Too Personal

I have mentioned before that I administer an intra-net community bulletin board for our little commune. It’s for members to sell personal property, announce meetings, find lost cats and that kind stuff. You can’t imagine the kind of things people send in for me to post.

Some lady sent in a message to post that she has some magnesium citrate to give away - free. Seems she made a mail order and it was shipped to her by mistake. When she contacted the company, the told her not to mail it back and that she would not be charged for it. So, she decided to give it away. Do you know what magnesium citrate is for? Think sever constipation or pre-colonoscopy.

Isn’t that getting a little too personal. If one has such a problem, do you really want someone else to know about it and go pick it up?

Imagine who is going to be the number one topic on gossip the next day.

PMO
©2015

Yellow Snow

It’s spring time in East Texas, or at least it is on some days. Spring here brings out the tree pollen. That means, if it’s outside, it will turn yellow - streets, houses, cars, boats, animals and people if you stay outside more than a few minutes. The locals call it, "yellow snow." You know what it is said about yellow snow.

For those of us that suffer from allergies, it is a special time of the year. We stay inside until summer. Unless the house catches on fire.

If that happens, you have to make a decision.

PMO
©2015

Real World

When I was younger - about a million years ago, I often heard, "wait until you get into the real world."

Guess what, the real world has changed. It used to mean that you grow up, get a job and find out that it takes hard work and responsibility to get what you need and some of the things you want. It’s isn’t that way anymore.

I have insight into a non-profit organization that does a wonderful work helping people with disabilities. In the past several months, because donations are down and budgets have to be cut, they have been forced to reduce staff and close a few locations. Such is what happened to a one person office in west Texas. The office was closed and the person was dismissed. Here comes the real world.

The lone employee is suing the organization because of discrimination. Yes, you read that correctly. The office is closed and the only employee was let go and it’s a discrimination issue?

I would love to be on that jury if it goes to trial.

PMO
©2015

Vote

Prez Obama said a few days ago that he thinks all Americans should be required to vote. And, the Supreme Court has ruled that Wisconsin’s voter ID law is legal. Does this mean that as other states follow the ID plan, that everyone over 18 will have to have an ID?

Talk about long lines on polling day. We will know who they are. But, we still won’t know if they know anything about the issues or candidates.

Maybe that’s what Obama is counting on.

PMO
©2015

Count The Cost

Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch says that illegal aliens have a right to work just like citizens. One might think that before you could take the office, the candidate should at least know something about our laws.

I am observing that she is just another player in the current administration to give the country away. When any discussion comes up about deporting all the illegals, there is always a response that it can’t be done and would cost too much.

How much will it cost to take the county back?

PMO
©2015

Teddy's Right

President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) said: "Unless a man is honest, we have no right to keep him in public life; it matters not how brilliant his capacity." (Now days you have to include women too.) Imagine what would happen if we got rid of all the dishonest politicians.

We’d have to vote for a whole new bunch.

PMO
©2015

Don't Press 1

Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe has announced plans for a bill to make English the official language of America. In my humble opinion, English should have been the official language for the past two hundred years - and longer.

English is the international language in business and one can’t fly an airplane anywhere in the world without knowing English. Certainly if immigrants want to succeed here, they have to know English.

Let’s hope that the bill gets feet and runs straight through to passage.

Just imagine not having to press one to speak to someone. And, no more signs in Spanish. I shop at the largest retailer in the world and the local store does not have an English version in customer service.

Yes, it will take tremendous effort to teach all those that can’t speak the language, but it will be worth it to everyone.

Teach them to speak East Texan and send them to New York.

PMO
©2015

Take A Number

The municipal utility district in our little commune has shut off the water while they do some work on the system. While they sent out a message that it would be about 6 hours, I am skeptical because they have never done anything right before. And, when you shut off water in about 500 houses mostly occupied by senior seniors, that forgot the water was going to be off, will sooner or later will have a potty problem.

I suspect that few, if any, filled a tub or bucket to be able to flush a toilet. Therefore it could lead to drastic measures.

As I mentioned awhile back, the local quick gas stop about a mile from our security gate has remolded. They put us signs proclaiming they now serve breakfast and lunch. And, a big sign proclaiming the rest rooms have also been remolded. I am visualizing a long line at the quick stop. Little do they know that very soon they may have to put up another sign.

Take A Number.

PMO
©2015

Play Faster

I have discussed before that sometimes I say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Usually this happens when I say anything. A great many years ago we were in Las Vegas (Lost Wages) Nevada. I decided to try my luck on a nickle slot machine. There was a man sitting next to me that had been there for awhile. He attempted to strike up a conversation by saying, "I put in nine coins and I get back five. It’s hard to make any money like that." My reply was, "You just need to play faster." I got up and left.

