The Fourth Amendment (Amendment IV) to the United States Constitution is the part of the Bill of Rights which guards against unreasonable searches and seizures, along with requiring any warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Well, it seems that my local government, the Lower Providence Township of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, feels like this does not apply to them. A while ago, they mailed a letter to local area residents stating that the recipients HAD to call them at a given phone number and schedule an inspection (i.e., search) of their house by not one, but two people in order to see if there was an "illegal" hookup between a sump pump and the sewers.
I was miffed that the letter didn't say, "please" or contain any common, ordinary courtesies and furthered miffed by their highhandedness in not only breaking a constitutionally guaranteed right to "feel secure in my own house." The letter insisted I had to call them, for a hearing impaired person, this is a huge imposition and propbably violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and they couldn't even be nice about it.
Yesterday, they sent a letter saying they would add a $50 a month "punishment" charge to my sewer bill. What happen to that right to "Due Process"? I guess if you can ignore the fouth amendment, what the hell, you might as well ignore the fifth one as well.
My sewer bill is already WAY too high - as a single guy living in alone in a house, I get a flat rate bill - based on a family of four - so it's four (4) times too high to start with...
And to add insult to injury, the folks that were living in this township BEFORE they built the brand new sewer plant to handle the ADDITIONAL load brought on by ill-planned, anything for a tax dollar, new housing developments.... folks like ME are also paying for a recent 38 million dollar (by God, they must use gold plated fixtures) expansion of a poorly run sewer plant!
Furthermore, they could perform this inspection only during working hours - which means a loss of a day's pay to boot...
I'm steaming mad... and I am not at all proud of my government right now.
P.s., I don't even HAVE a sump pump. They could have pretended to be public servants and just asked the timely tax and ratepayer. Politely. But no....
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Coolest Mail!
A while back, a received a note in the mail from Rita of SoulComfort's Corner and when I opened it, this is what I saw...
I smiled to myself, for I knew this wasn't a blank note that someone had forgotten to write before mailing! It's written in secret ink!
I carried it back and forth with me to work in my briefcase for a couple months, to remind myself to scrounge around and see where I had put an old black light I had - and while the note wasn't forgotten, the location of the black light was!
And then I received in the mail, a little box containing a flashlight... a black light flashlight!! After scratching my head for some time trying to figure out how to put the three batteries into the flashlight, I at long last succeeded... and shown it on the note card...
...and the words floated up from where they had been hidden...
How cool is that!! I was transported back to the happy, sunshine-filled days of childhood... and just couldn't believe my luck getting such a great letter! Or having such a wonderful friend.
Thank you Rita!!
I smiled to myself, for I knew this wasn't a blank note that someone had forgotten to write before mailing! It's written in secret ink!
I carried it back and forth with me to work in my briefcase for a couple months, to remind myself to scrounge around and see where I had put an old black light I had - and while the note wasn't forgotten, the location of the black light was!
And then I received in the mail, a little box containing a flashlight... a black light flashlight!! After scratching my head for some time trying to figure out how to put the three batteries into the flashlight, I at long last succeeded... and shown it on the note card...
...and the words floated up from where they had been hidden...
How cool is that!! I was transported back to the happy, sunshine-filled days of childhood... and just couldn't believe my luck getting such a great letter! Or having such a wonderful friend.
Thank you Rita!!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Weekend Project
Drip, drip, drip, drip, splash, gurgle. Plop.
Last week, I left my house by way of the downstairs door in the mudroom, mostly so I could see how the grass was doing back there and whether or not it needed cutting. The grass is doing quite well, thank you, and yes, it still needs cutting. As I was opening the door to go out, I felt water hit my head. I looked up and saw the drywall ceiling buckling as it was quite soggy. Ut oh. The drain and spigots for the bathtub are directly above.
I knew the hot water faucet had been dripping slightly (okay, slightly more than slightly) but figured I'd replace the washer in it when I got a "round-tu-it". I shut the hot water off and went to work that morning. That evening, when I got home, I opened up the wall behind the tub and to my dismay saw that the spigot housing had cracked, and water had been spraying in a fine, but steady mist between the walls and into the floor below. The joys of home ownership are ... at times, over-rated.
So I buckled down to the task of repairing the plumbing and the walls and ceiling that were damaged by the leak.
Carefully, I pulled the old tile off the soggy wall behind them, and put them in the kitchen sink to soak a while. I planned to clean them up and put them back on the wall where they came from...
I placed a piece of exterior grade plywood where I removed the rotted drywall.
After about 2 hours of standing at the kitchen sink, carefully chipping away the old grout, tile cement, and stuck drywall, I was able to put the tile back in place with only a little bit of modification - careful "nibbingly" with a pair of plyers to change the openings slightly as the new plumbing didn't exactly match the old -
I don't mind grouting tile - I much rather grout than clean the bathtub surround (as you can probably see). When I take my next shower, I'll take a can of "Scrubbing Bubbles" with me... Maybe. :)
I finished up today, getting the new spigots installed and recaulking the tub rim.
I then looked at the damaged ceiling in the mudroom. Hmmm... This project is going to need some planning...and a whole 'nother "round tu-it."
Last week, I left my house by way of the downstairs door in the mudroom, mostly so I could see how the grass was doing back there and whether or not it needed cutting. The grass is doing quite well, thank you, and yes, it still needs cutting. As I was opening the door to go out, I felt water hit my head. I looked up and saw the drywall ceiling buckling as it was quite soggy. Ut oh. The drain and spigots for the bathtub are directly above.
I knew the hot water faucet had been dripping slightly (okay, slightly more than slightly) but figured I'd replace the washer in it when I got a "round-tu-it". I shut the hot water off and went to work that morning. That evening, when I got home, I opened up the wall behind the tub and to my dismay saw that the spigot housing had cracked, and water had been spraying in a fine, but steady mist between the walls and into the floor below. The joys of home ownership are ... at times, over-rated.
So I buckled down to the task of repairing the plumbing and the walls and ceiling that were damaged by the leak.
Carefully, I pulled the old tile off the soggy wall behind them, and put them in the kitchen sink to soak a while. I planned to clean them up and put them back on the wall where they came from...
I placed a piece of exterior grade plywood where I removed the rotted drywall.
After about 2 hours of standing at the kitchen sink, carefully chipping away the old grout, tile cement, and stuck drywall, I was able to put the tile back in place with only a little bit of modification - careful "nibbingly" with a pair of plyers to change the openings slightly as the new plumbing didn't exactly match the old -
I don't mind grouting tile - I much rather grout than clean the bathtub surround (as you can probably see). When I take my next shower, I'll take a can of "Scrubbing Bubbles" with me... Maybe. :)
I finished up today, getting the new spigots installed and recaulking the tub rim.
I then looked at the damaged ceiling in the mudroom. Hmmm... This project is going to need some planning...and a whole 'nother "round tu-it."
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Hello George!
On the way to work this morning, I spotted this license plate on the car in front of me.
"ATM DAD" ...and it raised more questions than answers.
Did the man fix and/or service ATM machines, or did he feel like one, handing out 20's to his children?
Did "ATM Dad" go around telling people at parties that "An automated teller machine (ATM), is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a cashier, human clerk or bank teller"?
And then the light (perhaps mercifully) changed to green and we continued on our respective ways.
I got to thinking about my first ATM card, it was from the Girard Bank of Philadelphia and the money machines were called "George". One used a "George Card" at Girard Bank locations only - the "network" had not yet been created. I loved my George Card. I was the first member of my family to have an ATM card.
Later, I got a blue MAC (money access card) that worked just about anywhere, even in far away places like Switzerland. I recall my traveling companion's jaw dropping expression when I pulled Swiss money out of a machine like a magician in Geneva.
History is murky about the "first" ATM machine. They were invented by IBM around 1970. Lloyds Bank in the UK claims to have had first ATM which it unveiled in December 1972. However, there is a plaque on the Barclays Bank in Enfield Town, North london stating that the first ATM (In the world) was installed there on the 27th June 1967.
At any rate - I got my "George Card" sometime before 1980. The only memory I have that dates having the card is knowing I used it at a National League Championship Series game in 1980 between the Philadelphia Phillies and the... funny I can't remember who they played. I do remember that the home team lost...
