tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14230954241403476562024-03-13T08:23:44.549-07:00Gregg's DoghouseMy take on life, dogs, and other stuff.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-86969261994335445972015-05-21T19:38:00.004-07:002015-05-21T19:38:37.986-07:00Death!Like nearly two thirds of Americans, as a young man I was in favor of the death penalty. Since I lived in Nebraska, that was an easy position to take - one not likely to cause conflict with friends and neighbors, should the subject come up. I don't recall anyone asking, but I'm sure I'd have easily justified my beliefs based on a few obvious "facts":<br />
<ul>
<li>The death penalty reduces the crime rate.</li>
<li>Some people are so evil the world would be a better place without them.</li>
<li>Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for food, housing, medical care, etc. for convicted killers</li>
</ul>
If pressed, my principal objection to the practice of executing prisoners would be the long period of time between sentencing and carrying out the sentence.<br />
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Fortunately, with age comes wisdom, and I've come to understand that the death penalty is ineffective, expensive, and unfairly applied. It's impossible to determine cause and effect with statistics, but a <a href="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/deterrence-states-without-death-penalty-have-had-consistently-lower-murder-rates" target="_blank">comparison</a> of murder rates between death penalty and non death penalty states shows a consistently lower rate in the latter (of course, this statistic is likely skewed by the fact that over<a href="http://www.statisticbrain.com/death-penalty-statistics/" target="_blank"> a third of the executions since 1976 have been carried out in Texas, and nearly 90% are in the south</a>.<br />
<br />
OK, so maybe the death penalty doesn't actually prevent crime, but at least we're executing only the very worst offenders, right? Actually, no - do we really think over 30% of the worst people in the country commit crimes in Texas? Then there's this (<a href="https://www.aclu.org/race-and-death-penalty?redirect=capital-punishment/race-and-death-penalty" target="_blank">from The ACLU <u><strong>Race and the Death Penalty</strong></u></a>):<br />
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<em><span style="color: red;">University of Iowa law professor David Baldus found that during the 1980s prosecutors in Georgia sought the death penalty for 70 % of black defendants with white victims, but for only 15% of white defendants with black victims.</span></em><br />
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So, if we aren't necessarily executing the worst offenders, we can at least take solace in our knowledge that all of these criminals deserve severe punishment, right? Again, no - a <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/28/death-penalty-study-4-percent-defendants-innocent" target="_blank">recent study estimates that about 4% of death row inmates are innocent!</a> If you think a 96% success rate is good enough, think about how you'd feel if one out of every 25 airline flights blew up on take off - I suspect you'd be a lot less excited about your next trip to Los Vegas!<br />
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Since we aren't always executing the worst criminals - and in fact are almost certainly executing the innocent - it seems kind of silly to talk about how much money the death penalty saves us, but, what the heck, let's do it anyway. Is this racist, ineffective, inaccurate system really worth it because it just saves us so stinking much money? Care to take a guess? How much money does the average death sentence save us? Accurate costs are difficult to come up with, but most studies show a death penalty case may cost $1 million more than a non death penalty case. Typically, a prison inmate costs about $50,000 per year to house - a cost that will be somewhat higher for the death row inmate who may take a dozen years or more to exhaust his appeals. While both sides may claim the economy argument, it's clear there is, at best, little or no cost advantage to executions.<br />
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Recently, the death penalty has been in the news in Nebraska. Although I no longer live in the Cornhusker State, I still follow the news - or at least read the headlines. I knew <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Chambers" target="_blank">Ernie Chambers</a> had been working for years to try to eliminate the practice in the state, but I assumed he was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilting_at_windmills" target="_blank">tilting at windmills</a>. Much to my surprise, a bill to eliminate the death penalty in Nebraska recently passed by a 2 to 1 margin! Nebraska's Governor - a Republican, of course - has vowed to veto the bill, but it appears support in the Unicameral is strong enough to override the veto.<br />
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If Nebraska does do away with the death penalty, it will represent an amazing victory for progressives in the state. I've long felt that Ernie Chambers was a great - and largely unappreciated - asset to the state, and this may be his most lasting legacy. We can only hope this is a trend we'll see repeated throughout the country.<br />
<br />Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-88555181540590808962015-04-09T11:20:00.000-07:002015-04-09T11:20:33.547-07:00Road Trip - or Don't Blow Bubbles in a Full-Face Helmet.....I'm a bad influence on my kids, or so I've been told, so when<a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-not-so-easy-rider.html" target="_blank"> I bought a motorcycle</a> it was no big surprise when my youngest child decided to follow suit.<br />
<br />
Kari first talked about getting a scooter - a practical bike with automatic transmission, limited power, and built-in storage options. She initially planned on a 50cc scooter with a top speed of 35 mph or so. In my opinion, an underpowered scooter like that is a hazard on streets with a speed limit over 30 mph, since you may not be able to keep up with the traffic, so I suggested to Kari that she look at slightly larger, 150 cc scooters - generally capable of speeds of 55 mph or so. This would allow her to accelerate and cruise at the speeds generally seen on city streets. <br />
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Kari was open to that idea, and I was glad to hear that she planned to purchase safety gear and had enrolled in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) class. She wisely decided to purchase a bike only after completing the class and getting her motorcycle operator's endorsement on her driver's license.<br />
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As I suspected, Kari took the MSF class on a 250 cc motorcycle, and loved it. After that, she was unlikely to settle for a scooter - she'd want a "real" motorcycle! She started shopping in earnest, and quickly narrowed her list to a couple of favorites. At this point, I thought it might be fun to make the trip up to Las Vegas (actually Henderson, NV) and tag along for the search.<br />
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My bike, while certainly capable of a highway trip, isn't as large as the real "touring" motorcycles. With that in mind, I decided that before taking off, I'd talk to my mechanic (Mike, at <a href="http://medusacycles.com/" target="_blank">Medusa Cycles</a>) to see if he has any concerns about the bike making a 700 mile round trip. Mike - a nice guy who's always willing to take a quick look at something and give you his opinion - said, "the bike will handle the trip a lot better than you will." I took this to mean I'd be OK, and decided to hit the road.<br />
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Traffic in the Phoenix metro area is atrocious, so I elected to get an early start to miss the worst of it. I ended up hitting the road at 5:00 a.m. on Friday morning. My plan was to get out of Phoenix, then take my time, driving slowly and taking lots of breaks. The first part of my trip went according to plan - I got in the HOV (carpool) lane - motorcycles are always allowed in the HOV lane - and cruised the freeway for about 70 miles until I was on the outskirts of town. I admit I gave a big sigh of relief when I hit Carefree Highway and the open road!<br />
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At this point, I started to see the problem with my plan. It sounds good to "drive slowly", but you have to actually do it! The highway - speed limit 65 mph - seemed designed to make me drive much faster than that. Virtually every time I glanced at the speedometer, I was traveling between 75 and 80 mph. Clearly, I was going to need to work on my speed control!<br />
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I did find that it was easy to stick to my plan to make frequent stops. After 75 to 100 miles, I desperately needed a break. The drive from Phoenix to Las Vegas is desolate, at times, but there are good stopping points spaced at that approximate distance. I made the mistake of skipping a break on the outskirts of Phoenix, and ended up needing to go all the way to Wickenberg - roughly 125 miles from home - for my first stop. I also stopped at Wickiup, Kingman, and a restaurant about 30 miles from Henderson. At each stop, I gassed up, walked around, got a drink, and tried to waste a little time before I had to get back on the bike. At the restaurant - thoroughly sick of the motorcycle seat by this point - I decided to take a longer break and have lunch. Afterwards, refreshed and full, I finished the ride, arriving at about 1:00 p.m.<br />
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My bike performed flawlessly - easily keeping up with traffic, even when climbing mountains at altitude. While I still understand why a larger bike would be better for long-range touring, I now know that my bike would be capable of longer trips, if necessary. Some music would be a big help - lacking that, I sang every song I know on the trip. I was hoarse by the time I got to Kari and Suzie's - I'm guessing you won't find too many bikers flying down the highway singing show tunes at the top of their lungs! If I make a practice of hitting the road on this bike, I'll have to get a more comfortable seat and headphones. If you're willing to take your time and take a break every 100 miles or so, the stock seat works OK. For what it's worth, the trip back was better - it was much easier to keep my speed at a more appropriate level than on the trip out.<br />
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When I bought my V Star, I knew I wanted a "cruiser" style bike - laid back, low seat, with your feet in front of your body. Kari initially liked this style too, and started to look at a couple of nice options for starter bikes. Soon, however, she discovered that she liked "standard" motorcycles - a more upright riding position, with your feet more or less directly under your body - better than the cruisers. She did NOT like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_bike" target="_blank">sport bikes</a> - more commonly known as crotch rockets. Unfortunately (and unlike in the 70's, when every manufacturer had multiple small-displacement standard bikes from 100 to 350 cc's) there are few options for new standard motorcycles. We also had problems since, unlike in the Phoenix area, used bikes are harder - and more expensive - to find. With all these factors contributing, Kari ended up choosing a new bike - a<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_TU250" target="_blank"> Suzuki TU 250X</a> - a small, "retro" styled bike with fuel injection and a reputation for rock-solid dependability.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kari, on her bike in the showroom. Looks like a good fit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's Here - Kari literally dropped her sandwich and ran outside when the truck arrived.</td></tr>
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After some hard bargaining, Kari's bike was delivered late Saturday afternoon (you can ride your new bike home from the dealership, but - especially for a new rider - it's dangerous to ride a strange bike in traffic, so the wise person has it delivered). Now it was practice time! Kari spent a half hour or so getting used to the clutch, shifting gears, and practicing low speed turns, starts, and stops. After that came a few laps around the apartment complex before dark - then it was time to put her baby to bed and plan a short practice run on the street in the morning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks pretty good, parked next to mine, doesn't it?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRgI-b_HmI_gpJZxXw3VDCOg7anOi7-u_7-dToyVHgR6FPDvEPsCel5ftDaaoxOybCMa1HVPdt8XnI127MrlaxWiqocihax37kq8rZ0C5j007YHUPAlMt-l91xgKsFYdyOoQUQr_VZ_bG/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRgI-b_HmI_gpJZxXw3VDCOg7anOi7-u_7-dToyVHgR6FPDvEPsCel5ftDaaoxOybCMa1HVPdt8XnI127MrlaxWiqocihax37kq8rZ0C5j007YHUPAlMt-l91xgKsFYdyOoQUQr_VZ_bG/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About ready to take off!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're done riding, and I'm about to head back home.</td></tr>
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In the morning, we took a short ride before I headed home. Over the next couple of weeks, Kari rode her bike to work and around town. When she finally had to gas up, she needed a whopping 1.2 gallons (91 mpg)!<br />
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Oh, one more thing - there's very little clearance between your face and the inside of a full-face helmet, and gum sticks pretty well to everything. If you chew gum, try to resist the urge to blow bubbles at 70 miles per hour.......<br />
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<br />Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-35067549081942969102015-03-02T15:05:00.000-08:002015-03-02T15:05:11.308-08:00Pickleball Mania!Not long after moving to Arizona, I met a guy who invited me to take a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickleball" target="_blank">pickleball</a> lesson. I hadn't seen the game in person, but I'd heard of it, and watched a bit on YouTube, so I knew I wasn't interested, but I agreed to go and watch. Of course, as soon as I watched, I knew I'd have to try it!<br />
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If tennis and ping pong had a love child, it would look like pickleball - played on a court the size of a badmitton court, with a net similar to a tennis net, using a wiffle ball and what looks like an overgrown ping pong paddle. The rules of play are similar to tennis, with a few notable <a href="http://pickleball.com/pages/rules-how-to-play-the-game" target="_blank">exceptions</a> - it's more of a finesse game than a power game, like tennis. <br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/g2KNhIgOkXM/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/g2KNhIgOkXM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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Players are ranked based on their skills and tournament results (I'm a 3.5) - the very top players are 5.0. Tournaments are usually divided by skill group, with 3.5 being by far the biggest group.<br />
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Although similar to tennis, pickleball has some advantages for a recreational sport:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The court is smaller. This fact, coupled with the slower wiffle ball, makes it easier for non-athletes to compete (although speed and athleticism is still a big advantage).</li>
<li>The rules, in particular the "no volley zone" by the net, help to encourage long rallies - top players may hit the ball back and forth a dozen times or more on a typical point. This makes the game a lot of fun to play. The very top players focus on location rather than velocity for winning shots.</li>
<li>Games tend to be closer - even players at slightly different skill levels can play and have fun.</li>
<li>Since everybody's close together on the court, it's a more social game than tennis - there's a lot of laughing and joking before, during, and after points.</li>
</ul>
The above may make it sound like this is a sedentary sport best suited for the rocking chair crowd. In fact, pickleball is about as competitive as you'd like to make it. I play with a group that is very competitive (I often play with 4.0 and 4.5 players, and one woman just moved up to 5.0). I'll often play for two or three hours with little or no break - an exhausting workout. The benefits are obvious - a great aerobic workout that's fun. At the end of our play, I'm always shocked at how quickly the time went.<br />
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When I first started to play, I was only interested in playing with friends for fun. After playing for a year or so, I started to want to test myself against better players, so I decided to enter a tournament or two. I teamed up with a woman who started playing about the same time I did for mixed doubles, and also entered a couple of tournaments with a male friend I had met last year.<br />
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Tournaments typically have awards for the top three finishers in each division, so of course I finished in 4th place in the first two I entered! In the third tournament I entered, my men's doubles partner and I played poorly, and were eliminated in two matches (tournaments are typically a double elimination format). Mixed doubles, happily, was an entirely different story - we advanced through the winner's bracket to the championship game, which we won! It was a lot of fun - we met a number of new friends, and had a cheering section including our other friends who were competing in different divisions.<br />
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Here's a series from our championship match - a pretty typical exchange for us in this tournament:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> I'm hitting a "Drop Shot", intended to land in the no-volley zone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vicky and I are at the no-volley line, waiting for our opponent's return.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The return - a "Dink" was a soft shot hit to me. I've just dinked the ball back into their "kitchen"(the no-volley zone)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWK_O46ZuDwrxU8qBFXofeil2pKrj6gOdvEP-mOgVycjWXkFmSoR1zZ9GzfT6GZduz-v9bN4MwmxvtF5xdIlILzG5S8gTE9EkME-IDUTo0CdXl82SY9Xzh88Qz7X9pNL8yzpq9hyphenhyphenjP8eH/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWK_O46ZuDwrxU8qBFXofeil2pKrj6gOdvEP-mOgVycjWXkFmSoR1zZ9GzfT6GZduz-v9bN4MwmxvtF5xdIlILzG5S8gTE9EkME-IDUTo0CdXl82SY9Xzh88Qz7X9pNL8yzpq9hyphenhyphenjP8eH/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.24.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They made a mistake, hitting the ball high to Vicky's forehand. She's putting it away at their feet in this photo. I'm starting to smile, because I know this point's in the bag!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKmfbXM33sGAQ0f0L4oA9GoC-aqLcPFal31p9Q974VDSCVIcYHOkXkN2Cqlt23BRVdbmH9q5eUhXv4BuEYrv8AE3hFlKw8GsQ9GuI6UhDz0f-QH9nwYjJWZQps1mmVxz8-UgWy0vfA1O9/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKmfbXM33sGAQ0f0L4oA9GoC-aqLcPFal31p9Q974VDSCVIcYHOkXkN2Cqlt23BRVdbmH9q5eUhXv4BuEYrv8AE3hFlKw8GsQ9GuI6UhDz0f-QH9nwYjJWZQps1mmVxz8-UgWy0vfA1O9/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.29.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We won this one!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyLz97H2FQ66FURYY9Zxsx_dFOUOITXS4gqhGCwYayw2Q4fvmFHtjB6-cSyPVfSFHxqOfNF-8htF0G11l96VA5pBMyi-Oh9XwTuPsO4n1KcTeECw4UIvo8V_7rxa5jXYq-B4qheoiGzkI/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyLz97H2FQ66FURYY9Zxsx_dFOUOITXS4gqhGCwYayw2Q4fvmFHtjB6-cSyPVfSFHxqOfNF-8htF0G11l96VA5pBMyi-Oh9XwTuPsO4n1KcTeECw4UIvo8V_7rxa5jXYq-B4qheoiGzkI/s1600/2015-02-18+20.42.37.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The champions, with gold medals!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On that day, we played really well. We're good players, but not elite. Check out the video below to see pickleball played at the highest level. Jennifer Lucore is, I think, the best woman player in the country. She teams with Phil Bagley - a top men's player - and lose a close one to a team that includes Steve Wong, who has been ranked #1 in the country. Vicky and I play a similar style to Lucore/Bagley, albeit at a lower level.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/ImYeMHQuEAA/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ImYeMHQuEAA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
