What is it with lack of courtesy and shopping carts? Do people have a genetic disposition to become obnoxious and rude as soon as they touch one? is it like kryptonite to good manners? I wonder.
I was recently in a shopping center in Monsey. We had sent off Big Sister and Lovey and me were alone for a day. ( More like 16 hours, but we take what we can get.) So we did what we always do on an off day, shop.
In this strip mall there is a lane for driving in front of the stores, and then double rows for parking. I am on the sidewalk in front of the stores and I see this woman loading her van. As she finishes, she pushes the cart in the vague direction of the sidewalk while she is still at the back of her minivan. The cart goes about 10 feet and stops on a rut in the road.
In the middle of the road.
The woman looks at the cart, and gets into her car.
I just stood there, amazed.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Square and level
I can't get over the liberals' naked power hunger. I felt it strongly in 1993 when the Clintons were hatching their nefarious health care reform proposals and feel it again as the same issue is being debated. This time it may be worse.
I recently heard a radio program which featured, as a guest, a Professor Gruber of MIT commenting on a new proposal by some in either congress or the administration ( I'm not sure which ) to tax employer provided health insurance as income to those who have superior health care plans. The proposal singles out plans where everything is completely covered, sort of a Cadillac of health insurance plans.
In the course of his comments, Dr. Gruber opined that surely excessive health care coverage should be taxed because americans are getting too much health care and also because the third party payment system encourages a lack of financial responsibility (presumably to other citizens) by not involving the receiver of health care in the decision to use what health care is available. He felt that people should have to think twice or more before availaing themselves of a doctor or hospital. In short, and the moderator caught him out on this but he sidestepped the question, it seems he was for rationing of health care. Or maybe he was a leveller and felt that everyone should suffer equally.
I wondered why, if he was advocating that everyone should have to weigh when and whether to see a doctor, he was championing health care reform in the first place. From what I have heard, it is just the necessity for the 46 million un or underinsured to have to make such decisions which is the reason healthcare cries out for reform.
You would think a professor from MIT would be able to discern such a tautology.
Many years ago, before most of you were born, there was a radio program called "The Shadow," which featured a debonair man-about-town who, while in the East, had learned the secret to the power to "cloud men's minds."
I think power hunger does the same thing.
I recently heard a radio program which featured, as a guest, a Professor Gruber of MIT commenting on a new proposal by some in either congress or the administration ( I'm not sure which ) to tax employer provided health insurance as income to those who have superior health care plans. The proposal singles out plans where everything is completely covered, sort of a Cadillac of health insurance plans.
In the course of his comments, Dr. Gruber opined that surely excessive health care coverage should be taxed because americans are getting too much health care and also because the third party payment system encourages a lack of financial responsibility (presumably to other citizens) by not involving the receiver of health care in the decision to use what health care is available. He felt that people should have to think twice or more before availaing themselves of a doctor or hospital. In short, and the moderator caught him out on this but he sidestepped the question, it seems he was for rationing of health care. Or maybe he was a leveller and felt that everyone should suffer equally.
I wondered why, if he was advocating that everyone should have to weigh when and whether to see a doctor, he was championing health care reform in the first place. From what I have heard, it is just the necessity for the 46 million un or underinsured to have to make such decisions which is the reason healthcare cries out for reform.
You would think a professor from MIT would be able to discern such a tautology.
Many years ago, before most of you were born, there was a radio program called "The Shadow," which featured a debonair man-about-town who, while in the East, had learned the secret to the power to "cloud men's minds."
I think power hunger does the same thing.
Friday, July 24, 2009
And when they came for me...
I can be silent no longer.
As much as that statement may seems a little strange, considering I do a fair amount of pontificating and ranting herein, I am referring specifically to our esteemed commander in chief, who has truly shown himself to be the First Jackass.
Forget what I read in a magazine that-shall-not be named, that his AG is thinking of prosecuting the Bush Administration for "excessive torture tactics", which is by itself a most dangerous precedent for any President to set, in that it would severely compromise the ability of all future presidents to effectively do their job, if they knew that as soon as their party was out of power, all their staffers and perhaps the president as well would be subject to criminal charges by a partisan which hunt.
And let us further put aside the Socialist leading to Communist plans of this administration with regards to health care. Nationalization of health care has never worked for any other country, so why shouldn't we ram it through Congress here? What really ticks me off is the statement of TFJ that he won't sign it if it will increase the deficit. How absolutely disingenuous. I assume taxing the hell out of the remaining people in this country who still have jobs and businesses doesn't count. But when they lose their jobs and businesses, and the government has to pay with unemployment benefits, stimulus money, and lost tax revenues, how does that not increase the budget? Beats me. But then again, I am not as smart as the genius we have in the White House, but I digress.
Well, with all that being put aside, as well as all the other issues, the part that I cannot get past today is the most powerful man in the world has shown the entire world just how absolutely petty and stupid he is, to make a comment on a local matter concerning one arrest, without having all the facts, and in the process demeaning and insulting the people who are charged with protecting us, the police. ( Another post on the silliness of the entire issue later.)
Now those of you who know me know that I am not a big fan of police in general, and I sincerely believe that they have a tendency to abuse their power, but nevertheless, you would think that a president would not get involved in something so silly.
Obviously, the overriding agenda of TFJ is to foster racial hatred in this country, something that the country itself showed it is trying to move beyond by electing him. Not for him. He has continued his agenda to completely destabilize this country, financially, racially, economically, and militarily.
How long before the left wing press realizes that they cannot cover for him anymore?
As much as that statement may seems a little strange, considering I do a fair amount of pontificating and ranting herein, I am referring specifically to our esteemed commander in chief, who has truly shown himself to be the First Jackass.
Forget what I read in a magazine that-shall-not be named, that his AG is thinking of prosecuting the Bush Administration for "excessive torture tactics", which is by itself a most dangerous precedent for any President to set, in that it would severely compromise the ability of all future presidents to effectively do their job, if they knew that as soon as their party was out of power, all their staffers and perhaps the president as well would be subject to criminal charges by a partisan which hunt.
And let us further put aside the Socialist leading to Communist plans of this administration with regards to health care. Nationalization of health care has never worked for any other country, so why shouldn't we ram it through Congress here? What really ticks me off is the statement of TFJ that he won't sign it if it will increase the deficit. How absolutely disingenuous. I assume taxing the hell out of the remaining people in this country who still have jobs and businesses doesn't count. But when they lose their jobs and businesses, and the government has to pay with unemployment benefits, stimulus money, and lost tax revenues, how does that not increase the budget? Beats me. But then again, I am not as smart as the genius we have in the White House, but I digress.
Well, with all that being put aside, as well as all the other issues, the part that I cannot get past today is the most powerful man in the world has shown the entire world just how absolutely petty and stupid he is, to make a comment on a local matter concerning one arrest, without having all the facts, and in the process demeaning and insulting the people who are charged with protecting us, the police. ( Another post on the silliness of the entire issue later.)
