Day 0
"So you're going to build a PC from scratch? " I queries meself.
"Sure, I say. I've replaced most every part in one PC or another. I'm a little scared of marrying that cpu cooler to the cpu. But the rest is a piece of cake"
So I prod myself a little more. "So what's the ideal motherboard? What cpu is appropriate and will work with that motherboard? What about the different types of memory? What about those storage things that look like a stick of gum? There are a few different types of those to figure out"
Of course I have no idea how to put together a PC build. My niece Rachel recommended a build list at Logical Increments, That is a pretty good site, but it is very gamer oriented. I don't need a fancy graphics card and I don't intend to put a light show in the thing either. I also found a more sedate article on Custom PC Review. That seems a little more my style. But there are a couple things there I don't like. I'm led to understand that I'm better off with those chewing gum sticks than a 2 1/2 inch SSD. CPCR is using a spinner for main storage. I've gotten to the point where I'm thinking that all your basic storage should be solid state. Currently I'm using spinning hard drives for bulk storage, media storage, backups, etc.
So in the end, I sort of combined both sites and rolled my own configuration. Of course now I have no way of knowing whether this stuff will actually work. So I put together my list and sent it to my son for his opinion. After all he is sort in this business as a professional.
He tells me my design is OK. What I find out is there is a site to evaluate your build design and warn about problems. So that's all he did. I did some more tweaking and used that site, PCPartPicker, to check my changes.
So what did I come up with?
[to be continued]
2019-10-27
2019-10-25
No Title
Yes
It's been awhile since I posted here. But no one reads it but me anyway. In the recent couple years I have written little things on Facebook. But I kind of hate Facebook. You can never find what you want. It really does suck that FacePlant is place you have to be for friends etc.
I decided to try this venue again because I wanted to capture a Desktop PC build I am going to do. As I intend to have a number of entries that chronicle the build, FacePlant seemed pretty inappropriate as no one would ever be able to go step by step. The way FacePlant works, you'd probably see the finished product before I started.
So I came back to the warmth of google and blogger. We'll see how it goes. I think you can cross post to FacePlant so I might try that and see what happens.
It's been awhile since I posted here. But no one reads it but me anyway. In the recent couple years I have written little things on Facebook. But I kind of hate Facebook. You can never find what you want. It really does suck that FacePlant is place you have to be for friends etc.
I decided to try this venue again because I wanted to capture a Desktop PC build I am going to do. As I intend to have a number of entries that chronicle the build, FacePlant seemed pretty inappropriate as no one would ever be able to go step by step. The way FacePlant works, you'd probably see the finished product before I started.
So I came back to the warmth of google and blogger. We'll see how it goes. I think you can cross post to FacePlant so I might try that and see what happens.
2015-06-28
Resign the Design
Perhaps I'm just getting more and more curmudgeonly, but who the hell designs our products these days?
I remember a court case was active a few months back claiming monkeys (chimps?, some sort of simians) deserved some sort of rights. I guess the plaintiffs won although at the time the chimps had refused to testify.
It seems like many, perhaps most, of the products I buy these days have one or more very obvious and stupid interface designs. By interface designs, I mean the aspect of the product that you interact with.
I'm not claiming to be any user interface genius. On the contrary I'm just a user who hopefully has a little commn sense. In most instances of stupid design there are other products out there that don't have these flaws. And in most instances it doesn't appear that the stupid design has saved any money. At least not in manufacturing although I'll admit the companies must be saving money on design and user interface testing salaries.
Products I've recently bought with stupid design issues:
1 - 2015 Subaru Outback
Let me start with I do like the car. Okay so that's done with.
The key lock.
The power windows
There are other small annoying things like they give you the ability to alter when the headlights automatically come on. Except the range is pretty limited so even at the most sensitive setting they don't come on when it's dark and rainy. Given that having the headlights on when the wipers are on is the law in many states now, why not just do that?
Subaru designers. Do you actually drive the cars you design?
2 - Bosch Dishwasher
The racks are a terrible design. The Germans must use smaller dishes. We use those inexpensive Corelle dishes (which are breakable by the way). So they ought to be pretty common. They don't fit anywhere without rubbing against the sides of the lower rack. I can barely fit a sandwich plate and coffee cup saucer side by side. Why? Well the direction of the tines means from left to right, plate, plate, utensil basket. Why not like my old dish washer rotate them so you have the entire front to back width for your plates? Or put the utensil rack in the back for the same advantage?
Only one set of tines on each of the top and bottom racks fold down. All the tines are slanted and packed so close together than a standard pie plate doesn't fit. My old thin steel FarberWare pots won't go between these slanted tines.
There is no off button. If you forgot something and you want to restart, you can do it. just go find your manual to figure out which of several buttons need to be simultaneously pressed and held to do this. So Bosch, having an off button would have broken the bank?
There are other little annoyances like it is hard to pour in the Jet Dry, it is hard to open the door without water splashing all over the place. And it never, ever actually gets the dishes dry. Even though it runs about an hour longer than my previous dishwasher (which I should have gotten fixed instead of listening to that consumer mag telling me this was a good model and my old one was old enough that it was time).
3 - Oster Toaster Oven
What can I say? The marvel of modern electronics. Instead of that nice little mechanical dial that for decades graced the control panel of toaster ovens I now get to push buttons to set it digitally. Except for two things. The button is hard enough (not that it is very hard) that you push the unit around (it being light enough) whenever you push a button. And the settings don't allow the fine tuning like that simple little dial did. I have two choices. Under toast my english muffin so it is still slightly doughy. Or set it up by one so that at least part of it is now black.
The rack is easy to slide out so you can pick up that muffin without touching a hot oven surface. You just need to be careful to not slide it out very far at all. Or be prepared as the rack tips up and stuff is falling all over your counter.
So manufacturers. I'll pay another couple bucks if you will start making this stuff usable. Really I will. LG. Your washing machine estimated time is useless. It is usually takes a good 25% more time. Although to its credit it sometimes takes less time. And it would be nice to be able to actually hear the done signal one floor up when the wash is actually done. And Samsung. Stop annoying me with crap I don't want to be notified about on that stupid phone and let me remove the 75-80% of the stupid apps I have never used.
And before you think I'm just impossible to please, I really like my Uniball 207 pens. For years now. I replace the chains, brakes, and occasionally a set of gears on my 13 year old Co-Motion bicycle and it just continues to work and work well.
So designers. If you need close to 1000 pages of instructions (the Outback combining main manual with the others like the info display etc), you need to reconsider your interface. If people can mostly use the product without that 1000 pages, you probably have a decent design. If you have not lived with your product for awhile before it goes to general production, you should.
I remember a court case was active a few months back claiming monkeys (chimps?, some sort of simians) deserved some sort of rights. I guess the plaintiffs won although at the time the chimps had refused to testify.
