In brief: With high pressure backing off for a few days, rain chances will be higher during the first half of this week. We also take a look at what is likely to come, weatherwise, for the remainder of summer in Houston.
As we often say here on Space City Weather, there are many definitions of summer. From a strictly meteorological standpoint, summer comprises the months of June, July, and August. In practicality, September is almost invariably a summer-like month in Houston as well, at least the first two or three weeks. So today we are going to take a look at what the region can expect during the next three months—effectively the rest of summer.
First, let’s look back at what has come so far. June, to date, has not felt super hot. However this has been masked by a relatively cool spell during the middle of the month when the city received widespread rains. There was about a week when the high temperature ranged from the 80s to lower 90s. At the same time, the city has also had more than a week of highs that reached 95 degrees, or higher. This is above the “normal” high for Houston, in June, 92 degrees. So when you add it all up, the average temperature this month is running about 2 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.
Looking ahead to July, August, and September, I rather think this is what we are most likely to see for the remainder of summer. Houston will probably see warmer than normal temperatures, but nothing too extreme. In other words, July and August are likely to bring plenty of days in the mid-90s, but perhaps only a sprinkling of days in triple digits. In terms of rainfall, the various seasonal models indicate near-normal precipitation for the remainder of summer. Hopefully this rain is fairly evenly distributed, rather than the result of one or two tropical systems. But of course that is something we cannot predict at this time.
Speaking of the heat, our partner Reliant offers a “Beat the Heat” program during the summer months to provide more than a dozen cooling centers across the Houston region. You can find a list of locations here. There is also a payment assistance program for people struggling to pay their electricity bills during the summer.
Finally, I want you to be on the lookout for a post later this morning, at 10 am. Last week I shared a tip on how I survive the summer, psychologically. You responded with some great suggestions of your own, and Dwight Silverman has collected them in a post. It’s great fun and I admire your creativity.
As we saw on Sunday, Houston’s atmosphere is a little more open to rainfall with high pressure having departed the region. That pattern will continue today, with rain chances of perhaps about 30 percent. To go along with this we will see partly to mostly sunny skies and high temperatures in the low- to mid-90s. Afternoon winds will peak at about 10 mph from the southeast, with higher gusts. Lows tonight will drop into the upper 70s.
The middle of the week should have the best rain chances, with probably at least half the area receiving rainfall each day. These will be the kinds of storms where some parts of Houston quickly pick up 1 or possibly 2 inches of rainfall, and many other areas see on the order of a tenth of an inch, or two. In other words, they will be hit or miss, and it’s not really possible to forecast right now where the heaviest rains will be. Highs both days will likely be in the lower 90s, with partly sunny skies.
Rain chances will drop back to about 30 percent, daily, to end the work week as our atmosphere becomes a little bit more stable. As a result expect mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures, with highs in the low- to mid-90s. Nights remain warm and humid, of course.
Saturday’s weather probably will be a continuation of what we experience on Thursday and Friday, but by Sunday rain chances may be on the upswing again. At this point my expectations for Sunday into next week are ongoing daily rain chances in the vicinity of 30 to 50 percent each day, with highs in the lower-to-mid 90s. In other words, this pattern of fairly typical late June weather may well continue into early July.
It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…
1. There’s human waste outside my building
Our office is downtown and has a nice outdoor canopy that is covered from the sun and rain. It also serves as the walkway into our building from the parking lot. It’s not uncommon for people who are homeless to sleep under the canopy at night. This year, we’re having a lot of problems with people going to the bathroom under the canopy. Right now there are five evident spots of human waste that are directly next to our building. Our leadership is planning to get a quote and have a company come out to pressure wash the walkway, but it’s been over a week and the human waste is still there. Additionally, the large fenced-in AC units that feed into the building were recently discovered to be covered in trash bags with human waste and used menstrual products on the ground. Last year, our HVAC company told us it was clear that people were urinating into the AC units regularly (which is why we then fenced them in).
I was in a meeting two weeks ago with my boss and a woman went to the bathroom directly outside of the window where we were sitting. It was clear it was a regular spot for her to use because there were several wads of toilet paper there throughout the week.
This is absolutely grossing me out. I keep thinking about how I likely have human waste on my shoes and that it’s getting tracked into our office and possibly into my car and home. I’m having a hard time concentrating at work as a result. I told my boss how I feel and she gave me the okay to work from home for now.
