Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Vacation Where?

This is the time of year when a lot of people start to plan for vacation. I don’t plan for vacation because I am on vacation all the time - at least that’s what my "friends" tell me. There is a lot of planning to make a vacation an enjoyable and memorable time.

Where would you like to go? How about a beautiful scenic area that was closed for a few years, but now offers tours to view beautiful natural plants and terrain. You travel in small groups of about twenty or less. You don’t have to fight crowds. Sounds nice. There is one catch.

You are allowed to visit only under the protection of armed guards. Now it doesn’t sound so nice. The guards are from the government, so you should be safe. Should be? According to news reports, the area that will open in March is now being offered because it is safer than it used to be. Still want to go?

I have and suppose that you have seen on TV, vacation spots where the streets are patrolled with heavily armed police. Folks, I don’t know about you, but that is not a vacation when you wonder if you are going to be killed.

Which foreign country am I talking about? The United States. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona is the spot.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a 330,000 acre green stretch of Sonoran desert populated by barrel, saguaro and organ pipe cacti, spanning 30 miles of the U.S. - Mexico border. The park became a corridor for drug runners in the 1990s.

I’d not heard about this location until today. I can see why. Just imagine the brochures. "See mother nature and dodge bullets." The park rangers and border patrol have to drive groups to prevent them from being attacked by drug cartels from Mexico.

What would Yogi bear say? "Duck, Boo Boo! You’re a little bit late on that one Boo."

PMO
©2011

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

One Of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days when everything just went bad? If you haven’t, then you have truly missed out on something.

A week or so ago, the freezer went out. I mean, graveyard dead. Luckily, I found out before all the food was spoiled. We’ve had the freezer just a little over a year. The warranty ran out at one year and one minute. I called a technician. To allow him room to work, I moved a laundry cart that is in the same room. The wheels fell off the cart. This is a big cart that holds a bunch of stuff.

When the technician showed up, I had just gotten the cart back together. After a few minutes, the tech informed me that the problem was either a control or a compressor. It did not matter, since they only come as a package. The estimate to make the repairs was approximately three times what the freezer cost. I told him that I would just buy a new one. Or wait until next winter and put the food outside.

Just as the tech was leaving, my ace number one daughter phoned and said my granddaughter’s computer was broken. I immediately went to their house. Since the solution was not going to be simple, I brought the machine home. After trying all the stuff that was supposed to fix it, I finally got it to work, but not fixed. Granddaughter is going to use it, until I come up with a better plan.

After taking the computer home, I came back to work on my income tax on my computer and noticed that it would not send email. At first I thought the problem was my email software. Nope.

We have one of those bundle deals - phone, internet, and TV. It crashed. I re-booted the router as one is supposed to do, but that did not fix the email. Then, I decided to call the phone company that provides the service. That’s when I discovered the phone didn’t work.

On the cell phone, I pressed one and one and one and one and one and one until finally I was informed the next available representative would not be available until November.

So I did what all grumpy old men know to do. I had lunch and took a nap.

The lunch was cold.

PMO
©2011

Monday, February 27, 2012

Changes

I’ve noticed that since I retired I have all the extra duties that we have discussed before - mopping, shopping and all that other stuff. But, I have also noticed that my financial controller has stopped doing things she used to do. Like running the weed trimmer. She says that if I can find a trimmer like the one she had thirty years ago, she will resume that job. She knows they quit making that model 20 years ago.

And, she has all but stopped cooking. It used to be that she would wup up some fried pork chops and smashed taters. Not anymore. The closest thing I get to home cooking now is what ever take out is closest to the house.

She makes the best pecan pie in the world. Or, she used to. She has now delegated that job to our daughter. That means, twice per year - Thanksgiving and Christmas - we have pie.

I am starting to think that this is all part of some evil plan to have me where she wants me when she retires. Not going to happen!

Gotta go. I have to vacuum and mop before she gets home.

I wonder. How do you make a pecan pie?

PMO
©2011

Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Day After

Now I remember why I don’t take days off. By definition, a day off for me is doing something I want to do. So, what did I do on my day off? Glad you asked. I went shooting. I love to shoot guns but don’t get to go out very often. On my ‘day off’ I planned and executed my first real outing with a new rifle.

