Still working it Out

It has been a busy time for me. That translate into not much time to write or to read. But still I have made note of a couple of items of late.

For example:

• The mostly conservative Supreme court has taken the Health Care Reform bill under consideration listening to arguments this week and I gather for the following two weeks. The primary argument against is that you can not force a person to buy health insurance. It seems a little odd to me that if they can force you to buy auto insurance pay for a drivers licences on the state level yet the federal government can't force you to buy health insurance. Don't get me wrong I not really a fan either. But the reason is due to nature of law favoring the insurance companies not the people by leveling a fan against those who fall thru the cracks that work yet incomes or too great for state and federal help but not enough that they are force to give up a luxury like food or housing to pay for it. It seems strange to me that the federal government program like Medicare can provide health insurance that is really good for $100 a month. To me it only makes sense to make it a universal plan available to all.
• I also couldn't help but note the constant rising fuel cost. In my area it is up to $3.90 a gallon. Yet the normal reason sacristy of supplies do not apply in as much as it is pure profiteering. Fuel imports are down, domestic production is up, US reserves are at a all time high, combined with increased in fuel efficiency and increased use of public transportation. Yet fuel cost at the street is up. From what I understand it is all pure speculation and manipulation of the futures market. In other words another fat cat making money off our sweat. So think twice before you make a unnecessary trip to the store. It isn't just the cost of the bread you pay.
• On Politics is it me are you also tired of the nonsense that is going on for the race for the republican nomination of president. The one thing the longer it goes on the more they show their true colors. THEY CARE NOTHING FOR THE COMMON WORKING CLASS. THEY SEE US AS SHEEP TO BE LED.

Projects-Reading-Movies
On projects I have managed to actually complete some of them.

I am now the owner of a 1997 Dodge Dakota PU with a 4cy 5speed tranny. Mechanically sound but cosmetically it needs some help. Bought from a individual she has a lot of miles but for $1500 I can't complain. The immediate need of a complete rebuild on the rear brakes cylinders and drums took care of any immediate needs. The charging of AC (done by myself) supplied me with cold air for when I need it. The Rest is just cosmetics and over the next year i will address those more for protection against rust than it bothers me.

I will post an acutal photo in a later blog. Fuel efficency seems to be in the mid 20's so far. There are a couple of things I will do to tweak the fuel ecconomy I write about later as well.

I managed to complete the repairs to my Power Chair. I managed to get the wheel strut off that was bent and for $10 a local body shop applied just enough heat and was able to bend it back into shape.. An hour after I had it home I had my power chair back in business. Unfortunately the power chair is essential for me to get around in and around my house as well as at the flea market as I can't stand or walk far with my old wore out joints.

I also bought the 1/2 inch wood I needed to build a remote caddy and have started on that . I will post a photo when I am done.

Reading unable to get any done

Movies watched but nothing worth noting.

That is all I have for now. Stay frosty brothers.

Class warfare

I was trying to come up with a subject and realize that I really didn’t have anything new. I mean if I think about nothing has really changed and I am growing tired of sounding like an old nag.

Yet some things need to be brought out. We need to be reminded. We need to be NAGGED. We just have to be careful as individuals to not allow us to become acceptance of the status-quo.

So with that in mind let me start with this President Obama has been accused of trying to start a class war. That the democrats are trying to drive a wedge between the have and have-nots. Well that was done a long time ago. We just have been ignoring it.

The first shot of this class war began under Ronald Regan who systemically began to dismantle the power of the Unions beginning with the Air Traffic Controllers Union. This followed by a media campaign to make the Unions look like a bunch of over paid selfish louts runned by the Mafia.

Was there Mafia or organize crime in the Unions? Of course just as there are in the finical sector. Where there is money to be made these highly motivated well organized folks will be trying to stick their fingers into the pie.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the Unions are the reason that the Middle class was so strong for so long. Because the common working man had a voice.

This voice of the working class was champion first by the Democrats and it was understood that this symbiotic relationship between the Democrats and unions was a good thing and it was despite the greed of certain members from both the union and democratic officials.

