Importance of Correctness

Happy Saturday. One of the very few mornings where I must carefully judge my coffee intake – one cup max. After that water hydration is all it’ll be. It’s quite early and in an hour and a half the Cyclone’s Foundation annual Frozen 5K will start. At that moment I’ll be the grey-haired fellow somewhere in the mix of a couple of thousand ‘nut-cases’.

Today, four short weeks, and then Spring will have arrived. Whenever I walk by this place, I’ll know it is by the lines formed in front of these two small windows. Yes sirree, Spring is just four short weeks away when our area’s harbinger of Spring comes to life. The St. Bernard Dairy Queen will be open again.

Prayers for the families who lost loved ones in the air tragedy at Reagan Airport outside DC. It’ll be weeks before a definitive answer as to the ‘why’ will be issued. In the meantime, our power elites should reflect on how they too were instrumental in this catastrophe.

This from former House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio Democrat, OR:” For years, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority warned Congress that the region’s airports were at capacity…….The airport said, ‘Don’t do it [add more flights] and they did it….Every senator in particular wants a nonstop flight to and from wherever they live.”

Over the years I’ve used Reagan many times. Each time I parked in the nearby lot I remember walking by a special parking area near the entrance which was marked as being ‘reserved’ for Congressional members. It only makes sense to add more flights whenever possible.

If you felt the President’s DEI comments regarding the FAA inaccurate, look up nomination of Mr. Phillip Washington who then Secretary Pete Buttigieg exclaimed as an “excellent” FAA Admin choice. And as an aside, why are we still using floppy discs on FAA systems?

Auto Centric – Our city is in the throes of implementing an idiotic plan foisted by the former federal Administration. Here we’re already beginning to be ‘introduced’ to early efforts by our city administration implementing what is euphemistically labeled as: “Connected Cities”.

Most of it is nut-case – follow the $$$ — stuff. However, what it has brought to light is just how auto centric we (and our whole nation) are. In and of itself it’s not so much a car issue, it’s how any design is from an auto-first vantage point. As someone who walks a number of miles weekly, I am totally aware of this implementation, and it’s not necessary. If this ‘Connected-City’ stuff were worth anything (which it isn’t), attention to walking and pedaling would be equal. Sidewalks that actually connect. Bike lanes that receive as much attention for snow removal as for cars. Crossings which allow people to comfortably and safely cross. Car driving rules that are really enforced.

The ’Nati is actually comprised of 52 separate communities. About two blocks away is one such community, Saint Bernard – it has its own city council, Mayor, Police/Fire, and Public Schools. This also means that they implement their own rules and enforcement.

As a walker, almost weekly, I must deviate my walking due to some driver’s antics, never with any concern by the driver. Here is what I spotted on a new sign walking in St. Bernard this past week. Thank you!

Senate Hearings – Watching the Senate Hearings, these seem to have devolved into a search for a “gotcha’ event. No rational discussion. No allowance for a proper response. Mainly a method to create a perfect ‘meme’ to aid one’s re-election. Being a bit of a history and political buff I have been around long enough to remember it being different.

Watching the shouting circus this week let me remind you how different it was until recently. John Kerry was nominated as Secretary of Sate under Obama; he was a divisive candidate. The Senate confirmed him with a 93 – 3 vote with just 3 Republicans voting ‘Nay’. It was not a nonsensical display of ineptitude by the various Senators (such as grilling the nominee for the office of Budget and Management – OBM – on his position on abortion) – good grief, the guy is a CPA dealing with budgets!

Weekend Washout – Last evening our Local News showed video of various road puddles, yard floodings, and more, as the quick thaw and super cold-water intake caused water mains to burst. Every year we hear of one here or there, this year there are 89 and counting.

Beyond these 89, are the myriads of breaks in homes and businesses. Not mentioned on TV was last Saturday’s burst water pipe at our condominium building. This occurred in an isolated room where water was gushing from the ceiling and down the wall where all the electric meters are mounted.

I shut off the water for the building (we have no way to isolate it). It was overnight and till early afternoon the next day before the plumbers showed up.

To alleviate the stress of all my affected neighbors I offered to head for Kroger’s to buy each unit a box of adult ‘Depends’. I went on to suggest that we all wear one and assemble in front of the building for a group photo. Marcia was not impressed – my neighbors were never polled on the idea.

The 5K – Last week I asked; “Have you ever seen a six + lane steel bridge burn?” and posted a link to a newscast update on the reconstruction. I drove it one time on the northbound (open) lanes, but it was difficult to really see what all the repair entailed. In a little while I should be able to get a better view of it from the ground – at the same time I best watch out and not trip.

Last evening it was a bit of a “this-or-that” time. To relax and allow for sleep it became a watch Bob Ross (of paint little trees fame) or listen to a couple of numbers by a cute/fun group from Bavaria; Gruppe Lumpamensch – die Allgäuer Mundart Band im Bayrischen Fernsehen. I opted for Gruppe Lumpamensch. It worked, made the right decision and slept like a log.

For anyone missing The Ramblings in their normal ‘long-form’, sorry with this short version. Or as my French cousin Guillaume is fond to say; “Sorry, sooo Sorry!” Now, I’ve got to run (not a pun since I’m walking).

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk

BONUS POINTS:

Breakfast all over the country offers a cake from a griddle, then filled with a syrup or filling. Depending on where, you’d be ordering the same item with a differing name. Which five (5) of the following are regional alternatives?

1) “flapjack”
2) “scones”
3) “hoe cakes”
4) “paw prints”
5) “hotcake”
6) “pancakes”
7) “Johnycake”