Shed update ...

Christ.

While I like my new shed, there were some engineering details that pissed me off while I'm trying to get it painted.

Firstly, most of it is made of an engineered wood product, (3/4" OSB with a faux grain for the panels) but all the trim pieces are shitty ass 3/4" knotty pine that is so dry, it sucked the paint off the brush when I got within an inch of it. I hadda put a couple coats of this super duper sealer, anti-bug, anti-moisture primer on it before it would stop drinking up the paint. Then I put a coat of tinted primer on everything. That's where I am now, putting the first coat of color on this morning.

Secondly, I wonder who thought it would be a good idea to affix the door hinges with 3/4" long, #6 drywall screws. Same with the cheap ass lock/door handle. Doesn't matter if you lock it, somebody with a screwdriver can take the lock out or unscrew the hinges, or just pry 'em out of the wood with a dull butter knife. Needless to say I replaced the hinge screws with 1/4" diameter carriage bolts. I didn't give a shit about the lock because I bought two hasps and locks that I pre-drilled for before I painted. Not that I don't trust my neighbors but it's good to keep honest men honest. Nobody's getting in it without the keys without waking up the Dingo Sisters and, in turn, their owner.

And then a little extra anality from me. I caulked everything. Every seam, crack, joint, and nail head before I started priming. The Mrs. thinks I'm nuts but I look at it this way, good preparation pays off when I won't have to paint it or fix rot for 5 years at the least.

That said, I'm satisfied with the rest of it. I did spring for the extra $175 for the heavy duty, pressure treated floor rather than the painted OSB that came standard. Another selling point for me was that most of it is made from recycled wood products and natural, unlike the vinyl or PVC types that will be around for a couple thousand years after I'm not. The installation crew was punctual (they were an hour early), quick (took them less than an hour to put up), and neat (not a scrap of wood, packing, or sawdust was left after they were done). I'd recommend them and the product to anyone.

Back to painting. I want to have this done before the thunderstorms the weather weenie promises for tomorrow.

Good thing ...

We're spending so much money on Homeland "Security". I guess, on the bright side, the stun gun got a free flight from Boston to Newark.

...

Apparently a cleaning crew found the stun gun in a back pocket after the passengers and crew left the plane; the cleaners contacted the Port Authority police and TSA. Jet Blue confirmed the incident to My Fox NY and said it was cooperating.

...

As I said a couple weeks ago, all we're doing is giving corporate welfare to the companies who make the "detectors" and the retired cops who make up the majority of the Talented at Standing Around Transportation Security Administration. Time to do some budget cutting over there and at Defense.

When Fixer gets done...

...cleaning the paint outta his hair, here's some Christine Lagarde on This Week. What I think about Mme. Lagarde and Christiane Amanpour together is not printable on Sunday except for the word "YUM!".

Sufficiently recuperated...

...to go to the Cannibal Cruise (article) today. Maybe some pics later. Later.

Update:

There's some photos with (half) witty captions from the car show up at Fixer & Gordon. Enjoy.

Painting ...

And setting up my new shed this weekend. The shed company's warranty is void if you don't either varnish or paint it within 72 hours. I also bought a buncha hooks and racks to hold my garden implements and equipment so hopefully it'll stay organized.

Later ...

Kraut Cup Trial

We're going today to ride the Kraut Cup Trial. I had such a traumatic experience at the trial two weeks ago, on levels I didn't even know existed, that after a period of reflection that lasted about ten seconds I made a few teensy adjustments to my attitude and program. I'll let you know later if it worked.

One thing is for sure: I am ready for zis vun, ja? Vengeance vill be MEIN!

Click to embiggen

A you-ain't-gonna-f**kin'-believe-this Update:

Last year, I stated that my goal for this year was simply to finish an event. Today I did just that and scored a class win to boot! Photo of the trophy below:



Before any a' you clowns ask if there was anybody else in the class, I don't know and I don't care. I showed up, rode the event, and the club saw fit to give me a 1st place trophy. So there.

I will say that my attitude and program adjustments worked.

I'm stiffening up fast. More when I can move something again besides just my typing finger. It was a great day!

Must go now. The Fire Department is here to put me in a hot tub...

U.S. decrees that marijuana has no accepted medical use

LATimes

The decision by the DEA comes almost nine years after medical marijuana supporters asked the government to reclassify cannabis to take into account a growing body of research that shows its effectiveness in treating certain diseases.

DEA huh? That's like the Prison Industrial Complex saying that not enough people are being incarcerated for profit. Oh, wait, that's exactly what they're saying.

How 'bout we let the medical people say what the medical benefits are instead of law enforcement whose budget depends on them not knowing/ignoring what's up?