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I'll never be an elite player, but I've had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends playing the great game with the funny name!Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-28057482193225008452015-01-25T11:33:00.001-08:002015-01-25T11:33:23.025-08:00The (Not So) Easy Rider41 years ago, I met a girl. Girls being what they are, I soon found out I needed money for essentials - dates, presents, etc. I had two options - get a job, or start selling stuff. Being the ambitious fellow I was, I decided the best choice was to sell my beloved motorcycle.<br />
<br />
I had a dirt bike when I was a kid. When I turned 16, I asked my dad if he'd cosign on a loan for a motorcycle. He, of course, said <strong>NO</strong>. My natural response was to go out and find a cheap enough bike that I could buy without the loan. I found a 1964 Suzuki 250 street bike, a little rough around the edges, but it could do almost 90 on a straightaway, so I jumped at it. For years afterward, I remained puzzled that my father was so mad when I brought it home!<br />
<br />
Through the years, I'd occasionally miss riding a bike, but I managed to convince myself that it was a part of my past not to be relived. I was too old - too sensible - to get back on a motorcycle again. All that changed a couple of months ago.<br />
<br />
Living in Arizona, I was struck by the fact that this is nearly perfect motorcycle weather. Sure, it's blazing hot in the summer, and winter mornings can be cool, but there's virtually no weather that makes it impossible to ride (unlike Nebraska, where large portions of the year are absolutely out of the question). I also realized how practical a bike could be as an alternate form of transportation - virtually any motorcycle will be more efficient than almost all cars on the road. I decided to take the leap.<br />
<br />
Before purchasing or operating a motorcycle, I researched my options. Since safety was a priority, I registered for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) new rider class. This class combines classroom work with practical operation instruction on a closed course with provided motorcycles. An additional benefit was that passing the class would qualify me to get the motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license without testing at the MVD. I registered and took the class in late November of 2014.<br />
<br />
After passing the class, my next step was to determine what bike to buy. In the 70's, my 250 cc bike was "mid size" - plenty large enough to haul my relatively large (6', 165 pound) frame around. After 41 years, I discovered that things change. 60 pounds had been added to me. That didn't help, but an even bigger factor may have been the change in the bikes themselves. My old bike was a 2 stroke, high revving, "standard" motorcycle. It didn't weigh much, and it got pretty much all the performance possible out of it's small displacement. Since I now wanted a "cruiser" style (a more relaxed, laid back type of bike), it soon became apparent I'd need a little more horsepower.<br />
<br />
Motorcycle salesmen - close cousins to used car salesmen, as it turns out - were quick to assure me I'd need a large motorcycle. The recommendations I got ranged from 600 to 1800 cc's minimum. Since I didn't have plans for any long trips, I decided to go towards the lower end of the range. After looking at a few bikes and studying online, I decided to go with a <a href="http://www.ehow.com/list_7517228_yamaha-vstar-650-specs.html" target="_blank">Yamaha V Star 650</a>. The V Star seemed a good compromise between power and agility - easy and fun to handle in town, with enough power to handle the freeway. As a bonus, the air-cooled Yamaha has a reputation for reliability, and some great deals can be found on the used market.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2s6yWMwCZg-UL6o3arUeitUQaFoNlBiBH-F0PZgoqbzGADCdz6jZDY8A1V7vXMpZJuCauDSQK91wPc77QrrZ5PGIprwgYPrbvyYRH0JapgT5-BFtshgh8vCJlnJ5KOVxHZVep_tvJLAy/s1600/2014-12-25+17.34.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2s6yWMwCZg-UL6o3arUeitUQaFoNlBiBH-F0PZgoqbzGADCdz6jZDY8A1V7vXMpZJuCauDSQK91wPc77QrrZ5PGIprwgYPrbvyYRH0JapgT5-BFtshgh8vCJlnJ5KOVxHZVep_tvJLAy/s1600/2014-12-25+17.34.02.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My V Star, after adding the saddle bags.<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With my decision made, I set out to find my new (to me) bike. I ended up buying a 2007 Custom 650 V Star with about 18,000 miles from a young guy who had his bike listed on Craigslist. He had originally listed the bike for over $4,000, but had reduced it a few times until it was down to about $2,800. After looking it over and taking a short test drive, we agreed on a price of $2,200. Since it needed a new speedometer cable and a clutch, I'd end up with about $2,600 invested - about half the price of new, and less than comparable machines I'd seen advertised.<br />
<br />
With the purchase of the motorcycle, I needed to spend some money on a few other things - safety gear! When I was young, I jumped on my bike wearing whatever I happened to have on that day - shorts, t-shirt, tennis shoes, and I was good to go. As an old guy, I knew I'd have to wear something more appropriate.<br />
<br />
The first thing I'd need was a helmet. I'd only worn a motorcycle helmet a couple of times in my life, but I'll never ride without again. In addition, I'd want gloves, a jacket, and pants for added protection. Although you can buy all this stuff online, I knew I'd need a bit of help selecting the proper gear. Fortunately, there's a store in Mesa called <a href="http://www.cyclegear.com/" target="_blank">Cycle Gear</a> that has pretty much everything you need in stock at fairly reasonable prices.<br />
<br />
For a helmet, I decided on a<a href="http://www.cyclegear.com/search/go?p=Q&lbc=cyclegear&uid=150105970&ts=custom&w=biker%20helmets&isort=score&method=and&view=grid&modaf=a:typematerial:fullface" target="_blank"> full face helmet</a> for maximum protection. As appealing as riding with the wind in your face can be, facial contact with asphalt can be d<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">isastrous - I may not be handsome, but I look better <span style="font-family: inherit;">with</span> my face still intact! A helmet can cost upwards of $600, but there are some less expensive options out there that still provide the same level of safety. I ended up buying a Bilt (Cycle Gear's store brand) for around $100 - a bargain, considering it has all the safety agency approvals.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
bought some leather gloves with armor on the knuckles, an armored jacket (mesh,
with zip out windbreaker liner), and some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevlar" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Kevlar</span></a>-lined
jeans with armor in the knees to complete the look - all told, I spent about
$350 for protective equipment, plus another $100 for the saddlebags. For
a little over $3,000, I was ready to hit the road!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
I soon <span style="font-family: inherit;">found</span> out was, buying everything was the easy part. After over
four decades out of the saddle, I was a bit nervous on my first ride. To
start off, I took a side road - 45 mph speed limit - to head out of town.
I figured a weekday morning ride would be best, traffic-wise, so I headed east
of town about 12 miles to meet some friends to play <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickleball" target="_blank"><span aria-haspopup="true" id=":19.6" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1"><span style="background: yellow;"><span style="color: blue;">pickleball</span></span></span></a> (more
on <span aria-haspopup="true" id=":19.7" role="menuitem" tabindex="-1"><span style="background: yellow;">pickleball</span></span>
in a later post). The ride involved several miles through town, a short (1 mile)
stretch of freeway, then 4 or 5 miles on a 4-lane highway (55 mph). The
first half of the ride was sheer terror - after my training class and on-line
reading, I was convinced every car was trying to murder me. On the
freeway, it felt like someone was grabbing my legs and trying to pull them from
the pegs. When I hit the end of the freeway and slowed down to about 60,
I felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders - suddenly, I felt at home on the
bike. 60 mph seemed a nice, comfortable cruising speed, and I felt like I
could handle the road, traffic, motorcycle, and anything else that came my
way. Since that moment, I've not felt overwhelmed on the bike. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
a way, I now feel as though I never took a break from riding.
In other, very important ways, I feel as though it's been a
lifetime. As a youth, I felt invincible - I can distinctly remember
seeing a car about to pull out in front of me and thinking, "it's OK - if
he hits me, it'll be his fault". Seeing potential trouble, I didn't
slow down - I just plowed on ahead, trusting in my youthful reflexes and the
maneuverability of my bike to keep me alive. Amazingly, it did - I never
had an accident on a motorcycle (not counting dumping a dirt bike racing my
buddy at night in the snow). Now, I know I'm not quick enough to ride
myself out of trouble. My head's on a swivel, always looking for
potential trouble. If I even think a car MIGHT turn into me, I slow down,
move over, or do whatever I think will keep me upright. I'm not afraid on
the bike, but I'm definitely cautious.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
just a month of riding, I'm much more likely to take the freeway than
before. I still don't LIKE riding at 70+ mph, but I recognize it's
actually safer to ride fast on a limited access road than it is to ride at 50
on a city street. By the way - forget about staying under the speed limit
- If you drive at or below the limit, you'll get run over. It's way safer
to move with the flow of the traffic.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In
any case, short (15 miles or less) trips at freeway speeds aren't a problem for
me or the bike - it can easily handle 75 mph for extended miles. I'm not
sure what the top speed is, but at 90 it was still accelerating. I know I
wouldn't want to ride at that speed for anything other than passing a car or
getting out of a tight situation. I have a windshield, which helps, but
at freeway speeds the wind is fatiguing, and I still feel like my feet are
being pushed off the pegs.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Around
town, my bike's a dream to ride. Although it weighs close to 500 pounds,
it feels very light and maneuverable - much like my old 250, in that
regard. With a very low seat height and low center of gravity, I never
feel as though it's going to get away from me. Speed and acceleration are
more than adequate for my needs, but it's not a "fast" bike, like a
"<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_bike" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">crotch
rocket</span></a>". </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I've
only checked the gas mileage on two tanks, but both gave virtually identical
results - between 49 and 50 mpg - good enough for me to round it up and
say I get 50 miles per gallon. This represents my typical use - warming
the bike up, with a combination of city, freeway, and highway driving.
While nowhere nearly as economical as the smaller scooters and motorcycles,
it's over three times as economical as my car, and compares favorably with most
cars on the road.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
don't I like about my new ride? There are just a couple of things:</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Maybe it's just because I
haven't had a car without fuel injection for 25 years, but this thing is
the most cold blooded contraption I can ever remember driving. It
has a carburetor (two, actually), with a manual choke. If it's less
than about 80 degrees outside, plan on using the choke to start it, then
letting it run for 4 or 5 minutes before attempting to ride. Once
warm, it runs flawlessly, but it just won't go when cold. If/when I
upgrade, I'll get a fuel-injected bike<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">As I said, the top speed on
my bike is over 90 mph - fast enough to break every speed limit in the
country. That being said, I understand why you'd want a bigger bike
for extended highway travel. Operating at continuous higher speeds
would be fatiguing - there's a lot of vibration, both from the engine and
the bikes interaction with the road. A larger, heavier bike with a
bigger engine would be an improvement in this regard.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">I'll rarely, if ever, ride 2
up. If you plan to do so regularly, you may want a bigger
bike. While this one is certainly capable of carrying you and a
passenger anywhere you want to go, larger, touring model motorcycles will
have more secure and comfortable accommodations for passengers.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course there's a lot I really
love about it, too:</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">The looks - it looks like a
bigger bike than it is. It's also drop dead gorgeous - I love the
color and lines of the bike.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Performance and
maneuverability. There's plenty of pop from the line - more than
enough to get away from cars, when necessary, but it's small and light
enough to handle like a smaller bike. While it wouldn't be my first
choice for a long range touring bike, it COULD serve that purpose, while
still being an effective around-town commuter. As I've said - a good
compromise between "too small" and "too big".<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Economy. Just as in the
performance aspect, I get decent economy, along with enough performance to
keep me happy.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;">Design. I like the
simplicity of this motorcycle - my bike is virtually identical to those
made a decade earlier. It's air cooled, so there's no radiator to
worry about or maintain.<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial Unicode MS;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At this point, I'm still learning
how to ride again, so I don't know how (or how much) I'll ride in the
future. I'd like to take some local trips - 20 to 50 miles or so - with a
friend or two on two-lane highways or into the mountains. I'm not sure if
more extensive traveling is in the cards, but, if it is, that may change my
outlook on things. For now, I'll concentrate on cruising around and
enjoying the ride!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-71846669532825192092014-07-17T21:13:00.000-07:002014-07-17T21:16:19.022-07:00Goodbye Old Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The end came with shocking suddenness. Cassie had refused food for the first time in her life about a month earlier. We put it down to a reaction to some medication she was on, and concentrated on finding something she would eat. After several weeks, with only middling success, we took her back to the vet for more tests. This time, they decided to do some x-rays, and found the problem. Cassie had cancer - everywhere. It probably started in her pancreas, but had spread to her lungs, stomach, spine, and other spots. Our vet told us to take her home, let her eat whatever she would tolerate, and call when she got worse.<br />
<br />
Amazingly, she started eating and showing some life again. We managed to convince ourselves that the cancer was slow growing, and that we'd have a few months left with her. A week later, the truth was obvious - in the space of one night, she went from outwardly healthy to barely breathing, and unable to walk. We didn't want her to suffer, so we went to the vet and had her put to sleep. <br />
<br />
Losing a dog is very upsetting, and I've been terribly sad each time it has happened. In many ways, losing Cassie is the worst of the bunch - but this isn't a post to make you sad. When you bring home that puppy, you know this day is coming. About the only thing that makes it worth while are the memories you're left with, after they're gone. Here's my "Top Ten Cassie Memories":<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's Cassie, locked in a deadly battle with a stuffed toy at the lake!</td></tr>
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10. <strong><u>Cassie was skinny</u></strong>. When we first got Cassie, she was about a year old and weighed 47 pounds - on the same frame that would scale out at a lean 93 pounds about 5 years later. She was the skinniest dog you can imagine - her ribs were prominent, her hips stuck out, and her head looked enormous. She looked deformed. To make matters worse, she lost 7 pounds over the next two months while I tried in vain to find a food that would agree with her. Even with all her health problems, she was a sweet dog - walking nicely beside me, stopping to throw up, then continuing the walk as though nothing was wrong. When we finally got her to hold food down, she packed on weight and was as healthy as a horse. For the rest of her life, she was lean and healthy, her weight staying between 90 and 93 pounds.</div>
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9. <strong><u>Cassie almost wasn't our dog.</u></strong> I had gone alone and looked for another dog at the Humane Society, and liked Cassie. Since Theresa wasn't completely on board, I wanted her to see her before making a final decision. They agreed to put a hold on her while we were deciding. After seeing her, Theresa was OK with her, so we went to the office to complete the paperwork. When we got there, another couple was at the counter, saying they had decided to take her. They were disappointed to miss out on her, but quickly walked back to find a different dog. Had we not gotten her, I doubt if she would have survived - she was to be an outside dog for these folks, and I doubt if they'd have been willing to spend the money I did to get her healthy. For the first month or so, I sometimes wished I'd have let her go with them. I never felt that way after that, though.</div>
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8. <strong><u>Cassie pees and poops on command.</u></strong> We often traveled with the dogs, and it's pretty easy to get frustrated if they won't do their business quickly when you make a stop. I got in the habit of saying, "Go Potty" when I was waiting for them. Soon, both dogs would squat and pee when I said this. Cassie would also poop on command - an ability I've never seen in other dogs (or humans). On her last day, deathly sick and barely able to walk, I took her outside so she wouldn't get sick in the house. She walked out, looked at me, and squatted to pee - even though she didn't have to go. She believed that's what I took her out for, and she still knew what to do.</div>
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7. <strong><u>Cassie is an
obedience class star.</u></strong> Soon after I got her, I enrolled Cassie in an obedience class. I've found it's a good way to socialize dogs, bond with them, and give them some basic skills that are useful. As the first class started, Cassie was terrified of the other dogs, tried to attack several, and was generally about as bad as you can imagine a dog to be. Embarrassed, I took her to a corner of the room and worked with her alone. Much to my surprise, she almost immediately learned sit and heel, and by the end of the first session she could heel right by the other dogs without a bad reaction. By the end of her first course, she performed better than the instructor's dog! I ended up taking her through a number of advanced classes, and she was amazing - her eyes would be riveted on me, and she would follow my lead without error. I never worked with her more than about 15 minutes per day, and never entered her in any competition, but she was always the best dog in every class. After a couple of courses, I even had her take the Canine Good Citizen test, which she passed.</div>
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6. <strong><u>Cassie lets the bunnies live.</u></strong> A few years ago, I was mowing the lawn, and I noticed a nest of rabbits under a bench in the corner of the yard. They were very tiny, about the size of mice. Cassie saw them too, and was just about to go - as dogs will - and kill them. Now, I don't really care all that much about rabbits - there's no shortage in Nebraska - but I really didn't want to see the carnage. I was also less than enthusiastic about her eating them and getting sick. I yelled at her, and said, "Cassie, NO! Leave It!". She sat down about twenty feet from the nest, and looked at me. I repeated my words, and she just sat there, staring at the nest. I assumed they'd be safe until the moment I turned my back. To my surprise, she didn't bother them the rest of the day, even when I went to mow in the front yard. Amazingly, she never went and cleaned out the nest - when I'd let her out in the yard, I'd say "Leave It", and she'd go sit about twenty feet away, watching. Over the next several weeks, the bunnies got bigger, until they were gone, and she never touched them.
