According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States. I thought it was Twinkies, but that’s just silly me. Apparently there are two kinds of iron - not rusty and shiny. There is heme iron which comes from meat, poultry and fish, and non-heme iron which is why some vegetarian diets are low in iron.
Again, according to the CDC, good sources of heme iron are lean red meat, eggs, salmon, tuna and poultry. In case you don’t know, you can barbeque all of those except eggs. Eggs can be cooked in an iron skillet. Eating these along with beans and leafy vegetables help your body absorb iron from plants.
All this about iron is important because iron is used by the body to make hemoglobin (red blood cells) and myoglobin (found in muscle). Hemoglobin and myoglobin carry oxygen. Oxygen is very important, in case you didn’t know that either.
Iron deficiency can cause one to feel tired, short of breath, irritable or dizzy and even frequent headaches. People with iron deficiency anemia may have cold hands and feet or brittle hair and nails. Severe cases may cause one to crave substances such as dirt or clay. That could cut down on the grocery bill.
Why am I writing about this? To prove that steak, ribs, pork chops, fried chicken and all that stuff is not going to kill you. Moderation is the key. I eat in moderation. One day I have steak, then ribs, then pork chops - well you get the picture. I do not have an iron deficiency.
I am naturally irritable and dizzy. If my hands get cold, I put on gloves.
PMO
©2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
On Strike
Fast food restaurant workers want to be paid $15 per hour. There have been marches around the country in support of getting higher pay. It sounds like a good idea unless you look again.
First, there are some of the workers that shouldn’t get paid at all at the places I’ve been in. And, the cost of is reflected in the cost of a happy meal or a double whopper. Many of those protesting do not understand that. These are entry level jobs that will always be near the bottom of the pay scale. They exist because there is a need and they allow workers to get used to actually working for pocket money. These jobs are not intended to support a family with two SUVs and a big screen TV.
Yes, workers should be paid a fair wage. But, to basically double their pay is asking too much. Why not try working hard and learning so you can move into another job that pays more. If the protesters get their demands, they had better look for one heck of a job to move up to or they won’t be able to afford a hamburger.
I’m going to demand a bigger senior discount - say 90%.
PMO
©2013
First, there are some of the workers that shouldn’t get paid at all at the places I’ve been in. And, the cost of is reflected in the cost of a happy meal or a double whopper. Many of those protesting do not understand that. These are entry level jobs that will always be near the bottom of the pay scale. They exist because there is a need and they allow workers to get used to actually working for pocket money. These jobs are not intended to support a family with two SUVs and a big screen TV.
Yes, workers should be paid a fair wage. But, to basically double their pay is asking too much. Why not try working hard and learning so you can move into another job that pays more. If the protesters get their demands, they had better look for one heck of a job to move up to or they won’t be able to afford a hamburger.
I’m going to demand a bigger senior discount - say 90%.
PMO
©2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Do Not Buy A Car
If you don’t have enough frustration in your life, may I suggest that you go buy a new car. It has been a couple of years since my last experience and nothing has changed. It is no wonder why car sales people are frowned upon. They want to try every sales trick they have ever heard about. The problem is that I’ve sold cars and I really don’t want to play games.
When I trade cars I do research. I know what I want and how much I am willing to pay. I know what the current value of my trade is and am pretty confident of how much discount should be allowed on a new vehicle. Bottom line is, I really irritate car salesmen.
My financial controller has a nice vehicle, but since she drives a lot miles, she usually trades every two years. Let me assure you, it is hard to make any money buying a car. That’s why she always lets me do all the dealing. She likes to decide what options and extras she wants. All I want is something that has a motor, transmission, and four wheels. We never agree on which one to buy. She always wins.
I really don’t think they have cars in heaven. Can you imagine haggling with a salesman for all eternity.
They probably do have cars in that other place.
PMO
©2013
When I trade cars I do research. I know what I want and how much I am willing to pay. I know what the current value of my trade is and am pretty confident of how much discount should be allowed on a new vehicle. Bottom line is, I really irritate car salesmen.
My financial controller has a nice vehicle, but since she drives a lot miles, she usually trades every two years. Let me assure you, it is hard to make any money buying a car. That’s why she always lets me do all the dealing. She likes to decide what options and extras she wants. All I want is something that has a motor, transmission, and four wheels. We never agree on which one to buy. She always wins.
I really don’t think they have cars in heaven. Can you imagine haggling with a salesman for all eternity.
They probably do have cars in that other place.
PMO
©2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The Votes Are In
After leaving the "Blog or not to blog" question up for a few days, the votes are in. Nobody cares one way or another. That really doesn’t surprise me. The only comments I got were mine (not posted) and Bill’s. He writes a blog and is only trying to stay on my good side so I will read his. The end result is a tie - one for and one against. So here we go again.
It’s not the vote, or lack of, that causes me to continue. It’s just, there are millions of things that get on my nerves that I haven’t complained about yet.
Trying to buy a new car and dealing with the new dog are at the top of the list today.
PMO
©2013
It’s not the vote, or lack of, that causes me to continue. It’s just, there are millions of things that get on my nerves that I haven’t complained about yet.
