Weekend Projects

Over the weekend, I:

1) Pulled all of the trim down in our living room.
2) Moved all of the furniture out of the living room.
3) Painted the living room.
4) Replaced all of the trim, and one of the doors in the living room with pre-finished oak.
5) Got rid of two couches, and
6) Bought two more, one of which was defective, and had to get humped back to the store for a replacement.




Tired....

Car Emergency Kit, Update II

I got this order yesterday.

My first aid kit is a standard 130 piece kit from Cub, supplemented with a large assortment pack of bandaids, some hand sanitizer, some burn spray, and a cpr shield.

All I am missing is the pepper spray, the fire extinguishers, some lighters, and a method of storage that doesn't take up too much room, but still allows relatively easy access.

GTA IV Role Playing

Misplaced paperweight makes the news

HUDSON, Wis. -- Three children picking up trash along a river in Hudson for community service work found much more than garbage.

Charlie Thompson, 11, Maddie Roth, 10, and Demetri Roth, 8, came across a hand grenade, picked it up and headed home to show off their discovery.

On their way back Monday, they ran into a neighbor, who immediately called 911. Hudson police cordoned off the block, then determined the grenade wasn't a danger, even though it still had the firing pin inserted. Sgt. Eric Atkinson says the grenade was rusted and contained no powder.

Hmm. Rusty and deactivated. That's scary.

I've got one of those at home. It lives on a shelf in my son's room.

Idiot

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK. That's not leadership. That's not going to happen." -Barack Obama

It's not leadership to cave to external pressure. That's called following.

Despicable

Conning an active-duty, deployed soldier should be the equivalent of treason, and punishable by firing squad.

Aeren Nauman, a member of the Minnesota National Guard, returned to the Twin Cities after serving on active duty in Iraq from October, 2005, to Aug. 22, 2007. He soon discovered, he told police, that his father had allegedly used two forged powers-of-attorney forms to open bank accounts, establish lines of credit in his name and transfer the funds to accounts associated with Leonard Nauman.

Since it's his father, I think the firing squad should start with the feet.

Car Emergency Kit, Update

I ordered this list from Emergency Essentials. Once this is delivered, I'll organize the kits and post some pictures.

Welcome to the Future

Comic books have come to life. You've got to have stones to jump out of an airplane with a freaking rocket strapped to your back.










via Kim

Food Donation Challenge

I find myself a team leader in a food donation challenge for a local gun board. I'm really not sure how that happened, but so be it.

There are two teams, self-selected. Each team will donate food or cash(to be converted to food), and the team with the most donation, by weight, at the end of June, wins bragging rights, and the right to choose the food shelf to receive the donation.

Scary gun guys, feeding the hungry.

Details here, if you're interested.

Protest and Counter-Protest

The Nashville Zombie Walk

These folks are lucky they didn't get mistaken for a real zombie invasion.

I can't remember where I found this link. If I do, I'll post it.

Disgusting Corporate Policy, The Response

Update to this post.

Thank you for contacting us and making us aware of your concerns
regarding our SuperAmerica store located in Roseville, MN.

Confronting a potentially armed robber could have serious consequences
for employees and customers. While it is regrettable this situation
occurred, it is important that we have and enforce policies to ensure
the safety of all our employees and customers during a potentially
dangerous situation.

Please understand that personnel issues are very sensitive and strictly
confidential. Be assured that appropriate management personnel have been
made aware of your comments and concerns.

We appreciate your concern as well as your patronage, and hope that you
will continue to be one of our valued customers.

Sincerely,

Speedway SuperAmerica
Customer Service

My response:

Be that as it may, confronting a robber who is potentially beating a coworker to death is a heroic action that should be rewarded, not punished.

SuperAmerica should be ashamed of itself for punishing Mr. Beverly.

Quote of the Day

We have reached a level of affluence in this country where our poor are objectively wealthy compared to much of the rest of the world. As such, they can afford to reject work that’s “too hard” for their delicate sensibilities and leave it to the new slave-labor class.

-Mike

Disgusting Corporate Policy

Mark Beverly was one of two employees inside a Roseville Super America when a robber came into the store on March 26.

Beverly was cleaning the bathroom when he heard the store clerk cry out. He came out to find a robber attacking the female employee.

"I just jumped on his back and trying to hit his head and pushed him over the counter. I jumped back over and he was out of there," he said.

That's the good part. Here's the bad:

Later that day, Beverly returned to work only to be punished for his actions.

"I didn't think I was going to get fired for it," he told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

Super America issued a statement, saying that ‘employees are never to take action that could endanger themselves or others. It’s regrettable this happened.’

SuperAmerica fired an employee for being a shining example of what an employee should be. He, quite possibly, saved the life of a coworker. He deserves a raise and a promotion, not disciplinary action.

"I didn't care about the money, I know Super America is insured. But I thought he was attacking her, that's why I jumped on him," he explained.

Here is the contact page for SuperAmerica.
Here's my letter:

To whom it may concern:

It was with considerable shock that I read about Mark Beverly's termination from your Roseville, MN location.

In case you are somehow not aware, Mr. Beverly rescued a coworker from a severe beating at the hands of a robber. This woman was being beaten when Mr. Beverly stepped in.

The fact that SuperAmerica has seen fit to fire Mr. Beverly for his heroism is disgusting and is forcing me to give my business to Holiday in the future.

Sincerely,
me

News Roundup

Wis. college closes due to gun threat; students told it's for maintenance troubles

School lies about life-or-death matters. The lives in question are belong to the people being lied to. Anything to make the students feel safe, of course, regardless of reality.