I am not a rifle person. I like to shoot shotguns, pistols and revolvers. Yes, there is a difference between a pistol and a revolver. About the only extended experience I’ve had with rifles was way back in the old days when my ‘Uncle Sam’ insisted that I shoot them.

As usual with my plans, I soon discovered that doing what I want to do leaves me to do all the doing. I had to gather sand bags for resting the rifle so as to sight it in - that’s making sure the bullet goes where it’s supposed to. I had to buy some targets. Then there was finding my heavy duty staple gun and some staples. There were wooden stakes to drive into the ground to mount the target with the staples. Of course, I had to round up some bullets. It’s not as much fun if you don’t have bullets.

This sounds crazy to some, but I drove almost two hours to BIL’s farm - brother-in-law. You have to have a safe place with a big mound of dirt to shoot into.

And, so long as I was going anyway, my son-in-law sent his rifle along for me to sight-in. Why not, I was furnishing the bullets.

Upon arriving at said farm, I had to locate the designated shooting spot, set up the target at a distance per the range finder thingy, drag the old picnic table to the right position. It acts as a shooting platform. Then and only then, after I am tired out and thinking about going home, do I get to shoot.

Finally I got to do what I wanted to do. Shoot bullets. After two hours of staring through a special scope to see if the bullets hit the target and making adjustments to the sights and scope on the rifles I managed to have my day and walked away sun burned, wind blown and wondering if I will ever hear again.

If we are ever attacked by an invading army of paper targets, I’m your man.

The targets will need to be extra still.

PMO
©2011

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Day Off

I'm taking a day off.  It's the first day off I've had since I retired.  If I like it, I may take another one.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Poker Face

Most people I know say I have a poker face. I’m not sure if they are talking about the card game or the kind of face you’d like to poke. I will admit that I am not Mr. Smiley. In fact, I don’t know if I remember how to smile.

My financial controller is always on my case about not smiling. She is the type that likes to take pictures. And, she always tells me to smile. Then she shows me the picture and says, "You didn’t smile." I always assure her that I am smiling on the inside. Maybe if she would give me a raise in my allowance I would smile. It’s certainly something I would be willing to try.

My problem is, as stated in previous issues of these rambles, that I think too much. I read too much and I analyze everything. When you do that, there’s nothing to smile about.

So, I have appointed myself as the official barometer for the state of the union. If you ever see me smile you will know with absolute certainty that all is well.

Or, it could be that I drew a royal flush.

PMO
©2011

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Silly Wabbits

Whoa rabbits. Contrary to what you believe, eating carrots will not give you good eyesight. At least that’s the report from Yahoo News - Who Knew? I’m not sure who started the tale that you should eat carrots because they are good for your eyes. It was probably ‘they.’ They do everything.

Carrots do contain beta-carotene, but so do sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, and apricots. If you eat large quantities of these for an extended period of time, your skin will develop an orange tint. Frankly, I think we could use a few orange people.

Some foods, such as peanut butter do have an effect on senses. Such as peanut butter. It can increase your hearing abilities. That is unless you actually put it into your ears. If you are old enough, you may have heard the expression, "Why can’t you hear? Do you have peanut butter in your ears?

Tomatoes and plums contain carotenoids and can change your skin color too. I eat tomatoes everyday. I do not eat plums.

So far as I can tell the lesson is all this is to forget that rabbits don’t wear glasses. Eat all the carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, apricots, tomatoes and plums you can stand. So what if your skin turns a funny color.

Just don’t chunk down a load of peanut butter. You’ll be able to hear all those people laughing at you.

PMO
©2011

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Police Report

First let me say that I have always been supportive of law enforcement. I’ve seen the movie, ‘Support Your Local Sheriff’ more than once. However, I am beginning to get a little concerned.

According to the Huffington Post, Keene, N.H. is getting a tank for the police department. Well, it’s not quite a tank, but it is a heavily armored and armed personnel carrier. Keene is a town of 23,000 and the scene of just two murders since 1999. Do they really need such a vehicle?

The Department of Homeland Security has issued a $285,933 grant to buy a ‘Bearcat,’ which is an eight ton machine. Obviously there are two sides on every story, unless you watch TV or read the papers. There are those in Keene that want the vehicle because the federal government is paying for it and those that oppose it because they don’t want to appear as some third world country.

