tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61979427259027767262024-03-13T14:45:11.382-07:00Centerpointe CommunicatorCenterpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.comBlogger663125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-90125855742581457932015-06-08T07:23:00.001-07:002015-06-13T06:54:48.421-07:00Outdoor patio drop cloth curtains with rust-proof, wind-resistant hardwareThe internet abounds with fantastic ideas. Unfortunately, some of them are not very practical.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm5e6F2t4T6RR_BziD3Bjeqjyv5mCi5XYAX2g07-dnATZM6rinjuuS7HMsRWzeJcQ2dtCBSA9b18WAWQ2C_XyPdIAfTkeQtJDeD-tbmbKQmQChnWyZAtoi6fqCaykcK7CbCSuuaGMBk/s1600/lawson_example.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHm5e6F2t4T6RR_BziD3Bjeqjyv5mCi5XYAX2g07-dnATZM6rinjuuS7HMsRWzeJcQ2dtCBSA9b18WAWQ2C_XyPdIAfTkeQtJDeD-tbmbKQmQChnWyZAtoi6fqCaykcK7CbCSuuaGMBk/s400/lawson_example.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such is widely the case with exterior curtains that are made out of common painter's drop cloths; for instance <a href="http://www.front-porch-ideas-and-more.com/outdoor-curtain-panels.html"><b>this example</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While those curtains shown above may do well in certain geographic regions, can you imagine what would happen if they were installed on an outdoor patio or pergola in the greater Houston area? Even a small subtropical thunderstorm would probably rip them from the wall, send them into the sky, and perhaps deposit them somewhere in Liberty County. And even if a storm did not get them, that interior grade of hardware would not stand up to our legendary rain and high humidity (nor salt air if installed near the coast). It would quickly rust, staining the canvas panels.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUFLaLEvomxuw0XX8jitVrG0izW6hvROY_93p3Ayv5pfDWkaeOgcYnG7HCXx4yoGjGU6FeuQNvE5lH0BG7f8vDLE-dQT-b5yVO9nhChMNZrW1t-9_3igXQ9epdpaZ6MkrAwr5CADOoh8/s1600/apttherapy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUFLaLEvomxuw0XX8jitVrG0izW6hvROY_93p3Ayv5pfDWkaeOgcYnG7HCXx4yoGjGU6FeuQNvE5lH0BG7f8vDLE-dQT-b5yVO9nhChMNZrW1t-9_3igXQ9epdpaZ6MkrAwr5CADOoh8/s400/apttherapy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some makers appear to have overcome the rust potential by using shower curtain hardware. While preferable to interior grade drapery hardware, that approach has the downside of making the resulting patio curtains resemble, well, shower curtains. Image screengrabbed from <a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/one-drop-cloth-50-diy-decorating-ideas-projects-214670"><b>this site</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Making patio curtains out of inexpensive and durable painter's drop cloths is a genius idea that did not originate with me. After being alerted to its potential by the collective oracle that is social media, I searched for an assembly method that would fit all of these requirements:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Rust proof, or at least highly rust resistant.</li>
<li>Could stand up to some pretty strong winds.</li>
<li>Durable enough to be be left in place for long periods of time.</li>
<li>Had to fit the "organic industrial" vibe of our home.</li>
<li>Had to appear substantial. Our patio is 10' x 14' with a 3' concrete surround, which is fairly large. Small hardware would be under-scaled for the space. </li>
<li>Curtains had to be easily movable across the full span of each rod, scooting across with no effort on the part of the user. This is important for easy sunning and airing-out of the curtains to prevent the development of mildew. </li>
</ol>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF1NYhcqAZmyig_6Ie9ebN56CGpSTa4c2Q3BoNFnBinBtAw1itSsEIxEmObG2ixjbViUAdKpsnJoJrlbhb2PnU1oWyF0bDxv1umJGYFmr2qOEhw3SPrnjRV2NRgTFyTYp06Jxhu53Th4/s1600/bullard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF1NYhcqAZmyig_6Ie9ebN56CGpSTa4c2Q3BoNFnBinBtAw1itSsEIxEmObG2ixjbViUAdKpsnJoJrlbhb2PnU1oWyF0bDxv1umJGYFmr2qOEhw3SPrnjRV2NRgTFyTYp06Jxhu53Th4/s400/bullard.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://heatherbullard.com/2007/10/drop-cloth-pati/"><b>This maker</b></a> solved the rust problem by using a galvanized pipe as a curtain rod, and by avoiding clips altogether. However, the rust avoidance was achieved at the expense of convenience, because it would be very difficult to re-position rod pocket curtains across wide spans without actually climbing up to the rod (which in my case is a full 8 feet above the floor) and hand-bunching each time to achieve uniformity. Plus this approach looked a bit too traditional for my taste. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found much of my inspiration in <a href="http://beachbrights.blogspot.com/2010/04/chain-link-fence-curtains.html"><b>the genius-upon-genius method used by the Beach Brights blogger</b></a> who coined the phrase <b>"chain link fence curtains"</b>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJi4wk-xtJM0uYCqXp_qrpfW3Io8TZNvrEFhgdCqVFg2jFsFq_h6KuMWmycjZrGzyUrJwjANat_SPk5bgI6dxST1aEYiSdLc3C0P_wOi3avIXrc8VhGKM2_Ou9XSfTca4HNPMlWvqJQo/s1600/beachbrights.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJi4wk-xtJM0uYCqXp_qrpfW3Io8TZNvrEFhgdCqVFg2jFsFq_h6KuMWmycjZrGzyUrJwjANat_SPk5bgI6dxST1aEYiSdLc3C0P_wOi3avIXrc8VhGKM2_Ou9XSfTca4HNPMlWvqJQo/s400/beachbrights.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a fantastic look, but this blogger was doing an interior rather than an exterior installation. Therefore, (s)he could get away with <b>no</b> strong mounting hardware, <b>no</b> top hem to the curtains, and <b>no</b> reinforcing grommets in the curtains themselves. This was possible because his/her curtains would not be subjected to wind and weather stresses. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Basically what I did is combine the best ideas shown by a number of these previous makers. I used the chain link fence hardware coupled with galvanized pipe rods and nickel-coated brass grommets. The following series of photos provides general construction details and sourcing.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgr-zM4uVjMEQZICzCcmqZn6jydvO938JGofNHE7jJGs8zr88Fh3TWBv0K7xXCv6We3nqg7wMMVMMumhWeJTbP9frGPlAXXfUPXf55q6jtYzxjIe9f5WblEJVxP7jGP0LoxovU8jlgQc/s1600/20150604_SOURCING_v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgr-zM4uVjMEQZICzCcmqZn6jydvO938JGofNHE7jJGs8zr88Fh3TWBv0K7xXCv6We3nqg7wMMVMMumhWeJTbP9frGPlAXXfUPXf55q6jtYzxjIe9f5WblEJVxP7jGP0LoxovU8jlgQc/s400/20150604_SOURCING_v2.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's start with the sourcing and yes, I included SKU numbers! (Tap to expand for clearer resolution). Unlike many makers, I was not aiming for lowest price because I was taking a penny-wise-pound-foolish view of this project. My intention was to maximize durability and longevity - I wanted to create curtains one time and then hopefully enjoy them for years to come with no additional work other than periodic laundering. Most of these materials listed above came from the Big Orange Retail Giant (BORG), aka <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/"><b>Home Depot</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This assemblage right here became the brains of this particular drapery operation.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN94WmAoGLBGYkoaG4SxAJlx1OMAiycihgoCnstpGM-2UMhEeThvbFeSYo9RnT_2m2qhCTXT5fePg4laMBz2we1sRDdYiRknRt8SbFEVS1PStjOcaMNaL2pn8cr_9UZGYKaVo6xOrLc64/s1600/1-WP_20150530_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN94WmAoGLBGYkoaG4SxAJlx1OMAiycihgoCnstpGM-2UMhEeThvbFeSYo9RnT_2m2qhCTXT5fePg4laMBz2we1sRDdYiRknRt8SbFEVS1PStjOcaMNaL2pn8cr_9UZGYKaVo6xOrLc64/s400/1-WP_20150530_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chain link fence tension band and the carriage bolt with the nickel coated brass grommet shown sandwiched in there as a sizing illustration. Half inch grommets were the best size to function with these other components. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd0qBTnadIoU8-UtxDhIAJZMDz1xqgioyK1sZOCe4pYUfLxsjntdWN1cyZFtZHUVXUpeUiBOy10RojmUvIN1NQJXii0cpzE8e-XSHVvhh5tFrfRnKpw-C6J6B0I_1x0z9PjxgTD6EHfU/s1600/1-DSC_0822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd0qBTnadIoU8-UtxDhIAJZMDz1xqgioyK1sZOCe4pYUfLxsjntdWN1cyZFtZHUVXUpeUiBOy10RojmUvIN1NQJXii0cpzE8e-XSHVvhh5tFrfRnKpw-C6J6B0I_1x0z9PjxgTD6EHfU/s400/1-DSC_0822.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">However, I made a miscalculation in my initial sourcing, and it's worth mentioning here. An avid Prime subscriber, I found this little grommet kit (tools plus 12 grommets) on Amazon, so I bought it and it proved to work very well. I then set about purchasing another two dozen nickel plated brass grommets to <b><i>finish the project.</i></b>..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy47ffpJCrvtRz7BFiFLE9LRdXKZOBaFoYZjvYyUVssBEcYYMZo7C9Wgkor5H4toWryuLmRQVP8a3RHKIqKsLy6jejELMkKB_nYMk98y_nH9-1ba3H3UTbKeks9rkn0FneZl7uoM-uQ3g/s1600/lack.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy47ffpJCrvtRz7BFiFLE9LRdXKZOBaFoYZjvYyUVssBEcYYMZo7C9Wgkor5H4toWryuLmRQVP8a3RHKIqKsLy6jejELMkKB_nYMk98y_nH9-1ba3H3UTbKeks9rkn0FneZl7uoM-uQ3g/s400/lack.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...<i><b>only to discove</b></i><b><i>r </i></b>that there is an apparent world-wide shortage of this item in this size. So instead of buying 24 more loose grommets, I was forced to buy several more of the original whole kits just to get the grommets from them. Yellow brass - yes you can buy those right now if you want them (yellow brass is severely out of style). But not the nickel plated. <u>Moral of the story</u>: Don't make assumptions. Make sure you source ALL your materials prior to starting a project like this, or else you might end up paying more than necessary for a stop-gap measure. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex6p3UNtrj7LWgI5wvNw57tLOud1uClpZ4zCrWV60dbLcy8YXszh_WNIp7KJlR74QZrCWrAURkQ0BrqMGsWBw6xwZ0XNPsdSlWQCRk-wPy2PQQueupP1XasUAx9_Ph71m8eggmVM2FJ4/s1600/1-DSC_0824-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex6p3UNtrj7LWgI5wvNw57tLOud1uClpZ4zCrWV60dbLcy8YXszh_WNIp7KJlR74QZrCWrAURkQ0BrqMGsWBw6xwZ0XNPsdSlWQCRk-wPy2PQQueupP1XasUAx9_Ph71m8eggmVM2FJ4/s400/1-DSC_0824-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grommet kit is very easy to use. You hole the fabric using the included punching tool (the kit also includes a small block of wood not shown in this pic, to place under the punching area)...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOx-GzPzIyQa7ydDlI7MY8lBkPAC2ddL_V4Sz1011vTiVRDRfoFftyM9oAxEj5r1hX1Dr1MVke_p0YFFL6T87a4u36tbAbOz2WyZbO3TrWZdQxf9JZAfdthhsypZ8uIw25FsZ0Sg8hfU/s1600/1-DSC_08253-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAOx-GzPzIyQa7ydDlI7MY8lBkPAC2ddL_V4Sz1011vTiVRDRfoFftyM9oAxEj5r1hX1Dr1MVke_p0YFFL6T87a4u36tbAbOz2WyZbO3TrWZdQxf9JZAfdthhsypZ8uIw25FsZ0Sg8hfU/s400/1-DSC_08253-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and then you use the included die set and a hammer to pound the grommet (we had a small sledge hammer that worked well). The result is a professional-looking grommet.<br />
<br />
By the way, I washed and dried on the highest heat setting all drop cloths before I began working with them, to ensure I had pre-shrunk them. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdiHFsESWwrNQa2ICOX6Fb5WpHvNhOHFVCt5NAXp8OlPssLyBztowKPkyKa6nSlKNTPjeOsZB467S323zw7MqsLEMz8arPUJS_yLnXciV9UB54ycxkYIZksvl_atZp6Ixgta03BdUWHk/s1600/1-WP_20150604_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdiHFsESWwrNQa2ICOX6Fb5WpHvNhOHFVCt5NAXp8OlPssLyBztowKPkyKa6nSlKNTPjeOsZB467S323zw7MqsLEMz8arPUJS_yLnXciV9UB54ycxkYIZksvl_atZp6Ixgta03BdUWHk/s400/1-WP_20150604_005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am omitting step-by-step details because everyone's patio is going to be different dimensions and therefore the measurements won't be transferable, but the general ideas will be similar in each case. I did my usual DIY thing and measured the project step by step as I went, roughly in this sequence - mount the hanging rods first, do the top hem and grommets next, fit individual curtains to openings, measure for the bottom hems, then complete bottom hems. Our patio is so tall that I had to be careful with my upper and lower hems. I had no extra length in the drop cloths to play with. But I did have this goofy dog to play with. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXqEAchH1qJ5wduj97Hx06AMjOvo5GPRHGAZW-FZorKV6XvcywEbl7IBhASKUQR43HfjUrUsoyk9m-hddJRdEFVEFtdFaFx4cRPWfvpPp482W-hERjlX0lXUTlMwRbDpRMKbqHwcT2jo/s1600/1-DSC_0816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXqEAchH1qJ5wduj97Hx06AMjOvo5GPRHGAZW-FZorKV6XvcywEbl7IBhASKUQR43HfjUrUsoyk9m-hddJRdEFVEFtdFaFx4cRPWfvpPp482W-hERjlX0lXUTlMwRbDpRMKbqHwcT2jo/s400/1-DSC_0816.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I basically created a shallow upper hem and chose six fence compression bands for each of the six curtain panels, simply because it "looked about right" when laid out with six.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0ve6uEUBknMhvvz81kDA6n3JKaW2T8i45lyjbGXhlYn0JPwB26s8Cqm4sEicFlTDiNnKAUn3Om-5Qd0rga7WjUkqa0rm7h958ncnE1HcifVTyNNZwsb3fAvSlnTi2aKwIT79mXuT9jY/s1600/1-DSC_08193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0ve6uEUBknMhvvz81kDA6n3JKaW2T8i45lyjbGXhlYn0JPwB26s8Cqm4sEicFlTDiNnKAUn3Om-5Qd0rga7WjUkqa0rm7h958ncnE1HcifVTyNNZwsb3fAvSlnTi2aKwIT79mXuT9jY/s400/1-DSC_08193.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did all this work on the patio itself (nice clean sealed concrete post <a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2015/06/best-concrete-patio-sealant.html"><b>here</b></a>), hauling the sewing machine and ironing board outdoors to do it. My whole point in improving this patio is that I want to use it more frequently like the full room of the house that it ought to have been functioning as all along during the past five years. That full use will require drawing the curtains when the sun is too strong or when the mosquitoes are too thick. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This might seem like a lot of work on top of a lot of expense for patio curtains, but guess what? Even if I had wanted to purchase curtains off the shelf, (a) it would have been prohibitively expensive and (b) it probably would not have been possible to purchase an appropriate product at any cost due to the sizing issues. This patio is post-tension slab integrated - it's not a block of concrete that was poured separately from the house. Because it is structural, it is sloped to the north and east so that it drains away from the exterior walls of the house. What that means is that each of the six curtains I made had to be a slightly different length in order to hang the same distance above the concrete.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKId3Zmh6PYyc3jigmT67BYh-rL8Zd9cr4Z45OhLVGBBWwPll3dvJC9WDApNm1kg9-_OOLE0NY9tWaaaPLGtsGg0Rkk_ppB7K1kXxp3ZaL6uh2fe21xboxhxYdwYB7RXRLYWXfIYBxUEY/s1600/1-DSC_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKId3Zmh6PYyc3jigmT67BYh-rL8Zd9cr4Z45OhLVGBBWwPll3dvJC9WDApNm1kg9-_OOLE0NY9tWaaaPLGtsGg0Rkk_ppB7K1kXxp3ZaL6uh2fe21xboxhxYdwYB7RXRLYWXfIYBxUEY/s400/1-DSC_0045.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another sin you will see on the internet is patio curtains that touch the ground. That might work in Las Vegas, but we have a super-wet climate, and ground-touching curtains would wick rainwater and degrade pretty quickly. Therefore I aimed for about an inch and a half of clearance to keep them out of the watery slop zone. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ4XEYrqApsB_G_qe0mzDEewZLQc63rn1s2GaOSUK_GUNoW9fWHD7mJWM4FODU5sWihhCgLaPNrSLod7mW9FxTXzcYX-Yt6dl8Xo28VixeTZGKMp7qso63ph66QMDJdkxuA8g6rNJHXI/s1600/1-DSC_00444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwQ4XEYrqApsB_G_qe0mzDEewZLQc63rn1s2GaOSUK_GUNoW9fWHD7mJWM4FODU5sWihhCgLaPNrSLod7mW9FxTXzcYX-Yt6dl8Xo28VixeTZGKMp7qso63ph66QMDJdkxuA8g6rNJHXI/s400/1-DSC_00444.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you are dealing with a pitched patio floor, the best strategy is to just pin up each pair of curtains and see what looks best, ignoring minor irregularities. Here on the north side of the patio, I barely had enough length to make a decent hem...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgf4Qq95vAWZ-lLdOD_oYZHzid9Pcasx2eAJFsXsXzrvKnCRBQustbUJebEYh1DhE98h-T28aIhm09_ymqcu5E0nEJQZ5_9xUB9QpaNtACN5RyInALH6uLvL7XwA-Yxp9tPzdkbADdfb8/s1600/1-DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgf4Qq95vAWZ-lLdOD_oYZHzid9Pcasx2eAJFsXsXzrvKnCRBQustbUJebEYh1DhE98h-T28aIhm09_ymqcu5E0nEJQZ5_9xUB9QpaNtACN5RyInALH6uLvL7XwA-Yxp9tPzdkbADdfb8/s400/1-DSC_0053.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but fourteen feet away on the south side of the patio, the distance between the floor and the ceiling was several inches shorter. So I had to hang the partially-finished curtains, find my ideal length, pin it up to that level, and then cut down those hems so that they would be the same depth as their northern counterparts. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My advice for someone dealing with sloped floors is this: Don't try to over-engineer this process. Proceed step-wise, hem the curtains, and be done with it. These are drop cloths afterall, so they are rather crude and rustic, full of imperfections. A bit of hem depth difference here and there won't be noticeable as long as they are generally consistent.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vxp3j_0tf8vN9aT2cSmQ_f5jeUC5z2C74G3l6zsLmWpPpCXaQDarD1L_2vQ5E6oRhUY83aWjhOyyPrY-d2bwBvwmN-voGoYwNOnPZGqV4KOmtlw4p54wTccmxzSRPNdE9yNCRH8tSJg/s1600/1-DSC_0821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5vxp3j_0tf8vN9aT2cSmQ_f5jeUC5z2C74G3l6zsLmWpPpCXaQDarD1L_2vQ5E6oRhUY83aWjhOyyPrY-d2bwBvwmN-voGoYwNOnPZGqV4KOmtlw4p54wTccmxzSRPNdE9yNCRH8tSJg/s400/1-DSC_0821.JPG" width="350" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one thing I will say, though, is that pinning and ironing at each step is key. You don't want the final product to turn out to look <b><i>too </i></b>crudely made.<br />
:-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfqBM-dUd__dCj7TdfYZ4Foh_Lg9pMkpxEsLHXO54pBttOOTCJvkHHzCT2bjgfVKp4un3ub-knogyr_BbXiQUCdsqIUfuLGpmbY3I7XhPfAtB0e7diEEl8HEZdhyphenhyphendnKOupPnfziUBtbc/s1600/1-DSC_005233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfqBM-dUd__dCj7TdfYZ4Foh_Lg9pMkpxEsLHXO54pBttOOTCJvkHHzCT2bjgfVKp4un3ub-knogyr_BbXiQUCdsqIUfuLGpmbY3I7XhPfAtB0e7diEEl8HEZdhyphenhyphendnKOupPnfziUBtbc/s400/1-DSC_005233.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because each curtain was a slightly different length, I "numbered" them one through six by sewing notch marks in the upper left corners with black thread. That way when I take them out of the washing machine, it will be obvious how to re-mount them to the hardware. Obviously this is curtain number three. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With every great blog post, there must be a <b><i>great reveal</i></b>. This is a tough one to make even with a wide-angle lens, but here goes.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LSV4-Jv5HqXYQiKMlh40_YtizpOtXHJVJbJ1JhGSpr_xEYlG9wZWlgDuVXvAiP7cvJzXKYiM4MPB1WtC05EE1l2ROWqwJqJeWU-hpg3SLMDNhfG-UWaVYRoWIuVytW4fz-Mr68s_KgU/s1600/1-DSC_0080-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LSV4-Jv5HqXYQiKMlh40_YtizpOtXHJVJbJ1JhGSpr_xEYlG9wZWlgDuVXvAiP7cvJzXKYiM4MPB1WtC05EE1l2ROWqwJqJeWU-hpg3SLMDNhfG-UWaVYRoWIuVytW4fz-Mr68s_KgU/s400/1-DSC_0080-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made the table runner by cutting a chunk off the bottom edge of my extra drop cloth and hemming the cut side. It ties the scene together.<br />
<br />
Information on additional design elements also seen here:<br />
<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2015/06/best-concrete-patio-sealant.html"><b>Patio concrete sealant</b></a>.<br />
<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/05/sky-is-blue-part-1-painting-patio.html"><b>Ceiling paint color</b></a>.<br />
<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-use-for-old-tv-vcr-stand.html"><b>Repurposed TV-VCR stand as outdoor sideboard</b></a> (seen in photos farther down).<br />
<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/09/balancing-browns.html"><b>Outdoor rug sourcing</b></a>.<br />
<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-upcycling-opportunity-for-ccisd-or.html"><b>Drainage culvert planters</b></a> - those contain blueberry bushes that must have specific soil chemistry (we harvested a few quarts of blueberries this year). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0RNZvMBTrcbZx21gP2XY5HkNU2BoDFs3KF26DJGXErCyaqONBPFXRAalfoeNv3ZpB4inHkdfYea6hN6HQF1sPr6dxHLJfUDI-GisL1Q8vwW5JlIZvQLRNaek2AFcPV5Cy4pTq8wtHNw/s1600/1-DSC_0050+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0RNZvMBTrcbZx21gP2XY5HkNU2BoDFs3KF26DJGXErCyaqONBPFXRAalfoeNv3ZpB4inHkdfYea6hN6HQF1sPr6dxHLJfUDI-GisL1Q8vwW5JlIZvQLRNaek2AFcPV5Cy4pTq8wtHNw/s400/1-DSC_0050+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a close-up of the galvanized pipe, chain link fence hardware, and grommet-fitted drop cloths. Two of our patio openings were between 5 and 6 feet wide, and so we installed plain rods in those. The north opening was a full ten feet wide, and so it needed the center support shown here in addition to the two end supports. If you have any doubts about how I put this three-pair assemblage together, check the sourcing list near the beginning of this post. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdXKdGePGC2sqEZraETx7DNM_9PneExr9WKMrJmJgqIRij9YhVyXSlVo0AoU5WW6Of4wg87XOELOwxFek-cUEXt2hds1WziFMnx-zTDn2cdV0N4vTG5lVFYnEA3J_zJG2j5Y1n-OQgtQ/s1600/1-DSC_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdXKdGePGC2sqEZraETx7DNM_9PneExr9WKMrJmJgqIRij9YhVyXSlVo0AoU5WW6Of4wg87XOELOwxFek-cUEXt2hds1WziFMnx-zTDn2cdV0N4vTG5lVFYnEA3J_zJG2j5Y1n-OQgtQ/s400/1-DSC_0083.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm pleased. The fabric softens up a space that was previously all concrete, brick, and cement board. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0Ax7xFMA5Rz3q35dVfaLwQE9VREvxhLrYutl4lrJdlOYPdBHrz5mc8LOwGooGOC1k9FIqePxu_Si-7e_s-D-vLwttXBGgV9zwy7N7B4D3-t8F5j-21Z3-A98l8ZsGPmiiQAFWKkMzZ0/s1600/1-DSC_008666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0Ax7xFMA5Rz3q35dVfaLwQE9VREvxhLrYutl4lrJdlOYPdBHrz5mc8LOwGooGOC1k9FIqePxu_Si-7e_s-D-vLwttXBGgV9zwy7N7B4D3-t8F5j-21Z3-A98l8ZsGPmiiQAFWKkMzZ0/s400/1-DSC_008666.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back whence I came. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIXAQD46vGlRv61f_N3mamdwqWx4p-A6519hJmB23sL4AJy3-vDhgLd7lWrTeG17qBKOgZe3sl-9VFcWu4JEfbJMB9Ph3993ds0u9K2CyDYiyMoi027S9RlU0Ur3x6PWjcfGC4XEAwwE/s1600/1-DSC_0090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIXAQD46vGlRv61f_N3mamdwqWx4p-A6519hJmB23sL4AJy3-vDhgLd7lWrTeG17qBKOgZe3sl-9VFcWu4JEfbJMB9Ph3993ds0u9K2CyDYiyMoi027S9RlU0Ur3x6PWjcfGC4XEAwwE/s400/1-DSC_0090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interior wooden table tends to get used for meals, reading, and chatting. This bistro table is usually reserved for wine. At this point, the chiminea to the left is mostly reserved for storage of home-grown onions, because obviously we cannot light a fire there LOL. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbv41q7RvXMNThaQL2x12AYLDxZDS9W6nKz9n_dhjJhYyldjU9rUpmUVdBV0lxOe5o07vgl3GVZfSlY4BNnwV1-cbeKSzbIHH_5UntdytEaMiLtABvPJy6NiOfvqrGWOgNEzm75m6HqwE/s1600/1-DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbv41q7RvXMNThaQL2x12AYLDxZDS9W6nKz9n_dhjJhYyldjU9rUpmUVdBV0lxOe5o07vgl3GVZfSlY4BNnwV1-cbeKSzbIHH_5UntdytEaMiLtABvPJy6NiOfvqrGWOgNEzm75m6HqwE/s400/1-DSC_0062.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some people put weights in the hems of their patio curtains, but I chose not to. I like to see them blowing around a bit and I am hoping that the movement will help discourage birds from entering and nesting on the patio (I had to wait until two batches of mourning doves fledged before I could even start this project). Here you see the potential of the curtains to block late-afternoon sun. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfpLfQ2L-Kw10o2cx2M0kg5-CyQqJg0H0Ns0f5xalftvbE3MI5iZ3na7HLPvSDcB1_5tImis9SqbmSMrYXbDncZPkGtSlXFXv62Hz5R9pxVWzG_timbMn6Osnx9x-P18S-lAv_8nWxQs/s1600/1-DSC_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfpLfQ2L-Kw10o2cx2M0kg5-CyQqJg0H0Ns0f5xalftvbE3MI5iZ3na7HLPvSDcB1_5tImis9SqbmSMrYXbDncZPkGtSlXFXv62Hz5R9pxVWzG_timbMn6Osnx9x-P18S-lAv_8nWxQs/s400/1-DSC_0079.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an awkward tunnel-vision photo, but this gives a sense of the effect at night. The off-white curtains, when drawn, are bright enough to bounce the porch light around sufficiently well so that I can now use the space as I would an interior room. Previously the view out each opening looked like the Black Hole of Calcutta at night. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrtBCpP5KgiMTkwJ2X91phxvG4HS4_hAUwG4pzwrkYi782OfDT_oVwm3dyEdezMgXLfRGokvVdI4z4PXFz5RVZkV0ijS7w_pGQTJxrWHRbUbmuODLeHUWoWaxQYr3LX2th06Qd5kGDNE/s1600/1-DSC_0068-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrtBCpP5KgiMTkwJ2X91phxvG4HS4_hAUwG4pzwrkYi782OfDT_oVwm3dyEdezMgXLfRGokvVdI4z4PXFz5RVZkV0ijS7w_pGQTJxrWHRbUbmuODLeHUWoWaxQYr3LX2th06Qd5kGDNE/s400/1-DSC_0068-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another night shot, <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/new-use-for-old-tv-vcr-stand.html"><b>repurposed TV-VCR stand</b></a> in the background. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Good luck with your own patio curtain project. And I must leave you with this closing meme, which is so very true of projects like this, with or without the benefit of sourcing lists!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdhrX9kgIeJCn3wEFZPp3L8Ot911b2g3T-T6h68RS564Az6GDfRkj8xnAt4ghtWoIHG3mXXGy7npeCkixaZGb_N3-OJRw7_dfy3M9LiwrGxXotzZGanqmYMzSxlT2tpcAPm1XzTXRJKM/s1600/go-to-home-depot-once.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdhrX9kgIeJCn3wEFZPp3L8Ot911b2g3T-T6h68RS564Az6GDfRkj8xnAt4ghtWoIHG3mXXGy7npeCkixaZGb_N3-OJRw7_dfy3M9LiwrGxXotzZGanqmYMzSxlT2tpcAPm1XzTXRJKM/s400/go-to-home-depot-once.jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>UPDATE JUNE 10, 2015</u>:</b><br />
