We bought a new stove many years ago. About a little after a year of owning it (there was a 1 year warranty), the front right burner stopped working. I opened up the top and looked at the burner and it looked OK (an electric stove) and decided to eventually replace the burner element.
Well it has been many years since that occurred. And I still haven't replaced the element, I have looked online for replacement elements and found one for about $80 plus shipping, but that was as far as I got.
Yesterday my LW, inadvertently turned the switch on for that burner and a plastic oatmeal box top started to burn, filling the kitchen and living room with lots of smoke. Miraculously she had fixed it. Later that night I tried making some popcorn on the "broke" burner and it worked.
I always knew my LW was brilliant, but never knew she was so mechanically gifted.
Either she fixed it or the burner was tired of just sitting there!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Amazon Prime v. Netflix
We have been a Amazon Prime member for about a year. With it you get free 2nd day shipping (though it is only 2 day if you order on Monday thru Wednesday and we seem to order a lot of stuff on Friday or Saturday). Also they have their Prime Videos which include movies and TV show series. Right now it is $78 a year (or $6.50 per month). The main problem with their videos is that the videos do not have Closed Captioning. I find that that is a great item to have especially when the actors talk quietly or during loud times. Also we have had their video dropping out of some shows.
We have started a 30 day free trial with Netflix. They have most of the movies that Prime has and most of the TV shows. They have some TV shows that Prime doesn't and some movies. But their main advantage is that they have closed captioning on most movies and new TV shows. They charge $7.99 a month for their service. We have had a little flickering with some of the shows,
Now we have to decide which service we want to keep. It is theoretically possible to keep both, but I am CHEAP!
With the prime membership, we tend to buy more at Amazon since we can get free shipping even with a small order vice the $25 minimum for free shipping.
Our prime membership renewal date is 9/28, so we need to decide by then.
We have started a 30 day free trial with Netflix. They have most of the movies that Prime has and most of the TV shows. They have some TV shows that Prime doesn't and some movies. But their main advantage is that they have closed captioning on most movies and new TV shows. They charge $7.99 a month for their service. We have had a little flickering with some of the shows,
Now we have to decide which service we want to keep. It is theoretically possible to keep both, but I am CHEAP!
With the prime membership, we tend to buy more at Amazon since we can get free shipping even with a small order vice the $25 minimum for free shipping.
Our prime membership renewal date is 9/28, so we need to decide by then.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Eat Out
On Friday, we ate at a Japanese restaurant. It was the Swedish Glee Club annual dinner. It was at Ron of Japan (I didn't know that Ron was Japanese). When we got there there was a table with fruit, cheese, and what I assume was sushi.
After a while we went into a dining room. There were 8 of us to a table with a grill in the middle. Our chef came and started putting veggies on the grill and then divided them up for us, then added some sprouts and divided them up.
He then caused a large flame, which was intersting. Next he added the main meat/ chicken/ or fish onto the grill cutting them up and served them.
It was intersting how he cooked the steak (we had chicken), He cooked it for a while and then gave the medium rare people a taste and if it was OK gave them their portion and then continued to medium and medium well people.
We had a choice of white rice or fried (white) rice, I had fried and my LW had white rice.
The dessert was ice cream or sherbet or fruit (I didn't have any I was full after eating my portion and a part of my LW's).
All in all, a great meal. It was a first for me eating with the grill right there even though I had visited Japan once. I highly recommend the experience and the food!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Exercise / Play
Last weekend, it was beautiful. The temperature was in the mid-70's and little wind.
I was bicycling and noticed NO kids out playing.
When I was younger (pre-teen) we were always outside playing. In the summer, we played baseball. There were 4 of us, so we played 2 on 2 with right field a foul ball and invisible runners and pitcher's hand was out.
In the fall, we played football. Touch with 2 on 2. Mainly passing since, it was so hard to get away running (we played in the street).
In the winter, we played hockey on a frozen creek or pond. You could not raise the puck to score since we didn't have protective gear or goalie sticks.
We bicycled everywhere, like the Zoo or to play. Our parents did not have to drive us everywhere.
It seems that now-a-days, kids around here must have video games or something. We were not fat and were always on the move.
