Saturday, October 30, 2010

Health Care Reform

The new health care bill is already changing the way we live. I heard a person complaining that at his job they were short a person but the company was not going to be hiring any more full time people since the health care costs are rising.

I would expect the economy to take much longer to recover if employers are not willing to take on full time people. In fact they may be looking for ways to change over to part time or eliminate jobs all together. If this happens, how is it going to be possible for the shrinking percentage of the working populace to support the increasing government and the non working sector. In order to pay a worker enough to make it worth not becoming one of the unemployed, cost of goods and services will become so high the non workers can't pay them at all and it will become increasing difficult for the working class to maintain their standard of living, at least through purchasing American made goods and services.

I mentioned to an Obama supporter that one provision of the Health Care Reform Act may no hold up in court (the provision that everyone must purchase health care.)

He started in with "Well if other countries can have universal health care, I don't no why we can't."

"I didn't say anything about universal health care. I only mentioned one provision. At first Obama said the act would not raise taxes but when it was pointed out that it may not be possible to require people to purchase a consumer item, he said . well the penalty for not buying a policy is a tax."

If it is, it will be the first tax in history levied because someone did nothing. Before, one had to do something to pay a tax: earn an income, receive a benefit, purchase an item, use a good or service, etc. Being charged money for not complying with the court has always be know as a fine and has been handled by the court system."

"Well, when Medicaid and medicare first came out, people didn't like that system either."

"That has nothing to do with my statement", I said. The whole law isn't under indictment, just the provision that dictates we have to buy a policy."

"Well it works it other countries"

"We are living under the French or Canadian, or British constitution. We live under the American one. You are arguing the whole health care bill. I'm discussing one provision of it."

Some people are so blinded by their love and support of Obama that they can't even have a sensible conversation. Any criticism of Obama or anything he has done is viewed as pure racism.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Revolt or revolution?

The news media are calling it a revolt but in reality it is neither a revolt nor a revolution. The problem is that we don't trust Republicans and are disillusioned by Democrats. But we view non party affiliated candidates and/or Libertarians as being of the fanatical/lunatic fringe.

We voted for that hopey/changy thing and found out we didn't like it. We should have tried harder to understand what the change was into but as the Deomcrats say "We won't even know what in it until after it becomes law."

Farve






I saw Farve in the movie "There's Something about Mary" and there is one thing for sure. He can't act. I look at that big pronounced chin and the kinda blank look in his eyes and wonder if there is anything back there.

He now has admitted sending the phone messages but not the dirty pictures of his private parts. They are called privates for a reason people.

In case you never saw the movie, he didn't get the girl in that one either.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

One Way or the other

I really don't wabt to hurt any ones feelings but the truth is there isn't but one way. Today we want our religion non controversial and watered down, intellectually stimulating without the emotional pulls that clouds ones judgement.

Expository preaching is fine and dandy but the honest truth is a man and woman who are married and want to have a successful marriage really do want and need a relationship where the two of them are emotionally involved with each other and not one where every situation is approached from a purely logical and intellectual point of view.

I want to get excited about the man who was willing to die for me. Sure, I want to understand His teachings but I also want to know how to apply those teachings to my life. That is something that I have been missing for quite some time.

I stopped by One Way Baptist Church in Randleman last Sunday while I was on vacation and went back today-twice. It's the first time I have ever seen my wife get excited about going to church and she isn't even a Baptist.

I know the church building is a little small, looking more like a kids clubhouse than a serious place of worship and visitor late for service may be hesitant if they are a few minutes late and see a bunch of people laying on the floor near the pulpit but it is what it is.

No, this isn't the kind of church I grew up in. I attended Penelope Baptist in Longview, We had a Doctor of divinity for a preacher and over a thousand in attendance back in the fifties (the town wasn't even that big) and they were all formal and prime and proper church going people. No amens or shouting at this church-no sir!

Nor is this the kind of church my Dad pastored. He was a lot less formal than Penelope and he always started in a small building with a handful of people although his churches grew rapidly and often very large.

No, this is the kind of church that preachers used to talk about, the kind they say are dead and gone, where the prayers are effective and they people real. It's the kind of church I wished everyone could belong to.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

The truth about water gardening

The truth about water gardening, or at least the truth about how I practice water gardening. look it up on the web and you will receive detailed instructions on how to build and maintain a pond, whether it be a water garden or koi pond (the biggest difference is the depth of the pond). Like you are really going to build one yourself large enough to keep koi in.

