Michael at Musing’s musings makes an important point in Trying to do the right thing: what do you do after you’ve done all you can on your own?

Back when I was living in California I conserved water from the start. I was used to it from the military and living in a city where water was relatively expensive. I put the jug in the toilet tank, turned off water when it wasn’t necessary, watered plants with the dish water, etc. I did these things before there were any “real problems” in San Diego because it was a desert, and you don’t waste water in a desert.

Then they had a drought and instituted water restrictions. Fine, reasonable thing to do except they did it by mandating a 10% cut in water usage by everyone. Now the people who had never done anything could achieve such a cut without bothering to do everything I had always done. How was I expected to cut usage?

The problem with such blunt action is that it encourages people to over-consume so that when the restrictions come, they won’t be inconvenienced. It’s time for some leadership and clearly defined goals to deal with the problem. The goals shouldn’t just be for the nation, or the state, but for the individual, so we have some way of knowing we are doing good.

Not content with harassing toddlers over the contents of their sippy cups, and stealing chocolate pudding from little old ladies, according to the reports caught by Mustang Bobby of Bark Bark Woof Woof in Miami, TSA is now clearing out concourses at major airports to search dead people. This is not a replay of the Dead Parrot, cremated is as dead as it gets.

At least the bomb squad didn’t blow up the package as a “security measure,” because I seriously doubt anyone opted to have their ashes scattered over Concourse F of the Miami International Airport.

Apollo 11

Commander:
Neil A. Armstrong

Pilot: Columbia Command Module
Michael Collins, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF

Pilot: Eagle Lunar Module
Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., Colonel, USAF

Launched: 16 July 1969 UT 13:32:00 (08:32:00 CDT)
Landed on Moon: 20 July 1969 UT 20:17:40 (15:17:40 CDT)
Landing Site: Mare Tranquillitatis – Sea of Tranquility (0.67 N, 23.47 E)
Returned to Earth: 24 July 1969 UT 16:50:35 (11:50:35 CDT)