Random – March 2017

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Fred Stiening

Keeping the randomness in one place

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55 Responses to Random – March 2017

  1. Fred Stiening says:
    March 1, 2017 at 2:02 pm

    Wife drinks 7 beers, burns casserole, kills husband

    http://triblive.com/local/valleynewsdispatch/12004208-74/drum-police-husband

    No wonder men don’t get married

  2. Parrott says:
    March 1, 2017 at 5:04 pm

    hilarious ! ‘Burns casserole’
    You know my wife has a good summer squash casserole that is good eating. It has onions and squash, and I think you can use Zucchini squash too.

    I like the monthly Random thread Fred, This is good.

    I had been looking at Canadian Pacific maps, here is a link
    https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3701p.ct001841/
    Following them around in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Found this caboose in the ‘G’ car , driving it around.
    Its cool finding caboose -ii .
    parrott

    • countess robini says:
      March 1, 2017 at 5:36 pm

      quebec? the part of canada that speaks french?

      is this some sort of oblique reference to the french maid discourse going on in another section of this blog?

      casserole sounds great. will mrs. parrott let you post the recipe?

      • Parrott says:
        March 1, 2017 at 10:17 pm

        Yes ma’am, I’ll get the recipe for you Countess.
        I didn’t know about the french maid thing ?

        I really want to tour eastern Quebec and out to PEI this late summer, just drive around and camp.
        I’ll have to work on the french
        Hey Chairman, have you been through Eastern Quebec and Northern New Brunswick, was diesel fuel relatively available ?

        Last I was on PEI was 2013 and it was nice, and they really liked my southern Appalachian dialect. We’ll see how that works out in quebec, : )
        parrott

        • countess robini says:
          March 2, 2017 at 4:50 pm

          dear parrott: thank you re recipe request.

          i spent a little time in montreal and quebec city the year i was a student at the university of windsor in ontario. (early 1970s.)

          remember quebec city was small and easily walkable. remember having lunch at a gorgeous hotel called hotel frontenac up on a hill. looked like a castle.

          remember camping for a night or two with friends at a place called isle d’orleans (sp???) a little island in a river near quebec city, i think. absolutely hated it. (someone once told me my idea of roughing it was to stay in a holiday inn instead of a four seasons hotel.)

          remember getting lost somewhere in a wooded area of quebec. got out of the car at a little farmhouse to ask directions. man was very sweet and tried to help but spoke not a word of english. (I have no french.) house was shack-like. a bunch of little kids and animals running around. first time in my life i saw real rural poverty in person.

          political situation in canada year i was there very tense. trudeau was pm. (son is current pm.) quebecois separatists very strident and pushing the envelope. had been a tragic shooting of police officers in montreal around that time (72? 73?)

          FOOD memories: first introduced to country french cuisine in quebec. not fancy. lots of stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. hearty soups and stews. but still french — well-prepared and always with a little extra touch to crank it up the gastronomical chart a notch. good bread.

          to this day, canada has a special place in my heart because its people were unfailingly kind, decent and hospitable to me.i read somewhere that war-torn third world countries that request UN peace keepers always want them to be canadians. not surprising.

          ps: fred is right. it’s pronounced ka-beck.

          ith

      • Fred Stiening says:
        March 2, 2017 at 2:14 am

        As a much younger man, I made the mistake of driving through Quebec to get from Michigan to Connecticut (to visit a streetcar museum). I was close to panic mode by the time I pulled into a gas station and discerned that “sans plumb” meant unleaded as I was running out of gasoline. The idea that Canada is bilinqual is a lie.

      • briand75 says:
        March 2, 2017 at 8:24 am

        Okay – a nit. I speak French (second language) and although the Canuckians will howl with rage – that isn’t Francais. It is Quebecois. The roots of Quebecois are French, but the divergence from French is very pronounced.

        All that fits in the category 0f “I didn’t ask – please shut up”.

    • Fred Stiening says:
      March 2, 2017 at 2:17 am

      The stary of the attempt to build a railroad through Canada to try to connect with Alaska is an interesting story. A lot of the route has since been abandoned, but the idea has been revived because of the need to export oil from the oil sands refining in Alberta

    • Fred Stiening says:
      March 2, 2017 at 8:55 am

      Have you ever visited Chattanooga? At least at one time, they had a hotel where you could spend the night in a pullman sleeper car

      https://youtu.be/ouymSOLOGII

  3. Fred Stiening says:
    March 2, 2017 at 8:42 am

    NY Times make the case that the people talking with each other on the Internet are a threat to Democracy

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/opinion/how-the-internet-threatens-democracy.html?_r=0

  4. Fred Stiening says:
    March 2, 2017 at 9:04 am

    Being an introvert in a world run by extroverts

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/work/quiet-power-how-introverts-can-succeed-in-the-brash-modern-workp/

    At least as far as I’ve read in the Dormont book, Raymond Smith was pretty introverted and insecure as a young boy. The man who rules the world has gone a long way. I suspect, we’ll learn that someone he met turned him around and gave him the confidence to open up and act boldly

    • countess robini says:
      March 2, 2017 at 3:17 pm

      dear fred: the book referenced in the story (“quiet”) was on my to-read list a few years ago and it got lost in the shuffle. i remember an author interview — on npr, i think. she made the point that it takes courage in this crazy culture to be quiet.

      people think quiet=dumb. just like they think kind=weak.

