Hello on this Christmas Eve good people.
It is my hope that each of you have a happy Christmas and a safe, healthy and rewarding New year.
This time of year is always a mixture of sadness and gladness for me. I am glad because of the season, and with thoughts of how Christmas seems to make a lot of people happy, and sadness because I well remember the happy times of Christmas' past in our home.
I remember how our three children used to gather at the top of the stairs and call down down and ask if Santa Claus had been here yet. My wife and I, our brains fogged and our eyes bleary, due to staying up late, wrapping up gifts and giving Santa a hand in laying out all the presents under the tree, would say "yes he has been here", and the kids would come thundering down the stairs and initiate a blizzard of hastily torn-off Christmas wrappings, while my wife and I watched and smiled, Happy that we could give to our kids, and I'm a bit sad knowing those days won't come round again,
But I remember with happiness our Christmas Tree. Each year we would make a special day of the day when we went to get the tree. Some years my wife and I would go out and find a tree, and some years I would go by myself, so my wife could stay home and prepare bunches of Christmas goodies.
Starting when our oldest son was about four years old, and we were living in Florida, where my work had taken us, and Christmas Trees in the wild were pretty scarce, as the proper type of tree and its shape were seemingly not indigineous to Florida, My son and I went on an "expedition" in a small patch of partially cleared ground near the Cottage where we lived and brought home a somewhat ungainly looking slash pine tree. I wasn't sure about it, but was ever optimistic that as usual my wife and I could make it beautiful, and Sure Enough! when we got this tree trimmed it was just beautiful.
In later years my daughter also went with us on our search for a tree, and she just loved the area where we would select and cut our tree each year. Soon our youngest son would accompany us on our tree expedition. We would drive several miles to a small Christmas Tree farm, and spent a few enjoyable hours in picking out just the perfect tree. When parking near the Tree Farm, it was necessary to walk through a dense grove of mature Pine trees, forty or fifty feet tall. I can still remember how beautifully silent it was in that grove, with its soft carpet of decades of pine needles on the ground. My Daughter would always call this area "The Cathedral", and the fields where we cut our tree , the "Secret Garden" and we would invariable find just the right tree, only to find when we got it home, it was about three or four feet taller than our eleven-foot ceilings, and would have to do some tree surgery on it to make it fit. But it was worth the time and effort, for when the tree was in place and decorated, it would invariably be gloriously beautiful, and a subject of awe for all who saw it. This, together with literally hundreds of other memories fill my mind this time of year.
Yes, christmas is a time of mixed feelings for me, yet I wouldn't take a Million Dollars for any one of over a half-centuries of Memories of Christmas.
So, Happy Christmas to each and every one out there, and may all your Christmas dreams and memories be Happy Ones.
The Old Professor
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
How to go broke without really trying
Good Afternoon:
I'll tell you a short tale if I may.
My wife and I moved our family to the small town where we live about 43 years ago.
It wasn't long after we moved here that I needed to go to a lumber yard for something, I forget what. Anyway, the lumber company/hardware store I went to was a flourishing business, with quite a number of employees and lots of customers. One had to wait in line to be waited on.
I enjoyed doing business with this company for quite a number of years, until 15 or 20 years or so ago, when the owner's daughter returned to town from college with a shiny new husband.
The owner of this business then decided that he could at long last retire, and turned the operation of the business he had built up over many years over to his son-in-law.
Some where around this same time, Lowes and Home Depot opened stores in a town across the river from our town, about 15 or so miles away, and predictably, business at local lumber yards and hardware stores began to flag somewhat.
Instead of trying to maintain their business by continuing their fine service and reasonably, if not as cheaply priced, lumber and hardware items and maintain, after a short period of adjustment, the bulk of their clients, the son-in-law decided to make up for the reduction in business by raising the prices on their stock.
This , of course, had the predictable effect of costing the business even more customers, as the amount they could save by driving across the river and shopping with one of the new mega-stores was now even greater, well worth the time and gas necessary to make the trip.
The son-in-law responded by raising the prices even more, and laying off most of his employees, while he was busy hunting, fishing and playing.
I've only been in this business a limited amount of times in the last few years, as I've not had the need, but on one memorable occasion, I needed a gallon of outside white paint, and didn't figure it would pay me to go over the river to save three or four bucks. I found a gallon of paint at the store O.K. I found a can with about a quarter of an inch of dust on the top and discovered when I took it to the counter to pay for it, that the price for this ordinary paint was now close to Forty dollars, instead of the Ten or Twelve dollars it had formerly been. Obviously I put the paint back on the shelf and drove to the mega store.
As I write this, the local, once flourishing store is just about out of business, the son-in-law has run the business into the ground.
The founder and original owner of the business died a few months ago, and I anticipate that the business will close in the near future.
I tell this story as an illustration of how to kill a business, a company, or an organization, or even a Governmental entity.
I very much fear this is what will soon be happening to this beloved country of ours.
By trying to raise taxes on one segment of the population to make up for the taxes no longer paid by another segment of our population, as their jobs are now gone, the United States is doing exactly what the lumber yard did. and why?, well for the same reason. The "New Owner" doesn't know what he is doing, due to a lack of experience.
Now the local lumber yard owner, when asked why his business is off so much has said it was because of the way the founder and his employee's ran the business.....for over 50 years!!!!! I think you'll agree that this is a classic "CYA" by someone who just flat doesn't know what he is doing.
As a single example, look just to the U.S. Postal Service. This week they announced that it would now take more than twice as long to deliver a first-class letter AND would also cost more, as the price is going up on first-class stamps. I guess the P.O. officials are saying," well since we are doing less, we ought to charge more for it to make up for the loss of business due to higher prices and slower service. that ought to do it".
Et Tu, D.C.?
Cheers
TOP
I'll tell you a short tale if I may.
My wife and I moved our family to the small town where we live about 43 years ago.
It wasn't long after we moved here that I needed to go to a lumber yard for something, I forget what. Anyway, the lumber company/hardware store I went to was a flourishing business, with quite a number of employees and lots of customers. One had to wait in line to be waited on.
I enjoyed doing business with this company for quite a number of years, until 15 or 20 years or so ago, when the owner's daughter returned to town from college with a shiny new husband.
The owner of this business then decided that he could at long last retire, and turned the operation of the business he had built up over many years over to his son-in-law.
Some where around this same time, Lowes and Home Depot opened stores in a town across the river from our town, about 15 or so miles away, and predictably, business at local lumber yards and hardware stores began to flag somewhat.
Instead of trying to maintain their business by continuing their fine service and reasonably, if not as cheaply priced, lumber and hardware items and maintain, after a short period of adjustment, the bulk of their clients, the son-in-law decided to make up for the reduction in business by raising the prices on their stock.
This , of course, had the predictable effect of costing the business even more customers, as the amount they could save by driving across the river and shopping with one of the new mega-stores was now even greater, well worth the time and gas necessary to make the trip.
The son-in-law responded by raising the prices even more, and laying off most of his employees, while he was busy hunting, fishing and playing.
I've only been in this business a limited amount of times in the last few years, as I've not had the need, but on one memorable occasion, I needed a gallon of outside white paint, and didn't figure it would pay me to go over the river to save three or four bucks. I found a gallon of paint at the store O.K. I found a can with about a quarter of an inch of dust on the top and discovered when I took it to the counter to pay for it, that the price for this ordinary paint was now close to Forty dollars, instead of the Ten or Twelve dollars it had formerly been. Obviously I put the paint back on the shelf and drove to the mega store.
As I write this, the local, once flourishing store is just about out of business, the son-in-law has run the business into the ground.
The founder and original owner of the business died a few months ago, and I anticipate that the business will close in the near future.
I tell this story as an illustration of how to kill a business, a company, or an organization, or even a Governmental entity.
I very much fear this is what will soon be happening to this beloved country of ours.
By trying to raise taxes on one segment of the population to make up for the taxes no longer paid by another segment of our population, as their jobs are now gone, the United States is doing exactly what the lumber yard did. and why?, well for the same reason. The "New Owner" doesn't know what he is doing, due to a lack of experience.
Now the local lumber yard owner, when asked why his business is off so much has said it was because of the way the founder and his employee's ran the business.....for over 50 years!!!!! I think you'll agree that this is a classic "CYA" by someone who just flat doesn't know what he is doing.
As a single example, look just to the U.S. Postal Service. This week they announced that it would now take more than twice as long to deliver a first-class letter AND would also cost more, as the price is going up on first-class stamps. I guess the P.O. officials are saying," well since we are doing less, we ought to charge more for it to make up for the loss of business due to higher prices and slower service. that ought to do it".
Et Tu, D.C.?
Cheers
TOP
Friday, November 11, 2011
Veterans Day
Good Morning fellow Veterans.
I put up our U.S. Flag today, in its socket on the front of our residence, as it is Veterans Day. Each year at this time, I am almost overcome with pride in the Men and Women who are serving, or have served in any of the branches of our (America's) Military.
I along with many others, also pause to silently say a prayer for the sacrifice made by each of those who gave their last full measure of Devotion, and Patriotism and died in the service of their country.
No less honored by me and thousands of uncounted others, are the over 30,000 members of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in the conflicts in the Middle Eastern Wars. And let us do whatever each of us can do to make sure that these warriors receive the Medical Care that each of them deserve.
I am proud to be a Veteran, Even one of little note and absolutely no valor, I am proud because as a Veteran I am associated by group with a Noble group of Millions of Americans, most of whom served with dedication and Distinction.
I watched the Ceremony at Arlington National cemetery that occurs each Veterans Day, in which a Wreath is layed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is always a stirring, albeit brief ceremony and one that all Americans should watch and appreciate.
I Then watched as the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the members, living or dead, of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and members of the Military Intelligence Groups. All of these noble veterans were Nesei, United States Citizens of Japanese Descent who served in the United States Military, even though their parents, siblings, Grandparents, and friends were, in too many cases, being held in internment camps as the United States Government did not trust them because of their Racial Heritage.
Out of 13,000 men who served in this group, 9486 received, in addition to other medals, the Purple Heart. There were also 21 of them who were awarded the Medal of Honor, among them U.S. Senator Danial Inouye, who lost his right arm in his service. In all this group of Men were and still are the most highly decorated regiment in our Nation's proud History.
So, on this Day, when we honor these Splendid Men, we should at the same time silently hang our heads in shame at the way their families and friends here at home were treated.
Let us also say another prayer that hopefully soon, our participation in all Wars will come to an end, and our mass grieving can come to an end.
I am also proud that since 1636, when my first ancestor landed on these free shores, my Family has had one or more of it's members in every War that has been fought, with the possible exception of the Current Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.(There may be some children of cousins, etc, that I am not aware of that ARE serving, and if so I apologize to them).
I remember also with pride that My oldest son proudly served for over nine years in the U.S. Army, and was decorated several times. I remember my Father who served first in the U.S. Army, Seventh Cavalry, and upon his discharge, joined the Navy, serving on a Minesweeper, the U.S.S. Swallow. I remember with regret my Uncle, who served with the Army in germany during WW2, was grievously wounded and was so mentally damaged by what he had seen and been forced to do that he was never the same when he came home, finally taking his own life in just the past few years after a lifetime of memories and, at times erratic behavior and silent anger.And I honor the service of my "Big Brother" who served for three years during the Korean War.
In short, to each and every one of you who read this, I salute you and if I have not had the pleasure of meeting you , please know that I still salute you and appreciate your service.I am as proud of each and every one of you as I am my relatives.
Well Done.
At Ease.
TOP
I put up our U.S. Flag today, in its socket on the front of our residence, as it is Veterans Day. Each year at this time, I am almost overcome with pride in the Men and Women who are serving, or have served in any of the branches of our (America's) Military.
I along with many others, also pause to silently say a prayer for the sacrifice made by each of those who gave their last full measure of Devotion, and Patriotism and died in the service of their country.
No less honored by me and thousands of uncounted others, are the over 30,000 members of our Armed Forces who have been wounded in the conflicts in the Middle Eastern Wars. And let us do whatever each of us can do to make sure that these warriors receive the Medical Care that each of them deserve.
I am proud to be a Veteran, Even one of little note and absolutely no valor, I am proud because as a Veteran I am associated by group with a Noble group of Millions of Americans, most of whom served with dedication and Distinction.
I watched the Ceremony at Arlington National cemetery that occurs each Veterans Day, in which a Wreath is layed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is always a stirring, albeit brief ceremony and one that all Americans should watch and appreciate.
I Then watched as the Congressional Gold Medal was presented to the members, living or dead, of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and members of the Military Intelligence Groups. All of these noble veterans were Nesei, United States Citizens of Japanese Descent who served in the United States Military, even though their parents, siblings, Grandparents, and friends were, in too many cases, being held in internment camps as the United States Government did not trust them because of their Racial Heritage.
Out of 13,000 men who served in this group, 9486 received, in addition to other medals, the Purple Heart. There were also 21 of them who were awarded the Medal of Honor, among them U.S. Senator Danial Inouye, who lost his right arm in his service. In all this group of Men were and still are the most highly decorated regiment in our Nation's proud History.
So, on this Day, when we honor these Splendid Men, we should at the same time silently hang our heads in shame at the way their families and friends here at home were treated.
Let us also say another prayer that hopefully soon, our participation in all Wars will come to an end, and our mass grieving can come to an end.
I am also proud that since 1636, when my first ancestor landed on these free shores, my Family has had one or more of it's members in every War that has been fought, with the possible exception of the Current Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.(There may be some children of cousins, etc, that I am not aware of that ARE serving, and if so I apologize to them).
I remember also with pride that My oldest son proudly served for over nine years in the U.S. Army, and was decorated several times. I remember my Father who served first in the U.S. Army, Seventh Cavalry, and upon his discharge, joined the Navy, serving on a Minesweeper, the U.S.S. Swallow. I remember with regret my Uncle, who served with the Army in germany during WW2, was grievously wounded and was so mentally damaged by what he had seen and been forced to do that he was never the same when he came home, finally taking his own life in just the past few years after a lifetime of memories and, at times erratic behavior and silent anger.And I honor the service of my "Big Brother" who served for three years during the Korean War.
In short, to each and every one of you who read this, I salute you and if I have not had the pleasure of meeting you , please know that I still salute you and appreciate your service.I am as proud of each and every one of you as I am my relatives.
Well Done.
At Ease.
TOP
Monday, November 7, 2011
This and that........
Good Morning:
Well, in the news today there is the usual rash of silliness, together with the usual reporting thereon;
First up is the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. I can sort of understand this group, as I have long said that there were way too many "Big Shots" making obscene salaries and Bonus'. I have stated repeatedly that NO ONE is worth a salary of a Million Dollars a year, but there are Investment Firms, Banks, Brokerages and so on where A Million Dollars has become more or less a Starting salary for a Middle Manager.
What good has it done for me to hold this position? None at all!. It is simply my opinion. And to be fair, I guess the "Occupiers" make about as much difference as does my opinion. I just don't quite understand what these people hope to accomplish by their actions.
I guess my opinion is more or less skewed by the protesters of the sixties, who as some of you will recall, protested nearly everything, even going so far as to spit on returning soldiers. Al Capp, the late Cartoonist and creator of "little Abner", named this group of the unwashed as "SWINE' which stood for "Students wildly indignant about nearly everything" and I agreed wholeheartedly, so please forgive me if I don't pay much attention to any "Protesters", many of whom, you will recall, were outside the Courthouse cheering wildly when little Michael Jackson was acquitted of charges of Pedophilia, which in my opinion, he was guilty of.
My point is, there have been so many protests about who knows what, that I pay little or no attention to any of them, thus, in my view, make them totally unimportant.
The next item on today's agenda is the current Silliness" over the 72 day marriage of one of the Kardashian bunch of Hollywood Plastic People, which when the "marriage" failed and divorce papers were filed, the groom has asked for his 2 million dollar ring back.
The Mother of this brood, one Kris Kardashian Jenner, make a remark that "No one likes an Indian giver", keep the ring", and in so doing earned an immediate protest from leaders of the native American community. This whole thing is so silly it's nauseating, but guess what?, its in the papers, as tho it were real news.
Firstly, who gives a hoot about he Kardashians, et al, and I couldn't care less if this woman returns a ring or not, just go away, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Secondly, the spokesperson(s) of the Native American People should just'GET OVER YOURSELVES'. I know of very few people who are not respectful of Native American People of Note, such as the Navajo Code Talkers, for example, who played such a large part in our winning the War with Japan.
For myself only, I have for a long time appreciated the books of the late, great American Author and Patriot Tony Hillerman, whose books were about the Native People of the Southwest, and was named "A special friend of the Navajo People" for his ever complimentary books about these fine people. I have also for a long time considered it a crying shame that the Federal Government hasn't done more to ameliorate the Poverty, crime and lack of opportunities of the Native American People on their reservations. This is a disgrace to an otherwise fine Democracy.
It seems that the Government is always and forever concerned with the rights and welfare of black people, but one seldom reads about any Governmental concern or corrective actions taken to help our Native American People. One (me) supposes this is because the Native American People are not of a sufficiently large enough percentage of the population to constitute what politicians consider a "Voting Bloc", and so deserve any Governmental help.
I hope I've spoken up enough on behalf of "Our Indian Brothers and Sisters" now, so it is time for me to move on to another topic.
A week or so ago, I finally was able to track down an elusive old friend who I have been trying to locate for several years. Said friend and his wife were our good friends when we all lived in New Orleans, which my Wife and I remember with fondness.
I started looking for our old Friends in New Orleans, and then in surrounding areas and states, and finally, at long last, found them in Austin Texas.
Having the opportunity to speak with our old friends really felt good to me as it is a "connect" with a time when we were young and relatively carefree. I think my friends were astounded to hear from me and I hope they were as happy as I after our conversation.
I plan on calling our friends again soon, as I don't have enough friends to misplace any, if I can help it.
So if you have a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, by all means give them a call. I promise you'll be glad you did.
Back to the subject of little Michael Jackson, the jury just returned a Guilty verdict in the trial of M.S.'s Doctor, Conrad Murray, who was accused of manslaughter. this may or not be a just verdict, but you will forgive me when I say, "I don't know and I don't care".
Stay Well.
TOP
Well, in the news today there is the usual rash of silliness, together with the usual reporting thereon;
First up is the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. I can sort of understand this group, as I have long said that there were way too many "Big Shots" making obscene salaries and Bonus'. I have stated repeatedly that NO ONE is worth a salary of a Million Dollars a year, but there are Investment Firms, Banks, Brokerages and so on where A Million Dollars has become more or less a Starting salary for a Middle Manager.
What good has it done for me to hold this position? None at all!. It is simply my opinion. And to be fair, I guess the "Occupiers" make about as much difference as does my opinion. I just don't quite understand what these people hope to accomplish by their actions.
I guess my opinion is more or less skewed by the protesters of the sixties, who as some of you will recall, protested nearly everything, even going so far as to spit on returning soldiers. Al Capp, the late Cartoonist and creator of "little Abner", named this group of the unwashed as "SWINE' which stood for "Students wildly indignant about nearly everything" and I agreed wholeheartedly, so please forgive me if I don't pay much attention to any "Protesters", many of whom, you will recall, were outside the Courthouse cheering wildly when little Michael Jackson was acquitted of charges of Pedophilia, which in my opinion, he was guilty of.
My point is, there have been so many protests about who knows what, that I pay little or no attention to any of them, thus, in my view, make them totally unimportant.
The next item on today's agenda is the current Silliness" over the 72 day marriage of one of the Kardashian bunch of Hollywood Plastic People, which when the "marriage" failed and divorce papers were filed, the groom has asked for his 2 million dollar ring back.
The Mother of this brood, one Kris Kardashian Jenner, make a remark that "No one likes an Indian giver", keep the ring", and in so doing earned an immediate protest from leaders of the native American community. This whole thing is so silly it's nauseating, but guess what?, its in the papers, as tho it were real news.
Firstly, who gives a hoot about he Kardashians, et al, and I couldn't care less if this woman returns a ring or not, just go away, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Secondly, the spokesperson(s) of the Native American People should just'GET OVER YOURSELVES'. I know of very few people who are not respectful of Native American People of Note, such as the Navajo Code Talkers, for example, who played such a large part in our winning the War with Japan.
For myself only, I have for a long time appreciated the books of the late, great American Author and Patriot Tony Hillerman, whose books were about the Native People of the Southwest, and was named "A special friend of the Navajo People" for his ever complimentary books about these fine people. I have also for a long time considered it a crying shame that the Federal Government hasn't done more to ameliorate the Poverty, crime and lack of opportunities of the Native American People on their reservations. This is a disgrace to an otherwise fine Democracy.
It seems that the Government is always and forever concerned with the rights and welfare of black people, but one seldom reads about any Governmental concern or corrective actions taken to help our Native American People. One (me) supposes this is because the Native American People are not of a sufficiently large enough percentage of the population to constitute what politicians consider a "Voting Bloc", and so deserve any Governmental help.
I hope I've spoken up enough on behalf of "Our Indian Brothers and Sisters" now, so it is time for me to move on to another topic.
A week or so ago, I finally was able to track down an elusive old friend who I have been trying to locate for several years. Said friend and his wife were our good friends when we all lived in New Orleans, which my Wife and I remember with fondness.
I started looking for our old Friends in New Orleans, and then in surrounding areas and states, and finally, at long last, found them in Austin Texas.
Having the opportunity to speak with our old friends really felt good to me as it is a "connect" with a time when we were young and relatively carefree. I think my friends were astounded to hear from me and I hope they were as happy as I after our conversation.
I plan on calling our friends again soon, as I don't have enough friends to misplace any, if I can help it.
So if you have a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, by all means give them a call. I promise you'll be glad you did.
Back to the subject of little Michael Jackson, the jury just returned a Guilty verdict in the trial of M.S.'s Doctor, Conrad Murray, who was accused of manslaughter. this may or not be a just verdict, but you will forgive me when I say, "I don't know and I don't care".
Stay Well.
TOP
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Leaving something behind.
Hello Good Folks:
It is a dreary, rainy day today and such days, for some reason, always drive me to just sitting and thinking. Now I am not one of those fortunate individuals whose thoughts are of great benefit to mankind or those thoughts that make them wealthy because of a great idea, No, I'm just one of the millions of Joe Averages who just think because they have more questions than answers.
Sometimes my thoughts run to fairly average and predictable stuff, the same kind of stuff that almost everyone has, at one time or another. Things like wondering about personal issues such as our budgets, our health, our family relationships and so on.
Other times though, I find myself thinking somewhat deeper thoughts. Not necessarily more intelligent thoughts, but more the kind of thoughts that most people cannot answer for us, thoughts that we have to puzzle out for ourselves and arrive at what we are comforted to believe is a more or less correct answer, at least as it pertains to us.
Still other times I find myself thinking more...well...ethereal thoughts for want of a better word. The kind of thoughts that cannot be answered by us or anyone else.
Thoughts like, "What does God look like"?, "Where is Heaven, and what is it like"?"Does our soul really weigh 27 grams"? Which question is really not mine, but postulated by one or more "fringe" scientists, who weighed a series of humans, just before and immediately following death, and found that each of these late departed lost 27 grams of weight when they died.
Interesting but not really something that can really be answered.
If you are wondering where I am heading with this treatise, welcome to the club, as I am wondering the same thing.
I am driven to this latest pondering at the keyboard by, as I earlier stipulated, a rainy day, one which I did not have the energy to do much of anything, other than walk our Dog a couple of times, watch "Jeopardy" and scratch my head.
One question that is currently on my mind is a purely theoretical one.
As a supposition, suppose one could vacuum every square inch of anyplace in the Holy Land where we are told in the Bible that Jesus walked, would we, among the dust of centuries, find the DNA of Jesus?, how would we know ?, and how would it differ from "Modern Man"?. I think, with absolutely nothing to base this on, that his DNA IS probably there, requiring only differentiation from that of Roman Soldiers, Herod, Judas, Simon Peter, Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu, Jimmy Carter and Billions of others who have trod these roads before us.
