Lagniappe

Being a better man than Atrios, I offer you, in addition to the long-overdue open thread, the news item (via Instapundit) that Tom Delay has emerged victorious from the Texas Republican primary.  Which prompts the question: just what does one have to do to get thrown out of office these days?  I'm thinking murder, where there are at least three eyewitnesses from each of the two largest political parties willing to testify.  Much profanity will undoubtedly ensue, and I expect even more creative cursing will be heard when Delay is reelected.  Chalk this up as a prediction; a straight-line extrapolation (if you will) from past stupidity.

Other than that, I've got nothing.  Other than: whoever this Michelle Thomas character is that's calling me every frickin' day and either a) leaving a message on my machine, or b) hanging up if I pick up the telephone...there's not a chance I'm interested in whatever it is you claim not to be selling.  I'm not even interested in finding out what it is that you claim not to be trying to sell me on.  I mean, I actually take the time to call back the number you've left on my answering machine (this is after erasing roughly three dozen messages) to ask you to never call me again, and...no effect.  I'm at the point where I'd be willing to pay extra for the telephony equivalent of antispam.  And speaking of telephone, my brother has recently turned me on to Skype, which by all appearances is one of the better free software packages I've ever seen.  Think: long distance over IP, without having to pay your provider for the service.  Even overseas.  For free.  Check them out.

I've also re-begun reading hilzoy's book, taking notes so that instead of peppering her with questions over a long period of time, I can bombard her with them all at once.  My problem is that I'm so completely devoid of context on this topic that I'm kind of lacking a North reference.  Perhaps I'm in need of the philosophical equivalent of one of these.

Finally, I've spent so much time re-flooring various portions of my house that I'm seriously considering shelling out some cash for tools to speed things along a bit.  I'm shopping around for a power miter saw, which you pretty much have to have used to see why it's a really, really, really good idea to have one (even for straight cuts).  Especially if, like me, you live in a house where nothing meets anything else within a degree of right angles.  A friend of mine has loaned me one of these, which as a tool is truly a thing of beauty.  As an alternative, I'm considering something more like this, which can't handle quite as large a piece as the other (And as a man, I'm a little reluctant to...no, I shouldn't go there.  Not here.) but it does some other things that might outweigh that limitation, and it's a lot cheaper.  What I'm currently using is this (although I paid much less than the list price).  Anyone who's purchased these or related tools please let me know.  Also, having spent far too much time bending finishing nails, denting moulding with completely missed blows, or splitting (finally) precisely-cut moulding, I'm considering getting a nailgun.  A nailgun would be a huge time savings.  I'm thinking a pneumatic one, which would require an air compressor (which I've been coveting for a couple of decades, now).  Feedback on desirable choices in this area would also be appreciated.

Why buy now, when I only have a few rooms left that I haven't completely redone?  Because I know that once I'm done, it'll be time to move to a new place, and I'd like to be prepared to rip out and remodel more quickly.  Plus, a guy's got to have tools.  Seriously, we are considering a relocation to Denver (dependent on whether I can find decent employment there) sometime between now and when daughter number one enters middle school, and I'm reasonably sure that the house we'd be moving into will be at least a couple of decades old.

Comments

[lilylily]

Re: what it takes. I dunno. Looks like that incredible fraud Cuellar will win, too. Do they let Republicans vote in Democratic primaries in Texas?
Is the failure of voters to correctly make what ought to be obvious moral districtions a Texas problem or a national one?

I, too, am plagued by a caller. Her first name is Deborah and she is a lawyer, or at least works for a law office. She thinks I am someone named Cathy Layton and she has been phoning me for years with threats of dire consequences if I don't show up for court. Appearently people can ignore the courts in this country without consequences.
Maybe that conservative theme about moral rot setting in in this country is true. Of course, as a liberal, I think it is worse on their side.
After all people went out and voted for all those corrupt wackos in Congress and Delay isn't the only one. Pombo, for example.

[SomeOtherDude]

I bet if you start a war based on lies...that will get you thrown out.

War is like murder.

