boom. He writes the "Where’s Your Ed At" newsletter and hosts the "Better Offline" tech podcast. Zitron’s expertise doesn’t come from a computer science background or building machine learning models himself. Instead, his expertise lies in tech economics, media analysis, and corporate PR structures. Because of his decades in tech PR, he deeply understands how Silicon Valley manufactures hype cycles to raise venture capital."

Columbia, and #5 Yukon. Maximum Depth Ranking (Deepest Point): #1 St. Lawrence (250'), #2 Hudson (216'), #3 Mississippi (200'), and #4 Ohio (167'). Where do the others fall? The longest western rivers are incredibly shallow by comparison. The Missouri River averages only 10 to 20 feet deep in many channels, and the Yukon River averages only about 30 to 60 feet deep.

prime) combined with his ferocious, gritty determination. He was from Texas.

Longest Day. :-)

I think Cowbird males are beautiful with their rich brown heads contrasting with their shiny black bodies, and they let me get close while they feed on my ground and hanging bird feeders. In a strictly ecological sense, cowbirds play a role in natural population control and provide a food source for predators. Historically, they followed bison herds across the Great Plains, eating insects kicked up by the large mammals. However, they are widely considered harmful to modern ecosystems. Because human development has fragmented forests, cowbirds have easy access to deep-forest bird nests. Their parasitic behavior has significantly contributed to the decline of songbird populations, particularly endangered species like the Kirtland's Warbler and Black-capped Vireo. Still, we all have our faults, like human development. Also, in your case, those other eggs are Robins, which are not endangered, and some may still survive. :-) ** Edited by VTVOICE at 7/1/2026, 10:27:40 AM ** Edited by VTVOICE at 7/1/2026, 10:31:50 AM

hiring technical skills anymore; they're hiring leadership, crisis management, and the ability to clean up messes. That doesn't expire at 50.

cleaner. The secret is dwell time—giving the chemicals 2 to 5 minutes to break down the hardened mineral and body oil bonds before you wipe or rinse.

body of the grill to get it looking new. Take a heavy-duty grill scraper, a metal putty knife, or even a grill stone/pumice block and scrape off all the loose flaking rust while it’s dry. If it's really deep, you can put a wire wheel cup or a sanding flap disc on a household power drill to pull it back to bare, shiny silver steel in five minutes. Use soap and water (one of the only times you will ever use dish soap on your Blackstone) and a steel wool pad to scrub away the remaining rust dust. Rinse it thoroughly, then immediately turn the burners to high for 10-15 minutes to evaporate every single drop of moisture hidden in the metal's pores. Once it's bone-dry and blazing hot, apply a paper-thin layer of seasoning blend (like Blackstone's griddle conditioner) or standard vegetable oil/Crisco. Wipe it down so it looks like you accidentally wiped it all off—thin layers are key. Let it smoke completely out until the smoking stops (about 10-15 minutes). Repeat this process 3 to 4 times until the top is a uniform, slick dark brown or black. For the Grill Body & Frame, remove the griddle top and set it aside to prevent paint or chemical dust from getting into your cooking surface. Use a wire brush or a medium-grit sandpaper (around 120-grit) to sand down the rusty areas on the frame. You need to sand slightly past the rust into the surrounding good black paint to ensure the edges are smooth and the rust won't crawl back out. Wipe away all the dust with a damp rag and let it dry completely. Go to the hardware store and grab a can of High-Heat BBQ Grill Spray Paint (brands like Rust-Oleum High Heat or Krylon High Heat work perfectly). They are rated up to 1,200°F (648°C). Apply 2 to 3 light, even coats rather than one heavy, dripping coat. Do not paint any part of the actual inside where the burners sit, and obviously never paint the griddle plate itself. Only paint the exterior frame, legs, shelves, and lid. When you finish this weekend's project, save yourself a future headache with two simple changes to your storage routine: When you take the griddle top off for winter storage, apply a slightly thicker layer of cooking oil than usual to prevent oxygen from touching the metal. Place a plastic bowl, a small bucket, or a block of wood on the griddle surface before you put the cover on. This creates a "tent" peak that allows air to circulate beneath it and forces rainwater to run right off the sides instead of pooling on the fabric. If you like this advice, thank AI and me for shortening its response to your inquiry. :-)

Most are not retirees, but under 55 yo. Runners-up during the same period include Florida (8.9%), South Carolina (8.8%), and Texas (8.8%).

