A Tale of Two Bridges

 It's not actually two bridges. It had two different names over time, and it consolidated the traffic of two streets that hadn't crossed the interstate for decades, but some planners (planners/politicians/grifters) decided it was necessary, and threatened to kill a puppy if it wasn't built. (No, they didn't plan to kill a puppy, but probably threatened to elect a more terrible derelict to Texas Congress. That's probably worse). It won't be standing much longer. Demolition is soon to start.

The bridge is masterpiece of glut, unnecessary embellishment, and for those that I knew that built it, a thing of beauty and accomplishment. Formwork required panels that reflected stonework of a time past, and the lighting was of a past century. The safety rails took some fancy detailing in formwork to reflect bannisters of an expensive staircase. I was impressed with the work. 

 It is beautiful, but in reality, the amount of traffic it allows convenience never satisfied the cost. That, and when I first drove under the finished bridge, I wondered if the clearance would become a problem in the future. That, and glad my commute through that area didn't have to deal with the construction traffic due to the bridge.

The interstate is in the process of expansion. Two main travel lanes in each direction are not enough. They haven't been for years, but funding wasn't available. The bottleneck at two major exchanges requires much more pavement, and from what I'm seeing, flyovers will be required. The bridge that had the name of a local politician, after the name of the two streets it consolidated, is in the way. In April, it will close, and the traffic on the interstate will become a nightmare for those traveling to, and from, across Texas. Demolition of a bridge over a live interstate requires detours, detours require the walls of death, and the carnage will begin.

So, progress is on the way. It requires me to avoid that section of the local city if I decide to visit. I already avoid it as much as I can, but now have another very good reason to not visit. It's looking too much like parts of Houston, and the traffic is sometimes worse. 

In a few months, there will be a much different appearance of this area.

So, What Did They Do With The Money?

 A few local communities are having problems with their infrastructure. Roads are the usual problem. Traffic changes, traffic loads increase, and even some newer roads are showing signs of problems. Many I watched during construction. Since I have no access to testing reports, or watched them performed, there's no way I can say it's due to shoddy construction, but know enough to see where it probably happened. Laziness, outright fraud, and unscrupulous contractors can lead to "boiler-housed" test reports, and failures in the future. City crews do what they can, but do so at a pace that guarantees they probably are rejects from the private sector.

The problem that is found more in the news is the problems with sanitary sewers. Regardless of the millions spent in the eighties by grants for rehabilitation, and new systems, the sewer systems are failing. Why? There's too much groundwater infiltration from dilapidated pipes, overloaded systems, and a failure to upgrade capacities. This causes the sewers to surcharge in rain events, toilets don't flush, and some neighborhoods are filled with people calling their insurance agent to claim they need new carpet. Why is there so much infiltration? Cities don't spend the money on for what it was intended. They spend it on useless salaries, unwarranted benefits, ridiculous programs, and the necessary things are pushed to the back burner...until they break. Then it becomes a crises without funds for necessary upgrades.

I'm sure this is not just isolated locally. Cities, like all government entities, are filled with incompetent, selfish people that never intend to do anything but secure a salary and retire with a pension you can't find in the private sector. It is what it is, and I'm glad I moved away from a city decades ago. I like my toilets to drain, my water supply to be without repairs I can't do, and not having to deal with the bureaucrats that ignore telephone calls. As far as the roads, our county commissioner does what they can, but is a politician. That explains it all.

It's Worse, When You Think About It

 There were tens of thousands of Federal employees screwing the pooch for years, and many think they deserve their pay for not doing anything. When you add the agency that supposedly was supposed to keep the taxpayers in mind with union affairs was pissing off money for luxuries, you realize most have no integrity and should be given ten years of breaking big rock into little rocks. Will someone be prosecuted, made to pay large fines? Of course not. We're supposed to be more gentle in punishing reprobates, and federal judges are part of the subterfuge. A less polite society would be digging some holes.

What We Put Up With

Jet lag is considered unhealthy. Sleep problems happen immediately and the disruption of the circadian rhythm problems can last a long time. Daylight Saving is like jet-lag, except we're supposed to ignore the effects, soldier on, and put up with the insane, meandering whims of those that legislate, and obfuscate. 

*spit*   

The Walls of Death

Locally, the interstate is under major construction in more than one area. To accomplish this construction, detours are built, two lanes of traffic are still available, but barrier walls don't allow a shoulder and the walls of death are formed. Accidents are many, access to many areas is only one way from the opposite direction, and in some rural areas, the available emergency assistance is substantially less than in a city. 

There was a fatal motorcycle accident yesterday. A man from halfway across Texas was riding his Harley, decided to pass a semi on the right side, hit the barrier wall, and fell under the wheels of the trailer. Why he did this is beyond my comprehension, but I have a feeling impatience was a key factor.

It's almost a daily occurrence to have a major accident in these areas, and fatalities are few, but the mayhem is daily. One section has been under construction for the lion's share of a decade, and will probably be outdated at completion. Two new major interchanges just started in a local city, and are projected to last for many years. The walls of death will be placed soon, and the mayhem will commence. 