House to vote on $15 billion housing aid plan for foreclosed properties, homeowner rescue

The good news: Bush is planning to veto the "Take No Responsibility for Your Own Actions" bill (TNRYOA). Can anyone explain how this differs from dropping next month's rent in a slot machine and crying about losing it?


Craigslist Murder Suspect's Letters To Be Inspected

"Dear Mom and Dad,
Camp is great. Unfortunately, I'm not at camp, I'm in prison. For the rest of my life. Because I murdered an innocent girl.

Please hire someone else with no future prospects to take the blame. I'm sure somebody is more of an idiot than I am, and will be willing to destroy their future for $100. My butt hurts.

Your worthless, murdering POS,
Michael John Anderson"

Clinton fights on as focus turns to superdelegates

The harder Clinton fights, the more likely the Democrat Party will implode. Keep on trucking, Mrs. Clinton.

The fight was never for the state delegates anyway. The Democrats decide the nominee with the super-delegates. Ignore the will of the people, let the party machine make the decisions.

Major Accomplishment

Remember when climbing Mount Everest was hard? Now, they're doing it while carrying a freaking torch!

Study: We publish results with no data

Blacks in the Badger State are 42 times more likely than whites to be sentenced to prison for drug convictions, according to studies by Human Rights Watch and The Sentencing Project.

[snip]

According to the research, blacks are sent to prison for drug offenses at a rate at least 10 times that of whites in 16 states, with the disparity the greatest in Wisconsin.

The article says nothing about the details of the study. Are blacks sent to prison for the same drug offenses? Are whites being given lighter sentences, or are they committing more of the minor offenses? A study like this only has merit if the blacks in the study are being sent to prison for the

exact same offenses

for which white people are being sent home. If that's not the case, then the study and the article are doing nothing but promoting racism.

Car Emergency Kit

I'm putting together matching car kits for our vehicles. These aren't intended to be Bug-Out-Bags, but they are intended to serve as 'Get Home Now' bags, supplements to our BOBs and all-around emergency bags.

Here's the plan:

SHTF:
Crank-Powered radio with built-in flashlight (this or this. The first has weatherband, the second will have better reception) Update: I'm going with this one. I ordered it. It will go red when it is delivered. This radio/flashlight combo has am/fm/weatherband radio, a reasonably bright flashlight and the ability to charge usb devices. My phone doesn't qualify but the iPod in my car does. Update: Got it. The light works, but I'll wait to test out the radio until I get home. Red_Tag is a great company to do business with.
Crank flashlight (included with the radio above)

Wool blanket -Already have this one. I also have 4 more in my Bug-Out Bag at home.
Water filter - This one is a filter straw. Since this is for emergencies only, or to get home to the real supplies, I'm going to keep the size to a minimum, and make it easy to use. This will connect to any standard water bottle. Update: I got this, but apparently, I added the wrong item to the cart. I got the pills I was looking at, not the filter straw. It'll do.
High-energy food bars
100 hour candle
Lighter
Sterno
Toilet Paper! How could I forget toilet paper?

Standard Emergency:
Jumper cables -Already have
Fire extinguisher
First-aid kit. We were at Cub Foods last night. They had a decent first aid kit for about $15. It's not full-featured, but it's a good starting point. I'll be adding more bandages, more pain killers, and a CPR shield.
Folding shovel - I'm going with this one. Update: Got it.
Fix-a-flat
Road Flares Decided to do without. The 4 way flashers will suffice.
Small toolkit(ratchet set, screwdrivers, and a vise-grip) - Looking at this. It won't do major repairs, but all of the minor stuff will be taken care of. Update: I checked the truck and the car. Both have tool kits with screwdrivers, ratchets, and pliers.
Air Compressor - Have 2 of these already
knife

Need it right-freaking-now:
Window hammer -Have two of these(Link) I bought these shortly after 35W dropped into the Mississippi River. Call me paranoid, but it helps me sleep at night.


Pepper spray
Stun gun -Have 2 of these



The last category will be within reach of the driver at all times. The first two categories may or may not be in separate bags.

This will be updated with links and prices as I acquire/organize the items. I have quite a bit of it, already.

Key: Green means it is ordered, red means I have it on hand, blue is an item scratched from the list.

Update 4/23/2008: Color coded selection. Added a few items, removed one.
Update 4/24/2008: Added Sterno. We are in Minnesota. The 100 hour candle will be nice, but sterno will be better. The date of this post will get updated every time I update the list.
Update 4/28/2008: Updated with my weekend purchases.
Update 5/1/2008: Updated with latest purchases. Added TP to the list.
Update 5/22/2008: Updated with latest purchases.

Wow

Submitted without comment:

Reason #47852 to Own a Gun

MADISON, Wis. — A college student apparently called 911 from her cell phone shortly before she was killed but a dispatcher hung up, failed to call back and never sent police to investigate, authorities said Thursday.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353938,00.html

I feel bad...

...because I keep failing this Rorschach test.

Homeowner catches goblin

A man in St. Paul caught a thug at gunpoint during a home invasion. Good for him.

Economics and Politicians

How do we end up with so many people in office, thinking they can adjust the economy, without understanding basic economics?

If you raise the cost of labor, fewer people get hired, and the overall lot of low-wage earners goes down.

But, it feels good to pass laws raising the minimum wage.

Quit spending my money, or forcing me to spend my money, on your feelings.

Don't Buy Stuff You Can't Afford

Quote of the Day

"I'd hit that so hard whoever could pull me out would become the King of England."

Found here.