There hasn't been much change in my situation to report other than that today I am under the weather and have some flu-like symptoms. Sinus issues have come largely into play due to unusual weather this week. Two straight days of gusty winds (and a session this afternoon of them) have kicked up lots of pollen and I think that's what's really got me slammed.
I remain on furlough. It's been passed along to me that they're trying to bring me back. Meantime, they are paying my medical/dental/vision benefits and I'm accruing vacation. Two of our biggest customers have had recent management shakeups and the new sheriff in town always takes it out on the subcontractors. I've seen this before and I will see it again as long as I remain in the industry.
I have intelligence that one of our customers is trying to bring in some help via independent contractors, but lowballing them by offering rates 30% less than what they were paying before. That's their right to do that of course, but they're not getting any takers. They certainly are not going to lure away people from our other major customer that needs that kind of talent, and it should go without saying that engineers who are smart enough to qualify flight hardware are also smart enough to qualify medical devices, and the medical device industry appears poised to expand in the near future.....along with mining.
On a brighter note, aside from the past three days, the weather here has been great and I've taken to barbecuing again. It is amazing what you can do with a grill. Did you know that scrambled eggs from the grill taste a whole lot better than those cooked in the kitchen? Yes, I've done that before....spraying cooking spray into a foil pan and then cooking eggs in that pan.
Yesterday I slow-cooked some pork tenderloins, potatoes and green beans.....wind be damned. I don't have the energy to do that again this evening, but later on this weekend I've got some ideas I want to try out. One of them is marinating some chopped steak in tequila, and then cooking that out on the grill with the intent of it being burrito filler or fajitas. Salmon and ribs are on the short list as well.
On the political front, I'm not going to say very much of anything this post. The political theater these past few weeks has been unusually good. We haven't had a President like this since Andrew Jackson. As far as Congress goes the whole lot of them get better at being more useless as time goes one.
And on the ham radio front, it's been a slow week but a good one. My last time on I was able to get Spain and Chile. A few weeks ago I bagged Uganda and I now have the WAC, or Worked All Continents award pending. The equinoctial propagation conditions will give way to the sporadic E season, which for me means more time on VHF. We're about one month away from that.
With that I'm going to sign, and slam down some liquids.
Don't forget to pet a dog or a cat.
Friday, April 12, 2019
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Situation Report for 3/19/19
Last night I had a dream of the type that I hadn't had for a while. It was again about that jury trial. I dreamt that I came on here and spilled the beans about it, without giving away very much. I know that I have mused before about venting, but I stopped thinking about it a couple of months ago. Life was returning to its new normal and I got involved in other things.
No, I'm not going talk about it here. I'm not going to talk about it in any online forum that I frequent nor do I say anything about it over the air. I have discussed the matter offline with a ham radio friend of mine who knows the details, but not on the air. My co-workers know about it. My family knows about it.
I am willing to discuss what happened, but only with those that I know well. I'll leave it at that.
My furlough from work is now in its fourth week. These past two weeks have been more sabbatical in nature than the first two weeks, although I have been busy with other projects. I am occasionally heard joking that I need to get back to work so that I can get some rest.
I have been catching up on a lot of reading (mainly ham radio magazines) and I've been on the air too. This time of year, being an equinoctial period, has been good for propagation to South America in the mid to late afternoons. I tend to go QRT (off the air) around sunset, though I should stay on longer to see if I can get Australia and New Zealand. Propagation to Japan is almost year round; I either talk to them when it's late afternoon here and morning there, or I get up at 3:00 AM when it's past their sunset (which I've only done once).
One thing I am doing. Whenever I make contact with someone, I will later on go online and look up where they are on Wikipedia to learn more about their area. One locale I learned about in Argentina turned out to be a tourist destination in the province of Córdoba. It's a great way to learn about the world.
Unless you've been on Mars for the past six months, you can't help be aware of the alt left hijacking the Democrats. They've got what.....20 people running for President? All of them in favor of reparations, strict gun control, strict Internet control, Green New Deal, free healthcare, free college tuition, free pre-school, etc..
I know that I have raised the question before, where is the money going to come from? It's like no one stops to think about that anymore. Where the money is going to come from is a non-issue. They might admit taxing the rich, but a lot of wealth is in stocks and bonds that are worth something because there are a lot of people who think it's worth something. In other words, the entire global economy is based on an illusion that a piece of paper is worth something. Yes, you've heard me say this before.