Trying to buy a new car and dealing with the new dog are at the top of the list today.
PMO
©2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Blog
I’ve written this blog for over two years. There have been some good posts and some really bad ones. The bad ones probably out number the good ones. I don’t know exact numbers and I’m not going to count them.
The purpose of the blog was to bring a smile or laugh, make you think and sometimes make you feel good, even for just a moment. Now I’m wondering if I should continue. You know how I always have questions, so today's question is: "To blog or not to blog?"
What do you think? Click on "Comments" to respond.
PMO
©2013
The purpose of the blog was to bring a smile or laugh, make you think and sometimes make you feel good, even for just a moment. Now I’m wondering if I should continue. You know how I always have questions, so today's question is: "To blog or not to blog?"
What do you think? Click on "Comments" to respond.
PMO
©2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
He Wants To Be She
After being sentenced to 35 years in prison, Army PFC Bradley Manning announced in a statement to "Today" that she identifies as female and wants to be known as Chelsea Manning - (Yahoo News). Manning said, "I am Chelsea Manning. I am female. Given the way I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible."
My question is, who is going to pay for the therapy? I already know the answer to that one.
Here’s a bit of advice for Manning If you are placed in the general population in prison. You may want to keep quite about that.
Some of those guys take matters like this seriously.
PMO
©2013
My question is, who is going to pay for the therapy? I already know the answer to that one.
Here’s a bit of advice for Manning If you are placed in the general population in prison. You may want to keep quite about that.
Some of those guys take matters like this seriously.
PMO
©2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Bad Choice
I’ve made a lot of bad choices in my life so far. But, the worse seems to be that I got tired of poverty at a very early age and went to work. After the Army, I drove 70 miles each way to college and got a degree while I worked. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Boy, was I stupid or what? Now I find out that welfare is the best (non)job you can get in some states.
According to dailycaller.com and KEYE TV in Austin, Texas, a study by the Cato Institute reveals that in 35 states, welfare benefits pay more than minimum wage jobs and in 13 states, welfare pays more than $15 per hour. Michael Tanner, Senior Policy Analyst and co-author of the study concludes that as long as welfare provides better benefits, recipients will continue to choose it over work. Duh!
According to the study, welfare recipients in Hawaii get the most benefits at $29.13 per hour which is over $60,000 per year. The report points out that Hawaiians on welfare get 167 percent of the median salary in the state which is only about $36,000.
The District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have the next more generous welfare benefits with all of them paying over $20 per hour.
I don’t want to live in DC, Massachusetts or Connecticut, but I could get used to Hawaii. I bet there is a way to get free airfare there too.
I wonder if they would provide a limo to pick me up at the airport and drive me to the welfare office?
PMO
©2013
According to dailycaller.com and KEYE TV in Austin, Texas, a study by the Cato Institute reveals that in 35 states, welfare benefits pay more than minimum wage jobs and in 13 states, welfare pays more than $15 per hour. Michael Tanner, Senior Policy Analyst and co-author of the study concludes that as long as welfare provides better benefits, recipients will continue to choose it over work. Duh!
According to the study, welfare recipients in Hawaii get the most benefits at $29.13 per hour which is over $60,000 per year. The report points out that Hawaiians on welfare get 167 percent of the median salary in the state which is only about $36,000.
The District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have the next more generous welfare benefits with all of them paying over $20 per hour.
I don’t want to live in DC, Massachusetts or Connecticut, but I could get used to Hawaii. I bet there is a way to get free airfare there too.
I wonder if they would provide a limo to pick me up at the airport and drive me to the welfare office?
PMO
©2013
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Phobophobia
Phobias are defined as irrational or excessive fears. It is amazing how many we have and we are a nation of phobic’s. Claustrophobia, the fear of confined spaces affects a lot of people, while I don’t know anyone with Coprastasophobia, the fear of constipation. I can see how that could be a real fear.
In our society today there seems to be a lot of Ergophobia or Ponophobia, the fear of work. And, Hoplophobia, fear of firearms, is apparently rampant. How many people have a fear of speaking in public- Glossophobia? And, there is always Thanatophobia, the fear of dying. People with Ecclesiophobia, probably should have Thanatophobia, since it is the fear of church. I don’t have Ecclesiophobia, but I do fear some of the people in church.
Mageirocophobia, the fear of cooking, seems pretty common today. My problem is that I am not afraid of cooking, but am afraid to eat what I cook. Triskadekaphobia is real to a lot of people. If you don’t know what that means, look it up. You may have to look it up 13 times to be sure.
Don’t like spiders and snakes? You may have Arachnophobia and Ophidiophobia. Use those words with all your friends and at least they will stay away from you. If you fear many things and apparently a lot of people do, you have Polyphobia.
Phobophobia is the fear of phobias. I think that’s what I have.
PMO
©2013
In our society today there seems to be a lot of Ergophobia or Ponophobia, the fear of work. And, Hoplophobia, fear of firearms, is apparently rampant. How many people have a fear of speaking in public- Glossophobia? And, there is always Thanatophobia, the fear of dying. People with Ecclesiophobia, probably should have Thanatophobia, since it is the fear of church. I don’t have Ecclesiophobia, but I do fear some of the people in church.
