Sunday, September 30, 2012

Update on Homecoming Queen joke

Miss Kropp was supported by local businesses who did her hair, nails, makeup, and dress and when she took her place with the homecoming court, the opposing team supported her with banners.  She looked lovely in her red dress, which showed off her slim figure. 

Probably in about ten or fifteen years many of the girls who poked fun at her will be chubby, I'd say she will still look good.  I hope this incident gives her self confidence a big boost, realizing sometimes it is darkest before the dawn and I hope she goes on to realize many of her dreams. 

Saturday, September 29, 2012

My favorite cats

My first one was a black and white tom we named whiskers.  We got him before I started school and I remember he loved raw liver.  After whiskers ran off in search of love Mom got me a persian but she let it out of the house and it was ran over trying to follow me to the bus stop when I was in the first grade. 

My next car was a wild thing I named Sassy.  She could run around a room on the walls and never touch the floor.  She was always close to me but I had friends that never saw her once in ten years as Sassy didn't care for people. 

I had a white cat that had a yellow eye and a blue eye.I named her Angel and she had two babies on a February 14.   Both were solid white with blue eyes and one was a boy and the other was a girl.  I named them Valentine and Cupid.  I also had a female Siamese name Ginger. 

Then I had Fred, an orange Tabby that had previously belonged to a man who committed suicide.  Fred, a female, was my constant companion and helped me through the loss of my wife.  We were so close that Fred actually had her first litter while laying on my lap.  I put a heavy towel over my legs to make her more comfortable while I comforted her.  When the kittens came she stayed right on my lap. 

I also had a black cat named midnight.  He was a male and not graceful at all. 

Presently I have two kittens.  One is a tortoise shell short-hair I got free from a pet store and she was born on April 4, 2012.  I named that one Ryder because she roade home loose in the car and seemed to enjoy the trip.  The other kitten, a gray Long hair, was picked up from the shelter the same day.  She was infested with fleas and sick and very much underweight. 

We named her Smokeybecause she is a soft gray color with a hint of brown that gives her a smokey color.  She was very sweet and timid and has gained weight really fast and during the last month has become very active and engaged in all kitty playing.  She is the really cute one and perfers my wifes lap when she is home.  Ryder perfers to lay on my legs (below the knee) when she feels the need for a nap. 

Which kitten out of all of them is my favorite? 

All cats have characteristics that are common to all cats.  They eat, sleep, and kill.  They are like shampoo in that regards.  Eat, sleep, kill, repeat.   But each has their own unique personality and I loved them all. 

To tell the truth I'll have to get back to you with that answer. I just dont rightly know the answer to that question. 

Pre-emptive or retribution

Do you agree with the pre-emptive killing of great white sharks?

  1. 25 %
    Yes
    93,817 votes
  2. 38 %
    Only in extreme situations where people were killed
    142,317 votes
  3. 34 %
    No
    124,965 votes
  4. 3 %
    Not sure
    11,161 votes
Total Responses: 372,259
Results are updated every minute.

Stupid response from people to a Yahoo survey.  The survey results so far say that 38 % of people would agree to a preemptive killing of great white sharks if people have been killed.  Well, if it is pre-emptive wouldn't that mean before something happened? 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Girl elected homecoming queen as a joke

A young lady, 16, was elected homecoming queen and then discovered she was elected as a joke.  The homecoming king refused to escourt her so he gave up his crown but it seems the townspeople decided to stand behind their queen and she is receiving the royal treatment. 

You can read her story on MS NBC. 
Michigan teen Whitney Kropp, laughed at in school & online, felt like a 'big old joke.' Now she's gaining attention (& help) from across her town & the nation.
  • Share your thoughts on this story on Facebook

  • MARKET UPDATE

    Updated: 09/24/2012 05:44 ET
    Market Update
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    DOW13,558.92-20.55
    NASDAQ3,160.78-19.18
    S&P1,456.89-3.26

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    WHAT DO YOU THINK?

    Will you listen to this warning and prevent your kids from using trampolines?

    Will you listen to this warning and prevent your kids from using trampolines?

    1. 28 %
      Yes
      86,797 votes
    2. 36 %
      No
      107,953 votes
    3. 6 %
      Not sure
      18,506 votes
    4. 30 %
      They don't use trampolines
      93,031 votes
    Total Responses: 306,287
    Results are updated every minute.