Now those of you who know me know that I am not a big fan of police in general, and I sincerely believe that they have a tendency to abuse their power, but nevertheless, you would think that a president would not get involved in something so silly.
Obviously, the overriding agenda of TFJ is to foster racial hatred in this country, something that the country itself showed it is trying to move beyond by electing him. Not for him. He has continued his agenda to completely destabilize this country, financially, racially, economically, and militarily.
How long before the left wing press realizes that they cannot cover for him anymore?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Are the Redwoods Superannuated?
I recently heard a piece on the BBC's Newshour which confirms the newsmedias' insidious biases. It was a story on a group of scientists mapping all the trees in a sequoia forest where the trees, some of which are over 3000 years old are dying prematurely.
First of all, I don't understand why they think that if the trees in this forest have started dying during the past 50 years it signals premature death. If the trees are indeed 3000 years old, what makes scientists think that this is premature death. Maybe they are dying of Sequoia old age. OK, so maybe there are some older trees, but as you see in human life, some people die in their late 80's and no one considers that premature even though there are plenty of ambulant, robust people in their high nineties living alone and doing all the things people in their 50's do and maybe not even more slowly. I personally know, and know of, many people like that.
But back to my point on bias. The lead up to the piece, by the announcer, went something like this..... "Scientists are mapping a forest of ancient trees which are dying prematurely due to climate change."
I thought to myself that it seems that scientific research is now directed by political agendas rather than by a desire for truth. That would have been a blog post by itself (and it may become one - a pathologist acqaintance of mine insists that all science today has a definite agenda [religious, not political in his case]).
But upon listening to the article, and I listened very carefully, nowhere was there even a hooded reference to climate change. The scientists were only describing their tribulations in camping out and doing the work and what it will mean when it is finished and that its significance will only be noted 25 to 100 years in the future.
At the risk of becoming like Cicero I must reiterate that environmentalism is the single greatest threat, past or present, to American freedom, liberty, capitalism and democracy.
First of all, I don't understand why they think that if the trees in this forest have started dying during the past 50 years it signals premature death. If the trees are indeed 3000 years old, what makes scientists think that this is premature death. Maybe they are dying of Sequoia old age. OK, so maybe there are some older trees, but as you see in human life, some people die in their late 80's and no one considers that premature even though there are plenty of ambulant, robust people in their high nineties living alone and doing all the things people in their 50's do and maybe not even more slowly. I personally know, and know of, many people like that.
But back to my point on bias. The lead up to the piece, by the announcer, went something like this..... "Scientists are mapping a forest of ancient trees which are dying prematurely due to climate change."
I thought to myself that it seems that scientific research is now directed by political agendas rather than by a desire for truth. That would have been a blog post by itself (and it may become one - a pathologist acqaintance of mine insists that all science today has a definite agenda [religious, not political in his case]).
But upon listening to the article, and I listened very carefully, nowhere was there even a hooded reference to climate change. The scientists were only describing their tribulations in camping out and doing the work and what it will mean when it is finished and that its significance will only be noted 25 to 100 years in the future.
At the risk of becoming like Cicero I must reiterate that environmentalism is the single greatest threat, past or present, to American freedom, liberty, capitalism and democracy.
Monday, July 20, 2009
We're in second, and MOVING UP!!
I don't believe that competition among family is right or necessarily healthy. I think that you should love your family without limitation, and should always be happy for all their successes.
However,
We here at the Soup are happy to announce that we have passed a secret blog of a family member in hits. This could be because we actually post from time to time, and the other blog has been curiously silent ( a shame) , or it could be that we have two different contributors, or it could be that the people running the blog are just going back to the page again and again to pump up the numbers. ( vehement denial)
Nevertheless, we are thrilled that we have managed to achieve this result, considering our counter went up later, and started at a lower number. Now we are hot on the trail of another one, and only have about 3,500 hits to make up.
Stay tuned, and keep checking back for updates.
many, many times.
However,
We here at the Soup are happy to announce that we have passed a secret blog of a family member in hits. This could be because we actually post from time to time, and the other blog has been curiously silent ( a shame) , or it could be that we have two different contributors, or it could be that the people running the blog are just going back to the page again and again to pump up the numbers. ( vehement denial)
Nevertheless, we are thrilled that we have managed to achieve this result, considering our counter went up later, and started at a lower number. Now we are hot on the trail of another one, and only have about 3,500 hits to make up.
Stay tuned, and keep checking back for updates.
many, many times.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Where are America's guts?
The world as we know it has gone nuts, or we are truly heading for an apocalypse. I saw this article on the Bloomberg website. The Chinese are suing U.S. companies for patent infringement! This completely boggles my mind.
For years and years, the Chinese have been illegally knocking off our products, and we have been completely powerless to stop it. I guess now with the new policy of the United States of apologizing for everything to everyone, the Chinese feel emboldened enough to have the audacity to come to our country, use our courts to try and enforce our laws to their benefit.
Personally, I think the trial should follow along these lines.
Yes China, you are correct, you finally had an original thought, and you should be protected. We will award you damages, but first, we are going to calculate the counterclaim of all the American companies that you have ripped off for all this time.
Then we can go back to the tried but true MaterCard commercial formula.
Award to China: $4.6 Million
Award to American Companies: $7.3 Trillion
Finally giving China a taste of their own medicine: Priceless.
For years and years, the Chinese have been illegally knocking off our products, and we have been completely powerless to stop it. I guess now with the new policy of the United States of apologizing for everything to everyone, the Chinese feel emboldened enough to have the audacity to come to our country, use our courts to try and enforce our laws to their benefit.
Personally, I think the trial should follow along these lines.
Yes China, you are correct, you finally had an original thought, and you should be protected. We will award you damages, but first, we are going to calculate the counterclaim of all the American companies that you have ripped off for all this time.
Then we can go back to the tried but true MaterCard commercial formula.
Award to China: $4.6 Million
Award to American Companies: $7.3 Trillion
Finally giving China a taste of their own medicine: Priceless.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sahara Obama
Fresh from his triumphs in Italy where he and 7 other national leaders laid out their demands to G-d insisting that they would not accept a global temperature rise above 2° (C or F? - not sure) he has gone on to visit his native continent with a stop in Ghana. Ghana is a democracy on the shores of the Atlantic with a history of being a gathering point for slaves going to the new world and is the Africans' Auschwitz, so to speak. They talk about them being chained, naked, in dungeons beneath the forts guarding the coastline. This is billed as being the white man's persecution of the black man but they don't mention that the slaves were taken captives and forced into slavery by African slave traders who offered them for sale. Sort of like the drug trade. The producing countries blame the consuming countries for creating the demand.