In feeling like the Savior's DNA is probably there, I am newly aware of his leaving something behind. He left, not only possible traces of his physical self, but the gifts enumerated by him, Jesus, but also by God, as well as Billions of believers and followers through the Ages.
I guess, mainly because I KNOW, for sure, how insignificant I am, and wonder what, if anything, I am leaving behind. I have accomplished no great works or feats. I have never broken any athletic records, while I am a good shot, I have never broken any records with Clay Pigeons or other non-sentient targets, I think I was always a hard worker, but there was, of course, always someone who worked harder, I like to think I am a pretty good Craftsman, but far, far from even mediocre. Dadgum it, I should be able to come up with something I, and I alone, am leaving behind besides old clothes and debts.
I am leaving books......lots and lots of books, but save the few odd volumes, the books are not worth anything to speak of. I have tried to leave our children with some values and some knowledge from their Father, but I'll never know if I have or not, as, obviously I won't be here to observe. More likely, the Children will have learned much more from my wife and their Mother, as the Lord knows, she has worked at raising and caring for the Children...and worked and worked and never stopped, so she will leave behind a great legacy, hopefully sometime long, long after I have shuffled off this Mortal Coil.
I hope I am leaving to my children and my Wife, the inarguable fact that I have loved them deeply.
And I suppose, in the end, thats all I have to leave.
Stay Well
TOP
It is a dreary, rainy day today and such days, for some reason, always drive me to just sitting and thinking. Now I am not one of those fortunate individuals whose thoughts are of great benefit to mankind or those thoughts that make them wealthy because of a great idea, No, I'm just one of the millions of Joe Averages who just think because they have more questions than answers.
Sometimes my thoughts run to fairly average and predictable stuff, the same kind of stuff that almost everyone has, at one time or another. Things like wondering about personal issues such as our budgets, our health, our family relationships and so on.
Other times though, I find myself thinking somewhat deeper thoughts. Not necessarily more intelligent thoughts, but more the kind of thoughts that most people cannot answer for us, thoughts that we have to puzzle out for ourselves and arrive at what we are comforted to believe is a more or less correct answer, at least as it pertains to us.
Still other times I find myself thinking more...well...ethereal thoughts for want of a better word. The kind of thoughts that cannot be answered by us or anyone else.
Thoughts like, "What does God look like"?, "Where is Heaven, and what is it like"?"Does our soul really weigh 27 grams"? Which question is really not mine, but postulated by one or more "fringe" scientists, who weighed a series of humans, just before and immediately following death, and found that each of these late departed lost 27 grams of weight when they died.
Interesting but not really something that can really be answered.
If you are wondering where I am heading with this treatise, welcome to the club, as I am wondering the same thing.
I am driven to this latest pondering at the keyboard by, as I earlier stipulated, a rainy day, one which I did not have the energy to do much of anything, other than walk our Dog a couple of times, watch "Jeopardy" and scratch my head.
One question that is currently on my mind is a purely theoretical one.
As a supposition, suppose one could vacuum every square inch of anyplace in the Holy Land where we are told in the Bible that Jesus walked, would we, among the dust of centuries, find the DNA of Jesus?, how would we know ?, and how would it differ from "Modern Man"?. I think, with absolutely nothing to base this on, that his DNA IS probably there, requiring only differentiation from that of Roman Soldiers, Herod, Judas, Simon Peter, Yasser Arafat, Netanyahu, Jimmy Carter and Billions of others who have trod these roads before us.
In feeling like the Savior's DNA is probably there, I am newly aware of his leaving something behind. He left, not only possible traces of his physical self, but the gifts enumerated by him, Jesus, but also by God, as well as Billions of believers and followers through the Ages.
I guess, mainly because I KNOW, for sure, how insignificant I am, and wonder what, if anything, I am leaving behind. I have accomplished no great works or feats. I have never broken any athletic records, while I am a good shot, I have never broken any records with Clay Pigeons or other non-sentient targets, I think I was always a hard worker, but there was, of course, always someone who worked harder, I like to think I am a pretty good Craftsman, but far, far from even mediocre. Dadgum it, I should be able to come up with something I, and I alone, am leaving behind besides old clothes and debts.
I am leaving books......lots and lots of books, but save the few odd volumes, the books are not worth anything to speak of. I have tried to leave our children with some values and some knowledge from their Father, but I'll never know if I have or not, as, obviously I won't be here to observe. More likely, the Children will have learned much more from my wife and their Mother, as the Lord knows, she has worked at raising and caring for the Children...and worked and worked and never stopped, so she will leave behind a great legacy, hopefully sometime long, long after I have shuffled off this Mortal Coil.
I hope I am leaving to my children and my Wife, the inarguable fact that I have loved them deeply.
And I suppose, in the end, thats all I have to leave.
Stay Well
TOP
Quick News
Hi guys.
Just a quick post today, on some news items.
A man who kept exotic animals, for what reason I do not know, apparently opened the cages of all the animals, including many, many carnivores, and then took his own life, has created havoc near Zanesville, Ohio. The Police, in order to protect the public have had to destroy around 50 animals so far, including almost two dozen of the Threatened Bengal Tigers. When is that collection of fools in Washington going to stop the issuance of licences to individuals to keep exotic, dangerous animals?
Stay tuned
TOP
Just a quick post today, on some news items.
A man who kept exotic animals, for what reason I do not know, apparently opened the cages of all the animals, including many, many carnivores, and then took his own life, has created havoc near Zanesville, Ohio. The Police, in order to protect the public have had to destroy around 50 animals so far, including almost two dozen of the Threatened Bengal Tigers. When is that collection of fools in Washington going to stop the issuance of licences to individuals to keep exotic, dangerous animals?
Stay tuned
TOP
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
State of Kentucky V Amish Religion.
Good Afternoon:
I have been for some time following a story in our area newspaper and on the local TV station about a case involving a certain group of Amish men.
The Amish men have been running afoul of the law for driving their horse-drawn buggies on public roads without a "slow moving vehicle" placard attached to the rear of the buggy, as the law stipulates. They have, instead, outlined the rear of their buggies with reflective tape and also have placed a lantern on the rear of their buggies to warn approaching non horse drawn traffic of their presence.Their failure to obey the law, and refusal to pay a fine have thus far resulted in the jailing of several Amish men for varying periods of time, up to several days.
Now, I have, for a long time, admired the Amish for some aspects of their way of life, and their being self sufficient and caring for others of their faith in the case of a disaster such as a fire. I have also, in my mind, understood their avoidance of such things as Automobiles, while at the same time thinking that their way of life was not exactly a comfortable one, or convenient, in today's sense of the word.
I guess, in other words, I have recognized, while not agreeing with their way of life. A sort of live and let live state of mind.
However, in the current court case (which will undoubtedly drag on for a long time as such cases involving religion seem to do). This seems to me to be more of an argument than a legal infraction were it not for the "Danger" aspect of the case.
I really don't see the Amish gentlemen involved being willing to obey the law in this case, as they feel that displaying the mandated placard on their one horsepower vehicle to be "Prideful" and "Showy", while the law, in the person of the law officers and departments involved, can't back pedal, as, obviously, its the law.
Now, ordinarily I wouldn't give this case much thought, as it involves religion, on which subject I rarely like to proffer my view, as in that way"there be Dragons". But in this case involvements revolve around the aspect of "Risk to the public", and while I sympathize with the Amish, they cannot and should not be the winning team, as the public good and safety figures prominently. Not only are the Amish involved refusing to recognize the danger to the "Motoring public" but to their own women and children as well, and this cannot stand. It's O.K. with me if a person wants to risk his or her life in their various and sundry pursuits, but no one has the right to risk the life or well being of another through one's actions.
As I said in my opening, ordinarily I don't comment on Religion overmuch, but I cannot help but feel, that in this case, The Amish gentlemen, in a statement of principal, say that obeying the law is too prideful in their interpretation of their religious beliefs, while in actuality, I believe, that what the case is really about is their thinking that they know more about their interpretation of God's law then they really do, and is, in effect, prideful in itself.
I think, with little or no knowledge of the Law, that the simplest and perhaps ultimate solution, is for the State of Kentucky to pass a law stipulating that operating such a vehicle as is extant in this case, will result in the seizure of said vehicle, and returning it to the owner only after the correct placard is affixed and permanently displayed.
None of us are always in agreement of this or that law, but a civilized society demands that we adhere to the law anyway.This seems to me to be a Jim-Dandy basis for a good rousing argument, or preferably, a discussion, so chime in folks, I will enjoy the discourse and sure need a few more followers to keep my thinking cap on straight, and this blog, such as it is, at least reasonably neutral.
Gentlemen, start your horses!
TOP
I have been for some time following a story in our area newspaper and on the local TV station about a case involving a certain group of Amish men.
The Amish men have been running afoul of the law for driving their horse-drawn buggies on public roads without a "slow moving vehicle" placard attached to the rear of the buggy, as the law stipulates. They have, instead, outlined the rear of their buggies with reflective tape and also have placed a lantern on the rear of their buggies to warn approaching non horse drawn traffic of their presence.Their failure to obey the law, and refusal to pay a fine have thus far resulted in the jailing of several Amish men for varying periods of time, up to several days.
Now, I have, for a long time, admired the Amish for some aspects of their way of life, and their being self sufficient and caring for others of their faith in the case of a disaster such as a fire. I have also, in my mind, understood their avoidance of such things as Automobiles, while at the same time thinking that their way of life was not exactly a comfortable one, or convenient, in today's sense of the word.
I guess, in other words, I have recognized, while not agreeing with their way of life. A sort of live and let live state of mind.
However, in the current court case (which will undoubtedly drag on for a long time as such cases involving religion seem to do). This seems to me to be more of an argument than a legal infraction were it not for the "Danger" aspect of the case.
I really don't see the Amish gentlemen involved being willing to obey the law in this case, as they feel that displaying the mandated placard on their one horsepower vehicle to be "Prideful" and "Showy", while the law, in the person of the law officers and departments involved, can't back pedal, as, obviously, its the law.
Now, ordinarily I wouldn't give this case much thought, as it involves religion, on which subject I rarely like to proffer my view, as in that way"there be Dragons". But in this case involvements revolve around the aspect of "Risk to the public", and while I sympathize with the Amish, they cannot and should not be the winning team, as the public good and safety figures prominently. Not only are the Amish involved refusing to recognize the danger to the "Motoring public" but to their own women and children as well, and this cannot stand. It's O.K. with me if a person wants to risk his or her life in their various and sundry pursuits, but no one has the right to risk the life or well being of another through one's actions.
As I said in my opening, ordinarily I don't comment on Religion overmuch, but I cannot help but feel, that in this case, The Amish gentlemen, in a statement of principal, say that obeying the law is too prideful in their interpretation of their religious beliefs, while in actuality, I believe, that what the case is really about is their thinking that they know more about their interpretation of God's law then they really do, and is, in effect, prideful in itself.
I think, with little or no knowledge of the Law, that the simplest and perhaps ultimate solution, is for the State of Kentucky to pass a law stipulating that operating such a vehicle as is extant in this case, will result in the seizure of said vehicle, and returning it to the owner only after the correct placard is affixed and permanently displayed.
None of us are always in agreement of this or that law, but a civilized society demands that we adhere to the law anyway.This seems to me to be a Jim-Dandy basis for a good rousing argument, or preferably, a discussion, so chime in folks, I will enjoy the discourse and sure need a few more followers to keep my thinking cap on straight, and this blog, such as it is, at least reasonably neutral.
Gentlemen, start your horses!
TOP
Saturday, September 10, 2011
GOD BLESS AMERICA
Good Afternoon Americans:
Tomorrow, as almost every American knows, we will be noting the Tenth Anniversary of the horrible events of September 11, 2001.
