03 September 2013

Tuesday Morning Thoughts

My muse has apparently gone on vacation without so much as a by-your-leave ... how rude.

Just a few random thoughts this morning:

a) As the president tries to convince congressional leaders to authorize a strike on Syria (a very, VERY bad idea, no matter which way you spin it), it occurs to me that - if they refuse - the feckless wimp could back out & blame them for their "failure" or "cowardice" or whatever, all the while hoping it saves face for him.

We have no business going into Syria in the first place, but that's already been said by many others.

b) There have been four more aviation deaths over the weekend. One plane crashed outside of McGrath, another went down at Tatitna, and two more were killed when they went down near Sutton. This is a very bad year for fatalities, and it's not yet clear why.

c) It's that time of year again: studded snow tires will be legal from Sept. 15 through April 30. Almost no one starts that soon, as we don't usually have snow on the ground until the end of October. But it's coming.

Now I get to instruct Older Daughter on how to drive a 4WD pickup in the snow. w00t!

18 comments:

ProudHillbilly said...

And if they agree and it goes south, Obama can blame that on them as well. Lose lose.

Weight in the back...

Rev. Paul said...

Agreed, PH. And yep, already on it. Thanks!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

I don't care who gets blamed; just so we stay out of it. Let the governments in the area deal with it.

Rev. Paul said...

I agree, WSF. It's not our fight.

Chickenmom said...

Make sure Older Daughter has some weight in the back of the pickup. She's going to love playing in the snow - any 4wd is fun. Sometimes I wish I still had my old Bronco, but the Jeepster is fun, too.

Rev. Paul said...

Will do, Chickenmom. And I hear you: my Expedition was tank, whereas the Escape is more of a go-kart. We'll see how I like it in the deep snow this winter. :)

Cathy said...

" feckless wimp."
Never were two words more appropriately applied.

Snow? Whoa. Such a wondrous world you inhabit up there.

Rev. Paul said...

Thanks, Cathy. I'm anticipating the snow, but there's none yet; give it another six or seven weeks.

Stephen said...

It was the ice driving which at first gave me a fit...then I remembered...don't hit the brakes. For some of us it takes time and repeated slides to learn.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Please check the Ranger and see if it has (1) a limited slip axle and (2) traction control.
Without limited slip, you can get one front tire and the opposite rear tire spinning. Traction control on steep driveways, and in mud, can bog you down as it works by applying braking on a wheel that is turning faster. At slow speeds, you can safely have it off.
Most Ford differentials will have a small metal tab somewhere on the side of the differential.
A poor man limited slip can be had by two or three notches of the parking brake for a short distance.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Most Ford differentials will have a small metal tab somewhere

with a limited slip rear axle

Rev. Paul said...

Stephen, we don't normally get ice, per se, but the snow gets packed down so smooth it's like an ice rink anyway. That's why most - but not all - folks up here used studded tires. The rest just sit at intersections & spin their wheels.

WSF, the Ranger has limited slip but not the traction control. I'm a big believer in limited slip.

PioneerPreppy said...

All part of the plan. They are going to get us to $10.00 a gallon gasoline and kicked off the petro-dollar status by Winter one way or another.

Obummer has been planning the major collapse to hit about 2014 or so when he will start making the final and violent moves.

As for snow I read that Alaska was seeing way colder temps than normal already today. Maybe it's a different part than your in.

Rev. Paul said...

We had a very wet August (24 days of rain out of 31, or something like that) and there's more expected every day this week. The temps are starting to slide here, but snow is still a few weeks away.

The rest is beyond our control, at this point - or at least, that's what they'd like us to believe.

SENIOR said...

I agree, we have no business with Syria. This whole thing is a fraud. Why would Assad launch a chemical weapons attack on his own people when he was already pounding the opposition force down with conventional weapons? This makes no sense tactically. It's all Prop from the opposition to get help. BTW, have fun teaching your older daughter to drive in the snow, make sure you wear some hockey gear.....

Rev. Paul said...

My thoughts exactly, Senior - and thank you.

Re: the driving, I'll just turn her loose in a big, empty parking lot. She can discover for herself how easy it is to slide around without meaning to. Should be fun (for me).

Sandy Livesay said...

Rev. Paul,
This is the U.S., we need to stay out of Syria.

Have fun with your daughter and her new truck.

Are you ready for the return of snow?

Rev. Paul said...

Ready for snow? Every year I say "no" - and then I'm like a kid in a candy store when the first flurries start. :^)