Ho Ho Ho

Good Morning and Happy Christmas:

Those of you who take issue with the use of the word Christmas because it Contains the name of Christ may detest my use of this word, but as far as I'm concerned you can kiss my patootie, Most especially that result of a sexual liasion between a politician and an egotistical Drunk, Bill Maher.

Mr. Maher seems to have never been disabused of his belief that he speaks with great wisdom.
Mr. Maher is, of course, thanks to the late stalwart of stupidity, Earl Warren, free to believe anything he chooses, and to bray them ceaselessly to any and everyone unfortunate enough to be downwind of one of his diatribes.
There are, sadly, in this Country, more than a few people who believes that if we could just remove the name of Jesus Christ, the Ten commandments, and for I know, the Boy Scout oath from any and all places where crowds of two or more people might congregate, out Nation would immediately become prosperous again, out Dogs would all be spayed or neutered, our Crab Grass would all immediately wither and die, our Rivers would cease flooding and become well behaved and the Gas Tanks on our Automobiles would somehow, magically, always remain full, and we would never outgrow our clothes.
I personally blame all of these nonsenseities to one thing. A lack of Fruitcake. Perhaps I am the only individual to notice that Fruitcake is the target of seemingly all those walk erect, and is ceaselessly castigated in print and by cartoonists.
I believe that this is an unfair situation. I like Fruitcake. I could survive indefinitely with a good heavy Fruitcake on the sideboard for dessert. What most people don't know is that Moses had a wagon load of Fruitcakes with him when he led the people of Israel into exile in the sands of the desert, and he and his followers would have perished soon had it not been for this wonderous Gateau (which is French for Anchor).

So anyone out there who has a legacy Fruitcase thats been in their family's larder for Generations, and is shunned by the community for this possession, may feel free to send it to me forthwith, for I love them.

 Am I the only person in the Country who finds Television as boring as Basketball?

Ever the optimist, I scan the T.V. listings in the daily Newspaper hoping against hope to find something good to watch, but barring the National Geographical Channel, the History Channel and P.B.S., and the 'Jeopardy' program, am almost always disappointed.
I have long since given up on the Discovery Channel, among others, who ceaselessly offer programs that are about as horrible as a Carnival Freak Show. It seems the only requirement of these shows are; Tattoos or Beards, ceaseless profanity, near nudity or a combination of all the above. Shows that started out an innocent premise, to trace the activities of . . . say Guys who restore or customize Classic Cars, have slowly denigrated to the point of absolutely being the result of a Script, written by an Idiot or a collection of same.

Okay. Thats enough for now. I trust I have filled the CHRISTmas stockings of everyone who accidently or on purpose read this drivel.

Stay Happy and Healthy everybody (except Maher)
and never lose the memories of Happys Past.

Best Wishes

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IF IT AIN'T BROKE

Good Morning to all Happy People:

I've got a gripe today. some time ago Google changed the Blogger site. As far as I'm concerned they changed it for the worse.

It used to be when I wanted to post something on my blog, it was a snap, but not now.
It takes forever and a day to TRY and get started and even then, most of the time I just give up in despair. there used to be links to every phase of Blogger, but apparently some 12 year old Genius" decided that it wasn't hard enough for people such as me, i.e. those past puberty, to use so they changed every darned thing. Heck I can't even find the dashboard anymore. I typed a long post the other day and saved it to draft, but CANNOT find it now.
When I ask for help I cannot get it .

Its frustrating. Sort of like what Doctors are doing now to keep from getting any more Medicare Patients. they either just bluntly refuse them, or they give them such a rude, substandard of care, that most of us just go home and wait to die.

I know that those among you who are young will not even try to understand my frustration, but trust me, its coming for you, if you're lucky.
Stay Well
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This and That

Good Morning Folks



Just a few things noticed on the passing scene.

I went to the veterans Hospital and help center this week, had my hearing tested, which resulted in my being fitted for 2 custom hearing aids.



I've known for some time that I had a hearing loss, but must confess, with guilt, that I blamed it on a lot of other things, The T.V., people with soft voices, etc, etc, etc,, but in the end it was all on me. The M.D. who tested my hearing said that the loss was a nerve deafness caused, in part, by the dozens and dozens of Ear Infections that I had, every winter, all winter, as a Child, up until I was a Freshman in High School. Now this may seem like a small fault to confess, but a feller has to start somewhere.



