We're hearing and reading more and more every week about job cuts, housing forclosures, and worldwide recession. The bad economic news doesn't seem to have hit our area too much yet, but things could sure change quickly. I was reading a story this morning about a family in Georgia that put up all their belongings up for auction on Ebay, and the winning bidder paid, but refuses to take their stuff. The winner was interviewed and said that they had been fortunate and were in a position to help someone that needed it. It turned out to be quite the help too... $20,000!
Not everyone is so kind with their gifts. The following Youtube audio file demonstrates that you need to be careful who you take gifts from! Listen to whole one minute audio file for the rest of the story... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WkugIj6yrw
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Signing Off
I enjoy keeping up with several forums on the Internet. Those of you that read on line forums have likely noticed that some people have a signature that is attached to the end of their posts, and sometimes the message is pretty good. With so many forums out there, picking one with cool sigs is hard to do, but I thought today that I'd pass along some of the better signatures I've come across on an Internet web site I frequent about woodworking... http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=&C=1
Please add any that you've come across and enjoy!
Internet Forum Signatures
Sawdust sawdust everywhere, and amongst it somewhere is my pencil.
Rocket science is more fun if you actually have rockets.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work
Nuclear Engineer: If you see me running, it's already too late.
Yep I no I ca'nt spel. I gought over it and you sould two.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away. And you have their shoes.
The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.
Turning beautiful wood into useless waste,one board at a time.
An ounce of perception...a pound of obscure.
Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya.
If a bear is chasing you and your friend through the woods, you don't have to out run the bear, you just have to out run your friend.
Business Meetings - None of us is as dumb as all of us.
From Illinois, where our governors make our license plates.
It wouldn't be the first time I was the last one know!
I've digested all of your ideas and now I'm going to see what comes out the other end.
There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.
As of right now, this is the oldest I have ever been.
When you're lucky, sh*t for brains will do.
I'm slow, but I do poor work.
Please add any that you've come across and enjoy!
Internet Forum Signatures
Sawdust sawdust everywhere, and amongst it somewhere is my pencil.
Rocket science is more fun if you actually have rockets.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work
Nuclear Engineer: If you see me running, it's already too late.
Yep I no I ca'nt spel. I gought over it and you sould two.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away. And you have their shoes.
The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.
Turning beautiful wood into useless waste,one board at a time.
An ounce of perception...a pound of obscure.
Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya.
If a bear is chasing you and your friend through the woods, you don't have to out run the bear, you just have to out run your friend.
Business Meetings - None of us is as dumb as all of us.
From Illinois, where our governors make our license plates.
It wouldn't be the first time I was the last one know!
I've digested all of your ideas and now I'm going to see what comes out the other end.
There are three types of people in this world: those who can count, and those who can't.
As of right now, this is the oldest I have ever been.
When you're lucky, sh*t for brains will do.
I'm slow, but I do poor work.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Diplomatic Carrier
News on the Internet recently mentioned China and their censorship of President Obama's Inauguration speech. It seems the Communist regime there doesn't like it when somebody mentions things that are not in alignment with the government philosophy. I find it interesting that the Chinese feel it necessary to censor comments by our President. It rather flys in the face of much of the reaction the rest of the world is reporting to the speech, and I'd think that the censorship by China would be detrimental to their own foreign policy.
The USA has it's own idea of diplomacy and how to project it. We've been accused of pushing our national weight around now and then, and in some ways, it's hard to argue against that. For example, USA aircraft carriers have more flight deck space than the rest of the world combined! Our largest carriers have 4 1/2 acres of flight deck, and we've got 12 of 'em! Now not all are at sea at any one time, but at least 3are, and we're building more as we speak. Some will be retired as new ships come on line, but the cost of tearing apart one of these floating airfields isn't cheap either. One source says it costs nearly 1/4 the price of building a new one to take an old one apart... http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/scn-cv.htm
With all the money spent to try and bolster our economy with billions of dollars and no end in sight, the 4.4 billion dollars it takes to build a new aircraft carrier seems like pocket change. Of course that 4.4 billion doesn't count the cost of the aircraft that make the carrier so awed by other nations. Put 80 or so planes on one of those ships and now you have more firepower than most countries have. Now aircraft carriers never travel alone. You must have a large battle group of ships that should be able to take care of just about any threat above and below the surface. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/carriers.htm
With so much floating and aerial firepower, it's hard to imagine that anyone would mess with the USA. Still with all the might of our military, small groups of terrorists attack with little regard for the power we wield because though our military was designed to wipe out anybody, we never do and they know it. If Iran becomes hostile with nuclear weapons, what will we really do? Only our leaders know for sure, but though our military is capable of flattening every inch of Iran, we won't do it. Kinda makes me wonder why we need all that military might if we're not willing to use it.
I'm sure our military restraint has much to do with world opinion of what could happen if the most powerful military in the world unleashed it's full potential on an adversary such as Iran or Al Queda or who ever else we chose to pick a fight with. In the not too distant past, we likely needed the deterrent afforded by our military might, and staying strong in the future should keep other country aggressors at bay. We obviously have the ability to defend ourselves.
So what's my point? We have a purpose to be the worlds leader, not the worlds bully.
On one of the local TV stations news last night, the opinion poll (not scientific) reported that 82% of people responding to a question about closing Guantanamo Bay said we should keep it open to question terrorists. I was amazed! I find it difficult to believe that Nebraskans feel that it's OK to keep prisoners off shore to avoid our own laws about treatment of prisoners. Our country speaks of being fair and playing by the rules, even if our adversaries don't, so it's pretty obvious that Guantanamo has been used to skirt the rules. What gives us the right to hold people suspected of a crime with no proof and no charges? Calling them prisoners of war makes it OK?
Some will say that to stop terrorism on our soil, it's OK to do whatever is necessary. I disagree. Though I don't want another terror attack anymore than anyone else, trampling on the rights that made this country great is not OK with me in the name of protecting us from harm. I totally agree with a statement made over 200 years ago by Ben Franklin...
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."
Liberty Definition...
The condition of being free from restriction or control.
The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.
The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor. See synonyms at freedom.
Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
A right or immunity to engage in certain actions without control or interference: the liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.
A breach or overstepping of propriety or social convention. Often used in the plural.
A statement, attitude, or action not warranted by conditions or actualities: a historical novel that takes liberties with chronology.
An unwarranted risk; a chance: took foolish liberties on the ski slopes.
And especially for Arley...
A period, usually short, during which a sailor is authorized to go ashore.
As world leaders, it seems to me that the USA should strive to lead in all ways... including prisoner treatment and detention. I may not agree with our new President about a lot of things, but I do with regard to Guantanamo and prisoner treatment. The world knows how we've been treating prisoners at Guantanamo and other places, and I believe that we invite attack because of rules our country adopted towards suspected "combatants" instead of adhering to our countries principals of fairness, justice, and human rights.
The USA has it's own idea of diplomacy and how to project it. We've been accused of pushing our national weight around now and then, and in some ways, it's hard to argue against that. For example, USA aircraft carriers have more flight deck space than the rest of the world combined! Our largest carriers have 4 1/2 acres of flight deck, and we've got 12 of 'em! Now not all are at sea at any one time, but at least 3are, and we're building more as we speak. Some will be retired as new ships come on line, but the cost of tearing apart one of these floating airfields isn't cheap either. One source says it costs nearly 1/4 the price of building a new one to take an old one apart... http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/scn-cv.htm
With all the money spent to try and bolster our economy with billions of dollars and no end in sight, the 4.4 billion dollars it takes to build a new aircraft carrier seems like pocket change. Of course that 4.4 billion doesn't count the cost of the aircraft that make the carrier so awed by other nations. Put 80 or so planes on one of those ships and now you have more firepower than most countries have. Now aircraft carriers never travel alone. You must have a large battle group of ships that should be able to take care of just about any threat above and below the surface. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/carriers.htm
With so much floating and aerial firepower, it's hard to imagine that anyone would mess with the USA. Still with all the might of our military, small groups of terrorists attack with little regard for the power we wield because though our military was designed to wipe out anybody, we never do and they know it. If Iran becomes hostile with nuclear weapons, what will we really do? Only our leaders know for sure, but though our military is capable of flattening every inch of Iran, we won't do it. Kinda makes me wonder why we need all that military might if we're not willing to use it.
I'm sure our military restraint has much to do with world opinion of what could happen if the most powerful military in the world unleashed it's full potential on an adversary such as Iran or Al Queda or who ever else we chose to pick a fight with. In the not too distant past, we likely needed the deterrent afforded by our military might, and staying strong in the future should keep other country aggressors at bay. We obviously have the ability to defend ourselves.
So what's my point? We have a purpose to be the worlds leader, not the worlds bully.
On one of the local TV stations news last night, the opinion poll (not scientific) reported that 82% of people responding to a question about closing Guantanamo Bay said we should keep it open to question terrorists. I was amazed! I find it difficult to believe that Nebraskans feel that it's OK to keep prisoners off shore to avoid our own laws about treatment of prisoners. Our country speaks of being fair and playing by the rules, even if our adversaries don't, so it's pretty obvious that Guantanamo has been used to skirt the rules. What gives us the right to hold people suspected of a crime with no proof and no charges? Calling them prisoners of war makes it OK?
Some will say that to stop terrorism on our soil, it's OK to do whatever is necessary. I disagree. Though I don't want another terror attack anymore than anyone else, trampling on the rights that made this country great is not OK with me in the name of protecting us from harm. I totally agree with a statement made over 200 years ago by Ben Franklin...
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."
Liberty Definition...
The condition of being free from restriction or control.
The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.
The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor. See synonyms at freedom.
Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.
A right or immunity to engage in certain actions without control or interference: the liberties protected by the Bill of Rights.
A breach or overstepping of propriety or social convention. Often used in the plural.
A statement, attitude, or action not warranted by conditions or actualities: a historical novel that takes liberties with chronology.
An unwarranted risk; a chance: took foolish liberties on the ski slopes.
And especially for Arley...
A period, usually short, during which a sailor is authorized to go ashore.
As world leaders, it seems to me that the USA should strive to lead in all ways... including prisoner treatment and detention. I may not agree with our new President about a lot of things, but I do with regard to Guantanamo and prisoner treatment. The world knows how we've been treating prisoners at Guantanamo and other places, and I believe that we invite attack because of rules our country adopted towards suspected "combatants" instead of adhering to our countries principals of fairness, justice, and human rights.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Wasted Bucks?
We seldom have a reason to visit a US Government office other than the Post Office, but we needed to get Margie's Social Security card fixed as it had her first name misspelled so off to North Platte we went. It was a beautiful day, the temperature said 56 on the banks thermometer, and there wasn't a bit of wind on the day we headed north to visit the SS office.
The office wasn't busy, the folks inside that we dealt with were courteous and friendly, and there was no line of people to wait to be served ahead of us... we just walked right in and took care of business. One thing that caught my eye was the basket of freebies placed on the counter. Magnetic information cards, mouse pads, and lip balm were available for anyone stopping by.
Today is Inauguration Day, and our new President in his first Presidential speech brought up the fact that the Federal Government will be held accountable for their spending, and that programs that don't work well will be removed, and those that do work will be enhanced to work better.
Wasn't it just a few years ago that we were bombarded with stories of the government paying 50 dollars for a hammer? It seems that we read or hear of wasteful government spending every day with a portion of at least one national news cast called "The Fleecing Of America". So our trip to the Social Security office pointed out a couple ways that our new President might cut some spending.