I recall in vivid detail my wife calling me to the television and telling me that an Aircraft had just struck the World Trade Center. As I sat there in horror and in an effort to comprehend what I was seeing, As I , at that point, assumed that somehow there had been a tragic error by the Pilot of a commercial Aircraft, I saw yet another large aircraft flying directly toward the second tower of the World Trade center, and then unbelievably, strike the building with a tremendous explosion and gout of fire.
I was still trying to focus a reasonable mindset on the events that I had just witnessed, and at the same time gradually becoming aware that no reasonable mind could adequately grasp the full implications of this horrible event.
It wasn't too long until the nation was informed that yet another Aircraft had been purposely flown into the Pentagon, causing great damage and a large loss of innocent life, and then shortly learn that yet a fourth aircraft had plunged into a field in Pennsylvania, after its passengers had defeated the terrorists plan to fly this Aircraft also into an American Government building.
Then, as now, it was very difficult for me, and I suspect for most Americans to fully comprehend the insane savagery of an ignorant and primitive people in causing the deaths of thousands of people, for nothing more than an envy of the prosperity and freedom of the land we love. These savages apparently hate America and its ability to get it's arms around people of all Religions and ethnic backgrounds, and make them welcome, when their countries were all based on a Tribalistic Theocracy, and individual freedoms counted for little, and the law of the gun and the Sword trumped any unborn thoughts of a Democracy. Apparently these subhumans thought that they could set America back to the Twelfth Century or so, where their Countries were most comfortable.
But, they, of course were wrong. In the historic words of a Japanese Admiral of World War Two, they awakened a sleeping giant. It is a shame that it has taken the Deaths of Hundreds of Thousands of their people and of less than Ten Thousand freedom loving and unselfish Americans to show that America can only be changed by the actions of it's own people, in directing it's leaders in a course of action.
So, as we mark this somber Anniversary, let us turn our efforts to a Bi-partisan effort to solve America's problems, and to vow to never, ever, forget not only the horror of 9-11, as it has come to be known, but the lessons we have learned and never again let our guard down.
God Bless our Nation and the thousands of Americans who have given their full measure of Patriotism and courage in defending what will always be a free America.
TOP
Tomorrow, as almost every American knows, we will be noting the Tenth Anniversary of the horrible events of September 11, 2001.
I recall in vivid detail my wife calling me to the television and telling me that an Aircraft had just struck the World Trade Center. As I sat there in horror and in an effort to comprehend what I was seeing, As I , at that point, assumed that somehow there had been a tragic error by the Pilot of a commercial Aircraft, I saw yet another large aircraft flying directly toward the second tower of the World Trade center, and then unbelievably, strike the building with a tremendous explosion and gout of fire.
I was still trying to focus a reasonable mindset on the events that I had just witnessed, and at the same time gradually becoming aware that no reasonable mind could adequately grasp the full implications of this horrible event.
It wasn't too long until the nation was informed that yet another Aircraft had been purposely flown into the Pentagon, causing great damage and a large loss of innocent life, and then shortly learn that yet a fourth aircraft had plunged into a field in Pennsylvania, after its passengers had defeated the terrorists plan to fly this Aircraft also into an American Government building.
Then, as now, it was very difficult for me, and I suspect for most Americans to fully comprehend the insane savagery of an ignorant and primitive people in causing the deaths of thousands of people, for nothing more than an envy of the prosperity and freedom of the land we love. These savages apparently hate America and its ability to get it's arms around people of all Religions and ethnic backgrounds, and make them welcome, when their countries were all based on a Tribalistic Theocracy, and individual freedoms counted for little, and the law of the gun and the Sword trumped any unborn thoughts of a Democracy. Apparently these subhumans thought that they could set America back to the Twelfth Century or so, where their Countries were most comfortable.
But, they, of course were wrong. In the historic words of a Japanese Admiral of World War Two, they awakened a sleeping giant. It is a shame that it has taken the Deaths of Hundreds of Thousands of their people and of less than Ten Thousand freedom loving and unselfish Americans to show that America can only be changed by the actions of it's own people, in directing it's leaders in a course of action.
So, as we mark this somber Anniversary, let us turn our efforts to a Bi-partisan effort to solve America's problems, and to vow to never, ever, forget not only the horror of 9-11, as it has come to be known, but the lessons we have learned and never again let our guard down.
God Bless our Nation and the thousands of Americans who have given their full measure of Patriotism and courage in defending what will always be a free America.
TOP
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Hemingway and writing.
Good Day:
I just finished reading a volume of Hemingway's Nick Adams stories. I had read the stories years ago, but as is typical of an old man, I had forgotten most of them.
After reading the stories I am almost thankful of a porous memory. Hemingway's writing style is perhaps good in some instances, but to me he belabors every descriptive sentence, plus he is stingy with his use of commas and apparently abhors a semicolon. One page in one of Hemingway's books or stories might consist of dozens of sentences, when the story would not be harmed by the judicious use of a few commas.
There is also the fact, that in describing , for instance, a shirt, by the time he finishes, the reader will know the color of the shirt, the cut, how it hangs on one's body, the weight of the material, it's number of pockets and buttons, where the cotton was grown, what the woman looked like who wove the thread, what the thread count was and on and on inexhaustibly. I say these things with the full irony of knowing that a less-than-writer such as myself probably will be thought to have a lot of Gall in criticising a successful Novelist when the critic (mineselluf) is obviously not much of a writer. This reminds me of a saying that I think I read once, but might just as well be something I made up i.e. "Owning a hundred hammers don't make you a Carpenter". In Hemingway's case, and entirely in my opinion only, owning a typewriter doesn't make you a writer.
Now I should hasten to say that millions of people would disagree with what I have written about this legendary writer, but as far as I am concerned, the only Book that E.H. ever wrote that I could read in enjoyment, and without criticism, was"The Old Man and the Sea ", which story line lent itself to lengthy descriptive prose.
The rest of his writing, when compared to any one of a multiplicity of Authors I have enjoyed, is not all that great. Hemingway seemed to love anything Masculine in the extreme, such as Bullfighting, but had so many potholes in his life to serve to give lie to much of his writing.
Hemingway had the public image (which he cultivated) of a bold, brave, strong, hairy-chested great hearted Knight, but he never mastered the art of staying married, or in the end, of enduring pain.
Some people would hasten to mention the fact that suicides seem to run in the Hemingway blood line.
His father took his own life, as did three of Hemingway's siblings and his Grandaughter Margaux. In addition his son, Gregory, died after the turn of the 21st century as a Transsexual, so perhaps the main thing that ran in the line was mental illness.
Hemingway himself was described by one of his former wives as being sick and delusional at the time he killed himself. Throughout Hemingway's works the theme of death being a "gift" is repeatedly used, and in my opinion, is allegorical (or perhaps not, what do I know?)
At any rate, Hemingway should be the subject for any course of American Literature, and let the student form his own opinion of the writer, as I have done.
Now I should say I am adding this part of this post as a postscript, if you will. Upon reflection (which seems to happen to me all the time) I think this addition will benefit the post..
I perhaps sounded unkind and perhaps too quick to speak, on the subject of suicide and mental illness. As regards mental illness, just about everyone has one or another form of this condition, to a greater or lesser degree, sometime in their life, and there is no shame in our confessing this. The shame is, in not getting help when it is available, and letting the disease lead you to an unwise decision or act. I did not mean to sound judgemental, but I probably did, and I shouldn't have. The point I poorly tried to make was that Hemingway's life gave lie(s) to his writings. He lived his life in an entirely different fashion than his protagonists, in most cases. He abused his wives (4) his children and his liver, so consequently he died sad, delusional and alone. Sad.
yr obt svt.
TOP
I just finished reading a volume of Hemingway's Nick Adams stories. I had read the stories years ago, but as is typical of an old man, I had forgotten most of them.
After reading the stories I am almost thankful of a porous memory. Hemingway's writing style is perhaps good in some instances, but to me he belabors every descriptive sentence, plus he is stingy with his use of commas and apparently abhors a semicolon. One page in one of Hemingway's books or stories might consist of dozens of sentences, when the story would not be harmed by the judicious use of a few commas.
There is also the fact, that in describing , for instance, a shirt, by the time he finishes, the reader will know the color of the shirt, the cut, how it hangs on one's body, the weight of the material, it's number of pockets and buttons, where the cotton was grown, what the woman looked like who wove the thread, what the thread count was and on and on inexhaustibly. I say these things with the full irony of knowing that a less-than-writer such as myself probably will be thought to have a lot of Gall in criticising a successful Novelist when the critic (mineselluf) is obviously not much of a writer. This reminds me of a saying that I think I read once, but might just as well be something I made up i.e. "Owning a hundred hammers don't make you a Carpenter". In Hemingway's case, and entirely in my opinion only, owning a typewriter doesn't make you a writer.
Now I should hasten to say that millions of people would disagree with what I have written about this legendary writer, but as far as I am concerned, the only Book that E.H. ever wrote that I could read in enjoyment, and without criticism, was"The Old Man and the Sea ", which story line lent itself to lengthy descriptive prose.
The rest of his writing, when compared to any one of a multiplicity of Authors I have enjoyed, is not all that great. Hemingway seemed to love anything Masculine in the extreme, such as Bullfighting, but had so many potholes in his life to serve to give lie to much of his writing.
Hemingway had the public image (which he cultivated) of a bold, brave, strong, hairy-chested great hearted Knight, but he never mastered the art of staying married, or in the end, of enduring pain.
Some people would hasten to mention the fact that suicides seem to run in the Hemingway blood line.
His father took his own life, as did three of Hemingway's siblings and his Grandaughter Margaux. In addition his son, Gregory, died after the turn of the 21st century as a Transsexual, so perhaps the main thing that ran in the line was mental illness.
Hemingway himself was described by one of his former wives as being sick and delusional at the time he killed himself. Throughout Hemingway's works the theme of death being a "gift" is repeatedly used, and in my opinion, is allegorical (or perhaps not, what do I know?)
At any rate, Hemingway should be the subject for any course of American Literature, and let the student form his own opinion of the writer, as I have done.
Now I should say I am adding this part of this post as a postscript, if you will. Upon reflection (which seems to happen to me all the time) I think this addition will benefit the post..
I perhaps sounded unkind and perhaps too quick to speak, on the subject of suicide and mental illness. As regards mental illness, just about everyone has one or another form of this condition, to a greater or lesser degree, sometime in their life, and there is no shame in our confessing this. The shame is, in not getting help when it is available, and letting the disease lead you to an unwise decision or act. I did not mean to sound judgemental, but I probably did, and I shouldn't have. The point I poorly tried to make was that Hemingway's life gave lie(s) to his writings. He lived his life in an entirely different fashion than his protagonists, in most cases. He abused his wives (4) his children and his liver, so consequently he died sad, delusional and alone. Sad.
yr obt svt.
TOP
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The Anthony Trial
Good Evening:
Well the Casey Anthony murder trial has concluded with yet another miscarriage of justice.
For the life of me I cannot see how any jury comprised of sentient human beings could find this woman not guilty, when she didn't even tell anyone her little girl, Caylee, was "Missing". When she finally admitted she hadn't seen the child for 31 days and told every kind of a wild story except perhaps saying the child had been abducted by Extraterrestrials (and she would probably have told that lie too if she had thought of it). She is a pitiful excuse for a human being, and one can only hope that, one way or another, she will receive her just due, which is savage punishment, sooner or later.
The only thing on a par with her obvious guilt, and the obvious miscarriage of Justice, is the patent disgrace that was the jury. It was more than obvious that the jury was tired of being sequestered for so long a time, and chose the speediest way they could think of to get released from duty, and, I suggest, they (or at least one of them) was learned enough to say "if we find her guilty, there can always be an appeal, whereas if we find her not guilty, no one can come back at us"
You will note that I have railed before at people who harm children, and the need for a sure and certain severe punishment, and this verdict just reinforces the way that I feel on that subject, and that is, there is no punishment too severe for ANYONE who would harm, molest or Kill a child, Period.