Mageirocophobia, the fear of cooking, seems pretty common today. My problem is that I am not afraid of cooking, but am afraid to eat what I cook. Triskadekaphobia is real to a lot of people. If you don’t know what that means, look it up. You may have to look it up 13 times to be sure.
Don’t like spiders and snakes? You may have Arachnophobia and Ophidiophobia. Use those words with all your friends and at least they will stay away from you. If you fear many things and apparently a lot of people do, you have Polyphobia.
Phobophobia is the fear of phobias. I think that’s what I have.
PMO
©2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
No Surprise
According to a report on MSN Now, almost half of Americans would save a dog before a foreign tourist. A recent paper from George Regents University described a hypothetical scenario to more than 500 people: A bus is speeding toward a dog and a human. Which do you save? Most responses reportedly came down to: What kind of human and what kind of a dog? Wait, it gets better. While everyone would save a sibling, grandparent or close friend instead of a strange dog, but if it were a distant cousin or their own dog, the dog is the winner. And, 40 percent of those surveyed, including 46 percent of women, would save their dog over a foreign tourist.
Does this surprise anyone? Not me. But there are some lessons to be learned here. First, if you are a foreign tourist, stay away from dogs if you happen to be around buses. And, maybe you should dress like a non-tourist - green hair, baggy pants, and lots of pierced body parts. Next, dogs should be on the look out for tourist so they will be better protected. Finally, there is a chance that if the dog is really cute, it won’t matter who the human is to a woman.
From now on when I walk the new puppy, I’m tying the leash to myself.
That way, they can’t save one without the other.
PMO
©2013
Does this surprise anyone? Not me. But there are some lessons to be learned here. First, if you are a foreign tourist, stay away from dogs if you happen to be around buses. And, maybe you should dress like a non-tourist - green hair, baggy pants, and lots of pierced body parts. Next, dogs should be on the look out for tourist so they will be better protected. Finally, there is a chance that if the dog is really cute, it won’t matter who the human is to a woman.
From now on when I walk the new puppy, I’m tying the leash to myself.
That way, they can’t save one without the other.
PMO
©2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Politics
In case you haven’t heard, there are folks that want Hillary and Michelle on the presidential ticket for 2016. Bumper stickers are already made up. I think it’s a wonderful idea, provided that the House and Senate are controlled by a Muslim majority.
I have a sick sense of humor and a real mean streak.
PMO
©2013
I have a sick sense of humor and a real mean streak.
PMO
©2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Dog Training
Here I go again about the new dog. She came to us being house broken, which puts her one up on me. But, there are some things that dogs are supposed to do, like play ball, walk on a leash, sit, roll over and all that stuff. My financial controller is supposed to train the dog. But so far she hasn’t done any training, so I am helping out.
Because said fleabag is already 7 months old, it is important to get her started on training. She really hated the leash on the first day, but has done surprisingly well the following days. I think tying the leash to the golf cart helped. By the time I made the block the second time, she was keeping up.
Dogs are supposed to fetch the ball. It’s in the book of rules for dogs somewhere. The procedure is for the human to throw the ball and the dog goes and gets it and returns it and drops the ball so the process can be repeated until the dog is "dog tired" and is ready for sleep at night. Not this dog. She loves to go get the ball, but will hold onto it like a vise. No amount of prying or coaxing will get her to let it go. I think I have solved the problem. All our floors in the lean-to are tile. I just let her keep the ball and I slide her across the room with the ball in her mouth. Hey, it works.
There are legitimate reasons I never became a dog trainer.
PMO
©2013
Because said fleabag is already 7 months old, it is important to get her started on training. She really hated the leash on the first day, but has done surprisingly well the following days. I think tying the leash to the golf cart helped. By the time I made the block the second time, she was keeping up.
Dogs are supposed to fetch the ball. It’s in the book of rules for dogs somewhere. The procedure is for the human to throw the ball and the dog goes and gets it and returns it and drops the ball so the process can be repeated until the dog is "dog tired" and is ready for sleep at night. Not this dog. She loves to go get the ball, but will hold onto it like a vise. No amount of prying or coaxing will get her to let it go. I think I have solved the problem. All our floors in the lean-to are tile. I just let her keep the ball and I slide her across the room with the ball in her mouth. Hey, it works.
There are legitimate reasons I never became a dog trainer.
PMO
©2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Traffic Signs
On my trip to pickup the new fleabag I traveled some roads that I’d not traveled before. If you’ve never gotten off the interstate in East Texas, you need to be prepared to make a lot of turns. There just doesn’t seem to be straight roads anywhere. And, you might want to keep your eyes on traffic signs. The routes are posted, but the signs indicating a road or condition are usually at the exact spot - not a foot before. However, they have taken measures to get your attention.
On this particular drive I encountered speed signs with a red border. In Texas, speed limit signs usually are white and maybe a black border. Not in East Texas. And, then there was the yellow diamond shaped sign that proclaimed an intersection ahead. Instead of a black border, it had little flashing lights - like a Christmas tree.
If you ever get bored driving, just try a trip off the beaten path in East Texas.
PMO
©2013
On this particular drive I encountered speed signs with a red border. In Texas, speed limit signs usually are white and maybe a black border. Not in East Texas. And, then there was the yellow diamond shaped sign that proclaimed an intersection ahead. Instead of a black border, it had little flashing lights - like a Christmas tree.
If you ever get bored driving, just try a trip off the beaten path in East Texas.
PMO
©2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
New Fleabag
My financial controller has a new dog. Ziggie is her name and she is supposed to be in Florida but she’s at my house. It’s a long story and it was a long drive for me to go and pickup her up in beautiful Gilmer, Texas. If you’ve never been to Gilmer, after you stop at the Dairy Queen, the trip pretty well goes downhill from there.
This is one of those "foo foo" dogs. All the women just rave about how adorable they are. I just stand and marvel at how much this critter is going to cost me. Not to mention, that every time my financial controller gets a dog, it has a way of becoming mine to tend.
The hound is a mix breed. She is half Havanese and half Shih Tzu. I think she may be part Kudzu.
She’s all over the place.
PMO
©2013
This is one of those "foo foo" dogs. All the women just rave about how adorable they are. I just stand and marvel at how much this critter is going to cost me. Not to mention, that every time my financial controller gets a dog, it has a way of becoming mine to tend.
The hound is a mix breed. She is half Havanese and half Shih Tzu. I think she may be part Kudzu.
She’s all over the place.
PMO
©2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Less Intelligent
Religious people are less intelligent than non-believers, according to a new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades. (Yahoo News) How about that? Sounds to me like they are saying that religious people are stupid.
According to the report, and I won’t bore you with all the details, intelligent people are more likely to be married and more likely to be successful in life and this means they "need" religion less. A 1916 study quoted in the report found that, "58% of randomly selected scientists in the United States expressed disbelief in, or doubt regarding the existence of God; this proportion rose to nearly 70% for the most eminent scientists."
Seems to me they have had all the sense educated out of them. As I’ve said before, "When you die you will find out if God is for real. But, then it’s too late."
Eternity is a really long time to be wrong.
PMO
©2013
According to the report, and I won’t bore you with all the details, intelligent people are more likely to be married and more likely to be successful in life and this means they "need" religion less. A 1916 study quoted in the report found that, "58% of randomly selected scientists in the United States expressed disbelief in, or doubt regarding the existence of God; this proportion rose to nearly 70% for the most eminent scientists."
Seems to me they have had all the sense educated out of them. As I’ve said before, "When you die you will find out if God is for real. But, then it’s too late."
Eternity is a really long time to be wrong.
PMO
©2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Give Back
You owe me. I don’t know why you owe me, but you do. You should give back what ever you have to me because you are supposed to feel guilty about not giving me something. If you don’t feel guilty, then something is wrong with you. Guess what? Something is wrong with me.
I am tired of hearing the talking heads spouting "give back" when someone does something nice for an organization or community. The implication is that the someone took from them to start with. Sure, I’m old school. Just because I drove 70 miles each way to college and worked to support a family at the same time, I have the old fashioned idea that I earned what little I have. Just because I did any kind of job I could find and tried hard to improve myself so I could improve my financial status, count me strange, because I don’t feel I need to give back.
To give is an act of caring and concern. It is a human action that speaks to the character of a person. It is not an act of feeling obligated or guilty for success. I already gave back. I retired and opened up my job to a younger person.
I just wish someone would give back to me all the money that has been taken to support those that will not work.
I could be retired in style.
PMO
©2013
I am tired of hearing the talking heads spouting "give back" when someone does something nice for an organization or community. The implication is that the someone took from them to start with. Sure, I’m old school. Just because I drove 70 miles each way to college and worked to support a family at the same time, I have the old fashioned idea that I earned what little I have. Just because I did any kind of job I could find and tried hard to improve myself so I could improve my financial status, count me strange, because I don’t feel I need to give back.
To give is an act of caring and concern. It is a human action that speaks to the character of a person. It is not an act of feeling obligated or guilty for success. I already gave back. I retired and opened up my job to a younger person.
I just wish someone would give back to me all the money that has been taken to support those that will not work.
I could be retired in style.
PMO
©2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Make Them Wonder
Grumpy old men like to make other people wonder. Sometimes I do things that just don’t make any sense to see what the result will be. My office is on the west side of the lean-to. That means that the west sun beats down and heats up the wall. It doesn’t matter what the temperature is in the rest of the house, it’s always hotter at my desk.
So, I use an old evaporative trick to cool down the wall and roof. I spray them with the garden hose. The cool water evaporates and pulls off heat. It like someone spraying you with a hose to cool you off. Yes, it only last for a few moments, but there can be heat reduction. Sounds crazy but it does work. To accomplish a significant cooling effect would take more water than one would want to use.
The neighbors wonder, "What is he doing now?" I just tell them I am cleaning my roof. People look at you when you do things like this.
I went into a movie rental store and when it was time to pay, the clerk wanted to see an ID to be sure I had an account on file. I pulled out my concealed handgun license. That clerk never asked me again for an ID.
A bored grumpy old man is a dangerous thing.
