May Short Shots II

Well, it looks like we have our own (potential) Trump Jong-un

At least the hand size won't seem so out of place.

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Takata Air Bag Recall Expanded (again...)

It's a constantly growing number.  Seems similar to McDonald's, only not in a good way.

It's to the point that it would be easier to ask which cars on the road are NOT affected by the air bag recall.

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Maybe Viagra Would Do the Trick?

You can sympathize with NASA, having to perform, what, with all those people watching and all...

“The Bigelow Expandable Crew Activity Module, or BEAM, was supposed to grow six feet in length and three feet in diameter when it was expanded using internal tanks and station-supplied air. But in a blog post Thursday morning, NASA said that after several hours of attempts to introduce air into the module, BEAM had only expanded a few inches in both length and diameter. ‘Engineers are meeting to determine a forward course of action’”

“Once it's expanded as planned, BEAM will be monitored over the next two years to determine the feasibility of using such "soft goods"”

“But all of that assumes the BEAM module now attached to the space station performs as expected.”

Don't worry guys; this kind of thing happens to lots of Expandable Modules....

Russian Ingenuity Flying Off the Handle

Back in the day, in the quest for military parity, the Soviets were frequently a few steps behind on the technology front.  In addition to the standard Spy vs Spy scouting out and monitoring of our hardware designs and capabilities/tactics, they often resorted to copying items outright.  Supposedly, in one case, they were desperate to have a new aircraft to counter the F-4 Phantom and were incorporating F-4 features, including the barricade cutters between the fuselage and the engine inlets.  Interesting thing was that the cutters were only there for emergency landings on board the aircraft carrier.  The Soviets didn't have any.

So, this week's "OOPS" in Russian ingenuity was found by President Putin himself upon inspection of three Russian UAZ Patriot military-adapted vehicles outfitted with machine guns and grenade launchers.  General Alexander Shevchenko grabbed the handle to open the passenger side door but it wouldn't budge.  Apparently thinking it was stuck, the good general applied some force to get the door open for President Putin resulting in the handle ripping off, much to everyone's surprise.

"Well done," was Putin's response.

The general threw the handle inside and continued to try to wrest the vehicle open through the window port to no avail.  The bugaboo was a central locking system commonly found in most vehicles nowadays, but evidently not in Russian military vehicles.  Before General Shevchenko departed the scene (where he would be unlikely to receive a medal), the general was asked how he could break off the handle so easily.

He responded, "All generals in the Russian forces pass physical-fitness tests."



Quote source:  Bloomberg

Free Pass of the Hat for Public Defenders

They've got trouble down in the Big Easy.

From the place that brought you this stellar city planning

There just isn't enough money to run the city's Public Defenders Office for the cases being processed.  A few numbers that bear this out (most from the PBS link below):

• The PD budget was reduced 33% in last four years
• Some PD's are being asked to ride herd on 75-120 cases simultaneously
• There is a hiring freeze on PD's - if one leaves, he/she is not replaced
• Attorney count has gone from 78 to 42 with some of the most experienced/most productive lawyers leaving 
• There has been a reduction in investigators from 15 to 8 (from whence actual evidence frequently comes)
• The PD Office began refusing cases starting in January 2016

It's gotten to the point that one judge felt citizens were being denied their Constitutional rights to a "speedy and public trial" (there's no arguing that, but his choice of defendants to set free may have been more of a motivational tool...).  Even our friends in the UK thought this newsworthy:

There are other major financial challenges in New Orleans, especially with hard hits from the recession and a large tax cut in 2008, as well as a massive reduction in oil revenues.  Also, the Public Defenders Office is not high on any politician's priority list.

Sources of funding for the PD:

1. Court fees - poor clients and those that are convicted aren't paying anyways
2. State funding - not popular; not getting more
3. Traffic tickets and fines - the biggest portion, but apparently not big enough...

So here's what I propose (actually it was the spousal unit's idea - she figures she's under enough pressure at work already):

Well, not exactly.
More of a Revenue Generating / Conscience Clearer for local commuters akin to the TSA Precheck for qualifying airline travelers.

Eligible commuters driving in the county would be offered the chance to pay, say $100, every year for the privilege of driving much like they always have but WITHOUT the ever-present specter of being stopped by police, assessed a fine and accruing points against their license.  Wouldn't that just take a little of the tension away from your morning and evening rides?

Yes, there's room for abuse, on both sides.  But with some well thought out rules, and appealing pricing, it could work.  For instance:

• To qualify, drivers would need a spotless record for at least three years
• It would only be effective against charges of speeding, not reckless driving or DUI/DWI
• Drivers would get three strikes, after which they're out of the program

The police would know these drivers are not the road menaces they are most worried about.  Yes, they might even let some minor violations go - as they do now using their best judgment (or recognition of your PBA sticker).

Sure, sure, it creates a virtual class system on the road, but at least those people would actually be getting something for once again "paying their fair share."  And it would provide some serious steady cash to the PD Office that serves the poor, indigent population (you can almost hear the violins).

Hey, it's better than having arrested murderers and rapists walking out the door.

Or on the road

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Really decent report on the crisis:

PBS video report on public defender budget repercussions [pic is a hyperlink too]

May Short Shots

Why is it that:

• In TV shows and the movies, no one seems to put on new underwear in the morning?
• Or use the bathroom?  (with the famous exception of All in the Family)
• Women who have just had sex are always wrapping themselves in sheets? 

The cast of The Big Bang Theory is eating in half the shows, but no one ever consumes anything?

Computers on TV not only start up in an instant, but find the key information (with glorious HD pic) in one to two seconds on the internet?

Or that women like this were ever computer programmers back in 1995...

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Wouldn't it be fun at the next NFL game, if someone (not already retired, but not too far from it) were to converse with the Referee,

and casually place these on his hat?

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Senator Cruz, in a desperate attempt to garner both attention and possible delegates in the few remaining contests, announced his intended running mate Wednesday - Carly Fiorina.

Not to be outdone, Donald Trump demonstrated his judgment and consummate ability to keep the spotlight focused directly on him, by immediately naming his choice for Vice Presidential Running Mate:

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Remember, that at one time the Vice President was the guy who came in second.  I imagine this changed as we realized having an opponent you ran against, possibly hated, and certainly disagreed with, as your partner in government for four to eight long years was not ideal.

Adams and his VP (who unseated him 4 years later)

But it does go a long way towards explaining why the VP has such shitty jobs....

Meet with Communist Dictator/Terrorist/future-CIA-target Castro

Don't show up the President - wear the short shorts WITH tucked shirt

Grind away on the campaign trail to raise votes

Travel great distances to attend funerals (Ariel Sharon's here)

Attend more depressing funerals that President is too busy for

Provide consolation (perhaps unwanted) to the aggrieved

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