Rule #43

Life rule #43: One single act can change your life and the lives of others.

Don't do anything really stupid.

PMO
©2015

Measles/Flu

What would happen if you lived in a country where measles, a highly contagious strain of the flu and other infections were common? And, what if there were little or no vaccines to prevent diseases? You would either get really sick or maybe even die. But, even if you survived, you would still carry the germs with you.

Then, what would happen if you and a few million others decided to go to another country where such diseases had been eradicated or never existed.

What would happen if you lived in the country that was invaded?

PMO
©2015

What?

A quick stop convenience store nearby has been under remodeling for a few months. Because I rarely have any need to stop there, I have only witnessed what is being done on the outside. Apparently they have done a lot to the inside.

I noticed two signs posted outside, one above the other - "Remolded Rest Rooms" and on the bottom, "Try our breakfast to go."

I suppose if you are having a regularity problem, you can stop in and get a breakfast that will direct you to the newly remolded rest rooms.

There's something not right about that.

PMO
©2015

Everything Is Free

For millions in this country, almost everything is free and more free stuff is on the way. There are food stamps and the children get fed three times a day at school. Free child care is used for those not in school. How about a free cell phone? Free rent or subsidized rent, and be sure to get your free medical care. But wait! Free community college tuition is on the way.

If you work for cash and off the books, you can have a dang good life with cable TV, big screen TV and whatever the latest trend is. Hey, you can get some really nice clothing free too.

Life rule #2: There is no such thing as a free lunch.

PMO
©2015

Diogenes

Diogenes was a playful philosopher who lived c. 412 to c. 323 B.C. He enjoyed using whit to cause others to think.

When asked why he carried a lamp during the day time he replied, "I am searching for an honest man."

Because he once is quoted as saying there is no difference between life and death, I’m guessing he is still holding that lamp and looking.

If he finds his way to Washington D.C. he can settle down for eternity.

PMO
©2015

Rule # 15

Life rules continued:

Do the best you can and walk away.

Note: When you have done your best, truly your best, there is nothing left for you to do.

PMO
©2015

Rule #38

Another life rule: #38

Educated does not mean smart.

Note: There millions of people that have been educated beyond intelligence.

PMO
©2015

I Would Do That

My ace number one daughter has a friend named Debbie. Debbie is her own person. When her father died he lived a long distance from where they were going to bury him. The funeral home there told her that to transport the body to a funeral home where she lived would cost $3,000. Her comment was, "I’m not going to pay that."

So, she loaded dear old dad into the back seat of her car and headed home. When she called her husband, a judge, and told him her plan, he said, "You can’t do that." She replied, "I am on my way as we speak."

Because it was a long drive, I might also mention that in route, she went through a drive thru window at a fast food place.

No, I don’t know if she got a senior discount because dad was in the back seat.

PMO
©2015

Life Rules

Rules, rules and more rules. Life is full of rules. Some become obvious as you grow, like don’t stick your tongue to a frozen flag pole or touch a hot stove. Others, may take more time to learn and some are never learned. But, rules are or should be made to make one a better person or at least a person that is more safe. So, I’ve come up with a list of rules for life.

Because life doesn’t happen in order, the rules are not necessarily in order, but some are more important than others. I am only going to list them one at a time, because they may require some thinking.

Rule #1: Know the difference between right and wrong and do what’s right.

Tip: The Bible is a good place to start on knowing the difference.

PMO
©2015

Back At You

I don’t get to listen to radio much, but while driving this week I listened to a talk show where there was a discussion about florist and bakeries in Plano, Texas are required to serve homosexuals even if personal religious, Christian beliefs forbid them from doing so. The Plano council passed the ordinance recently and there is a movement to override the decision. Such laws are on the books in Dallas and Fort Worth. If someone comes in and proclaims they want flowers or a cake for a homosexual event, the business must serve them or face a criminal charge. The bottom line is that if you follow your faith, you break the law.