PMO
©2013
So, I use an old evaporative trick to cool down the wall and roof. I spray them with the garden hose. The cool water evaporates and pulls off heat. It like someone spraying you with a hose to cool you off. Yes, it only last for a few moments, but there can be heat reduction. Sounds crazy but it does work. To accomplish a significant cooling effect would take more water than one would want to use.
The neighbors wonder, "What is he doing now?" I just tell them I am cleaning my roof. People look at you when you do things like this.
I went into a movie rental store and when it was time to pay, the clerk wanted to see an ID to be sure I had an account on file. I pulled out my concealed handgun license. That clerk never asked me again for an ID.
A bored grumpy old man is a dangerous thing.
PMO
©2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Insanity
Governor Brown of California reportedly is about to sign a new law into effect that will allow transgender children to use what ever bathroom they choose at school. A little boy that thinks he wants to be a girl would be allowed to go to the girls or boys room. His choice.
All of this comes from a child, whose parents said wanted to be the opposite gender and got upset when the school would not allow the child to use the opposite rest room. Talk about being governed by the insane.
The inmates have taken over the institution.
PMO
©2013
All of this comes from a child, whose parents said wanted to be the opposite gender and got upset when the school would not allow the child to use the opposite rest room. Talk about being governed by the insane.
The inmates have taken over the institution.
PMO
©2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Let's Review
Today is a review of some of the things that make grumpy old men so grumpy. We have established that anything that annoys me makes me grumpy and almost anything and everything annoys me. Let’s review a few.
Government. So far as I am concerned, government’s job is to build roads and bridges, deliver the mail and protect the borders.
Any product or service that is inferior in quality. What ever happened to pleasing the customer?
Entitlement programs that enslave people. It is annoying to watch as half the country falls prey to political traps that take away dignity and self reliance.
People that allow themselves to be enslaved by government broken promises and deeming programs.
Anybody that doesn’t recognize that human life is precious and should be preserved at all cost. Anything less is just wrong by any standard.
Rewarding criminals and punishing victims. People are supposed to be responsible for what they do. Society works a lot better when that rule is enforced.
Any mistreatment of humans that can’t help themselves. Old people, mentally or physically impaired individuals or those that obviously uneducated about everyday life.
People that mistreat animals. Animals don’t have rights - certainly not more than humans - but they also don’t deserve to be tortured and killed just for fun or laziness.
Anybody that talks while I watch television or a movie. If I wanted to talk or listen, I wouldn’t be watching TV or a movie.
Idiots that have a drivers license. There are some people that should be made to walk everywhere they go.
People that ride bicycles in the middle of a highway. I don’t intend to understand how they have a "right" to run 5 mph in a 70 mph zone.
Perky people that obviously don’t have a clue about anything and want to tell everybody what they know.
Nannies have to be the worst annoyance. They want to control your life but exempt themselves from everything.
Sure the list goes on and on and on. But, that’s enough for today. When you get around a grumpy old man, try to remember some of these.
It annoys us for people not to remember what we just told them.
PMO
©2013
Government. So far as I am concerned, government’s job is to build roads and bridges, deliver the mail and protect the borders.
Any product or service that is inferior in quality. What ever happened to pleasing the customer?
Entitlement programs that enslave people. It is annoying to watch as half the country falls prey to political traps that take away dignity and self reliance.
People that allow themselves to be enslaved by government broken promises and deeming programs.
Anybody that doesn’t recognize that human life is precious and should be preserved at all cost. Anything less is just wrong by any standard.
Rewarding criminals and punishing victims. People are supposed to be responsible for what they do. Society works a lot better when that rule is enforced.
Any mistreatment of humans that can’t help themselves. Old people, mentally or physically impaired individuals or those that obviously uneducated about everyday life.
People that mistreat animals. Animals don’t have rights - certainly not more than humans - but they also don’t deserve to be tortured and killed just for fun or laziness.
Anybody that talks while I watch television or a movie. If I wanted to talk or listen, I wouldn’t be watching TV or a movie.
Idiots that have a drivers license. There are some people that should be made to walk everywhere they go.
People that ride bicycles in the middle of a highway. I don’t intend to understand how they have a "right" to run 5 mph in a 70 mph zone.
Perky people that obviously don’t have a clue about anything and want to tell everybody what they know.
Nannies have to be the worst annoyance. They want to control your life but exempt themselves from everything.
Sure the list goes on and on and on. But, that’s enough for today. When you get around a grumpy old man, try to remember some of these.
It annoys us for people not to remember what we just told them.
PMO
©2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
A Letter
Several years ago I read a feature in The Reader’s Digest that I’ve tried to find in archives but have not been able to locate. The following captures the spirit of the story.
A passenger settled into the back seat of a New York City taxi and asked the driver to take him to the airport. In just a few minutes, traffic snarled and came to a dead stop. The cab driver talked on his radio to the dispatcher and was told there was a major accident and it would likely be an hour or more before traffic would move. He turned to the passenger and explained the situation. The man in the back barely turned from staring out the window.
