Reflexive responses

So you know how when the doctor taps your knee with that rubber hammer and your lower leg jumps, and you know how you can't stop it?

Yeah.  The left.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo is jumping into the conversation. He posted the following on Twitter Sunday night:
“Waco today was textbook example of societal problem & illustrates need to give law enforcement tools to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.”

Give law enforcement tools to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.  I wonder what insider knowledge he has that anyone in Waco who was carrying a firearm was, in fact, a criminal prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.  I wonder what tools he would like to have (other than 22,000+ laws regulating the sale and possession of firearms in this country) that would have gotten the guns "out of the hands of criminals"?  Perhaps he feels that the police should have been able to just decide that a member of a motorcycle club, by definition, is a criminal and prohibit them from owning a firearm? 

That's what some states do already.  It doesn't lead to fewer criminals owning guns, it doesn't lead to lower crime rates, it just prevents ordinary citizens from exercising a Constitutional right.  Just check with Californians.  The average joe has to go through hundreds of hoops to purchase and keep a firearm, most of them can't legally carry them anywhere they go, but Senator Dianne Feinstein has a concealed pistol permit issued from a city that would never even consider issuing one to you or me.   And California is less restrictive than Illinois or Massachusetts.

Fortunately the Supreme Court has ruled that the states don't get to just automatically deny a Constitutional right.  Even one that the leftists don't like so many of those laws are in the process of being overturned.

The left is reflexively anti-freedom, in my opinion, and their stance on the ability of average Americans to be less reliant on the government shows itself every time.  That is the true difference between the Progressive movement and the Libertarian/Conservative movement.  We trust the people, the Progressives trust the government.  You can see it every time they open their mouths.

Oh, and in case you are wondering Austin is a little leftist utopia nestled deep in the heart of Texas.

Everybody Loves Waffles (Rainy Monday update)

Regular readers know that I believe waffles to be a gift from the gods.  Choose your god, I am leaning towards Odin, the All-father, but it really doesn't matter.  Years ago I created a waffle iron collection.   You can read about it here, and here, and here.  After the last episode I did get rid of the square one from the fifties.  Just too darn modern, plus I had an eager taker.

Last March I picked up the Samson pictured in the last post.  Ceramic insert top with a tropical bird decal.  Very attractive and I'd wanted a ceramic insert model since I realized that I actually had a collection.  The Samsons were made from... well I can't tell you that because I can't find my waffle iron book (of course there's a book and of course I have it.  Don't mock.  It's unseemly.)  However, this particular model, which didn't have a model number, was made in the late twenties.

Anyway, this one is in beautiful condition.  Almost too nice for a waffle iron that was over 80 years old.  It has no burned on grease, in fact no evidence that it was ever cooked on.  Possibly it was refinished but if so it was a professional job, a job that generally costs around a C-note, but I picked it up for under $30.  Not complaining, mind you, just observing.

I suppose at this time you are wondering if I have a point.  I do.  In the intervening year or so I have never actually made waffles on the new iron.  I have a refurbished unit that was a wedding present to my grandparents and which is my general use iron, plus I don't make waffles that much.  Trying not to be fat and the carbs do it for me.

Today, holiday Monday, however, no bikes waiting my attention in my shop, I have a day off and I wanted waffles.  So here's a little pictorial tutorial for your reading pleasure.

Step 1: With a small brush, oil the waffle surfaces.  DO NOT under any circumstances use spray, even the stuff that claims to be for waffle irons.  It gets on everything and will bake on, leaving an unsightly brown mess.

Step 2: Plug in the waffle iron for heating.  Note that it typically takes about six minutes for a waffle iron to get to temperature.  After about five minutes splatter a few drops of water onto the iron surface.  If it sizzles and bounces around before evaporating then the iron is hot.  Note the time it takes as making proper waffles is a delicate process.

