So Sullivan Heating and Cooling came to do a check on my furnace. The man who came was Jerry Sullivan JR which I thought was impressive. Because I initiated them to come, my landlord paid to have mine and our new neighbors checked at the same time. He found that the neighbors furnace was reading 20ppm of carbon monoxide! The furnace will have to be replaced. My furnace was OK. So just a reminder people, every year your furnace should be checked. BTW, my carbon monoxide detector did not go off and we are above our neighbors. The girl said that she was feeling tired the last few weeks since they had the heat on. The price of the check was $40 compared to Remier who wanted like $80. Maybe Remier does something more than Sullivan, I don't know.
Oh and my hot water tank almost exploded while I was gone so I got a new one! Yeah! I think the new one will be much more efficient than the 14 year old one. Still gotta get the energy to put plastic on my windows. I tried making a frame for one of the windows but my craftsmanship fell apart because I didn't have long enough screws to hold it all together. Lots of stuff to do!
Libertad's Journal
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10/21/2008 14:25 #46233
Sullivan Heating and Cooling10/20/2008 09:47 #46207
Tyranny of the majorityFlorida will be decidiing on Amendment 2 which would place a state constitutional ban on gay marriage. Of course it is going to pass and some would say well that is OK because the voters decided. I say though that it should not be put to the majority. For exmaple, if Florida decided that they wanted to make a constitutional amendment baring interacial marriages it may very well pass but nonetheless would be an infringment of rights.
Really, I believe that the only reason these "Amendments" come up on the voting block is to encourage the social conservatives to vote. We (homosexuals) become pawns used for political gain. Meanwhile they get to publicly bash gays via the media and compare us to pedophiles and rapists.
I wrote this post becuase for some reason I duplicated my last post and I wanted to delete it without lowering the numbers.
Really, I believe that the only reason these "Amendments" come up on the voting block is to encourage the social conservatives to vote. We (homosexuals) become pawns used for political gain. Meanwhile they get to publicly bash gays via the media and compare us to pedophiles and rapists.
I wrote this post becuase for some reason I duplicated my last post and I wanted to delete it without lowering the numbers.
metalpeter - 10/20/08 18:07
I will admit that I'm not sure about how amendments be decided state wide. What I can say is that the other problem is that it isn't really a majority thing. See you have to be registered to vote and than really vote. It isn't like Some government person has a list of everyone in the state and once everyone in the state votes they make a decision. The other thing that seems weird is that It seems like one part of Florida fighting the other part. I know there is some (sorry not sure what it is) Some huge like gay festival some place in florida maybe the Keys or Fort Lauderdale. Then even though everyone is South Beach isn't gay, I have heard there is a big scene there.
I will admit that I'm not sure about how amendments be decided state wide. What I can say is that the other problem is that it isn't really a majority thing. See you have to be registered to vote and than really vote. It isn't like Some government person has a list of everyone in the state and once everyone in the state votes they make a decision. The other thing that seems weird is that It seems like one part of Florida fighting the other part. I know there is some (sorry not sure what it is) Some huge like gay festival some place in florida maybe the Keys or Fort Lauderdale. Then even though everyone is South Beach isn't gay, I have heard there is a big scene there.
jason - 10/20/08 13:29
I'd just like to add - I'm no lawyer, but I don't see how a 14th Amendment argument wouldn't work with the right judges.
I'd just like to add - I'm no lawyer, but I don't see how a 14th Amendment argument wouldn't work with the right judges.
jason - 10/20/08 13:28
I don't think a ban on interracial marriages would work. There is already case law on this, Loving v. Virginia, which effectively ended race-based marriage bans.
On the Loving wiki page there is interesting commentary on how the ruling may affect future cases as it applies to same sex marriage. Check out the NY Court of Appeals opinions listed regarding Hernandez v. Robles.
:::link:::
In the end, I prefer the democratic process over judicial fiat when there are gray areas. The judges will always have their say anyway. This isn't just a "fairness" fight, it is a tangible legal fight that has to be resolved, the sooner the better, for people to start getting married properly.
I don't think a ban on interracial marriages would work. There is already case law on this, Loving v. Virginia, which effectively ended race-based marriage bans.
On the Loving wiki page there is interesting commentary on how the ruling may affect future cases as it applies to same sex marriage. Check out the NY Court of Appeals opinions listed regarding Hernandez v. Robles.
:::link:::
In the end, I prefer the democratic process over judicial fiat when there are gray areas. The judges will always have their say anyway. This isn't just a "fairness" fight, it is a tangible legal fight that has to be resolved, the sooner the better, for people to start getting married properly.