I know that someday she will come before that final bar of judgement, and then will receive her just punishment, but the savage in me wishes her punishment could take place here on Earth.
I just cannot get past the fact that this piece of white trash killed her child because,well......She was inconvenient. She got in the way of her "mothers" whorish lifestyle,she had to be fed, in order to be put to bed and sleep while Casey was out partying, the child was in all likelihood Chloroformed, night after seamy night, and possibly one night Casey used the Chloroform a little too long....and the child died.
"Oh Gosh!!!.....How inconvenient, the kid's dead now what am I ( The BIG I, the eternal I, the all important I), going to do with her now? ".
This is the thing that I feel the jurors never once even asked themselves. If they thought that Miss Casey was so innocent, how did they wrap their minds around the fact that she (casey) didn't tell anyone the child was "missing", for 31 days?
Lord God. We have an elderly Chow dog that we love,and a couple of times one of us left the gate open to her play yard and she got out and went exploring, and we nearly moved Heaven and earth to find her before she could get struck by a car!!
Well, at least Casey has now a possible new career. If she can bribe someone to take the exams for her, she can become a defense attorney (lower case intentional)
I would pray for understanding, but this CANNOT be understood
God Bless the Little Children
TOP
Well the Casey Anthony murder trial has concluded with yet another miscarriage of justice.
For the life of me I cannot see how any jury comprised of sentient human beings could find this woman not guilty, when she didn't even tell anyone her little girl, Caylee, was "Missing". When she finally admitted she hadn't seen the child for 31 days and told every kind of a wild story except perhaps saying the child had been abducted by Extraterrestrials (and she would probably have told that lie too if she had thought of it). She is a pitiful excuse for a human being, and one can only hope that, one way or another, she will receive her just due, which is savage punishment, sooner or later.
The only thing on a par with her obvious guilt, and the obvious miscarriage of Justice, is the patent disgrace that was the jury. It was more than obvious that the jury was tired of being sequestered for so long a time, and chose the speediest way they could think of to get released from duty, and, I suggest, they (or at least one of them) was learned enough to say "if we find her guilty, there can always be an appeal, whereas if we find her not guilty, no one can come back at us"
You will note that I have railed before at people who harm children, and the need for a sure and certain severe punishment, and this verdict just reinforces the way that I feel on that subject, and that is, there is no punishment too severe for ANYONE who would harm, molest or Kill a child, Period.
I know that someday she will come before that final bar of judgement, and then will receive her just punishment, but the savage in me wishes her punishment could take place here on Earth.
I just cannot get past the fact that this piece of white trash killed her child because,well......She was inconvenient. She got in the way of her "mothers" whorish lifestyle,she had to be fed, in order to be put to bed and sleep while Casey was out partying, the child was in all likelihood Chloroformed, night after seamy night, and possibly one night Casey used the Chloroform a little too long....and the child died.
"Oh Gosh!!!.....How inconvenient, the kid's dead now what am I ( The BIG I, the eternal I, the all important I), going to do with her now? ".
This is the thing that I feel the jurors never once even asked themselves. If they thought that Miss Casey was so innocent, how did they wrap their minds around the fact that she (casey) didn't tell anyone the child was "missing", for 31 days?
Lord God. We have an elderly Chow dog that we love,and a couple of times one of us left the gate open to her play yard and she got out and went exploring, and we nearly moved Heaven and earth to find her before she could get struck by a car!!
Well, at least Casey has now a possible new career. If she can bribe someone to take the exams for her, she can become a defense attorney (lower case intentional)
I would pray for understanding, but this CANNOT be understood
God Bless the Little Children
TOP
Monday, June 20, 2011
Our "Non-Kenetic" Role in Libya.
Good Afternoon:
If you have been following the news on television, or the Newspapers, you are no doubt that we (Our Armed Forces) are playing a part in the attempt to unseat Moammar Khaddafy.
This is all part of the so called "Arab Spring", which started in Egypt, resulting in the resignation of its President, and then quickly spreading to other Arab Countries that were under the thumb of a dictator, of greater or lesser inclination to punish demonstrators for change, with varying degrees of savagery.
Now to a point, this was all well and good with the United States until unrest started growing in Libya and a group dedicated to the overthrow of Khaddafy formed and began to back its efforts with whatever armed might it (the movement)might have had on hand.
Now along about two or three months ago, The United States, in the person of our apprentice President figured that instead of staying on the sidelines and let the Arabs do all their spleen venting on one another, and more or less minding our own business, and staying the heck out of any more conflict in the Middle East, which would have been the smart thing to do, as the Good Lord knows we have plenty of Arabs who hate the United States and the Liberty it stands for as it is. But, Nooooo, our esteemed President decided in his finite Wisdom that this would be a grand opportunity for the U.S. to play a "Good Guy" role in this conflict, without risking much.
So our President decided that the U.S. would play what he called a Non-Kinetic role in the Libyan conflict. I think what he meant to say, until his love of Professorial Lecturing got in his way, was that we would have no troops on the ground, and merely establish a "No-Fly" zone over areas of conflict in Libya. Well, at least in the Prez's mind this was working just swell, until the few other countries who contributed Aircraft and Munitions to the "Allied" effort began to run out of Munitions and desire, leaving the U.S. to shoulder an ever-increasing load in this Brouhaha, maintaining not only our Aircraft and crews, and dropping more than our share of bombs on Ghaddafy's forces, but also now starting to give all our other Ally(s ?) all the munitions they needed to continue the conflict.
Well, So far, our country has embroiled itself in the conflict to the tune of Nine to Twenty Million Dollars a week, spent, as far as I can see, in what, I'm very much afraid, will simply give another group of Arabs cause to hate the United States even more than they already do.
We could have avoided this embroglio by simply minding our own business and keeping entirely out of any Arab vs Arab conflict, and simply waited until the dust settled, and then deciding what, if anything, we wished to do about the problem.
I , for sure, don't know about anybody else, but am of the opinion that Ten Years of Wars in the Middle East which have almost Bankrupted the United States, as well as wasting what is fast approaching Seven Thousand American lives is more than enough. We have proved to the world that we (the USA) posess overwhelming military force and, given a good reason, we will use it, but I respectfully suggest that Libyan politics is not a good reason. I think that Libya is none of our business, period.
Now I know, the gainsayers and Obamites will say, "Well George W. Bush started those wars", and this is true, even though he, and the Nation, was goaded into reprisal mode after the senseless tragedies of 9-11-01, but it shouldn't take a genius to observe what the cost has been for these Wars, and simply stayed the hell out of any further involvement in the middle east, AKA "The Sandpile".
You know, I have always taken pains to give little O credit for being a lot smarter that I am , but lately I'm not so sure.
How sayest thou?
TOP
If you have been following the news on television, or the Newspapers, you are no doubt that we (Our Armed Forces) are playing a part in the attempt to unseat Moammar Khaddafy.
This is all part of the so called "Arab Spring", which started in Egypt, resulting in the resignation of its President, and then quickly spreading to other Arab Countries that were under the thumb of a dictator, of greater or lesser inclination to punish demonstrators for change, with varying degrees of savagery.
Now to a point, this was all well and good with the United States until unrest started growing in Libya and a group dedicated to the overthrow of Khaddafy formed and began to back its efforts with whatever armed might it (the movement)might have had on hand.
Now along about two or three months ago, The United States, in the person of our apprentice President figured that instead of staying on the sidelines and let the Arabs do all their spleen venting on one another, and more or less minding our own business, and staying the heck out of any more conflict in the Middle East, which would have been the smart thing to do, as the Good Lord knows we have plenty of Arabs who hate the United States and the Liberty it stands for as it is. But, Nooooo, our esteemed President decided in his finite Wisdom that this would be a grand opportunity for the U.S. to play a "Good Guy" role in this conflict, without risking much.
So our President decided that the U.S. would play what he called a Non-Kinetic role in the Libyan conflict. I think what he meant to say, until his love of Professorial Lecturing got in his way, was that we would have no troops on the ground, and merely establish a "No-Fly" zone over areas of conflict in Libya. Well, at least in the Prez's mind this was working just swell, until the few other countries who contributed Aircraft and Munitions to the "Allied" effort began to run out of Munitions and desire, leaving the U.S. to shoulder an ever-increasing load in this Brouhaha, maintaining not only our Aircraft and crews, and dropping more than our share of bombs on Ghaddafy's forces, but also now starting to give all our other Ally(s ?) all the munitions they needed to continue the conflict.
Well, So far, our country has embroiled itself in the conflict to the tune of Nine to Twenty Million Dollars a week, spent, as far as I can see, in what, I'm very much afraid, will simply give another group of Arabs cause to hate the United States even more than they already do.
We could have avoided this embroglio by simply minding our own business and keeping entirely out of any Arab vs Arab conflict, and simply waited until the dust settled, and then deciding what, if anything, we wished to do about the problem.
I , for sure, don't know about anybody else, but am of the opinion that Ten Years of Wars in the Middle East which have almost Bankrupted the United States, as well as wasting what is fast approaching Seven Thousand American lives is more than enough. We have proved to the world that we (the USA) posess overwhelming military force and, given a good reason, we will use it, but I respectfully suggest that Libyan politics is not a good reason. I think that Libya is none of our business, period.
Now I know, the gainsayers and Obamites will say, "Well George W. Bush started those wars", and this is true, even though he, and the Nation, was goaded into reprisal mode after the senseless tragedies of 9-11-01, but it shouldn't take a genius to observe what the cost has been for these Wars, and simply stayed the hell out of any further involvement in the middle east, AKA "The Sandpile".
You know, I have always taken pains to give little O credit for being a lot smarter that I am , but lately I'm not so sure.
How sayest thou?
TOP
Monday, June 6, 2011
Dumb Politician.
Good Evening:
The two or three of you who follow my Blog will no doubt say that the title of this post is redundant, and to be honest, you are entirely correct, as even the Great Mark Twain was quoted as saying "Suppose you were a Politician and suppose you were a crook, But I repeat myself", so I think it is fair to say that people look at most Politicians with a good deal of skepticism , as do I. That we are driven to have a low opinion of most of the elected officials in Washington and elsewhere, however, is a crying shame.
The thing that prompted me to write this particle article is the broohaha that was developed over the last few days about Congressman Weiner (rhymes with wiener) who apparently had a long habit of sending explicit pictures of himself in erotic poses and stages of undress.
Sadly, I am no longer shocked by this type of juvenile behavior on the part of one or more of our "Servants", as it has become too commonplace.
This was brought even further to the spotlight by a Show hosted by Former Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York, who as you may recall, resigned his Elected Position when it came to light that he had spent upwards of $40,000.00 on hookers. Now, I don't know about you, but this seems to me to be a case of a Rat calling a Possum a long nosed S.O.B. Here's this clay footed individual(Spitzer)making a great deal of money in hosting a T.V. show, on this occasion anyway, about a politician who displays a lack of not only common sense, but common decency as well.
It has only been a short time since we found out that former California Governor "Ahnold" Schwartzenegger had fathered an illegitimate child with his housekeeper, and apparently is on his way to an expensive divorce as a result, and now we have yet another Sap (sexually atrocious politician) in the news .
Good Grief, Charlie Brown, is it too much to expect for Politicians to behave themselves at least while they are in a position of Public Trust, or what used to be called thus. I expect we can sling a modifier at that Title now.
Maybe a third Political Party should be formed, suggestions for a name of this party will be welcomed, but I lean toward "The Grand old Horndogs".
Remember to vote and vote often, and if you really WANT to look at a list of Political Criminals and disgraced Politicians (as if being a Pol isn't disgrace enough!)go to politicalgraveyard.com Set aside at least an hour to read this list.
Sigh!
TOP
The two or three of you who follow my Blog will no doubt say that the title of this post is redundant, and to be honest, you are entirely correct, as even the Great Mark Twain was quoted as saying "Suppose you were a Politician and suppose you were a crook, But I repeat myself", so I think it is fair to say that people look at most Politicians with a good deal of skepticism , as do I. That we are driven to have a low opinion of most of the elected officials in Washington and elsewhere, however, is a crying shame.
