Industrial Maintenance Resources

I'm back from another hiring venture for engineering technicians. The field is called multi-craft maintenance. Another name is "mechatronics". It seems that finding people with the right broad skill sets is very hard. A lot of the promising candidates haven't refreshed their basics for many years. I mentioned to a few candidates some resources which they might want to have to brush up on their basic skills.

So, If you stumbled across this looking for hints, here are a few key trade resources:

• Audel Mechanical Trades Pocket Manual
• Ugly's Electrical References - the other Uglys books are good too.
• Rigging Pocket Guide

For PLCs and electronics there are a lot of online resources. Use your google-fu or drop me a line if you need hints for starting places.

Breaking News

So...  For the last several months things have been breaking down.   Cars, irons, microwaves, shoes....  Wearing out....

Our situation reminds me of the Israelites: for forty years in the desert their clothes and shoes didn't wear out.   That's how blessed we have been.  Maybe not forty years worth, but our 'stuff' has lasted well. 

Imagine how the Israelites felt upon entering the promised land when their stuff started wearing out normally.  "What kind of junk is this?  My last ox cart lasted over forty years and this one only ten!  They just don't make anything the way they used to..."

It feels a little like that.  Still, blessed be God from everlasting to everlasting!

Me

Here is a sentence some of us made while playing the sentence game around the table one afternoon.

ME

Me is the word I used to describe the sound ineffable that flows

softly through my screeching house with great grace and astounding,

marvelous accuracy in times past before I grew to know video recorded

stories that became my horribly indescribable nightmare of hideous faces

in closet doors that came at me with screeching laughter and knives that

were very deceitful and sharp though in the shape they were it was hard

to distinguish which one actually was real because someone had chosen

a costume that had deviousness glittering sharply throughout its entire 

frame of wood which was hiding behind the closet of my dream which

had those unreal yet frightening faces mysteriously screeching at me

while scornfully, softly sneering yet singing with gracefulness incredible

that maybe made the sneering scornful in different faces which seemed 

offensive to myself, less so to others, but mostly more ridiculous to people

 who don't like me silly or my fairytales which are to amazingly marvelous 

for simple people to appreciate fully and enjoy thoroughly or at least believe

in a story like mine which as a real true dream that passes away in drip drop

 silence that yells truthfulness and wakefulness though truly it was merely 

just odd and weird so freakishly that I grabbed my own vorpal leg which

was turning somersaults without my consent which created a soft sound 

that I described as Me.

A name for today...

It is an uncomfortable sort of day.  I am inclined to say " happy thanksgiving", but that was yesterday; or perhaps " merry Christmas ( or good Advent), but it is too soon. Black Friday is so vulgar, so commercial. It makes me think of plagues.

I have decided to dub this Friday following Thanksgiving...  Leftover Day.

So, a jolly Leftover Day to you all.

A curry stew

Curry Stew

Lentils (handful)
Carrot (one)
Celery (two cut pieces or one small stock)
Chicken Bullion (two)
Onion (small one)
Garlic (big clove)
Sweat Potato (pieces maybe one small one)
Garam Masala (two heaped tea spoons)
Curry Powder (three heaped-ish tea spoons)
Meat (Turkey or Chicken) (handful)

for garnish
Parsley
Soft cheese (Cream cheese mixed with feta)

Note: this is for a small pot. It was based on dorm room experimentation.

Lightly saute the onions until tender in a small splash of oil and smidgen of butter. Add garlic and meat and lentils. Sprinkle on the first dose of garam masala. Soon after, add water and bullion. As you bring this to a boil, add the carrot and celery and potato and the curry powder. If you are using leftover baked potato, wait a bit longer before adding them. Let it boil for a bit, maybe five minutes or so, before lowering the temperature to a simmer. Remember to use a lid on the pot, but also check regularly in case you need to add more water or something else that strikes your fancy. 
While the stew is simmering, you can mix up the cheese. Start with equal portions of feta and cream cheese and then sway the balance in accordance with your personal taste. I like it to be heavier on the feta.
When the lentils are soft, you are ready to add the leftover potatoes and the rest of the garam masala to the stew. I might have also added a splash of lemon juice . . .
Serve the stew with a glob of the cheese mixture and a sprig of parsley.

It makes a few servings of tasty stew.

http://www.fromsadtoraw.com/Recipes/DenisesVinaigrette.htm

I really enjoyed this dressing! I added ginger.

I have studiously avoided election day blather today. I honestly care greatly, but don't feel the need to exercise (self-righteous) outrage, or partisan glee. Both seem sadly out of place. Tonight our church body met for communion, for reconciliation, remembering that our first loyalty is to Jesus who died to save us. I am reminded of a line in "A Man for All Seasons". It was as Thomas More was led to execution: "I am commanded by the king to be brief, and since I am the king's obedient subject, brief I will be. I die His Majesty's good servant, but God's first." That indeed should be our position "... but God's first"