Is it just me or are other people affected by images with kids getting hurt? I was just shown a short video clip of a guy and his kid walking across the tracks at a train station where there is an on coming train. The guy, being an adult, stops but he doesn't think to stop his kid, who walks into the path of the oncoming train.

Maybe it's because I have kids, but I can't get the image out of my mind. I guess that's not really a gripe and I wish I hadn't seen the video.
  ¶ 12:36 PM

  Today's gripe is [drum roll]: Egocentricity. Now, I may be arrogant and I'm sure I'm an asshole at times, but I am definitely not egocentric. But, I work with this guy who, no matter what you talk about, he's done it already and he was ten times better. He also has habit of turning whatever you're talking about around towards what he's done or doing. It gets to the point that I just stopped bringing stuff up, even when he says "What's new?"...my response: "nothing, same old stuff...you know".

This past Friday my boss asked me to play golf with him in an outing for the company. It wasn't much, just a scramble match and he needed to fill out his foursome. Well, I never turn down an invite to play golf, so I jump at it. My boss, however, had some concerns about how our egocentric friend, who is at a higher level than I, would take me being invited. I told him if it was a concern then ask Egoman and I'll hang back, no problem. My boss insisted that he wanted me to go and out of courtesy, he phones Egoman and asked him if it would be alright is I go. Egoman agrees and all is well...at least that's what my boss and I think.

The match goes well, we shoot four under par...not bad for a bunch of guys who hadn't been out since last fall..and we go home for the weekend. Jump to Monday. The boss and I have to go to a meeting in the morning and on the way out, the boss pops into Egoman's office to thank him for "letting" him take me on the golf outing. My boss is just trying to smooth things out because he knows what Egoman is like. Well, that was a mistake, because the next thing you know Egoman is making a fuss that he's the "golfer in the office" and he should have been invited from the get go. Further, he had said it was ok for me to go because he didn't want me to miss out, but it was "not right" for Egoman not to be invited. Now, this guy may have better clubs than both the boss and I and he may play a bit better, but I don't think that qualifies anyone to call themselves the "golfer in the office".

Well, that's it for today. Perhaps I should back off the coffee a bit or get out on the links more often so I can be the "golfer in the office" in any case that's my gripe.  ¶ 2:39 PM

  Ok, new gripe: Contractors. Of course, I'm not referring to all contractors. I've worked with plenty that do a fine job. I'm griping about contractors that don't take the time to read their contracts. I'm a Construction Manager, so amongst my many responsibilities, I have to write specifications and put projects out to bid. The company I work for GREYHAWK North America deals mostly with schools and thus the public bidding process. So, I mostly have to deal with the lowest bidder. Granted these guys usually try to cut corners in order to reduce their costs, but for the love of the Great Pumpkin, could they please at least read the friggin' specs!

Right now, I'm dealing with three situations that have me in a solid griping session. One is a CCTV contractor, one is renovating my master bathroom and one is evaluating a historic building to determine the cost to renovate it. The first guy started his troubles when he tried slipping a change order in during an application for payment, claiming to me that it was already approved. This guy must have me confused with some chuckle head in another office, because I'm the person responsible for reviewing and approving all change orders. So, if one was already approved, it stands to mean that I would know about it. Anyway, that's were his problem starts, but he compounds the issue. After I tell him that his contract outlines specifics on how to apply for and get approval on a change order, he decides to have his attorney submit a letter to me instead of just filing the correct paperwork.

In addition to his paperwork problems, this guy can't get the CCTV cameras to work correctly. The pictures are fuzzy, blurry, wavy, and pretty much look like a TV that's not getting a good signal. So, I ask him to produce cable testing results as required by the contract. Instead of testing the cable, this guy starts claiming that the cameras that I specified are inferior products and he can't get them to work. He wants to install a "better" and of course more expensive camera and have the client pay for it. The problem with his claim is that the specs were written as performance specs with requirements for how the camera has to work. He could have proposed any camera that met or exceeded the specs. He chose one that was listed as an acceptable alternative. Now, he wants me to pay to have the cameras changed. I told him his problem is between him and the manufacturer. It's like this: if you buy a whatever, say a washing machine, and you install it but it doesn't work, you don't ask the person that recommended the washer to you for a refund, you ask the manufacturer's sales rep to replace it. Once replaced, if the washer still doesn't work, the sales rep should come out to troubleshoot the system. If the sales rep or the manufacturer be not able to correct the problem, you get a refund. Then you go buy another washer. So, getting back to this guy, if the cable is tested and it shows there is no problem with the cable, then we know it's not the cable. The next logical place to look is the camera. Work out the problem with the camera manufacturer. If the cameras need to be replaced then get a refund and propose a comparable replacement, not one that's twice the cost...that is unless he wishes to pay the difference out of his pocket.