Texas currently bans same sex marriage, but there are "commitment" ceremonies. It is interesting to note that of the 36 states that allow gays to marry, only three voted for it. The others were forced to follow judicial decree. And, 7 of the 14 states that have bans are fighting appeals to repeal the laws and legislative action.

My suggestion for those businesses is to simply take the standard information from the requestor - name, address, phone, date of the event and even a credit card number. Then simply inform the person that the Quran clearly prohibits homosexuality and we cannot serve you. Notice I did not say that you have to say that you are Muslim.

Then, say, "Allahu Akhbar."

If they take you to court anyway, your defense is that they are Islamaphobic.

PMO
©2015

SOTU

Well the POTUS gave his SOTU. So what? I have only two comments. "You didn’t do that," and "There’s no such thing as a free lunch."

I might also add, "What would happen if those "stupid" Americans suddenly start checking the facts?"

PMO
©2015

Walk A Mile

Perhaps you have heard that you should not judge someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. That simply means that everyone is unique and has different experiences that they deal with in their own way. Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, "Every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not, and oftentimes we call a man cold, when he is only sad."

Remember, not everyone is like you.

Thank goodness not everyone is like me.

PMO
©2015

The Dream

Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream. "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character," he said. I must say that I agree.

But, I wonder how he would measure the content of the character of people like Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton, Eric Holder and Jesse Jackson?

At Martin King's funeral, one Bible passage, Matthew 5:9, summed up his life's mission: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."

Hate and violence has never solved any problem. It never will.

PMO
©2015

Funny

The best funny I’ve seen lately was a Ziggy cartoon. He is standing on a corner and a guy in a "Smart Car" was stopped for the traffic light. Ziggy said, "You shouldn’t wash your car in hot water."

Unless better judgement overcomes me, I will say the same thing if presented with the same situation. Maybe, I do look for trouble.

It’s too funny not to.

PMO
©2015

WOM

Meals on Wheels is a wonderful organization that delivers hot meals to elderly shut-ins so they will have at least one good hot meal each day. This is a tremendous effort run by volunteers and funded by donations.

In East Texas we have a similar program. It’s called Wheels on Meals.

You may not know what it is, but it’s tender.

PMO
©2015

Walter And Charlie

My daughter has two rescue dogs that I care for when everyone is away. Walter is a liberal and Charlie is a conservative. No, they don’t have a "D" or "R" tattooed on their butts. I judge purely by their actions.

Walter is very cowed and always looks and behaves like he is saying, "Poor little me. I am a victim and you should feel sorry for me. He will warm up to you if you don’t make any sudden noise or movements. And, when I take them meat scraps, Walter can swallow a dozen before Charlie can get one down. Then, Walter will run in and steal from Charlie’s share and run off and look at you as if to say, "Well, he had and I wanted it."

Charlie is almost blind. But, he has a job. He barks at any strange sound or activity. When he gets the treats, he calmly eats, or as calmly as he can without losing his share to Walter. I’m guessing that a dog’s life is not all that different from humans. If you sound the alarm when danger is near, you get put into your kennel for barking. But, if you look sad and act mistreated, you get to eat very well.

Woof Woof.

PMO
©2015

I Hate Computers

For the past couple of days I have been working on a neighbors’ computer. As most people do, she ignored maintenance and a trojan infected the machine. Those can be tough to get out. About the time I was ready to throw in the towel, I got lucky and the machine is restored.

Today, a friend in Nevada called and said she had one question about computers. She had enough questions to talk for almost an hour.

Reality is that I don’t know what I used to know about these contraptions. It’s about all I can do to keep up with the seven I maintain. Technology is getting further and further ahead of me everyday.

I’m not real sure why people come to me with computer questions but they do.

It could be, I don’t charge them anything.

PMO
©2015

Summary

There's an old poem that pretty well sums up the adventures of my life.

It's not my job to run the train.
The whistle I don't blow. It's not my job to say how far,
the train is supposed to go.
I'm not allowed to pull the brake,
or even ring the bell.
But let the damn thing leave the track,
And see who catches hell!

Hey, it’s the best deal I can get.

