Thursday, January 31, 2019

If I were so inclined

Today would be a good day to fly for a while.

Clear skies, small winds, GREAT density altitude. (-5000 ft) and no chance of icing.....

Of course, there is the issue of getting the plane out of the hangar without frostbite, and I'm not sure I could get any oil temperature if it would start....and at -20F ...i'm not sure the avgas won't be frozen...

I'm going on Saturday though. 

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Y'know

I'm gettin' frustrated by the weather people.

They are giving out "Real Feel" temperatures...and I got that...I understand that people need to know that information if they are going outside. But they are using "Real Feel" in place of actual temperatures. My pipes, more or less, are out of the wind. They don't care what the 'Feels Like" temperature is. Nor does my truck. Once it has cooled to the actual temperature (as measured by a thermometer) they don't get any colder. And that cold measurement is what matters.

But how cold is that temperature? Not -48 degrees. More like -19. Big difference.

I'd rather have 'em give me BOTH temps. Real Feel/Feels Like Wind Chill matters to those folks outside, but we need the REAL-Real temperature as well.

I suppose that the (not as low) temperatures (-25F) don't make for the hysteria that the "feels like (-48F) temperature numbers do. But still.

And, as an aside, have a thought for the folks that ARE working outside....the Power folks, the Water folks (lots of water main breaks in cities don't do Real Cold well) and others who are bringing much needed services to you home. I've worked outside in weather like this...and even with the proper gear, it is bad......which is why the scar tissue in my hands and fingers hurts so much in the cold....and why I didn't leave my house except to help my neighbor today (and likely won't tomorrow, either). 

"Up" to -11F

And the wind chill is "up" to -28F.

I loves me that Global Warmening stuff.

Spozed to be as cold tonight too, but not as windy.

I'm thinking Ecuador looks good right now.....


Hoax "Hate Crime"?

Sure looking that way....

Seems that there was a report from some actor "Jussie Smollet"...he claims that he was walking back from an all night Subway Sandwich shop when he was (allegedly) set upon by "several masked men" who shouted "racial epithets "while punching and kicking him"...who then "Placed a noose around his neck" and said things about "Trump" and "MAGA Country".....

He then, according to reports, went home and called his "friend" or agent who then called police, who took a report. Investigation is ongoing.

A couple of points:

The police are very careful to use the word "alleged" in every one of their reports. As is the News Media....who can't wait to tell us about racist Trump supporters.

Mr. Smollet "wasn't seriously injured". Odd, 2:1 or greater odds and he only got a bruise? They apparently knocked him down and incapacitated him long enough to "wrap a noose around his neck"...but he wasn't hurt. Odd, that.

Said "noose" was still around his neck when the police arrived, tens of minutes later....Strange, that.

There is no other corroborating evidence....In fact, there may be video of him walking home, apparently unharmed.

The use of the word (and symbol) "noose" is becoming prevalent in the Black community when they make any complaint about white people, at least in the greater Chicago area.  Every time there is an (alleged) racial incident, there is always a "noose" involved. One wonders.
Thing is, a noose isn't, at least to most white people, a symbol of hate.  Only black people. Ones that have been told for years that white people hate them and we are all racists. Lynching and all that(never mind that whites were lynched too)...And MAGA? Really?

I really believe that this is made up. Too many indicators. I mean, I wasn't there, and I can't say he is lying, but it sure doesn't pass the Smell-O-Meter test.....It smells like the night soil of a large and well fed male bovine.

But then again, I'm a white guy. and we are all racists. But then again, on the other other hand, most of these types of claims are later found out to be false. Not all, but most. And this one has all the hallmarks of falsification.

BTW, if they find evidence that he is lying, I hope he gets some punishment and has to pay for all the man-hours used in this investigation. 

Dodged a bullet, I think

Went to the house, opened up the well room, and set up 2 heaters. The room was about 20 degrees F.

Turned OFF the well at the panel, so if there were any broken pipes, we wouldn't have water running everywhere...opened the faucet valves and flushed the terlets so that ther was somewhere for the water to go.

Set a small fan to blowing the warm(er) air on the pipes, and went to the house to get a heat gun for some more persuasion.

When I returned, Bill said that water was dripping from the upstairs faucet. opened it fully and had a small stream until the pressure tank was empty.

Turned on the well, and the faucets first dripped, then ran a stream of rusty water.

Then full flow.

Ran all the faucets for 10 minutes, flushed the toilets twice each, and then shut everything off. Ran the well until the pressure switch hit cutoff and then watched. And listened. House was quiet.
No bleed off of pressure and no hissing of water. Waited 10 minutes. Nothing. I don't think he broke a pipe. I hoe not.


I left one heater in his well room set to 40F and buttoned it all back up. Came home. He does have a light bulb in the room for heat, but, when it burned out, he replaced it....With an LED. Yeah.
I'm gonna get him a heat bulb, or just might leave the heater there set as low as it will go for the rest of the winter.

I think Bill (the neighbor) was lucky. So far, no broken pipes.

So far, so good. Temp is -22 F.

I'm in for (hopefully) the rest of the day.

