Jeanne Manford - 1920-2013

Jeanne Manford died last week.  This may not mean much to you, but you could argue that she has had a larger impact on our society in the last 40 years than many more famous and influential figures.  What did she do?  She stood up and  said she loved and supported her child - no big deal, except this was 1972, and her son happened to be gay.  Watch Rachel Maddow's tribute to her in the video clip below:

 

You may not think it takes courage to  publicly support a gay child - and it doesn't, today.  In the 70's, though, things were very different.  Jeanne's support of her son, in spite of what friends, neighbors, or family may have thought, helped to change this country.  While other parents were ignoring or even disowning their children, she stood up and said, "I'm proud of my son".  This attitude has helped fuel the remarkable advance of gay rights during the last couple of decades.  We are where we are today because of people like Jeanne Manford.  Jeanne was a co-founder of PFLAG, an organization that brings together people who have gay or lesbian loved ones.

Jeanne Manford, marching with her son, Morty, in 1972.

We'd all like to think we'd have stood up in support of our children, but, as I said, it was a different time. Unless you were in that situation in that time, you can't really know.  I do know that, because of people like Jeanne Manford, I don't have to face what she did.  Because of her, thousands of families love and support their gay and lesbian members.  I can't imagine a greater legacy.

Jack Reacher - Movie Review

Fans of the Jack Reacher novels were up in arms over the casting of Tom Cruise as the title character in the new movie - an understandable position, since the fictional Reacher is eight to ten inches taller and 80 pounds heavier than the vertically challenged actor.  I've read one of the books, but wasn't familiar enough with the character to have an opinion about it one way or the other.

Cruise's size didn't have an impact on my enjoyment of the movie - he's not a big guy, but he's in shape and pulls off the action sequences very well.  Good camera work - shooting from different angles and avoiding direct height comparisons - helps to keep the audience focused on the action, instead of the physical size of the actors.  In truth, the action is so fast and furious that you don't have time to worry about anything but keeping the story straight.

Jack Reacher is an ex-military cop, a drifter who has gone "off the grid".  He's a tough guy - basically indestructible - and isn't shy about dealing with evil doers.  This is an action flick, and there's not much for humor, but I did laugh when he warned the group of young toughs who intend to rough him up:  Reacher:"OK, but pay your bill first"  Tough Kid:"I'll pay later"  Reacher: "You won't be able to pay later". 

Reacher is involved when a sniper kills 5 people in an apparently senseless spree.  When caught, he tells the arresting detective to get Jack Reacher.  It turns out Reacher has a past with the guy, but they're "not friends".  Reacher reluctantly agrees to investigate the shooting for the accused's lawyer Helen, played by Rosamund Pike.  It wouldn't be much of a story if everything was just as it appears, and Reacher soon learns there's more to the story than meets the eye.

Jack Reacher is a violent character, but the bad guys in this movie would give criminals nightmares.  The baddest of the bad is "The Zec" (Werner Herzog).  The Zec never touches anyone, but he's about the creepiest character you've ever seen. 

Other characters are pretty standard fare - most of them don't last long enough to to be fully developed, but they fit the style of the film.  The plot is interesting, and there's enough of a twist to keep you interested right up until the end - but face it, this isn't a movie to provoke thought.  It's chock full of action, not particularly believable, and a whole lot of fun.  If you're in the mood to see a lot of action, a few interesting characters, and an entertaining story, check out Jack Reacher.  It's certainly worth the cost of the popcorn.

I'm in Hot Water (Again!)

I've been really busy at work, while trying to find time to prep for our next big project at the house, so the last thing I needed was something else to work on.  Naturally, it was the perfect time to walk downstairs and find a big puddle of water under my water heater!

When we bought our new home, we knew the water heater was installed by the builder about 15 years ago.  Since any water heater over about 10 years old is living on borrowed time, I knew I'd have to replace it before too long - I just didn't know exactly how soon I'd be working on it.  Installing a water heater isn't difficult, but make sure you follow all applicable building codes.  You may be required to get a permit - check with your local department of building and safety if you're not sure of the requirements in your area.

