The flashing lights are on

[vovat]

Today was pretty annoying. I wanted to make an appointment to get my car serviced, so I tried making an appointment on the Internet with a nearby dealer. After both of my two attempts, I got calls from the dealers saying that the times I had chosen were impossible. What, do the people who make the websites never even communicate with the actual people? It was really irritating. So I tried making an appointment via the phone instead, and I ended up with one on Saturday morning. That's not an ideal time at all, but I have no idea whether I'll be able to come in on any weekdays in the near future. If it turns out I can, I might end up changing the time. I have no idea why they don't have any evening hours. They just want to make it as difficult as possible, don't they? Also, I wanted to stop in at the Motor Vehicle Commission, only to find out that "non-essential government services" are all closed. I have no idea why, nor how they decide what's essential. Granted, what I needed to do WAS non-essential and can wait, but such might not be the case for everyone.

One thing that worked out somewhat more fortuitously was when I went to the grocery store to buy some ham and cheese. The deli counter was crowded, and I took a number, and then went to get the cheese. When I came back, it was only a minute or two before they called my number. Pretty cool how that worked out, huh?

And here are a few other things:

1. Not to sound too much like Jerry Seinfeld here, but what's the deal with flashing traffic lights? Last night, there was a pretty bad thunderstorm, and one of the lights was flashing yellow in one direction and red in the perpendicular one. Do they have to be physically reprogrammed every time they lose power? If not, what's with the flashing?

2. bethje and I watched Happiness last night. That's a pretty messed-up movie, especially the parts dealing with the pedophile.

3. Here is the much-ballyhooed J. K. Rowling interview. It's worth watching for Harry Potter fans, I'd say. At one point, she says of Harry, "He spends his entire life saving the world, and then next term, he's just back at school being bullied by everyone." This was actually something that I brought up back in this entry.

4. While I'm linking to videos, how about an animated version of the Tin Woodman's origins?

Comments

[3x1minus1.livejournal.com]

>>only to find out that "non-essential government services" are all closed. I have no idea why, nor how they decide what's essential. <<

yeah, i saw that on cnn. there's some budget dispute.


>>Do they have to be physically reprogrammed every time they lose power? If not, what's with the flashing?<<

it's probably some automatic thing, i'm sure. but i don't know. why not ask google?

[vovat.livejournal.com]

>>only to find out that "non-essential government services" are all closed. I have no idea why, nor how they decide what's essential. <<

yeah, i saw that on cnn. there's some budget dispute.

Is it just in a particular area that services are closed, or all over the country? I feel bad for the people who work there, since they're presumably not going to make any money during that time.

>>Do they have to be physically reprogrammed every time they lose power? If not, what's with the flashing?<<

it's probably some automatic thing, i'm sure. but i don't know. why not ask google?

I tried searching for it, and the best answer I could come up with was here (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/local_news/epaper/2004/09/16/s1b_signals_0916.html).

"The computerized signals go through a self-diagnostic period to detect short circuits or bad components. If there's a problem, the signals will not return to the normal cycle and continue to flash until workers come out and make repairs, he said."

[3x1minus1.livejournal.com]

>>Is it just in a particular area that services are closed, or all over the country? <<

just new jersey.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I remember hearing that New Jersey was one of only, like, two states to have a budget deficit. The other was one of those Southern states that always come in last in everything.

[shadarko.livejournal.com]

the tin man thing was pretty great. Though the witch stealing his head is kind of off, but if you think about it, that would make more sense, since you'd think Kutin Klip would have just I dont know stapled his old to the body. any way, way cool.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Actually, according to the account given in Tin Woodman:

"When I returned to my work the axe slipped and cut off my head, which was the only meat part of me then remaining. Moreover, the old woman grabbed up my severed head and carried it away with her and hid it. But Nimmie Amee came into the forest and found me wandering around helplessly, because I could not see where to go, and she led me to my friend the tinsmith."

I don't believe Nick told it that way in Wizard, but the animation seems to be going more by Tin Woodman, since Nimmie Amee's employer is the Wicked Witch of the East herself.

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

Thought that combination of flashing lights just means one side has to stop like it's a stop sign and the other side has to just drive through watching carefully for cars coming the other direction?

Or, I suppose that wasn't your question, and you really wanted to know why it couldn't just automatically reset itself. Well I don't know so never mind.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Or, I suppose that wasn't your question, and you really wanted to know why it couldn't just automatically reset itself.

Yeah, that's what I was asking. There are some lights that just flash all the time, but I wanted to know why the ones that normally DON'T flash sometimes do when the power has been out.