Today in history, greetings, and social banter here. (More)
Constantinople’s Nea Ekklesia was inaugurated today (880). Also, the Act of Union joined the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into Great Britain (1707), Linnaeus published his Species Plantarum (1753), Josiah Wedgwood started his pottery company (1759), Adam Weishaupt founded the Bavarian Illumaniti (1776), Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro premiered (1786), the United Kingdom issued the Penny Black adhesive postage stamp (1840), the Hong Kong Police Force was founded (1844), the Philippine peso began circulation (1852), Paris’ Folies Bergère opened (1869), U.S. workers rallied to demand an eight-hour workday, leading to the Haymarket Affair (1886), the All-China Federation of Trade Unions was formed (1925), the American Federation of Labor founded the Union Labor Life Insurance Company (1927), the Empire State Building was dedicated (1931), Guam became a U.S. commonwealth (1950), Amtrak took over U.S. rail passenger operations (1971), and Rickey Henderson stole his record-setting 939th base on the same evening Nolan Ryan pitched his seventh career no-hitter (1991). And Sweden enacted marriage equality for LGBTs (2009).
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
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May 1, 2012 at 6:01 am
Yesterday on Campus
Morning Feature – The Self-Made Myth (Meta Monday)
Things We Did This Week – Share Your Stories of Offline Activism
Midday Matinee – addisnana with Messy Mother Nature
Campus Question – Is Navel Strategy the key to the Twitter Wars?
Our Earth – Wind Farms Affect Temperature
Today on Campus
Morning Feature – Smartypants with Romney Concedes on “Likability,” Will Run on His “Credentials”
Furthermore! – The Squirrel with Right Waves Red Tin Foil Flags
Noontime News at noon
Midday Matinee – Tuesday’s Tale: Oh Koi Then
Campus Question at 6pm ET
Evening Focus at 7pm ET – Florida Task Force Reports on “Stand Your Ground”
Our Earth at 8pm ET – A Climate Change Refuge
May 1, 2012 at 6:34 am
Good morning. It’s currently 47 degrees and raining. It’s supposed to rain off-and-on all day, (and week) but at least it’s warmer than last week. The good news for me, so to speak, is that I may actually get electricity today. They dropped off an “interim” generator yesterday, and will be out to hook it up today. I hope. The maintenance people are talking about getting the gas company out to inspect the gas lines from the propane tank. So the agenda today involves hopefully getting power back on, cleaning up the messes the previous two supervisor’s left, and moving more equipment, spare parts, and batteries. Oh, and getting the well up and running. With any luck, I’ll be able to install the dock this week, and get the boats engined and launched. I might also get an assistant supervisor, but that’s just a wild hope.
I got a call from my cousin last night – my aunt is in the hospital. I’d been urging her to call her doctor – she hasn’t been feeling well – but pushed a lot harder when I was down there this weekend. She ended up doing it yesterday, and she’s been admitted to ICU – she’s got a lot more serious problems than she thought. Congestive heart failure, for one thing. One my other cousins is taking her youngest daughter over there tomorrow, and they’re going to do their best to persuade her that it’s time to move out of her house now. We’ve been trying for the past 3 months now to get her to do it, and really, this is a good demonstration of why. I’ll be talking to her as well, because I don’t think it’s sunk in yet with her that I’m no longer able to take a few days off to “go help out.”
May 1, 2012 at 6:54 am
Good luck with your aunt, Norbrook. It’s hard to convince someone who’s been able to get by that it is time to admit that they can’t do everything that they think they can. We’re in the middle of that mess ourselves. It may also help to have the social workers and nurses in the hospital explain to your aunt all that she’ll need to do in the future because of the heart problem. Social workers have a knack for telling people hard truths in a way that they can accept.
May 1, 2012 at 7:02 am
Good idea about the social workers helping with that decision, Glenda. Have they begun talking to your mom?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:11 am
Good morning!
Yes, I think it was the social worker who got my mother to understand that she really did need to have someone come in for a couple of hours every day to help her with some of the things around the house. We’ll see now if we can get someone who can help her and who can keep her company without her being to antagonistic.