The thing that prompted me to write this particle article is the broohaha that was developed over the last few days about Congressman Weiner (rhymes with wiener) who apparently had a long habit of sending explicit pictures of himself in erotic poses and stages of undress.
Sadly, I am no longer shocked by this type of juvenile behavior on the part of one or more of our "Servants", as it has become too commonplace.
This was brought even further to the spotlight by a Show hosted by Former Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York, who as you may recall, resigned his Elected Position when it came to light that he had spent upwards of $40,000.00 on hookers. Now, I don't know about you, but this seems to me to be a case of a Rat calling a Possum a long nosed S.O.B. Here's this clay footed individual(Spitzer)making a great deal of money in hosting a T.V. show, on this occasion anyway, about a politician who displays a lack of not only common sense, but common decency as well.
It has only been a short time since we found out that former California Governor "Ahnold" Schwartzenegger had fathered an illegitimate child with his housekeeper, and apparently is on his way to an expensive divorce as a result, and now we have yet another Sap (sexually atrocious politician) in the news .
Good Grief, Charlie Brown, is it too much to expect for Politicians to behave themselves at least while they are in a position of Public Trust, or what used to be called thus. I expect we can sling a modifier at that Title now.
Maybe a third Political Party should be formed, suggestions for a name of this party will be welcomed, but I lean toward "The Grand old Horndogs".
Remember to vote and vote often, and if you really WANT to look at a list of Political Criminals and disgraced Politicians (as if being a Pol isn't disgrace enough!)go to politicalgraveyard.com Set aside at least an hour to read this list.
Sigh!
TOP
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Kentucky Basketball
Good Evening Sports Fans:
Well its that time again, the Kentucky Derby has been run and a new crop of Kentucky Basketball players have shown that a mind is an o.k. thing to waste.
I am speaking of the habit of Kentucky Basketball Coach and dumbass Emeritus Calipari, who has encouraged many of his players to play just one year on their almost new, barely used scholarship, and submit their names to the "Pro" draft.
Folks, am I the only person who thinks that not only this policy, but this clown of a Coach is busily raping a fine University?
Innocent naif though I may be, I always thought that the main purpose of an Institution of Higher Learning was for...for...well, learning, and as far as I can see the only thing these kids learn in this program is that the Coach will help you get rich if you will play one year of B'ball for him.
To me this is simply disgraceful. Perhaps its because I had to fight and claw for whatever I have that passes for an Education (worked straight Midnight Shift and went to College in the Daytime, on the G.I. Bill) and therefore place a high price on an Education and feel strongly that a person should never stop trying to further their Education, or I'm realistic and enquiring enough to check the stats and see the United States slowly but surely sliding toward the bottom of the level of Education possessed by Nations throughout the World.
I don't know the answer to my own question, but I DO know one thing. If the trend continues of degrading the importance of an Education, and to continue to encourage kids to spend all their free time practicing some sport or another, instead of doing their homework, and striving to learn, the United States is headed for even more trouble.I also believe that a valid component of today's poor economy is due to lowering educational standings and the result thereof of having a steady decline of the population of well Educated or well trained young people ready for the workforce.
I will never forget how one chap I worked with years ago, relating that when he was a College undergraduate, doing student-teaching he witnessed one day an occurrence with illustrates perhaps well the state of Education in the United States.
Now, this friend of mine, as I say, was teaching a Class, I think in English, and was giving the class a short pop quiz. As was his habit, while the student were bent over their tests, he was circulating throughout the room, observing the students and making himself available should a student raise his or her hand and ask for clarification of something on the test, when he noticed one kid take a slip of paper out of his pocket and look at it while He wrote something on his test paper.
Upon getting close behind the kid, my friend found the kid laboriously copying something on his test that was boldly printed on the secreted piece of paper he had taken from his pocket. What was he copying ?.........His Name. It is illustrative to mention that the kid was attending the University (free) on a Basketball Scholarship., and didn't even know how to spell his name! Now, I have nothing against Basketball, I enjoyed playing the game myself when I was in High School, but I never had the Talent, desire or time to play the game instead of going to school or working after school.
I hope I am as wrong as I can be, but I cannot see that the U.S. is going to maintain its status in the civilizations of the World if we, as a nation, continue to give Education a low priority...I wish that those of you who are interested would either forward this piece or your own feelings to the Presidents of Universities in your States. And if you doubt that our young people are not getting as good an Education as College Graduates once did, just start noticing the mistakes you see in your local newspaper, as often as not in an article written by an Associated Press Writer. I read an article in todays newspaper, written by a syndicated writer, who was writing about a certain political candidate being a "Shoe-In" for office. This person, I would imagine gets paid pretty well as a syndicated columnist, yet he didn't even know the correct phrase is "Shoo-in".
Now, I would imagine that most of you have noticed that I am far from a good writer, and that I frequently make mistakes in punctuation and etc, My only excuse is that I am still learning, my Education continues.
Peace
TOP
Well its that time again, the Kentucky Derby has been run and a new crop of Kentucky Basketball players have shown that a mind is an o.k. thing to waste.
I am speaking of the habit of Kentucky Basketball Coach and dumbass Emeritus Calipari, who has encouraged many of his players to play just one year on their almost new, barely used scholarship, and submit their names to the "Pro" draft.
Folks, am I the only person who thinks that not only this policy, but this clown of a Coach is busily raping a fine University?
Innocent naif though I may be, I always thought that the main purpose of an Institution of Higher Learning was for...for...well, learning, and as far as I can see the only thing these kids learn in this program is that the Coach will help you get rich if you will play one year of B'ball for him.
To me this is simply disgraceful. Perhaps its because I had to fight and claw for whatever I have that passes for an Education (worked straight Midnight Shift and went to College in the Daytime, on the G.I. Bill) and therefore place a high price on an Education and feel strongly that a person should never stop trying to further their Education, or I'm realistic and enquiring enough to check the stats and see the United States slowly but surely sliding toward the bottom of the level of Education possessed by Nations throughout the World.
I don't know the answer to my own question, but I DO know one thing. If the trend continues of degrading the importance of an Education, and to continue to encourage kids to spend all their free time practicing some sport or another, instead of doing their homework, and striving to learn, the United States is headed for even more trouble.I also believe that a valid component of today's poor economy is due to lowering educational standings and the result thereof of having a steady decline of the population of well Educated or well trained young people ready for the workforce.
I will never forget how one chap I worked with years ago, relating that when he was a College undergraduate, doing student-teaching he witnessed one day an occurrence with illustrates perhaps well the state of Education in the United States.
Now, this friend of mine, as I say, was teaching a Class, I think in English, and was giving the class a short pop quiz. As was his habit, while the student were bent over their tests, he was circulating throughout the room, observing the students and making himself available should a student raise his or her hand and ask for clarification of something on the test, when he noticed one kid take a slip of paper out of his pocket and look at it while He wrote something on his test paper.
Upon getting close behind the kid, my friend found the kid laboriously copying something on his test that was boldly printed on the secreted piece of paper he had taken from his pocket. What was he copying ?.........His Name. It is illustrative to mention that the kid was attending the University (free) on a Basketball Scholarship., and didn't even know how to spell his name! Now, I have nothing against Basketball, I enjoyed playing the game myself when I was in High School, but I never had the Talent, desire or time to play the game instead of going to school or working after school.
I hope I am as wrong as I can be, but I cannot see that the U.S. is going to maintain its status in the civilizations of the World if we, as a nation, continue to give Education a low priority...I wish that those of you who are interested would either forward this piece or your own feelings to the Presidents of Universities in your States. And if you doubt that our young people are not getting as good an Education as College Graduates once did, just start noticing the mistakes you see in your local newspaper, as often as not in an article written by an Associated Press Writer. I read an article in todays newspaper, written by a syndicated writer, who was writing about a certain political candidate being a "Shoe-In" for office. This person, I would imagine gets paid pretty well as a syndicated columnist, yet he didn't even know the correct phrase is "Shoo-in".
Now, I would imagine that most of you have noticed that I am far from a good writer, and that I frequently make mistakes in punctuation and etc, My only excuse is that I am still learning, my Education continues.
Peace
TOP
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Usama Bin Ded
Good Afternoon:
Well the spawn of the Devil has finally received his just due. Whoever the Navy Seal is (and we will never know his name) did a valuable service to mankind and inflicted a just punishment on this sub-human slime-oozing vessel of hatred, and I do not think it unseemly that all decent people of whatever ethnicity should celebrate this occurrence.
As I understand it, UBL was shot in the head, while atttempting to make himself small and hide behind one of his many wives. I'll bet he was wishing he had picked a great fat wife to sleep with that night!
During one of the news conferences from the White House about this event, one of the "Journalists" KEPT asking, "Was Ben Lauden armed when he was shot?" I wish mightily the Press Secretary who was holding the News Conference had said "I don't know whether he was armed or not, and I don't care; as I know that most ,if not all, of the Civilians who were killed by minions of this reptile on 9-11-01 were not armed"
One other thing that I disagree with in the Operation was when UBL was ferried to the Carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson to be disposed of at Sea, was that we were repeatedly told that this stinking corpse was given an appropriate Muslim Burial, albeit at Sea.
I think rather than a dignified Burial (or Disposal) would have been for the Corpse to have been placed in the bottom of a Military Latrine for a few weeks and let service members Baptise him in a more fitting manner.
At any rate, it shouldn't be hard to spot the location, in the Arabian Sea, of his remains. Just look for an Oil Slick, surrounded by puking Sharks.
He should make a very Hot and enduring fire in Hell, along with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and whoever invented the Cell Phone.
Hooray for our side!!!!!!!!!!!
TOP
Well the spawn of the Devil has finally received his just due. Whoever the Navy Seal is (and we will never know his name) did a valuable service to mankind and inflicted a just punishment on this sub-human slime-oozing vessel of hatred, and I do not think it unseemly that all decent people of whatever ethnicity should celebrate this occurrence.
As I understand it, UBL was shot in the head, while atttempting to make himself small and hide behind one of his many wives. I'll bet he was wishing he had picked a great fat wife to sleep with that night!
During one of the news conferences from the White House about this event, one of the "Journalists" KEPT asking, "Was Ben Lauden armed when he was shot?" I wish mightily the Press Secretary who was holding the News Conference had said "I don't know whether he was armed or not, and I don't care; as I know that most ,if not all, of the Civilians who were killed by minions of this reptile on 9-11-01 were not armed"
One other thing that I disagree with in the Operation was when UBL was ferried to the Carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson to be disposed of at Sea, was that we were repeatedly told that this stinking corpse was given an appropriate Muslim Burial, albeit at Sea.
I think rather than a dignified Burial (or Disposal) would have been for the Corpse to have been placed in the bottom of a Military Latrine for a few weeks and let service members Baptise him in a more fitting manner.
At any rate, it shouldn't be hard to spot the location, in the Arabian Sea, of his remains. Just look for an Oil Slick, surrounded by puking Sharks.
He should make a very Hot and enduring fire in Hell, along with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot and whoever invented the Cell Phone.
Hooray for our side!!!!!!!!!!!
TOP
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Conceited Comedian
Hi Guys:
Its a beautiful day today in my neighborhood and I hope in yours. Its funny the way one's spirits rise and fall with the barometer and the appearance and disappearance of the Sun.