Since September 11, 1991 the war on terror has increased in militarization of local police forces. Apparently a lot of major cities have taken advantage of free or greatly reduced cost vehicles of this type. In December, the Center for Investigative Journalism reported that Homeland Security grants totaling $34 billion went to terrorist targets such as Fargo, N.D.; Fon du Lac, Wisconsin; and Canyon County, Idaho.

Where the heck is Canyon County, Idaho?

In my little burg, so far as I know, we have not received any such grants. Surely there is a possibility that we could have an attack on the car wash. I don’t think they would hit our gas station. Their prices are already high enough to terrorize anybody.

It does seem to me that the city governors should at least look into getting us another bullet. We only have one and the police have to transfer it at the end of each shift.

One time, one of the officers went on vacation and took it with him.

PMO
©2011

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Non-Offensive

Today I have written the perfect non-offensive blog. It is so hard not to offend someone anymore. Even simple comments like, "Good morning," "How are you?" and "It’s a nice day" can get you into serious trouble.

If you follow this example you will be able to conduct yourself in the proper manner.

"



"

There you have it.

PMO
©2011

Monday, February 20, 2012

Remote Control Medicine

It’s in the newspaper, so it has to be true. Doctors are administering medication by remote control. Scientist implanted microchips in seven women according to a report by the Associated Press. The chips allowed just the right amount of medication to ooze out in exactly the right area for treatment.

If all the testing works out, someday doctors should be able to adjust dosage from afar or just program the chip to a time schedule. Imagine, remote control medicine. Who would have thunk it?

Instead of getting shots, you just get an implant. Wow! I hate shots. And, they can even control when you get the dose of medication to better control side effects - at night while you sleep.

If all this works out, I wonder if we could just all get a chip that doctors could monitor and it would tell them when we get sick and what we have. They could just dispense some magic medicine from a chip that we would already have.

If you add all this to a GPS chip that tracks our every move, we would never have to worry again. Just check Twitter every morning to see if you’re still alive and where you are.

To a grumpy old man, that’s useful information.

PMO
©2011

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Presidents Day

America has long reveled in tales of sexual misconduct of its Presidents. John Adams was accused of having his vice-presidential running mate, Charles Pickney, to act as a pimp for him. Adams lost to Jefferson, but not because of the sexual allegations.

Thomas Jefferson, according to a number of journalist at the time, had his own lack of moral restraint around beautiful women and is said to have carried on affairs with two married women. He was also accused of fathering children with one of his own slaves.

Andrew Jackson was called a home-wrecker. Ulysses S. Grant is said to have fathered a child with a Native American girl. Grover Cleveland admitted to fathering an illegitimate child with a Buffalo, New York prostitute.

Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy all carried on illicit relationships. And, of course, there was Bill Clinton.

All of this philandering has surely had an impact on this country. Just look at all the advertising.

In honor of Presidents day, mattresses are 50% off at thousands of locations.

PMO
©2011

Saturday, February 18, 2012

No Time

Ran into a younger friend and asked, "What’s happening in your world?" - that’s an ancient term for "whatsup." He replied that he just didn’t have time for anything anymore.

Everyday, I have to check my phone for messages and respond. Then I have a ton of email. Next up is to update my Facebook page. All of this of course is on my phone. Oh, I forgot, I have to see what’s new on iTunes and do a few downloads. Naturally, I have to check out YouTube and do a little browsing on the web.

You know you have to keep your laptop and your iPad and iPhone all in sync. Got to make sure you get stuff out to your cloud too.

Tweets come in all the time and I find myself improving my speed all the time. It’s wouldn’t be possible to live without Twitter.

I asked, "Don’t you have a job?" He replied, "Yes, of course. I just don’t seem to be able to keep up anymore. I think they are going to get me some help soon. I sure hope so." Then he asked, so what’s new with you?"

I hated to answer but I did, "I planted some onions."

PMO
©2011

Friday, February 17, 2012

Science Guy

Okay kiddies, it's science day. There are some basic laws of science you need to know. They can be very important.

First, there is no such thing as cold. There is only absence of heat. When I was outdoors a few days ago, I came inside and told my financial controller, "There is a major lack of heat in that north wind today."

Heat moves to cold. Don’t believe it? Just light a common kitchen match and stick it to your finger. The reason you feel pain is that you’re about 98.6 degrees and the match is over 1000 degrees. And, if you put a piece of ice onto your hand, it feels cold because your body heat is moving to the area with less heat. That brings up, does heat rise?  It can but it can also fall or go sideways. When you open an oven door, the heat moves sideways to get out. Heated air does rise. But it may not want to.