It's a good time to scrub the kitchen floor and so some other inside jobs.


AAAAnd it begins

The elderly neighbor called.

No water. He's 80 years old and in a panic.

He didn't leave water running as I suggested when I called him yesterday.

So I hope his well isn't frozen.

Truck is warming up and I'm about to load small space heaters and extension cords.

Off to thaw pipes and who know what else.

THere are days when I wish I was the kind of guy who could just say"no". 

So far not as bad

As of 5:30 AM:


only -18.7F.

Winds chill is only at -40F

But, the skies are clearing, so it may get worse.




Tuesday, January 29, 2019

SO the temp is dropping rapidly

As of 6 pm, we had slid from 11F at noon to zero F.

In the past hour it has fallen 3 degrees. No wind to speak of yet.

Got a real fire going in the woodstove and the temp inside is 72F.

If it gets as cold (and as windy) as the weather-guessers forecast, then short of an emergency I ain't leavin' the house tomorrow.




Yeah...right. Trust the State

It is cold, I get it. I plan on not leaving the house for the next 36+ hours....


But.....


So the City of Chicago has, for many years, been telling people to "Take Public Transportation" in order to reduce downtown congestion and ease the lack of parking...

And many people have become entirely dependent on Public Transportation.

Then, when it is going to be dangerously cold, the city has announce that, due to the weather, they will be running METRA  and South Shore commuter trains at a "reduced service level". and the CTA busses will be on a reduced level as well...

Yeah, just what people want to do...try to stay warm in an unheated bus stop shelter or on a METRA station in -25 F cold with -50 wind chills while waiting an extra time  for a ride....

Best way to get people to ditch those cars and use public transport...(and then there are those who need transport, can't, for whatever reason, afford a car)...Let those people down on the worst weather day in a decade....
If ever there was a good reason to not trust ever growing Government, to distrust and never depend on the State....here is a good example.


Monday, January 28, 2019

Interesting Observation:

HERE

True though.

Scary, innit?


The Dems must really be afraid of him:

Schultz, is the Dude to whom I am referring.

I mean, they are even trotting out the "What does he know about the Political System?" bit. And "Very inexperienced".

Where were they when Hillary and Barry were running? Hillary might have been marginally competent, Barry wasn't even that. Trump may not know Politics, but he is at the least a leader....

I think they know that he will take many of their middle of the road voters...Sorta semi-conservative types.

And, ultimately, they know that they will lose if the vote is split 3 ways.

(is it harder to cheat if there are three candidates??)


Saturday, January 26, 2019

So...

Other than making life difficult for a bunch of Federal Employees, and angering a bunch of people, What, exactly, did Trump accomplish?

He drew a line in the sand, as it were, and dared the DNC to cross it.
They did. And he had nothing when they did.

And he folded. He got NOTHING. No commitments, no partial payment for the Wall, not even a promise (which the DNC types have broken before anyway) to come up with some real, actual working border security.

He damaged his brand, disappointed his supporters (again) and made the Left stronger.

(Why didn't he do something while the RNC held the reigns?)

Was this just a power play? (one that he lost, badly).

I am disgusted. I'd have rather seen him keep the shutdown happen than this. Do an EO saying that (at least) "essential" employees get paid.

But instead he folded.
Failed.
Completely.

But, at least we don't have Hillary. There is that, even if that isn't much. 

Wax on, Wax off

The 182 was having a bit of maintenance this week, and was sorta buried at the back of the shop. Since the wind and cloud cover was such that there was't gonna be any VFR flying, I didn't mind.

Friday, I took advantage of the fact that it had sat in a heated shop for 3 days, and decided to wax it.

I got the wings and tail surfaces done. Man, that is a LOT of area. especially when most of it has to be done from a ladder.
At least it beads water now. Hopefully, next time I get caught in a snow squall, the wax will prevent any minor buildup. (Not that I'm gonna fly in icing conditions, mind you)

The best part was the other pilot who asked me why I was bothering....I showed him the bottle and told him that this was a special coating and it gave 7 knots extra speed because of the smoother airflow across the wings. I really shoveled it on about the "special aerospace coating" and "Extra low friction polymer" and "developed by the French airforce for the Tornado fighter" (he didn't get that) and a whole bunch of other total BS.

He was all excited and interested.
"Really?????!?"

me: "nope, just kidding"

He wasn't amused. Everyone else in the shop was, however.
People should know better...too good to be true and all that. 

And he folds

So, what, exactly, did TheDonald get out of this?
What did the nation get?

As far as I can see, nothing. Again

Friday, January 25, 2019

"Pop-Up"

The media keeps talking about "Pop-Up" food banks and "Pop-Up" soup kitchens...for Government workers (only).

Where is the funding coming from for these "pop-Ups"?

Most food banks can't get enough funds to meet their needs, and they plan ahead months in advance to get the food they do get.

Yet these "Pop-Ups" just appear? Maybe with a week notice?

Who is funding them? It takes tens of thousands or dollars to stock a food bank for even one day. Where are all those dollars coming from?

Or are they just Media showpieces so that they can highlight the poor government workers who aren't being paid?