It seems like many, perhaps most, of the products I buy these days have one or more very obvious and stupid interface designs. By interface designs, I mean the aspect of the product that you interact with.
I'm not claiming to be any user interface genius. On the contrary I'm just a user who hopefully has a little commn sense. In most instances of stupid design there are other products out there that don't have these flaws. And in most instances it doesn't appear that the stupid design has saved any money. At least not in manufacturing although I'll admit the companies must be saving money on design and user interface testing salaries.
Products I've recently bought with stupid design issues:
1 - 2015 Subaru Outback
Let me start with I do like the car. Okay so that's done with.
The key lock.
For the last couple decades I've bought both Toyotas and Nissans. To the best of my recollection they have all locked and unlocked with a key in the same manner. You turn the key one way and all the doors lock. You turn it the other way and the driver's door unlocks. You turn it that second way twice (twist, let it return and twist again) and all the doors unlock.
Not for the 2015 Outback. First unlock and the driver's door unlocks. So far so good. But then nothing. Can't unlock all the doors with the key. So your passenger has to wait for you (perhaps in the rain) to open the door and hit the door button. How hard or costly would it have been to implement if driver door unlocked unlock all otherwise unlock driver door?
Even stupider (go ahead criticize me on that one). When you lock the driver's door, it only locks the driver's door. Now who in their right mind Ok'ed that one? Be nice if Subaru could explain that one. Yep most people want to have a locked driver's door while leaving the other three doors unlocked.
Not for the 2015 Outback. First unlock and the driver's door unlocks. So far so good. But then nothing. Can't unlock all the doors with the key. So your passenger has to wait for you (perhaps in the rain) to open the door and hit the door button. How hard or costly would it have been to implement if driver door unlocked unlock all otherwise unlock driver door?
Even stupider (go ahead criticize me on that one). When you lock the driver's door, it only locks the driver's door. Now who in their right mind Ok'ed that one? Be nice if Subaru could explain that one. Yep most people want to have a locked driver's door while leaving the other three doors unlocked.
The power windows
Most autos (perhaps all in my experience) allow you to shut off the car and still operate the power windows for a short period of time. At least some will shut that down if you open a door, but it's convenient. So until I get this pounded in to my brain, when I get gas, I'll turn the car off, try to open the window, turn the car back on, open the window, and turn the car off again to talk to the attendant (yep we're here in one of the two states that still don't allow you to pump your own gas). Given there are a number of things like lights that are timed to turn off a bit after turning off the car, how hard would it have been to hook in to those?
There are other small annoying things like they give you the ability to alter when the headlights automatically come on. Except the range is pretty limited so even at the most sensitive setting they don't come on when it's dark and rainy. Given that having the headlights on when the wipers are on is the law in many states now, why not just do that?
Subaru designers. Do you actually drive the cars you design?
2 - Bosch Dishwasher
The racks are a terrible design. The Germans must use smaller dishes. We use those inexpensive Corelle dishes (which are breakable by the way). So they ought to be pretty common. They don't fit anywhere without rubbing against the sides of the lower rack. I can barely fit a sandwich plate and coffee cup saucer side by side. Why? Well the direction of the tines means from left to right, plate, plate, utensil basket. Why not like my old dish washer rotate them so you have the entire front to back width for your plates? Or put the utensil rack in the back for the same advantage?
Only one set of tines on each of the top and bottom racks fold down. All the tines are slanted and packed so close together than a standard pie plate doesn't fit. My old thin steel FarberWare pots won't go between these slanted tines.
There is no off button. If you forgot something and you want to restart, you can do it. just go find your manual to figure out which of several buttons need to be simultaneously pressed and held to do this. So Bosch, having an off button would have broken the bank?
There are other little annoyances like it is hard to pour in the Jet Dry, it is hard to open the door without water splashing all over the place. And it never, ever actually gets the dishes dry. Even though it runs about an hour longer than my previous dishwasher (which I should have gotten fixed instead of listening to that consumer mag telling me this was a good model and my old one was old enough that it was time).
3 - Oster Toaster Oven
What can I say? The marvel of modern electronics. Instead of that nice little mechanical dial that for decades graced the control panel of toaster ovens I now get to push buttons to set it digitally. Except for two things. The button is hard enough (not that it is very hard) that you push the unit around (it being light enough) whenever you push a button. And the settings don't allow the fine tuning like that simple little dial did. I have two choices. Under toast my english muffin so it is still slightly doughy. Or set it up by one so that at least part of it is now black.
The rack is easy to slide out so you can pick up that muffin without touching a hot oven surface. You just need to be careful to not slide it out very far at all. Or be prepared as the rack tips up and stuff is falling all over your counter.
So manufacturers. I'll pay another couple bucks if you will start making this stuff usable. Really I will. LG. Your washing machine estimated time is useless. It is usually takes a good 25% more time. Although to its credit it sometimes takes less time. And it would be nice to be able to actually hear the done signal one floor up when the wash is actually done. And Samsung. Stop annoying me with crap I don't want to be notified about on that stupid phone and let me remove the 75-80% of the stupid apps I have never used.
And before you think I'm just impossible to please, I really like my Uniball 207 pens. For years now. I replace the chains, brakes, and occasionally a set of gears on my 13 year old Co-Motion bicycle and it just continues to work and work well.
So designers. If you need close to 1000 pages of instructions (the Outback combining main manual with the others like the info display etc), you need to reconsider your interface. If people can mostly use the product without that 1000 pages, you probably have a decent design. If you have not lived with your product for awhile before it goes to general production, you should.
2014-03-19
Erase? Of Course!
commenting on the Malaysian pilot's computer files:
"If the the computer has been intentionally wiped, then you know there is something that the owner of the computer wants to conceal from someone"
- Christopher Voss
former FBI Special Agent
one of the lead agents in the TWA 800 crash investigation
You bet. I use the open-source program Eraser to erase every file I intentionally erase. You mean you don't?
I even erase innocuous files. If I only erased files with private data, then someone hacking in would have an easier time figuring out what to try to unerase. By erasing everything, I hope to add to a hacker's confusion.
And yes, I guess I'd have to confess that I erase my files because I own the computer and I want to conceal the files from pretty much everyone. If I could figure out how to do it while still accessing the files for myself, I'd erase my current files. Frankly it's none of their (whoever they are) business.
I also shred pretty much every piece of paper with my name on it or any information about me on it.
"If the the computer has been intentionally wiped, then you know there is something that the owner of the computer wants to conceal from someone"
- Christopher Voss
former FBI Special Agent
one of the lead agents in the TWA 800 crash investigation
You bet. I use the open-source program Eraser to erase every file I intentionally erase. You mean you don't?
I even erase innocuous files. If I only erased files with private data, then someone hacking in would have an easier time figuring out what to try to unerase. By erasing everything, I hope to add to a hacker's confusion.