Step 3: Pour just enough batter into the middle of the iron to fill it about 2/3 full.  If you overfill then it will pour down the sides, making a hard to clean mess.  Close the iron lid.  I like to hold it down for about five seconds to help push the batter outwards.   Check your clock.  Typically it takes about three minutes to bake a waffle.  You can use the steam method where you watch for the steam to lessen, but timing is better.  You'll want to make a note of how long your iron takes to bake a waffle as well, since this can vary.

Step 4: Perfect waffle.  I like to gently lift up on the lid rather than just open it.  A perfectly done waffle should stick to the top and come up with the lid.  Using a fork, gently pull on the top of the waffle and it will fall right into your hands.  If you start to lift and it looks like the waffle isn't coming up, it probably isn't quite cooked.

Step 5: I have been eating Smucker's sugar free maple syrup for the past few years in order to make the aforementioned weight issue easier to control.  Today I splurged.  My little sister got me a tin of maple syrup when she was in Quebec last year so I opened it this morning.  Heaven.

Step 6: Unplug the waffle iron and let it cool.  Waffle irons are designed to maintain their temperature at the proper baking temperature so long as there are waffles in them.  If you let it sit closed and plugged in for too long it will overheat with negative consequences for your iron.  As soon as you are done, unplug.

So a huge success on this purchase.  An improperly cured waffle iron will result in sticking waffles, which make a giant mess and then make it ever harder to get a proper waffle the next time.

I'm a bit concerned about the power cord.  It looks something like this:

I will probably do a bit of online shopping and pick up a new one.  Toaster Central (which used to refurbish waffle irons but unfortunately no longer does) often has replacement power cords available for antique kitchen appliances.

A couple notes on the process. 

• Don't put fruit or sweeteners like honey in your batter.  They will stick to the iron and burn.
• If you have waffles sticking to the iron, check your batter recipe, clean the surface well with hot soapy water and a plastic bristle brush, then start again conditioning like I showed you above.

So why the lengthy exposition on making good waffles?  Well, let's just say that I think anyone who likes waffles will appreciate a properly cooked waffle.  In order to properly cook waffles you should have an antique waffle iron in good condition and follow the proper procedures.  I am not a big fan of the new Teflon coated irons.  I don't think they make as good waffles.

And in case you were wondering how to tell if you made a good waffle?

There you go.  The sign of a perfectly made waffle.

I miss wing windows

Driving my 2008 Dodge Magnum with the windows down is just plain uncomfortable.  I can open the rear windows slightly and it helps a bit, but generally just not worth the effort.



Driving my 1987 Toyota pickup with the driver's window down and the wing window open about two inches is perfectly comfortable.  I can put my elbow on the door and cruise all day in comfort.





My dad tells me that air conditioning killed wing windows.  No need for a wind deflector if you can just turn on the AC instead of opening the window.  Seems reasonable.

I miss wing windows.

Four day weekend gardening project

That's pronounced "pro-ject" by the way, not "prahject".  Just because.

Four day weekend, late spring tending towards summer, time to finally do something with my garden so that it can all die when I go on vacation in July.

First, dig all the weeds out of the raised bed in back and plant a bunch of stuff to complement the stuff that didn't die from last year.

Then fill a couple hanging baskets which have been hanging in the apple tree looking pathetic since two springs ago with a random assortment of flowers chosen not for their affinity for hanging baskets or for their complementary colors and hues, but because they said "partial shade" on the tag and because I liked the colors.

And finally add a planter to the front steps (it might even qualify as a stoop) to begin replacing the ten year (or more) old wooden ones that are slowly crumbling to dust and depositing big piles of dirt all around themselves.

Now it feels a bit like spring.

Awesome!

I have nothing to add.  Because there is nothing to add.  It's perfect.

