Julie Hermann

Here is the tale of an extremely energetic and successful woman.

To some people she evinces mastery, to others mystery.

Political Left Sees Through Healthcare Budget Tricks

Maybe, there is hope for them.

The conveniently shifted budget window of the bill’s spending benefits is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Obamacare’s deficit spending chicanery.

Obamacare, pictures don't lie.

Very funny, if dire reality makes you laugh.

Contract With Amreica 2.0

MAKE YOUR SUGGESTIONS HERE.

Michael Yon - As Christmas Approaches

Regarding our troops in Afganistan:

Michael,

As you make your rounds over there, please to remind them that we know they are there and appreciate their performing their duty in such a magnificent manner.

Jeff

Give Me A Name!

Mil Blogs Silent Protest

Mil Blogs, (blogs operated by military personnel), are holding silent a protest this week. The issue, pressure on the bloggers for using their right to free speech.

Argghhh!

The reason for this is two-fold. First, milblogs are facing an increasingly hostile environment from within the military. While senior leadership has embraced blogging and social media, many field grade officers and senior NCOs do not embrace the concept. From general apathy in not wanting to deal with the issue to outright hostility to it, many commands are not only failing to support such activities, but are aggressively acting against active duty milbloggers, milspouses, and others. The number of such incidents appears to be growing, with milbloggers receiving reprimands, verbal and written, not only for their activities but those of spouses and supporters.

The catalyst has been the treatment of milblogger C.J. Grisham of A Soldier's Perspective (http://www.soldiersperspective.us/). C.J. has earned accolades and respect, from the White House on down for his honest, and sometimes blunt, discussion of issues -- particularly PTSD.

A carrot to: Small Dead Animals

You can donate to CJ's Legal Fund by logging into PayPal, go to the send money page, and put in his email: dj_chcknhawk (AT) yahoo (DOT) com; or, you can send donations directly to:

Grisham Legal Fund
c/o Redstone Federal Credit Union
220 Wynn Drive
Huntsville, AL 35893

Please write "Grisham Legal Fund" in the memo line if you use this option.

Reality Check- Reporters Today

Found at Jim Treacher's blog, and so true.

Flat Screens Are Killers

No, I'm not referring to the program content viewed on television these days, bad as it is I know of no deaths attributed to it, yet. I'm speaking of the object itself.

It seems that a growing number of people are being hurt, or even killed, by falling flat screens. These mishaps fall into two categories. One is "tip overs" wherein someone pulls on the inherently unstable device and has the top heavy appliance fall upon them. The other is the result of improper wall installation, wherein the television is attached to the wall incorrectly and gravity brings it down.

That the second circumstance was in play caught my attention a few weeks back when I happened upon a Popular Mechanics article purporting to instruct on the proper way to hang an HDTV. I was appalled that the author recommended using hollow wall anchors into the drywall!

WRONG! DO NOT DO THIS! -->


As I said in the comment I left at PM, I would never hang a television using hollow wall anchors. That anchorage is only as strong as the drywall around the anchor; and drywall is notoriously brittle and fragile. And, you can not depend on a so-called professional to know that drywall is not strong enough to hold a TV.

Crutchfield offers a good video tutorial on hanging a television. Pay attention when she speaks about finding and attaching to the studs. I would only add to her presentation that, for the screws they use, it is necessary to pre-drill the studs with the proper sized drill bit. This assumes the studs are made of wood.For applications with metal studs, or concrete walls, alternate anchors will be necessary; I will effort to find a tutorial that explains those situations.

It is also true that falling objects causing harm is not restricted to televisions alone. Anything mounted on your walls needs to be securely anchored, including pictures, cabinets, etc. If they fall someone could get hurt.

And, the threat from tip over accident also expands to all furniture, including televisions both old and new.