And yes, I guess I'd have to confess that I erase my files because I own the computer and I want to conceal the files from pretty much everyone. If I could figure out how to do it while still accessing the files for myself, I'd erase my current files. Frankly it's none of their (whoever they are) business.
I also shred pretty much every piece of paper with my name on it or any information about me on it.
2013-10-29
Lockbox Deceit
Was watching the tube this evening and heard for the 18 billionth time how the problem with Social Security is that we're all living too damn long and it was never meant to pay we old dotards, etc. So why don't we all just die before getting it like the plan originally intended?
Well, sorry, but that's just Bullshit.
That's just a bunch of crap to make you feel lucky. I'm sick of this lie they keep telling us. The reality is that if the government didn't mismanage the ole lockbox, you would probably get a much larger Social Security monthly check. I know I would.
How do I figure this?
Well I spent some time on research and number crunching.
Based on the United Nations life expectancy tables & World Health Organization life expectancy tables, I'm going to kick when I am 76. A little unsettling, but I guess that's that.
If I start collecting Social Security at the full retirement age I'll have 10 years of checks at a monthly rate of $2,395. Or a total payout of $287,400.
So far it looks like they are right. After all, if I add up the amounts deducted from my paychecks over the years, it's only $113,841.55.
But wait a minute. My employer (in some years that's me, myself, and I) contributes to the fund. There have been some variations, but it is roughly the same amount. So let's double that to $227,683.10.
Hmmm. A lot closer to the payout, but it still looks like I'm getting a great deal at the expense of future taxpayers.
But as Ron Popeil says, "but wait there's more!"
No one in their right mind (which probably excludes the government) would stash away money for 35 to 40 years and not expect a return. Actually the government even expects it. Try paying your taxes late and see if they want some interest. So no. We still don't have numbers to compare.
What can we use? Well I decided to work the numbers based on three different rates of return.
The first uses the inflation or CPI rate. That provides a flat "no return" number. It merely accounts for inflation. So how does that compare? My contributions using CPI rates totals $192,975.96. Still far short of my payout. But my contributions plus my employer's totals $385,951.91. WOW! Just accounting for inflation shows that the government has shortchanged me by almost a $100,000! $385,951.91 - $287,400.00 = $98,551.91.
Then I took a look at what I would get if I actually got some return on my investment. So I used a really conservative 5% annual return. The combined contributions would be worth $588,104.96. Now I see the government will cheat me out of $300,704.96.
But is 5% the right return? After thinking about it awhile longer, I decided to rework the numbers one last time. This time I used the S&P returns for each year I contributed. Simple enough for you to do if you had that money. Use it to buy an S&P index ETF. What would I have then instead of the government 'securing my future' all these years? Hold on to your seats kiddies. The combined contribution would have been worth $1,683,343.17!
So enough of this crap that I'm going to suck more money out than I put in. YOU are cheating me out of $1,395,943.17. I should be getting $11,632.86 per month instead of that measly $2,395 per month.
Lastly, I purposely ignored any cost of listing adjustments I might get in my Social Security payout. For one thing, I didn't know how to figure that out. And secondly I thought it was safe to assume that I should be able to cover that with the returns on my declining investment. After all, if I just make 2% on my 1.6 million, I'd cover my my $2,395 per month payment and actually increase the principal, not slowly whittle it away.
References:
Well, sorry, but that's just Bullshit.
That's just a bunch of crap to make you feel lucky. I'm sick of this lie they keep telling us. The reality is that if the government didn't mismanage the ole lockbox, you would probably get a much larger Social Security monthly check. I know I would.
How do I figure this?
Well I spent some time on research and number crunching.
Based on the United Nations life expectancy tables & World Health Organization life expectancy tables, I'm going to kick when I am 76. A little unsettling, but I guess that's that.
If I start collecting Social Security at the full retirement age I'll have 10 years of checks at a monthly rate of $2,395. Or a total payout of $287,400.
So far it looks like they are right. After all, if I add up the amounts deducted from my paychecks over the years, it's only $113,841.55.
But wait a minute. My employer (in some years that's me, myself, and I) contributes to the fund. There have been some variations, but it is roughly the same amount. So let's double that to $227,683.10.
Hmmm. A lot closer to the payout, but it still looks like I'm getting a great deal at the expense of future taxpayers.
But as Ron Popeil says, "but wait there's more!"
No one in their right mind (which probably excludes the government) would stash away money for 35 to 40 years and not expect a return. Actually the government even expects it. Try paying your taxes late and see if they want some interest. So no. We still don't have numbers to compare.
What can we use? Well I decided to work the numbers based on three different rates of return.
The first uses the inflation or CPI rate. That provides a flat "no return" number. It merely accounts for inflation. So how does that compare? My contributions using CPI rates totals $192,975.96. Still far short of my payout. But my contributions plus my employer's totals $385,951.91. WOW! Just accounting for inflation shows that the government has shortchanged me by almost a $100,000! $385,951.91 - $287,400.00 = $98,551.91.
Then I took a look at what I would get if I actually got some return on my investment. So I used a really conservative 5% annual return. The combined contributions would be worth $588,104.96. Now I see the government will cheat me out of $300,704.96.
But is 5% the right return? After thinking about it awhile longer, I decided to rework the numbers one last time. This time I used the S&P returns for each year I contributed. Simple enough for you to do if you had that money. Use it to buy an S&P index ETF. What would I have then instead of the government 'securing my future' all these years? Hold on to your seats kiddies. The combined contribution would have been worth $1,683,343.17!
So enough of this crap that I'm going to suck more money out than I put in. YOU are cheating me out of $1,395,943.17. I should be getting $11,632.86 per month instead of that measly $2,395 per month.
Lastly, I purposely ignored any cost of listing adjustments I might get in my Social Security payout. For one thing, I didn't know how to figure that out. And secondly I thought it was safe to assume that I should be able to cover that with the returns on my declining investment. After all, if I just make 2% on my 1.6 million, I'd cover my my $2,395 per month payment and actually increase the principal, not slowly whittle it away.
References:
- Social Security payout from http://www.socialsecurity.gov/begin-est/
- CPI from http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/srgate using series CUUR0000SA0
- S&P data from http://financeandinvestments.blogspot.com/2012/06/historical-annual-returns-for-s-500.html
2013-05-28
This Time You've Gone Too Far
I'm not sure how far off the coast we are. Someone with more resources than I have right now can probably make a decent guess from the TV map below.
I zoomed the camera phone at its highest. If you look carefully on the right side of ocean image, you can see a small sailboat. You wouldn't catch me this far out in that thing.
Wondering about that zigzag in our course? We had a medical helicopter emergency rescue last night around 8:30.
2013-05-26
Off to Bermuda
We made it to the cruise terminal in about an hour. I can see the car from our room. So yea, parking was easy. I'm a little buzzed already. Mr sub got this drink in the hallway and the guy poured in some extra shots. So of course I had to go back there & and get one too. I got a couple extra shots too. But Mr peaches was there so I bought him one and the Guy poured a couple more in mine. Then peachy came up and I bought her one. And the guy hit me again. Well the boat's pulling away so I gsuess time to post before I lose 3G.
