Hi Everyone,
I have quite the tale to tell you. Unfortunately, it is not a tale, but a real horrifying true occurrence. On April 1st of this year, the city council of Nelson, Georgia, a city of about 1,300 residents, 50 miles north of Atlanta, passed the most egregious and unbelievable law that I have ever heard of. The law is called the Family Protection Ordinance. Ever heard of a law called that? Me neither. This absolutely stolid law requires.........................................drum roll please............................................. ALL heads of household to own a gun and ammunition. Yes, you indeed read that correctly. The city council decided that it is a good thing that all heads of households MUST have a gun and ammo. Their inept reasoning is meant to warn would-be burglars, but also to send a message to the federal government about gun ownership.
Their message was heard loud and clear. About one month later, the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, filed a federal lawsuit against the city and the city council members, challenging its constitutionality. This past Thursday, in a joint court filing, the Brady Center and the city submitted a settlement agreement to the federal judge in Gainsville. The settlement? Instead of the city rescinding the law, the city agreed to add language saying, "the law is not enforceable, that it will not be enforced and that anyone who violates it will not be subject to any penalty". But they still did not retract it. Why? Simply stated........ their actions are UNBELIEVABLE and ill advised!!!
So is this what it has come to, that common sense is thrown out like garbage? This law is wrong on any and every level and just shows what Republicans will do. To Republicans, their ends justify their means, no matter what. Their means are wrong and so out of touch with the majority of Americans. I really can't believe that the law remains on the books.
I hope that someone in Nelson, Georgia, has the balls to sue the hell out of the city and its off the wall city council members. And that they don't quit until either the law is rescinded and/or the council members resign and thrown out like garbage. This is a city that I will never. ever visit. Where in the world do politicians think that they can get away with asinine laws like this? Oh right, the southern states seem to think so.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Home Made Common Sense
Hi Everyone,
Once a year I, err... we, my wife and I, have the job of trimming two Burning Bushes. Now these are not your average run of the mill size Burning Bushes, (Euonymus alatus), for those of you who need to know. Most that you see are low to moderate to the ground. But no.... we have one that is 12 feet in diameter and anywhere from 13 to 18 feet tall; depending on the sloping ground below it. I have no idea what the circumference of this almost two story tall "bush" is, but it must be big. After strategically removing certain lower branches, I have created a summer time, permanently shaded area, that is about 15 degrees cooler. Underneath this bush, there is enough room for at least eight chairs not including a park bench. Our second Burning Bush is smaller. It is about 10 feet in diameter and about 10 feet tall.
Cutting these behemoth things is no easy feat! We are both so glad we only have to trim these once a year. Besides having to use a ladder, ed note: my friend lent me his special tall ladder, you must also use a hedge trimmer. But again, not just any hedge trimmer, or should I say attachment. I can not take credit for coming up with the idea for the attachment, another friend gave me the idea 20 years ago. But I definitely made it. But before I made it, I visited all the hardware stores in the area, another ed note: all those hardware stores are now long gone, thanks to Home Depot. Anyway, all the hedge trimmers that came with extended handles, up to I believe, 10 or 12 feet, literally felt like it weighed a ton. The different models weighed between 12 to 16 pounds. Just the weight of any one of those, was an arm killer. I knew I could never last the couple of hours needed to trim these guys. With that much weight, extended out in front of me, while I'm standing on a ladder, wasn't going to happen.
So I got creative. I found an eight foot long, 1 1/2" square aluminum pole. I was able to attach my 24" hedge trimmer on the end by only using rope to attach it. Boy Scout knots worked wonders and no it does not loosen up. My trimmer now has a reach of 10 feet. The weight of my trimmer and the non retractable handle is around 5 pounds. The lighter weight makes the job possible and doesn't wear me out. But then the inevitable happened this summer. The end of the aluminum pole broke. I knew that I wouldn't be able to find a replacement pole and being two feet shorter was not an option. Since all the hardware stores no longer exist, I went to my only option, Home Depot. I first walked straight to the hedge trimmer area to see if the new models were lighter than the ones I checked out years ago. Much to my surprise, they still weighed too much and even had shorter cutting areas than my 24". So the decision was made. I had to repair my own pole. I brought with me the shorter two foot section and found a wooden dowel that fit perfectly inside it. I cut the dowel so that it fit in the inside of the entire pole. Now it works just like it did some 20 years ago.
The moral to this story is that by my using common sense, I built an easy and much lighter extended hedge trimmer, albeit non retractable. It has stood the test of time and will continue to do so, for a long time. But best of all, since it only weighs about five pounds, it will not wear me out at all when I use it for extended periods of time.
Til next week.
Peter.
Once a year I, err... we, my wife and I, have the job of trimming two Burning Bushes. Now these are not your average run of the mill size Burning Bushes, (Euonymus alatus), for those of you who need to know. Most that you see are low to moderate to the ground. But no.... we have one that is 12 feet in diameter and anywhere from 13 to 18 feet tall; depending on the sloping ground below it. I have no idea what the circumference of this almost two story tall "bush" is, but it must be big. After strategically removing certain lower branches, I have created a summer time, permanently shaded area, that is about 15 degrees cooler. Underneath this bush, there is enough room for at least eight chairs not including a park bench. Our second Burning Bush is smaller. It is about 10 feet in diameter and about 10 feet tall.