Get rid of the mouse pads and lip balm! I didn't check on prices of mouse pads, but lip balm goes for about 2 bucks a tube. Now to be completely fair, I did a bit of research for prices of lip balm in bulk, and it turns out you can get it for less than a buck a tube. If you are willing to buy over 10,000 tubes of the stuff, you can have it printed with your message (just like the SS tube Margie grabbed) for 79 cents a tube, not including shipping and handling.
That got me wondering why someone decided that lip balm was an appropriate message for the Social Security office in the first place, but it didn't take me long to figure out. I did a quick search of what the complaints in the SS office are, and overwhelmingly disability benefits were mentioned. So...
The lip balm must be to cure the chapped lips of those needing disability payments because they have to kiss so much butt to get what they need and deserve? If that is true, I really wonder what the mouse pads are for?
The office wasn't busy, the folks inside that we dealt with were courteous and friendly, and there was no line of people to wait to be served ahead of us... we just walked right in and took care of business. One thing that caught my eye was the basket of freebies placed on the counter. Magnetic information cards, mouse pads, and lip balm were available for anyone stopping by.
Today is Inauguration Day, and our new President in his first Presidential speech brought up the fact that the Federal Government will be held accountable for their spending, and that programs that don't work well will be removed, and those that do work will be enhanced to work better.
Wasn't it just a few years ago that we were bombarded with stories of the government paying 50 dollars for a hammer? It seems that we read or hear of wasteful government spending every day with a portion of at least one national news cast called "The Fleecing Of America". So our trip to the Social Security office pointed out a couple ways that our new President might cut some spending.
Get rid of the mouse pads and lip balm! I didn't check on prices of mouse pads, but lip balm goes for about 2 bucks a tube. Now to be completely fair, I did a bit of research for prices of lip balm in bulk, and it turns out you can get it for less than a buck a tube. If you are willing to buy over 10,000 tubes of the stuff, you can have it printed with your message (just like the SS tube Margie grabbed) for 79 cents a tube, not including shipping and handling.
That got me wondering why someone decided that lip balm was an appropriate message for the Social Security office in the first place, but it didn't take me long to figure out. I did a quick search of what the complaints in the SS office are, and overwhelmingly disability benefits were mentioned. So...
The lip balm must be to cure the chapped lips of those needing disability payments because they have to kiss so much butt to get what they need and deserve? If that is true, I really wonder what the mouse pads are for?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Uninformed Embarrassment
I find it rather odd how my mind thinks of things now and then. The "Miracle On The Hudson" aircraft crash the other day reminded me of a bad day in my families history. One of my cousins husband was a USAF pilot that was killed from a bird strike when the Turkey Buzzard penetrated the canopy. We understand he was killed instantly. Then yesterday, I read a piece in the news about how expensive the Presidential Inauguration is going to be, including military flyovers, and I remembered getting an email a couple years ago. I suppose the combination of bird strike and flyover is what jogged my memory, but I had to go searching for the original email and want to share it. It's a good reminder that unless we have all the facts, we should probably shouldn't complain...
A letter to the Editor;
Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?
Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!
Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special?
Any response would be appreciated.
Name Withheld
US Air Force Official Responses
Luke Air Force Base was asked to respond to a letter writer's question about a "morning air show" he observed recently ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets"
The "wake-up call" witnessed the morning of June 15 was a formation of F-16 jets from Luke Air Force Base lining up for a memorial service in Sun City at the grave site for Air Force Capt. Jeremy Fresques, an officer assigned to Air Force Special Operations. Fresques gave his life in defense of our country while serving in Iraq.
It is unfortunate that at a time when our nation is at war someone would believe we have less than honorable and professional reasons for such a mission.
The commander of the fighter squadron was given the difficult duty of informing the family of Capt. Fresques on Memorial Day that the officer, a husband, son and Arizonan, had died in Iraq.
On behalf of the men and women at Luke Air Force Base, we continue to keep Jeremy and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Col. Robin Rand
Luke Air Force Base
Four days later, the newpaper also published a response from Lt. Col. Pleus himself:
Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets"
On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.
Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.
Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.
A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"
The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.
Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
Luke Air Force Base
To his credit, the original writer, wrote the following apology:
Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade"
I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).
I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.
I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.
This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.
I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.
I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.
Please accept my heartfelt apologies.
A letter to the Editor;
Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?
Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!
Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special?
Any response would be appreciated.
Name Withheld
US Air Force Official Responses
Luke Air Force Base was asked to respond to a letter writer's question about a "morning air show" he observed recently ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets"
The "wake-up call" witnessed the morning of June 15 was a formation of F-16 jets from Luke Air Force Base lining up for a memorial service in Sun City at the grave site for Air Force Capt. Jeremy Fresques, an officer assigned to Air Force Special Operations. Fresques gave his life in defense of our country while serving in Iraq.
It is unfortunate that at a time when our nation is at war someone would believe we have less than honorable and professional reasons for such a mission.
The commander of the fighter squadron was given the difficult duty of informing the family of Capt. Fresques on Memorial Day that the officer, a husband, son and Arizonan, had died in Iraq.
On behalf of the men and women at Luke Air Force Base, we continue to keep Jeremy and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Col. Robin Rand
Luke Air Force Base
Four days later, the newpaper also published a response from Lt. Col. Pleus himself:
Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets"
On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.
Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.
Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.
A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"
The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.
Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
Luke Air Force Base
To his credit, the original writer, wrote the following apology:
Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade"
I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).
I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.
I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.
This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.
I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.
I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.
Please accept my heartfelt apologies.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
How Bad Have You Got It?
There are a lot of times when things get us down. Health issues, money issues, and family issues are probably the big three, but no matter how bad a day I'm having, I always try and remember that no matter how bad it is, there is somebody somewhere dealing with much worse problems.