The leak wasn't too bad, but water heaters rarely heal themselves, so I decided to pick one up on the way home from work and install it that night.  If you're in the market for a new water heater, there's a few things you need to think of:

• Gas or Electric?  That's an easy decision, in most cases.  In most cases, you'll want to replace your water heater with the same type you're removing.  Switching from gas to electric will require adding a dedicated circuit for the heater, and will probably end up costing you more for operating costs.  If your old heater is electric, you may be temped to install gas to save energy costs.  Unfortunately, you'll have to run a gas line, as well as an exhaust vent, making your installation more difficult and expensive.
• Capacity?  A standard water heater has a storage tank where hot water waits for your use.  Generally speaking, the larger the tank, the greater the capacity.  A tank that's too small may mean you'll run out of hot water, while an overly large tank will just end up costing you more in operating costs.  Water heaters are also rated as to how long they take to heat water to normal operating temperature.  In most cases, you'll want at least as large a tank as you're replacing - larger, if you've added a whirlpool tub or some other hot water hog.
• What configuration is best?  Water heaters come in "Tall" and "Short" models.  There's no inherent advantage to either style, but it can make a difference in the ease of installation. 
• Warranty length / quality.  Unlike some other products, a longer warranty in a water heater generally means it is a higher quality unit.  In most cases, it doesn't pay to buy the very cheapest unit.  While I don't always buy the very top quality, I find the best value is generally in a "middle of the road" line.  In this case, I bought the "9 year" heater, which cost about $100 more than the low-end "6 year" model.    This model had a higher  BTU rating than the cheaper one - equivalent to the higher end model at Home Depot.  If you're so inclined, there are premium models available at a much higher price - evaluate them and choose what makes the most sense for your application.
• Other options.  There are other options available - Tankless heaters, solar heaters, and small, point of use heaters.  All of these may make sense, but are probably beyond the ability of most homeowners to install.

In my case, choosing a water heater was easy.  We had a 40 gallon natural gas water heater that, when working, provided adequate capacity.  Access to the unit was good, since it is installed in my unfinished basement.  As I mentioned above, I bought a "mid grade" model.  I chose a "short" heater, since having a new water heater slightly shorter than the old one simplified installation slightly.  I also measured the distance between the inlet and output ports, to make sure they matched up with my existing pipes.

When I bought the water heater, I also bought fittings and supplies needed for installation.  in my case, since I was going to solder 3/4" copper pipe, I bought a bunch of elbows and couplings, along with a couple of 3/4" pipe thread adapters.  Since I'd be working in the evening, I bought extra fittings - nothing is more frustrating than needing a fitting when all the stores are closed!

For tools, you'll need:

• A tubing cutter to cut rigid copper tubing
• Wrenches matching your fittings (or a couple of 10" crescent wrenches)
• Teflon tape for both water and gas connections.
• A portable propane torch (if you're going to solder connections), along with lead-free solder, flux, and associated tools.  If you look at the  hardware store, you'll find kits with everything you need to solder copper pipe.  Make sure you get the proper size tool for your size of pipe.
• A drill and nut drivers to remove and reassemble the exhaust vent pipe.
• Safety glasses!
• Leather gloves

After dinner, I headed downstairs to install the water heater.  These instructions are based on a standard installation with rigid copper tubing.  If your situation is different, some of your connections may be different:

• Remove the carton, and make sure your new water heater isn't damaged.  Now is a good time to double check your fittings to make sure you've got what you need.
•  Identify the incoming cold water supply line on your old water heater.  If you can see your plumbing, just follow the pipes back to the water meter (or the water softener, if you've read my blog before).  If you can't easily follow the pipes, just turn on some hot water, and you'll be able to feel which pipes are getting hot - that will be the output side.
• Turn the water heater off, shut off the gas supply, and disconnect the gas pipe from the heater (assuming, of course, it's a natural gas unit).  If it's electric, lock out the breaker and disconnect the power)
• Remove the sheet metal screws holding the vent piping to the unit, and set it aside for later use.  Now is a good time to inspect it and make sure it's clean and in good condition - a faulty vent can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, so don't skip this step!
• Turn off your water supply.  There should be a water shut off on the pipe coming into the water heater - you can shut it off, and you should be good.  If there isn't a shut off, or if it doesn't work (not unusual), you'll have to shut the water off at the main shut off.
• With the water off, open the drain at the bottom of the water heater to let the water start draining (this assumes you have a floor drain by the heater - if you don't, you'll want to hook up a hose so you can let the water drain into the drain).  Not much water will run out, but that's OK - we'll take care of that in the next step.
• Take your tubing cutter, and cut the water lines on the top of the water heater.   If the fittings are the same as on your new unit, cut the pipes 6-10" above the heater - you can just use them again, and solder it back together with a coupling.  If the fittings are different, just cut them close to the water heater - you may end up cutting them shorter later, depending on the particulars of your installation.
• As soon as you cut the pipes, the water will drain from the water heater.  Let it drain, then move it out of your way.  Now, you're ready to install the new one.
• Set the new water heater in place, making sure it's sitting flat and level on the floor - if not, you'll need to level the floor before you install it.  You CAN'T just shim one side to get it to sit level - it needs to be fully supported before you fill it with water.
• Measure the distance from the pipes to the fittings on top of the unit.  If you're soldering connections, you'll want to have at least 6" above the water heater to solder your connection - more is better.  If there's not enough room, cut the pipes to give yourself room to work.
• You can't solder fittings that are attached to the water heater, so you'll need to do those first, then install them.  Cut the pipe for a proper fit, and, using the proper tool, clean the end of the pipe and the fitting, then coat both with flux.  Slide them together, and get your torch out.  Do the smart thing, and put on your safety glasses and leather work gloves now!
• To solder the fittings, apply heat to the junction of the fitting and the pipe, so both heat up.  Don't apply the solder until the parts are hot enough to melt it - if you do, you'll just melt solder over it and end up with a cold joint.  When the parts get hot, the solder will melt and be drawn inside the joint.  You don't need too much solder - once it starts, it will quickly fill the joint and start dripping on the floor.  Be very careful not to let any drip on your hands or body - serious burns can result!
• As soon as you've applied enough solder (you'll probably overdo it at first, but that's OK), wipe away any excess solder outside the joint with a damp rag.  The extra solder won't hurt anything, but it will look ugly (I'm an expert on ugly solder joints).
• When you have your two short pieces of pipe with fittings attached, let them cool for a couple of minutes before installing them on the water heater.
• Before installing the fittings with pipe on the water heater, prep the pipe ends and couplings.  You'll want a slip coupling, so you can slide it up the pipe and out of the way until the fittings are tightened.
• Put several wraps of Teflon tape around the male pipe threads, then install the fittings.  Pipe threads are an interference fit - they get tighter as they go together, so you'll want them very tight.  The Teflon tape helps them slide together.
• After installing the fittings, you should have just a small gap where the pipe was cut.  Slide the couplings so they cover the gap.  Before soldering, wrap a wet rag around the fittings installed on the top of the water heater to protect it from getting too hot.  If that fitting gets overheated, it will ruin the fitting inside the unit, so you'll need to be careful.  I also spread a damp rag to cover the top of the heater to keep it from getting ugly.  Solder both sides of the coupling on each side.  Your water connections are complete - you can turn the water on now.  Before you do that, open a hot water faucet a little bit, so the tank will fill completely.
• Hook up the gas line, making sure to use the proper Teflon tape on any pipe threads (Teflon is not required on compression fittings).
• Assemble the vent piping, making sure there is a slight upward angle of the pipe as it goes away from the water heater.  Make sure everything is lined up properly, then use small sheet metal screws to keep it all together.
• Turn on the gas, and check for leaks using a soapy water solution.  If it leaks, the soap will make bubbles - if you see any signs of that, shut off the gas and fix it!  Follow the instructions with the heater, and light the pilot light.  Adjust the temperature to a medium setting, and turn the unit to on - the burner should light. (of course, if you've got an electric water heater, you'll hook up the wires and turn on the power)
• Check again for gas leaks - shut the gas off if there's any sign of a leak!
• Let the unit run until the burner shuts off, and you've got hot water!

If you don't want to solder connections, Home Depot sells "water heater connection kits" that use compression connections and flexible tubing that eliminate the need for any soldering.  They work fine, and there's nothing wrong with using them if you're more confident in your ability to get the job done with them.

Installing a water heater isn't hard - a reasonably handy homeowner can accomplish it in a matter of a couple of  hours.  My installation, from beginning to end, took about 2 hours.

The UN Disabilities Treaty

I'm shocked.  Yesterday, the U.S. Senate refused to ratify the treaty from the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).  This treaty was modeled after the Americans with Disabilities Act, and should have been approved easily - it seeks to encourage the rest of the world to make reasonable accommodations to allow people with disabilities access to transportation, jobs, housing, and other of life's necessities.