"Like many other childhood bumps and bruises, most of the injuries related to falling furniture were minor. But 3 percent of the 264,200 children whose cases were reviewed from 1990 to 2007 were injured seriously enough to require hospital admission — most of them for head and neck injuries — and about 300 of them died.">Like many other childhood bumps and bruises, most of the injuries related to falling furniture were minor. But 3 percent of the 264,200 children whose cases were reviewed from 1990 to 2007 were injured seriously enough to require hospital admission — most of them for head and neck injuries — and about 300 of them died.

The solution in any case where furniture can be pulled over is the attachment of a safety strap or other anchor device. Keep in mind that the safety device and its anchorage must be strong enough to hold the object in place when additional weight or force is applied. It is common sense; so, if you lack that attribute then you need to borrow or hire someone who has it.

Warning Does Not Work

I have spent years in the window treatment business and always found the tag that the government forced all manufacturers to attach to their products to be a fool's errand. Pictured above, it is present on the cords of all window treatment hardware these days, written in English on one side and Spanish on the opposite side. And, my suspicion that it served no useful purpose was confirmed today when I heard that 50 million blinds are being recalled.

It's the second largest recall in the nation's history. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council are announcing a voluntary recall of more than 50 million Roman shades and roll-up blinds. To the surprise of many parents, these common household items can pose a life-threatening danger.

So, 50 million blinds are being recalled, because:

There have been eight reported deaths from Roman shades and roll-up blinds since 2001 and 16 near-strangulations.

Wow, how will mankind survive! Whatever happened to common sense?

"We had placed those shades there, next to his crib, with no idea that they were potentially so dangerous," said his wife Susan.

Or, reading a warning tag?

And, lastly, what evidence is there to make one believe that the proposed fix will actually prevent future Darwin Award nominees from harming themselves? Are we expected to believe a kid won't find a way to get his head in the cord even with a cord tensioner in place? Good luck with that.

Leapin' Leaf

Thursday Afternoon At The Beach

Shine On

I once owned/operated a furniture refinishing business. It has been years since I did anything, for business, with those skills. Last month one of my favorite clients asked if I would redo a coffee table top, and I jumped at the chance.




I still have it. All in all, a very satisfying bit of work.

Navy Seals To Be Tried For Capturing A Bad Man

Ahmed Hashim Abed is considered responsible the atrocity pictured above. September 3rd of this year, three Navy Seals captured him. Since then accusations have risen charging these three, Petty Officer Second Class Matthew McCabe, Petty Officer Jonathan Keefe and Petty Officer Julio Huertas, with battery against Abed after his capture. The Seals deny they beat the terrorist. The Navy does not believe them and sought to punish them; but McCabe/Keefe/Huertas will have none of that, they demanded a court-martial. Essentially they have told the political wonks who want them guilty that they refuse to go along with the ruse. They want their honor, and they are willing to take their case to a court to get justice.

Good for them! I just wish they could get a civilian trial by jury in New York City, you know, the way those terrorists Eric Holder is sending up from Guantanamo are scheduled to receive. If, by some odd chance, they fail to get a favorable verdict from the Court Martial, they should insist on a civilian trial on appeal. For, even if they were guilty, no jury in this country would convict them for giving a fat lip to a butcher like Abed.

Congressional Pay- Give Then An Incentive

While listening to Fox News show, The Cost of Freedom, today I heard what may be the best solution to getting a check on government spending, deficits, and other fiscal irresponsibility.

Pay Congress with Treasury Bills. That is what one of the female commentators suggested. A brilliant remark which went by without comment from the rest of the panel.

Imagine how much more businesslike our Congress would be if their pay is directly related to the fiscal solvency of our nation. That is to say, the better they manage our money, the more they get paid. So, any action they take to make the US Dollar stronger increases the amount they receive as compensation. Brilliant.

Of course, there will also need to be provisions which constrict how much they can take as business expenses related to their job, or they would simply continue with their current pattern of malfeasance and use the loopholes to pad their expense vouchers to bring their real compensation up. But, if we could get it done, what an excellent system it could be.

Aussie Says Countrymen Are Shrimps At The Barbie

Of course, the USA is best at cooking meat outdoors, duh!

.......the Americans have it all over us when it comes to cooking with fire, iron and tongs.