What is reasonable to expect from an employer in this situation? How quickly should they take care of the waste? How should a company handle this to prevent this from happening again in the future? Am I overreacting?
It is absolutely reasonable to expect that human waste will not sit on your walkway for a week. They should be moving with significantly more urgency on that. It also sounds like they need an ongoing cleaning contract and/or should be exploring other solutions to prevent the problem or at least deal with it more quickly once it’s there. What those solutions should be is outside my expertise, but this should not be unsolvable if they care about dealing with it. More trash receptacles for those bags? Lobbying for more/better public restrooms?
I asked my friend Sarah, who works with homeless people, what else could help. Here’s what she said:
“Especially if they live in a large city or metropolitan area, they might be able to reach out to a nonprofit with a homeless street outreach team, and ensure they’re aware of the situation — that there are homeless people that seem to be camping in the area without access to toilets and hygiene facilities, and that it’s become a public health issue. I’d recommend speaking with a supervisor or manager, and frame it more as being concerned for the homeless people’s health and safety. The nonprofit might be able to do some troubleshooting and outreach, helping to connect people with shelter options or toilet facilities.
Some cities have attempted solutions such as mobile hygiene units. Depending on the size of your office building and the budget of your company or property manager, they might consider installing some sort of port-a-potties as a stopgap, and a dumpster for the garbage. Ultimately this is a public health problem and not an isolated one.”
2. Does it look bad to show up really early to a job interview?
I saw a post arguing that showing up extra early to an interview means that you don’t have good time management, or have a lack of social awareness, or expect to be accommodated. (In particular, they talked about a candidate who showed up 25 minutes early and said it was part of the reason they rejected him.) This seems crazy to me but I was curious about what you would say.
I don’t agree that showing up really early means you don’t have good time management, but it is a flag for a possible judgment problem, and to some extent a lack of understanding about how offices work. Five or ten minutes early is no big deal, but more than that risks inconveniencing people; they might not have anywhere convenient for you to wait or might feel obligated to interrupt what they’re doing and come out to greet you.
You should definitely get to the interview location early, so you have a buffer in case you hit traffic or other delays. But once you arrive, ideally you’d wait in the parking lot or in a coffee shop until it’s closer to the interview time.
I’m not going to reject someone for showing up 25 minutes early, but it doesn’t reflect well on them.
That said, early is better than late.
Related:
how should we handle job candidates who show up for interviews way too early?
3. Giving notice to a company that’s secretive about resignations
After several years at my company, I’ve decided to look for a new job. I don’t have any offers yet, but I’m already starting to think through how to handle resigning. My current role is fairly specialized, so I would ideally want to spend my notice period cross training and documenting what I do to help my team with the transition.
You’ve written in the past that it’s gracious to give more than two weeks’ notice, but I’m hesitant to offer a longer notice period because of the company’s history of treating resignations as taboo. For example, one of my teammates was not permitted to tell anyone else that she was leaving for nearly a week into her notice period. Her upcoming departure was not announced to our team until the day before my vacation that I would not return from until after her last day, leaving just a few hours for me to tie up loose ends with her. I have no idea why leadership insists on secrecy in these situations when it is a completely normal part of doing business.
While I want my notice period to be a courtesy to my teammates, I’m concerned that it would go to waste if I can’t discuss it with them or effectively manage expectations for requests from other teams. My current plan is to stick firmly to two weeks, state my intentions for how to use my notice period, and propose an hourly consulting rate if they try to push back my end date. What are your thoughts on the situation? Do you recommend I take a different approach?
Wait, you misread that post you linked to! It says, “Pay attention to how your employer has handled other employees who resign. Are people shown the door immediately? Pushed out earlier than they would have otherwise planned to leave? If so, assume the same may happen to you and give two weeks and nothing more. But if your employer has a track record of accommodating long notice periods, has been grateful to employees who provide long notice, and has generally shown that employees can feel safe being candid about their plans to leave, take your cues from that.”
Your company is weird about resignations and doesn’t use people’s notice periods effectively. Give two weeks notice, and that’s all you need to do. (Frankly, that’s all you’d need to do even if they weren’t weird about notice periods, but it’s definitely the case since they are.) If you have time to work on transition documentation before you resign, that’s one way to help things go more smoothly — but if you can’t, you can’t, and that’s fine too. This is a normal part of how resignations go.