I had a good long look at the list of services offered by the Veterans Administration while I was at the hospital, and was very impressed. I know quite a few Veterans who could receive an awful lot of help from the V.A., if they would just go and speak, in an Honest fashion, regardless of the difficulty of admitting where a person needs help.

Who knows, it could be the start of a whole new life, Counselors are waiting and are ready and willing to work with any Vet.



We all owe our Vets a great debt, and I sometime feel guilty by receiving some of the benefits of the V.A. for my entirely undistinguished Military Service, but at any rate, it is a valuable resource for all Veterans. We have thousands of Veterans returning from Combat now a days, and we should all do our part in helping them.

On another subject, I've been trying to take care of my Wife, who fell a couple of weeks ago and broke her leg in two places, and Buddy if you are a Man who doesn't think your wife does much around the house, just try and take her place for awhile and I guarantee you will be disabused of that notion, added to the fact that I'm still not doing everything my wife does, am 78 years old and have a Dickey Heart and C.O.P.D., by damn makes me realize anew how hard my wife works and how thankful I am  that she's been by my side, through good time and bad, (sometimes it seems like the scale droops more to the bad side) for 59 years. I AM A LUCKY MAN.



On yet another subject, Pat Conroy has a new book out and its about. . . guess what. . . His Father. Now obviously I didn't know his Father, but judging solely by what Conroy writes, old Dad was abusive as Hell, but the thing that occurs to me that  if Pat had had a happy, loving Pappy, what in the Hell what would he writing about and thus earning a good enough living to grow a Fat Ass. There are no doubt Millions of kids around that had or are having a Father as bad as, if not worse that that of Conroys, who grew up resolving to never treat his kids as bad as Conroys Pater Nasty apparently did.
Now I haven't read this latest work yet, but I know for sure that it is an epistle about how badly he was abused as a child.
It would really be refreshing if Mr. conroy wrote a book about something OTHER than his Father

We are currently slogging through about eight or so inches of snow and I'll tell you one thing for sure. The folks that say they just love Winter are welcome to all of it, for my money.

Stay Well
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GUN CONTROL

I write occasionally about Gun Control, something few gun Owners are desirous of contemplating, but folks, as far as I can tell, the furor in congress each time some nut thinks it would be good therapy for him to procure a firearm and go out and kill a few people. I'm no Psychologist, but as far as I can tell these killers are driven by nothing the Normal, Sentient,  peace loving person can possibly understand.

Now for the solution. If there is one, and I'm not sure that there is one that would be acceptable to both sides of the Arguments would agree on. Perhaps to begin with, Congress, should gather groups of six or eight people to have a round table discussion on the best course of action they feel would be wise, and then submit this, along with the actions other Congressional Round Table groups came up with. and maybe, just maybe, then there could begin to be some sensible discussions.

But one thing I do know. As a gun owner for over 65 years, and currently possessing very few weapons, I feel that part of the problem, as hard as it is to say, and probable subject that will engender some wailing and screaming is this.

GUN OWNERS/ GUN SHOPS/ AND GUN SHOWS ARE ENTIRELY TOO LAX IN SELLING OR TRANSFERRING WEAPONS TO PEOPLE WHOSE MENTAL AND CRIMINAL BACKGROUND IS NOT KNOWN.

So all you zealots, go ahead and scream now. But lets examine the recent a few days ago at the Washington Navy Yard. This nut bought a Shotgun, as he was unwilling to abide by a three day waiting period and a background check. this should have alerted the salesperson at the store where he bought the shotgun that this man had some issues. so the question I would ask this seller is this: "Is a profit of fifty or sixty Dollars worth having, when there's a good chance that the buyer has problems. In the event at the D.C. Navy Yard, for the sake of a few bucks profit on a sale, 13 people lost their lives to an absolute insane person, who was thankfully killed by Police.

So,Fellow Gun Owners, it is past time for us, all responsible Gun Owners to start Policing ourselves, and if we see a person that we KNOW to have mental problems, we should inform the would be seller of this fact,  and if he or she declines to take any action, we should notify the Police immediately.