In any case, the guy has lost site of the main credo of working: don't work for free...get paid. Now, all the guy had to do was correct his paperwork and bingo, he would've gotten paid. Instead he's fighting with me about the operation of the system. We'd still be fighting about the system, but if he would fix his paperwork, he would've at least had some money in his pocket...dopey bastard.

Ok, now onto the guy who's renovating my bathroom. I did most of the wiring myself, which included installing a new service to the Master bedroom and bathroom, installing two switches in the bathroom for the lights and an exhaust fan. I left it to him to install the two lights and the exhaust fan in the ceiling. That's the only electrical work he had to do. I went as far as labeling (with duct tape) the wires with: "LIGHTS" (note that's plural) and "FAN". This was on Monday. On Tuesday I get home and he's got one switch hooked up to turn on the light over the sink and the other switch to turn on the light over the shower and the exhaust fan. I'm not happy. I stop by yesterday on my way back from a meeting to see how things are coming along and talk to him about the wiring. I tell him the way I want it wired and he tells me the "normal" way is to wire it like he did. My response is "well, I guess I'm not normal. That's why I labeled the wires: "LIGHTSSSSSSSS" and "FAN". He says, well I guess I'll have to change it. AAAAHHHH, YEAH! That's right! Mr. Abnormal would like it wired the way he asked.

Now, onto the third guy. I wrote up a spec to have this company perform an evaluation of a circa 1920 building to determine the cost to renovate it for use as a alternate education center. I proof read it, my boss proof read it, and the regulatory official that I'm dealing with for funding proof read it. The scope was rather tight and we figured the whole assessment would run around $100K. Low and behold we get the proposal in the other day and its for $280K...WOW! What the heck is this guy going to evaluate. So, I call a meeting only to find out that the guy who wrote the proposal didn't even read the friggin RFP. That's someone elses job. Obviously these guys don't talk or go to the bathroom together, because the proposal writing thinks he's writing a proposal to evaluate the building and design the renovation.

So, when will contractors learn how to read? Maybe I'm just arrogant...  ¶ 1:35 PM

  My new gripe: adjustable feet. You know, the kind of feet or legs that you find on ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, dish washers, etc. These things are located where you'd expect feet to be located, on the bottom of the appliance, but that's the rub. These are adjustable and the only way to adjust them is to do it from the bottom and after a few years of use they typically are covered with, what my friend Chaz refers to as, "bullyuk", which is pronounced bull-yuck.

I've seen some refrigerators with an adjustment screw on the side that is offset like a worm drive circular saw. This works fine for the legs in the front, but often the adjustment in the rear needs to be performed by a small contortionist. This is so because inevitably the appliance is connected to some water line or something that's just the right length to allow you to move the appliance out but not long enough to provide enough room for a normal human to negotiate their body into a position to make the adjustment.

So, I figure the adjustment should be made from the top, well at least for things like ovens, washing machines and the like...I haven't quite figured the best location for the adjustment screw on something as tall as a refrigerator. Now, getting back to my idea, the way it would work is the adjustment screw would be in the form of a long threaded rod with an allan to torx wrench. You flip up the top of the oven, washer, etc. and make the adjustment in place. I stress the in place issue, because as many of you can attest, the rear adjustment can only be made if you move the appliance out from where it normally sits. This works ok if your house has floors that are perfectly level and your appliance is perfectly level, but my house is not and my appliances are not perfect anything. So, currently I have to slide the appliance out, make the adjustment, slide the appliance back into place and pray that I made the adjustment just right...not too much in either direction or you're screwed. Usually, I'm screwed and I have to slide the appliance out a few times to get things just right. With my system, you slide it in, flip up the top, make the adjustment and go have a pint to celebrate.