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5. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><u>Cassie dodges the water spray.</u></strong> When she was young, Cassie used to "go off" at times in the car - barking at cars, drivers, other dogs, cows, or whatever she decided bothered her. We got the bright idea to cure her of this habit by spraying her with a water bottle each time she acted up. She quickly learned the proper reaction - bark your head off, then duck! Needless to say, the only thing we accomplished was to end up with a wet </span>lab - unfortunately, it was Charlie, not Cassie, who took the spray. I guess we did teach her to duck after barking!</div>
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4. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><u>Cassie owns the paddle boat.</u></strong> When we bought our lake home, we decided to get a paddle boat. It was virtually impossible to get on that thing without Cassie. We had to keep a leash on her, because if she saw someone on the other side of the lake, she'd just jump in and swim to them. With the leash, she'd sometimes pull the </span>boat backwards, trying to go see kids.</div>
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3. <strong><u> Cassie the fisherman.</u></strong> Once we started fishing, we learned that Cassie liked nothing better than to go on the boat and "help". We used a large cooler as a live well, and Cassie would try to grab the fish as they swam in the cooler. We sometimes fished for catfish using floats made from "fun noodles" - foam swim aids. Each float would have a line attached, and we'd throw around 30 of them in the lake and wait for the catfish to bite. When they'd hit it, one end would go under water, while the other popped up. With Cassie along, we didn't have to worry about missing one - she'd see it and get very excited. If you didn't watch out, she'd jump in to fetch it.</div>
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2. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong><u>Cassie the lifeguard.</u></strong> Cassie loved to swim. She also loved to jump in and fetch your fun noodle - sometimes almost drowning you in the process. If you managed to hold on, she'd tow you back to shore. Sometimes, I'd jump off one side of the dock. Cassie would jump off her side, and be there when I came up for air. If I went to the other side and didn't jump right away, she'd bark at me until I jumped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">As I'm writing this, my mind is filling up with great Cassie memories. I could easily go on with this - talking about my big, brave dog who was deathly afraid of flys, or how she'd trick Kodak into giving up his side of the couch, or even how she could fly - jumping off the deck to the yard 13 feet below, but I decided to make this a top 10 list, so I'll stick to that, for now. So, with no more fanfare, here's my number one memory of Cassie:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a tough life, but somebody's got to do it......</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">1. <strong><u>Cassie the lap dog.</u></strong> As a general rule, we don't allow the dogs on the furniture. The exceptions were: the downstairs couch (when we had a downstairs), our bed (only when it was unmade), and my recliner. Amazingly, Cassie understood each of these restrictions - she'd often stand at the foot of our bed and loudly demand it to be unmade, so she could go to sleep. After we moved to Arizona, I'd often find her lounging in my recliner when I came home. The best part, however, was when she'd crawl up in my lap. There she'd lay, gazing up at me with those eyes that said, "I think you're wonderful". That's the image in my mind when I think of Cassie, and what I think I miss the most about her. </span> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's my Girl!</td></tr>
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Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-7276679339765705372014-06-19T12:34:00.000-07:002014-06-19T12:34:49.998-07:00Cool, Clear Water, or Why You May Need a Reverse Osmosis Water SystemThe other day, I was listening to a comedian (sorry, I don't remember who it was) talk about the progress we've made in this country: "In the 1950's, blacks and whites couldn't drink out of the same water fountain. Now, NOBODY drinks from a water fountain" All funny business aside, bottled water is huge in this country - according to <a href="http://statisticbrain.com/bottled-water-statistics/" target="_blank">Statistic Brain</a>, an estimated 30 BILLION bottles of water are sold every year in this country, at a total cost of $11.8 billion dollars. That's a lot of money, and a lot of plastic sent to the landfill every year.<br />
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I've never been a big bottled water drinker, using it mainly to grab a sip when I'm out and about. Since I never think about it when I leave home, I often pay $2 or more to purchase it from a vending machine. Our move to Arizona changed all that. The first thing we discovered was that tap water is room temperature only if your room is quite warm - no matter how long you let it run, it's more like bath water (especially in the summer). In addition, our water had an unpleasant taste, and while I'm sure we could deal with it if we had to, it changed the taste of soft drinks (due to the ice cubes made with tap water), lemonade, and, if my wife is to be believed, coffee. This last problem was the important one, in my house - I was informed that I would be dragging home gallons of water to keep the Keurig stocked. It was also clear we'd have to buy bottled water for drinking, and it was obvious that we'd drink a lot more water out here than back home in Nebraska - the hot, dry weather can cause you to be dehydrated much more quickly.<br />
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If you buy water by the gallon, it's relatively cheap - less than $1.00 per gallon. Even the 16 ounce bottles are fairly reasonable at Costco - a case of 24 Nestle brand bottles sells for $8.29 ($2.60 per gallon). If you watch for specials, you can get it a bit cheaper than that, even at your local supermarket. If we each drink the equivalent of 4 bottles per day - a ridiculously low estimate, since we average over twice that amount - drinking water would cost us in the neighborhood of $900 per year. Since our real usage is at least double that, even purchasing exclusively bulk water wouldn't bring the cost down to an acceptable level. I needed to look at a better option.<br />
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I toyed with the idea of a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Water-Distiller-Countertop-White-Enamel/dp/B001VHOE62/ref=sr_1_5/175-4597257-4967040?ie=UTF8&qid=1403199458&sr=8-5&keywords=water+distillers+for+home" target="_blank">water distiller</a>. For around $200, you can buy a countertop distiller that requires virtually no set up. These small units can produce about 4 gallons per day, so it could, in theory, supply our two-person household with enough drinking water. One issue - at 4 gallons per day, it takes 6 hours to produce a single gallon, or 90 minutes for a quart. To make this work, we'd have to be constantly filling and storing distilled water. If we ran out, I'd be running to the store.<br />
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A better solution is an <a href="http://www.nutriteam.com/water-distillers/tc-500-automatic-water-distiller.html" target="_blank">automatic distiller</a>. For a little over $600, you can get a unit that's hooked up to your water line, and has an integrated, 4 gallon storage tank. It could produce water at any time (without human intervention), so it was a much more practical solution - I wouldn't have to run to the market three times a week because I forgot to add water. The downside? Well, there's the initial price tag. There's also the 750 watts of power it requires when running - assuming the distiller ran for 10 hours per day (a low estimate, since it only produces a maximum of 5 gallons in 24 hour period), the electric cost to distill water each year would be around $150. That's not outrageous, but remember the actual cost would almost certainly be higher. Add in the cost of maintenance - not insignificant, I suspect - and, although acceptable, it's not free. All that power causes another, bigger problem, however. 750 watts is a big power load, and just plugging this thing in to an existing circuit is not a great idea. If I put it in the kitchen - the obvious location - what happens virtually every day? Let's see - 750 watts for the distiller, 1200 watt for the microwave, maybe 150 for the coffee pot, and another 100 or so for lights or something else - we've got maybe 2200 watts on one 15 amp circuit (all I've got in our tiny kitchen). By my figuring, that's around 19 amps - causing me to run out and reset the circuit breaker. Of course, I could add another circuit. This place is small, but to run cable from the breaker box to the kitchen isn't an easy task - figure $300, plus my wife would have to listen to me swear after crawling around under the house for a whole afternoon. I decided to rule this option out.<br />
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What's left? The drinking water solution chosen by most homeowners is the Reverse Osmosis System. I talked to a water treatment company - they offered to install and maintain a system in my home for only $70 per month - I decided to just buy a system from <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Reverse-Osmosis-Filtration-System-GXRM10RBL/202073853#specifications" target="_blank">Home Depot</a> and give it a try. <br />
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I chose an inexpensive, 3-stage system marketed under the GE label. It's a simple system that comes complete with a pre-filter, an identical post-filter, the reverse osmosis membrane filter, a 5 gallon storage tank, necessary water tubing, and a faucet. The system will filter up to 11 gallons per day, with the pressurized tank holding about 2 1/2 gallons - plenty for our needs. About the only things I had to add were Teflon tape and a needle valve to hook into my existing water supply pipe under the sink. The system was $149, so I ended up with about $165 total in the project. <br />
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To install the system, first make sure you've got room under the sink for all the components. That shouldn't be a problem, unless you've got a very tiny space. Make sure your space allows good access to the filter assemblies, since you'll be changing filters a couple of times per year. I left extra tubing, allowing me to pull the filters out from under the sink for maintenance - no bumping my head on pipes! <br />
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You'll need a water supply. The easiest way to get water is to put a "T" fitting from the water shutoff leading to your COLD water faucet. Just remove the water supply tube, install the fitting, then hook up the supply tube to the top of the fitting. Put a small shut off valve in the extra spot for the RO system - consult your directions to see what size output you need - mine used 1/4" tubing. Your instructions will tell you which tube gets hooked up to the water supply. Mine are color coded, but yours may be different.<br />
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Next, you'll want to install the faucet. My system came with a faucet that looked OK next to my other fixtures. If you don't like the included fixture, a plumbing supply store should have one that will work, but it's much easier to use the included faucet. I changed my sink at the same time I did the installation, so I made sure I had an extra hole for the faucet. If you don't, you'll have to make some decisions. If you have a sprayer or soap dispenser, the easiest solution is to remove that and use it for this installation. If you don't, you'll have to cut a new hole in the sink for this faucet. <strong>This may be impossible with certain types of sinks, so don't try this unless you're sure! Remember, getting a professional to help or even do the whole project will be cheaper than causing a bunch of damage to your house! </strong><br />
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The faucet will typically have two or more tubing connections coming from it - one of which must be connected to the drain line. My kit had a connector that was easily attached to my existing plumbing - <strong>be sure to follow the directions for the drain, so you don't have drain water drawn into the fresh water system!</strong><br />
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After installing the faucet and drain, you've just got to finish hooking up all the tubing (again, most of mine was already routed and color coded, so there wasn't much to do), and mount the tank and filter assembly under the sink. Now is a good time to turn the water on and check for leaks - fix any leaks before you finish the installation.<br />
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Before you install the filters, follow the sanitation instructions recommended by your manufacturer. Mine required me to run a small amount of bleach through the system. <strong>Make sure to remove the reverse osmosis membrane before you add bleach - failure to do so will ruin the membrane!</strong> After sanitation, install the filters and membrane, and turn the water back on.<br />
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After reading the reviews, my only concern was with leaks under the sink. Fortunately, I was familiar with the plastic push-on connectors supplied - they work fine if you use them correctly, but poor technique will cause a leak virtually every time. I took special care to cut the tubing square, and insert every connection fully, and I had no leaks in the system. If you don't like these connections, you can buy conventional connectors that may be less troublesome - as I said, I didn't have problems, but I understand some people did.<br />
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Some components are stored in a substance to reduce or eliminate mold or bacterial growth. This goop isn't harmful, but it may affect the taste of your water. After installation is complete, you'll want to run some water through the system to flush out any remaining contaminants. Other than that, you're done!<br />
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So, what do we think of our system? We've been very happy with it - our water tastes just like bottled water (most of which is produced from a reverse osmosis system), and we have plenty of water for our needs - we even use it to fill the dogs' water bowl! You should be aware that most RO systems flush excess water down the drain - if you use 5 gallons of RO water per day, you may very well use 50 gallons or more producing that water. I believe there are a few systems out there that claim not to waste water, but I don't know much about them. About the only thing I'd do differently is I would spend a bit more upfront and get a system with "snap in" filters. All that does is make your filter changing a bit easier and eliminates the danger of leaks from removing and reinstalling filter caps or other fittings. Not a huge deal, but it's probably worth the money to make life easier in the future.<br />
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Maintenance is minimal - you just have to change the filters about twice per year. At some point, I'll need to change the RO membrane, but that will probably be after at least two years of service. As I said, my system is set up so I just pull the whole assembly out from under the sink and do my work on it before I put it back. I've only done it once, but the whole thing only took me about 1/2 hour. <br />
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If your tap water tastes good and you're comfortable that it is safe and free of contaminants, you don't need a reverse osmosis system. If you're not sure - or if you just like the taste of bottled water but don't like the cost or environmental concerns - install an RO system under your sink.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-18987358417348228362014-05-28T10:43:00.001-07:002014-05-30T06:32:39.388-07:00Are the Ten Commandments the "Basis for our Laws"?From time to time, I hear someone - usually a conservative Christian - make the claim that the Ten Commandments should be displayed in schools and government buildings, since "that's what all our laws are based on". That brings to mind a question - Is that true, and, if so, is it right? Are these ten statements worthy as the basis for society's norms?<br />
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As usual when I'm pondering some deep moral issue, I turn to the foremost expert on the subject:<br />
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With all due respect to George, I think this subject merits a bit more discussion. Let's break down the list, and see which, if any, are relevant to our lives today. Should these commandments also be laws - should the state command our obedience to them?<br />
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ONE: '<i>You shall have no other gods before Me.</i>' <br />
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<strong>OK, this one is blatantly unconstitutional. The constitution clearly states that no particular religion may receive preferential treatment, so this one doesn't serve as the basis for our laws. Should it? Not from my perspective - why should we care what, if any, god you worship. One down, nine to go!</strong><br />
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TWO: '<i>You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.</i>' </div>
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<strong>This one is just stupid! If this were the law, all art would be illegal - even the crucifix seen in virtually every Christian church would be reason for the arrest and prosecution of church leaders. I have a picture in my mind of a swat team crashing through the doors to churches, smashing statues, breaking stained glass windows, and hauling pastors out in handcuffs. Can you picture the black market value of the few remaining works of art? This is clearly one of those commandments in the bible that are just plain ignored by just about everybody. This is not a basis for any of our laws, nor should it be.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>I should point out, however, that when the right wing pushes for laws against flag burning they are breaking the spirit of this commandment - the flag becomes an image they are worshiping.</strong><br />
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</div>
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THREE: '<i>You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.</i>' </div>
