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A Long Tuesday
Thursday, 9 August 2012 01:08I Voted
Tuesday 7 August 2012 was Primary Day in Michigan. I was issued ballot number 264 and on the machine I fed it into, was counted as voter 105, though there are five precincts in Allendale and there were more than five machines.
But wait, I hear you ask, didn't you guys have your primary back on 28 February? No, that was a Presidential Primary (DW). Tuesday was the primary for all the Michigan offices. And also for any local issues.
It was hard to tell if there were any local ballot issues. The GRPress listed several Ottawa County issues in some townships, but not Allendale. The Secretary of State's website showed what was on the Allendale ballot, but said it didn't include all the local ballot issues. I suppose I could've called the township office, but what fun is that? And in truth, it turned out there were no local ballot issues.
Also, not much to vote for. See, this is a very conservative part of Michigan. As such, everyone is from the same party. The other party's primary consisted only of the incumbent Senator up for reelection, though I did think for a moment of writing in Candy Kraker's name for Clerk, because she's been doing a great job for years.
Anyway, someone has to vote for the opposition. (grin)
The Late Man Can Only Run Later
I didn't get out of the house as early as I'd planned. And then I voted. And I had to get gas, but I also had a bill to mail. Naturally, just before I put the bill in the mailbox, I realized in my rush I'd forgotten to put a stamp on it. So... park and go inside the Post Office. Huh -- I've been going through a stash of Forever stamps and haven't had to buy a single first-class stamp in some time. It's up to 45¢ now. It went up back in January and I'm sure I knew that, but buying sheets and booklets of Forever stamps just didn't register.
As for the gas, prices around here jumped up 25¢/gallon at least a week ago, as there were multiple refinery issues in Chicago/Indiana and then a pipeline shutdown in Wisconsin. Tuesday regular was down to $3.90.9/gal. Once again, the uncertainty of gas prices wiped out my discount slips from the grocery store -- 15¢/gal this time -- though I avoided paying just over four dollars a gallon for midgrade.
The Last Straw
Arriving on campus, I was surprised to see yellow CAUTION tape stretched across the width of Lot 61. All the K-rail barriers nearest to Rood and Everett were gone. Last week I'd noted that some of the benches and umbrella tables by the bus stop were gone, but I thought they were going to resurface the bare dirt where people were sitting. The bus stop is now on the northeast side of Rood Hall, instead of just west of it. Fortunately, on Tuesday there wasn't much going on beyond just the yellow tape and no one was going around as far as walking in.
Big empty space. (Click on photo for larger.)
Compare the previous to this view from the test shots with the Nikon D1H back on a sunny November day. (Click on photo for larger.)
Guess I'll find out in a few hours whether or not they're going to give us all of Lot 61 back... and whether they're going to mill out the asphalt torn up and diesel fuel stained by the buses and repave it all.
Dr. Phil
Tuesday 7 August 2012 was Primary Day in Michigan. I was issued ballot number 264 and on the machine I fed it into, was counted as voter 105, though there are five precincts in Allendale and there were more than five machines.
But wait, I hear you ask, didn't you guys have your primary back on 28 February? No, that was a Presidential Primary (DW). Tuesday was the primary for all the Michigan offices. And also for any local issues.
It was hard to tell if there were any local ballot issues. The GRPress listed several Ottawa County issues in some townships, but not Allendale. The Secretary of State's website showed what was on the Allendale ballot, but said it didn't include all the local ballot issues. I suppose I could've called the township office, but what fun is that? And in truth, it turned out there were no local ballot issues.
Also, not much to vote for. See, this is a very conservative part of Michigan. As such, everyone is from the same party. The other party's primary consisted only of the incumbent Senator up for reelection, though I did think for a moment of writing in Candy Kraker's name for Clerk, because she's been doing a great job for years.
Anyway, someone has to vote for the opposition. (grin)
The Late Man Can Only Run Later
I didn't get out of the house as early as I'd planned. And then I voted. And I had to get gas, but I also had a bill to mail. Naturally, just before I put the bill in the mailbox, I realized in my rush I'd forgotten to put a stamp on it. So... park and go inside the Post Office. Huh -- I've been going through a stash of Forever stamps and haven't had to buy a single first-class stamp in some time. It's up to 45¢ now. It went up back in January and I'm sure I knew that, but buying sheets and booklets of Forever stamps just didn't register.
As for the gas, prices around here jumped up 25¢/gallon at least a week ago, as there were multiple refinery issues in Chicago/Indiana and then a pipeline shutdown in Wisconsin. Tuesday regular was down to $3.90.9/gal. Once again, the uncertainty of gas prices wiped out my discount slips from the grocery store -- 15¢/gal this time -- though I avoided paying just over four dollars a gallon for midgrade.
The Last Straw
Arriving on campus, I was surprised to see yellow CAUTION tape stretched across the width of Lot 61. All the K-rail barriers nearest to Rood and Everett were gone. Last week I'd noted that some of the benches and umbrella tables by the bus stop were gone, but I thought they were going to resurface the bare dirt where people were sitting. The bus stop is now on the northeast side of Rood Hall, instead of just west of it. Fortunately, on Tuesday there wasn't much going on beyond just the yellow tape and no one was going around as far as walking in.
Big empty space. (Click on photo for larger.)
Compare the previous to this view from the test shots with the Nikon D1H back on a sunny November day. (Click on photo for larger.)
Guess I'll find out in a few hours whether or not they're going to give us all of Lot 61 back... and whether they're going to mill out the asphalt torn up and diesel fuel stained by the buses and repave it all.
Dr. Phil