What I said at the beginning of this blog post. About 48 hours after I finished this project, I was sitting in my brand new little patio oasis blissing out and enjoying the job that was finished when <i><b>this </b></i>happened:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKydRN6s1pwmA-eTnUoJK3571uL3ZSgSU17LRJ3lhQW4TS7knNP4Mcbw4Mmu2YOoqq3KVFmC6mWQrMvohGL1LRFgdk3nSYfSlEfGL57MDLs8nl32k1N1fqycD4HhDB6EWTXZJbWvYnvY/s1600/20150609_storm.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKydRN6s1pwmA-eTnUoJK3571uL3ZSgSU17LRJ3lhQW4TS7knNP4Mcbw4Mmu2YOoqq3KVFmC6mWQrMvohGL1LRFgdk3nSYfSlEfGL57MDLs8nl32k1N1fqycD4HhDB6EWTXZJbWvYnvY/s400/20150609_storm.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It came barreling out of nowhere and that purple part (the most severe storm conditions) passed straight over the top of us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All hell started breaking loose, with horizontal winds and crap flying everywhere!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm5VnTI6txT96aKpQKEBW5MbGya78NdYEg7OFfkGrnS7UP3JzQLoYxwdr3t9N7PMy7i_bMXc0xCqKFBH2sHepHrrTJpdp8kSJPnKLRccN4EeI4Fimel0SJpXXGbm5sDWCI6IBI7QOQb8/s1600/1-IMG_0064-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm5VnTI6txT96aKpQKEBW5MbGya78NdYEg7OFfkGrnS7UP3JzQLoYxwdr3t9N7PMy7i_bMXc0xCqKFBH2sHepHrrTJpdp8kSJPnKLRccN4EeI4Fimel0SJpXXGbm5sDWCI6IBI7QOQb8/s400/1-IMG_0064-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much for my peaceful moment of contemplation. You can see from the wet mirrors at left that the wind-driven rain was so strong that it traveled ten feet into the patio and hit the wall. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Prior to this event, it had not occurred to me <b><i>how heavy</i></b> these drop cloths could get when totally saturated. Not simply wet like they came out of the washing machine, but saturated. And even with all that weight, the wind still tried to pull them to horizontal - the forces were enormous. <br />
<br />
There is no question in my mind that if I had used lighter gauge hardware here, the curtains would have been ripped loose. And probably deposited in Liberty County. In sooth, a good DIY call, because they are still perfectly fine after all that.<br />
<br />
<b><u>UPDATE JUNE 13, 2015</u>:</b><br />
Oh good grief!! We can't seem to catch a break on tropical rainfall this season!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQY3XMTEe8aepBYbbFMkt-Te1HHSlRxfUG4dB0xd_gbyqhyphenhyphenAJJJLIcG2vZhFZxtrcQmJSxCZWBjrFiQpeUqkKgrfrL8yNeY9weKDj8QDCo2oIBRUgGcZzTMIfxlpCk_BkH3eucw2ciOg/s1600/20150613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQY3XMTEe8aepBYbbFMkt-Te1HHSlRxfUG4dB0xd_gbyqhyphenhyphenAJJJLIcG2vZhFZxtrcQmJSxCZWBjrFiQpeUqkKgrfrL8yNeY9weKDj8QDCo2oIBRUgGcZzTMIfxlpCk_BkH3eucw2ciOg/s400/20150613.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You don't even need to know what the colors mean. Just know that it's a LOT of rain, and they are currently predicting a 30% chance of cyclone development in the next few days.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I searched and searched the internet for ideas on how to protect patio curtains from severe weather without removing them, and found absolutely no effective ideas except for commercially-fitted plastic sheeting such as would be installed at commercial establishments (e.g., restaurant patios). I certainly wasn't going to go that route, so I decided that the Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.) principle would find good application here:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMyzyaHtsVrd3JJCqPO1P_gaz7pV-KLQs6XVUHYIdlPmqZyFfE_gQ4GC1q2kps8FPyJq9P_R_cFTYVxrkpQ9GNM9m2ZbvLdm6I8jZDebl0IAEpUJ0ZjRuzZypCRx1B_Qk7zf6wEQ7Hzc/s1600/1-DSC_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMyzyaHtsVrd3JJCqPO1P_gaz7pV-KLQs6XVUHYIdlPmqZyFfE_gQ4GC1q2kps8FPyJq9P_R_cFTYVxrkpQ9GNM9m2ZbvLdm6I8jZDebl0IAEpUJ0ZjRuzZypCRx1B_Qk7zf6wEQ7Hzc/s400/1-DSC_0096.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put a bow on 'er - she's done. I simply rolled up each curtain from the bottom and tied a length of cord around the resulting bundle, securing the cord around the galvanized pipe rod. This keeps the curtain up under the soffit and away from the deluges of rain. <br /><br /><u>Internet search strings</u>: Keep patio curtains dry, patio curtains in rain, patio curtain protection, outdoor curtain shielding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So far this morning we have probably had two inches of rain, and everything is still high and dry.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwOL7AkIGvf9jqcbq9nPgkyuppuYv_PMKH2mefIdOd3MswwS5Mthm6sbAOqe7wFk9uKIbGVmrGMrlfnmRGczmTEmz5Ybb792XmtGaOoZtsvGWkGHTgfRxeRn7OpzS6UnNxAVT2FF1hEM/s1600/1-DSC_0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqwOL7AkIGvf9jqcbq9nPgkyuppuYv_PMKH2mefIdOd3MswwS5Mthm6sbAOqe7wFk9uKIbGVmrGMrlfnmRGczmTEmz5Ybb792XmtGaOoZtsvGWkGHTgfRxeRn7OpzS6UnNxAVT2FF1hEM/s400/1-DSC_0098.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wouldn't go to this much trouble for a normal short-term rainfall event, but what we've got going on right now is not going to be normal. This too shall pass, and my patio will once again let its hair down. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-91651578729441141262015-06-06T16:40:00.000-07:002015-06-06T16:42:28.655-07:00Best concrete patio sealant<b><u>Answer</u></b>: I do not know which is the best sealant, but in this post I show two products that appear to have some promise.<br />
<br />
But first, a rant. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWYn9Pwuu6wuhZL7Qb5s26FqGFPFGvpyfjWf5XY1MI3tX9-RzI_hMDI8ix_sePWR_ho8sN2DjQNjVurXGDVD4bkmTjrGrt9jd0lVCdiMfaEqdIa5olLy-ZNL5CzL_kAsiJZqUrXEd9IQ/s1600/rant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWYn9Pwuu6wuhZL7Qb5s26FqGFPFGvpyfjWf5XY1MI3tX9-RzI_hMDI8ix_sePWR_ho8sN2DjQNjVurXGDVD4bkmTjrGrt9jd0lVCdiMfaEqdIa5olLy-ZNL5CzL_kAsiJZqUrXEd9IQ/s400/rant.JPG" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually I <i><b>do </b></i>always rant. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/03/fence-stain-revisited.html"><b>this previous post</b></a>, I wondered aloud why Houstonians tend <b><i>not </i></b>to maintain their fences with pressure washing and stain. In our land of cheap housing, we live in gorgeous McMansions, most of which are surrounding by cedar enclosures that reflect appalling neglect, or at least an incongruent plain-ness.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUngJQrvOE6V3kG1TAxGREebsxwzA6T-MJCk-aqqiHJBMa4SXkGANr5bWZC1elM2cHRPf1OyDZ4TezPRYI41hxvtPbUGxkpcsOXz-hsSfPiXUplbWdIAM1Qlm9WEj-9XGtMcSSos5a3s/s1600/before-after.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUngJQrvOE6V3kG1TAxGREebsxwzA6T-MJCk-aqqiHJBMa4SXkGANr5bWZC1elM2cHRPf1OyDZ4TezPRYI41hxvtPbUGxkpcsOXz-hsSfPiXUplbWdIAM1Qlm9WEj-9XGtMcSSos5a3s/s400/before-after.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's simply no comparison: Our backyard four years ago in its very early stages of development, before and after fence staining. For a few bucks and a few hours of time, this, too, could be your look. Pics from <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2011/04/fence-fantastic.html"><b>this post</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It is with a similar degree of exasperation that I wonder why most Houstonians do not clean and finish-seal their concrete.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJj477Ejiggs3dQ-ZiH-zY_i2jGh2XnYhN0XqBkxfnbsfRlfF4-Pf1N81iV8luaEkeu4E9mtPnvWlfNC6H3G626hSt0JF1XDSGYqiDU-bANHzU98UUX54UdzbHvIvG3y-A3o3AXvr9py4/s1600/1-DSC_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJj477Ejiggs3dQ-ZiH-zY_i2jGh2XnYhN0XqBkxfnbsfRlfF4-Pf1N81iV8luaEkeu4E9mtPnvWlfNC6H3G626hSt0JF1XDSGYqiDU-bANHzU98UUX54UdzbHvIvG3y-A3o3AXvr9py4/s400/1-DSC_0443.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This type of blackness and despair is the eventual result of non-action. At left you see the edge of our concrete patio, freshly pressure-washed. At right you see a concrete paver stone that has not yet been pressure washed. Prior to washing, the appearance of the patio essentially matched that of the stone to the right. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not only is this kind of mildew and algae build-up unsightly, it's dangerous because it's very slippery when wet. More than once I have nearly broken my neck after losing my footing in this area.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the remedial choices are few, especially if you do NOT want an epoxy or "wet look" sealant, both of which I think make outdoor concrete look plastic and fake. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb_Bd1MErftK5FAjwVccUknmHv7S3sfXQPUcVtCB8-RY8vNRXSAIYIBBrXfVu_0BmHVE3Tr-rpXiN0ybVY8ARuHkOT1OTzX376UTPY9BtBMJRO-8LF6UnU5eNgYVd6WIGLPCaS4hyHfk/s1600/chart-excerpt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheb_Bd1MErftK5FAjwVccUknmHv7S3sfXQPUcVtCB8-RY8vNRXSAIYIBBrXfVu_0BmHVE3Tr-rpXiN0ybVY8ARuHkOT1OTzX376UTPY9BtBMJRO-8LF6UnU5eNgYVd6WIGLPCaS4hyHfk/s400/chart-excerpt.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.concretenetwork.com/products-sealer/comparison.html">This chart</a> </b>summarizes the choices, which basically fall into four categories, only one of which (that excerpted above) maintains natural looking concrete. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's the kicker, though: Perhaps because concrete sealing is not very popular in this area, few products in the silane / siloxane / silicate class were for sale locally. (The other probable reason for the non-availability is that, here in the deep south, we don't have to worry about frost damage to our concrete, and frost damage is what these things were intended to prevent). After doing additional research, we settled upon <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/DRIVEHARD-1-gal-Premium-Concrete-Weatherproofer-and-Fortifier-1GDH/202938261"><b>Drivehard Concrete and Masonry Weatherproofer</b></a> for our main patio, which we had to order for delivery.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NWu553YfrkM1xc82v0c3th2LI_IsQGz9JOWJcBuaENHVrJx8KDGR2YUTT5WcZsM2j7TBTFisedbRWpozX8USf6CVc0csymmHI68OPkBfVPzxtcA62tE68Rg9uNCbvRfUgQY6POI6huE/s1600/1-DSC_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NWu553YfrkM1xc82v0c3th2LI_IsQGz9JOWJcBuaENHVrJx8KDGR2YUTT5WcZsM2j7TBTFisedbRWpozX8USf6CVc0csymmHI68OPkBfVPzxtcA62tE68Rg9uNCbvRfUgQY6POI6huE/s400/1-DSC_0036.JPG" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like this and is described as being a "nano-silicone / silicate" based product. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
However, we have two patios, and with so little information to go on, we were not sure which formulation would work best in our climate. Therefore, we also bought this other option which was available locally at big-box hardware stores. We figured we'd compare the performance of the two over time, one on each patio.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6PCdkINg6uovKDwexamRoJA1I3P01pNsBuPCXvCQEhnSqlY2CpnAJVp6jheJdNLp4krPGmCMmugWNlaKkdWnNPIw-Ndk3GeNlAXI3cWc9NvB4hskdmYe_clbUsssEpcLvh1Jy1kKGno/s1600/1-DSC_0038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie6PCdkINg6uovKDwexamRoJA1I3P01pNsBuPCXvCQEhnSqlY2CpnAJVp6jheJdNLp4krPGmCMmugWNlaKkdWnNPIw-Ndk3GeNlAXI3cWc9NvB4hskdmYe_clbUsssEpcLvh1Jy1kKGno/s400/1-DSC_0038.JPG" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.behr.com/consumer/products/floor-coatings-sealers-and-prep/concrete-and-masonry-protector-and-waterproofer">Behr Premium Protector and Waterproofer</a>.</b> It is described mostly as a silicone product, whatever that means. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Especially this year with the abnormally high rainfall we have been having, it has been a struggle to keep both patios even slightly clean.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLG6KRgwS71rpyaRZcaY-ZOqrDSIL4SvORB_tMrrRoH9TZegiPanMj-kSaw12MaoSOpBjdS2Rn5wUHX_svBX99SaVDP5Uwwq68akBFIdOBiHXqRBQ00buSzC7sGEZe6Scr5jHs47w3no/s1600/1-DSC_0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBLG6KRgwS71rpyaRZcaY-ZOqrDSIL4SvORB_tMrrRoH9TZegiPanMj-kSaw12MaoSOpBjdS2Rn5wUHX_svBX99SaVDP5Uwwq68akBFIdOBiHXqRBQ00buSzC7sGEZe6Scr5jHs47w3no/s400/1-DSC_0241.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had initially pressure washed earlier this spring and then was waiting for a dry day to apply the sealant. Well, with all the rain, a dry day did not arrive, and meanwhile, this is the amount of algae that re-grew just within a matter of weeks. I had to pressure wash all over again as if the first washing never even happened. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HXSEzs7WFgtPFMK_8TQtZMX9T4B1mW7jPeeAXmC992Ypa15H-KYSNfPKapecA2STlLWhjHetlgVC0A9aeUHNMbEqdqEyEidbVZn7gLjObCD2vU1Mlbl5MzpstWmRDpzWRGkESh85NZI/s1600/1-DSC_0578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HXSEzs7WFgtPFMK_8TQtZMX9T4B1mW7jPeeAXmC992Ypa15H-KYSNfPKapecA2STlLWhjHetlgVC0A9aeUHNMbEqdqEyEidbVZn7gLjObCD2vU1Mlbl5MzpstWmRDpzWRGkESh85NZI/s400/1-DSC_0578.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a test spot of the <b>Behr </b>product on our smaller patio. I had put down the tape because when the concrete is dry, it's impossible to see where the product was applied. But you sure can see the application when the un-treated concrete gets rained on. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Kf7YE4ZVS4D4lLcMXnDiRnxEpJWbvmOufEwf2hvcXrfZY-b2kyzSiPxl6CUh2bj68EBC3UV5qfY8WUabG8JDzNhCBoifCwE6sxWBvm3SWmYQJ8zEa1GL6iOuQ3m3far8XzL3-aLo8Dk/s1600/1-DSC_0244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Kf7YE4ZVS4D4lLcMXnDiRnxEpJWbvmOufEwf2hvcXrfZY-b2kyzSiPxl6CUh2bj68EBC3UV5qfY8WUabG8JDzNhCBoifCwE6sxWBvm3SWmYQJ8zEa1GL6iOuQ3m3far8XzL3-aLo8Dk/s400/1-DSC_0244.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view of the <b>Drivehard </b>product application in progress on our larger patio. It goes down like plain water. I did not just apply one coat - I went over it, and over it, <i><b>and over it</b></i>, each time making a new pass to add more product to areas where the concrete soaked up the initial roll-out. The instructions say that you can do this as long as the initial coat does not completely dry in between applications. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvZKGTX-9iPEhyphenhyphenB_5SgyYKfJe4b0OVw8wu4z_mpmijKQn5HkLPE3XPalfk-5dUPgpf4wYSTq8_TkMUbkbYuTI5g0d4-wQmOTTlsxiuIU7Z8gmkmx-6LsjBOs6fvV5j3pVRcWtooHvCI/s1600/1-DSC_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvZKGTX-9iPEhyphenhyphenB_5SgyYKfJe4b0OVw8wu4z_mpmijKQn5HkLPE3XPalfk-5dUPgpf4wYSTq8_TkMUbkbYuTI5g0d4-wQmOTTlsxiuIU7Z8gmkmx-6LsjBOs6fvV5j3pVRcWtooHvCI/s400/1-DSC_0326.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a finished view of the larger patio while it is partly wet and partly dry. If you look carefully, you can see that the edges beyond the concrete seam have some standing water, but the sealant excludes a lot of it from soaking in, such that it no longer darkens when wet. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgOLquRo2Lena9jDlVOKWa7xcRMK2tL8hIJJM_KZ31HnL5NKrqZvq76xZQ-9ARFDzpGs3JFKGv-RGOTKNnaD2AoshvIiyM2YTOjO1HMDOqbPYpJANDY-6fSCCXydfo88p9ruWC5PumaY/s1600/1-DSC_0328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgOLquRo2Lena9jDlVOKWa7xcRMK2tL8hIJJM_KZ31HnL5NKrqZvq76xZQ-9ARFDzpGs3JFKGv-RGOTKNnaD2AoshvIiyM2YTOjO1HMDOqbPYpJANDY-6fSCCXydfo88p9ruWC5PumaY/s400/1-DSC_0328.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a close-up view of the treated concrete. Some water does still penetrate, but a lot of it beads on the surface. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Both products performed as advertised in that they did not leave a visible residue or coating. The concrete on both patios still looks "natural" and uncoated. I will re-edit this post in the future with a verdict if one proves to be superior to the other.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlYaboG_kJPGdhvr5h15BpCP0MGabw06ot8wlOH526OvdJbtPt6jnYXSa_k_ppQgXZBOwyEh8YqQfdPzDSQPgxI3povADGI_RM_Gf1aOk25cQKK9O2xYhpzKKbU5Lk6dYJz9k1vBhWck/s1600/57380728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlYaboG_kJPGdhvr5h15BpCP0MGabw06ot8wlOH526OvdJbtPt6jnYXSa_k_ppQgXZBOwyEh8YqQfdPzDSQPgxI3povADGI_RM_Gf1aOk25cQKK9O2xYhpzKKbU5Lk6dYJz9k1vBhWck/s400/57380728.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is the first of two posts that will celebrate that fact. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-91223193152164078492015-03-05T06:38:00.001-08:002015-03-05T06:51:23.730-08:00How blinding is too blinding? LED advertising in League CityWhen are we going to set reasonable limits on the likes of this nonsense?!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3D1-84Tui7a6Ldr-6zSTkoZP7PuHghlNmLQuFtAjYWyPoHDG91HdGB9NLKzWp2ONfq4d8xG8dhLkx-sTNKKW4qqzoKDRXI2XyPaMMQgIbdy-uGLrTXwfz5td4O7HJ9E4ohr6ZR6imyw/s1600/1-WP_20150304_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3D1-84Tui7a6Ldr-6zSTkoZP7PuHghlNmLQuFtAjYWyPoHDG91HdGB9NLKzWp2ONfq4d8xG8dhLkx-sTNKKW4qqzoKDRXI2XyPaMMQgIbdy-uGLrTXwfz5td4O7HJ9E4ohr6ZR6imyw/s1600/1-WP_20150304_005.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LED business advertising sign on Highway 3, looking southbound toward the Walker Street intersection in the background. The picture is a bit blurry because my telephone could not cope with the over-exposure - it messed up its ability to focus. And if this sign did that to my high-tech phone, what do you suppose it did to my geriatric eyeballs? </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How many million megawatts of illumination are we going to permit before we start realizing that these new-fangled signs are completely blinding to motorists? Especially older motorists whose eyes are no longer capable of adjusting quickly? For an average older adult in good health, I estimate that they would experience a minimum of 10 seconds of visual impairment because of this thing - at least 5 seconds of being blinded during the approach to the sign, and at least 5 more seconds of perceiving abnormal darkness as the age-stiffened pupils slowly re-expanded to a degree appropriate to functioning in ambient night lighting. During that 10 second period of impaired vision at this location, their car would travel at least 500 feet, during which I believe they would be seeing much less than they rightfully ought to be. And that is downright dangerous. <br />
<br />
I am not in favor of increased government regulation such as <i><b>sign illumination ordinances (hint, hint) </b></i>but apparently common sense is not going to prevail on this one (I took this pic while walking my dog last night, but this is by no means the only such sign in League City). And apparently we haven't yet had time for case law to deal with it either. I'm not an attorney, but if someone blinds me in the roadway such that I run over a pedestrian whom I am prevented from seeing as a result of that blinding, then I would guess that both I and the pedestrian have a claim against the person who inflicted the blinding. And if we can't act on that claim, I'm guessing that subrogation might get the job done for us.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyjKyKKf5p_gd7j0x1JrjyYlLjcHlnUvnUHNuJnCgggsP88WEmqgfMU5QLMepBJ93dZ15ERIVxDrMexsDzW40CBHRgqaDOhU8YmTIYSsfn8cMSuWa02csiTSVPyyP5VJ27X-7Maf0gFY/s1600/subrogation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyjKyKKf5p_gd7j0x1JrjyYlLjcHlnUvnUHNuJnCgggsP88WEmqgfMU5QLMepBJ93dZ15ERIVxDrMexsDzW40CBHRgqaDOhU8YmTIYSsfn8cMSuWa02csiTSVPyyP5VJ27X-7Maf0gFY/s1600/subrogation.JPG" height="117" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Google screengrab on the subject of subrogation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But is it really necessary to let it get that far? Why can we not, as a society, realize that certain things are just plain stupid and then decline to do those things in the first place? Instead, apparently we have to escalate into <i><b>Sign Wars</b></i> until someone (a City Council maybe?) draws the line and says <b>"when"</b>. Ugh...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEleGOozwAI0epmx6yP3K4OnS01Ah3Ynql4Arab300pNj_llgFEQ9d373pIX8yndbTW7bTRlnuba1v-OEmSdXkQt0PYI7hTerlE5w_wjDb4C9V147q5wW6-M3OJyvGZCK-AeB21ZK6-w/s1600/blind-meme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEleGOozwAI0epmx6yP3K4OnS01Ah3Ynql4Arab300pNj_llgFEQ9d373pIX8yndbTW7bTRlnuba1v-OEmSdXkQt0PYI7hTerlE5w_wjDb4C9V147q5wW6-M3OJyvGZCK-AeB21ZK6-w/s1600/blind-meme.JPG" height="400" width="325" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-1023865935305318732015-02-12T07:11:00.000-08:002015-02-12T07:11:14.360-08:00Upcycling scrap Parallam into a benchWell, it's been just about forever since I've done a DIY post on this blog, mainly because the hubster and I have been customizing an RV that I've got showcased on a separate and unrelated blog. But I'm going to interject a new DIY post now in part because Centerpointe Section 9 turns five years old this week, and this project is <i>a propos</i> of our original construction, which seems like only yesterday.<br />
<br />
Being the proud owner of only the third build site that was sold in this 75-home section of the subdivision, I spent almost two years watching every possible construction scenario unfold here. I was constantly bothered by the degree of waste that was occurring. A giant heap of construction debris would form unceremoniously in the front yard of each new house as it was going up, and most of it was actually valuable stuff. I would go around pilfering the piles, documenting my dealings with cell phone pics in case I ever had to prove that I wasn't "stealing" valuable construction supplies. Because you really couldn't tell the difference, eh? If I was discovered trotting happily down Arlington Pointe with a wheelbarrow full of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Chalk"><b>Austin Chalk</b></a>, who's to say I didn't pull it off the new stone pallets instead of from the dump sites?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RKAOVpIpD6j449A9WSxhOoPdfhyUJwv9WoT7ZzUfZplhH-mIV-HWeSVkLJO3wkYXnQRkVHbX46XBnJkn76n-gqlox783Bukhqw0o84Q5vL4OXStCt7lE613I-aMZlQowD2_Wxfd5HBA/s1600/picard-recycle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RKAOVpIpD6j449A9WSxhOoPdfhyUJwv9WoT7ZzUfZplhH-mIV-HWeSVkLJO3wkYXnQRkVHbX46XBnJkn76n-gqlox783Bukhqw0o84Q5vL4OXStCt7lE613I-aMZlQowD2_Wxfd5HBA/s1600/picard-recycle.JPG" height="278" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean recycle - I don't mean five-finger discount. Oh, waitaminute - I actually mean <b><i>up</i></b>cycle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of my rescues was of a section of <a href="http://www.woodbywy.com/trus-joist/parallam-psl-beams/"><b>Parallam</b> </a>left over from the construction of our very own four-car garage.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvfsZdgbGjsKynAozb9m7n40XC5TvootSj8Gz2iGh6597pkiUsgzjLRozChTrSrx3fhyEJECHRlGhAcLBr8l9dZjsKjRMDEhciut4bH_pRpKmNHafLMy6igWQNfSBx4aYlBFlQrgCGWw/s1600/1-DSC_0755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvfsZdgbGjsKynAozb9m7n40XC5TvootSj8Gz2iGh6597pkiUsgzjLRozChTrSrx3fhyEJECHRlGhAcLBr8l9dZjsKjRMDEhciut4bH_pRpKmNHafLMy6igWQNfSBx4aYlBFlQrgCGWw/s1600/1-DSC_0755.JPG" height="343" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a great big sucker, as garages go, and there were several Parallam beams supporting the roof load. You can see two of them here, at right angles to each other. The piece I rescued from the trash pile was trimmed from one of those. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28UTYC4uqU9c8vfD14qEHYm42kIt4vRR4sRnDzbmdTS8ipSLCqEALlYtAE9YMFet1Eu5cNKhn5HQLATJKVReZZkIgLKbdH3UzVIK_wwlwSpF_aaURjgsFnMD_NJHQ1EVEyLzzuOa6UFo/s1600/1-DSC_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28UTYC4uqU9c8vfD14qEHYm42kIt4vRR4sRnDzbmdTS8ipSLCqEALlYtAE9YMFet1Eu5cNKhn5HQLATJKVReZZkIgLKbdH3UzVIK_wwlwSpF_aaURjgsFnMD_NJHQ1EVEyLzzuOa6UFo/s1600/1-DSC_0111.JPG" height="283" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parallam is freakish-looking stuff - this is a view of the end grain of my scrap piece, post-finishing. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For five long years, I hoarded that unwieldy piece of Parallam...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3c9N9I9A-jajdMHsEacv5p2AQtaoPovlHKMKR9oOEKDyxdJI9L5E_CXRyiRrU3h5nNT-5l28kxps3S27Sg4JFuFzcHxMey_JJ6dL9GgeexNWta-eGR8k7wgLVKfQTZ0ylg_Q9dhN-Ks/s1600/walken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3c9N9I9A-jajdMHsEacv5p2AQtaoPovlHKMKR9oOEKDyxdJI9L5E_CXRyiRrU3h5nNT-5l28kxps3S27Sg4JFuFzcHxMey_JJ6dL9GgeexNWta-eGR8k7wgLVKfQTZ0ylg_Q9dhN-Ks/s1600/walken.JPG" height="288" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and I'm <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kngBtoylIVM"><b>channeling Christopher Walken</b></a> as I say that...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
...until finally I resolved to complete my originally-conceived mission and make a bench out of it.<br />
<br />