One wonders. 

Thursday, January 24, 2019

They never heard of teleconferencing?

I mean, speaking of hypocrites:

David Attenborough might have urged world leaders at Davos to take urgent action on climate change, but it appears no one was listening. As he spoke, experts predicted up to 1,500 individual private jets will fly to and from airfields serving the Swiss ski resort this week.

As they say...I will start to think about believing the Climate Crisis is real when those who tell me it is start acting (and adjusting their lifestyle) as if it were.

1500 private jets. about 450 to 500 gallons of Jet-A per hour at a little less than 500 knots.(figures are for a G-IV) 
How many jet hours per average flight? Lets say 5. So each plane (say 3 passengers) burns 2200-2500 gallons of fuel. So say 750 gallons per passenger or more. Each way.

That's more carbon than the average person causes (in the US) for 8 months or so.
For ONE trip. times, of course 4500 (3 per airplane).
Lots of carbon there. Plus aerosols from the jet engine.
That's a lot of carbon for a few lectures and presentations that could ahve been watched via videoconferencing, doncha think?

Do what I say, not what I do.

But, I suppose, if they didn't make the trip (on whose dime?) then they wouldn't find ways to fleece the world governments for more money...


Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Hypocrisy

Seems that everyone (at least the DNC trypes and the Media) is decrying the "manipulation" of images and and video and the fact that a person or persons used a 1 minute video to purport that catholic school student Nick Sandmann was "disrepecting" a Native American at a march...

Ironic, isn't it?

They got snookered, and could not wait to report how a kid in a red "MAGA" hat was such a terrible person (and, by inference, so was every Trump supporter) and when additional, more complete video showed the tiny blurb in context, they were embarrassed. Forget that those people and groups that they support do much worse than just stand there and smile at people with whom they disagree...(and that wasn't even what was happening))

Yet they do it nearly every day, giving us only part of a story, or only showing 10 seconds of video rather than the complete clip, or creatively editing a video to show what they want, and not the whole story....choosing to give only facts that support their viewpoint and, again, not the whole story.

Hypocritical of them, doncha think?? It's not like they haven't done the same thing.  

Truth:

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Starting to feel sorry

For the folks who are employed by the Federal Government that are deemed "essential" and that aren't being paid.

Now, for most of the rest of the country's citizens, being laid off (furloughed) is a fear and a thing that must be dealt with....But when a factory worker is laid off he or she can go find other work, or can choose to try and live off of unemployment.

But if one is an "essential" worker, then one cannot do that.

And it's been long enough that these folks that aren't being paid are likely starting to hurt.

I think they should be paid for the work they are doing. Alternatively, don't operate those departments and see how the people like it when they don't have those service. Shut down the ATC and the airlines and see what happens. Or other departments that are "essential"....

If they are working, pay 'em. If not working, don't.

This charade is unfair and, frankly, stupid.

(And yes, I know I was unsympathetic to those who, 4 days after missing a paycheck claimed to have had to go to a soup kitchen to eat...that is different...4 days? ....now it is getting serious. Missing 2 paychecks is where it begins to hurt, and where one is up against late fees for missed payment dates and other such issues. Missing one paycheck and being in financial trouble shows bad fiscal management...missing two (with little likelihood of the issue being resolved soon) is where it starts to get serious.)

One would wonder why the Democrats care so little about the Federal Workers such that they would refuse to even try, but would rather see those 800,00+ folks not get a paycheck rather than let a dime be spent for a barrier to prevent all the illegal invasion taking place? I mean, they gave away significantly more than three times that to the countries from which most of our invaders border crossers came from (didn't help the poor folks of that country, just enriched the oligarchs) yet they won't spend a nickel actually enforcing the border integrity to protect the economic welfare and the security of the citizens of the US.

Why is that?

All in the news

I think it is great
All those "Gubmint Workers" getting help form private businesses....Free meals, free or discounted entertainment tickets, etc....Communities helping each other and all that.

But....Where are these "Pop- Up " food banks coming from? Where are they getting their food, and who is paying for it? Just suddenly a truckload of food appears and the press is invited and takes some pictures.....For the evening news...

Odd, that. Almost as if it were staged. Like propaganda...

Who is paying for it though? 

Monday, January 21, 2019

At what point

Does the cost of the "Government Shutdown" (in lost productivity ('cause we are paying people who aren't working)) exceed the cost of funding "the Wall"?

Does anyone have an idea?

Again, I ask: Why does the Democratic Party leadership want unfettered border crossing so much? Why are they so against a barrier to people just walking into our country? Do they approve of the increased crime and lowered wages? The Welfare and Tax fraud? The damage the illegal border crossers do to our economy? To our welfare and Social Security system?

Seems that the offer Trump made was as good or better than the promises they made last time around. Protection (for a time) for the "Dreamers"....giving our Legislators time to find a solution....and a start at limiting the invasion of non citizens.

WHY are they so against security and integrity of our borders? Chuck Schumer: "Freedom, equality, not a Divisive Border Wall". Does he approve of the illegal border crossers actions? 

MLK day

Would he be be proud of what his remembrance day has become?