10/19/2008 19:30 #46196
Somber beach dayToday we went to Fort Desoto to go to the beach with my Grandma from NY. My mom's cousin Erin or my Grandma's sisters' daughter was supposed to come and meet us there. Mike and I were swimming and when we were done I could see something was wrong with my Grandma. My sister then told me that Erin's sister had died and Erin had just found her body in her house. This is right before she was supposed to come to the beach. Her death was alcohol related. I'm really glad that my Grandmother just happened to be there about 20 minutes away from Erin at the time because Erin and her sister's parents both died a few years ago. My Grandma is really sad of course. Her and my mom left the beach to go be with Erin and Mike and I got a ride home with my sister.
metalpeter - 10/20/08 18:00
Sorry for the loss
Sorry for the loss
jim - 10/20/08 12:43
I'm sorry, Dave.
I'm sorry, Dave.
matthew - 10/20/08 11:31
I'm sorry for your family's loss.
I'm sorry for your family's loss.
gardenmama - 10/19/08 23:00
How sad, but at least you're there for your mom and grandma. I'm sorry for your family's loss.
How sad, but at least you're there for your mom and grandma. I'm sorry for your family's loss.
paul - 10/19/08 21:22
Sorry to hear that. See you tomorrow night.
Sorry to hear that. See you tomorrow night.
james - 10/19/08 21:07
I hope you and yours are well.
I hope you and yours are well.
tinypliny - 10/19/08 20:20
I am sorry. :(
I am sorry. :(
10/12/2008 01:06 #46072
Explosive gasTomorrow is my last Sunday I have to work before my hours are cut. I really should be in bed right now, but i don't really feel like it. It is so great to have Sundays again and to be able to go my Buddhist monthly meeting at our community center they have once a month.
My gas is completely shut off right now because their was a gas leak coming from the fireplace. This is before I installed the gas logs I just bought. Now I may have to return them because the piping that needs to be replaced is accessed through the downstairs neighbors ceiling! I really don't know if my landlord will decide to restore the gas to my fireplace or just cap the fuel lines from the basement preventing me from ever using the gas logs and thus being freezing cold all season. The pipes are original so it is no surprise that they were leaking. Of course this happens on a 3 day weekend and the landlord is away at a wedding. Coincidentally, my landlord and his girlfriend moved out from downstairs and we have new neighbors. They are really awesome and I hate that one of the options that can be done is making a hole into their ceiling to access the piping that needs to be replaced to get our gas back on. My new neighbors were nice enough to let me use their dryer today which was so great cause then I didn't have to go to the laundromat.
Another weird thing about my apartment is the high humidity. I don't understand why it is like that in here because downstairs downstairs apartment is not like that at all. Every morning there is fog on all the windows especially in my bedroom. I don't really know what I can do to correct this problem so if anyone has experience dealing with this let me know. Now it seems that I will just have to get used to being damp. It may just be something that corrects itself over the winter. I did make an appointment to have my furnace serviced and it was $40 which is much cheaper than Remier and also I was told not to use Remier from a good friend who had used them and had a pretty bad experience and at least heard of others who had other problems with them. Remier wouldn't install my gas logs and the other one would but I'm not sure for how much. I really hope I don't have to return them because they would be so awesome to have! The National Fuel man that came today really seemed to think so to and I think he felt pretty bad turning all of our gas off.
My gas is completely shut off right now because their was a gas leak coming from the fireplace. This is before I installed the gas logs I just bought. Now I may have to return them because the piping that needs to be replaced is accessed through the downstairs neighbors ceiling! I really don't know if my landlord will decide to restore the gas to my fireplace or just cap the fuel lines from the basement preventing me from ever using the gas logs and thus being freezing cold all season. The pipes are original so it is no surprise that they were leaking. Of course this happens on a 3 day weekend and the landlord is away at a wedding. Coincidentally, my landlord and his girlfriend moved out from downstairs and we have new neighbors. They are really awesome and I hate that one of the options that can be done is making a hole into their ceiling to access the piping that needs to be replaced to get our gas back on. My new neighbors were nice enough to let me use their dryer today which was so great cause then I didn't have to go to the laundromat.
Another weird thing about my apartment is the high humidity. I don't understand why it is like that in here because downstairs downstairs apartment is not like that at all. Every morning there is fog on all the windows especially in my bedroom. I don't really know what I can do to correct this problem so if anyone has experience dealing with this let me know. Now it seems that I will just have to get used to being damp. It may just be something that corrects itself over the winter. I did make an appointment to have my furnace serviced and it was $40 which is much cheaper than Remier and also I was told not to use Remier from a good friend who had used them and had a pretty bad experience and at least heard of others who had other problems with them. Remier wouldn't install my gas logs and the other one would but I'm not sure for how much. I really hope I don't have to return them because they would be so awesome to have! The National Fuel man that came today really seemed to think so to and I think he felt pretty bad turning all of our gas off.
gardenmama - 10/17/08 20:34
Good deal on the furnace tune-up. If you don't mind, who did you use? I need to have mine done too.