Trouble was, my house is already chock full of furniture and I <i>didn't need</i> a bench - at least not a conventional 18-inch high sitting bench. I needed a squat bench, which could be used for several purposes that I will explain in a moment. Here is how I constructed it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC_cJOGuMfuIhzrkwChsFv7bJ9C7KaC4rclrb9lphwwnHxddxTzD9NvnTDhypwOnqd-KLnb2ECTsRmGPYtK_xGTRmRHEVEeaydPZCsWzsavtwvtYtxLxCfKE9izDe3SP4qcirt1_f3ww/s1600/1-WP_20150118_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC_cJOGuMfuIhzrkwChsFv7bJ9C7KaC4rclrb9lphwwnHxddxTzD9NvnTDhypwOnqd-KLnb2ECTsRmGPYtK_xGTRmRHEVEeaydPZCsWzsavtwvtYtxLxCfKE9izDe3SP4qcirt1_f3ww/s1600/1-WP_20150118_002.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My squat bench would have low legs so that it could be placed alternatively under a window sill or in front of the fireplace. The Parallam scrap was bloody heavy - over forty pounds - and so those legs needed to be robust. I bought a standard piece of four-inch pine post and with the help of my better half, chopped four legs each about six inches high. After allowing them a few weeks to dry, I primed them and painted them using the same paint as is on our fireplace. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVZprZ_m73391Aw3q0KcLujirLvB56bTtlqyV08SAmrI7Bcy1gN30j4QndqKa0wT3wxGl1ZYDCqSb51lP1rC3Jt9PtO5ysd9Yzyfk2_A4rq3wZH2LTK1ZZxxqfbK8S50dAXq353Xt6f8/s1600/1-DSC_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVZprZ_m73391Aw3q0KcLujirLvB56bTtlqyV08SAmrI7Bcy1gN30j4QndqKa0wT3wxGl1ZYDCqSb51lP1rC3Jt9PtO5ysd9Yzyfk2_A4rq3wZH2LTK1ZZxxqfbK8S50dAXq353Xt6f8/s1600/1-DSC_0056.JPG" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the bracket that I used to attach the legs to the Parallam slab. About a buck and a half each at Lowes. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU2TauUGQylfeHGmCGA-mGJSmsRen88GiToPEyjLaD56SG_oBkcuT0iNc6O-AZY6ySajux4IaKlYEv-WUbRwswbvdfAPQ1JOG-Tkd1hQG_7Jc1hT-1g2dkRS9anEpTylZwJTRrw5nxfk/s1600/1-DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYU2TauUGQylfeHGmCGA-mGJSmsRen88GiToPEyjLaD56SG_oBkcuT0iNc6O-AZY6ySajux4IaKlYEv-WUbRwswbvdfAPQ1JOG-Tkd1hQG_7Jc1hT-1g2dkRS9anEpTylZwJTRrw5nxfk/s1600/1-DSC_0054.JPG" height="335" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These structural pieces were not intended for finish carpentry, of course, and I had to cut off these tabbed ends to give the piece a finished look. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq3qgP32i3O-aBO7eRS0OHqDXen_5wIVljcJ7iA520YVOT3nhFeb0uRzzSXIhnvCVNtOt79BcEh_XR0VWwC8DeDqbqgEJkKxITWLGP8b6Ku4MCvOD5s4b0T9gUPJkmekbPA_0pS11ZSQ/s1600/1-DSC_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkq3qgP32i3O-aBO7eRS0OHqDXen_5wIVljcJ7iA520YVOT3nhFeb0uRzzSXIhnvCVNtOt79BcEh_XR0VWwC8DeDqbqgEJkKxITWLGP8b6Ku4MCvOD5s4b0T9gUPJkmekbPA_0pS11ZSQ/s1600/1-DSC_0065.JPG" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A chick and her power tools... it's a beautiful thing. Dremel, in this case.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGKer9eJ7GAQsSpKmgXhh65pB0ytaejwaqQXQURZjBcfSEjmu0yFkY2_2uvTFBYTWFglW_dVfG1gA8aHXpJBY24lpBfGc88JqNcoDOZ0XqqIrO9QQlnlAD5Wr-CIXTNGoqZFhdPDU_DM/s1600/1-DSC_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheGKer9eJ7GAQsSpKmgXhh65pB0ytaejwaqQXQURZjBcfSEjmu0yFkY2_2uvTFBYTWFglW_dVfG1gA8aHXpJBY24lpBfGc88JqNcoDOZ0XqqIrO9QQlnlAD5Wr-CIXTNGoqZFhdPDU_DM/s1600/1-DSC_0073.JPG" height="400" width="396" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So then the deal is that you need to attach the brackets to the legs first. I used drywall screws here because I'm sick and tired of buying new hardware for every project that comes along. The drywall screws stick out a bit, but they are not visible on the finished bench. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnjsiEI2MOI72DujUddXQZJfh1ABPVNhnyZuMbpZBekWrr38h9ekNq8Eyu_kA6HkgYj9Nnm1uqF7toRTLbd7O8Md_UsKaSbG_5jnTKx2wZpzR3RsVvcbjnHe38hI03uFvQfn2COiGbtI/s1600/1-DSC_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsnjsiEI2MOI72DujUddXQZJfh1ABPVNhnyZuMbpZBekWrr38h9ekNq8Eyu_kA6HkgYj9Nnm1uqF7toRTLbd7O8Md_UsKaSbG_5jnTKx2wZpzR3RsVvcbjnHe38hI03uFvQfn2COiGbtI/s1600/1-DSC_0070.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In order to prepare the Parallam scrap itself, I sanded it and gave it about ten coats of polyurethane, also sanding between successive coats. Parallam is rather splintery and was never intended for furniture construction, but that's just a minor annoyance. It looks so cool that I wanted to finish it. <br /><br />That's my husband helping me to determine an optimal leg placement. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwu5zRfXQpPTwagC7kSkQKMINzJP4ebS4vfqNQdZoneXGR9Yu6hOaabFRPqNv0vtkYf5fnqr02vj0J2EQ-PPcz99JmtPj0ENKr_SELfkdNHCitmgExfkvxNECo1LQHBwc4bxwTHCNIzE/s1600/1-DSC_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwu5zRfXQpPTwagC7kSkQKMINzJP4ebS4vfqNQdZoneXGR9Yu6hOaabFRPqNv0vtkYf5fnqr02vj0J2EQ-PPcz99JmtPj0ENKr_SELfkdNHCitmgExfkvxNECo1LQHBwc4bxwTHCNIzE/s1600/1-DSC_0079.JPG" height="352" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the underside, two of four legs attached. There is no bracket portion showing from the front or side of the finished bench.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRWUjPT79qJmIm9iW1yhF9NWRHz_upY3Dvar0rGHyHwYZTrZgfUmMzl0nKZKx-fbSk7EhMhYoVm4LOEFNiaCi8h-pm4yzojQyukDaXTz4xTRJFaBS4ANoqcdXvWGnzY4jvXiiO2_DriQ/s1600/1-DSC_0098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRWUjPT79qJmIm9iW1yhF9NWRHz_upY3Dvar0rGHyHwYZTrZgfUmMzl0nKZKx-fbSk7EhMhYoVm4LOEFNiaCi8h-pm4yzojQyukDaXTz4xTRJFaBS4ANoqcdXvWGnzY4jvXiiO2_DriQ/s1600/1-DSC_0098.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Et voila - the finished product <i>in situ</i>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Allow me to insert this delightful aside:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4umlVICObiY8r0-CcTl_uZaQkdNUZUZ2tF1dUyoSH66X87RVdrxslm4iKVhhHFcDGqOO_DATBeIBqvgKWz45bzc4tgF24SlDHzagBq-Js-WNIMhXRUXLEW91ePnfeASjh9n9Ex5GGuGc/s1600/1-DSC_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4umlVICObiY8r0-CcTl_uZaQkdNUZUZ2tF1dUyoSH66X87RVdrxslm4iKVhhHFcDGqOO_DATBeIBqvgKWz45bzc4tgF24SlDHzagBq-Js-WNIMhXRUXLEW91ePnfeASjh9n9Ex5GGuGc/s1600/1-DSC_0893.JPG" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost two years ago, I published a post titled "<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/modernizing-traditional-home-design_29.html"><b>Modernizing a traditional home design with color, Part 1: Fireplace make-over</b></a>" in which I described how one could spend less than two <i><b>hundred</b></i> dollars on natural slate tile and paint and achieve a fireplace look that was similar to a two <b><i>thousand</i></b> dollar all-stone fireplace. My version is obviously not quite as grand, but it has analogous visual impact and focal-point weight at only one tenth of the typical cost. Judging from the blog stats, it was a very popular post and I was probably the first person to do this - but others have since followed suit. And every time I see someone channeling "my" fireplace on <a href="http://www.hgtv.com/"><b>HGTV</b></a>, I pause the program and take a commemorative pic of the fireplaces side by side, as this example shows. So, yay design coup on this idea. I appear to have influenced the course of residential design in America. Many of the others even appear to be using the same shade of paint (<a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_94101-4-40042BOCEANSTORM_0__?productId=3330924"><b>Valspar Ocean Storm</b></a>).<br /><br />BTW, speaking of the five year anniversary of Centerpointe Section 9, you can tell that our TV is also five years old - the wide outer border is a dead giveaway of its advanced age (the body is also much thicker than current models). It was cutting edge technology five years ago but it's obsolete today. That's fine with me because we don't have to worry about anyone stealing it any more - it's no longer worth anything to speak of!<br />:-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
OK, back to my Parallam story.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S5FpkkQlZ5iznDbunwEZy-KDf5jkaSb_S4pI87WwluzEu2jUIlEi-Htip2vV3xv2SQQedMP-X_H2rRKSeM5P7itxXmEJ__AcFvt87NxsweSduv8D5zbJcM0GyG7TB2xe_snYz6e9huU/s1600/1-DSC_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4S5FpkkQlZ5iznDbunwEZy-KDf5jkaSb_S4pI87WwluzEu2jUIlEi-Htip2vV3xv2SQQedMP-X_H2rRKSeM5P7itxXmEJ__AcFvt87NxsweSduv8D5zbJcM0GyG7TB2xe_snYz6e9huU/s1600/1-DSC_0099.JPG" height="258" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the close-up. I've become quite the wimp in my old age, and every time we have one of those horrible damp freezing cold Houston winter days, I pull this bench out a bit and plop myself down in front of the open flame, dreaming of July temperatures. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But it's not just the fireplace that this bench was designed to serve.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ07bjZR1PNv_xXGnwD2qmTJEKrowfmXekvQipwpRNmGQvo5-VeoeTtsXn0G9Qe0cu3sgQ1XEZBc6evwnJ1V8_fGylZWXZ1m2532VQGFjorNnQ3OOwpAUWHPx3EcJrWeH9qrO358E1aLo/s1600/1-DSC_0103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ07bjZR1PNv_xXGnwD2qmTJEKrowfmXekvQipwpRNmGQvo5-VeoeTtsXn0G9Qe0cu3sgQ1XEZBc6evwnJ1V8_fGylZWXZ1m2532VQGFjorNnQ3OOwpAUWHPx3EcJrWeH9qrO358E1aLo/s1600/1-DSC_0103.JPG" height="347" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's also an under-window bench. This is my second bloom cycle for this orchid, which prefers this <i><b>exact</b></i> spot at my home office window. Trouble is, it got too big to sit on the window ledge proper, so it needs something else to sit on. I can move the bench here in warmer times when I don't need it in front of the fireplace to help the warming of my ancient bones.<br /><br />You can also see my <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/12/using-area-rugs-as-wall-art.html"><b>oft-discussed principle of cross-referencing</b></a> in this photo (what HGTV designers call "repetition"). The legs of the conference table, squat bench, and cabinet are all three different woods and different finishes, but they are all square, so they still look like they go together. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not bad for a $15 investment of brackets, polyurethane, and wood for the legs, wouldn't you say? My only regret is that I wasn't better five years ago at pilfering other peoples' Parallam scraps, because I really could use one or two more of these little benches. I can see that now that I have finally completed this one after five full years of not quite getting around to it. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSM_lF8YCiIA62jfCnqpLWWw9ng4zC7HpXhTA1z1SipH-8ZZUpj-ctpMBVJLITZZ3Lh6iqFHDEwXL9OVCRnaOZ4DmVL00A5YSHVlmEoZwuDi_NlR_iPeFbfGcY4EkQq-7DKc7LtlGnIQ/s1600/1-DSC_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSM_lF8YCiIA62jfCnqpLWWw9ng4zC7HpXhTA1z1SipH-8ZZUpj-ctpMBVJLITZZ3Lh6iqFHDEwXL9OVCRnaOZ4DmVL00A5YSHVlmEoZwuDi_NlR_iPeFbfGcY4EkQq-7DKc7LtlGnIQ/s1600/1-DSC_0107.JPG" height="295" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because you <i><b>have</b></i> to have stuff to support your orchids. Life would not be complete without orchids. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-3612963790119216132015-01-21T07:39:00.001-08:002015-01-21T07:39:35.808-08:00Thanks extended to the "Money Mike" juryI should have more faith in our local juries. I should have more faith in our local society, but at times its collective wisdom gets drowned out by distorted national commercial news media rhetoric that seeks to elevate victimhood into something akin to sainthood. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUlpjFGpz7WZQ1JQ6AYXbeTmH4K8TLitqx65OlqkWPHQEDKRL3eoFCYhE12C2gTVebpU1qdsBw7V-iOFpnUII-EuR6wwb1VOGFDEatVlSf0OrYFTFp36Z4ogWW_eZlb4iFgulQIjBCpQ/s1600/victim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUlpjFGpz7WZQ1JQ6AYXbeTmH4K8TLitqx65OlqkWPHQEDKRL3eoFCYhE12C2gTVebpU1qdsBw7V-iOFpnUII-EuR6wwb1VOGFDEatVlSf0OrYFTFp36Z4ogWW_eZlb4iFgulQIjBCpQ/s1600/victim.JPG" height="398" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I was afraid that the jury would screw up <a href="http://abc13.com/news/man-known-as-money-mike-found-guilty-/483111/"><b>the "Money Mike" trial process</b></a>, but in my opinion, they got it right by correctly weighting and apportioning responsibility. I was pleased to see the verdict but I was especially pleased to see the corresponding jury recommendation in this high-profile local prostitution / sexual assault case that involved a number of girls from my daughter's high school and thus was of particular interest to our family.<br />
<br />
According to <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Attorney-urges-acquittal-of-Money-Mike-6027343.php"><b>local media reports</b></a>, the defendant was found guilty because the evidence indicated he was guilty, <b><u>but</u></b> the jury recommended probation rather than incarceration - a light sentence relative to what was possible under the law.<br />
<br />
While it is literally true that a minor cannot legally consent to sex and that the girls in this case appear to have been genuinely assaulted, it is also true that personal responsibility does not spontaneously tumble from the sky in totality on the occasion of a girl's 17th or 18th birthday. Instead, it is acquired gradually as maturity is developed. And any 16-year-old female (or even a 14-year-old female) being raised in our society should bloody well already understand the fundamentals of right and wrong.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Attorney-urges-acquittal-of-Money-Mike-6027343.php">Quoth the Chron report</a></b>, <b><i>"A female juror who refused to give her name said, "We felt [the defendant who paid for underage sex] did have some involvement, but at the same time we felt like the girls were responsible.""</i></b> She's damned right they were. And if this trial had gone the wrong way and the commercial news media had gotten traction sufficient to sensationalize this incident into yet another boilerplate case of hapless females getting victimized through zero fault of their own, it would only have served to further infantilize young women at a time in our social evolution where the process of victimhood-claiming is embraced with an almost religious fervor. This jury has sent a strong message to all of our local young and middle teens that they will be held appropriately responsible for their behavior and their decisions, and I'm very thankful for that. Because if they aren't taught to accept personal responsibility now, they sure as hell won't be demonstrating it a few years from now when they enter early adulthood.<br />
<br />
I personally thank the jury for its service. A job well done. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYojhydUqYTdtZtImzDCZHkEkIEdM0wZolKIC3vuFXA1FLo5ABFhZzHOR3NxzEawCvfs0Cr2HhTR75PKUF0M9ahyLWi38XW0f5gpitKIDw4AvxUwKGhhi7dmNZUCBip9MX_WgOyp3YxlE/s1600/realmenmeme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYojhydUqYTdtZtImzDCZHkEkIEdM0wZolKIC3vuFXA1FLo5ABFhZzHOR3NxzEawCvfs0Cr2HhTR75PKUF0M9ahyLWi38XW0f5gpitKIDw4AvxUwKGhhi7dmNZUCBip9MX_WgOyp3YxlE/s1600/realmenmeme.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But the flip side of that coin is that real girls don't sell themselves, particularly when they are old enough to know better, and particularly when they are financially secure enough not to need to resort to that kind of activity. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-68984650163277683042015-01-18T06:42:00.001-08:002015-01-18T06:42:27.570-08:00League City Public Safety Building grand openingI was surprised this morning to find no press coverage of yesterday's League City Public Safety Building grand opening. It was <a href="http://tx-leaguecity.civicplus.com/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1544"><b>well-publicized</b></a> in advance. From the portion that I saw, the event was well-done and well-attended. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEU1EnMi06YwH0hWmTO2_wrzvEdvhfevmYLlZPNUHtDram15TGeD-VMXaIdR6QA1dz3AW2xd6rSryB6ujt_DAAD_OdJzkGjegnrz2gt-O-FR8CBcH8V7uv4rexduTGtxHRv-KotrBOOY/s1600/1-WP_20150117_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEU1EnMi06YwH0hWmTO2_wrzvEdvhfevmYLlZPNUHtDram15TGeD-VMXaIdR6QA1dz3AW2xd6rSryB6ujt_DAAD_OdJzkGjegnrz2gt-O-FR8CBcH8V7uv4rexduTGtxHRv-KotrBOOY/s1600/1-WP_20150117_001.jpg" height="183" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was out and about doing chores yesterday, but I stopped to see the doggies. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtSf8Qlz00iTffUKcPikSu35vrepUVa0JxkMMly32LCdrybnRmqqpgDfUk51DaHyhQeDJ8rS1ENLl1Z46yXs2YnAgRI3H3HVqbFiRFX0KU3KRTWfxaOHZOhy3RIthtn8VNdZ_ZBobnCg/s1600/1-WP_20150117_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtSf8Qlz00iTffUKcPikSu35vrepUVa0JxkMMly32LCdrybnRmqqpgDfUk51DaHyhQeDJ8rS1ENLl1Z46yXs2YnAgRI3H3HVqbFiRFX0KU3KRTWfxaOHZOhy3RIthtn8VNdZ_ZBobnCg/s1600/1-WP_20150117_005.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The K-9 demonstrations, in other words. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5E705Zu6AKjnNHifiBb7f1nOcyvOGgUWHTcjkSPcZKojOVJVTFcdkwvPk5r91d_3VJoMQNBfY97L2K0Tm2su3NEqrec3MZ5fgutt3gvTfVw4VTECPNhhXASQ_CXtJTIoQzaBrXTjZ6U/s1600/1-WP_20150117_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5E705Zu6AKjnNHifiBb7f1nOcyvOGgUWHTcjkSPcZKojOVJVTFcdkwvPk5r91d_3VJoMQNBfY97L2K0Tm2su3NEqrec3MZ5fgutt3gvTfVw4VTECPNhhXASQ_CXtJTIoQzaBrXTjZ6U/s1600/1-WP_20150117_007.jpg" height="211" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Go, doggie, go!!</b></i> And I thought <b><i>MY </i></b>dog could run fast - this girl had some amazing physical capacity. I learned a few things about how K-9's are trained and utilized. Wish I'd brought my better camera. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyway, the dearth of coverage is a bit perplexing to me at a time when all of America has been fixated on the relationship between law enforcement and the public, with the recent internationally-reported incidents <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Michael_Brown"><b>in Ferguson Missouri</b></a>, New York City, and other locations. Locally, we have also experienced analogous incidents, including the officer-involved shootings <a href="http://abc13.com/news/one-dead-in-officer-involved-shooting-in-texas-city/451017/"><b>in Texas City</b></a> and Freeport, the latter of which has taken some perplexing turns as the victim is now <a href="http://m.thefacts.com/free_share/article_fafb4470-9e02-11e4-bb95-bfeb697fc180.html?mode=jqm"><b>apparently attempting to recant her initial strong and consistent statements</b></a>. <br />
<br />
So then what happens?? <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/index.aspx?nid=573"><b>LCPD</b></a> actually takes the time to do some interesting and positive public outreach, and I don't see a peep about it in the press. <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/two-takes-depression/201106/if-it-bleeds-it-leads-understanding-fear-based-media"><b>If it doesn't bleed, it doesn't lead?</b></a> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwZHSh1pVknDicn5QQu2QUCal3RXB1zMD6pQy2q8DOYBMtaQnuB07NfCxavwkln2vb18aaufPKukuMP6JZmd9j3CFewlxMgkpCkQklQwF3J7KPRe5tCcMSzS0L1hKvYnSceBQA46BFq4/s1600/Flameable-590-LI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwZHSh1pVknDicn5QQu2QUCal3RXB1zMD6pQy2q8DOYBMtaQnuB07NfCxavwkln2vb18aaufPKukuMP6JZmd9j3CFewlxMgkpCkQklQwF3J7KPRe5tCcMSzS0L1hKvYnSceBQA46BFq4/s1600/Flameable-590-LI.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cartoon screengrabbed from <b><a href="http://ottersandsciencenews.blogspot.com/2014/08/liberal-media-manipulating-and.html">this other Blogspot site</a> </b>but presumably<b> </b>copyrighted by the original maker. My public commentary is non-monetized so I believe this is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use"><b>fair use</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-31273424988069631712015-01-01T14:40:00.000-08:002015-01-01T14:40:44.210-08:00Rats on the rise<b>Happy New Year</b>, and may your resolutions include a solemn vow <u>never</u> to leave pet food outdoors (if you are a regular reader, you've heard me say this before, <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/07/never-leave-pet-food-outside.html"><b>here</b> </a>and<b> <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2011/10/suburban-pests-part-1-feathery-master.html">here</a></b> and <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/10/random-rat-rant.html"><b>here</b></a>). We continue to have what I interpret to be a growing rat problem in the subdivision. They seem to be growing in audacity now, instead of just in numbers. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQybL2RG9ov9EGtWdxvx2W6eBgGMKAkQtHMnKe6EmDdgKvvbDdYJDTPR3GC9-cfX340jt7TQQjVTKXIUY4UiENxCaxnVM386zw3k7xr3SSEmYM2gfhitnVb9VklEJS00KtNanF12tbQE/s1600/rat-meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpQybL2RG9ov9EGtWdxvx2W6eBgGMKAkQtHMnKe6EmDdgKvvbDdYJDTPR3GC9-cfX340jt7TQQjVTKXIUY4UiENxCaxnVM386zw3k7xr3SSEmYM2gfhitnVb9VklEJS00KtNanF12tbQE/s1600/rat-meme.jpg" height="400" width="341" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bear in mind that the rat he found was probably dead because it was poisoned. So now the dog is chewing the poison. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not only can poisoned rat carcasses pose a risk to pets, but rats that have lost their fear of humans pose a risk of disease and injury to humans (especially children who may be curious about them and who may not have developed the sense to stay away from them). And when found in abundance in subdivisions, they can also attract poisonous snakes such as water moccasins into peoples' back yards. <br />
<br />
We recently encountered one on our patio that was so bold that we had to kill it manually, which is not pleasant (they put up quite a fight and if you are not careful, they can attack you in retaliation for your raticidal efforts - it's their end strategy, and they can go for your face and neck with their razor sharp teeth). I was simply trying to BBQ on our patio and the thing just would not leave me alone, so I had to call my husband for a coordinated kill. <br />
<br />
If you've ever been to Central Park in New York City, you probably know just how bold these critters can become (watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADMkussti2c"><b>this YouTube video called "Rat Attack"</b></a> if you have any doubts). Here is the Centerpointe rendition of that video. Look how close I got to him with my cell phone (see the shadow of it). I could have reached out and touched him, ugh. <br />
<br />
Link: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbDMyml5VI4&feature=youtu.be"><b>Bold Rat in League City Suburb</b></a><br />
Embed:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/HbDMyml5VI4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-26777628902118697862014-12-12T05:31:00.000-08:002014-12-12T05:31:56.614-08:00League City run-off election thoughtsNo, I haven't been on vacation. I write several blogs and I've spent the last interval of time racking up about 30 posts on one of the others.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxZ0BJDRmV2lONrElJQlg0c62RTh3S57WI5qefS51MddifPlsyi3s_zuV1rR86DHbKP-7zGwmThXEwbGJLJCLibk6CFdcuGMiyOEtcF_JxtWdTE8OZ5Foa_bRcVjNhb7NAo8S-Ip6TTc/s1600/vacation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxZ0BJDRmV2lONrElJQlg0c62RTh3S57WI5qefS51MddifPlsyi3s_zuV1rR86DHbKP-7zGwmThXEwbGJLJCLibk6CFdcuGMiyOEtcF_JxtWdTE8OZ5Foa_bRcVjNhb7NAo8S-Ip6TTc/s1600/vacation.JPG" height="320" width="307" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am unless I have activities planned, because vacations have the potential to bore me, indeed. I'm not a fan of passive entertainment. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Despite the unrelated blog-writing frenzy, I've been keeping one eye on <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_f4e48fc8-64ba-11e4-81c9-001a4bcf6878.html"><b>League City's run-off election</b></a> (municipal site <a href="http://leaguecity.com/index.aspx?nid=1072"><b>here</b></a>) and the usual propaganda and posturing involved with such a thing. I was not impressed with the glossy that was mailed out in which every other LC Councilman endorsed Keith Gross (election URL apparently expired as of this writing). Do you, the voters, really want a <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=412"><b>Council</b></a> comprised of nothing but dittoheads?? <br />
<br />
I'm sorry for the term which I did not originate, and I don't find name-calling to be appropriate in most situations, but I have heard so many people refer to <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=412"><b>Council</b></a> as <i><b>"a bunch of conservative dittoheads"</b></i> that by this time, the phrase is almost <i>de rigueur</i>. <br />
<br />
Jason Long has some questionable history - I get that. It's been <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_c1abfdda-4471-11e4-ac33-0017a43b2370.html"><b>well-expounded in the press</b></a>. Normally I would not even remotely endorse a candidate with his record. But when I look at the big picture alternatives, I don't like what I see. So, the rest of Council doesn't like J. Long, as they made clear with their mailer. Is that really so bad in this context? Who is going to be the counterweight, the whistle-blower, the check-and-balance, if the rest of them are all buddy-buddy? <br />
<br />
Are you a conservative? Good for you. Now, engage your should-be-truly-conservative brain and remember that this is <u><b>government</b></u> we are talking about here. I don't care what kind of label people are wearing - if they are uniformly buddy-buddy, the net result is frequently baddy-baddy. Don't be the fool to assume that just because every candidate happens to be wearing <i><b>your</b></i> favorite label, that this has no potential to occur. History doesn't prove it out. <br />
<br />
As usual, the choices would seem to be less than ideal. Maybe I should stick to that other blog I've been working on. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7PGDyx0bRkIt5R5P6LwAMfnq7qdQnD5rCP-BnFNuo7Np_GCDwW_1CO9Y73p1zHTHWF8-mU0EESpHkv3m0aJZU-xaGWupMF29qfllwahl8j6DgKLnOIO61hwlDAlzwsYO0KHMA8GHTzs/s1600/vote.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7PGDyx0bRkIt5R5P6LwAMfnq7qdQnD5rCP-BnFNuo7Np_GCDwW_1CO9Y73p1zHTHWF8-mU0EESpHkv3m0aJZU-xaGWupMF29qfllwahl8j6DgKLnOIO61hwlDAlzwsYO0KHMA8GHTzs/s1600/vote.JPG" height="283" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an oversimplification because it assumes there are good choices, but we should keep voting regardless, just to remain within the bounds of civic duty. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-69408003825345919942014-10-21T10:24:00.002-07:002014-10-21T10:24:31.414-07:002014 League City election picks for City CouncilEarly voting for the <a href="http://tx-leaguecity.civicplus.com/index.aspx?nid=1072"><b>City Council races</b></a> in League City (plus many other muni, county, state, and federal positions) began yesterday but I withheld publishing my picks until today out of a desire for fairness and balance. I wanted to incorporate the primary alternate editorial source, which is the recommendations put forth by <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/editorials/article_c89e1fb8-5742-11e4-9e69-001a4bcf6878.html"><b>Galveston County Daily News</b></a> (paywalled), and also see some of those forum comments, so that you could compare and contrast both sets of picks in the process of doing your own evaluation and arriving at your own voting choices.<br />
<br />
I note again for the record that this is a non-commercial, non-politically-affiliated blog that presents personal opinions only. This blog is not associated in any way with <a href="http://www.centerpointepoa.com/"><b>Centerpointe POA</b></a>; we just happen to live in the same named place. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBg3A-7guLVANHOwL6LaIhPb2TC3POPdPOocmtZi8DDtkKywqxHkY09YZIelfWQjJwixUhuFuPVb3vQQIZnFtm-iOiFkn4hAFfYNBK512pn-vCyhGc4ndiBoVrHrQ5ZBx1eD5MXbcDjA/s1600/1-DSC_08982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBg3A-7guLVANHOwL6LaIhPb2TC3POPdPOocmtZi8DDtkKywqxHkY09YZIelfWQjJwixUhuFuPVb3vQQIZnFtm-iOiFkn4hAFfYNBK512pn-vCyhGc4ndiBoVrHrQ5ZBx1eD5MXbcDjA/s1600/1-DSC_08982.jpg" height="286" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we go... the early vote is now on! Signs at the corner of SH 3 and League City Parkway. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For those of you who are not familiar with my local involvement, I gathered the information that underpins my picks from the following sources:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Daily reading of our local newspapers (<a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/"><b>GCDN</b></a> and <a href="http://www.chron.com/"><b>Chron</b></a>; I am a paying subscriber to both, <i>ca-ching!</i>).</li>
<li>Daily participation in local online discussion forums, some behind paywalls, and also email discussion threads.</li>
<li>Daily general attention to League City goings-on for the past 5 years of my residency here.</li>
<li>A little bit of attendance at a few historical <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=412"><b>City Council</b></a> meetings and watching of additional <a href="http://www.leaguecitycouncilvideos.com/Council_Videos_Archive.html"><b>meeting videos on the internet</b></a>. </li>
<li>Attendance at the City Council candidates forum held on October 8, 2014 (you can see a full video of that forum <a href="http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01728&video=212344"><b>here</b> </a>- not paywalled - with corresponding GCDN link <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_1fa589ee-53c5-11e4-afd8-0017a43b2370.html"><b>here</b></a>). </li>
<li><a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-request-following-league-city.html"><b>My own October 9, 2014 public appeal</b></a> for historical context and additional "back-story" information on all candidates in competing races. </li>
</ol>
<br />