2013-05-20
Peaches Makes a Basket
After quitting her job during the recession and going back to school, Yale gives Peaches her diploma.
Congratulations to Peaches with her newly minted Master's of Architecture.
2013-04-15
Paperwork Reduction
Happy Tax Day Everyone!
Hope everyone is done and relaxed for the rest of the year now.
I was looking at some of the forms and was struck by the prevalence of the paperwork reduction act notices. Yes, they've been there for years, but I guess I have too much time on my hands now.
But I was curious so I counted the pieces of paper that are my 2012 returns.
A whopping 26 pages.
That is both federal and state and to be fair, that 1 page return was when NJ didn't have an income tax.
How much paper to produce those 26 pages? 88 pieces of paper. W-2, 1099, charitable donation receipts, etc. etc.
Whew. Glad we've reduced all that paper.
Back in the 60s my tax return was a single piece of paper. True I have investments I didn't have back then and I didn't own a house etc. This is my 1967 tax return.
That's it. Eleven pieces of information. Address is item 1 and my refund is line 11. Now that's paperwork reduction.
2013-04-02
All Fools Day at the White House
Came early this year when the President declared April as National Financial Capability Month on March 29.
I call upon all Americans to observe this month with programs and activities to improve their understanding of financial principles and practices
Obama is lecturing me on financial responsibility? Perhaps he'll teach me how to make and adhere to a budget?
So what's next?
Is John Boehner going to teach me how to use sun block?
Is Debbie Wasserman Schultz going to teach me how to comb my hair?
This is the second year of National Financial Capability Month. We also had National Financial Literacy Month in 2010 & 2011.
If you do not have a life, you can read all four:
| April 2, 2010 | - | 2010 National Financial Literacy Month |
| March 31, 2011 | - | 2011 National Financial Literacy Month |
| April 2, 2012 | - | 2012 National Financial Capability Month |
| March 29, 2013 | - | 2013 National Financial Capability Month |
So here is what I learned:
The debt at the end of March when each of these proclamations were made:
| Year | Total Debt |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12,773,123,000,000 |
| 2011 | 14,270,115,000,000 |
| 2012 | 15,582,079,000,000 |
| 2013 | 16,687,289,000,000 |
So given we had a debt of 11,126,941 000,000 on March 31 2009, the president called on us to become financially literate while the federal government was racking this sort of debt each year:
| Year | Debt Increase | Debt Incr per Person * |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,646,182,000,000 | 5487.27 |
| 2011 | 1,496,992,000,000 | 4989.97 |
| 2012 | 1,311,964,000,000 | 4373.21 |
| 2013 | 1,105,210,000,000 | 3684.03 |
So the federal government has increased the debt for each person in the U.S. by 18534.49. Yep. That's almost $20,000 even for your child sleeping in her cradle.
Here it is only 2-April. I think my financial acumen has really grown.
2013-02-01
Just the Gas Ma'am
I was listening to the news on a local radio station this morning
I pricked up my ears when they started talking about gas prices. Their report stated that gas prices had risen again. The average was up 11 cents this week. That made me a little curious as I had bought gas late yesterday and noticed that the price was the same as I had previously paid.
I've recorded every gas purchase I've made for my personal vehicles since the early seventies. In recent years I've kept a spreadsheet. Anyway, segue aside, I took a look and found that the current price is at its lowest since over 7 months ago. As you can see below, I typically buy gas 1 to 2 times a month.
So are the prices so volatile that they are hopping up and down frequently and I'm just not seeing this because I'm not buying every other day? Or is something else going on?
Just wondering
Here's what I've paid over the last 8 months. You can see that you have to go back to last May to find cheaper gas. All fill-ups were at the same gas station except for Nov 5 and July 28 (this one the same brand but different place).
| Jan 31, 2013 | 3.39 |
| Jan 14, 2013 | 3.39 |
| Jan 08, 2013 | 3.39 |
| Dec 24, 2012 | 3.39 |
| Nov 24, 2012 | 3.59 |
| Nov 05, 2012 | 3.63 |
| Oct 10, 2012 | 3.79 |
| Aug 31, 2012 | 3.67 |
| Aug 08, 2012 | 3.55 |
| Jul 28, 2012 | 3.69 |
| Jul 20, 2012 | 3.45 |
| Jun 20, 2012 | 3.35 |
| May 12, 2012 | 3.75 |
2012-12-17
Mommy, I feel sick today
from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/us/politics/hillary-clinton-concussion.html?smid=pl-share
Hmmm
Only a week working at home?
That leaves about a month left as Secretary of State. That of course assumes that Obama appoints Kerry to start as soon as his second term starts. Now Congress might quit for Christmas within a week so I guess Hillary's exposure is only about 2 1/2 weeks.
What will be her excuse when Congress is back in session after the new year? "My dog ate my testimony"?
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton suffered a concussion early last week after fainting and striking her head, the State Department disclosed on Saturday.
As a result, she will not testify as scheduled on Thursday before Congressional committees investigating the September attack on the American diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya.
. . .
Acting on the advice of her doctors, Mrs. Clinton will not go to the State Department this week but will work from home, the State Department said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/us/politics/hillary-clinton-concussion.html?smid=pl-share
Hmmm
Only a week working at home?
That leaves about a month left as Secretary of State. That of course assumes that Obama appoints Kerry to start as soon as his second term starts. Now Congress might quit for Christmas within a week so I guess Hillary's exposure is only about 2 1/2 weeks.
What will be her excuse when Congress is back in session after the new year? "My dog ate my testimony"?
2012-10-02
Romney vs The Garbage Man
Have you seen the latest video from Obama?
Richard Hayes is Romney's garbage man lamenting that mean old Mitt doesn't come out to hug him, give him some Gatorade, etc.
Richard also laments that picking up 15-16 tons of garbage is taking a toll on his body. Seems to me that could be a bit high. Maybe Romney and his neighbors have heavy garbage. But I know my trash bags are never as heavy as the 35 lb salt bags for my water softener. But let's say the average is 35lb. Let's assume a working 8 hours (that is 8 hours of work, no breaks, just work). You have to pick up 914 bags or a bag every 31 seconds. That seems like some mighty fast collecting. How long does it take to get from stop to stop? You'd have to subtract that from the 31 seconds.
But the most interesting part of the video is?
Something is wrong here. Did they fake something here? Doesn't seem like those could be the trucks that Richard uses to pick up Mitt's garbage. Why? Because those trucks are the kind that does that automatically. No manual bag pickup. Look at the beginning of the video again. Around the 7 second mark. At the 9 second mark you can clearly see that arm that wraps around the trash can silhouetted against the sky. So what's the story here Richard?
