Random Rant Thread (no moto content)
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Used it to fix some small spots on the roof of an RV and it worked great.Flex Tape works well, as advertised. Flex Seal is just ok, not quite as advertised. I have some Flex Paint, but haven't used it yet. Let me know how it "pans" out.
tntmo
Well-Known Member
I like word origins and such drivel, so here's some information on tip or tips as was discussed a few posts back.
www.word-detective.com
en.wikipedia.org
Tip « The Word Detective
BTW, whatever became of Joel Furr? Dear Word Detective: I've heard that "tips" in a restaurant comes from the acronym "To Insure Prompt Service." This sounds like a pre-internet urban legend. First of all it just sounds wrong, and second of all if it were true it should be "teps": "To Ensure...
www.word-detective.com
Gratuity - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
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On the travel/camping/RV issues, yeah, we are there too. No pets at this point, (we will get cat and dog together at some point), but we haven't really done much travel in the last year and none in the last 6 months. Wife got stirred up about RVs prior to the CV-19 stuff and we sorted thru and looked at several. She sort of settled on Class B in the ~25' size. The snazzier, shorter Class Bs are stupid expensive, but have nice features in the newer ones like diesel engines and murphy beds. We were mostly looking at older ones. If you find one in good shape at a fair price, it often flies off the market in a few days. But an RV means a trailer to two the bikes on too and that's a hassle and more expense.
At the end of the day, we want to wander and explore new areas, but for the cost of even a used RV you can stay in a huge number of hotel rooms and never have to pay to store, maintain, repair or put gas in hotel rooms. She likes the idea of staying in our own 'place' and not worrying about wether housekeeping did a good job or not, CV issues, etc. I get that, but at the end of the day and RV is like a boat, you have to emotionally want it, and the experience that comes with it, because you can't rationalize it as a means of transport.
And I'm still waiting on Honda to release info on the new CT-125 for the US. Everybody knows it's coming to the US now, but Honda won't officially say so, or when, so the dealer won't take a deposit and we can't get the ball rolling and lock in a couple of them. Wife was getting excited about riding back in Feb when the shit hit the fan.
I just got her to go for a ride for the first time in 6 months last week. We did a little 80 mile ride North on the Natchez Trace for a picnic lunch, then back home. Wore her out a bit, but she enjoyed herself. She's not ready to actually go some place and hotel or eat out, etc. I'm not sure how long that will take. I had to replace the battery in her GSA's key fob and re-program the stupid fob to the bike, then it still wouldn't work until I disconnected the battery and once re-connected it worked fine again. That took all day to sort out. Keyless bike. What a dumb idea.
At the end of the day, we want to wander and explore new areas, but for the cost of even a used RV you can stay in a huge number of hotel rooms and never have to pay to store, maintain, repair or put gas in hotel rooms. She likes the idea of staying in our own 'place' and not worrying about wether housekeeping did a good job or not, CV issues, etc. I get that, but at the end of the day and RV is like a boat, you have to emotionally want it, and the experience that comes with it, because you can't rationalize it as a means of transport.
And I'm still waiting on Honda to release info on the new CT-125 for the US. Everybody knows it's coming to the US now, but Honda won't officially say so, or when, so the dealer won't take a deposit and we can't get the ball rolling and lock in a couple of them. Wife was getting excited about riding back in Feb when the shit hit the fan.
I just got her to go for a ride for the first time in 6 months last week. We did a little 80 mile ride North on the Natchez Trace for a picnic lunch, then back home. Wore her out a bit, but she enjoyed herself. She's not ready to actually go some place and hotel or eat out, etc. I'm not sure how long that will take. I had to replace the battery in her GSA's key fob and re-program the stupid fob to the bike, then it still wouldn't work until I disconnected the battery and once re-connected it worked fine again. That took all day to sort out. Keyless bike. What a dumb idea.
The F.B.I's definition of domestic terrorism: Violent, criminal act committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious. social, racial, or environmental nature. By definition, Antifa, the K.K.K., and B.L.M. are domestic terrorist. Yet, Antifa is the only organization that has been so designated by the D.O.J. I'm angry to the point. . . . that I'm going to leave it at that. Wrong is wrong.
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Chris Gale
New Member
So going to veer off on yet another different direction .Since lockdown has been eased there appears to b alot of people sitting on buckets of cash .Have had people buying bikes and throwing the kitchen sink at the accessories book and then coming across to clothing and spending like it's going out of fashion . Guess there is always winners and losers at times like these
You're giving a perfect example of the increasing wealth gap in the disconnect between the stock market and wider economy.