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<strong>Easy - a clear violation of free speech - it seems like this is (correctly) directly contradicted by our constitution.</strong><br />
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FOUR: '<i>Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.</i>' </div>
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<strong>Here we have one that actually has influenced our laws - many states and localities have laws banning drinking on Sunday. It used to be common to mandate the closing of auto dealerships on Sunday, although that is starting to change. </strong><br />
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<strong>Even though this commandment may have caused the creation of a law, it's not rational - why should my Sabbath be protected, while those of another religion are not? What if I work six days per week - shouldn't I be able to go shop for a car on my day off? Are police and fire fighters doomed to Hell, since they work every day of the week?</strong><br />
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<strong>How do we keep this day holy, anyway? Who decides if my activities are providing the proper amount of respect to the Sabbath? No - this commandment should be scrapped, as well.</strong><br />
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FIVE: '<i>Honor your father and your mother.</i>' </div>
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<strong>This one sounds great, but what if your parents are awful, evil people? Should we honor them just because of an accident of birth? For that matter, even if your parents are perfectly wonderful folks, why should the government stick its nose into how we interact? If you're adopted, do you honor your birth parents or your adoptive parents? No, this one doesn't deserve the force of law. Give your parents - and everyone else, for that matter - the respect they deserve.</strong><br />
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SIX: '<i>You shall not murder.</i>' </div>
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<strong>OK, we're halfway through the list, and I finally found one that deserves to be called a commandment.</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Of course, as valid as this may be, it's kind of unnecessary, isn't it? I mean, EVERY country has a law against murder, right? And how about all the state-sanctioned killing - executions, wars, self-defense - aren't those violations of the commandment? I guess you can get around it by saying it's not murder to execute a murderer, but how about those who are wrongly convicted, mentally handicapped, or mentally ill - is it OK to kill them?</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Regardless, this is the first of the list that legitimately belongs in our laws, so we'll call this a win for the commandments.</strong><br />
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SEVEN: '<i>You shall not commit adultery.</i>' </div>
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<strong>I agree - if you're married, you shouldn't have sex with someone else. Should it be a law? No, this is a private issue between adults. It's a little slimy to cheat on your spouse, but I don't want the police involved.</strong><br />
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EIGHT: '<i>You shall not steal.</i>' </div>
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<strong>We're on a roll now - this is the second in the list that belongs in our legal system. Legally, morally, and in every other way, it's wrong to take something that belongs to another, and I'm fine with the full power and authority of the government backing it up.</strong><br />
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NINE: '<i>You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.</i>' </div>
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<strong>I can get on board with this one. I don't think lying should be against the law, but lying in court certainly should be (and is). To the best of my knowledge, every state has laws against perjury, and making false statements to police can also land you in hot water, so I'd have to say this commandment has been written into our laws.</strong><br />
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TEN: '<i>You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.</i>'</div>
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<strong>Sorry, I can't get on board with this one. I'd like to say I'm not envious of other's relationships or possessions, but that would be a lie (breaking a commandment, but not the law). It would be nice if we could all appreciate what we have and not make ourselves crazy with envy over the things we don't have, but our laws shouldn't reflect that. How would you even enforce this, anyway? No, the government needs to stay out of my mind - if I act on my envy by stealing my neighbor's ox, arrest me. Leave me alone if I just wish I had one like it!</strong><br />
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So that's the list. I'm a little more charitable than George Carlin - I can live with three of them posted on the wall of the courthouse, but is that necessary? Are we really going to improve our lives if everywhere you look there's a placard on which is printed:<br />
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<ol>
<li><em>Do not Murder</em></li>
<li><em>Do not Steal</em></li>
<li><em>Do not Commit Perjury</em></li>
</ol>
As for the Ten Commandments, I don't think they're worth the paper they're printed on (or stone they're etched into) - four of them are bad ideas, actively contrary to our country's founding principles, and three are general moral guidelines that may or may not make sense, depending on your particular circumstances. Only three are worthy of being codified into law, and all of those would be in the law anyway, even if they were left out of the list. If more Christians actually looked at the list, fewer of them would be in favor of tacking this junk up on the wall.<br />
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If we really want moral guidelines (not laws!) to help improve our behavior, why don't we tear up this bunch of drivel, and create a list that actually helps improve our lives. Here's my take, just off the top of my head:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><em><strong>Respect the rights of others to believe as they wish.</strong></em> Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and beliefs. You don't have to respect those beliefs - in fact, if they're evil or cause damage to others, you should speak out against them. They're still entitled to believe what they wish.</li>
<li><em><strong>Don't treat things as though they're more important than people.</strong></em> Symbols - flags or statues - are just representations of the important stuff. Nothing is hurt if they aren't universally revered to the degree you'd like.</li>
<li><em><strong>Don't use language that denigrates others.</strong></em> Racist, homophobic, vulgar, or discriminatory language should be eliminated from your vocabulary. Make your point with reason - if you can't, maybe your point doesn't deserve to be defended.</li>
<li><em><strong>Take time to be with the ones who are important in your life.</strong></em> Whether it's family, friends, or some organization with which you're affiliated, do something on a regular basis to make a connection with others. If you're too busy for once a week, make it once a month. If you're too far away, call, email, or write a letter.</li>
<li><strong><em>Do something for the next generation.</em></strong> If you don't have kids, you may think you're off the hook on this one, but you can still do your best to help a child - volunteer to read to kids, donate to children's charities, or just do what you can. Heck, just vote consistently in favor of school bond issues in your community. </li>
<li><em><strong>Life is important, respect it.</strong></em> Support the right to a less painful, dignified end of life for everyone. Support a woman's right to control her own body. Eliminate capital punishment.</li>
<li><strong><em>Be true to your word. Don't lie. Don't cheat.</em></strong> In both personal and business interactions, be the type of person that others may depend on. Don't lie, cheat, or sneak around - be open and honest in all your dealings.</li>
<li><strong><em>Be generous</em></strong>. If you're fortunate enough to have a lot, help others. That doesn't mean you give them things - give advice or encouragement. Someone else succeeding won't diminish your accomplishments.</li>
<li><strong><em>Don't be cruel.</em></strong> Don't take pleasure in others' pain. Don't kick the dog (or the child). </li>
<li><em><strong>Leave behind a positive legacy.</strong></em> Some of us don't believe in Heaven or Hell - when I'm gone, I'll be gone. Be the person that others miss when you're gone - maybe they'll even tell some great stories about you! But most of all, try to make sure the world is a little better place for you having been in it.</li>
</ol>
As I said, I just wrote this list off the top of my head - I'm certain they could be improved (but I think they compare pretty favorably with the original ten). Of course, they're not commandments (I don't really have the authority to command obedience by anything but my dogs, and they're not always cooperative). I'd call these The Ten Suggestions. Feel free to follow them or not - there's absolutely no reward in the afterlife, but you may find they make your time here on Earth a bit more pleasant. Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-75706076129287394452014-05-14T15:42:00.000-07:002014-05-14T15:42:53.877-07:00A Bad Movie - and an All Time Great One!We haven't gone to a lot of movies lately. A large part of the reason why is that we've just not been terribly excited about our choices. This week, we decided to get back in the habit, and went to see <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2203939/" target="_blank">The Other Woman</a> - a comedy starring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000139/?ref_=tt_cl_t1" target="_blank">Cameron Diaz</a>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005182/?ref_=tt_cl_t2" target="_blank">Leslie Mann</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4478322/?ref_=tt_cl_t5" target="_blank">Kate Upton</a>. After seeing the trailer, I wasn't expecting much. Unfortunately, I wasn't disappointed.<br />
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Diaz plays Carly Whitten, a lawyer who unwittingly has an affair with Kate's (Leslie Mann) husband. The two become friends, and, while performing a bit of amateur spying, discover another mistress, Amber (Kate Upton). There are some funny bits in the movie - most of them due to Mann's skills as a comedic actress, but the movie falls short of being laugh-out-loud funny. The women bond over their shared heartbreak, but this is no "relationship" movie. What you're left with is a movie that feels like it should be a screwball comedy, but just isn't very funny. Then you start to think it might be a touching story, but you really can't relate to the characters, so it just doesn't reach you.<br />
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Some of the problem is that, at 109 minutes, it's at least 15 minutes longer than it should be. I suspect they had to add meaningless minutes in order to have time to show Upton jogging in her bikini (admittedly an incredible visual), as well as show Diaz in all manner of attire. The bigger problem, however, lies in the fact that the audience just can't connect with the characters. Diaz is a beautiful woman, but there's no depth to her character - in fact, she comes off as cold, even after befriending Kate. Upton is just there for show - she couldn't be more wooden if she were carved from oak. Mann is actually quite good - her character is likable, vulnerable, and a bit manic. Probably because there's more depth there, she's easily the most attractive of the three women - I found myself thinking, "What in the world is wrong with this guy - why would he leave home at night to see these other two bimbos?"<br />
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Fortunately, after we came home that night, I switched on the TV and happened to catch the last half hour of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061735/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4" target="_blank">Guess Who's Coming to Dinner</a> (I watched the first half the next night). This 1967 classic, starring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000075/?ref_=tt_cl_t1" target="_blank">Spencer Tracy</a> (in his last movie role), <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000031/?ref_=tt_cl_t3" target="_blank">Katherine Hepburn</a>, and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001627/?ref_=tt_cl_t2" target="_blank">Sidney Poitier</a>, has everything the other movie lacks - real, three dimensional characters, clever writing, humor, and drama. Tracy, as Matt Drayton, is perfect. A life-long liberal, he's forced to live up to his rhetoric when his daughter brings home her African-American fiance. There's plenty of drama in his journey to a decision, but it's pretty funny, too. Hepburn is, well, Katherine Hepburn - fiery, outspoken, funny - but also vulnerable and afraid. It's not a perfect movie - Poitier's character is a little too perfect to be true - but most of those faults can be traced to it's era. In 1967, a black man would have to be nearly perfect to meet most parent's approval, and that's kind of the whole point of the story - the ONLY possible reason to reject him would be based on the color of his skin. Of course, in the end, Matt makes the right decision, and everything works out as it should. All in all, if you're tempted to go see the new Cameron Diaz movie, save the time and money and rent this film - even after seeing it at least a dozen times, I can't stop watching.<br />
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Oh, one more thing. At one point, Tracy asks Poitier if he plans to have kids, and what Tracy's daughter thinks about it. Poitier says, "Oh, she's wildly unrealistic, as you might imagine. She thinks they'll all be perfect, and that all of them will grow up to be president of the United States." I guess they were a little too late - by 1967 our first African-American president was six years old, and about to move to Indonesia. Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-65239264487924134752014-03-30T09:59:00.003-07:002014-03-30T09:59:59.274-07:00Crazy TalkSo, I'm standing in the ammunition line at Wal-Mart (how many great stories start with that line?) a while back, and I strike up a conversation with a guy behind me in line. This fellow looked like a stereotype of a Wal-Mart gun shopper - dirty jeans and tee shirt, missing a couple of teeth, four-day beard growth - in other words, he looked about like me. I made an offhand remark to the effect that it was amazing you couldn't buy any 22 ammo. <br />
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For those of you who haven't tried to buy ammunition lately, it's pretty scarce. In particular, 22LR is hard to find. In my opinion, this is almost entirely due to the nuts who think Obama - or the UN - is about to take all their guns away. In the case of 22LR - a low cost, low power caliber mainly used for "plinking", target practice, or small game - this is a particularly absurd argument. I've seen no proposal to eliminate or limit this caliber (as a practical matter, I've seen nothing to make me believe any limits on gun ownership are coming in the foreseeable future). <br />
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In any case, I was surprised when the other fellow agreed with me that no one was going to be confiscating 22 caliber weapons, although he did say he was more worried about his other guns. I didn't answer that, since I was pretty sure we'd see things differently, but he continued. "He's a communist, you know". I thought I knew what he was talking about, but I asked who "He" was. "Odumma", he said, "No wonder this country is going to hell - I can't believe they elected him twice!"<br />
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I told him I could understand how he got elected, and that I had voted for him twice. He was incredulous, "You voted for that BOY?" I said, "I wouldn't say boy - he is the president, after all". I did tell him - truthfully - that I wasn't happy with everything Obama did, but that I thought (still do) that he was better than the alternatives.<br />
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At that point, my fellow shopper apparently decided his need for ammo was not as strong as his disgust at standing next to an apparent communist, so he walked away, muttering to himself. <br />
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So this guy has such strong feelings about Obama that he can't even stand in line with me, knowing I have a different opinion. Contrast his reaction to mine regarding George W. Bush. I happen to believe Bush was the worst president in my lifetime - a period of time that includes Richard Nixon! I was disappointed when he was elected the first time, disturbed when he took us into two unnecessary wars, and absolutely shocked when he was re-elected in 2004. I had a hard time understanding why ANYONE would vote for him, after the disaster that was his first term. Because I live in a dark red state, my opinion was certainly in the minority, and I was constantly made aware of that in conversations. There was never a time, however, when I was so disgusted to find myself standing next to a Republican that I just had to vacate the area. I also never found it necessary to intentionally mangle his name, or to invent some crazy theory about what he was doing or planning (of course, in Bush's case, what he actually did was bad enough - no imagination was required). <br />
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In short, this Wal-Mart shopper was afflicted with <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Obama%20Derangement%20Syndrome" target="_blank">Obama Derangement Syndrome</a> - the idea that our president is responsible for everything bad that happens. Even more delusional - if Obama is for something, it must be bad, so it should be opposed. This is why "Obamacare", originally a Republican idea, is so universally hated by the right wing. I don't love the new health care law - it falls far short of my ideal - but it's at least a small step towards true universal coverage.<br />
