Thursday, December 22, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
My cat sleeping in stuff.
I don't know that Shrimpy has made it on the blog yet. We've had him for almost a year now. He likes to sleep in things, like granola bar boxes,
fancy glass bowls,
wedding dioramas that he knocks off of shelves in order to lie in,
and springform pans (which he fits into quite well).
fancy glass bowls,
wedding dioramas that he knocks off of shelves in order to lie in,
and springform pans (which he fits into quite well).
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Friday, December 09, 2011
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
We're going where?
Before:
. . . and after:
Au revoir.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
An Armed Forces Tribute from the WVU Marching Band
Be sure to keep watching until they reach the tribute to the Navy -- last and best.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
A Conversation
That a friend of mine had when he went to check on the progress of the mechanic who worked on Laura's car:
"Hey, how ya doin', my name is H. I'm a friend of Laura Murphy, and I'd like to talk to your guy who did the clutch on her Forester. I'll wait outside in the garage."
After a few minutes outside, I went back into the waiting room, and different guy, Dennis was at the counter. I repeated my request, and he said that he was the one working on Laura's clutch. I asked him what he replaced, and what kind of clutch kit he used.
He says, "Wait a second. Dis isn't your car.?"
I say, "I know. I'm her friend, and she asked to come and check to see what's up wit her car."
He responds, "Well, she didn't say anything to me about."
Dennis goes back in to call you, but got your voicemail. When he returns, we talk in the waiting area, which is a good thing because there are other customers there to witness our conversation. He seems much more receptive to talking about the issue.
I ask, "So whadaya think is wrong with dis thing?"
Dennis says, "It needs to break in. I been readin' on some of da forums and I think it could be the slave cylinder."
I asked, "Was da pedal stickin' to the floor?"
He says, "Before we get started, how much do you know about dis car?"
I respond, " Well, Laura told me that the engine was running but da clutch was slippin' so da car wasn't moving. Dis was when she had it towed back here da second time. But if da slave is losing pressure, den da clutch is engaged. So it sounds like she's describing clutch slippage. You replaced the everything in there, right?"
He says, "Yeah, da pressure plate, a new disc, da bearing, and dose two clips..."
I ask, "Ok, and everything's torqued down, right? Did you resurface the flywheel?"
Dennis says, "Na, it was good"
I reply, "Ok, so ya checked the runnout and it was good."
Dennis volunteers, " I've done like 20 of dese Subaru clutches."
I ask, "And da front of da trans. was dry?"
He says, "Yeah. We had dis damn thing on the floor and it didn't leak nothin'."
I nod and say, "Ok, it was completely dry. Dat's good. Now dere's a plate next to rear main and dat sometimes leaks."
He says, "Nope, it was completely dry. Man, I can't stand dese damn Subarus. Gotta reseal dis and dat."
.
Dennis continues, "Yo man, when we got dis thing, the clutch fork was hangin' off, dere was nothin' left in dere. The lip on the trans was swollen."
I ask, "Swollen? You're talking about da snout at the front of the trans.? It wasn't grooved?"
Dennis says, " Na, it was swollen. I don't know, maybe it overheated. You know, when I gave her a quote, I didn't know what I'd hafta do, so I had to cover myself. I thought we might hafta replace da trans."
I say, " Na, man, dese trannies don't die unless they run dry, and dis thing's not leakin' and it's not makin' any noise so it's fine. But yo man, I understand you gotta business to run, you just gotta make dis thing right for my friend Laura, and you've had dis thing for three weeks."
"He says, "I told her I couldn't fix it unless I could replicate the problem. It wasn't until I had my boy drive dis thing up to da Northeast that it started to act up. I think it might be losing pressure from the slave cylinder."
I ask, "So it happens only after it heats up?"
"Yeah, only after it's been driven awhile."
"Ok, it could be da slave. But that's easy enough to replace. It's right on top of the engine. Sometimes it can be the master. too. I've replaced slaves before and then wound up also having to replace the master."
"I thought dis just had one thing. Where is it? "
"Na, dere's a slave right on top the engine, and den a master up on the firewall next to da brake master. I don't know if her car has two air filters but if it does, den it's under the bigger air box right on top of the engine. Yo, but dis things drives fine until it heats up, right? --the clutch is smooth, right?