There is no such thing as dark, only an absence of light. Have you ever opened a sealed container that you know has no light? Did the room get darker? The light in the room went to the container too.

Hang on, there is a point to all this somewhere.

Wet moves to dry. That’s why you use a dry bath towel. It would do no good to take a towel into the shower with you and expect to use it to dry off.

Wind and water take the path of least resistance. Think about it. If you get behind a building when the wind is blowing, there is no wind. It goes around the building. Water creates rivers and canyons because it is following the path of least resistance.

All of these try to equalize to the opposite. Water seeks its on level only because the pressure is unequal until it does. Wind is created until atmospheric pressure is the same.

Humans take the path of least resistance not because of the laws of natural science, but because they might have to think or take an action. That’s the point.

Don’t you feel better knowing this? I know I do.

PMO
©2011

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Pregnancy Disease

Pregnancy is a disease according to Democrat Congresswoman Gwendolynne Moore of Michigan. At least according to a post from Vision to America and a transcript of a recent Rush Limbaugh show.
Has that sunk in yet? Pregnancy is a danger to a family. Ms Moore further stated that pregnancy can destroy a family. Am I shocked at such a statement? No. Am I shaking my head in wonder of how anyone could make such a statement? Yes.

Let me see if I can analyze this. Don’t you have to have a pregnancy to have a family? I mean a family with children. Even if the child is adopted, somebody had to get pregnant.

This is a part of the current effort to force the Catholic church and everyone else to provide birth control and abortion for free. Take note, there is no free.

Now that I have settled down a bit, she may be on to something. Pregnancy may be a disease. Just look at her.

If it is a disease, it’s the only one you can have a lot of fun catching it.

PMO
©2011

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

It Could Have Been Worse

One of my pet peeves - at last count I had about a million - is someone saying, "It could have been worse." What does that mean. If your house burns down and you lose everything and have no insurance, isn’t that ‘worse’ enough? How about you are in a wreck and break your arms and legs, do you really want to hear, "It could have been worse?"

I have never know anyone that was comforted by telling them that it could have been worse. When I had a root canal that went horribly wrong, it could not have been worse.

I talked with a man today about politics and government and guess what he said? "It could be worse." That may be true. There are lots of countries that have worse governments. They ought to fix themselves. What I want to hear is how to fix the one we’ve got.

There is an old joke about two guys talking. One tells the other that a mutual friend came home early and caught his wife with another man at his house. He shot the guy. The second man responded with, "It could have been worse." The first man said, "How could it have been worse? He is going to jail and his cheating wife is going to get all his money." The second man replied, "If he had come home early yesterday, he would have shot me."

In this case, I guess it could have been worse.

PMO
©2011

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Greatest Invention

What is the world’s greatest invention? Before you answer, I said invention, not discovery. There is a big difference. Kind of makes your choices limited.
I would argue that the pickup truck is the greatest invention. Don’t say Ha Ha. Think about it. Without the pickup we couldn’t haul all those other inventions. Sure there might be big trucks and trains, but can you park those in your garage?

Without pickups, we would have no way to bring home building supplies, large appliances, swing sets, and everything you can’t fit into a sub-compact or SUV.

Without pickup trucks, we would have no red necks. Well, not true red necks. Just think of the culture we would have lost. Where else can you carry a half dozen hunting dogs if not in a pickup truck? And, if you should bag some large animal, how you going to get that into the back seat of a smart car? The dogs, all six of them, would have to ride in the front with you.

I’m not sure who invented the pickup. Was it William Durant or Henry Ford. The Durant version came out as a Chevy in 1918 and Ford produced the 1925 Model T Runabout.

Now you can have a "crew cab pickup" so you can haul people and stuff. I have one.

I’m pretty sure pickups are the world’s greatest invention. I am positive it is not television.

PMO
©2011

Monday, February 13, 2012

Ace Number One Daughter

My ace number one daughter - an only child - came over this weekend with a framed certificate and coin she had received at a conference last week. She is the Operations and Support Manager for a human resources organization in Texas.
A U.S. Army Major General presented her with the certificate for her efforts in supporting our troops in employment through the Employer Support for Guard and Reserve. A special part of the presentation was when the General shook hands with her, he had a coin in his hand that designated the recognition. For those that may not know, it is an honor for a general officer to do that.