Chances are if you want a koi pond, you will hire professionals to build a koi pond for you. They will bring in their backhoe and their trucks and many workmen and when they are finished you'll have a professionally built pond costing you at least $7,000.00 dollars and maybe a whole lot more and it looks great but artificial.

Me, I purchased a liner for about $300.00, a pump for around $90.00, some tubing for less than twenty bucks, a $5.00 bucket and some foam for twelve. My hardside liner set me back another $80.00 and about forty dollars for a pump and another five bucks for a second bucket. I did the digging myself and hunted down the rocks with my shovel and a bucket to carry them in.

My pond looks just as artificial as the professional looking ponds and brings me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. The frogs love it for sure and with my wife's bird feeders close by, my back yard is a virtual paradise for fish and fowl.

One thing I really like about having the pond is watching the changes that take place. A frog lays eggs which hatch into tadpoles, which turn into tiny frogs. Dragonflies come by fish breed and babies are born.

My neighbors enjoy my backyard almost as much as I do. Actually, they have more time to watch the birds and fish than I do so maybe they get more pleasure and don't have the work and expense of feeding and maintenance.

Yea, I have more problems with algae than a professional built pond has but not because it is a do-it-myself project but because I am not a wealthy person. A proper filtration and UV filter system could easily set me back a thousand dollars or more. I prefer to wait on mother nature and my trees and plants will grow and eventually I'll have the proper mixture of sun and shade anbd water plants and I won't have algae problems and a nicer looking yard from all the additional plants i put in.

Yes, I start most of my plants from seeds so they take a few years. It's kind of like having your cake and eating it too. Some people buy and apple, eat it and throw the core in the trash and then buy another apple. Me, I save the core, placing it in potting soil and in just a few short weeks I have a little apple tree. I know it takes a while for the tree to grow large enough to purduce fruit but it will one day and I have a tree to landscape my yard withand provide me with free apples for many years to come. The same thing with peaches and cherries and grapes.

My apply trees I planted from seed last year are already six feet tall and my peaches bore fruit this year as did several of my grape vines. My koi had babies and my goldfish had lots of babies.

One thing I've learned. There is a whole lot more going on in my backyard than one would imagine. Like the good book says, "Be still and know."

Great Line

One show starts its introductionby reciting aspirations of different people then states "But along the way, stupid happens."

Way too often.

Oh Happy Day

The Ynakees lost!!!!! Love it. I once was a Yankee fan then they employed Alex Rodriquez and I have never pulled for them again.

Now, if only the Giants can pull off the victory in the national league. Giants vs Rangers = Giants. Phillies vs Rangers = Rangers.

My fate is sealed

http://rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/10374903/24683527/15_Signs_Youll_Be_Rich


This articles gives one 15 signs that you'll be rich. I suppose that the more signs that apply to you, the better your chances of being rich. Going by this article my fate is sealed. I am destined to be for ever poor.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Juan Williams fired

NPR fired Juan Williams for saying that people in Muslim attire on an airplane make him nervous. let's see, it was the radical Quakers that flew airplanes into the Pentagon and the twin towers in New York and who were piloting the other plane that crashed because of Muslim heroics, right?

Wait, it's the Lutherans that we are fights in Iraq and the Baptist in Afghanistan.

No wait, maybe that's Presbyterians. wasn't it a Seventh Day Adventist that tried to ignite a shoe bomb? or a Mormon that was just convicted for plotting to blow up a subway?

Damn political correctness. No one claimed that all Muslims are terrorists or even that anywhere near the majority of them are. But on an airplane full of people, if there is a terrorist on board, it is more likely the Muslim.

If you are at a construction site and it is a know fact that there is one illegal alien on the work force, chances are high that it just might be the Latino that doesn't speak English.

If you go to church and the preacher welcomes home a young man from the military and you spot a group of six young mentalking with a deacon, chances are preety good the youngster with a crew cut standing at parade rest is the one just home from the service.

Geez man, the world is getting stupid.

Bullies

I've never been one but I have had my experience with a few of them. Bobby Harwell was the first. He, for some reason, didn't like my older brother and always picked on him. My brother took it for five years but one day, at my urging, struck back and beat Bobby's butt but good.

