Random Nuclear Strikes

Was interesting, to say the least.

To start it all off, at 1800, I punched in at my main office, gathered up my work and drove on down to the transfer station, where I work until 0100. Trying to work down there is a PITA: The computers are slow, it stinks to high heaven and I’m constantly being interrupted to scale someone in or out. But duty calls so I’m there.

At around 2300, one of the third party guys rolls up to the outbound scale window to weight out. I open the window to make sure what he originally said was in the box was actually what was in the box. He confirms and I turn to the scale computer to complete his ticket.

Unlike the inboud window, the outbound window is like the ones at a fast-food drive through and it closes by itself. I usually find this annoying, having to open the window every time I want to hand something out or retrieve something, but last night, I gained a new respect for it.

Right after I turned to the scale computer and the window clicked shut, I hear a ‘pop’ noise and a splash against the window. A hose from one of the hydraulic lines on the truck had burst and sprayed hot hydraulic fluid from the concrete and up over the roof of the scalehouse.

I wear steel toe and steel footbed shoes because I have duties that require them. I do not have goggles or a facemask to protect me from something like this.

So, at 0100, I go back to my office with my box of completed work to finish off the rest of my tasks. This is where the night turns goofy.

Continue reading →

Volkswagon has a new radio ad campaign that you may or may not have heard. It focuses on buyers of used (or in dealerspeak “Certified Pre-Owned”) VWs calling the previous owners on the phone to rave about the car.

I don’t know what the internal name is for this campaign, but one of the pitch lines is: “Come see some very pre-loved cars at your local Volkswagon dealer.”

The creepiest part though, is the line that is always the closer: “Visit your local Volkswagon dealer to feel the Pre-Love.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to feel any kind of love at a car dealership unless it is from the pretty girl working at the cashier desk. Perhaps it comes from having worked at more than a couple of them. Maybe it is just me, but this ad campaign just oozes “paedophile in an ice cream truck”.

Nevermind their pushing of the “Certified Pre-Owned” scam, this campaign means I won’t be checking out the new Rabbits until it’s over for a while.

Btw, I’m looking really hard at the Yaris 3-Door. Not picking one up anytime soon, but that doesn’t stop me from taking a courtesy drive shortly after they come off the truck (thankee Dean).

Or would that be ‘The Raccoonity’?

A fierce group of raccoons has killed 10 cats, attacked a small dog and bitten at least one pet owner who had to get rabies shots, residents of Olympia say.

Some have taken to carrying pepper spray to ward off the masked marauders and the woman who was bitten now carries an iron pipe when she goes outside at night.

“It’s a new breed,” said Tamara Keeton, who with Kari Hall started a raccoon watch after an emotional neighborhood meeting drew 40 people. “They’re urban raccoons, and they’re not afraid.”

Of course they’re not afraid. It is pretty much illegal to kill the bastards within any moderately sized townsip in this state unless they’re attacking you directly. They can be tearing your family pet a new asshole and you still can’t do anything except call animal control (who go off-duty at 5pm, thank you very much).

Your only legal option is to pay a professional trapper (approximate cost $500 each animal) to live-trap and “relocate” them. This solution, if there isn’t a family of them to replace the “relocated” member, only lasts about two weeks before the thing finds its way back to your locale, smarter than before and pissed off about not being given bus fare for the ride home.

I’ve got two solutions

1: Paintball gun – Even if you don’t freeze the paintballs to increase the sting factor, you can paint the little bastards from head to toe before they get out of your yard.

Initial investment $50-75. Little to no training necessary. Pretty effective, but not 100%

2: Crossbow pistol – its your property and what the man with the badge don’t know, won’t hurt him.

initial investment $50-75. You’ll want to practice in your basement or garage over a weekend or two. It is as effective as you are accurate. Don’t go chasing after your bolts. A wounded/dying raccoon will still mess you up enough so that you’ll have to go to the ER. Buy extra bolts at initial purchase.

If you have another solution (remember, city limits rules frown on the discharging of firearms), please feel free to leave it in the comments section.

After all, RNS is all about solutions.