But maybe Richard isn't getting those hugs because Mitt is spending all his time hugging Joan Raymond. I mean she says she picks up his trash too.
I think Richard needs to try harder for those hugs. My first suggestion is: shave the beard. I mean maybe I'm just a sucker for blonds, but Joan is more appealing to me.
I wonder if Barry has run out of the oval office to make sure he can claim he hugs his trash man? Just asking.
Oh, and Mitt might have some idea. From his book, No Apology; The Case for American Greatness:
During my campaign for governor, I decided to spend a day every few
weeks doing the jobs of other people in Massachusetts. Among other
jobs, I cooked sausages at Fenway Park, worked on asphalt paving crew,
stacked bales of hay on a farm,
. . .
One day I gathered trash as a garbage collector. I stood on that little platform at the back of the truck, holding on as the driver navigated his way through the narrow streets of Boston. As we pulled up to traffic lights, I noticed that the shoppers and businesspeople who were standing only a few feet from me didn’t even see me. It was as if I was invisible. Perhaps it was because a lot of us don’t think garbage men are worthy of notice; I disagree – anyone who works that hard deserves our respect. - I wasn’t a particularly good garbage collector: at one point, after filling the trough at the back of the truck, I pulled the wrong hydraulic lever. Instead of pushing the load into the truck, I dumped it onto the street. Maybe the suits didn’t notice me, but the guys at the construction site sure did…
. . .
One day I gathered trash as a garbage collector. I stood on that little platform at the back of the truck, holding on as the driver navigated his way through the narrow streets of Boston. As we pulled up to traffic lights, I noticed that the shoppers and businesspeople who were standing only a few feet from me didn’t even see me. It was as if I was invisible. Perhaps it was because a lot of us don’t think garbage men are worthy of notice; I disagree – anyone who works that hard deserves our respect. - I wasn’t a particularly good garbage collector: at one point, after filling the trough at the back of the truck, I pulled the wrong hydraulic lever. Instead of pushing the load into the truck, I dumped it onto the street. Maybe the suits didn’t notice me, but the guys at the construction site sure did…
No, it wasn't a career, but then how many others have done that much?
2012-09-08
I Robot Wallet
For the last several years I have subscribed to a health newsletter.
It's moderately informative. I have learned some things, but too much of it
As with most magazines, they start sending out renewal notices before your subscription starts. That actually did happen to me once. I subscribed to some magazine and got a renewal notice before I got the first issue. I make it a point to not renew ahead of time unless they make a really good offer. In fact for most magazines I don't renew at all, let the subscription run out, and start a new one which often gets me the lowest price and some goody (like a travel alarm clock that will work for 3 months before blowing its brains out).
I started this non renewal policy years ago when I found some magazine wanted me to renew at a price that was more than a new subscriber got and they were enticing the new subscriber that goody. Talk about feeling screwed! I was a customer known to want their product. They could get my money and not incur the cost of setting up a new account. I had already paid so they have confidence I would not stiff them. And my reward? Treat me as the scum on the sole of your shoe?
Now there are damn few publications that I need so badly or enjoy so much that I can't survive (although I supposed a health newsletter might fall into that category) if I miss an issue or two so this policy of letting the subscription lapse and then starting it again has worked well enough for me.
One of the things I have done in recent years is to respond to the renewal notice with a counter offer. That is of course if the reply envelope is post paid. I write on the renewal form the amount that I'm willing to pay and send it back. Surprisingly that actually worked once. Maybe twice.
But back to my health newsletter. I have probably gotten six to eight notices at this point. I have written a counter offer on each one of them and sent them off. As is typical, I get another offer some where down the road and it's obvious that whoever opened the previous one promptly tossed it in the trash. And as you might expect I continued to receive notices that were the last notice, the last last notice, the last last last last last last last last last last last last last last last last notice etc.
Finally the last issue came and in huge bold letters I am informed You have read you final Issue. Now that isn't true as this is the front cover so I see this before I have even opened it. If they had put this at the end, the back inside cover, I wouldn't have been so irritated.
Well I read that final issue and figured that was the end of it.
But no.
Today I get another notice. As I have already received the last final notices I guess this one is the post-apocalyptic notice.
The notice includes the statement that they haven't heard from me.
Is it possible that every reply I have sent has been mis-handled by the Post Office?
My Reply?
Lie. I have responded to every NOTICE. I am willing to renew either 1 yr @ $19 or 2 yrs at $35. Send an invoice for either or both of those rates and I will renew.
Now you might think I'm being ridiculous. That I'm asking for a discount way to steep. And truthfully I would go up to $20 or maybe even $21 if they made a counter offer in that range. But this consumer organization is just as rapacious as any other organization that assumes they can jack up their prices and enough people will just blindly write a check.
The first year I subscribed, the price was $15. Then I renewed for two years for $39. That's $19.5 / year. That is also a 30% increase in price. This renewal notice is for $24. That is a 19% increase. Over the course of my three year subscription, they have increased the price an average of 20% / year. This from a consumer organization? No thanks.
Does anyone want to place a wager that not only do I not get a response from my response but I get at least one more renewal offer as if I had never responded?
I was intrigued by the last paragraph in the notice
It sort of looks like Jamie is saying they know I have responded although I have never written anything other than a counter offer similar to this one. And if Jamie is thanking me for a previous response, why the "Unfortunately, we have not heard from you" further up? Is Jamie asking me to provide feedback? If so, perhaps Jamie could tell me how to do that. Maybe a form on their web site. Perhaps an email address. If I was so healthy that I could beam my thoughts to Jamie I wouldn't need this newsletter and would beam that message to her.
This from the organization that wails if a manufacturer or merchant doesn't kiss your ass when you contact them. I guess Consumer Reports' left hand doesn't know what the other left hand is doing. I can't say that their customer service is any worse than typical. But it is kind of like Al Gore lecturing me on carbon footprints when he pollutes more in a year than I probably will in my lifetime.
Oh, in the meantime I have subscribed to the Mayo Clinic newsletter. It's written for adults and is a tiny bit cheaper. Take a look at http://healthletter.mayoclinic.com/.
2012-05-10
Big Government Gone Wild
This one should make a libertarian out of everyone.
Florida has a law requiring vending machine owners to post a notice with no purpose other than to display the notice:
Operators must post the following statement on each machine:
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/tips/tip10a01-05.html
Notice there is no real notice. No contact the police if you are being mugged. Nor perhaps the health department if say mold is oozing from the machine or anything OTHER than if the notice is absent, then you might be eligible for a reward.
In case you missed it, the real humor comes if the notice is missing. If the notice is missing, you are supposed to report the violation. But of course if the notice is missing, you won't see the telephone number to use for reporting the violation.
I think Kurt Vonnegut wrote a story about this.
Fortunately churches, etc are exempt:
(5)?The provisions of this section do not apply to vending machines owned and operated by churches, synagogues, or nonprofit or charitable organizations exempt pursuant to s. 212.08(7)(z).