Cutting to the chase, here are my picks, and I will describe my rationale for these choices in sections to follow this graphic.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EvAbxgbMjxdf2TJsThukBkuGt_SXa6PBhGA7CLjps5Rzuj2TUCNY12VIHZkuHZUzZwo88L8Y1FzlrJF3uebOxLL7Z8qiQmo-7LiKtMGoEXJI8Sv-RqPDGYiuFzCHKCOVkm2co_ySekw/s1600/centerblog_picks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EvAbxgbMjxdf2TJsThukBkuGt_SXa6PBhGA7CLjps5Rzuj2TUCNY12VIHZkuHZUzZwo88L8Y1FzlrJF3uebOxLL7Z8qiQmo-7LiKtMGoEXJI8Sv-RqPDGYiuFzCHKCOVkm2co_ySekw/s1600/centerblog_picks.JPG" height="400" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>POSITION 1: BECKER vs. EWEND</b><br />
<br />
<b>My choice is either Becker (if you can stand him) or a no-vote</b> in this ballot position (which is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undervote"><b>undervoting</b></a>) if you cannot stand him. <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/editorials/article_c89e1fb8-5742-11e4-9e69-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story"><b>GCDN picked Ewend</b></a> because they obviously cannot stand Becker, but I find that their rationale for doing so was weak and didn't take all relevant decision factors into proper account. Becker is well-known for his obvious intelligence and League City managerial experience, but GCDN essentially argues that he's too much of a hot-head to deserve a vote. My response to this is <i><b>YES</b></i>, he certainly is a hot-head, and furthermore, he does not seem to be improving himself in that regard. But the example that GCDN gave was that of <a href="http://abc13.com/archive/9146909/"><b>the fist-fight with fellow Council member Okeeffe</b></a>, which <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/11/thiess-versus-people-of-galveston-county.html"><b>I argued was mostly a cosmetic issue that, if anything, suggests that both men are probably honest at the core</b></a>. I don't pick my political candidates based on the cosmetics of their behavior or sensationalized news accounts of same. Far more consequential in this analysis is Becker's Achilles heel: Despite his higher IQ, he sucks out loud when it comes to risk assessment and decisional priority weightings. I could provide you with specific, pointed examples but I'm afraid it would make this post too long, and so I will reserve that for later.<br />
<br />
In my opinion, voting for <a href="http://www.jayewendforleaguecity.com/index.html"><b>Ewend</b></a> would simply make a questionable Council seat much, much worse. Ewend has not represented himself well during this election cycle. Jim Guidry's local news service, which almost never crosses my radar, explained exactly how in an op-ed titled "<a href="http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000063024"><b>The circus left Houston last week - a missed calling</b></a>". The writer described Ewend as<b><i> "our town jester"</i></b> and I agree with that evaluation. Ewend seems to be intentionally making a mockery of the American democratic process and he has already cost the LC taxpayers unnecessary time and money with his <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_e7ffca02-2e69-11e4-b6ba-001a4bcf6878.html"><b>absolute failure (or refusal?) to comprehend Ethics 101</b></a> (sorry - paywalled; can't find an open info source on that one). <br />
<br />
In absolutely no scenario that I can imagine would Ewend be an improvement over Becker, as imperfect as Becker is. Becker is the clear lesser of evils, as I see it. <br />
<br />
<b>POSITION 2: CONES vs. MORRIS</b><br />
<br />
<b>I pick <a href="http://www.phillipforleaguecity.com/">Morris</a></b> because I think he's strong enough to deserve a chance to prove himself. He's an attorney, so we get that proverbial "free attorney" on Council which is something we desperately need (and this is particularly important because I do <i><b>NOT </b></i>pick attorney Gross; explanation given in the next section). <br />
<br />
GCDN picked <a href="http://www.tommycones.com/"><b>Cones</b></a> and argued their choice on the basis that nobody knows LC better than Cones does, but that's not necessarily a good thing unless Cones can also behave in a functional manner with respect to City business and relationships. During <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-request-following-league-city.html"><b>my public appeal</b></a>, every single piece of feedback I received on Cones was strongly negative, and every email was backed up with objective information that the commenters used to justify their thumbs-down (so it wasn't just subjective ranting on their parts). Whatever the hell Cones did during his previous Council tenure, he made a lot of enemies. And we don't need enemy-makers on Council when we have a potentially better choice available in Morris. <br />
<br />
<b>POSITION 6: GROSS vs. J. LONG vs. DAWSON</b><br />
<br />
<b>I pick <a href="http://dawsonforleaguecity.com/">Dawson</a> </b>for much the same reason that GCDN also picks her - because there is no other voice on Council who has proven themselves to be the least bit concerned about quality-of-life issues. We desperately need a canary in our Council coal mine, and Dawson, as limited as she appears to be in certain functional respects (explanation omitted for brevity), has proven herself capable of filling that specialized role. Dawson will be the whistle-blower when the rest of the WASPy conservative clones on Council step too far out of line. And we really, really need that for counterpoint perspective if nothing else. <br />
<br />
As further support for this pick, I note that Jason Long is not a good choice by virtue of <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_c1abfdda-4471-11e4-ac33-0017a43b2370.html?mode=comments"><b>his criminal record</b></a> (paywalled) which calls his temperament into question if nothing else, and the fact that he does not represent himself well in debate (<a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_1fa589ee-53c5-11e4-afd8-0017a43b2370.html"><b>see the forum video</b></a> for evidence). <br />
<br />
As further evidence for this pick, I note that Gross is a litigator, an adversarial character whose mannerisms struck me as <b><i>way, way</i></b> too far toward a slash-and-burn mentality. Watch <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_1fa589ee-53c5-11e4-afd8-0017a43b2370.html"><b>the forum video</b></a> and I think you'll see what I mean. He does not appear to come to the table with a cooperative demeanor - rather it's a short-sighted, over-the-top attitude of (paraphrased), <i><b>"You people are all screwing up spending money on moving oak trees and thank goodness I'm swooping in to save the good people of League City from your wild incompetence and dastardly influences."</b></i> <u>We do not need that kind of attitude on Council given the personalities that we've already got</u>. He may be an attorney and he may have some professional strengths as a result of that, but that's not enough.<br />
<br />
<b>POSITION 7: N. LONG vs. AL-SAHLI</b><br />
<br />
Agreeing with GCDN on this one as well,<b> I pick <a href="http://www.votenicklong.com/">Nick Long</a></b> for the simple reason that he's an extremely strong candidate, so strong that if he ran against <i><b>any one </b></i>of those others, he'd <b><i>still </i></b>be a shoe-in (danged pity that he did not choose to run against Becker). In the candidates forum, <b><a href="http://voteabdulalsahli.com/">Al-Sahli</a> </b>proved himself to be no slouch, and if he were running against a weaker opponent, I think he would be both electable and desirable as a Council member. He seems to be a buoyantly positive, laid back kind of guy (in some instances, <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/09/an-open-letter-to-city-council.html"><b>probably a bit too laid back for his own self-preservational good</b></a>). I sense that Mr. Abdul has a latent potential to become a <i>Great Dispeller of Bullsh*t</i>, if only he were given a chance. I hope that decides to run again in the future if he loses his current bid. <br />
<br />
There are my opinions for you to do with as you see fit in formulating your own. With respect to voting resources, here are a few useful links. Following the closing meme below, I will also reproduce GCDN's contrasting election picks with their own rationales presented in full for your consideration. <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Your customized Galveston County sample ballot <a href="https://tx.liveballot.com/galveston_county"><b>HERE</b></a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.khou.com/story/news/2014/10/20/election-resource-guide-early-voting-locations-polling-places-sample-ballots/16877115/"><b>KHOU has a pretty cool election information site</b></a> that you can walk through to determine your logistics.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi_-w_xE_xPzGyIIjOi07EFWlIqRe4PeAdO_5NcUx7-5_NsiAaFLFhHptqNYyTpQqwm0Le94HvQ6zGQwb_Kl1dwfMGIcaSiZLSubyPJlWvGlnsFDrzyeQjuCDHSzEBEB2wWcCRgcjVkY/s1600/64k1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhi_-w_xE_xPzGyIIjOi07EFWlIqRe4PeAdO_5NcUx7-5_NsiAaFLFhHptqNYyTpQqwm0Le94HvQ6zGQwb_Kl1dwfMGIcaSiZLSubyPJlWvGlnsFDrzyeQjuCDHSzEBEB2wWcCRgcjVkY/s1600/64k1.jpg" height="306" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But not until the skinny lady sings. Good luck at the polls. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="content" style="background-color: white; float: none; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<div class="encrypted-content" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">***</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"><i>In the contested races for city council in League City, <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/editorials/article_c89e1fb8-5742-11e4-9e69-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story"><b>The Daily News recommends</b></a>:</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>• Council Position 1: Jay Ewend. This is a case of addition by subtraction. The incumbent, Dan Becker, was arguably the most knowledgeable candidate at a recent forum. He provided informed answers on questions about debt and infrastructure. But League City got national attention when two council members got into a fistfight in the city manager’s office. Voters shouldn’t have to worry about things like that.</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>• Council Position 2: Tommy Cones. Cones had a colorful run during his previous tenure on council — and he could work on decorum. Nevertheless, few people know League City better.</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>• Council Position 6: Joanna Sharp Dawson. Attorney Keith Gross is an articulate candidate and would be a good choice, but Dawson deserves another term. She has been a voice of decency on a council that is sometimes bitterly divided. She’s also been an advocate for parks and historic preservation — interests that ought to warrant at least one spokesman in one position on council.</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="encrypted-content" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="p3" style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i>• Council Position 7: Nick Long. Long, a financial consultant, gave the most detailed view on how the city should balance debt with the need to build infrastructure to accommodate growth. While Long gets the endorsement, it’s hard to argue against the experience in operating small businesses offered by his opponent, Abdul Al-Sahli.</i></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page_navigation service-members" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 550px;">
</div>
<div class="clear" style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; clear: both; float: none; font-family: georgia; font-size: 0px; height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="service-members blox-story-tagline service-members" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 700; margin: 10px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="color: #333333; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 18px;">
<i>Heber Taylor is editor of The Daily News.</i></div>
</div>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-86406718615678551052014-10-09T06:53:00.000-07:002014-10-09T07:09:06.154-07:00A request following the League City candidates forumLast night, <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/"><b>Galveston County Daily News</b></a> hosted a question and answer forum attended by <a href="http://leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=1072"><b>all nine City Council candidates</b></a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMq_xkPoW5ZSOkAv3XSSMRZj7K86d7BI4COTVl_S-oxkN6-sm5YyvtQvOwH7x5P3UJbxo8l-7GTIu210y7bfs2PU6uFH7tPVg2QafnVQOZxiNnOBdu7ICfm7AJOe35ELpx70uRfCih8/s1600/1-WP_20141008_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMq_xkPoW5ZSOkAv3XSSMRZj7K86d7BI4COTVl_S-oxkN6-sm5YyvtQvOwH7x5P3UJbxo8l-7GTIu210y7bfs2PU6uFH7tPVg2QafnVQOZxiNnOBdu7ICfm7AJOe35ELpx70uRfCih8/s1600/1-WP_20141008_001.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GCDN editor <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/users/profile/tj%20aulds/"><b>TJ Aulds</b></a>, who served as the organizer and moderator, did a superb job of maintaining a rigorous professional order. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
As a blogger, I am in the process of formulating my list of "picks" for this election. Attending last night's forum was one step in my process of researching and evaluating the candidates. In conjunction with this process, I invite members of the community to present me with their own opinions and evaluations. Here are my personal areas of weakness regarding which I would appreciate specific input:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><u>I have only lived in League City for about five years</u>. Therefore, I lack some historical context that is relevant to this present-day evaluation. For instance, why did Cones lose his Council seat previously? Why have I observed Cones and Paulissen to fight like cats and dogs on occasion? What else do I need to know about historical activities and backstories that should be weighed in the evaluation of each candidate's present-day qualifications? Questions such as these are important because they speak to the potential of the candidates to work effectively with Council rather than expending time and energy on the type of conflict and divisiveness for which League City has become well-known.</li>
<li><u>I am politically unaffiliated and socially unconnected where all of these candidates are concerned</u>. That is a strength I cite in support of my own objectivity, but it is also a weakness because it limits my ability to know from experience who is in bed with whom and why - in other words, what behind-the-scenes alliances may or may not bode well for League City. Local political offices are routinely exploited by people for personal gain instead of representing the genuine sense of civic duty that should be driving their participation. A particular candidate might look wonderful on paper and may present well on his or her face, but if that candidate's primary motivation is to use League City as a stepping stone to something better for themselves, then I'm not sure that's the candidate we need. Knowing more about this factor will help my evaluation. </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have information to share (hard information substantiated by facts is particularly desirable), please inbox me via centerpointe.blog - gmail.com. Conversely, if you start your own blog or provide your analysis elsewhere (such as in the commercial news media), I would appreciate it if you would drop me a line to draw my attention to your content. I do review the GCDN comment stacks almost daily, but sometimes I miss things.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thank you! @CenterBlog. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-Pt3amTm7yX911lLrmMPDfgAsJ7h-_Fhu2q22GwjRpOif0LpDCxIVFswxsb0nsIDiv4R09NnM8PUHkyDHEWSzdgulkZ0SjABLUWxf7ygJKgCYGL-bid0p1_0lQKKSOGh29wxdoXsGp0/s1600/votememe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-Pt3amTm7yX911lLrmMPDfgAsJ7h-_Fhu2q22GwjRpOif0LpDCxIVFswxsb0nsIDiv4R09NnM8PUHkyDHEWSzdgulkZ0SjABLUWxf7ygJKgCYGL-bid0p1_0lQKKSOGh29wxdoXsGp0/s1600/votememe.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always room for a meme, especially when it conveys information. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<u>Trackbacks</u>:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=1072"><b>League City candidate website</b></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.jayewendforleaguecity.com/index.html"><b>Ewend</b></a></li>
<li>Becker (candidate website not found as of 20141009)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tommycones.com/"><b>Cones</b></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.phillipforleaguecity.com/"><b>Morris</b></a></li>
<li><a href="http://dawsonforleaguecity.com/"><b>Dawson</b></a></li>
<li>Gross (candidate website not found as of 20141009)</li>
<li>J. Long (see Facebook, votejlong)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.votenicklong.com/"><b>N. Long</b></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://voteabdulalsahli.com/">Al-Sahli</a></b></li>
</ul>
</div>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-7789765680304914142014-10-01T08:30:00.002-07:002014-10-01T09:18:42.865-07:00The polarity predicament, Part 1I have been quieter than usual lately on this blog in part because I've been making some behind-the-scenes inquiries into what responsive measures might be possible with respect to the continued open animosity between the <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/Index.aspx?NID=412"><b>City Council of League City</b></a> and some members of the local Muslim community. I've addressed a few facets of this issue previously in <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-city-vs-usa-part-6-those-who.html"><b>this post</b></a> and <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-city-vs-usa-part-5-next-time-vote.html"><b>this post</b></a>, but as a blogger, I have yet to deal with the core issue head-on. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAulVuB4KeCfOUv3pnEOLbNtJFnWdY_xoYYs4HaY0r9d8Aua1DxPMUF4zEMPV470udM-UTCtkBbPC4V9TE61nDHhFwMroMpcTapoBMHompGdutPHzdC3geAmPhnTp1PdOJirvII3Iec9E/s1600/stalemate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAulVuB4KeCfOUv3pnEOLbNtJFnWdY_xoYYs4HaY0r9d8Aua1DxPMUF4zEMPV470udM-UTCtkBbPC4V9TE61nDHhFwMroMpcTapoBMHompGdutPHzdC3geAmPhnTp1PdOJirvII3Iec9E/s1600/stalemate.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is, indeed, what we have on our hands in LC on the immigration resolution issue. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here is one hobbling limitation that has been repeatedly emphasized by the folks with whom I have spoken thus far: The lack of available public information on this conflict, specifically as it relates to newspaper coverage. The residents of League City would genuinely like to know more about what's been happening, but they have few options for obtaining this information. I have complained bitterly about this limitation on many previous occasions, to the point of establishing <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/search/label/Newspapers"><b>a blog category titled "Newspapers"</b></a>. Those with whom I have spoken in the past few weeks have confirmed and even elevated my own concerns, with comments such as <i><b>"I subscribe to <a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/">Houston Chronicle</a> but they are not covering League City's issues" </b></i>and <i><b>"<a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/">Galveston County Daily News</a> may be reporting on it, but their overall product is of such poor quality that there's no way I'm ever going to grant them the satisfaction of my subscription fee, so I really can't get any information about what's been happening."</b></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif_6IeL9Ry0k6nn9dvJ511peTzrZjOddp64FDbGXvP4PrKfxAxqZsEyiKJj9zxDk4huhN_wjQWocjsDJ-LQmpo5FKCbZ-X83X0o50soUqMHUQmk9bOAz64KX-Y3CLrsvCuC3nJ_KIvuM/s1600/paywall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiif_6IeL9Ry0k6nn9dvJ511peTzrZjOddp64FDbGXvP4PrKfxAxqZsEyiKJj9zxDk4huhN_wjQWocjsDJ-LQmpo5FKCbZ-X83X0o50soUqMHUQmk9bOAz64KX-Y3CLrsvCuC3nJ_KIvuM/s1600/paywall.jpg" height="400" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GCDN is covering it at least in a limited sense, but that content is almost entirely paywalled. <br />
<br />
I apologize if you find the memes distracting, but I think this discussion could benefit from some much-needed comic relief and the general not-taking-of-oneself-too-seriously, among other things. Memes are certainly good for those purposes. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Just as an aside, GCDN is commonly accused of indulging the usual and customary<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_bias_in_the_United_States#Liberal_bias"> <b>liberal media bias</b></a>, but some of the most negative comments I've received recently about GCDN have been from people who self-identify as having very liberal viewpoints. Their complaints seem to center on the quality of the investigative reporting - specifically on what they perceive as a complete lack of any intellectual perspective whatsoever - rather than on the ideological slant.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlb94_WxHTxFELPFaici1vdgeeWd8VWgbMeoBV4OR6kkuR-7sT0K_OLoV4UxE5Tb6jzKARQfWJ93UH1uE-t53vu8tZY1ra_bBkIWcaGKjgvEEk3FllZk-zIYOB1OGthgURnYSf3UxIG8/s1600/jackie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlb94_WxHTxFELPFaici1vdgeeWd8VWgbMeoBV4OR6kkuR-7sT0K_OLoV4UxE5Tb6jzKARQfWJ93UH1uE-t53vu8tZY1ra_bBkIWcaGKjgvEEk3FllZk-zIYOB1OGthgURnYSf3UxIG8/s1600/jackie.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I "bereave" the liberal media - yes, I most certainly do!!<br />
:-)<br />
<br />
The world-renowned actor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan"><b>Jackie Chan</b></a> undoubtedly did not approve of this internet meme, although he has been <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan#Political_views_and_controversy"><b>known to be outspoken on political issues</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I am currently at a loss as to how people might compensate for this informational vacuum. I do agree (as people have noted) that it's unworkably pricey to subscribe to both Houston Chronicle <b><u>and</u> </b>GCDN - that's going to be out of the budget of many of the Clear Lakers who are caught in the middle, geographically and otherwise (I'm considering Clear Lake to encompass League City). It's unworkably pricey especially because neither of those publications is located in our area and neither of them do justice to our area. Regardless of which one is chosen, you don't receive that much relevant content for your considerable amount of subscription money, frankly.<br />
<br />
So where does that leave us? As I've said many times before, the newspapers royally suck and our local blogosphere is nonexistent, and I never set my blog up for the kind of generalized communicative purpose that is called for here. Effective dissemination of this kind of information requires extensive market penetration of the kind that I originally intended to deflect rather than achieve. Those 155,000 hits you see on the counter below are all from people who had to <i><b>work </b></i>to get here - to make a long story short, I was shooting for readership quality rather than quantity, which is valid for its own purposes, but it is far from effective when the objective is disseminating general public information that isn't otherwise available. <br />
<br />
Anyway, FWIW, the latest offering from GCDN is a very formulaic editorial titled "<a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/editorials/article_f13ae4ec-46c6-11e4-8e9f-0017a43b2370.html"><b>It's bad policy to disdain the public's complaints</b></a>" (paywalled). It references the fact that a few members of <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/Index.aspx?NID=412"><b>City Council</b></a> walked out of the public comment period during a recent Council meeting. The public participation, as always, referenced the original <b><i>"radical Islamist terror groups"</i></b> clause in the resolution that has already been DEBATED TO DEATH, BUT ONLY WITHIN THE PROFOUNDLY RESTRICTED FRAMEWORK OF PREVAILING ACCEPTABLE SOCIAL POLARITY. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOWYYnVyONMB4TP3TbjM0nAo1xzCtWCp-1hTVe4efGoHDn_lh2Sj4fJMTX5KtcyPDeAD5gLWCj_svVZ7Li6NyWfD5abaGcdcmGPhqNQya-ez-vofx9_HjJEWFTgNzzHGBxOo-pcRQw98/s1600/mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOWYYnVyONMB4TP3TbjM0nAo1xzCtWCp-1hTVe4efGoHDn_lh2Sj4fJMTX5KtcyPDeAD5gLWCj_svVZ7Li6NyWfD5abaGcdcmGPhqNQya-ez-vofx9_HjJEWFTgNzzHGBxOo-pcRQw98/s1600/mess.jpg" height="338" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but <u><b>not</b></u> for as long as each and every one of you insist on maintaining your current polarized positions. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <b><i>reason </i></b>why I have started talking to some people in the community is that, like everyone else, I'm sick to death of the obvious ideological stalemate. I have specific ideas about how this issue could be (brace yourself) <b><i>actually moved forward in a mutually productive way. </i></b> Unfortunately, thus far, I'm not finding many other people who feel similarly and who would be willing to contribute a bit of their time and energy in order to do something about the stalemate which is continuing to manifest like a really bad broken record in Council meetings and in the press. Mostly what I'm finding is that people have a passionate desire to continue stamping their feet and proffering their particular polarized oversimplifications. Most people seem to want to continue taking bi-weekly baths in their righteous indignation as they pout and hold their positions with their minds clamped as firmly shut as they can possibly muster. <br />
<br />
Anyway, as a first measure in this regard, I started calling louder bullsh*t on the polarity in response to that newest editorial linked above. Because it's paywalled, I will reproduce my comments below FYI. You don't really need to read the original editorial - all it basically says is that certain City Council members are bad for walking out during a public comment period. There's no historical or contextual weighting, no suggestion as to what else might be done to really address the underlying issues (that's what op-eds are supposed to do, isn't it? Suggest things?). It's just that little dissociated bit - Council is bad. And that's the polarity predicament in a nutshell. <br />
<br />
***<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>What continues to amaze me about this situation is that
everyone is behaving exactly as our current ultra-polarized society expects
them to behave, every step of the way. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>There's not been a shred of creativity or original thinking
anywhere in this equation - I feel like I've been watching a collective Dance
of the Automatons, from LC City Council to the Muslim community to this local
press itself. Every single party playing
their prescribed role, right on cue.
