Category Archives: Uncategorized

Little Problem in Communications

Posted in Uncategorized by

If you have never seen the tire swing cartoon, might I suggest you take a few minutes to look at it. Simply search on tire swing cartoon and several copies of it will pop up.

So far, I have not found a person who didn’t laugh at it, maybe a few times. I can’t imagine a person not finding himself in agreement the concept behind the cartoon.

Regardless, all engineers need to have a copy of it nearby for frequent references. It is an excelent reminder that it is very easy to over design things. The tendency is to have all kinds of dials, knobs, button and lights. I can’t say how many buttons my microwave has. It makes me put my reading glasses on everytime I heat a frozen dinner.

Wait a minute. Those instructions on the frozen dinners are really small. I guess I already need 3x magnification before operating the appliance.

Regardless, I do need to keep my microwave instruction manual handy. Lots of buttons on that thing. Still, mostly, I just use a few of them. Some, I have yet to touch.

It does remind me of my first radar oven, as it was called back then. It had a dial for the timer. One button for starting it and one button to open the door. We wore that thing out. Set the time and press start. Really simple.

Oh how I miss those days of simplicity. Certainly a couple of features would be nice, but I see no need for more than a dial and a few buttons. I see no need tolerating a blinking clock, which must be set every time the lights blink. I already have four othed clocks I must change at least twice a year.

I suppose those design engineers like trying to impress us customers… and the boss. However, I am much more impressed with ease of operation.

I do understand why people are so impressed with all the features and buttons, but while they are still pressing buttons my dinner would already be cooking. This is especially if they need to referance the instructions.

My little question: When is the last time those engineers really communicated with a customer. Wait a minute. Do they ever use the stuff they design? It does make me wonder.

Side note: The extra power is nice. That original radar oven had but 700 watts. It meant, sometimes I did do some toe tapping while I waited.

Let’s Build Things Right

Posted in Being woke, Biden, Going Green, Lawyers and Representation, Uncategorized by

Just for grins, I thought about spelling right, write, which would be wrong. Because I have a horible time with spelling, especially homophones (used to be homonym in my youth). Ironically, rite, wright, right and write are especially easy to get wrong as they are a group of 4. Most are groups of 2 or 3. Naturally they all have similar spelling. The English language would suddenly become easier if they were all spelled the same. Much better if true for all homophones.

However, instead, someone way back when decided to complicate my spelling life and came up with 4 spellings, each with its own meaning(s).

Now why am I speaking of spelling when my intention is to speak on fridges and washers. Well, I guess there is oddly a similarity. I promise.

In 1972, a long time ago, before the age of personnal computers, I purchased a 14 cubic foot coldspot fridge that, as far as I know still works. About 2005, I made a mistake. I wanted a bigger, better fridge…with an ice dispenser. It barely outlasted its 1 yr warrentee. I had it repaired. It broke again.

I bought another. It lasted 2 years and broke. Anyone notice a pattern here? Is there something wrong that they they can’t build them right?

When our washer broke, we bought another. Now that was a bad idea. I should have had the other one repaired. It was just a belt. I don’t have any memory of the old one dancing around the kitchen during the spin cycle. Thought about figuring a way to nail the new thing to floor.

The problem was, it works just the way it is supposed to. I can’t expect them to fix it on warrantee. It is simply a design defect. They didn’t design it right.

Guess I’ll be forced to buy a front loader. All the top loaders seem to like to dance. It is the result of an effort to decrease water usage. Well, I guess I could go back to the old wash tubs. It is just the two of us. It isn’t that hard. Fortunately, I still have a good gas dryer. If it breaks, I will get it fixed. I really might not like a new one.

Now. As for the new fridges. They have 3 things wrong. The old ones used a grate on the back of the unit as a condenser. No moving parts and easy to get at. The old ones used simple mechanical timers, which were simple, realiable, inexpensive and easy to replace. Modern ones use computers, complex, expesive, difficult and nearly impossibie to get to. You’d think such parts would have an easy access panel.

Then there is the coup de grace. Instead of using a heating element for defrosting, they use lights, which must be replaced on a regular basis. With us, it was about yearly.

Now, here’s the connection I promised you between the spelling and engineering. In general, people do expect me, an amateur, to get it right, though, I must admit I am prone to mess up now and then. These characters, engineers go to college four years and they are paid a bunch to get it right. They don’t and they still get paid.

As a short word in the defense of the engineers. They are under a lot of pressure to go green. (you know, Environmental, Social, Governmental, ESG)

You see, just as they decided to make English more difficilt, they have also decided to make appliances more difficult.

Okay. It is a stretch, a big one. Stll you get my point.

Incidentally, I wonder if it ever comes up in board rooms that they can make more profit off units that they can advertise as computer controlled instead of the old mechanical ones.

Know Your Limit?

Posted in Gambling, Uncategorized by

An ad for a casino… doesn’t make any difference which one. They all make the same statement, “Know your limit.”

I don’t know if it is reqired by law or some organization but I guess it is the least any gambling organizatiom should do.