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    Sunday, September 23, 2012

    "IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER,YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM"

    "IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER,YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM"
    WRITTEN BY A 21 YEAR OLD FEMALE
    Wow, this girl has a great plan! Love the last thing she would do the best.
    This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It's her future she's worried about and this is how she feels about the social welfare big government state that she's being forced to live in! These solutions are just common sense in her opinion.

    This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco , TX , Nov 18, 2011

    PUT ME IN CHARGE . . .

    Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

    Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, or smoke, then get a job.

    Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.

    In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the "common good.."

    Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

    If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices.

    AND While you are on Gov't subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes, that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov't welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job.

    Saturday, September 22, 2012

    women and tattos

    It seems tattoos are not the domain of drunken sailors anymore.  They are tacky enough on men but there is nothing attractive or feminine about tattos on women. 

    Many years ago tattoed lady was a rareity and ususally was a butterfly or rose or some other cute tattoo that was rather small and placed in a normally non visible place but all that has changed.  Women now get big tattoos, sometimes on their biceps like a biker or truck driver once did. 

    Of all the tatoos people get, I don't like the ones on the face and absolutely hate the nervous looking lettering on the fingers that spell out words like "love" and "Hate".  I don't like the ones written in cursive that are too long or written too small to read without getting accused of staring and charged with sexual harressment.  Lordy, if you have something to say print it on your t-shirt.

    Some people think  of tattoos as body art but when I see them I think of a prefectly manicured lawn that is a perfectly smooth sea of green--but spoiled by the fact it is littered with dandeloins.  I had dandeloins.  When I see them in a yard I think of lazy people who can't take care of their yard. 

    I know that isn't fair and each of us have to make our own decisions about such stuff.  Fine but I'm the one who has to look at it.  If my opnion doesn't matter then quit bringing it to my attention. 

    Summer is officially over

    Today is the first full day of autumn 2012.,  The leaves are beginning to turn and fall off of the trees.  I'm glad we have many of the trees cut over at the church so I don't have to work as hard on that part of maintenance.  Of course I still have a quarter acre of weeds to clear, made all the more difficult by all the tree trunks laying around that part of the property.  At least the weather is cooler and mowing will soon be over.

    The mower I was using at the church gave up the ghost this week.  It was only two seasons old and it was a good mower.  It just quit suddendly never to run again.  I'll be 66 soon and mowing as these yards with a walk behind is getting touch on the old guy, especially since I keep making the yard bigger.  I was hoping to have enough pumpkins to rasise money to purchase a lawn tractor but the church has more pressing needs than my comfort.

    Maybe you'll be able to take a drive up the blue ridge parkway to enjoy the fall foilage.  I sure would like to do that myself. 

    I don't much care for winter but I am looking forward to the cool fall breezes and the more pleasant temperstures. 

    I hope you have a great season and hope to see you in church soon.    

    'Smiles" the new killer drug.

    http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/2c-smiles-killer-drug-every-parent-know-234200299.html


    A white powder that recently made its way here from Europe does weird things to a person's mind  and can kill.  If you have teenagers you need to know about this stuff. 

    Friday, September 21, 2012

    Three Aurora theater shooting victims suing Cinemark

    Another stupid lawsuit.  I knew this one was coming as soon as I heard about the shootings.  I hate people got shot but it isn't the theaters fault.  I know, as the lawsuit claims, the theater could have had more security but lets get real here people. 

    Did any of the victims question the theater about their security measures before deciding to attend the movie?  If not the one can not in all good conscience hold the theater responsible for the shooting.  We can't live our lives in fear nor can we expect others to be responsible for us. 

    In cases where there is a reasonable cause for concern then we should also expect the business to address those concerns.  We don't expect body searches and armed security guards at every McDonald's yet one of the worse mass murders in USA history occurred at a McDonald's. 

    How many parents have ever crawled around the basement of their child's school yet one of the worst school disasters in USA history occurred when an employee rigged the basement of a school house with explosives.

    Do you expect your employer to have metal detectors, security guards, and pat downs when you go to work?  I didn't think so but what is to prevent some crazed person from coming in and shooting you?  Do you have a reasonable concern that such a thing could happen and was likely to happen unless your employer employed more stringent security measures? 