There's no room for thinking outside the box. There's no room for asking legitimate
questions (they have been in there, but were drowned out by all the BS,
especially the name-calling of which both sides are guilty). There's no room for orthogonal
viewpoints. There's no room for thought
experiments in devil's advocacy. There
is no room for anything that even remotely resembles a fresh perspective. It is simply not allowed. <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>There is absolutely no room for anything other than
extremely polarized cookie-cutter views that conform to established stereotypes
(especially liberal vs. conservative).
And the situation is SO BAD that when I make the observation for folks
that what they are doing amounts to nothing more than cherry-picking an
off-the-shelf extremist view, they literally think I'm nuts. Twice in one week in behind-the-scenes
conversations, I had the unnerving experience of pointing out to different
people that they have reduced a nuanced situation to an unworkable level of
black and whiteness, and they responded to me, scandalized, with (paraphrased),
"What do you mean? I'm not taking
an extremist view - I'm simply taking a HUMAN view." In other words, they've totally lost touch
with their own extremism, if they even had any awareness of that in the first
place.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Of course, it's the height of fashion right now to join in
the American polarity movement. It's so
effortless and attractive, instant gratification in the style of illegal drugs - you can get instant street cred, an instant
"in", not by having any actual ideas, but just by dropping a few key
words and phrases that confirm your subscription to The Group. But at a certain point, you have to ask
yourself what you're really getting out of that kind of mindset. OK, bully for you - you're "in",
and those unfathomable guys on the other side of the issue are also
"in", but what are any of you actually gaining from all this
polarity? And much more importantly, what is everyone losing because of it? </i></span></div>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-62535516593201380032014-09-25T06:52:00.000-07:002014-09-25T06:52:02.372-07:00Section 9 burglariesCenterpointe Section 9-ers, you may have noticed this message on your USPS clusterbox late yesterday or this morning:<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvqhOP1McPTOFY1loUhiEM5XqXPvfU3rdZ3w37r86001PfiZ56COl49-yjwiR-2sbbiqw6IGY41Tx-BCPHoCTcHMZsh7xRvLNWpmWFmt9UDuD6wAfFmRrMKBiejsXvR9x5JX-0bDnSGg/s1600/1-WP_20140925_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOvqhOP1McPTOFY1loUhiEM5XqXPvfU3rdZ3w37r86001PfiZ56COl49-yjwiR-2sbbiqw6IGY41Tx-BCPHoCTcHMZsh7xRvLNWpmWFmt9UDuD6wAfFmRrMKBiejsXvR9x5JX-0bDnSGg/s1600/1-WP_20140925_001.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was distributed by a good Samaritan but it won't remain there for long. Posting notices on clusterboxes makes USPS absolutely furious (ye shall receive the wrath of Mail Carrier if she catches you doing it). They won't stand for it, even if it is in the public interest. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
I don't have full details yet, but reportedly, as many as <b>nine (!!)</b> vehicles may have been burgled on the night of September 23. From what I was told, it seemed to be the usual <i>modis operandi</i> - a person or multiple people looking for items that could be easily grabbed and fenced. Drug people, I speculate.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Anyway, keep your eyes open. And for heaven's sake, park as many of your cars in your garages as possible. A couple of years ago, <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/02/walnut-woes-and-identity-thefts.html"><b>I published a theory</b></a> that crime is positively correlated with the number of driveway- and street-parked cars. It makes perfect sense - if your intention is to break into cars, where are you going to go? To the areas that have the most cars, duh. Higher densities of cars provide a two-fold advantage: greater potential for theft in a smaller area, plus greater opportunity for physical concealment as the cars are being broken into. The area hit on September 23 does have a lot of outdoor cars, including some that are street-parked. My cul-de-sac does not seem to have been affected, and it's worth noting that we have no cars whatsoever parked overnight on the street, and most of our residents garage their cars. Slim pickens, in other words. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ4PxYMTgX-983TbSbROru-ejtcaFo1XpIHqdJS7SP0iYAHoAxmGDTMYsB7f4N2M3XFRnUuG_zflpXetJE-eNrrUKJYh__24AqGOchrB7-LgTh6BMnTsLBx-XYG4NcPQbDMZOpAjZlcg/s1600/anti-burglar-doormat_o_1197404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJ4PxYMTgX-983TbSbROru-ejtcaFo1XpIHqdJS7SP0iYAHoAxmGDTMYsB7f4N2M3XFRnUuG_zflpXetJE-eNrrUKJYh__24AqGOchrB7-LgTh6BMnTsLBx-XYG4NcPQbDMZOpAjZlcg/s1600/anti-burglar-doormat_o_1197404.jpg" height="310" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.<b>.. AND THEY LEAVE THEIR CARS OUTDOORS SO THEIR STUFF IS EASIER TO GET AT.</b><br /><br />It looks like yet another meme but it's not. <a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/better-stuff-doormat"> <b>This doormat is actually for sale</b></a><b>.</b> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-46918475562916820472014-09-18T04:29:00.001-07:002014-09-18T04:29:10.910-07:00City Hall sceneSmall meteorite? Wrath of God? Micro-hurricane come ashore when we were not watching? Graffiti shroud? Grand unveiling about to occur? <br />
<br />
Yeah, I know, it's most likely to be a roof leak or structural issue. Given that <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/article/League-City-officials-reopen-renovated-City-Hall-3696968.php"><b>it's only two years old</b></a>, I hope it's still under warranty. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WIJX-S15PuxaxXP-AeZcIhFC6bqxobTdZ23v73SGNii6DP5qfFh-cgbxPj8sXMZMFe5pyIHYbizTQvSd3_HEl9c70svXbHeNCWltQmHbjIzqd1iIJjCKmBzqm0NBD3CXXQMjNfM_N6c/s1600/1-WP_20140917_012+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WIJX-S15PuxaxXP-AeZcIhFC6bqxobTdZ23v73SGNii6DP5qfFh-cgbxPj8sXMZMFe5pyIHYbizTQvSd3_HEl9c70svXbHeNCWltQmHbjIzqd1iIJjCKmBzqm0NBD3CXXQMjNfM_N6c/s1600/1-WP_20140917_012+-+Copy.jpg" height="218" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue roof blues, as seen yesterday evening.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-25069723027689186992014-09-12T07:10:00.000-07:002014-09-12T07:10:00.087-07:00An open letter to City Council candidate Abdul Al-SahliMr. Abdul, as a <a href="http://leaguecity.com/index.aspx?NID=1072"><b>candidate for League City Council Position 7</b></a>, I am curious as to why your business chose <b><i>not </i></b>to lower its flags to half staff yesterday to commemorate <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nation-pauses-reflect-13th-anniversary-9-11-attacks-n200806"><b>the 13th anniversary of 9/11</b></a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0lfDc2OpykG9DjeVH2dFDtwkpnefDd5MAQKglTaIJdMeDnMmbHyeawV-WoyLkSwV9ljOMsVFe9Wj2gkMz46mJV0sN8AxqHTn7IkZ8NNOzYwSdxtxmH96efN8-NPY43NZaFLp_jxi_zQ/s1600/1-DSC_0736+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0lfDc2OpykG9DjeVH2dFDtwkpnefDd5MAQKglTaIJdMeDnMmbHyeawV-WoyLkSwV9ljOMsVFe9Wj2gkMz46mJV0sN8AxqHTn7IkZ8NNOzYwSdxtxmH96efN8-NPY43NZaFLp_jxi_zQ/s1600/1-DSC_0736+-+Copy.JPG" height="293" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September 11, 2014, approximately 4:00 p.m.<br /><br />Your exact role at this business is reported variably depending on the source, but it's clear that you have substantial authority there. The<b> <a href="http://www.deflooring-granite-remodeling.com/about.php#content">DE website</a></b> does not mention any owner or controlling entity by name and neither does the corresponding <a href="https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/coa/servlet/cpa.app.coa.CoaGetTp?Pg=tpid&Search_Nm=DE%20flooring%20&Button=search&Search_ID=32053888296"><b>Secretary of State franchise page</b></a> (officers and directors information is missing), but <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/abdul-alsahli/20/509/ba"><b>your own LinkedIn profile</b></a> describes you as DE Flooring's "President". I've heard people verbally refer to your relationship to this business in ownership terms (partial vs. full ownership not specified), and <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/09/how-to-fix-granite-countertop-seam.html"><b>when I signed a small services contract with DE Flooring about a year ago</b></a>, you were explicitly described to me as "the man in charge". As such, it would appear that you are the authority who would be in the position to make administrative decisions such as flag-lowering. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday was a day of national mourning in which American flags were ordered to half staff.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmCfHxiVTQQx17T2ztHMrjVjntlXMaTliNIMpv9-VPnYV5ByIQUcZ8-JUx9VDDjTPnAcK_RYcdsCF_0RvEygVM6Y0MHGDVyykwSj0oSqwx0kkZQH0C0K0ZDDvcEQjrbJRbbbQOGGEDN4/s1600/order+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmCfHxiVTQQx17T2ztHMrjVjntlXMaTliNIMpv9-VPnYV5ByIQUcZ8-JUx9VDDjTPnAcK_RYcdsCF_0RvEygVM6Y0MHGDVyykwSj0oSqwx0kkZQH0C0K0ZDDvcEQjrbJRbbbQOGGEDN4/s1600/order+-+Copy.JPG" height="82" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screengrabbed from<b> <a href="http://us.halfstaff.org/">this site</a></b>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Of course, not every private business in our area complied with this directive. For instance, a day care center not far from DE Flooring also had flags at full staff. The crucial difference is that the day care owner has not claimed a role for himself or herself as a political figure. He or she is not currently running for an American public office and seeking the public's trust.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GBJ8aS-zRCUptIaSEJvEHUywOBVz4WdGLGtYXLHbi3oKe6KGTSJME0hKrAKwvoc7jzhoHz5nPIbuG0MrgRXahfSabYlx00-Jh5ptjVD5TbKAgUilELfhNNg3ZYLWNn7Kbnp1CHBJFCU/s1600/1-DSC_0737+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2GBJ8aS-zRCUptIaSEJvEHUywOBVz4WdGLGtYXLHbi3oKe6KGTSJME0hKrAKwvoc7jzhoHz5nPIbuG0MrgRXahfSabYlx00-Jh5ptjVD5TbKAgUilELfhNNg3ZYLWNn7Kbnp1CHBJFCU/s1600/1-DSC_0737+-+Copy.JPG" height="360" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All public offices and most local businesses <i><b>did </b></i>lower their flags, however. About three minutes after I took the above photo of DE Flooring, I took this one of <a href="https://www.acutx.org/index2"><b>ACU of Texas</b></a>' League City branch, which has established an unfailing local reputation for its tasteful displays of patriotism. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Even the initial act of declaring political candidacy is a demonstration of leadership, and the very first task of leadership is to identify with the people and confirm a strong connection to the people. I intentionally looked at your place of business yesterday on my way home from work because I assumed you would be showing this kind of solidarity on a day when such observances are absolutely vital to the American soul.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfG8Z7nq0_uFdrgUMf2CDnFFHrEEDKMxcxEIE4Esbpk0pqnVpFcqB2Mw9-_hbBnpOiOWWoXXrKTF6pQPJgfIFKeV5owRGqwEvYYj8Kzmy-EwG_1VMuZn36_tiHgoWJdV4_hyphenhyphenaOT4MkG4/s1600/lc-moment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfG8Z7nq0_uFdrgUMf2CDnFFHrEEDKMxcxEIE4Esbpk0pqnVpFcqB2Mw9-_hbBnpOiOWWoXXrKTF6pQPJgfIFKeV5owRGqwEvYYj8Kzmy-EwG_1VMuZn36_tiHgoWJdV4_hyphenhyphenaOT4MkG4/s1600/lc-moment.jpg" height="241" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While DE Flooring's flags were at full staff late yesterday afternoon, this is what was going on a short distance away. <br /><br />Image courtesy of<a href="http://leaguecity.com/"> <b>the City of League City</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In your case, of course, the participatory issue goes beyond generic political candidacy due to your ethnicity. I mention this because I personally think it's fair game to discuss that aspect of what you potentially bring to League City's political table (which is currently characterized by<b> <a href="http://leaguecity.com/index.aspx?nid=412">a woeful lack of diversity</a></b>), and because obviously <i><b>you </b></i>think this is fair game, too - <a href="http://voteabdulalsahli.com/"><b>your campaign website</b></a> specifically references that element:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjs1-Jdx4RF03ftleAXNq2bU7eSv1idMGPVXPviUbbBDA_aZQF9hgMcNPMeIsKSIc0G-QmmnxLfB7BMOu-UVTCa_nXqO7OviazQF2FcBRFEx5a4pKamG2nTstDnWAcUIEloV63NledJ4/s1600/abdul-grab+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjs1-Jdx4RF03ftleAXNq2bU7eSv1idMGPVXPviUbbBDA_aZQF9hgMcNPMeIsKSIc0G-QmmnxLfB7BMOu-UVTCa_nXqO7OviazQF2FcBRFEx5a4pKamG2nTstDnWAcUIEloV63NledJ4/s1600/abdul-grab+-+Copy.JPG" height="150" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screengrabbed from <a href="http://voteabdulalsahli.com/"><b>this campaign page</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As a Council candidate, it cannot possibly have escaped your attention that League City has spent the last two months embroiled in <a href="http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/members-of-league-city-muslim-community-ask-city-council-to/article_553df341-fcb7-5e11-ae47-56c5e239be5f.html"><b>conflict over a City Council resolution that contained the phrase "radical Islamist terror groups"</b></a>. While most reasonable people question the motivation behind the injection of this reference (and the resolution itself, for that matter), the unavoidable fact is that the resulting social conversation is well underway, and some of the questions being raised by local residents are arguably valid and deserving of responses (e.g., see the most recent discussion threads on Galveston County Daily News <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/editorials/article_3b039dbe-358b-11e4-b4e0-001a4bcf6878.html"><b>here</b></a> and <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_b9f11c96-38a1-11e4-9681-0017a43b2370.html"><b>here</b></a>). Many of those questions boil down to a very simple inquiry: which is more important to any given individual - their ethnicity and the religious and cultural factors that go with it, or their allegiance to America? People genuinely want to explore that issue, and I believe that it is healthy for them to do so.<br />
<br />
It saddens me that your business did not lower its flags yesterday. I may be the first to publish this question, but I cannot possibly be the only League City resident who noticed those flags. By not participating in the national observance of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Day"><b>Patriot Day</b></a>, you will give additional ammunition to those of the more extreme voices in the conversation who are quick to seize upon any perceived negative development to support their fears and distrust of other cultures, especially those that they believe are associated with Islam. They're going to say things like (paraphrasing), <i><b>"WTF?? This guy named Abdul Al-Sahli is running for office and he had the nerve not to observe 9/11? See?? I've been telling you all along that these people are not really with us!"</b></i> Even if accidental, this type of outcome hardly seems consistent with your own stated campaign intentions. <br />
<br />
I hope you will address this question, not to me, not to this blog post, but to those who deserve your response - the good people of League City, Texas. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwfKb3a9jfqnsSXsy78hHpnRXWObCnP9E7FfBD4BoBOTWHgwlkxtLn0aoN4dW_L6yMepPLfUJoUtvvro0p1GRSQmWIbfeYtRNnhGpaHoLP44UnXvQwh25l0Ttn3ekhXEJf-oUwworiug/s1600/1-DSC_0700+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwfKb3a9jfqnsSXsy78hHpnRXWObCnP9E7FfBD4BoBOTWHgwlkxtLn0aoN4dW_L6yMepPLfUJoUtvvro0p1GRSQmWIbfeYtRNnhGpaHoLP44UnXvQwh25l0Ttn3ekhXEJf-oUwworiug/s1600/1-DSC_0700+-+Copy.JPG" height="400" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of everything else we've got going on locally, yesterday was not an "ordinary" 9/11 anniversary - it had a larger sadness component than those in recent memory. All of America is increasingly anxious because, every single day, there is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/12/world/meast/isis-numbers/index.html?hpt=hp_t2"><b>a new news story documenting the burgeoning power</b></a> of the group known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant"><b>Islamic State</b></a>. We don't know what will happen, but we know that thousands of people have already died, and thousands more will surely die, with or without the planned <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/11/opinion/president-obamas-speech-on-isis-has-to-address-costs.html?_r=0"><b>American airstrikes</b></a>. <br /><br />I could not get done with work in time for League City's memorial service yesterday, but I did pause to face these half-staff flags in front of another City Hall about 50 miles from here. I stopped to pay my respects and to say a small prayer for international peace. I also pray that we can reach a better state on our local level, a state in which we can all understand each other more deeply than we obviously do today. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-82355392121069275702014-09-06T16:40:00.002-07:002014-09-06T16:40:46.354-07:00Beware of other critters, tooPlease try not to run over that large tortoise who is currently insisting on traveling straight down West Walker Street. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPwuv6tF-qWunzTOB0bu9M0TdKuGUAh1ubvitM-VRoDigAXNmDBIGWD2T0dAx7Q_91Crp4MYH9btLik1AWLZ9POS4ms5K8nRJW9y26mEsW_0qakj40ZaVoQN8EDjCSR_DesTak3Q1zjw/s1600/1-WP_20140906_014+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPwuv6tF-qWunzTOB0bu9M0TdKuGUAh1ubvitM-VRoDigAXNmDBIGWD2T0dAx7Q_91Crp4MYH9btLik1AWLZ9POS4ms5K8nRJW9y26mEsW_0qakj40ZaVoQN8EDjCSR_DesTak3Q1zjw/s1600/1-WP_20140906_014+-+Copy.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I picked him up near Cypress Pointe and deposited him in a safer area, but when these guys get a mind to head toward a particular destination, they often can't be redirected, and it sometimes doesn't end well. Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-2917388449588286812014-09-04T04:22:00.000-07:002014-09-04T04:24:15.508-07:00Beware of local area snakes right nowMy husband and I met some friends for dinner Monday evening at <a href="http://mamacitasmexicanrestaurant.com/"><b>Mamacitas</b></a> on NASA Road 1. Sitting in the passenger seat on the way home, I noticed a bit of road debris out of the corner of my eye. <b><i>"That's an odd shape for a strip of retread,"</i></b> I thought to myself. As reality came into sharper focus, I bellowed to my husband, <b><i>"HOLY SH*T - I JUST SAW THE BIGGEST WATER MOCCASIN EVER!" </i></b><br />
<br />
Twenty-four hours later, a similar encounter, only this time on our West Walker Street sidewalk a short distance from the LC police station.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWek5RcT53cYmyD-HJX5AqeMW3KWSGUwu6OWIsAJU8eXSPQu6G0KOMUdYYbFbdmnwLnoTtu9gFB_wZj0jobDQj-mx-aOiyX_5iwLNeIbuZ_Nj_aadq0NEDuBZMk8aORhAtdFLnOSYK0eg/s1600/1-WP_20140902_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWek5RcT53cYmyD-HJX5AqeMW3KWSGUwu6OWIsAJU8eXSPQu6G0KOMUdYYbFbdmnwLnoTtu9gFB_wZj0jobDQj-mx-aOiyX_5iwLNeIbuZ_Nj_aadq0NEDuBZMk8aORhAtdFLnOSYK0eg/s1600/1-WP_20140902_004.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting there like the serpent in our suburban Garden of Eden. I was walking our dog just after dusk and I didn't have a clear view of this critter while we were out there. I had to come home and upload the cell phone pic before I could declare what the species was (the picture was taken with a flash, which made the details easier to see). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
You don't really need to declare the species - if you live in these parts, the safe thing to do is treat any snake you see as venomous, every time, regardless of what you can see of it. Now that I can view the image on the computer, I'd put money on it actually being a nonpoisonous water snake. Nevertheless, in the dark, it <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2011/04/take-on-local-snakes.html"><b>acted much like a moccasin</b></a>, refusing to yield the right of way. I was afraid that some hapless soul would come jogging down the sidewalk in the dark and get struck by it, so it had to clear the area. I was compelled to put a bit of a beatin' on it before it would agree to return to the retention pond. (He's OK though. Just a bruised ego.)<br />
<br />
So I saw two big snakes in the space of two days - why? Well, the rains have been good this summer and wildlife is flourishing as a result. We have quite a robust collection of juvenile hoppy toads (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_toad">Bufo bufo</a></i>) and they enjoy cruising on concrete surfaces, which brings out the snakes. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwQQGth0iY2B1tNliZ6YlzmQn7WHufWpp6eA_8IPIR9d3OSPwsG6gCSw2rQNi-nxnac-PPlogbecfESiqyB1TGybtByaGm3h9JYNwfiWUP-hwc-AQL-39Phal5npUw3jDClbXuFT81lA/s1600/1024px-Amplexus_Bufo_bufo_2010-03-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwQQGth0iY2B1tNliZ6YlzmQn7WHufWpp6eA_8IPIR9d3OSPwsG6gCSw2rQNi-nxnac-PPlogbecfESiqyB1TGybtByaGm3h9JYNwfiWUP-hwc-AQL-39Phal5npUw3jDClbXuFT81lA/s1600/1024px-Amplexus_Bufo_bufo_2010-03-29.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They tend to do a lot of this when environmental conditions are favorable. And then they get eaten by other things.<br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from Wikipedia. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mind also that the work crews have now buried at least one section of that new pipeline in the Interurban easement. This work is taking <b><i>for-ev-er,</i></b> but as soon as they get that pipe laid, they'll be removing their mile-long segment of board road. And what I expect is that an entire summer's bumper crop of snakes is going to come boiling out from underneath all that lovely man-made habitat as they pull it up. Maybe just in time for the grand opening of the adjacent Public Safety Building. <br />
:-)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwPicgqbNwuESxllgP_zAxfypwc1eQIIey3s9DtIvi0JvhiaZOkcmNvamqy2So-YycpNl3TxDnEYRYc6R0Crf-KRqoF4NGx3k8ChFhhCOyvxNAeMiEZCij7IlH_wBuPPfvzvZwckzbSQ/s1600/well-theres-your-problem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwPicgqbNwuESxllgP_zAxfypwc1eQIIey3s9DtIvi0JvhiaZOkcmNvamqy2So-YycpNl3TxDnEYRYc6R0Crf-KRqoF4NGx3k8ChFhhCOyvxNAeMiEZCij7IlH_wBuPPfvzvZwckzbSQ/s1600/well-theres-your-problem.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, memes... who thinks of this stuff?!<br />
:-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-72313539426588651042014-09-02T10:51:00.004-07:002014-09-02T10:53:59.763-07:00Questionable Decision: A strange adjunct to the LC immigration resolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
DirecTV subscribers in League City Texas can see a bizarre case of art echoing life on their very own TV sets right now. Bear with me for a moment while I set the stage for context.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/league-city-approves-resolution-prohibiting-housing-of-immigrants/article_0f13ef38-9816-59cb-b8d1-575d15958398.html"><b>The debate over the League City immigrant resolution</b></a> rages on, both within <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/Index.aspx?NID=412"><b>City Council</b></a> meetings and in the press, largely in <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_493912d2-30c3-11e4-aaf4-0017a43b2370.html"><b>Galveston County Daily News</b></a>, where <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_493912d2-30c3-11e4-aaf4-0017a43b2370.html?mode=comments"><b>the comment count</b></a> is now among the highest I've ever seen. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZahI1JbyNtDMe1ve8YPV5CGS8Pz2nDFb9AGViYhdmnalq41j_ml9kCMnLP6fLWOtzVcAmbQvYBu-Yi4Xul2cupNV2WKKl6KDy3pHrYFeGfhfO1h0jxMRkn7K5BmOFk-NhE0MdDpCJ8y0/s1600/resolution-grab+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZahI1JbyNtDMe1ve8YPV5CGS8Pz2nDFb9AGViYhdmnalq41j_ml9kCMnLP6fLWOtzVcAmbQvYBu-Yi4Xul2cupNV2WKKl6KDy3pHrYFeGfhfO1h0jxMRkn7K5BmOFk-NhE0MdDpCJ8y0/s1600/resolution-grab+-+Copy.JPG" height="116" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of the proposed resolution. I re-published the original text in <a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-city-vs-usa-part-4-unaccompanied.html"><b>this July 2014 post</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The resolution's reference to Islam has long since eclipsed <a href="http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/league-city-approves-resolution-prohibiting-housing-of-immigrants/article_0f13ef38-9816-59cb-b8d1-575d15958398.html"><b>the original debate about whether or not to receive Latin American immigrant children in League City</b></a>. Some League City Muslims are still actively opposing the reference, but the people who support it have also been vocal. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NZRpNCWrluR3Cv5JiDpfbnXE7gINS85imBZrYFqcTOzIvIr5rUwvUmg17stX1GV693gkpX1lHgdZHPwUpgcTQdjJTMDq-955uL1b-c2-iSE79tZ1XtYjIWoYQyGJYkgXamSyTH2cnZo/s1600/gcdn-grab+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2NZRpNCWrluR3Cv5JiDpfbnXE7gINS85imBZrYFqcTOzIvIr5rUwvUmg17stX1GV693gkpX1lHgdZHPwUpgcTQdjJTMDq-955uL1b-c2-iSE79tZ1XtYjIWoYQyGJYkgXamSyTH2cnZo/s1600/gcdn-grab+-+Copy.JPG" height="193" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Based on <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_493912d2-30c3-11e4-aaf4-0017a43b2370.html?mode=story"><b>the current reporting</b></a>, it doesn't seem like either side exhibits a clear majority at this point.<br />
<br />