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Another example: I was recently talking to an elderly gentleman from South Dakota. He made the comment that his son - a health care worker in Georgia (not a physician) - had been out of work for over a year. And now, "Obama cut off his unemployment pay." I normally avoid political discussions with acquaintances, but in this case, I couldn't stay silent. I explained to him that the senate - controlled by the democrats - had approved an extension of the emergency long-term unemployment payments, but that it was being held up by the republican-controlled house. In addition, I pointed out that the republicans in Georgia had refused to expand Medicare, leading to hospital closures, perhaps leading directly to his son's unemployment. He said, "Maybe I've been voting for the wrong party." I told him I thought he was, and he laughed, and said, "I could never do that." So here we have a man who doesn't know what his son will do without this help, doesn't agree with the failure to expand Medicaid, but can't imagine anything that would cause him to vote for a democrat! I quit talking politics at that point, but I can't help but wonder, what makes people vote for candidates that support policies with which they disagree?<br />
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More crazy talk: I was informed by a woman that the reason so many young blacks are in jail is that our jails are too pleasant! She said, "Jails should be underground, like in the old days. Most of them have it so much better in jail than where they live that, as soon as they get out, they look for a way to get put back into jail. If the jails weren't so nice, they wouldn't do that." "Couldn't it be", I argued, "that so many African-Americans are in jail because of the long sentences imposed on non-violent drug offenders?" She also didn't recognize that blacks are much more likely to receive jail time than whites for similar offenses. I told her I didn't think our prisons were all that pleasant, but she just wasn't buying it. In this case, since I was stuck in a car with her for several hours, I changed the subject. Sometimes it's just not worth banging your head against the wall.<br />
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Want another story? I played golf with a fellow from Alaska. He's a pleasant guy, and we were chatting on the way home. Somehow, we got on the subject of health care, and he said that he - apparently due to a small percentage of native Alaskan in his heritage - could get free health care if he wanted it, but of course he turned it down. I asked, "Why in the world would anyone turn it down?". He said the trouble with this country was that people weren't self-reliant enough. I asked what we should do with people who had serious health issues, but couldn't afford care. He said, "the Eskimos would just float them out on an ice floe. They had the right idea." So here's a seemingly reasonable man, suggesting we just kill off anyone who can't take care of themselves. Of course, he had a good job, with insurance, and no health issues. In his mind, that's because he's eaten right and taken care of himself. So, all you folks out there with cancer, diabetes, or any other debilitating condition should just go ahead and keel over so you're not breathing oxygen the rest of us could be using!<br />
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I could go on with stories like this far longer than you'd want to hear them (I probably already have, right?). What is it that makes people so wrong-minded? All of these folks are out walking around like everyone else - are they nuts, or am I? I'm not trying to be one of those old guys who walk around talking about how the country is going to hell, but, seriously, what is going on? Maybe all this crazy talk will stop in 2017, after Hillary Clinton is inaugurated............<br />
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<br />Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-86554291638471293192013-09-13T18:26:00.001-07:002013-09-13T18:26:55.507-07:00Obamacare<a href="http://garthright.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-republicans-are-having-hysterics.html" target="_blank">My brother had an interesting post</a> the other day about why the Republicans are so desperate to make The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) a failure. He does a good job explaining it, so I won't add anything to that discussion. What I'm interested in talking about is the law itself - what it will do to people like me, and what it won't do.<br />
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When I first left my job at Lester Electrical in 2006, I bought a health insurance policy on my own. The first year, it was a fairly straight-forward process - fill out a 6 page form, pay the money, and you're done. About the only claim I made on it was when I tore a muscle in my leg climbing out of a ravine on the golf course (don't ask!). I made a trip to the doctor, and they ran some tests to make sure I hadn't developed a blood clot. No big deal, and in a month or two, I was back to normal - or as close to normal as I ever get.<br />
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Imagine my surprise when I attempted to renew my policy the next year! I had about 10 phone calls asking about my accident - did I have a history of problems with my leg? Was I still having problems? Do I often tear muscles? They didn't want to insure me, unless they excluded this type of injury. Keep in mind, this was a one-time deal - kind of a freak accident. After much discussion, they finally agreed to write me a policy, but it was a very near thing. That opened my eyes - what do you suppose would have happened if I'd have been diagnosed with cancer or a heart condition?<br />
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Because of my experience with buying insurance, we added coverage for me on Theresa's group policy the following year - no questions about pre-existing conditions, no cancellation (unless, of course, you lose your job).<br />
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Fast forward 6 years, and here we are - retired, one of us is disabled, and we both have pre-existing conditions that would make buying health insurance impossible or unaffordable. Fortunately, Theresa's company has kept her on insurance for 6 months, so we have not yet had to deal with it. That will end in November, leaving us only a month until most of the new health law kicks in on the first of January.<br />
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After January 1st, insurance companies are no longer allowed to refuse coverage or charge extra for pre-existing conditions - a huge issue for us. In addition, the lifetime limits are gone, so you don't have to worry about a single catastrophic illness making you uninsurable.<br />
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There are a few other nice features about Obamacare - young people can more easily stay on their parent's insurance until they get on their feet, and most people will be required to buy insurance. In addition, health policies must cover certain procedures - mainly preventative care and women's health screening. Early reports indicate premiums are lower than expected, but we won't really know about that until early next year. All-in-all, it's a nice, modest improvement that helps a lot of people have just a bit more security. What is it not? It's NOT a "government takeover of health care". It doesn't let the IRS determine your health care. It's not the end of freedom in this country. It's a nice, modest improvement.<br />
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Is the Affordable Care Act perfect? Of course not. It falls short of what I think needs to be done - a "single payer" system like that in almost every industrialized nation on Earth. I hear conservatives bray about "our health care is the greatest in the world", and I agree - if you have unlimited funds. If not, you may or may not get the care you need. In this country, we spend more on health care than any other country, with only fair results. We need true universal coverage. Until we do, the Affordable Care Act is at least a step in the right direction.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-2661263467656966062013-07-02T13:21:00.000-07:002013-07-02T13:21:16.169-07:00The Heat - Movie ReviewThe weekend, we went to see the new <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000113/?ref_=tt_cl_t1">Sandra Bullock</a> - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565250/?ref_=tt_cl_t2">Melissa McCarthy</a> movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2404463/">The Heat</a>. There's nothing new or ground breaking in this flick - it's a pretty standard "mis-matched buddy cop show". Except it features two female cops, and McCarthy is totally over-the-top hilarious.<br />
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Bullock is the big star, of course, but in this film, she's the straight man to McCarthy's antics. Her character, socially stunted FBI agent Ashburn, is uptight, unpopular, and very by the book. McCarthy's Detective Mullins is the polar opposite in every way - sloppy, crude, nasty - but a very effective cop.<br />
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It will come as no surprise that these two are forced to work together. Naturally, there's a lot of conflict between the two, and eventually they bond and catch the bad guys. If this description makes the movie sound very predictable, it should - you can know what's going to happen just by watching the trailer. That doesn't make the movie bad - suspense isn't the point here. It's plenty entertaining watching Bullock try to manage the foul-mouthed McCarthy, and the pratfalls and jokes are virtually non-stop. I found myself laughing through the whole thing - from the opening to the final credits.<br />
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I'd talk about other performances, but there's not much to say. The rest of the cast is fine, but no one really stands out. McCarthy's on-screen family is funny, the bad guys are really slimy, and the cops are just kind of there. The plot, such as it is, is fine, but this is not a plot-driven movie. It's all about McCarthy, and she's just really funny in this one.<br />
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If you're looking for a fun, easy watching movie - and if you're not easily offended by bad language - check out <strong><u>The Heat</u></strong>. It's certainly worth the price of a big bucket of popcorn!<br />
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Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-47068385946821064812013-06-07T10:51:00.000-07:002013-06-07T10:51:04.629-07:00Adding an Electrical OutletI've talked about making simple electrical repairs before, but this is a different case - if you need to add an additional outlet, there's a few other things you need to do to complete this task.<br />
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If you're inexperienced in working with electricity, take a few minutes to read my <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2011/12/simple-electrical-repairs.html">previous post</a>. Everything in there applies - you'll want to make sure you've killed the power before working on anything. As always, if you're not comfortable doing the job yourself, consider asking for help from some knowledgeable person, or hiring an electrician.<br />
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In my case, I needed to install an outlet next to the dryer which would provide power to charge a small battery-powered vacuum. This was an easy project, since there was an existing outlet on the other side of the wall. Regardless of where you're getting your power, the steps are the same:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Make sure you've got your supplies. At a minimum, you'll need a box, receptacle, wire, plate cover, and wire nuts. Assuming you're installing the outlet in an existing wall, you'll want an "<a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/images5/remodel%2520electrical%2520box%25202%2520cr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/receptacle-installation-2.htm&h=266&w=369&sz=20&tbnid=7HHP3lBz4_iRJM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=115&zoom=1&usg=__InlWsRll8Ns6YGMTYMrCIdINQC8=&docid=RagbQLWQJKLO2M&sa=X&ei=gxKlUeysLcOCyQH1k4GoBA&ved=0CEAQ9QEwAw&dur=4227">Old Work Box</a>". </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NjvxSykzcUGaquJNDSm6A6hHOSQvn9iJ1NCzt_EhWLYwDIMLG62ml4Tvl7-UQEhwImF-d6Ie4DRkg4gqhSgZXSs8k_3h3vepVPbRS41bqEi0-u-6zydJW-HXBHPtauGRnIJeMuSr-vib/s1600/Old+work+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1NjvxSykzcUGaquJNDSm6A6hHOSQvn9iJ1NCzt_EhWLYwDIMLG62ml4Tvl7-UQEhwImF-d6Ie4DRkg4gqhSgZXSs8k_3h3vepVPbRS41bqEi0-u-6zydJW-HXBHPtauGRnIJeMuSr-vib/s320/Old+work+box.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a typical old work box</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>Choose the outlet you're going to use for power. Make sure it has adequate capacity, and that it is not controlled by a switch. </li>
<li>Plan how you're going to route the cable to your new outlet. In my case, it was easy, since I was just going through the wall. In some cases, it will be difficult or impossible to avoid running the wire on the surface of a wall - if that's true in your case, you'll need to enclose your wire or cable into conduit.</li>
<li>Verify that the power is off at the outlet from which you're pulling the power.</li>
<li>Remove the existing outlet. Disconnect the wires, making note of which wires go to the brass (hot) side. This should be the black wire, with the white wire going to the silver screws. If it isn't correct, verify with your meter which wire is hot, and mark it with black electrical tape.</li>
<li>Mark out the outline of your box in the desired location, making sure you'll miss studs, pipes, or electrical cables.</li>
<li>Cut the hole in the drywall, using a hand saw or <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/interior/the-best-oscillating-tools-we-put-9-to-the-test#slide-1">oscillating multi-tool</a>. Check to make sure the box fits the hole.</li>
<li>Route your wire from the source to your new outlet hole. In my case, it was easy to push the wire through. If you have a long run, you may need to use a <a href="http://www.zorotools.com/g/00015335/k-G1522866?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gclid=CPnrgMXSubcCFY0WMgodPUoA8A">fish tape reel</a> to route the wire.</li>
<li>Connect your wires at the source - hot to black, neutral to white. Connect a third small wire ("pigtail" about 6" long to each, to hook back up to the outlet you removed in the earlier step.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgjXyk1vo2tFtXLIxMwvHN2n-jr__0VbSHgBT-1Bhl-1K8jDf3QfYNhfCPZxGBfnwdrTXdFPG21hMZEdhuAfikrqQdUJCwmrd_YmOeCOLSYxvdP7oasZeTG6mujXRWkUwLq_HJ_PSBgW0/s1600/Pigtail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgjXyk1vo2tFtXLIxMwvHN2n-jr__0VbSHgBT-1Bhl-1K8jDf3QfYNhfCPZxGBfnwdrTXdFPG21hMZEdhuAfikrqQdUJCwmrd_YmOeCOLSYxvdP7oasZeTG6mujXRWkUwLq_HJ_PSBgW0/s320/Pigtail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<li>Connect the old outlet (hot to brass screw, neutral to silver screw), and re-install it in the outlet box.</li>
<li>Route the cable through your new box, and install it in the hole you cut in the wall. Strip about 6" off the end of the cable jacket, and hook up the receptacle (once again, making sure you put the black, or hot, wire on the brass screw).</li>
<li>Install the receptacle in the box, install the outlet covers, and turn the power on. Check to make sure you've got power at both outlets, and you're done!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3E9mpsNTftBqDM_kuLAQnQx8oPEYxpr9DjsHfo2QnTzcbyUjxw2XRpajvXOVsGMwFdMw0dWij9iHR1hhr1T_xh4ubi9lrqIHjHwXdeagIrFMfwoS7XqQNQPav52GAk0lkkF_HwEzqYiP/s1600/2013-01-19+10.54.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3E9mpsNTftBqDM_kuLAQnQx8oPEYxpr9DjsHfo2QnTzcbyUjxw2XRpajvXOVsGMwFdMw0dWij9iHR1hhr1T_xh4ubi9lrqIHjHwXdeagIrFMfwoS7XqQNQPav52GAk0lkkF_HwEzqYiP/s320/2013-01-19+10.54.29.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wire pulled through, ready for the outlet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7sP1Lhw_wt0FKXw_58MjmweC9QUUf4fK4lKeMpnvcFI900D_f74lTVjlOw19xVj8gavdBxI8yJ8YfrG6uKV-QrvnMC3u2t6bXWoKSmLPW07n_zl54fe_Xovx8Y34cb7eJF_Drlbb8YVT/s1600/2013-01-19+11.04.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7sP1Lhw_wt0FKXw_58MjmweC9QUUf4fK4lKeMpnvcFI900D_f74lTVjlOw19xVj8gavdBxI8yJ8YfrG6uKV-QrvnMC3u2t6bXWoKSmLPW07n_zl54fe_Xovx8Y34cb7eJF_Drlbb8YVT/s320/2013-01-19+11.04.12.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</li>
</ul>
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This is an easy do-it-yourself job - the hard part is routing the wire. If you've got power close, like I did, it takes only a few minutes. After rounding up all the parts, this job took me about a half hour to complete.<br />
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<ul>
</ul>
Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-26832919257074743632013-04-29T20:46:00.000-07:002013-04-29T20:46:47.061-07:00My Busy WeekA few of weeks ago, I got called by a former client, who was ready to sell the home I'd sold them a few years before. It's always gratifying to get a call like that - after all, if they didn't think I did a good job for them when they bought their house, they'd hardly call me to sell it, right? To make it even better, they told me they had decided when they bought their home that they'd call me when they wanted to sell.<br />
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The odd thing about this call was, it was the THIRD call from a former client I received THAT Day! That's right, three people who bought homes from between 2007 and 2009 called me on the same day. I made arrangements with each of them to go look at their house and give them advice on pricing, as well as how best to market their home. As it turns out, all of them needed a bit of time to get their house ready for market - they all worked like crazy over the weekend, and I listed all three last Monday.<br />
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The Lincoln real estate market is strong right now - there is a shortage of quality listings on the market, and buyers are active. By Friday night, all three of my new listings were sold, and one of my sellers had already written up a contract on a new home. A second seller is still looking, but will probably buy a home in the next week or two. In addition, I sold two lots, which will turn into a pair of town homes (one of which is already sold!), and listed another new construction town home that is just getting started. All in all, my week was one of the best - and busiest - since I started selling real estate. <br />
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I know I'll never be this busy all the time - and who would want to? I don't mind working late when I need to, but I certainly don't want to do that every day. When it happens once in a while, it's great fun. Now, I'm taking a week off. I don't need to feel guilty - I got enough done this week!<br />