I can positively guarantee you that this will be the act of a good citizen.

Criticize me all you wish. but remember, saving or helping to save a Human Life is one of the noblest of Human endeavors.

Lets hear from you,

Sincerely

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Chicago=The Algonquin word for getagun

Good Morning Folks:

Well,, I got up this morning, and retrieved what used to be a Newspaper, but has become nothing more than a record of Mass shootings, Congressional Malfeasance, Executive stumbling, and an assemblage of things that we never used to see , on a daily basis, in our Newspapers.
Last night, or actually in the wee early hours of today, in Chicago (Motto: If it feels good, shoot it) during a (what else) Basketball game, some moke with an Assault Weapon, with high capacity magazine opened fire on a crowd of people, including a three year old child. The second question in my mind is what kind of Mother would take a three Year Old Child to ANY mass gathering at that hour of the day. If I had to take a guess, I would guess the following. The Mother is probably between 14 and 17 years of age, or younger.  Birthed this Child, without benefit of Matrimony, has no "Father Figure, " in the house,  and depends on the government for Medical Care, Food Stamps, child care, housing allowance and indeed, everything but Birth Control.

I thought this was supposed to be a New Era for Chicago when Rob Emmanuel waltzed into the Mayors Job with a campaign based on his working with Obama and freely using the "M-F" word, and, as far as I can tell, nothing else

If anything will save Chicago, and I have doubts that anything will, it will be by the immediate implementation of a "Stop and Frisk" policy for the Police, together with the creation and heavy use of "BAM"  squads, which consist of multiples of  large cars with four BIG men, heavily armed roving the city and intervening when they see suspicious groups."BAM" is an acronym for "by any means", which is exactly what is required in order to TRY and bring some semblance of Order to Chicago.
Actually Chicago is just the Poster Child for what ails many, if not most, big cities in this Nation, and it is an Absolute disgrace.  We, as a Nation, are now reaping the results of years of putting the rights of Criminals before the almost non existence of Victims Rights.

You know what? This Barn is too badly damaged. Lets just tear it down and build another one. The old Barn (read Nation) gave us many years of excellent service, but Now, after all these years of neglect, it is being wrecked by some of the Animals it was built to shelter and nourish.


Stay Well

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Life's Lessons Learned

Good Afternoon Friends:

I have been, as is my wont, doing too much thinking lately.

I have been dwelling on things best not exposed to the light of sentient thought, and instead
left in the closet in our minds where we keep those memories that are distasteful, those things we had rather not drag out and dust off once again, those failures (seems like I have more than my share of those) and those disappointments, which we all have, and should have when we grow grey in the beard and finally are able to be Honest with ourselves.

Now I would submit that it is harder to be honest with ourselves than it is to be honest with other people  . For example, when I look in the mirror, I am not at all pleased at what I see.
Not my Visage, that was issued to me long ago and there's not one thing I can do about it other than to smile more, but rather bodily profile, which is getting alarmingly like that of Hitchcock.I tell myself I am going to start getting more exercise, but I am fibbing when I say this. You know the old expression, the road to Hell is paved etc... Well I've accumulated a vast store of these pavers. I've meant to exercise more, but here I sit on my ever expanding bottom, while more a few pretty days have gone by.

When we had our dog, my wife or I would walk her at least once every day. She loved it, we loved it, and we profited from it healthwise, save the one time I was struck by a little old lady in a big new car, who departed quickly. Fortunatly, for me, my Dog was not struck, and for that I was and am thankful. Better me than my Dog. But when the bruises healed, I continued to walk my Dog, just not in that particular area. So I should be getting more exercise, Period.

Another thing that I've probably been guilty of is reading too much.  I know, I know...it is said that that is impossible to do, but it isn't. When I neglect other things and other people due to a good book, then that is too much.

I am, and always have been,too impatient, Especially since when I have gotten well past the age when one wishes for a slowdown in the march of time, not a speedup. Oddly enough, I am patient in some areas where, perhaps, others are. I am patient in Traffic, for instance. I have been fortunate to have not been in many auto crashes, but there have been enough to illustrate to myself the wisdom of just waiting, in certain situations, but at the same time, I HATE to wait in a Doctor's office. Perhaps this is engendered by the fact that sometimes we experience pain or poverty, or both, during these visits, but that, too, is an excuse .