    More than likely, if the movie theater had had armed security at the theater the security guard would have been the first one shot.  When one goes to the movies around here, more likely than not the ticket taker is a high school kid just trying to make a few bucks during the summer months or saving up to help pay for college  Even if they were trained to stiff out people with weapons hidden on or about their person, this little sixteen year old could do little to prevent any real tragedy's from occurring. 

    As bad as I feel for those that got shot and their families, i hope this lawsuit gets tossed in the garbage where it belongs.  I just don't think people are going to accept responsibility for themselves and start making decisions to do anything based on the security measures or lack thereof  at theaters, ball games, school houses, and restaurants. 

    Wednesday, September 19, 2012

    Is 25% the new standard for tipping? Depends where you eat

    I'm sorry but I just can't afford to give a 30% tip.  I double the tax and round up or add a dollar or two.  I'm sure upon occasion the tips I leave have been 30% or more and I always leave a tip when I go to a buffet place although I notice many people don't.  People who eat breakfast and those who eat the buffet are the cheap people.

    I know waiters and waitresses work hard for their money but I worked hard for mine too.  I worked with the public just like they do and did a lot of special orders for people.  I know I made above minimum wage and was not allowed to accept tips, even when I went above and beyond the call of duty.  I understand that the term TIPS means to ensure prompt service but if I am going to be required to give a certain percentage of the bill as a tip then that amount should just be added to the price of the meal and tipping not be allowed.  That way the wait staff can draw a descent wage and all the customers pay their fair share. 

    I don't think its fair to exp-ect the people who do tip to tip a l;arger amount just to make up for that percentage of people who tip little or none at all. 

    Chef cooks wife

    Dawn Viens and David Viens (inset)
    Dawn Viens and David Viens (inset)
    Chef David Viens is on trial in California for the murder of his wife Dawn, who disappeared on October 18, 2009. Police have repeatedly searched for her remains, even digging up the site at the Viens’ Thyme Café, the restaurant he co-owned with Dawn at the time, but came up empty. On September 18, 2912, prosecutors played what appeared to be a taped confession by Viens for the murder of his wife, in which he explains that they were having a fight, that he bound his wife’s hands and feet, covered her mouth with duct tape, and went to sleep for four hours. He said that he was shocked to find her dead the next morning. So he used his skills as a chef to hide the murder, stuffing her 105-pound body into a vat where he slow cooked her until the remains were no longer recognizable, “I took some, some things like weights that we use and I put them on the top of her body, and I just slowly cooked it and I ended up cooking her for four days.”Viens then disposed of her as rendered fat, “I came up with the idea of cleaning the grease traps and commingling in the, the excess, the excess protein.”
    Vien’s method of disposal explains why police never found any trace of his wife’s remains. These days rendered grease is often separated. If Viens poured her liquified remains in with the brown waste animal fat it probably wound up as pet food, or in a landfill, and if he put it in with the yellow grease, or waste vegetable oil, it was probably collected and recycled. Though Viens told detectives that he hid her skull and jawbone in his mother’s attic, searchers never found it.
     

    Snooki shows off postbaby curves in short shorts

    No, you really didn't think you would see Snooki in short shorts on my blog, did you.  Never. Ever.

    Tuesday, September 18, 2012

    I refuse to pay off my mortgage.

    My payments aren't large.  Actually before I purchased this house I lived in a two bedroom duplex that was around 650 sq feet and the payments on this house are actually $50.00 a month cheaper (not counting taxes and insurance). 

    Considering that I will be sixty-six in November, one would think it would be a good idea to be debt free during retirement and I suppose it would be.  Given the fact that my income is social security plus an amount from my retirement plan that together equals exactly what I made before I retired,m I know exactly how much my monthly income is.  If I took a good portion of that and paid my home off, I would be left with no reserve and only social security as an income.  What would happen if I had a sudden large debt to pay?  I'd have to borrow money. 

    If I died, I would have no one to leave my house too.  The best that could be done is to sell the place and divide the proceeds.  It's a lot easier to divide the bank account than it is to sell the house and then divide the proceeds. 

    Actually as time moves forward, the actually cost of this house gets to be a smaller portion of my income.  For example, when my parents purchased their home I'm not even sure what the minimum wage was, if there was even one.  I do know after I graduated high school it was set at $1.10 per hour.  At minimum wage, my father would have had to work 81 hours to make his house payment.  At minimum wage I would only have to work 71 hours a week to pay for this place.  If the rate of inflation is the same for the next twenty years, then I would only have to work 17 hours at minimum wage to pay for this house. 

