Idiot Kalifornia Drivers

I went to U-Haul today and rented a 4'x6' open trailer, and towed it home.

I filled it with electronic stuff that had value, but nobody wanted, and my wife was yapping at me to get rid of.

As I was towing it to the eWaste recycling place, some MORON in a brand-new Buick "mini SUV" shot out of a side street about 25' in front of me, not even bothering to heed the stop sign, and proceeded to cross all THREE lanes of the street, and get into the left-turn lane. I laid on the horn and got on the brakes so hard the ABS kicked in, and missed her by about six inches. She had a "deer in the headlights" look to her once she heard the horn on the Jeep, and heard the tires screaming for mercy.

I damn near had to stop and change my shorts.....

I haven't seen anybody do anything that freaking STUPID since about 1980 when some young bimbo ran a stop sign about 50' in front of me, and I plowed into her after trying to take evasive maneuvers and realizing I could 1) go through the guard rail and into a 100' deep gravel pit on my left, or 2) brake as hard as I could, slow down as much as I could, and hit her.

She was driving a battle-cruiser class 1976 Chevrolet Caprice, and I was driving my 1975 VW Scirocco. I couldn't get around her to the right, because right after she ran the stop sign and entered the intersection, she looked to her left, saw me coming, and slowed down to a complete stop with her mouth gaping open.

There were half a dozen witnesses who commended me on driving skill, and told the Illinois State Trooper who responded it was "100% her fault".

This happened on the Friday afternoon of a Memorial Day weekend, she stunk of beer, and said she'd been in a hurry to get to her friend's party "before the band got there".

The cop cuffed her, threw her into the back seat, and took her away. He was NOT happy that my girlfriend's little boy, who we'd just picked up from pre-school, had split his head open and was bleeding all over the place.

So anyway.....I dropped off all the stuff after filling out some paperwork because I dropped off a couple of old CRT monitors and some other electronics items the State of Kommiefornia has deemed "especially hazardous", and took the trailer back to U-Haul.

I went back home, picked up the 10 items that sold on eBay, and took them to my shipping place.

Sure enough, on the way back home I met another freaking idiot who can't drive. This one came blasting out of a strip mall on the left side of the road, went across all three lanes of oncoming traffic, and then shot across all three lanes in my direction of travel, missing me by a foot or two, and all the way over into the right turn lane. I was on the brakes (and horn) hard again, and their passenger threw her hands up over her face when she noticed me bearing down on them.

Cripes.....TWICE in one day! WTF is wrong with people?

And I still haven't repaired the brakes on the Jeep, but I'm damn sure getting the parts and doing it tomorrow!

I won't comment on the ethnicity of either driver........

T Minus Seventeen Days and Counting....

Wow...."The Day" is rapidly approaching.

My son came over last night, and it looks like he'll be going with me and the dog on our move from here to Fort Collins. He's never been in that part of the country, and he really wants to see it. He got to be pretty good friends with my wife's sone and our daughter-in-law while they still lived here. He's withing a couple of years of them in age, so they all hit it off quite well.

And he REALLY wants to see his little nephew Noah.

I'm not afraid doing the drive by myself, but having him along puts my wife at ease. AND I'll be parking the Supra at his and my ex's house while we're gone. I'll get to FTC, have a couple of days to unload the trailer into a storage facility and return it to U-Haul, and rest for a day or two. The I'll fly back into Long Beach, Uber over to their place, and head back with the Supra.

SO...instead of loading up the Supra to the gills with car parts and calling a transport company, I'll *carefully* select some tools and spares I might need, and leave a few boxes of car parts for the trailer I'll be pulling with the Jeep.

The YUGE pile of "stuff" in the back yard has shrunk somewhat, but I still have a lot of stuff that I'll be either taking to eWaste, dragging down to the Iowa, giving away, or loading on to the Junk-To-Go truck we'll be calling in a few days.

This is finally starting to get "real", and my wife is stressed out to about "eleven"......

T MInus 10 Days And Counting.....

Boy.....I'll be leaving Kommiefornia in ten days. Things are getting really REAL here!

Monday morning I'm picking up the little 4'x6' trailer again, and taking another full load to the eWaste / electronic recycling place. It pains me to dump perfectly good, usable, serviceable stuff, but I just can't take it all with me.

A couple of my friends came over to look through it, but they're not satellite or microwave guys, and one of them expected everything to be pristine, 100% functional, include the manuals and original shipping boxes, and be free-for-the-hauling.

Well....the equipment I have like that is NOT going to be given away! It's already packed up and waiting to be loaded on the trailer.

