Unsolved Mysteries

P was over this weekend helping me with the house again.  This weeks episode of Crap Shack Remodel: What’s up with that?!?! involves a mystery wire.

We put up some drywall in the new room that we partitioned from the kitchen some time ago.  After we went as far as we could with that we needed to work on some wiring up in the attic, because a couple wires needed to be moved, modified, and otherwise taken out of the way for the next project – Crap Shack Remodel: New closet installation since these wires would be dangling in the middle of the closet if not removed. 

While I was up in the attic, I decided to remove a ton of wiring that was no longer hooked up to anything.  These wires were mostly feeder lines for the old electric baseboard heaters that I disconnected during Crap Shack Remodel: New electric box installation.  I have one mystery wire that I can’t figure out what is going on, or what it is ultimately hooked up to.  It is part of the original wire installation on the house back in 1953, but it runs the entire length of the attic, then drops down into the exterior wall on the opposite side of the house from the electric panel. 

A true mystery indeed.  I just hope it isn’t hooked into some mystery switch I have yet to identify.  For now, I capped it off with wire-nuts in the attic, but I think it would do me well to solve this mystery before I consider the work up in the attic complete.

No entry permitted

This is the sign that should be posted on all federal buildings in Washington, DC.  For over 200 years, the general public was admitted to these facilities with little or no checking, or at least reasonable searches.  OK, I understand we live in a world where one wackjob can ruin the whole day.  But really, why is it that *everything* a tourist would want to see in Washington, DC now comes with a visitors center, where you have to get a ticket, get strip-searched, wait over half a day, and finally be allowed admittance provided you swear that you’re a Christian and do not have a bomb under your hat?

I’m rather annoyed at this.  What I could do in Washington, DC in a well-planned single day when I was in high school, now takes up to a week to accomplish because of the false sense of security the government has for everything. 

I find it ironic that you have to practically endure a strip search just to see the original copy of the bill of rights.  Are they denying you the protections of the 4th amendement to the US constitution just so you can see the original copy of the constitution?  I say yes.  You now have to endure an unreasonable search and seizure just so you can view the original document that says the government can’t do this to you.  Sadly, the sheeple will just go along with this.

While in Philadelphia, it was obvious they were trying to protect Independence Hall with flimsy barricades that may stop a bike messenger, but would be hard pressed to stop a Timothy McVeigh style operation.  Is it really security if someone can pull up in a moving van full of fertilizer and fuel oil? 

No, it isn’t.

I give up!  The “turrerists” have won.  I have hope that once we get a new administration next year that the tourists will win.  This is getting ridiculous! 

The land of the free and home of the brave, is neither. 

So can I or can’t I?

On my recent trip I used Priceline to reserve the rooms for the two cities I stayed in. In the first city, I stayed at a hotel that was billed as 4-stars, but I think I was placed in the 2-star Priceline wing. I know this happens occassionally due to my experience with this in London with TQE, but the hotel website said they had completely renovated the entire facility about 2 years ago. I would have expected even the Priceline rooms to be nicer than what they were.

This room was horrible, at least as it goes with being a 4-star facility. The furniture was worn, chipped, cracked, in disrepair, etc. I would have expected something more in a hotel with the type of rating it has. I also noticed I was in an obviously smoked in, non-smoking room. I was presented with a bit of a riddle to solve. On the chipped table, there was a little sign that said I would be charged a $250 cleaning fee if I smoked in the room. Then I found an ashtray in the bathroom.

So which is it? Can I smoke, or can’t I? I’m just not sure.

It’s official!

I’ve been silent the past few days because I have been *very* busy traveling. I now have good news! After  20 long months, and a meeting with the consular officials last week I am now officially recognized as a dual US-Italian citizen. I have to wait a few months for the paperwork to be recorded in Italy, but as soon as that time passes, I can apply for a passport.

I’m so happy!

Signs you’re about to involuntarily leave office

I was being told as recently as today that my work space was moving as early as this week.  However, after packing most of my materials, the HR folks come back and tell me not until at least mid-April.  *ugh*  This is not the main reason for my post, but rather what triggered it.

I was going through my stuff deciding what I need to keep, what I need to send to our corporate warehouse, and what I could simply throw away, when I stumbled upon some old issues of the magazine for Continental Airlines.  I was amused at what I was seeing.  In early 2003, their cover prominently featured Tom Delay-R(epugnantone) , the former representative from the Houston, TX area.  A little bit later in the year, they featured Jim McGreevey-D(ancing boy from Fire Island), the former governor of New Jersey. 

So I have one thing to say to all politicians out there.  It seems the early sign that your political career is ready to implode is when the editors of the Continental Airlines in-flight magazine decide to feature you on their cover.  So if you get that call, make sure you don’t accept it, because within two-years of doing so you will no longer be holding your prominent office.

Your pal,

CQ

CQ the slave driver

That was me this weekend. It was another long episode of Crap Shack Remodel. This weekend’s episode: Drywall.

P was here this weekend and in keeping with his wonderful past, worked overtime on helping me get this house in shape so I can sell it. This weekend was drywall-a-palooza, where we finished most of the substantial work on the porch enclosing project.  This guy must really love me if he’s helping me this much on this project.  The feeling is mutual.

Please see the progression of photos below (click image to make larger). The first three photos were taken about 2-weeks ago, the last was taken today. The first three show progression of work over two days and the last one shows what things looked like for the whole room after working both days this past weekend.

Note: These looked much better on a laptap than a tube monitor.

The unfriendly skies

I am really beginning to think the goal of airlines is to fly planes and charge you for every little thing they can.  I long for the days when you purchased a ticket and it included everything for one price, no surprises.  I would gladly pay a little more if it was obvious what I was paying for up-front.  Unfortunately, airlines have become worse than the cable company, which I threw out of my life nearly a year ago.  It would not surprise me if in the next year we all start seeing “atmosphere” fees on the itemized list of airline ticket charges, with “atmosphere” being the air your body needs to live.

Today, Delta Air Lines has announced a “red-tag” system to track “legitimate” carry-on luggage.  OK, I’m all for avoiding passengers hauling a steamer trunk on board and trying to stuff it in the overhead bin.  I will fly any airline that imposes this on their passengers.  Unfortunately for the flying public, I see these red-tags as the first step in making sure passengers start having to check “extra” bags into the baggage hold so airlines can maximize the profit to be made from their new second bag policy (average $25 for the second bag), and so that the baggage crew can have fun losing even more luggage for us.  

Again, I have no problem with steamer trunks being put in the cargo hold, however, I *do*have a problem with being forced to check my suitcase when my entire itinerary is being flown on a regional jet (RJ). 

Why do I have a problem?  

When flying a RJ,  most carry-on suitcases will be put in the hold because they are too large for the small bins inside the cabin.  Why should I have to check my bag when I can simply pick it up and drop it off plane-side and not wait an hour for it to start circling the baggage belt?  I much prefer waiting a few minutes rather than an hour, and it saves me a tremendous amount of time on my business trips to New York which are made exclusively on RJ aircraft. 

Delta Air Lines says this is only for international flights but I’m fairly certain this is coming to domestic flights and you *will* get charged for those surprise second bags.  The only silver lining for me is that I usually only travel with my backpack and smaller than large suitcase, so I won’t be in danger of the second bag fee.  I hope the rest of you are as fortunate.

I’m really glad I didn’t purchase my new luggage this weekend.  I can’t wait to see what wacky rule gets imposed next.

Government efficiency

I never thought I’d say this, but I found an organization that makes the US Department of Transportation look like a model of transportation data efficiency.  The US DOT is only one-year behind, Transport Canada is more like three or four-years.  *ugh*