Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Saturday, October 28, 2006
When you Google the Red Brick Times, we are #1 on the responses! Of course, we are the only one that returns the text string "red brick times", so no big deal. How would anyone know to search that exact text string anyway? To remain anonymous, hide in plain sight.
Posted 3:58 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Friday, October 27, 2006
The League of Women Voters provides November 7 general election information for many states. Strangely, it omits Illinois, Florida and Rhode Island. But Ohio is included with responses from candidates for State office. Ohio is either better informed, or much more needy of the information. We may be haunted since pushing "W" into the White House.
Posted 1:18 PM by Andy (1) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- Or perhaps there is the realization that Florida is a lost cause and they are triaging information to where it will do the most good.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Two nuns, Sister Mary Agnes and Sister Mary Vincent, are travelling through Europe in their car, sightseeing in Transylvania. As they are stopped at a traffic light, out of nowhere, a small vampire jumps onto the hood of the car and hisses at them through the windshield.
"Quick, quick!" shouts Sister Mary Agnes, "What should we do?"
"Turn the windshield wipers on. That will get rid of the abomination," says Sister Mary Vincent.
Sister Mary Agnes switches on the wipers, which knock the mini-Dracula around. But, he hangs on and continues hissing at the nuns. "What shall I do now?" she shouts.
"Try the windshield washer. I filled it with holy water before we left the Vatican," replies Sister Mary Vincent.
Sister Mary Agnes turns on the windshield washer. The vampire screams as the water burns his skin, but he hangs on and continues hissing at the nuns.
"Now what?" shouts Sister Mary Agnes.
"Show him your cross," says Sister Mary Vincent.
"Now you're talking," says Sister Mary Agnes. She then opens the window and shouts, "Get the hell off our car!"
Posted 11:40 AM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Happy birthday dear Play-doh, happy birthday to youuuuu.
Posted 6:39 AM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Friday, October 20, 2006
Why do we rarely see adult writing like this? Pillow talk.
Posted 2:19 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
The November 7, 2006 elections include 5 Ohio State issues. Ohio Secretary of State web site lists both candidates and issues that appear on the ballot.
The issues are as follows:
Issue 1 is a voter referendum on Am. Sub. SB 7 (Amended Substitute Senate Bill Number 7) about changes in the Worker's Compensation law in Ohio. Ballot language. Arguments against. Arguments for. One provision not argued by either camp (7th bullet point on ballot language) increases compensation for lawyers, probably at the expense of available compensation.
Issue 2 is a constitutional amendment that raises the minimum wage to $6.85 (now $5.15) starting 1/1/07, with annual increases tied to the conumer price index. Tipped employees can be paid half that amount. Family-owned/operated family members are exempt. Those with mental or physical disabilities can be exempted by license from the State to an employer. Ballot language. Arguments against. Arguments for.
Issue 3 is the Gambling and College Scholarships ("Learn and Earn") constitutional amendment. Up to 31,500 slot machines at horse tracks and at two Cleveland non-track locations. Expanded gaming in 4 Cuyahoga County locations. Fifty-five % of the $$ goes to the owners and operators. Thirty % goes to the Board of Regents for grants and scholarships. Fifteen % to various other groups (including a "Gaming Integrity Commission" appointed by the Governor). Ballot language. Arguments against. Arguments for.
Re Issue 3: Recall the State Lottery campaign. It was sold on the premise that a percentage of the $$ income would benefit primary and secondary education in Ohio. Well, the $$ went to education, but the equivalent $$ was removed from schools' established revenue streams to enrich the General Fund. Ohio Law says that a school district can only get the dollar amount specified in the applicable levy. So, no matter how much money is collected by a multi-year levy (which $$ increases as property values go up), or how much money is collected by the Lottery, the school district only gets the capped dollar figure originally specified. No increases are permitted. Education has not seen increased benefits from any State Lottery income to date. I fear that similar sleight-of-bookkeeping may result if Issue 3 is enacted. Also notice that Cuyahoga County is the big winner in the Issue 3 election lottery this time. The other 87 counties are on their own.
Issue 4 is a constitutional amendment to restrict smoking spaces ("Smoke Less"). This would prohibit smoking in many enclosed areas, separate smoking areas in some public places, and supplant any existing or future subordinate local ordinances. Than means that the State Constitution could make it illegal for Oberlin, say, to ban smoking overall, even if the total population favored it. Columbus already has a city-wide smoking ordinance. This amendment would invalidate it.