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/R2-d2/Unique/Shawn+Crosby+AKA+Obi+Shawn+put+heart+soul/tYtIy-JhU6e

Why murderers should be allowed to own guns

Heard a discussion on the radio a few weeks ago about restrictions on the Second Amendment.  A caller was arguing that the government had no business restricting the right of the people to keep and bear arms and the host asked about murderers.  Should they be allowed to own guns?  The caller hedged, the host (a fairly strong second amendment supporter) pushed, and the caller eventually went away.  So I thought I'd make the case for murderers being allowed to own guns.

First of all, why does it matter?  What is at stake and why would I even take a controversial position like this?  Well, I don't think we should have a background check to purchase a firearm.  I believe that it is a violation of my rights in a couple way.  One is that the government has to maintain a file on me in order to have a background check, two a background check creates a record (and therefore defacto registration of my firearms, and three, you shouldn't have to be checked to exercise a Constitutional right.  No one has ever suggested, to my knowledge, that a background check should be required to exercise Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom to Peaceably Assemble, and all the rest.  The Second Amendment is unique in that is has become acceptable to require a government document to exercise.  I would like to see background checks eliminated completely.  Delete the files that the government is holding, eliminate the requirement that you be checked out before buying a gun, period.

"But Heresolong", you cry, "what about all the criminals that would be able to buy guns?"

"What about them?", I say "Why shouldn't they be able to buy guns?"

"Well, they are dangerous criminals"

"Then why are they out of prison?

"Because they served their time"

"So they aren't dangerous anymore"

"Yes, they are"

"Then why are they out of prison?"

Do you see the problem with the argument?  If they are a danger to society they can be dangerous with a lead pipe, they can be dangerous with a candlestick, they can be dangerous with a knife, and they can be dangerous with a gun.  If they are truly a threat, then they shouldn't be let out of prison to begin with.  By letting them out of prison we are saying that we believe that they are no longer dangerous.  Otherwise we are engaging in a suicide pact.  We are letting people out of prison KNOWING that they are going to kill or otherwise harm one or more of us.  Why would we let them out under those circumstances?

You can't have it both ways.  Either they are dangerous and should be kept behind bars, or they aren't and there is no reason they shouldn't be able to buy a gun like any other citizen.

Eliminate a government bureaucracy, eliminate an un-Constitutional restriction on our right to keep and bear arms, eliminate a gun registration system that provides the government with the means to confiscate firearms, and delete a government dossier that could be used for other purposes.  It's a win-win situation unless you believe that the government is releasing people from prison who could snap at any moment and murder you and your loved ones.  That, however, might be a problem looking for a different solution.

Positive train control and Congressional dysfunction

Interesting article here from the WSJ about Congressional requirement for positive train control and what happens when Congress legislates technological fixes to perceived problems.

In a nutshell, Congress passed a law in 2008 that high traffic railroad lines had to have a Positive Train Control (PTC) system installed by this year.  Unfortunately the mandate didn't allow much leeway in how this goal would be accomplished.  From what I have read, the railroads weren't allowed to just use a computerized system and GPS but had to have transponders on trains, which of course required antennae along tracks.  Years of arguing with the FCC over frequencies and transmission rates, along with the expense of installing all those antennas kept a decent system from being installed.

Congress never learns.  If you mandate a specific technology rather than a specific outcome, you get an inefficient, backwards looking, expensive result.  Often these mandates are the result of someone (the company or person who stands to benefit the most from the specific technology requirement?) lobbying Congress.

(Aside: We have a requirement here in Washington state that our state ferries be built by a Washington company.  Only problem, there is only one Washington company building ferries.  Wonder who pushed for that law?)

Perhaps it is time for Congress to back off and pass more general requirements that allow for the inventive use of existing and new technology to solve problems.  Unleash the private sector.

PS In spite of all the political spin about the Amtrak crash, the operator was going 107 miles per hour in a 50 zone.  Anyone who thinks that changing the limit at that curve to 45 is going to stop the next crash is delusional.

NOTE: WSJ is subscription only so I just linked to a summary from NCPA.