Seems like every time someone sticks their head up in Albany the press and public takes a shot at them. Now it’s Cuomo. Who’s next? It would really be funny if it weren’t for the fact that with all this stuff going on not a damn thing is being done in the state legislature.
Archive for the ‘Stuff I wonder about’ Category
New York State Government aka Whack a Mole
Monday, March 8th, 2010The Junk Drawer
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010My dear wife decided to clean out the junk drawer in the kitchen yesterday. Now this is the drawer everyone has, usually in the kitchen, where you toss little pieces of stuff that you may need at some point but never do. In our case, once she removed the assort tools, appliance instruction booklets, phone book and upper layer of things we knew were there, she unearthed a lot of interesting stuff most of which neither she nor I had an idea of what it was for.
To wit:
A black rubber thing that looks like a spacer between to wires but then could be a bumper for something in either the current refrigerator or refrigerator, dishwasher or microwave we long ago discarded.
A two-piece, inch and a half sliver tube with holes in one end and along one side—one piece slides inside the other. Looks like a whistle but isn’t—I almost herniated myself trying that.
A Kodak AA battery that is no longer has a charged.
A long light bulb that may fit in either our refrigerator or refrigerator freezer—the last time one burned out I bought an extra. Chances are if the current bulb burnt out I’d forgot I had it and go buy another.
A halogen light bulb that might go to the yard light over the garage door—or not.
A small battery and an empty package for a SR41W battery—they maybe go together but the numbers on the bottom of the battery are so small, we can’t read it and even if they do, we have no idea what they are for.
Half a dozen flashlight bulbs that may be good but we don’t have a flashlight that they work in.
Two small light bulbs that may be for the lights that used to be along the sidewalk between the house and garage that we tore out when we remodeled 12 years ago.
Six keys for luggage or brief cases—no idea which or whether we still have them—can’t lock luggage any more anyway.
A bunch of keys for locks or doors or whatever—since none are labeled I will have to try every lock on the place to see if we have someplace they work. Chances are pretty go that, once I toss them, I find one I missed.
A florescent light starter.
Sockets and extensions for a ratchet screwdriver handle that, since the ratchet no longer worked, I think I threw away—maybe.
Several rolls of tape that no longer could be unrolled since it had hardened.
Two tubes of glue that has hardened.
Eight circular key rings—no keys on any of them.
4 fancy key chains—one labeled “to house”—none with keys attached.
A bunch of chain type key chains, all unhooked.
Three ballpoint pen refills that may or may not work that were taken from discarded pens just in case we got another pen that uses the same innards.
A small tack hammer whose head it so loose that it can no longer be used—unless someone fixes it which wasn’t to happen since “someone” didn’t remember it was there.
Two small springs.
Assorted screws, nuts, bolts and small nails—nuts did not necessarily fit bolts.
Two note pads each with a couple of sheets of paper.
Two bicycle pants clips—not something you see every day.
A package of assorted O-rings.
A pad lock with, miracle of miracle, the key attached.
A kitchen cabinet hinge.
A black plastic, T-shaped thing that looks like it belongs on the end of something like a faucet.
With exception of the glue and tape, and because “Hey, you never know.” all of the above were returned to the drawer. I figure in the next millenium some archaeologist is going to be really confused.
What Are They Thinking???
Monday, March 23rd, 2009Ok, here’s one for you. NYS has a law that requires that anyone driving a firetruck have a Commerical Driver’s License unless the truck is being driven in an emergency situation. This means that anyone can drive a firetruck to a fire but only someone with a CDL can drive it back. Since, by in large, most small, volunteer fire companies wouldn’t have members with CDL’s. this would mean a truck would have to stay at the fire site until another emergency arose.
Who thinks these things up????
Oops, Forget That!
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009Apparently the TV woodchuck saw his shadow and there will be six more weeks of analog TV. Even the one local station that swore they were going to go completely digital today announced last night that they will hold off until midApril–even while the crawl at the bottom of the screen said the change was coming on February 17th. That means we will have another couple of months of crawls, promos and informericals–one of the latter tonight as a matter of fact.
One thing that will be nice, maybe by midApril it will be warm enough for, at least the hardier souls, to climb up on the roof to reaim their antennas. Only Congress would enact a law whereby the deadline for a change like this, which would require outside work, was scheduled to take place in the dead of winter.
Only 2 days left–Maybe
Monday, February 16th, 2009Well, of the four television stations that offer over-the-air broadcasts in this area only one, the CBS affilliate, will be going completely digital as of Tuesday, midnight. Inasmuch as they’ve been warning people about this for a year, I fail to see why anyone wouldn’t know. Not being ready is one thing, not knowing is another. Aside from promos, across the screen crawls, and special informerical programs this change should have been hard to miss. Makes one wonder what in hell people look at when they watch television–I’m sure enough of the above have occurred during Entertainment Tonight and Inside Edition that even those who don’t read should know.
We’ve been ready for a while. At the cost of a couple thousand we have replace our antenna, three old, analog TV’s and a DVD recorder plus purchased a converter box with a government coupon and a inline amplifier. In addition, I have courted broken limbs, pneumonia and divorce by climbing around on the roof in an attempt to reaim the antenna to get a decent digital signal. You see, what isn’t told on those promos, crawls and informericals is that, unlike an analog signal, you either get a digital signal or not. There is no halfway, ghost signals. But, we are now ready so let ‘er rip.
I’ve just one thing to get even: On Wednesday I think I’ll call the TV station and ask what happened to my picture?
