We have 2 toll roads in the Dallas area, and I have to commute using one of them. Not bad, but its going to get bad. There have been plans to make what used to be a highway into a toll road, and now under the threat of taking 10 more years to complete, instead of 3 more years, a project that was once considered a freeway will now be a tollway.
Now, the question is: Once they've paid off building the road, and improving the local roads with the money from the tolls will the state let go of their cash cow? Keep in mind these projects (the 161 project specifically) are being handled by private companies who are interested in one thing, and one thing alone: The bottom line.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Guns
After reading a thread, I got some crazy ideas in my head to make this post.
On Kids and Guns:
One of the posts mentioned that the child should be told in no uncertain terms that guns are for adults only.
Human Nature 101: Label something as forbidden to you or people of your group will do nothing more than make that object highly desirable.
This does not prevent a kid from playing with a gun. Now, at the risk of my wife being very upset with me when she reads this post, let me share my view:
I grew up in a family that had guns. My grandfather collects guns, as does one of my uncles. This culture eventually culminated in one intriguing Christmas present: A BB gun. (Not a Red Rider) Upon receiving it, my dad sat down with me and went over every single part of the weapon, how to work the safety switch, and various other serious things, notably:
Both of those points were well taken. I also understood the consequences for breaking any safety rules.
Because I was disciplined, and followed safety correctly, I had the privilege of using real guns, and eventually a bow and arrow. I knew how much force they had behind them. The gun simply because of its recoil, the bow because of the amount of force to pull and hold the string.
I've been in situations where another kid had access to a gun, pulled it out and started playing with it. I didn't stick around, and made it clear to that kid that I wasn't sticking around because the gun shouldn't be out, and he was reckless in handling it. I don't know how I would have handled that situation had I not had exposure earlier in life to guns. Further, I don't know how I would have reacted if guns were described as being for grown-ups only, but I do know how I reacted to certain "Adults only" magazines as a kid.... ;)
As an aside, I don't own a gun today. I don't intend to own a gun, and don't really want one in my house. Nothing against guns or people who own them, I just prefer not to have one. Would I give my kid a BB gun? Maybe. Anything more than that? Probably not. I'd let him or her fire one at a shooting range, just for the experience, but only after a long talk and a couple thousand copper balls.
On Kids and Guns:
One of the posts mentioned that the child should be told in no uncertain terms that guns are for adults only.
Human Nature 101: Label something as forbidden to you or people of your group will do nothing more than make that object highly desirable.
This does not prevent a kid from playing with a gun. Now, at the risk of my wife being very upset with me when she reads this post, let me share my view:
I grew up in a family that had guns. My grandfather collects guns, as does one of my uncles. This culture eventually culminated in one intriguing Christmas present: A BB gun. (Not a Red Rider) Upon receiving it, my dad sat down with me and went over every single part of the weapon, how to work the safety switch, and various other serious things, notably:
- Don't point it at anyone for any reason at any time, Regardless if it is loaded or not. As far as you know, the gun is loaded. Same goes for the safety switch, even if the safety is on, don't do it!
- When walking, point it at the ground, Keep your hand away from the trigger.
Both of those points were well taken. I also understood the consequences for breaking any safety rules.
Because I was disciplined, and followed safety correctly, I had the privilege of using real guns, and eventually a bow and arrow. I knew how much force they had behind them. The gun simply because of its recoil, the bow because of the amount of force to pull and hold the string.
I've been in situations where another kid had access to a gun, pulled it out and started playing with it. I didn't stick around, and made it clear to that kid that I wasn't sticking around because the gun shouldn't be out, and he was reckless in handling it. I don't know how I would have handled that situation had I not had exposure earlier in life to guns. Further, I don't know how I would have reacted if guns were described as being for grown-ups only, but I do know how I reacted to certain "Adults only" magazines as a kid.... ;)
As an aside, I don't own a gun today. I don't intend to own a gun, and don't really want one in my house. Nothing against guns or people who own them, I just prefer not to have one. Would I give my kid a BB gun? Maybe. Anything more than that? Probably not. I'd let him or her fire one at a shooting range, just for the experience, but only after a long talk and a couple thousand copper balls.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Fuel Price Excuse Calander
Today's Entry: Switching from Winter formula to summer formula
Previous entries include such zingers as:
Impending Hurricane. Must raise prices.
Exploding Refineries.
Transient Electrical Distrubances in the pricing system caused by sunspots
The last one is a joke, but can you really tell the difference?
$2.50 per gallon when they're pulling record profits on a commodity that everyone needs is just plain sickening.
Previous entries include such zingers as:
Impending Hurricane. Must raise prices.
Exploding Refineries.
Transient Electrical Distrubances in the pricing system caused by sunspots
The last one is a joke, but can you really tell the difference?
$2.50 per gallon when they're pulling record profits on a commodity that everyone needs is just plain sickening.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Tired of Spam? Try this.
I remember getting a link to this from somewhere, but after deleting a mailbox full of badly written spam (and reading the subject lines and wondering how many of these spammers got past 4th grade composition) I decided to revisit this site.
Spamusement, they call themselves.
Spamusement, they call themselves.
Monday, March 06, 2006
The Simpsons
Maybe its just me, but this is too strange. Do not adjust your monitor. Yes, the video is the title sequence to the hit show "The Simpsons" but, with a bit of a twist: They're real people!
I haven't had a chance to actually view the video yet, but looking at the stills, it should be very eerie to watch. FWIW, I'm an avid Simpsons fan, so, I do have an opinion: Marge is a bit... off, she needs the 3ft tall blue beehive for it to look right. Homer is nearly spot on. Bart, Lisa and Maggie are not exactly what I was expecting, but then, real people who look like Simpsons characters just don't exist.
I'm unclear whether this is going to be a new series, a title sequence/couch gag, or if it's just a video floating around the internet, and whether it will be seen (on TV) in the US.
I haven't had a chance to actually view the video yet, but looking at the stills, it should be very eerie to watch. FWIW, I'm an avid Simpsons fan, so, I do have an opinion: Marge is a bit... off, she needs the 3ft tall blue beehive for it to look right. Homer is nearly spot on. Bart, Lisa and Maggie are not exactly what I was expecting, but then, real people who look like Simpsons characters just don't exist.
I'm unclear whether this is going to be a new series, a title sequence/couch gag, or if it's just a video floating around the internet, and whether it will be seen (on TV) in the US.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)