I recall well after having radiation therapy for my cancer, learning that I needed to have 1/2 my jaw removed. After having the surgery, as you might imagine, I looked a bit different than most folks, but I'm lucky that I can grow a beard, and not a lot of people see what would be very noticable without the beard.
Not long after my surgery, I happened to see a special on TV about a major league baseball player named Dave Dravecky. Dave developed cancer in his throwing arm, and after therapy and more surgery, his arm and entire shoulder had to be removed. It made me realize that even though eating was going to be a real challenge for me the rest of my life, at least I have full mobility with all my limbs and other than speach and eating, my life was going to go on pretty much as usual. You can read about Dave at... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Dravecky
Another fellow that has a very difficult life in my opinion is one of the smartest people on the planet. If you have not heard, read, or seen anything about Stephen W. Hawking, his story is one that can inspire just about anyone too. He just happens to be a Professor at Cambridge... England that is. His web site address is... http://www.hawking.org.uk/, and you can read about his plight.
What brings this to mind is an email I got from a friend. If you follow the link and watch the video all the way through, anytime you think you have it bad, all you will need to do is recall this gentleman and I think you'll agree that feeling sorry for yourself is OK now and then, but it's how you finish that matters...
http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
I recall well after having radiation therapy for my cancer, learning that I needed to have 1/2 my jaw removed. After having the surgery, as you might imagine, I looked a bit different than most folks, but I'm lucky that I can grow a beard, and not a lot of people see what would be very noticable without the beard.
Not long after my surgery, I happened to see a special on TV about a major league baseball player named Dave Dravecky. Dave developed cancer in his throwing arm, and after therapy and more surgery, his arm and entire shoulder had to be removed. It made me realize that even though eating was going to be a real challenge for me the rest of my life, at least I have full mobility with all my limbs and other than speach and eating, my life was going to go on pretty much as usual. You can read about Dave at... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Dravecky
Another fellow that has a very difficult life in my opinion is one of the smartest people on the planet. If you have not heard, read, or seen anything about Stephen W. Hawking, his story is one that can inspire just about anyone too. He just happens to be a Professor at Cambridge... England that is. His web site address is... http://www.hawking.org.uk/, and you can read about his plight.
What brings this to mind is an email I got from a friend. If you follow the link and watch the video all the way through, anytime you think you have it bad, all you will need to do is recall this gentleman and I think you'll agree that feeling sorry for yourself is OK now and then, but it's how you finish that matters...
http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Foot In Mouth Disease
From the Brian Hoag dictionary...
Foot In Mouth Disease - What happens when you open mouth before engaging brain.
For me, getting my foot stuck in my mouth usually follows not thinking something through completely before putting my mouth in gear. I've gotten pretty good for the most part thinking things through before opening my yap, but every now and then things go awry.
It started last year. My brother in law in Colorado Territory owns a small janitorial business and is well thought of by his clients. I'm not too sure how many clients his one man operation has, but I he has to turn down referral business as he is as busy as he wants to be. He is one of those folks that doesn't seem to want to be the "market leader" and is perfectly content providing excellent service at a fair price for the clients he has.
All of his clients are relatively small business ventures, but like the majority of businesses out there, I think they all have big dreams. Recently one of those companies with big goals decided to upgrade their computers, and offered bro-in-law one of their old computing machines. Mike thought about it for a minute, and decided it was not such a good idea to turn down a free computer, so the company turned the machine off, unhooked all the cables, and handed the works over.
Now bro-in-law and his wife are not computer experts. They both use a computer, but like most folks that have not been trained on these wonder machines, they have little idea how they actually accomplish their designed functions. Since they already had a computer, they decided to offer it to family members. Who wouldn't want a free computer right? Well, Colorado Territory family members didn't quite know what to think about this box of cables and hardware that came with no instructions whatsoever, so they all turned it down. Bro and sis in law were about to donate it to Goodwill or some other charitable organization, but destiny stepped in, giving me a reason to write today's blog.
Margie and I were in Denver to see family for Thanksgiving and guess what... the free computer offer was made to us. I asked a question or two, one of which was... does it work? I was told that indeed it worked as bro-in-law actually watched them turn the machine off and unplug the cables. "Cool" I say, a corporate box from an engineering firm should be a great addition to our place, So the machine got packed up, put in the trunk for the ride to Cambridge, and unloaded right into our home office space... and that's where it sat, and sat, and sat.
So recently, we were visiting with one of our neighbors and I heard the comment that their computer was so slow that they could start doing something on it, get up, get a cup of coffee and do something else and still be waiting on the computer to finish it's assigned task when they returned. Now here is where the foot in mouth disease part come in... I say "we've got a spare computer that we're not using and you are welcome to to it. I haven't plugged it in yet, but my brother-in-law watched as it was unplugged so I have no reason to believe it won't work".
So neighbor is like most folks that have not been trained in computerise and says. "as long as you're willing to set it up, that would be great". OK, I'll get it hooked up and make sure everything is good to go and I'll give you a call in the next week or so and we'll get it hooked up for you.
So a few days go by and I get around to hooking the Dell box up. Hmmm... funny keyboard. The companies computer department had scabbed the keyboard as keys had been replaced. I suppose the prior user had either dropped the keyboard or thrown it against the wall as some of the keys were replaced with keys from another keyboard. For example, the "M" was blank, the "L" was a "/", and the "A" was an "X". For hunt and peck typers, this keyboard would be a nightmare! Still, I pressed onward.
After hooking up cables, keyboard, mouse, and other cables, I powered the box up. The lights lit up, the monitor sprung to life, and a message "which device do you want to boot from" shows up. Well, at least it works to some degree I think as I go about checking the BIOS settings for the boot filesystem protocol. After setting the computer to boot from hard drive, I quickly discovered that the hard drive had been erased (a good idea to get rid of company files for sure), but nobody had told bro-in-law that though free, the computer would need some things to be usable.