4. How to tell my boss I don’t have enough work to do
It’s performance review season at my office. My role is one that is considered “engaged to wait,” though it isn’t a front-desk type. I can go weeks without an incoming phone call or email. My other job responsibilities are so routine that on any given day I can complete my standing items in an hour or less. I try to fill my work time responsibly, but I can only listen to industry-relevant podcasts for so long before my ears fall off. I’m so bored every day. When I started this position, I took over some responsibilities from my coworker’s job description. In a previous review, I tried to name other tasks I could take off her plate, but my supervisor declined for legitimate business reasons.
A further concern of mine comes from terrible timing. The contract that defines and funds my position is up for renegotiation, and those conversations will happen during this review period. Several outcomes are possible for my role, ranging from termination of my position, to keeping my position with reduced hours, to keeping my position fully as-is. I worry that expressing how little I have to do or how little time I actually spend “working” will fuel decisions to reduce my hours or eliminate my position. How do I tell my boss that I don’t have enough work to do without jeopardizing my job?
Wait until the contract has been renegotiated and your position is safe before you bring up that you need more work. That’s a conversation that you can have at any time; it doesn’t need to be tied to your performance review.
Once the contract is secure, can you go to your boss with a list of suggested projects you could take on? I know you tried suggesting tasks you could take off her plate and she declined, but what about entirely new work that no one is currently doing? If you look around and see things that need to be done that don’t currently live with anyone, that might be easier for her to say yes to. (She still might not — supervising you on those projects could be extra work she doesn’t have room to take on — but it’s reasonable to ask.) You might also look around and see if any colleagues seem particularly overloaded in ways that you could help with.
Related:
I don’t have enough work and my boss is too busy to give me more
5. Is it legal to steal my idea for a job?
Let’s say you create a proposed role for yourself and present it to the organization and they take that role and hire someone else. Is that lawful?
Typically, yes. The idea for a job isn’t generally considered intellectual property. If they used the job description you wrote word-for-word, that would be a copyright violation (because you own everything you write as soon as you write it, unless you’ve created it as part of your job, in which case it’s typically work-for-hire and your employer owns it). But the concept or idea itself isn’t protected.
The post is it bad to show up really early to an interview, there’s human waste outside my building, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager.
SAVAGE SWORD OF SUSAN BEGINS! What sort of comic could this be? What does it all MEAN?
The easiest way to find out is by signing up for my Patreon and downloading the whole thing as a PDF (it’s there for you, right now). The second easiest way to find out is by reading it here. There is no other way to find out, within the limits of the law. If we’re good friends, you could just ask me, I suppose. But I’m notoriously bad at explaining what I’m doing.
The post This unprecedented period appeared first on Bad Machinery.
This weighs a ton. I shouldn’t have used that Sakrete.
...
![[img]:regxtx](https://analognowhere.com/_/regxtx/regxtx.png)
Girl and Fish enter the store. Girl is hesitant.
Puffy: "Come on!"
She enters and Puffy turns the sign that said Open to Closed.
Puffy: "We lost them, relax."
They both admire the inside of the store. It's full of ancient technology and artifacts.
A penguin in the back moving boxes hears the duo enter the store.
Penguin: "I'll be with you in a minute."
The penguin walks up to the counter and sees Puffy and Girl.
Penguin: "Well curl me sideways... the dead walk.. or float, I guess."
![[img]:regxtx](https://analognowhere.com/_/regxtx/regxtx2.png)
Puffy: "Deb... been a while."
Deb, the penguin: "Fish. About 80 years. Last I saw you... King's Hold... Nevermind. The child?"
Puffy: "She's the last of the Open clan."
Deb: "I thought that was you - By Linus, what are you planning?"
Puffy: "Just being pragmatic. I have a shopping list and one favor to ask - for old times' sake."
Meanwhile Girl is going through the store and picks up an ancient PS2.
Girl: "Sweet! Does it work?"