Screengrab courtesy <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/"><b>Galveston County Daily News</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's immediately apparent from reading the GCDN comment stack that many of the resolution supporters have taken their positions out of what <i><b>they </b></i>perceive (rightly or wrongly) as an abundance of caution. That stance appears to arise because many people simply don't feel like they have a reliable lens through which to discern what Islam means on a local scale. This perspective was quoted in a GCDN piece as having been stated in <a href="http://www.leaguecitycouncilvideos.com/Council_Videos_Archive.html"><b>a Council meeting</b></a>: <span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>“During (the public comments two weeks ago) of the individuals who spoke, representing the Muslim community, never once did I hear an allegiance to this country, to our flag, to our Constitution, to anything about the American way of life,” Russell Fielder said during the public comment portion of council to a round of applause from many on the council. </i></b></span>In a similar vein, <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_493912d2-30c3-11e4-aaf4-0017a43b2370.html?mode=comments"><b>one commenter on GCDN</b></a> noted, <b><i>"It is long past time that normal, moderate Muslims speak out against radical Islam."</i></b> <br />
<br />
What both of those communications suggest is that residents simply lack a coherent framework for parsing any of this. What they expect or hope to see doesn't exactly match the reality that has manifested. Thirteen years after 9/11, this is apparently where we still are socially, for reasons that I'm not sure anyone really understands. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKte4DbG4F0EMOoFCXf1Wz7iRyKB4UEM8Ugpz-adM6KqGwMJ2iWQPl_deH67E_WwsrjU7AqtxyWXAMJNVf26VDWkGQqVr0k1xtFQGUzzpG4-z85pZ1WKAxbQd0JiQV8YH9kjifn50G6KQ/s1600/NONMEME+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKte4DbG4F0EMOoFCXf1Wz7iRyKB4UEM8Ugpz-adM6KqGwMJ2iWQPl_deH67E_WwsrjU7AqtxyWXAMJNVf26VDWkGQqVr0k1xtFQGUzzpG4-z85pZ1WKAxbQd0JiQV8YH9kjifn50G6KQ/s1600/NONMEME+-+Copy.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Case in point where such confusion and discrepancy is concerned - the oddness of what's currently offered in juxtaposition on your DirecTV service: two versions of the same classic American movie, but one of these things is no longer like the other. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8689HOqrWRhnCvDCylH6CpsKK1FnKNZwdHDGLz1_puIh3Ojv66XK05J389vlDl_79lyPw6D7sw8InIxSDV3D6HEylJ69GEPFs9cJ1rsbH5_SmvfIXiAdnWjeHC0zzew3ZlWSQIDTvW3o/s1600/screengrab_censorsite+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8689HOqrWRhnCvDCylH6CpsKK1FnKNZwdHDGLz1_puIh3Ojv66XK05J389vlDl_79lyPw6D7sw8InIxSDV3D6HEylJ69GEPFs9cJ1rsbH5_SmvfIXiAdnWjeHC0zzew3ZlWSQIDTvW3o/s1600/screengrab_censorsite+-+Copy.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll get to the explanation in a minute. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from <a href="http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=2965833"><b>this site</b>.</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116253/"><b>Executive Decision</b></a> has always been one of my all-time favorite movies. It was made 18 years ago, "back in the day" when suspense films were still built primarily on plot and character development rather than on mindless ADHD-inspired computer graphics. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIbUCbFPN8TcmNqHItqj2UalsqsK46GOE5trgsLQxKkIg0vpbQNKviluy97AGv1js7miAwt-qZyfOlw6hHub-NMH8NSfCPnKDw2O82-NJ5uJ6TRrQsg8D1iC7lwuvT-OiTNanDEwgCuE/s1600/russell+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimIbUCbFPN8TcmNqHItqj2UalsqsK46GOE5trgsLQxKkIg0vpbQNKviluy97AGv1js7miAwt-qZyfOlw6hHub-NMH8NSfCPnKDw2O82-NJ5uJ6TRrQsg8D1iC7lwuvT-OiTNanDEwgCuE/s1600/russell+-+Copy.JPG" height="222" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The film also showcased Kurt Russell's unparalleled work ethic as an actor.<br />
<br />
Image screengrabbed from <a href="http://die-hard-scenario.wikia.com/wiki/File:DHS-_Kurt_Russell_in_Executive_Decision.jpg"><b>this site</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Not only was the film a gutsy depiction of a very difficult subject (that being "radical Islamist terror groups"), it was also noteworthy for having featured a 747 aircraft that <i><b>actually was bombed</b></i> by such a group, that being the following:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kfN3hu2P3szyZqupm2itET5-JStSXxYuOq0mLub_9AAta5mqGrNGShzQs1QrTrhxIJBghKhu4rFuwhspfVibHACh8IGrIuv5NJqo6rHyiX7b-edGwfc5tKk6drvLUBfK8eA0VhpGGQg/s1600/oceanic+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kfN3hu2P3szyZqupm2itET5-JStSXxYuOq0mLub_9AAta5mqGrNGShzQs1QrTrhxIJBghKhu4rFuwhspfVibHACh8IGrIuv5NJqo6rHyiX7b-edGwfc5tKk6drvLUBfK8eA0VhpGGQg/s1600/oceanic+-+Copy.JPG" height="366" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 1982, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_830"><b>bomb was detonated on PAN AM Flight 830</b></a>, resulting in the death of one minor child and the injury of 16 other people. Despite the resulting damage, the plane was able to make a successful emergency landing in Honolulu. The aircraft was apparently re-painted for the movie with the fictitious airliner name "Oceanic". Either that or they just used it for interior shots. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from Wikipedia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Decision"><b>Executive Decision</b></a> was a <i><b>stunning </b></i>portent of 9/11 five years before it unfolded, and as far as I'm concerned, it's a creative work of national significance. But prior to being released on Blu Ray, Executive Decision was "edited", or, some would say "censored", for reasons that are not clear. Furthermore, I can't find a single source on the internet which describes the full extent of what was done to eviscerate the film. Most references such as <a href="http://www.containsmoderateperil.com/executive-decision-1996-%E2%80%93-us-blu-ray-release-is-re-edited-version/"><b>this one</b></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Executive-Decision-Kurt-Russell/dp/0790731894"><b>user Iceboy's Amazon review</b></a> primarily cite digital alterations to the imagery, including removal of certain religious references and deleted scenes. But I believe that the most significant changes actually involved extensive dialog dubbing throughout the movie, dubbing which changes utterly the character of the film and manifests most strongly with this scene.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpZYvRMONHf_ErM8n7w4VDv_wXCapAbrPUvnGgjqiUEB6NjM4Mq7M97od_J7a3WeABVbU8YJdE0UpSpArP_Uzq6KV6h8u1XqsWnG_sLXptHKNzWkBIGFPEz5vfWts9zNi86Iw3Wd4IM4/s1600/1-DSC_0563+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpZYvRMONHf_ErM8n7w4VDv_wXCapAbrPUvnGgjqiUEB6NjM4Mq7M97od_J7a3WeABVbU8YJdE0UpSpArP_Uzq6KV6h8u1XqsWnG_sLXptHKNzWkBIGFPEz5vfWts9zNi86Iw3Wd4IM4/s1600/1-DSC_0563+-+Copy.JPG" height="253" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A suspicious glare indicating a sea change of attitude 1 hour and 24 minutes into the movie: When the leader of the terrorist group finally reveals his plan to utilize the jet to strike a deadly blow against countless innocent American citizens, his second-in-command revolts, stating, <b><i>"This has nothing to do with Islam. This is not [the Deity's] will. You are blinded by your hatred and I will have nothing to do with your plan."</i></b> <br />
<br />
But the same lines in the censored version are spoken very differently, indeed. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from my TV set. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bizarre part is that, if you so desire, you can currently watch <i><b>both </b></i>the censored and the uncensored versions at the same time. If this situation is of interest to you, it's an opportunity for you to compare and see for yourself what's been done to the film. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k8-ssP-WVJ81CX5p-Ij8HJMVa8S0LDj6dt5Uc8_7MQWJyTYRcEV32y6fRy9BP1tQG0N5_V1Luoh_FYMe3_4qNlnQOoFPEAhlKtsJ74yJkfKrsb4oDWiEWQKvHNd3yuBLpp0Jj5QREDs/s1600/tv-grab+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k8-ssP-WVJ81CX5p-Ij8HJMVa8S0LDj6dt5Uc8_7MQWJyTYRcEV32y6fRy9BP1tQG0N5_V1Luoh_FYMe3_4qNlnQOoFPEAhlKtsJ74yJkfKrsb4oDWiEWQKvHNd3yuBLpp0Jj5QREDs/s1600/tv-grab+-+Copy.JPG" height="97" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Encore HD version is the Blu Ray version available for instant access. The Encore Suspense ("ENCSUS") version is the original uncut version. I recorded both versions within 24 hours of each other this past weekend.<br />
<br />
Photo from my DirecTV list with intervening screen space eliminated for clarity. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The resulting existential questions are as follows:<br />
<br />
<u>Why was the movie altered in the first place?</u> The original version was arguably quite responsible to Islam by forming an explicit distinction between Islam and that which has <i><b>"nothing to do with Islam"</b></i> but is instead driven by <i><b>"[blind] hatred"</b></i>. This is much the same distinction that the GCDN commenter was seeking in referring to <i><b>"normal, moderate Muslims"</b></i> as opposed to <i><b>"radical Islam"</b></i>. What benefit to understanding is derived by obscuring this essential distinction in this film or in any other context? Clearly, we need more of that distinction, not less. <br />
<br />
<u>Why are Americans provided primarily with the censored version?</u> I can understand Warner Brothers / Warner Home Video wanting to change the tone of the movie in certain restricted distributional regions where such actions might be expected, but they only made one Blu Ray, that being the censored version. In general terms, most Americans are probably going to default to the Blu Ray as their obvious choice (audio and video quality are both superior to the DVD). Given the age of the film, most present-day watchers may not even know that an original version of the movie exists. In more specific terms, why am I sitting on my <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/10/flat-butt-bubble-butt-bony-butt-ugly.html"><b>flat American butt</b></a> in my house built on American soil accessing an American content provider streaming an American-made classic movie which has effectively been censored?! What the hell is up with that?! <br />
<br />
The whole thing doesn't sit well with me, and it is an example of what is working against those people who are honestly trying to put Islam into an appropriate social perspective. "Censorship" is one of the dirtiest words we have in America, provoking immediate defensiveness and hostility in those who sense that they have encountered it. What's been done to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Decision"><b>Executive Decision</b></a> is just going to raise even more suspicions and questions and confusion about perspectives and allegiances where Islam is concerned, both locally and elsewhere. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1Rwm08Tpi0mNDhXGyqmR_3vMRAhXSViRg9VAJe09UvB_0F5MpLkdty8lMz7hMoeuR-oE8YfohVt_xsV4NVj_C-EI-Dpe4ubhCAob6sOzk1Brmmdczi4haeNga9SW9PCkTzuPxzu0qpY/s1600/Executive-Decision-4+-+Copy2+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1Rwm08Tpi0mNDhXGyqmR_3vMRAhXSViRg9VAJe09UvB_0F5MpLkdty8lMz7hMoeuR-oE8YfohVt_xsV4NVj_C-EI-Dpe4ubhCAob6sOzk1Brmmdczi4haeNga9SW9PCkTzuPxzu0qpY/s1600/Executive-Decision-4+-+Copy2+-+Copy.JPG" height="106" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least the "editors" had the guts to admit what they had done. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed and annotated from <a href="http://www.containsmoderateperil.com/executive-decision-1996-%E2%80%93-us-blu-ray-release-is-re-edited-version/"><b>this site</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-58324607267903872702014-08-30T08:09:00.003-07:002014-08-30T08:59:22.822-07:00League City newspaper, Part 2<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where's_Wally%3F"><b>Where's Woolsey</b></a>?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh7qC_OFrO4bbrgWyPHg01AxfERO2A60z9eirN5hzGzDbH4UPwJ6dFBsLNkpkmTbsFjuYUkOMFpvE1b5Z1LfEo9P0l59mtrCYKdU9w4B1-CyduPZPWHfYEgFBJeVuoQsRF7ctJNFiziY/s1600/1-DSC_0536+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJh7qC_OFrO4bbrgWyPHg01AxfERO2A60z9eirN5hzGzDbH4UPwJ6dFBsLNkpkmTbsFjuYUkOMFpvE1b5Z1LfEo9P0l59mtrCYKdU9w4B1-CyduPZPWHfYEgFBJeVuoQsRF7ctJNFiziY/s1600/1-DSC_0536+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Search hint</u>: Even without red and white stripes, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/leonard-woolsey/11/183/b46"><b>publisher Leonard Woolsey</b></a> does bear a bit of resemblance to Waldo, especially in the glasses. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
That's the large-format portion of the pile of "mail" that I excavated from my box late yesterday afternoon, viewed as it was tossed unceremoniously onto my home office conference table. Knowing that the <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_837213ec-2f36-11e4-a9a5-001a4bcf6878.html"><b>League City - Kemah Connection newspaper was supposed to have been launched yesterday</b></a> (paywalled), I was initially disappointed - I thought my address had been passed over (not an uncommon occurrence given the young age of our subdivision section). I almost threw the entire stack into the recycle bin, but then I spotted it.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfL720j5kOoMh9Fwj5IBMBsbBHxSVrgePKuMVf9IYM-MwYksx5QiMieiTueXaKz__pS5TbIyoPEz3LqY1DG3BVaYZAEgIq3eXNabs3yn6Vrvx83fjNUfhhFG89gxfOnoaimlaL6u5snY/s1600/1-DSC_0537+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfL720j5kOoMh9Fwj5IBMBsbBHxSVrgePKuMVf9IYM-MwYksx5QiMieiTueXaKz__pS5TbIyoPEz3LqY1DG3BVaYZAEgIq3eXNabs3yn6Vrvx83fjNUfhhFG89gxfOnoaimlaL6u5snY/s1600/1-DSC_0537+-+Copy.JPG" height="345" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like this. Don't throw it away without first looking at it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was a bit disappointed at the mode of presentation. I'm afraid that people really are going to have trouble distinguishing this from the constant onslaught of junk mail with which we all must deal, and I fear that a lot of folks are going to toss it without even realizing what it is (particularly true because its launch was not well advertised, so many local residents are not expecting it and did not know in advance what it was going to look like). <br />
<br />
It may, in fact, be the case that GCDN arranged for delivery on days when typical advertising flyers were not scheduled to be avalanching. But here's the issue with that: Most of us no longer check our mailboxes every day. What's the point?? Particularly for those of us who receive all of our important correspondence, bills, bank statements, etc. electronically, plus we have the security of a <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/12/post-office-postscript.html"><b>USPS-issued clusterbox</b></a>, checking the mail is something we often do only on trash or recycling days, and only for disposal purposes.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACW4faS7dLnpilnj8dhHi4aVY-iZcRPZD6KC0JdXuGbGiTiqSWzqJLhHKMxSMgrSkdiLtcuP7DTyq6OjHqEaZjN2iLnR5WTIcgULCVZ6kAI8NT55d083Tyl4q1lgmYkBc3o1JzV3euGk/s1600/questiongrab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACW4faS7dLnpilnj8dhHi4aVY-iZcRPZD6KC0JdXuGbGiTiqSWzqJLhHKMxSMgrSkdiLtcuP7DTyq6OjHqEaZjN2iLnR5WTIcgULCVZ6kAI8NT55d083Tyl4q1lgmYkBc3o1JzV3euGk/s1600/questiongrab.JPG" height="207" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This postal worker hit the nail on the head with this response. If not for eBay and Amazon, I would not traipse to my mailbox at all. I would attempt to close it and not accept hard-copy mail delivery, period (which would be the Final Solution for the junk mail that I haven't been able to control even though I paid for a service to have it stopped). Perhaps <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/google-reveals-delivery-drone-project-1409274480"><b>when Google gets its delivery drones airborne</b></a>, we'll be able to take that logical next step and be done with residential USPS delivery once and for all. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from <a href="http://jobstr.com/threads/show/4154-mailman"><b>this "Ask a Mailman" site</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But there's good news in all of this, too. <b><a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/08/new-league-city-newspaper.html">My initial fear</a> </b>that this newspaper would be a simple post-shelf-life content recycling mechanism was apparently unfounded. The articles are largely original. Furthermore, they are picking up on the types of issues I've been hoping to seed on this blog (good news given that I don't reach 30,000 homes). Cover story? Five Corners, for which I commenced <a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/search/label/Five%20Corners" style="font-weight: bold;">a post category</a><b> </b>earlier this year. Additional content? Information on the fact that there's a $200 million TxDOT project to improve SH 146 in Kemah and Seabrook, which I also screamed bloody murder about.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzl43Hr5IwKIPxinypL9usZTHOHkp3GBwRA3ngGfKzRL3vYtLimkOlgJENHIfsPkpexgQrLzM_aggVqh5jY0G5MhD5YnXQ-uY9IZRS7cnTzFKlQCQoIfsb7VAH5sIhL3qCIi_fkCB5rI/s1600/146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzl43Hr5IwKIPxinypL9usZTHOHkp3GBwRA3ngGfKzRL3vYtLimkOlgJENHIfsPkpexgQrLzM_aggVqh5jY0G5MhD5YnXQ-uY9IZRS7cnTzFKlQCQoIfsb7VAH5sIhL3qCIi_fkCB5rI/s1600/146.JPG" height="197" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perspective such as this is intended to wake up our local politicians, who arguably are not doing their jobs in getting our practical issues resolved. The Five Corners fiasco has been lingering for far too many years now. Screengrabbed from <a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/04/five-corners-finger-pointing.html"><b>this April 2014 post</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So there's the potential for the transmission of issues and ideas with this thing. Write to the editor and publisher of this new newspaper if you have local concerns (editor@lcconnection.com; publisher@lcconnection.com). Write to me (centerpointe.blog -at- gmail) if you think that bellowing needs to be done on a particular issue. <br />
<br />
And incidentally, for those of you who engage in only periodic USPS mailbox excavation mostly for disposal purposes, I found a really neat product that might be of assistance to you.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mz38NvjMU1zcSlZH4jBOItkdyQ8qJHZXZmxTdSXhUTxIRI9cA7p5ElyLMC-xRgn4E2M3IMPlgqWXlXCKKpo_B7TCEu6bRnsUyMjAb62shkEFEw7ejYiau01XrOR04FQKiGp-143hXqY/s1600/1-WP_20140829_008+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Mz38NvjMU1zcSlZH4jBOItkdyQ8qJHZXZmxTdSXhUTxIRI9cA7p5ElyLMC-xRgn4E2M3IMPlgqWXlXCKKpo_B7TCEu6bRnsUyMjAb62shkEFEw7ejYiau01XrOR04FQKiGp-143hXqY/s1600/1-WP_20140829_008+-+Copy.jpg" height="400" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/tote-book-bag-handbag/379004078/"><b>the Barnes and Noble felt tote</b></a>. It's a very heavy but small bag. And oh, the style is divine. Very modern, just the way I like it. Comes in three colors. I like the gray. They are available at <a href="http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2671"><b>the Clear Lake (Baybrook) Barnes and Noble</b></a> on Bay Area Blvd. (at least they were as of August 29, 2014).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think it was designed to be a "book bag" of sorts, but the size almost exactly matches the size of my USPS mail clusterbox. Typically when I do excavations, I'm struggling with an armload of miscellaneous paper and at least one of the pieces will need to be chased madly down the street as it escapes my control and gets blown by the wind. With this thing, I just scoop all the junk mail into the bag, which stays open by virtue of the stiffness of the thick polyester felt. Much easier than trying to use one of those floppy re-usable canvas grocery sacks for the same purpose. And given that this bag stands upright of its own accord, it is an excellent small receptacle for in-house paper recycling, too. Nice stylish convenience for ten bucks. <br />
<br />
As always, this is a noncommercial blog presenting personal opinions only. I accept no compensation for recommending any particular product or service. Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-72899628281449480602014-08-23T07:43:00.000-07:002014-08-30T08:36:03.802-07:00New League City newspaperActually it is <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_e0214844-28e5-11e4-9b16-0017a43b2370.html"><b>touted as a League City - Kemah newspaper</b></a> (paywalled), but given that LC's population is <i><b>forty-seven times</b></i> that of Kemah (2012 Census per Google), I'm betting (hoping?) that it will be weighted in favor of LC despite Kemah's outsized local economic impact. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iNGajjoOdtTCE1-ZCQnW3UYNTNFT0LD0HoiclfwkAqOZHTz5mkCiu5tw4dnOPCFa-GmPOhcZvjwRmfa5sHEqc4swSCcK-PpaZag99UuovIIuP6w6OcCjbVno7WDk-pHi7fh0ljQB2D8/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iNGajjoOdtTCE1-ZCQnW3UYNTNFT0LD0HoiclfwkAqOZHTz5mkCiu5tw4dnOPCFa-GmPOhcZvjwRmfa5sHEqc4swSCcK-PpaZag99UuovIIuP6w6OcCjbVno7WDk-pHi7fh0ljQB2D8/s1600/images.jpg" height="299" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For this one, apparently you won't have to subscribe - the first issue is scheduled to be delivered into mailboxes (? an interesting approach unlike those that currently prevail) on August 29, 2014. The paper will be a project of <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/"><b>Galveston County Daily News</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have long wailed about the abysmal state of local reporting; in fact, I have a <b><a href="http://www.centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/search/label/Newspapers">blog post category</a> </b>devoted to that subject. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQWHVBVWCgpNjes2sDSkin7X8AAdhs_Eg8BjQYUE7SO6bGmvd4V7q3otGdeFtIlBncxLbcOhsvxgb-DluTJNkIXAxq6rhIqCrukr2LyJl2SUnvsiVxhrY0T65__8lHVm7kNKH9kIsYp4/s1600/newspaper-600x423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQWHVBVWCgpNjes2sDSkin7X8AAdhs_Eg8BjQYUE7SO6bGmvd4V7q3otGdeFtIlBncxLbcOhsvxgb-DluTJNkIXAxq6rhIqCrukr2LyJl2SUnvsiVxhrY0T65__8lHVm7kNKH9kIsYp4/s1600/newspaper-600x423.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This dearth of coverage is not a local phenomenon but rather reflects the overall decline in conventional newspapers as a social institution. This is the latest version of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_J._Perry"><b>Dr. Mark J. Perry</b></a>'s famous newspaper free-fall chart, courtesy of <a href="http://www.aei-ideas.org/2014/04/creative-destruction-2013-newspaper-ad-revenue-continued-its-precipitous-free-fall-and-its-probably-not-over-yet/"><b>this Carpe Diem post</b></a>. It's worth reading his analysis if you have any interest in what's happening with the industry. And also this HuffPost article with an embedded slide show titled "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/02/uss-most-endangered-industries_n_842787.html#s259313title=7_Newspaper_Publishing"><b>Top 10 Dying Industries</b></a>".<br />
<br />
<u><b>Update</b></u>: Amusingly, seven days after I posted this diagram, GCDN ran a story titled "<a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/opinion/guest_columns/article_d2d4ee9c-2ffd-11e4-9f9d-0017a43b2370.html"><b>Newspapers are still here and still making money</b></a>" (paywalled money). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have no idea how the new paper will be structured and what degree of quality will characterize it. When I read that it will be published only once a month, I immediately became concerned that it will largely amount to a content-recycling effort. In other words, a vehicle by which paying subscribers will receive paywalled content in real time via GCDN, and non-paying subscribers will later receive that same content for free after its shelf life has effectively expired. But do you know what?? Even that much would be a darned sight better than what we've got right now, where the majority of our population doesn't have good opportunities to receive local news at all. <br />
<br />
I am a bit perplexed, however, at <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_e0214844-28e5-11e4-9b16-0017a43b2370.html"><b>GCDN's initial positioning statements</b></a>, which include the following: <b><i>"While not always sexy, keeping residents informed about taxes, property values and the decisions by locally elected officials is critical to a healthy community." </i></b> Geez, guys, be careful not to fall all over yourselves with your marketing exuberance! With promotional representations like that, who needs enemies?! <br />
:-)<br />
<br />
Anyway, stay tuned for more analysis on this one.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTYTP2AedGdwWQzk49qez6Uq7bLOtnQ5QDlKLWqo2_E8wrBcV8u9GOe1WXwZC0J4FQ3UDTY8xPujSkrDasr7zAk5g7IGJriIvPmSkZDDDkxa7se_SvWVEowCNIrJ4RL096FKkIEMq-Ps/s1600/evil-newspaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTYTP2AedGdwWQzk49qez6Uq7bLOtnQ5QDlKLWqo2_E8wrBcV8u9GOe1WXwZC0J4FQ3UDTY8xPujSkrDasr7zAk5g7IGJriIvPmSkZDDDkxa7se_SvWVEowCNIrJ4RL096FKkIEMq-Ps/s1600/evil-newspaper.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It remains to be seen what that is. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-69516133351231529392014-08-21T05:49:00.001-07:002014-08-21T05:58:39.050-07:00How to fix a dimly-lit refrigerator<b><u>Answer</u>: </b> As near as I can tell, there is currently no practical solution to this predicament. Let me explain our attempted workarounds in the sections below so that you won't waste your own time trying the same approaches. <br />
