9-11-08

I still can’t watch. I reflexively change the channel even when the commercials come on. I noticed in the paper that United 93 was on cable. It will be a cold day in July before I can watch it. I won’t watch any news today and I’m selective in what I read in the papers. It was the same with the Oklahoma City bombing, though I have been able to watch some programs about that now. Maybe it will change, I’m sure it will change, but for right now, I shall spend my day wearing an NYPD shirt I bought at Penn Station and stay blissfully unaware of what’s going on in the world today.

• Wigderson says, to our credit, we have not forgotten what happened this day.
• The Freeman reminds us that we must never forget.
• I still believe that President Gore’s response would have been three or four cruise missiles lobbed into some sheep-herder’s camp somewhere in the Middle East. Saddam Hussein would still be in Iraq and the Taliban would still rule Afghanistan and possibly taken Pakistan as well. Both India and Israel may have been forced to use nuclear weapons in the past seven years. Thank God W was President.
• Pipe bombs were found in the former residence of a guy who is in prison for weapons charges.
• The E&R UCC on Wisconsin Avenue got its steeple.
• Salvage yards, prisons, foundries, used car lots, I suppose there are a lot of things less attractive than a self storage yard, still …
• Steve Schmuki is asking for the expected recount of his 9-vote loss in the race for the 97th.
• While Schmuki’s fund raising was going up, the winner, Ruth Page-Jones-Nelson-Doyle-WEAC, found hers going down. Have you got $30,000 of your own money which you could commit to winning an election? Remodel your kitchen instead.
• Which brings me to my goal of the day which is to buy a new refrigerator. The old one still works, but its compressor clunks when it turns off, is probably an energy hog and we know it’s more than 16 years old because it was here when I moved in. Like the water heater and boiler it is time it was replaced. I was hoping to wait until a kitchen remodel, but considering the progress I’m making in my painting, I decided not to wait. Kenmore, in case you’re interested.
• By the way, Jim Behrned looks to be your next Register of Deeds in a close race which shouldn’t be a race.
• Here’s the Freeman‘s article on the Waukesha School District’s latest money troubles.
• The Smart Car is selling well initially. It doesn’t look very safe to me. On the other hand, it must meet federal safety guidelines. Those same guidelines keep American car manufacturers from importing their European models which get much higher gas mileage than their American counterparts. Yet you can buy a moped or motorcycle with no 15-mph bumpers, no air bags and no roll-over cages. Explain that.
• Sound Off has someone complaining about train whistles. Yes there are still train horns and probably will be as long as there is a car wash on Main and Hartwell. Imagine you are reading this in some other part of the U.S. and wondering why a car wash would cause trains to blow their horns. Yesterday I was at that corner and a swiftly moving engine without a train attached zipped through both crossings before the gates even thought of coming down. That’s dangerous because some people (including me, I’m ashamed to admit) have considered the lights and bells only the first warning that a train was coming.