A Good Headline To Kick Off The Weekend

Breaking: Arizona Voters to SB 1070 Architect: Papers, Please: Senate President Pearce Has Been Recalled

More at the AZ Republic.

This'll getcher toes a-tappin'!

I heard this song last night almost by accident on one of the three hundred or so 24/7 music channels on my TV ("Tropicales") and liked it. I hope you will too. This was a big hit in 2010. I looked for a live performance. Found one!

Daniel Moncion y Alexandra ~ Vamonos

Thanks to JNJulio.

Saturday Emmylou Blogging

Emmylou's version of this Townes van Zandt song is one of my favorites. From The Old Grey Whistle Test, late '70s.

Thanks to Thouasu.

This one's for Fixer...

I See Hawks In L.A. acoustic version of "In The Garden," electric version with Gabe Witcher is on 2008 CD "Hallowed Ground" on Big Book Records. Footage is bogs atop Glen Gesh Pass in County Donegal, Ireland. Rob Waller and Paul Lacques, vocals and guitars

Thanks to iseehawksinla.

Murdoch on the Run?

Politics Plus, with video.

After Rupert Murdoch’s phone hacking scandal in the UK, spun out of control, he followed typical right wing logic, he closed the paper, costing hundreds of journalists and workers their jobs, to deflect the scandal and save the job of one corporate criminal. It isn’t working and, although it appears limited to the UK, there is actually a US connection too important to ignore.
...

And there it is. The man who was overseeing the criminal activity, who subsequently engineered the cover-up and lied to Parliament is Les Hinton. Les Hinton is now the Publisher of the Wall Street Journal.

Republican policy is to concentrate America’s information sources in as few hands as possible. Those belonging to Rupert Murdock do not even deserve the Republican Ministry of propaganda, Faux Noise, let alone the WSJ.

Maybe his heart'll blow. Or his liver. Or his ass. Whatever.

Update:

The Rude One

Everything You Need to Know About Your American Media in Three Stories:
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2. According to the magical Nexis machine, in the past week, Fox "news" has mentioned, on air, the horrific scandal involving dead children, soldiers, and terrorism victims, and its parent company, News Corp a grand total of just once, on Bret Baier's comedy hour of alleged news, and just to say that Rupert Murdoch's son is shutting down the News of the World because its employees bribed cops and hacked into phones of dead kids. The story lasted about 30 seconds.

CNN has been all over the controversy, which has resulted in the arrest, among others, of a former official for David Cameron. MSNBC has at least spent a little time. But, as with most things, Fox viewers are blissfully unaware. (By the way, we're at the tip of the huge iceberg of awfulness involving one of the largest media companies in America and its CEO, who is, you know, a naturalized American. One would think that the American media would be all over this.)

One would be wrong.

Headline and Quote of the Day

Michele Bachmann: 'I hope' higher unemployment helps my campaign

Headline of the Day

What Obama Wants

ConnProbs

I've spent the last coupla hours getting an internet connection. First I called AT&T. Three times - "one, two, three times a maybe" and then a nice young gent in the Phillipines fixed it for me after much opening and closing and clicking and phonetic spelling and "AHA!"s. Apparently some scumbag snuck inta my set and clicked me a proxy setting and the browsers went on strike. IT's a pain in the ass but necessary for us technical illiterates. Now I know what to look for so I learned something.

The Flip kid had me switch ends on the ethernet cable and it made a difference of some kind (see "AHA!"). I asked him why, and he didn't know but said he did that at home and it works. So did I and it does and I don't know why either. Heh.

The last remnant ...

Of America's "can do" generation has taken its last flight. The American Century is now officially in mothballs. I was 9 years old when Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon and the future of space travel was a limitless dream to me. Quite disappointing it ends this way.

God bless 'em ...

I hope they can make it a better place:

South Sudan is counting down the hours until it becomes the world's newest nation on Saturday 9 July.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir and dignitaries from around the world will be attending the celebrations in the southern capital, Juba.

...

Yay!

The shed I bought in May was finally installed yesterday afternoon. Now, walking in my garage won't resemble a controlled fall.

Update:

I put some pics up from our trip out to The End this past week.

If there were no porn ...

What would the Rethugs do?

... By signing the pledge Bachmann "vows" to "uphold the institution of marriage as only between one man and one woman" by committing herself to 14 specifics steps. The ninth step calls for the banning of "all forms" of pornography ...

If a porn ban actually came to pass, a lot of sheep would be running scared. Heh ...

Link via Pam's Facebook page.

Just sayin'...

The Brain looks really good in Google Chrome!