Anyone in New York who is interested in #EV charging for multi-unit/family/business should provide feedback in this hearing. The proposed legislation places significant restrictions on where you can install level 2 charging, which will drive up costs *substantially.*
Yes, the Babylon proposal explicitly prohibits wall-mounted EVCS on multi-residential or commercial buildings (except certain service facilities). Level 2 must go in parking lots with 10-ft yard/30-ft building setbacks, screening, bollards and PE certification—driving up costs via pedestals/trenching and limiting spots. Single-family allows garage wall-mounts only. Hearing is tomorrow.
Lawson retweeted
Boating and boaters:
I have heard it said that the two happiest days in a boat owners life are the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it.
I think this might be true for those who probably should not ever own a boat. Those who buy a boat thinking it would be romantic to sail into the sunset, those who think it would be a great write-off for business, or a second home deduction, those who cannot fix things themselves and have to hire out everything from changing lightbulbs to washing down the hull and changing the oil.
In the years that I towed and salvaged boats for a living, I saw many of these people. Dead batteries, out of fuel, on the rocks, no charts, and knot a clew (sailor joke there).
I believe that if you buy a boat, you should be ready to learn everything about it, study about engines, drive systems, rigging, sails, charts, rules of the road ESPECIALLY rules of the road. Understand how the electronics work, RTFM! Use your RADAR when it's sunny outside.
Those who go into it with the idea that boating is all rosy summer days and romantic sails into the sunset with a cocktail will be gravely disappointed. I have met folks who bought a sailboat, having never been on a boat before and expected to sail around the world in a few weeks of training. They tend to be the most disappointed that it was harder than it looked on TV. I love the movie Captain Ron, it's in my top 3. But it is so un-realistic how they took a near wreck of a boat and made it bristol while sailing it in the Caribbean. I can't do any project without 3 trips to Englund Marine.
I'm not saying don't go boating or be scared off by this, but at least do your research and learn what you are getting into.
YouTube is not going to save you in the fog with rocks nearby.
I have loved with a passion every boat I have ever owned (well except one that was left on my hands that I had to cut up for scrap). I cried when we sold my first big boat, the Carver 32', to move up to the 36' and I miss that boat too, when I moved aboard the big workboat.
Boating is my full time job and I love it. I think it takes a special kind of insanity to do what I do. Our friend John just bought a near basket case tugboat built in 1944, he has that insanity in spades.
I have owned in my life first at 12 years old, an 8 foot fiberglass over plywood dinghy that was powered by oars or a small electric trolling motor.
a 13' FB over wood with 5.5hp johnson
5 different Jet Ski or PWC's
3 inflatables under 10 feet
2 inflatables at 15' with 50HP outboards
2 RIB's 21'
a 19' sailboat that I raised up from the bottom and the owner gave it to me and I sold it 30 minutes later for $100.
Another 14' sailboat that was given to us that was scrapped.
A 16' aluminum skiff with a jet outboard
2 21' Triumphs CRMA workboats
A 26' twin aluminum cruiser
32' Carver Mariner
36' Carver Mariner
42' Canoe Cove
and my current full time job, the 80' workboat charter.
edit...and another 15' inflatable, with a 40hp.
24, now 25, boats over the years, I have a special version of insanity.
So...why am I looking on YachtWorld right now...LOL
Happy Boating
Captain Ron.
Lawson retweeted
DAY 58 WITHOUT OUR VW ID. BUZZ.
It’s been so long that I think it’s time for a full recap for everyone who has joined this saga late—or has simply forgotten everything that has happened.
On August 10, our ID. Buzz became completely inoperable at around 12,000 miles and had to be towed to Volkswagen of Perrysburg.
58 days later, we still don’t have it back.
Here’s where things currently stand:
• The Buzz has now been at the dealer for nearly TWO MONTHS.
• During that time, the dealership DAMAGED THE VEHICLE while moving it. The damage is significant enough that the door now needs to be replaced.
• The dealer has agreed to replace the door they damaged, but does not want to compensate us for any potential diminished value caused by that damage.
• I have contacted four different attorneys trying to get help with this situation. None have been able to take the case.
• The Ohio Lemon Law route has not provided us with a quick or straightforward resolution, despite the vehicle being unusable for nearly two months.
• Volkswagen Customer Care has been involved.
• I requested that Volkswagen BUY BACK THE VEHICLE because after everything that has happened, I no longer have confidence in either the vehicle or the repair process.
• That request has been sitting in Volkswagen’s Customer Resolution Group process while the days continue to pile up.
• At one point the dealer offered us $1,000 in compensation. Their final position later became essentially: they’ll replace the door they damaged, provide a loaner, and give us $0 additional compensation.
But somehow, that’s not even the craziest part.
The dealer replaced a major component on our Buzz roughly 4–5 weeks ago.
We are now waiting on the EXACT. SAME. PART. AGAIN.
I’ve repeatedly asked one incredibly simple question:
WHY?
Why does a brand-new replacement part need replaced again just a few weeks later?
I still don’t have an answer.
And it’s not because I haven’t asked.
For approximately TWO WEEKS, I have called and emailed the dealership essentially every single day.
No response.
I’ve followed up.
No response.
I’ve called.
No response.
I’ve emailed again.
No response.
I even physically went to the dealership looking for answers and was told someone would get back to me.
Still nothing.
This is no longer just a story about a Volkswagen that broke.
It’s a story about a nearly new family vehicle becoming completely unusable, sitting at a dealership for almost two months, being damaged while in their possession, having parts apparently replaced twice, a manufacturer buyback request going nowhere, four unsuccessful attempts to find legal help, and a dealership that has now apparently decided the easiest way to deal with an unhappy customer is to simply stop communicating with them.
We absolutely loved this vehicle.
That’s what makes this entire experience so disappointing.
58 days.
Still no Buzz.
Still waiting on the same part.
Still waiting on Volkswagen.
And now, apparently, still waiting for the dealership to simply answer an email.
🚨 DAY 57 WITHOUT OUR @VW ID. BUZZ 🚨
Another weekend. Still no BUZZ.
At this point, the repair delay is almost secondary to how we’ve been treated.
For nearly TWO WEEKS, I’ve been repeatedly asking Volkswagen of Perrysburg one very simple question:
Why are we waiting on the exact same part that was already replaced weeks ago?
Daily emails. Calls. Follow-ups.
And instead of an explanation?
Silence.
Our family vehicle has now been gone for 57 days. It was damaged while in the dealer’s possession. We’re once again waiting on a part they already replaced. And apparently asking why is too much to expect an answer to.
57 days without our BUZZ.
And somehow, the communication keeps getting worse. 🙃
It looked like Nespelem had survived the worst of the Kaiser Canyon Fire, but just a little while ago, red blobs (satellite infrared indicators of live fire) started showing up in town.
What the heck? I can’t count the number of ways I hate this idea.
nytimes.com/2026/07/10/clima…
@JohnBarentine