Just Saying -- the soapbox thread

[EBK]

It's 0°C outside, but it is project painting day (schedule convenience and lack of precipitation), so I'm relying on my outdoor toaster oven to make things turn out ok.  Please tell me that I'm not the only crazy one who paints when the rattle can instructions say "definitely don't".

[thesmokingman]

back before I would just drop the coin on powder coated enclosures I was spraying in the garage and drying in the oven ... projects didn't take the winter off

[davent]

Why i switched to an airbrush and waterborne acrylic paints, inside year 'round painting. In the summer when i could paint out in the shed i would prime a batch of enclosure for winter use with self etching primer, do the base plates with rubberized under panel rattle can paint, all of it nasty stuff.
dave

[Aentons]

It's 0°C outside, but it is project painting day (schedule convenience and lack of precipitation), so I'm relying on my outdoor toaster oven to make things turn out ok.  Please tell me that I'm not the only crazy one who paints when the rattle can instructions say "definitely don't".

I bring all my stuff inside before and let it warm up to room temp put it in a closed cardboard box, and then rush outside, open the box and spray it real quick, let it air out for just a sec, close the box, and bring it back in.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Oh State of Maryland.... how do I HATE thee.... let me state the way.....

With no significant change in my income for the year... my State tax return went from a $200 RETURN last year to a $400 OWED this year! 

My damn income didn't even go up that much! How in the hell did my taxes owed to the state manage to get larger than my total income change?? Did they change the tax rate on December 31st and not tell anyone??!!

BASTIDS!!!!

[Govmnt_Lacky]

On a roll lately....

Shipment from LMS left the USPS Distribution center 30 miles from my house 3 days ago! Lovely 

Should have walked there and picked it up 

[alanp]

One of the hardest things for the average Kiwi to grasp about how the US does things is the federal system.

NZ has local councils (at a town level), and district councils (covering a wider area, including rural regions.) They generally handle planning permissions, things like water supplies, that general thing. Local councils are probably about the same as in the US.

But the idea of state legislature is where we have a brain fart. District councils do not have the power to pass laws, or do anything really drastic, like how US states can create state-level taxes, or state level laws. The idea of the government at a national level empowering a district council to handle district-level crisis situations is... you what? Why is the Prime Minister being so lazy?

Maybe I'm just not understanding things right... I don't know.

[davent]

Well for starts it is 37 times bigger and has 64 times as many people, vastly different climate zones, what works in Alaska isn't going to necessarily apply in Hawaii or Florida, impossible for one size fit all, the local's should know best.

I don't live in the USA.
dave

[Aentons]

Well for starts it is 37 times bigger and has 64 times as many people, vastly different climate zones, what works in Alaska isn't going to necessarily apply in Hawaii or Florida, impossible for one size fit all, the local's should know best.

I don't live in the USA.
dave

Thats it exactly.. I think the original intention was that the federal part is for what the states can't handle themselves. It was a new land and all so they were separate groups that banded together like a wagon train

[thesmokingman]

One of the hardest things for the average Kiwi to grasp about how the US does things is the federal system.

NZ has local councils (at a town level), and district councils (covering a wider area, including rural regions.) They generally handle planning permissions, things like water supplies, that general thing. Local councils are probably about the same as in the US.

But the idea of state legislature is where we have a brain fart. District councils do not have the power to pass laws, or do anything really drastic, like how US states can create state-level taxes, or state level laws. The idea of the government at a national level empowering a district council to handle district-level crisis situations is... you what? Why is the Prime Minister being so lazy?

Maybe I'm just not understanding things right... I don't know.

Typically, things go local (incorporated city), county, state, then Federal ... then you've got outliers like tribal land ... there's pros and cons ... fair amount of autonomy out in the middle of nowhere, much less where you need more control of things. Sometimes it all falls apart because you can't see the downside of all that freedom from regulation, sometimes you end up wanting a beer in a dry county.

[Muadzin]

One of the hardest things for the average Kiwi to grasp about how the US does things is the federal system.

NZ has local councils (at a town level), and district councils (covering a wider area, including rural regions.) They generally handle planning permissions, things like water supplies, that general thing. Local councils are probably about the same as in the US.

But the idea of state legislature is where we have a brain fart. District councils do not have the power to pass laws, or do anything really drastic, like how US states can create state-level taxes, or state level laws. The idea of the government at a national level empowering a district council to handle district-level crisis situations is... you what? Why is the Prime Minister being so lazy?

Maybe I'm just not understanding things right... I don't know.