After a few minutes, the cabbie tried to strike up a conversation with his passenger to pass the time but the man seemed to be deep in thought about something. A few moments later he leaned forward and said to the taxi driver, "I’m sorry, but my mind is miles away. I got a call from my wife that my best friend died unexpectedly. That’s why I’m on my way to his home to comfort his family."
The driver said, "Gosh, I’m sorry. I guess he was a really good friend for you to rush out of the city." The man reached into his coat pocket and handed the driver a letter, without saying a word. "I can’t read your mail," said the driver. The passenger made a motion to go ahead.
The driver began read the letter addressed to Ed. It talked about how long they had been friends and how their lives had gotten so busy they hadn’t stopped to enjoy each other’s company in a long time. "Remember how we used to sit in that leaky old boat and fish for hours without saying a word or catching a fish? Then go home and tell our wives what a great time we had," the letter said.
"I remember the first time you beat me at golf, and the one time I won at bowling. You were there when my son was born. And, I’ll never forget the time you drove all night to be at my side in the hospital after I had that car crash," the letter continued. It went on about all the good and bad times they had gone through and how much those times meant.
"Ed," the letter said, "we are going to get together again soon. We’ll drive out and spend a few days with you and all the family, or you can come here if you want. I’ll give you a call and we’ll set the date and where we’ll meet."
It was signed, "Look forward to seeing you soon. Your friend, Tom."
The taxi driver handed the letter back to the man and said, "Sounds like you and Tom were very close. It’s hard to find a true friend like that. I’m really sorry about your friend."
The passenger said, "You don’t understand. My name is Tom. I wrote that letter a couple of weeks ago late one night in a hotel room after a hard day on my job. I travel for a living. I stuck it into my briefcase with the intention of mailing it the next morning."
"I never did."
©2013
A passenger settled into the back seat of a New York City taxi and asked the driver to take him to the airport. In just a few minutes, traffic snarled and came to a dead stop. The cab driver talked on his radio to the dispatcher and was told there was a major accident and it would likely be an hour or more before traffic would move. He turned to the passenger and explained the situation. The man in the back barely turned from staring out the window.
After a few minutes, the cabbie tried to strike up a conversation with his passenger to pass the time but the man seemed to be deep in thought about something. A few moments later he leaned forward and said to the taxi driver, "I’m sorry, but my mind is miles away. I got a call from my wife that my best friend died unexpectedly. That’s why I’m on my way to his home to comfort his family."
The driver said, "Gosh, I’m sorry. I guess he was a really good friend for you to rush out of the city." The man reached into his coat pocket and handed the driver a letter, without saying a word. "I can’t read your mail," said the driver. The passenger made a motion to go ahead.
The driver began read the letter addressed to Ed. It talked about how long they had been friends and how their lives had gotten so busy they hadn’t stopped to enjoy each other’s company in a long time. "Remember how we used to sit in that leaky old boat and fish for hours without saying a word or catching a fish? Then go home and tell our wives what a great time we had," the letter said.
"I remember the first time you beat me at golf, and the one time I won at bowling. You were there when my son was born. And, I’ll never forget the time you drove all night to be at my side in the hospital after I had that car crash," the letter continued. It went on about all the good and bad times they had gone through and how much those times meant.
"Ed," the letter said, "we are going to get together again soon. We’ll drive out and spend a few days with you and all the family, or you can come here if you want. I’ll give you a call and we’ll set the date and where we’ll meet."
It was signed, "Look forward to seeing you soon. Your friend, Tom."
The taxi driver handed the letter back to the man and said, "Sounds like you and Tom were very close. It’s hard to find a true friend like that. I’m really sorry about your friend."
The passenger said, "You don’t understand. My name is Tom. I wrote that letter a couple of weeks ago late one night in a hotel room after a hard day on my job. I travel for a living. I stuck it into my briefcase with the intention of mailing it the next morning."
"I never did."
©2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
HOT
Civil War Union Army General, Phillip Sheridan is credited with saying, "If I owned Texas and hell, I would rent out Texas and live in hell." The point being that it gets hot in Texas. We are right where we always are in August - hot. That’s why we have the ‘Hotter’N Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls in August. This year’s big bicycle event is on August 24th.
And, all the talking heads are doing what they do - talking about how hot it is. I suppose when the "news" has a lot of time to fill, hot weather has to be the hot topic. Today there was mention of how hot it is in China and Alaska. Alaska is seeing temps in the 70s and 80s. WOW! Maybe they should have a bicycle race.
As I’ve mentioned so many times before, Mark Twain said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." That was before Al Gore. Al has figured out what to do about the weather.
Make money talking about it.
PMO
©2013
And, all the talking heads are doing what they do - talking about how hot it is. I suppose when the "news" has a lot of time to fill, hot weather has to be the hot topic. Today there was mention of how hot it is in China and Alaska. Alaska is seeing temps in the 70s and 80s. WOW! Maybe they should have a bicycle race.
As I’ve mentioned so many times before, Mark Twain said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." That was before Al Gore. Al has figured out what to do about the weather.
Make money talking about it.
PMO
©2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
A Long Time Ago
I suppose that most people would not think about someone they knew 50 years ago and go through the trouble to locate them and then give them a phone call. Well, I would. For no explainable reason, I thought about a friend I had all those years ago and I called him. He was surprised.
