Hi Everyone:
I blogged last month about the incident in Tuscon, where a deranged man legally bought a gun and a high-capacity magazine to make his carnage as deadly as possible. Did you know that sale of those high-capacity magazines were unlawful until 2004?
FYI, the sale and manufacture of high-capacity magazines holding more than 10 rounds has been outlawed in New York since 1994. They were also unlawful under federal law from 1994 until 2004. In 2004, Congress and President George W. Bush failed to renew the assault weapons ban and the sale and manufacture of high-capacity magazines became lawful once again.
Since 2004, high-capacity magazines have been used in every mass shooting. According to Gannett, the following mass killings happened:
2007, the Virginia Tech shootings: 33 dead, 15 round magazines used, hundreds of shots fired.
2008, the Binghamton shootings: 13 dead, 30 round magazines used, 99 shots fired.
2008, the Northern Illinois University shootings: 6 dead, 21 wounded, 30 & 15 round magazines used.
2009, the Fort Hood shootings: 13 dead, 30 and 20 round magazines used.
2010, the Connecticut Beer Distributor shootings: 8 dead, 2 wounded, high-capacity magazines used.
The unfortunate statistics speak for themselves and they speak volumes. Failing to renew the assault ban weapon in 2004 was a grievous and fatal mistake that to date has cost at least 73 people their lives. High-capacity magazines were designed as a weapon of war to kill as many people as possible. The blaring common sense approach would have been to renew the ban. But since it wasn't, HR 308/S32 legislation sponsored by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-NY and Sen. Frank Lautenburg, D-NJ needs to pass. It will again ban the sale and manufacture of high-capacity magazines with more than 10 bullets. Again that is a common sense approach that needs to be implemented asap.
The NRA shouldn't have a problem with it since it doesn't take guns away from people, just high-capacity magazines. But you know what? The NRA will have a problem with it and will again try to use their clout to kill the bill. The hell with the NRA, pass the bill! There shouldn't be any debate about the right to bear arms or turn it into a Republican or Democrat stand. This should be a peoples stand to try to save peoples lives.
Enough said.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Updates
Hi Everyone:
Today's blog is about following up on a few of my past blogs and let you know what updates I have learned.
On 1/23/10, I blogged about New York State and its out of control spending. Unfortunately, even in a bad economy, states also have to have layoffs and I suggested just that. Governor Cuomo's new budget calls for massive layoffs. Unfortunate but necessary. When times are good, state governments add employees, but in bad times they rarely lay them off. It is long overdue to reduce the size of government.
On 3/14/10, I blogged about Toyota's acceleration problems. I suggested that the vast marjority of sudden acceleration was due to driver error and a few people who just wanted to jump on the sue Toyota bandwagon. Well in the past week or so, an independent commitee including NASA checked almost 900 Toyota's that were supposedly involved in sudden acceleration incidents. Only 3, yes 3 were found to have a problem and the problem wasn't even computer related. The commitee's findings stated that there wasn't anything wrong with the vehicles electronics. The overwhelming cause was human error.
On 9/12/10, I blogged about Carl Paladino's run for governor of New York State. I said that Paladino was a loose cannon who would say inappropriate and incorrect statements, was not
to be trusted and shouldn't be elected. He was even caught on video, threatening a reporters life. Paladino lost the election by a wide margin.
On 10/10/10, I blogged about unions and their strangle hold on businesses and state and federal governments. Even though contracts were negotiated in good faith, times have changed and the endless bottomless wallets of taxpayers dried up like a river in a desert due to the economy falling off a cliff. Right now in numerous states, governors have demanded union employees contribute to their health and pension plans (which they have never done) that are on par with private sector employees. That would save billions and billions and billions of dollars to all states. In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg even wants to do away with the last hired, first laid off clause and instead lay off the weaker, non-performing teachers first.
And last, but certainly not least, on 12/12/10, I blogged about career politicians, getting convicted or pleading guilty to felonies, while in office and still be legally eligible and able to collect their state pension. Well low and behold, New York state government now has a bill on the agenda that would make a politician ineligible to collect their pension if they are found guilty of a felony, while in office. Now if only the bill gets approved.
Til next week.
Peter
Today's blog is about following up on a few of my past blogs and let you know what updates I have learned.
On 1/23/10, I blogged about New York State and its out of control spending. Unfortunately, even in a bad economy, states also have to have layoffs and I suggested just that. Governor Cuomo's new budget calls for massive layoffs. Unfortunate but necessary. When times are good, state governments add employees, but in bad times they rarely lay them off. It is long overdue to reduce the size of government.
On 3/14/10, I blogged about Toyota's acceleration problems. I suggested that the vast marjority of sudden acceleration was due to driver error and a few people who just wanted to jump on the sue Toyota bandwagon. Well in the past week or so, an independent commitee including NASA checked almost 900 Toyota's that were supposedly involved in sudden acceleration incidents. Only 3, yes 3 were found to have a problem and the problem wasn't even computer related. The commitee's findings stated that there wasn't anything wrong with the vehicles electronics. The overwhelming cause was human error.