As usual I was completely unaware of her work on this important endeavor. That makes it all the better.

When you raise a child, you never know how you will feel about them as adults.

Proud is a good word.

©2011

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Poor Poor

There are people in this world that would kill to be poor in this country. The poor have low rent or free housing, free food, free medical, free cell phones, free or subsidized utilities, plus they receive a monthly income. The income allows them to enjoy big screen HD TV and a few other nice things.

How do I know this? I’ve actually been onsite to hundreds of poor housing sites. I’m not saying that we should not help poor people that can’t help themselves. We should.

But, the cell phone bills alone now cost the taxpayers $1.6 billion. Some recipients do have more than one.

When I look at what our poor have, and then look at what I have, it makes me wonder why I ever worked at all.

I think I know. If I hadn’t worked, there would be some poor people without a big screen TV. How would they ever watch football?

In my life I have been poor - really poor. I have never been rich, nor do I expect to ever be. If things keep going like they are, I may want to be poor again. I could use the lifestyle improvement.
PMO
©2011

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Pluggers

Gary Brookins writes a comic strip called, "Pluggers." If you haven’t seen it, look for it. You may be a Plugger and don’t even know it.
In today’s Daily Drivel, the Plugger’s wife tells him that Penny’s has sport shirts on sale. He says, "I don’t need any new shirts." The caption explains that Pluggers still wear the same work shirts after being retired for five years.

When I retired about four years ago, I made myself a promise. I don’t go anywhere you can’t wear denim and no where you have to wear a tie. In those four years, I’ve had on a suit less than five times and I don’t think I’ve worn a tie but twice - after wearing one for over 40 years.

Pluggers are not necessarily "red necks" but they are close cousins. They are coupon clippers, deal hunters, bargain burrowers, and just don’t see the need to do something because the rest of the world does. They take care of what they have. New technology doesn’t impress them. And, fashion is what ever is clean in the closet.

Pluggers drive pickup trucks. I drive a pickup truck. Life is good.

PMO
©2011

Friday, February 10, 2012

Marriage Test

According to the last numbers I saw on marriages, over half end in divorce. If the family is the foundation for any nation, then ours is in real trouble. From reading the newspapers one might conclude that the only people that want to be married are gays and lesbians.
Therefore I think - we all know what happens when I think - that we need a prenuptial test. It should be developed by people that have been married 25 years or more. This would exclude almost everyone in Hollywood.

The questions would be directed toward real life living together - not lust and expectations that the other person will adapt to you.

Here is a list of sample questions from the male perspective:

Do you own a bass boat or are you willing to work overtime to get one?

Can you watch sports on TV for days?

Do you like to camp out and shoot guns?

Are you willing to accept that I may not always be right, but I am never wrong?

Can you fry chicken like my mother does?

Do you understand housework is for women?

Can you live with only two pair of shoes?

Do you agree that the remote belongs to me?

Can you live with visiting your parents once or twice a year?

Do you understand that I will not go with you to your best friend’s wedding?

You know that I’m not going to change, don’t you?

These are only a few sample questions. The list is much longer.

If there is a woman that can answer yes to all these questions, there will be a really long line of men wanting to marry you.

An added bonus is that your daddy is rich and you are the sole heir.

PMO
©2011

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Printer Ink

I have three printers for my computers at my castle. At least one of them is ancient by today’s technology standards - more than a week old. They all work well and do what I need them to do. Until they run out of ink.
Two of the printers are lasers and one has those dang ink jets. It really doesn’t matter which one you have to replace the ink for, it cost more than the printer. Of course the ink jets don’t last as long and require multiple color cartridges. Therefore, to replace the set really sets my checkbook back.

So, I have a new marketing plan for printer manufacturers. ‘If you buy the ink, we’ll throw in the printer for free.’

At least that way, we’ll think we’re getting a good deal.

PMO
©2011

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The Draft

Back in the old days, we had what was commonly called, "the draft." Young men 18 and older were conscripted for a two year period. Today, we have an all volunteer military. It seems to work well but there were some benefits to the draft that we might want to reconsider.
I can envision a system that requires all able bodied men and women at the age of 18 of being drafted. They could not begin college, get a job or occupy Wall Street until they fulfilled a one year training period. For those that try to avoid the service, they would not be issued a certificate of completion thereby preventing them from going to college or getting a job. This would motivate parents to get them to the bus station.

