August 10, 2006: You can't win. How would you like to set up a business and negotiate with the state on what the tax rate will be then, due to circumstances beyond your control, have to shut down for awhile but the state still wants its taxes! That is what is happening in Alaska with the BP oil pipeline. BP shut down the pipe line because of leaks. The governor is upset because the state will have $6.4 million a day in lost revenue. So, the governor asked the attorney general "to investigate whether the state could hold the oil company fully accountable for the states losses". By the way that "lost revenue" is $16 a barrel, wonder why oil is so expensive!
The capper is that the governor wants to know why they shut down so abruptly after a spill of "only 4-5 barrels". If the spill would have been hundreds or thousands of barrels the headline would be "Alaska Governor fines BP for the ecological disaster caused by oil spill"!
June 16, 2006: There I was dumbly following the GPS along Hwy 9 W and entering Kingston, NY when I see a sign, "Vehicles over 12 feet use 32 N. Well my trailer is over 12 feet high so I took 32 N in spite of the hollering coming out of the GPS, not knowing where I was or where 32 N went.. The GPS catches up and a few miles up the road it tells me to turn and takes me back to Hwy 9 W. I get about 2 miles down the road and a sign says "12 foot clearance 1 1/4 mile!" I found a place to turn around and went back to the other road while the GPS is yelling "You're Going The Wrong Way". At least I avoided making a big loud noise by reading the signs and the roof is still on the trailer.
Trailer Life: Those of you who have houses that don't move must get complacent about the little things. I am getting pretty good at blocking the wheels before unhooking the trailer. Hooking up the utilities and putting the steps out. I can even get it fairly level front to back with the "landing gear". The only way to get it level side to side is to put blocks on the low side and back the trailer onto the blocks. It is seldom worth doing this as the camp spaces are fairly(?) level but, sometimes the bathroom door swings closed, sometimes it swings open as do the shower and refrigerator doors. I can cope with these as I usually know when a door is open or closed. The one that gets me is that bottom step where a porch should be. It is always a different height above the ground! You can look real stupid tripping on your own steps.
June 6, 2006: I love having the GPS in the car. I put in an address and it tells me where to turn to get there. It is a lifesaver in new towns where I don't know my way around. I can pay attention to the traffic, always a good idea, instead of trying to find street signs. I can tap the screen a few times and in takes me to a restaurant, grocery store, gas station or department store. When I settle somewhere I tap the screen and call it home. Like leaving bread crumbs it tells me how to get back.
It occurred to me the other day that sometime I will use the GPS to find an RV Park, drop the trailer, go into town for dinner, get back in the truck and the GPS is broken! I may not be able to find my trailer! Maybe I had better get some bread crumbs.