Neighbor's Success

A neighbor mentioned he was planning on raising pea fowl months ago. Over time, I could hear them calling, which always reminds me of the old Tarzan movies. The female would wonder over with a juvenile, but the male would perch where he could see over the fence and not venture away from his area. 

Last week, the female, and the juvenile, wandered into the yard. Along with the female were two chicks, which are not hatchlings, but definitely young. I went to get them some bird feed. They followed me to the can where we keep the feed, and as I turned to throw some feed, the mother snatched a bite from my hand.  

So, now they visit, peck for spilled bird food, and wander through the yard. I have to look before I let my dog out, since he will chase them, and the younger birds haven't yet learned to fly. They're interesting to watch, and I wonder if they'll avoid any predators or the dogs in the neighborhood. Hopefully so. I like them more than the chickens, ducks, and geese that wander through. 

The Day After Memorial Day

I had a lot of thoughts yesterday. Reading posts about remembering, and how so many lost so much, with the fact many were just cannon fodder thrown at an enemy, left a loss of words. I know the results of war, and have friends that spent long hours in terror in Vietnam. They had stories, but none told about those they knew that didn't come back, except one. His brother-in-law was in a tank unit, and died horribly when the tank was hit. It burned, and he didn't get out. His high school photo showed a smiling face filled with the exuberance of youth. His photo while in Vietnam showed a thousand yard stare. My friend spent years suffering from a syndrome that didn't allow him to stay anywhere for any length of time. We lost contact, and the years that passed tell me I'll never see him again.

It is, what it is, but one day for honor doesn't seem enough. The theaters such as Vietnam show the unconscionable waste of life to satisfy the whims of politics. May we never see them again, but that's a foolish wish. The evil of the world is always present, and the battle of good over evil continues. 

Scrapes and Bruises

I wrote a longer post about some mechanical problems, but it didn't fit my mood, nor explain some complex issues. To cut it short, two problems developed: one was the replacing of a blade clutch that cut a belt on a riding lawnmower, and the other was the replacing of a fuel filter on a four wheeler. The blade clutch is done, but I'm not completely sure about the four wheeler. I removed the tank, found almost a complete clog in the fuel valve, put it all back together, and it still had some running issues. I'll change the plug and hope I don't have to rebuild the carburetor. 

I don't have detailed repair manuals. I usually will find a parts diagram, which is an exploded view of different components, and parts numbers. It can be tedious to decipher and makes me feel like a NTSB investigator examining the parts of a crashed jet. That, and the part number, when given to a dealer, results in a price that most people would call ransom. I understand they need to make some money, but when a part has to be ordered, and you can find the same thing online at a substantially lower price, you realize their markup, and sometimes it is beyond reasonable. 

Anyway, today I might fiddle with the four wheeler, or not. My back hurts from scurrying around under things and finding muscles I put in storage decades ago. That, and it's been in the 90's with 700% humidity. Those conditions mean you have to snorkel in hot water, without a mask to keep the salt water from your eyes. Adding some direct sun, for me, means covering myself with a hoodie to avoid more skin cancer. Although it's not a crises, some might think so, and anxiety will rear its ugly head. 

....and I have to add my hands, and arms, look like I've been in a claw-hammer fight with a three armed Ninja. I think engineers deliberately add extra torque on bolts to insure you smash you hand into something when the bolt finally comes loose. That, and some extra sharp edges to catch some skin when you reach into a tight area. 

I Need Some Information

 I'm kicking around with publishing a book of short stories. I've looked at Kindle Publishing, read reviews about the company, and contemplating publishing it myself. What I don't know is whether it's a tremendously complicated task, or something easily handled with a little patience and focus. Any advice is welcome.

Lost Burgers

In the past, all the local cities had two, or three, burger joints. Some had curb-side service, with some of the waitresses on roller skates. All had burgers made from select beef patties that were made by the cook. Usually, it was a mom-and-pop business, with family members as part of the staff. Some people had their own favorite place, but none served anything as objectionable as what is sometimes found today in nation-wide fast food chains. The owners had a pride that can't be reproduced. They wanted their burger to be the best, and they were successful in their effort.

