Tag Archives: travel

Cars and Pickups

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If you would like a guy feel good, complement him on his truck or car, especially if he has a big nice pickup. They can’t help it. Let’s face it, when a man goes out and gets himself a big pickup, it is something of an extension of himself.

I say this because I have complemented a number of them and you can always tell, the appreciation of the compliment is genuine. Nonetheless, me with my desire to be humorous, one day I offered to trade a man my HHR for his huge beautiful pickup. With a smile, he said, “No thanks. I already have one.”

Who would have thought that, his other vehicle really was a Chevy HHR. Never would have figured on that.

My experience has made me wonder though. Would that billionaire like it if I complimented him on his limo? Would he like it if told him I like his jet? Do you suppose he would laugh if I offered to trade my HHR for his 100 foot yacht?

While we are on the subject, I will have to start keeping a bucket of sudsy water next to my electric car. Being as I never go into gas stations, the windows never get cleaned. I tried hitting the window cleaner button today and all it did was rearrange the mud on the window. Where did all that dirt come from. I had to get the Windex and paper towels out to get it done right before we could go eat. That is sort of one of those things you don’t consider when you buy an electric car.

We don’t go out at night much. Yesterday, we went out to dinner late. When we got in the car, I noticed there was no courtesy light. It was dark in my Nissan as we got in. Now that did not make sense. All cars have courtesy lights.

I made do until we got home and investigated. I do keep a flashlight in may car and I used it in my search. I noted two large lights in the back but I could find no way to turn them on. Now I was really confused. It didn’t make sense. I finally found the switch above the rearview mirror. Now you will be happy to know, when I open the door, the lights come on. After a year, I am no longer in the dark.

However, it does make me wonder. If I took it to the dealer, would they have been able to point me to it. Sometimes I think they just overengineer things. I guess, if we didn’t go out for a late diner, I might not have ever known where that switch was.

I wonder if they do that sort of thing in the pickups.

The Benefit of a Plan “B”

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Somewhere around 2010 they shut down the shuttle program, in essence discounting the most of the space program.

To most of us, it was a small thing. However, it was then that thousands discovered that they had no plan “B.” Many had families. The vast majority had bills, big bills. They likely had a little savings, not nearly enough. Many panicked. Many went down to the local hamburger place and found out that that plan “B” wouldn’t work. They weren’t hiring. Worse, the restaurants were making their money off the those that were were working for NASA. …And now, very few were working for NASA. And it was even worse. Had they got hired on and worked 60 hour weeks, they would not make the house payment. Just can’t do that on minimum wage.

It was something of a local depression. They all would have gladly sold apples but no one was buying apples. They would have gone into construction, but there were suddenly many vacancies. There was no need to build new homes. People were leaving by the thousands. It would have been a real good time to have a bunch of money to invest in real estate. The depression of land values was short. A person with a little spare change in his pocket had the chance to buy low and sell high.

Nonetheless, back to my point. It was those who had the good Plan “B” that did well. Unfortunately, there were not many. I mean, where does an aeronautic engineer go to find a job. They had one possible employer and there just weren’t many other places hiring.

I don’t know, but I would guess that most of those who had houses left. In many cases, they likely simply abandoned their homes, unable to sell them. I don’t know. It might have been one of those times it would have been better to rent. That way, it would be landlords who would be the losers when everyone started moving out.

I don’t have any idea what they all did, but I can guess it was whatever they could find, even if it was digging ditches. There is no telling how far they move from their former homes before they could find someone who would hire them.

It was worse than the catch 22. No one wanted to hire someone they knew would have to train, and then lose the instant someone starts building rockets again. It is the perfect example of being overqualified. So, suddenly, they wished they learned how to build houses, did plumbing or air conditioning in their spare time. At least then, they could go to an employer and say I already know how….

I was one of those who didn’t have a Plan “B,” though not part of the space program. I was making good money repairing computers. Then one day, I was called into the boss’s office in the late 1980’s. Need I say more.

In one day, the corporation of UNISYS decreased its employees by twenty percent. It was devastating not just to me, but to the rest of the20%. But I did see it coming. I hoped to avoid it, but hope just does not always work.

Oh, and by the way, my oldest son just started college. Wish I had had a plan “B.” They come in so handy when things suddenly happen, even when it isn’t so sudden.

My Wallet

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Perhaps, not as much as I get older. Many moons ago, I had orders to go to Japan. I started the trip by going about 50 miles to an Air Force base in Southern California. I left in plenty of time to make it. However, that changed in a micro-second when I noticed I had left my wallet at home.

It was very close to being the most panicked as I ever was. It was a time I really didn’t need my driver’s license that much as I would not need it for a long time. However, it had my military ID. That is no minor oops.

