It doesn't happen often, but sometimes I get into that mode and I think of something that might be of interest to my dozen or so readers. (Then again, maybe not.)
As I write this particular part of the post on Saturday afternoon it's still sunny and warm here at Lake Winnipesaukee, but the clouds have slowly been moving in from the south. The projected path of Irene puts her passing
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I mentioned last week the Official Weekend Pundit Main Computer bit it, sort of. I was able to finally get it restarted and it's been running 24/7 since then as I'm not sure I'll be able to get it going again once I shut it down.I also mentioned the search for a replacement was ongoing and that I had narrowed it down to one of two HP models. The other day I finally made my decision and ordered the new machine. I won't go into any great detail other than to say that while it isn't a leading edge/bleeding edge computer, it is far and above what I have been using for the past 6 years, with a quad-core 64-bit AMD, 8GB of RAM, and a very large hard drive. There's also a new LCD monitor that will replace the now 8-year old 19” CRT that has served so well, but is now showing its age in little ways, including high voltage supply issues.
The old monitor, made by AOC, still has better clarity, brightness, contrast, and viewability than any LCD monitor I've seen (and better than many CRTs, too). The only other technologies I've seen that even come close to it are OLED (Organic LED) and laser projection, and neither are as widely or as cheaply available as LCDs. But as good as it is, it does have one major drawback – I can't always see everything I'd like to at one time. (It's actual viewing area is equivalent to a 17” LCD.)
At work I use a pair of 19” LCD monitors side by side. That isn't an option here as I am limited in desk space. But one larger LCD monitor will allow me to do almost as much as the two smaller monitors do now.
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Could it be that Gibson Guitar is not as the Feds have portrayed them: illegally importing rare woods for their guitars? Instead, could it be Gibson is being punished because its CEO is a Republican donor?The more I read about this story, the more it seems the feds are carrying out a vendetta. After all, Gibson's main competitor, Martin, isn't being bothered at all even though they import the same 'endangered' woods. The difference? Martin donates to Democrats. You can't tell me there may not be a connection.
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One direct effect of Irene: BeezleBub didn't have to go to work at the farm this morning. All that rain and wind was going to keep the number of customers (if any) to a minimum. Only the restaurants and markets are still expecting deliveries and that's all that's being tended to today. There is no harvesting to be done, no haying, no tilling.So BeezleBub will have a chance to watch it rain from the comfort of The Manse.
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Other than making sure anything that could be picked up by the wind was stored inside or lashed down, about the only other preparations for Irene that we made here at The Manse was the removal of the air conditioners from the windows. With wind-driven rains expected to last for hours there was no way there wouldn't be water leaking in around the air conditioners, so we pulled them out last evening.Not that we put them away. They're still sitting just below the windows from which we removed them in expectation that we'll put them back in once Irene passes. We have no idea whether we will need them any time over the next 4 weeks or so, but you can never tell. Frankly, I believe we won;t be using them again until next summer.
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Bogie made her own preparations for Irene, though she's going to be dealing with a lot more rain than we will.***********
Via Facebook I've learned the WP Sister In Law in upstate New York is now living on an island, with flood waters rising. She expects she'll lose phone and Internet connection once the telephone exchange building floods. (posted at 10:45AM)***********
Eric the Viking links to Mark Steyn's piece on the oh-so-deprived UK youth who looted during the riots, and adds his own commentary about the poor dears.***********
Skip Murphy shows us some parallels between the Wisconsin Democrat/union stooge recall elections and the efforts by the GOP 'establishment” in the New Hampshire Republican Party to 'recall' the Chairman, Tea Party favorite Jack Kimball.They didn't like the results and now they're calling for his resignation despite broad support from the GOP base within the state.
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It wasn't like we didn't see this coming.Under the onerous provisions of ObamaCare, businesses will be dropping health insurance for their employees because it will be cheaper for them to pay the 'fines' rather than paying for health insurance and meeting all of the new requirements laid out by it.
Anyone with a lick of sense could see this would happen, so it certainly doesn't fall under the Law of Unintended Consequences. I think Pelosi/Obama/Reid thought no one would actually pull the plug on their employees health insurance and would shoulder the new burdens being placed upon them by the law without complaint. It appears they were wrong.
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I've been checking out this blog for a while now and I believe it's time to add And So It Goes In Shreveport to the blogroll. (You'll find it under New Additions.) Swing on by Pat Austin's blog and give her a read!***********
Not So Breaking News: This post is, obviously, a day late. As I posted this morning, we lost power at The Manse early yesterday afternoon. Power was restored a short while ago.Rather than blather on about things that were broken and now fixed, I will end this post with this:
And that's the news from Lake Winnipesaukee, where Irene has tried to do her worst, failed for the most part, and where we now have our power back on.