Ballot language.
Arguments against (provided by the president of the Ohio State Medical Association).
Arguments for (provided by "Smoke Less Ohio" whose supporters
include the R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies).
Issue 5 is a proposed law (not a constitutional amendment) to ban smoking in places of employment and most public places ("Smoke Free"). This law would permit local control of smoking ordinances, permit "designated rooms" and areas for smoking, and address the health concerns of second-hand smoke. It does not prohibit smoking in homes, vehicles or out doors. It provides for Health Department enforcement and civil fines.
Ballot language.
Arguments against (provided by "Smoke Less Ohio" whose
supporters include the RJ Reynolds and other tobacco companies).
Arguments for (provided by "Smoke Free Ohio" whose 562 supporters
include public health and medical groups).
Re Issues 4 and 5: If both Issue 4 and Issue 5 are passed, Issue 4 (Constitutional Amendment) kills Issue 5 (State Law). Why are we resorting to a formal Constitution change to regulate smoking? Does Issue 4 beneficially address the commonweal? Why are local populations not allowed to decide what is best for each community? Issue 4 puts State Government in the business of local regulation. Unlike Issue 5, the language of Issue 4 does not address health issues and enacts over-riding legislation that will be difficult to modify. Issue 4 seems, in effect, to provide a "safe haven" for the legal use of an addictive and unhealthful substance, and to preclude potential for local control or change to reflect public wishes. Is Issue 4 in Ohio's best interests?
Posted 2:43 PM by Andy (7) comments
Comments:
- Hey, smile when you say "provide a "safe haven" for the legal use of an addictive and unhealthful substance" motherfucker.
- I didn't say "Pandering to the nicotine-laced mouth-breathing minions of the tobacco industry" now, did I? What is good for the tobacco industry is bad for your longevity, dear friend. But I defend to your death your right to inhale.
- I didn't say "Pandering to the nicotine-laced mouth-breathing minions of the tobacco industry" now, did I?
Nope. Oh wait, yeah, I guess you did.
- Nice post, but ...
both links for the For and Against on Issue 5 point to the Against (Section 1865) to see the For side click the Arguments for then change the Section from 1865 to 1869.
hm..... honest error or subliminal agenda ;-)
Post a Comment- Bad cut and paste control by the operator. I will edit and correct. Glad someone out there is doing the research prior to voting.
According to the Lorain County Auditor my house has increased 10% in value in the last 3 years. Pure fantasy. The only thing increasing are my property taxes. When I bought this house 9 years ago the property taxes were about $1000/year. Now it's $2000/year. (Think you own your house? Try not paying your property taxes. You just rent honey.) It's so crazy. I knew a tax increase was coming and decided to go ahead and get the bad news today but first, a pupwalk. My shedding machine (aka Niki) and I walked the neighborhood. On every block, on each side of every block, were at least two "for sale" signs and one "for rent". And all the "for sale" signs had great big "price reduced" notices hanging under them. Now what are all the "price reduced" signs doing there? Our auditor (and correct me if I'm wrong) says this is a hot market baby! Folks are lining up to purchase! Not hardly. The "for sale" signs have been there for months. No takers. No wonder either. Ain't no jobs here. Don't need a crystal ball to see what's coming. The city of Lorain, just to our north, has been looking very third-worldish for a while now. It's ugly, I kid thee not. A foreshadowing. The "number" streets in Elyria, what used to be a great location, are now the scene of daily crack and prostitution busts. This is how it started for Lorain neighborhoods too. The steel mill closed, the "for sale" and "for rent" signs went up, vultures moved in. It hasn't happened in my neighborhood yet, maybe because people like me, who won't stand for that, still live here. Not for much longer though. Hey! Wanna buy a house? 10% under appraised value!
Posted 11:01 AM by whatley (7) comments
Comments:
- Appraised value is only what past sales reflect. No foundation in reality. The actual sales values in my town dropped 10 to 15% after the Ford plant closed last December. But the auditor's valuation goes up, and the taxes continue to increase. The last tax levy passed with a scant 7 votes margin.