Obama is immensely popular in Africa (local boy makes good) but I heard a pro African analyst questioning the honesty of Obama's campaign promises in that his first priority as President of the United States of America should have been the succor of Africa, and it wasn't. But lest you think he is blaming the continent's golden boy, think again. This analyst had the effrontery to suggest that it wasn't Obama's fault since he is getting bad advice from his advisers. We all know who his closest advisers are, according to Jeremiah Wright, Obama's former mentor, it is "them jews."
This does not bode well for Jewish - Black relations, which have never been easy. To some extent the jews will be the scapegoats for Obama's inability to deliver on some of his more radical promises. In the end, Obama himself is going to be torn between loyalty to this country and loyalty to his masters in Africa and the muslim world. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.
Now that the stimulus money is beginning to come into the economy the sheer stupidity of the Democratic congress in drafting the original bill is coming to the fore. Although billions are being released, it has become abundantly clear that much of it is going to social services where there is no multiplier effect and although the money is being introduced into the economy it is like giving food to someone with dysentery; it doesn't do any good. Social services, health research and the like, although very commendable and legitimately in need of funding, cannot grow the economy and any extra funding for this purpose has no business in the stimulus package. Funding for these things don't affect the economy in any meaningful way. and if they were to be cut or kept at current levels nothing would change in the economy. The only effect the stimulus money will have in this sector is to fatten those feeding at the public trough.
What the economy desperately needs is a boost to the manufacturing economy which is about to get another whammy from the proposed control of carbon emissions, a bill for which has already been passed by the House. I think the stimulus is conceptually the right way to go in a near depression but it must target the right things. Infrastructure constrution and all capital projects, in addition to increasing employment also increases manufacturing and commodity purchases which further increases employment and brings some confidence to the entire nation.
Not that this concerns Obama much. He's too busy making friends among his father's countrymen.
Obama is immensely popular in Africa (local boy makes good) but I heard a pro African analyst questioning the honesty of Obama's campaign promises in that his first priority as President of the United States of America should have been the succor of Africa, and it wasn't. But lest you think he is blaming the continent's golden boy, think again. This analyst had the effrontery to suggest that it wasn't Obama's fault since he is getting bad advice from his advisers. We all know who his closest advisers are, according to Jeremiah Wright, Obama's former mentor, it is "them jews."
This does not bode well for Jewish - Black relations, which have never been easy. To some extent the jews will be the scapegoats for Obama's inability to deliver on some of his more radical promises. In the end, Obama himself is going to be torn between loyalty to this country and loyalty to his masters in Africa and the muslim world. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.
Now that the stimulus money is beginning to come into the economy the sheer stupidity of the Democratic congress in drafting the original bill is coming to the fore. Although billions are being released, it has become abundantly clear that much of it is going to social services where there is no multiplier effect and although the money is being introduced into the economy it is like giving food to someone with dysentery; it doesn't do any good. Social services, health research and the like, although very commendable and legitimately in need of funding, cannot grow the economy and any extra funding for this purpose has no business in the stimulus package. Funding for these things don't affect the economy in any meaningful way. and if they were to be cut or kept at current levels nothing would change in the economy. The only effect the stimulus money will have in this sector is to fatten those feeding at the public trough.
What the economy desperately needs is a boost to the manufacturing economy which is about to get another whammy from the proposed control of carbon emissions, a bill for which has already been passed by the House. I think the stimulus is conceptually the right way to go in a near depression but it must target the right things. Infrastructure constrution and all capital projects, in addition to increasing employment also increases manufacturing and commodity purchases which further increases employment and brings some confidence to the entire nation.
Not that this concerns Obama much. He's too busy making friends among his father's countrymen.
BAGEL STORE REVIEW
I have heard it said that in order for an eating establishment to be successful, 2 of three elements must be met. Good Food, Good Price, Good Service. i agree with this and feel that if you hit 2 out of 3, you have a chance to be successful. 3 out of 3 is even better, but less than 2, forget it.
Which brings me to a new feature here at the good Doctor, restaurant ( if they can all be called that) reviews! ( You lucky lucky readers!)
So the establishment is question is the bagel store in Passaic. We have friends there, Lady G, (who has been mentioned before) and her husband, Someone ( more on his name later). Over the years, we try to meet on legal holidays for breakfast. Usually we would meet in Monsey, since that is where the bagel stores were. Recently, one opened in Passaic, and they couldn't really get away for long , so we agreed to meet there.
Now, I have been there before, but fortunately, I have a short memory for unpleasant events, so I didn't remember much about it. This time, however, I think I will remember.
We got on line with one person ahead of us. Keep in mind that it was a holiday weekend, and many people were off. Our friends ordered first. I was next up. Now, I usually go for a breakfast special, since those are relatively difficult to mess up. However, having has experience with these as well, they usually don't have the potatoes, which make the whole deal. Even better is a HOBO, which is less egg, ( 1 vs. 2) less potato, all on a bagel for less money.
So I was prepared to order the HOBO, but alas, it wasn't on the menu. So I was about to order the special when I saw the second guy behind the counter make up 2 breakfast specials, and i realized there were not a lot of potatoes left on the grill. I ordered it, for almost six dollars (much more than the Monsey price) and the man at the counter told me that I was the last one. ( since they were out of potatoes at 10 AM , apparently). Lovey ordered a wrap, that they were at least smart enough to prepare beforehand, so that we took right off the fridge shelf.
Well, I went to get the coffee that comes with it and my friend said I should probably wait, since speed is not a strong point in this place, and I would probably have to wait. I have also heard since from others that if they want to stop for a quick sandwich even in the middle of the day in the middle of the week, this place is NOT the store to go to. So I waited. And waited. And sat down with our friends, who's order was finally ready. And waited some more.
It was during this time that I realized my friend's real name was Someone, as in " Someone was supposed to fix the sink" and "Someone was supposed to deal with the camp."
Finally, I went to the counter and asked what had happened. Did they have to wait for the chicken to lay the egg? Had they sent someone out to hoe some potatoes? Was the grill in fact on?
Better.
I was told that he had told me that there were no more breakfast specials available. To which I replied in the negative, relating our conversation to him. he just lost the order in the 3 feet from the counter to the grill, apparently.
Now since I had to run to a funeral, I told him to forget it, and just refund the money I had paid for it, less the coffee I have finally poured. We worked it all out, and we left.
So here is the review. Its a holiday weekend, with lots of customers coming in, realize this and have more or better help. If you mess up something, at least comp the coffee. This eatery could seriously use some competition to hopefully whip it into shape.
Price, lousy ( higher than Monsey prices)
Service, even worse.
Food, I have no idea, since I didn't get it ( I tasted the wrap, it wasn't bad, though).
I would not recommend this place, unless you have an entire day for breakfast or a sandwich, aren't really hungry, or have something to eat in the car, just in case.
Which brings me to a new feature here at the good Doctor, restaurant ( if they can all be called that) reviews! ( You lucky lucky readers!)
So the establishment is question is the bagel store in Passaic. We have friends there, Lady G, (who has been mentioned before) and her husband, Someone ( more on his name later). Over the years, we try to meet on legal holidays for breakfast. Usually we would meet in Monsey, since that is where the bagel stores were. Recently, one opened in Passaic, and they couldn't really get away for long , so we agreed to meet there.