Cutting these behemoth things is no easy feat! We are both so glad we only have to trim these once a year. Besides having to use a ladder, ed note: my friend lent me his special tall ladder, you must also use a hedge trimmer. But again, not just any hedge trimmer, or should I say attachment. I can not take credit for coming up with the idea for the attachment, another friend gave me the idea 20 years ago. But I definitely made it. But before I made it, I visited all the hardware stores in the area, another ed note: all those hardware stores are now long gone, thanks to Home Depot. Anyway, all the hedge trimmers that came with extended handles, up to I believe, 10 or 12 feet, literally felt like it weighed a ton. The different models weighed between 12 to 16 pounds. Just the weight of any one of those, was an arm killer. I knew I could never last the couple of hours needed to trim these guys. With that much weight, extended out in front of me, while I'm standing on a ladder, wasn't going to happen.
So I got creative. I found an eight foot long, 1 1/2" square aluminum pole. I was able to attach my 24" hedge trimmer on the end by only using rope to attach it. Boy Scout knots worked wonders and no it does not loosen up. My trimmer now has a reach of 10 feet. The weight of my trimmer and the non retractable handle is around 5 pounds. The lighter weight makes the job possible and doesn't wear me out. But then the inevitable happened this summer. The end of the aluminum pole broke. I knew that I wouldn't be able to find a replacement pole and being two feet shorter was not an option. Since all the hardware stores no longer exist, I went to my only option, Home Depot. I first walked straight to the hedge trimmer area to see if the new models were lighter than the ones I checked out years ago. Much to my surprise, they still weighed too much and even had shorter cutting areas than my 24". So the decision was made. I had to repair my own pole. I brought with me the shorter two foot section and found a wooden dowel that fit perfectly inside it. I cut the dowel so that it fit in the inside of the entire pole. Now it works just like it did some 20 years ago.
The moral to this story is that by my using common sense, I built an easy and much lighter extended hedge trimmer, albeit non retractable. It has stood the test of time and will continue to do so, for a long time. But best of all, since it only weighs about five pounds, it will not wear me out at all when I use it for extended periods of time.
Til next week.
Peter.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Is It Worth It?
Hi Everyone,
As I wrote about in my very first blog, common sense is not taught in high school or college. But boy it should be. While reading my Sunday paper, I read a very interesting letter to the editor. It was about texting and talking on cell phones while driving. What don't drivers get? If you are texting while driving, you must take your eyes off the road. Doesn't anyone think this is dangerous? I guess not, since there are so many accidents due to texting or talking on a cell phone.
The writer of the letter to the editor, had some interesting ideas on how to curb such foolish and stupid behavior. First he says that texting/cell phone use while driving should be equivalent to a DWI conviction. At least 5 points on your license, loss of driving privileges for 6 months and revocation of your cell phone provider for 6 months. I like those ideas but I have an even better one. First of all, with technology jumping leaps and bounds every day, why not have some kind of cell phone blocking device that won't allow cell reception, both incoming and outgoing, unless the speedometer is at zero? That to me seems to be the very best common sense solution. No reception, no cell phone use. Of course, these blocking devices would be initially installed in new cars. But, what to do if a person is caught using a cell phone in an older car? Well, why not take a page from serial drunk drivers. I have read that repeat drunk drivers have a device installed in their car, by court order, where the driver must blow into the device to determine if they had been drinking. No alcohol in your system and the car will start. Alcohol in your system and the car won't start. So why can't a court order a cell phone reception killing device installed in the car? Think about it. No reception means that you can't use a cell phone, period! To me that seems to be the best solution that will absolutely stop texting and cell phone use while driving. Is there a better solution? I am not aware of any.
Drivers, especially teenagers and 20 something year olds, just don't get how dangerous it is to use a cell phone while driving. Now don't get me wrong, I see plenty of older people using cell phones while driving, but the majority of cell phone users that I see are younger. This insanity must be stopped sooner rather then later. The longer we wait, the more accidents will occur.
Til next week.
Peter
As I wrote about in my very first blog, common sense is not taught in high school or college. But boy it should be. While reading my Sunday paper, I read a very interesting letter to the editor. It was about texting and talking on cell phones while driving. What don't drivers get? If you are texting while driving, you must take your eyes off the road. Doesn't anyone think this is dangerous? I guess not, since there are so many accidents due to texting or talking on a cell phone.
The writer of the letter to the editor, had some interesting ideas on how to curb such foolish and stupid behavior. First he says that texting/cell phone use while driving should be equivalent to a DWI conviction. At least 5 points on your license, loss of driving privileges for 6 months and revocation of your cell phone provider for 6 months. I like those ideas but I have an even better one. First of all, with technology jumping leaps and bounds every day, why not have some kind of cell phone blocking device that won't allow cell reception, both incoming and outgoing, unless the speedometer is at zero? That to me seems to be the very best common sense solution. No reception, no cell phone use. Of course, these blocking devices would be initially installed in new cars. But, what to do if a person is caught using a cell phone in an older car? Well, why not take a page from serial drunk drivers. I have read that repeat drunk drivers have a device installed in their car, by court order, where the driver must blow into the device to determine if they had been drinking. No alcohol in your system and the car will start. Alcohol in your system and the car won't start. So why can't a court order a cell phone reception killing device installed in the car? Think about it. No reception means that you can't use a cell phone, period! To me that seems to be the best solution that will absolutely stop texting and cell phone use while driving. Is there a better solution? I am not aware of any.
Drivers, especially teenagers and 20 something year olds, just don't get how dangerous it is to use a cell phone while driving. Now don't get me wrong, I see plenty of older people using cell phones while driving, but the majority of cell phone users that I see are younger. This insanity must be stopped sooner rather then later. The longer we wait, the more accidents will occur.
Til next week.
Peter
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