    The part of my income that would go to paying for this house would be minuscule so why worry about paying it off. 

    I know the portion of my savings that I take out each month will shrink in the value of its purchasing power but I'm making enough interest that it is growing at a rate of 2 1/2 times the rate of inflation. 

    For example, one model holds that the universe acts like a balloon that inflates and deflates over and over under its own steam. If, in fact, time had no beginning, this shuts the book on Genesis

    For example, one model holds that the universe acts like a balloon that inflates and deflates over and over under its own steam. If, in fact, time had no beginning, this shuts the book on Genesis

    Maybe science will prove one day that there is no God.  I hope not for it would be a shame if this is all there is. 

    Monday, September 17, 2012

    Ah Ah's back: Viral video of boy reuniting with lost lovey will make you cry

    Lovely video.  I'm glad they didn't open up the comment section because there would be some jerks that would just have to be cruel.  I understand the boys affection for his blue monkey.  For my 2nd birhday I received a ceramic piggy bank with pink and yellow flowers on it and I've had it ever since, soon to be 64 years. 

    The End is Near

    In my fictional book "Feet of Clay" War World III begins with China and escalates when Iran attacks Israel.  Of course, we are still about 40 years away from the timeline in the book but it is just finction.  But with all the unrest in the middle East and China raising its ugly head with Japan and South Korea, we may not have 40 years.  We may not even have four. 

    Then again, everything may just calm down and go back to the insanity that is normal.  No one knows when the world will end, not even the Myans, but it is a fact that this earth will cease to exist one day.  It may be billions of years before time and nature do their dirty work but it will happen.  Maybe there will be people living on other planets, or on a new earth one day.  Maybe there won't. 

    relationship advice needed

    If one person in a relationship is doing a task but doing it differently than the other person would have done it, but how the task is done is of no consequence, why does the one feel the need to inform the one doing the task that they are doing it differently? 

    It seems to me the criticizer is only trying to exhort control over an area of life where control can be gained because in other areas they have no control and no hope to ever have any.

    Sunday, September 16, 2012

    Good Preaching Today

    We had a guest preacher this morning and he did a great job.  Our regular preacher, Rev. Charles Garrett did a fantastic job in the evening service. 

    .yes sir, we had some good preaching today.

    I'm getting more confused

    The Democrats have been accused of being the tax and spend party and republicans have always claimed to stand for less taxes and less government. 

    Would someone please explain the following statement about Romney

    "He claims the president is “passively” standing by as $109 billion in potential spending cuts loom".
    The Democrats are accusing the Rebulicans of wanting to raise taxes and the Republicans are accusing the Democrats of reducing spending. 
     
    Can someone please help me understand what's going on? 

    Saturday, September 15, 2012

    benefit or entitlement?


    Subject: Our SocialSecurity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



    SOCIAL SECURITY NOW CALLED 'FEDERAL BENEFIT PAYMENT'/ENTITLEMENT!
    Have you noticed, your Social Security check is now referred to as a "Federal Benefit Payment"?
    I'll be part of the one percent to forward this.
    I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will inyou.
    Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it.
    The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a “FederalBenefit Payment.”
    This isn’t a benefit – its earned income!
    Not only did we all contribute to Social Security but our employers did too.
    It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.
    If you averaged $30K per year over your working life, that's close to $180,000invested in Social Security.
    If you calculate the future value of your monthly investment in social security($375/month, including both
    your and your employer’s contributions) at a meager 1% interest rate compoundedmonthly, after 40 years of
    working you'd have more than $1.3+ million dollars saved! This is yourpersonal investment.
    Upon retirement, if you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $39,318 peryear, or $3,277 per month.
    That’s almost three times more than today’s average SocialSecurity benefit of $1,230 per month, according to the
    Social Security Administration (Google it - it’s a fact).
    And your retirement fund would last more than 33 years (until you're 98 if youretire at age 65)!
    I can only imagine how much better most average-income people could live inretirement if our government had
    just invested our money in low-risk interest-earning accounts.
    Instead, the folks in Washington pulled off a bigger Ponzi scheme than BernieMadoff ever did.
    They took our money and used it elsewhere. They “forgot” that it was OURmoney they were taking.
    They didn’t have a referendum to ask us if we wanted to lend the money to them.
    And they didn’t pay interest on the debt they assumed.
    And recently, they’ve told us that the money won’t support us for very muchlonger.
    But is it our fault they misused our investments?
    And now, to add insult to injury, they’re callingit a “benefit,” as if we never worked to earn every penny of it.
    Just because they “borrowed” the money, doesn't mean that our investments wereacharity!
    Let’s take a stand.
    We have earned our right to Social Security and Medicare.
    Demand that our legislators bring some sense into our government –
    Find a way to keep Social Security and Medicare going, for the sake of that 92%of our population who need it.
    Then call it what it is:
    Our Earned Retirement Income.