Then the war on the Unions began in 1980 combined with the Democrats support of the Free trade acts began the slow dismantle of our manufacturing sector with the shipping of factories off to third world countries beginning with  the Maquiladora plants that lined the Mexico/Us Border starting in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

The is that these factories that were shipped off to Mexico to India to China were the backbone of the bulk of what was considered the middle class. The wages they received were good because the Unions were there to demand their share of the wealth that these working men and women created. Now these men and women who made up the blue/white collar middle class are now scrambling to make a living with low paying jobs in the service industry.  

It is time for the working class folks to get their head out of the sand and realize that these neo-Nazis-Tea Party-John Birch Society- Republicans as well as the blue dog democrats are not the friend of the working man. That the rhetoric being tossed about is total BS. It is time to remind the elites and uber-rich that we are the reason that they have the wealth they have and that they need to share it if they want it to continue.

I say support the 99ers’ yes but support Union rebuilding even more. It took us 34 years to get in the condition we are in now and it goes without saying it will only get worse if we don’t step up and strike a blow for the common man. How can you strike a blow you might ask?

Well a couple of steps would be.

·         Buy American where you can inculuding buying local vs. Wal-mart.

·         Continued support of the 99er’s they are the beginning not the end.

·         If you have a Union in your plant or job join even if it is weak you as a member can make it stronger by you membership.

·         Vote. Yes vote for the individual who not only talks the talk but walks the walks as well. If they don’t the boot them out.

·         Change in government policy begins only when it has become a common policy among the people and law only legitimatize the changes. (ie. Pot becomes legal when the overwhelming acceptance of its use causes ignoring of pot laws) On its’ own governments never act to change the status-quo until change has become the status-quo.

So enough of my standing on a apple crate preaching. Do an act of civil disobedience each day. It is good for your mental health.

Projects-Reading-Movies.

Shop time has been on my power chair repair. But I am hoping that I can begin work on a few small projects soon as well as setting up my second well honestly forth hand pickup truck. In the mean time I well keep trying to dismantle the power chair so that I can remove the left front wheel strut so I can take it down and have it straighten.

Willam Gibson’s book “Distrust That Flavor”: a collection of essays both previously printed and new material proved to be overall pretty good. But realize dear reader I like essays and particularly on the creative process. I particularly like the commentary on futurist and the mis-guided ideal that SF writers write about the future. Well I don’t want to be a spoiler but understand it isn’t everyone’s’ cup of tea. On a scale of 5 with 5 being the highest recommendation I would give it a 4 on readability an 3.5 on content.

I’ve as a result of reading WG book I have ordered from Amazon Spook Country and Zero History and awaiting their delivery.

There is a new movie coming out that I have on my radar called “Prometheus” that the trailers have appealed to me.

I also can’t begin to comment on the season conclusion of “the Walking Dead” without being a spoiler but wow.

Grandson’s and I have had a Tremors movie night and they were just as fun this time around particularly with the young ones.

Enough for now.

Random thoughts on a shop

With the warming weather and sunny days I find myself thinking of getting out into the shop. In Fact I undertaken the job of cleaning up and in general making sure that all is well in my little piece of tinker heaven.

Yesterday I was working on my power chair; a front caster wheel bent; and as I was looking for a pair of needle nose pliers to pull cotter pins with I begin to reflect on what kind of shop I might end up when we eventually move to another rental. Part of that reflection rest upon what your philosophy or desires for a shop.

Several years ago I while reading a book on community design the author an Aussie living in the USA spoke of a community he lived in just outside of Sydney. He spoke lovingly of how while the houses were all fairly routine each house still spoke of it’s owner. Part of his reminiscence reflected on the shed in the back yard.

This shed was the domain of the man of the house and was where here at least he held sway. It contained his hand tools, work bench, garden supplies and usually stored his barbecue grill. From this small shed (as I understood a 8X8 ft size) bicycles were repaired, mower blades sharpen, and old chairs repaired. It was where you could always find the right bolt or screw or piece of scrap wood for a what ever purpose the home might need. For the author he saw this as a necessity and not a luxury for people to help have a connection with their home and their community. What he preached I understood and became a believer.