Dennis shrugs and says, "Yeah, it drives, but it bucks like when ya let out da clutch too fast. It needs to break in."
I say,"Na, a new clutch shouldn't do dat. I've worked on a lot of Subarus, too, man. If it's judderin' like that, den it's either the flywheel or you need to put a repair sleeve on da snout at the front of the trans. Cause, you know, if dere's a groove on da snout, da thow-out bearing moves around on it when you engage the clutch. Yo, man, I know it's a pain in the ass to split the tranny and engine, but you gotta make dis thing, right for your customer."
"Well, after we make a final determination tomorrow, I'll see if I need to order a slave and master cylinder. And if I need to drop the tranny, it's no big deal. It only takes me an hour, you know to drop the driveshaft and all"
I say, "Alright, Dennis, so you're gonna make dis thing right, right?"
"Yeah, I'll give her a call."
We shake hands, and I leave.
"Hey, how ya doin', my name is H. I'm a friend of Laura Murphy, and I'd like to talk to your guy who did the clutch on her Forester. I'll wait outside in the garage."
After a few minutes outside, I went back into the waiting room, and different guy, Dennis was at the counter. I repeated my request, and he said that he was the one working on Laura's clutch. I asked him what he replaced, and what kind of clutch kit he used.
He says, "Wait a second. Dis isn't your car.?"
I say, "I know. I'm her friend, and she asked to come and check to see what's up wit her car."
He responds, "Well, she didn't say anything to me about."
Dennis goes back in to call you, but got your voicemail. When he returns, we talk in the waiting area, which is a good thing because there are other customers there to witness our conversation. He seems much more receptive to talking about the issue.
I ask, "So whadaya think is wrong with dis thing?"
Dennis says, "It needs to break in. I been readin' on some of da forums and I think it could be the slave cylinder."
I asked, "Was da pedal stickin' to the floor?"
He says, "Before we get started, how much do you know about dis car?"
I respond, " Well, Laura told me that the engine was running but da clutch was slippin' so da car wasn't moving. Dis was when she had it towed back here da second time. But if da slave is losing pressure, den da clutch is engaged. So it sounds like she's describing clutch slippage. You replaced the everything in there, right?"
He says, "Yeah, da pressure plate, a new disc, da bearing, and dose two clips..."
I ask, "Ok, and everything's torqued down, right? Did you resurface the flywheel?"
Dennis says, "Na, it was good"
I reply, "Ok, so ya checked the runnout and it was good."
Dennis volunteers, " I've done like 20 of dese Subaru clutches."
I ask, "And da front of da trans. was dry?"
He says, "Yeah. We had dis damn thing on the floor and it didn't leak nothin'."
I nod and say, "Ok, it was completely dry. Dat's good. Now dere's a plate next to rear main and dat sometimes leaks."
He says, "Nope, it was completely dry. Man, I can't stand dese damn Subarus. Gotta reseal dis and dat."
.
Dennis continues, "Yo man, when we got dis thing, the clutch fork was hangin' off, dere was nothin' left in dere. The lip on the trans was swollen."
I ask, "Swollen? You're talking about da snout at the front of the trans.? It wasn't grooved?"
Dennis says, " Na, it was swollen. I don't know, maybe it overheated. You know, when I gave her a quote, I didn't know what I'd hafta do, so I had to cover myself. I thought we might hafta replace da trans."
I say, " Na, man, dese trannies don't die unless they run dry, and dis thing's not leakin' and it's not makin' any noise so it's fine. But yo man, I understand you gotta business to run, you just gotta make dis thing right for my friend Laura, and you've had dis thing for three weeks."
"He says, "I told her I couldn't fix it unless I could replicate the problem. It wasn't until I had my boy drive dis thing up to da Northeast that it started to act up. I think it might be losing pressure from the slave cylinder."
I ask, "So it happens only after it heats up?"
"Yeah, only after it's been driven awhile."
"Ok, it could be da slave. But that's easy enough to replace. It's right on top of the engine. Sometimes it can be the master. too. I've replaced slaves before and then wound up also having to replace the master."
"I thought dis just had one thing. Where is it? "
"Na, dere's a slave right on top the engine, and den a master up on the firewall next to da brake master. I don't know if her car has two air filters but if it does, den it's under the bigger air box right on top of the engine. Yo, but dis things drives fine until it heats up, right? --the clutch is smooth, right?