Speaking of a Dog. I think that most Dogs are better people than most people.

Reading the morning Newspaper has gotten to be an unpleasant exercise, I would recommend avoiding it, when possible. And the same goes , in Spades, for Television. You know that vast medium where people are paid to be inane (well...in addition to Politics.)

Good Evening Folks:

Well, by golly Spring has arrived. there for awhile, during the winter I was beginning to think it never would, but since thats exactly the same thing I think every Winter, I'm usually sort of hibernating each year. To be blunt I do not  like Winter in any of its ideations, save its appearance on a calendar, and at my age, calendars are to be avoided at all cost, I usually read an awful lot of books each Winter. Now my good wife will tell you that is nothing new, I read a lot of books all the time, more than I should, probably, but to me books invoke a sort off "Childhood Christmas Morning, Can't wait to open the gifts" feeling. this is more true when a new Book by one of my favorite authors comes out, and I'm sort of standing on one leg and then the other, until the book is in MY hands, and Oh Boy, Oh Boy.

Living for a Wish

Good Afternoon All.

At this stage of my life, which is probably the last stop and a point where changing Horses won't help, I have several hopes and but one wish.

I hope someday, somehow to have, at last, a Happy Family. Indeed that's really all I ever hoped for.

Oh sure, there times on the job that I hoped for a Raise or a Promotion, I always felt like hoping for both would be greedy, and consequently, as aften as not, I got neither.

I hoped for good health for my entire family. I hoped I would always make a good enough living to provide Shelter, Food, Clothing, Education and Medical care for all my Children and my Wife.

I prayed for our Servicemen and Women, that they would all come home Alive and Healthy and for the healing of those wounded or maimed on the Battlefield, in the service of our Nation. And I prayed for a speedy end to these Wars.

I wished, Hoped, and prayed for all these things, and more, that I hoped weren't selfish.

But my ONE wish now is to somehow find a way to at long last Buy or Build that new Home for my sweet wife, for if any Woman was ever the personification of a good and loving Wife and Mother, it is she.

At my age (78) and paucity of income, I realize that this is a vain hope, but there is nothing to say that I cannot continue to hope and pray. I think miracles still happen and I hope they do. The Good Lord can and will probably take my life before too awfully long, but that's of no matter. I would implore him however, let me live just long enough to either find a way to bring this Dream to reality, or grant us a Miracle.

Be Well
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The savaging of Paula Deen

Good evening Folks:

Well the subject this evening is another of the outrages the news media has grown to love and nurture. The more, it seems, that something stinks to High Heaven, the More the news media seems to pimp it up.

The latest outrage, at least in my mind is the Crucifixion by the "Media Mongols" of well known Chef and self-made businesswoman Paula  Deen , for committing what I consider a Noble and Law-Abiding Deed.

That is, Outrageously, Mrs. Deen actually had the gall to unashamedly tell the Truth under Oath . How Dare She.

Mrs Deen was asked, on the witness stand, in a court of Law if she had ever used the (Oh my God) Verboten, outrageous, filthy, anti-Christian and dreaded  "N" word. The word that is now only associated with Vampires, Animists and the unholy few that are also guilty of the Horrible Crimes of voting for who they want, instead of for the "flavor of the day'.And damned if she didn't tell the truth!!!I am wondering if there is any one person in this Country who have never used the flaming "N" Word. Before you hold up your hand, if you are not over the age of 2, you are not qualified. Personally, I think that is a prettty mild expletive when compared to the "MF" word which is now bandied about and I'm sure to be included in the next Edition of Websters.

And now for telling the truth, Mrs, Deen is being shunned by everyone except Playboy Magazine.