Those days are gone. The small burger joints couldn't compete with the fast food restaurants, and most eventually closed. They're not completely gone, but you have to look to find them, and many times, the wait is long for a burger. That, and for many locations, a fairly long trip is required to visit. 

While there are many chains trying to present the same experience, they fail in the process. Mass produced patties just don't compare, and many times the beef isn't as tasty. Whataburger is close, but it's still not the same. There was something about the seasoning, the hand-cut fries, hand-battered onion rings, and all served in a plastic basket that can't be mass produced. Even the soft drinks had a richer flavor. They syrup could be manipulated by the owner, and the more syrup, the better the soft drink. 

So, those days may be gone, but there are still some places to be found. Usually for me, it's around an hour each way for the hamburger I crave. It's worth it.

It's Been This Way A Long Time

There's some irritation, conjecture, finger-pointing, and denials about Joe Biden having advanced cancer. Pundits, and experts, are theorizing on how long it was known, and how the media was silent. It's no different that when FDR was in such poor health, he required a wheelchair most of the time, and few citizens knew about it, while the press kept quiet. It's the game of using the power of the pen to determine policy, regardless of how the power wielded by a compromised important officials can be used for personal purposes. 

A Problem That Needs Solving

From what I see, nobody that works for the Feds can be fired without permission. That's a problem, which is probably due to undue union influence, which is another problem that needs solving. Public sector workers should never be allowed to negotiate, since those that pay their salaries have too little input into the process. When you add the approval of anyone else, including federal judges, the most important task of any employer is removed. They don't control their position, since their position is basically feckless due to their inability to determine who works for them. It's like hiring a plumber to fix a drain they're unable to fix, but you have to keep paying them, continue with a broken drain, and you have to go to a judge to fire them. That's unacceptable. 

Now What Happens?

If a man in a wheelchair in Podunk writes a nasty letter, calling for mayhem, and sends it to the President, they'll kick down his door, go through everything he has, probably arrest him, and make his life miserable. Comey posts a photo of his desires written in shells, and he'll probably just get a phone call. That's what justice has become in the United States. Until those with connections are held to the same standards as citizens with very little, there is no justice, and regardless of what your "betters" tell you, that's the way it is. That's why those Epstein bought are still not in jail. That's why judges get away with breaking the law. That's why outright slanderous calls for violence by the media are ignored. That's why people are fed up with the justice system.

Now We'll See if She Will Have Charges Dismissed

 Hannah Dugan made headlines when she hampered the arrest of an illegal alien. She is now under indictment, and has filed a motion of having her charges dismissed. I doubt the court will allow that, and the legal rigamarole starts. Next, they'll try for a change in venue, while digging for dirt on the court with jurisdiction. There will be numerous announcement hearings, where they'll try to avoid a plea for a long time. If I had to guess, if she ever makes it to the point she has to plea, it will be well over a year from now. 

Rice Rockets and Mayhem

 I live close enough to a rural winding highway to hear the motorcycles as they travel. The Harleys have their special rumble, and there may be many as they go on their weekend rides. The what I call rice rockets have a different sound. The riders have a mostly clear straightaway after a long curve, and that is where they open up, lay low over the handlebars, and reach speeds a sane person would not want to reach. We have had a few accidents, but no fatalities, but it could happen. There are deer, trees very close to the highway, and plenty of driveways on blind curves. Mistakes at around 100 mph don't lead to skinned shins, or a few bruises. I hope it doesn't happen, but it's almost a guarantee it will.

That Day Again

My mother's been gone for over a decade. My wife's mother has been gone longer. Still, there is a reason to think about our mothers today. They raised us, regardless of all our efforts to ignore their teachings, refuse to accept their wisdom, and not realizing the number of visits are numbered. They put up with our ignorance, loved us despite our faults, and sacrificed more than we'll ever know. Today, we can only miss them, and the things they taught.