With the resources on the internet today, it is not hard to find almost anyone. In fact, there is too much information available on everyone. Just Google your name sometime and see what pops up.
Anyway, back to my story. " Don" and I were close friends but his family moved away from a little town in North Texas and I never heard from him again. We had a nice visit catching up on families and what has happened in our lives over the past more than half century. Turns out that he has a time share condo just a few minutes from where I live. He promised to let me know when he is in the area so we can meet.
I don’t know if people really like to get a call from such a distant past, but I’m one of those people that doesn’t care. I call them anyway.
You won’t be surprised how many of them have their phone disconnected and move after I call.
PMO
©2013
With the resources on the internet today, it is not hard to find almost anyone. In fact, there is too much information available on everyone. Just Google your name sometime and see what pops up.
Anyway, back to my story. " Don" and I were close friends but his family moved away from a little town in North Texas and I never heard from him again. We had a nice visit catching up on families and what has happened in our lives over the past more than half century. Turns out that he has a time share condo just a few minutes from where I live. He promised to let me know when he is in the area so we can meet.
I don’t know if people really like to get a call from such a distant past, but I’m one of those people that doesn’t care. I call them anyway.
You won’t be surprised how many of them have their phone disconnected and move after I call.
PMO
©2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Chainsaw Massacre
The house we bought in East Texas has shrubs, shrubs and more shrubs. I hate shrubs. They need trimming a lot more than I want to trim. And, because these have been here for awhile, some are about as tall as I am.
When the weather cools down and I get inspired, I see a chainsaw in the future of some of the shrubs. If my financial controller doesn’t catch me, it is possible that the entire crop may just disappear. Of course if I do that, she will insist that I replace them with some more. I don’t know one shrub from another, although I have bought several over the years. Since the blame things are for decoration anyway, I may plant roses. I like roses. All you have to do is put them in the ground with some natural fertilizer and keep them watered when they need it. Sure you have to trim them, but not nearly as often as those dang shrubs.
So I have a plan. Wait until spring. Buy a bunch of roses. Get some real fertilizer.
The tricky part may be to find a cow with diarrhea.
PMO
©2013
When the weather cools down and I get inspired, I see a chainsaw in the future of some of the shrubs. If my financial controller doesn’t catch me, it is possible that the entire crop may just disappear. Of course if I do that, she will insist that I replace them with some more. I don’t know one shrub from another, although I have bought several over the years. Since the blame things are for decoration anyway, I may plant roses. I like roses. All you have to do is put them in the ground with some natural fertilizer and keep them watered when they need it. Sure you have to trim them, but not nearly as often as those dang shrubs.
So I have a plan. Wait until spring. Buy a bunch of roses. Get some real fertilizer.
The tricky part may be to find a cow with diarrhea.
PMO
©2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Detroit City
Here’s a question for you. What would it take for a city with the highest per capita income in the United States to become a city with household median income that is less than half of the nationwide median?
In 1960 Detroit was at the top and now has a poverty rate of 36 percent. The crime rate has gone up almost four times what it was in the 60's. roughly half of Detroit’s population is illiterate, and over a third of the total population get food stamps.
The answer to the question is simple. "Detroit is a monument to 45 years of failed liberal urban policy," writes Henry Payne, editorial writer at The Detroit News.
The city is bankrupt in more than financial matters. All it takes is, "I’m from the government and I am here to help you."
How far behind is the rest of the country?
PMO
©2013
In 1960 Detroit was at the top and now has a poverty rate of 36 percent. The crime rate has gone up almost four times what it was in the 60's. roughly half of Detroit’s population is illiterate, and over a third of the total population get food stamps.
The answer to the question is simple. "Detroit is a monument to 45 years of failed liberal urban policy," writes Henry Payne, editorial writer at The Detroit News.
The city is bankrupt in more than financial matters. All it takes is, "I’m from the government and I am here to help you."
How far behind is the rest of the country?
PMO
©2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Medical Research
Before my financial controller had surgery, I did my usual research. I found a lot of information about her condition including prevention. It was interesting to see that two drinks per day could prevent occurrence. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof spirits. Men only should have two drinks. Women are limited to one.
Further investigation reveals that two drinks are also good for reducing the risk of heart disease. Then there’s the benefit of reducing the risk of heart attack. Kicking back a couple possibly reduces your risk of strokes. Want to lower your chances of gallstones, take two shots and call me in the morning. And, a couple of suds may reduce the risk of diabetes.
That’s five possible benefits. So, if you take two drinks each, that’s a total of ten. I guess you can mix them up if you want. There was no directions on if you should drink them all at one time or stretch them out, but I’m guessing you should pace yourself.
The reason women can have only half is somebody has got to get the man home.
PMO
©2013
Further investigation reveals that two drinks are also good for reducing the risk of heart disease. Then there’s the benefit of reducing the risk of heart attack. Kicking back a couple possibly reduces your risk of strokes. Want to lower your chances of gallstones, take two shots and call me in the morning. And, a couple of suds may reduce the risk of diabetes.