She is being dropped by Walmart (you know, the folks that have killed small towns across the length and breadth of what used to be America., Walgreens (motto: When better drugs are made, we'll raise the price on them) Home Depot, Moe's Bar (Just kidding, the folks in Moe's bar, including those passed out drunk, have better sense than does the rest of the pack of Hyenas that are Howling in the Night in a bloody Coven of Glee. I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick and tired of what was once a sensible, god Fearing Nation, being turned into what just one skinny little Piss Ant directs that it will become.In addition, Mrs Deens Book, already contracted for by Amazon, and already at No 1, will be cancelled (A good Lawyer (if there is such a thing) could tear Amazon a new one for this act of Lemming Stupidity.

Pardon me while I puke on the steps of the Capitol.
I have it right now, If you (and I ) wish to live and flourish in the "New America", we MUST endorse the following:

We must be for 1. Gay Marriage. 2. the Legalisation of Street Drugs 3. The passage of a bill making it mandatory to, if one wishes to vote, fill out one's ballot and turn it in to a court of review, to insure one is voting for the right party. 4. The no doubt inevitable iniative that a prospective  Independent Voter must a. Undergo Castration and b. receive and smile through a Prefrontal Lobotomy. We must also worship at the shrine of overpaid Athletes, Actors and Hedge Fund owners who have donated to the correct Party.

so, Is it too late for America. You can bet your Ass and Assets it is

Its about time to Invade Poland.

Sheesh

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National Security

GOOD MORNING FOLKS

Well, the Papers are full this Morning of all the Fooferaw concerning that Idiot that released so called secret information to the press. We all need to relax, folks....because

This  has been done for years and years. The NSA has operated intercepts for a long-long while. NOT ONE PRIVATE CITIZEN OR COMPANY HAS BEEN AFFECTED UNLESS THEY WERE IN FACT UP TO SOMETHING THAT WAS A SECURITY RISK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The NSA operates by computer screening of intercepts for certain sensitive words, which, when detected, is investigated more fully. Whether this operation consistof live, human review via an ongoing (current) telephone  call or Email, depends on two things.

How serious the NSA views this, as a threat.

Approval by a Secret Court whose only tasks are to approve the full viewing or hearing of any particular intercept  and The approval of an ongoing telephone or computer bug.

So, Folks, just settle down. there is plenty of things to gripe about/ vis a vis the Government, but this is not one of them.
Our Intelligence Services have been challenged enough over the years by such Traitorous people as this bonehead, that its a wonder that we have not suffereed even more attacks than we already have.

And, speaking of this bonehead, let us cogitate on a just punishment for this idiot.
I, for one, think he should be extradited to the United States and speedily clapped in a Federal Maximum Security Facility, designed for such people as constitute a danger to the Security of the People of the United States.

If there's any whining to do, let the ACLU do it. Thats all they do.

Folks, just remember one damn thing; When I speak of the Security of the United States, I mean YOU AND ME, for  a start. We and all the rest of the People of the United States ARE the United States.


Good Day

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Things my Father gave me.

Good Morning Friends:

Recently I was reading something, I don't recall what it was now, and it doesn't matter, when the phrase "Things my father left me" appeared on the page in front of me, I continued reading, but perhaps with only a part of my mind. That phrase kept running through my mind, and started me to thinking.

When my Father died, he had No material goods, to speak of, to leave anyone, other than a house full of furniture for my Mom, an Automobile, and some odds and ends, as we all leave behind.

I never resented the lack of an inheritance, but rather focused what lessons I could take from a review of my Father's Life.

In thinking back, I believe that, more important that what material goods I was left, were the things, the lessons, good and bad, that I carried forth after my Father.

My Father taught me, the hard way, that an average person can have his choice of a New Car every year or two, or an easier time meeting a budget.
My Father taught me, and I've been slow to learn, and to apply what I've learned, to control my temper.

My father taught me the incredible value of a loyal and loving wife, of which I have been enriched for almost 59 years.Notby example, but in showing what not to do.

My father taught me the value of a good Education, though he had but a few years, he was smart in many ways, and in other ways he was, not so smart, as all of us are.

My Father taught me to value humans more than things.

My father taught me to keep my word. The occasions that I have been a failure here have had a bitter reflux.

My father taught me, and again I've yet to master, Patience.

I will wish that I have been more of a Teacher of these, and  a million of other things, to my children, and to those I number as friends.