With the March market crash the US Fed began a program of massively buying corporate debt using money borrowed from the population (us) that we are supposed to pay back in the future. Rather than a balanced approach of stimulus and waiting to see what more is needed or backing off, the Fed continues to inject money at unprecedented rates in supporting companies. Stocks go up as a result.
While they are the same people who criticized Obama for increasing the National debt, the Republican side of Congress (once the Tea Party) and current Administration said "hold my beer and watch this" even before COVID became a thing. This is outright raiding of the US treasury.
Great if you are well invested in the corporate world, but sucks for most people and why the unemployment rate has also gone through the roof.
btw - That 14.7% unemployment touted by Trump last week as a success is now thought to be an under-count due to redefining who is unemployed and the real number should be nearly 20% or 1 in 5 potential workers who could pay taxes rather than collect from tax payers.
Don’t Be Fooled By Official Unemployment Rate Of 14.7%; The Real Figure Is Even Scarier
If 14.7 percent unemployment is a “portrait of devastation,” then the real figure, which is closer to 20%, is a glimpse of economic cataclysm.
www.forbes.com
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In my case my retirement income is unchanged and with the stimulus increased. I actually canceled a couple monthly retirement payouts since I was not spending anything extra.
Not driving so no gas. No $75 restaurant + bar meals, but $10 cook at home. No live music plus bar bills.
So while bored for three months I am ahead financially. Would really be ahead if my wife would quit buying amazon out of cross word puzzles!
Before the defunding discussion gets out of hand, nobody is talking about eliminating police. The police budgets have grown with all sorts of non-policing tasks so the idea is to cut the budgets of non-direct tasks. A person with an intruder trying to break into their home would still call 911 and get an armed police officer. We're friends with a family in which the whacko 63 year old keeps screaming at the others and trying to take everything in sight from the 95 year old Mom, who refuses to press charges against her daughter. I've done enough ride-alongs to know situations like theirs are not what the police are for but it's where they spend a LOT of time.
"Christy Lopez, a professor at Georgetown Law School and a co-director of the school’s Innovative Policing Program, says "defunding the police" doesn't mean zeroing out budgets. It means to reduce the demands placed on police and redirect funding to mental health care, housing and other social programs."
"Christy Lopez, a professor at Georgetown Law School and a co-director of the school’s Innovative Policing Program, says "defunding the police" doesn't mean zeroing out budgets. It means to reduce the demands placed on police and redirect funding to mental health care, housing and other social programs."
My opinion: There is a third "front". Ever increasing negative public opinion, that has nothing to do with race. I don't know if the lack of discipline in children, has extrapolated into no discipline for adults, or what. But, more, and more people feel that LE shouldn't be able to enforce "unpopular" laws. Many excessive force complaints originate from "run of the mill" criminal investigations. LR shows up starts asking questions. The suspect, claiming that LE doesn't have the authority to do so. . . . resists. Either by running, or physically fighting LE. Suspect gets hurt, and contacts the media. We all know where that leads. Sometimes LE is wrong. . . . either completely, or partially. Public sentiment doesn't care. . . . all LE is wrong, all of the time.
Actually, the last I heard, was the Minneapolis City Council was planning on dismantling the Police Department. They were claiming that the plans would be "veto proof". It was the only city that I heard of that was making such plans. But, you're right, defunding is not eliminating. . . . immediately. If you don't water your grass as much? What happens? It either dies, or gets taken over by weeds. Who is going to determine to send an officer, or . . . . civilian? An Arlington TX officer responded to take an assault report from the victim. The suspect was gone, and believed to not be returning. The suspect did return. . . . to finish the job. The officer placed herself in the line of fire. . . . literally. . . . and was killed. If a "non-sworn" personnel member had been the person to take the report, how many more people would have been killed/injured in that situation? And, no I don't know what the answer is. I'm not sure anybody does. It most assuredly is a "*luster *uck".
The sweeping reactions for the wrong doing of a single person is what the problem is. If that officer violates a policy, criminal law, or civil right, punish that officer. . . . not every officer. Because, if a civilian commits an offense. . . . his friends and family are not arrested, or persecuted. I amazes me how supposedly intelligent, educated people can resort to ignorant mob mentality, and believe they are in the "right".