Now, I have been there before, but fortunately, I have a short memory for unpleasant events, so I didn't remember much about it. This time, however, I think I will remember.
We got on line with one person ahead of us. Keep in mind that it was a holiday weekend, and many people were off. Our friends ordered first. I was next up. Now, I usually go for a breakfast special, since those are relatively difficult to mess up. However, having has experience with these as well, they usually don't have the potatoes, which make the whole deal. Even better is a HOBO, which is less egg, ( 1 vs. 2) less potato, all on a bagel for less money.
So I was prepared to order the HOBO, but alas, it wasn't on the menu. So I was about to order the special when I saw the second guy behind the counter make up 2 breakfast specials, and i realized there were not a lot of potatoes left on the grill. I ordered it, for almost six dollars (much more than the Monsey price) and the man at the counter told me that I was the last one. ( since they were out of potatoes at 10 AM , apparently). Lovey ordered a wrap, that they were at least smart enough to prepare beforehand, so that we took right off the fridge shelf.
Well, I went to get the coffee that comes with it and my friend said I should probably wait, since speed is not a strong point in this place, and I would probably have to wait. I have also heard since from others that if they want to stop for a quick sandwich even in the middle of the day in the middle of the week, this place is NOT the store to go to. So I waited. And waited. And sat down with our friends, who's order was finally ready. And waited some more.
It was during this time that I realized my friend's real name was Someone, as in " Someone was supposed to fix the sink" and "Someone was supposed to deal with the camp."
Finally, I went to the counter and asked what had happened. Did they have to wait for the chicken to lay the egg? Had they sent someone out to hoe some potatoes? Was the grill in fact on?
Better.
I was told that he had told me that there were no more breakfast specials available. To which I replied in the negative, relating our conversation to him. he just lost the order in the 3 feet from the counter to the grill, apparently.
Now since I had to run to a funeral, I told him to forget it, and just refund the money I had paid for it, less the coffee I have finally poured. We worked it all out, and we left.
So here is the review. Its a holiday weekend, with lots of customers coming in, realize this and have more or better help. If you mess up something, at least comp the coffee. This eatery could seriously use some competition to hopefully whip it into shape.
Price, lousy ( higher than Monsey prices)
Service, even worse.
Food, I have no idea, since I didn't get it ( I tasted the wrap, it wasn't bad, though).
I would not recommend this place, unless you have an entire day for breakfast or a sandwich, aren't really hungry, or have something to eat in the car, just in case.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Sap and Fade
The current debate about "climate change" revolves around control of carbon emissions (read fossil fuel particulates) since there really isn't anything else that has been identified as humanly produced causes for the apparent warming of the planet. Climate change as an idea has created a worldwide hysteria far surpassing the hysteria over swine flu. In the american debate, industry and its supporters are claiming carbon control will lead to permanent injury to the industrial foundations of the nation and supporters of carbon control are claiming that lack of control will cause irreparable worldwide disaster.
I recently heard Henry Waxman state that he thinks industry is exaggerating the costs and results of his carbon control bill.On the program I listened to (NPR of course) corresponding claims that environmentalists are exaggerating the results of doing nothing about carbon emissions were completely absent.
I think this point needs to be stressed in the ongoing debate. I think it is no accident that the same forces which proclaim that carbon emissions are warming the planet also claim that these emissions are causing more frequent storms. In fact, it seems that every force of nature that historically has generally been considered to be the exclusive purvue of G-d is now considered to be controllable by human beings. This explains the impetus behind environmentalism. The desire by atheistic individuals to deny the power of G-d in the world translates into a philosophy that puts humans in charge and incidentally gives the movement's leaders the political power which is their ultimate goal.
I recently heard Henry Waxman state that he thinks industry is exaggerating the costs and results of his carbon control bill.On the program I listened to (NPR of course) corresponding claims that environmentalists are exaggerating the results of doing nothing about carbon emissions were completely absent.
I think this point needs to be stressed in the ongoing debate. I think it is no accident that the same forces which proclaim that carbon emissions are warming the planet also claim that these emissions are causing more frequent storms. In fact, it seems that every force of nature that historically has generally been considered to be the exclusive purvue of G-d is now considered to be controllable by human beings. This explains the impetus behind environmentalism. The desire by atheistic individuals to deny the power of G-d in the world translates into a philosophy that puts humans in charge and incidentally gives the movement's leaders the political power which is their ultimate goal.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wildlife I
To continue the theme of (ones) human interaction with wildlife, I present to you the riveting story of a cat and his domain.
Next door to us lives a cat, a huge heavy lumpy thing which we shall call Lumpy. I have never seen him do much more than lumber about from resting place to resting place. Well, a couple of weeks ago, we were looking out the window at the neighbors, and saw Lumpy in the front yard. When we looked into the back yard, we saw another cat, obviously a stray, which we shall call Grey Stray. ( There seems to be a family of them about recently, and they looooove my garbage cans, but that is for another day.)
Well, we watched Grey slowly make his way towards the front of the house, wondering if this would rouse Lumpy from his usual torpor. his ears pricked up.... then Grey advanced to the side of the car....
OUT CAME THE POPCORN!!!! THIS WAS BETTER THAN A MOVIE!!!!
Lumpy was definitely engaged now, but it was still too much effort to get up completely, Grey continued under the car....
THE PLOT THICKENS!!! MORE POPCORN FOR ALL!!!!
We were a little concerned for Lumpy, that this interloper might cause some damage to him, and i was wondering if the usual feline instincts concerning territory would kick in. We were wondering if we should tell the neighbor sitting on the front stoop ( and not able to see around the house and car) of the impending potential showdown, but felt this would prove that we were snooping on them, so we decided not to, and to let the fur fly on its own.
All of a sudden, Lumpy leaps up! ( after a fashion) and takes off after Grey. I was so amazed I threw the popcorn container into the air. He actually ran towards him under the car.
At this point, the neighbor caught on, and with our hearts in our throats (and popcorn in our hair) we watched the neighbor go after the cat.
Then to our extreme relief, we saw Grey take off back into the yard, with Lumpy hot on his heels. I ran through the dining room onto the deck to follow this riveting National Geographic worthy story, but by the time I got outside, Grey was gone and Lumpy had collapsed into an exhausted, albeit happy, heap in the back yard, secure in his prowess as the king of all he sees.
I went back in to clean up popcorn.
Next door to us lives a cat, a huge heavy lumpy thing which we shall call Lumpy. I have never seen him do much more than lumber about from resting place to resting place. Well, a couple of weeks ago, we were looking out the window at the neighbors, and saw Lumpy in the front yard. When we looked into the back yard, we saw another cat, obviously a stray, which we shall call Grey Stray. ( There seems to be a family of them about recently, and they looooove my garbage cans, but that is for another day.)