I'm ashamed to say that one of Nebraska's senators, Mike Johanns, voted against this treaty.  The only reason both of our senators didn't vote no is that Ben Nelson - our lame duck senator - is technically a democrat, and he's not a completely reprehensible human being.  The same can't be said for Johanns, apparently.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect our new senator, Deb Fischer, will be lock-step with the right wing on every issue.

The opposition to this treaty apparently centers around the concerns that it will somehow cause U.S. citizens to be governed by "foreign bureaucrats".   This is from the same crowd that is on the lookout for the black helicopters, which makes a lot of sense in the universe where Barack Obama is an immigrant socialist Nazi, bent on destroying the United States.  In the real world, where most of us live, there's NO chance that the United Nations will take over this country. 

Sadly, I don't believe Johanns is concerned with a crazy theory - this vote is all about politics.  While I believe the majority of Nebraskans - even the majority of Republicans - know there's nothing to worry about from the UN, the Tea Party types are a different story.  I'm guessing Johanns is scared that if he votes intelligently, he'll face a primary opponent backed by Sara Palin (as Fischer was this year), and lose his seat.  Clearly, Johanns is lacking the stones for that fight.

I wrote Johanns a scathing email - I'm sure that will cause him to rethink his position! (sarcasm intended)  Other than that, I don't know what else can be done.  I'll certainly support an opponent in his re-election bid, but there's little or no chance he'll actually lose.  This issue is not a big deal to most people (it will have no impact on anyone inside the United States, either way), so most people won't even hear about it.  I've got to believe most Nebraskans would be in favor of the  treaty, if they were aware of it, but that's not going to happen.  I can only hope that Johanns will eventually reveal his true character to the rest of the state.  That's the day his political career will end.

Pandora, or Why They Don't Make Transistor Radios Anymore

When I was a kid, way back in the 60's, I had a transistor radio.  This was an amazing little gadget that would play music without being plugged into an electrical outlet.  In addition, it was also small enough (about the size of a wallet) that you could put it in your pocket - imagine, being able to listen to music while you were out walking around!  Heck, if you had an earphone (just one in those days - this wasn't some fancy stereo radio), you could even listen with other people around.

Radios got smaller in the 70's, and in the 80's we got portable cassette players - bulky, but you could now decide what you wanted to listen to.  Soon, the Disc man was around, giving you more options.  In the 21st century, we've seen the digital explosion, and mp3 players are cheap and stuffed with features that would have been impossible just a few years earlier.  It's hard to imagine how it could get better than that, right?

Actually, we've already moved on.  As nice as it is to listen to your music on a tiny device that holds more music than you could listen to in a month, there are some drawbacks;  The biggest problem is you have to buy music, and you're limited to what you've purchased.  If you're out and about, you can't decide, for example, to switch from classic rock to holiday music, unless you've had the foresight to load a bunch of different tunes.

OK, so if you want all that control, what's the answer?  If you have a smart phone and a data plan - and who doesn't, these days? - you can listen to just about anything you want, for free, on Pandora!  Think of Pandora as a programmable Internet radio station - you can supply the name of an artist or song, and it will try to pick out similar music for you.  As it plays, you can tell it which songs you like, and which you don't.  By rating the songs, the system eventually learns your preferences.  You can set up multiple "stations", and even "shuffle" between them, to get a better mix.  I even have several comedy stations (Political Comedy, Comedy Icons, George Carlin Radio) set up, in case I just want to laugh.

I've been using Pandora for 7 or 8 years - first at my desktop computer, and later with my smart phone.  It works well, and it's free.  You can also use it everywhere you've got data service, which is almost everywhere these days. I often listen to comedy routines when I'm driving, or I'll run it in the background when I'm working in my office.

As I said, Pandora is free, but it's not perfect.  The free version has ads (although I don't seem to get the ads on my Android phone), and you're limited in the number of times you're allowed to "skip" songs, both per hour and per day.  You'll also need to interact with your computer occasionally, so the system knows you're still there.  Fortunately, most of these limitations are minimized or eliminated by upgrading to Pandora One for $36 per year.  The upgrade eliminates the ads, improves the sound quality, and removes the limit on how much you can listen.  If you use it a lot, it's definitely worth it. If all you want is to occasionally listen on your computer or phone, the free service is fine.

I can still remember my first transistor radio.  By today's standards, it was big, heavy, and a poor performer.  The batteries didn't last long, and the sound quality was horrible. As bad as it really was, I loved the idea of being able to take it with me.  I still do - only now I take just about every song ever recorded with me, with no static and near perfect sound.  Amazing!