If you still think this is a prank, check the Florida legislative site: Legislative Text
Florida has a law requiring vending machine owners to post a notice with no purpose other than to display the notice:
Operators must post the following statement on each machine:
NOTICE TO CUSTOMER:
FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES THIS NOTICE TO BE POSTED ON ALL FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENDING MACHINES. Report any machine without a notice to 1-800-352-9273. You may be eligible for a cash reward. DO NOT USE THIS NUMBER TO REPORT PROBLEMS WITH THE VENDING MACHINE SUCH AS LOST MONEY OR OUT-OF-DATE PRODUCTS.
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/tips/tip10a01-05.html
Notice there is no real notice. No contact the police if you are being mugged. Nor perhaps the health department if say mold is oozing from the machine or anything OTHER than if the notice is absent, then you might be eligible for a reward.
In case you missed it, the real humor comes if the notice is missing. If the notice is missing, you are supposed to report the violation. But of course if the notice is missing, you won't see the telephone number to use for reporting the violation.
I think Kurt Vonnegut wrote a story about this.
Fortunately churches, etc are exempt:
(5)?The provisions of this section do not apply to vending machines owned and operated by churches, synagogues, or nonprofit or charitable organizations exempt pursuant to s. 212.08(7)(z).
If you still think this is a prank, check the Florida legislative site: Legislative Text
2011-12-30
Gypsies, Lawyers, & Thieves
Like the rest of the world I am an Ebayster. I am also in the smaller minority who occasionally sells junk memorabilia to the unsuspecting. A couple years ago I sold a 1979 300 baud Hayes Modem. My first sell. Based on my amazement at finding someone who would actually buy this thing I proceeded to march onward with an early 80s 1200 baud Hayes modem, the trailer lighting harness for a '91 Ford Aerostar and miscellaneous other items that should have long been in the landfill.
Once or twice a year I get a notice in the mail that I am a member of some class action suit. Although I usually glance at these, I generally don't pay much attention. After all how excited can I get when I read that my cell phone company has settled for many millions of dollars and while the lawyers take is some number of millions, my take is a 25¢ earphone that broke the second time I used it.
I don't remember getting a notice that I was a member of an EBay class action suit. But as these things take several millennia to resolve, it's also possible that the part of my brain that saw it has been soaking in formaldehyde for a couple years. For example, awhile back I received some wadding in the mail from my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather's inclusion in a class action suit against a musket manufacturer for firing failures that occurred during the battle of Trenton.
In early December I received a check that was my portion of the settlement of a class action suit against EBay. I didn't know what it was for so I searched for yingling vs ebay inc and found the class action site. There I found a document addressing the lawyer's fees. So if I understand this, the settlement was $30,000,000.00. The lawyers get $7,500,000.00 plus expenses.
So what do I get? Not a dime. Not a nickel. But yes dear reader, I get one 3 billionth of the settlement. I received a check for 1¢.
So what am I to do with that? A few days later I drove by the bank but didn't stop. It has to cost more than a penny to drive in to the parking lot, park, restart my engine, and return back to the route I was traveling. Worse; I was under a time constraint. Look closely at that cheque (for 1¢ I really should use the more high-falutin across the pond speeling). Or if you are an internet savvy user cleck on the picture to magically expand it. I have to dispose of the cheque by 22-December or I stand to lose the entire amount. I'm not sure what that will do to my retirement fund but it can't be good.
Finally I had an excuse to go to the bank. I have been scanning documents such as birth certificates, the deed to the house, etc and returning them to the safe deposit box. I had a bunch to go back to the bank. Plus spousy wanted to visit the Staples next door to buy a new appointment calendar so I managed to get to the bank with one day to spare.
But I have a new strategy. When I get notice of a class action suit, I will drop out of the class. I'm hoping that will reduce the settlement just a little bit. If lots of us do that, the settlement will be less. Maybe instead of lawyers getting those millions, the company will have more money to spend on lower prices, better service, or something that I actually benefit from. I'll consider staying in the class if I actually think the defendant company has engaged in truly egregious behavior but as long as the lawyers make millions and I get squat, there isn't much reason to stay in the class ofsuckers litigants.
Once or twice a year I get a notice in the mail that I am a member of some class action suit. Although I usually glance at these, I generally don't pay much attention. After all how excited can I get when I read that my cell phone company has settled for many millions of dollars and while the lawyers take is some number of millions, my take is a 25¢ earphone that broke the second time I used it.
I don't remember getting a notice that I was a member of an EBay class action suit. But as these things take several millennia to resolve, it's also possible that the part of my brain that saw it has been soaking in formaldehyde for a couple years. For example, awhile back I received some wadding in the mail from my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather's inclusion in a class action suit against a musket manufacturer for firing failures that occurred during the battle of Trenton.
In early December I received a check that was my portion of the settlement of a class action suit against EBay. I didn't know what it was for so I searched for yingling vs ebay inc and found the class action site. There I found a document addressing the lawyer's fees. So if I understand this, the settlement was $30,000,000.00. The lawyers get $7,500,000.00 plus expenses.
So what do I get? Not a dime. Not a nickel. But yes dear reader, I get one 3 billionth of the settlement. I received a check for 1¢.
So what am I to do with that? A few days later I drove by the bank but didn't stop. It has to cost more than a penny to drive in to the parking lot, park, restart my engine, and return back to the route I was traveling. Worse; I was under a time constraint. Look closely at that cheque (for 1¢ I really should use the more high-falutin across the pond speeling). Or if you are an internet savvy user cleck on the picture to magically expand it. I have to dispose of the cheque by 22-December or I stand to lose the entire amount. I'm not sure what that will do to my retirement fund but it can't be good.
Finally I had an excuse to go to the bank. I have been scanning documents such as birth certificates, the deed to the house, etc and returning them to the safe deposit box. I had a bunch to go back to the bank. Plus spousy wanted to visit the Staples next door to buy a new appointment calendar so I managed to get to the bank with one day to spare.
But I have a new strategy. When I get notice of a class action suit, I will drop out of the class. I'm hoping that will reduce the settlement just a little bit. If lots of us do that, the settlement will be less. Maybe instead of lawyers getting those millions, the company will have more money to spend on lower prices, better service, or something that I actually benefit from. I'll consider staying in the class if I actually think the defendant company has engaged in truly egregious behavior but as long as the lawyers make millions and I get squat, there isn't much reason to stay in the class of
2011-11-30
Zucchinis and Margaritas
For those who don't follow the OWS New York, when that tyrant Bloomberg
took away theirgasoline global warming generators citing some bogus safety hazard, the creative Zucchini Park inhabitants turned to bicycle generators to supply them with their creature comforts.
Well as you probably know, they got their global warming generators back (a little before they were kicked out of the park anyway). So what to do with all those bicycle generators?
Well, I found the perfect answer. Use them to make margaritas with the "Fender Blender Universale".
