Andy Arthur.org | Musings on this world by a data scientist, map maker, outdoorman and future off-grid homesteader.

I was on the fence but then I decided yesterday I would pack some gear for two overnights up at Rensselearville State Forest. Forecast looked good at the time, and then I was laying down in bed, I got the alert.

Then after everything was packed, at least as much as I could do overnight, I get the alert on my phone that the National Weather Service was going to issue a Special Weather Statement regarding Elevated Risk of Fire Weather through 8 PM. And while the wind is expected to drop down tonight, it will pick up tomorrow, with a steady breeze all day on Friday. And no rain is to be found during the weekend, except maybe some passing showers for Mom and Dad’s 50th anniversary party on Saturday afternoon.

So it was unpacking and changing my plans. I was going to go shopping on way into the suburban office, driving my big jacked up pickup truck with the acres of parking. But now I have no food left, except for that rice and beans I cooked up yesterday, along with the flour, oatmeal, banana, Splenda, olive oiland some wallpaper paste, which I turned into half decent pancakes. I guess I will ride in and get some bananas at Hannaford to make it through the day and go shopping after work.

It’s not a bad thing I got things organized as if I don’t get out this weekend, there is always next weekend. Really like to get north next weekend, because if I don’t the following weekend I have to stay in town for the Pine Bush Hike. Still I’m more then a bit pissed about it all. Maybe it would have been fine, with basically zero wind and not as bad as they say, but I don’t like the idea of camping in the wind, trying to stay warm by the heater and not setting the grass on fire.

I’ll have to figure out alternative plans for tomorrow. Maybe some trout fishing or a hike. Going to cloud up fairly early, so that might be good for that. If the weather is calmer then expected, maybe I can do a single overnight or something. Or at least get a good ride / hike in somewhere. Maybe go out to Columbia County and ride some of the Electric Trail through farm country. I bet it’s pungent this time of year, lol. Next weekend might be fun though and finally can have a fire, but if not, in two weeks things should be a lot greener.

Really it’s that’s simple.

Most of the waste, fraud and abuse found by DOGE is simply things that current administration does not support or is contracts already expired or soon to be expired.

Truth is most things government does is legitimate, at least to the constituencies it benefits. People elect representatives to bring home the bacon, they want their communities and interests to be supported by their tax dollars. That only makes sense.

Does that mean the tax cuts should go away? No, not necessarily. We pay a lot in taxes and we should have a discussion about the scope and size of government. The defense and police establishment seems particularly bloated, having expanded enormously since the 1990s. We would do better if we reduced the number of laws needing enforcing, and help law enforcement find jobs in the private sector.

The government can tax less and provide less unnecessary enforcement.