May 1, 2012 at 7:13 am
It’s not just the “doing everything,” part. It’s also that she lives in an isolated area, with no transportation. She and her daughters do not have drivers licenses. Add in a house in very poor repair, and it’s wasn’t feasible for her to stay there for the long haul. We’ve been after her (and my uncle before he passed away) for several years to get out of there, and move to a place where services are nearby – including public transportation.
May 1, 2012 at 7:17 am
Agree, the social worker is a good idea. They’re very good at getting people to hear things they don’t want to hear from family. I’ve seen that in action.
May 1, 2012 at 6:57 am
I’m sorry your aunt is ill, Norbrook. Perhaps the illness will help convince her to move somewhere that will provide her the care she needs.
It sounds like you’ll have a busy week. Will the “interim” generator be the one you keep all summer, or are they serious about the “interim” part?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:06 am
I hope your Aunt can go from the hospital to a better place for her to live than her home. It’s tough to make things like that happen without planning ahead.
I am assuming that this theme will be repeated throughout the summer.
May 1, 2012 at 7:17 am
Being charitable, their problem was that neither one of them had much in the way of supervisory experience before being thrown into the job. That said, there’s certain things you’re supposed to do (and have checked) when you’re out there, and one of them is “proper close-down.” As in, clean up the headquarters, and make sure everything is properly shut down and put away. Mainly because if you do return the next year, you want to avoid what I’ve been going through, and if you don’t, you want the next person to have a relatively easy transition.
May 1, 2012 at 7:13 am
We’re going through that with my mom-in-law, probably not to the degree of your aunt. She’s in a nursing home and constantly asking when she’ll leave. Umm, probably never.
May 1, 2012 at 7:19 am
Sorry to hear that about you m-i-l, Mike. I had no idea (or missed it) that she’s now in a nursing home. And I can hear her asking when she comes home. My mother did that constantly.
May 1, 2012 at 7:25 am
Aww, I’m sorry to hear that, Mike. I hope you and Mrs. LI Mike are able to visit her often?
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:29 am
Sorry to hear about your M-I-L Mike. Hugs to Mrs. LI Mike as it can’t be easy to hear that from your Mom every day.
May 1, 2012 at 7:36 am
Thanks all. Yes Ms LI Mike at the nursing home constantly — the Scrabble Games must continue. You thought it was cut-throat in the movie, Hunger Games. Ha, not close. Nothing like 2 liberal Dem women word battling in a Scrabble contest.
The few times I’ve ventured to suggest that that can’t possibly be a word I get shouted down with my m-i-l asking Ms LI Mike how she could have married such an uncultured man.
May 1, 2012 at 7:53 am
What an image, Mike. I love it. So you’re uncultured? Wow.
May 1, 2012 at 8:52 am
“Cretin,” a favorite of mine……
May 1, 2012 at 7:16 am
I’m so sorry about your aunt, Norbrook, but very glad she made it to the hospital in time. My mother went undiagnosed until she couldn’t breathe, and while she was in the emergency room, her heart stopped. They brought her back, but it was never the same. I hope you aunt listens to advice now.
Glad things are looking up on the job, though.
May 1, 2012 at 7:02 am
Good Morning and Happy May Day!
45 degrees with a high in the 60′s and a good chance for rain today.
I found the leak in my shower. Simple little u-joint needs replacing or maybe just a little rubber o-ring. Today I will work on finding that simple little part. Gotta love the internet! Most of what I took apart to mop up is back in place and the tools are all picked up.
May 1, 2012 at 7:04 am
It’s good to know you’ve found the part that needs fixing. Now comes the phase of the repair where you discover that part is sold only at a roadside stand outside La Paz, Bolivia and he only deals face-to-face. Or maybe the local plumbing supply place will have it….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:15 am
Parts for RV’s are different. La Paz may not be too far off what will happen.