<br />
Do you find it a bit odd that everyone acknowledges this issue but no manufacturer has seen fit to correct it??<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1U-d7xWypEKdsMgwPhJDxTFzK3tE8oH2D8ixCCuvR4d5I6j_P-4S4E55462GpYid0wsRGyjO5k6cU7v7iWXq9WOYgWb3mu8IeOIC_vIuVW5-wq0optf7_X0sLeq12bEjdzXpmHgYsS8/s1600/auto-crying-woman-First-world-Problems-fridge-347301.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1U-d7xWypEKdsMgwPhJDxTFzK3tE8oH2D8ixCCuvR4d5I6j_P-4S4E55462GpYid0wsRGyjO5k6cU7v7iWXq9WOYgWb3mu8IeOIC_vIuVW5-wq0optf7_X0sLeq12bEjdzXpmHgYsS8/s1600/auto-crying-woman-First-world-Problems-fridge-347301.jpeg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, yes, I know what you're going to say - this falls squarely into the category of "<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=First+World+Problems"><b>first world problems</b></a>". </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
It's a <b><a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=First+World+Problems">first world problem</a> </b>but you might be surprised at how much food (and therefore money) I waste because I can't properly see what's in our fridge. Our kitchen is in the center of our house and has no windows - it isn't very bright to start with, and light coming from <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-sky-is-blue-part-2-painting-kitchen.html"><b>our unusual kitchen skylight</b></a> and our standard pot lights doesn't illuminate the fridge. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7B8pjqVarUYpvxugUFCIqv30kb_e5u6_nGjNNaQQsq_faDYDzVJJ2IV5LA4ErlXBLeIudom2lGNyTHp3DmyTNbyPoSfixp33Sd7BDRkGeVzi7axtQBSewZyzAqByyFn2U03bx6TDT6Q/s1600/teenager.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7B8pjqVarUYpvxugUFCIqv30kb_e5u6_nGjNNaQQsq_faDYDzVJJ2IV5LA4ErlXBLeIudom2lGNyTHp3DmyTNbyPoSfixp33Sd7BDRkGeVzi7axtQBSewZyzAqByyFn2U03bx6TDT6Q/s1600/teenager.JPG" height="315" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think what happens is that manufacturers design the lighting <u>without</u> accounting for the food load. In this example, there is no light whatsoever getting to most of the shelves in the fridge on the right. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's the source of all this aggravation:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacLylfVUnnk-zFSMd80h7Z4aClt-3T3NRB9CcKhvww_LIML_R2Fsxw2wLB3ZyVXV8fiCdaa_hCtmkluF7q2kQe5Lj7up00EszIvSweA5Js1AhrXqGD6U5YNZCwQKLweVqbbebmai7VvQ/s1600/1-DSC_0298+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacLylfVUnnk-zFSMd80h7Z4aClt-3T3NRB9CcKhvww_LIML_R2Fsxw2wLB3ZyVXV8fiCdaa_hCtmkluF7q2kQe5Lj7up00EszIvSweA5Js1AhrXqGD6U5YNZCwQKLweVqbbebmai7VvQ/s1600/1-DSC_0298+-+Copy.JPG" height="367" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each of us homeowners pays upwards of a thousand dollars for a refrigerator, but a lot of them only come with these crappy little bulbs. Unfortunately, those obsolete bulbs make retrofitting very difficult, especially because they are so small, with correspondingly small sockets and low wattage. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My first instinct in dealing with this problem was simply to wait until our 10-year-old refrigerator eventually died of natural causes, because surely a newer replacement model would be brighter?? But I recently went on a pre-purchase shopping trip to look at new fridges, and found that none of the models currently for sale would be bright enough for my dim-kitchen, severely-myopic needs. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7JNBZZ4xZ2_RJLNsTcF_9hFsEtVCAhoMaIBa0oWIwDUgKV8IptmmOY6GpLHut_HpFW684w4XGHo5WSdj5xUVTRR_xFV4nWCyrQRF4TjaEfGu-SlpE8GfRBeYdUFu3f9L1rBnLtxdtwQ/s1600/1-DSC_0302+(2)%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh7JNBZZ4xZ2_RJLNsTcF_9hFsEtVCAhoMaIBa0oWIwDUgKV8IptmmOY6GpLHut_HpFW684w4XGHo5WSdj5xUVTRR_xFV4nWCyrQRF4TjaEfGu-SlpE8GfRBeYdUFu3f9L1rBnLtxdtwQ/s1600/1-DSC_0302+(2)%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" height="393" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fridge takes three of those 30-watt incandescent miniature atrocities. Sigh. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So upon discovering that new fridges are not significantly better than the one we've already got, we set about trying to resolve this. We first looked at specialty bulbs. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFuyESKgvaGpd46Irw6DyduID4VuEthcupSJl7Dtg9Rq4tAo1E2HoEdVeU2DQtcuPIvZvZvWY2k8k-K0bxlrpWngPLbJC5GayVABku9IN5Sffkt2ReIK7OEe2IdfrclFyALTyLKTC9dE/s1600/amazon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFuyESKgvaGpd46Irw6DyduID4VuEthcupSJl7Dtg9Rq4tAo1E2HoEdVeU2DQtcuPIvZvZvWY2k8k-K0bxlrpWngPLbJC5GayVABku9IN5Sffkt2ReIK7OEe2IdfrclFyALTyLKTC9dE/s1600/amazon.JPG" height="307" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't laugh, but I actually do use a flashlight to search our fridge!! We could find no specialty bulb on the market that was measurably better than what we've already got. This is a sampling of Amazon reviews for an LED fridge bulb model that sells for $15 apiece. Given that I would need three, I could spend $45 on these things and still be no better off than I am right now. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We initially thought we could achieve partial relief through adaptation of a compact fluorescent in the largest of the three bulb sockets. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN2zMVAFs24DYnsZsBglanN-250-p6d7RNJyF6wrBj64AsWnVr-NgBGmuYas8hOXLFpa8vs6lGFoeI15d2ItHwKkNuE5Ht5hmj7awgOmLanSTDM86hT_zSTm9qdKWe7XSIQxFftcmtgA/s1600/1-DSC_0295+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtN2zMVAFs24DYnsZsBglanN-250-p6d7RNJyF6wrBj64AsWnVr-NgBGmuYas8hOXLFpa8vs6lGFoeI15d2ItHwKkNuE5Ht5hmj7awgOmLanSTDM86hT_zSTm9qdKWe7XSIQxFftcmtgA/s1600/1-DSC_0295+-+Copy.JPG" height="400" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The CF bulb on top, is an "instant on" 14 watt, 900 lumen bulb (intermediate base), so it actually is compatible with the fridge. You can see here that it looks brighter than the lower two 30 watt bulbs combined. <b><i>EXCEPT...</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba2ktlEoz5C4DwLU-DZQpNItAmHi0hEV_7kGe1ssHdsmbloAE7wLEwMhvahITDv9OKTUBGua8nyfhV3j3ZmYWUFATFvQ8otxFPxM9TjWYVGipNFpONvseI5mpPBqrIY0Kx0Zx9tB4T0U/s1600/1-dim+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba2ktlEoz5C4DwLU-DZQpNItAmHi0hEV_7kGe1ssHdsmbloAE7wLEwMhvahITDv9OKTUBGua8nyfhV3j3ZmYWUFATFvQ8otxFPxM9TjWYVGipNFpONvseI5mpPBqrIY0Kx0Zx9tB4T0U/s1600/1-dim+-+Copy.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...CFs don't do well in the cold!! The "instant on" feature did not save it from dimming out as soon as it got chilled. It ended up being worse than the original incandescent. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So here is the fridge light summary of failure:<br />
<ol>
<li>The incandescents are not bright enough</li>
<li>The LED options marketed to replace the dim incandescents are not bright enough, and</li>
<li>The CFs start out being bright enough, but cannot maintain their lumens at 38 degrees F (not while operated only intermittently, at least). </li>
</ol>
So where does that leave those of us who are fumbling around in the dark? Pretty much screwed until technology improves. Once again, I've essentially written a place-holder post here, a post that I'll come back and update when a better product hits the market, when I discover a reasonable hack, or when someone drops me a comment or email relating a solution that finally will put me out of my half-blind misery.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRNqY1eRCZvh4uaXpLFgZxZBJ7f-IvWT2ZNbTLjNALi2MkSt1rKQyrQOlr_5M_0EhVHeL5psLYBjDtw_AMmEAOSNcPI5wZGa8rMhfYXI9Mee45xl1cQsviW5-1ytGGXTIYb43imG_l2k/s1600/meme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRNqY1eRCZvh4uaXpLFgZxZBJ7f-IvWT2ZNbTLjNALi2MkSt1rKQyrQOlr_5M_0EhVHeL5psLYBjDtw_AMmEAOSNcPI5wZGa8rMhfYXI9Mee45xl1cQsviW5-1ytGGXTIYb43imG_l2k/s1600/meme.JPG" height="400" width="395" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How about a danged light bulb that is actually fit for purpose? That would be enough to satisfy me. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-86284210089311741222014-08-18T07:03:00.003-07:002014-08-18T07:41:30.973-07:00Dog park doldrums (Act 2)We've been waiting patiently for further announcements on the possibility of a League City dog park (blog category <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/search/label/Dog%20Park"><b>here</b> </a>for a recap of developments to date). After a great flurry of initial excitement about four months ago, there's been even more radio silence. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzoyW3O3O44n6qbfiff9JJaeWTF7IwmzGbowdyvYhnJ9b66ZU_llfhW0R9uDv3nV3QBFXhdyEVV2QslIOFXkpWDpuj8pjzIaKZ5S2UUboj1SvbdhZzK34-kQnIAun6YK5USF_KOpb0o0/s1600/lc-map.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzoyW3O3O44n6qbfiff9JJaeWTF7IwmzGbowdyvYhnJ9b66ZU_llfhW0R9uDv3nV3QBFXhdyEVV2QslIOFXkpWDpuj8pjzIaKZ5S2UUboj1SvbdhZzK34-kQnIAun6YK5USF_KOpb0o0/s1600/lc-map.JPG" height="350" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/page_80.html"><b>O dog park, dog park, wherefore art thou, dog park?!</b></a><br />
<br />
This is an outline showing the proposed location on West Walker Street near the city municipal complex. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In late June of 2014, I asked winged messenger from heaven <b><a href="https://tx-leaguecity4.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=2027">Kristi Wyatt</a> </b>what the status was, and she informed me in an email of two developments:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>While <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-happened-to-league-city-dog-park.html"><b>the on-line survey</b></a> did, indeed, show overwhelming support for a dog park, it was not a "scientific" poll and therefore LC followed up with a separate survey (why they did the on-line poll in the first place I did not ask). To my knowledge, those results have not yet been released publicly. </li>
<li>Reportedly, further discussions about the dog park were due to take place <i style="font-weight: bold;">"during the upcoming CIP process". </i> So sayeth the <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/Index.aspx?NID=829"><b>City Manager</b></a>. </li>
</ol>
<br />
<u>I haven't pressed the issue to date for a reason that should be obvious to anyone who follows League City politics</u>: The dog park prospect was re-invigorated by <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/Index.aspx?NID=42"><b>Councilman Andy Mann</b></a>, whose term is up this year. For the past few months I have been assuming, <b><i>duh,</i></b> that there would be a positive announcement whose timing would show an uncanny correspondence to a re-election bid. It would be a classic political abracadabra, a municipal misdirection (but a welcome one), a revelation orchestrated to suggest that City Council <i><b>actually accomplishes more</b></i> than <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/free/article_16a23732-0705-11e4-8a67-0017a43b2370.html"><b>incessant culture warring</b></a> (most recently regarding <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-city-vs-usa-part-6-those-who.html"><b>immigrant children</b></a>) that results in much squandered time and energy and occasionally in lost taxpayer money, too (<a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/07/league-citys-next-election-critically.html"><b>what they wasted on the Jornaleros lawsuit alone</b></a> could have paid for <i>TWO </i>new dog parks). Not to mention that this behavior attracts <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/17/us/towns-fight-to-avoid-taking-in-migrant-minors.html"><b>national scrutiny of the wrong kind</b></a>, <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_c8c429fe-25cb-11e4-831b-0017a43b2370.html"><b>discontent among minority residents</b></a> (paywalled but this <a href="http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/bay_area/news/members-of-league-city-muslim-community-ask-city-council-to/article_553df341-fcb7-5e11-ae47-56c5e239be5f.html"><b>other piece is not paywalled</b></a>), and no net benefit for any of us. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2RxnBCajumC3sTcmk4OC8jX9iitNRKUspfGuldqnAipxQzuq34EhEq5smAnZgzbb60LL2RcQB-cUEi3KnA7uQQYS2iALt670BlXE4CirrcPM3Z7XOT4wEhj46qpv4W6HOc3yzzyt32c/s1600/20140717_NYT_Quote_of_day.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ2RxnBCajumC3sTcmk4OC8jX9iitNRKUspfGuldqnAipxQzuq34EhEq5smAnZgzbb60LL2RcQB-cUEi3KnA7uQQYS2iALt670BlXE4CirrcPM3Z7XOT4wEhj46qpv4W6HOc3yzzyt32c/s1600/20140717_NYT_Quote_of_day.JPG" height="108" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/17/pageoneplus/quotation-of-the-day-for-thursday-july-17-2014.html?_r=0">The New York Times quote of the day from July 17, 2014</a>. Dallas County effectively speaking to League City and Galveston County (and possibly others) via the NYT. It was one of those "I thought I'd seen it all" moments for me. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This dog park announcement scenario outlined above is what I had expected, BUT, as is so often the case in <a href="http://www.leaguecity.com/"><b>League City</b></a>, things took a bizarre turn last week when <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_042040b4-2428-11e4-935b-0017a43b2370.html"><b>Mann unexpectedly dropped his re-election bid</b></a> (paywalled) in what appears to be yet another flurry of purely-political bullpoop (more on that in a subsequent post).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEcXN_ipptZklAH06BCAe0FCrJ1cjIQD3Hc1RHOM_FGCxWRpkKeS83_7uGUH61o29_sKeIgTRNsl3ZRSQZX7NdrL7B3Vf27q9Bw-Xr-EwHUornqlskKwBjRVi4TjmoW5hH9uryTmUYKU/s1600/yorick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEcXN_ipptZklAH06BCAe0FCrJ1cjIQD3Hc1RHOM_FGCxWRpkKeS83_7uGUH61o29_sKeIgTRNsl3ZRSQZX7NdrL7B3Vf27q9Bw-Xr-EwHUornqlskKwBjRVi4TjmoW5hH9uryTmUYKU/s1600/yorick.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy Mann's political career, at least temporarily. <br />
<br />
And no, this is not<b> <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/communities/league_city/article_9ef1d89c-22a1-11e4-ae10-001a4bcf6878.html">a "threat" that purportedly needs to be censured</a></b> (paywalled link). This is just satire. More on that later, too.<br />
<br />
And yes, I know that I'm mixing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare">Shakespearean</a> metaphors, which is in extremely bad taste. But it's just a blog post, hastily done to boot. It's not a work of literary art. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So where does that leave those folks with dogged determination where the dog park is concerned? At this point, I don't know. <a href="http://tx-leaguecity.civicplus.com/index.aspx?nid=1072"><b>We will know by close of business today who is actually running</b></a> for which Council positions, so that will potentially help to constrain who we should be talking to. If nobody steps forward to discuss the issue in an election context, I will file a FOIA request to obtain the results of the subsequent survey that League City conducted, because too much time is passing without any action on this issue. Stay tuned for more.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNvCvInNyeWTfos8aeQ0JwsRlmR_UF9D7O0Akoj26VQ1W6FQzKm_2d0FtmhyphenhyphenilNJe8NZrpD64VeZRKLgQA5WkO2HPPfQOhefepkrh0SM0I1DQxhyyTRwYExFRJ4QlY5vlQgWhJEOPxjs/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNvCvInNyeWTfos8aeQ0JwsRlmR_UF9D7O0Akoj26VQ1W6FQzKm_2d0FtmhyphenhyphenilNJe8NZrpD64VeZRKLgQA5WkO2HPPfQOhefepkrh0SM0I1DQxhyyTRwYExFRJ4QlY5vlQgWhJEOPxjs/s1600/image.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hint, hint. If Council could kindly and momentarily tear itself away from all of the special interest political crap in which it engages, we might get some actual work done around here. Maybe. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-89008337069651011922014-08-16T08:31:00.000-07:002014-08-16T08:31:44.615-07:00A common weak link in home securityIt's often the master bath window, or a similarly-configured window in another ground-floor bathroom of a home. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnd9kiFx0AGd3ei9YCV6iwJrcS6u-KHVCn0CCzuaCD6FnEDxgXBVnHZpL7vxwiuk4JhJlftswR8KXv9scsK6KaAmNAKrYGdoe232DkFSEQ6K0mjj5fiij6zySN6e56G1cVZy5DORPshg/s1600/chron-grab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrnd9kiFx0AGd3ei9YCV6iwJrcS6u-KHVCn0CCzuaCD6FnEDxgXBVnHZpL7vxwiuk4JhJlftswR8KXv9scsK6KaAmNAKrYGdoe232DkFSEQ6K0mjj5fiij6zySN6e56G1cVZy5DORPshg/s1600/chron-grab.JPG" height="271" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The increasingly-bizarre case of Houstonian Theresa Roemer's burglary illustrates this very well. According to published reports, approximately $1 million worth of jewelry and consumer goods were stolen via the breakage of a window that, from looking at this photo, I estimate might have been worth about twenty bucks. <br /><br />Image courtesy of <a href="http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/woodlands/crime-courts/article/Self-acclaimed-Woodlands-closet-burglar-sends-5691765.php"><b>this Houston Chronicle piece</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Bathroom windows are very often the weakest link in the residential security chain for the following reasons:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Most of them are fixed panes of glass and therefore they cannot be outfitted with alarm sensors designed for windows that can be opened. </li>
<li>Most suburban homeowners with standard-configuration lower-end security systems do not have glass break sensors, motion detectors, or security cameras installed in or near their master baths. Those implements tend to be found in the main areas of the house such as in hallways, near entries, or in great rooms. </li>
<li>Even if there is a glass break sensor nearby, it is possible to penetrate typical bathroom window sheet glass without setting it off. </li>
<li>Most of these windows are single panes of glass and therefore easier to break through discretely than the coated double-paned energy-efficient windows typically found throughout the rest of the house. </li>
<li>As well as being single panes of glass, many tract home master bath windows are inexpensive and thin, making glass removal even more straightforward.</li>
<li>Many tract home master bath windows are also large and situated close to the ground, allowing for efficient personnel ingress or egress.</li>
<li>Master baths are typically located on the side or rear of the house, so they can be accessed without burglars being seen from the street. </li>
</ol>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbKJVcToaV2V6W0YjY5mehJmyvlMTgX1xLLp_AUfphl6VA9b_aM1klOpuYIMXG0k1jIzLUsFfs-LOigDgzpAzVQdLgidAC6r2_1E88Ve3Nhm2ZDSSfnC3fkid-QAtZaAdECnvEggVgf8/s1600/har.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbKJVcToaV2V6W0YjY5mehJmyvlMTgX1xLLp_AUfphl6VA9b_aM1klOpuYIMXG0k1jIzLUsFfs-LOigDgzpAzVQdLgidAC6r2_1E88Ve3Nhm2ZDSSfnC3fkid-QAtZaAdECnvEggVgf8/s1600/har.JPG" height="400" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical greater Houston tract home master bath configuration, screengrabbed from a real estate listing chosen at random. Behind those 2-inch blinds appears to be a thin sheet of plate glass. Many homes in our area are constructed similarly. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So what's the work-around to this potential point of weakness? <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFD7ri9bqlsBQqVMK83vHDaVIaWUrsZ6xeSp5M7vE4R4wo8XDRnVPxYGbH0ZrjDesrzyke0Cd-IW1pk5cEAvErZh2eHbTncHoCH7mlCAhgj-8F_RFuc1j_x-Xh8o3GbHjVXZg6-p10qc/s1600/block.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFD7ri9bqlsBQqVMK83vHDaVIaWUrsZ6xeSp5M7vE4R4wo8XDRnVPxYGbH0ZrjDesrzyke0Cd-IW1pk5cEAvErZh2eHbTncHoCH7mlCAhgj-8F_RFuc1j_x-Xh8o3GbHjVXZg6-p10qc/s1600/block.JPG" height="340" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the easiest improvements is glass block. While not foolproof, block presents a much more stubborn structural deterrent to would-be burglars. Image screengrabbed from a real estate listing chosen a little less randomly. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I announced to my husband that we would be building our home with glass block in the master bath, he cringed. <i><b>"But I <u>hate</u> glass block,"</b></i> he lamented. <i><b>"It's so 1970's." </b></i> Which of course is true, especially given that our builder offered only one out-dated style of it. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-GeYjwv0MyjoaPcg6djt3tZRBFZ8csKz-EovEy4ZRAzVgpE2jafnqDC0VfHgrrFMostYXWIawMpfYd-o9vGj5PwOHDnhWsOfzTW0Px-S614jaKVcptHvU_0eFfY-t6tCL8sOmZG_YUw/s1600/1-071107_glass_block101+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-GeYjwv0MyjoaPcg6djt3tZRBFZ8csKz-EovEy4ZRAzVgpE2jafnqDC0VfHgrrFMostYXWIawMpfYd-o9vGj5PwOHDnhWsOfzTW0Px-S614jaKVcptHvU_0eFfY-t6tCL8sOmZG_YUw/s1600/1-071107_glass_block101+-+Copy.JPG" height="277" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I agree with my husband - it's out-dated. As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that glass block is good for aesthetically is abstract macro-photography. This is a photo I took of a blue clapboard home and its sunlit driveway with landscaping vegetation out in front, as seen through an inner-loop friend's glass block wall. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I gave my husband a choice. I said, <b><i>"Either we go with the builder's glass block option, or we let the builder install the usual flimsy plate glass and then we do our own custom overhaul of the window after we close on the house." </i></b>For simplicity, we went with the builder's option. And of course it's not a foolproof security solution, but we also have brick facing on all sides of our house, so the glass block is set into the frame and the brick rather than into wood alone with a pressed board / Hardi siding surround. It's possible to penetrate it, but not without a sledgehammer. And if someone is ever dumb enough to try a sledgehammer, our entire cul-de-sac will become alerted to their activity pretty quickly. <br />
<br />
Thus sayeth the previously-burgled blogger who has no desire to go through that kind of recovery process ever again. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but an ugly window is a small price to pay for a bit of added protection, in my opinion. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNQ2DeGqkavwvCl76LNXaQDrISUgiYSyaTSSafzc3kqnlH7D-V0KO3Yf36_oD7vYj1Zds9fCdiBRxitn5FQg06nT7NYH4bXvyVlzw7c0xkPtfkvGNJ_exEY8GNU-BB8BmKxEVxSEt1zY/s1600/burglarystatsgraphic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNQ2DeGqkavwvCl76LNXaQDrISUgiYSyaTSSafzc3kqnlH7D-V0KO3Yf36_oD7vYj1Zds9fCdiBRxitn5FQg06nT7NYH4bXvyVlzw7c0xkPtfkvGNJ_exEY8GNU-BB8BmKxEVxSEt1zY/s1600/burglarystatsgraphic1.jpg" height="315" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too bad this analysis doesn't break it down by <u>which</u> first-floor window is most often used for entry.<br /><br />Screengrabbed from <b><a href="http://www.protectamerica.com/home-security-blog/home-security/home-security-information/crime-statistics-describe-how-burglars-break-in_802">this Protect America info site</a>.</b> No endorsement intended or implied. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-50942376473040724062014-08-14T06:42:00.000-07:002014-08-14T06:42:42.800-07:00How to manage a special diet on a long road tripConversely, this post could be titled "<b>How to enjoy a week at the cottage without having to cook</b>". <br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Answer</u></b>: Consider incorporating the following simple equation into your vacation food management strategy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvgSPSp_GgLe5IPg_VPmQLMWF7GUsU8thQnpLG3RFzMTRh_M63hVpiq_82ZXOXAVzqBsKJw_BT5A8RlehqAnhLF4y2IEjAoFz5I0-Q4tCZm7zR8-XOmfjlJBacTRq-qCviEmcpHAfVf4/s1600/equation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRvgSPSp_GgLe5IPg_VPmQLMWF7GUsU8thQnpLG3RFzMTRh_M63hVpiq_82ZXOXAVzqBsKJw_BT5A8RlehqAnhLF4y2IEjAoFz5I0-Q4tCZm7zR8-XOmfjlJBacTRq-qCviEmcpHAfVf4/s1600/equation.JPG" height="182" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A diet that is largely freezer-based (see <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/healthy-freezer-based-diet-management.html"><b>this humorous post</b></a> and <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/06/so-you-think-you-cant-garden-part-2.html"><b>this other post</b></a>) <b>PLUS </b><a href="http://yeticoolers.com/coolers/shop-by-category/tundra-series/"><b>a Yeti Tundra cooler</b></a> to keep items frozen over an unprecedentedly-long duration of time <b>EQUALS </b>a whole lot less hassle for the traveler, especially if the traveler happens to be their family's chief cook and bottle-washer. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As we found out during a recent 3,000-mile (<i><b>one way!!</b></i>) car trip, the Yeti is a game-changer for consumers. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMoJJtPTQTF_nk1yUSOcB1Wh6sgNoSC5WMYnvTAII7kIME5WaXDxhPJsj74YHP47t76yH34A6OKgY7LeFOL486EwgscHh54ObxnIvw7C09LklCtStOPg1QBRWZ72pbJuK1GbHspKn2So/s1600/1-yeti+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMoJJtPTQTF_nk1yUSOcB1Wh6sgNoSC5WMYnvTAII7kIME5WaXDxhPJsj74YHP47t76yH34A6OKgY7LeFOL486EwgscHh54ObxnIvw7C09LklCtStOPg1QBRWZ72pbJuK1GbHspKn2So/s1600/1-yeti+-+Copy.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is one loaded-down minivan, but stuff-dragging is inevitable if you're driving your family cross-country. Retrospectively we realized that we should have put our <b>Yeti 50</b> (at upper left) squarely above the rear axle, because it was <i><b>very </b></i>heavy. In this photo we had it pushed too far toward the rear of the van. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In our case, it wasn't a special diet <i>per se</i> that prompted me to try this food management approach, but rather the following two considerations:<br />