It seemed to be the safest thing to do.

PMO
©2015

Doctor, Doctor

My financial controller and ace number one daughter are always wanting me to go to a doctor for one or the other of my maladies. I contracted Lyme Disease over 25 years ago and because hardly anyone knew anything about the disease, by the time I got treatment, the symptoms remained to plague me. Now I have "in-stage" Lyme disease. The symptoms vary from a simple headache to feeling like I’m having a heart attack. And there’s lots of joint pain and stiffness.

Right now they think I need to go to a Rheumatologist, Cardiologist, Neurologist, Opthalmologist, Urologist, Audiologist, and Pulmonologist.

I can save a lot of money by just waiting for a Pathologist to come to see me.

I’m going to get them an appointment with a Proctologist.

PMO
©2015

Computer Crazies

I began working with computers over 30 years ago and now I find myself knowing less and less. However I do still know how to turn one on and how to do some things that won’t or shouldn’t ever change. Thus, when a friend or neighbor has a problem, I often offer my help. BIG mistake!

The one thing in common I have found with those that know nothing about computers is that they are not interested in what it takes to keep the machine running properly. Things like keeping all the updates on software up to date, installing a good anti-virus and cleaning out all the old temporary files, don’t mean a thing to a lot of people. The only time there is a concern is when the computer crashes.

Computers are like cars, they have to have maintenance - period. And, trying to run without an anti-virus and malware software is like not having locks on your outside doors. But, folks won’t listen to me.

Sooner or later the machine will go down. That’s when they call me, since I don’t charge them anything to fix it, and it’s a lot easier than preventing the problems.

Maybe I need to raise my rates.

PMO
©2015

Barbecue Scrubber

Just in case you may have missed it, a Fox News affiliate reports that the EPA is funding a $15,000 University of California-Riverside study to look at the particulate emissions of your backyard barbecue. The study emissions removal system includes a "secondary" air filtration system composed of a single pipe duct system which contains a specialized metal filter, a metal fan blade, a drive shaft and an accompanying power system with a motorized or manual method. Not to mention a measure on the drip pan.

When confronted with the study the EPA response was they don’t regulate people’s backyard barbecues and it is for a student designed competition.

Basically this would be a "scrubber" like those used on some other industrial applications. In application it would make your barbecue about the size of your house.

I have no doubt what and who needs to end up in the drip pan.

PMO
©2015

Race Together

By now you should be aware that Starbucks has launched a campaign called Race Together. My first response was to ask how could you race alone? Then I found out the details. You are supposed to go into one of their stores, pay an outrageous price for really bad coffee and talk about race relations. Whoopie! Who could turn down such a deal?

And, they have teamed up with USA Today to produce a pamphlet to start coffee drinkers to start thinking about race. There are questions such as, "Have your racial views evolved from those of your parents?" and "I have been in the home of someone of a different race ____ times." Wow, that ought to get you to thinking. I didn’t know I was supposed to keep count of the times. And, my parents taught me not to discriminate against anyone.

Truth is that there have been more incidents of different races in my house than me in theirs. Why? Because they never invited me. I have dear, long time friends that only been in my house a couple of times in 50 years.

Oh, well, now I have another reason not to go to Starbucks or read USA today.

As if I needed another reason.

PMO
©2015

Perfect

Kids grow up. And while as parents we want the best for them, they get too big and independent for us  to have much to say about what they do. Then they surprise you by making the right decisions and ending up as good productive adults.

Grandchildren are perfect from the day they are born. When our first granddaughter was born, I bought her a little shirt that said, "I Am Not Perfect, But Don’t Tell My Granddad." Now the youngest granddaughter has gotten too big and independent to have much time for granddad. It’s supposed to work this way. And, naturally, I worry about her. How she will make her way through college and get a job. Jobs are important.

She is now eighteen. She thinks she wants to teach first grade. At least that’s the last thing I heard. But, just when I wonder how everything will turn out for her, she calms my concerns. Not by what she says, but by what she does.

This weekend, out of the blue, she decided to take her older special needs sister to a movie. Since she is now 18 and has a drivers license, she can do that.

You may not understand what that single act tells me, but I’m sure everything will work out fine for her.

After all, she’s been perfect since she was born too.

PMO
©2015

Texas Way Going Away

Texas’ new Governor, Gregg Abbott, speaking at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 13^th annual Policy Orientation in January said, "the truth is, Texas is being California-ized with bag bans, fracking bans, tree cutting bans...We are forming a patchwork quilt of bans and rules and regulation that are eroding the Texas Model."