May 1, 2012 at 7:15 am
I gotta agree with you about the internet helping with plumbing repairs. I was able to fix a couple of minor plumbing problems over the winter thanks to YouTube videos that showed how to find and fix the problems. It also helped to have a camera phone that allowed me to take a picture of what I had so that the hardware store assistant could see exactly what I needed. Without that, I would have had to pay plumber rates to have a simple repair done.
I just hope that you don’t have to travel to La Paz to get the part you need.
May 1, 2012 at 7:30 am
Did they show those hardware store commercials in your area? The ones where the customer is talking with his hands and speaking in the language of vague to describe the part he needs. “It’s about this big, with a curve like this, and about 5 inches long, and, and…..”
The hardware store guy: we got that.
I forgot what store was being advertised, though. No wonder I can never get the right part.
May 1, 2012 at 7:19 am
I am SO glad you found the problem an it’s one you can deal with. Hurray!
You are so competent.
May 1, 2012 at 7:21 am
Weird night last night. I was falling asleep at my usual time, settling in for a good night having finally found a position in which my back stopped screaming, when one of the cats decided to deal with a hairball issue. By the time that was cleaned up, my back was yelling again and I was wide awake. Very nice.
So I was up late, but managed to sleep a little late to make up for it.
Hugggs and good morning to everyone!
May 1, 2012 at 7:26 am
Watching cats deal with hairballs reminds me to be grateful for opposable thumbs and shampoo….
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:26 am
Good morning
Well, back on the injury list again. Left inguinal hernia repair scheduled for 5/7. I see that at least Peconic Bay Hospital, where I’ll have the procedure, is taking extra precaution to make sure I don’t help spread or contract a post-surgery infection. Nose swab yesterday to detect if I’m carrying a staph germ. They’ll call me today with those results. Lots of unnecessary readmits and nosocomial (acquired at the hospital) infections if hosps don’t take precautions. Vigilence!
Good news — no heavy lifting for a month; bad news, no golf for a month. Looks like catching up on my reading and making OFA calls from my bed.
May 1, 2012 at 7:29 am
Wow, Medical Problems R Us today.
I hope the surgery goes well and that you’re able to enjoy golf again soon, Mike.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 7:34 am
Take care Mike and take it easy. I had to google “inguinal hernia” to see what you are dealing with. As I and my friends age it seems like one long anatomy and physiology lesson.
May 1, 2012 at 7:36 am
That is such a true observation, addisnana! Right on the money.
May 1, 2012 at 7:35 am
I’m sorry to hear this, Mike, but thrilled the hospital is being so cautious about infection. Bad enough to have surgery without infection.
An excuse to laze around and read? Sounds wonderful except for the no golf part.
May 1, 2012 at 7:39 am
Truly amazing this aging process. I used to win awards for perfect attendance at work. Now, I’d be fired for taking so many days off.
May 1, 2012 at 7:57 am
I guess you’re catching up on the sick-leave you never used?
Actually, I hear you. I daily give thanks that most of what I’m dealing with can actually be dealt with, if you know what I mean.
May 1, 2012 at 8:56 am
You may enjoy “The Grey Seas Under,” by Farley Mowat. Story of an ocean-going tug. Very interesting!
May 1, 2012 at 9:03 am
Good morning!
We had Neighbor Julie over yesterday evening for supper and a short visit. Always a good time! Got a start on the conveyor carriage. Bought 5/8″ plywood, 2 X 6′s and 2 X 4′s, screws, bolts, you-name-it…… Had a choice between a temporary set up and just building the thing. Figgered it was only 50% more work to just build it and hope it’s gonna work!
Another rain shower and thunderstorm this morning. BR window was open a tad, dawn came with PW mumbling something about a 21 cannon salute…… She is not a morning person!
Hope everyone has a decent day. I will be in the shop if you need me…….
Best, G
May 1, 2012 at 9:14 am
Sounds like you know what you’re doing, Gardener. If you have some free time this afternoon, the guy in today’s Midday Matinee Tuesday’s Tale may need your help.
Good morning! ::hugggggs::
May 1, 2012 at 10:05 am
As long as it doesn’t interfere with my afternoon nap…….