<ol>
<li>We were rendezvousing with other family members for the proverbial cottage-by-the-sea vacation, and I wanted everyone to be able to sample some of the home-grown goodies that I <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/search/label/Gardening"><b>harvest from my gardens here in Houston</b></a>.</li>
<li>More importantly, I was looking for some relief from my aforementioned chief cook and bottle-washer status. Does this ever happen to you?? -- You travel to some lovely cottage in an idyllic remote location only to spend half your "vacation" time mired in the logistics of how to feed everybody. Typically, 'idyllic remote' means two things: not many services to start with, and those few that are available are extremely expensive. So it is with our annual cottage destination, which largely caters to the resort crowd rather than to middle-class travelers. Your options in that scenario are as follows:</li>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>Pay sky-high prices daily for nutritionally-<u>un</u>balanced restaurant meals (unacceptable)</li>
<li>Admit defeat and eat chicken nuggets and french fries most of the time (unacceptable)</li>
<li>Take your own home-made food along for the ride (ideal if you can find a way to preserve it long enough)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
We had heard about the Yeti's superior cold-retention capability but we'd had no previous experience with it, and <a href="http://yeticoolers.com/pages/faq/#how-long-will-yeti-coolers-keep-ice"><b>Yeti itself hedges its bets</b></a> where longevity guarantees are concerned. Here is how we tackled our food transport challenge, and the results:<br />
<ul>
<li>A few days prior to our trip, we bumped our freezer temperature down to the lowest it would go, which was minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit.</li>
<li>About 12 hours prior to the trip, we packed the Yeti with ice to "pre-cool" it because we had read somewhere that this would help with cold retention.</li>
<li>On the morning of departure, we dumped out the pre-cooling ice (which had partially melted), quickly loaded the cooler with our food, and then carefully packed new ice (cooled to below freezing) into the void spaces. </li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3jo_NUZgxu_qptI_or3SJQFG6AFSm-5lsbSbox53TEkSEHFI4dMWvRFxiCE4bDVstpZdBJGL_52Bzyps_5drl7YV8lWS1uba1Jr3bBmiQGa-kFeyCO3HinN2zKOjo6adTk7SiG1gZ-A/s1600/1-DSC_0245+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3jo_NUZgxu_qptI_or3SJQFG6AFSm-5lsbSbox53TEkSEHFI4dMWvRFxiCE4bDVstpZdBJGL_52Bzyps_5drl7YV8lWS1uba1Jr3bBmiQGa-kFeyCO3HinN2zKOjo6adTk7SiG1gZ-A/s1600/1-DSC_0245+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is an ice-free view. Most coolers are elongated, but I chose the Yeti 50 because it is closer to being cube-shaped - maximum volume for minimum surface area. As I described in <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/healthy-freezer-based-diet-management.html"><b>this previous post</b>,</a> I only use Pyrex ware for food storage, and by this time we own approximately 120 Pyrex pieces of various sizes. The Yeti 50 can hold about 12 to 16 one-quart Pyrex containers and perhaps 4 to 6 of the 2-cup size, depending on your desired ice-to-food ratio. That's a whole lot of food! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<ul>
<li>We continued to monitor the ice throughout our long journey. Here's the kicker - we weren't going directly to the cottage. We spent 9 sight-seeing days on the road <u>before</u> we even got to our final destination. By Day 7, some of the ice had begun to melt and the frozen food was beginning to thaw, but we re-packed any void spaces with new ice daily to keep the temperature as low as achievable (properly refrigerated frozen food generally has a shelf life of 7 to 10 days after initial thawing). Then, as soon as we arrived at the cottage, I cranked down the refrigerator to its lowest possible temperature in order to maintain the thawed food as long as possible.</li>
</ul>
<br />
And the strategy worked very well, indeed.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYHjhPcthChP0FJG2YyIm01-uNFk8tVlBQav9yhpOfhpUULHo_MBRk-X0yPnbzKMVs0ktElr3gHk6Hi17wTpZVE0y7AXIYU8HPqkJGm_OSJjAKPboDlo552jw79a4S2iNjU1jRAjPlbs/s1600/1-DSC_0511+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYHjhPcthChP0FJG2YyIm01-uNFk8tVlBQav9yhpOfhpUULHo_MBRk-X0yPnbzKMVs0ktElr3gHk6Hi17wTpZVE0y7AXIYU8HPqkJGm_OSJjAKPboDlo552jw79a4S2iNjU1jRAjPlbs/s1600/1-DSC_0511+-+Copy.JPG" height="308" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mexican pork and squash stew (recipe <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/05/squash-those-gardening-fears.html"><b>here</b></a>) and Cuban black beans (recipe <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/03/recipe-for-unofficial-dish-of.html"><b>here</b></a>) three thousand miles from the point of preparation and ten days after having been removed from our freezer. Served with brown rice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>OMG - I WENT ON VACATION TO A COTTAGE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY HALF-CENTURY LIFE, I DID NOT HAVE TO COOK!!!</b> All I had to do for each day's main meal was to prepare fresh rice or pasta, warm up my home-made food, and set the various dishes on the table to be served. In this way, I fed 5 adults wonderful meals for 7 consecutive days with almost no effort.<br />
<br />
<u>And here's the added bonus that I neglected to consider at the outset</u>: What would the corresponding price of 35 high-quality restaurant dinners have been in an expensive area? Or conversely, cooking 35 person-meals from scratch by buying ingredients at substantially inflated local pricing (not to mention the incredible amount of time and energy that would have sucked out of my vacation time)? Yeti coolers are not for the financially faint of heart - our <a href="http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/yeti-tundra-50-qt-cooler/pid-442001"><b>Yeti 50 cost almost $400</b></a>. <i><b>But if you do the math on this scenario</b></i>, what you'll conclude is that the money saved by bringing food 3,000 miles substantially offset the purchase price of the cooler. Effectively, the thing almost paid for itself in one trip. <br />
<br />
Marvelous, I tell you. I had no idea at the outset whether this scheme would work, but it was successful beyond all my expectations. And I have never enjoyed my own cooking more than after a succession of absolutely grueling, miles-long mountain hikes. It tasted twice as good as it normally does.<br />
:-)<br />
<br />
<u>The additional possibilities are substantial</u>: Gluten allergy? Medical condition? Losing weight and don't want to experience the type of inevitable set-back experienced from being forced to eat whatever crappy food is typically available while traveling? Try a Yeti - it might work for your situation. <br />
<br />
As always, this is a noncommercial post expressing personal opinions only. I receive no compensation from any referenced source. In those cases where cited manufacturers have felt compelled to furnish me with products, I <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/07/intermodular-interfaith.html"><b>donate them to charity</b></a>. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wx1nLzoyGeuobK84x9haWv-MloQEIe91474D5hLQvr8yiwiXym6dY2rIyRwH1yhe0LgLckLmeAPF8ZpFfjhPYA3QK7s-1oCifh-LX20cStTImP6qUr13rxCGJ6UYZ4PoMV4FOfj-g4U/s1600/academy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0wx1nLzoyGeuobK84x9haWv-MloQEIe91474D5hLQvr8yiwiXym6dY2rIyRwH1yhe0LgLckLmeAPF8ZpFfjhPYA3QK7s-1oCifh-LX20cStTImP6qUr13rxCGJ6UYZ4PoMV4FOfj-g4U/s1600/academy.JPG" height="195" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An average rating of 4.9 out of 5 on more than four hundred reviews?! That kind of phenomenon almost never occurs in the consumer universe, but I can see why it did with this product. Five stars, indeed. <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from <a href="http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/yeti-tundra-50-qt-cooler/pid-442001"><b>this Academy website</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-45972501038567943872014-08-13T07:33:00.000-07:002014-08-13T07:33:07.662-07:00Landscaping made easy, Part 15: Even more edible landscapingAfter seeing several <a href="http://www.galvestondailynews.com/business/article_9af4b2cc-f755-11e3-84cd-0017a43b2370.html"><b>recent news stories about local blackberry growers</b></a>, I decided I had to take the plunge and try some for us. But as with my other suburban planting efforts, it can't just be about gardening - our back yard is so small that we do a lot of food-gardening-as-landscaping, as this series of photos will show.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g_z1zUtaLMncshTTCHBV1XWCi6Te0W9w5ZzyxgeWz6zhDUxbNxgx8yGKx5iY0KHEO3iXqn8bVjO-O_-jGrLUf4pwsyRN4T-7EIw3t8xwsLXwvND4cLqSb0cK5D7IT0nWDSDTDr2mdKgx/s1600/DSC_1371+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g_z1zUtaLMncshTTCHBV1XWCi6Te0W9w5ZzyxgeWz6zhDUxbNxgx8yGKx5iY0KHEO3iXqn8bVjO-O_-jGrLUf4pwsyRN4T-7EIw3t8xwsLXwvND4cLqSb0cK5D7IT0nWDSDTDr2mdKgx/s1600/DSC_1371+-+Copy.JPG" height="330" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_lemon"><b>Meyer lemon tree</b></a> (shown in this 2013 pic as a newborn) had grown to the point where it was too large for this space, so this became one of my intended blackberry locations. <br />
<br />
See <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2013/04/culvert-planters-part-1.html"><b>this post</b></a> for further information on culvert gardening. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKOcq3f313vcRz8Sd1Ztjq_yBHEvjq_ZvO74NrU1V7-toNo495rpbV84AuXQ3G_VLuVK3aWcmBiHGbeFGhIcC-cUC9M6w0AB7goBJTKrtt1nmpJq1SGaXCeUsgUzMynmZVjKyqIbTRDYL/s1600/1-DSC_0550+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKOcq3f313vcRz8Sd1Ztjq_yBHEvjq_ZvO74NrU1V7-toNo495rpbV84AuXQ3G_VLuVK3aWcmBiHGbeFGhIcC-cUC9M6w0AB7goBJTKrtt1nmpJq1SGaXCeUsgUzMynmZVjKyqIbTRDYL/s1600/1-DSC_0550+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I moved the Meyer and began work on rejiggering this space with a blackberry trellis. Mind you, it's mid-summer in Houston Texas. My photos are going to look unfinished because most of the heavy lifting will need to wait until the average temperatures are about 30 degrees lower than what they are right now. The main thing I needed to accomplish in the short term was to get the Meyer moved and the blackberry bushes into the ground. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tjN_LInBVGTcqLlIhD9xd8mOGC_R1Vov8J_dTL5HMFSMf1EsWH-z9oJh7uieUWbzoUJKHhaHMuEwc2ZO6P3C6ACzoRonqFxIbdQt2aqu7-_jaKDfqdufbhSCvc5UwAsY0b-MkGlTzKgL/s1600/1-DSC_0551+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tjN_LInBVGTcqLlIhD9xd8mOGC_R1Vov8J_dTL5HMFSMf1EsWH-z9oJh7uieUWbzoUJKHhaHMuEwc2ZO6P3C6ACzoRonqFxIbdQt2aqu7-_jaKDfqdufbhSCvc5UwAsY0b-MkGlTzKgL/s1600/1-DSC_0551+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used two simple $20 redwood trellises - not very fancy but this is my first trellising effort and I wanted to start small. Annoyingly, I cannot find this exact model on the Home Depot website, but it's similar to <b><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-90-in-Redwood-Ladder-Trellis-38371/202259441?N=5yc1vZc6nxZ12kyZ1z0voifZ1z0wshb">this one </a>(</b>except the two I bought are wider). I fastened them to the fence using three-quarter-inch metal brackets of the type that are available in the plumbing department. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6WQ-Jd-2KKgNN8rrpsiWaLPOwRCiyr1BF7N3OevgRc57sQFrNUjxLOKlVeWcHh7ewTajHscklq5u-xtBoKHVo_okj_EC-1kPW0g5sAW1UsFIgVNQb9nO_bTarsA2NmuU6tt-wtBJT5B3/s1600/1-DSC_0569+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6WQ-Jd-2KKgNN8rrpsiWaLPOwRCiyr1BF7N3OevgRc57sQFrNUjxLOKlVeWcHh7ewTajHscklq5u-xtBoKHVo_okj_EC-1kPW0g5sAW1UsFIgVNQb9nO_bTarsA2NmuU6tt-wtBJT5B3/s1600/1-DSC_0569+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see from the photos above that the soil in this location is very light-colored, suggesting that it's not very high in organic matter (like most greater Houston soils, it's largely clay). For this reason, I did one of my periodic <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2012/09/successful-composting-in-suburbs.html"><b>compost</b></a> excavations in order to retrieve enough material to amend it. This pic shows the wheelbarrow loaded with newly-dug compost. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsTR8O9Bjif6OmuPcPeLEyEsCn29NfXyIjl9RylchOGBQIvcmioer53g0SHSOZ9t0ufar9QUWD8hF5TF51XJYJyFDWaM5eLzRq39cGqZvmKvS5wbF9JNOPE9-LC9zOMd5Kj0MkNz5FdY4/s1600/1-DSC_0570+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitsTR8O9Bjif6OmuPcPeLEyEsCn29NfXyIjl9RylchOGBQIvcmioer53g0SHSOZ9t0ufar9QUWD8hF5TF51XJYJyFDWaM5eLzRq39cGqZvmKvS5wbF9JNOPE9-LC9zOMd5Kj0MkNz5FdY4/s1600/1-DSC_0570+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is what my Earth Machine looked like after I had removed the composted material from the bottom of it. THere is now room to make more as the cycle of decomposition and growth continues. You can read more about the Earth Machine in <a href="http://centerpointeleaguecity.blogspot.com/2014/06/successful-composting-in-suburbs-part-2.html"><b>this recent post</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYupNjetQwIH_ixKEgS3tKNl16ySCdS2ZbCD9cAziBHgr7r9_rnwirrlE1YLiI1OxRKsv6MastACMThrTPiNfNlXdSSt2hBPScKG4Qo6XIziEkpS5cEJmcZ1fcPuRWV8eQaIA_yjXAyJt/s1600/1-DSC_0574+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnYupNjetQwIH_ixKEgS3tKNl16ySCdS2ZbCD9cAziBHgr7r9_rnwirrlE1YLiI1OxRKsv6MastACMThrTPiNfNlXdSSt2hBPScKG4Qo6XIziEkpS5cEJmcZ1fcPuRWV8eQaIA_yjXAyJt/s1600/1-DSC_0574+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the hole that I dug (did I mention that it's really bloody <i><b>hot </b></i>outside right now?!) and some home-made compost in the bottom of it for color comparison. Very different composition, eh? Where gardening and landscaping are concerned, the general rule of thumb on soil fertility is as follows: Light-colored is bad. Dark-colored is good. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCsDwxpR2QQtsxzEJNxZNpb5ucDutUi6D23NCaW5ulxUr0b_zLub3FgYutb00YpOkHbGOQ_QKZRdLY37rpeb1Pv4zHbh5dFI0JBIC4HBbl43flUO6NbYmVQCivUGu9yc_aIOXmT4jX98j/s1600/1-DSC_0575+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCsDwxpR2QQtsxzEJNxZNpb5ucDutUi6D23NCaW5ulxUr0b_zLub3FgYutb00YpOkHbGOQ_QKZRdLY37rpeb1Pv4zHbh5dFI0JBIC4HBbl43flUO6NbYmVQCivUGu9yc_aIOXmT4jX98j/s1600/1-DSC_0575+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For a planting like this, the trick is to make the hole about 1.5 times wider and deeper than the plant that is going into the ground, and then blend the native soil and the amendments together to fill the extra space (as well as using my own compost, I also augmented with <a href="http://www.microlifefertilizer.com/"><b>Microlife fertilizer</b></a>). You want to go to this hole-widening trouble in order to give your new plant a leg-up, a head start on growing where you've placed it, but you don't want to go so far as to create special soil conditions for the plant that you can't possibly sustain over the long term. The initial boost helps the plant to get established in imperfect soils. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt9AMT3a-w1Vg6QBzaHaT0Jg-hXtziaM6OmcMBHczO5WdxcBnzjZ2Ytliob-s33AzJRRBH13qm3f3MaNE05HFSQoLMiL2vblCiGgMl_V6JNZxPmbAOyFAxOkdYb8HRmxLD78UjjyxRZ34/s1600/1-DSC_0579+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt9AMT3a-w1Vg6QBzaHaT0Jg-hXtziaM6OmcMBHczO5WdxcBnzjZ2Ytliob-s33AzJRRBH13qm3f3MaNE05HFSQoLMiL2vblCiGgMl_V6JNZxPmbAOyFAxOkdYb8HRmxLD78UjjyxRZ34/s1600/1-DSC_0579+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I chose to try <a href="http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/files/2010/10/blackberries.pdf"><b>Rosborough blackberries</b></a> (that's a PDF link), which is a line developed by <b><a href="http://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&M</a> </b>and released in 1977. I got the plants from<b> <a href="http://faithsgardenshed.com/">Faith's Garden Shed Naturally </a></b>which sells out of the<a href="http://www.clearlakeshores-tx.gov/index.aspx?NID=206"> <b>Clear Lake Shores Farmers Market.</b></a> <br />
<br />
BTW, mini-blind slats can be recycled to make really good plant markers. They take both marker and pencil very well. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC3rTB0b3DtS8ClowjRBhrmlL_mEzMfum2qXcbdsCN6B2C4D-Zy63yh8DT1_Kp6ddE0RRbg0SqjZ4PhOJ8hggcYCIAqYSjtRvOABShql1LhP_W0eP8OjC57JN1apCBc4XhTtEMXga358t/s1600/1-DSC_0577+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC3rTB0b3DtS8ClowjRBhrmlL_mEzMfum2qXcbdsCN6B2C4D-Zy63yh8DT1_Kp6ddE0RRbg0SqjZ4PhOJ8hggcYCIAqYSjtRvOABShql1LhP_W0eP8OjC57JN1apCBc4XhTtEMXga358t/s1600/1-DSC_0577+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First blackberry coming out of its nursery container. Loosen up the roots of newly-purchased plants a bit before placing them in the ground, so that the new roots will not continue to grow in a bound-up state. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4vJ7ZCtKHMWAxNwU9N6SBvYUcaZe6iOOBkgc23ZuAK9heXPuf9Y_WTb4tWaLBlBED80uV8FKVSxec7M47uajp7rK-wIwE9ZwIMw7LeyVGE1QoQTEckPgTanlmfNkG0QFxU3vwH4bJter/s1600/1-DSC_0573+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4vJ7ZCtKHMWAxNwU9N6SBvYUcaZe6iOOBkgc23ZuAK9heXPuf9Y_WTb4tWaLBlBED80uV8FKVSxec7M47uajp7rK-wIwE9ZwIMw7LeyVGE1QoQTEckPgTanlmfNkG0QFxU3vwH4bJter/s1600/1-DSC_0573+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here it is placed in the hole for sizing purposes. The hole needs to be wider than the new plant, but it's important not to bury the top of the plant because the root ball needs to breathe.<br />
<br />
This is a thorny bramble (ouch!) and so I plan to train it rigorously to go straight up the trellis rather than outward. Vertical plantings are a good idea for any back yard that is lacking in space. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFuxXzS-hWCrXf_pAS0DNKZaonQQMMwVYIOQ_frpX-Jhd3Oxhr6ObVFLxzwMMbMOUJe5VjiPOpRhXrKxxeouWQB72dxX7BxiR_kCzF8oGEHB79_8yCc-cqJHa5p3YmKtKlBbhdD0aqRsp/s1600/1-DSC_0580+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFuxXzS-hWCrXf_pAS0DNKZaonQQMMwVYIOQ_frpX-Jhd3Oxhr6ObVFLxzwMMbMOUJe5VjiPOpRhXrKxxeouWQB72dxX7BxiR_kCzF8oGEHB79_8yCc-cqJHa5p3YmKtKlBbhdD0aqRsp/s1600/1-DSC_0580+-+Copy.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whew - one down, one to go. I'll fix the landscape bed's rock edging in October maybe (did I mention that it's hot out right now?). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAD8FKazkAyg3TYX0MXPs_-Cajurfj7SnvBqGLc3pPAL787B2tc-fT1hrRwcA6IFl0ZkP3HvqZPdyoO0YK8wrTIjhn8o2DIxnMxNoLqS578ua10kiKnzvCxHIuik85P5XCXG3BH7-gWRon/s1600/1-DSC_0582+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAD8FKazkAyg3TYX0MXPs_-Cajurfj7SnvBqGLc3pPAL787B2tc-fT1hrRwcA6IFl0ZkP3HvqZPdyoO0YK8wrTIjhn8o2DIxnMxNoLqS578ua10kiKnzvCxHIuik85P5XCXG3BH7-gWRon/s1600/1-DSC_0582+-+Copy.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my second chosen location, next to one of my large garden mirrors (they are made from recycled bathroom sheet mirrors that were taken out during someone's home remodeling and then sold to me during a garage sale). Part of the point from a design perspective was to break up the continuous unbroken line of the fence by using staggered heights. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
The second blackberry was installed much as the first, and now we'll see what time and cooler temps will bring. </div>
Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197942725902776726.post-65953434666415107392014-08-07T03:13:00.000-07:002014-08-07T03:13:24.885-07:00Best jewelry box<b><u>Answer</u></b>: If you want to acquire a great jewelry box, then you need to think outside the (jewelry) box. The <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/drawers?productId=10000332"><b>Bisley 5-drawer cabinet</b></a> is an unconventional choice and may not be appreciated by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girly_girl"><b>girly-girl</b></a> types, but in terms of quality, functionality, versatility, value for the price, and modern style, it's head and shoulders above any other option that I've ever seen or tried.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitt2Vwpm14AIlqHK51mtqzHt1wzmRWnOsnJ1WEA7OWnnpO3UAl5YksQekL5jIVm7Wiboa7qPo8Q5dEK6dsst7W6O9sZ-S0EP0g7nvVBT88WcqJn9uhwfnZvC6_n_iOh4-CVB04M04zO14/s1600/1-WP_20140602_006+(1)+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitt2Vwpm14AIlqHK51mtqzHt1wzmRWnOsnJ1WEA7OWnnpO3UAl5YksQekL5jIVm7Wiboa7qPo8Q5dEK6dsst7W6O9sZ-S0EP0g7nvVBT88WcqJn9uhwfnZvC6_n_iOh4-CVB04M04zO14/s1600/1-WP_20140602_006+(1)+-+Copy.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Hello industrial chic!!</b></i> The <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/drawers?productId=10000332"><b>Bisley 5-drawer cabinet</b></a>, currently available at <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm"><b>The Container Store</b></a> for about a hundred bucks. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp50qb8rTqUpW9fdffL7XOTEKDQbwdsaZr1yWF3TfX92dy5QN3djaXgji2KEIpbgKG-sIrWBk-SvDiG6AwWumfl58fnz0HfePOlQ-IPfv2x1ndNFKQyfPEzWAyvTBl8oNJwWO1w30HBxw/s1600/1-WP_20140602_008+%25281%2529+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp50qb8rTqUpW9fdffL7XOTEKDQbwdsaZr1yWF3TfX92dy5QN3djaXgji2KEIpbgKG-sIrWBk-SvDiG6AwWumfl58fnz0HfePOlQ-IPfv2x1ndNFKQyfPEzWAyvTBl8oNJwWO1w30HBxw/s1600/1-WP_20140602_008+%25281%2529+-+Copy.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twelve colors and four different drawer inserts for organization. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1_xauiPuTI1e7x29sfi5i1GuTMca07qXGLLb8XSghqXkiGoEVEuzNgA7JxlqvoG2RT5YaiISW_3f0wDC-c2KAy2spOASxF3ZN_U_CDiTZQAa6n1ctWZiaAk5ftv_2hIPsEGNMmCe_es/s1600/bisley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1_xauiPuTI1e7x29sfi5i1GuTMca07qXGLLb8XSghqXkiGoEVEuzNgA7JxlqvoG2RT5YaiISW_3f0wDC-c2KAy2spOASxF3ZN_U_CDiTZQAa6n1ctWZiaAk5ftv_2hIPsEGNMmCe_es/s1600/bisley.JPG" height="400" width="361" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Bisley or go home. Think about the possibilities - if you have a larger jewelry collection, you could buy several of different colors, stack them up, etc.<br />
<br />
Image above screengrabbed from <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/shop/storage/drawers?productId=10000332"><b>The Container Store</b></a>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Where do I even begin in describing the problems and limitations with the conventional jewelry boxes that are on the market today??<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAQZK3B62P1BjV_BEY9cSeHzVaEWTpI1koXpYgdc-x1zfneauutW4tiIBVqFXcC21u55Fx-Fg9GnUBeMvKTnuROOu2BxDy6dSy9qITn2EXXcXo2M57G4jNNltM9d2zWcEJn1CBK9pzKo/s1600/google-grab.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnAQZK3B62P1BjV_BEY9cSeHzVaEWTpI1koXpYgdc-x1zfneauutW4tiIBVqFXcC21u55Fx-Fg9GnUBeMvKTnuROOu2BxDy6dSy9qITn2EXXcXo2M57G4jNNltM9d2zWcEJn1CBK9pzKo/s1600/google-grab.JPG" height="273" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's the retail category that time forgot - a market segment that has not evolved in more than 50 years, not kept pace during the same period of time in which women's lives changed to the point of being unrecognizable compared to their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_It_to_Beaver" style="font-weight: bold;">Leave It To Beaver</a><b> </b>starting point (today, we are leaving it to <a href="http://www.khou.com/community/Meet-the-Beaver-Behind-Buc-ees-220753281.html"><b>a very different Beaver</b></a>). <br />
<br />
Screengrabbed from a Google image search. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most of the jewelry boxes on the market today are obsolete because they are:<br />
<ol>
<li><u>Too small</u> - the average professional woman would need six of those dinky things pictured above.</li>
<li><u>Too difficult to organiz</u>e - stuff gets piled up, tangled, etc. </li>
<li><u>Too inefficient</u> - there's too much flipping of lids, lifting out of individual trays, etc. in many of them</li>
<li><u>Too unstylish</u> - none of those that are shown in the Google screengrab above could be integrated into modern decor.</li>
<li><u>Too unsophisticated</u> - they look like they're all made and marketed for little girls who still dress up in fairy costumes.</li>
<li><u>Too cheaply made</u> - there really isn't a lot of durability represented above.</li>
<li><u>Or, too expensive</u> - if you do the research on better boxes, their prices can easily reach many hundreds of dollars and for that you'll get about one quarter to one half of the storage capacity of a much less expensive Bisley. </li>
</ol>
I acquired a modest but tasteful collection of jewelry as a means of justifying a meager professional wardrobe. A woman can get away with a lot of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_casual"><b>business casual</b></a>" sins through the strategic use of better-quality costume jewelry. Put on a nice necklace and folks tend not to notice that what you're wearing underneath it is not much better than a T-shirt.<br />
<br />
For many years, most of my business jewelry sat in a predictable heap for lack of suitable storage mechanism. But then I brought home a Bisley and liberated myself from all that mess. My husband, normally accustomed to my unconventional thinking, was taken aback by this. <i><b>"Wait a minute - you're planning to use <u>an office supply cabinet</u> as jewelry box?!"</b></i> he asked, perplexed. <b><i> "You betcha,"</i></b> I chirped, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/17/movies/how-frances-mcdormand-got-into-minnesota-nice.html"><b>channeling Francis McDormand</b></a>. <b><i>"And I'm a lot better off for it."</i></b><br />
<br />
As always, this is a noncommercial post containing my personal opinions only. I receive no benefit or compensation from any cited source. Centerpointe Moderatorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10895145672338559659noreply@blogger.com0