And speaking of funny I was just watching a half-hour of commercials, during which there was a few moments of what used to be called a "Show", and back when I was a young adult I can remember when the reason people watched T.V. was for the Shows, and the commercials were just a minor annoyance . Anyway, I was watching some show about Hollywood "Personalities" and the host was talking to Jerry Seinfeld, who as you may recall, once had a T.V. Show bearing his name, in which he was surrounded by funny people, while he was about as funny as a Funeral. My wife and I both agreed that the show would have been funnier without Seinfeld on it. Anyhow (again!) while I was watching today, the host of the show asked Seinfeld what he thought of the Royal Wedding, and the man who is mainly remembered for making more for doing less than any T. V. personality up until that time, replied, speaking of the Royal Wedding, "It's a Circus" "They are nobody, not even real people" and on and on with his finely tuned Whineeeeee voice hitting a note about twelve inches higher than high C,
But, when asked if he was going to watch The Royal Nuptials on T.V. he said that he definitely was as, "We don't have anything like that over here"
I couldn't help but mentally contrast the details of Seinfeld's own wedding, which you may recall was him marrying a woman (I started to say Lady, but that wouldn't apply here) who he met on her Honeymoon, and proceeded to basically BUY her from her brand-spanking new husband, making her one of the highest paid prostitutes since Jackie Onassis. Now before all of you feminists out there get a twist in your knickers at that description of this woman, just share with me what you would call a woman, on her honeymoon, probably still with rice in her hair, discard her brand spanking new husband, for one with a great deal more money ?
And this monied, wife-thief is the same bird who is criticising the Wedding of the Heir to the Throne of Great Britain. He (Seinfeld) seems to think that since he made a great deal of money on television, he, somehow, is intelligent. Snort!!!!!
As anyone knows, who has watched one of Seinfelds stand-up "Comedy'(Again Snort!) shows the act mainly consists of his Whining, "have you ever noticed?"
Now, I am not a funny man, but on my worst day I could be funnier than this character with one whiticism tied behind my back.
So There
TOP
Its a beautiful day today in my neighborhood and I hope in yours. Its funny the way one's spirits rise and fall with the barometer and the appearance and disappearance of the Sun.
And speaking of funny I was just watching a half-hour of commercials, during which there was a few moments of what used to be called a "Show", and back when I was a young adult I can remember when the reason people watched T.V. was for the Shows, and the commercials were just a minor annoyance . Anyway, I was watching some show about Hollywood "Personalities" and the host was talking to Jerry Seinfeld, who as you may recall, once had a T.V. Show bearing his name, in which he was surrounded by funny people, while he was about as funny as a Funeral. My wife and I both agreed that the show would have been funnier without Seinfeld on it. Anyhow (again!) while I was watching today, the host of the show asked Seinfeld what he thought of the Royal Wedding, and the man who is mainly remembered for making more for doing less than any T. V. personality up until that time, replied, speaking of the Royal Wedding, "It's a Circus" "They are nobody, not even real people" and on and on with his finely tuned Whineeeeee voice hitting a note about twelve inches higher than high C,
But, when asked if he was going to watch The Royal Nuptials on T.V. he said that he definitely was as, "We don't have anything like that over here"
I couldn't help but mentally contrast the details of Seinfeld's own wedding, which you may recall was him marrying a woman (I started to say Lady, but that wouldn't apply here) who he met on her Honeymoon, and proceeded to basically BUY her from her brand-spanking new husband, making her one of the highest paid prostitutes since Jackie Onassis. Now before all of you feminists out there get a twist in your knickers at that description of this woman, just share with me what you would call a woman, on her honeymoon, probably still with rice in her hair, discard her brand spanking new husband, for one with a great deal more money ?
And this monied, wife-thief is the same bird who is criticising the Wedding of the Heir to the Throne of Great Britain. He (Seinfeld) seems to think that since he made a great deal of money on television, he, somehow, is intelligent. Snort!!!!!
As anyone knows, who has watched one of Seinfelds stand-up "Comedy'(Again Snort!) shows the act mainly consists of his Whining, "have you ever noticed?"
Now, I am not a funny man, but on my worst day I could be funnier than this character with one whiticism tied behind my back.
So There
TOP
Friday, April 8, 2011
Outstanding Blog
Good Afternoon Folks:
Just want to take a moment to recommend a Blog written by a gentleman I stumbled across by accident when I was trying to set up my mess of a blog.
This blog is "John Three Sixteen @ blogspot.com"
This blog will teach you more than a dozen Preachers, and it comes from the heart of a true Gentleman, in every sense of the word.
Stay Well
The Old Professor
Just want to take a moment to recommend a Blog written by a gentleman I stumbled across by accident when I was trying to set up my mess of a blog.
This blog is "John Three Sixteen @ blogspot.com"
This blog will teach you more than a dozen Preachers, and it comes from the heart of a true Gentleman, in every sense of the word.
Stay Well
The Old Professor
Friday, March 25, 2011
This,That and T`other.
Jambo,Good People.
In reference to my last post, criticising an article (poorly) written by Robert J. Samuelson in Newsweek Magazine, I was surprised to see that the Moron is at it again.
In the issue following the one in which the first incendiary article appeared, Mr. Samuelson rubbed salt into the mental wounds he created in the Senior Citizens of this Republic by revisiting a subject he would have, in my humble opinion, been better off abandoning and letting his first article rest on its lousy laurels and gone on to another subject.
To be absolutely fair and honest, I will admit that Mr. S is probably much better educated, and wiser, than am I. However, I stand ready to participate in a verbal duel with this dedicated anti-humanitarian, at ten paces or pages.
In his latest article, revisiting the subject of Social Security, Mr. Samuelson now says bluntly that Social Security benefits for the elderly are "Middle Class Welfare'.
Also in order to be fair I should say that obviously you have the constitutional
freedom to agree with Mr. S, just as you have the right to believe that the Earth is flat, the moon is made of green cheese and that Politicians are Honest, that used car salesmen (those who weren't smart enough to be politicians) are pure of heart and the cost of living hasn't gone up at all in the last two years (as the Federal Government States), but I wouldn't recommend it.
I will enter into a sub-fractional agreement with Mr. Samuelson on a tiny bit of his "welfare" remark e.g. that perhaps the "Welfare appellation might be accurate for those among us who don't work, have never worked and never will . These are the selfsame individuals who drew the REAL welfare earlier in their lives, and are now drawing Social Security, but I sincerely think that this portion of the S.S. recipients is infinitesimally minute, in that the overwhelming majority of we recipients DID work for most or all of our adult lives to EARN our social Security, and to pick the Fly Specks out of the pepper, as Mr. S tends to do,I again hasten to affirm that few of us paid enough into the Social Security Fund to cover the amounts we will draw in what's left of our life, and I will again say that we didn't write the Social Security Bill, had nothing to do with the amount congress decided to assign each of us to pay into the fund, so whose fault is it?
I will also agree that people who have a overlarge income upon retirement should not qualify for Social Security. Just consider this one more tax., and with that I will close this part of this days post.
On another subject, I see where it has now been 30 years since John Hinckley shot President Reagan, his Press Secretary, Jim Brady, a secret Service Agent and a Washington Policeman. I think we all know the status of all the above wounded, but do you know what kind of life Mr. Hinkley is leading?
Well to inform. Mr. Hinkley is still committed to a Mental Institution, but is free to wander the grounds freely and unsupervised, has had a number of girlfriends, gets 12 unsupervised trips to visit his Mother each year, Ten days at each visit. Folks, that's One Hundred and Twenty days per year of Absolute freedom for this nut, Four Months, or one third of his confinement year !!!! Boy, that'll teach him !!!
Oh Well, enough of the grim news. I also read of a new growth of British Television shows, which if you haven't seen them, you can have no idea of how superior they are to the Best Efforts of the American Entertainment industry.
My wife got hooked on British Television quite a number of years ago, and persuaded me to watch them on a trial basis, and now.....well now, I simply DO NOT miss one of these fine shows. Such shows as "Foyle's War", Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christies 'Poirot" and the latest show we've found to be terrific, "Doc Martin", are absolute Blue Ribbon entertainment, and I think once you watch them you will be just as addicted to them as my wife and I are. I have no idea why such quality entertainment is beyond the capabilities of the American entertainment industry, but, sadly, it is. On American Series, if the characters aren't nearly or at least,partially, naked, it seems that the industry thinks the show is a failure. I think Charlie Sheen's drug-driven rages are perhaps symptomatic of one of the troubles in the American Entertainment industry. It seems that scarcely a week goes by that we don't hear or read of another Television or Movie Star's absolutely abhorant behavior, and these are the people to whom Millions of Dollars are paid. Yeah life's fair. Oh Well.
Just wanted to end this on an "up" beat, but it seems I've failed. Anyway if you get a chance check your local PBS TV channel and sample some of these fine British T.V. shows, I think you will like them as much as I do.
God Bless,
The Old Professor
In reference to my last post, criticising an article (poorly) written by Robert J. Samuelson in Newsweek Magazine, I was surprised to see that the Moron is at it again.
In the issue following the one in which the first incendiary article appeared, Mr. Samuelson rubbed salt into the mental wounds he created in the Senior Citizens of this Republic by revisiting a subject he would have, in my humble opinion, been better off abandoning and letting his first article rest on its lousy laurels and gone on to another subject.
To be absolutely fair and honest, I will admit that Mr. S is probably much better educated, and wiser, than am I. However, I stand ready to participate in a verbal duel with this dedicated anti-humanitarian, at ten paces or pages.
In his latest article, revisiting the subject of Social Security, Mr. Samuelson now says bluntly that Social Security benefits for the elderly are "Middle Class Welfare'.
Also in order to be fair I should say that obviously you have the constitutional
freedom to agree with Mr. S, just as you have the right to believe that the Earth is flat, the moon is made of green cheese and that Politicians are Honest, that used car salesmen (those who weren't smart enough to be politicians) are pure of heart and the cost of living hasn't gone up at all in the last two years (as the Federal Government States), but I wouldn't recommend it.
I will enter into a sub-fractional agreement with Mr. Samuelson on a tiny bit of his "welfare" remark e.g. that perhaps the "Welfare appellation might be accurate for those among us who don't work, have never worked and never will . These are the selfsame individuals who drew the REAL welfare earlier in their lives, and are now drawing Social Security, but I sincerely think that this portion of the S.S. recipients is infinitesimally minute, in that the overwhelming majority of we recipients DID work for most or all of our adult lives to EARN our social Security, and to pick the Fly Specks out of the pepper, as Mr. S tends to do,I again hasten to affirm that few of us paid enough into the Social Security Fund to cover the amounts we will draw in what's left of our life, and I will again say that we didn't write the Social Security Bill, had nothing to do with the amount congress decided to assign each of us to pay into the fund, so whose fault is it?
I will also agree that people who have a overlarge income upon retirement should not qualify for Social Security. Just consider this one more tax., and with that I will close this part of this days post.
On another subject, I see where it has now been 30 years since John Hinckley shot President Reagan, his Press Secretary, Jim Brady, a secret Service Agent and a Washington Policeman. I think we all know the status of all the above wounded, but do you know what kind of life Mr. Hinkley is leading?
Well to inform. Mr. Hinkley is still committed to a Mental Institution, but is free to wander the grounds freely and unsupervised, has had a number of girlfriends, gets 12 unsupervised trips to visit his Mother each year, Ten days at each visit. Folks, that's One Hundred and Twenty days per year of Absolute freedom for this nut, Four Months, or one third of his confinement year !!!! Boy, that'll teach him !!!
Oh Well, enough of the grim news. I also read of a new growth of British Television shows, which if you haven't seen them, you can have no idea of how superior they are to the Best Efforts of the American Entertainment industry.
My wife got hooked on British Television quite a number of years ago, and persuaded me to watch them on a trial basis, and now.....well now, I simply DO NOT miss one of these fine shows. Such shows as "Foyle's War", Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christies 'Poirot" and the latest show we've found to be terrific, "Doc Martin", are absolute Blue Ribbon entertainment, and I think once you watch them you will be just as addicted to them as my wife and I are. I have no idea why such quality entertainment is beyond the capabilities of the American entertainment industry, but, sadly, it is. On American Series, if the characters aren't nearly or at least,partially, naked, it seems that the industry thinks the show is a failure. I think Charlie Sheen's drug-driven rages are perhaps symptomatic of one of the troubles in the American Entertainment industry. It seems that scarcely a week goes by that we don't hear or read of another Television or Movie Star's absolutely abhorant behavior, and these are the people to whom Millions of Dollars are paid. Yeah life's fair. Oh Well.
