Never did understand the enthusiasm for a "virtual" (aka electronic burglar alarm) fence on the border. A real chain link fence has real deterrent value and doesn't suffer from power outages, software crashes, broken wires, and all the other ills of electronic devices. It's also cheaper.
By the way, it doesn't take much of a truck to push thru a chain link fence, so they don't keep out vehicles. A vehicle proof wall like the Israeli's put up is much more expensive than a fence.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sell hard drives, call them green
Western Digital is claiming to roll back global warming with a new hard drive that saves 4 or 5 watts over the competition. Big deal. Turning off a single light bulb will save 60 watts, and no body excapt your mother thinks you can stall off global warming by turning off lights when you leave the room. Four or five watts will make a laptop's batteries last a bit longer, but it won't save the world.
BTW, I got a foot of new snow on my porch, it's zero out side, and another foot of snow is expected tomorrow. Must be global warming.
BTW, I got a foot of new snow on my porch, it's zero out side, and another foot of snow is expected tomorrow. Must be global warming.
Prince Harry serves in Afganistan
Prince Harry wanted to serve in combat badly enough to work a deal with the press, keep secret the fact that he was in country in return for good photo coverage and perhaps an interview afterwards. The deal didn't keep, someone leaked, and Harry is being rotated home before the Taliban launch suicide bombers at him.
Good for Harry. Sets a good example. How many US leaders have sons or daughters serving in a combat zone?
Good for Harry. Sets a good example. How many US leaders have sons or daughters serving in a combat zone?
State funded aid to education
The Manchester Union Leader has a story about the state school funding situation here. I read t the article, and the only part that made sense to me was the $914 million part. That's a lot of money, I wonder where it is coming from. Is the state planning to skim that much money off the town property taxes for redistribution? There was talk about a new formula for sharing the money but I don't know just what it means. I was unable to determine from the article whether my town would be a winner or a looser.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
How high will Grafton County phone bills go?
According to the Manchester Union Leader, the Fairpoint Communications deal to take over Verizon's telephone service in the up country is going to go thru, the public utility commissions in Maine, NH and Vermont have OK'd the deal.
So what does that do for us customers? Will Fairpoint ask the public utility commissions for a rate hike to pay off the bonds they floated to buy the aging Verizon poles, wire, and central offices? Does anyone think there is any growth or income opportunities in the wired telephone business? In a day when none of my three children has a wired phone? Verizon is selling out 'cause they aren't making money. If they can't make money what makes anyone think Fairpoint can?
Fairpoint has made happy talk about more broadband in the North Country. The hard fact is that broadband (DSL) only works out 18000 feet from the central office. To cover the area with DSL they have to put in a central office every 36000 foot. My nearest central office is Littleton, about 75000 feet away from here. I don't believe Fairpoint is going to put in the the two additional central offices needed to bring DSL coverage all the way from here to Littleton. Or anywhere else.
If my telephone bill starts climbing, I can always buy a cell phone. I think I can even keep my wired phone number.
So what does that do for us customers? Will Fairpoint ask the public utility commissions for a rate hike to pay off the bonds they floated to buy the aging Verizon poles, wire, and central offices? Does anyone think there is any growth or income opportunities in the wired telephone business? In a day when none of my three children has a wired phone? Verizon is selling out 'cause they aren't making money. If they can't make money what makes anyone think Fairpoint can?
Fairpoint has made happy talk about more broadband in the North Country. The hard fact is that broadband (DSL) only works out 18000 feet from the central office. To cover the area with DSL they have to put in a central office every 36000 foot. My nearest central office is Littleton, about 75000 feet away from here. I don't believe Fairpoint is going to put in the the two additional central offices needed to bring DSL coverage all the way from here to Littleton. Or anywhere else.
If my telephone bill starts climbing, I can always buy a cell phone. I think I can even keep my wired phone number.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Justice delayed is justice denied
Nineteen years ago Exxon Valdez struck a rock, ripped open her tanks and spilled a ship load of sticky crude oil into Prince William Sound.
Today, one of the various lawsuits resulting from this terible accident entered the Supreme Court. A maritime tragedy, unbelievable fish and bird kills created nineteen years of welfare for lawyers. And it isn't over, the Supreme Court will take its time, the lawyers will invent new things to litigate. If the lawyers can stretch it out for 19 years, they can probably keep it going, and the fees flowing, for another nineteen years.
This ain't justice.
Today, one of the various lawsuits resulting from this terible accident entered the Supreme Court. A maritime tragedy, unbelievable fish and bird kills created nineteen years of welfare for lawyers. And it isn't over, the Supreme Court will take its time, the lawyers will invent new things to litigate. If the lawyers can stretch it out for 19 years, they can probably keep it going, and the fees flowing, for another nineteen years.
This ain't justice.
Greens freak out on mercury
Those high efficiency compact fluorescent bulbs save 75% on electricity compared to plain old incandescent "light bulbs". They also contain a trace of mercury, which will be released if you manage to break the bulb. The Boston Globe has some really drastic cleanup procedures in the event of breakage. This part is a howler, " consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke." Yeah right. Try explaining the hole in the living room wall-to-wall to your significant other when he/she gets home from work.
This is pure disinformation. Compact fluorescents contain only 5 milligrams of mercury, far less than the amount in thermometers, furnace thermostats, the fillings in my teeth, and plain old fluorescent tubes. If I break a compact fluorescent I'm just gonna sweep up the broken glass and be done with it.
This is pure disinformation. Compact fluorescents contain only 5 milligrams of mercury, far less than the amount in thermometers, furnace thermostats, the fillings in my teeth, and plain old fluorescent tubes. If I break a compact fluorescent I'm just gonna sweep up the broken glass and be done with it.
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