Monthly Archives: October 2023

Follow-up on Over Engineering

Posted in GMC, Over-Engineering by

Those who read Over-engineering might be be like to see this.

First a very quick review. Bought a 60$ battery charger to charge the battery on my HHR. I don’t know if it will charge but it will analyze a battery. After several attempts to charge the battery, it kept telling me I had a bad battery.

So, I went and bought a 3 amp $20 charger. It worked just fine and I was able to start the car. In the morning, I will take the car in and have the battery replaced, which, by the way was impossible with the 60 dollar charger/analyzer. I will not have to call a tow truck out. If Chevy hadn’t over-engineered the battery compartment, I could have gone out and bought a battery and replaced the thing myself.

Anyone want to ask me why I bought a Nissan?

Really? Bronze Age?

Posted in Cancel Culture, Climate Change, Computers, Going Green by
Daily writing prompt
Your life without a computer: what does it look like?
View all responses

For what reason would we even want to go back to the typewriter age. Computers have become very important tools for almost all of us. Of course there are some, such as the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Company that still haven’t gotten the knack of it yet.

Still, I hate the idea of pounding out a post on an old typewriter. Moreover, even when done, without the computer, there is no way to publish it.

I don’t like the typewriter age much more than the bronze age. Running water is so much nicer than having to go out to the well and haul the stuff in by bucket. I don’t know but maybe the going green folks would like it. I mean, computers do use a lot more electricity than the old manual typewriters. AND, with the phones we have nowadays, we all use a lot of electricity just to talk to each other, or to play games.

How Does That Work?

Posted in Drive-throughs, Medical/Dental by

Just saw something new today; or at least I think it is. A sign was on a new medical building, something to the affect, Drive Through Medical.

I guess the above question applies in 2 ways. That is to say, how successful, and how is it managed?

I wonder if they take appointments or if you just get in line. I really am afraid to speculate too much. Conceivably, it is actually practical and convenient.

However, for the time being, I’m going to stay with my internist. I don’t mind a short walk into his office. It’s the wait I’d prefer to avoid.

I wonder what the wait time is at the drive through.

Over-engineering

Posted in 2008 Chev sunrofs., CEO Princeple, Computers, Customer complaints by

I needed a battery charger so I bought one a few weeks ago; or at least I thought I did. It was a little expensive but it was a Die Hard name brand so I bought it. This afternoon I got it out to use it and realized it was more than I wanted and less.

Without asking it to, it analyzed my battery and said it was faulty and stopped. Now isn’t that neat. I don’t even get the option of charging the battery anyway. It just stopped. After several more attempts, it just kept saying the battery was bad and stopped. Sure am glad the car was a backup, otherwise I would have had to call a tow truck right then and there. I mean, if I can’t get the battery charged, I can’t drive the car up to the shop and get it replaced.

It might be a really slick battery charger, but in this case, I really did need a battery charger, not an analyzer. Whose idea was that, anyway? At least, now I know why the thing was so expensive. Now, of course I need a real battery charger so I can get my car to a place where I can get the battery replaced. Either that or I will need to call a tow truck. I sit here in front of my computer wondering just which will cost me more.

At any rate, I figured maybe others can profit from my mistake. If you need to buy a battery charger, you just might check before you buy it and get more than you want. Or is it less than you want. Well. actually, if you need an analyzer as well as a charger, it just might be what you’re looking for.

I guess I’ll keep it. Maybe one of these days, I’ll actually need a charger that is an analyzer or an analyzer that is also a charger.

Now! One might ask, why do I need to take the car to the shop to get the battery changed. Well, those that have read my posts for a long time know that I bought a Chevy that I am not so pleased with. One of the really neat things about it is that I can’t change the battery. I have to take it to a shop. That’s right, they really buried it. Some more over-engineering. I have changed over half a dozen batteries in my life. When they built this one, they wanted me to have to come back to the shop. Same for the $50 headlights. The total on that one is $100. 50 for the light and 50 to put it in.

That is another reason I will never buy another Chevy. Worse, they don’t like listening to my complaints. I have searched for hours trying to find a complaint department on the net. Back then it didn’t exist. Maybe they do now. If so, it’s too late. I already bought a Nissan.

Regardless, I suspect they’d not listen to me anyway. Otherwise, why did they make sure not to listen to me before. Those folks building GM autos might want to start making backup plans. If GM refuses to listen to their customers, I suspect their sales will fall, quickly.