  As a result of the author I became fascinated with folks who took any available space and turned it into their shop. In turn I understood that you didn’t need a warehouse space for project to come out of but just enough room for a few tools, supplies and memories to be built.

So as I have been working out in my current garage shop I have started reflecting on different scenarios of what I can do to assure that I have piece of my own tinker’s heaven.  But whatever space I end up with I know there will be one be it a one car garage space or 8X8 metal shed.

Projects – Reading

This past week has been spent working or trying to figure out how to straighten the caster wheel holder on my power chair. Small spaces and my artheritc hands are not very compatible. But I think I have found the parts list for the Merit power chair I have and hope either to order another caster wheel holder or figure out how to straighten and strengthen the existing one.

I received two new books this past week Willam Gibson “Don’t Trust That Flavor” a collection of previous publish and new material essays that so far has been very enjoyable.

The second book is by James Lee Burke called “The Rain Gods” a mystery set in west Texas on the border. Judging by a few passages I have snatched from the bo

ok so far It will be as expected for this author very good.

Well that is enough for now.

The Monkey House

Just a quick note but first a question. Are you as tired of hearing about the presidential elections particularly about the GOP runoff’s?

I know I am. Seriously they want you to believe what is coming out of these folks mouths like it matters. That each candidate is seriously different.  I got to ask how are they different. It is like looking at the silver ware drawer. You are looking for a spoon and you have an assortment of styles but in the end they are still all the same just a spoon. A tool of the elite.

Their ideal of saving the economy is to cut social services like Medicare and Medicade along with privatizing the Social Security giving access to the corporate conglomerates in the form of investment capital thereby risking our safety net while protecting their own capital. Ask a lot of the city and state government retirement programs that did just that as to how it work out for them. Many of a ex-government employee are scrambling to figure out what happen to their safety net particularly since many of them opted out of the SSI system.

If you believe that the elite and big business international conglomerates have your best interest at heart. Then I have a bridge to sell you in New York City.

Am I saying the Dem’s are any better. Hell no! But at least they talk the talk even if they fail to walk the walk. The dems can at least be expected to attempt to put a chicken in every pot even if that chicken is just a ghost of what a chicken should look like.

I already know that I will be voting a straight democrat ticket and refusing to vote on races that only have a republican to vote for. Unfortunately not having a democrat running for a city or state office in Texas is not uncommon.

I am reminded when I watch republican debates or congressional debates on the floor of the senate or house of going to a monkey house and dodging the feces that are thrown at us by the chimps (congress, senate and president) at us chumps looking in at them. No matter how much you try you are going to get some on you. It stinks and doesn’t come off too easily.

I read once a sarcastic comment offered as a prayer by a native American. That said “Lord, Protect me from those who wish to do me good.” In the end that is all we can do is to pray for protection. Just remember be careful for what you pray for you might just get it.

Movies-books-reading

Recently watched “The Bang Bang Club” a movie about real events and people.  It based on a book about a group of photo-journalist that were documenting the fight for equal rights in South Africa in the 1990’s. The movie is available on NetFlix and well worth watching. The book is as well.

I have been following the ABC series “The River” filmed in the documentary style about a rescue attempt of an anthropologist chasing after some mythical place in the Amazon River Basin. You can pull off the internet past shows. Take time to get into it and if you can follow from the beginning.

Reading I have mostly been finishing “The Dead Lagoon” by Diddin and have pulled out my copy of Bruce Sterlings’ “Heavy Weather” a great book that I have read several times already but worth reading again.

Projects- Well that has been mostly building a dividers for my old 2 drawer tool box, going through my tools servicing them when needed and continued the cleanup. I am finding that I have tools that have walked away and can’t be found and tools that I don’t remember buying. I also have been deciding on whether I want to try to repair the wheel on my power chair or not. I think I might give it a whirl if I can get the front left wheel off to straighten and strengthen the wheel bracket. We will see. Wish I had a cutting tourch and welder.