A Great Event
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009Hundreds of thousands of people packed together in a mass of humanity, all with hope for a better day which may not be realized. Experts making wild predictions, both pro and con, as to what will transpire based on the experience gain while being part of events leading up to this day. A huge uptick in commericalism that may lead to increased revenue and economic growth; pumping thousands if not millions into the economy of a single city. A media frenzy fueling all of this with 24/7 coverage and bulletins inside of bulletins and indepth interviews with those involved as well as spectators.
Obama’s inaugural? Nope, Super Bowl LXII. We Americas know what’s important.
DTV is Coming!!! DTV is Coming!!
Thursday, January 15th, 2009A warning like this hasn’t been sounded since Paul Revere galloped down Main Street in Lexington rousing the populace to fight against the British who were coming out in search of stockpiled munitions. Probably it was better for the Minutemen that the British showed up the next morning because had they not appeared for another six months, no one would have been ready. I am sure if the British had announced in 1774 that, on April 19, 1775 they would march on Lexington and Concord and every day sent a group of town criers through each town to remind the population, we’d still be paying tax on tea and talking with funny accents. If there is one thing we Americans can do better than anything else, it is procrastinate. Give us from January 1 until April 15th to file our income tax return and we ask for an extension. Movie rental stores make most of their profit on late fees. Libraries have huge numbers of overdue books, not because they haven’t been read, but because the library puts a deadline on their return. Then there is Christmas. We know it comes the same day every year and stores start reminding us to buy for it beginning in October, but when do we do most of our shopping? Right, Christmas Eve. And who, beside those typeA, suck-up teacher’s pets, ever did a homework assignment before two a.m. the night before it was due? We just simply are not programmed to meet a deadline.
That is exactly what appears to be happening in regard to the change of television broadcasting from an analog to a digital signal. Aside from the fact the money for the government’s $40 rebate coupon has seemed to have dried up, at last count, most of the people who will be affected by the change just aren’t ready. Nor will they be. You see, we were given too much time. The knuckleheads—probably some of those typeA, suck-up teacher’s pets—at the FCC whose idea it was to set this date, screwed up by announcing the date of change early. Assuming this change was necessary—something I’m not convinced of—the best solution would to have been to make an announcement on Feb 16th that at 2 a.m. tomorrow anyone relying on an analog signal will be without television. Sure, blood would run in the streets, especially in front of the Wal-Mart stores. Half the politicians would pillory the other half. Letters would be written to the editor by those who can still write. Television stations would be under siege. But, at least we would not have been nagged by these constant public service announcements, screen scrolls and infomercials about the change which, apparently, over 50% of the population is choosing to ignore. If the government is going to do it, treat it like a Band-Aid removal, yank it off and get it over with.
Leap Day
Friday, February 29th, 2008Here it is, February 29th. It is bad enough that February is such a lousy month, weather-wise, but now they add another day. If I were doing it, I’d add the leap day to some nicer month, like June. Giving June 31 days every four years would be ideal and not mess things up much since that would give 4 months in a row 31 days, all of which are warm months.
Hurricanes?
Monday, November 19th, 2007Remember this? It is the 2007 hurricane prediction. I want to know if it is ok now to come out of the cellar or are we going to get hit with a dozen or so storms before the end of the month?
I know a bit about weather and can prognosticate right up there with the local tv weather people. While I don’t have access to the latest computer models, I can read a weather map and figure out from the location of the jet stream and various highs and lows what will happen in the next day or two with a fair degree of accuracy. However, I’ve always been amazed at those–primarily media people–who rush to press with these long-range predictions (as well as those who make and believe them). To me, the hype does little but promote either panic or complacency, while increasing ratings and inflating egos. In truth, to make a prediction on the weather for more than a few days is little more that an educated guess and to make one for a season or, in the case of the hurricane experts, a full 6 or 7 months is impossible.
Unfortunately the public, in general, and the media, in particular, move on to other things once the initial response to these predictions passes and forget them entirely. (I say “unfortunately” because, since they forget, they give the next prediction, especially if it is dire, too much credence.) It will do us well to remember the accuracy of the April 2007 hurricane forcast when April 2008’s comes out.
Who Does Stuff Like This?
Sunday, October 14th, 2007
Yesterday I found this kitten in our woodpile–cold, starving and scared to death. Apparently someone had dropped her off thinking that she would survive in the country. Had I not found her, she would not have–actually two of our older cats discovered her and had her trapped under the deck. She is very tiny and, I suspect, not much more than 8 weeks old–if that. Judging from the fact that she took readily to a litter box and seems unafraid of either my wife or I, I suspect she was raised around humans.
Now I’m no friend of PETA, having raised and slaughtered chickens, ducks and rabbits plus hunted and fished, so I’m not against the killing of animals when necessary but the dumping of a pet–dog, cat, ferret, bird or fish–with the idea that it will survive in the wild is beyond all my understanding. How can anyone be so cruel or stupid or both? Stupid in not neutering their pets and cruel for dropping them in the country. If nothing else, the offspring can be taken to the local SPCA which will find them a home.
For some reason people seem to have an idea that cats will just move into the nearest barn and live happily ever after on mice and the farmer’s largess–the fact that the nearest farm/farmer to us is over a mile away didn’t seem to deter whoever dropped this one. This is the fourth animal that has wandered in here this way–two other cats and a ferret. Luckily for all, I was able to rescue them and find them homes.
The fate of this kitten is still in abeyance–inspite of the fact she is really a lover, we already have 4 cats and don’t really need another. But whatever happens to her will be a lot better than her fate would have been wandering in the woods and her life will be a lot longer and much more pleasant.