Odds & Ends

VR and ME Update

My van's been modified. TWO DAYS... I waited THREE YEARS and for over SIX MONTHS after the bids were let. The low bidder (who shall remain nameless) for SOME reason or other DID NOT return calls and could not be reached after all that was needed was the completion date.

Superior Van & Mobility, Indianapolis, took a little over a week to get the parts in, and TWO DAYS to get it done and back to us. We took it in Wednesday afternoon, talked to the guy about where the seat should go (move it back and to the right a little), where the hand-controls were going to go, and we came home. Friday (today) we were called to come in around 3. We got there at 2:50, and he was pulling it out of the garage as we entered their lot. We parked, watched him park, turned and saw the Crossroads people pull in. (Jennifer Radloff, Occupational Therapist/Driver Training - kewl lady! and "her student").

We went to the van, the installer explained how the hand-controls worked, and told us they'd moved the seat back THREE inches, not two, as planned. I didn't want to get into it until we'd seen how the lift worked, first. He brought the scooter out of the van, explaining the remote functions as he went, and set it on the ground, unhooked it, and showed how to stow the hook. Then he handed me the remote to show I knew how to get it back in. No real problem... It will just take getting used to the remote(s) - There's a wired one ON the lift, and a wireless one to carry with me. I got into the driver's seat and PLENTY of leg-room, for the first time EVER. In fact, I straighted my arms out like we always picture race-drivers (they don't, the damn steering wheel's REALLY close to their chest).

Jennifer had me drive around a little to get used to the hand-controls (not too hard... Still push when I should pull at times! But that's GOOD... Push is brake, pull is gas), and we went back to Superior, where Jenn and her student got out, Chris got into the "Green Machine" van, said she'd follow me home, and we took off. I figured out the cruise control (Chris seldom uses it, and I had NEVER used it in this van), and used it on 465 and 65, most of the way home.

WOW! Only the SECOND time I've driven (without a trainer/tester) in almost THREE YEARS. I even pulled it into the garage! (This might not sound like much, but for the past three years, Chris has driven me everywhere I needed to go. I walk down the ramp and wait, while she backs the van out, then I get in. It's kinda tight on the passenger side, to leave room on the driver's side.) It'll take a little getting used to, but getting in and out (Driver's side) is MUCH easier, I'll actually be able to let Chris sleep and go to my own doctor's appointments myself, and (if I can find a job) I can get to it. I can't afford gas, now, though, but I CAN GET OUT ON MY OWN! WOO HOO!

Now I just gotta make sure VR gets any papers it needs, find out what I have to do before I get the ownership papers (right now, VR owns the stuff), find a job I can manage and afford to get to and from (hopefully in Lebanon, and hopefully pays decently!), and ... Well, you know the drill, right?

9/11

For ANYONE who wonders why our soldiers are overseas, especially in Afghanastan, and even those in Iraq and elsewhere, watch the History Channel. Recently, they've been running reenactments, with interviews with the real people involved, on everything from how people survived, what lead up to, how they closed all airspace in such a short time, etc. Seeing this will REMIND you why we're at war.

Just leaving Iraq and Afghanastan now will only alienate those who believe in us (we don't see that much on the news... it's not controversial or sensational enough), turn those who are on the fence against us (we did that with Hussein and Bin Laden, remember?), allow the insurgents to declare victory over the US, invite ever more and even stronger attacks on our own soil, and ensure that every soldier over there feels we let them (and their fallen comrades) down.

Watch the shows. Remember. NEVER FORGET! We promised it then, and this is a promise WE SHOULD KEEP FOREVER!

Kyndel Christine Klump

And, for those who don't know it, Chris' (my wife) youngest daughter had a baby. Check that out (with pictures) here.

New OFP Website

DAMN! I didn't know I had that many pages. I've split many into multiples, especially in the scams, shams and more flim-flams section. I have a few more of the rumors to do, then the graphics capabilities, and I will put it up. I don't know for sure how I'm going to "keep the old pages", but update it to point to the new ones. (All names have been changed.) I have people finding my site searching for these things, so have put even more information on each on the new version. (The SITE name will not change, but all the pages within it have new names. I think I'll be putting some type of cross-reference from the old pages to the new ones in, but am not sure.)

Anyway, it's coming along. Shouldn't be TOO much longer, now.

Scams

Speaking of scams, they're coming fast and furious through email (and maybe elsewhere). BE CAREFUL. I've received 4-6 "Nigerian Scam" letters (some inheritance, some something else) in the last few days. I just received word from a relative that they received information on the Jury Duty scam, where they call you, tell you that you didn't show up for Jury Duty, and a warrent has been issued for your arrest. When you protest that you've never been called, they ask for your Social Security number and Date of Birth to verify the info and cancel the warrent. NEVER GIVE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TO ANYONE WHO CALLS YOU OVER THE PHONE. If you are worried about it, get the number to call them back. (If they get hostile, they're most likely scammers, so who gives a shit what they think of you?) Then, look up the number in the phone book, and call your own local government office/court house, and ask if they called you. If not, tell the authorities. (This should work for ANYONE who will ask for your personal, bank and credit card information over the phone. DO NOT GIVE IT TO THEM WITHOUT CHECKING THEM OUT AS DESCRIBED. Get a number to call back, look UP the number in the phone book, call THAT number, find out whether they called YOU, and report it to authorities if they didn't.

This is from the email sent by my relative:

The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on Their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.Check it out here: http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp

Think that's it for now. Have a happy! And BE SAFE!

Bill