Just wanted to end this on an "up" beat, but it seems I've failed. Anyway if you get a chance check your local PBS TV channel and sample some of these fine British T.V. shows, I think you will like them as much as I do.
God Bless,
The Old Professor
Friday, March 4, 2011
Robert J. Samuelson vs the AARP
Good Afternoon folks:
I have just finished reading this weeks issue of Newsweek, and I am sadly disappointed in this usually fine magazine. In this issue Robert J. Samuelson attacks the AARP and by inference all the retired people in the United States. According to RJS, or Joe Stalin Jr. as I call him, America's financial troubles are all the fault of the people in the USA who had the utter arrogance to live, and work, until they reached retirement age, and then audaciously accept a niggardly (no that's not a racial slur--look it up)amount each month from Social Security, into which we, the grey generation, paid into for most, if not all, of our working life.
Now if this fine old idiot had simply pointed out that most retirees receive more in Social Security payments than they paid into the Account over their working life, I, for one, would have no quarrel with him. But if I may be so bold as to ask this ass whose fault is it that this situation exists ? No one asked me (or mine) if we were paying in enough to S.S. to keep the ledger balanced, and our temerity in accepting Social Security Payments as our due would not be questioned. But no one asked us. The system was created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and has been the salvation of many an older person who, inevitably was facing financial ruin because of Huge medical bills, and I am such a person.
I worked for almost 20 years in the Nuclear Industry, and have the scars and illnesses to prove it. I was badly injured in a work-place accident in 1985, was not allowed to return to work, as the illnesses I contracted as a result of breathing in Uranium dust, Asbestos Particles, and every chemical known to man had ruined my lungs, kidneys, bladder and thyroid, and I could no longer pass a standard breathing test.
For those same almost 20 years, I had paid into not only Social Security, but had the full cost of a disability plan deducted from my monthly paycheck, so when I was placed on disability by the company for which I worked, I assumed, naively, that my disability plan, as promised, would come into play. Boy was I ever wrong! I was told by one of the blow-dried,wingtip wonders who worked in Human Relations (a standing joke at the lab where I worked was that this Department should have been called 'Barely,Human relations"`) that I had to apply for Social Security Disability. I replied that I didn't want to, as I had paid in a Disability-Income plan for about 20 years. I was told that, in order to draw on my self-funded plan, I had to first apply for Social Security, otherwise my plan would be null and void.
I followed this field order, and reluctantly filed for Social Security Disability. In due course I was contacted by Social Security and questioned about my application. I told the nice lady rather bluntly "I don't want the damned Social Security payments", and that " I was being forced by my employer to apply as a condition of receiving ANY sort of payment for my injuries, even though they occurred on the job". and whiz bang zippo, I received a letter saying my claim for Social Security Disability had been approved . After notifying my company that I had received the above mentioned benefit, I was told that since I would be receiving Social Security, my Personal Disability Plan would not apply. To this day I think I was screwed, but since I worked for a company with about 78000 employees, there was no point in my fighting for justice. Now, I tell my personal story to illustrate one point, that most of us old geezers worked our collective asses off all our working life, and when, as always occurs, we are no longer able to work, by damn we don't appreciate being thought of as the part of the population that is Bankrupting the Country. We send Politicians to Washington to take care of that task.
So, Mr. Marx, er, Samuelson, I am just as damned sorry as I can be that we retired people are such an inconvenience as to absolutely cripple the Government, but, I will take, as a point of privilege, the opportunity to speak for most, if not all, retired people in the United States, and simply say "We are dying as fast as we know how", BUT, you arrogant Asshole, the overwhelming majority of us worked at Honest Labor to earn at least a small portion of our Social Security , and damned few of us "earned" a living by writing articles for a collection of Left-Wing publications , and if thats honest labor I'm a Jackass from Georgia (and I'm from Kentucky)
And NEWSWEEK ought to be ashamed of themselves, surely they can find a cheap writer thats less biased than this idiot.
Courage
The Old Professor
I have just finished reading this weeks issue of Newsweek, and I am sadly disappointed in this usually fine magazine. In this issue Robert J. Samuelson attacks the AARP and by inference all the retired people in the United States. According to RJS, or Joe Stalin Jr. as I call him, America's financial troubles are all the fault of the people in the USA who had the utter arrogance to live, and work, until they reached retirement age, and then audaciously accept a niggardly (no that's not a racial slur--look it up)amount each month from Social Security, into which we, the grey generation, paid into for most, if not all, of our working life.
Now if this fine old idiot had simply pointed out that most retirees receive more in Social Security payments than they paid into the Account over their working life, I, for one, would have no quarrel with him. But if I may be so bold as to ask this ass whose fault is it that this situation exists ? No one asked me (or mine) if we were paying in enough to S.S. to keep the ledger balanced, and our temerity in accepting Social Security Payments as our due would not be questioned. But no one asked us. The system was created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and has been the salvation of many an older person who, inevitably was facing financial ruin because of Huge medical bills, and I am such a person.
I worked for almost 20 years in the Nuclear Industry, and have the scars and illnesses to prove it. I was badly injured in a work-place accident in 1985, was not allowed to return to work, as the illnesses I contracted as a result of breathing in Uranium dust, Asbestos Particles, and every chemical known to man had ruined my lungs, kidneys, bladder and thyroid, and I could no longer pass a standard breathing test.
For those same almost 20 years, I had paid into not only Social Security, but had the full cost of a disability plan deducted from my monthly paycheck, so when I was placed on disability by the company for which I worked, I assumed, naively, that my disability plan, as promised, would come into play. Boy was I ever wrong! I was told by one of the blow-dried,wingtip wonders who worked in Human Relations (a standing joke at the lab where I worked was that this Department should have been called 'Barely,Human relations"`) that I had to apply for Social Security Disability. I replied that I didn't want to, as I had paid in a Disability-Income plan for about 20 years. I was told that, in order to draw on my self-funded plan, I had to first apply for Social Security, otherwise my plan would be null and void.
I followed this field order, and reluctantly filed for Social Security Disability. In due course I was contacted by Social Security and questioned about my application. I told the nice lady rather bluntly "I don't want the damned Social Security payments", and that " I was being forced by my employer to apply as a condition of receiving ANY sort of payment for my injuries, even though they occurred on the job". and whiz bang zippo, I received a letter saying my claim for Social Security Disability had been approved . After notifying my company that I had received the above mentioned benefit, I was told that since I would be receiving Social Security, my Personal Disability Plan would not apply. To this day I think I was screwed, but since I worked for a company with about 78000 employees, there was no point in my fighting for justice. Now, I tell my personal story to illustrate one point, that most of us old geezers worked our collective asses off all our working life, and when, as always occurs, we are no longer able to work, by damn we don't appreciate being thought of as the part of the population that is Bankrupting the Country. We send Politicians to Washington to take care of that task.
So, Mr. Marx, er, Samuelson, I am just as damned sorry as I can be that we retired people are such an inconvenience as to absolutely cripple the Government, but, I will take, as a point of privilege, the opportunity to speak for most, if not all, retired people in the United States, and simply say "We are dying as fast as we know how", BUT, you arrogant Asshole, the overwhelming majority of us worked at Honest Labor to earn at least a small portion of our Social Security , and damned few of us "earned" a living by writing articles for a collection of Left-Wing publications , and if thats honest labor I'm a Jackass from Georgia (and I'm from Kentucky)
And NEWSWEEK ought to be ashamed of themselves, surely they can find a cheap writer thats less biased than this idiot.
Courage
The Old Professor
Friday, January 14, 2011
In the News
Good Afternoon:
Well, in reading the newspaper today there were the usual number of pieces that outraged me, but the ones that infuriated me the most were articles about Women who had their "Boyfriends" living with them and their young children. In two cases of this sort, reported today, the "Boyfriend" is in jail, accused of Murder of the child. While the Mother of the child is probably upset at the possibility of losing her "Boyfriend" saying, no doubt, "But I luuuv him"" God, if you are listening, please design some especially tailored punishments for these sub-humans". There just has to be a special place for anyone who would harm a child, let alone a person who would take the life of the child, probably for no other reason than the child wanting something. Perhaps some food, some warmth, maybe even the luxury of having a story read to them, even if by Mom's LATEST boyfriend. And while I am on the subject, if "Mom" has other children, they should be taken from her and further, she, "Mom" should be speedily Permanently sterilized, to keep her from having and mistreating other precious children. The reader can, no doubt, easily see that this is a sore subject with me, as it is, and should be to all decent, normal human beings.
And, if the above cases aren't already enough to send one's blood pressure skyward, we read that in one of the cases the Judge reduced the defendant's bond to 10% cash. The Judge , who is apparently about as smart as tree fungi, said that the defendant's earlier brushes with the law were "minor". Those bespoken earlier offenses included the death of his 22 month old daughter while in his care and the earlier maiming of a three month son, who was admitted to the Hospital for treatment of three skull fractures and several broken ribs . Of course, according to the Judge these were just "Minor" offenses. This poor excuse for a man is long past a deserved Execution. And to go a step farther, the "Judge" in this case should be ridden out of town on a splintery rail.
Unfortunately, the seeming epidemic of child abuse and child murder cases are, I believe, symptomatic of the degradation and dissolution of our society.
Sadly, it seems that too many people just don't have any sense of decency, or right and wrong, or are incapable of loving and caring for those too young or too fragile to care for themselves. And perhaps I am reading between the wrong lines, and forecasting a sad future for such humanity as we are familiar with, but, sadly, I do not think so,
so, I guess the best thing we can do at the present time, is pray that somehow a new generous and humane pandemic of human kindness will sweep this nation, and for that matter , all the Nations of the World.
The events of this past week have once again shown that, too often, a so called human being shows us that some of us are just ravening beasts, and are unfit for a place on this planet.
God bless us, everyone.
TOP
Well, in reading the newspaper today there were the usual number of pieces that outraged me, but the ones that infuriated me the most were articles about Women who had their "Boyfriends" living with them and their young children. In two cases of this sort, reported today, the "Boyfriend" is in jail, accused of Murder of the child. While the Mother of the child is probably upset at the possibility of losing her "Boyfriend" saying, no doubt, "But I luuuv him"" God, if you are listening, please design some especially tailored punishments for these sub-humans". There just has to be a special place for anyone who would harm a child, let alone a person who would take the life of the child, probably for no other reason than the child wanting something. Perhaps some food, some warmth, maybe even the luxury of having a story read to them, even if by Mom's LATEST boyfriend. And while I am on the subject, if "Mom" has other children, they should be taken from her and further, she, "Mom" should be speedily Permanently sterilized, to keep her from having and mistreating other precious children. The reader can, no doubt, easily see that this is a sore subject with me, as it is, and should be to all decent, normal human beings.
And, if the above cases aren't already enough to send one's blood pressure skyward, we read that in one of the cases the Judge reduced the defendant's bond to 10% cash. The Judge , who is apparently about as smart as tree fungi, said that the defendant's earlier brushes with the law were "minor". Those bespoken earlier offenses included the death of his 22 month old daughter while in his care and the earlier maiming of a three month son, who was admitted to the Hospital for treatment of three skull fractures and several broken ribs . Of course, according to the Judge these were just "Minor" offenses. This poor excuse for a man is long past a deserved Execution. And to go a step farther, the "Judge" in this case should be ridden out of town on a splintery rail.
Unfortunately, the seeming epidemic of child abuse and child murder cases are, I believe, symptomatic of the degradation and dissolution of our society.
Sadly, it seems that too many people just don't have any sense of decency, or right and wrong, or are incapable of loving and caring for those too young or too fragile to care for themselves. And perhaps I am reading between the wrong lines, and forecasting a sad future for such humanity as we are familiar with, but, sadly, I do not think so,
so, I guess the best thing we can do at the present time, is pray that somehow a new generous and humane pandemic of human kindness will sweep this nation, and for that matter , all the Nations of the World.
The events of this past week have once again shown that, too often, a so called human being shows us that some of us are just ravening beasts, and are unfit for a place on this planet.
God bless us, everyone.
TOP
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