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<br />Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-26352494030144531872013-04-11T21:03:00.003-07:002013-04-11T21:03:31.001-07:00"They're Not Gonna Catch Him!"The Spring Game was last Saturday. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska_Cornhuskers_football">Huskers</a>, as usual, have some talent - they won't win the national championship, but they'll have a decent team, I suspect. Often, one or two relatively unknown player will step up and be the star of the intra-squad scrimmage, and it happened in a big way last weekend!<br />
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Jack Hoffman didn't play until late in the game. On 4th down, he carried for the first - and probably last - time as a Husker. The result was incredible. Even if you're not interested in football, check out the video clip. I suspect you'll be impressed with Jack, as well as the rest of the team.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='425' height='354' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yeqGnrtY-mc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Jack, by the way, is a 7 year old pediatric brain cancer patient. He was befriended by former Husker running back<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_Burkhead"> Rex Burkhead</a>, and has become close to a number of players on the team, and one of the players came up with the idea to put him in the game. With this run, he goes into the record books as the leading rusher in the spring game, and his touchdown gave the Red team the win in the annual scrimmage that marks the end of spring practice. I love the play by play guys calling the play ("He's got another gear!"), and it's quite touching to see all the players gathering around Jack.<br />
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One way to look at this is that this game doesn't count - it's just a practice, after all. As I said before, often players will look like stars in this game, only to fall back into obscurity by fall. In this case, I think this game does count. This play may not mean much to football fans across the country, but it meant a lot to one little boy. Twenty years from now, no one will remember who scored first in this spring game. I bet we'll all remember who scored last.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-9075140510434030712013-04-02T21:26:00.000-07:002013-04-02T21:26:11.461-07:00Blown AwayMany years ago, I owned several guns - a couple of shotguns and a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22_Long_Rifle">.22 rifle</a>. I didn't hunt or shoot a lot, but on occasion I'd get out and use them a bit. My father had a .22 pistol that I had fired a few times, but I've never owned a hand gun.<br />
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After having kids, my hunting and shooting got put on the back burner - I didn't fire a gun for over 25 years. My guns were sitting dusty and rusting in the closet, so I eventually just got rid of them.<br />
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A week or so ago, we were out to dinner with my son and daughter-in-law, and they mentioned that there was a new indoor shooting range that had opened in Lincoln. When they said they were planning to go, Theresa said, "I'd love to go shoot a gun!" Once I got over the shock, I reluctantly agreed to go and give it a shot (pun intended).<br />
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<a href="http://www.bigshotsrange.com/membership--prices.html">BigShots Indoor Range</a> is a nice place, located just off of West O Street in Lincoln. The owners are very friendly, and they seem to be quite safety-conscious. Since we hadn't been to their range (or, in Theresa and my case, any range) we were required to view a short video on gun safety before we could shoot. Although they are experienced shooters, Matthew and Mitzi also had to watch the video. The woman who set this up - "Terry" - was nice, and didn't look down on the neophytes in our group.<br />
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Theresa and I don't own a gun, but Matthew and Mitzi have a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_Magnum">.357 Magnum revolver</a>, and some very nice friends of theirs (Joe and Audra) let us borrow a .22 pistol. BigShots has rental guns, but you must have a county handgun purchase permit to rent. If you don't have a record, the permit is easy to get - it costs $5.<br />
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We rented hearing and eye protection (required), and went to the range.<br />
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If you go, the first thing you'll notice is that some guns are LOUD! Some guy was shooting something about the size of a bazooka - we all jumped about a foot off the ground the first time it went off. Standing in the booth next to it, you could feel the concussion every time he fired. The .357 was fairly loud as well, making the .22 sound like a cap gun in comparison. Joe gave us some instruction on how to safely operate his .22 semi-automatic pistol, and Theresa blazed away.<br />
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The targets at the range are on a track, and can be moved to any distance desired. I'm not sure of the maximum distance, but it's enough that most of us wouldn't be able to hit the target at that range. We were typically shooting at targets in the 5 to 10 yard range. Surprisingly, both Theresa and I were able to group shots within about a 6 inch range at these relatively short distances. Not surprisingly, the .22 was much easier to shoot accurately, although both Theresa and I were OK with the .357. After a bit of practice, I improved quite a bit with the .22. Matthew and Mitzi were, of course, better. John and Audra were quite good, from my perspective - Audra had some really great groupings with the bigger gun.<br />
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All in all, it was a lot of fun. Friday nights are "Date Night", so the range fee was $20 for the two of us. While ammunition for larger caliber guns is expensive, .22 ammo is still relatively cheap, so, if you own a gun, this isn't the most expensive night out you can imagine. Gun rental would add a bit to that, but it's still affordable.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago, I'd have told you I'd never fire a gun again. I'd also have been pretty sure I'd never own a hand gun. Even more surprising, Theresa had a great time! After going to the range, I find myself thinking about buying a pistol, and making the range a more or less regular outing. Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-41769195072125491042013-03-22T21:03:00.001-07:002013-03-22T21:03:18.122-07:00Our Tile Job - or Why I'm Never Getting on My Knees Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When we moved into our new home, we had a lot of work done. The thing we didn't change at that time was the flooring in the kitchen and dining room. The previous owners had installed laminate flooring - an inexpensive material typically made of fiber board, with the appearance of wood. Although there are some relatively high quality laminates available, much of it is cheap. Our floor was not the good stuff, but it looked OK, and we thought we could live with it for a while. As it turns out, "a while" was about 6 months!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWmuqtwpKjDp5DqRtIzjJ66JEqKt1T5fCNGXWdcpTBfAaXH9uoxk-Yoq2ikmRg7SpmEbuAM0Kv5HvYLIVsxOOWCTlI2mANyQFzwr0ykc4JuDBY_FDro2TMVLYEgkpJSc3s1jzMj5l2roD/s1600/2012-12-08+13.11.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWmuqtwpKjDp5DqRtIzjJ66JEqKt1T5fCNGXWdcpTBfAaXH9uoxk-Yoq2ikmRg7SpmEbuAM0Kv5HvYLIVsxOOWCTlI2mANyQFzwr0ykc4JuDBY_FDro2TMVLYEgkpJSc3s1jzMj5l2roD/s320/2012-12-08+13.11.00.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was our floor before we did any work. As you can see, it looks nice at first glance.<br />
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Laminate floors are "floating" - meaning they are not attached to the sub floor. They typically have an underlayment of foam, so there's a good deal of give when you walk on them. We didn't care for the feel of it, and really didn't like the sound the dogs made when they walked on it - kind of a hollow, clicking sound. In addition, since it's not attached, some of the seams had a tendency to separate, leaving 1/8" gaps at some of the seams.<br />
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Laminate floors can be extremely durable - they'll likely last longer than a wood finish under heavy traffic - but most don't handle moisture well. We had a small leak in the kitchen, causing the floor to swell and warp unacceptably, so we had to make some repairs, even if we didn't replace the whole floor.<br />
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Since we didn't like the floor anyway, we decided to pull it up and replace it with tile. We choose tile for durability and ease of maintenance reasons, after thinking seriously about a wood floor. In the end, I think we made a good decision.<br />
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The first step was to pull up the old flooring, down to the sub floor. Laminate floor is easy to remove - just remove the base trim in the room, and start at one end. The pieces are about 3' long, and 6 or 8 inches wide. There's a locking tongue that fits a matching groove along the edge of each piece, so once you get the first section out, the rest comes apart easily. If you're careful, you can do it without damaging the pieces. In our case, we weren't going to reuse them anyway, so I just ripped it out, along with the pad underlayment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZDbbJHlGAHnftJ7KfvuiTpLOrDS_wBl_ee7OEV9uj1-JlbiPsd0ScUv3-yAnkkVXguYdU6VvY_uI_zQRFsPxfLg_JJ57loc45k_BEEb_A1Nnz5sselwntKPE8EoRBnEuNdiM81zk8cby/s1600/2012-12-08+14.25.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZDbbJHlGAHnftJ7KfvuiTpLOrDS_wBl_ee7OEV9uj1-JlbiPsd0ScUv3-yAnkkVXguYdU6VvY_uI_zQRFsPxfLg_JJ57loc45k_BEEb_A1Nnz5sselwntKPE8EoRBnEuNdiM81zk8cby/s320/2012-12-08+14.25.19.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The black layer is the underlayment pad - it's just stapled to the OSB sub floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5xK_vG1k-QljTZcMQoIWTwsjB1zAgf_Xy6SG51vI26SbKoZlJvEX4T_mMPHq3j2_lZHZ71NEw6aes_ibHcOAVGclsek90PPo8CsbTQT1GQczbiKwf-CavDdSsdVQLYwwLm6FA87UoMJj/s1600/2012-12-08+17.11.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5xK_vG1k-QljTZcMQoIWTwsjB1zAgf_Xy6SG51vI26SbKoZlJvEX4T_mMPHq3j2_lZHZ71NEw6aes_ibHcOAVGclsek90PPo8CsbTQT1GQczbiKwf-CavDdSsdVQLYwwLm6FA87UoMJj/s320/2012-12-08+17.11.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the old flooring is removed, down to the sub floor.</td></tr>
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If you're installing tile, you need to make sure your structure is adequate for the load. Generally speaking, you'll want to make sure your floor joists are rigid enough, and that your sub floor is strong enough to limit the deflection to an acceptable level. If you have 2 X 10 floor joists on 16" centers with a span of less than 12 feet or so, you're probably OK. If you're not sure, use the "<a href="http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/deflecto.pl">Deflectometer</a>" on the John Bridge Tile Forum. If your joists are OK, you may still need to add to the sub floor. In our case, we had 3/4" OSB, which is adequate for the type of tile we were installing.<br />
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Regardless of your sub floor, you'll probably need to put something down before you lay your tile. Traditionally, tile is installed on top of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cement_board">cement board</a> which has been set in a bed of thin set mortar and screwed to the sub floor. This cement board serves to give a good surface to which the tile can adhere, as well as to isolate the tile against some movement in the substrate. In our case, I decided to use a newer product, an isolation membrane called <a href="http://www.schluter.com/6_1_ditra.aspx">Ditra</a>. This orange membrane is flexible, with a waffle pattern that holds mortar. Ditra is more expensive than traditional cement board, but is thinner, allowing your finished floor to be closer to the height of carpet. It is also reported to be a better solution to some types of movement in the sub floor. My main purpose in using it was to minimize height, so the base trim would be in approximately the same spot as before.<br />
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If you use Ditra, read the instructions. You must use a "Modified" thin set mortar to install the membrane to a wood sub floor, and an "Unmodified" mortar to attache the tiles to the top of the membrane. If you're installing on a concrete slab, make sure to read the instructions and do it right.<br />
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To install the Ditra membrane, mix the mortar a little thinner than you do to set tile. Think "Milkshake" for the membrane, "Peanut Butter" for the tile. You spread your mortar on the floor using a small notched trowel (they sell one specifically for the job), then press the membrane into it. I used a roller designed for installing vinyl sheet flooring to roll it out, squeezing excess out of the edges. I soon discovered it was much easier to handle it in smaller (5'-6') pieces, rather than trying to go across the room in one shot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n6_q_TkZgllC4N-nTC62VGhh4V6kfR7OQqaquqhNKoEtY12ksePOHmQHIUs_uVP5K7Ur4XDeEI0fY7Zz9oC8sb_4w7hj2aDkFHj-OoLiu5zqRMUVZ6Cur03OJi5b07KkICS2n99aKiPj/s1600/2012-12-11+07.50.20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n6_q_TkZgllC4N-nTC62VGhh4V6kfR7OQqaquqhNKoEtY12ksePOHmQHIUs_uVP5K7Ur4XDeEI0fY7Zz9oC8sb_4w7hj2aDkFHj-OoLiu5zqRMUVZ6Cur03OJi5b07KkICS2n99aKiPj/s320/2012-12-11+07.50.20.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The orange Ditra only adds about 1/8" to the height of the floor. Kodak isn't convinced he likes this floor yet!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OG4OEqlAMg25toI4_jY-5D_qo3Pub1cs0loaDrjiZcoknGHnqnmptUVfpeM-h5Sy31dzBmFnxFNKSwaXy-g617cWH6Z_WXUbqVzag2pf6QP9x-mu6V6Oit0PQ9cjIXCKq5eryX6upRJY/s1600/2012-12-10+14.01.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OG4OEqlAMg25toI4_jY-5D_qo3Pub1cs0loaDrjiZcoknGHnqnmptUVfpeM-h5Sy31dzBmFnxFNKSwaXy-g617cWH6Z_WXUbqVzag2pf6QP9x-mu6V6Oit0PQ9cjIXCKq5eryX6upRJY/s320/2012-12-10+14.01.57.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once the Ditra is installed, you're ready to start laying tile. Note Carter is starting near the center of a room.</td></tr>
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<br />You should do a little planning before you start to lay tile. Since you don't want to end up with a tiny sliver at one end, lay it out so you have about a half tile at each end. Starting in the center of the room gives you a little more leeway, so getting a little crooked isn't so noticeable. In our case, we had to start at the edge of the kitchen, then work around the room so we weren't trapped in there. Once that was done, we could just work our way to the far end of the room.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoWRPFj9Gj5d1jrFDZUFtWvJ6B_8RNSpQAXjr8v-8Fmzm_yvfjl-8xQ8LZuLZYjcenklVIIFIw6vpj_wKv3miIgE_n1vYAdS9OP7ksIoXemb6IJ3HcXs9lnza7CJg1ooRwqiXlAWqRueK/s1600/2012-12-10+15.34.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoWRPFj9Gj5d1jrFDZUFtWvJ6B_8RNSpQAXjr8v-8Fmzm_yvfjl-8xQ8LZuLZYjcenklVIIFIw6vpj_wKv3miIgE_n1vYAdS9OP7ksIoXemb6IJ3HcXs9lnza7CJg1ooRwqiXlAWqRueK/s320/2012-12-10+15.34.46.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the pattern - we used 6" and 12" tile. The spacers between tiles help to keep the grout lines straight (although with this pattern, it's hard to see if one's a little crooked!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkd2ShNQng1BlmdSyo19FOQpJh-vApdI2NGmOm8FKr-manzlSGHsG6955mquYgGJENJFoF-CjTMSFXCyNgQAiPJq7t_okWx0Yfjp4CayxtXVyfcpzD4jekXD5UJ4KAtr9ZP1GtTWtitjP/s1600/2012-12-11+07.49.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkd2ShNQng1BlmdSyo19FOQpJh-vApdI2NGmOm8FKr-manzlSGHsG6955mquYgGJENJFoF-CjTMSFXCyNgQAiPJq7t_okWx0Yfjp4CayxtXVyfcpzD4jekXD5UJ4KAtr9ZP1GtTWtitjP/s320/2012-12-11+07.49.57.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen is about done - after grouting, we'll be able to move the appliances back in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Lizzie and Carter came to help, so, as usual, Carter laid all the tile (actually, Liz did a few of them). I put down most of the Ditra, and cut tile, while Liz helped on both tasks. A big job like this is much easier with two, and three is even better. In our case, we also had 4 dogs in the house, so one of us frequently had to deal with canine issues.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z3F3zgDZpVe5bo07LMok7mYbEinA1L8eKibert-LeLvDwSJZRZlyhyphenhyphenGEHyYyB3JF64qNHkICc29dtYPvgvnwQ6-czXJTWeBoSoUlIJLhvzFVifDADWJdOW1cRgsrEWzUk2jsNuwgpHRI/s1600/2012-12-10+14.02.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z3F3zgDZpVe5bo07LMok7mYbEinA1L8eKibert-LeLvDwSJZRZlyhyphenhyphenGEHyYyB3JF64qNHkICc29dtYPvgvnwQ6-czXJTWeBoSoUlIJLhvzFVifDADWJdOW1cRgsrEWzUk2jsNuwgpHRI/s320/2012-12-10+14.02.16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a cheerful crew working on the job, at least at the beginning!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3E7z1kzFcchUnhUBrp4crjnYl1tmMXx6zWY5bw4Krz3cEOP02UsGMFIDYPT3Mr1ahHtb6ERUKmhhWV5PSPML6xwC20K42uT7r44TKxDRP9tDEScTULoZcgPjkXjWWAJ80UGzdfz-dMAL/s1600/2012-12-10+14.02.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3E7z1kzFcchUnhUBrp4crjnYl1tmMXx6zWY5bw4Krz3cEOP02UsGMFIDYPT3Mr1ahHtb6ERUKmhhWV5PSPML6xwC20K42uT7r44TKxDRP9tDEScTULoZcgPjkXjWWAJ80UGzdfz-dMAL/s320/2012-12-10+14.02.25.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not everyone was working - Alex had a pretty good view of the project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I really liked the pattern, but it added quite a bit of labor to the job. Although the total square footage of this job was only a little more than what we did in our <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2012/06/lake-home-sun-room-addition-interior.html">lake project</a>, this was a lot tougher job. Not only did we - meaning Carter - have to deal with the pattern, we also had many more nooks and crannies to tile, so there was a lot more measuring and cutting involved. Also, unlike at the lake, we had to move furniture and appliances around, as well as deal with a whole pack of dogs! In any case, eventually the tile was down.<br />