Good deal on the furnace tune-up. If you don't mind, who did you use? I need to have mine done too.
10/09/2008 20:53 #46031
Here we goI have already been touched by the "economic crisis". My hours at work have been cut 8 hours a week. While this won't put me under because I have a diversification of income, it is certainly an indication that our futures are looking darker. As an employee of the state, my position did not look good but since the fall of the stock market it looks much bleaker. I *believe* that I will have a job and health insurance for at least a year.
One good thing is that my private student loan's rate will go down even further as result of knee jerk rate cuts. I have been paying more than my minimum payment and will do my best to continue as I am afraid of the rate going back up. I'm wishing that somehow the government might come and bail me out but I'm not holding my breath. I think that the "bailout" is really not going to help me at all. The news blames all of this on irresponsible lenders and irresponsible borrowers but I blame the entire system. I blame our war spending and allowing capitalism to rage out of control. I also blame our country for this crisis. This whole problem is that we never think of the future only of the moment and what will make us most comfortable in that moment. I guess I do it too, I am just as much a part of the problem.
Well here we go. The fall in services to our country is almost certainly going to snowball this into a full-blown depression. We seriously need drastic change to help pull us out of this. The change we needed was not to give those greedy bastards a bailout. It is not going to work! We needed that money they gave to bail them out to apply to services to put people to work. Recession my ass.
One good thing is that my private student loan's rate will go down even further as result of knee jerk rate cuts. I have been paying more than my minimum payment and will do my best to continue as I am afraid of the rate going back up. I'm wishing that somehow the government might come and bail me out but I'm not holding my breath. I think that the "bailout" is really not going to help me at all. The news blames all of this on irresponsible lenders and irresponsible borrowers but I blame the entire system. I blame our war spending and allowing capitalism to rage out of control. I also blame our country for this crisis. This whole problem is that we never think of the future only of the moment and what will make us most comfortable in that moment. I guess I do it too, I am just as much a part of the problem.
Well here we go. The fall in services to our country is almost certainly going to snowball this into a full-blown depression. We seriously need drastic change to help pull us out of this. The change we needed was not to give those greedy bastards a bailout. It is not going to work! We needed that money they gave to bail them out to apply to services to put people to work. Recession my ass.
metalpeter - 10/10/08 18:18
I'm not saying Bill Maher says everything I agree with, but two points he does bring up is that if we weren't in this war we would have money to spend on other things. Yes that is true but we wouldn't have as much as people think. We are spending more on the war then would get spent on other things that are not a war, and some of that money goes into the military anyways that is counted. His other point (this is kinda true and kinda not true) is that America Doesn't make anything anymore. I think there is a lot of truth to that. The reason for this is the same reason for the crash...............................
Greed. What Happens is companies out source, or have parts of what they made produced in other countries where it is cheaper. Yes profit is the goal but in the words of Steven Segal "how much is enough" (if you know the movie then you know what I mean). In other words Profit should be balanced what is good for the company, the workers and the country. Maybe the United States should close itself off like China Did in the past. The problem with the global economy is if a slave in a South African Jail can make 1,000 for the price it costs to make one some place else the prison label will get used by the greedy. So what happens is some country with low standards brings everyone else down them, I know it isn't that simple but I think it is very true.
I'm not saying Bill Maher says everything I agree with, but two points he does bring up is that if we weren't in this war we would have money to spend on other things. Yes that is true but we wouldn't have as much as people think. We are spending more on the war then would get spent on other things that are not a war, and some of that money goes into the military anyways that is counted. His other point (this is kinda true and kinda not true) is that America Doesn't make anything anymore. I think there is a lot of truth to that. The reason for this is the same reason for the crash...............................
Greed. What Happens is companies out source, or have parts of what they made produced in other countries where it is cheaper. Yes profit is the goal but in the words of Steven Segal "how much is enough" (if you know the movie then you know what I mean). In other words Profit should be balanced what is good for the company, the workers and the country. Maybe the United States should close itself off like China Did in the past. The problem with the global economy is if a slave in a South African Jail can make 1,000 for the price it costs to make one some place else the prison label will get used by the greedy. So what happens is some country with low standards brings everyone else down them, I know it isn't that simple but I think it is very true.
vincent - 10/10/08 09:40
I'm sorry to hear about you losing a good amount of hours. The problem is that this state is a one trick pony economically speaking, living and dying with what Wall St makes or loses. It was fine when things were flying, but in lean times we're scrambling.