The number streets in Elyria have had increasing transient populations since the 1970's when many of the owners built houses elsewhere and the houses converted to rentals and absentee landlords. Remember Tim's house on 9th St? The landlord, Ron, lived way down Rt 301 and was holding the property against land value appreciation. He certainly was not realizing monthly cash flow! He installed a new furnace motor once, after the old one overheated, filled the house with smoke, and the fire department visited. All the houses on the S side of Earl Court, where I used to rent in 1976, degenerated in condition and value until they were bought and razed for the Methodist Village parking garage. My landlord lived in Amherst, invested nothing in maintenance, and never came around. Downtown has been slowly gutted of retail, pedestrians and attractions. Without the County Government, it would now be as dead as downtown Lorain.
- "Without the County Government, it would now be as dead as downtown Lorain."
Umm... been to downtown (downtown, what a joke) Elyria lately? And isn't the "County Government" supposed to represent the umm.. (wait for it)... whole county?!? So what are you saying, that their efforts in Lorain were (stay with me here, ... and a one, and a two..) just practice? I fail to see your point.
"The actual sales values in my town dropped 10 to 15% after the Ford plant closed last December. But the auditor's valuation goes up, and the taxes continue to increase." Why do you think that is? Go on. Take a wild guess.
- Tha income tax base for downtown Elyria is based on the myriad of County employees that work in downtown Elyria. The County just buit a huge new ugly-scraper to house more of them. How many taxpaying government employees work in downtown Lorain? If you want visible and social undead (not just income-producing undead employment) go to West River and Midway Blvd. You can find the living undead there amidst the cookie-cutter variety of fast food, fast shopping, expensive discount electronics, ATM money fountains, and, of course, Wal-Mart, king of the netherworld and champion of starving employees everywhere. Shop downtown when possible. Go to Elyria Hardware, Apples' grocery store, Donna's Diner, the barber shop, Moelk sales, Vandemark Jewelers. It will help.
Also - what do you mean, "take a guess?" Simple greed, compadre, and the need to pay for the big new ugly-scraper, and County Commissioner salaries, and the tax-producing income that comes from so many gummint employees. Wanna move to Erie County? Cheaper there, plus no County surcharge when renewing vehicle registrations.
- Weren't we the generation that was supposed to change all this bullshit? Unfortunately we failed to create a new financial/economic model while continuing to chafe at the existing one even as the inhertitors of the old system merrily raked in the cash to produce the hideous commercial homunculous that feeds the Midway Monster and saps the vitality of in-town neighborhoods. Time to run for office. Throw the bums out! Be the bums!
- Fifty years ago I couldn't spell "bum". Now I are one. Are we just jealous that we didn't get a seat on the gravy train? I think that our choices have led us astray. The dreamy financial/economic model is still based on unlimited energy/unlimited resources. We still play with ideas of perpetual motion, cars that run on water, and the chicks for free.
Post a Comment- Staying with the "wild guess" motif who would you say is the #1 employer in the city of Elyria?
A drum roll please....
The City of Elyria!
I'll feed the rats to the cats then the cats to the rats....
Monday, October 16, 2006
Magic. Faerie folk. Conflict. Love and Hate. Adult understanding. The stuff of poesy. Pibgorn and Shakespeare. Specifically, Midsummer Night's Dream in multi-panel format. Brooke McEldowney is the artist. He also pens the strip "9 Chickweed Lane". The characters reach through the medium. One of the characters from Pibgorn, Thorax, is wont to wander between strips at will. The original 20 Pibgorn strips explain the origins of the tale.
Posted 1:16 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Sunday, October 15, 2006
They eat their own! And other uncivilized results at ExtremePumplins.com.
Posted 6:50 AM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Saturday, October 14, 2006
I've noticed this YouTube recording mentioned/linked on several sites over the last couple of days. I wouldn't normally duplicate something already so widely posted but it's just so funny that I didn't want anyone here to miss it. It's of a guy convincing a telemarketer that he's called a murder scene.
Posted 8:53 PM by whatley (0) comments
Comments:
Friday, October 13, 2006
The Neander two-cylinder diesel motorcycle. There are two counter-rotating crankshafts. Each piston has two connecting rods, one for each crankshaft. Fuel injected, turbo charged, 1400cc fat-tired chopper/cruiser. Motorcycle mag review. Motorcycle newsletter review. No cost or introduction info yet. Biodiesel availablility would make this the perfect unit.
And if your car breaks down, well call the Goldwing Retriever (no, not the Golden Retriever) to "go fetch".
