My roof is completed. The roofer, as expected, completed the project and packed up his gear shortly after noon yesterday and went home. He said he was looking forward to camping over the weekend with his family.
Wife Gator has gone back to work today after a mini-vacation. She’s had a very busy week working in our gardens. She got some new glasses Wednesday and yesterday she and my cousin went to Pine Point for lunch. She, even though we didn’t get a day trip as we had sort of hoped, has had an opportunity to do some things away from the house. Except for trips to Senior Fitness I basically stayed home to keep an eye on the roofer, not that it would have helped if he needed help. Well, I suppose I could have called the rescue unit if he fell off the house. He didn’t.
One petition drive was a huge success. Another was a failure. The drive for signatures to get a tax increase on beverages and insurance claims repealed was successful. The drive to get a different law that changed Maine’s drivers’ licenses to closely align with the federal Real I.D. fell short. I’m happy with the success of the first; I didn’t agree with the second.
Earlier this week, President Bush ended his ban on off-shore oil drilling. The Democrat-controlled Congress, along with a few Republicans including both of Maine’s, has said Congress will not lift its ban on the drilling. I think Congress is giving the Republicans a mighty big battle cry for the November elections, if the Republicans grab the gift. The huge majority of Americans want the drilling to take place, not only off-shore but also in various land locales.
Congress already has a small 9% approval rating so its members are going against the will of the people who elect them. Meanwhile, President Bush’s action has already caused the per barrel price of oil to drop by about $14 as of yesterday. There were some folk who said drilling wouldn’t accomplish anything. Many of us countered with just the threat of loss of sales would bring the price down. Down it is coming.
Possibly the Congressional Democrats, and a few Republicans, are so deep into the pockets of the environmentalists, who absolutely do not want any drilling, that changing their positions is a near impossibility. In any event, I would like to see the Republicans use the situation to begin a battle cry for November now.
The two Presidential candidates-to-be are split. Republican John McCain has reevaluated his position and now favors drilling. Democrat Barack Obama has evaluated his position and continues to be opposed.
Interesting story in this morning’s Press Herald. The state has commissioned a 48-thousnd dollars study to try to learn why Maine is 43 percent higher in the use of hospital emergency rooms than the national average. I think I could save the state that money. Care in the ER can be free to folk without insurance. Doctors expect payment. Many Mainers simply cannot afford insurance because of state laws, so they go to the ER. Simple, isn’t it? Worth $48K? Of course if the study did show that state laws have caused the increases in policy costs in the last several years, it might be worth the expenditure so the Legislature could reverse some of those laws.
In the weather, I understand today will be going downhill with some heavy humidity poised to arrive here this afternoon. We could get some thundershowers before the day is done and some reports say tonight’s sleeping conditions won’t be pleasant. But, alas, the weekend arrives tomorrow and the forecast for the weekend indicates it might be a nice one for the most of it.
Stay comfortable today and if that heat and humidity does arrive where you are, be sure to take in many liquids, water is best I’m told, and check on your elderly neighbors. We’ll all enjoy the weekend beginning tomorrow much better.
GiM
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