Well, we watched Grey slowly make his way towards the front of the house, wondering if this would rouse Lumpy from his usual torpor. his ears pricked up.... then Grey advanced to the side of the car....
OUT CAME THE POPCORN!!!! THIS WAS BETTER THAN A MOVIE!!!!
Lumpy was definitely engaged now, but it was still too much effort to get up completely, Grey continued under the car....
THE PLOT THICKENS!!! MORE POPCORN FOR ALL!!!!
We were a little concerned for Lumpy, that this interloper might cause some damage to him, and i was wondering if the usual feline instincts concerning territory would kick in. We were wondering if we should tell the neighbor sitting on the front stoop ( and not able to see around the house and car) of the impending potential showdown, but felt this would prove that we were snooping on them, so we decided not to, and to let the fur fly on its own.
All of a sudden, Lumpy leaps up! ( after a fashion) and takes off after Grey. I was so amazed I threw the popcorn container into the air. He actually ran towards him under the car.
At this point, the neighbor caught on, and with our hearts in our throats (and popcorn in our hair) we watched the neighbor go after the cat.
Then to our extreme relief, we saw Grey take off back into the yard, with Lumpy hot on his heels. I ran through the dining room onto the deck to follow this riveting National Geographic worthy story, but by the time I got outside, Grey was gone and Lumpy had collapsed into an exhausted, albeit happy, heap in the back yard, secure in his prowess as the king of all he sees.
I went back in to clean up popcorn.
Friday, June 26, 2009
GEESE IV
Well, there I was, once again, on the day of rest for some religions, ( Saturday, for those who might not know.), walking through what I shall from now on refer to as Goose Field. However, this time, I was coming from the other direction, having tried to meet Soupeater somewhere on the road, and having missed him. As I came down the hill, I could see my usual flock ( gaggle?, gang?) of geese ahead of me. They were sort of spread out between the two ball fields.
I was late, and decided to cut the corner, and save the time where it curves around. However, I realized that I would end up walking right through them. Now, as I had a wee bit of liquid courage in me, coupled with the fact that I am a human, and felt that we should be in charge here, I would walk right through them.
So once again, I found myself heading for a showdown with this gang, yo. I put on my best strut and just headed right for them. ( They were NOT in takeoff position, and they were on the wrong end of the runway in any case.) There was a bit of an opening between two factions of the gang, and I felt that I had ample room to go right through the group.
As I got closer to them, my steps began to falter a bit, and I thought about going to the side, since I had visions of having my ankles pecked into bloody messes by these hoodlums. However, I thought " this is ridiculous, there is no reason to be afraid of some geese", even if they move around in a pack, and stare at you balefully.
So I kept going, straight for the opening between the two main sections of geese. As I got closer, a few of them ( I guess the lookouts) pick up their heads, give me a stare, and start to honk a bit.
Not to be deterred, I continued on.
As I passed through the opening, the geese closest to me sort of slunk away, shooting me annoyed glances before looking away, and muttering quietly. If I understood Goose, I would assume they were saying "the nerve of this guy, interrupting my meal of grass and constant bathroom time. Why can't he go around like the rest of the pesky humans?" I then safely emerged on the other side, and continued on my way.
Thankful to have both my ankles and my dignity intact.
I was late, and decided to cut the corner, and save the time where it curves around. However, I realized that I would end up walking right through them. Now, as I had a wee bit of liquid courage in me, coupled with the fact that I am a human, and felt that we should be in charge here, I would walk right through them.
So once again, I found myself heading for a showdown with this gang, yo. I put on my best strut and just headed right for them. ( They were NOT in takeoff position, and they were on the wrong end of the runway in any case.) There was a bit of an opening between two factions of the gang, and I felt that I had ample room to go right through the group.
As I got closer to them, my steps began to falter a bit, and I thought about going to the side, since I had visions of having my ankles pecked into bloody messes by these hoodlums. However, I thought " this is ridiculous, there is no reason to be afraid of some geese", even if they move around in a pack, and stare at you balefully.
So I kept going, straight for the opening between the two main sections of geese. As I got closer, a few of them ( I guess the lookouts) pick up their heads, give me a stare, and start to honk a bit.
Not to be deterred, I continued on.
As I passed through the opening, the geese closest to me sort of slunk away, shooting me annoyed glances before looking away, and muttering quietly. If I understood Goose, I would assume they were saying "the nerve of this guy, interrupting my meal of grass and constant bathroom time. Why can't he go around like the rest of the pesky humans?" I then safely emerged on the other side, and continued on my way.
Thankful to have both my ankles and my dignity intact.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Hits and Missives
What is our fascination with Hit Counters? I see that here at Dr G we are approaching the next level in the decimal system, and that brings me a wonderful feeling. So I thought to explore the issue a bit.
To continue what Soupy has recently stated with great erudition, it could be that we feel vindicated knowing that people are interested in what we have to say, and they come back to see what new pearls of wisdom have formed in the oysters of our minds?( darn, that is a good one!)
Or in a slightly different vein, it could be a validation of our selves, and the fact that we are relevant ( to some people at least) and they want to keep up with us due to other social ties.
Maybe it goes back to old rivalries of our youth, and the need to be "better" than someone else for ridiculous reasons. ( "MY bedtime is ten minutes later than yours. so there!" " Oh yeah, well I have THREE baseballs, and you only have TWO!") Especially when there are family members with different blogs, and counters on each, then it goes right into sibling rivalry, which, as many of you know, has been SOOO much fun to follow here.
To continue what Soupy has recently stated with great erudition, it could be that we feel vindicated knowing that people are interested in what we have to say, and they come back to see what new pearls of wisdom have formed in the oysters of our minds?( darn, that is a good one!)
Or in a slightly different vein, it could be a validation of our selves, and the fact that we are relevant ( to some people at least) and they want to keep up with us due to other social ties.
Maybe it goes back to old rivalries of our youth, and the need to be "better" than someone else for ridiculous reasons. ( "MY bedtime is ten minutes later than yours. so there!" " Oh yeah, well I have THREE baseballs, and you only have TWO!") Especially when there are family members with different blogs, and counters on each, then it goes right into sibling rivalry, which, as many of you know, has been SOOO much fun to follow here.
All these reasons could be why some bloggers feel the need to start their counters at an artificial number, either to justify the time before a counter on the site, or to make them feel EVEN better about themselves. (That being said, there is of course the usual potential for abuse, where a blogger hits his or her own site many many times to get the number up. I don't mean checking it to see that a post looks good, if there are old comments, etc, which can be ten times in a row, or something of that nature, I mean just driving up the numbers. )
Either way, thanks for your continued interest and support.
And keep coming back, we have people we need to pass!!!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Speakin , writin, and ....
Us bloggers write as much in order to get our views publicly aired as we do to satisfy our need to create a work of art - a word painting for lack of a better simile. A real neat turn of phrase, a pleasing juxtaposition of long and short words creating a natural rhythm while artistically expressing a thought or concept or criticism or praise. A poem in prose form. That is the true goal; expressing our opinions in style.
