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.

It Does Make Me Wonder

Posted in Advertising by

I am not a big fan of football. However, on a hot lazy afternoon, I have been known to begin watching a game or two, mostly because it helps me fall fast asleep.

However, as I flipped through the channels, I noticed that there was not one local game on today. They had one game from the east coast and one from the west. The closest team playing was Auburn. (Just where is Auburn anyway?)

It does make me wonder, just who or why would any advertisers want to pay to broadcast those games. I have no idea how many of those watching actually finished any of them with their eyes, and ears, open.

Not One to Write About Myself

Posted in Pride by

It seems when I use the daily prompt, I get a lot more traffic. However, I am not one who likes to write about myself. Even more, some of the prompts were getting very personnel. It guess it’s okay for those who like to talk about themselves. I’ve known a few folks whose favorite subject is himself.

Even with me, it is okay for a trip or two around the block. Then, maybe it’s time to change the subject. In a round about way it is almost as if I am writing about today’s prompt. I like to think one of my better traits is that I prefer to write and talk about other people, other things. However, even here, my subject is more about the prompt than me.

I guess, among other things, those who like to talk about themselves are likely proud. I have been taught to be thankful for what God has provided me. Pride is not one of those things we should be thankful for.

Will You Settle for One

Posted in Reading by
Daily writing prompt
List three jobs you’d consider pursuing if money didn’t matter.
View all responses

Give me the opportunity and the space and I’d love to teach reading. I think I could could teach from 6 to 25 students. If I had the chance, you’d not be able to hold me back.

I guess it would be better to teach adults but I think I could do a good job of teaching children as well.

As I can see it, I would need two hours a day for 15 days, perhaps 20. I believe I could bring them from non-reading to at least 2nd, maybe 3rd grade level.

Although I am not credentialed, I have taught electronics in the military for a total of 7 years. I guess, I could also teach basic electronics for those interested, but that would take quite a bit longer. Also, I’d need to do some prep. I have not taught anything for decades. Also, unlike reading, electronics really involves a lot of math and science.

My guess, Desoto County schools will not let me near any of their students. They could lose their accreditation. Also, they’d likely not have much faith in me or my methods.

Regardless, parents, you need to make sure your kids learn to read if you have to teach them yourself. Make sure they get plenty of practice. Those who go into junior high without being able to read are very much handicapped. Math, science, and history are all very important too. However, it all hinges on being able to learn from the printed page. It is a very important way of communicating. Those who cannot read, will be severely hindered at communications. As they grow older and go up into higher grades, it becomes all the more important.

Selection by Color

Posted in Abuse of Power, Biden, FOC, Liberals, News Anchors, News media, Socialists by

Let’s pretend. I really hate this because it is such a horrible subject, but it is the only way I can see of getting the point across.

Let’s pretend your eight-year-old has been discovered to have a brain tumor which must be surgically removed.

So, you are waiting in this nice carpeted room with really comfortable furniture. A woman enters the room and breaks the news to you. Then she says, we have four surgeons here that are qualified. Your surgeon is a good one, he is the forth best. He has a 90% survival rate and currently 75% have had no complications.

You say, “Wait a minute! You said the other surgeons are better!?

“Well. Yes the all are.”

“Well. Why can’t I have the best surgeon?”

“That isn’t allowed.”

“Why?”

“Your surgeon must be black. But there is no reason to be concerned. He really is very good.”

“Why must I have a Black surgeon?”

“It’s our way of making sure that the black surgeon has equal opportunity. The last three surgeries were by white doctors. It is the black surgeon’s opportunity. We don’t want anyone to think we are being prejudice. It would reflect badly on the hospital, the staff and we might even be sued. Do you realize how much it cost for just one week in court?”

Of course, the above is ludicrous. We, all of us, have the right to chose the surgeon we want within our means. Invariably, if we are smart, we will choose the best one, if we are able. In the not too distant past, there were people who refused to let a Black doctor treat us, let alone do critical brain surgery. Still, there are those who hold such thoughts, stupid as the may be.

It was not that long ago that women were not permitted to be doctors. It took years to overcome that problem. And indeed it was a problem and, to some degree still is. Doctors should be selected on their qualifications and how much they charge. It should have nothing to do with the color of their skin or their gender. On the reverse, the the black person should not be selected any more because he is black than to select the white man because he is white. Least wise, that is the way I’m going to do it. If you feel better with the inferior black doctor, that is your choice, just as it is the choice of a person to select the inferior white doctor.

It is equally stupid to chose the Black surgeon just because he is black and has a license to practice as to chose the white doctor just because you don’t like people with black skin. When that eight-year-old little girl of yours in in that O.R. you will want the best surgeon you can get to work on her and I don’t blame you. No one else should blame you regardless of the color of their skin.

It just happens, one of the best brain surgeons to ever live is Black. I would have had no problems him working on my child. No problems at all. But if that black surgeon is just above the level of a quack, I don’t think I’ll let him touch my child and it has not one thing to do with his color. My only concern is his success rate. If anything else, I am somewhat reassured if the man has a good relationship with Jesus.

On the other hand, the dems don’t have that sort of idea. They selected THE One person in this world worse than Old Joe for vice president. They selected a woman who publicly admitted she cannot define a woman for Supreme Court justice. And now, guess what, they have gone in search of another black woman to replace Diane Feinstein.

Guess what. I don’t want those dems selecting my doctor, nor the doctors of my grand-kids. No telling what they would come up with. Unlike justices, doctors must have some knowledge of the between men and women.