Not just for Kiwi's, us Euroweenies also fail to understand how much power a state can wield and how they can defy federal authority. In Europe we're so used to centralized governments we don't see how in the case of even a major crisis like corona, or a disaster, presidents have to defer to governors.

Thats it exactly.. I think the original intention was that the federal part is for what the states can't handle themselves. It was a new land and all so they were separate groups that banded together like a wagon train

It does however confuses me that Americans act like their state is like some independent country that joined the union, when with the exception of the 13 Colonies and Texas, all the states were created by the federal government. Viriginia, to name one, was basically an independent country for a while, whereas Kansas is just lines drawn on a map in Washington.

[jimilee]

One of the hardest things for the average Kiwi to grasp about how the US does things is the federal system.

NZ has local councils (at a town level), and district councils (covering a wider area, including rural regions.) They generally handle planning permissions, things like water supplies, that general thing. Local councils are probably about the same as in the US.

But the idea of state legislature is where we have a brain fart. District councils do not have the power to pass laws, or do anything really drastic, like how US states can create state-level taxes, or state level laws. The idea of the government at a national level empowering a district council to handle district-level crisis situations is... you what? Why is the Prime Minister being so lazy?

Maybe I'm just not understanding things right... I don't know.

Not just for Kiwi's, us Euroweenies also fail to understand how much power a state can wield and how they can defy federal authority. In Europe we're so used to centralized governments we don't see how in the case of even a major crisis like corona, or a disaster, presidents have to defer to governors.

Thats it exactly.. I think the original intention was that the federal part is for what the states can't handle themselves. It was a new land and all so they were separate groups that banded together like a wagon train

It does however confuses me that Americans act like their state is like some independent country that joined the union, when with the exception of the 13 Colonies and Texas, all the states were created by the federal government. Viriginia, to name one, was basically an independent country for a while, whereas Kansas is just lines drawn on a map in Washington.

I would hate to think what things would look like if the former President had supreme power. My guess is , that's why they don't. Get some asshat deciding he can do whatever he wants, and we're all pretty much screwed. Seems like Andrew Jackson was the same type of lovely individual.


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[Muadzin]

I would hate to think what things would look like if the former President had supreme power.

I'm a big fan of that guy. But I am not going to do that debate. Worry not about the previous guy, for he is out. Worry about the guy currently in power, because he is now the guy in power.

My guess is , that's why they don't. Get some asshat deciding he can do whatever he wants, and we're all pretty much screwed. Seems like Andrew Jackson was the same type of lovely individual.[/quote]

Internally US presidents have never had that much power as the constitution pretty much constrained them in that regard. Foreign policy wise they have a LOT of power. Which is why that always seems to be a favorite playground for them. US presidents are strange though as they combine both being the head of the government and head of state into one function. Whereas most countries separate that function into a prime minister and a president/monarch respectively. I suspect it was because when the US constitution was being drafted in the 18th century, divine right of kings was still the norm. I reckon if the US would create a constitution today they would separate the executive and head of state.

[jimilee]

I would hate to think what things would look like if the former President had supreme power.

I'm a big fan of that guy. But I am not going to do that debate. Worry not about the previous guy, for he is out. Worry about the guy currently in power, because he is now the guy in power.

My guess is , that's why they don't. Get some asshat deciding he can do whatever he wants, and we're all pretty much screwed. Seems like Andrew Jackson was the same type of lovely individual.

Internally US presidents have never had that much power as the constitution pretty much constrained them in that regard. Foreign policy wise they have a LOT of power. Which is why that always seems to be a favorite playground for them. US presidents are strange though as they combine both being the head of the government and head of state into one function. Whereas most countries separate that function into a prime minister and a president/monarch respectively. I suspect it was because when the US constitution was being drafted in the 18th century, divine right of kings was still the norm. I reckon if the US would create a constitution today they would separate the executive and head of state.

Thank you sir. I should have left my opinion out and stated the facts. I didn't mean to offend anyone if I did. I certainly don't want to start that debate either.


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[mjg]

Time for a rant about postage.  I'm sure you've heard it all before.

I sent two pifs in late December from Australia to the USA.  One arrived at the destination this week, the other arrived back at my house this week.  Apparently it had been held up by Australian customs for 2 months, then they decided one of the two didn't have the right postage. 

Just resent it, and this time it was $20 postage to send the PCB, rather than the usual $3 I've been paying.  Because a PCB is a package, not an envelope now.

Guess I'll have to just do pifs to inside Australia next year.