And! by the way. It is just another reason to make me hesitate in buying another. It is what I call the CEO effect. If GM CEOs drove their own cars, I don’t think we, the regular customers would need to complain. The CEOs would make sure the problems were fixed.

As a side note to the side note, I bought a FOB over the internet. It’s been working now for about a year. Couldn’t get any of the others to work more than three months. Apparently, others have been having problems with them too. It’s sort of why so many have been selling on the internet.

Now, let me see. I wonder if the Die Hard CEO ever had to charge a battery with this battery charger. I wonder if it told him he had a bad battery.

Getting All Charged Up

Posted in Electric Automobiles, Going Green by

As they say, hind sight is always 20/20.  There are likely a dozen things I learned about electric cars I would have never learned had I not bought one.

Perhaps the number one thing is that there are at least three major types of charging stations.  Tesla has two of them.  Another one is better and faster, but rarer.  It is the one used by much of Europe and Nissan.  Just because you have found a charging station doesn’t mean it is compatible.  Moreover, even if it is compatible, it doesn’t mean you can use it.  Some are for public use.  Some require membership.  Still others are for private use.  I’d guess that car rental agencies will have the private type, for use only to charge the agency cars.

The whole system does not resemble gas stations at all, as I first imagined it.  To charge a car from “bone dry” so to speak, may take as much as an hour at a level 3 charge station.  Make that 6 or 7 hours from level 2 charge stations and I don’t even want to hazard a guess for level 1 charge stations.  With them you measurement is just almost in days instead of hours.

The hitch of course is that this is all variable depending on the car.  However, just so you know what I talking about, the level one is effectively plugging your car into a standard household outlet.  With my car, that means roughly a 15 to 20 % charge overnight.  Fortunately, I use but 7 to 8 percent a day.  That allows me to gain a little each night.

For those that drive more, they will either need to go to the level 2 or they will occasionally need to visit one of the level 3 chargers.  You can have a level two charger installed in your home.  However, I have an adaptor.  Once I have an electrician install a 220 outlet close to my car, I can plug my adaptor into the outlet and I effectively have a level two charger.  The adaptor was supplied with the car.

There are many Tesla level 3 chargers in my area, which are not compatible with my car, but I have an adaptor that converts the level 3 charger into a level 2 charger for my auto.  I am sure, once I figure it out, I will be able to get it to work, but so far I have had no success.  Maybe one day soon I will be able to alter that report.

Either way, I just might run into a hitch.  I tried to connect to a level 3 the other day and noticed signs all over, for Tesla only.  I don’t know if these are caution signs or if it is the equivalent of no trespassing.  If I ever get my adapter to work, I just might find out.

As an aside, in order to hook up my car, I have to park sideways.  Otherwise, the cable is not long enough.  Obviously not designed for Nissans.

Having said all this, I would like to describe a little about how it will be in the near future.  The main places you will be able to find level 2 and 3 chargers will likely be at hotels and restaurants.  I can’t imagine a gas station making any money allowing autos to sit in their facility for an hour or so.  They might be able to do this with maybe two or three cars, but what do you do while 50 cars are charging.

On the other hand, when I go into a restaurant, I generally spend about an hour there anyway.  So, in the future, I go in.  Someone plugs in my level 3 charger and I go in and eat.  I pay the bill for charging as I pay for the food.

If I am staying in a hotel, I go in and have the car charged while spending the night.  Some arrangements would have to be made to move the car once charged.  Either that or there would be a need for many more charging stations.

My guess is that some hotels would not even charge for the charge.  They would simply consider it part of the cost of doing business.  Others would likely charge just enough to cover the cost.  After all, the chargers would be a drawing card.

Oddly, I can foresee the cost of charge trucks operating similar to tow trucks.  You’re stranded.  You make a call and out comes a truck with a big generator on it.  As for the costs and level of charge, it would likely be a point of negotiation.  I’m not sure but it seems I already saw someone advertising such a service.  Maybe someone already beat me to it.

The one thing I am hoping for the most is that they standardize the chargers so that, when you get to the charger, you don’t find out it’s not compatible.  I’ll go one step further.  At least, they need to have level 2 chargers available, that is to say, 220 volt outlets.  If I have to, I can wait the 5 or 6 hours. To get fully charged, especially if I will be spending the night in a hotel.  Also, I’d not mind browsing around a mall for a while either.  If I am in a hurry, maybe I could make a 2 hour charge get me to my destination…sort of like when I just put five dollars worth of gas in the car when that is all I have.