My first experience on a personal level came when I was in the eighth grade. I can't even remember the jerks name but he was an athletically built guy rippling in the muscle department. For some reason he thought I was put on this earth for him to pick one. The trouble is, I fight back.

There is no truth to the myth that bullies back down when confronted by a person who stands up to them. And losing a fight with one only encourages them so if you choose to go this route, you had better win.

One morning I walked into the classroom and before I had the chance to take my seat, he kneed me in the side of my leg which hurt like hell and gave me what we called a Charlie Horse. he wasn't expecting my reaction-I punched him in the nose. he told me he would meet me after school behind the gym.

Unfortunately he was there and so was a crowd of students, or pupils I guess as one properly calls eighth graders. I really didn't want to fight the guy as he was bigger and stronger than I was and my leg still hurt. Faced with the humiliation of back down and the propects of forever being faced with his torments, I faced my bully.

Back then there was a code to fighting and that code dictated that the one who wanted the fight throw the first punch. The chanlleged person could also claim innocence by saying, truthfully so, "he starteed it". But I surveyed the guy in front of me and judging from his muscle tone and size compared to my own, I figutred if he struck first he may have just struck last. At least, I knew it was going to hurt a lot. So, with balled up fists, he challenged me with "you hit me first."

It is tradition that I respond in kind and then allowed him the first hit. I don't hold much with tradition. I landed a good punch and the surprise in his eyes were quite evident. Yes, he hit me too and it hurt ever bit as much as I thought it would. I knew if he hit me again I would not be able to stand and fight but I just didn't want to face the consequences of what losing would mean. it wasn't only the thoughts of being picked on one a daily bases but knowing thatI would be looked at and talked about as the guy who got his butt beat at the big fight.

NBo, I said to myself, that isn't going to happen. I picked my spot, grabbed the guy by the shoulders and kneed him in his thigh just like he did me that morning. He was effectively crippled.

I waited for him pick himself up off the ground so I could hit him again. He crawled away from me on his hands and knees before standing. He turned to face me with tears rolling down his face. I took a sterp towards him and he turned away from me and hobbled off as quickly as he could.

He never came back to school.

I don't recommend handling builles that way.

Teachers and school administractors should take such things seriously.

A better way to handle bullies on a personal level is to put them in a no win situation, like the time a young punk threaten to beat me up. He was twenty some years my junior, 6 inches taller, and much stronger. I gave him a choice of two different scenarios-one in which he beat up a little of man and the other in which he got beat up. In both cases, he ended up in jail and the police were on the way.

He finally decided it was in his best interests to leave me alone.

Once, when I was a seafood manager, I had a young punk brag that he could cut meat better and faster than I could. maybe he was jealous because his Dad, whom he worked for, had needed some help and asked me to fill in one day. He called me up and said that I did an excellent job and his department had not looked that good in a long time. Whether his son was jealous or not, I don't know. I had never formerly met the young man. I just knew he was cocky.

I told the fellow that if we had a cutting contest and he won, the he could only brag about out cutting an old seafood manager and if he lost, he would be too embarrassed to come back to work. He dropped the challenge and the attitude. I took away his reward.

play the market or leave things alone

Computer programs, company bios, hunches, tips, sure things, or whatever method one decides on to do better than average on investing money seems like a terrible gamble and waste of time and effort. Me? I'm not that smart or tuned into what is going on to make wise investments.

I have, I must admit, changed how my money is invested from time to time and I havbe been a risk taker. A few years ago I had less than nothing so when I finally was able to save some money, I could not afford to be conservative or I would doom myself to being broke forever.

I did pay attention to how different categories of investments were trending and moved more of my money into the segments that were showing good growth. I, like most everyone, took a big hit when the bubble burst and it was a hard thing to not pull my money out. Not only did I leave my money in the stock market but Ieven left it exactly as it had been invested and when things started recovering, my money increased quickly.

There was a second rough period when the market would slip and slide-like three steps up and two backwards, and sometimes three backwards and only two forwards. I di, during that time frame, investment my money in a balanced mode rather than growth. I came out of that period just about like I had gone into it. Now, I am back into the growth formulas mode.

How has all this worked out for me?

The total amount of money that I have invested has increased 271% over the last five years. Considering the volitity of the market during that time, I believe I did okay.

It was hard just to let things ride when the market was losing money on a daily bases but the truth is, I just wouldn't know how to tell when the bottom came or the ceiling was reached. I just figured that the less stocks sold for the more shares I was buying with each dollar invested and when the market recovered, I would recover faster.

