This is the Kenney Tunnel. I’d hate to commute to Ft. Lauderdale. This tunnel is one of the chokepoints, a two lane tunnel under a river I can’t even find on the map. While better than a drawbridge, it is still typical of the shortsighted city planning in these parts. They save millions a tunnel and lost hundreds of millions in real estate value. The freeway, I-95, is not much help either, as it was built miles inland with poor access.
The Jamus Boss Cruiser has passed the 2,700 mile mark. Unlike most bicycles, this one is showing signs of age because I ride it. I’m not the type to admire a year-old unit in perfect condition. Since I spent most of the day on logistics and laundry, I’ll go on about the bicycle. No, I won’t get a woman to do the laundry, the kind of women I like means I’d wind up doing both of our things. That’s what I get for being a musician. [Author's note: the misspelling of the bicycle brand name is intentional. When I spelled it correctly from the beginning, it would not leave my spellchecker alone, so I left it the wrong way.]
Back to the bike. One of the pedals got loose and wore off the metal, solid aluminum it was. During the repair, I talked to the dude at Lee’s Locksmith. He could tell I’ve been riding the machine hard in higher gears. Yes, I often stand up and bear down for speed, but I think expensive bicycles should be built to take that. The seven gears on the Jamus are really three ranges, my long term average speed is 8.7 mph, so I’m not spending much time in low gear. He says I should gradually speed up changing gears.
Then he shows me the gear teeth are worn. Am I missing something here? I never had so much wear and tear on a bicycle, even as a kid. Back then, I had a paper route over gravel roads. The Jamus is supposedly a heavy-duty machine. Yet substantial metal parts are giving out over smooth pavements. I ride for exercise, not to conserve gas or any falootin’ ideas like that. That means my riding habits are not going to change.
Mitch reports that he’ll be an IBM employee by next year, due to restructuring. He is also studying VBScript, so I instantly sent him a request to look at the Internet timer. I have not programmed in years so I’ve only read scripts, never really tried to write any. Mitch likes cold weather and he’s welcome to it. Okay Mitch, if you ever need anything in Cobol or Fortran, I’m your man.
Wallace has been invited on a cruise and I think he should go. He lives in a retirement area so even shuffleboard might seem exciting. He reports that there is a rental crisis because everybody wants to sell you a condo instead of let out an apartment. Florida has yet to reach that stage. Wallace points out that the few rental units are going for $1200 per month. That won’t do in Florida for anybody who has that kind of cash is going to buy.
Did anybody here see that YouTube video of the cop who tasered the man for not signing a traffic ticket? What have we become? I am against all police brutality and I hear a third person has been killed by this method. There was an off-duty cop in the shop today who totally defended the right to taser “uncooperative” people, which shows you how indoctrination works. He did mention something I will look up, that police in Florida, even though it is a government job, do not have to swear to uphold the Constitution. I’m no expert on that, but I thought it was an absolute requirement.
The cop and I do not see eye to eye at all. He believes violent reinforcement is part of his right as a policeman. I believe this should be curbed to the point where the police cannot even detain anyone unless they are under arrest. I tell you if a cop says to do something, you do it, but I also say remember that when you next vote. The issue was whether you should have to sign a traffic ticket. He says you do, or he’ll take you to jail.
I say, show me the law that says I have to sign a ticket. He says there must be one, or somebody would have challenged it by now. Which is not showing me anything. My reasoning is that signing such a ticket makes the ticket evidence whereas he says it is only a document that you understand you have to go to court. In reality you sign or go to jail.
Signing anything blocks a potential defense. The Constitution says you don’t have to do that, ever. It places you in a position where it is your word against the cops. Since the judge will generally “prefer” the cop’s word, it is tantamount to an admission of guilt. I know there is a lot of legal mumbo-jumbo over that point, but I think the Constitution takes precedent.
That is also why most people just pay the fine and get it over with. What have we become?
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