My orders had an emergency number on it to call should I not be able to arrive on time. I called it. I explained my situation to the understanding woman. She calmed my nerves and said, it was okay. There was actually some slack time built into the orders. She told me I had plenty of time to return home and get my wallet. I did it and actually still had to wait a short time for my plane after I arrived at the air base.

It is perhaps one of the biggest arguments against public transportation. Had I taken a bus, I would have had to leave the wallet behind. Returning to my house would not have been an option. My wallet would have stayed in the US while I went to Japan.

I seldom go anywhere without my wallet. It has become more attached to me than my cell phone and that is saying a lot. Even so, any time I forget it or misplace it, it generates an instant empty feeling in my belly.

Even so, I guess my nephew topped me. My nephew, after finishing Army boot camp was coming home when pick-pocketed. He told me about it. They didn’t get anything. He had some of his money in a shirt pocket, some in his socks, some here, some there. He laughed it off. There was no money, no credit cards. He did report the incident to the police, but all he had to replace were his military ID, his driver’s license and his social security card. Well, he did need to get another wallet. However, a couple of weeks later, the wallet was found and returned, with the social security card, license and military ID.

His method did make me think a little. Like maybe I should carry my wallet as a prop and carry my money and such hidden elsewhere, maybe in my sock. I decided against that. I guess old habits are hard to change. I don’t totally know why, but it gives me a little comfort when I pat that rear pocket and I feel the wallet there.

Daily writing prompt
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
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Can We Survive the McClellan Effect

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Others may have used the term, but as far as I know, I am the first to coin the term McClellan effect. Just what is the effect and why is it? When the south took up arms and attacked the north in their effort to begin their own nation, General George B. McClellan managed to somewhat fight back the attack. However, he did not take advantage of situation. Eventually, Abe Lincoln fired him. That is history. Most fifth or sixth graders in a good school system knows this.

For this reason, I feel he is best suited to name the effect after. McClellan was considered a good leader by many, until he had to lead. Some folks claim that the civil war would not have lasted as long and the loss of life would not have been so great if Lincoln dismissed him earlier. It turned out, McClellan was more politician than soldier. He preferred his recognition to doing his job. He totally enjoyed moving in the political people in Washington but he knew not how to fight a war.

He was a good peacetime general, but when the cannon fire started, his lack of skill could be easily seen by, well by a sixth grader.

I have no idea why it is, but during peace time, we turn the military over to the McClellans. It is why I call it the McClellan effect. Even during the short WW I, the leadership changed drastically. Eisenhower started WW II as a colonel. He climbed the rung pretty fast, to the point of heading all allied forces in Europe. How many generals of the McClellan type did he pass on the way up. Most likely as he passed them, they asked what that was that passed so fast.

Not all of the good generals made it to the top. They made a movie about him. If you get the chance, you need to see it, “The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell.” They tossed him out of the Army for having the nerve to suggest that planes can destroy even the biggest battleship. That angered a bunch of Navy admirals, even though everything he said was totally right. I don’t know how many of those admirals were honored but the B-25 was named in honor of Gen. Mitchell, the plane used by Doolittle in the raid over Tokyo.

Billy Mitchell was one of those generals who could not survive the politics of peacetime while the admirals did. I wonder just how many men died because of that.

Now, we are in a quasi peace time. It is an environment in which only the political generals survive. it makes me wonder just how many Billy Mitchells we have lost. If I were appointed sec. of Defense, the first thing I would do would be to fire all four and three star generals. From where I sit, none of them are any better leaders than I was. They do know how to say, “Yes sir,” to Old Joe though. And now our armed forces are degrading to far worse than when Reagan became president. Then again, I guess they can’t be totally guilty when you consider what they have for a commander in general.

The problem is, should we ever suffer another Pearl Harbor, would we be able to overcome the McClellan effect long enough to get the good generals in a place where they will do us any good. We might not have months. We might not have days. We might not even have hours.

Worth Repeating, Maybe

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It has been a while since I last said anything about our trip to the Grand Canyon. You know, not everyone gets to see the Grand Canyon. I have been there three times. And yes it is a big hole the ground.

We were at the overlook near the hotel and looking at the plateau that was somewhere half-way down. We were looking at it for 3 or 4 minutes when a stranger off to my right that said, “There are people down there!” Exact words.

I squinted and strained my eyes and saw no one. I turned to the woman and asked, “Where?”

She pointed out a landmark and she said that they were just a little past that. Again, I strained my eyes and sure enough. I still wouldn’t have seen them but they were moving. Again, I remind you, the plateau is only about half way to the bottom. If somehow I were suspended above the canyon at the current altitude in a way that I could see the river, there is simply no way I’d have been able to see a person, maybe with a telescope. As I said, it is a big hole.