Election Day!

Tuesday is election day.  While it's not a national holiday, it should be.  Nothing is more important than the peaceful transfer of power we have every 4 years.

While the President doesn't have absolute power in our government, he does set the agenda.  Who we choose to lead this country is an important decision, one that will have ramifications throughout our society for a generation.  Do you think that's an exaggeration?  Think about Supreme Court justices, appointed for life, who may serve for 20 or 30 years.  Think about sweeping reforms - The New Deal, The Great Society, Obamacare - that change the lives of millions.  Think about the big mistakes - Watergate, The Iraq War, Trickle Down Economics - that haunt us for decades.  This is an important decision, best taken seriously.  This is why the efforts by some to limit the right to vote is a serious threat to our democracy.

Down ballot issues are also important, of course.  In Nebraska, we have an ill-conceived effort to put a protection for hunting rights into our state constitution.  In my opinion, this is just a grandstand ploy to get people all wound up about something that's not really a problem - very similar to the "voter fraud" that we keep hearing about (that doesn't really exist).  There is NO chance that Nebraska will decide to outlaw hunting at any time in the foreseeable future, but that doesn't stop some politicians from trying to make hay talking about it.  We shouldn't clutter our constitution with this nonsense.  We also shouldn't send Deb Fischer to the U.S. Senate, although I suspect we will.

As far as the presidential race goes, I guess it is no secret I think it's important to send Barack Obama back to the white house. While I don't agree with everything he's done, he's done enough to merit my vote - particularly when compared to Mitt Romney.  As nearly as I can tell, Romney has no core principles - he's willing to take whatever stand he thinks will curry favor with the voters.

Here Comes the Boom - Movie Review

I know I've said here a few times that I don't like a lot of new movies, but here's one I actually kind of liked!  Here Comes the Boom is a lightweight comedy, starring one of the funny, "heavyweight" comedians, Kevin James.  James plays Scott Voss, a disillusioned teacher just going through the motions - barely staying awake long enough to watch his students disinterest. 

James is a funny guy, best known for the sitcom The King of Queens.  In that series, he played Doug Heffernan, a roly poly regular guy.  Throughout the series, you keep wondering, "How in the world did this guy land that girl (Leah Remini, playing his wife).  Somehow, this works, and the interaction between the two makes for some funny moments.

James must live right, because his love interest in the movie is even further out of his league - Salma Hayek, dressed down and low key as the school nurse (Bella) who somehow falls for this lunk.  His cheesy attempts to pick her up fall flat - sometimes literally - and serve as good preparation for his later battles.

The plot revolves around a spur-of-the-moment vow from Voss to raise money and save his friend's job - as well as the music department.  Henry Winkler, far removed from his Fonzie days, is fine as a bumbling, slightly lost, relic.  Since Voss spoke without thinking, he's obligated to do something - he just has no idea what.  A chance viewing of a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bout leads him to pursue that avenue as the easiest way to raise some big bucks.  As a former college wrestler, Voss is sure he can handle it - a laughable belief, as it turns out. 

To enjoy this movie, you have to suspend your disbelief.  In the real world, chunky 40-somethings get killed if they tangle with younger, tougher opponents.  MMA is a brutal sport, much more violent and dangerous than boxing, and there's a very real possibility of permanent injury or death if you're over matched.  That being said, there's a bunch of funny moments in the fight scenes.  James got in shape for this role - although still chubby, he looks like he can handle himself OK.  Like most fight movies, you just accept what's happening, while remembering this is a movie, not a real fight.

Voss, with some help from his friend Niko (played with surprising ability by Bas Rutten), fights and loses, donating his purse to the cause.  When a lucky punch lets him win a fight, he realizes he could raise the money faster by actually winning now and then.  The fight scenes are not too violent, and the injuries inflicted are more funny than traumatic - this is a comedy, after all.  Chance and dogged determination lead Voss to the opportunity for a big-money fight.  I won't give the ending away, but if you don't know how this ends, you probably can't read this anyway.

It's dumb.  It's unbelievable.  It's unrealistic.  It's also funny and touching.  This movie appeals to the part of you that wants to believe we can be more than we are - the part of you that says, "I could step up, if I really needed to".  Like The Mighty Ducks, we love to watch the underdog beat the nasty guys.  If you want to laugh and have a good time at the movies, get a jumbo bucket of popcorn and enjoy.