Daily Archives: 10/10/2006

General, Local politics

I’m being investigated

5 Comments

According to this article and this article, the Louisiana Ethics Board is going to investigate blogs in the context of their impact on Louisiana elections.

First, allow me to laugh. Out loud. A lot. Roll on the floor a bit. Wet myself. sorry. Just thinking about a “Louiana Ethics Board.” In terms of Louisiana politics, “ethics” is as important as a bicycle for a catfish. If the board is appointed by any Louisiana politician, it’s a useful as a group of whores meeting to discuss chastity and good taste in clothing.

Any meeting of a state board in Louisiana is a clown circus frought with good ol’ boys, miscellaneous idiot cousins and brothers-in-law, and well-heeled contributors to political campaigns, and its output is suspect.

If Louisiana were to have a REAL ethics board to investigate its political shenanigans, said board would of necessity need protective suits for touching any document that had actually come in contact with a politician, and they would need rope, gibbets and volumes of tar and feathers to properly prosecute the findings.

Besides, I am an American, and a combat veteran, and I hold that the Second Amendment serves to guarantee the rest. Blogging is MY First Amendment right. Molon labe, bitches!

General, Wheels of Industry

Codes

7 Comments

Most of my work has to comply with the NEC – National Electric Code, the CODE, which is found in an 8.5×11 inch book about an inchand a half thick. That’s the raw data. Reading and understanding the whole thing is quite an accomplishment. It’s apain in the butt over some rather insignificant details, but in the whole, adherence to the Code will set you well on the path to a safe and usually reliable installation.

Of course, if you have a Code, it must be inforced. Most localities have some sort of electrical inspector, at least for commercial establishments. Where they don’t some “unusual” things take place. Industrial facilities, however, do not usually fall under the purview of government inspectors. The theory is that industrial facility work is done by competent people under the direction of professional engineers. Be lieve me, as somebody who has been personally involved in working in industrial facilities for the last thirty years, it’s ONLY a theory. But even the incompetent usually TRY to conform to the CODE.

But if you go overseas, well:

Central American Service

This one came from Costa Rica. Note that there is a disconnect switch to the right of the meter. If you look carefully, you will see that the drip shield to protect the switch from rain is actually a carefully cut up plastic bottle.

Actually, if you go to places like Europe, you’ll find that their electrical codes and inspectors are really sticklers…