When we first arrived to the first lookout, my wife and my sons started watching squirrels. I couldn’t get them to look at the canyon. I mean we have squirrels at home, by the dozens. They were getting the chance of a lifetime to see the canyon and all they wanted to see was squirrels.

Well, at least they were Grand Canyon squirrels. I should have taken movies of them. I could have sold it, you know. I could have advertised, “genuine Grand Canyon squirrels.” I mean my wife and kids liked watching them. Why not others?

A side note, people are permitted to walk to the bottom of the canyon. However, they do need to check-in before they start. Also, everything that goes down must be carried back up. No littering allowed. The fines are very stiff.

Finally, another caution. It is much easier going down than coming back up. It has often been compared to climbing a mountain in reverse. That trail coming back up is the same, but it will seem very much more longer.

Daily writing prompt
Describe your most memorable vacation.
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Heat and Mileage

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I have always known that the heat will effect mileage of electric cars, or any car with air conditioning really. However, as usual, experience is a good teacher. Now that it has been hitting 95 degrees daily lately it is becoming a great deal more obvious. For this reason, the wife and I have started waiting longer before we go out.

At the end of each trip, my EV Nissan gives me a report on how many miles per KW hour I had. It is pretty normal to score anywhere from 3.0 to 3.8. However, here lately, I have been getting reports around 2.3 and 2.4. It is somewhat logical as it takes half the 5 mile ride to cool the car down.

On rare occasions, when driving at night, I get reports close to 5.0. Then the other day, in the evening, I needed very little air conditioning. It wasn’t so hot and my trip was about half in the shade. When I pulled into the drive and turned off the car, I was surprised with a 6.1 miles per KW Hour.

That tells me, I would get much better mileage if I could do all my driving in a climate of 72 degrees where the sun is not heating the cabin through the windows.

Well, I have also drawn a few more conclusions. I could drastically increase my mileage if I could always park my car with the windows wide open. If I could leave the air conditioning off, I just might be able to double my range.

I can’t imagine that others are not completely aware of what I am saying. Moreover, air conditioning does create a load on internal combustion engines, too, likely more than we want to admit. Might it be possible that AC might cost as much as 5 or 6 miles per gallon. This is particularly true when a car must be parked in the sun, pushing the cabin heat to 130, maybe 140 degrees. Likely that compressor in any car is kept running the first 3 or 4 miles.

In the old days, we just rolled the windows down which helped a lot. We just can’t do that anymore. Weather aside, too many thieves. Too much of a temptation. The cost of insurance is high enough. However, If the cost of fuel keeps going up, we might need to roll the windows down anyway and make sure we leave nothing in the car we don’t want to lose.

There are other solutions of course. I did many years ago cover my car with a reflective cover. It worked okay, but by the time I took it off the car, the sun already heated the car. Besides, someone took the cover.

My wife is always tell me, I think to much. I guess that’s true. I did consider just a couple of 4 x 8 pieces of plywood with aluminum foil. I almost did it a time or two. I also wondered if I might be able to mount the things on the car while driving. I am sure it would drive the cost of AC down, but I’m not sure it would be legal.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a piece of foam that would fit over the car and hang over the windows a little. That would not only protect from the heat but it would also prolong the life of the interior, maybe a little. The foam could be rolled up while not in use and put in the trunk. I kind of like this idea the most, if I could find a piece of foam. It would not help while driving. However, it would not take as long to cool the cabin.

My car, I guess as most cars with AC allow the driver to select to recirculate the interior air or pull in fresh air and cool it. Many overlook it. When the cabin is 120 degrees, it is better to draw 95 degree air in and cool it instead of the hot interior air, while forcing the 120 degree air out.

On the other hand, once the interior of the car has cooled blow the 95 degree outdoor temperature, it is far better to cool the interior air than the the hotter outside temperature.

My car has all kinds of automation, but I must do this manually. Moreover, I must only guess. I have no interior temperature indication, other than guess. With all the push to go green, why is this so. Nonetheless, I do my part. When I get in my car, I select outdoor. After about 5 minutes, I switch to recirculate. My guess, I’m probably off some.

Another more recent Idea I had is to get one of these battery powered leaf blowers. Roughly five minutes before going anywhere, I can roll down the front windows and point the leaf blower in one window and blow 95 degree in one window forcing he 120 degree air out the other window. I haven’t done it yet, but it does seem that it would work.

Then the blower would go in the trunk for just before I start home.