Asking the question "where is the money going to come from?" doesn't work with these people.
So......I'm going to propose another question.
If something is free, is there ever going to be enough of it to go around?
No, I'm not going talk about it here. I'm not going to talk about it in any online forum that I frequent nor do I say anything about it over the air. I have discussed the matter offline with a ham radio friend of mine who knows the details, but not on the air. My co-workers know about it. My family knows about it.
I am willing to discuss what happened, but only with those that I know well. I'll leave it at that.
* * * * * * *
My furlough from work is now in its fourth week. These past two weeks have been more sabbatical in nature than the first two weeks, although I have been busy with other projects. I am occasionally heard joking that I need to get back to work so that I can get some rest.
I have been catching up on a lot of reading (mainly ham radio magazines) and I've been on the air too. This time of year, being an equinoctial period, has been good for propagation to South America in the mid to late afternoons. I tend to go QRT (off the air) around sunset, though I should stay on longer to see if I can get Australia and New Zealand. Propagation to Japan is almost year round; I either talk to them when it's late afternoon here and morning there, or I get up at 3:00 AM when it's past their sunset (which I've only done once).
One thing I am doing. Whenever I make contact with someone, I will later on go online and look up where they are on Wikipedia to learn more about their area. One locale I learned about in Argentina turned out to be a tourist destination in the province of Córdoba. It's a great way to learn about the world.
* * * * * * *
Unless you've been on Mars for the past six months, you can't help be aware of the alt left hijacking the Democrats. They've got what.....20 people running for President? All of them in favor of reparations, strict gun control, strict Internet control, Green New Deal, free healthcare, free college tuition, free pre-school, etc..
I know that I have raised the question before, where is the money going to come from? It's like no one stops to think about that anymore. Where the money is going to come from is a non-issue. They might admit taxing the rich, but a lot of wealth is in stocks and bonds that are worth something because there are a lot of people who think it's worth something. In other words, the entire global economy is based on an illusion that a piece of paper is worth something. Yes, you've heard me say this before.
Asking the question "where is the money going to come from?" doesn't work with these people.
So......I'm going to propose another question.
If something is free, is there ever going to be enough of it to go around?
Sunday, February 24, 2019
20 Years Ago Today
It was 20 years ago today that I arrived in Tucson. It was Wednesday, the 24th of February, 1999 that I came here to begin a new chapter in life. I was in the townhouse that afternoon accompanied only by my cat Sylvia, a mattress, and some odds and ends. The rest of the stuff was delivered on Friday the 26th, and I spent the weekend unpacking. I reported for work the following Monday, and by Friday I either had AZ plates on the truck or the new driver license. I know I did them in two separate visits but I can't remember which one I did first.
I had no idea how long my stay here would be. There was no where else in the United States where I wanted to live at that time and it was that way for some time (I can now be talked into relocating to New Mexico, or elsewhere within Arizona). I was in the process of recovering from some adverse circumstances and I think coming here accelerated that process.
I have, for some time, lived longer in Tucson than anywhere else, and yes, that includes that 15 month exile that I had in Las Vegas. Although there were 23 years in California, 16 of them were spent in San Jose, and another 7 elsewhere. I don't miss San Jose, I never have, and although I can reminisce about the good times I had there, most of the people I had them with have left too. I told Mark a few months ago that six days in San Jose is seven days too long. And that's a shame, as that there was a time where San Jose was one neat city to live in. That was many years ago. By the late 1980s it had already become unlivable.
Unfortunately Tucson isn't what it used to be. I like my house, I like the scenery here, I like the cuisine here, and I like the attractions here, but Pima County is on its way to becoming a third world country (we might already be). The roads are in poor condition, law enforcement won't respond to a call unless someone is killed (not necessarily their fault; the fatass politicians are more interested in illegal aliens), and I don't see things getting any better.
I could move to Phoenix metro, but I don't think I would like it much better. I'd consider Prescott, but the cost of living there started going thru the roof years ago, as it is in Flagstaff. There's not much to do in Kingman, Yuma is unbearable in the summer, and I'm not a fan of Sorry Vista.....excuse me....Sierra Vista. Casa Grande has some problems I don't want to deal with, and I don't think Sheila would like the other areas I haven't mentioned.
That said, coming here 20 years ago was the right thing to do. It changed my life, and very much so for the better. I had to learn some lessons about some things during my time here, but not at a cost that others would have had to pay.