So I charged forward again anyway by formatting the disk drive, and loading older operating system software I had saved from one of my old computers. This worked pretty good too, but after getting the machine to boot up on it's own, another glaring problem showed up. The disk drive has such a small capacity, that the operating system I had just loaded took up almost the entire storage space of the device. Damn!
So here I sit, with a good computer box that has antique software, with a disk drive not big enough to load another application on, that I wouldn't want to give to anybody I know. To make the thing work properly, it needs a new disk drive and a new operating system, which makes the box an ideal candidate for the scrap heap as the price of those two items will push it's cost to operate close the price of a new computer, and the new computer would work right out of the box, not require substantial time to replace the small disk drive and load new software.
So with tail tucked between my legs, I drove over to the neighbors to explain that I was an SA (Stupid Ass) by opening my mouth before checking to be sure what I was offering was indeed something that I should offer. I told them they were still welcome to the box, and if they knew anyone that was computer savvy and wanted a challenge, this would likely be a good candidate, but as far as I was concerned, it wasn't worth the investment on a used piece of equipment like this.
So I'll be moving the old computer into storage, just in case I run into someone that needs some spare parts. A good power supply, motherboard with Pentium IV processor, and associated equipment might be useful to someone else, but for me, I think I'll put the keyboard up on the wall as part of a therapeutic regime for my foot in mouth disease.
Foot In Mouth Disease - What happens when you open mouth before engaging brain.
For me, getting my foot stuck in my mouth usually follows not thinking something through completely before putting my mouth in gear. I've gotten pretty good for the most part thinking things through before opening my yap, but every now and then things go awry.
It started last year. My brother in law in Colorado Territory owns a small janitorial business and is well thought of by his clients. I'm not too sure how many clients his one man operation has, but I he has to turn down referral business as he is as busy as he wants to be. He is one of those folks that doesn't seem to want to be the "market leader" and is perfectly content providing excellent service at a fair price for the clients he has.
All of his clients are relatively small business ventures, but like the majority of businesses out there, I think they all have big dreams. Recently one of those companies with big goals decided to upgrade their computers, and offered bro-in-law one of their old computing machines. Mike thought about it for a minute, and decided it was not such a good idea to turn down a free computer, so the company turned the machine off, unhooked all the cables, and handed the works over.
Now bro-in-law and his wife are not computer experts. They both use a computer, but like most folks that have not been trained on these wonder machines, they have little idea how they actually accomplish their designed functions. Since they already had a computer, they decided to offer it to family members. Who wouldn't want a free computer right? Well, Colorado Territory family members didn't quite know what to think about this box of cables and hardware that came with no instructions whatsoever, so they all turned it down. Bro and sis in law were about to donate it to Goodwill or some other charitable organization, but destiny stepped in, giving me a reason to write today's blog.
Margie and I were in Denver to see family for Thanksgiving and guess what... the free computer offer was made to us. I asked a question or two, one of which was... does it work? I was told that indeed it worked as bro-in-law actually watched them turn the machine off and unplug the cables. "Cool" I say, a corporate box from an engineering firm should be a great addition to our place, So the machine got packed up, put in the trunk for the ride to Cambridge, and unloaded right into our home office space... and that's where it sat, and sat, and sat.
So recently, we were visiting with one of our neighbors and I heard the comment that their computer was so slow that they could start doing something on it, get up, get a cup of coffee and do something else and still be waiting on the computer to finish it's assigned task when they returned. Now here is where the foot in mouth disease part come in... I say "we've got a spare computer that we're not using and you are welcome to to it. I haven't plugged it in yet, but my brother-in-law watched as it was unplugged so I have no reason to believe it won't work".
So neighbor is like most folks that have not been trained in computerise and says. "as long as you're willing to set it up, that would be great". OK, I'll get it hooked up and make sure everything is good to go and I'll give you a call in the next week or so and we'll get it hooked up for you.
So a few days go by and I get around to hooking the Dell box up. Hmmm... funny keyboard. The companies computer department had scabbed the keyboard as keys had been replaced. I suppose the prior user had either dropped the keyboard or thrown it against the wall as some of the keys were replaced with keys from another keyboard. For example, the "M" was blank, the "L" was a "/", and the "A" was an "X". For hunt and peck typers, this keyboard would be a nightmare! Still, I pressed onward.
After hooking up cables, keyboard, mouse, and other cables, I powered the box up. The lights lit up, the monitor sprung to life, and a message "which device do you want to boot from" shows up. Well, at least it works to some degree I think as I go about checking the BIOS settings for the boot filesystem protocol. After setting the computer to boot from hard drive, I quickly discovered that the hard drive had been erased (a good idea to get rid of company files for sure), but nobody had told bro-in-law that though free, the computer would need some things to be usable.
So I charged forward again anyway by formatting the disk drive, and loading older operating system software I had saved from one of my old computers. This worked pretty good too, but after getting the machine to boot up on it's own, another glaring problem showed up. The disk drive has such a small capacity, that the operating system I had just loaded took up almost the entire storage space of the device. Damn!
So here I sit, with a good computer box that has antique software, with a disk drive not big enough to load another application on, that I wouldn't want to give to anybody I know. To make the thing work properly, it needs a new disk drive and a new operating system, which makes the box an ideal candidate for the scrap heap as the price of those two items will push it's cost to operate close the price of a new computer, and the new computer would work right out of the box, not require substantial time to replace the small disk drive and load new software.
So with tail tucked between my legs, I drove over to the neighbors to explain that I was an SA (Stupid Ass) by opening my mouth before checking to be sure what I was offering was indeed something that I should offer. I told them they were still welcome to the box, and if they knew anyone that was computer savvy and wanted a challenge, this would likely be a good candidate, but as far as I was concerned, it wasn't worth the investment on a used piece of equipment like this.
