Spring has Sprung

For the first time this year, the temperature has reached 90. I was able to wear shorts for the 5th time this year, two of them in February. This has been a weird weather year. Not as much snow as some years in the past, nor did as cold as earlier years. When we were living in the duplex (early 60's)with single paned windows and no insulation the temp hit 30 below 0 on a regular basis. The windows were often coated with a thick glaze of ice, on the inside. We only got to 2 below this winter and people were complaining about the bitter cold. Compared to the last 10 years it was colder and snowier this year, but was still above the overall average. I did hear some say that this winter proved that Global Warming was a made up crisis. Funny that King George II could recognize a made up crisis. It's because of all the nooculeyar bombs used in Iraq Dubya.

Energy Conservation

There has been a lot said about leaving your computer on all the time and wasting energy. It seems like they are saying that leaving computers on is wasting enough energy to power 50000 homes. I'm having trouble with that, the power draw of a computer and peripherals turned on probably draws less than 5 amps total. 5 amps at 110 volts isn't very many watts, certainly less than a 20 watt fluorescent light left on all night. I'm wondering if this is another ploy by King George II to take pressure off the Iraq war. Remember when he said that we should unplug all the cell phone chargers to save energy? I totaled all the energy used when charging and it came to less that 5 watts. Leakage from an unconnected charger really can't be very much, but it shifted the focus from MWD to energy savings. This from the guy who refused to sign the Kyoto Protocols.

Rising Prices

If you have been to the store lately, you will agree that gasoline is not the only thing that is increasing in price. In my dumber days, last year, I opined that perhaps we should have $4/ gallon gasoline. My reasoning was that the owners of gas hogs would get the idea and get rid of them and buy a gas friendly vehicle. That was when I was before my brains came in. Those who own gas hogs can afford the higher gas prices, and although they may complain about the price, they will pay it. As usual, the ones who take it in the shorts are those with low incomes and fixed incomes. Now, they have to choose between food, fuel, and medicine. The high fuel prices also lead to higher prices for all consumer goods. The truckers who drive for my wife's company are now paying $.85 per mile for fuel alone. Add to that insurance, taxes, license plates and truck payments. Some shippers are offering only $1/mile for their freight. Those truckers who have to take such loads are losing money. Remember when they tried to sell us on diesel powered vehicles? The price was lower than gas and you got better mileage. Now, diesel is running about $.50/gal higher than gas. That boost in prices is reflected in the rise in consumer prices. Gee, why don't we give the wealthy another tax cut.

Gasoline Prices

I had a crazy thought the other day. I got to thinking about the fact that gasoline prices are going up because the price of crude oil is going up on the commodities market. I'm not very well versed in the whys and wherefores of the market, but as I understand it a buyer will bid on a commodity, in this case crude oil, for delivery at some future date. Then the folks who need the commodity will pay the bidders the price and take delivery of the commodity (oil) and put it to use, i.e. refine it. The original buyers may not even see the oil or actually have it in their possession, rather they have a piece of paper that says they own it. If the value has decreased, then they must make up the shortfall when they sell it. All well and good, but this is what puzzles me. Most of the crude oil available for refining comes from the companies that drilled for it and pumped it out of the ground. Those companies are the oil companies in partnership with the countries where the oil is found. So, does this mean that the oil companies sell the crude oil on the commodities market to some broker and then buy it back from him at a later date? If the oil company owns the oil to begin with why would they sell it only to buy it back at a later date? Or are they the brokers too? Do they sell it to themselves and then buy it back from themselves in order to refine it? Just asking...

Flag Wavers

As my wife and I were driving back from Canyon City today, she made a comment about those who wave the flag at every opportunity. Her question (& mine) is how many of those who claim to be so patriotic and support King George II in all his endeavors do you suppose cheat on their taxes? While we're talking about flag wavers, can't somebody please teach them about flag etiquette. I see so many American flags flying all the time, rain, snow, daytime, night time, and in some many states of disrepair that I just want to shake their owners. If they are so damned patriotic at least learn how the flag is to be treated. I put mine up for Flag Day and the 4th of July and other holidays that seem to call for a respectful display of our country's colors and put it away the rest of the time.

Elections

Being a dyed in the wool Democrat I am counting on a Dem victory this fall. So, you can imagine my consternation when I heard that the latest polls show a dead even race between McCain and either Clinton or Obama. I can see 2004 all over again. If the Democrats manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory this year I think I will give up the Democratic Party and form my own. I think it should be called the Liberal Christian Democrats. Let people know that we're still out here and we are mad as hell and we ain't gonna take it any more. I will call for universal health care with all medical care professionals working for the government at a fair but honest wage. Say what you will about socialized medicine, it works! We will also call for an end to corporate welfare and special tax breaks for the wealthy. I could go on but I think you get the picture. When one Democratic candidate calls another a liberal as though it were something bad, we have lost the party. Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson must be spinning in their graves. I also resent the religious right thinking that they have a hold on righteousness. They are the Pharisees, thinking that their brand of piousness is the only one. We liberals believe that all are created equal and that our charge is to see that all(any color,any race, any creed, any sexual orientation, indeed all) receive fair treatment.

Making Sawdust

I've been building a linen closet for my neighbor. It's 7 ft. tall, 4 ft. wide and 18 inches deep. Her first choice was to build it out of Birch plywood, but when she found the Birch costs $68 a sheet she decided that Fir plywood would be just as good. Good choice because the plan calls for 4 sheets of 3/4 inch plywood and 1 sheet of 1/4 inch ply. I hope she likes it when it's finished. It is really heavy, just like the wardrobe I made Char for Christmas. It'll take 3 strong men and a boy to pack it into her house. I have the carcase finished, now comes the face frame. I really like face frame construction and use it whenever I can. I just got a 23/32 in. router bit that works great for cutting dados for the shelves. Since 3/4 plywood is really 23/32's, the dados make a nice tight joint. A heck of a lot easier than using the dado blade on the table saw, especially with a 1/2 sheet of 3/4 ply. I haven't decided on any moulding for it, I guess I'll have to check with her to see what she wants.

As you can see, I've stopped writing about problems of the Church. I just can't expend that much energy on a subject over which I have no control. I'll let the Church leadership handle the problems. For myself, I would just as soon leave the Anglican Communion and let them continue to be homophobic. I wonder if they would turn over their child to the law if the child turned out to be Gay, or maybe they would just call in the neighbors to participate in a old fashioned stoning.