Posted 6:46 PM by Andy (4) comments
Comments:
- I bet that if you bought the Neander, they would throw in a tarp that you could pitch over the bike and use as your house too. It shouldn't cost any more than the Munch Mammut (German for Mammoth - large, extinct, hairy pachyderm)
. The Munch used a 4-cylinder NSU car engine for propulsion. Top speed on the 2000 model was "electronically limited" to 156mph. Only $80K at that time.
Post a Comment- Here's the correct link to the Munch Mammut
. Is there any way to go back and edit comment text once posted?
Who Killed the Electric Car? A trailer for the 2006 film presented at the Sundance festival. Production details and cast credits. Sony Pictures site that discusses electric and hybrid vehicles. And a GM response.
Posted 12:59 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
The Life and Death of a Pumpkin from Blamesociety Films. Blamesociety Films also brings us the story of Darth Vader's underachieving brother, Chad Vader, Day Shift Manager of the Empire Grocery Store. There is Episode 2, followed by Episode 3 and Episode 4. George Lucas needs to hire these guys
Posted 12:15 PM by Andy (0) comments
Comments:
Thursday, October 12, 2006
If you want to work with your computer, and work intuitively, and well, go watch this demo. I have been dreaming about this since the first day I fat-fingered a digital keyboard 30 years ago.
Posted 5:21 PM by Andy (2) comments
Comments:
Post a Comment- The processing power behind the screen interaction is astounding! When you think how long it takes normal desktop computers to refresh a complex graphics screen (map with many layers)...
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Went for a pupwalk today at the new Lorain County Metro Parks Wellington Reservation and is it ever nice. It doesn't have any of the park type amenities we're used to around here like shelters, charcoal grilling stands, etc., and I don't know if it ever will. My first impression is that they seem to be going for a different sort of atmosphere with this one. Or maybe a better way to put it is that they recognize the land itself is different from anything else they have and just went with the flow. We're talking tall grass prairie type land, evergreen trees (along with the usual oak and maple), wide vistas and, jewel in the crown so to speak, it's all wrapped around the old Wellington reservoir. As we (me'n Niki) walked the reservoir perimeter (just one of the trails there) we heard something big jump. Next time I'll be properly equipped.
Posted 1:02 PM by whatley (7) comments
Comments:
- The LCMP website doesn't have this park listed (they refer to it as "not yet open") so I used a Google map for the location link. The actual street address is 535, not 532, but Google didn't recognize 535. And here I thought Google was omnipotent. That'll learn me.
- Properly equipped? Explosive ordinance? Capn' Billy Whiz Bang ray gun? Republican party credentials? FOP sticker on Nikki's rump?
- I always see him at the Lorain County Fair. This year he was working the church concession with his younger son. His oldest son is starting college this year.
Post a Comment- Wellington Reservation is on their site now.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Why am I cooler than you? Well, obviously, there are many reasons to numerous to list here. But for those wishing to improve themselves and, dare I say, rise to the "whatley level of coolness" (fat chance), an official seal would be a good start. Do I have one? Of course I do.
Posted 12:24 PM by whatley (4) comments
Comments:
- I put my graphics into our Gallery application then link to it the same way I'd link to anything else. You can do that too. Just register yourself in our Gallery. That will create a "top level" album under which you can then add items to your hearts content. Check our "about tRBT" page to see a paragraph explaining this a bit.
As an alternative I could give you ftp access to an images directory on the web server. You could then do an ftp upload and manualy create a link in your post. The whole idea of installing Gallery was to avoid people having to learn/deal with ftp, plus it's a lot more scalable. Whatever. Let me know what you prefer.
- Well, OK. I'm registered. That bit works. Now, where is there a button or option or drop down that says "create album" or "upload photo" or some such. None of the options seem to lead to a "top level album" with my own space. All that appears is everyone else's existing albums. ???
Post a Comment- Got It! Thanks Russ. Here is my seal and my new philosophy. All that brain sweat, anguish and mental browbeating has availed me naught. Therefore, I finally realized what it takes to get along in the world.
.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Build your own turbine or pulse jet vehicle.
Posted 9:26 AM by Andy (2) comments
Comments:
- This has all the makings of a major award for somebody.