"A day of service"?

And would he be proud of what black people have become in America?

I know many intelligent, successful, hard working people of african ancestry.
Even they look down on what the black movement has wrought. 

Sunday, January 20, 2019

But....I thought it wuz the CO2????

I mean, it is MANKIND producing all the CO2 that is destroying the environment.....at least that is what they have been telling us for over 30 years....Billions of dollars have been spent by governments enriching connected people reducing "greenhouse gas" emissions...specifically CO2. Billions of goverment dollars, both in the US and Europe.....(It may well destroy the economies of some European countries....and make 'em more dependent on Russia for "cleaner" natural gas....and lead to brownouts when Wind and Solar can't meet the load)

But yet:
According to this guardian article  it is, instead, the fact that we "eat too much meat" because cow farts (methane) "creates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all the world’s cars, trucks and airplanes". (people who know (which means anyone with a chemistry or basic engineering background, or who bothers to find out) realize that methane is about 30 times more effective a greenhouse gas than CO2..that fact, however, is conveniently dismissed by most "climate scientists").

So...be a vegetarian.

Do it for the Glaciers. For Mother Gaia. Because the "experts" tell you. They know what is best (and, the "science is settled")...

Tell me how that works for you....

Me: Nah, I'll be thinking of you as I grill a nice, juicy farm raised steak this evening. Yeah, I might have a vegetable to go with it...grilled onions and mushrooms. Mebbe a potato with some butter and cheese, since dairy cows also produce methane.

Then why are they assured a paycheck?

Seems that the NTSB is hurtin for people to investigate incidents with "Planes, trains, and automobiles"....all their people were deemed "non essential" by the NTSB management...So they were all Furloughed....

Except that, today, someone has realized that there are no investigations of incidents taking place....no one is investigating plane crashes, train derailments, semi crashes, etc.....except the local authorities.....So there is a backlog of incidents that the NTSB has not been able to write a report on. (Realize that even if the NTSB were writing reports on incidents,...if things were "normal".... the reports are published about a year after the incident occurs).

The media is trying to show, somehow, that the public (that is you and me) is in some sort of danger because of this....

Either way, these folks will be paid for not working in a few weeks when one side or the other caves.

Which is, I think, the real injustice here. (Not that I want them to go hungry mind you)....I just want to get some value from the monies we are (or will be) paying for their salaries.


Make no mistake, I want these people paid...but I want 'em working as well...if the budget is worked out such that the NTSB or any agency is cut by 10 or 20%, then address that fundingand cut people when.if it happens....in the meantime, if they are gonna get paid, let 'em work.
And if their tasks are such that we don't need them for a month or two, do we really need 'em at all???




Saturday, January 19, 2019

Thank you, Joe.

The internet is sometimes a strange place.....And smaller than you might think.


So I did a post a while back regarding the neat contactor/relay setup at the range (which is now 40 years old and is having issues with wear).

I was contacted via email a day or so later by a person in my area (NW Indiana) who reads this blog, and who offered to help. He's more current than I am (not that that is hard, I haven't done any relay logic in decades) and despite some schedule issues, we were able to meet up on Friday and he looked over the setup. He helped me to understand what I was missing (I could not figure out what the 4th contactor did...He figured it out...it does NOTHING, (at least not anymore) and made the logic clearer for me....and offered to help me clean up the setup (once very clean, but modified at least once over the past 40 years). and find parts to make it possibly even more reliable. A pretty capable dude.

All volunteer. An hour and a half of his time...Not a member of the range. Just a reader of MoTR. Just 'cause he thought he could help and was somewhat close...

There are some awesome people on the internet, and some of 'em read this blog.

Thanks, again, Joe. 

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Y'know...

All the National Media attention on the "Furloughed" Federal Government workers is nice....all the stories about those poor folks who, after missing a paycheck for 4 days are starving, needing to hit Food Banks (where did the cash for those newly crated food banks come from???) and how terrible life is for those folks.

It might have been nice if the Media had paid attention to all those OTHER people, not employed by the Federal Government, who have been laid off simply because their jobs had been offshored, or simply eliminated because of trade practices enacted by previous administrations. They too have had hard times, had to hit food banks, had to find other, lower paying jobs simply to feed their families and provide a home, clothing and other necessities of life. They've ignored those folks.....why? Because it doesn't meet the meme of the day?

And really, if 4 days into not having gotten a paycheck,  you need to find a food bank or soup kitchen to feed yourself and your family, then there is something wrong with your lifestyle and/or financial practices.

While I do have sympathy for folks who are affected by the shutdown, I also feel that they are experiencing the insecurity that pretty much every worker has outside of Government employ. But the rest of those folks don't matter, 'cause they aren't part f the Federal Government, live in Flyover Country, or simply cannot be used by the Media to further the DNC agenda.

The Media is playing the DNC's song, but I am not dancing. I doubt if many others are either. 