Tis true, tis true. Cities, counties and HOA’s pretty well dictate everything but which brand of toilet tissue you must use, and I bet that’s next. Dallas and Austin have plastic bag bans. Plano citizens didn’t want a smoking ban, but the city said you are getting one anyway. Same thing is happening with cutting down a tree on your property.

Funny, but the reason we are becoming California-ized is because Californians are moving here to get away from the insane governments they have there. And, now they and others that don’t understand Texas culture, want to change it so we can be miserable too.

I had a tree cut down in my yard recently. Smoked a cigarette while I watched the workmen.

Don’t tell anybody.

PMO
©2015

Rule #59 - Good Dog

Will Rogers said, "If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Which brings us to the Official Grumpy Old Man Rules of Life #59. "There is no more unconditional love than you get from a dog."

Here Phideaux. Good dog.

PMO
©2015

How Not To

Here’s a tip for those that don’t want to get shot. Don’t attack a police officer or anyone that carries a gun, even a concealed gun or may have one at a home or business.

Remember that.

PMO
©2015

Ignorance Is Bliss?

A lot has changed in the last 71 years since I discovered America in Texas. Certainly there have been gigantic advances in technology, which drives hundreds, if not thousands, of the ways we live our daily lives. Some are good and some are not. Medical advances are a mind boggling thing. The list can go on and on. But, the most important part of living has changed for the worse.

Honor and integrity is non existent in the daily lives of more and more people. Basically they want what they want and will do anything to get it, no matter what or who is destroyed along the way. Superman used to say, "Truth, justice and the American way." It appears there is no truth, very little justice and no American way that can be defined.

In just the past few years, the efforts of a few have done more to destroy the country than all the armies of the world could ever do. We have become a nation divided, with daily doses of half truths, no truths, and dribble that makes no sense to even the most simple thinking mind.

Christianity is under constant attack. The family unit has already gone by the way side. Men have ceased to be men and women have become "guys" to dictate what ever idea that sounds good today.

America is done. You can stick a fork in it, unless "we,the people" stand up and say, "No more."

Ignorance is bliss. Until it comes to an end.

PMO
©2015

Examine The Facts

Okay folks, let look at the "facts." All white police officers hate and want to kill black people. All black people hate and want to kill white police officers. WAIT!! Those aren’t the facts. That’s just what the media and far too many politicians want you to believe for obvious reasons.

The facts are that criminals of any color should not attack police officers or they risk getting shot. And, police that do abuse power should be punished like any other criminal. Trial by TV is not a trial at all.

Rule #105, "The truth is the truth no matter what you believe or want it to be."

PMO
©2015

Hillary

Being an old, part American Indian, I would have only one thing to say about the Hillary Clinton email scandal. "White woman speak with forked tongue."

She should have no problem getting elected as president.

PMO
©2015

Get A Rope

I heard on a radio newscast today that the State of Texas is concerned about having enough of the drugs used to execute some prisoners on death row. Apparently there is a shortage of some of the drugs used in the lethal injection.

We didn’t have that problem when we used a rope.

PMO
©2015

Dr. Ben

Doctor Ben Carson, potential presidential candidate, has caught flack from Vice President Joe Biden. Seems the good doctor made a statement about homosexuality and said that people go into prison as straight and come out as gay, challenging the idea that homosexual are born that way. Biden thinks that he knows more than a renowned brain surgeon.

Over the years I have know several gays and lesbians. No, I don’t spit on them or mistreat them in any way. But, the case in point is "Fran" was married and had children. Then she decided she would change over. And, she will tell anyone that homosexuality is a choice. A neighbor, "John" decided after being married for several years and having two kids, he would switch to being gay. Then there was my friend whose wife decided she wanted to be a lesbian after five children. And, she was for several years and then switched back to men.

If you take out all the religious objections to homosexuality, there are a multitude of biological reasons that would cause logical thinkers to reject the lifestyle. For starters, remember, AIDS has killed millions upon millions and continues to kill.

Homosexuals cannot reproduce so they have to recruit. And, to recruit more effectively, they want a "special" status to force everyone to accept their lifestyle even if it violates the rights of others. All the lawsuits and criminal charges against Christian business owners is merely a tactic to tell the world, "we’re here" and you will bow to us or else.

So far as V.P. Joe is concerned, he really shouldn’t try thinking.

It’s too much for him.

PMO
©2015

Annual Gripe

Daylight saving time is stupid, stupid, stupid and just plain stupid. Stay on standard time or set it forward and leave it alone. Gripe, gripe, gripe!!!!

I’ve been complaining about this for years and nothing changes.

Okay, I do enjoy griping.