  5. Fred Stiening says:
    March 2, 2017 at 9:16 am

    Sweden is going to reintroduce the draft with mandatory military training

    https://www.rt.com/news/379158-sweden-reintroduce-military-conscription/

    Didn’t Trump say something recently about Sweden that the New York Times called a lie?

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/19/world/europe/last-night-in-sweden-trumps-remark-baffles-a-nation.html

  6. Fred Stiening says:
    March 2, 2017 at 2:35 pm

    Ted Malloch, the presumed nominee for the job of US ambassador to the EU was interviewed by Alex Jones yesterday. The media and world leaders still haven’t caught on who his policy advisors really are

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38852210

  7. Fred Stiening says:
    March 6, 2017 at 7:34 am

    Alexis Glick has resigned from the Cumulus Board of Directors. She is a Wall Street person and New York City activist. When the going gets tough, the tough jump into the lifeboats. Mary Berner is probably about to fall through the glass floor crumbling under her feet

  8. Fred Stiening says:
    March 6, 2017 at 7:42 am

    callerid blocking is actually only a suggestion

    http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0303/DOC-343755A1.pdf

    Also, when you dial a toll free number, the recipient has always received the caller’s phone number because they are paying for the call. Keep that in mind when you hear/read about an “anonymous” tip line that has an (800) etc phone number

  9. Parrott says:
    March 7, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    I’m Back !

    watch the movie ‘Snowden’ . Hell, we already knew they watched us, the malware the bugs, spyware, I do believe they can activate cameras and microphones.
    leave your computer on at night and they will plant carp on the drive.

    yeah CIA is in everything. We make easy to watch us.

    Thank you Countess for your experience in Quebec, thats awesome.
    How do you pronounce ‘Gaspe’ ?

    I am back on testing too, I have been distracted by work.

    best regards
    parrott

  10. Parrott says:
    March 7, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    Hell Hunter Harrison was suppose to retire and go away after running Canadian Pacific into the ground. Now Mike ward retired and they installed Harrison in the catbird seat at CSX. Bummer.
    You will see deferred maintenance and some crazy abandonments of lines. Hate that.
    Don’t know what CSX is thinking. Maybe they want to be a single track line like Illinois Central was made to be. I call BS.
    I hope they don’t dump Winston Salem Southbound, maybe NS would take them over or they go short line. Not Genensee & Wyoming
    Parrott

  11. Parrott says:
    March 8, 2017 at 8:42 am

    Congratulations Countess, Today is the ‘International womans day’ .
    Hope your wishes come true : )
    I have always liked women.
    Like that Andy Griffith episode where Opie ask’s,
    ‘Pa, why do we feel like talking and singing now here at home?
    Andy replies, “Son, theres’ a woman in the house. Thats all there is to it ”
    In reference to his health nurse girlfriend Peggy. He shouldn’t have let her go !
    right about 21:30
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9k-IouZ7G0&list=PLgG5mZcEBaJfAt9NT7LdZNNCqlm_NaPYp&index=4

    Best regards
    Parrott

    • Fred Stiening says:
      March 8, 2017 at 10:57 am

      If the railroad was there first (true almost all of the time), the city or state is responsible for the crossing. The bus got hung up on the crossing. The sign warning the driver is very vague and probably not even visible as he made the turn

  13. Fred Stiening says:
    March 10, 2017 at 9:53 am

    Turkey accused by UN of killing 2000 civilians in crackdown on Kurds in Turkey

    https://www.rt.com/news/380123-un-people-killed-turkey/

  15. countess robini says:
    March 10, 2017 at 1:28 pm

    last “freestyle friday” today on buck sexton show via the blaze radio. no more “action movie quote” competitions. buck’s final show on the blaze will be next wednesday or thursday.

    he put in four years on-air at the blaze, starting with the saturday morning show. buck learned fast. proved himself a gentleman and a scholar. also very hardworking and grateful to his audience. funny, too. he deserves every good thing now coming his way.

    • Fred Stiening says:
      March 10, 2017 at 2:49 pm

      His Premiere show is available on podcast, i think. I remember adding him to my iphone, but I’ve fallen way behind on podcasts. Life is more interesting. Sunday, Charlotte is expecting the annual snow day after everyone thinks winter is over.