Be Well

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Good Evening Folks:

Perhaps I shouldn't even be posting tonight, as I am upset.

There are several reasons for this present feeling

First and foremost was the bombing at the Boston Marathon, we have just got to find some way to bring this sort of thing to a close. The helpless fury that I feel when I think of all the people who were injured, and the Three who lost their lives, and then the additional life lost when a young man, A MIT policeman was killed for no reason other than he happened to be on duty, when one of the insane bombers happened along.

I feel a fury brought when I think of the young boy who was killed in the bombing, and the fury and the sadness is magnified when I think that his young sister lost one of her legs and his mother has head, and possibly Brain injuries. How in the world can a family stand this.  They just have to. No choice. Only sadness.

And yet as I think of the senseless death of all these people, I see on T.V. every day about more and more murders each and every day. And I see the same thing every day when I sit down at the computer.,

And to end the week, this week a Red Jeep Cherokee, belonging to My Wife and I was vandalized. The Vandals thought it was my Daughters car. The vandals painted a Swastika on the back of the car, again, thinking that they would make my daughter mad. Well, they did make her mad, because offhand, I can think of few people who have studied more about the Holocaust than my Daughter. When the subhumans in Hitler's minions obeyed his orders and killed people just because they wanted to prove that they would and could. Again, Re my Daughter; I Have watched her tears when she read of the Holocaust, or when she watched a documentary of these senseless acts. Just as the defacing of an automobile was a senseless-juvenile Act, Committed by people of one or two types, or perhaps both.
This act was committed by someone who had NO parental leadership, or chose to ignore it if they did. Either way, I will be 78 years old before too long and on my way out, and I think I'm not leaving a good world. Now, in some ways, I blame myself for at least some of these things. No not the Bombing, God knows. Not the daily blood-Harvest of human lives. God knows. But perhaps in the vandalizing of a car is partly my fault, because I am pretty sure I know who committed this senseless, Juvenile Act, and why and God knows this too.

I wish I had , at least, some answers, but I don't, and I won't, it's too late now.
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Good Evening:

Well, just finished watching the Evening news, and along with the usual dreck was the notification that Jonathan Winters has died.
Now I don't know for sure how many of you folks had the great good luck of seeing any of this Good Man's shows, but as for me I think he, along with such people as Peter Sellers, was one of the funniest people on this Earth.

I am in no fear of being corrected when I say that Mr. Winters did more good for more people, by putting a smile on their faces and joy in their hearts than any other Twelve dozen comedians.

Jonathan was, by todays standards, a clean Comic, as well. I only very very rarely  heard him say anything that was off color.

I Treasure the memories I have of Jonathan.

Jonathan Winters, a good man was 87.

Rest in Peace Jon, you'll be missed so much.

God Bless

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Happy Easter Everyone.


I guess it was a coincidence but here on Easter Sunday, together with several articles in the Sunday Paper about Jesus' Crucifixion
there was also an article on a new Supercomputer that is in the process of coming on line.
The article, in addition to telling all about how many miles of wire it took to make this computer a reality, etc etc, also stated that the hope that it would be capable of over quintillion equations PER SECOND.
Folks, for one thing I cannot even imagine what the need for this fast a computer is. or what we need to know in a scintillion of a second, but the one thing I do know is that we, just maybe, just perhaps..We as a species are getting dangerously close to the edge of knowledge that we puny humans need to have access to.

Science has never been able to place a size to the universe. Science likes to believe that they DO know everything there is to know about the universe, but they don't, because up to now they have not had the tools to determine this figure.

Its just a guess, but I would imagine that the first use that the new super computer could be put to would be to figure out how large a NEW SUPERCOMPUTER,. it would take to determine the size of the Universe.

So perhaps a comparison would be: A man is given a shovel to dig down to find a larger shovel to dig down to find a larger yet shovel to dig down to find a larger yet yet shovel to dig down(ever faster and with ever heavier shovels full of dirt) to find an ever larger yet yet yet shovel to dig do....

Get the Idea?

Perhaps, just perhaps, it is part of the Grand Design (if there is one) that we, as a species, don't need to know a whole lot more than just this:   HOW BIG IS THE UNIVERSE? I DON'T KNOW! HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE FOR A COMPUTER THE SIZE OF THE EARTH TO DETERMINE THIS SIZE OF DIMENSION. I DON'T KNOW!