Even if I was smart enough tp pull my money out when the ceiling was reached and keep it out until stocks hit bottom, I believe I still am better off just leaving it alone. Maybe not. I'm not sure how to figure that out.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Court Reform

Our country is founded under a system in which there are supposed to be checks and balances. Congress is divided into the House of Representatives which gives states representation equal to their size and the Senate, which gives every state equal voice. Congress makes the laws. The President of the United States is the enforcer of the law, and the Supreme Court is the interpreter of the law. At least that is the way things are supposed to work.

One of the big issues is when an opening occurs on the Supreme Court. The President makes a nomination and Congress approves or not. Presidents have a habit of nominating someone who they believe, by past decisions, interpret the laws in a way that will be favorable with their position of things. Depending on how critical issues are and how much power the opposition party has, a nominee may or may not get approved. What we tend to have is a divided court with extremists views.

A better scenario would be if the members of the court leaned neither to a liberal interpretation of the law nor to an ultra conservative view. The way to ensure that we have a court that judges from the middle, and thus more likely to give an honest interpretation, is to require that the President of the United States to nominate someone of the opposite party.

If Bush had nomination someone under this criteria, he would have nominated a conservative Democrat and if Obama had nominated someone with this requirement in place, he would have nominated a liberal Republican. What the country would have gotten out of this is a middle of the road court with more centrist views of the laws.

Of course we all know this will never happen.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Summer gardens

I know. It's fall and summer gardens are long gone, especially because of the rain, or lack there of this year. It's too expensive to water the garden and the summer heat and lack of rain was the cause of the demise and unproductivity of most home gardens this year. Cuccumbers came and went quickly, canteloupes ripen quickly, going from green to over ripe in just a matter of a day or two. Watermelons grew slowly, if at all, and bell peppers withered on the vines. Most garderners I know pulled their tomato plants up in August. I still have mine.

I doubt if they make it until November but I stick pick a dozen now and then. The red globes are getting smaller and fewerbut as long as the vines keep producing I'll keep them around.

Never did plant any of the fall green stuff.

You light up my life

Not now, but soon. Tattoos are tacky and remind me of five year olds drawing on the bedroom walls with crayons. True, some are pretty but even those look out of place on the human body. Think present day body art is bad enough? Think again. Coming soon to a tatoo parlour near you will be LED tattoos.

The only bright spot (sorry about the pun) in LED tattoos is it will be harder to hide from the police. I certainly would not want to be a soldier on night patrol and have an LED tattoo.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Amtrac and the State Fair

Again this year we took the train to the State Fair. The train left and arrived on time and the weather was nice for all the walking we did, over 10 miles by my pedometer. Fair food is expensive and unhealthy but good. The side shows and exhibits are what draw my interests. I'm not much for the rides and games.

The train was a few minutes late leaving for home and was delayed by another train needing the tracks we were on so we were an hour late getting back to Greensboro. Still the trip back was more organized and pleasant than the one to the fair.

On the way there I got stuck behind a man that had a disability, to be politically correct. He talked loud and slow and repeated everything he said until he received a response and he never shut up the entire trip. It was irritating at first then becoming nerve grating the longer it went on.

We were glad to get back home, tired and irritated but we have our souvenirs and memories. The bad times will fade and we will be left with the romanticized version of the train ride through the countryside, the smell of the foods, the sights and sounds of people having a good time, and the pure enjoyment of spending a day with the one you love.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Pond redo




A month or si ago I redug my water pond but just now downloaded the picture. Water ponds are ususally cleaned in the spring but I needed to redig mine as well as clean it so I did it this fall when we had a brief break in the weather. Of course it hit ninety again just after I finished and didn;t rain for three or four weeks.

I needed to make one end deeper and balance out the sides. I lowered the plant shelf on one side but left the side nearest the house as it was. This will give the fish better protection from predators and as the fish are getting larger they need the extra swimming area.

I filled it up partially from city water but really wanted to wait for rain as rain has less chemicals. It took 1500 gallons from the city to get the water level passed the plant shelves. That is rather expensive and the city only gave me a $6.00 break on the water bill. That is why I installed another rain barrell.