  16. Parrott says:
    March 12, 2017 at 12:04 am

    Had to go to a called jury last yesterday, ( Friday) . I didn’t make the final cut.
    I just took my Railroad & Railfan magazine, sat in the courtroom. An older lady that sat down beside me had a magazine as well. She asked me what I was reading , I guess she saw the train pics on the page I was reading. I told her Railroad & Railfan, and that was all I said the whole time I was there. I was was cut.
    It was a civil case where the plaintiff was suing the defendant for more cash. the jury was suppose to decide an amount of cash. Kinda glad I wasn’t on it.
    So my term is up , started in January and ends March 30, but don’t have any other dates assigned to me. That was the only one i had to show up for. $30.
    Oh well,
    I need a new track bar for Jeep. Its kinda wondering about down the road. Air pressure adjustment didn’t hep much.
    Good luck on your snow adventures Fred. I bought Fifty pounds of potatoes for potato soup in case we get snowed in : )
    I saw that the ACC moved their tournament to New York City from ‘Tobacco road’
    Dipshits,
    I refused to watch it. It was easy, I don’t really watch it anymore since 1984. I hope their ratings are in the tank.
    Parrott

  17. Fred Stiening says:
    March 12, 2017 at 8:41 am

    Inventor of the World Wide Web who “gifted” his creation to the world becomes an Indian giver, wanting to shut down the unregulated free and open communications because Donald Trump was elected

    https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/11/tim-berners-lee-online-political-advertising-regulation#comments

  19. countess robini says:
    March 12, 2017 at 11:17 am

    when he lost merrill markoe, who was the source of much magic for him, personally and professionally. up til then, his attitude was: “if this tanks, i can always go back to indiana and be a weatherman again.” (remember the bit about predicting hail “the size of canned hams”?)

    then he lost his way. bought into the fame and fortune thing. the zany joy was gone.

  20. Parrott says:
    March 16, 2017 at 8:50 am

    I saw where Roger Stone, was in a car accident yesterday.
    Lots of discussion on the inter-webs about maybe a ‘hit’ ? I will have to listen to ‘Hawk’ tonight and see what he says about the situation.

    I get the feeling that there is a bunch of RINO’s in congress that are wanting to do their same ‘old thing’ that they only know. Just help their special interest and go home.
    No reform. No balance the budget, don’t touch entitlements and keep head down.
    Business as usual. Compassionate conservative.
    They will be thrown out and Pelosi will be back in charge. More stupidity

    Parrott

  21. Parrott says:
    March 16, 2017 at 12:10 pm

    In other news :
    From the DailyMail. I do not own nor claim to own any information from DaileyMail. They get all credit.

    Wednesday, Mar 15th 2017
    “Radio host Michael Savage claims he was assaulted while having dinner with his toy poodle Teddy”

    “Savage, 74, says he was having dinner in Tiburon, California, with his 12-year-old pooch when a man began taunting him by saying, ‘weener, weener’ .
    Heckler was apparently referring to Savage’s legal name, Michael Alan Weiner.
    Man then allegedly knocked Savage to the ground and punched another diner who tried to intervene .
    Both men had placed each other under citizen’s arrest, but police let them go,,, ”

    That had posted other Carp that didn’t have any value to the message.
    Chaos
    Parrott

  22. TheJerseyDevil says:
    March 18, 2017 at 12:15 am

    A while back we were discussing Internet-delivered audio and whether it was viable for radio stations. Radio Magazine has an article by Greg Monti, SVP of engineering for Westwood One, mainly aimed at affiliates needing to repoint satellite dishes because of the new AMC-18 bird, but he addresses the suitability of Internet backup.

    “Be aware that it takes 10 to 30 seconds for the web stream to buffer enough audio to produce a usable output for your listeners,” he writes.

    This would make it hard to hit a top-of-the-hour newscast or switch to a program source on another satellite, no? Or maybe everything can be digitally delayed to run smoothly. “At the tone, approximately 1 o’clock.”

    • Fred Stiening says:
      March 18, 2017 at 8:14 am

      He is describing the consequences of some choices that don’t really apply if they thought it through a bit. He is confusing wholesale and retail. When an end user connects to a stream, the encoders are using sync points – this is necessary when using compression as the compression algorithms dump out tables to create a synch point from which decompression can restart

      When you place an audio phone call over the internet in 2017, there is no need for compression, latency is 1 ms per 186 miles plus small additions for router pass through delay, but in no case should it be more than the satellite propagation delay of a round trip delay up 22,500 miles and back down

      The right technology for program distribution is IP multicast, where the network feeds the signal(s) in one single stream and the network providers replicate the streams as necessary as the stream geographically fans out. At the station, the receiving equipment that feeds the board and/or transmitter is completely under the control of the network. There is no need to encode the stream in 37 different formats and bit rates, only one.

  23. Fred Stiening says:
    March 30, 2017 at 10:58 am

    I’m not the only one who wonders if Lindsey Graham spends too much time with John McCain in the Senate sauna

    http://www.bizpacreview.com/2017/03/30/furious-huckabee-questions-much-just-grahams-political-leanings-465251

  24. Fred Stiening says:
    March 30, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    FBI Director Comey has a lot of ‘splaining to do about his secret social media accounts

    http://gizmodo.com/this-is-almost-certainly-james-comey-s-twitter-account-1793843641

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