A Boat by Any Other Name

Give this a gander http://planeboats.com/Other%20Pages/Photos/index/boat%20index.html and then ask the question of how this made it past the land use process. Not a boat, really, not an airplane. So where does it go in the regs?

Forms When You Need One

So right in the middle of doing taxes you notice that you need a form. A form that you don't have and any place that has them is closed. Since these are federal forms you need only to look no farther than. Drum roll please. www.irs.gov and you can download any old form that they have.

If you need the PDF reader, in order to view and print the forms then go to www.adobe.com and download and install the free PDF reader.

Keep cool

None Dare Say Stick Em Up

Let’s talk about a real racket that City’s and towns across America employ to make ever greater increases in income. What could that be you ask? Good question. We recently got a flyer in the US mail extolling the virtues of keeping the lawn green and the other plantings “full of water”. Same day we received another little thing in the US mail called . . . Utility bill.

Seems that if we were to increase the amount of water we use well we get charged extra. So the city of Portland Oregon seeks to increase the amount of income by placing a higher premium on the very water used. And they even enclosed a little flyer about conserving water, right nice of them.

This is a racket then to wrest even more money from the population, yet the cost of water production for Portland does not increase. Portland does not have a fresh water treatment plant as such. It is pure and al natural. Which explains why my water filter under the kitchen sink is full if algae and moss. Sure I can change it but why bother, as it will just fill up again.
So I am doing my part, letting my lawn die a slow death, mowing the weeds to keep things neat and buying in wholesale into water conservation.

Yep, use not pay not. That’s how I see it.

Lets Buy a Ship!

If one has ever wondered how much a ship costs to purchase, new or used, or a tug boat or a car ferry or even a small submarine. I found this. http://www.maritimesales.com/Ships%20for%20Sale.htm . Not limited to one sort of boat either as they have barges and such. Seems odd that some west coast transportation outfits build new when good serviceable used ones are available. So dream of owning a vast network of water borne transportation vehicles or just poke around to see what the things cost.

Ever Wonder About Airplanes?

Did you ever wonder about airplanes, or the places where long ages ago they used to bring about so much promise? Delivering mail, taking passenger's to and fro, or providing education and employment to many?

Well to find a place where airplanes used to be, but may not be now then I suggest this place. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/ It is of a sadness to note that the airfield where Howard Hughes devolved the "Spruce Goose" is no longer there.

What about if you just want to see large airplanes, taking off, cockpit view out the front window, or a mess they make when they go boom or are mis-loaded. Well this is the place for you then. http://www.airliners.net/

Have fun and enjoy, Wish Sherman Happy 56 birthday today.

You Invited Them, so Clean up After Them

1. Just what is it we wish government to do for us? On the face of it this is a large question so I will break it down to something smaller. What triggers this is a note that the Chamber of Commerce in Friday Harbor Washington wants the town to make the town more like “Disneyland”. Their reasoning is that the businessmen feel that the town collects “enough” property tax money and sales tax money so the town can keep the town cleaner.
   
   Just how much is enough? Friday Harbor, like a lot of smaller community’s has a “you use it you pay for it” policy. So the businesses do not subsidies water, sewer, solid waste or storm water for residences and vice a versa. Property tax collected for the town is only a third or less of the tax bill, other things like schools and state and county roads are on the bill but not paid to the town.
   
   Friday Harbor http://www.fridayharbor.org/ does have the town budget available to view. It shoes income and expenses. Income is an educated guess built on a mopny model and the treasure can explain that to others. What is not said by the business men is if they have asked the correct questions.
   

1. Where does all the money go?

2.What service or group of services dos the business community wish the town to NOT do? That is what service does the town drop, fire, police?

3. Did anyone at the chamber actually read the budget? Not just the income part but the expense part?

4. Why would a retired person on a fixed income. About 3 percent of the 2000 population has an interest in providing a “Disneyland” atmosphere?

5. When did business in Friday Harbor become “too good” to pick up the trash of the tourists that they invite to the Town?

It seems to me that the Chamber did none of these things, at least none of them well. And gosh, ya know, if you invite the world then pick up the junk YOUR customers throw around and quit whining all the way to the bank.

That is how I see it from here.

Happy Fourth of July

We thank the members of the armed fources serving at home and abroad, the veterns both living and dead, for the willingness to provide us with freedom, liberty and security.

Happy fourth of July!

A World of Doom or Nice Places to Visit

In my quest to search out places that just might blow up and cause panic amongst the masses. I have come across some marvelous links. So if you are looking for a web place to visit in which a live camera may show a real planetary blast the I recommend the following.