"Fair Share"

So, if I have it straight (and i may not have) there are two classes of employees working for the Federal Government:

1. Essential employees: These folks are required to show up for work, even though they don't know when they will get paid. They WILL get paid, just WHEN is up in the air

2. Non essential employees: These folks are NOT needed and therefore are ordered to not come in to work....because no one needs 'em enough and at this time, no one knows when they will be paid (one could argue that if they are not "essential" then....they are't needed at all, but that is another discussion for another time...), but they too WILL be paid.

But this goes further:....BOTH sets of Federal employees are assured that they will be paid. The "essential" employees (and make no mistake, I do think some Federal Employees ARE "essential") are working and will be paid weeks or months down the line.
The "non-Essential" folks are also assured they will be paid for the time they are "furloughed"....Yet they are not working. Shouldn't they be taxed at a higher rate or something compared to the "essential" folks? Pay a "Furloughed but paid" tax?

Is it fair that people that are not working get paid? Is it fair that laid off "non essential" government employees still get paid ...but their private sector counterparts don't get paid when they are laid off? Is it fair that "essential" employees DON'T get a vacation, DON'T get laid off, yet are required to work....and they get no bonus having to work when some others are NOT working and will also get paid at the same time as the "essential" folks (and at the same rate (based on GS-level)? Shouldn't the folks who are paid for not working pay a higher tax or a penalty? ....A "fair share" compared to the "essential" folks?
Isn't the DNC group all about "Fair"? Shouldn't they address this inequality?


Next up: Free money for anyone laid off,

Private Sector or Government.....

"Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday meant to ensure that workers for federal contractors are given some back pay when the partial shutdown ends"

How about businesses affected by the shutdown? Gonna give THOSE folks some sort of compensation?? The Coffee shop worker who doesn't get tips 'cause all those free spending Federal employees aren't buying their Latte with extra foam? The McDonalds that the commuters stop at on the way to work in the morning that doesn't need 10 people, and only now has 8? The diner that has only 4 waitresses instead of 5 because 20% of their business is Federal workers going to lunch? Gonna compensate them as well?

Gonna compensate THEIR suppliers because of the loss of business too?

At what point will the Democrats stop giving other people's money away "Because Fairness"?? 

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

'Tis interesting

As the "Partial Government Shutdown" continues apace, lots and lots of agencies are ordering front line folks to resume their duties...paid or not.

Is it because the leaders of these departments are afraid that no one would notice that their departments have not been doing anything after 25 or more days??; Afraid of what will happen if the "shutdown" were to stretch for 30 or 60 or even 90 days and their department hadn't been doing anything for all that time.....and people might find out that they don't need all those FDA people...or ATF, or FBI, or any of the other three and four letter agencies? That, with the exception (for the farmers) of people handing out USDA subsidies and grants or (for the indigent) SNAP benefits, no one else really needed or wanted their services? Same same the folks working at Wildlife Refugees...some parks....And, of course the IRS...

I am thinking that they are afraid of that...afraid  that people will notice how little their work affects the country as a whole.......very, very afraid.

To most US Citizens, the closure of the Parks and Museums are of more import than the closure/shutdown of the USDA or the ATF or IRS.

So, we see lots of agencies and lots of personnel returning to work...even though they are not "essential'.


Interesting

"A right, not a privilege"

"Health Care", that is.

So says New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. Of course, it is a nice slogan, but she fails to define what she means by "Health Care". But it is a nice ideal.

And, I will buy that...when every citizen pays at least a minimum tax to support it. No exceptions, no exemptions, no breaks. Contribute to Society in order to reap the benefits....Not be a parasite.

All for it. If she can show how she is gonna pay for it. No new taxes. Is she gonna cut Welfare? SNAP? What "entitlements" is she gonna cut?

Otherwise, she is spending "Other People's Money"....And the Liberals already do enough of that. The lot of them are pretty much all using the phrase "Fair Share" when discussing taxes.

I guess since socialists are getting elected in some larger cities (and pretty much all of California) she thinks this message will get her enough attention that she can have a chance.

We shall see.

On another note, she claims to have more knowledge and more compassion "because she is a single Mom". 'Twould seem to me that is shows she has bad judgement about whom to mate with and conceive a child with.....There was once a time, not so long ago, where being a "Single Mom" was a mark of shame, not pride.

ETA: Apparently she is MOM, not a Single MOM. My bad. I owe the Senator an apology.






Propaganda

So we are now getting stories about how "Federal Workers" are not only not spending money eating out and buying things (smart) affecting local businesses whose customer base is largely from that demographic, but in addition, how these same employees are having to pawn collectibles and recreational toys just to make ends meet.......Note that their paycheck didn't come LAST FRIDAY....
So 2 working days into the missed paychecks and these folks have to begin pawning stuff? Really?

And now comes the cry..."is the Wall worth the havoc the Shutdown is causing"?

I would ask the same thing pointed the other way....."is refusing to fund the Wall (pretty much a rounding error when it comes to Federal Government expenses) worth the damage the DNC is doing to the country?"

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Odd, why didn't she let them stay and give them some Free Stuff?

I thought keeping people out was "immoral". And making them leave while their case is adjudicated is "just plain wrong"....???

Activists invade Nancy Pelosi's compound and demand food, are "escorted" off of premises.

Kinda hypocritical, innit?

