Piece of crap!!!!!!!

There's more to life than cars....

There have been many times when I've used alternate forms of transportation such as a bicycle and walking to go fairly long distances and I can't overstate the dangers I've faced because of a lack of adequate sidewalks and bike lanes. A lack of decent sidewalks, ramps and lights make for a real adventure for the autoless traveler. Too much money is spent to build more and more roadways without giving serious thought to providing alternate transportation facilities. Just another form of taxation without representation, and the subsidization of businesses engaged in the oil and automobile industry. Wherever tax dollars and development fees are spent on roads, an equal amount should be spent on creating other transportation networks. There are many reasons why this is the right thing to do. Bicycle and walking forms of transport need to be encouraged for both health safety, and finacial reasons. A comprehensive network of sidewalks and trails would also benefit the disabled. I've seen people in wheelchairs riding in the street because of a lack of sidewalks and that really sucks. There currently is a lawsuit against the state of California Department of Transportation for violations to the Americans With Disabilities Act. I wish them luck. The work should have been done already. Everyone has a right to travel without putting their lives in danger.
Californians for Disability Rights Inc. v. California Department of Transportation, 06-5125.

Everybody agrees!

Impeach............

Bush is crap!

Old machines

32" woodworking bandsaw, manufactured by
"The Silver Manufacturing Co."

For anyone who does woodworking or metalworking, when you are in need of a particular machine consider buying an older one. There are many advantages to buying new although depending on your budget, the quality may not be up to spec. Most older machines ( at least the professional type) were well made and unless they were abused will only need new bearings and some electrical re-work, along with some wd40, scotchbrite and elbow grease to get them going again. Common mechanics tools and a little spare time is all you will need and the result will be a machine that will perform for a lifetime. The bandsaw in the picture was made around 1900 give or take a couple of years. I bought it for $300 from a guy who had it stored covered with a tarp in a horse corral. It was originally powered by a line shaft so I had to put a motor on it. Fortunately there were pre-existing holes in the cast c-frame where the line drive pulley assembly mounted so I didn't have to alter the machine. I made a swing type motor mount for it so I could adjust belt tension easily and with a nice strong motor retreived by my freind Kenny D from the local dumpster and a switch from the spare parts drawer ,the machine had power. Because it had sat outside for years it had a nice coating of rust everywhere but no deep pits so after several hours of scouring by Ken and Pat the machine was rustfree, lubricated and ready for the last phase of replacing the wheel bushings and tires. The bushings were available from a parts supply. They were a standardized size which was nice considering the age of the machine. The new bushings were a little tight which is the way they come. The intention here is too be able to hone the bushing to a perfect fit, that being accomplished with a standard automotive brake hone. The tires were a bitch to put on. They had been purchased years ago by the previous owner and were very dry and stiff. After a great deal of wrestling and the aid of a hand wench, they were on, the wheels placed back on their axles, greased and that was that! Because the machine was made before OSHA in a time when there was little regard for worker safety, I needed to make covers for the wheels and a guard for the exposed part of the blade. It has been 10 years or so since I bought the saw and it has performed everything I've asked it to do. At 32" in diameter with a cutting height of 15" it cuts virtually anything (except it's too fast for steel) including re-saw work on 12" oak. I've got a 14" steel cutting bandsaw with a blade welder so I can make my own blades for either machine, but that's another story..........

"Old Wood Working Machines"

A great year for spiders

The weather's been perfect for spiders this year and misty enough in the mornings to be able to see them.
Except when I go out for the paper in the morning when it's still dark. After getting a face full of web similar to this one I now whirl my arm in front of me like an airplane propeller as I walk down the driveway in search of the morning news. Hope my neighbors aren't watching.......

Bad investments..................