My grandkids (who live far away) are always active, camping or backpacking or kayaking. They are not obese and are fit. It was just hard to see such a beautiful day wasted by the kids around here!
I was bicycling and noticed NO kids out playing.
When I was younger (pre-teen) we were always outside playing. In the summer, we played baseball. There were 4 of us, so we played 2 on 2 with right field a foul ball and invisible runners and pitcher's hand was out.
In the fall, we played football. Touch with 2 on 2. Mainly passing since, it was so hard to get away running (we played in the street).
In the winter, we played hockey on a frozen creek or pond. You could not raise the puck to score since we didn't have protective gear or goalie sticks.
We bicycled everywhere, like the Zoo or to play. Our parents did not have to drive us everywhere.
It seems that now-a-days, kids around here must have video games or something. We were not fat and were always on the move.
My grandkids (who live far away) are always active, camping or backpacking or kayaking. They are not obese and are fit. It was just hard to see such a beautiful day wasted by the kids around here!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Driver's License
I have just come back from renewing my driver's license. In general, the state of IL is incompetent, but the Secretary of State's office was a wonderful experience. The last time I was there it was a madhouse, with long lines and snarly people.
This time I went in and immediately I was waited on by a man at a computer. He gave me a number and said to go to aisle 5 and there was my number at the top in lights and the nice lady was waiting for me. She asked me if I lived at the same address which I answered yes and then had me look in the little box. In the box, she asked which side the flashing lights were, which fortuneately I answered correctly (right, left. Both). Then she told me to read line 5, the last time the guy just told me to read a line. Once again, with just a little squinting I did. She then asked me seven questions like did I have a license from any other states (no) and was my license on hold due to a criminal case (no). Then sent me to the cashier.
There was 1 person in front of me, but she had only Visa which they did not take, so he sent her to a ATM machine. I used a check (since being cheap I didn't want to pay the surcharge) and of course, my pen was not working, so the guy gave me apen to use that did work. I wrote the check and he sent me the camera guy.
I had to wait a minute or two and then he took my picture (after having me sign an electronic form). Fortuneately I did not break the camera.
All told it was about 10-15 minutes and very pleasant, if only the IL IRS people were like these people.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Prof makes Students sign Dem pledge
A college professor has been placed on leave after she allegedly forced her class to sign a pledge to vote for President Obama in the upcoming elections.
Early last week Professor Sharon Sweet at Brevard Community College (BCC) allegedly told students to sign a pledge that reads: “I pledge to vote for President Obama and Democrats up and down the ticket.”
A college professor has been placed on leave after she allegedly forced her class to sign a pledge to vote for President Obama in the 2012 elections.
The pledge was printed off of GottaVote.org, a website funded by the Obama campaign.
University administrators said they learned about the incident late Thursday afternoon and launched an investigation, after they received a phone call from a concerned parent.
“Based on the allegations, Associate Professor Sweet has requested, and been granted, a leave of absence without pay effective immediately,” reads a statement put out by John Glisch, Associate Vice President for Communications at BCC.
“The college will continue its investigation into the matter, which will include interviews with all students in her class,” continues the statement.
Sweet’s actions may have also violated Florida’s election laws.
Section 104.31, of Title IX in chapter 104, states that “no officer or employee of the state... shall... use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with an election or nomination of officer or influencing another person’s vote or affecting the result thereof.”
Young America’s Foundation has released the Youth Misery Index (YMI), which has reached a record high (90.6) and has grown more than 25 percent in four years—17 percent since the Obama administration took office.
To calculate the index, Young America’s Foundation adds together youth unemployment, average graduating student debt (in thousands), and national debt per capita (in thousands). At no point in recent history has life been harder for America’s young people.
The Youth Misery Index represents a three-pronged attack on young Americans’ financial security—educational debt from their past, unemployment in the present, and a future plagued by the burden of massive government debt.
Youth unemployment is at 17.4 percent—one of the highest levels since World War II. Average graduating student debt has reached a record-breaking $26,300. National debt per capita is $46,900—the highest ever. Add it up, and the Youth Misery Index comes out to 90.6 (17.4 + 26.3 + 46.9 = 90.6). What does this number mean? Like Jimmy Carter’s Misery Index, the YMI uncovers some real threats to our nation’s prosperity.
