The solar panels were used, thus likely not full strength and a shorter lifespan. The only way he found to ship them himself from California to Texas was FedEx because of size. He figured the time to set them up, and whatever things we’d need to connect them with, then advised me to go with new ones especially since I have other projects ahead of adding solar and he can get me a discount.

His company closed their US plant this past year, plants only in China and Mexico now. I thought he’d have to find another job as he didn’t want to relocate to either country, but they are keeping a California office.
What slows down the automation is cost of building new equipment, and installing into the plants. Initial upfront capital.

Now his brother who lives near me has several smaller solar panels from Amazon. Using battery backup, solar powers his well house. (He was tired of well being down during storms, generator less expensive option but he wanted to try solar and it is so much quieter). His home office is powered by solar, computer, internet, lights in office, and charges all his battery powered tools such as drills, lawn mower, chain saw etc. Biggest expenses were his batteries, converter, etc.

Christmas is crazy with all my kids and grand kids here. They were all public schooled but our home was filled with self-directed learning (didn’t know the term at the time, just what we did). And I did pay attention to what was being taught and they learned in grade school that the teacher isn’t always right. I didn’t realize at that time how choices I made influenced my kids. I still think much of it is them and not getting in their way of learning.

All my grand kids are home schooled at this time. 4 out of 6 grand kids were home births. One son got some cool programmable Christmas lights and was writing a new computer language to program the lights his way. Daughter-in-law butchered and cooked her own chickens while her husband tried a couple of his rabbits. Their brother brought in a taste of mesquite honey from his 1st year hives.

My solar engineer son dissembled his brother’s favorite toy robot and discussed how to make larger ones which could run on grass, they were even looking up sources for parts and realized they didn’t have enough time to put it together over Christmas.

One daughter taught her niece/nephew/siblings how to paint animals on Christmas ornaments. Meanwhile several talked about various ideas for their own businesses when they weren’t playing games or making something. One son always sneaks silver dimes into stockings, and several of the older ones did things to help their siblings who were struggling with something or another.

Met another son’s fiancee who stayed for a week, so she has a good idea the craziness she is getting into.

Love my kids, no way I can keep up with it all. Not something you can plan nor orchestrate. Simply encourage them to do stuff, do stuff yourself and it seems to erases walls and barriers.

the Crimean Referendum was done under the barrel of a gun … Putin later lied that they were there then admitted it all in several interviews and gave awards dated prior to the invasion. While Tatars and Ukrainian’s are being tortured and imprisoned for simply being themselves. It’s been well documented. So no idea what you are talking about.

nice little infographic between the Scottish and Crimean referendum. – https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BxZUugSIcAEn0es.jpg

Then there’s Putin’s invasion of the Donbass where more than 10K have died and 1.5 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine.. not even in Europe. While Syrian refugees are flooding Europe with Putins help in Syria.

Also Crimea was given to Ukraine because of water and other resources that Soviet Russia couldn’t be responsible for and Russian’s were butthurt ever since, “KrymNash bullshit” The Russian’s cant even build a proper land bridge over the Kerch Strait .. The Russians were also afraid of losing the BSF that Yanukovych traitorously extended till 2047 without any proper financial compensation while Russia used gas to blackmail Ukraine with.