According to the Congressional Research Service (link), updated June 16 2006, the US has spent $437 BILLION dollars in Iraq, Afghanistan and "other" global anti-terrorist operations. In addition, the operations have cost the lives of 2,606 US soldiers and have injured an additional 19,323 (link).
The expenditures listed above were all spent in the name of revenge and preventing the next 9/11.
By comparison, the 9/11 attacks cost an estimated $20 billion dollars (link), and the lives of 2,973 people.
The way I see it , the US should have dealt with 9/11 as a police matter which would have cost only in the millions, probably would have achieved better results and would not have destroyed 2 countries and cost the lives of 100s of thousands of innocent bystanders.
A much better investment would be swimming lessons. For instance, according to National Vital Statistics Report (link) 2002, there were 3,842 drowning deaths reported (assuming from 2001). Private swimming lessons for an equivalent number of people would cost $1,248,650( $325 for 10 lessons at Pearls....link). Granted, this is a simplification of the reason for the drownings. Some would have occured anyway and the percentile of the 0-5 year olds might not be preventable unless we invested in some parenting classes for those who leave their children un-attended in potentially dangerous situations. So lets add another $1,522,200,000 for parenting classes for 3,842 couples.($300 per couple. link). Or maybe this should just be included in sex education classes in High School.
As you can see there are much more cost effective ways of saving lives. Not quite as dramatic as shock and awe or sending in the Marines, but guaranteed to save lives and still have some money left in the bank.

Major arms soar to pre-9/11 cost

Living on reds, vitamin c and cocaine......

Where else but in Santee would you see a rig like this eh? No doubt the owner is a true believer, but then again if recent news is any indicator maybe there's a load of guns or drugs in the back.
Religion related fraud getting worse...link
Really though, religious fraud is nothing new. It's been a fraud all along, it's just taking awhile for the general public to catch on. After all, how many countries can be bombed, how many innocent people can be murdered in the name of one diety or another before people see that they are being led around by a bunch of criminals......
who don't want to work!

Yes, I'm gonna get me religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist Church
Yes, I'm gonna get me religion, I'm gonna join the Baptist Church
You know I wanna be a Baptist preacher, just so I won't have to work
One deacon jumped up, and he began to grin
One deacon jumped up, and he began to grin
You know he said, "One thing, elder. I believe I'll go back to barrelhousin' again"
One sister jumped up, and she began to shout
One sister jumped up, and she began to shout
"You know I'm glad this corn liquor's goin out"
Another deacon jumped up and said, "Why don't ya hush?"
Another deacon jumped up and said, "Why don't ya hush?"
"You know you drink corn liquor and your lie's a horrible stink"
One sister jumped up and she began to shout
One sister jumped up and she began to shout
"I believe I can tell ya'll what it's all about"
Another sister jumped up, she said, "Why don't ya hush?"
Another sister jumped up, she said, "Why don't ya hush?"
"You know he's abandoned, and you outta hush your fuss"
I was in the pulpit, I's jumpin up and down
I was in the pulpit, I's jumpin up and down
My sisters in the corner, they're hollerin Alabama bound
Grabbed up my suitcase and I took off down the road
Grabbed up my suitcase and I took off down the road
I said, "Farewell church, may the good Lord bless your soul"
You know I wish I had a heaven of my own
You know I wish I had a heaven of my own
I'd give all my women a good ol' happy home
I'm gonna preach these blues and I'm gonna choose my seat and sit down
I'm gonna preach these blues and I'm gonna choose my seat and sit down
But, when the Spirit comes, I want you to jump straight up and down
You know I's in the pulpit, I was jumpin straight up and down
You know I was in the pulpit, I was jumpin straight up and down
You know the sisters in the corner, they were hollerin' Alabama bound

Eddie James "Son" House

Fight for Peace!

"Piece of crap"

"Piece Of Crap"

Tried to save the trees
Bought a plastic bag
The bottom fell out
It was a piece of crap

Saw it on the tube
Bought it on the phone
Now you're home alone
It's a piece of crap

I tried to plug in it
I tried to turn it on
When I got it home
It was a piece of crap

Got it from a friend
On him you can depend
I found out in the end
It was a piece of crap

I'm trying to save the trees
I saw it on TV
They cut the forest down
To build a piece of crap

I went back to the store
They gave me four more
The guy told me at the door
It's a piece of crap