Dennis shrugs and says, "Yeah, it drives, but it bucks like when ya let out da clutch too fast. It needs to break in."
I say,"Na, a new clutch shouldn't do dat. I've worked on a lot of Subarus, too, man. If it's judderin' like that, den it's either the flywheel or you need to put a repair sleeve on da snout at the front of the trans. Cause, you know, if dere's a groove on da snout, da thow-out bearing moves around on it when you engage the clutch. Yo, man, I know it's a pain in the ass to split the tranny and engine, but you gotta make dis thing, right for your customer."
"Well, after we make a final determination tomorrow, I'll see if I need to order a slave and master cylinder. And if I need to drop the tranny, it's no big deal. It only takes me an hour, you know to drop the driveshaft and all"
I say, "Alright, Dennis, so you're gonna make dis thing right, right?"
"Yeah, I'll give her a call."
We shake hands, and I leave.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Bar jokes for grammar nerds
from McSweeney's:
1. A comma splice walks into a bar, it has a drink and then leaves.
2. A dangling modifier walks into a bar. After finishing a drink, the bartender asks it to leave.
3. A question mark walks into a bar?
4. Two quotation marks “walk into” a bar.
5. A gerund and an infinitive walk into a bar, drinking to drink.
6. The bar was walked into by the passive voice.
7. Three intransitive verbs walk into a bar. They sit. They drink. They leave.
2. A dangling modifier walks into a bar. After finishing a drink, the bartender asks it to leave.
3. A question mark walks into a bar?
4. Two quotation marks “walk into” a bar.
5. A gerund and an infinitive walk into a bar, drinking to drink.
6. The bar was walked into by the passive voice.
7. Three intransitive verbs walk into a bar. They sit. They drink. They leave.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The new mayor of Ithaca
Update: Here's another close-to-home electoral success.
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Moved!
After an exhausting two days (even WITH movers we were still completely beat last night) we are finally moved in. There are still a number of kinks to be worked out, but we have internet as of 20 minutes ago, and that's what's important. Now, furniture shopping. We threw out our bed during the move, and have no bookshelves or a sofa.
The future kid's room (for now, a staging area):
The kitchen:
The dining area:
We have a pair of Ikea dining room chairs and an Ikea loveseat that are available (the chairs for free to family, and available now, the loveseat for a small amount and available once we get a real couch). Let me know if you're interested.
The future kid's room (for now, a staging area):
The kitchen:
The dining area:
We have a pair of Ikea dining room chairs and an Ikea loveseat that are available (the chairs for free to family, and available now, the loveseat for a small amount and available once we get a real couch). Let me know if you're interested.
Ineptocracy
Ineptocracy (in-ept-o-cra-cy) – a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
"We meant that OTHER people should share, not us!"
"The Occupy Wall Street volunteer kitchen staff launched a 'counter' revolution yesterday -- because they’re angry about working 18-hour days to provide food for 'professional homeless' people and ex-cons masquerading as protesters. For three days beginning tomorrow, the cooks will serve only brown rice and other spartan grub instead of the usual menu of organic chicken and vegetables, spaghetti bolognese, and roasted beet and sheep’s-milk-cheese salad . . . Many of those being fed 'are professional homeless people. They know what they’re doing,' said the guard at the food-storage area."
Well, at least the professional homeless know what they're doing. Apparently the professional protesters don't. When you are camped out in a park proclaiming the injustice of the gap between the haves and the have-nots and passionately insisting that the rich have a moral obligation to share their wealth with those who have less (meaning you) -- it should not take a whole lot of reasoning ability and self-awareness, not to mention media savvy, to realize that it might not be a great idea to refuse to share the organic chicken and sheep cheese that YOU have with people who don't even have homes.
Well, at least the professional homeless know what they're doing. Apparently the professional protesters don't. When you are camped out in a park proclaiming the injustice of the gap between the haves and the have-nots and passionately insisting that the rich have a moral obligation to share their wealth with those who have less (meaning you) -- it should not take a whole lot of reasoning ability and self-awareness, not to mention media savvy, to realize that it might not be a great idea to refuse to share the organic chicken and sheep cheese that YOU have with people who don't even have homes.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Cows and Heifers Tested
57 "USA" tattoos. 57 metal eartags. 57 Shipping fever vaccinations. 57 TB tests. 57 blood draws, from the jugular, for brucellosis and anaplasmosis. 57 treatments for ticks.
