This seems like an apt title for a mish-mash of topics with relevance in my life right now.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a neighborhood water main break under the street.  Brown water was running in between the asphalt and the gutter, actually lifting the street up.  Pretty cool to watch.  Not fun to repair.  The city got here around 4:00 in the afternoon, and despite budget cuts, they worked most of the night to get it fixed.  This morning we are back in business.  However, in the mean time, we had no running water.  And being in the middle of remodeling, we had no containers to fill with water before they shut it off.  If you read between the lines, that means no way to flush toilets.  Crap.

Solution?  We used the port-a-crapper currently sitting in our driveway for the construction workers.  Gross?  Yes.  Functional?  Yes.  Do I have a new appreciation for running water.  YES.

Speaking of crap, I'm just starting to go through the voters guide and all the eco-unfriendly voting clutter that has filled our mailbox in recent weeks.  I've developed a methodology for making voting decisions:

1. For any particular ballot initiative or candidate, look at who supports them.
2. Research the supporting organizations or individuals.  I can usually find more information on them than I can the candidates because they have a lot of money and money buys attention.
3. If I agree with who or what they are, consider voting for the initiative/candidate.  Otherwise, no go from me.

Example:  Proposition 23 was put on the ballot and is widely supported by oil companies.  This initiative will suspend the new state climate change law unless unemployment is under 5.5%  Ever wonder if oil companies support green initiatives?  Ever wonder if the Pope has considered converting to Islam?  We have installed solar panels, drought resistant landscaping, and low voltage lighting.  I drive a hybrid.  I think oil companies are full of crap.  That was easy.

Now the hard part.  Going through the entire ballot and doing the same analysis on every single issue or candidate.  Crap.