On 9/12/10, I blogged about Carl Paladino's run for governor of New York State. I said that Paladino was a loose cannon who would say inappropriate and incorrect statements, was not
to be trusted and shouldn't be elected. He was even caught on video, threatening a reporters life. Paladino lost the election by a wide margin.
On 10/10/10, I blogged about unions and their strangle hold on businesses and state and federal governments. Even though contracts were negotiated in good faith, times have changed and the endless bottomless wallets of taxpayers dried up like a river in a desert due to the economy falling off a cliff. Right now in numerous states, governors have demanded union employees contribute to their health and pension plans (which they have never done) that are on par with private sector employees. That would save billions and billions and billions of dollars to all states. In New York City, Mayor Bloomberg even wants to do away with the last hired, first laid off clause and instead lay off the weaker, non-performing teachers first.
And last, but certainly not least, on 12/12/10, I blogged about career politicians, getting convicted or pleading guilty to felonies, while in office and still be legally eligible and able to collect their state pension. Well low and behold, New York state government now has a bill on the agenda that would make a politician ineligible to collect their pension if they are found guilty of a felony, while in office. Now if only the bill gets approved.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Truth About Roofs
Hi Everyone:
I have read a lot of stories this winter about people who have leaking roofs. I have also seen first hand just by driving around, a lot of homes with the roofs shoveled/raked off with snow. People don't normally clear their roofs off unless there is a reason, like a leak. Some of the stories that I read dealt with homeowners who had their roofs fixed several times, but to no avail.
When a roof leaks into a wall, I'm not talking about a leak from the middle or top of a roof section, the reason is almost always the same. First you have a lot of ice daming in your gutters. As the ice continues to build up, it can, depending on how the roof was built, touch the plywood sheathing of the roof. The ice can and will push up under the tar or felt paper. The end result is the same, water leaking down the inside of the roof and then onto and down the walls. If this is a problem you or someone you know has, there is only one common sense solution to permanently stop the problem.
First you must find a reliable, experienced roofing contractor with checkable references. Even if your roof is not past it's lifespan, all the shingles and tar or feltpaper must be removed. You see its not your shingles that are leaking, but the way the layer under the shingles was installed that is wrong. The common sense solution goes like this:
1) Have all gutters separated from the facias to approximately 3-4".
2) Use ice and water shield that begins approximately 3" on the facia, which is why the gutters were pulled a little bit away from the facias, then continue up, around and onto the wood sheathing. There should be approximately 2' 6" of the ice and water shield on the roof proper.
3) Use ice and water shield on all valleys.
Now you can install any type of roof you want. It is the all important first row of protection that is THE most important. The object is to cover any and all wood from being exposed or should I say touched by ice. If the ice can't touch any wood what-so-ever, there is no way to have leaks due to ice daming. Leak problem solved. This will not stop ice daming, but since it can't
touch wood, there are no leaks.
Obviously this is not an inexpensive solution, but it is the only solution. There is no patching of a roof, no matter what a contractor may tell you, that will work. How do I know about this? I had my roofing contractor do this to my roof 10 years ago and there have been no problems. I must tell you though that my roofing contractor never installed ice and water shield in this matter before mine and now he swears by it.
Til next week.
Peter
Common sense can help solve any problem.
I have read a lot of stories this winter about people who have leaking roofs. I have also seen first hand just by driving around, a lot of homes with the roofs shoveled/raked off with snow. People don't normally clear their roofs off unless there is a reason, like a leak. Some of the stories that I read dealt with homeowners who had their roofs fixed several times, but to no avail.
When a roof leaks into a wall, I'm not talking about a leak from the middle or top of a roof section, the reason is almost always the same. First you have a lot of ice daming in your gutters. As the ice continues to build up, it can, depending on how the roof was built, touch the plywood sheathing of the roof. The ice can and will push up under the tar or felt paper. The end result is the same, water leaking down the inside of the roof and then onto and down the walls. If this is a problem you or someone you know has, there is only one common sense solution to permanently stop the problem.
First you must find a reliable, experienced roofing contractor with checkable references. Even if your roof is not past it's lifespan, all the shingles and tar or feltpaper must be removed. You see its not your shingles that are leaking, but the way the layer under the shingles was installed that is wrong. The common sense solution goes like this:
1) Have all gutters separated from the facias to approximately 3-4".
2) Use ice and water shield that begins approximately 3" on the facia, which is why the gutters were pulled a little bit away from the facias, then continue up, around and onto the wood sheathing. There should be approximately 2' 6" of the ice and water shield on the roof proper.
3) Use ice and water shield on all valleys.
Now you can install any type of roof you want. It is the all important first row of protection that is THE most important. The object is to cover any and all wood from being exposed or should I say touched by ice. If the ice can't touch any wood what-so-ever, there is no way to have leaks due to ice daming. Leak problem solved. This will not stop ice daming, but since it can't
touch wood, there are no leaks.
Obviously this is not an inexpensive solution, but it is the only solution. There is no patching of a roof, no matter what a contractor may tell you, that will work. How do I know about this? I had my roofing contractor do this to my roof 10 years ago and there have been no problems. I must tell you though that my roofing contractor never installed ice and water shield in this matter before mine and now he swears by it.
Til next week.
Peter
Common sense can help solve any problem.
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