Not wishing to adopt false humility, I can state that I think I have this area covered quite well. However, when it comes to speaking in public, I am envious of just about anyone who gets up behind a lectern or a microphone and lets loose a stream of words no matter how banal or inane. The problem is that when I speak, I sound like the word painting I was just talking about. That doesn't go over well at all. The two disciplines don't mix or even come close to each other.
Yes, a speech needs, first of all, to be written out so that the speaker can practice its delivery or sometimes just thought out and with experience the speaker doesn't need to actually see the words on paper. The content is all important, the style less so. A speech must convey a message in the simplest form and catch the listeners' attention from the first moment. Fancy phrases won't do it unless you are really aiming for your speech to be read and understood only 50 years in the future, and even so, it must be relevant and interesting now.
So how do you deliver a speech that will energize your audience, be reasonably erudite and grammatically correct? I don't know and am hoping for some helpful hints from our readers.
Not wishing to adopt false humility, I can state that I think I have this area covered quite well. However, when it comes to speaking in public, I am envious of just about anyone who gets up behind a lectern or a microphone and lets loose a stream of words no matter how banal or inane. The problem is that when I speak, I sound like the word painting I was just talking about. That doesn't go over well at all. The two disciplines don't mix or even come close to each other.
Yes, a speech needs, first of all, to be written out so that the speaker can practice its delivery or sometimes just thought out and with experience the speaker doesn't need to actually see the words on paper. The content is all important, the style less so. A speech must convey a message in the simplest form and catch the listeners' attention from the first moment. Fancy phrases won't do it unless you are really aiming for your speech to be read and understood only 50 years in the future, and even so, it must be relevant and interesting now.
So how do you deliver a speech that will energize your audience, be reasonably erudite and grammatically correct? I don't know and am hoping for some helpful hints from our readers.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A Fool's Game
Things have heated up again, as they do every time a new US president tries to make his mark on history and sends his envoys to beat someone up in order to force a settlement in the middle east. The truth is that it is an unsolvable problem because each side wants the same unique piece of geography.
I recently read an article which mused that Israel someday will be serious about trading land for peace. It seems to me that Israel has very little land left to trade away, especially for some evanescent "peace" which is sometimes nothing more than a temporary lull in the existential threat. The arabs are like the mafia running a protection racket. When you stop paying, they go back to destroying your store or beating you up or worse.
All of history proves that the arabs will never give up their demands for what they want. To them, Israel is a cancer patient and they are the doctors. They say: cut off this limb and you'll live a little longer, cut out this organ and you'll feel better for a while, but we know, and they do as well, that eventually you'll be so weakened from the amputations and operations that you'll die from the treatment. If you give them a State of Palestine, regardless of their promises and international guarantees, they will use it as a platform to rearm for a while and then once again to attack Israel. They want all of the Mediterranean coast and won't stop till they have it.
This isn't a fictive scenario. Germany did the same thing, under far more restrictive conditions than would be imposed in a mideast two state arrangement, during the interregnum between the two world wars. They rearmed and again tried to expand their borders to what they considered their historical ethnic territory.
And now comes Jimmy Carter, private citizen, the most feckless and incompetent US president in history, with a long record of virulent anti-Israel bias,to further muddy the waters. He has meetings with bloodthirsty terrorists and murderers dressed in western style suits to further the impression they wish to convey that they are civilized humans, to plot against Israel and its allies. The US has suffered for 35 years from this bumbling fool, first as a president who brought our country to the nadir of its popularity and then as the poster child for every crackpot cause that took his fancy and made the US look bad. He can best be described by Harry Truman's phrase: "itinerant saboteur."
I think Carter is the last straw. No one is serious and nothing is going to change. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
I recently read an article which mused that Israel someday will be serious about trading land for peace. It seems to me that Israel has very little land left to trade away, especially for some evanescent "peace" which is sometimes nothing more than a temporary lull in the existential threat. The arabs are like the mafia running a protection racket. When you stop paying, they go back to destroying your store or beating you up or worse.
All of history proves that the arabs will never give up their demands for what they want. To them, Israel is a cancer patient and they are the doctors. They say: cut off this limb and you'll live a little longer, cut out this organ and you'll feel better for a while, but we know, and they do as well, that eventually you'll be so weakened from the amputations and operations that you'll die from the treatment. If you give them a State of Palestine, regardless of their promises and international guarantees, they will use it as a platform to rearm for a while and then once again to attack Israel. They want all of the Mediterranean coast and won't stop till they have it.
This isn't a fictive scenario. Germany did the same thing, under far more restrictive conditions than would be imposed in a mideast two state arrangement, during the interregnum between the two world wars. They rearmed and again tried to expand their borders to what they considered their historical ethnic territory.
And now comes Jimmy Carter, private citizen, the most feckless and incompetent US president in history, with a long record of virulent anti-Israel bias,to further muddy the waters. He has meetings with bloodthirsty terrorists and murderers dressed in western style suits to further the impression they wish to convey that they are civilized humans, to plot against Israel and its allies. The US has suffered for 35 years from this bumbling fool, first as a president who brought our country to the nadir of its popularity and then as the poster child for every crackpot cause that took his fancy and made the US look bad. He can best be described by Harry Truman's phrase: "itinerant saboteur."
I think Carter is the last straw. No one is serious and nothing is going to change. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
More Anonymous
Truth be told, there is some difference of opinion here at Dr.G on anonymous posts. The Grain seems to be swayed toward allowing anonymous posts, mainly for some of the reasons pointed out in some of your comments. The Soup would like to ban all posts from anyone whom we don't either personally recognize or can't get any information on. That's why we have this half baked policy.
This blog was established by Dr.G in order to present clear and reasoned positions on the issues of the day as well as mutual entertainment for the reading public and the writer. I was asked to join the creative staff to lighten the load on Dr.G who is busy composing for other blogs and rants. While this blog was never envisioned as a social networking site on the order of Facebook or linkedin, neither was its purpose as a public convenience, open to opportunistic barbs by unknown ill-wishers who hide behind their anonymity and then disappear.
The advantage to requiring some sort of identity by which a commenter becomes an individual (by using the same name all the time) is to establish a more meaningful and serious dialog among the participants.
We feel that our comment policy is the best way to establish a community that cries together in distress and laughs together in happiness.
This blog was established by Dr.G in order to present clear and reasoned positions on the issues of the day as well as mutual entertainment for the reading public and the writer. I was asked to join the creative staff to lighten the load on Dr.G who is busy composing for other blogs and rants. While this blog was never envisioned as a social networking site on the order of Facebook or linkedin, neither was its purpose as a public convenience, open to opportunistic barbs by unknown ill-wishers who hide behind their anonymity and then disappear.
The advantage to requiring some sort of identity by which a commenter becomes an individual (by using the same name all the time) is to establish a more meaningful and serious dialog among the participants.
