This is what happens when you put a Volvo 240 turbo engine in an old tractor...
(Video from Gotland, Sweden.)
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Disturbing
(First, let me point out that this is not really political, so technically I'm not already breaking my psuedo-resolution to kinda-sorta avoid political postings on this blog for a while. Technically. (g) Or maybe I'm just fooling myself!)
In UK, Twitter, Facebook rants land some in jail.
(Ok, so it's not new news, since some of the examples are years old, but...)
I don't respect the content of the messages that are putting these people in hot water-- and even joking about bombing an airport, these days, is possibly criminally stupid-- but this is a fine example of the Slippery Slope.
The thing that occurs to me (and that I didn't see mentioned in the article in my brief scan) is that people on Twitter and Facebook only see the comments of people they choose to follow*. So... if people see something they don't like, why can't they just unfollow/unfriend them?! (Everyone's done it, whether because someone tweets too much or has "said" one thing too many that has grated on your nerves.)
I guess my (fuzzy, unclear) point here is that these people's outrageous remarks are probably just attempts to get attention. You want to monitor their further online interactions to make sure there's no legitimate reason to suspect that it's leading up to some criminal/terrorist action? Fine and good. But what harm are they doing, really? Who are we protecting by taking these "dangerous criminals" off the Internet? Is there room in the UK's jails for every idiot who says something stupid online? Does anyone really believe they are threats, or is it more a matter of preventing offensive commentary? If the average person sees the garbage they post/tweet and duly clicks "unfollow", doesn't the situation take care of itself? Do TPTB in the UK not trust people to make their own judgement calls?
* Well, I'm assuming about Facebook, since I don't actually use it. And for Twitter, if you search a subject or click a trending topic, you can see tweets from anyone and everyone-- but you have to make the decision to do so, and when you do, you're almost guaranteed to see something that offends or annoys you. Clicker beware!
In UK, Twitter, Facebook rants land some in jail.
(Ok, so it's not new news, since some of the examples are years old, but...)
I don't respect the content of the messages that are putting these people in hot water-- and even joking about bombing an airport, these days, is possibly criminally stupid-- but this is a fine example of the Slippery Slope.
The thing that occurs to me (and that I didn't see mentioned in the article in my brief scan) is that people on Twitter and Facebook only see the comments of people they choose to follow*. So... if people see something they don't like, why can't they just unfollow/unfriend them?! (Everyone's done it, whether because someone tweets too much or has "said" one thing too many that has grated on your nerves.)
I guess my (fuzzy, unclear) point here is that these people's outrageous remarks are probably just attempts to get attention. You want to monitor their further online interactions to make sure there's no legitimate reason to suspect that it's leading up to some criminal/terrorist action? Fine and good. But what harm are they doing, really? Who are we protecting by taking these "dangerous criminals" off the Internet? Is there room in the UK's jails for every idiot who says something stupid online? Does anyone really believe they are threats, or is it more a matter of preventing offensive commentary? If the average person sees the garbage they post/tweet and duly clicks "unfollow", doesn't the situation take care of itself? Do TPTB in the UK not trust people to make their own judgement calls?
* Well, I'm assuming about Facebook, since I don't actually use it. And for Twitter, if you search a subject or click a trending topic, you can see tweets from anyone and everyone-- but you have to make the decision to do so, and when you do, you're almost guaranteed to see something that offends or annoys you. Clicker beware!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Trixie at Mealtime
This is how Trixie likes to eat-- plopped down on the floor so that she eat while lying down. She takes great pains getting the bowl in just the right position before settling in for a meal, too. You can easily tell when she's preparing to eat by the sound of the bowl scraping across the floor. Silly girl!
And because they make me smile, here are two goofy photos of our sweet Eskie:
(Though to be fair, I'm sure you could get some really embarrassing photos of me, too, if you ambushed me with a camera while I was in mid-chew. (g))
And With That...
And with that, I solemnly vow to avoid politics (here) for a while. I'll still be following them, I'm sure, but I'm going to shift the focus of this blog. Four years is a long time, and I can't take much more of this nonsense without the rest of my hair turning grey. ;o)
Less grumbling about idiots and charlatans (I hope).
More photos.
More "this is what we've been doing lately" posts.
More of just life.
:o)
Less grumbling about idiots and charlatans (I hope).
More photos.