[Jesurgislac]

Which prompts the question: just what does one have to do to get thrown out of office these days?

So long as there are Republicans willing to deny all evidence of wrongdoing (the theft of the 2000 election in Florida is still the most consistent example: you'll still find Republicans willing to claim that Bush actually won it) so long will Republican politicians feel free to commit any crime they like, secure in the knowledge that their loyal followers will deny either that there is evidence the crime was ever committed, or claim that it never mattered anyway.

[cleek]

the 2000 election

at this point, this point is practically a religious one - zealots on both sides quickly turn any discussion into a steaming pile of excrement.

[Mo MacArbie]

I don't know about your Denver old house theory. Sure there are plenty, but they keep making more and more Denver further out. It's just about an unbroken stretch of new houses all the way to Boulder. Get one of those, and club a few prairie dogs personally for maximum VRWC glee;)

[Mike S]

Don't buy the $99 sliding saw. It will only lead to trouble and a burning desire to replace it with something better. Invest in the best saw you can afford. Justify it by amortizing the cost over 10-20 years. Do the same with a good nail gun and compressor. Buy something good, maintain it well, and plan on using it for a long time. It will be cheaper in the long run than buying cheap tools now.

[Sebastian Holsclaw]

If Delay is reelected to leadership I will scream and it will be loud.

[mr.ed]

Rent a saw, take a weekend and a day or so, and finish the job. Note that this time of year, the wood will probably be shrunk if you're up north, and could buckle in the summer when it expands from absorbing humidity. BTW, I have a saw similar to the Jorgenson, and did all the trim work in our renovation. Not as fast, but quieter, more portable, and way less mess.

[Happy Jack]

I would stick with DeWalt or Makita as far as saws go. Depending on your budget, you might look into a sliding miter or a laser guide.

This is an excellent bargain. I would add a fifty foot hose, and an attachment tool kit.

As for Delay, the fact that he sits on the Appropriation Comm. already has me screaming.

[Dantheman]

"Which prompts the question: just what does one have to do to get thrown out of office these days?"

I've been waiting for an answer to that since November 2004.

[Slartibartfast]

Jesurgislac:

We had a thread about that (which I unabashedly threadjacked) a long time ago. Go back there and rehash, if you like.

Sebastian: you've captured my feeling exactly.

Mo: we've pretty much decided where we want to live. It's strategically located within a couple of miles of all of my immediate family that live there (my father, three brothers, three sisters-in-law, three nieces and two nephews). And unless we want to scrape off and rebuild, a house built prior to 1985 will be guaranteed.

Mike: thanks. Do you have any recommendations? I thought the DeWalt saw was pretty outstanding, but I'd consider something cheaper if it was as good. The DeWalt saw was a bit on the expensive side.

Mr ed: Thanks, but the problem with renting is that I have to have everything planned out in advance. And I just hate having to do that. Plus, I have to return it, which...well, video stores make more profit than average from me, in terms of late fees. The problem with the Jorgensen saw is that you can't simply cut long and then trim it down to size; with a hand saw you can't shave a 32nd of an inch off the end. And this is how I do things. Plus, it's just not as precise as the power miter saw. I don't like to caulk gaps all that much.

[Bernard Yomtov]

If Delay is reelected to leadership I will scream and it will be loud.

What difference does it make if DeLay is in the leadership or not? There's zero chance that any decent Republican Senator or Representative, assuming there is such a thing, will be in the leadership. Hastert? Boehner? Frist? These guys make you happy?

I know you've heard it before, Sebastian, but until Republicans like you abandon the party at the ballot box it won't change, and all the screaming you do won't matter.

Yesterday's NSA vote has me convinced that whatever poses people like Snowe and Hagel strike, they too are part of the problem. It's not just a few bad apples, it's a whole rotten barrel.

[Dantheman]

Bernard,

"Yesterday's NSA vote has me convinced that whatever poses people like Snowe and Hagel strike, they too are part of the problem."

One "advantage" of having Darlin' Arlen Specter as my more moderate Senator for most of my adult life is that I reached that conclusion long ago. Unfortunately, most of my fellow Pennsylvanians who have voted haven't agreed.