That said, I think I'm staying here. Maybe not in this house. I could move farther out, and yet be close enough. The local ham radio scene here is a good one and I'm much more involved with the local ham clubs (note the plural) than I have ever been before in my life.
I remain grateful to the Good Lord for bringing me here.
I had no idea how long my stay here would be. There was no where else in the United States where I wanted to live at that time and it was that way for some time (I can now be talked into relocating to New Mexico, or elsewhere within Arizona). I was in the process of recovering from some adverse circumstances and I think coming here accelerated that process.
I have, for some time, lived longer in Tucson than anywhere else, and yes, that includes that 15 month exile that I had in Las Vegas. Although there were 23 years in California, 16 of them were spent in San Jose, and another 7 elsewhere. I don't miss San Jose, I never have, and although I can reminisce about the good times I had there, most of the people I had them with have left too. I told Mark a few months ago that six days in San Jose is seven days too long. And that's a shame, as that there was a time where San Jose was one neat city to live in. That was many years ago. By the late 1980s it had already become unlivable.
Unfortunately Tucson isn't what it used to be. I like my house, I like the scenery here, I like the cuisine here, and I like the attractions here, but Pima County is on its way to becoming a third world country (we might already be). The roads are in poor condition, law enforcement won't respond to a call unless someone is killed (not necessarily their fault; the fatass politicians are more interested in illegal aliens), and I don't see things getting any better.
I could move to Phoenix metro, but I don't think I would like it much better. I'd consider Prescott, but the cost of living there started going thru the roof years ago, as it is in Flagstaff. There's not much to do in Kingman, Yuma is unbearable in the summer, and I'm not a fan of Sorry Vista.....excuse me....Sierra Vista. Casa Grande has some problems I don't want to deal with, and I don't think Sheila would like the other areas I haven't mentioned.
That said, coming here 20 years ago was the right thing to do. It changed my life, and very much so for the better. I had to learn some lessons about some things during my time here, but not at a cost that others would have had to pay.
That said, I think I'm staying here. Maybe not in this house. I could move farther out, and yet be close enough. The local ham radio scene here is a good one and I'm much more involved with the local ham clubs (note the plural) than I have ever been before in my life.
I remain grateful to the Good Lord for bringing me here.
Monday, February 18, 2019
Global Warming? Not Here.
Some winters down here are mild. The last three were. This one isn't. We had snow earlier this month, which can and does happen in Tucson, and it wouldn't surprise me if it happens again this week.
We've had cold temperatures, and rain......a lot of rain as far as a February goes. It's drizzling outside as I write this. We had some last Friday. We have another installment this coming Friday. And once again, we're in for some freeze warnings this year.
Last year about this time, we had a few days where it was in the lower 80s. I remember talking to another ham in Cold Lake, Alberta. He told me what the weather was doing there and yes, Cold Lake was living up to its name. When he turned it over to me, I said "Mike, you might not want to hear this, but it's 80 Fahrenheit right now". I explained that those temps were unusual for Tucson in February.
I haven't talked to him since. The three Alberta hams I've talked to have been great guys; one of them I've chatted with a few times and he has relatives down here in Tucson.
There's been some chaos at work. The customer I'm supporting has abruptly decided that there won't be any environmental testing for a unit we're supplying them that monitors other aircraft components. I was told today I'm being furloughed for one month, though there's a possibility of my returning to help out another customer we have in Oro Valley.
To be honest, I could use some time off......but not a whole lot of time off. I have a week's worth of ham radio projects to work on. Two of these are antenna related. And I need to work on the coin collection some.
When our Phoenix customer decides they want my services again, then my employer will have to make a decision on who gets me if I'm tied up in Oro Valley. My preference at this point is the Oro Valley gig, even though the commute is a pain. (I support the Phoenix customer from our business office right here in Tucson). I have a very good friend working there in OV and we and our wives get together once a month or so for a Saturday night dinner.
As it is though, my employer will put me where they need me the most, and our Phoenix customer lacks the expertise in environmental testing. It's also possible that my furlough may be delayed as that I might be needed for an odd job.
I wouldn't mind a situation where I work three months, and then take one month off. I could do that for the next five years. That's not how it works, as that we're task-driven and work at the whim of our customer(s).