We feel that our comment policy is the best way to establish a community that cries together in distress and laughs together in happiness.
Monday, June 15, 2009
AN OPEN LETTER TO ANONYMOUS
Dear Anonymous,
We love to hear from you hear at the good doctor, but the Grain and the Soup have both decided that there shall be no anonymous comments posted, no matter how on point or pithy, since it is TOO easy to hide behind, and people occasionally get a little too carried away when they are hiding behind complete anonymity. This is the posted policy herein, ( please glance to your right and see the first entry there.)
So I implore you, dear readers and commenters, please pick a name, any name, so long as it is not anonymous.
Specifically you, anonymous commenter to materialism, we liked the comment and want to share your pearl of wisdom with the rest of the greunkern community. So just resend it, just pick a name first.
This post really does not need any comments to it, but know just writing this shall cause a flurry of comments, mostly from you ornery people. ( now I REALLY did it!)
We love to hear from you hear at the good doctor, but the Grain and the Soup have both decided that there shall be no anonymous comments posted, no matter how on point or pithy, since it is TOO easy to hide behind, and people occasionally get a little too carried away when they are hiding behind complete anonymity. This is the posted policy herein, ( please glance to your right and see the first entry there.)
So I implore you, dear readers and commenters, please pick a name, any name, so long as it is not anonymous.
Specifically you, anonymous commenter to materialism, we liked the comment and want to share your pearl of wisdom with the rest of the greunkern community. So just resend it, just pick a name first.
This post really does not need any comments to it, but know just writing this shall cause a flurry of comments, mostly from you ornery people. ( now I REALLY did it!)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Materialism
People are imprisoned by their desires. Life is good, no real problems and then they want, want, want. What is it they need? Something they don't have, and what they do have suddenly becomes worthless, tasteless, giving little or no satisfaction. They yearn for what they don't have especially if others do have it. And when they finally achieve, at what cost, their current goal, it satisfies for a while but the novelty soon wears off and the next object of desire puts them back into the state they were in before their latest, must-have, acquisition. So why go for the first thing? You know the hunger will return and it costs so much to only diminish the feeling for a small while so why bother?
How many things in life have you acquired that still gives you satisfaction today? The things G-d gives you for free; light, air, springtime, summer, fall, winter, children, cherished spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, give you real satisfaction at little material cost.
To quote a noted religious leader, author and lecturer, " The enemy of good is better."
How many things in life have you acquired that still gives you satisfaction today? The things G-d gives you for free; light, air, springtime, summer, fall, winter, children, cherished spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, give you real satisfaction at little material cost.
To quote a noted religious leader, author and lecturer, " The enemy of good is better."
Friday, June 5, 2009
S day
A previous post by Soupy, who has been real quiet lately, mentioned that he runs into family. I had a similar situation that is so momentous to me that I feel I should share it with all of you (you are indeed lucky people today!).
I spoke to all of my siblings yesterday.
Now this may not be a very big event for most people, and certainly not for some, but it really stood out to me.
I spoke to all of my siblings yesterday.
Now this may not be a very big event for most people, and certainly not for some, but it really stood out to me.
I am , of course, not counting family get-togethers or occasions, when there is G-d forbid a family emergency, or when I see them and speak to them in person, I am referring to when we are all busy with our lives.
I am not a real phone person, and I don't just pick up the phone to casually shmooze with people. In fact, I speak to a friend of mine, who I consider to be one of my closest friends, about every six months, and it is usually because I need something from him.
So for me to speak to each of my siblings by phone is really something out of the ordinary for me. Granted, if you have been following the last few posts, you will see that there is probably a good reason for it, in that I seem to be a lightning rod for any and all comments and opinions, usually unsolicited, often pointed. However, they are family and still must be tolerated, since you can't choose them, as the saying goes. (In truth, my friends are no better, but I don't have that many anyhow, and as I said, I rarely speak to them, so they are manageable.)
Maybe I am mellowing at my advanced age, and appreciating them more. Maybe I have found a new talkativeness and feelings of closeness with loved ones, or maybe I enjoy their collective sage advice and opinions.
I'm not sure, but I AM sure THEY will let me know why.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Just Setting the Clock
My Grandfather was an interesting man. Not wishing to eulogize him here, which would not have been his wish, ( and would be almost 19 years too late) I just want to explore one facet of his psyche,
Clocks.
with apologies to anyone who knew him better, these are my recollections.
This was a man who was punctual to a fault and appreciated clocks. His house was LOADED with them, and they all were set to the correct time.
In fact, it was well known that daylight savings time, and the switch back, were momentous occasions in the house, as each clock was reset to the correct time. I remember sitting in the kitchen in Paramus and thinking that I never had to turn my head to see what time it was.
To a degree, I have a similar attachment to time keeping devices. I love clocks. I think there were 17 of them in my first one bedroom apartment, and I have always attempted to relive the experience of never having to turn my head in ANY room to see what time it is. At home we also have projection clocks that shine the time on the ceiling at night. Currently, we have about 25 clocks in the house. ( I counted them last night, a lot fewer than I thought, much to my chagrin. I shall try to gt more, if I can sneak them past Lovey.)
However, I am remiss, ( and I guess the blood has thinned somewhat) in keeping all of my devices set to the same time, or sometimes set at all. I have endured ribbing from Lovey and others that all of the clocks in the house show a different time ( including, incredibly, the atomic clock, until I figured how to set the DST button, so it stopped going back an hour every time I reset it). I also am not so diligent about keeping up with the daylight savings time switches, and sometimes a clock will go ( gasp!) a day or two before I get around to changing it. However, others in the family have kept up the tradition. Let me explain.
I have one cousin who has three oven clocks, and they were ( at the time I was there, might still be) set to all change at THE EXACT SAME SECOND. Now that is dedication, but all this is a prelude to my real reason for this post.
I went to the Yankee game a couple of days ago with one of my favorite cousins. One who was very close to my grandfather and this clock thing must have rubbed off in a big way. We were going home from the game when he looked at the clock on my radio and saw it was off. Now I bought this car second hand, and there was no manual for the car, much less the after market radio. I was off by an hour ten at first,which went down to ten minutes with the DST switch, then I had some battery issues, and each time the battery died, it reset. When I finally changed the battery, it was EXACTLY 47 minutes fast, so I would just do the math.
This would not fly for my dear smiling cousin, so he started trying different combinations to get it to work, finally took off the detachable face, and pulled the model number. (Tinkering to get things to work better was another habit of my Grandfather, and that has been transferred to many members of my family.)
I wasn't home ten minutes when he e-mailed me both the manual and the specific section that covered the clock. ( He also absorbed a tremendous ability to take care of things IMMEDIATELY, which is something I admire, am envious of, and should aspire to).