"In The Good Old Days", Hams were happy to take stuff that needed a bit of work and some cleaning, but was otherwise useable, and especially if it was FREE!

These days? Most of then have devolved into "appliance operators", very few people build anything more complex than station accessories, and unless the gear you have to offer is clean and fully functional, nobody wants it.

And as soon as the coffee kicks in this morning, I'm going to tear into the Jeep and do the brakes on all four corners.

I figured since I was putting new rotors and pads on the rear, I might as well do the front, so I picked up two new front rotors while I was at O'Reilly's. I decided to go with ceramic pads on the rear, along with matching pads for the front. These will hopefully last a good long time. I should probably replace the rear shocks, as they're just starting to get a bit "bouncy", but that can wait. I'll do the front and rear shocks once we're in Colorado...

Fleet Week 2017 Los Angeles

Figured I should post something a bit more serious after the previous post....

Fleet Week 2017 in Los Angeles kicks off tomorrow, and if you can stand the crowds, and you're in the area, I highly recommend you swing on by.

This year we have the following ships docked next to the Iowa:

USS Dewey (DDG-105) – is one of the Flight IIA ARLEIGH BURKE Class of Aegis guided missile destroyers and the third ship in the Navy named after Admiral George Dewey.  Besides the 62 vessels of this class (comprising 21 of Flight I, 7 of Flight II and 34 of Flight IIA) in service as of 2017, an additional thirteen ships are under contract - including the most recent contract award on June 3, 2013 for nine ships as part of the FY13-17 multi-year procurement contracts with Huntington Ingalls Industries and Bath Iron Works.
Keel laid: October 4, 2006
Launched: January 18, 2008