So I'll be moving the old computer into storage, just in case I run into someone that needs some spare parts. A good power supply, motherboard with Pentium IV processor, and associated equipment might be useful to someone else, but for me, I think I'll put the keyboard up on the wall as part of a therapeutic regime for my foot in mouth disease.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
GOP's Public Enemy #1?
A piece on Yahoo this morning caught my eye about a former comedian turned politician in Minnesota named Al Franken. I suppose most folks are aware of the contested nature of the the Minnesota vote count for their newest US Senator, but if not, the gist of the matter is that Franken lost in the initial count, and after a recount of over 2.8 million total votes, he was declared the winner by just over 200votes. I've seen information saying 225 and 250 votes, but whatever the final count, it was an almost unbelievably slim margin.
What made the story most interesting to me was comments made by Republicans about Franken...
“I don’t know if we’ve ever had an opponent who is so disliked by Republicans as Al Franken,” said Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Carey. “It’s one thing to lose to an honorable opponent, but Al Franken is not considered an honorable opponent by Minnesota Republicans.”
Marty Seifert, the Republican leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, said Franken’s long record of antagonizing conservatives would make it difficult for him to connect with voters who supported Coleman."It’s going to be hard for Franken to be very effective with any Republicans, in terms of having any credibility with us, just because he’s been so nasty in the past,” Seifert said. “He certainly has callous and very partisan behavior in the past that is beyond the pale.”
I guess the Republicans didn't like the way Franken played the game.
You can read the whole story at...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/17233
I've seen Franken on SNL (Saturday Night Live) in the past, and never gave much thought about comments he made, and I certainly didn't follow the Minnesota Senate contest. What I have noticed lately in the news is cautions to parents and others that what you say can come back to haunt you on such places as Facebook and Myspace, so the comments Republicans made seem to substantiate it to me.
The comments made by Franken in the past certainly seem to have been divisive based on current feelings voiced towards him in Minnesota and elsewhere. Would Franken have been elected by a much wider margin if his rhetoric in the past had been toned down? I think it's hard to say definitively, but in a liberal leaning state like Minnesota, it seems likely to me that his past comments turned off his own support base. It also seems obvious that Franken will have a hard time being effective, and certainly won't be able to "reach across the isle" for support from Republicans, even if he actually ever has a good idea of any kind.
My point is that what you say is often not nearly as important as how you say it.
What made the story most interesting to me was comments made by Republicans about Franken...
“I don’t know if we’ve ever had an opponent who is so disliked by Republicans as Al Franken,” said Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Carey. “It’s one thing to lose to an honorable opponent, but Al Franken is not considered an honorable opponent by Minnesota Republicans.”
Marty Seifert, the Republican leader in the Minnesota House of Representatives, said Franken’s long record of antagonizing conservatives would make it difficult for him to connect with voters who supported Coleman."It’s going to be hard for Franken to be very effective with any Republicans, in terms of having any credibility with us, just because he’s been so nasty in the past,” Seifert said. “He certainly has callous and very partisan behavior in the past that is beyond the pale.”
I guess the Republicans didn't like the way Franken played the game.
You can read the whole story at...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/17233
I've seen Franken on SNL (Saturday Night Live) in the past, and never gave much thought about comments he made, and I certainly didn't follow the Minnesota Senate contest. What I have noticed lately in the news is cautions to parents and others that what you say can come back to haunt you on such places as Facebook and Myspace, so the comments Republicans made seem to substantiate it to me.
The comments made by Franken in the past certainly seem to have been divisive based on current feelings voiced towards him in Minnesota and elsewhere. Would Franken have been elected by a much wider margin if his rhetoric in the past had been toned down? I think it's hard to say definitively, but in a liberal leaning state like Minnesota, it seems likely to me that his past comments turned off his own support base. It also seems obvious that Franken will have a hard time being effective, and certainly won't be able to "reach across the isle" for support from Republicans, even if he actually ever has a good idea of any kind.
My point is that what you say is often not nearly as important as how you say it.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Squeaky Wheel
An old saying that I have absolutely no idea where it came from is "the squeaky wheel gets the grease". I'd suppose it came from horse and wagon days when wood wheels were used, and it just makes sense to lubricate a wheel hub that was complaining by making an annoying squeaking sound.
In a modern sense, that saying has been changed to apply to someone that complains about something. When something goes wrong, breaks, needs repair or what have you, whoever seems to complain the loudest gets satisfied the fastest, so it seems to fit the old saying quite well.
During my working years as a telephone installer/repairman, I'd often get the honor of taking care of customers that for whatever reason were not satisfied and had complained sufficiently to get out of hours service. I spend many a night in the dark up a pole because somebody didn't do their job and now our customer was mad as could be.
What brings this to mind is a news piece I ran across the other day. It's about a guy that kept track of the time and money he spent on the phone and his additional costs associated with his phone companies delays getting a repair problem resolved. It seems that after what sounded to me like 9 calls for service before the problem was fixed, the guy sent his phone company a bill for $5,481.16 for lost time, cell phone charges incurred by his employees since the company phones didn't work, and even money to pay to his buildings landlord for borrowing his phone at times.
This guy wasn't a patsy about his problem apparently, and his plight got picked up by the local newspaper with the end result being the phone company paid the bill! Now I think there is probably a bit more to the story than I'm aware of, but I think it proves the point quite nicely that if you are dissatisfied with something and scream loud enough, somebody will pay up off just to shut you up.
You can read the original story at...
http://tags.consumerist.com/5127559/customer-bills-phone-company-for-time-wasted-gets-paid
In a modern sense, that saying has been changed to apply to someone that complains about something. When something goes wrong, breaks, needs repair or what have you, whoever seems to complain the loudest gets satisfied the fastest, so it seems to fit the old saying quite well.
During my working years as a telephone installer/repairman, I'd often get the honor of taking care of customers that for whatever reason were not satisfied and had complained sufficiently to get out of hours service. I spend many a night in the dark up a pole because somebody didn't do their job and now our customer was mad as could be.