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Once the tile had a chance to set, we were ready for grout. Applying the grout isn't rocket science, but it's hard work. Just as hard is washing it down afterword - you're on your knees, wiping and scrubbing like crazy. Fortunately, Liz and Carter were in better shape than I was, so they were able to finish this job when my arms, back, and knees gave out.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIinjPimu49u7bHEeqxoRUFoArT1I1Xe4EjSFZfw5RexbEYKi9D74Q2mQoREuYAdmoGHdvbkRQLSY1j3zUPb5S6mic0n4yT0FaClXgrkrfEL537vWMntzyVjeEvuQyFscgx6FltbJmA9s/s1600/2012-12-11+11.52.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUIinjPimu49u7bHEeqxoRUFoArT1I1Xe4EjSFZfw5RexbEYKi9D74Q2mQoREuYAdmoGHdvbkRQLSY1j3zUPb5S6mic0n4yT0FaClXgrkrfEL537vWMntzyVjeEvuQyFscgx6FltbJmA9s/s320/2012-12-11+11.52.10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We grouted the kitchen before finishing the tile in the other room so we could move the appliances back in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheq2Ci_7bcfXM2uZ1ve55KTu1ioMlhutWRcWnlaiDmsNeYanT6CpJJfZZxjxaGl7UzJ_AkqE1qCqty_-t0ZhjrS92xf579e73dd3L3BYvx2_w_GCylgTmaxHfnLFOmTmNDX-Rs6ALI8wjL/s1600/2012-12-11+11.52.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheq2Ci_7bcfXM2uZ1ve55KTu1ioMlhutWRcWnlaiDmsNeYanT6CpJJfZZxjxaGl7UzJ_AkqE1qCqty_-t0ZhjrS92xf579e73dd3L3BYvx2_w_GCylgTmaxHfnLFOmTmNDX-Rs6ALI8wjL/s320/2012-12-11+11.52.26.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really like the pattern - it adds to the look of the floor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvzjcDPSzseEocTB_H8BM03LCndeut6ThraECmWvKqVaFkNEl_MqeLOuGeCTl5wMhIbp6HK0VJ7s4gUu9fQtw_mTOSQMVTf8MmnXHV1IjTcvRuRg3zue42XmsDI3PsEjYLwG_xQGoNeo9/s1600/2012-12-14+10.53.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvzjcDPSzseEocTB_H8BM03LCndeut6ThraECmWvKqVaFkNEl_MqeLOuGeCTl5wMhIbp6HK0VJ7s4gUu9fQtw_mTOSQMVTf8MmnXHV1IjTcvRuRg3zue42XmsDI3PsEjYLwG_xQGoNeo9/s320/2012-12-14+10.53.42.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tile is still damp from washing - it's not this high gloss when dry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIyXE-9n2L7WQ7xHBShpuxw8WPBE5A8T9lGNoTmifhl-oXUE1Ik9ZtZSzHawlxsFVpn4GZjdnqA1f-Plg_8nMpQbRKoaUYSqmXDKukDkHHlQ-oj6MyGkVsmXB0Ab897MYwc-KUSkdaiuf/s1600/2012-12-14+10.53.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIyXE-9n2L7WQ7xHBShpuxw8WPBE5A8T9lGNoTmifhl-oXUE1Ik9ZtZSzHawlxsFVpn4GZjdnqA1f-Plg_8nMpQbRKoaUYSqmXDKukDkHHlQ-oj6MyGkVsmXB0Ab897MYwc-KUSkdaiuf/s320/2012-12-14+10.53.50.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter's knees must be sore - she's bending over to clean this section.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJvZw5YyOCB4u4SD9MHTkPFkouXuOu8TyIBi4Gw1K2YaH45dLd9H-OC4ek3lduUTN0PQrbVyIsUqOe9sJF7O5Qk_5C38WmLUKImH9llmf6YHOAK4WxCFQFH0whHi20Rek6gj18dmthjn4/s1600/2012-12-14+10.54.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJvZw5YyOCB4u4SD9MHTkPFkouXuOu8TyIBi4Gw1K2YaH45dLd9H-OC4ek3lduUTN0PQrbVyIsUqOe9sJF7O5Qk_5C38WmLUKImH9llmf6YHOAK4WxCFQFH0whHi20Rek6gj18dmthjn4/s320/2012-12-14+10.54.06.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All clean!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1OlYo2FVGcT3uMmEG9gmNUcSHHawKWn8XSePQ6vHCg1l4BrQFMfJMPjEZ2JdwCcSGFjCWZtA7Gpwso-oY9o3Wb7YF3vjLPn8zk0zhyrb7FlYMtnrm7xAb2y36XxOSLBwVZw6x7RgYbA7/s1600/2012-12-14+16.57.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1OlYo2FVGcT3uMmEG9gmNUcSHHawKWn8XSePQ6vHCg1l4BrQFMfJMPjEZ2JdwCcSGFjCWZtA7Gpwso-oY9o3Wb7YF3vjLPn8zk0zhyrb7FlYMtnrm7xAb2y36XxOSLBwVZw6x7RgYbA7/s320/2012-12-14+16.57.47.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how it looks when dry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYDdP1PPgaNZNWzIexVq7VDfBPRgoKWjTBW1aMg8d-K6C4Gs14n3oljR9hGRxWGP5n95lsvWTl56AVt8OhNp47fTQCUMxXSKSbBAejWCyUyN7jBOQgn_1-ugNdWMyavDsQyGLuWdRWnqF/s1600/2012-12-14+16.57.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYDdP1PPgaNZNWzIexVq7VDfBPRgoKWjTBW1aMg8d-K6C4Gs14n3oljR9hGRxWGP5n95lsvWTl56AVt8OhNp47fTQCUMxXSKSbBAejWCyUyN7jBOQgn_1-ugNdWMyavDsQyGLuWdRWnqF/s320/2012-12-14+16.57.57.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to re-install the trim.</td></tr>
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Once the tile was done, all that was left was to re-install the base trim. Since the floor was a little higher than the old one, I trimmed about 1/4" from the bottom of each piece on my table saw before nailing it back on.<br />
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After working on a couple of tile jobs, I can tell you it's not something I'd want to do for a living. Everything is heavy, and you spend all day kneeling and bending over - I suppose a person might get used to it, but who would want to? On the bright side, the entire project cost under $2,000 - a much smaller number than you could expect if you hired it done. I might tackle a very small tile job myself, but I'd never want to do this alone - Carter and Liz were very much appreciated! If you decide to do this kind of job yourself, try to get someone with experience to guide the job.<br />
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In any case, we now have a great new floor - a big improvement to our home!Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-57151265092199236772013-03-10T21:17:00.000-07:002013-03-10T21:17:47.109-07:00Bacon!My brother has had a life-long love affair with bacon - his one true love. I created this post a while ago, but decided to save it for his birthday.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='425' height='353' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CaK9bjLy3v4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Besides eating bacon, Bill spends most of his time gaming, working in his yard, or writing posts for his <a href="http://garthright.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. He's 62 today - he might want to cut down on the bacon a bit if he wants to see 63.<br />
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Happy Birthday, Bill!Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-63690906509502144522013-03-08T14:20:00.000-08:002013-03-10T20:33:30.011-07:00Mila Kunis Interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='384' height='319' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/z4Ezruu1oeQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I don't normally post interviews, but this one struck me as really funny - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005109/">Mila Kunis</a> being interviewed by Chris Stark. Stark is smitten, and has a hard time staying on topic.<br />
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Kunis, perhaps best known for the sitcom "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165598/">That 70's Show</a>", comes across as a good sport, and a lot of fun. She's a competent actress, at least. I hadn't planned on seeing "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205/">Oz, the Great and Powerful</a>", but I may have to check it out.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-16312697950937487852013-02-21T13:18:00.001-08:002013-02-21T13:18:13.295-08:00A Good Day to Die Hard - Movie ReviewI hadn't heard from my estranged son for a couple of years, so I had a cop buddy run a search for him. Turns out he was in a Russian prison, charged with killing a government official. Since this could be it for him, I decided to go see him at his trial.<br />
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As I'm waiting at the court house, there's a huge explosion, and who do I see escaping in the confusion? You got it - my son, along with a Russian dissident! I steal a truck, and follow the gang of thugs who are trying to kill him. After crashing into about a thousand other cars and stealing another vehicle, I save him from the bad guys. As I'm giving him hell, I discover he's not really a criminal - he's CIA!<br />
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Of course, the bad guys crash our safe house, somehow miraculously missing us with all the machine guns, and we make our escape. After some close calls, we steal another car and catch the bad guys, foiling their nefarious plot. My son and I trade wisecracks throughout, and bond between dodging bullets. The world is once again safe for democracy!<br />
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What's that you say? You aren't buying this story? That's OK - I know you're shocked, but this didn't really happen. I've just given you the plot to the latest of the "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095016/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Die Hard</a>" movies - <i><b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606378/">A Good Day to Die Hard</a></b></i>.<br />
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I'm not a big fan of violent movies, but this <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000246/?ref_=tt_cl_t1">Bruce Willis</a> series is fun - filled with plenty of cartoon-style smashups. You always know John McClane (Willis) will be OK in the end. There are plenty of dead bodies, but they're mostly bad guys, so who cares, right? This one is typical of the series - McClane lives through beatings, car crashes, and gunfire that would kill any normal human. Of course, the trademark wisecracks flow as swiftly as the bullets.<br />
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Does this movie sound silly and illogical? Do you have trouble believing the McClanes can arrive at Chernobyl in their stolen car just moments after the Russian crooks in their helicopter? Do you find it unlikely they'd be able to survive massive gunfire, and avoid local police? Of course you do - this movie is not realistic in the slightest! You know what else? It doesn't have to be. This is a fantasy - like any super hero story, you need to disconnect your disbelief and just enjoy the show. John McClane, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman">Superman</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man">Spiderman</a>, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Lantern">The Green Lantern</a>, exists in another universe - where men can fly, walk on walls, or get the living hell beat out of them while cracking wise. <br />
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As long as you're willing to accept the realities of his world, you'll find this to be an entertaining movie. The plot, if you can call it that, is OK. Willis is fun as the aging McClane. Everybody else is forgettable. There's no deeper meaning, no hidden message to it. Good guys win, bad guys die, I eat popcorn and enjoy the action. Yeah!Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-65546249870211509712013-02-08T11:39:00.000-08:002013-02-08T11:39:10.922-08:00Warm Bodies - Movie ReviewI like zombies.<br />
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Check that - I should say I like zombies in the movies and TV shows. I don't personally know any zombies, so I 'm not sure what I would think of them if I met one in person. I suspect I wouldn't like them much, but a new movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588173/"><strong><em>Warm Bodies</em></strong></a>, is out that may change my mind. I've watched a couple of entertaining and funny zombie flicks (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156398/?ref_=sr_1"><strong><em>Zombieland</em></strong></a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/?ref_=sr_1"><strong><em>Shaun of the Dead</em></strong></a> come to mind), but I had yet to see a zombie love story. This move changes that!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BvWSOWtrb13xKaXu68Z5eoo0wnkQLGsrVM-yalJ7SrC37BGTGgs6eHQuRCX8mfJmEdXWB-CSIDPZU9qvQDqDSs90iPlrLmYxvodMf4iAXMNGO_QWuHll9uTMHpCSkgvHs_Zh3k2AM6XF/s1600/Warm+Bodies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BvWSOWtrb13xKaXu68Z5eoo0wnkQLGsrVM-yalJ7SrC37BGTGgs6eHQuRCX8mfJmEdXWB-CSIDPZU9qvQDqDSs90iPlrLmYxvodMf4iAXMNGO_QWuHll9uTMHpCSkgvHs_Zh3k2AM6XF/s1600/Warm+Bodies.jpg" /></a></div>
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"R" (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0396558/?ref_=tt_cl_t1">Nicholas Hoult</a>) is a zombie, and the story is told from his point of view. We hear his inner monologue, which is much more eloquent than the grunts and growls he is able to express out loud. R can't remember his name, and knows something is missing, but he just can't seem to get it out. He and his "best friend" - played by veteran character actor <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1117791/?ref_=tt_cl_t4">Rob Corddry</a> - can't communicate, but hang out together, making this one of the strangest <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_film">buddy films</a> of all time.<br />
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R knows something is missing, but just can't put his finger on it. That all changes when he and a group of fellow zombies attack a scavenging party of survivors. R kills and eats the brain of Perry (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2002649/?ref_=tt_cl_t5">Dave Franco</a>), gaining some of his memories in the process. Perry's girlfriend, Julie (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1954240/?ref_=tt_cl_t2">Teresa Palmer</a>) is also there, and some of the residual feelings from Perry's brain cause R to save her from the other zombies.<br />
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Nothing that follows will surprise you, as R becomes more and more lifelike as he takes care of Julie. There are some funny bits as R struggles to communicate, a confrontation with Julie's father (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000518/?ref_=tt_cl_t6">John Malkovich</a>), and a climatic struggle between good and evil - just an ordinary day in the life of a zombie.<br />
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<strong><em><u>Warm Bodies</u></em></strong> isn't a great movie. It's dumb, and the logic of it breaks down if you're paying attention, but this movie isn't about paying attention. It's a unique concept, and has some really funny moments. It's a great send up of movies like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twilight_Saga_(film_series)">Twilight series</a>, which have humans romantically involved with vampires and werewolves. If that can happen, why can't your daughter hook up with a zombie?<br />
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You could make a case that the zombies lovers represent same sex or mixed race couples, but really, if you're looking for deeper meaning here, you're missing the point. This is a funny movie, more in the tradition of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095705/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4"><strong><em>The Naked Gun</em></strong></a> than <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061735/?ref_=sr_2"><strong><em>Guess Who's Coming To Dinner</em></strong></a>. Don't expect to learn anything - just relax and enjoy the fun.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-66056053532309350152013-02-06T12:53:00.001-08:002013-02-06T12:53:31.155-08:00Russian Amerika - Book Review<strong><u>Russian Amerika</u></strong> is an alternate history novel written by <a href="http://stoneycompton.com/">Stoney Compton</a>. This is the first book I've read by Compton, who apparently uses Alaska as the setting for most of his tales. Sometimes, authors feel the need to set the stage for their alternate history stories by showing the exact divergence from our timeline. Compton takes a different - and, I think, correct - tack by just presenting it as it is and not trying to fill in all details. We know this world is different from our own, we just don't know exactly what happened. That's OK with me - the world is described well enough to follow the action, so that's all I need.<br />
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In <u>Russian Amerika</u>, the Czar still rules in Russia, the United States lost the Civil War, and North America is split into 9 or 10 smaller entities. The political situation isn't well defined by the book, but the United States and the Republic of California appear to be allies, and support the revolution that is trying to form the new republic in Alaska.<br />
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The action centers around Gregori (Grisha) Grogorievich, a former officer in the Russian equivalent to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Foreign_Legion">French Foreign Legion</a>, who is thrust into the middle of the conflict by circumstances. What follows is a good adventure yarn, taking us through the revolution.<br />
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Technology in this universe is somewhat behind that of our world - late 1980's in the book feels more like 1940 - no jets, limited communications, less sophisticated military equipment. Because of this, the rebels, led by Native Americans (the Dena) have some success against the Russian forces. <br />
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Grisha is a good protagonist - tough and smart. Circumstances throw him together with the Dena, eventually leading to his important role in the revolution. The Dena are superb woodsmen, fierce warriors, and loyal friends, so it's easy to root for the revolutionaries.<br />
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I like <u>Russian Amerika</u>, but it's not perfect. The characters are interesting, but quite black and white. Every rebel is altruistic and heroic, while the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cossacks">Cossacks</a> are universally evil, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Other Russians are mostly incompetent, except those who convert to the rebel's cause. Speaking of turncoats, everyone - with one exception I can think of - who goes over to the rebel side is completely converted, and instantly becomes a trusted, valuable member of the revolt. The Dena Indians are almost superhuman, possessing incredible fighting and tracking skills, and able to withstand torture without cracking.<br />
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The battle sequences are entertaining, but a bit hard to believe. Small, ragtag bands of heroic guerrillas succeed by sabotage and subterfuge, not by fighting pitched battles with enemy infantry when they're badly outnumbered and outgunned. To be fair, the rebels get some valuable help, which makes this a little easier to believe, but it still seems as though their success comes a little too easily. To me, it would be a bit more believable if the technology level was lower - say about equal to that availble during our Civil War. That would even up the playing field a little, and make the rebel's victory more plausible.<br />
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I'd also like to see more character development. Grisha is a three-dimensional character, but many others are less fleshed out. I'd like to see a sympathetic Cossack - not agreeing with his superior's methods, but powerless to do anything about it. In any revolution, there are good and bad guys on both sides - I'd like to see a little more of that.<br />