Am I the only one who thinks about this stuff?  ¶ 8:50 AM

  New Gripe: Irons. I mean the kind you press your clothes with. It's not that I hate irons. It's just their design I hate. Our iron is on an ironing board that's in the room we call the "office". Mainly because it has our bookcases, file cabinets, desk, computer and so on. It also is the only room we can iron clothes in without being bothered by our youngest son, who is near to being a gorilla. Anyway, why is it that irons are designed such that the lightest jostle, like when you bump slightly into the ironing board, they go toppling over...usually on the floor, which in my case is exactly what just happened a minute or so ago. I'm sure it's broken now, but I just got my youngest son to bed and I'm ready for a pint. So, I'll take a look at it tomorrow. I'm going to buy an iron with outriggers...you know like catamarans have. Someones got to make an iron with a wide enough bottom to keep them from toppling.

Good night all.  ¶ 7:53 PM

  I received a comment on my site the other day from another ally in England. It seems I'm not alone in my thoughts on eliminating our reliance on foreign sources of energy. Here's our friend, Jack the Grocer's comment:

"If the US pushed as much money into alternative fuels as it does oil exploration with the ultimate goal of removing reliance on oil, and partnered with its allies (like us in the UK) then in 10 years or less we could walk away from the middle east, take our money with us and maybe live with a bit less fear."

Jack, I couldn't agree more! Does anyone out there know what it takes to convert a gasoline engine into an ethanol engine. I don't know, but it seems it can't be much more than changing the setting on the fuel injectors and modifying the performance program in the computer modual.

I've added Jack's site to my link list. Check it out.

Jack: I hope all is going well with Teenager.


  ¶ 9:18 AM

  Well, it's been a while since I had time to gripe and quite frankly I haven't had much to gripe about. But, this incident in Fallujah, along with all the people around the world who continue to hate the U.S. and its allies, has me upset. A while back, I got this e-mail from my sister with a bit from Robin Williams.

Here's how it goes:

THE PERFECT PLAN by Robin Williams

I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.

1.) The US will apologize to the world for our "interference" in their affairs, past & present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic and the rest of those 'good ole boys,' We will never "interfere" again.

2.) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one sneaking through holes in the fence.

3.) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. France would welcome them.

4.) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit. No one from a terrorist nation would be allowed in, period. If you don't like it where you came from, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.

5.) No foreign "students" over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a "D" and it's back home.

6.) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.

7.) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go some place else. They can go somewhere else to sell their product...about a week of this aught to be enough to change their minds.

8.) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, don't call us. We have now invoked our new "we will not interfere" policy. They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.

9.) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island some place. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.

10.) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us "Ugly Americans" any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH.....learn it...or LEAVE.

The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling: "You want a piece of me?"


Now, Mr. Williams, in his usual schtick, is saying this a bit tongue-in-cheek, but with a couple of changes it's not a bad plan. At least as far as shutting some of these people up goes. Take his statement about pulling all our troops home. What do you think that would do to the local economy in the area where they are stationed now? What do you think it would would do for the local economy near the area where they would be stationed here in the U.S.? How about his statement about illegal aliens? I say kick them out or at least round them up and have their backgrounds thoroughly checked. Then make them TAX PAYING citizens...no more free ride. Now, we get to the oil issue. I think this one is a winner. Offer the Saudi's $10 per barrel and see what happens. There's still the North Sea, Venezuala, Mexico and there are other sources of fuel, including ETHANOL (remember my earlier gripe?). I do differ with him on the exploring the Alaskan wilderness for oil though. Even if this could be done without harming the wildlife and could produce enough oil for us, exploration takes a long time and there's no guarantee that we're going to find enough to make a dent in our reliance on foreign oil. The famine thing I have a problem with. It seems it just needs to be better organized and a real plan for deployment needs to be developed that takes the food from the where it's grown to where it will be eaten. Finally, I'm all for moving the U.N. out of NYC. It's too much of a target.

So, my friends, that my gripe for today. All we need is someone with the balls to do it. Robin Williams for President? Nah! People would never elect Mork.
  ¶ 8:55 AM