PMO
©2015

#13

Life rule #13:  "Friends will hurt you more often than enemies."  That must be why it is said, to keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

And, enemies usually have a reason for hurting you.

PMO
©2015

School Holidays

In case you missed this on the news, the nation’s largest public school system, New York City, will observe two Muslim holidays, starting in the fall. Under the new policy announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the 1.1 million pupil public school system will close September 24 for Eid-al-Adha and Eid-al-Fitr will be observed during summer school in 2016.

The Muslim population of NYC is somewhere between 600,000 and 1 million according to what I an find. Jews number about 2 million. Why don’t they get any holidays? And, what about the hundreds of other beliefs?

The reason that schools observe Christian holidays is simple. The United States was founded on Christian principles and traditions. I have never heard anyone complain about taking the day off, even if they object to the reason. Perhaps schools should take off for all holidays, even it means going to school 12 months. That wouldn’t work, because there are too many holidays.

Hindus make up about 2.4% of the population of New York City and they don’t get any holiday. They have been lobbying for Diwali. That is their day of "victory over evil and knowledge over ignorance."

No politician wants that.

PMO
©2015

Things Have Changed

A story in the Dallas Morning News this week got my attention about how things have changed in the past 70 years. Manilla, Philippines, was the second most devastated city in World War II, after Warsaw, Poland. Japanese soldiers killed more than 100,000 civilians and destroyed the city, before Manilla was liberated by U.S. forces.

The story contained an account from survivors of the horror which included how hundreds at a time were herded into buildings and burned alive. The enemy was merciless as they slaughtered men, women and children. When the Americans came to liberate the city, over 16,000 Japanese soldiers died and 1,000 Americans.

Fast forward to today. What would happen? What is happening around the world? Hundreds of thousands are dying and Americans are dying. And, what are we doing to stop it?  We are focused on getting the murderers jobs and cut off their ability to send text messages.

We could just take all the chains off our military and say, "Sic’em."

That’s the way that really works.

PMO
©2015

Hippie Diippy Do Da

Hey dudes and dudettes. It is now legal to grow and use marijuana in Washington D.C. Why not? The people in Congress and the White House have been smoking something for years, or at least they behave like it. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser points out that is still illegal to sell pot and you must be 21 or older to possess it. She did mention that you can grow it and give it to someone, but you can’t charge for it.

Attorney General Eric Holder told CNN last year that he is cautiously optimistic that marijuana will be legalized.

Twenty three states still prohibit cannabis and the rest have either legalized it in one form or another. And, now Texas may follow Washington state and Colorado. "Conservative" Republican Representative David Simpson, of Longview, is proposing to completely deregulate pot, and treat it like tomatoes, jalapeños or coffee. Does this mean that if such legislation should pass one should look for "weed" in the produce section of your favorite grocery? Or maybe on the coffee isle right next to the canned tomatoes? With a little cross pollenation we could come up with "stoned" coffee or tomatoes.

I Just can't wait for the weekly grocery ads to come out.

PMO
©2015

Venison Stew

A couple of days ago I posted a note about Bambie and the damage done to my pickup truck when the dumb deer ran into it while I was driving on a county road (cow trail). Today I took the truck into a body shop to get an estimate of the damages. Over $4,000 !!!

I’m going to hunt down that deer and make stew or better yet, chili.

PMO
©2015

Dumb African Americans/Hispanics

According to an article in the LA Times, African Americans and Hispanics are dumber than other races. The article points out that at Princeton University, "bonus points" are given to certain races for SAT scores. African Americans receive a "bonus" of 230 points and Hispanics get 185 points. Apparently they think these people are too dumb to pass on their own. How many points do they get on their exams when they take classes?

Also noted, Asians are penalized by 50 points. There was no mention about what happens to whites

For over 50 years I worked with Blacks and Hispanics and I didn’t know they were dumb.

PMO
©2015

Bambie

Yesterday’s post was somewhat of a slam against the roads in East Texas, but there is another hidden danger - deer. From the time we moved here, I have been on constant watch for deer along the roadways and remain on alert for them. A couple of days ago, as I traveled what is supposed to be a county road, more like a county trail, a deer ran from the trees along the road and smashed into my pickup. It was impossible for me to see the animal because he hit the driver side door before I knew it.

While the damage is to be determined by the insurance company, it was unnerving getting hit on the blind side. I suppose something must have been chasing the deer or he was late for a hot date. No, the deer was not killed and made his way down the road and disappeared into some trees.

Now, I have to get the repairs done and pay the deductible.

The deer is probably telling his friends about the dangers of drag racing on East Texas roads.

PMO
©2015