Swimming?

As usual. Grrrr! My satellite internet connection is a joke. Note; do not invest any time or money in a Direcway satellite system. I guess I’m stuck with it until AT&T decides that DSL service in this area might bring them a buck or two. It’s particularly irritating as I know that the fiber optic cable lies empty and unused just across the road from us. I could call the local wireless company, but that would mean another email address change between now and whenever DSL becomes available. And the local wireless is not much faster than satellite. Even so, I’m tempted…

How long has it been since we turned off the TV? Well, it’s on again…sort of. As an experiment, I took the small set, the 13” Toshiba and connected it to an antenna lead in our bedroom; the only connection that isn’t tied to the useless satellite. Behold! There was a picture and sound and we were able to watch PBS last night when they aired the special on the city of Susanville and its relationship to the prisons there.

It was just as I thought it would be. I wish that there had been some sort of revelation; but no, they showed the flawed prison system for just what it is. A bureaucratic nightmare. And they revealed how the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (from now on… known as ’The Department of Punishment’) had lied to the community. It’s obvious that the legislature and the state judicial system are flawed to the core and they are the ones that control the Department of Punishment.

I may not know much about prisons but I knew they were lying back in the 1980’s, when they said the prisons would benefit the community. Most of the disposable money coming from the staff payroll goes to Nevada, as Reno is less than a hundred miles away. Officers quickly learn that there are no bargains to be found in Susanville. So they shop for their big ticket items elsewhere. A case in point is the arrival of Corning Ford. They came up from the valley, where they are a big player, and bought out the local automobile dealers. Now they are planning a huge ‘toy’ store on the road out to the prison, so the officers can get a better look at what’s new and exciting on their way to and from work. I don’t know how it will work, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see sales revenue staying in Corning. The dealership could use the registration paperwork to indicate the vehicle was purchased in ‘Corning’ and delivered to the customer in Susanville. Would they do that? Whatever works. They have no local roots or loyalties.

Well, here goes…I’ll try the internet connection again and see if I can get on-line. Slow and slower! I think I’ll go for a swim while I wait for the page to load.