Locally, for many of us then is Mount Saint Helens http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/ Course if it is raining well there is always tomorrow.
Not so local is http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Augustine.php A mountain in Alaska but be prepared to see ice and cold however when it is clear, ah, spectular.

But what if one wishes to see the misery of others in more distance places. Well then you may want this one in Hawaii http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cam/index.htm which is clear most of the year or go for a grand world tour here http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/current_volcs/current.html Some of these have web sites and for some you will need Google earth.

But isn't there any place for serenity? Well, these are long shots but for Island viewing we have http://www.islandcam.com/ with cameras of various areas of San Juan County in Washington State. And if you are looking for a other hemisphere experience may we recommend some pyramids, found here http://www.pyramidcam.com/

To far away then try this one http://whistlerlivewebcams.com/Sproatt/Default.htm

Remember that no matter what evil experience you are having today. This to, like gas, will pass.

No Way to Run a Transit system

A lot has been said recently about the high cost of fuel and the effects on the economy. Elected officials of large cities, like Portland Oregon, expect the population to take the train or bus. Problem public transportation is none of what it needs to be in order to get people out of their cars. Somewhat does Public transit need to be.

1. Fast
2. Cheap
3. Convenient
4. Safe

At present Portland Oregon has a transit system, that is anything but convenient, never been cheap, gives snails a good reputation when it comes to speed, and as for safe - good luck. It seems that when the elected "brain trust" from on high chose a mixture of busses and trains they neglected a few things.

We are told that we really need to take a conveyance that takes 80 minutes to travel the same distance we can in a private auto in 25 minutes. We are told that the cost of ridding needs to increase due to rising fuel costs. We are told that we must walk 20 yards, all told, and wait standing exposed to the elements for 25 minutes. And we are told that the safety of passengers is of great importance.

So what do these elected persons do? Cut funding for police, raise the price of tickets and put fewer busses and trains on the rails. The response is a predictable decrease in ridership which translates into fewer tickets and less income.

Our suggestion is to put on more fair inspectors and police, drop the price of tickets run busses and trains all 24 hours, add more busses and train lines. What this will do is make the public transit system cheaper than taking the auto to work.

That's how we see it!

Crude Up and Down

Did anyone notice this little gem that the financial markets reported? A very bad guy in the mideast is killed and the price of crude oil drops a dollar us a barrel. Crude oil is normally kept high by the exporting nations but just one death and the price drops.

I realize that financial markets are odd things, a hurricane knocks off some oil platforms and the price of crude oil goes up. Then the price drops when they fix the oil rigs and they produce again. Yes I know that the I s no accounting for the heard mentelaly of investors and spectulators.

Just seems odd to me that the removal of a single human can impact the price of things so much. If you think about it, it will seem odd to you too.

Good Things Come in Threes

Good things often happen to one, just because. So how about some free good things. We can think of 3 good things that just may make life a bit better. So here they are:
1. http://www.mlb.com/ - Free major league base ball stats and information, look up your favorite team, their history, box scores and even see what games are in progress.
2. http://www.bravenet.com/ - Free web site. Easy to build, easy to maintain, fun to do. It is limited but for the price it can't be beat - FREE.
3. http://www.blogger.com/start - Free blog. This is the site I use. Easy to use and set up and just one thing to remember. The United States Of America court system treats blogs with the same rules as newspapers. So don't slander anyone which is why we let the newspapers and electronic news media do that one. You can however state your opinion, but taking your employer to task in a blog, might not be such a good idea.

So there you have it, three, count them, 3 good free things.

Odd Moments

When waiting for the bus the other day, watching the sun arise, it dawned on me. Yes it did with the sky a sort of light tortoises’ shell color and whips of clouds turning shades of red and gold. A lone airplane arose towards the heavens or at least higher than I can stand on a stump.

A truly marvelous sight to see giving one pause to marvel at the wonder of it all, tons of machinery, laden with goods, packages, and people, suddenly hurling skyward defying gravity and speeding on to a distant location.

This makes some of the things us earth bound beings experience change in perspective. While we tussle with important things like sewer and water and how much pollution fish meat actually holds. Others are flying high wondering just how it is that they got here in the first place, high above it all sitting in a seat enjoying the view in relative comfort and ease.

Yes a true marvel of man’s ability to go up and beyond it all. Let’s see a chimp design something better than that!

The Great Summer Pastime

Summer is all but here in the pacific northwest. Which means more sun than rain. And with the coming of spring baseball arrives which brings summer. Now everyone north of the great void of California knows that without baseball there can be no summer. Nope, none at all - this is a given.