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All that being said, this is still an entertaining yarn. There are a lot of interesting characters, and the action certainly keeps your attention. In many ways, it reminds me of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Flint">Eric Flint's</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1632_series">1632 series</a> (although that is a better book, IMHO), in that it presents an extremely optimistic view of the events. That's OK - we know this isn't a history book, and who's to say it <strong>COULDN'T</strong> go like that? If there's no great message behind this story, it's still fun to read. There's at least one sequel, which has the potential to further develop characters and plot lines. This is a simple book that tells an entertaining story - worth the time if you like an adventure story.<br />
<br />Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-49578514983936087362013-01-29T08:53:00.000-08:002013-01-29T08:53:14.863-08:00How to Install Your DishwasherWhen <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/moving-time.html" target="_blank">we moved</a>, we had a lot of work done on the new house - remodeling virtually every room. We bought all new appliances when we did the kitchen, but we have been very disappointed with our Frigidaire dishwasher. Although it was supposed to be a quality unit, it didn't work as well as we expected - certainly not as well as the one in our old house. In addition, it was awkward to load, and the shelf adjustment wasn't handy. After fighting it for almost 6 months, we decided to cut our losses and get a new one.<br />
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The folks at Lowes were very helpful, giving Theresa a good deal on a high-end dishwasher - almost half price. They delivered it while I was out of town for a couple of days, so I was ready to install it a week ago.<br />
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The easiest installation is like mine - when you're replacing an existing dishwasher, you've already got water, a drain line, and power available. If you didn't have a dishwasher before, you'll need to do some prep work first:<br />
<ul>
<li>Determine your desired location. Most of the time, you'll want to be close to the sink - that makes it easy to hook up your water and sewer lines, as well as making it handy to load dishes. Often, you'll be able to remove a base cabinet to make room, or you may be able to install the dishwasher at the end of a row of cabinets. If you don't have room to install a built-in dishwasher, you may want to consider a <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Dishwashers-Disposers-Dishwashers-Portable-Dishwashers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZc3p1/R-203266077/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&superSkuId=203266063" target="_blank">portable unit</a>, so you can just wheel it in place when you want to use it. If possible, install the built-in model - you'll like the performance and ease of use.</li>
<li>Locate the nearest water and sewer lines available, and get connections set up. In most cases, you can "T" off of your existing water supply line - making sure to add a shut off for the dishwasher. You drain line will usually go into your disposal, if you have one (<strong>don't forget to knock the plug out of the inlet</strong>), or into a special inlet on the drain tail piece. If your dishwasher is going to be more than 6 feet from your drain line, you may need to consult a plumber for installation.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm0xVEG6EgBD0SbrXYsryMp6g1uTIh9jyNvG1vJP-WRLDij0YgFm9MsD2K3_cKS5YBCjF6C-vKE0uwT6O1jD7raPM2DZkO9xCu7Uoy-GaTAwqeBRo1RPqu289nyr8jLMrrF9TrrWc3n1u/s1600/Drain+Line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm0xVEG6EgBD0SbrXYsryMp6g1uTIh9jyNvG1vJP-WRLDij0YgFm9MsD2K3_cKS5YBCjF6C-vKE0uwT6O1jD7raPM2DZkO9xCu7Uoy-GaTAwqeBRo1RPqu289nyr8jLMrrF9TrrWc3n1u/s1600/Drain+Line.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you don't have a disposal, you'll need this special tail piece with a side inlet - available at any hardware store.<br />
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<ul>
<li>You'll need electrical power to the dishwasher, as well. You should plan on having a circuit just for the dishwasher - if you don't have one, you'll need to add it (many homes have the dishwasher on a shared circuit, either with kitchen lights or the disposal, and it may work OK, but it's better to do it right and add the circuit). If you're not comfortable with electrical work, hire an electrician to do it. If you're pretty handy, a <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2011/12/simple-electrical-repairs.html" target="_blank">you should be able to handle it</a>.</li>
</ul>
If, like me, you're just replacing an old dishwasher, you'll already have almost everything you need. Plan on using a new <a href="http://www.azpartsmaster.com/Products/Stainless-Steel-Braided-Dishwasher-Supply-Line-72-with-Two-Elbow-Fittings__I18425.aspx?affid=googleproduct&gclid=CP-os-rni7UCFbAWMgodG2gAoQ" target="_blank">water supply line</a> (you'll also need a new drain hose, but that probably comes with the dishwasher). Your power cord, water supply line, and drain hose should be long enough to reach the connections, and have a little slack so you can hook them up before installing the unit. For most installations, you're ready to go:<br />
<ul>
<li>Turn off the power and water to the old dishwasher, and unhook them. Unhook the drain hose underneath the sink, as well.</li>
<li>Locate the screws holding the dishwasher into the cabinet (probably in the front of the unit, going into the counter top), and remove them. Slide the dishwasher out of the way.</li>
<li>Measure the opening height, and adjust the legs on the bottom of the new dishwasher so that it fits the opening. You'll be able to adjust a little later, if necessary, but it's a lot easier to get it close now. If your floor is very uneven, you'll need to fix that before proceeding - a small amount can be corrected with the feet on the bottom of the unit.</li>
<li>Check your connections to the new dishwasher to make sure you've got everything you need. </li>
<li> Hook up the water supply line, drain line, and electrical power (<strong>making absolutely certain that the power is still shut off at the breaker</strong>) to the dishwasher.</li>
<li>Slide the unit partially into place, making sure to route the water and electrical lines as needed. </li>
<li>Hook up the water, drain, and electrical connections at the source, if you haven't already done so.</li>
<li>Finish sliding the dishwasher in place. Check to make sure it's level and raised up so it fits just under the counter top - adjust the feet on the bottom of the unit as needed.</li>
<li>Secure the dishwasher to the counter top or cabinets using the included brackets and screws. <strong>Make sure the screws are not too long, or they'll protrude through the counter top!</strong></li>
<li> Turn on the water and electrical power, run a cycle, and check for leaks.</li>
</ul>
So far, our new dishwasher is working fine - it's a big improvement from the old one. Installing it was pretty easy - the whole thing took about the same amount of time it took me to write this blog post (I'm pretty slow with both working and writing). Your new dishwasher will come with installation instructions - read them and, if they differ from this post, follow the instructions that came with your machine. This is an easy do-it-yourself project, well worth tackling yourself.<br />
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Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-40659224921054339972013-01-24T13:57:00.000-08:002013-01-24T13:57:11.494-08:00My WiFi AdventureA long time ago - we're talking pre-Internet times - if you had a home computer, you probably had a modem in it. A modem allowed your computer to communicate over phone lines with other computers. You could, theoretically, transfer files to another modem-equipped computer, after making sure both were online and using complementary protocols. More often, you could log on to "bulletin boards" and download shareware programs - games, utilities, etc. that you could try first, then pay for. <br />
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Now, of course, virtually every computer is connected to the Internet. Early on, most computers connected with a modem and phone line. Later, wired broadband connections were the standard. Today, your Internet connection is most likely delivered to your home via DSL or Cable, then made available to various devices (computers, printers, tablets, smart phones, video receivers, etc.) over a wireless network.<br />
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Modern devices search for wireless access, and automatically connect to known networks, assuming you've got your device set up to do so. The whole thing works very well, and makes smart phones, tablets, and laptops truly portable. Wifi networks are readily available - most restaurants have them - so you can be connected almost anywhere.<br />
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Most wireless networks are stable and secure. Networks at public venues may not have security installed, so you may be slightly more susceptible to hackers - do your banking in secure locations. My problem came with our home network.<br />
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We<a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/moving-time.html" target="_blank"> moved a few months ago</a>. In our old home, our router was located in my office in the basement. Our main TV was also in the basement, where the <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/wii" target="_blank">Wii</a> was connected - important because we needed the wireless for online gaming or movies using this gaming system. The only connectivity issue we had was with a net book computer we used in the kitchen - the signal strength was weak, causing slow connection speeds. Overall, that was a minor issue, since we weren't doing anything important on the small computer anyway.<br />
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In our new home, our main TV is on the main floor. In addition to the Wii, we now have a <a href="http://www.roku.com/" target="_blank">Roku</a>, with which we watch many old movies on <a href="http://movies.netflix.com/" target="_blank">Netflix</a> or <a href="http://www.hulu.com/" target="_blank">Hulu</a>. We've also both got <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-new-ipad-review.html" target="_blank">iPads</a>, so our data needs are increased significantly. Since our router is located downstairs, in the corner of the basement opposite the living room, the weakest signal in our network was the room where most of our needs were. As a result, we were experiencing a number of "drops" where we'd lose the network in the middle of whatever we were doing (most often watching a movie or TV show). Clearly, a change was needed.<br />
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My first reaction was to buy a new router. Our old one was a mid-level router, designed for average users. I bought a higher end router - still not top-of-the-line, but better - designed for "medium to large homes with higher data needs". This worked better, but after some time, we began experiencing the same issues as before. Figuring we just didn't have enough signal strength, I bought a new, higher-end router, and a <a href="http://www.dlink.com/us/en/home-solutions/connect/access-points-range-extenders-and-bridges/dap-1320-wireless-range-extender" target="_blank">range extender</a>. This would do it for sure, right?<br />
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I set up the new, hot shot, dual band, extended range router downstairs, then placed the range extender upstairs in our spare room, directly above the router. After some fiddling around with the settings, I got connected, and everything looked great. Then I walked into the living room! My powerful signal from the bedroom was only marginally better than the downstairs signal, still weaker than what I needed. I grabbed the extender and moved it out to the living room. Now, I had it! I was able to connect to the router, and the signal to my video devices was perfect. The only issue was that the extender was sitting in the middle of the living room - not coordinating well with Theresa's decorating.<br />
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This was an easy problem to solve, right? I just moved the extender a few feet over so it was sitting by the TV - hidden from casual view like all the other components. Finally, we were ready to relax and enjoy a movie - and we did, for about 3 minutes. At that point, the movie stopped to reload, running for a couple of minutes each time before pausing again. What happened?<br />
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It turns out that moving the range extender just a few feet had put it on the edge of our network's range, causing a very slow connection. It was confusing, because our Roku said the signal strength was "Excellent". Engaging my brain - something to which I'm unaccustomed - led me to realize that the signal FROM the booster was strong, but the signal TO the booster was marginal. This was like using a bucket to move a teaspoon of water - it works OK, but you don't really get anything accomplished.<br />
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Clearly, a new approach was needed. I debated the purchase of another new router, this time going for a super high-end unit. I suspect that would work - after all, many restaurants have a strong signal that will reach even into the parking lot. After some thought, I decided to just run a network cable up behind the TV, and install a router there. This wouldn't be difficult, since our basement isn't finished, and it would have the added advantage of allowing for a wired connection to devices, should that prove necessary.<br />
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Since I had our old router sitting around doing nothing, I decided to leave the new one in place, and add the old one upstairs. We'd now have three wireless networks on our system - the original, now relocated upstairs, and two emanating from the dual band router in the basement. I could have just moved the router up, but, since I've got a computer and printer downstairs, I figured it would be handy to have network access down there.<br />
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After the requisite false starts and screw-ups - during which I lost ALL connectivity throughout the house - the system was ready to go. With relatively little trouble, I was able to connect all the devices upstairs to the network, and give it a try.<br />
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So far, everything seems to be working fine. The wireless network is a bit slower than wired, but it's certainly within acceptable limits. Watching TV and movies is easy - there are no objectionable delays. My Wii has an Ethernet connection port, so I may experiment with a hard-wired connection there, to see if there is a big improvement in performance. The Roku is wireless only, but similar devices are available with Ethernet connections, so if it looks like it's worth it, I can switch that out, as well.<br />
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I suspect wireless technology will continue to improve, so that Ethernet cable will be unnecessary in the future. Indeed, I'm sure we'll one day have universal coverage, so that every device will be connected at all times. Until then, we'll have to keep patching and improving our home networks to keep up with our ever-growing data needs.Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-25835410118809619542013-01-21T11:15:00.000-08:002013-01-21T11:15:47.768-08:00Mike Johanns Responds to Me! (Kind Of)A month ago or so, I posted about <a href="http://greggsdoghouse.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-un-disabilities-treaty.html" target="_blank">Nebraska's Mike Johanns and his vote against the U.N. Disabilities Treaty</a>. At the time, his justification for his cowardly vote was his supposed concern for the sovereignty of our country - a flimsy excuse at best. I also noted that I had sent him a critical email, but didn't expect an apology, or even a response, from him.<br />
<br />
I have to admit, I was wrong! Checking the mail after the first of the year, I noticed a letter, addressed to me, explaining his vote. I should note, the letter had my name on it, and it addressed my concerns, but it was a form letter. Apparently, Johanns got enough complaints about his vote that a response was prepared.<br />
<br />
In any case, reading the letter was enlightening. I now discover that his vote was not his fault - it was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid" target="_blank">Harry Reid's</a> fault! Wow, Reid is something, isn't he? He's such a scary character - you can just picture republicans all over the country scaring their kids with, "If you're not good, Harry Reid will get you"! Johanns now says he voted against the treaty because he told Reid not to bring up any treaties before the end of the session, since there wouldn't be time to read and study them adequately. Riiiiight........ I'm certain that's the reason - it couldn't be that you're a cowardly hypocrite who doesn't have the guts to just come out and say you did what you did for purely political reasons.<br />
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In reality, the treaty had nothing to do with U.S. sovereignty, and everything to do with a Republican party playing to their base. Voting against it had nothing to do with Harry Reid, and everything to do with avoiding a primary challenge from the right. Mike Johanns should save the effort, and quit trying to convince me he's trying to do his job.<br />
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Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423095424140347656.post-69032338088372043232013-01-19T22:09:00.001-08:002013-01-19T22:09:17.843-08:00Blogsy test<p> This is a test post using Blogsy, a new blogging tool I'm trying for the iPad. If it works well enough for me to use it, I'll review it in a future post. For now, I'll just try <strong>some basic formatting</strong>, as well <em>as <u>some other </u> features </em></p>
<p><em><br>
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<p><em>You should be able to add links</em> <span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">http://garthright.blogspot.</span><span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">com/2013/01/a-powerful-anecdote.html?showComment=1358655038091&m=1, but I don't know how to do it yet.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><br>
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<p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" alt="Posted with Blogsy" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" height="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>Gregg Garthrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01024020470731804949noreply@blogger.com0