    Friday, September 14, 2012

    Walmart calls police on Kids singing "God Bless Ameriica" on 9-11

    a manager at one of its (Walmart) Florida stores calls kids' chorus a 'liability' and prevents them from singing 'God Bless America' on 9/11. Then the police are called.

    The corporate office extended an apology but to me that's like trying to return the money you just robbed from the bank.  No matter how sorry you are, a crime is a crime and can't be uncommitted.

    How do people like this manager get put in charge of anything? 

    anger over anti-Islam film rages

    Islamist still want me to believe that theirs is a religion of peace and all the trouble is the result of an extremists faction.  A private citizen expresses his opinion in a film and Muslims storm embassies, kill innocent people, destroy uninvolved businesses and threaten people who have no connection to the film but feel they are justified because they feel insulted. 

    Muhammad wrote the Quaran, lived an unholy life, and spread his new religion via violence, and his followers only teach peace to fellow Islamist.  Everyone else is an infedel and deserves to die. 

    We love you too. 

    Stock investments

    It seems Dan Marino lost millions in a stock investment.  It is said "don't put all your eggs in one basket" which I'm not sure he did but his losses, according to the article, could be as high as $14.1 million dollars, leaving him with a little over $800,000 left out of his investment.  That is a hugh loss but even so what he is left with is more than I have, by a long shot. 

    Nonetheless, the stock market has been good to me.  Believe it or not, I have done far better in the stock market than I have in real estate.  Since my retirement I changed my investments over to a more conservative way of investing and I can tell that the swings in gains and losses has not been so wild.  I have lost a thousand dollars a day before and now a big swing may me three or four hundred.  Still I have regained all I have withdrawn this year. 

    This week was the best I have done in a seven day period.  My stocks have increase by a little over $1,000.00 this week. 

    The hardest part was not touching the money when stock prices were plummeting a few years back.  Every time I saw a loss I was tempted to get my money and run but I keep telling myself that as the stock prices decreased I was able to buy more stock so that when things turned around I could recover faster than I lost.  That turned out to be true.  If I had withdrawn my money even at the height   of its value I would have less than half of what I have now. 

    Dan marion and i used the same method.  Invest and leave it alone.  He lost $14 million and I more than doubled my investment.  The difference was he invested it all with one company and I invested in lots of different groups, foreign and domestic.   

    Tuesday, September 11, 2012

    Harvard Cheating Scandal

    While I was attending UCLA (University of Chowan located near Ahoskie) someone stole the master copy of a test and it quickly made the rounds of the mens dorm.  I was offered a copy but refused to participate.  I'm not sure how it was determined that cheating had occurred but the school launched an investigation.  I was questioned by the dean and I disavowed any knowledge of the test or anyone participating in the crime.  Eventually the thief and about four others were determined to be the cheaters  but there were many more involved, at least as far as I knew there were even though I could not provide names, even if I had wanted too.

    I felt guilty about not informing on the cheaters when asked but it is hard watching your friends get into trouble for an impulsive and thoughtless act.  I still feel bad about not telling the truth about what I knew.  Somehow not telling the truth made me culpable, just like the cheaters. 

    I really don't think the people involved in the scandal at Harvard, no matter how brilliant they are, have really thought about the ramifications of their actions as regarding the cheating.   It is easy to just see a painless way to get a good grade on a test.  What they fail to realize is that this is a test of their character and could cost them their chance to graduate thereby negatively effecting the remainder of their lives and their potential earnings.  It is or could be one very expensive lesson.