What could be better after a hard day of protesting than to lay back and enjoy a cool slushie "green" margarita. If you're not in to margaritas, I'm sure you could also make some yummy frozen peach or apricot daiquiris as well.
P.S.
I've been wondering for some time if Brookfield chairman of the board, John Zucchini regrets the honor that his board bestowed on him when they named the park after him.
took away their
Well as you probably know, they got their global warming generators back (a little before they were kicked out of the park anyway). So what to do with all those bicycle generators?
Well, I found the perfect answer. Use them to make margaritas with the "Fender Blender Universale".
What could be better after a hard day of protesting than to lay back and enjoy a cool slushie "green" margarita. If you're not in to margaritas, I'm sure you could also make some yummy frozen peach or apricot daiquiris as well.
P.S.
I've been wondering for some time if Brookfield chairman of the board, John Zucchini regrets the honor that his board bestowed on him when they named the park after him.
2011-11-05
Down Under & Outback for the Count
I've been to a local Outback quite a few times over the years. It's not that close so at best we'll hit it once or twice a year.
Generally I would say it's fair food for a fair price until this visit.
I call ahead to get on the waiting list like I've done in the past. When we got there, we are told (as is the call ahead group ahead of us) that the wait will be 20-25 minutes. OK. That's what call ahead is. No guarantees. But there aren't that many people waiting so it seems a little odd.
Well we are going on 40 minutes when my daughter walks up to the greeter to see how far away from the top of the list our name is. Hmmm. Our name is already crossed off. They think we have been seated. Odd given that they use those wireless gizmos that buzz, vibrate, flash like alien space craft, and otherwise carry on.
But at least we are finally sitting at a table. It takes awhile for the waiter to come. He takes our drink orders and disappears. My daughter urges us to order everything at once to move things along (she worked here years ago). Finally the drinks come. Well most come. Mine looks suspiciously like water. Not the iced tea I had ordered.
It takes another five minutes or so before my drink arrives. But I'm told it has been freshly brewed. Perhaps. But usually you can feel a warm glass with the tea still being cooled by a lot of ice. Not this one. Perhaps they have mastered that cold brewing process like Coors(?) uses for their beer.
At my daughter's urging we order a group appetizer and our entrees at the same time. I'd say it took longer than it should have, but not horribly long for the appetizer to come. We all dig in to this finger food but alas we have no napkins so soon there are forty greasy fingers waving in the air.
Did I mention no napkins? What usually comes with the napkins? Yes. The flatware. Nope. None of that either. Some time after the appetizer came out the waiter is tackled and we beg for napkins and the flatware.
At some point the salads arrive and lacking utensils we stare at our salads for awhile longer. Eventually the flatware shows up and everyone digs in. The salads are quickly polished off and once again we are forced to either talk to each other or; the more interesting; listen to the table to my right complain about their lack of a meal. My daughter claims that although they were already here when we sat down, those dopes didn't order their main meal when they ordered their appetizers.
Another 20 to 25 minutes have gone by and no entrees have shown up. I've gotten tired of listening to the next table. The last thing I remember is something about how 3 of their 4 kids have had birthdays since they sat down.
At some point I glance back over to the next table and it looks like they are getting up to leave. The waitress is there saying something. Everyone sits down again so I conclude that they have just gotten up to stretch so as to avoid the Deep Vein Thrombosis that you have probably read about in left wing scare articles about long airline flights.
At some point our waiter breezes by and is heard to say "I haven't forgotten about you". I reply with "so your neglect is on purpose". That generated a chuckle at our table but I don't think the waiter actually heard me.
In the meantime the food has actually come to our neighbor's table. They are happily chowing down. To pass the time I now start quizzing my daughter as to merits of her order everything at once advice.
But all at once, wonder of wonders, our food arrives. Well most of it at least. They made the wrong thing for the birthday boy. Although the rest of us beg him to accept what was brought, he is adamant. So his meal goes back. At some point I start my stopwatch and we sit another 20 minutes before his meal arrives again. Fortunately it is the correct meal this time. But I blame birthday boy for this one. If he had ordered a raw steak rather than a medium steak I'm sure we could have had the redo finished in 19 minutes.
I usually eat fish, but for this occasion I had also ordered a steak. Now I like mine rare. Steak tartar is just fine by me. I like sushi too. Never sent a steak back because it wasn't done enough. My daughter starts to snicker when she sees the barely pink inside of my steak. A steak more well done than birthday boy's medium steak. That is she snickers until she thinks maybe I will send mine back as I've done many times in the past.
Given the time we have been sitting, I assure her that I've been taking my meds and no way no how am I sending the thing back. I'd more likely just not eat it and go home to eat the left over spaghetti from the fridge or perhaps begin gnawing on my forearm before I would send this steak back.
Around the time we finish our meal, the waiter brings over the manager. This must a shift or floor manager as I have had plenty of time this evening to fire up my droid and look this location up in the browser. The location manager is a male and I am talking to a female.
The manager is very apologetic. She doesn't even trot out one of the usual excuses for poor service such as the entire kitchen staff being taken hostage this evening by Al Qaeda. Or the kitchen staff having to work all day cooking for OWS in Zuccotti Park. The good news is that she strikes two of our meals from the bill so we leave quite a bit older and wiser and with a few more USA fun tickets* in our pockets.
When all was said and done, it took us 3 1/2 hours + travel time to celebrate birthday boy's 30th birthday. My daughter did claim her husband was going to accuse her of staying out on purpose to stick him with the kids all night. I told her not to worry. The youngest was already in bed and the oldest would be there soon.
And so would I.
* credit to NY Bike Snob
Generally I would say it's fair food for a fair price until this visit.
I call ahead to get on the waiting list like I've done in the past. When we got there, we are told (as is the call ahead group ahead of us) that the wait will be 20-25 minutes. OK. That's what call ahead is. No guarantees. But there aren't that many people waiting so it seems a little odd.
Well we are going on 40 minutes when my daughter walks up to the greeter to see how far away from the top of the list our name is. Hmmm. Our name is already crossed off. They think we have been seated. Odd given that they use those wireless gizmos that buzz, vibrate, flash like alien space craft, and otherwise carry on.
But at least we are finally sitting at a table. It takes awhile for the waiter to come. He takes our drink orders and disappears. My daughter urges us to order everything at once to move things along (she worked here years ago). Finally the drinks come. Well most come. Mine looks suspiciously like water. Not the iced tea I had ordered.
It takes another five minutes or so before my drink arrives. But I'm told it has been freshly brewed. Perhaps. But usually you can feel a warm glass with the tea still being cooled by a lot of ice. Not this one. Perhaps they have mastered that cold brewing process like Coors(?) uses for their beer.
At my daughter's urging we order a group appetizer and our entrees at the same time. I'd say it took longer than it should have, but not horribly long for the appetizer to come. We all dig in to this finger food but alas we have no napkins so soon there are forty greasy fingers waving in the air.