To my family and friends who are reading this both items are on my wish list if you want to buy me a 110 wire welder or a small portable cutting torch rig.

Well Enough for now.

Making do or Repurposing

My Dad was a recycler before recycle was popular. He was one out of necessity, habit and choice. A term I hear a lot today is to repurpose an item and this, my Dad did a lot of as well. He was in some ways a renaissance man I use to think but in truth he was a man of his time and place in the world.

Born in the early 1920’s he was raised by his grandfather, who unfortunately I can not say was anything but a racist who left Georgia for Texas after killing a carpetbagger. Called Doc Adams because he was trained as Doctor from Duke University but preferred doctoring horses over people.  He carried on him a concelled colt 45 peacemaker that killed 7 white men in “self-defense” and unknown number of blacks which he didn’t bother to keep track of. Doc Adams lived to almost 100 years old and died in a accident on the horse farm he still worked in East Texas. When he was asked by mother how a man like him could live so long he responded “Because I hate.” When He died I understand that a number of people came to his funeral. I suspect not because of respect but to make sure he was dead. We didn’t attend my mother was a Choctaw Indian and wasn’t white enough.

I tell you this because my Dad was the most un-racist man I have ever known of and who passed on to me the belief that the quality of the man was not in the color of his skin but in the quality of his character.

Now why am I telling your dear reader of this short history of my Dad’s upbringing? It is because he had to begin at a early age to earn his upkeep.

From his grandmother a Southern Louisiana woman he learned to cook after Doc Adams had to remove her left arm when it was bitten by a spider and the bite turned septic. This was helping in the kitchen while other children there to visit played. From my granddad he learned to hunt, fish, skinned, clean and butcher anything worth hunting not to mention hogs and steers.

Since by the age of 10 he was almost full grown he was often lent to help out building barns and cabins so he learned carpentry, Because my great grandfather also mined low grade coal off his horse ranch he learned how to weld and basic mechanic skills to repair the old dump wagons and the model T that from age 11 he drove his grandfather around in on his doctoring rounds. In 1940 he was signed up by his Grandfather in the Army reserve at age 17 so that he could earn a few extra bucks while still hanging around as free labor on his horse farm.

Why you might ask am I telling you this short history of my Dad. Well because I have started a search for a second hand or very used mini or midi truck to replace the old Isuzu Pickup my youngest wrecked. This morn I awoke from a dream thinking about my Dad. When he needed a vehicle he often would go out and drag one from the field of some farmer friend and somehow get it to run and keeping it running using it until he had the finances to buy a better one. He tried to teach me by how by dragging me out on these rescue missions.

The first things he would do of course would be drag the old car out of the field to a flat area dis-lodging the snakes and field mice who had taken up residence in the old car. Then while I jacked up the car and began removing the wheels with the flat tires mounted on them he would begin the reviving of the old motor the whole time talking to me and calling me over to see what he was doing.

First he would remove the spark plugs and use Marvel Mystery Oil squirted from a old oil pump can into each cylinder through the plug hole. Then he would disconnect the fuel lines pull the carburetor putting it into a bucket of kerosene to soak away the old grease and carbon build up. Then he would with the car up on jacks drain the oil if any, replace the filter, fill it up again with MMO. Then he would take a heavy flat head screwdriver or small crow bar and at a access port turn the flywheel over breaking loose the engine from years of just sitting there.

If it turned over freely he would if I remember correctly he would then attach a fresh battery hook up and use the starter to turn over the engine at a faster rate circulating the Marvel Mystery Oil throughout the engine. He would use a compression guage to verify if it still had compression and if all checked out he would then put it back in use. Cleaning out the gas tank, flushing out brake, fuel and cooling system, greasing the ball joints fittings and setting gaps on fresh spark plugs (usually recycled plugs) and points on the distributor, all usually done in a single day. He would then drive off the old car to use until a paycheck or extra money would come in. Nearly everything he used on the old car most often came from a pull and carry wrecking yard. The last old car he did this too was a old Rambler station wagon about a 54 to a 56 as best as I can remember. Either way when Dad was through with something it truly was ready for the scrap yard.