The cows are really looking forward to the move. They've heard that the farmers in Canada are nicer than the farmers here.
The cows are really looking forward to the move. They've heard that the farmers in Canada are nicer than the farmers here.
Monday, October 24, 2011
The World Serious
Seen any? It's one of the best in a while. Ron Washington and Tony LaRussa are worth watching. If you missed the 9th inning last night when Ron Washington came out to take his young starter out of the game after he threw 116 pitches and walked a batter while not allowing a run, you missed a lovely piece of theater. There were two hand-held cameras. One behind Washington and one catching Holland in profile. Close up! The shots would alternate between Washington (From behind) shaking his head as he said, "You've done well, son, but Neftali is gonna close it out," and Holland (from the side) saying, "But, coach, I can get a ground ball for a double play and finish this thing." The exchange went back and forth several times before Washington raised his right arm and called for Feliz.
Washington is smart. He sent Holland off to the cheers of the Texas crowd.
Washington is smart. He sent Holland off to the cheers of the Texas crowd.
Is there a dumber bastard than Joe Biden?
I doubt it.
Mark Steyn:
In one of those inspired innovations designed to keep American classrooms on the cutting edge of educational excellence, the administration has been sending Joe Biden out to talk to schoolchildren. Last week, it was the fourth grade at Alexander B. Goode Elementary School in York, Pa., that found itself on the receiving end of the vice president’s wisdom:
"Here in this school, your school, you’ve had a lot of teachers who used to work here, but because there’s no money for them in the city, they’re not working. And so what happens is, when that occurs, each of the teachers that stays have more kids to teach. And they don’t get to spend as much time with you as they did when your classes were smaller. We think the federal government in Washington, D.C., should say to the cities and states, look, we’re going to give you some money so that you can hire back all those people. And the way we’re going to do it, we’re going to ask people who have a lot of money to pay just a little bit more in taxes."
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
O Canada
It looks like the rest of the herd is sold. Many a slip twixt cup and lip, but by Thanksgiving there may not be any Jersey cows at Stornaway Farm. Life's sure gonna be different.
More Red Sox
Well, maybe I got a little carried away with criticism of the players and manager. This is a very sensible piece by Pete Abrahamson. And the various points made about the hysteria of the media are well taken.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Red Sox
Well, things look pretty grim. Our boys of summer almost universally covered themselves with crap. Perhaps excepting Pedroia, who may be the only one who understands what playing baseball for millions of dollars means. I never liked Beckett or Lackey. I can't stand the owners. I hate NESN. Why would I continue to be a fan? Baseball is a glorious game, but it seems to have been totally corrupted by the 2011 Red Sox, from the top on down, Francona included. Losing is but a small part of it. Whatever happened to dignity and class?
What think the rest of you? Got any plans for your baseball future?
What think the rest of you? Got any plans for your baseball future?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Friday, October 07, 2011
Steve Jobs vs. Ted Kennedy
"But reflect for a moment on Steve Jobs. He took resources from no one. He coerced no one. He pandered to no one. He made hundreds of millions of people happy. He ended up being responsible for the creation of tens if not hundreds of thousands of jobs, and inspired countless others to mimic him, or to beat him, or to otherwise complement his work. He asked for no special favors. He was adopted, and certainly was not dealt the best hand in the lottery of life. He blamed no one else for his failures. He shared in his successes. I would argue that this one man’s short life was far more important than a century’s worth of politicians who claim to be working in your interest."
I'll never forget the hoopla the Red Sox created when Ted Kennedy died. They called him a great American Hero.
I'll never forget the hoopla the Red Sox created when Ted Kennedy died. They called him a great American Hero.
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
My thoughts on the Red Sox:
1)It breaks your heart.
It is designed to break your heart.
The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.
You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
Today, it stopped, and summer was gone.
- A. Bartlett Giamatti.
2) Stupid assholes.
It is designed to break your heart.
The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.
You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
Today, it stopped, and summer was gone.
- A. Bartlett Giamatti.
2) Stupid assholes.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Yes he really just said that.
I realize I'm about 2 weeks behind on this one now, but if you haven't seen this, you really need to. This guy is a total creep.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
I posted this last year, but today seems like the right time to do it again. Here's a link to Dad's post from last year with the background story.
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