Commissioned: March 6, 2010 – Seal Beach CA Naval Weapons Station
Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems' Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, MS
Cost: approx., 1.843 billion dollars.
Propulsion system: 4 General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines
Propellers: 2 five-bladed reversible controllable pitch propellers Power: 3 Allison AG9140 Generators (2,500 kW each, 440 V)
Length: 508,5 feet (155 meters)
Beam: 67 feet (20.4 meters)
Draft: 30,5 feet (9.3 meters)
Displacement: approx. 9,100 tons full load (long tons)
Speed: 32 knots
Weapons: 1 × 5-inch (127 mm) / 62 Mk-45 mod 4 lightweight gun; two Mk-41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) (96 cells - 32 forward and 64 aft) for Standard missiles, ASROC missiles, and Tomahawk ASM/LAM missiles; one 20mm Phalanx CIWS; two Mk-32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk-50 and Mk-46 torpedoes; two Mk-38 Mod 2 25mm M242 Bushmaster machine gun systems Aircraft: 2 SH-60 (LAMPS 3) helicopters Electronics: AEGIS Weapons System (AWS) including SPY-1 3D Radar, multiple sensors and processing systems, electronic warfare and decoy systems
Homeport: San Diego, CA
Crew: approx. 320 (20 officers and 300 enlisted) USS Anchorage (LPD-23) – Landing Platform/Docks (LPD) are used to transport and land Marines, (with their equipment and supplies), by embarked landing craft / augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22 Osprey). These ships support amphibious assaults, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions and can serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious ready groups.  There are 10 San Antonio Class warships in service, with an additional 2 ships under construction; LPD 27 and LPD 28. Keel laid: September 24, 2007 Launched: February 12, 2011 Commissioned: May 4, 2013 at Anchorage, AK Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Avondale, New Orleans, LA Cost: Their average cost is $1.6 billion Propulsion system: 4 sequentially turbocharged Marine Colt-Pielstick Diesels - 40,000 hp (30 MW) Propellers: 2 fixed pitch Length: 684 feet (208.5 meters) Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters) Draft: 23 feet (7 meters) Displacement: approx. 24,900 long tons Speed: 22 knots Armament: 2 Bushmaster II 30 mm close-in chain guns; 2 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) (anti-missile missile) launchers; and ten .50 caliber machine guns Well deck capacity: 2 Landing Craft Air Cushion hovercraft (LCAC) or 1 conventional Landing Craft Utility (LCU) and 14 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV). Aircraft: landing platform for all helicopters and the MV-22 Osprey; maintenance facilities for 1 CH-53E or 2 CH-46s or 1 MV-22 or 3 UH/AH-1s. Crew: Ship: 28 officers, 332 enlisted Marine Detachment: 66 officers, 633 enlisted (can be expanded to 800) Homeport: San Diego, CA  USS Scout (MCM-8) – is the eighth, (out of 14), AVENGER Class mine countermeasures ships, designed to clear mines from vital waterways.  The Avengers have wooden hulls with an external coating of fiberglass. They are equipped with sophisticated mine hunting and classification sonar systems, as well as remotely operated mine neutralization and disposal systems. Launched: May 20, 1989 Commissioned: December 15, 1990 Builder: Peterson Shipbuilders, Sturgeon Bay, WI Cost: 61 million Propulsion System: 4 Isotta-Fraschini Diesel engines (600 hp (450 kW) ea.) Propellers: 2 with controllable pitch Length: 224 feet (68.28 meters) Beam: 39 feet (11.89 meters) Draft: 15 feet (4.6 meters) Displacement: 1,312 tons Speed: 14 knots Armament: Mine neutralization system, 2 .50 caliber machine guns Homeport: San Diego, CA Crew: 8 Officers, 76 Enlisted USCGC Active (WMEC-618) - is one of 14 active United States Coast Guard medium endurance Reliance Class Cutters.  Active is assigned primarily to law enforcement and search and rescue duties. The law enforcement duties involve counter-narcotic operations, fisheries, and environmental protection. Launched: July 31, 1965 Commissioned: September 1, 1966 Builder: Christy Corporation (now Bay Shipbuilding Company) Sturgeon Bay, WI Cost: 3.5 million – mid-life 20 million dollar upgrades to class (1990s) Propulsion System: 2 V16 2,550 horsepower ALCO diesel engines Propellers: 2 (assumed) Length: 210 feet (64.2 meters) Beam: 34 feet (10 meters) Draft: 10 feet (3.28 meters) Displacement: 1,127 long tons Speed: 18 knots Armament: 1 Mk 38 25 mm machine gun, 2 M2HB .50 caliber machine guns Aircraft carried: 1 HH-65 Dolphin helicopter Homeport: Port Angeles, WA Crew: 12 officers, 63 enlisted HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341) - is the twelfth and final ship of the Halifax Class that was built as part of Canada’s Patrol Frigate Project.  The Halifax Class frigates were designed as a general purpose warship with particular focus on anti-submarine capabilities.  Ottawa serves on Maritime Forces Pacific Formation (MARPAC) missions protecting Canada's sovereignty in the Pacific Ocean and enforcing Canadian laws in its territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone. Ottawa has also been deployed on missions throughout the Pacific and to the Indian Ocean; specifically the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea on anti-terrorism operations. Launched: May 31, 1996 Commissioned: September 28, 1996 Builder: Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick - Canada Cost: approx., 795 million Propulsion System: Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) - 2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, generating 47,500 shaft horsepower (35,400 kW) and one SEMT Pielstick 20 PA6 V 280 diesel engine, generating 8,800 shaft horsepower (6,600 kW) Propellers: 2 Escher Wyss controllable pitch propellers Length: 440 feet (134.2 meters) Beam: 54 feet (16.5 meters) Draft: 23 feet (7.1 meters) Displacement: 4,750 long tons Speed: 30 knots Armament: 8 RGM-84 Harpoon surface to surface missiles in two quadruple launch tubes; 24 Honeywell Mk 46 close-in anti-submarine torpedoes launched from twin Mark 32 Mod 9 torpedo tubes; 16 vertically launched Evolved Sea Sparrow anti-air Surface to Air Missiles carried in two Mk 48 Mod 0 eight cell launchers; and 1 20 mm Phalanx CIWS for missile defense Countermeasures and sensors: 1 AN/SLQ-25A Nixie towed acoustic torpedo decoy; 2 BAE Systems Shield Mark 2 decoy chaff launchers; SLQ-501 Electronic Warfare System; and the SLQ-505 radar jammer - AN/SPS-49(V)5 long-range active air search radar Aircraft carried: 1 CH-124 Sea King helicopter Homeport: Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca Crew: 17officers, 198 enlisted / aircrew; 8 officers, 17 enlisted		-

And there will be live bands most every day and night playing on the mainstage setup on the Iowa's fantail.




The USS Pasadena  SSN-752 will be in the outer harbor, but sorry, no tours!


C'mon down if you can. It's quite the experience!

Oh, The HUMANITY!!!

More like the HUMORmanity, but that's not a word....

Found over at Western Rifle Shooters, courtesy of Matt Bracken.....

For Brig.....

This song pretty much describes living in Southern Kalifornia....

Music To Leave Kalifornia By....

Getting ready!

Plane, Profile, and Track Are One!

Well, things are going along here pretty well.

Almost all of the radio gear here in my little Comm Center has been safely packed up, and all the books are packed. GAWD....I hate moving boxes of books! They're like moving solid blocks of wood the same size, or maybe even heavier.