More "this is what we've been doing lately" posts.
More of just life.
:o)
*Sigh of Infinite Weariness*
Well, thanks a lot, slim majority of my fellow Americans who checked the box for "More of the Same Old Crap"! Thank you, brainwashed masses! Thank you so much, unions! Thank you from the bottom of my little ole heart, those of you who voted for the guys who would make sure you continue to get handouts you don't really need. Thank you, voters for whom a candidate's complexion is paramount! (Did I forget anyone...?)
I'm so tired, and I didn't even stay up that late last night. This is soul-level weariness, right here. This is why I don't understand people (well, at least slightly more than half the people in this country). This is why my faith in humanity (its intelligence, its honesty, its morality) is severely shaken. This is why I sometimes want to become a hermit living in the middle of the wilderness. (Well, sometimes. Fortunately, the impulse passes.)
The economy and employment numbers will likely continue to improve-- albeit with molasses-like slowness-- because that's what the economy does... and now Obama will take credit for it, and we'll be expected to bow down to his greatness. ("See? All he needed was more time!") But we'll never know what might have been-- how much better it might have been. (Sour grapes? Whatever; I'm not going to start caring now what other people think about my grumpiness.)
Obama's victory speech promised that "the best is yet to come". I'm highly skeptical, given the direction in which he's been leading. The best of what we've experienced since he's been president? Oh, that's not so difficult to achieve. The best of what this nation in its entire history has experienced? ...I don't see it happening during the next four years, based on his performance to date.
Obama also said something (typically platitudinous) about how this election proved that we're not so sharply divided as some have tried to say-- that this election proves that we are the United States. (*pause for mindless cheering*) Um, have you seen the numbers? You might have won, but vote against vote, it was a narrow victory. Nearly half the country wanted you out of the office, sir. I think you need to recognize that fact... and possibly consider what it means. Half of this country doesn't like the job you've done or the way you've done it-- but I know it's too much to ask for you to contemplate altering course. Let me guess: This was a mandate? *shrug*
Well, better buckle in tight for another four years.
I'm so tired, and I didn't even stay up that late last night. This is soul-level weariness, right here. This is why I don't understand people (well, at least slightly more than half the people in this country). This is why my faith in humanity (its intelligence, its honesty, its morality) is severely shaken. This is why I sometimes want to become a hermit living in the middle of the wilderness. (Well, sometimes. Fortunately, the impulse passes.)
The economy and employment numbers will likely continue to improve-- albeit with molasses-like slowness-- because that's what the economy does... and now Obama will take credit for it, and we'll be expected to bow down to his greatness. ("See? All he needed was more time!") But we'll never know what might have been-- how much better it might have been. (Sour grapes? Whatever; I'm not going to start caring now what other people think about my grumpiness.)
Obama's victory speech promised that "the best is yet to come". I'm highly skeptical, given the direction in which he's been leading. The best of what we've experienced since he's been president? Oh, that's not so difficult to achieve. The best of what this nation in its entire history has experienced? ...I don't see it happening during the next four years, based on his performance to date.
Obama also said something (typically platitudinous) about how this election proved that we're not so sharply divided as some have tried to say-- that this election proves that we are the United States. (*pause for mindless cheering*) Um, have you seen the numbers? You might have won, but vote against vote, it was a narrow victory. Nearly half the country wanted you out of the office, sir. I think you need to recognize that fact... and possibly consider what it means. Half of this country doesn't like the job you've done or the way you've done it-- but I know it's too much to ask for you to contemplate altering course. Let me guess: This was a mandate? *shrug*
Well, better buckle in tight for another four years.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
We Voted!
We voted this morning. It was Donald's first time voting in an American election.
(He was surprised by the lack of "voting booths". Yes, that is kind of weird, I guess. On TV, at least, there are always curtained booths protecting the sacred voting machines from prying eyes. Our local polling place just provides circular tables that seat four each; there are no partitions at all. And instead of pushing a button or pulling a lever, you fill in arrows and feed the page through a machine. ...Then the machine beeps at you and you're done. (g))
...Now it's just a matter of waiting, hoping, praying.
Don't forget to vote-- but only if you're voting Republican. ;o)
(Hey, someone has to balance out those bloggers begging their readers to vote for Obama.)