I just remember that since I used my George Card during the game, I won a free Cheese Steak Sandwich, courtesy of Girard Bank, when at the food service counter they asked me to name a "George", and I shouted, "George Vukovich!"
Beats me... I think he was a ballplayer back then.
----------------------
Recently, I was a fortunate recipient of this very nifty award. According to Just Stuff From a Boomer, liebster in German, means "beloved". It also means "dearest" and "favorite".
The Liebster Blog Award is designed to bring additional recognition to those bloggers with less than 200 followers. If you receive the award, you should link back to the blogger that nominated you and nominate 5 more blogs. And, also, don't forget to let them know you nominated them.
I know this award was given to two people I would have nominated, Deanna/Punkn and Mary/Freddie, I'll renominate them!
And the nominees are!
Rita from SoulComfort Corner
Alice Kay of Alice Kay is Here
Tori Z. of Tori's World
Nikki of Furry Bottoms
Heidi Cave of Fancy feet
And runners-up since I know they have more than 200 followers:
Aly of Adventures of a Yankee Girl and Parsley of Seasons of my Mind!
... and they are all truely winners.
"ATM DAD" ...and it raised more questions than answers.
Did the man fix and/or service ATM machines, or did he feel like one, handing out 20's to his children?
Did "ATM Dad" go around telling people at parties that "An automated teller machine (ATM), is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a cashier, human clerk or bank teller"?
And then the light (perhaps mercifully) changed to green and we continued on our respective ways.
I got to thinking about my first ATM card, it was from the Girard Bank of Philadelphia and the money machines were called "George". One used a "George Card" at Girard Bank locations only - the "network" had not yet been created. I loved my George Card. I was the first member of my family to have an ATM card.
Later, I got a blue MAC (money access card) that worked just about anywhere, even in far away places like Switzerland. I recall my traveling companion's jaw dropping expression when I pulled Swiss money out of a machine like a magician in Geneva.
History is murky about the "first" ATM machine. They were invented by IBM around 1970. Lloyds Bank in the UK claims to have had first ATM which it unveiled in December 1972. However, there is a plaque on the Barclays Bank in Enfield Town, North london stating that the first ATM (In the world) was installed there on the 27th June 1967.
At any rate - I got my "George Card" sometime before 1980. The only memory I have that dates having the card is knowing I used it at a National League Championship Series game in 1980 between the Philadelphia Phillies and the... funny I can't remember who they played. I do remember that the home team lost...
I just remember that since I used my George Card during the game, I won a free Cheese Steak Sandwich, courtesy of Girard Bank, when at the food service counter they asked me to name a "George", and I shouted, "George Vukovich!"
Beats me... I think he was a ballplayer back then.
Recently, I was a fortunate recipient of this very nifty award. According to Just Stuff From a Boomer, liebster in German, means "beloved". It also means "dearest" and "favorite".
The Liebster Blog Award is designed to bring additional recognition to those bloggers with less than 200 followers. If you receive the award, you should link back to the blogger that nominated you and nominate 5 more blogs. And, also, don't forget to let them know you nominated them.
I know this award was given to two people I would have nominated, Deanna/Punkn and Mary/Freddie, I'll renominate them!
And the nominees are!
Rita from SoulComfort Corner
Alice Kay of Alice Kay is Here
Tori Z. of Tori's World
Nikki of Furry Bottoms
Heidi Cave of Fancy feet
And runners-up since I know they have more than 200 followers:
Aly of Adventures of a Yankee Girl and Parsley of Seasons of my Mind!
... and they are all truely winners.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Secret and Not Secret Penpal
Remember A Charlie Brown Valentine, a TV special where Charlie Brown goes to his mailbox each day to see if he has gotten a Valentine's Day card from the Little Red-Haired Girl? Some days, I can empathize with the poor guy. I mean, to quote Rodney Dangerfield, "if I wasn't born a boy I would of had nothing to play with."
But not anymore!! In the mailbox recently were three bits of "good mail"!
A beautiful postcard from Parsley, a long letter from Rita of SoulComfort, and a card from my secret penpal!
The wise old "knitted ones" gaze serenely at the scene...