We've had cold temperatures, and rain......a lot of rain as far as a February goes. It's drizzling outside as I write this. We had some last Friday. We have another installment this coming Friday. And once again, we're in for some freeze warnings this year.
Last year about this time, we had a few days where it was in the lower 80s. I remember talking to another ham in Cold Lake, Alberta. He told me what the weather was doing there and yes, Cold Lake was living up to its name. When he turned it over to me, I said "Mike, you might not want to hear this, but it's 80 Fahrenheit right now". I explained that those temps were unusual for Tucson in February.
I haven't talked to him since. The three Alberta hams I've talked to have been great guys; one of them I've chatted with a few times and he has relatives down here in Tucson.
* * * * * * *
There's been some chaos at work. The customer I'm supporting has abruptly decided that there won't be any environmental testing for a unit we're supplying them that monitors other aircraft components. I was told today I'm being furloughed for one month, though there's a possibility of my returning to help out another customer we have in Oro Valley.
To be honest, I could use some time off......but not a whole lot of time off. I have a week's worth of ham radio projects to work on. Two of these are antenna related. And I need to work on the coin collection some.
When our Phoenix customer decides they want my services again, then my employer will have to make a decision on who gets me if I'm tied up in Oro Valley. My preference at this point is the Oro Valley gig, even though the commute is a pain. (I support the Phoenix customer from our business office right here in Tucson). I have a very good friend working there in OV and we and our wives get together once a month or so for a Saturday night dinner.
As it is though, my employer will put me where they need me the most, and our Phoenix customer lacks the expertise in environmental testing. It's also possible that my furlough may be delayed as that I might be needed for an odd job.
I wouldn't mind a situation where I work three months, and then take one month off. I could do that for the next five years. That's not how it works, as that we're task-driven and work at the whim of our customer(s).
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Four Years of Marriage
Sheila and I were married four years ago today. In two days it will be exactly six years when we first met. Things were so much different then and things are so much better now.
I can't remember who it was who first told me that I should drop to one knee and pop the question. It was either Jeff Handt or it was Birdman. I know both of them said that. I don't think Jeff Handt had met her yet then, but he knew. And so did Birdman.
I'm amazed at how happy a soul can be. I am very blessed to have her.
I can't remember who it was who first told me that I should drop to one knee and pop the question. It was either Jeff Handt or it was Birdman. I know both of them said that. I don't think Jeff Handt had met her yet then, but he knew. And so did Birdman.
I'm amazed at how happy a soul can be. I am very blessed to have her.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Christmas Day 2018
Today's Christmas was pretty much laid back. We have been blessed by some really fine weather here in southern Arizona with temperatures reaching up to 75. I am in the last day of a four day weekend, which kept me busy. I've spent a lot of time on yardwork and a lot of time on the air via my ham radio setup. I have also reached out to people I haven't talked to in quite a while and it's been good catching up.
Tomorrow it's back to work, but I expect it to be a slow work week. I have some things to do but I'm not right now overwhelmed. My customer has shut down until the second of January, and I expect that things will pick up shortly after that.
After the challenging year that I have had I thought I would be depressed, but I'm not feeling that way. I could say that I have kept so busy that I haven't had time to. Maybe some pointyhead self-appointed psychiatric expert would say that I'm running from something, but I'm going to disagree. I'm doing the yardwork since I have time to do it. I'm busy in ham radio since I have time to do it. I'm reading a Ted Williams biography that belonged to my father since I have time to do it. What I haven't had time to do is work on my coin collection, but I'm getting things done and having fun. That's all there is to it. And yes, I am spending quality time with the cats, and with the family.
Next weekend will be another four day weekend. My employer is open for business on the 31st but I'm taking the day off since I need to burn a vacation day, and that's a good day to do it. My calendar is already filling up, as that I'm getting together with a local ham who wants to help me with mastering one of the newer digital modes. Come to think of it, I probably ought to plan on barbecuing something given the weather. I think they're forecasting colder temperatures for next weekend, but so what? It's been a while since I've done a beer can chicken. If I don't do that then it will be a tritip. Maybe a pork loin roast.
That said, I think this is it for this evening. I've said enough.
I'm now going to write something for my ham radio blog.
Tomorrow it's back to work, but I expect it to be a slow work week. I have some things to do but I'm not right now overwhelmed. My customer has shut down until the second of January, and I expect that things will pick up shortly after that.