Post a Comment- This link to an eBay auction shows
part of a Hydrotherm corporation Hydropulse boiler. This product was used for hot water heating. I installed and serviced these units in the 1980's. The operating principal is exactly the same as a pulse jet engine (like was used in the German V2 bombs). The fuel (natural gas or propane) flows into the brass cylinder. The fuel is drawn into a spherical brass conbustion chamber (the pictured part bolts to the combustion chamber, which is not shown) through the eleven little pipes at the bottom. Air also flows in, pushed by a fan (start cycle) or drawn in by vaccum after an ignition pulse. The mixture is ignited by a spark plug (to start it) or spontaneously by hot surfaces (when running). When the fuel fires, pressure slams eleven disk valves closed. The disk valves are at the bottom of the little pipes. Look at the second picture to see the eleven round circles where the valves sit. Ignition pressure forces hot gasses down and to the exhaust. The exiting pressure wave creates a partial vacuum that drags the eleven valves open and pulls in more air and fuel, which goes "boom" and starts the cycle again. The cumbustion chamber and exhaust piping lived inside a water jacket which carried the heat to radiators throughout the building. When it started, you heard the air fan, then the click of the gas valve, then a buzzing that started slowly and built to a steady 60-cycles per second after a second or two. The gas valve was closed to shut it down.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Shining example of the current Ohio economic recession that I am, I do my best to save a few bucks here and there. Cooking at home and preplaning all grocery shopping (have a list! do not deviate!) saves a lot. Once in a great while, and only with a good coupon mind you, I'll order something out. Last night was one of those times. Large pizza, 3 toppings. $9.99. I get there (Marco's) and the girl actually lifts the lid to check my order (nice touch). She sees that they got one of the toppings wrong. Horrors! Banana peppers instead of mushrooms! Now I happen to like banana peppers and was about to say "Ah, fuck it, that's ok", but before I could she apologized, told me they'd have another large with proper toppings ready in a few minutes, and I could have both for free. Both? For free? Talk about making an unemployed guys day.
Posted 6:51 AM by whatley (3) comments
Comments:
- And you didn't call us to have a party? I just got back from a week at a primo "Work and Breakfast" establishment in Painesville. Three squares a day and all the soffits and fascias that I could install. I was working at Betsy's parents' house, and they put me up for the duration. Except for the rain dripping from the eaves and down my neck, and the head cold, I had a real good time.
Post a Comment- pizza for Niki,
pizza for me.
plenty of pizza,
and all of it free!
sausage and mushrooms
and peppers galore.
whatdayasay
let's both have some more!
pizza for breakfast,
pizza for lunch.
hot pizza cold pizza
munch munch munch!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
OK I had no takers on the solar charging OLED's but this is guaranteed to make Andy's head explode. Except for the part where they show why none of them can work. Perpetual Futility
A short history of the search for perpetual motion.
Posted 12:59 AM by A. O. (4) comments
Comments:
- Did I eat too much garlic? Has Ohio been invaded by China and ABC forgot to mention it due the Congressional Page Sex Scandal? Have I slipped into an altenate universe? or more precisely back into the real one?
Hellooooouuu!?!?!?!
- Here's another little head scrather for Andy's techno-scepticism.
Water Powered Car
- I played with an HHO welding unit three years ago when I was visiting Alex and Tommy in the Tampa area. A friend of theirs, an artist and jewelwer, used one in his craft. At the time, the stationary HHO generator/torch unit was available at about $6K, and required a 30-Amp 220vac dedicated circuit. The holdbacks to popular promulgation have always been cost and canvienience. We can build fuel cells to take people to the Moon and back, so the technical capabilitiy is proven. We can mass-produce things of bemusing complexity for popular use as seen in modern automobiles and home elecetronics. The rest is merely marketing. If Marie Antoinette had marketed the burnt lining on bakers' ovens as a God-given benficence of rare availability, her apocryphal pronouncement: "Let them eat cake" would have raised her to sainthood insted of being a royal pain in the neck. We await the rise of popular demand to change the climate. As long as Winnebunkas and Runnamuckas are valued and sold, the raw materials will be diverted that way. A friend of mine says that he wants cars that run on paper. He does not realize that dollar bills may be cheaper than yesterday's bird cage liners if that comes to pass. The concept of waste follows the market.
Post a Comment- I seems that if he got his HHO unit to run with the addition of an extra alternator then he must have solved some of the cost and power problems to build his automotive booster system. Note he's using it as a supplement to boost gas mileage not as a stand alone power source.
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