PMO
©2015

Problems Solved

As I have mentioned before, I am in charge of an internal community bulletin board in our little commune. The residents send emails to me and I post them on a server for all to see. Why I do this is beyond me. However, there are some that keep me doing it.

Today I got a message from one little lady stating that she had a new kitten and it was under her desk and she could not get it out. She has physical limitations, so she can’t get down on the floor on her knees. And, she added that someone needs to take the cat.

A few minutes later, a message arrived from a mother seeking a playmate for her five year old daughter. They are new residents. Little does she know that the average age here is about 80 and there are not a lot of children that age.

As usual I have come up with a solution for both. I’m going to ask my neighbor to take his dog and get the cat from under the desk. Then, if he can catch the kitten, he can take it over to the five year old to play.

Why doesn’t everyone see these simple solutions?

PMO
©2015

America The Afraid

There was a time when we sang about "America the brave," but now it appears that Americans are just plain scared. Even the POTUS is afraid to speak out or stand up against radical Islamist terror attacks.

Americans have been lead to believe that they are responsible for and deserve what ever happens. They are afraid to say anything about wrongs being done because they may suffer reprisal. They fear an economic crisis, climate change, eating the wrong food, and, getting or staying fat. While they fear the government, they remain almost totally dependent on believing and following whatever directions they are given. While some fear guns, gun sales have sky rocketed to those that literally fear for their lives. Children are not allowed to play because they might get hurt. And, the list goes on and on.

No one wants to be labeled as racist or homophobic, even though the real numbers of those that think this way are so small that neither should not be an issue. Christians take a cowardly role when it comes to standing up for the very principles the country was founded upon. And, how many protest the invasion of millions that come to take from and not contribute to what it takes for America to stand strong.

I suppose fear is what’s to be expected when schools forbid God, but welcome other religions. When sacred beliefs will land you in jail or at least in court. And, when "nannies" spew their hateful diatribe about anything and everything, the people shudder and do what they are told, because they are afraid.

I am an observer by nature and training, and am fairly good at analysis. Unless, "the people" take back America and restore this once mighty nation to what it once was, you can stick a fork in it.

It’s done.

PMO
©2015

Grey Hair

I have a degree in biology. There are two important things I learned. First one was that lab rats bite. Secondly, you can use science to get to any conclusion you want. This proved to be very useful in lab exams.

While watching a TV program this week a new anti-smoking "fact" was presented. Smoking causes grey hair. I’m guessing that would depend somewhat on how big of a flame used to light up and how long your hair is. While this follows along with another claim, "smoking causes genital warts," I was taken back. My dad told me that he found I had some grey hair on my first birthday.

I didn’t start smoking until I was two.

PMO
©2015

Three Killers

Reportedly there are three primary causes of death. Heart disease and cancer are the top two, but what would you guess to be number three? Hospitals are the third culprit.

So if you have heart disease or cancer, don’t go to a hospital.

PMO
©2015

English Not Universal

Contrary to what Americans think, English is not a universal language. Only if you are an airplane pilot do you have to speak English.  Taking a trip out of the country, you will discover that there are about a million other languages. And, speaking English in other countries may get you in trouble, especially if you use all the hand signs that Americans use. Most of us seem to have a hard time talking without using our hands.

Fortunately one usually can find someone in other countries that can speak English well enough to tell you where to go. There is one country where no one speaks English. I don’t know the name of the country, but it is where you call when you have to call customer service on almost any product or service.

I would like to tell them where to go.  But, I don't speak their language.

PMO
©2015

My Fauly

Several years ago I introduced my mother-in-law to computers. After getting past trying to use it like a typewriter, she made some progress in what she wanted to do. There was that one little incident where she used liquid correction fluid on the screen to correct a typing error, but we are now past that. However, as she ages, she has discovered new ways to drive me crazy.

I’m not suggesting that she does things intentionally, but she does have a way of really messing up a computer. She wipes out settings and files that should take some real effort, but she manages to do them with or without one click. For awhile, if she ran across something she didn’t recognize, she would delete it. Now, she manages to undo and hide things that it would take a Microsoft engineer to untangle.