Neil Young

They cut the forest down to build a piece of crap! Indeed! The photo is of plywood that I received for the purpose of building some cabinets. The lumber company in question has been supplying me with materials for years. They know what what I build and they know what is suitable yet they offered me this when I called and asked for some "B" grade wood that would be finished with plastic laminate. At $22 a sheet for 3/4", without seeing it first, I decided to try it. The outside veneer didn't look very good, it was not "B" quality (some plugs and small knotholes allowed) but I thought I could still make it work. But then I started cutting it and there were huge voids in the core and the gluelines were delaminating in places. After a close look at the core with all of its defects, I turned off the saw and called the sales rep. He told me that it is NOT recommended for anything but sub-floor but they would take it back and replace it with something better. This stuff is so bad it's virtually useless for anything but crates and at $22 per sheet, it is too expensive for that. Looking at the core of the stuff, it appears to be the result of clearcutting. Layers of small narrow pieces are mixed in with larger pieces and then the whole wad is glued and crushed down into a mat that is then heavily sanded to make it flat and ready for the outside veneer. It is a shame they even bothered with it. A total waste of the materials and most likely a total waste of the environment it came from. This stuff as well as most other hardwood plywood now comes from South America where the forest is still somewhat abundant and labor is cheap. Not for long though. Most of the import plywood used to come from Indonesia. Not anymore. For years there were rumors that the forests there were becoming depleted, 50-60% by some estimates and the shift to South America indicates the truth to that. The tidal wave a couple of years ago probably also disrupted the supply line. But in any event, I've never seen plywood this bad before. It sucks that they're cutting down the forest to build crap. What a waste! Years ago, I stopped using Phillipine mahogany ply because it was coming from Borneo, the last remaining habitat of the Orangutan. I switched to a product that was stamped "Made in China" thinking that China is a bigger country and it could stand some cutting without any great harm. Wrong! Not only is China one of the most environmentally degraded areas in the world, but then I found out the wood "Obeche" actually came from the last remaining rainforest in Nigeria. Illegally cut and removed by a large mining outfit from Austrailia. I try to use MDF( cabinet grade particleboard) now whenever possible. It's not a glamorous product but it is environmentally friendly and can be made into quality products if done right. Besides I might as well get used to it because the days of abundant quality materials is a thing of the past.

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

Jim Morrison

Free your mind.......

Our local anti-war heroine took my sign to Crawford!
Woohooooooooooooooooo.

Have you had enough?

If Iraq isn't Vietnam all over again, what's with that stupid "Tie a yellow ribbon" song?

As Tony Orlando sang onstage, Evelyn Sam of University City cheered at the Sean Hannity Freedom Concert at Coors Amphitheatre last night.

Would someone please arrest this women?
She is in clear violation of Section 8 paragraph D

It now appears that the military had no information on rockets launched from the site of the building, or the presence of Hezbollah men at the time.

The Israel Defense Forces had said after the deadly air-strike that many rockets had been launched from Qana. However, it changed its version on Monday.

The site was included in an IAF plan to strike at several buildings in proximity to a previous launching site. Similar strikes were carried out in the past. However, there were no rocket launches from Qana on the day of the strike.
--------------------

No Hezbollah rockets fired from Qana

--------------------

US supplied bombs to destroy Qana

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore........

But El Cajon could end up being a lot like Kansas unless the more liberal minded people out here get off their butts and get engaged in local politics. The Grossmont Union High School District will be electing 3 members to the board in November and there is a chance at stopping the religious wrong from continuing their push towards teaching creationism and trashing science. The wackos have been trying for years to control the hearts and minds of our children here and the only thing stopping them has been the Teachers Union.
The 3 chairs up for election are currently held by wackos,
Jim Kelly, Evelyn Willis and Ron Nehring
who as of yet are un-commited to running for re-election but don't be fooled into submission because if they don't run, there will always be another willing to take their place.
The control of the school board has been a focus of the religious wackos for the last 30 years and they will continue to try to control it from now until they bring on armageddon.

Fall election could clinch control of school board

The flag picture was taken yesterday. Doesn't it make you feel all warm, fuzzy and patriotic?

Burn a flag, while you still can.

Pretty soon you will be arrested for it and will be limited to only being able to shred it, wear it, leave it in the dark, leave it in the rain, let it fade or pathetically displaying it on your roof!

Geese for Peace

These 2 are always "honking for peace"!
I guess they better stay out of Ferndale eh?