Deb: "As per our benevolent leaders' laws I am only allowed to sell non-functional hardware for decoration. But yes, it works."
https://analognowhere.com/_/regxtx
BURLINGTON, ON – A small indoor cactus found clinging to life was reportedly facing conditions worse than the actual desert, experts say. “Cacti is consistently ranked as one of the easiest indoor plants to keep alive,” says botanist Dr. Joseph Graham. “Their low-maintenance and resilient nature make them a perfect choice for beginners, kids, and […]
The post Indoor cactus facing worse conditions than actual desert appeared first on The Beaverton.
Tom Nichols, writing for The Atlantic (gift link):
President Donald Trump has done what he swore he would not do: involve the United States in a war in the Middle East. His supporters will tie themselves in knots (as Vice President J. D. Vance did last week) trying to jam the square peg of Trump’s promises into the round hole of his actions. And many of them may avoid calling this “war” at all, even though that’s what Trump himself called it tonight. They will want to see it as a quick win against an obstinate regime that will eventually declare bygones and come to the table. But whether bombing Iran was a good idea or a bad idea — and it could turn out to be either, or both — it is war by any definition of the term, and something Trump had vowed he would avoid. [...]
Only one outcome is certain: Hypocrisy in the region and around the world will reach galactic levels as nations wring their hands and silently pray that the B-2s carrying the bunker-buster bombs did their job.
See also: Timothy Snyder, on Bluesky:
Five things to remember about war:
- Many things reported with confidence in the first hours and days will turn out not to be true.
- Whatever they say, the people who start wars are often thinking chiefly about domestic politics.
- The rationale given for a war will change over time, such that actual success or failure in achieving a named objective is less relevant than one might think.
- Wars are unpredictable.
- Wars are easy to start and hard to stop.
Joe Rossignol, writing for MacRumors:
A bit of sad news for old iPods: Macs might be losing FireWire support.
The first macOS Tahoe developer beta does not support the legacy FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 data-transfer standards, according to @NekoMichi on X, and a Reddit post. As a result, the first few iPod models and old external storage drives that rely on FireWire cannot be synced with or mounted on a Mac running the macOS Tahoe beta.
Unlike on macOS Sequoia and earlier versions, the first macOS Tahoe beta does not include a FireWire section in the System Settings app.
All good things must come to an end, and FireWire was a very good thing indeed. High-performance, reliable, easy to use.
Apple, back in 2001, “Apple FireWire Wins 2001 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award”:
Apple’s FireWire technology will be honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in an awards presentation held tonight at the academy’s Goldenson Theatre in Hollywood. Apple will receive a 2001 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award for FireWire’s material impact on the television industry.
Apple invented FireWire in the mid-90s and shepherded it to become the established cross-platform industry standard IEEE 1394. FireWire is a high-speed serial input/output technology for connecting digital devices such as digital camcorders and cameras to desktop and portable computers. Widely adopted by digital peripheral companies such as Sony, Canon, JVC and Kodak, FireWire has become the established industry standard for both consumers and professionals.
The following is an open letter from Global Tetrahedron CEO Bryce P. Tetraeder that was included with each copy of The Onion that was sent to Congress.
If you are reading this, you are likely either a member of Congress or one of the many underlings tasked with prodding lawmakers from a senile haze when they must cast a vote. You may be wondering why you have lucked out and received a free issue of our storied publication without so much as inserting a rider into a bill classifying The Onion as a tax-free religious organization.
Simply put, the inaction of Congress has already made me happier than any legal loophole could.
As a titan of business, I find this nation’s descent into corruption and tyranny not simply a balm for my soul, but also a huge benefit to my bottom line. We are on the precipice of a new economic order, one in which affluent men like myself will be able to select their own tax rate from a drop-down menu. It’s a reality I barely dreamed possible just a few months ago.
But sending each member of Congress a copy of our vaunted reporting is more than just a token gesture of thanks for bringing about a future in which scions like myself are given unlimited influence over government and veto power over bike lanes. As we stand in the smoldering ruins of our democratic government, we at Global Tetrahedron LLC would be doing a disservice to our shareholders, their descendants, and their descendants’ thoroughbred horses if we didn’t take this opportunity to snatch up as much power and money as possible while the getting is good.
On that note, I invite you to peruse this issue and let it dictate your every action as you lead us forth into ruin. There’s no longer any need to pretend to read reports from fact-obsessed experts or listen to the drivel spewed by your half-wit constituents. The Onion is now your everything.
