Heading into the 4th of July weekend. I hate to think this way but to me summer has three chapters-Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day and we are already moving into the 2nd Chapter of a very short book! My tan has barely started, barbecues have been scarce (cue rain) and I just started carping about the heat at night. Our new AC is still not doing its only task which is providing chilly air upstairs even after popping for the larger unit. Sigh.
On the good news front, our daughter started a new job (promotion) today and also got word their bid was accepted on a house (viewed during a tornado warning so we know it's a solid house). Talk about stacking up the newsworthy events. But to ward off the jinxs the house is not a done deal, so fingers and toes crossed as contingencies are worked through.
Also number five podcast is "in the can". I wonder at what point I will stop numbering them. We had predicted twelve or more easily for the first year. What naive babies we were. All the promised volunteer help has bogeyed, my preparations take much longer than anticipated and eager interviewees are becoming more elusive as summer fun beckons. Oh well this last recording was enjoyable as we discussed the problems of indoor air quality in closed up buildings, how we are poisoning our school children with our cleaning methods, and how maintenance folks are really invisible essential employees that we should all appreciate.
We also lamented the dearth of folks going into the Industrial Hygiene field -you know the non-essential science of invisible organisms that can kill us such as legionella and covid. The young are all about Environmental and have no clue as to the hazards of the sneaky little indoor airborne heebie jeebies (to get technical). As my interviewee stated "Dilution is the solution to pollution" or don't work in a dust cloud.
These are the most insidious of problems to resolve as a Safety/Health practictioner. One person's complaint of not feeling well becomes a nightmare tracking down the clues and finding a solution, sometimes by accident. After exhausting all the obvious possiblities through air monitoring and surface samples for the constant complaints I got from an office group, I by accident, realized that trucks were idling in an alley next to City Hall. Upon looking up I saw the gaping maw of an air intake just about 5 stories high. Hmm, the proverbial light bulb moment. Look around sometime. You will be amazed at the number of air intakes in interesting spots, such as right next to the exhaust vent, or a car repair shop or a brazing operation or excessive B.O.
True stories, one engineer I had to work around never used deodorant and apparently believed his once a week ablutions took care of the problem - Not. I was not quite as brash back then and after consultation with other office workers I was the one who anonymously left the can of Arrid on his desk one night. Another personal hygiene issue, related to me by a manager, was that she was getting constant complaints about an office mate with incessant "gas" issues that he assured he could not control (another example of Indoor Air Quality IAQ). And you all thought the Personnel Department was a useless division. "Explosive" situations "arise" all the time and HR becomes the solution. Say what you will but working from home has settled a lot of interpersonal issues this past year.
Interesting how ultra-conservative Suprem-ie Clarence Thomas thinks the federal laws on "mary de wanna" don't make sense as most of the country is already using, abusing and accepting. However in an abrubt "right" turn he thinks it's ok to shackle women and their bodies even though their right to medical privacy, and hey their bodies, is accepted by the majority of the country. Actually the Court has not been as partisan as first feared, but time will tell.
UPDATE: already wrong on that last statement with them upholding restrictive voting practices in Arizona. One of the issues was the GOP's habit of quickly moving voting locations (in "certain" areas) to make it very likely that the minority voter will not know this and vote in the wrong precinct which means the ballot is thrown out. Not manipulative huh?
Speaking of repub manipulaton, Michigan Senator (State) Ed McBroom from the UP had the dubious honor of being called out by the "whiner in exile" as a RINO (repub in name only). He was the main author of the Michigan republican committe report written after a months-long investigation of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Surprise, Senator McBroom found no evidence of systemic fraud and even directed the attorney general consider investigating individuals who pushed false claims "to raise money or publicity for their own ends". How refreshing and, unfortunately, unusual these days to find people acting with integrity rather than doubling down on a lie when confronted with the truth.
In the TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION category...one day after the Trump Organization CFO is indicted for tax fraud, etc., a Twitter post allegedly shows a LINKEDIN job posting today for a new CFO for Trump Organization with two applicants already applying. If true, WOW, though not surprising. Among the job duties, though, I did not see "ability to manipulate, bamboozle and hide tax liabilities, assets and account juggling". Also, if true, Mr. Weisselberg (a Trump employee and fall guy since the 70s) should finally understand what loyalty really means to Orange Judas. Another humorous note, the court filing for the Trump Organization lists "Legal Aid" as the attorney. Either they can't afford their own attorney or a facist is relying on the socialistic system of providing everyone with a lawyer paid for by the socialist government. LOL. I assume that is in error but it sure would "piss off" a jury.
Have to comment on Mr. Cosby's release. I am not privy to all the facts obviously, but a prosecuter gave him immunity for admitting he drugged multiple women so he could have sex with them? What is especially galling is he is out there now threatening to sue the Pennsylvania county and clamoring about all the "innocent" people behind bars. As by your own admission you are guilty, keeping your mouth shut would be of great service to the women who are now going to be intimidated about coming forward with similar complaints.
On a happier note, recyling now has an added bonus. As the recycle center is open Wednesday afternoons, we crated up our mish-mosh of carboard, tin, glass (I'm embarrassed by the number of wine bottles), plastic, etc. and set off to do our environmental duty. In jest the OH suggested I take him to dinner. So we did even though it was not quite 5 pm yet (yes, we are those people, sometimes). Now he believes it should be part of the recycling routine. We also punctuate our bi-annual blood tests with a celebratory breakfast as we are "breaking the fast" of the last twelve hours. That's another four occasions for someone else to cook for us.
New grill was put together through our joint efforts and no one was stabbed or stalked off after a screaming match in utter frustration. The black behemoth has been joy-riding for the last couple of weeks as I couldn't handle my end of lifting the darn thing out of the truck. Our contractor guy was going to do it, but we can barely keep him focused on the BIG project. That sucker weighed more than 100 pounds and apparently half of it was styrofoam. Ended up with an entire leaf bag of styrofoarm pieces. If I could go back in time I would blow up that new major back in the 70's at MSU called "Packaging".
My role on assembly is as direction reader, parts chaser and holder as tiny screws and bolts are continually dropped until finally seated. We only had to take it apart a couple of times as there are never enough pictures until you get to step 16 and realize the wrong end is up. 37 bolts at the start and 0 bolts at the end-do they know their parts or what? 37, just ponder how they arrived at such a number. I confess I did walk away at the "hooking up the igniter part". I will be standing by with fire extinguisher the first time we fire 'er up though.
As for the deck - looking more deck-like. Next, the facing goes on and PERGOLA building commences though the four green sentrys standing guard are kind of cool. Oh btw there is a nest full of babies on the overhead light which was supposed to be replaced a month ago. Sigh...
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