Under my plan, young people would live in military type barracks, eat military food, get up before dawn and learn. They would learn how to get along with other people, even if you don’t like them. They would learn to clean up after themselves and do other things that they don’t want to do. Each one would have the opportunity to learn some basic skills, like cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and at least an introduction to a trade. Trades would include plumbing, electricity basics, minor car repairs, painting, welding, sewing, carpentry, and so forth. Not everyone would have to learn each trade, but everyone would have to master the basics of one or more.

They would not be allowed television, computers, radios, ipods or phones except for one five minute call per week to home only.

Now, what would all this accomplish? First it would cause them to experience real face to face respect with people they have never seen and may never see again. They would learn discipline, responsibility, and confidence in themselves. Not to forget, how to say "Yes Sir" and "Yes Mam."

Just imagine the results of preparing our future with people that had experienced some of what it takes to get along in this world.

I still practice the most important lessons the military taught me - keep your butt down and never volunteer for anything.

PMO
©2011

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

GPS

The government is at it again. This time they are on a mission to change from radar tracking for airplanes to GPS - global positioning system. The reasoning is reasonable. Air traffic controllers will have more accurate readings on airplane locations. And, all planes, equally equipped will be able to see the position of other aircraft. All this means that planes will take off and land faster and safer. Good idea? Maybe not.
The problem with GPS is that it is used to track everything from dogs to grandmas. It’s true. You can buy devices to keep up with your pets, your kids, criminals, cars, products, and the list goes on and on, including grandma if she is prone to wonder off.

I can just see it now. The battery that controls the GPS on an airplane goes dead. Now, what are we going to do? Air traffic controllers will have to scramble. Do they track the cell phones of the passengers on the plane? Cell phones have GPS unless you turn them off. Maybe they can check the location of Fido if he is in the cargo bin. With just a little thought you can see my point. With radar you send out a radio wave and it comes back. With GPS and a dead battery, you got nothing.

I suppose we will have a better system to keep up with grandma if she has wondered onto a plane.

PMO
©2011

Monday, February 6, 2012

Trivia

I have a trivia question for you today. You know how I like to start off with a question. But, first some background. I watch documentaries, and this past week I watched "The Real Buddy Holly Story." It was quite interesting if you happen to be a Buddy Holly fan - which I am. For any young wippersnappers that don’t know who he is, Buddy was around about the time Elvis got started. He was killed in a plane crash at the age of 22. Buddy made a contribution to music - real music - that is still around today and will be for a long time to come.

Now, the question. What was the first song that Buddy Holly ever wrote? Here’s a hint. The title came from a line John Wayne used in one of his westerns. Wait, there’s more. What was the first song the Beatles ever recorded? The answer is one in the same.

I have asked this of a number of people and not one has answered correctly. I guess you think you know it right off the top of your head?

For you to know the answer would be quite amazing and if you are average, that’ll be the day.

PMO
©2011

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Farmer For President

By the time November gets here, most of us will have brains turned to mush from all the political garbage that is about to happen. I don’t know about you, but I have reached the point, that I just put the political garbage out with the trash everyday.

After listening to all the rhetoric, I have again come up with the perfect presidential candidate. A farmer. Farmers know how to make something good out of very little to work with. They know how to fix stuff, like tractors. I really admire people that can fix tractors.

Farmers know good times and bad times. They survive when all around them is nothing but bad. They have to plan without knowing all the variables like weather, planting and reaping cost and what the market will be for their crops when and if they produce. Basically, they have to be scientists, economists, gamblers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, veterinarians, meteorologists, doctors, welders, carpenters, lawyers, and labor experts. They work from sun up to sundown and sometimes longer. They are focused on getting the job done.

Back when the country began, we had farmers that became framers of the Declaration and Constitution. That worked out well. We need another farmer now.

Besides, I think it would be neat to have a president that wore a barn coat and boots in the White House. At least we would all have something to eat.