We're going to have six "pods" dropped off in a few weeks, and the "Pod People" will pack them, ship them, and store them for us until we buy a house. Then they'll deliver them, unpack them, and set up the furniture and other things for us.

The biggest trailer I can rent from my local-down-the-street U-Haul is a 6'x12'x5.5' dual-axle rig rated for 2,500 lbs of cargo. I'll probably let the "Pod People" take my two rolling toolboxes, and stuff the rest of the garage stuff in the trailer and Jeep.

I'm planning on overnighting in St. George, UT, and Grand Junction, CO, as St. George is about 8 hours from here, Grand Junction is about 8 hours further down the road, and Fort Collins about 8 hours from there. I really don't want to push it too hard dragging a trailer behind the Jeep, and I think an 8 hour stint behind the wheel will be tiring enough.

Oh, and the back brakes on the Jeep wore through the pads yesterday, so that's something else I have to fix.

I've never owned a vehicle where the rear brake pads wore out before the fronts. I checked the front pads a couple of weeks ago, and they still have about half the lining on them, so geez....the rears should be just dandy, shouldn't they?

Nope....and since there aren't any "wear indicators" on the OEM pads to squeal and squeek before the lining evaporates, they wore out and started munching on the rotors.

Oh, well......I'll get two new rotors for the rear, along with a set of rear pads, and FRONT pads, too. Might as well make sure all four wheels have new pads before I start towing a trailer through the mountains.

The wife's stress level has decreased somewhat, at least until the next "crisis", and then she'll ramp it up again.

Might Be Staying In Kommiefornia A Bit Longer..... ***UPDATED***

WELL...the saga continues.

The alleged buyers, through their realtor, gave our realtor a verbal OK to our response of "NO!" to their request for a $5,000 price reduction, but have not yet responded with a signed, written agreement.

Unless they submit a signed, written agreement accepting the listed "contingencies", our realtor tells us they could decide to drop out of escrow at any point, up to the last day.

Since this is not acceptable to us, he sent them another written document stating they have 48 hours to respond, in writing, or the sellers (us) will consider the entire contract null and void.

The extra 48 hours we gave them is up today at the close of business, and they still haven't responded.

He talked with their agent a couple of times, and she replied that the buyers will not sign anything electronically, and that she has to meet them each time, explain things to them, wait for their decision, get them to sign the documents, and then submit them.

It's almost 1500 here, which means they have two hours to get the signed documents back to our agent, or the deal is dead.


***UPDATE***

Well, my wife just called our realtor, and he was like...uh..."OOPS! They sent the docs by courier this morning and I should have immediately notified you, but I didn't..."

So they accepted our NO reply to their cheap shot at trying to get $5k off the already agreed upon price and conditions, and things are rolling along.

He told her it will probably fund (means we have the money in our bank) several days before the official close of escrow on September 20th.

What really flipped me out was I heard her bawling away in the living room, wonder what the ^^&&%% happened, and almost twisted an ankle getting out there on a dead run.

She tells me was just relieving all the built up stress over "having to go through all this again in the spring".....

I'll never understand women....

2017 Eclipse in SoCal....

Everybody else is posting about it, so......no, I wouldn't jump off a building if Johhny did it!

Got noticeably dark here this morning, more than I expected.

Made a "pin hole" camera with a piece of cardboard and some aluminum foil, and used it to observe a small bite taken out of the Sun.

I've seen greater totality before, so this was pretty ho-hum for me.

Back to your regularly scheduled whatever.......

Meanwhile, in Cheyenne, WY where out daughter-in-laws younger sister lives, she got this picture:

Last Minute Buyer Shenannigans....

Our realtor called us this afternoon, day 14 of the 15 day escrow "perform or die" time limitation.

The buyers wanted a $5,000 price reduction due to asbestos in the 1942-era "popcorn" ceiling, and the "possibility of lead-based paint, both requiring remediation".

These items were fully covered in the home inspection report, and the disclosure, which they've had for quite some time now.

We damn near told them to take a hike, as we have no problem sitting here until spring. And if we do stay until spring, we'll probably get the ceilings scraped and refinished, and the house will go back on the market and sell for $550k, as long as the market doesn't tank.

Our realtor agreed it was definitely a cheap stunt to pull, especially considering they KNOW we aren't in any pressing need to move.

After he and my wife calmed me down a bit, we all agreed the best thing was to "Just Say NO!" to them, and if they pull out, no skin off our nose.

He called back a few minutes ago saying they accepted the "NO!", and things are still on.

Geez......some people's kids!