What brings this to mind is a news piece I ran across the other day. It's about a guy that kept track of the time and money he spent on the phone and his additional costs associated with his phone companies delays getting a repair problem resolved. It seems that after what sounded to me like 9 calls for service before the problem was fixed, the guy sent his phone company a bill for $5,481.16 for lost time, cell phone charges incurred by his employees since the company phones didn't work, and even money to pay to his buildings landlord for borrowing his phone at times.
This guy wasn't a patsy about his problem apparently, and his plight got picked up by the local newspaper with the end result being the phone company paid the bill! Now I think there is probably a bit more to the story than I'm aware of, but I think it proves the point quite nicely that if you are dissatisfied with something and scream loud enough, somebody will pay up off just to shut you up.
You can read the original story at...
http://tags.consumerist.com/5127559/customer-bills-phone-company-for-time-wasted-gets-paid
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Closed For The Season
In the good old days, there was an entertainment venue called the drive-in theater. These open only at night enterprises offered a car loving public a place to see a movie in the comfort of their own vehicle, and I recall going with my parents several times. Now Mom and Dad were frugal, so the snack bar was out of the question. Mom would fry up some hamburgers and put them in foil and wrap them in towels or blankets to keep them warm, popcorn with butter was made at home, and lemonade was the drink of choice rather than a carbonated soft drink.
In those days when winter hit, the marquee that usually displayed the current feature flick would be changed to say "Closed For The Season". I also recall thinking that a movie called "Closed For The Season" would sure send folks for a loop if it was released in July.
What brings this to mind was our latest trip to McCook. East of town is the Harry Strunk Memorial Rest Area overlooking the Republican River, and for some reason the signs approaching it currently say "Closed". Now I understand that the rest rooms are locked for the season to avoid freezing pipes, but the gates are open, trash cans are available, and people stop there all the time.
So... is it really closed? I guess it's one of those subjective statements as if it was really closed, to me the gates would be locked. Since trash receptacles are available and obviously dumped on a regular basis, it seems the state, or whoever maintains the rest area thinks it is at least partly open. So shouldn't the sign say "Restrooms Closed", or "Limited Services" instead to allow tired travelers to pull well off the road for safety sake, a safe place to walk their dog, or just enjoy the view?
Folks traveling down the road that have never been by Harry's rest area, upon seeing the closed sign likely will cruise right on by. Only after passing the entrance do they see that they could have stopped for a break. The drive into the rest area is atop a hill with less than ideal visibility, and I've seen out of state licensed vehicles making U-turns just past the entrance that required me to hit the brakes with gusto. I think these drivers would have pulled in safely had the sign been more accurate in it's description of the rest areas availability, but just like something else everyone has, it's just an opinion.
In those days when winter hit, the marquee that usually displayed the current feature flick would be changed to say "Closed For The Season". I also recall thinking that a movie called "Closed For The Season" would sure send folks for a loop if it was released in July.
What brings this to mind was our latest trip to McCook. East of town is the Harry Strunk Memorial Rest Area overlooking the Republican River, and for some reason the signs approaching it currently say "Closed". Now I understand that the rest rooms are locked for the season to avoid freezing pipes, but the gates are open, trash cans are available, and people stop there all the time.
So... is it really closed? I guess it's one of those subjective statements as if it was really closed, to me the gates would be locked. Since trash receptacles are available and obviously dumped on a regular basis, it seems the state, or whoever maintains the rest area thinks it is at least partly open. So shouldn't the sign say "Restrooms Closed", or "Limited Services" instead to allow tired travelers to pull well off the road for safety sake, a safe place to walk their dog, or just enjoy the view?
Folks traveling down the road that have never been by Harry's rest area, upon seeing the closed sign likely will cruise right on by. Only after passing the entrance do they see that they could have stopped for a break. The drive into the rest area is atop a hill with less than ideal visibility, and I've seen out of state licensed vehicles making U-turns just past the entrance that required me to hit the brakes with gusto. I think these drivers would have pulled in safely had the sign been more accurate in it's description of the rest areas availability, but just like something else everyone has, it's just an opinion.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Recycled
I spend an incredible amount of time working with used wood around the farm. At one time I understand, there were many hog sheds on the farm(stead), and part of the clean up around here was sorting through piles of used 2x4's, 2x6's, and other lumber. Much of the wood was beyond further use, but I've gone out of my way to try and use everything possible. Most of the usable lumber has gone into repairing the barn.
Part of recycling the old boards and construction lumber involves removing nails, and I gotta tell you that the folks that farmed here apparently loved nails! You can read more on this subject in the archives about the Hammer Master if you missed it. For example I saved one 2x4 that had 40 nails in it. I've still got a good supply of old 2x4's, the ones that actually measure 2" by 4", not the stuff that is is 1 3/4" by 3 1/2" that is sold as a 2x4 today.
My current project around the farm is replacing the house interior trim. I'm fortunate that most of the oak flooring from the old hospital I'm working over for the project already has the nails removed. The problem is that I end up fighting twists and warped boards. Each board gets run through a planer for two reasons... removing the old finish with the planer is much easier than trying to sand the old stain and varnish off, and I quickly discovered that the old flooring manufacturer had quite a large tolerance for varying board thickness and the planer solves that pretty quickly too.
The other thing I've learned about working with old lumber products is that slivers are a fact of life. Yesterday I spent the day working on a fireplace surround and mantle, and today my hands feel like they were attacked by barbed wire. After spending some good construction time de-slivering my sore hands, I think I'm ready to dive back into the project. Now if I can just keep from putting a sliver back into one the holes I just created in my hands removing yesterdays carnage, I'll have it made.