So, There's a New Pope

 I don't know anything about the new Pope, except he's from the United States. So is Pelosi, Schumer, AOC, all the Bidens and the list goes on. What he does is how I'll develop my opinion of the lead politician of the Catholics. Maybe he'll do something good, but history shows he may not.

Today Is The Day

From what I've been reading, after today, certain forms of identification are required for domestic flights. Media outlets are reporting the outrage of this requirement every chance they get, and many are irritated they have now have to have this identification, but the law was passed twenty years ago, and there has been plenty of time.  

Right after the attacks in 2001, most industrial facilities required a Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC). At the beginning, a driver license was an acceptable form of identification for the card. After 2005, to have it renewed, an original, or certified copy, of a birth certificate was required for most people. There were other acceptable ID's, but I don't remember what they were. Without the card, I was forbidden to enter any dock, which included every petrochemical facility where I worked, even though I'd worked in most for years. Even the guards recognized me, but would turn me away if I didn't have the card, which required over a hundred dollars of my money every few years to update, and my fingerprints.

So, here we are. They're cracking down on those that probably are not dangerous, but it is what it is. I have some sympathy for those that have to jump through hoops to obtain the correct paperwork for their identification, but not much. There was no hoopla when I had to jump through hoops to keep working, and dealing with a bureaucracy to get a certified copy of my birth certificate took more time than I wished to give.

A Tale of Two Bridges (Part Two)

 I wrote about this bridge a few weeks ago. Since then, the contractor has removed the approaches, including the fill for the approach headers. This weekend, if the weather didn't shut down the contractor, the interstate will be detoured to the service roads and the spans over the highway removed. It's something I would like to watch, but I have a feeling even trying to get close will be a lesson in futility. 

I have a feeling the contractor will work, regardless of the weather. Demolition of this type will not be hampered by bad soil conditions, and if the contractor planned accordingly, the remainder of the bridge has a hard surfaced place to be stored. It can all be done if it's raining, and considering the scope of the work, backing out is really not an option.

So, how would I perform this job? It's a simple task, and easily performed with the right equipment. The concrete between the girders is broken quickly with large breakers on tracked excavators that work their way back to the approaches. The reinforcement is cut as the machines break the concrete, and the rubble is loaded into dump trucks by front end loaders. After the material is hauled away, large mobile cranes can lift the girders and load them on extendable haul trailers. The girders are then delivered to another crane at the disposal area. The columns, and caps, can be broken with the same large excavators, and the rubble cleaned after they're removed. 

The hardest part of the work is logistics. Traffic control devices need to be at locations long before the work begins, and staged for quick placement. There is only a window from 8:00 pm Friday to 5:00 am Monday. When the okay is given, all side streets are closed, channelizing devices remove traffic from the interstate, and the work begins. Those in traffic on the interstate will face long delays due to the detours. 

The equipment has to be on hand, with spares available at a moments notice. This includes all heavy equipment, cranes, dump trucks, haul trucks, light towers, cutting torches, and electronic traffic control devices. Police presence needs to be on site, and public notices on all available media. Multiple crews will be required, since the work is around the clock until complete. 

I'll post any photos I can find, when they're available. I might even go and take a gander. Time will tell, but this one is something to watch.

Analyzing the Market

New homes are expensive. Older homes are expensive, too. Home prices have now reached the point a few percentage points in interest can lead to not having the ability to purchase a home. So, who will blink first? Lenders, those selling homes, or those buying homes? If the product is beyond what people can, or will, pay, either the price goes down, or the seller has to sit on their merchandise. 

Even rental prices are going beyond what people can pay. That, in my opinion, will break the stalemate. Large apartment complexes are money pits without renters. They're building them as fast as they can, hoping the market will support the endeavor. I don't think it will, and either the prices go down, or the properties are sold at a reduced price (future lower rents). Bankruptcy for the investors is always an option, but leads to problems with future investment opportunities. In the end, all that invested in the bloated market will suffer. It's now only how much money will be lost.