Why am I again bringing up this old history of my Dad?

Well it is a reminder of lessons learned from the generation that recovered from last major depression/recession. They learned the hard way to recycle and repurpose an item until that item was totally used up and not throw it on the trash heap because it had lost it’s newness. Perhaps it is time for us to learn to do so as well in these difficult times as well.

I am still looking for that second had mini-truck and eventually I will find one. When I do it may not look very sharp based on what is considered by most. But, I will know it will get me around until better times or it has been totally used up.

On a side note as I lubricate a squeaky door or a rusty old bolt on the old car I will be using the same oil can my Dad used on the old cars he recycled.

In The Shop- movies -reading

The photo following is the reason I have deceided to spend time reorgainzing my shop space. Until I do I think not much will get done.

 Movies been busy with family to watch much but have enjoyed the latest round of the "Walking Dead" on AMC. 

Reading mostly Michael Dibbin "The Dead Lagoon" a Zen character mystery along with a issues of "Popular Mechanics." "Wood" and "Amerian Woodworker". 

Is There Value in a Pity Party?

Did you ever feel like a week has been a dud. I mean a totally waste of time and effort. If not then be grateful. This week has been that way for me. Even so I can readily admit I am grateful for the week.

But, you just said it was a dud. Well, yeah it was. But it still has a purpose.

My Dad used to tell me when I would complain of someone or something and I would ask why he wasn’t expressing similar feelings he would tell me. “David, everybody, event, and thing has a purpose if it is no more than to remind you not to do that again.  

That is what this past week has been for me a week to remind me not to do that again.  What again am I talking about?

First, it is wasting my time fretting and feeling sorry for myself over things I cannot change. It is feeling sorry for myself that I think is the greatest waste of this past week. I mean having a pity party not going to change a thing. Pity and generally feeling sorry for myself achieves only one thing and that is prevention of getting on with our life.

This past week because I only achieved feeling sorry for myself I did not get into the shop and build the remote caddy, redesign my Iphone stand to one that works better. In general spend time in the shop. Why? Because I was feeling sorry for myself thinking I could not do anything since it was cold or damp or both or I didn’t have what I needed. I could go on but I get bored with myself.

I could sit here and blame others for the pity party I have been throwing all week but truthfully growing up like I did if there is one thing I learned it is to depend on yourself not on another for what you need. So in the end I have only myself to blame.

The big question remains what to prevent the pity party to carry on into next week. The answer again is me. To commit myself to doing move forward rather than stagnating in this self-filling pool of frustration.

1.   First I am going to commit myself to spending the necessary time in the physical therapy. That is time in the Rehab pool 3 days a week to improve blood flow in my legs and lower body.

2.   No matter the weather excuses to get out into my garage shop and make some sawdust or noise at least.

3.   Take a moment to write and read. This is important to me. I like to read. Consequently that reading encourages me to write. What kind of writing well this blog for one. But to exercise my imagination and try a little fiction and work on my family history to leave behind when I gone. Although sometime family history and fiction are one and the same.

4.   Be a little more creative in the kitchen. I have allowed myself to become too routine in cooking that I do during the week. So it is time to change up from what I normally do and try something new. What better time than this coming week when there is Valentine’s day and my Wife birthday two days later.

No one knows really what lays in store for him or her. We like to think we are in control but if there is one thing I have learned by somehow reaching sixty-two years of age is that the only thing we can control is our attitude.

I hope this blog hasn’t been a totally waste of your time to read but it hasn’t been a waste of my time to write. For it has reminded me don’t let life get too you and drag you down. But rather keep moving ahead shaking off the lethargy can grip us when we allow self-pity weigh us down.

Projects-Movies-Reading

Sorry. Been too busy throwing a pity party and having my head up my a#% to get anything done.

Saw this cartoon and thought of Warren from Tesla's Laptop

Who am I

My wife has often referred to me as having the heart and mindset of a gypsy. The first time she told me this I realized she was right.