I'm sorry to hear about you losing a good amount of hours. The problem is that this state is a one trick pony economically speaking, living and dying with what Wall St makes or loses. It was fine when things were flying, but in lean times we're scrambling.
gardenmama - 10/10/08 09:09
Sorry to hear about your work - unfortunately, they almost always go after the part-timers first. I think sometimes that's a union issue - not sure though. I'm a city (Board of Ed) employee and they operate the same way. I imagine with the way things are going in the financial and political arenas, once the budget cutting starts to trickle down further, the District will likely start to have some fall-out from this too.
Job uncertainty sucks, at best. Good luck.
Sorry to hear about your work - unfortunately, they almost always go after the part-timers first. I think sometimes that's a union issue - not sure though. I'm a city (Board of Ed) employee and they operate the same way. I imagine with the way things are going in the financial and political arenas, once the budget cutting starts to trickle down further, the District will likely start to have some fall-out from this too.
Job uncertainty sucks, at best. Good luck.
libertad - 10/10/08 08:56
tiny, no it wasn't just me. They cut all part-timers who were working more than 20 hours a week down to 20 (minimum number of hours). I'm pretty sure they are cutting down some team lead hours too, but I'm not really sure as they all are full-time.
tiny, no it wasn't just me. They cut all part-timers who were working more than 20 hours a week down to 20 (minimum number of hours). I'm pretty sure they are cutting down some team lead hours too, but I'm not really sure as they all are full-time.
imk2 - 10/09/08 21:56
wow, i should have gone out there and been even more irresponsible than i am right now. i could have gotten a nice house that i couldnt really afford paid for by the government. what a way to teach greedy, glutonous, wannabe's that they shouldn't behave that way.
(i know, i know, they're not paying for people's homes, but you know what i mean)
wow, i should have gone out there and been even more irresponsible than i am right now. i could have gotten a nice house that i couldnt really afford paid for by the government. what a way to teach greedy, glutonous, wannabe's that they shouldn't behave that way.
(i know, i know, they're not paying for people's homes, but you know what i mean)
tinypliny - 10/09/08 21:42
:( Did they cut hours from everyone's shift?
:( Did they cut hours from everyone's shift?
jason - 10/09/08 21:09
PS - The "are you shitting me" was just a general outburst, and not aimed at you personally. Ehehe. You know how internet context goes sometimes...
PS - The "are you shitting me" was just a general outburst, and not aimed at you personally. Ehehe. You know how internet context goes sometimes...
jason - 10/09/08 21:08
First off, I'm really sorry to hear about your hours cut at work. I hope you can replace that income with something else in the meantime. With our state having such a deficit I'm sure this isn't the first time people are going to feel the pain, and on top of that, like a sledgehammer we have this crisis to deal with.
I don't know if the bailout is going to help us or not. Certainly I think the system has failed, no doubt, after all what is the point of regulation if it isn't enforced? I totally agree, the system has failed us, and to make matters worse the people in charge are the most self centered generation in American history.
So you and I are going to have to, and I'm sorry I have to use this phrase again, wipe their asses. We have to clean up this mess in the long run. You're damned right I'm angry. And you are a million percent on point with your observation about how we don't plan for the future. Our parents are flipping us the bird, and I hope we don't make the same mistake with our kids.
I know one thing, my confidence isn't high right now. I don't think the war spending is to blame, although we should be pissed we have to shoulder that burden as well, but how can we trust the government when they are in cahoots with the crooks?!? Are you shitting me??!
First off, I'm really sorry to hear about your hours cut at work. I hope you can replace that income with something else in the meantime. With our state having such a deficit I'm sure this isn't the first time people are going to feel the pain, and on top of that, like a sledgehammer we have this crisis to deal with.
I don't know if the bailout is going to help us or not. Certainly I think the system has failed, no doubt, after all what is the point of regulation if it isn't enforced? I totally agree, the system has failed us, and to make matters worse the people in charge are the most self centered generation in American history.
So you and I are going to have to, and I'm sorry I have to use this phrase again, wipe their asses. We have to clean up this mess in the long run. You're damned right I'm angry. And you are a million percent on point with your observation about how we don't plan for the future. Our parents are flipping us the bird, and I hope we don't make the same mistake with our kids.
I know one thing, my confidence isn't high right now. I don't think the war spending is to blame, although we should be pissed we have to shoulder that burden as well, but how can we trust the government when they are in cahoots with the crooks?!? Are you shitting me??!
What's a furnace? And what's with this plastic on windows??
Just kidding! My heater here turns on more in the summer than in winter, and I'm not kidding. Such is life...
I'm glad I don't need to plasstic my windows they are new and prety sweet. I haven't done it but I think they swing open some how also.
One thing I do not miss about Buffalo. Plasticing up the windows for the winter.
Ugh... the plastic. I have that chore. :(