I couldn't sleep in my bed for 4-5 months during my recovery, or dress without help, which included PT to restore muscle memory. Everything is great now, with both surgeries. :-) ** Edited by VTVOICE at 5/28/2026, 12:18:21 PM

they were wearing prison garb.

school colors of black and gray. What was the hilarious, highly practical reason the committee decided to replace them with Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange? ** Edited by VTVOICE at 5/22/2026, 4:50:25 PM

Colonel Thomas Graham, a wealthy investor from Philadelphia.

system drain. My thinking was to minimize any risk of peeling or future maintenance down the road. Since a solid masonry stain costs about the same as premium exterior paint but completely eliminates the risk of vapor trapping on the surface, it seems like the safest bet for a highly porous, absorbent front wall that gets full sun all day, thus avoiding any paint blistering and spalling issues.

let the painters use standard exterior paint. Paint creates a non-breathable plastic film over the brick. Moisture naturally gets trapped behind that film, and when the sun bakes it, the moisture expands, causing the paint to blister, peel, and eventually pop the face off the brick itself. Stain is a breathable dye that chemically bonds inside the brick pores, allowing moisture to escape while changing the color. If you want to save the natural brick look, you have two good options that can match the richer, darker red of your neighbors' houses: Semi-Transparent Brick Stain: This acts like a wood stain. It will not give you a solid, flat block of color. Instead, it will deepen the faded red and bring back the natural variations, highs, and lows of the original masonry, making it look brand new. A second option is a "Wet-Look" Masonry Sealer: If the brick is just dry and sun-bleached, a premium silane/siloxane sealer with an "enhanced" or "wet-look" finish can deepen the natural color by a shade or two without changing the color pigment at all. This is similar to how a rock looks darker and more vibrant when wet. If your wife wins out, insist on a solid color grey brick or concrete stain. Preparation is 90% of the job. If you skip these steps, the stain will fail to bond. Step 1: Inspect the Mortar (Tuckpointing): Look closely at the joints. Any crumbling or missing mortar must be scraped out and repaired with fresh mortar. You must let the new mortar cure for at least 28 days before applying any stain, or the high alkalinity will destroy the finish. Step 2: Deep Cleaning: Power wash the brick thoroughly. For stubborn white salts or deep grime, use a specialized masonry cleaner (like Prosoco Diedrich or a mild muriatic acid solution). Step 3: The Absorption Test (Critical): Once the brick is completely dry (wait at least 48 hours after washing), splash a cup of water onto it. If the water beads up and rolls off, the brick has an old sealer on it. You cannot stain it until that sealer is chemically stripped. If the water quickly soaks in and darkens the brick, it is porous and perfectly ready to accept the stain. Step 4: Bone Dry Application: Check the weather forecast. You need at least 2 to 3 days of completely dry weather before applying the stain. Applying it over a damp brick will trap moisture inside. ** Edited by VTVOICE at 5/18/2026, 1:27:39 PM

my wife would say and do. :-)

protects the 14th hole at the current location. When the club relocated to its current Newtown Square location, architect Donald Ross utilized a natural, spring-fed sinkhole on the property. He turned it into the pond that protects the 14th hole, finally bringing a true water hazard to the "Place of Water."

more cows due to religious beliefs. :-) ** Edited by VTVOICE at 5/15/2026, 2:03:38 PM

draft power for plowing; social security "living bank accounts" for school fees, medical emergencies, and weddings; and essential dairy nutrition for smallholder families. Oromia is the specific region with the highest density. It’s the "Texas of Ethiopia," characterized by high-plateau grasslands that are perfect for grazing local breeds like the Boran cattle, which are renowned for their incredible hardiness in drought.

Water," yet when the club was founded in 1896, its original course in West Philadelphia famously had no water hazards. Where is the "Place of Water" located today? A bonus for the Macro and Micro answers. ** Edited by VTVOICE at 5/15/2026, 11:38:41 AM