Ratlands

But it really, really hurts

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 19:07:42 GMT

One of the local TV stations recently did a piece on the impact the high price of gas was having on people. They lined up several people whose lifestyle was being adversely impacted by gas prices. These people were having to make significant alterations in their lives because...
(wait for it...)
they are now having trouble affording to put gas in their ski boats.

Playtime

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 03:19:50 GMT

After the "Firefly" festival Tuesday, I was preparing to settle down and do some serious writing on Wednesday. I was just generally angry, and that is usually a good thing when I'm trying to write. It was with mixed emotions that I discovered the box containing the Head Rat's new Digital Video Recorder in the living room when I got home from work. So, I spent last evening setting up the new DVR. (And checking out all the menus and gadgets and gizmos.) Then, today they finally delivered the two Tablet PC's I ordered for work, so I spent a couple of hour checking out the limits of the wireless network and assessing the functionality of the units. OK. That's crap. I wandered around the building playing with the wireless connection and doing basic demonstrations for the staff.
Basically, I've been playing for the last 3 days.

G.A.R.

Wed, 31 May 2006 00:58:05 GMT

One of my readers asked me what the G.A.R. on the flag holder in Sunday's post stood for. My answer to him was not quite correct. GAR stands for Grand Army of the Republic. The GAR was formed after the Civil War and was open to honorably discharged Union soldiers.

Memorial Day Pilgrimage

Mon, 29 May 2006 04:37:43 GMT

some pictures from our trip to the cemeteries today

The Friday Night, Just Because I Felt Like It, and Besides, it's my Blog and I Can Do What I Want, Humor Roundup

Sat, 27 May 2006 04:08:29 GMT

The Sabres were losing and NUMB3RS is a re-run, so I've been running through some of my bookmarks looking for worthy posts to recommend.

Legal Briefs

Fri, 26 May 2006 04:40:30 GMT

I had an opportunity to go to the Courthouse today (something I try to avoid at all costs). I guess "opportunity" isn't quite the right word, as you get an "opportunity" to spend a night in jail for Contempt of Court when you ignore subpoenas.

Signs of the Apocalypse, or something

Wed, 24 May 2006 23:28:40 GMT

I have been considering the possibility that I am delirious from cumulative effect of hours of throbbing pain stemming from my root canal yesterday. But, after consulting with other members of the family here in the Ratlands, I have discounted that possibility and am moving on the my second explanation: the Apocalypse is nigh.
From today's LA Times, George McGovern (yes, THE George McGovern, lifelong liberal, former senator and presidential candidate, a man with whom I agree on almost nothing but for whom I have considerable respect) says:

Well, isn't that special?

Tue, 23 May 2006 01:24:37 GMT

I do a lot of what might be loosely termed "logistics" at work. Or, you could just say that I'm in charge of getting supplies for the residential part of the facility. Because we have a fair number of indigent clients at any given time (it takes a while to get a job sometimes) we have to "hygiene supplies" on hand. Buying toothbrushes and soap in large quantities is just annoying (I think I've mentioned I don't like crowds or shopping). It gets a little weirder when we need tampons.

Click it or Ticket

Mon, 22 May 2006 01:04:26 GMT

I've been seeing a series of "Public Service" commercials on TV about how police everywhere have the ability to give you a ticket for not wearing a seat belt. The one made here in Kansas even has an obviously earnest Highway Patrol officer saying "I'd rather see you mad than dead." Every time I see one of these infuriating pieces of crap I am reminded of all of the other things I do that someone, somewhere would like to prevent me from doing through some piece of Nanny State legislation.
Forget about whether seat belts are a good idea and whether or not they save lives in an accident. I will stipulate to all of that. That's not my point. My point is: Why is it against the law for me to choose not to wear one?

It seemed like a good idea when I thought of it...

Sat, 20 May 2006 05:41:32 GMT

It has been unusually mild here in the Ratlands this spring. As late as the first part of this week we were having highs in the low 60's. Summer has come with a bloody vengeance, however, as it was in the upper 90's today. The Head Rat and I were sitting in a parking lot this afternoon, waiting for the insurance guys to come tell us that they were totaling the truck and we were just dripping. As is often the case on hot, lazy summer afternoons my mind was wandering. I got to thinking about a bumper sticker I saw earlier in the day: WAR It doesn't determine who is right, it determines who is left. I had some really interesting thoughts about that, but I didn't get them written down on my PDA because I got interrupted by the insurance guy.