I'm totally pro-police and made that post trying to head off people wrongly going off to say that defunding police departments meant to just not have police. Defunding is a stupid term imho.
We too had a few little gatherings of people in DC for the last couple of weeks that you might have heard of. Of the (iirc) NINE separate police forces in DC, a couple of the uniformed Secret Service officers live in my neighborhood and a friend is a DC Metro patrolman. (Although Trump accused the mayor of not supporting the White House with DC Metro, you can see their uniforms in the photos and the Secret Service was quick to say Trump was wrong.) What I'm hearing from the guys sounds similar to what I've read, in things went off the tracks when agitators came in to create trouble and then the Federal force under Barr and DOJ went to "use of force" from containment, standing ground, and letting DC Metro do the crowd control they are so experienced with and good at.
DC was a cesspool of corruption (Remember Marion Barry) and strong-arm policing till Ramsey became the Chief in 1998. He really shook up the department when he cut entire offices to decentralize it and go toward community orientation. It worked and crime dropped 40%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Ramsey What he started really took off under Chief Cathy Lanier and it was during her term that crime dropped another 23 % and since then people are paying top dollar to move into DC. It's pretty easy to see it worked and where not to be now because maps like this were once mostly red.
So for what I'm reading about "defunding" TO ME it sounds like it really means changing the police to do more like what's happened here. This article gives a little insight on Camden NJ which did similar:
www.cnn.com
We too had a few little gatherings of people in DC for the last couple of weeks that you might have heard of. Of the (iirc) NINE separate police forces in DC, a couple of the uniformed Secret Service officers live in my neighborhood and a friend is a DC Metro patrolman. (Although Trump accused the mayor of not supporting the White House with DC Metro, you can see their uniforms in the photos and the Secret Service was quick to say Trump was wrong.) What I'm hearing from the guys sounds similar to what I've read, in things went off the tracks when agitators came in to create trouble and then the Federal force under Barr and DOJ went to "use of force" from containment, standing ground, and letting DC Metro do the crowd control they are so experienced with and good at.
DC was a cesspool of corruption (Remember Marion Barry) and strong-arm policing till Ramsey became the Chief in 1998. He really shook up the department when he cut entire offices to decentralize it and go toward community orientation. It worked and crime dropped 40%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_H._Ramsey What he started really took off under Chief Cathy Lanier and it was during her term that crime dropped another 23 % and since then people are paying top dollar to move into DC. It's pretty easy to see it worked and where not to be now because maps like this were once mostly red.
So for what I'm reading about "defunding" TO ME it sounds like it really means changing the police to do more like what's happened here. This article gives a little insight on Camden NJ which did similar:
This city disbanded its police department 7 years ago. Here's what happened next
Camden, New Jersey, dissolved its police department and replaced it after corruption rendered the existing agency unfixable. Now, seven years later, the city's crime has dropped by close to half.
www.cnn.com
Fennellg - Nice!
The whole reason that "less lethal" was invented, was so that were options other than killing somebody. The fringe benefit was less injuries/deaths, which resulted in less lawsuits. The first year that "Tazers" were implemented, use of force complaints dropped by 82%. It just doesn't make sense, but what's new?That has been my question from the first "defund & dismantle" threat. What are you going to replace the cops with? If the all the testing, background checks, polygraphs, interviews, and training. . . . can't weed out bad cops. . . . what's left? There are very few jobs that can be filled by non-sworn persons. Nothing that has the potential of physical danger. . . . nothing that requires investigation. . . . So, they can take the initial bicycle theft reports, telephone harassment reports, lost purse/wallet/phone reports, and a lost dog reports.
I'm afraid that the only applicants that departments are going see, are going to be the bullys and racists. Nobody else is going to want to put up with constant hatred.
Eville Rich
Well-Known Member
I agree it's poor branding. As was mentioned a while back, it's about a more nuanced look at all the roles that police are asked to play. Many things have little to do with policing and stretch into social work or other societal functions that really don't fit the law enforcement model. So defunding is simply reallocating resources to help the police focus on their core functions and address other issues with the funds being allocated to services more appropriately delivered by others. It's also about a community taking control over its destiny and try to find solutions, which is a good thing IMO.