[votermom]

I expect even more creative cursing will be heard when Delay is reelected

when, not if?

SH, are you
a) going to vote for Delay?
b) Or will you vote for his Democratic opponent, regardless of who he is?
c) Or will you abstain?
If b, will you campaign for or otherwise publicly support the opponent?

[votermom]

Unfortunately, most of my fellow Pennsylvanians who have voted haven't agreed.

Don't blame me, I voted for Hoeffel.
(But I don't want to vote for Casey. Hope he loses the primary).

[Dantheman]

votermom,

"Don't blame me, I voted for Hoeffel."

Me too. And Lloyd. And Edgar. I was too young to vote for Flaherty. I didn't vote for Yeakel, as something about her turned me off.

"(But I don't want to vote for Casey. Hope he loses the primary)."

I guess your answer to the equivalent question to the one you asked Sebastian is either a or c.

[Slartibartfast]

Much profanity will undoubtedly ensue, and I expect even more creative cursing will be heard when Delay is reelected. Chalk this up as a prediction; a straight-line extrapolation (if you will) from past stupidity.

[Slartibartfast]

Kinda hard for me to vote against Delay, just to be clear, me not being a Texan and all.

[kenB]

SH, are you
a) going to vote for Delay?
b) Or will you vote for his Democratic opponent, regardless of who he is?

Is there a new law saying Californians can vote in DeLay's Texas district? If so, I've got to get on the phone with my family, stat.

[Slartibartfast]

It's possible that you could vote in Texas, if you're a New York Democrat. Apparently they've got a trade agreement with Florida, so I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if...

Ok, I just can't say that with a straight face.

[nous_athanatos]

Slarti -- if you have family in Denver, then you probably know about expansive soils and checking the basement slab and expansion joints and having positive drainage away from the foundation.

If not, look for a home inspector who does.

I'm just sayin'.

[Slartibartfast]

Thanks, nous. Yes, that bears checking into. I used to live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, so I am acutely sensitive to such things.

[Urinated State of America]

Either rent, or bite the bullet and buy the more expensive but decent tool.

Cheap tools are no bargain. You'll spend the money on the more expensive tool later, plus you'll have wasted several hours of your time buying and pissing around with the inferior cheap tool.

[votermom]

Yeah, I'm voting for someone-not-Casey in the primary, but if he wins, I'll vote for him in Nov. Because at least he's not man-on-dog Rick. (And even man-on-dog hasn't been indicted on anything yet, though that mortgage looks mighty suspicious to me)

Slart- I owe you 2 apologies -- first, I called you SH, and second, I assumed you did live in Texas. Sorryx2.

[Mike S]

Slart: I would feel good about buying just about any of the saws from DeWalt, Bosch, Makita, Porter-Cable, and Hitachi. Maybe even a Delta or Rigid. To save money you'll have to settle for a non-sliding compound saw. To get a sliding model be prepared to invest. My own miter saw is an old Delta. No compound angles, but it never goes out of alignment.

[Slartibartfast]

SH did comment upthread, votermom, so I assumed you were addressing him and butted in anyhow. So we're good all around, unless SH is offended somehow. But I'd guess not.

MikeS: thanks. I think I'm now convinced that any money-saving urges on my part are going to rewarded just as USA described, so I'm either going to shell out for the real deal, or get the same thing refurbished on Ebay. I didn't really need the slide; it was just on sale.

[hilzoy]

Slarti: you really don't have to read it. And feel free to pepper me with questions any time.

[st]

I dunno about all this brand angst - my 10" Delta mitre saw (currently selling on Amazon for 95 bucks including shipping) has taken me through three major projects and has never let me down - the angles are right, it has helpful stops at the most important crown molding cut angles, plenty of power...the only downside is that the blade is only 10", which shouldn't affect the projects you describe, as none of my molding or flooring cuts were ever wider than 5-7", even on the angles. YMMV - for all I know you may have 30 degree corners in your house.