Of course, she only wants to give away "Other peoples money"....And stuff.  

Interesting

I dunno if it is true, wishful thinking, or just plain cojecture.

But, Via Kenney, I found THIS.

"In only five more days of the already "longest government shutdown in history" (25 days and counting, as of today), a heretofore obscure threshold will be reached, enabling permanent layoffs of bureaucrats furloughed 30 days or more."

I dunno, it sounds too easy.

Now, in most federal government offices, the ratio of 15/85 is probably pretty accurate. And reducing the size of our Federal Workforce is probably a pretty good idea. And it can be difficult to get rid of an employee once they are hired by the GSA.

Will it be that easy? Can we keep the 15 and lose the 85? Or will we end up with a lower number of employees with the same ratio?






Aaaand....I'm not the only one

Who has noticed this

No bill,


Whose fault???

Monday, January 14, 2019

Back Pay

Government employees.

Why?

Why should Federal Government employees be paid for days where they are not working?

I have friends who work for Federal agencies. some of them are out of work..."Furloughed" is the term used.
And, as of last Friday, they have not received a paycheck. This is a hardship for them....I understand this. I feel for them. They are not working due to no fault of their own. (I've offered all of them loans to help out if they need it....They are good credit risks: I know they will get paid eventually.) 

But when a private employee is laid off...Say a worker at a steel mill, or at a car plant, or nearly any manufacturing.....When those folks are "Furloughed" "Laid off" (also not by their choice), they are not given back pay for days where they do not work. No work (for any reason), no pay.

Why should Federal employees be paid for days where they do not work? What makes them special? What makes them any different than their private sector counterparts? Simply their employers?
Why, if they are not working, are they paid? (even if at a later date)....

I mean, I understand, that these folks (some of them, at least) are not allowed to find other work in the meantime, unlike private sector workers.... But many can work elsewhere, it's just a hassle for them to find temporary employment.
But here's the thing:
If they are gonna get paid either way (once the pissing match budget battle is over), then why the charade? Why not just let 'em work? Why not let them do their jobs unless (until) their department/agency is defunded and/or eliminated eliminated? Why the game of "No work/No pay"  but then give them pay afterwards?
Is is just to create havoc and chaos? Just for leverage? (hint to the politicians: It doesn't work....you get no leverage from this.) Just for a show of power, much like Barry did when he closed the parks last time? Create havoc and pain (another hint: most people served by "The Government" are unaffected in the short run by these "shutdowns")

If these folks are gonna get paid, then they should be working.  IF not, then they should be free to act as any other citizen, and take work where they can find it.
Why can't the American people get some value for the money their taxes are going for? We will be paying for work not done,...value not received.

End of rant. 

Question:

Are the folks doing the Mueller investigation laid off/Furloughed?

If not, why not? The "Government" is "Shut Down". I cannot see where they are "Essential" personnel.

Inquiring minds, and all that....

Saturday, January 12, 2019

"Asking for a friend"

If I go to a Gunshow can I, what with the federal government shut down and all (or at least the 20% that is ACTUALLY shut down, anyway) still get a NICS check done?

Just wondering. I'd call that an "essential" service, but still....

I'm asking 'cause I might go to the Indy 1500 in Indianapolis and don't wanna brave the snowpocalypse they are predicting for that area. 

You'd never have known:

Joe points out in comments that YESTERDAY, Friday the 11th of January, 2019, is the FIRST day of missed paychecks for Federal workers. due to the "government shutdown" over the border wall.

Yeah, one might have thought, according to news media, that these poor folks had gone for months without a paycheck. That they were eating scraped icebox and dishrag soup. Begging for scraps after bravely going to their terribly hard  "essential" Government jobs for 22 hours a day...

Odd, innit, all those interviews over the past week about the hardship when NOT ONE had yet suffered any hardship? About the mean and unsympathetic creditors...the loss of income...the terrible consequences for the children....All those tearful housewives wailing how hard it was.....

All bullshit. Battlespace preparation by the Left and their pet media, I suppose. But the Left voters Uneducated Audience ate that up.






Friday, January 11, 2019

It is interesting:

When Barry and the Democrats shut down the government, the Republicans were blamed...for standing fast, and refusing to negotiate...Because they would not capitulate to the wishes of the (then) President.

This time, the narrative is, of course (according to the Media), the shutdown is the fault of the (current) President to capitulate to the Congress...to the Democrats.....and for refusing to back down when THEY refuse to negotiate ("There Will Be No Wall").

Interesting double standard, innit?

And I note that they are pushing this pretty hard in the Propaganda News, so it must not be flying with the public polls. 

I'm opposed

To the concept of declaring a national Emergency and using an Executive Order to find funding for the wall.

While I DO think we need a physical barrier in place on our southern border, I want it paid for in a straightforward manner and not by Decree.....In other words, I am opposed to using an Executive Order.

This is not what Executive Orders are for. Yes, lots of Presidents have abused them in the past. Stop doing so today and in the future.

I think one could make the case for Impeachment should Donnie (mis)use an Executive Order for such a purpose. Having said that, we should have impeached many past president for the same sort of Misuse....and I don;'t just mean Barry the O either. 