Part of recycling the old boards and construction lumber involves removing nails, and I gotta tell you that the folks that farmed here apparently loved nails! You can read more on this subject in the archives about the Hammer Master if you missed it. For example I saved one 2x4 that had 40 nails in it. I've still got a good supply of old 2x4's, the ones that actually measure 2" by 4", not the stuff that is is 1 3/4" by 3 1/2" that is sold as a 2x4 today.
My current project around the farm is replacing the house interior trim. I'm fortunate that most of the oak flooring from the old hospital I'm working over for the project already has the nails removed. The problem is that I end up fighting twists and warped boards. Each board gets run through a planer for two reasons... removing the old finish with the planer is much easier than trying to sand the old stain and varnish off, and I quickly discovered that the old flooring manufacturer had quite a large tolerance for varying board thickness and the planer solves that pretty quickly too.
The other thing I've learned about working with old lumber products is that slivers are a fact of life. Yesterday I spent the day working on a fireplace surround and mantle, and today my hands feel like they were attacked by barbed wire. After spending some good construction time de-slivering my sore hands, I think I'm ready to dive back into the project. Now if I can just keep from putting a sliver back into one the holes I just created in my hands removing yesterdays carnage, I'll have it made.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Stupid Tax
A couple weeks ago, our gas oven stopped working, so mister handyman here decided to see what might be the problem. Now to start with, I'll admit that I know nothing about repairing a gas stove, but I'm a smart guy I think... I've always been good at troubleshooting, so I should be able to isolate the problem, order appropriate parts, and save the cost of a service call.
So with flashlight in hand, I open the broiler pan and start looking at the parts that connect to the gas line that would heat the oven. Margie had mentioned before that the ovens temperature control was off as it seemed to always get hotter and baking cookies required careful monitoring as the later batches would burn while the first batch would be perfect.
OK I say to myself, this thingy I see must be the oven igniter with wires running to who knows where, so I think to myself... self... an igniter must supply a spark or other heat source to get the gas to light, so perhaps it's just a dirty contact that needs a good thumping to clear whatever is causing the contacts to not operate properly. So I thumped it only to have pieces fall to the bottom of the oven tray. Well me thinks... I've found the problem. With the holidays here, we're not going anywhere, and we don't have to bake as our neighbors have dropped of some wonderful baked goods anyway, I put the project on hold.
So today I remembered that I have a broken stove to work on (Margie never complains about how long it takes me to fix things you see), so I look over the stove for the model number, jot it down, and head to the computer to find a source for the part. The Internet is a great place to find appliance repair parts and compare prices so the first place I went was the manufacturers web site and quickly found the repair part that had pieces falling out of it. With a price of $77, I decide that maybe somebody else has a better price so now the search was on.
I had little trouble finding the same part from another source for just over $50, but the part description is what gets me. The very first thing the part description says is is... "Caution! This part is EXTREMELY fragile". Oh great, here I am tapping the thing with a hammer and it's EXTREMELY fragile... guess I'm gonna pay some stupid tax as I like to call it.
From the Brian Hoag dictionary...
stupid tax - Additional cost of something due to carelessness, stupidity or just not knowing what you are doing in the first place and going ahead anyway.
Now I admit that I may get lucky this time around and the stupid tax amount may be zero as the part I broke may also be the part causing the oven malfunction. On the other hand, I may be paying substantial stupid tax as once I get this part replaced, I may still have the original problem in which case I'm back to square one.
In the movie "Broken Arrow" which is the story of a stolen nuclear bomb, one of the characters makes a comment that he's not sure which is more troubling, the fact that we lost a nuclear weapon, or that it happens so frequently we developed the term "broken arrow" to describe it. I kinda feel the same way about stupid tax. I've paid plenty of stupid tax in my life, and I obviously haven't learned yet how to avoid it.
So with flashlight in hand, I open the broiler pan and start looking at the parts that connect to the gas line that would heat the oven. Margie had mentioned before that the ovens temperature control was off as it seemed to always get hotter and baking cookies required careful monitoring as the later batches would burn while the first batch would be perfect.
OK I say to myself, this thingy I see must be the oven igniter with wires running to who knows where, so I think to myself... self... an igniter must supply a spark or other heat source to get the gas to light, so perhaps it's just a dirty contact that needs a good thumping to clear whatever is causing the contacts to not operate properly. So I thumped it only to have pieces fall to the bottom of the oven tray. Well me thinks... I've found the problem. With the holidays here, we're not going anywhere, and we don't have to bake as our neighbors have dropped of some wonderful baked goods anyway, I put the project on hold.
So today I remembered that I have a broken stove to work on (Margie never complains about how long it takes me to fix things you see), so I look over the stove for the model number, jot it down, and head to the computer to find a source for the part. The Internet is a great place to find appliance repair parts and compare prices so the first place I went was the manufacturers web site and quickly found the repair part that had pieces falling out of it. With a price of $77, I decide that maybe somebody else has a better price so now the search was on.
I had little trouble finding the same part from another source for just over $50, but the part description is what gets me. The very first thing the part description says is is... "Caution! This part is EXTREMELY fragile". Oh great, here I am tapping the thing with a hammer and it's EXTREMELY fragile... guess I'm gonna pay some stupid tax as I like to call it.
From the Brian Hoag dictionary...
stupid tax - Additional cost of something due to carelessness, stupidity or just not knowing what you are doing in the first place and going ahead anyway.
Now I admit that I may get lucky this time around and the stupid tax amount may be zero as the part I broke may also be the part causing the oven malfunction. On the other hand, I may be paying substantial stupid tax as once I get this part replaced, I may still have the original problem in which case I'm back to square one.
In the movie "Broken Arrow" which is the story of a stolen nuclear bomb, one of the characters makes a comment that he's not sure which is more troubling, the fact that we lost a nuclear weapon, or that it happens so frequently we developed the term "broken arrow" to describe it. I kinda feel the same way about stupid tax. I've paid plenty of stupid tax in my life, and I obviously haven't learned yet how to avoid it.
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