If anyone has any other ideas, I have my ears on. If the engineers don’t want to solve this problem, let’s do it for them. Incidentally, Old Joe is going to make sure we are all going to go to electric cars. Y’ll are going to be facing these problems one of these days.

The Problem With Ordering Online

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Whenever, I order pizza online to be delivered, I order through Domino’s. It all works out good. The pizza is hot and the soft drinks are cold. The one delivering the pizza is friendly.

Then, suddenly I have advertisements show up daily on my e-mail. I know the e-mail has a little box to check to turn the ads off, but why.

It may seem strange, but when I want a pizza I know how to do that. I don’t need help. And I do find it annoying to have my computer used for their ads. It just rubs me the wrong way.

I would tell them personally, but I doubt it would help. Companies like that seem to have mindsets, and not just Domino’s. It seems I order a widget and suddenly there is an onslaught of ads for widgets. I just bought the one. I don’t need anymore for a long time. You know, they do last years.

Well, I am getting a little off the intended path, but I suspect I already have a few folks agreeing with me.

But here’s the hitch for Domino’s and the outfits like them. Instead of going to Domino’s to order my next pizza, I am more apt to go to Three guys, Marco’s, or even Subway… who makes a really good personal pizza by the way.

Instead of the ads drawing business in, they just might be driving people away. I consider it the unintended consequences of doing stupid stuff. And here’s the hitch, they think what they are doing is smart.

Words of Wisdom for the Woman Who Wants to Carry (a gun)

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I was in a doctor’s office the other day and reading an article by a woman. Yeah. What can a woman tell a man who was in the Marines for nine years about guns? Plenty!

Two things specifically that never occurred to me. First, never carry a gun in your purse. Now, I don’t know why I never thought of that, other than I never carried a purse. The problem you see, if a purse snatcher, snatches your purse, then he has also has obscanded off with your gun. You now no longer have a purse or money, but you lost your gun too. Now you will need to explain that to the police.

I have a weakness as a reporter. I am bad at getting names. I should have written down the name of the woman that wrote that which I read so that I was able to write it so you can read it. Should the woman read this, send me a message so I can properly credit you.

By the way, good clean well oiled guns don’t need to be carried in not so clean pursues anyway.

As a side note of my own, if you left your gun in the car that was stolen, pretty much the same thing applies. Fortunately, at least until recently, cars are more difficult to steal than purses.

One more peace of advice for any person, especially women, if you think you want to carry a .38 special for any reason, fire 50 rounds through one before investing in one. 1 in 3 men can handle one; maybe 1 in 10. After firing 10 rounds through a rental one day, I learned that. I am not too proud to admit my wrist hurt for hours after.

They used to be carried by police, you know. Now I have a new respect for them. I suppose after four or five hundred rounds, I might get used to it, but why?

ABC 24 This Week

Posted in Abuse of Power, Crime, law enforcement, Lawyers and Representation, Liberals, Our Legal Systems, Politcal Opinion by

I watched the above show on channel 24, Memphis. The subject of discussion for the the first 15 minutes was the raising of property taxes suggested by the mayor.

First, let me say as I have before, I like the idea. Every time the Memphis city government does something stupid, the value of real estate in Desoto County increases. May I make this short reminder that Desoto County is growing leaps and bounds while Memphis population is shrinking. I might add that Memphis has been losing people to surrounding area almost immediately after the dems established firm control of the city forcing their liberal concepts upon the cityresidents.

Going back to the TV show, all three guests on the show agreed with the mayor. That says, no shouts something about the show. Considering the rebellion of the tax payers in Memphis, I would have to say that it was a very poor representation of the city population.

The Soviets had a word for that kind of journalism. Pravda, Ironically, it is the Russian word for truth. I think maybe the show spoke everything but the truth.

It is the misfortune of Memphis, the benefits for me and my neighbors, and all the surrounding communities.

Malfunction Junction

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The above is an unofficial name given to the junction of interstates 55 and 240. The reason is quite simple, or should I say complex. If you enter the junction on 55, you must exit to remain on 55. If you enter on 240, you must exit to remain on 240.

No matter if you enter the junction from North, South, East or West, if you don’t take an off ramp, you will leave the junction on a different interstate than the one you entered on.

As I consider it, it does make me think. It sort of represents how the feds do things. More specifically, it represents how Old Joe does things.

Note, if you don’t believe me, just look it up on a map or Google Earth. It’s in the southern part of Memphis. It is also a good idea to keep in mind should you need to go through the interchange during your travels.

Incidentally, US 51 passes through the same area. However, southbound, there is only an off ramp from 240 to 51. Northbound, there is only an off ramp from 55 to 51. I discovered this the hard many decades ago. Eastbound or westbound, sorry, no way to get there without going somewhere else first.