I knew without question that was who I am. It made so much sense to me to simply accept this definition of who I was.

It explained my dislike of homeownership in a society that values homeownership. It explains why I find myself becoming antsy after a few years in one place and begin looking around thinking it would not be too bad living in a new neighborhood.

I came about this gypsy mentality not just genetically but through environmental influence. Growing up my father was a rolling stone that gathered no moss. Many a time we moved regardless of school year from east coast to the west coast to the south coast (Gulf Coast). I can tell folks honestly that I have been or lived in very state south of the Ohio and west of the Mississippi River.

As a kid I came to value a sleeping bag for it meant I always had a place to sleep even it was on the side of the road with a curb bumper for a pillow. I have absolutely no problem falling asleep with stranger walking by but will be instantly awake if they should come too close. My wife is the only one who can walk up on me as I nap and not awake me.

I know what it is like to live in a house without heat or electricity because we didn’t have the deposit or could not pay the bill. 

I know what it is like to appreciate a mayonnaise sandwich. To miss meals because there wasn’t anything there to eat. Growing up beans and fried potatoes were our nightly fare. If we had cornbread it was considered a luxury. Meat was regulated to a Sunday dinner if then. Breakfast was often grits without sugar or butter, which to this day I still can’t eat grits. Once I started working I didn’t pay it any mind missing lunch and often forgo it saving the money for other things. Eating was something I sought out to do not something I had to do. This came from my growing up on the move.

I grew up understanding not to get too attach to physical items as those items might be sold to fiancé the next move. As a result I all too often am ready to sell my possessions to help a member of my family resulting in going from a shop full of tools to one with just enough tools to do minor repairs to our living quarters or automobile. That is where I am right now with my tools, starting over. I think though I will keep them portable as we are looking for a place to live and a carport may be what I have as a working space vs. a 2 car garage I have now. But this ideal of my gypsy mentality helps to understand why I like reading about guys who have setup shops in small spaces keeping their tools portable.

 I have been through at least 3 collections of books in my lifetime and this despite my love of books. It is just too easy to sell in times of need or lack of space in the trailer. Growing up I often saw my books come and go but there were always a few on me at all times. One would be of course a pocket version of the Holy Bible, a book of poems for young adults, and usually Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Fin. It is one reason I value Public Libraries for I could always find one with something as well as a place to read. But today I as I grow older I find myself reluctant to let go books. I find comfort in seeing them on their shelf and holding them in my hand reading a few favorite passages.

This love of books and reluctancy in getting rid of them is one reason I have been considering bookshelf’s made in the style that Thomas Jefferson used. His ideal was to use 3 ft. long shelf’s of varying heights to accommodate books that these elongated cubes could be unstack using them as crated for his books when he moved about from his home in Monticello or Philadelphia or in Washington DC. Then on arrival restacked and ready for use. I am seriously thinking of doing this for my own books not only for the next move but for the rest home where I most likely finish this life up in.

In the end growing up with a nomadic or gypsy environment I believe your emphasis tends to be family first before possessions. That there is always room for one more in the house and at the table. That the pundits are wrong who say “He who dies with the most toys Wins”. But rather, he who is missed most in his passing that will be valued and remembered wins in the end.

I know that this was a little bit different post for me but it might help explain my strong liberal leanings for the downtrodden and distrust of the establishment.

Projects and Movies

This week I plan on tackling a remote caddy and will post photos when completed. I am still thinking about ways that I can improve the iphone docking station as I feel like it’s footprint is still too large and I am uncomfortable with the way it stands unsupported fearing that the plug might become damaged. I have this 3 inch square chunk of rosewood that I keep trying to think of a way to make it work. I just not sure as to how to do it.

One type of movie I like is what I call a slice of life movie. These movies tend to be just a short section of a characters’ life that usually is in a time of change. This past week Reba and I watched “The Narrows” a movie about a young mans desire to break away from his Brooklyn Neighborhood becoming a photographer. I thought it was rather good for a indie flick with a number of well known stars.

Enough for now.