Category: Misc

This morning brings news that Rush Limbaugh has been dropped from the group looking to buy the St. Louis Rams. It sounds like the pressure from various NFL owners claiming they would not allow the buy to go through had the desired effect. Rush fans are obviously upset.

I’ll state for the record- I would have been fine with Limbaugh being a part owner in a franchise or the sole owner of a franchise, for that matter. But it’s not up to me. At least, not just me. While free speech is still protected in this country, there is nothing that also says people are free from consequences related to exercising said freedom. Clearly, Limbaugh is suffering some consequences related to his style of free speech.

Perhaps if he had found ways to communicate his ideas without all the bombast his circumstances might be different. Of course, without all the bombast he might not have been in a position to be a part-owner in an NFL franchise.

Glenn Reynolds has posted a couple of items about the 1st grader in Delaware who had been suspended for bringing a Cub Scout pocket-utensil to school so he could eat his pudding. If this is news to you, the nickel version is that the utensil had a small knife(and a fork and spoon) in it and the school has a zero tolerance policy towards that sort of thing. Result- a suspension for a 1st grader who was just excited to have something unique to play with.

All there is to say about this is- what do you expect when policy is followed blindly? People don’t want to have to think or to make judgement calls because nobody wants to be responsible for the decisions and their ramifications. Careers are lost because of that. On the other hand, careers aren’t lost because you followed a policy to the letter. So people hide behind a policy crafted and signed on by everyone so it’s not anyone’s fault per se- it’s the policy, protocol, whatever.

Examples like this that have me convinced that good judgement and common sense cannot be replaced with policy and protocols. The problem is that the former seems to be steadily dwindling while the latter proliferates like weeds. So while this episode should provoke outrage, it occurrence shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Better than a month into the football season and I have yet to sit down and watch more than 5 minutes of a football game. Does this mean I do, or do not, have a life?

First racquetball match of the fall tonight. Yes, I’m looking forward to it. This might be a point in favor of having a life. Then again, the fact that I look forward to the game might be a point against…

I had the keyed lug nuts replaced this morning by a garage- I just didn’t have the ability to get them off. With that, I was finally able to replace the front brake pads. The boy proved interested and willing to help with the project. No description of the process- it’s too tedious and boring. Plus anyone who’s interested is probably already capable, so why bother?

Now I get to do the rear brake pads. Luckily, they are disc brakes too so the operation shouldn’t be any more traumatic than replacing the fronts. Assuming I don’t strip a lug not or something…

UPDATE: The rear brakes still had better than half their pads remaining. No need to replace them. Too bad I had to jack the car and pull the wheel off to find out.

Just got word from the Wife that a co-worker has contracted H1N1. It sounds like he exposed co-workers to the virus since he started getting sick earlier in the week and then was out afterwards. Unfortunately, the Wife was at corporate HQ and it’s quite probable she was exposed, as she was in this individual’s presence just prior to his absence.

Upon hearing the news, I opted to do a little research.

Now, before making the following statement, I’d like to state that I don’t get sick. Ever. In the last 20 years, I have been sick a handful of times. I can’t even remember the last time I got a flu shot.

Based on that, it probably won’t be a surprise when I state that I don’t see the big deal here about H1N1. Also called “swine flu” because it was initially believed to have a lot in common with pig flu strains, it turns out that it really doesn’t have much in common. Just a couple of genes. It also has genes in common with bird flus. You can go read more about it here. The link also makes it clear that the deaths which have occurred involved other high risk medical conditions. It does not indicate that H1N1 is an nastier than the typical seasonal flu.

Apparently the big concern is that it could mutate into something worse, like in the 1920’s. So I guess the logic is that if we can kill it in its crib, so to speak, we can prevent it from having the opportunity to mutate. To which I say, how do we know it hasn’t already mutated? Are there hard and fast rules that we know of regarding flu virus mutation? I mean, really, what makes people think we have ANY control over this thing? I know this may sound heretical, but perhaps people contracting H1N1 is the best defense against any mutation.

Having cavalierly dismissed the disease at this point, I’ll also say that the appropriate action here would be to take your normal precautions. Contrary to my tone, I’m NOT hoping people get sick. If getting the vaccines makes you feel better, then do so(although, from my reading, it sounds like the effectiveness of flu vaccines is questionable). The usual suggestions regarding cleanliness are also appropriate. Beyond that, I’m not sure that life has to, or should, stop because this thing is out there.