[Jesurgislac]

Sebastian: If Delay is reelected to leadership I will scream and it will be loud.

Why should anyone care how loudly you're screaming? You weren't actually planning to do anything radical like refuse to vote Republican, were you?

[Jesurgislac]

Slarti: ?We had a thread about that (which I unabashedly threadjacked) a long time ago. Go back there and rehash, if you like.

Ah: so, like Sebastian, you plan to scream, but you have no wish to actually get the Republicans out of power by examining how come they keep winning elections?

[kenB]

Jes, what a wonderful way to encourage Slart and Sebastian to post and comment more often -- shower them with abuse and snark! Why didn't I think of that??!!

[Slartibartfast]

Perhaps Jesurgislac is suggesting that I ought to cheat in the other direction, just to be effective. Or perhaps she's suggesting that the cheating is completely one-sided.

If neither of the above, though, I don't see the point.

[Slartibartfast]

I'm actually a little shocked that Diebold was able to get away with that, even in that hotbed of right-wing thuggery known as California.

[eva]

Jesurgislac,

A little common sense could go a long way.

Your post refers to California, which Republicans consistently have lost since Reagan.

Shouldn't liberals like you keep quiet about it since cheating only brings losses for the Republicans.

I guess losers always have an excuse for being losers.

Just an fyi:

California Tests Find Diebold Touch-Screen Voting 100 Percent Accurate During November 2005 Election

Parallel monitoring procedures during live election validate accuracy of Diebold system

[Jesurgislac]

eva: I guess losers always have an excuse for being losers.

Unless they're Republicans, in which case they just claim they're winners.

[Robert L Bell]

So... Can I infer that corruption does not bother you, so long as the politician is in your party?

Ouch! That is *so* un-Republican.

[liberaljaponicus]

Which prompts the question: just what does one have to do to get thrown out of office these days?

Well,Imelda marcos was elected to a seat in the Phillipine Senate after a failed presidential bid. Whether this is a suggestion that we still have a ways to go, or that there is a similarity between Republican supporters of Delay and Phillipine supporters of Imelda, I can't say. Maybe a little bit of both.

[Slartibartfast]

Can I infer that corruption does not bother you, so long as the politician is in your party?

Dunno; depends on who you're addressing. If it's me: no, and I suggest you have your inference engine bored and balanced. If it's someone else, I can't speak for them.

[dutchmarbel]

Slartibartfest:
And unless we want to scrape off and rebuild, a house built prior to 1985 will be guaranteed.

That made me giggle, due to culture clash. I would actually still describe that as fairly newly build :).

As far as tools go: I would vote for the refurbished ebay version if the proper thing is out of your current budget. I find that having the proper tools makes a lot of difference. My b.i.l. is an independent housepainter/workman and since we've borrowed his tools for some of the things we had to do to our house we are acutely aware of the difference. And neither of us is really good in D.I.Y.

Jesurgislac: please tone it down. Venting the same things over and over again might relief the venter, but it harms civil discussion. It makes even me take your points less serious, and I actually agree with most of them.

[Jesurgislac]

Jesurgislac: please tone it down. Venting the same things over and over again might relief the venter, but it harms civil discussion.

You're right, and I apologize. The venting was heartfelt, but it belonged on my journal.

[ral]

lj, thanks for the pointer. That is some profile!

[alex]

Don't buy tools with moving parts from Harbor Freight. You will come to regret the wasted money.

[CrockPot]

I was actually taking to some co-workers around lunch a couple of days ago about what it would take for Trent Lott/Thad Cochran to lose an election here in Mississippi. The only thing I could think of was "sex with an under-age boy". Anything else and I SWEAR I think the people of this state would still vote for them. I can hear the reasons for continuing to vote for them now.

Racist - already tested still in congress.
Adultery - as long as they aren't president and the 'other woman' isn't a liberal.
Murderer - the guy probably had it coming.

All in all, after the discussion died down I think I'm all for term-limits for congress critters. If there are term-limits for presidents why not for legislators? Why does the argument work for one and not the other?

[dutchmarbel]

Jesurgislac: Thanks

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