To be absolutely truthful folks, I don't even know what else I need to know, other than to remember the things I have forgotten, those things I once knew, or thought I did, but no longer know.

Perhaps our brains are sort of a dry erase board of a finite size on which is written things as we learn them, but as the board fills, it is necessary that the top (oldest) line be erased to make room, for us to continue to chase our tails.
I do not know, Do You ?


Happy Easter
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This N That

Morning Folks:

Well it's been some time since I've posted anything, and even though I'm pretty sure that no one has felt like they have missed anything, I will still apologize, as I have missed the occasional comment.

I guess it could be accurately said that for awhile now I"ve been sort of downhearted by the actions of other folks who have erred in ways that have disappointed me, but who knows?, these same folks may feel as though I've erred in ways that disappoint them, as well, probis verbiscom!

But...to try and keep my aged fingers as flexible as they are likely to get, I have started writing. Following the example of my successful younger son, who IS a published writer, I've started writing stories, which even if they someday grow to book length, will never be published, for the main reason, they are not good enough.'

Still, its enjoyable, for me to try and meld at least some of the experiences of a too-long (77y) life, together with an imagination, just to see what comes out.

I've, thus far, Named my two Main Characters Therlew and his friend Norvun, and I've placed them in a small cotton-farming community in Arkansas, although it could have been one as a few other states, as easily. I am trying to write in the voice of these two worthies, and am thus far enjoying the effort. But enough about that.

I wonder about the health of someone I've never met, who, at last report that met my ear, ws suffering from multiple cancers. I've not heard of or from him in some time, but I will continue to pray for him and his wife. God bless you John.
I guess thats enough for today folks

Stay Happy and Well

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Creepy things.

Good Morning All.

I guess we all, at one time or other have had something happen to us that is sort of creepy. Sometimes, perhaps most times, we can explain the happening afterwards, but sometimes we can't.

Such a thing happened to me a couple of days ago and I thought it was worth chronicling on the of chance that someone else would find it sort of odd and funny at the same time.

In the newspaper that morning I had just finished reading an article about the mystery of the person who, for many years, left a tribute of three roses and a half finished bottle of Cognac at the one time grave site of Edgar Allen Poe.

I had, in the past, read about this on several occasions, but had never dwelt long on it, but on this occasion I was somehow driven, no... make that mentally urged, to re-read the Poem "The Raven", just to refresh it in my mind, and I proceeded to do just that. I sat at my computer reading through the poem and was struck anew with the simplicity and perfection of the meter of the Poem.
After reading the poem I sat for some time deliberating, as we all do sometimes, on whether to print the Poem and create a file for it, and ultimately decided not to do so.

At just that time, while my mind was still wound up in the ball of string that was the subject currently before me, and lost in thought, as we all sometimes are, when suddenly, just after reading the line, "Came a tapping, at my door", there WAS a tapping, a rapid and insistent tapping at MY front door.

Folks I don't mind telling you, the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up, and I had goosebumps on top of goosebumps.

I got up from my chair to go to the door, half expecting I don't know what, but certainly something odd, opened the door and found not a Raven, not any other infernal symbol or mysterious avatar, but instead, Just the the Pastor of a local church in our small town stopping by to ask my wife and I to visit his church sometime.

I thanked the Minister politely and told him he would have to excuse me for being abrupt, but I had something on the stove, received his acknowledgement, and closed the door.

Now, this will sound a little silly, but after the Minister and his companion were on down the street, I timidly re-opened my door and looked to make sure there was nothing sinister "awaiting at my door". There wasn't.

Now I am 77 years old, or 539 in Dog's years, and I could count on the fingers of one hand the odd things that have happened to me or that I have witnessed, in my lifetime, that were unexplainable.

There was one other instance that I'll recite, then I'll close this too-long post.

My wife and I had gone for a Sunday drive outside of Natchez, Mississippi, where we lived at the time, and had stopped at a small Civil War Cemetery.