Then, of course, all these chargers would need generator back up…in case there is a power outage.  On the other hand, maybe I should put solar batteries on my house to charge my car.  Even now, I just can’t wait to see my first electric bill now that I am charging my car at home.

To Err is Human

Posted in CEO Princeple, Christian values, Crazy Nuts by

There is an old saying in the world of computers, “To err is human. To really foul things up takes a computer.” This seems no more prevalent than in Memphis these days. Seems every other day, I hear a story on the local news about someone receiving an outlandish electric bill. I don’t mean a little outlandish either. I mean like 17 or 18 thousnd-dollars-outlandish.

I would say that in this case the computer really fouled things up. If I were in charge of computer operations at Memphis Light, Gas and Water, I think I’d be working on two things: changing my name and changing my occupation.

You would think they would be a little embarrassed. Not so. Not that I can tell, anyway. Gives me another reason to be glad to live south of the stateline.

Oh, and by the way. May I say thanks to the one who messed things up. I am sure he just drove the value of my house a few thousand dollars.

So, thanks. Keep up the great work.

Division Among Republicans

Posted in Abortions, Abuse of Power, Being woke, Politcal Opinion, Religion, Truth by

Sad to say, there is division among the Republicans.  As such, very little of what they all hold in common gets passed, epically with Old Joe in the presidency and the dems having a small margin in the Senate.

However, what I’d really like to zero in on are the Republicans in the house right now.  As near as I can tell, there are at least 3 major factions.  The majority of them are conservatives.  Right now, they hold the majority of the votes, which angers what Rush Limbaugh used to call the country club group.  These are what are called rinos, or republican in name only.  Regan was certainly one of the conservatives.  He went from being a conservative Democrat to a conservative Republican.  (no more conservatives among the dems)The first Bush had the opportunity to learn at Regan’s feet but he was not a very good student.  As soon as the going got tough, he abandoned what he learned and he abandoned those who voted for him, which is why he lost the next election.

The next factor is the libertarians.  I like to call them Republicans without morals, R.W.Ms.  While they have very conservative ideas concerning finances, likely more than most, they don’t seem to have any morals.  Many have no problems with legalizing drugs, homosexuality, and many other moral things.  You might have a difficult time finding a Christian amongst them.

And so it is that there are fights within the party, some very bitter.  The only suggestion I have is to take what we can.  Most Republicans are financial conservatives.  Let’s concentrate on that.  That way we can fortify ourselves on that.

Moreover, there are many things that even the libertarians can agree on.  Let’s make sure that parents are notified before abortions.  Let’s make sure all women have full informed consent before an abortion.  That alone will cut down the number of the abortions.  Moreover, it is the right thing to do.

Let’s make sure that every dollar is spent wisely.  I would suggest every dime but we have gone well beyond that.  When people do spend recklessly, they need to be relieved of their position and possibly prosecuted.

Let’s permit the executive branch to hold back spending if it is not needed.  Some do not know it, but the President is required by law to spend every dollar that is allocated, even if not needed.  There are not many successful businesses run like that.

We need a total makeover of federal law enforcement.  One place we can start is by de-allocating monies to the FBI and CIA, particularly in the higher ranks.  They need to be trimmed down and their salaries need to be reduced.  They have become top heavy.  (Top heavy is another term for unsuccessful.)  Though the rino group might have problems with that, most of the others will likely go along with that.

I am a pro-military person.  I was in the Marines and I believe in keeping the armed forces strong.  However, spending blindly only destroys the strength of the services.  I have seen the waste from the inside.  I have seen $25 dollar fuses that can be bought at the hardware store for 39 cents.

Being a marine, I do understand mil-spec requirements.  However, just because something meets mil-spec, that is not a reason to pay $24 more.  We can make our armed services stronger.  However, we cannot do it by throwing money at it.  All that does is make the Defense Department fat.

We need to put much more of the power in the hands of state and local governments.  Money is power and that is the way the federal government acquires power…by spending our money.  Many of the departments, especially education can be drastically reduced or even done away with.  However, that department has become like a leech.  It just hangs on and will not let go.  The country club group kind of likes it so we are sort of stuck with it.  Nonetheless, we can sort-of trim it out of existence.