Did I mention no napkins? What usually comes with the napkins? Yes. The flatware. Nope. None of that either. Some time after the appetizer came out the waiter is tackled and we beg for napkins and the flatware.
At some point the salads arrive and lacking utensils we stare at our salads for awhile longer. Eventually the flatware shows up and everyone digs in. The salads are quickly polished off and once again we are forced to either talk to each other or; the more interesting; listen to the table to my right complain about their lack of a meal. My daughter claims that although they were already here when we sat down, those dopes didn't order their main meal when they ordered their appetizers.
Another 20 to 25 minutes have gone by and no entrees have shown up. I've gotten tired of listening to the next table. The last thing I remember is something about how 3 of their 4 kids have had birthdays since they sat down.
At some point I glance back over to the next table and it looks like they are getting up to leave. The waitress is there saying something. Everyone sits down again so I conclude that they have just gotten up to stretch so as to avoid the Deep Vein Thrombosis that you have probably read about in left wing scare articles about long airline flights.
At some point our waiter breezes by and is heard to say "I haven't forgotten about you". I reply with "so your neglect is on purpose". That generated a chuckle at our table but I don't think the waiter actually heard me.
In the meantime the food has actually come to our neighbor's table. They are happily chowing down. To pass the time I now start quizzing my daughter as to merits of her order everything at once advice.
But all at once, wonder of wonders, our food arrives. Well most of it at least. They made the wrong thing for the birthday boy. Although the rest of us beg him to accept what was brought, he is adamant. So his meal goes back. At some point I start my stopwatch and we sit another 20 minutes before his meal arrives again. Fortunately it is the correct meal this time. But I blame birthday boy for this one. If he had ordered a raw steak rather than a medium steak I'm sure we could have had the redo finished in 19 minutes.
I usually eat fish, but for this occasion I had also ordered a steak. Now I like mine rare. Steak tartar is just fine by me. I like sushi too. Never sent a steak back because it wasn't done enough. My daughter starts to snicker when she sees the barely pink inside of my steak. A steak more well done than birthday boy's medium steak. That is she snickers until she thinks maybe I will send mine back as I've done many times in the past.
Given the time we have been sitting, I assure her that I've been taking my meds and no way no how am I sending the thing back. I'd more likely just not eat it and go home to eat the left over spaghetti from the fridge or perhaps begin gnawing on my forearm before I would send this steak back.
Around the time we finish our meal, the waiter brings over the manager. This must a shift or floor manager as I have had plenty of time this evening to fire up my droid and look this location up in the browser. The location manager is a male and I am talking to a female.
The manager is very apologetic. She doesn't even trot out one of the usual excuses for poor service such as the entire kitchen staff being taken hostage this evening by Al Qaeda. Or the kitchen staff having to work all day cooking for OWS in Zuccotti Park. The good news is that she strikes two of our meals from the bill so we leave quite a bit older and wiser and with a few more USA fun tickets* in our pockets.
When all was said and done, it took us 3 1/2 hours + travel time to celebrate birthday boy's 30th birthday. My daughter did claim her husband was going to accuse her of staying out on purpose to stick him with the kids all night. I told her not to worry. The youngest was already in bed and the oldest would be there soon.
And so would I.
* credit to NY Bike Snob
2011-09-05
Labor Day or Union Day?
Dateline - WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) —
Organizers of the Labor Day parade in Wausau say Republican lawmakers aren’t welcome in this year’s event.
The Marathon County Central Labor Council sponsors the Sept. 5 parade. The council includes about 30 local unions from the Marathon County area.
The Wausau Daily Herald
Since then, the mayor has requested that the organizers back off or reimburse the town for expenses.
I agree with mayor wholeheartedly. If Labor Day celebrates all workers from the janitor to the CEO, then fine with the town kicking some bucks in.
I don't want my tax dollars to go to union parties. What are unions today other than sanctioned political monopolies? Big unions aren't working me. As near as I can tell they aren't even working for their members. Let's celebrate Labor Day all together. Let divisive unions take their party somewhere else.
In an interview with the press, he was even more blunt. "This is not a political rally, it's a parade, for God's sake," Tipple told Reuters. Pointing out that tax money normally pays for the event, the Mayor said excluding Republicans "flies in the face of public policy."So what is Labor Day? Is it a big union day? Or is it a celebration of the American worker? According to Wikipedia it is a federal holiday that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers. But Wikipedia also states the Labor Day was first observed by labor unions.
New American
I agree with mayor wholeheartedly. If Labor Day celebrates all workers from the janitor to the CEO, then fine with the town kicking some bucks in.
I don't want my tax dollars to go to union parties. What are unions today other than sanctioned political monopolies? Big unions aren't working me. As near as I can tell they aren't even working for their members. Let's celebrate Labor Day all together. Let divisive unions take their party somewhere else.
2011-06-22
One Knee Later
One knee year later. Last May I had a knee operation. Originally I went for that option because I had done a short ride in May and could barely walk afterwards. Thinking I was going to take a bike trip in mid-August, I rushed the decision.
Turns out my estimate of the time for recovery was way off. I do sort of think the doctor was not as helpful in this area as he could have been. Although I did get on my bike after a month, I had to start with 5 mile rides and I only felt I could do a couple a week.
So the end result was I cut down on my bicycling for most of the summer. I barely managed to eke out a 1,000 miles for the year.
So it is now a little over a year since the operation. Where do I stand?
A lot better. For the longest time I wondered whether I should have gone for therapy and worked on this on my own.
Well I'll never know the answer to the above, but things are looking up. I still get a stiff leg if I stand for more than an hour or so but the riding seems OK.
I have done a couple 20s and one 50 miler so far without any problems. I've now ridden 18 out of the last 20 days. No great mileage. They have ranged from a low of 8 miles to a high of 17 miles. Sometimes I can feel some stiffness, but for the most part, I get off the bike in great shape.
Bottom line? I guess I went the right way after all.
Turns out my estimate of the time for recovery was way off. I do sort of think the doctor was not as helpful in this area as he could have been. Although I did get on my bike after a month, I had to start with 5 mile rides and I only felt I could do a couple a week.
So the end result was I cut down on my bicycling for most of the summer. I barely managed to eke out a 1,000 miles for the year.
So it is now a little over a year since the operation. Where do I stand?
A lot better. For the longest time I wondered whether I should have gone for therapy and worked on this on my own.
Well I'll never know the answer to the above, but things are looking up. I still get a stiff leg if I stand for more than an hour or so but the riding seems OK.
I have done a couple 20s and one 50 miler so far without any problems. I've now ridden 18 out of the last 20 days. No great mileage. They have ranged from a low of 8 miles to a high of 17 miles. Sometimes I can feel some stiffness, but for the most part, I get off the bike in great shape.
Bottom line? I guess I went the right way after all.