That’s five possible benefits. So, if you take two drinks each, that’s a total of ten. I guess you can mix them up if you want. There was no directions on if you should drink them all at one time or stretch them out, but I’m guessing you should pace yourself.
The reason women can have only half is somebody has got to get the man home.
PMO
©2013
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Surgery Part 2
My financial controller came through her surgery just fine according to the surgeon. She says that she feels better but is sore from all the holes they poked for the laparoscopy procedure. Modern medicine is a mind boggling thing.
As expected I wandered around the hospital or sat and watched people. After a few hours I concluded that we really don’t need television for entertainment. Just go to any hospital waiting room and watch and listen to the people. And, it’s all commercial free.
Since the event was on Thursday, my shopping day, I did take in a tour of the gift shop. They did not have a dairy or produce section so I didn’t get much shopping done. And, they did not have an automotive parts section.
There was one guy in the waiting room with a set of used tires to sell.
I looked at them, but did not buy.
PMO
©2013
As expected I wandered around the hospital or sat and watched people. After a few hours I concluded that we really don’t need television for entertainment. Just go to any hospital waiting room and watch and listen to the people. And, it’s all commercial free.
Since the event was on Thursday, my shopping day, I did take in a tour of the gift shop. They did not have a dairy or produce section so I didn’t get much shopping done. And, they did not have an automotive parts section.
There was one guy in the waiting room with a set of used tires to sell.
I looked at them, but did not buy.
PMO
©2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Arnold The Pig
Some of you old timers may remember Arnold the pig on a TV show called Green Acres. Arnold liked to lie on the sofa and watch television. Well, Bruce Friedrich of Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization is coordinating a new project that would have us all put farm animals in the same light as dogs and cats, according to a report by the Associated Press.
The reason people eat chicken and not cats is because people think dogs and cats are more cognitively sophisticated that species that we eat, according to Friedrich. Lori Marino, the lead scientist for the project, said, "The point is not to rank these animals but to re-educate people about who they are - farm animals. They are very sophisticated animals."
The intent is to move people to not eating animals at all. I’m pretty sure that will not work out. Allow me to illustrate with an old story.
A city slicker reporter decided he would write about life on the farm. He arranged to meet with an old farmer to get a tour and fill him in on farm life. While there, he noticed a pig with three legs. One of his legs and hind quarters was missing and had been replaced with what looked like a training wheel from a bicycle so he could get around. The reporter asked if the pig had been born deformed. "Nope," the old farmer said. "We had a fire awhile back and that pig ran into the house and woke everybody up. Had it not been for that pig, we would have all died in the fire."
"Wow!" said the reporter. "I guess he was seriously injured in the fire?" The old farmer said, "Nope." The reporter continued, "I don’t understand." The farmer looked at the city reporter and said, "Son, you don’t eat a pig like that all at one time."
Cleaning up after a dog or cat is bad enough. Just imagine a cow in the house.
You're going to need a really big litter box.
PMO
©2013
The reason people eat chicken and not cats is because people think dogs and cats are more cognitively sophisticated that species that we eat, according to Friedrich. Lori Marino, the lead scientist for the project, said, "The point is not to rank these animals but to re-educate people about who they are - farm animals. They are very sophisticated animals."
The intent is to move people to not eating animals at all. I’m pretty sure that will not work out. Allow me to illustrate with an old story.
A city slicker reporter decided he would write about life on the farm. He arranged to meet with an old farmer to get a tour and fill him in on farm life. While there, he noticed a pig with three legs. One of his legs and hind quarters was missing and had been replaced with what looked like a training wheel from a bicycle so he could get around. The reporter asked if the pig had been born deformed. "Nope," the old farmer said. "We had a fire awhile back and that pig ran into the house and woke everybody up. Had it not been for that pig, we would have all died in the fire."
"Wow!" said the reporter. "I guess he was seriously injured in the fire?" The old farmer said, "Nope." The reporter continued, "I don’t understand." The farmer looked at the city reporter and said, "Son, you don’t eat a pig like that all at one time."
Cleaning up after a dog or cat is bad enough. Just imagine a cow in the house.
You're going to need a really big litter box.
PMO
©2013
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Gay Is Okay
According to various wire reports, Pope Francis has said that being gay is okay. This is quite a change from his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who in 2005 wrote that homosexuality was "a strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic moral evil," and an "objective disorder."
Speaking to reporters on a long flight to Rome from Brazil, Pope Francis addressed a question on the subject by suggesting that he would not judge priests for their sexual orientation. Vatican experts quickly pointed out that Francis was suggesting that priests or anyone else should act on their homosexual tendencies, which the church considers a sin.
Maybe someone should ask all the boys that have been sexually abused by priests if they have an opinion.
Didn’t that cost the Catholic church more than money?
PMO
©2013
Speaking to reporters on a long flight to Rome from Brazil, Pope Francis addressed a question on the subject by suggesting that he would not judge priests for their sexual orientation. Vatican experts quickly pointed out that Francis was suggesting that priests or anyone else should act on their homosexual tendencies, which the church considers a sin.
Maybe someone should ask all the boys that have been sexually abused by priests if they have an opinion.
Didn’t that cost the Catholic church more than money?
PMO
©2013
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