(He was surprised by the lack of "voting booths". Yes, that is kind of weird, I guess. On TV, at least, there are always curtained booths protecting the sacred voting machines from prying eyes. Our local polling place just provides circular tables that seat four each; there are no partitions at all. And instead of pushing a button or pulling a lever, you fill in arrows and feed the page through a machine. ...Then the machine beeps at you and you're done. (g))
...Now it's just a matter of waiting, hoping, praying.
Don't forget to vote-- but only if you're voting Republican. ;o)
(Hey, someone has to balance out those bloggers begging their readers to vote for Obama.)
Friday, November 2, 2012
Voter Fraud of the Worst Kind
Concerns raised over possible exploitation of mentally disabled voters.
Jimmy Green's stepdaughter had never voted before. The 57-year-old is mentally disabled, and Green said she doesn't understand the concept of casting a ballot.That is just sickening.
But this week, she called her parents to say she had voted for President Obama. The care home in Fayetteville where she lives registered its residents to vote and drove them to the polls, Green said.
"My concern is that somebody told her who to vote for," he said. "She didn't even know there's two different parties."
Unions Are GREAT.
Non-Union Alabama Utility Workers Denied Entry into New Jersey
Makes perfect sense. Because non-union workers wouldn't be able to help get power back to people suffering after Sandy.
We live in hurricane country (obviously), and we know firsthand what it's like to go without electricity for days at a time. It's pretty miserable. You can't turn on your electric stove/microwave to cook a real meal. Your frozen and refrigerated food goes bad quickly (and even before it does so, you're almost afraid to open the door and let the cold out, in case the power comes back "in time"), so you're left with shelf-stable food and whatever you might be able to fit into a cooler. You don't have hot water for cleaning yourself or your dishes, laundry, etc. (If you get your water from your own well, like we do, you can't even run any fresh water and have to rely on what you stockpiled before the storm hit, unless you have friends or family with water/electricity who can help.) You don't have climate control. (For us, that means sweltering without A/C; for many in the Northeast, this time, it means no heating.) Obviously your lights don't work, and your entertainment and links to the outside world are cut back severely. It's amazing how many of our routines and comforts depend on electricity-- and how cut off from normal life you feel without it.
Some people in New Jersey could've had their electricity back a day or two (or more) faster, if non-union workers from other states were allowed to pitch in and help. Now they'll just have to suffer a little bit longer. That's fine, so long as the unions are happy.
ETA:
For posterity's sake... ;o)
In the days after I posted this, there was some push-back on this story. To put it briefly, I'm unsure of the accuracy of the story. Honestly, at this point-- and in light of subsequent events (read: the reelection of Obama and the coming end of this country as we know it, ha ha, well, maybe not so funny), I don't care enough either way to really look into it.
Whatevs. (As they say.)
Makes perfect sense. Because non-union workers wouldn't be able to help get power back to people suffering after Sandy.
We live in hurricane country (obviously), and we know firsthand what it's like to go without electricity for days at a time. It's pretty miserable. You can't turn on your electric stove/microwave to cook a real meal. Your frozen and refrigerated food goes bad quickly (and even before it does so, you're almost afraid to open the door and let the cold out, in case the power comes back "in time"), so you're left with shelf-stable food and whatever you might be able to fit into a cooler. You don't have hot water for cleaning yourself or your dishes, laundry, etc. (If you get your water from your own well, like we do, you can't even run any fresh water and have to rely on what you stockpiled before the storm hit, unless you have friends or family with water/electricity who can help.) You don't have climate control. (For us, that means sweltering without A/C; for many in the Northeast, this time, it means no heating.) Obviously your lights don't work, and your entertainment and links to the outside world are cut back severely. It's amazing how many of our routines and comforts depend on electricity-- and how cut off from normal life you feel without it.
Some people in New Jersey could've had their electricity back a day or two (or more) faster, if non-union workers from other states were allowed to pitch in and help. Now they'll just have to suffer a little bit longer. That's fine, so long as the unions are happy.
ETA:
For posterity's sake... ;o)
In the days after I posted this, there was some push-back on this story. To put it briefly, I'm unsure of the accuracy of the story. Honestly, at this point-- and in light of subsequent events (read: the reelection of Obama and the coming end of this country as we know it, ha ha, well, maybe not so funny), I don't care enough either way to really look into it.
Whatevs. (As they say.)
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