wind, football, doors, drugs, & politicians !

today was calling for winds, and sure enough, they started about 11:30 am ... 18 mph is predicted ... but, with no sand blowing, it's not a nuisance, at all ... 
I just have to be a lot more careful opening & closing doors, in the wind ... 

this little project saved my door today, without it, I would have a nice, BIG hole in my outside door skin, now ... besides giving you a large, easy to grab 'last chance' at grabbing the door in a wind, if you're carrying anything thru the doorway, you can loop your wrist thru the webbing, and step right out, using both hands, without the door flying away in the wind !


I came up with a '5-minute improvement' to my door awhile back ... it involved drilling a small hole, a scrap length of nylon webbing, about 2" wide x 24" long, and a nut/bolt, 2 washers ... I took pliers and a common nail, and got the nail red-hot on the stove (only took a few seconds), then quickly used it to poke a hole thru both ends of the webbing, for the bolt to pass ... this method melts the webbing as you poke it, so it doesn't start unraveling someday ... you don't even need to remove the handle, just drill a 3/16" hole up near the top, that way the strap will drape down across the handle, almost into your hand ... I held a small scrap of wood behind the handle, while drilling, just in case the drill pushed thru too far ... the handle drills pretty easily, this is an easy project ...

don't look at the caulking - I cracked that a couple years ago, by over-tightening my door handle screws ... gonna fix that someday, too ... yup ... someday ...

the red strap was in my 'misc.' box, so I used it, with the intention of getting a nice, new black one to replace it ... well, that was the plan, anyway ... someday ... yup ...

I try to not get too excited about schedules and deadlines - I had a lifetime of that, already ...

********************

regarding 'da Bears' recent news this morning, Bears' receiver Sam Hurd, (a 1st-year acquisition from the Dallas Cowboys) was arrested by 'da FBI' for meeting to receive 20 pounds of cocaine, and 1000 pounds of pot, (to be a weekly arrangement, to supply Chicago) ... wow, that's pretty ambitious, not smart, but ambitious ... one writer said this will shake the entire NFL, since his 'customer-list' consisted of famous athletes, etc..   I have no idea if the author knew what he was talking about, or just repeating rumors, at this point ... 

however, it is well-known we've been trying to build a fire under replacement QB Caleb Hainie, as of late ! ... 

so, I'm a-thinkin',  if young Caleb is a LOT QUICKER !! (but, forgetting his play calls, and running around in circles) in our upcoming Seahawks game, it makes one wonder if some really radical 'motivational techniques' might be goin' on there ! ...

I bet 'Slammer Sammie' Hurd didn't clear his 'move' into the Windy City first, by cutting in 'da Syndicate' for a share ! ... (NO, not the Mafia ! - I'm talking about the REAL Crime Syndicate - the Chicago politicians ! ) ...

a couple successful Chicago pols we all know & love:

"da Mare" - nickname by Mike Royko, Pulitzer-winning author of "BOSS"

not to mention this farce, the real 'Chi-Town Hustler' ...