After the challenging year that I have had I thought I would be depressed, but I'm not feeling that way. I could say that I have kept so busy that I haven't had time to. Maybe some pointyhead self-appointed psychiatric expert would say that I'm running from something, but I'm going to disagree. I'm doing the yardwork since I have time to do it. I'm busy in ham radio since I have time to do it. I'm reading a Ted Williams biography that belonged to my father since I have time to do it. What I haven't had time to do is work on my coin collection, but I'm getting things done and having fun. That's all there is to it. And yes, I am spending quality time with the cats, and with the family.
Next weekend will be another four day weekend. My employer is open for business on the 31st but I'm taking the day off since I need to burn a vacation day, and that's a good day to do it. My calendar is already filling up, as that I'm getting together with a local ham who wants to help me with mastering one of the newer digital modes. Come to think of it, I probably ought to plan on barbecuing something given the weather. I think they're forecasting colder temperatures for next weekend, but so what? It's been a while since I've done a beer can chicken. If I don't do that then it will be a tritip. Maybe a pork loin roast.
That said, I think this is it for this evening. I've said enough.
I'm now going to write something for my ham radio blog.
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Sunday, 12/2/18
Yesterday news broke of the passing of former President George H.W. Bush. I well remember his presidency and I remember voting for him twice. His first year of office wasn't even completed when one major world event happened: the Berlin Wall fell. A year after that we found ourselves on the verge of beginning the operation to liberate Kuwait, after which he had an approval rating that topped 90%. So what happened?
One, he went back on his promise of not raising taxes. He caved, which was one beef I had with him. Two, H. Ross Perot entered the race, which split the base and gave the election to Bill Clinton. Ross Perot said a lot of things that people wanted to hear, but when it became apparent that he might win, he went off about Cubans. I can never be convinced that Perot wanted to win, but I very easily believe that he had a vendetta against the Republicans.
That said, I think Bush 41 was one of the better Presidents. He wasn't the best in my lifetime, but he was up there.
I hope that both he and Barbara are with the Lord.
Well it's December already. Like it does every year, it snuck up on us, and all of a sudden we're wondering where the time went. It's been one of those years. I can't call it good or bad. It was a year to get through and that's all that I can call it. I still am in mourning over the passing of my father, and I'm still processing that trial where I served on the jury.
I'm debating on whether or not to open up a little and vent about that experience. The venting would be more of what happened, why that kind of crime had to occur, that I spent three weeks hearing testimony and looking at evidence and glancing over on occasion to the accused and realized that I was looking at someone who could do such a thing.
No, I don't get nightmares about it, though I still on occasion dream that I'm back on that jury, deliberating, or there was something else that had to be brought up, and the jury gets recalled to go over things once more.
Why did that have to happen? What was going on in the mind of the guy we found guilty? Is there ever going to be any kind of remorse on his part?
One more month and we're done for the year.
I'd like to think that the one that's coming is going to ease off somewhat, and be more bearable.
One, he went back on his promise of not raising taxes. He caved, which was one beef I had with him. Two, H. Ross Perot entered the race, which split the base and gave the election to Bill Clinton. Ross Perot said a lot of things that people wanted to hear, but when it became apparent that he might win, he went off about Cubans. I can never be convinced that Perot wanted to win, but I very easily believe that he had a vendetta against the Republicans.
That said, I think Bush 41 was one of the better Presidents. He wasn't the best in my lifetime, but he was up there.
I hope that both he and Barbara are with the Lord.
* * * * * * *
Well it's December already. Like it does every year, it snuck up on us, and all of a sudden we're wondering where the time went. It's been one of those years. I can't call it good or bad. It was a year to get through and that's all that I can call it. I still am in mourning over the passing of my father, and I'm still processing that trial where I served on the jury.
I'm debating on whether or not to open up a little and vent about that experience. The venting would be more of what happened, why that kind of crime had to occur, that I spent three weeks hearing testimony and looking at evidence and glancing over on occasion to the accused and realized that I was looking at someone who could do such a thing.
No, I don't get nightmares about it, though I still on occasion dream that I'm back on that jury, deliberating, or there was something else that had to be brought up, and the jury gets recalled to go over things once more.
Why did that have to happen? What was going on in the mind of the guy we found guilty? Is there ever going to be any kind of remorse on his part?
* * * * * * *
I'd like to think that the one that's coming is going to ease off somewhat, and be more bearable.
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