However, I don’t have a clue what good it does. I mean, just as the alcoholic, the sick gamber has no way to control his limit whethet he knows it or not. If he is issued one, he will fly right by it, continually making an exception for himself.

I guess it does clear their consciences after someone gambles away the last of their paycheck. By the way, it does happen far more than most people know.

Who Will be There?

Posted in Uncategorized by

We know President Trump will be at the border. We know Old Joe will be there, finally. Then again, does Old Joe ever know where he is?

For sure, we know the the mass media will be there, really playing up Joe’s presence. On the other hand you know that Trump’s crowd will be there.

I just wonder how many of Joe’s lagitimate crowd will be in attendace.

For Thinkers

Posted in Uncategorized by
  1. If the conservatives back Trump, who is backing Nikki. Only dems and rinoe left.
  2. If CPAC is anti-semitic as the dems and press say, why are are there so many Jewish people there?
  3. If conservatives hate Jews, why do they support Israel?
  4. If the dems like Jews, why do they support HAMAS?

Real mind twister, isn’t it?

Got the answer fot the answer for 4. Save you the mental strain. There are more Palistinian voters than Jews.

Preverbial Rock & Hard Place

Posted in Uncategorized by

Almost from the instant Old Joe took over, Putin has put us in the place where we can’t do the one thing and we can’t do the other. It is an odd switch of roles, with Republicans wanting to stay out of Ukraine and the Democrats are ready to roll up the sleaves and dive in. They are using, under a different name, the old domino theory advanced during the cold war.

The simple solution, it seems, everyone wants to ignore. If we drive the price of oil down to $20 a barrel, it quickly solves the problem of Russia and Ukraine. In weeks, Putin would be out of money. More important, it would go a long way toward helping our economy, Iran and maybe even China. At this point, however, Trump and I seem to be the only two on this earth aware of it.

Maybe that isn’t quite true. Most certainly, Putin is well aware of it too.

Nonetheless, here we are. What can we do that we are willing to do? If we continue to provide arms to Ukraine, we will most certainlly draw down on our readyness. On the other hand, they are holding Russia at bey and costing Putin blood, approval and treasure.

So… do we pull out and let the dominos fall or do we try to let the Ukranians deal with our worst enemy since WWII?

Well, I have spent a lot of time thinking about it. I guess I must to some degree, go against my Republicans. We are losing a great deal of money on ammunition. However, it is putin who is losing blood & treasure.

It is now a little less than a year until President Trump is again President Trump. My guess is that within a couple of months, the price of oil will plumit to $20 and Putin just might be looking for another job.

And if Trump does not return to the White House…? Well at least at my age, I won’t see much more. At 76, I can’t imagine being around much longer.

Hint for Shelby County

Posted in Uncategorized by

My guess is that the current clerk will soon be fired or should be.

Whether soon or later, when selecting the next county clerk, make sure he or she can do basic math, you know add, subtract, multiply and divide. Maybe basic bookkeeping skills might come in handy too.

What in the world is going on with that woman who is the current clerk? Anyone have a clue yet?

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Posted in Uncategorized by

I have done a great deal of reading on it and the Crimean War. It would be senseless for me to write all that much about it. A great deal has been written about it already and it’s easy to find. To be sure, it is a wise man that will study it. More accurately, the person that does read it will come away far wiser.

However, perhaps the best way I heard it summed up, “it was mistake from beginning to end.” And it was. The Charge of the Light Brigade was brave but exeedingly dumb. The stupidity even amazed the Russian leaders.

There were however a few good things to come out of it. One of them was the training of British officers. Until then officers bought their commissions and many had little idea about how to lead an army.

Of course, some folks didn’t learn. They would rather promote those who know not how to lead, because they are the right gender, race or they are homosexual. Guess what. Many private companies are doing it to.

Old Joe tossed thousands of good officers from the services. Why? Because they refused to take an experimental shot. That cost our armed forces readiness.

Tis madness. Do you suppose we should require the poem, “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” to be read by all presidents, and American officers. It woke the eyes of the Brits. It might wake them too, but I have little hope.

Maybe if is reqired reading for American 8th graders, it might help. I’m sure it would acomplish more good before the major part of the damage is done by American public systems.

A New Word on EVs

Posted in Uncategorized by

Actually not all that new. Caught it on the news yesturday. An extra fee of $100 / yr on EVs to replace taxes not paid on gas. This would be doubled in 3 years.

Actually, I do understand, I do. Those taxes collected on gas are to build and maintain roads and highways. Those of us currently driving EVs get to drive on the byways free.

There are a couple of quibbles with it though. I have had my Nissan for about 4 months and I have but 2000 miles on it. I am retired. If I had continued driving my old car, I don’t think I would have paid that much in road tax in a year.

Moreover, much of what is collected in taxes with gas does not all go for roads. Some goes to airports, buses and other special projects. It’s kinda like that lottery they started in NY strictly for education, which now is used for everything but education. Now they again have their hands out so they can run and maintain their schools.

At one time, someone suggested a surcharge based on odometer each year, fast and easily collected with car tags. Hopefully, we can count on our government to use the tax money efficiently. Then too, I have hopes of living to 120.