PMO
©2011

Saturday, February 4, 2012

How Sweet It Is

Sugar and other sweeteners are so toxic to the human body that they should be regulated as strictly as alcohol by governments worldwide, according to a commentary in the current issue of the journal Nature by researchers at the University of California , San Francisco - Yahoo News from Live Science by Christopher Wanjek.
The commentary went so far as to say that processed sugars have been as detrimental to society as alcohol and tobacco. According to the UCSF authors of the commentary, led by Robert Lustig, about 75% of U.S. health care dollars are spent on diet related diseases. Lustig, a medical doctor, says sugar is addictive and toxic and has a negative impact on our society, thus meeting established public health criteria for regulation. He advocates a consumer tax on any product with added sugar. Furthermore he proposes a ban on the sale of sugary drinks to children under the age of 17 and to tighten zoning laws for the sale of sugary drinks and snacks around schools.

Not long ago I wrote about a coming fat tax - if you are obese, you will be taxed. Now there are those that would tax the products that made you fat and tax you for being fat.

Does this sound insane? Yes. Is it likely to happen? Yes.

I’ll think about it awhile longer while I have a soft drink and a creme filled chocolate cupcake. Make that two cupcakes.

PMO
©2011

Friday, February 3, 2012

Believe It Or Not

You don’t have to believe what I am about to tell you, but it is the truth - provided you have a little imagination. 
On one of my shopping trips, I parked my pickup and opened the door to see a Grackle reading the label on an empty box that had been run over. For those of you that don’t know what a Grackle is, it is an obnoxious bird that’s taller and longer than a traditional blackbird. They eat a lot of crops, notably corn, and just about anything else.

Grackles aren’t afraid of people since they thrive in the city. This particular bird didn’t even flinch when I got near. He or she - I can’t tell - went right on perusing the fine print on the empty box that had contained some food product. There was no food in the squashed cardboard.

Can it be that even obnoxious birds now must read the label before they take a bite? The food Nazis have gone too far.

I know you think birds can’t read, but he look so intelligent and focused on the writing on the label. And, I can’t swear who said it, but as I walked on I heard a raspy voice exclaim, "Sodium nitrite!

I told you that you could believe this or not. Just wait until tomorrow and see what’s going to kill you next. How sweet it is!

Just because you don’t believe birds can read doesn’t mean they can’t. You didn’t see this bird. He was wearing bifocals.

PMO
©2011

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Write It Down

Tired of politics yet? The worse is yet to come. That’s a thought that could make you want to sell your TV, cancel your newspaper, disconnect your computer, rip out your radio and read only the ingredients on the label of your breakfast cereal.

Why don’t we just out source our government? We could get things done a lot cheaper. All it would take is for some translator at a foreign call center to render into English a list of lies. And, it would be better because we can’t understand them.

I want a politician that is willing to write down and sign all his/her promises with the stipulation that if they are not fulfilled, then said person would resign and leave the country, never to return. What we have now is like an old Justin Wilson story. Two Cajuns meet and one says, "How come you told me that lie?" The second one replies, "Which one?"

Of course my desire to get someone to actually write down and sign may be a problem. We would have to find someone that can actually write his/her own words.

PMO
©2011

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Laws

Let’s start with another question. I love questions. Are you a criminal? If criminal is defined as one that breaks a law, then you are. If you are not, then you have never been outside the spot where you were born and you have done absolutely nothing. Scary, isn’t it, that we are all criminals.

We supposedly are a nation of laws. That’s not always a good thing, all the time. You see, you could be arrested almost anytime, anywhere for anything.

In one of my previous lives, I was a reporter. I went out one night to get information on a truck hijacking. The incident involved local, state and federal law enforcement in two states. After avoiding being arrested or at least detained for being in the area where the investigation was active, I cooperated by waiting for the powers that were to get me the information I wanted.

My initial report merely stated that the hijacking occurred and was under investigation. Several hours later I got a call from the FBI. Because I had a friend inside the Bureau, another agent called to fill me in on all the details I wanted. In those days, we actually reported the facts. Because the suspects were still free, the agent explained to me that I had to hold the story until a specified time. If I did not, then he would have me arrested. Arrested for what? Anything! Like spitting on the sidewalk or littering if I tossed a gum wrapper. Could he actually do that? Yes.

The point is that we can be arrested for seemingly nothing. The facts are there are so many laws that it is impossible not to break a hundred or more on any given day.

Today there are laws that prohibit just about everything or protect just about everything. You can be arrested for what you think.

In my case, breaking a thinking law is not a real concern. I’m thinking about giving up thinking. I know lots of people that already have.

PMO
©2011