During the hot dry summer, the sun can suck the water level down a foot sothe extra sources of water providesa safty valve for the fish as well as the plants.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

A perfect example

I just finished a post on stupid things criminals do to get caught and here is a perfect example:

The Nebraska State Patrol says 15 1/2 pounds of pot was found gift-wrapped following a traffic stop on Interstate 80 in Lincoln. A patrol news release said a trooper pulled over an eastbound car for speeding near the Lincoln Airport exit on



Over 15 pounds of pot in the car and he was speeding? One might as well hang a sign out the window reading "Arrest me Please".

Just too funny

O'Donnell said Obama and other Democrats are putting their weight behind Coons because "they see him as a rubber stamp for their agenda." She noted that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has called Coons his "pet."

"I don't know why Harry Reid said that," Coons said. "I'm nobody's pet. I'm going to be a bulldog for Delaware."


Last time I checked, bulldogs are a domesticated breed that people keep as pets. Maybe coons would have been better off saying he would be a tiger for Delaware.

___

Fast food order takers

Yes, a pet peeve of mine is fast food wait staff who can't take an order. I understand they deal with the public and the public can be stupid asses, and quite often are but sometimes the waitress just needs to shut up and listen.

Like I'll go into a Burger King and say "For here. A number two, small, no cheese, and onion rings" and the clerk will say "Is this order to go?"

Bojangles is the worst because they have to yell into a microphone what you ordered. I went into one and the young man asked me for my order. "I said this is for here" and he immediately yelled into his mic "dine in" I tried giving him my order but everytime I said something he yelled it into the mic and then I would have to repeat the next thing I said. Of course, the restaraunt screwed up my order.

It seems Wendy's has some new salds which are really good. I've only tried two of them but only because the apple/cranberry one is so goodI can't pass it up. The problem is Wendy's has catered to people with smaller appitites or who want a sald plus something else. They have a half salad and a half-salad plus on there menu. I don't have a problem with choosing between a salad and a half salad. I do have a problem with the wait staff knowing the difference.

I'll order a salad and the clerk will ask "Do you want the big salad or the half-salad?" There isn't a "Big salad" on the menu board; just a salad and a half salad. 'I repeat that I want the salad and the staff starts to explain that they have a half salad and a half salad plus and a big salad and then asks me again which one I want.

I repeat I want the salad.

There is no "big" salad on the menu and if I wanted the half salad or the half salad plus I would have ordered one.

I contacted Wendy's one this one and suggested that if a customer order a salad they should be sold the salad rather than a half salad or Wedny's should change the name from salad to big salad or full salad or the one that isn't the half salad so the wait staff knows that the customer doesn't want just half a salad.

Ordering should not be this difficult and argumentitive.

tattoes

If I were to get a tatto, it would have to be a sudoku puzzle. At least it would serve some purpose.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

You drive a What?

Unexpected death

Published: October 13, 2010
»
nowBuzz up!Darren Stevens, a morning radio host on local Christian station WBFJ 89.3 FM, died unexpectedly early this morning.

Stevens, 42, was a lifelong resident of Ramseur. He was last on the air last Thursday, and left the station not feeling well. The next day, he was admitted to Randolph Hospital and had an emergency appendectomy. He was still in the hospital recovering from the surgery when he died. The exact cause of death was still unknown.

Seriously, TOTO






Two photos from a Toto commercial on their website. The photos show relaxed people who seem happy and satisfied, perhaps with their new bathroom designs.

However, in the real world I think I might be uncomfortable relaxing in a bathroom that opens to the outside like the one the woman is walking through. it would be a little hard to heat and cool and I am sure nature would be finding its way in quite often. Not y first choice, by any means.

The second photo shows a man relaxing in his new toilet facilities by enjoying a cup of coffee while sitting on a window sill. First of all, I really don't think I could enjoy a cup of coffee that close to where I just took a crap. Secondly, A chair and kitchen table would be a preferred relaxing place as one could set the coffee cup down, read a paper, and have your entire butt perched on something rather than just half of your butt. Most window sill aren't wide enough for even half your butt, not saying you have a large butt, but that most likely you have a small window sill.

The images at first seem to portray a romantic view of the bathroom but actually portray undesireable situations.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Observations

In the photo essay on beatiful wives and girlfriends of baseball players, it seems the beauty of the women is in the size of their boobs.

Cable TV was first advertised with the hook that pay TV was commercial free TV. I don't think it ever was. It certainly isn't now.

