Bureaucratic pet peeve – selecting Ohio utility energy providers


September 30, 2014

Residents and businesses in Ohio “choose” which companies provide the energy used by their utility company, which can in most cases reduce their bills. This competition should be a good thing, one would think, but each year consumers go through a multi-step process to confirm our energy provider choice … and each year it is […]

A semi-pet peeve: Restaurant cleanliness


July 25, 2010

Although I’m not a germ-a-phobe or a neat-nik by any stretch of the imagination, I’m often repulsed by the cleanliness of some local area restaurants. Being the one who is responsible for the health certificate for my EAA chapters annual Fly-in and Pancake Breakfast, I know how challenging it is to pass health inspections (Warren […]

Replacement parts headache for our Kubota ZD326 mower


January 4, 2024

The LOW QUALITY, inexpensive replacement parts being sold these days is starting to irritate me; it is becoming a pet peeve. I have not notice this as much when purchasing OEM replacement part from the tractor dealerships or even for cars when it comes to big branded automotive part stores. Long gone are the days […]

Simple mount in BMW X5 35d for Amazon Echo Auto


October 12, 2019

It isn’t easy to see this little magnetic bracket I made to hold my new Amazon Echo Auto low on the dash of the BMW X5 35d. I opted to make a little aluminum bracket that straddles the pushbutton switch blanks to the right of a few other buttons. It is fastened with automotive trim […]

Enjoyed watching the 2018 MLB #AllStarGame


July 18, 2018

Usually I don’t spend (waste) too much time watching baseball until September, unless the Cincinnati Reds are having a winning season (I’m a fan of the Cleveland Indians too). But this year I’ve enjoyed watching a lot more Reds baseball even though they are in last place in their division. Perhaps I’m tired of the […]

Netflix ratings system to thumbs up or down. Who is next?


April 9, 2017

Survey and ratings systems are a pet peeve of mine ever since finding out many places that use a rating scale (like 1- 5 or 0 – 10), will only count a perfect score as suitable to reward, complement or evaluate service, products and employees in a positive way. I’ve even stopped trying to offer […]

Should fuel efficient diesel get equal tax incentive credits?


November 12, 2011

After reading a recent article in the WSJ discussing the tens of thousands of high paying energy sector and supporting jobs that would be immediately available if the Keystone XL pipeline project would be approved, its clear that politics are more important to President Obama that U.S. jobs. He must have decided that the votes […]

Tech Friday: posting etiquette and email signatures


December 3, 2010

Admit it, you’ve been pretty annoyed receiving emails with extensive signatures or while reading in forums where regular users post distracting, offensive or just plain long-waste-of-screen-space signatures. This practice is one of my pet peeves when visiting certain‘permissive’ forums that allow ‘spam-vertising’ by user signature or avatar. This becomes doubly irritating when the same user […]

Book: Comeback American by David M. Walker


February 5, 2010

Books about fixing America’s dysfunctional economy are trendy again and partisan finger pointing is probably the most notable component in most books. The book by David M. Walker called Comeback America is no exception when it comes to the frustration and anger he shares when in particular chastising President George W. Bush. Irritation aside, Walker […]

No “tinyurl.com” at Panera Bread WiFi


August 6, 2008

Hmm … I stumble upon this irritation today while having lunch at Panera Bread. In the past it has been a enjoyable lunch stop when on the road in different cities as I can check and respond to emails, etc. Unfortunately it has been getting more and more difficult to access what you want, when […]

What’s the ‘quality’ of fuel in Ohio?


May 11, 2007

The answer to the above question is that we really don’t know. Fuel quality ‘verification’ in Ohio has been a pet peeve of mine for some time now and I’ve written my share of letters to state legislators. The fact that Ohio is one of four states that doesn’t test the quality of the fuel […]

Ohio’s Myers Motors all electric NmG


June 26, 2006

With the cost of fuel hovering just below $3.00 a gallon, alternative vehicles are becoming more and more attractive to average citizens. Unfortunately most alternative vehicles are only suited for weekend mechanics or people with expendable income. Enter Myers Motors and their all electric NmG (No More Gas). I had the good fortune last week […]

Biodiesel, SVO and WVO


March 8, 2006

A friend of mine spotted this switch on one of the forums he visits, and I thought was worth a post. Actually it segues into a pet peeve of mine, that of people confusing the ‘no conversion biodiesel’ alternative with just ‘straight’ (SVO) or ‘waste’ (WVO) conversions. A quick comparison between what I call biodiesel […]

Day 2 & 3 sea passage and day 4: King’s Wharf Bermuda


August 19, 2010

Day 2 of our family vacation was spent on a southeast leisurely passage at about 8 knots cruising toward Bermuda from New York City aboard the NCL Dawn. We enjoyed a sunny day at sea relaxing on one of the aft decks … a surprisingly private spot. Although the sun was tropical, the breeze over […]

Volkswagen: Sometimes its the little things


March 26, 2007

Volkswagens are often considered a ‘driver’s car,’ a vehicle that most car buyers can afford, unlike many European cars imported to the U.S. The engineering built into these vehicles is exceptional although they are not without their small quirks. Many go unnoticed until well into ownership or only when a problem occurs. One such quirk, […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog