Let the Budget begin.

The City Council Budget Ways and Means Committee will begin the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget hearing this evening in Council Chambers in City Hall.

Tonight’s meeting will address requests from outside agencies that have received funding from the City in the past.

The hearings will begin at 6:30 with an overview of the proposed budget. At 6:45 the agenda will hear from the Over-60 Center, Chamber of Commerce, Humane Society, Carthage Library, Carthage Convention and Visitors Bureau, American Legion Baseball, Girls Softball, and Youth Baseball.

Each organization will have approximately fifteen minutes to present their proposals and answer any questions the Committee may have. The last scheduled time slot is 9 p.m., but historically these initial hearings have difficulty in staying on schedule.

City Administrator Tom Short informed the Committee at its last meeting that projected income for the upcoming year may not meet expectations.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

After years of listenin’ to telemarketers give their patter durin’ supper time, ya start to give ‘em ratings after ya tell ‘em to get lost.

The easy ones to hang up on are the pushy type. They always start with some kinda joke or cute remark about the weather. ‘Course most of ‘em are in a different time zone and don’t have a clue ‘bout the climate in this part of the country.

There are some ya gotta feel a little sorry for. They stumble over the words as they try to get enthused about what ever product they are pushin’. I’ve even listened to a complete pitch from a couple, just ta give ‘em practice. I give ‘em a few kind words and tell ‘em not to get too discouraged. Then I tell ‘em to take me off the list and not to call again. Figure they might as well get the full lesson.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

This Is A Hammer

The ABCs of Handsaws

Q: I tried using the handsaw my dad gave me to cut a piece of wood, but it’s the most useless thing I’ve ever had. It sawed about half an inch and then stuck, and I can’t get it out. What’s a better kind of saw to get? -- Felicity in Columbus, Ohio

A: Handsaws require a bit of patience and practice to really get the hang of. And while the majority of do-it-yourselfers eventually invest in power saws to handle cutting jobs, learning to use a handsaw properly is still important. You’ll learn a lot about proper cutting angles and some of the characteristics of different woods. Plus, it builds character, or so my dad used to say.

The type of handsaw to keep in your toolkit at all times is one marked "general purpose." This type of saw allows you to cut wood either along the grain or against the grain. (A "crosscut" saw is designed to cut only against the grain.) The blade should be a little more than 2 feet long, with 8 to 10 teeth per inch (this will all be noted on the label). A good steel blade -- one that’s not too floppy -- and a sturdy wooden handle are essential.

To properly saw a piece of wood, mark it with a line that indicates the spot and direction you want to cut. Clamp the wood to a sturdy surface (a workbench or between two sawhorses). Line up the saw with the mark and begin slowly sawing back and forth, smoothly but firmly. As it cuts into the wood, angle the saw at about 60 degrees vertically -- try to maintain that angle.

You will be able to feel whether the saw is cutting smoothly or not; don’t fight or jiggle the saw side to side -- concentrate on a smooth back-and-forth movement using the entire length of the saw blade. Don’t push the saw downward to force the cutting to move faster -- this is one sure way to snag the saw teeth in the wood.

As you near the end of the cut, be especially cautious. The wood will get wobbly and you’ll need to hold one side steady to keep the last bit from splintering; plus, the instant the saw gets all the way through, it will fall downward and angle right back toward you. So don’t saw too furiously at this stage.

Again, be patient as you saw. If your arm gets tired, take a break, then back at it. Don’t let frustration get the best of you. The only way to get better at this is to keep doing it.