Well, Bones, NCIS, Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were all pretty good for their season openers.

If you haven’t seen them yet, then stop reading, NOW.

Ugh. Well, by my score keeping, the tires on the Highlander are up on me 3-to-zip.

I purchased a tool for removing stripped lug nuts to try and get them to come off. The tool has a reversed thread so that turning it in the direction that would loosen the lug nut actually should pull the tool further onto the lug nut itself. In theory that is. In reality, I think the tool needs something reasonably flat to fall against. The keyed lugnuts are perfectly round so there’s nothing to bite into, therefore no leverage to turn the nut.

Since that keyed lug nut had sheared, I figured perhaps I could cause it to break by whacking it with a cold chisel. No go. The chisel edge is blunted and the lug nut remains.

I was hoping to avoid the trip to the garage, but it’s starting to look unavoidable.

Not too long ago, I described how I went about fixing the rear window of our Highlander. Well, in retrospect it turned out to be a textbook case of shooting off one’s mouth. Since that initial time, I’ve “fixed” that very same window 3 more times. So either I’ve got to engage in redefining the word “fixed” or own up to the fact that I never really fixed anything.

So this time when I opened the door up, I was determined to deduce the real problem. After reengaging the pivot in the track, I lowered the window while gently pressing on it as it came down. The pivot pulled out of the track again. Now I understood why it kept pulling out- when the panel is placed back on the door there is a gasket that presses against it preventing the window from easily sliding down. So I opened up the other non-broken door to see if there were any obvious differences.

There was.

Highs in the mid 60’s today. Trees just starting to shut it down for the year. Fall isn’t too far away. Being my favorite time of year, I’m not complaining.

After yesterday, today was pretty pedestrian. No ‘Y’. No problems coordinating picking up and dropping off. Spent the day doing stuff around the house. I’ve done some grass seeding and watering, drained the kid’s pool and am starting to dry and clean it. I also started tuning up the chainsaw for its recently arrived workload. I’ve had a chainsaw chain sharpener that I hadn’t setup so I took the time to do that as well. Setup was easy and figuring out how to use it wasn’t much more difficult. I ran it through a couple of blades and tested them out with decent results. We’ll see how long they hold their new edge.

The kids are excited for Mom returning. She won’t be back until after they’re asleep though. It will be a happy morning for them.

School well underway, the Wife’s travel schedule picking up, firewood prep and a cool day. Before long, I’ll be in jeans and boots, playing racquetball, and tending to a fire.

But not yet.

How about replacing the disc brake pads on your vehicle?  Actually, I never even got to replace the pads, because in the process of trying to loosen the lug nuts, I sheared the head of the special lug nut so that I now have no way of gripping it to loosen it. 

But wait!  There’s more!

I also broke the special pattern in the key, so that now I can’t remove ANY of the special lug nuts.

I’ll only add, remarkably, I did not scream obscenities (though I thought them),  I did not throw anything (though the tire iron came close), I did not strike anything (just myself… gently on the leg), and I did not take my frustrations out on anyone else.  I must be mellowing in my old age…

File:WTC memorial lights.jpg – Wikimedia Commons

I’m in the schedule for a new batch of whole log firewood.  At least I’ll having something to do in my spare time…

Heat. Humidity. Ugh.

Definitely the dog days of summer.  I keep hoping something will give weather wise, but now the heat wave is projected to hit day 7.  Of course, with the days noticably shorter at this point, I’d say it really is just a matter of time.

Till then… pleh.

Test post from QTM blogging client.

I’m still trying to cleanup unnecessary packages from my EEE.  It’s fairly simple to identify possibilities, but more difficult to assess whether removing them will break the system.  The net result is that the process is slow…

The Wife is on vacation this week.  We’ll be doing some day trips so I’ll write something up if one of them proves to be interesting.  The submarine museum certainly has possibilities.

I haven’t finished the desktop paper drawer project, although it is close.  I’ll detail some of the problems that came up as well as pictures when the project is done.  I will say that the dovetailing on the top of the cabinet is my best effort yet.

And now, on with the rest of the day!