My wife and I had walked a little ahead of our friends and were enjoying the peaceful quiet beauty of the little graveyard, when we came upon one of the hundreds of markers we had seen,  and when I looked down at the plain back of the stone, I HAD to get out of there. I don't remember what I said to my wife, but I left the area we were in and was soon relieved of the ghostly panic feeling I had. I still do not know why I had to get away from that area, but I confess freely, without feeling a bit cowardly, I DID.

I would like to say I went back and investigated what name was on that stone, but I never did.


These are just two odd things that have happened to me in my lifetime. there have been other, which I may someday publish, but if any of you have strange but true stories in your life, please let me know. We will all enjoy them.

Stay Well

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Endangered Species

Good Morning All.

If I may I'd like to write a few lines about a subject that is Near and Dear to me; The English Language.

For some time, I have been adding to the fuel for a good "Grudge Fire" an attempt to repel the savages who would assault the ramparts of the Castle of the English Language.

Regularly, I read an interesting article on my Yahoo Home page, and then for some self-flagellating reason, I invariable read the comments per the article, following it ( the article).

As often as not, the article will contain several words misspelled and the thing that really ticks me off, will contain that asinine example of laziness, the phrase "LOL" or "OMG". Folks if you are too lazy to type out the full word, just quit typing, and for goodness sake, use spell check.

Another trend in our latterly, as a people, assault on our common language is the usages of the words "Like", "Totally" "You Know", "You Understand". It is really frustrating to a person who contemplates the future of our great Nation, if led by the people who so brutally rape our Language by using these silly phrases.

As an example sentence: "And I was Like, you know, totally like radically thrld by this Like" "Awesum Dude" who was Like, Totally Like Hot, You Know?.

This seeming season of laziness in regards to our English Language could, I supposed be blamed to the assinaine fad of 'Texting". Perhaps I will be the only person disturbed by this and other examples of ignorance, but I think that before a person under the age of, say, 30, can get a cell phone, he or she should have to pass a test via a written essay, in which the English used must be at least understandable and even, dare one hope, Correct.

Now if you want to assault me for daring to criticize such idiocy, I guess I'll just have to blame it on the fact that I have never Texted, never Twittered a single Twit to any Twit, have been known to go for months on end without using a cellular telephone, do not own or even want to own, an I pad, a Blackberry, an I Pod, a Tablet, other than the kind containing pages of actual paper on which to write.

Like, Gnarly, Know what I'm sayin"?

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Good Morning to all people of good will.

Well, its a rainy but warm day here in Southern Illinois, and for the warmth I am thankful. I try, earnestly, to count my blessings frequently, for that is the one method I know of to figuratively "Bail out our Boat" when it comes to the function of our brains.

After going through the overlong list of my blessings, I am drawn to focus  bit on those things for which I am not thankful.

I am looking at one thing for which I am not thankful, and that is Windows 8, also known by a variety of cursewords.

I personally view this O/s as just the latest egg laid by that Antichrist "Billy the Geek Gates.

Now, obviously I have not even a portion of a fragment of an ort of Gates Wealth, but that does not preclude my criticizing some of his products,

My Computer, an aging HP inherited from my Daughter after she and I wore out my old Dell was taken with a Binary illness recently, and perished, so like the naïf that I am, I traipsed happily off and purchased a new computer. that is where the trouble started.

I purchased another HP computer, as I had grown to really like the old one I had, and in doing so I opened Pandora's Box.

My new computer came with the NEW AND IMPROVED WINDOWS EIGHT OPERATING SYSTEM.

Possibly Billy the Kid could say something nice about the O/S, but I sure as heck can't. 

The only question I  would ask of the obscenely wealthy Mr. Gates is WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH WINDOWS XP?

As I write this, a good and Smart young friend is laboring over my old computer, trying a Hard-Drive transplant to bring it back to life, and after he has done so, I will happily convey my "New Computer" back to the store where I purchased it. It is a piece of Junk.

Forgive me for my rant, which many of you will not understand, as you are among the generation that fins no mystery in the computer world. As for me, I am honest enough to admit that I know very little about this Technical Subject, even though I have labored long and hard trying to educate myself in and to this subject, I apparently am a poor Teacher.

Have a wonderful day, and stay far-far-away from Windows 8.

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