It is your sole guide, your lodestar, your universe. Burn all other newspapers. Drive their so-called journalists out into the cold. From here on out, America’s Finest News Source holds a monopoly on deciding what is best for our nation’s business interests, and therefore our nation.
As you’ll read in the piece I made my editorial board write while hovering over their shoulders and breathing my will into their ears, our country is slipping smoothly into the warm bath of authoritarianism and oligarchy. I wish I could take credit for this, and I will. But much of the praise must go to Congress and its cowardice. I ask you to stay the course and allow The Onion’s strong, steady arm to point the way. Your capitulation will be justly rewarded with glowing press coverage and the opportunity to borrow our paperboys to do with as you wish.
To the esteemed members of Congress, I say: Enjoy the paper. I look forward to seeing many of you at my annual orgy in one of the $500,000-per-head sex pits.
Infinite Influence Forever,
Bryce P. Tetraeder, Global Tetrahedron CEO
The post Why I’m Sending Issues of ‘The Onion’ To Every Member Of Congress appeared first on The Onion.
TORONTO – In an effort to sell tickets to baseball games, Blue Jays team president Mark Shapiro has announced a new giveaway where the first 15,000 fans who enter the Rogers Centre during an upcoming game will be given their very own family doctor. “This couldn’t come at a better time for us and for our […]
The post Blue Jays announce giveaway where first 15,000 fans get a family doctor appeared first on The Beaverton.
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that he be immediately awarded a Nobel Peace Prize as a reward for single-handedly sparking a potential Third World War with the nation of Iran. Moments after confirming via his Truth Social website that U.S. forces bombed Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, the […]
The post Trump demands Nobel Peace Prize for starting war with Iran appeared first on The Beaverton.
...
![[img]:iiiosm](https://analognowhere.com/_/iiiosm/iiiosm.png)
MATA_BOT_COP examines his rifle. The clerk shouts: "Let em through, MB!"
MATA_BOT_COP glances at girl: "Kids these days..." He opens the massive metallic doors into Metacity.
Puffy: "Stay close."
Girl stares with her mouth open.
![[img]:iiiosm](https://analognowhere.com/_/iiiosm/iiiosm2.png)
It's a towering city full of advertisements and millions of apartments, cars and antennas.
Welcome to Metacity, child...
Do not fall.
https://analognowhere.com/_/iiiosm
Yeah Chief? What's that? Somebody broke into the airospace museum and reprogramed all their computers to make toast? #CowboyWho
The Oak Cliff Film Festival, a regional event in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood, has announced details of its 14th edition, which will take place June 26-29, 2025.
The Texas Theatre. Photo: Neff Conner
The four-day event presents 26 feature-length films, including 19 movies screening for the first time in Texas and two films having their world premiere. Additionally, over 60 short films will be shown in genre-based and thematic blocks. Screenings will be held at the historic Texas Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, the Kessler Theater, and other nearby venues.
Ernie Bustamante’s “Street Smart: Lessons From A TV Icon”
This year’s festival opens with the Texas premiere of Ernie Bustamante’s Street Smart: Lessons From A TV Icon. The documentary shares the story of Sonia Manzano, who played Maria on Sesame Street from 1971 to 2015 and was one of the first Latina characters on national television. Opening night also features musician and filmmaker Albert Birney’s new sci-fi film OBEX, which chronicles the surreal journey of a boy searching for his lost dog.
Everything Is Terrible! “Memory Hole: ANIMALS ARE OVER!”
Additional highlights include Memory Hole: ANIMALS ARE OVER! by the Los Angeles-based artist collective Everything Is Terrible!; the Texas premiere of Matthew Perniciaro’s Long Live the State, which highlights the career and impact of the 1990s MTV sketch-comedy troupe The State; and a never-before-seen director’s cut of Todd Stephens’ Gypsy 83, a 2001 queer, coming-of-age cult-comedy.
Tickets for individual screenings are available online or at the door for $14 each. VIP Badges provide access to the full schedule of events for $225.
Learn more about the Oak Cliff Film Festival via the organization’s website and see the full program here.
The post Oak Cliff Film Festival Announces 2025 Program appeared first on Glasstire.
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/62fb97f84018749a4c9c5149ba0f9478/0209%20Delta%208%20Products%20SF%20TT%2029.jpg)