And I'll quote Woody Guthrie - "some will rob you with a six gun, some with a pen." That chart about the federal reserve balance but also our federal debt get to that point rather well. Looting a Target, while unfortunate, is nothing compared to the looting that's been going in the U.S. and particularly disadvantaged communities for a very long time. Maybe even an American tradition. It's just done wearing pleated pants and penny loafers instead of jeans and a sweatshirt.
This has been going on for far too long. I was sent a survey from Harvard about farm subsidies. The USDA has been in the price fixing, business manipulating role for as long as I can remember. The subsidies are a short term fix, kinda like heroin. Makes you feel good in the short term.
We can’t have farm commodities on a free and open market, like the Johnny will starve. The government programs tell you how much your grain is worth. Just enough to hopefully keep you from going broke. Too bad it didn’t work and all the small farms went broke. Why is the USDA over welfare and school lunch?
Did you know there is 5-10 cents of wheat in a $3.50 loaf of bread.
This “welfare” system has been going on for decades. They get people hooked on subsidies, just like a drug. Then manipulate people. Getting people hooked on government handouts comes with a price.
We can’t have farm commodities on a free and open market, like the Johnny will starve. The government programs tell you how much your grain is worth. Just enough to hopefully keep you from going broke. Too bad it didn’t work and all the small farms went broke. Why is the USDA over welfare and school lunch?
Did you know there is 5-10 cents of wheat in a $3.50 loaf of bread.
This “welfare” system has been going on for decades. They get people hooked on subsidies, just like a drug. Then manipulate people. Getting people hooked on government handouts comes with a price.
To the working man. I can't blame the government for people being leaches. It's one of the reasons you see urban families with 5,6,7 kids. More kids. . . . more money. I knew a guy with a construction company. He had a worker with a wife and six kids. They claimed they were not married. The guy got his pay check, and his non-wife got a welfare check, and Medicare for being a single mom with six kids, and no job. There's not really any incentive to do the right thing anymore. If you weren't raised with ethics, and personal responsibility, you're not going suddenly pick it up.
EricV
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But most people would starve to death before they figured out how to make flour from wheat and then bake some bread.
Bread does have some overhead involved. Not saying the whole subsidies thing isn't completely out of hand. Paying people to NOT grow things that the market wouldn't support, or paying for grain on trains that circle the system and never unload as well as all the other messed up stuff that goes on is just nuts.
Eville Rich
Well-Known Member
No one is getting rich on public assistance. We hear about this case and that case, but the truth is that it's a pretty small amount of money. Everybody's situation is unique. However, in general, if you are poor you are probably paying more for many things than middle class folks (there's a book called The Poor Pay More; educational). It depends on the location and access to grocery stores, transportation, etc. Many in poverty face substandard housing that costs more to operate and folks without health insurance are in a dire situation should any medical bill show up. The "standard fee" for health care is obscene and having insurance, even if you have out of pocket, means you and insurance company are paying less for the base care than someone without insurance. I'm really not worried about Mary Sue who has four kids and gets some government assistance. It's "Bob" with his business expense write-offs that are really personal expenses, payments for businesses that don't need it, etc. Bailouts for firms that then buy back stock. That's where the money is.
One my experiences as a young professional was evaluating a utility's low-income support program. Part of that program required that people attend a series of household budgeting training classes. The program manager made me participate as a condition of cooperation, which was fine. I'd been fortunate enough to have had my parents teach me budgeting. Most folks in the class hadn't. I also lived cheap and saw just how expensive rent was for folks (this was in Milwaukee, I lived in Madison). My bedroom was 8x10 in a unit I shared with college friends (I drew the short straw) - my budget was at the low end of what basic survival was for these folks. One gentleman I talked with over that time had been a professional electrician. He had a son that attended the classes a couple of times. He had lost BOTH his hands in an electrocution at work. Hooks for hands. This guy had completely lost his ability to work in his profession, was able to be only partially employed for much lower pay, and had fallen on generally hard times. I have zero issue supporting folks to help make ends meet. If some people take advantage, I accept it as it means those that need it get it. The life that folks who rely on assistance lead is not easy. People get trapped by debt or other challenges and our society makes it very hard to climb out. And you know, someone spends some assistance money, it gets funneled right back through the system and ends up in other people's pockets anyway. At least someone got to eat, a kid got some clothes, a house is habitable in the winter. OK by me. Not like they are getting rich from it. And there's a lot of controls on that stuff these days, anyway. Given the option, I think the vast majority of folks that use public assistance would prefer to not be in the situation they are in.
Eville Rich