So beyond a news service, where can one obtain real good data about games and if the connection is good enough even watch or watch the stats update ever few seconds? Why www.mlb.com is where. Go, enjoy, they have history of the teams, what aa ball clubs are affiliated with which major league team, current stats of teams and players. Good stuff this!

Losers All or How not to Have Money

There are several major league sport teams in the northwest America. We root for them, we hope for them, we cheer for them, we buy stuff with the team logo on them. They loose anyway. Losers one and all, every one. Some may say that the Football team won, but wait, they came in second. Second place is not the winner, second place is the looser! How about the Basketball club's, well they come in, dead last. Baseball is no better either. Bottom of the heap, the king of the losers.

So why do we support them then? Cause we think they are ours and we want to win and be in the company of winners. We aren't but we want to bee. Disappointment is what we must have for breakfast lunch and dinner.

What to do, what to do. How about a salary cap and a bonus structure. Say 50 thousand for a year with a 100 thousand if the team wins a game an a million if they take a major title and 2 million if they take the entire championship.

Gee no million a year? Nope. Well I guess I'll just not play then. Ok.
Which we think would be a good solution, no win, no real large wage. Works for us.

A Thank You

I would like to take this time to express my heartfelt thanks. To the veteran's of the United States Armed Services, and their family's. For the sacrifices they have made to insure the freedom and independence of us all.

If no one else says so I will, do in fact say . . . Thank You

The Change Stays the Same

A long time ago in a far distant time the Town Of Friday Harbor Washington was beset by three real large problems. Traffic, Water, and Sewer. Studies were created, money changed hands by the thousands, and decisions were deferred. Lots of talk producing little action. In a distant land to the south and a different council, the name shall remain annoumious but the initials are Portland Oregon. They had issues with the sewer polluting the Willamette river each and every time it rained. Studies were created, money changed hands by the thousands, and decisions were differed.

Eventually Friday Harbor Washington would begin the long and expensive road to the happy land of compliance. More work needs to be done to be sure. Traffic flow is improved by paint giving directions ,like turn left only. A new sewer plant takes care of part of that issue. Portland however is different. In 16 years they have managed to dig a big underground pipe to put both sewer and storm water in. Billion bucks plus and when they get done, well lets just say that the Federal government is going to sue the place. Why, oh why. Non compliance.

Unlike Friday Harbor Portland is made up of real shortsighted persons. Elected office is a lot like little fiefdom's with the mayor as king. This is my opinion of course but I can get plenty of "yah your right" if I pose the question on MAX ( the alleged train line) or at a bus stop.

What should Portland do? Well they should take a trip. . . to Victoria BC and invite two members of the town council and the town administrator. And take lessons on how it can get done, with a idea toward spending wisely.

As always that is how I see it.

Windows OS - The Small Stuff

In keeping with that part of this blog that deals with the odd things of life we have this to offer.

Having trouble getting rid of programs completely when you remove them. Then use this handy little tool. Windows Clean up utilitly http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290301

Want to know about the new version of windows, called Vista by its maker. Then go here. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/default.aspx

Ever want to run the Windows MSI (Microsoft Installer) in safe mode, and this works for XP also. Get aload of this. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;895141

Until Next time then.

Them What Drive Cars

Have you ever noticed that real smart people, as in degree. Like PhD, or BS, or BA. When hurtling down the highway in their 2.5 ton foreign automobile. Become suddenly devoid of gray matter? I mean when the road is wet is there a reason the BMW must be 3.3 feet from the bumper of the car in front? And just what is the reason that one simply must drive at 2.3 times faster than the posted speed? What's up with that?

Egor has given this some thought and has come up with a novel idea. Since a valid drivers license is no guarantee that a body actually knows how to drive a motor vehicle. Why not just stop issuing drivers licenses? They could be phased out over a period of time. The DMV folks could retire and no replacements would be hired. Think of the savings, no more grumpy "I'd rather be fishing" counter bunnies to deal with. No need for government to collect more money because - no employees. In fact no paper work to deal with, no shiny little stickers, no stamps, no "look I'm in prison" id pictures.

Everyone could drive a car. Then when those that don't know how to drive blast into things and do themselves in. Well now, Darwin, clearing out the Gene pool?

Sounds good to us.

Egor is back

Ah the blog, a different way of communicating or mangling the English language or otherwise putting into print what the inside voice would like to say. Well this blog is for the dispensing little known information, bashing the political process, and slaying sacred cows. Notice we are not slaying sacred bulls, nor attacking polications - after all that is what newspapers are for, are they not. So for now this is just the start of the new old process. Just when you thought it was safe, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. . . The Island Intectual . . . returns.