Autopen Illegalities

There are rumors Biden didn't have enough clarity to sign important documents. In any legal document I ever signed, a forged signature was considered fraud. If this is true (and I believe it is) many documents lost all legal authority. How this is handled will be something to see, but it's necessary to pursue. Those that failed to alert the nation to the inability of the President to perform his duties are guilty of sedition. They should be prosecuted, and the documents nullified. 

How can this be rectified? My solution is that every important document Biden "signed" with an autopen should be placed in front of him by legal witnesses, and  his actual signature used in an affidavit to ascertain. This includes legislation passed by Congress, any executive order, and any treaties. If he can't do this, then it isn't official, regardless of any testimony of close personal advisors. They are automatically suspect, and their testimony unacceptable.

The Economy in a Nutshell

 Since 2020, which is the year I retired, official assessments of the devaluation of the dollar are at somewhere around 25%. That means the value today in relation to the value then is around 75%. So what does that mean? If your neighbor was stealing 25% of you money over a four year period, and all legal efforts had no success, you would shoot them. 

Focusing on Smaller Problems - Update

When I ran my generator last week, it surged, which is not good, since a surging engine causes surging voltage. I removed the carburetor, cleaned it thoroughly, reinstalled it and checked the operation. I still have a surging generator. 

I did some research online about the problem. There are two possibilities I need to examine. One is the fuel tank valve filter. I haven't ever removed it, and there's the possibility it's partially clogged. If I can't remove the filter, I'll remove the valve, and either replace the valve, or remove the filter permanently. I'll install an in-line filter instead, which is probably the best solution. 

The other problem may be the fuel solenoid on the bottom of the fuel bowl. If it's weak, it might not be holding as needed, which will require replacing the solenoid, or the carburetor, if that's not a part that is replaceable. 

If neither of these solutions stop the surging, I'll go back to my head-scratching mode and continue my effort to not depend on a mechanic. I try to never let a small engine defeat me.  

So, the new carburetor was placed, and the engine still surges. There is no fuel restriction from the tank. In fact, I replaced the fuel line, and added an in-line filter. Since the engine doesn't have many hours, I doubt the governor is the problem. The only thing left, if that is a possible problem, is something I'm not familiar with, but after researching, can cause surging. 

There are two springs on the governor linkage. One is larger, and has most of the tension. There is a smaller spring, which I over pulled, and it's obvious it's not as taught as originally designed. My question (to anyone with knowledge, or has someone they know that does) can this cause surging. Of all the things, that's the only thing that's different.  

Maybe a Compromise is Necessary

I hear both sides of the argument about Daylight Saving Time. I like standard time. It fits my sleeping schedule better. Others like the time change to longer evenings. It allows more golf time, or being able to event outdoor sports events with children. Either way, the problem is not the time; it's the changing of time twice each year. I don't think that's healthy, and is a pain in the ass. So, maybe just spring it forward one half hour, leave it that way, and find something more relevant to discuss.  

Increasing the Air Volume

A few months ago, I wrote about working on sister-in-law's heater.  Earlier in the week, with a cool Spring day as an advantage. I tackled my air handler, which services the heater and air conditioner. 

Removing the blower was fairly easy, except for one very hard to reach sheet metal screw. Replacing it was much easier, since I had a better idea on how to get to that area. After removal, I brought it outside, turned it to where I could reach the blades, and went to work. 

Squirrel cage blowers are a fantastic way to move air. They are not fantastic when it's time to clean the blades. I used a small screwdriver to break the clinging, packed dust, removed what remained with an old toothbrush, and vacuumed everything else. After I was finished, and reinstalled it, I checked the operation. I was amazed at how much more air was being moved. That, and how more quick the unit cycled. 

I probably saved a few hundred bucks by doing it myself, but for those that can clean the blower themself, or have the money, I recommend doing so. It has to be more efficient, which translates into reduced costs, and lengthens the life of the system. The accumulated dust can cause the blower to become unbalanced and shorten the life of the bearing. Now is the time, before the heat is oppressive.

Why?

Why does the U.S. government give grants to any university, while millions of taxpayers would like an additional few bucks in their pocket every month instead of watching it pissed off by bureaucrats and politicians?

After Effects

I was thinking about my doctors, and realized my trust of the medical profession has fallen to what I consider an unacceptable level. I have good doctors, but with something they don't deal with, my apprehension about new doctors is high. The covid debacle is the reason for this distrust, and I wonder how the medical profession can redeem the faith of people. 

The same distrust is toward "scientists" that sold their soul to research that once would have been shown as bunk, and the scientists shamed for their actions. Many people lost their lives due to the "professional" opinions of "experts". That, and financial ruin due to these people almost hard to envision. With unscrupulous politicians, and ignorant people, added to the problem, it will take some harsh punishments for some involved for some to realize how terrible Covid became. The disease was nothing compared to the "cure". In my opinion, some of those involved are guilty of murder, and should be prosecuted for the crime; Fauci in particular. He is the same caliber as the worst the Nazis used, and a hanging is justified.

How About Today?

I think there are many like me that want to see someone facing punishment for their crimes while employed by the U.S. Government, or using tax dollars. Today is a good day to see a news report that the arrests have started. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that won't happen.