In refinancing with the very same bank the mortgage is with now, one would think they would already have all the answers. They don't. Not by a long shot.

The missing girl in Hickory is now considered a homicide victim. Poloice believe the stepmother is the prime suspect. The father doesn't seem so innocent to me either.

The little kiosh at the mall with little overhead is way overpriced. Just pick one; this statement probably fits.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Missing in Hickory

Hickory, my home town and town where my mother still lives, is the town in which a 10 year old girl who has a prosthetic leg, is hard of hearing, and is reported to also have cancer is missing. Police dogs found the scent of human remains at the home today. The poorlittle girl has been through enough in her short life and to have the ones she needs to look to for help do her harm is more than an injustice. To have anyone do her home is beyond a shame but especially if it turns out to be her gaurdians that did her harm, it is beyond unforgiveable.

This undated photo provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows Zahra Clare Baker, a 10 year-old North Carolina hearing-impaired girl with a prosthetic leg who is missing. The girl was last seen by her stepmother at 2:30 a.m. Saturday Oct. 9, 2010. A fire was reported in the Bakers' backyard about 5 a.m.
HICKORY, N.C. — Police dogs detected the smell of human remains on two cars at the home of a missing girl who has bone cancer and a prosthetic leg, a search warrant said Monday.

The document filed in a Hickory court didn't indicate that police found any remains in their search, which was conducted Sunday night. The warrant said the dogs detected the smell on a sedan and SUV belonging to the father and stepmother.

Earlier in the day, the police chief cast doubt on accounts by the father and stepmother of 10-year-old Zahra Clare Baker. They told police they discovered she was missing on Saturday and that one of them had seen in her sleeping in her room hours earlier.

But Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins said a news conference that investigators were having trouble finding anyone else who had seen the home-schooled girl alive in the last few weeks.

"We don't know the last time anyone saw her," he said. "We're having a difficult time establishing a true timeline."

The police department declined to comment further on the warrant, but said Adkins would issue a statement Tuesday morning.

Zahra's father, Adam Baker, said during an morning TV interview that it was possible his wife could be involved in the disappearance, which was reported hours after a fire in the home's backyard. Elisa Baker was arrested Sunday on about a dozen charges unrelated to the girl's disappearance.

A reporter saw what appeared to be remnants of clothes among burned branches from the fire at the scene.

___

Associated Press Writers Meg Kinnard in Columbia, S.C., and Martha Waggoner and Mike Baker in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

72,000 stimulus payments went to dead people

do you still believe health insirance will be better under the control of the government? Just think, every aspect of the governemnt, be it the Post Office, Social Secirity, whatever, has been an exercise in failure. Not one government agency can be ran without lossing money.

we've all seen welfare recepients who drive nice cars, swap benefits for money, booze or drugs, or have found other ways to beat the system. personally, I just can't afford any more free government programs.

Must be one sorry community

"Alejo-Jones told the council the club is her only source of income, that she is trying to get her license reinstated and hopes to open a restaurant on the site. Others spoke on her behalf, telling the council that the presence of the club was a benefit to the surrounding neighborhood."

147 times the police were called to this nightclubin three years. mostly because of fights and shootings. If a place like this is a benefit to the community, then it must be one sorry community. I once lived across the street from a night club and not only had to put upwith loud music and litter from bar patrons, but I had druks urinate in my front yard, damage to my property (intentional) and people blocking my driveway. I couldn't get anything done about the club because if I lost my court case, I would have had to pay thier attorney fees plus pay upto a $10,000.00 fine for filing a false complaint. That nightclub, nusiance that it was, didn't seem nearly as bad as the one closed by loss of liquor lisence and the owner claims it was good for the community.

That's like an opium house owner in China claiming the house is good for the community. i'd believe that before i'd buy into any arguments from a owner of a business that still with getting their customers drunk.

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

stupid criminals

let's face it. No matter how brilliant the plans, all criminals are stupid. It's just some are really stupid. Like this guy:
GOOD HOPE, Ill. — Authorities said sleeping behind the wheel wasn't the only problem for a western Illinois man they caught napping at a gas station. Police said 26-year old Adam Barcroft also had a meth lab in the bed of his truck. The McDonough County Sheriff's Department said Barcroft was asleep at a Good Hope gas station Monday when deputies discovered him.

He was arrested, and his truck was pushed away from the gas pumps.

The Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team then arrived and secured the truck.

Officials said they recovered several items used to make meth, 2 grams of finished meth and $238 in cash.

Barcroft, of Monmouth, faces five drug-related charges.

It wasn't immediately clear whether he has an attorney.


Why do people carrying drugs or dead bodies in their front seats, or driving with no legal license to do so, vioate common sence rulesof the road like not stopping for stop signs, or having too dark tinted windows, or speeding?

Girl Rescued


This 8 year old girl was playing with five of her friends when a red pickup pulled up, grabbed her and took off. A statewide amber alertdrew the attention of one citizen who spotted the truck eleven hours later then noticed the girl in the truck. The man cut the truck off, forcing it to stop. The driver pushed the little girl from the truck and took off but was apprehended a short time later at his grandmothers apartment.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Losing weight

The new catch phrase with dieters is "LIFESTYLE CHANGE". It isn't a lifestyle change unless it becomes part of your daily routine and effortless in its execution. thant's the problem with most diets is that you have to buy certain foods and avoid others, count calories, or make concious decions that you would rather not have to make. After days or weeks or months of effort it all goes for naaught nd one regains the weight, often more than what was lost.

My goal when I started was not to lose weight but to improvve my overall health. I was, litterly, a walking deadman, with triglyerides of over 700, colestrerol over 400and blood pressure in a relaxed state over 160.

NBormally I can maintain my weight or even lose a pound or two during the summer months but the winter has been rough on my waist line, as is normal for most people.
This year has been different with the extraordinary heat, it has just been too hot to do much outside and exercising in doors just raises the temperature in the house so I limited that too. Yes, I gained 8 pouds over the summer but my helthy numbers remainded steadfast.

The reason for that was what I ate rather than how much. Eating an extra apple, even if the apple is healthy, will cause one to take in an extra 100 to 150 calories they didn't need, but is far beeter than getting the calories, say, from a bag of 100calorie a pack cookies.

I have picked up again on my WII exercises but as far as food,i have become so accustomed to eating a bowl of cereal with fruit for breakfast, a bowl of soup and an apple for lunch, a light supper, and fruit for snacks, that Ireally don't think much about eating anything else.

Of course, I still grill out that steak occasionally, and I do eat a big Angus burger now and then, but that is so rare it is a treat, not a normal routine.

The important thing for me is to remain healthy and not just to lose weight. By the books, I would have to lose another 60 pounds to be at my idea weight, but as far as healthy numbers, I just couldn't get any better than I am right now.

Friday, October 01, 2010

+Rain, Tracfones, and medicine

I cleaned my koi pond last month, redigging one end of it to make it deeper and redoing one side to make the pond more level. All I had to do was wait for it to rain to refill the pond. And wait. And wait. And wait some more. Finally, it rained, my pond is full, and the fish are happy.

The reason for waiting for rainwater to fill the pond is twofold. First, city water is expensive and secondly, city water has clorine and other chemicals in it that isn't good for the fish.

I seldom use a cell phone. If I have a PHOBIA, it would be a telephone. Somehow, I don't seem to mind one so much if one calls me but if I have to initiate the call, I put it off as long as possible and many times opt to solve problems the old fashion way: via letter or by e-amil. Because of my lack of desire, and my dread of using a phone, I just don't want to spend much money on an object I will use so infrequently.

Still, cell phones have their useses and after a few situations where having a phone handy really proved an advantage, I'd rather not be without one. Tracfone advertises itself as the cheapest way to own a cell phone in America so I finally got one, as did my wife. She had no problem with hers and in fact is happy with it. Me, one the other hand, felt like taking my phone, driving to Miami, and shoving it up ...well, you get the idea.

Well, after countless hours on the phone and on the internet trying to resolve a, it their words, was a simple problem, it is supposedly fixed. I can actually use the phone to make and receive phone calls.

Thankfully my wife handled most of the phone calls (well, actually, all of the ohone calls) trying to straighten this mess out. Personally, I was going to mail the phone to the CEO and tell hime to fix the simple problem. I already had the letter written and would have mailed the phone back today. I still will if it doesn't work.

I saw my doctor yesterday and she gave me two more prescriptions, One is for my arm and I can only take it over the weekend. it is a tiny little offwhite pill but it is a real killer. Litterally. The instructions advise taking the medicine in the smallest dosage and for the shorest duration possible.

Some pill.