Looking closely at those pictures, I thought to myself, that short little orange cone in the middle of the picture on the lower right looks really familiar. I pull out my magnifying glass and peered at her... and yes!! It is Miss Illinois! of the Miss Orange Conic America Pageant!
Thank you secret Penpal! You did it again...putting a smile on my face. Thank you Parsley and Rita for being such great friends!
But not anymore!! In the mailbox recently were three bits of "good mail"!
A beautiful postcard from Parsley, a long letter from Rita of SoulComfort, and a card from my secret penpal!
The wise old "knitted ones" gaze serenely at the scene...
Looking closely at those pictures, I thought to myself, that short little orange cone in the middle of the picture on the lower right looks really familiar. I pull out my magnifying glass and peered at her... and yes!! It is Miss Illinois! of the Miss Orange Conic America Pageant!
Thank you secret Penpal! You did it again...putting a smile on my face. Thank you Parsley and Rita for being such great friends!
Friday, September 9, 2011
The blog may have needed CPR but..
...despite rumors to the contrary, it isn't dead - and the blog owner isn't either - just yet.
I have just not been "feeling like it."
But I am up and about and doing things...and very slowly working through this spot of "I'd really rather not get out of bed today." I think there might be an end in sight.
This afternoon, the sun actually shined outside my office window... I took a photo of it to prove it... to myself mostly... it's over there in Flickr. See.. blue sky... it really does exist... --->
I went on a sunset cruise to celebrate my mom's birthday. It's her 29th one, if you want to know. She enjoyed the dine and ride on the Tireless, a restored wooden 68' Classic Trumpy motor yacht, built for Roger Firestone in 1963. The food was awesome. Dale and James were excellent hosts. And as we got off the "boat" at the end of the cruise, we bumped in one of my Dad's customers who was boarding to have a post-cruise drink. Small world, huh? Anyway, that's what the sunset, food and riverside pictures are over there in Flickr ----->
My mom went down to the seashore this week to check things out and took this photograph of the street sign at the end of the street at the beach with her Blackberry. I think it looks kind of cool. I call it Dune Sentinel.
I've been busy trying to catch up with things at work. When I get sick, I get way behind. So I've been reading emails, writing replies and still need to write to my secret penpal. I hope she'll forgive the delay this month. Besides reading a "user's manual" for Microsoft Project Server 2010 Implementation to prepare for a professional (re)certification exam, I've been trying to catch up reading your blogs and doing some "bathroom" reading. As you can see...
...it keeps me out of trouble.
Oh, and p.s., the cones that hatched? They all got good jobs with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and moved out of the nest now. Seems all that flooding as cause a huge demand for their skills.
I have just not been "feeling like it."
But I am up and about and doing things...and very slowly working through this spot of "I'd really rather not get out of bed today." I think there might be an end in sight.
This afternoon, the sun actually shined outside my office window... I took a photo of it to prove it... to myself mostly... it's over there in Flickr. See.. blue sky... it really does exist... --->
I went on a sunset cruise to celebrate my mom's birthday. It's her 29th one, if you want to know. She enjoyed the dine and ride on the Tireless, a restored wooden 68' Classic Trumpy motor yacht, built for Roger Firestone in 1963. The food was awesome. Dale and James were excellent hosts. And as we got off the "boat" at the end of the cruise, we bumped in one of my Dad's customers who was boarding to have a post-cruise drink. Small world, huh? Anyway, that's what the sunset, food and riverside pictures are over there in Flickr ----->
My mom went down to the seashore this week to check things out and took this photograph of the street sign at the end of the street at the beach with her Blackberry. I think it looks kind of cool. I call it Dune Sentinel.
I've been busy trying to catch up with things at work. When I get sick, I get way behind. So I've been reading emails, writing replies and still need to write to my secret penpal. I hope she'll forgive the delay this month. Besides reading a "user's manual" for Microsoft Project Server 2010 Implementation to prepare for a professional (re)certification exam, I've been trying to catch up reading your blogs and doing some "bathroom" reading. As you can see...
...it keeps me out of trouble.
Oh, and p.s., the cones that hatched? They all got good jobs with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and moved out of the nest now. Seems all that flooding as cause a huge demand for their skills.
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