One way we will look back on these days.  We might look back on it glad that we did something about it; or we might look back wishing we had.

One last note, the feds not only spends a lot of money loosely, but they also spend money in places they shouldn’t, as an example sex-ed for kindergartners and gender changes for 3rd graders. Surely all republicans and a even a few dems can agree on that.

A Problem Shared by 4

Posted in Christian values, Communism, Liberals, Religion, Socialists by

Though it should be obvious, there are likely not many who realize that Darwin, Marx, Hitler and Lenin share. None of them can explain the origin of man, the world or the universe. Darwin spent untold hours looking the world over for the so-called missing link. For his theory to be proved, he had to produce at least one case of where one animal evolved into another. He died, frustrated that he never found one piece of evidence. As an atheist and or an evolutionist, he was an utter failure, though he did manage to convince many other atheist who wanted to believe him. You see, one thing atheist have in common is desire to prove the that God does not exist.

Karl Marx, I would guess was one of those who wanted to disproved the existence of God. You see, Christianity kept getting in the way of his concept of no one owning anything and one world government. You see, the concept completely counters many Christian I teachings. Besides, I don’t think he liked God very much. He didn’t like the idea of someone telling him what was right or wrong.

I should not have to spend much time explaining Hitler’s beliefs in God and Christianity. The man actually wanted to destroy the Jews. Now I ask you, how is it that a man explains it being right to destroy the chosen people of God. Actually, he was far from being the first. I suspect there will be many more. Regardless, Hitler did desire to destroy the Jews and the Christians, though he did use the Roman Catholics from time to time. Some suspect the Catholics of smuggling many Nazis out of Germany at the end of WWII.

Lenin & company, were actually the first of the modern outfits that tried to eliminate the Jews. Now only did they kill their millions, they drove millions into the hands of the Nazis. Many Jews, escaping the Soviets ran right into the hands of Hitler.

Both the Nazis and the Soviets got there idea of socialism from Marx and Darwin. They presented a world of survival of the fittest and a Godless existence. Socialism, even it its most mild form cannot exist beside Christianity. Marx knew it. Lenin knew it and Hitler knew it.

Guess what, today’s socialists know it too. It is but one reason they want to do away with the first amendment, and Christianity.

The problem they all have is explaining the existence of humans, the world and the universe. If there is no God, how did it all get here? By accident…really. I don’t think so. Things as complex as a human don’t just happen by accident. And by the way, that missing link that Darwin has been looking for, it still has not been found after what, close to 300 years of looking. I don’t think it will be found after 3000 years. Those atheist have been looking awfully hard. Certainly, they would have found something by now.

I really don’t think the astronomers are any closer to the big bang. Admittedly, they have a real disadvantage. They are looking at what the universe looked like thousands of years ago. Anything beyond, oh let’s say, 30,000 light years out there might not even be there anymore, or as we see it. Unless I’m wrong, that means we aren’t outside the Milky Way yet. And somehow, these are the experts we are supposed to believe.

4 Day Work Week?

Posted in Crazy Nuts, Fantasy by

Some good aspects–some bad.

Certainly, if it remains a 40 hour week, it can have some really great advantages. When you consider the time in actual transit as well as getting ready for work, it can easily save an employee up to 90 or more minutes each week. Of course, it also saves some costs, although that will not be consistent. Some drive; some take busses or subways. On the other hand, a few bicycle.

The hitch is that not all work places work with 4 day weeks. Some businesses are open 5 days a week and hence, 4 day weeks are impossible. Even then, some businesses have heavier and lighter days, which might allow some to work 4 days.

How-some-ever, the concept of 40 hours of pay for 32 hours of work…just don’t think that will work. Just don’t think I’m the only one thinking that.

That is fantasy. That is crazy. I think that even rises to the point of being crazy-nuts.

It’s a Never-fit

Posted in Growing Old, Lawyers and Representation, Lobbyists, Our Legal Systems, Priorities by

Did you ever notice Social Security cards are always slightly too large for a wallet? I wonder if that is intentional. Maybe they don’t want us carrying the card with us. On the other hand, it is conceivable that no one ever thought of it.

For that matter, maybe no one gave it any thought at all. You know, for years, after I lost my card, I didn’t have one. I knew my number and never needed the card.

Nowadays, frequently, they ask for license and Social Security card. So I had to get another. I guess when I die, it will have to be buried with me. Better not lose it again. They won’t be able to bury me.