Understand that she only wants to open email, order meds online, and check the obituaries at her favorite funeral home.

Wonder what she is going to do, when she sees me those obits?

Cause of death: "computer virus".

PMO
©2015

One Sticker

Under a new law in Texas, motorist will have only one sticker on the windshield. We’ve had two; a registration and an inspection. In March, the new law will combine the two.

The way it works is one must have an inspection up to 90 days before the registration is due and furnish proof of said inspection when applying for renewing registration. Sounds simple enough. Wrong again. There are vehicles that have months between inspections and registration. That means that someone is going to lose some time, sooner or later. And, the inspection stations are supposed to be connected by computer to the county registration officials office. There are two chances that is going to work - zero and none. This translates to the owner having to bring documentation to the registration office to get a new sticker. And, what happens when one mails in the renewal for registration?

This is supposed to save Texas about two million dollars per year. The state provides the stickers for inspections.

I have noticed that every time government saves money, it cost more.

PMO
©2015

Winds Of Change?

In case you haven’t heard, John Boehner has been reelected Speaker of the House, in spite of 24 votes against him. This reportedly is the most votes against a speaker in over 100 years. What does it all mean? To most Americans, it means nothing because they don’t even know we have a Speaker of the House. However, it does signal that people are unhappy with Congress. Hey, they have a 14% approval rating. In the private sector, such a rating would mean the end of a business.

Change takes time. And, to change back to sanity, which is needed in Washington, may take more time.

It’s like having squirrels set up house keeping in your attic. You can get them out, but you have to work at it.

PMO
©2015

Mr. Speaker

You may not believe this, but there is a chance that someone in Washington is starting to listen. Okay, maybe I’m being delusional again. According to pollsters, only 25% of Republicans think John Boehner should be reelected as Speaker of the House. And, two Representatives have stepped up to take the job. Louie Gohmert of Texas and Ted Yoho of Florida has tossed their hats into the fray as wanting the job. I might suggest that Louie he keep his hat on during the extremely cold weather. If you missed the point, Mr. Gohmert is minus his hair on top.

There are others that have stated publicly they oppose Boehner. And, it takes 218 votes on the first ballot for him to win.

For former speaker, Nancy Pelosi to win, it would take a bunch of Republicans to vote "present." Based upon the way Republicans act when they have won control, it would not surprise me to see "Nanny" Nancy back in the job.

The GOP just can’t deal with success.

PMO
©2015

Protesters march and burn in the streets, crying for justice. Race baiters, politicians and talking heads cry justice.

What would each of them get, if they got justice?

PMO
©2015

So Far, So Good

The new year is off to a rousing start. My financial controller came down with a stomach virus. The daughter has developed serious vertigo, and son-in-law was in a wreck that totaled the car. He is now called to far west Texas to work, about ten hours away if something else happens at home.

I’m glad that all I have is in-stage Lyme disease with all the pain, joint stiffness, blurred vision, muscle weakness and headaches.

Looks like 2015 is going to be a good one.

PMO
©2015

2015 Fines

Congratulations! You’ve made it to 2015 and higher fines for not having Obamacare. This means that you will report your health care status directly to the IRS. Doesn’t this sound wonderful?

I just can’t imagine how things can get any better. Unless, we start having men in trench coats show up late at night saying, "Pay up or else."

If you have the money to pay the fines, buy some real health insurance.

PMO
©2015

New Year's Drop

Everyone knows about the dropping of the ball in New York’s Time Square to bring in the new year. But, there are some other events that I think I would like better.

Presque Isle, Maine has a giant sardine drop. I don’t know if it’s packed in mustard.

A 15 foot taco reigns in the new year in Tucson, Arizona.

Mobile, Alabama gathered some attention with the drop of a giant moon pie. If they offer RC Cola, I might want to make that next year.

The plans for the usual possum drop in Brasstown, North Carolina had to be changed to either road kill or possum stew because of protest by animal rights activists.

I think next year we’ll drop an animal rights activists in East Texas.

With a lit sparkler tied to his hinny.

PMO
©2015