Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Wednesday, March 7. 2012

A full-time paying job changing lightbulbs? Sounds easy enough.

This is what I term "a real job." These guys have balls. You may have seen this one before. I hate the way he has to make sure to tighten each hand-hold bolt on the final stretch. It's a nightmare for me.


I hope these guys are better-paid than I am.


 




Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 16:23 | Comments (24) | Trackbacks (0)

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That made my testicles retract.
#1 NJSoldier on 2012-03-07 16:54 (Reply)
Made my teeth hurt, couldn't watch the whole thing-I am such a coward. How much do these guys make? (lots I hope) and how many years can they work?
#2 dianainsa on 2012-03-07 17:03 (Reply)
Seems I saw this, or one similar, a while ago. In response to the question "don't you get scared about falling from such a height", one climber replied: "Once you are higher then 50'. it makes no difference".
#3 Mikeother on 2012-03-07 17:44 (Reply)
No - I'll have much longer to think about it before colliding with the ground.
#3.1 NJSoldier on 2012-03-07 17:48 (Reply)
Hey dianainsa!
Makes your teeth hurt?
Whatabout a buzz?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tzga6qAaBA
#4 G6loq on 2012-03-07 18:06 (Reply)
Thanks to G6loq for the link. Great stuff, what a wonderful country we live in.
#4.1 dianainsa on 2012-03-08 15:56 (Reply)
"Diamond Level"(Sphincter Pucker Factor) on this one. "Diamond level" is the level at which a lump of coal inserted between the cheeks is rendered into hardened, light-refracting crystalline form by the time there is an unclenching.
#5 BlogDog on 2012-03-07 19:10 (Reply)
"Now we've reached the base of the antennae, from here it's just another sixty feet to the top." Heh.
#6 Jephnol (Link) on 2012-03-07 20:07 (Reply)
Exactly.

Actually, even before the last sixty, when the steps were welded to the tower, I know I would be hoping that the welder was sober that day.

I figure a thousand bucks a foot beyond the elevator would be fair.
#6.1 XRay on 2012-03-07 21:10 (Reply)
I've jumped out of a few airplanes in my life, but every time I see this I get the creeps - I couldn't do it. Not without a freakin' parachute. :>)
#7 Tom Francis on 2012-03-07 20:24 (Reply)
Yep. I've skydived, too. And when I was a kid (early 20s) I used to work as a construction lineman, climbing poles. Heights don't usually bother me.

But this video gave me vertigo. There's not enough money in the world for me to do that job -- even assuming I'm in good enough physical condition. It'd be a shame to find out in that last 60 feet that you were completely tuckered.
#7.1 jhc on 2012-03-07 21:15 (Reply)
Well, one summer there were some folks at school who topped trees with a chainsaw while hanging from a helicopter. I suspect that was more dangerous than this, even if the altitude was less. More chance of the unexpected.
#8 chuck on 2012-03-07 20:55 (Reply)
omg - that actually made me sick to my stomach, and broke out in a serious sweat and dizziness.
kudos to the guys that can do this
#9 missred on 2012-03-07 22:03 (Reply)
"I can guess what forms my dreams will take..."
#10 Marko on 2012-03-07 22:12 (Reply)
Would it not be easier to climb to the top and then pull his tools up, rather than carry them?
#11 PacRim Jim (Link) on 2012-03-08 05:15 (Reply)
OMG!
or even keep a stocked tool box up there.
#11.1 jerry on 2012-03-08 07:31 (Reply)
I managed to watch this video all the way through...ONCE. I could not watch it again, and can't conceive of trying to actually do this! I'm with you, dianainsa, hope they make a great deal of money doing this.
But, then again, I can't imagine working with the construction workers I've seen old photographs of, working on building the skyscrapers and bridges across the country.
#12 cas on 2012-03-08 08:08 (Reply)
It starts with B3 Ü TA0WN in good competent morse, probably about 25wpm.

A skill learned as a kid.

Raising the question, if it's such well formed morse and not the usual Walter Winchell fake morse, why is the message nonsense.
#13 rhhardin (Link) on 2012-03-08 16:18 (Reply)
BC Ü TA0WN
#13.1 rhhardin (Link) on 2012-03-08 16:21 (Reply)
The sensation of height, by the way, somes from the support below you, not the height itself.

Hence the advice don't look down, which is completely unnecessary in airplanes, there being no support to see.
#14 rhhardin (Link) on 2012-03-08 16:23 (Reply)
"It's good to take a break and look around while you rest." I LOVE it!

I have a friend who I've know since the service (we were known to climb a tower crane once in a while just for kicks) who, when younger, made extra money from the county climbing comms towers to add or replace antennas (antennai?). (There's a song there - "He was a climber for the county")

I vaguely recall him telling me it was about 1 week's net of his normal county job for a couple hour's effort.

Nothing like this tower, of course. Probably nothing more than about 200' and most no more than 150' or so. But then again, no elevator to start out on.

In past times I could have been dared into going up a 200' tower, maybe. I know a 180' that beckons me still. Fortunately I know I ain't nearly fit enough no more and even if I were, I couldn't trust that rusty ol' ladder to hold my... ummm.... robustness.

I would never have gone up the thing in this video. How would you find a day when the wind wouldn't knock you off something that high? Free climb my fat ass!
#15 Knucklehead (Link) on 2012-03-08 16:27 (Reply)
"Check the storm clouds... Lightning conditions... no quick way down."

"This is the tricky part!"

I can't stop giggling. What a video. Thanks for the pointer.
#15.1 Knucklehead (Link) on 2012-03-08 17:11 (Reply)
I have climbed to the top of an oil rig, but that was only 90 feet up, which is no comparison to what these guys have done.
#16 Gringo on 2012-03-08 21:23 (Reply)
Sometime ago one of those "reality shows" did a special on a tower climber. This was in North Carolina and WCPE's radio (I stream this radio station whenever I can) tower needed some repairs up on top. No elevator on that one.
#17 The Wisconsin Skier (Link) on 2012-03-08 21:31 (Reply)

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