Well, I got in the car the next day, and promptly SET THE CLOCK. It was at that point that I had this tremendous feeling of elation that I FINALLY had a clock that was correct! I was thrilled, I called my cousin to thank him, not realizing how good it felt to actually be able to look at a clock and have the correct time without doing any math, especially for the timing of the traffic updates, which rule my life twice a day.
I guess there is more of Opa in me than I realized.
Clocks.
with apologies to anyone who knew him better, these are my recollections.
This was a man who was punctual to a fault and appreciated clocks. His house was LOADED with them, and they all were set to the correct time.
In fact, it was well known that daylight savings time, and the switch back, were momentous occasions in the house, as each clock was reset to the correct time. I remember sitting in the kitchen in Paramus and thinking that I never had to turn my head to see what time it was.
To a degree, I have a similar attachment to time keeping devices. I love clocks. I think there were 17 of them in my first one bedroom apartment, and I have always attempted to relive the experience of never having to turn my head in ANY room to see what time it is. At home we also have projection clocks that shine the time on the ceiling at night. Currently, we have about 25 clocks in the house. ( I counted them last night, a lot fewer than I thought, much to my chagrin. I shall try to gt more, if I can sneak them past Lovey.)
However, I am remiss, ( and I guess the blood has thinned somewhat) in keeping all of my devices set to the same time, or sometimes set at all. I have endured ribbing from Lovey and others that all of the clocks in the house show a different time ( including, incredibly, the atomic clock, until I figured how to set the DST button, so it stopped going back an hour every time I reset it). I also am not so diligent about keeping up with the daylight savings time switches, and sometimes a clock will go ( gasp!) a day or two before I get around to changing it. However, others in the family have kept up the tradition. Let me explain.
I have one cousin who has three oven clocks, and they were ( at the time I was there, might still be) set to all change at THE EXACT SAME SECOND. Now that is dedication, but all this is a prelude to my real reason for this post.
I went to the Yankee game a couple of days ago with one of my favorite cousins. One who was very close to my grandfather and this clock thing must have rubbed off in a big way. We were going home from the game when he looked at the clock on my radio and saw it was off. Now I bought this car second hand, and there was no manual for the car, much less the after market radio. I was off by an hour ten at first,which went down to ten minutes with the DST switch, then I had some battery issues, and each time the battery died, it reset. When I finally changed the battery, it was EXACTLY 47 minutes fast, so I would just do the math.
This would not fly for my dear smiling cousin, so he started trying different combinations to get it to work, finally took off the detachable face, and pulled the model number. (Tinkering to get things to work better was another habit of my Grandfather, and that has been transferred to many members of my family.)
I wasn't home ten minutes when he e-mailed me both the manual and the specific section that covered the clock. ( He also absorbed a tremendous ability to take care of things IMMEDIATELY, which is something I admire, am envious of, and should aspire to).
Well, I got in the car the next day, and promptly SET THE CLOCK. It was at that point that I had this tremendous feeling of elation that I FINALLY had a clock that was correct! I was thrilled, I called my cousin to thank him, not realizing how good it felt to actually be able to look at a clock and have the correct time without doing any math, especially for the timing of the traffic updates, which rule my life twice a day.
I guess there is more of Opa in me than I realized.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
If you cut me, I will bleed ( maybe)
This public castigation and critiquing ( see comments to GEESE III) has to be addressed. I can be silent no longer.
Why is it that everyone feels my business is theirs? I have somehow muddled my way through 42 years of life, granted, with alwaysolderthanyou in the picture the entire time, but without the help of FBB for the first 8 years, and I would like to think that I am doing a somewhat decent job of existing.
Now, if the definition of existing means spending $14.00 for a slice of chocolate cake, of course called something like Piéce Magnifique de Chocolat to justify the price, then I will have to beg to differ.
I am a simple man, with simple tastes. Now don't get me wrong, I will enjoy an occasional expensive meal, look forward to it, in fact. I feel what you pay for is the ambiance, the change, of location, and superior food served to you by surly people. However, when it is done, I don't feel that I need to go that extra distance to complete the effect and have the dessert in the same place as well. I like donuts, I like coffee, I like a good deal. Hence, a donut/coffee shop for dessert, in another location, which extends the night out, as well as the dollar, seems like a logical choice, irrespective of the name of the store.
I truly do not know how I managed to survive the first 8 years of life without good advice foisted upon me.
Now moving on to more unsolicited advice. As I have been forced to state, and shall reiterate herein again upon being attacked for my prose, (although I appreciate the over 600 visits thus far, and realize that a word printed and not read may not have been heard in the forest, ( to mix a metaphor)),
this is MY blog.
I will respect all comments and opinions, but it is still my call whether to accept them. For those of you who may or may not have blogs of your own, feel free to use any stylistic devices you wish. I will take any comment under advisement, and proceed accordingly. It is not sibling rivalry, it is free speech and choice.
Nevertheless, I will knock down the fourth wall and allow a peek at the thought process behind the decision to use English. When this blog explodes on the national stage, and the hits come in fast and furious, I do not wish to alienate anyone ( who I haven't already alienated by snarky responses) who is not familiar with certain sectors of the population. Therefore, I keep the language generic.
And Hamayvin Yovin
Why is it that everyone feels my business is theirs? I have somehow muddled my way through 42 years of life, granted, with alwaysolderthanyou in the picture the entire time, but without the help of FBB for the first 8 years, and I would like to think that I am doing a somewhat decent job of existing.
Now, if the definition of existing means spending $14.00 for a slice of chocolate cake, of course called something like Piéce Magnifique de Chocolat to justify the price, then I will have to beg to differ.
I am a simple man, with simple tastes. Now don't get me wrong, I will enjoy an occasional expensive meal, look forward to it, in fact. I feel what you pay for is the ambiance, the change, of location, and superior food served to you by surly people. However, when it is done, I don't feel that I need to go that extra distance to complete the effect and have the dessert in the same place as well. I like donuts, I like coffee, I like a good deal. Hence, a donut/coffee shop for dessert, in another location, which extends the night out, as well as the dollar, seems like a logical choice, irrespective of the name of the store.
I truly do not know how I managed to survive the first 8 years of life without good advice foisted upon me.
Now moving on to more unsolicited advice. As I have been forced to state, and shall reiterate herein again upon being attacked for my prose, (although I appreciate the over 600 visits thus far, and realize that a word printed and not read may not have been heard in the forest, ( to mix a metaphor)),
this is MY blog.
I will respect all comments and opinions, but it is still my call whether to accept them. For those of you who may or may not have blogs of your own, feel free to use any stylistic devices you wish. I will take any comment under advisement, and proceed accordingly. It is not sibling rivalry, it is free speech and choice.
Nevertheless, I will knock down the fourth wall and allow a peek at the thought process behind the decision to use English. When this blog explodes on the national stage, and the hits come in fast and furious, I do not wish to alienate anyone ( who I haven't already alienated by snarky responses) who is not familiar with certain sectors of the population. Therefore, I keep the language generic.
And Hamayvin Yovin
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