Thursday, January 10, 2019

At least no dogs were killed

and the officers went home safe at the end of their shift.

After 5+ hour standoff (and teargas!) police find suspect not in home.

One wonders how much money was spent barricading the empty house? How many of the neighbors were evicted for those hours? 

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Have ya noticed?

The folks who are opposed to the Wall claim that they are all for "Border Security".
But they don't specify how that "Border Security" will be accomplished.
And they've been promising "Border Security" for DECADES....and we have seen nothing.

What is their (currently unspecified) solution to closing the border? What method are they proposing to use to secure the border? They have had ample opportunity to tell us, but they haven't. Wonder why?
I think they are simply lying.

And, can someone explain how closing the border is "immoral"? Please, I'd like to know.

They claim that most drugs come in via "Ports of Entry" therefore a Wall will not help that problem....How do they know? Some drugs do, obviously. But if you know how and where (and how much) of the drug trade comes in via those ports.....Why aren't we stopping it? Logically, since no one has tracked  those drugs that have entered...followed them from point of origin to point of distribution inside the US, we have no idea how or where they entered.  If we can count it, we can stop it. But they are for sale on our streets every day.......All we have is "estimates" by an "expert" (who likely wants more funding)....which are just guesses at best, Again, I think someone is lying.

Similarly, it is claimed that the number of illegal immigrants is declining.....Again, how do we know?  How do we count them? How do we count the ones that are already here....How do we count them when (if) they leave, and how do we count those folks who (continue to) enter illegally? If we know where they are, why aren't we deporting them, and if we can count the number who are entering, why aren't we stopping them??

 It is claimed that people use other methods of entry than the border so a Wall will do no good.......Again, how do we know? If we do know (must be we are counting them "one by one" as they enter, right?), why aren't we stopping them from entering? If those other methods of (illegal) entry are so simple to use, why do people walk for DAYS across a desert instead of using those "easier" entry point?

And why is it ok for latino people from our southern neighbors to enter illegally and live here in violation of the law, but people from everywhere else in the world are required to emigrate legally....isn't that racist? How come spanish speaking peoples get an exemption but Poles and Koreans and Congolese and Russians and Somalians and South Africans and Latvians and Indian peoples (and others) don't? If welcoming immigrants with no restrictions is such a good idea, why are we blocking people at our points of entry?
Why do we even have immigration? Why do we check passports at airports at all? if one open border is good, why bother at ports and airports and such?

Which is it? Open borders are good? Or only open borders for people who are willing to walk via Mexico are OK, and other methods of entry are bad?



I have asked, and will continue to ask:

Why do the DNC folks, and many RNC members wish to keep the southern border unprotected? Why do they object to securing the largest path of entry for illegal immigrants?


Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Captain Obvious PSA:

Molten lead is really, really hot.

Bad for skin.

Next time, wear your Person Protection Gear.

Remember: Safely Third.

(yeah, it's only one finger on my off hand.) But still. I knew better. Preventable.

And painful. 

New shooter report

So one of the guys that I was friendly with during flying school for my PPL asked me if he and his girlfriend could come over and shoot at my range.

I, of course, said yes. We set it for Saturday morning about 11 AM.

While he was a shooter, if not at the level I am, nor as current, he knew what he was doing. She had shot before, but not for a decade...and that with Dad.

So we did the safety briefing, they signed waivers, and we went into the indoor range. Started out with a Buckmark to get her acquainted, then worked up. That New Shooter Smile was evident.

She shot at 50 feet at first, then we strung the cable and shot at 21 feet so she could see the holes in the paper better...

After a little coaching, she did quite well. Of course, a whole range of firearms and calibers. 22, .32, .380, 9mm. and .45. She liked the 1911 better than the Shield, and the Beretta Tomcat best of all. It just fit her hand well, and she like the way it shot best.

I don't think she will be a "gun person". She does however, know safety and how to handle, and unload and load. And she isn't "afraid" of guns.  And the one other member of the range that showed up while we were there was also a good ambassador and made her feel comfortable and welcome. She had fun. All told, if she is not pro gun, she will not be Anti Gun.

And that (and the New Shooter Smile) makes the time worthwhile. 

Sunday, January 6, 2019

And more dinner flying

Saturday, My Dad called and wanted to know when I was gonna take HIM (and Mom) out to dinner? Flying , that is.....

So I did.  A quick flight plan, and a call to 1-800 WXBrief , and then bang, we were off! Me and Mom and Dad and Midwest Chick. I did take the ballast out of the baggage compartment (for balance, rather than weight) for this trip.

3 PM Central. We took off and flew to another place I know that has a good restaurant within walking distance of an airport. Just plain good chow.

Shorter flight this time. But it was as fun as Friday, just shorter. First landing was in daylight, but with only 29/11 as choices, and a 13 knot crosswind (250) it was a challenge...especially as the wind was different (both direction and intensity) on downwind, base,  and final.

But I did a decent crosswind landing. Parked, shut down, secured and walked to eat.

Walked back, quick but thorough preflight, and we took off in the darkness from 29 (the winds were 26 at 3, so it really didn't matter) and 29 was more in our direction of travel and went back home.

A bit of excitement on my approach to the airport: I called 10 miles east of the airport... then 7 miles, and then another plane called 7 miles east of the airport just after I did...at the SAME ALTITUDE. We all swivelled our heads all over looking for him, as I started my long final approach no one could see another plane....then he made his 5 mile call as WEST of the airport. Whew.

We saw him on downwind at 3 miles final. He saw us and called "Landing Traffic in sight" and I unpuckered ....and so we landed (I still gotta work on making my night landings as smooth as my daylight landings) and taxiied back to the hangar and pushed the plane in.

We had Flight Following both ways. This time the controllers were a bit busier. Skies were clear, but vis was only 20 or 30 miles from 4500 feet. Kinda hazy

As Aaron puts it: another 1.3 and 2.

You just can't do quick unscheduled trips if you are renting airplanes. 

African Air and Space Programmes

No, I'm serious. Stop laughing.

They are serious too.

Someday, they might actually meet the Wright Brothers first flight duration and distance.

Maybe.






Ok, you can laugh.
I did.  Especially the Flying Winnabago. 

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Night flying

Took Midwest Chick and Ed to Eagle Creek for dinner last Friday night.

Preflighted at 4 PM Central time and then fueled up (I had about 7 gallons in one tank and just under 30 in the other according to the dip tube...which was enough, but just barely and my reserve would have been marginal) with 37 gallons of 100LL.

Fired up and listened to the weather, then taxiied out to 18 and did a southbound departure. The takeoff roll was long as the weather was fairly warm (FIFTY DEGREES in January!!!) and I had full fuel with me (180lbs), Ed( 250) and MC (120 lbs) plus 40 lbs of ballast in the luggage compartment. fist time I have had that much load in the plane. Climbed out well though.

We went up to 5500 and flew to Eagle Creek with Flight Following, arriving after dark. Picking out the airport from the other light clutter on the ground was at first difficult, then, once we saw the airport, it was easy. Did a base leg entry and an Ok landing...not my best, not my worst. I did miss the last taxiway and had to turn around and back taxi as there was a plane waiting at the end of the runway (winds were negligible, so either end was useable. We never did hear any of his radio call though, (and yes, I WAS on the right freq....I checked)

Dinner was AWESOME. Service was excellent. Walked back to the FBO and unlocked the plane and did a preflight and fired up and took off. The ATC folks weren't busy, so they were pleasant and fun to interact with. We had 'em watch us on the way back too...

Arrived back home, did another base leg entry for 27 and was a bit fast over the numbers....but other than the float, the landing was good.

Pushed the pane into the hangar and went home.
.
A VERY good evening. MC had never seen the lights on the ground from up at night, so she was happy. Ed got his "Altitude Fix" so he was as well. (his 182 is down for an engine/prop rebuild)....he does now want an autopilot though. His 182 doesn't have one. The air was smooth as one could ask for, clear as glass, and ceilings were 25,000 or greater.

I gotta do some pattern work and practice night landings. Mine are OK, but just OK. I need more practice so that I have better perspective on final. The lights and nighttime illusions make it hard.

But overall, nights like this are why I wanted to learn to fly. this would have been a 2+ hour drive each way, with lots more hassle and stress. In a plane, it is a bit less than an hour each way.
Plus it is fun. I could not do things like this with rental aircraft either. Too expensive and the availability of the planes just isn't there.

I'm glad I learned to fly and bought an airplane.

As Aaron puts it: 2.2 and 2.




Thursday, January 3, 2019

Have you ever noticed

That some bloggers keep coming back to BLEG again and again for money, either for themselves or a "family member"....?

Once, I can understand. Everyone needs some help now and again. Twice, maybe, some of us have a run of just plain old bad luck.

But some families seem to either have LOTS of bad luck, or (maybe) have learned that people can be fleeced over and over again as long as they present a good enough sob story to tug those old heartstrings....Because, for the most part, bloggers and their audiences are good hearted people.

But, sadly, I must remove one from my sidebar. Too much. I cannot countenance continual blegging.




Wednesday, January 2, 2019

I'm coming to realize

That the biggest issue with folks who vote Democrat (and/or are liberal) is that they, as a whole, can't seem to determine when their "news" sources are News, and when they are Op-Ed pieces....especially when that Op-Ed says something that they agree with.

Nevermind that a statement that is made, with no supporting facts, is just an opinion...nevermind that the statements are biased....."if it is published (and I agree with it) it must be factual. This is why a headline may say one thing,  but the body of text in the article may show something else...But the headline is all they read....and believe.

We, on the right, are also (To a lesser extent) subject to making this failure in our search for knowledge.

But the Dems and the Liberals (but I repeat myself) seem to have a lack of discrimination when it comes their News.

By the way, this is an example of Op-Ed. No supporting facts, just opinion...if I had facts, there'd be links and support for the statement(s) I made. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

I wish every one of my readers

A happy, prosperous, and satisfying 2019.

May your finances be good and your personal life be happy and fulfilling.