It is obvious (to me) that they are pledging to vote for more misery. I thought "I knew most everything" when I was in College, hopefully the graduating students are smarter than their professor!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Chicago Schools
Researching the topic, I am amazed by the data.
Chicago teachers already make an average $75,000. That's more than other big city teachers earn, AND much more than Chicago's private school teachers get ($50,000). Because the teachers only work part of the year, they make more per hour than architects, nurses and accountants. When they do work, they don't work long hours. Even though most bring work home, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average public school teacher works only 36.5 hours a week. Chicago kids even get less instruction than kids in other big cities.
The Chicago union doesn't want its teachers judged by their students' performance. I understand why. Ninety-three percent of the teachers are rated either "Superior" or Excellent". The kids don't do as well: 80% of eighth graders are "not proficient" in math.
Union teachers know that many of their colleagues aren't great teachers. Only 12% of American students attend private schools, but, 39% of Chicago public school teachers send their children to private schools. Anti school-choice politicians are no less hypocritical: President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Jesse Jackson, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore (to name just a few) all send or sent their children to private schools.
Now thousands of Chicago children are kept out of school. Your supermarkets and movie theaters aren't closed because of strikes. That's because private companies have competition. Government monopolies don't.
It looks like maybe the Chicago school strike is almost over, it also looks like the administration backed down again. Most of my teachers were good. It looks like Chicago teachers would rather send their kids to private schools, what do they know that the poor other parents don't?
Friday, September 14, 2012
Bears Lose, Bears Lose
Since I live between Chicago and Milwaukee, the local sports radio stations are either Pro-Bears & Anti-Packers OR Anti-Bears & Pro-Packers. I fall on the Pro-GB side. But after the Bears play, the Pro-Bear station has Doug Buffone and OB both former Bears commenting on the game. When the Bears lose, they are really great. They rip into the Bears in a very (to me) entertaining manner.
Actually, I am a Detroit fan which has been sort of frustrating until recently. So at the moment the Lions are in first (at least till they play SF who crushed GB last week) place.
The Bears fans (as I guess all of us fans are) seem rather arrogant and yet when they lose, they say the Bears will never win again and all the coaches should be fired and the QB traded. Of course when the next game is a win, they will win the SuperBowl and never lose again!
Even I will have to admit that the Bears' defense played very well, especially with the Bears' QB giving the ball back to GB every chance he could. But think how bad it would have been if the refs had called all of the Bears' LT's holds (tackles).
Fortunately for the Bears, they play another rebuilding team next (St.Louis).
Actually, I am a Detroit fan which has been sort of frustrating until recently. So at the moment the Lions are in first (at least till they play SF who crushed GB last week) place.
The Bears fans (as I guess all of us fans are) seem rather arrogant and yet when they lose, they say the Bears will never win again and all the coaches should be fired and the QB traded. Of course when the next game is a win, they will win the SuperBowl and never lose again!
Even I will have to admit that the Bears' defense played very well, especially with the Bears' QB giving the ball back to GB every chance he could. But think how bad it would have been if the refs had called all of the Bears' LT's holds (tackles).
Fortunately for the Bears, they play another rebuilding team next (St.Louis).
++++
New York City's Board of Health opened up a new, experimental front in the war on obesity Thursday, passing a rule banning sales of big sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, concession stands and other eateries.
The regulation, which was proposed in the spring by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and approved by panel of health experts after several months of review, puts a 16-ounce size limit on cups and bottles of non-diet soda, sweetened teas, and other calorie-packed beverages.
The ban will apply in fast-food joints, movie houses and Broadway theaters, workplace cafeterias, and most other places selling prepared food.
It doesn't cover beverages sold in supermarkets or most convenience stores.
Once again, government "must" take over for parents. Much of fat comes from a lack of parental supervision (too much video games or not enough exercice) not because of soft drinks' sizes. Can you only buy one?
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Celebrating Russian Ships?
On the last night of the Democratic National Convention, a retired Navy four-star took the stage to pay tribute to veterans. Behind him, on a giant screen, the image of four hulking warships reinforced his patriotic message.
But there was a big mistake in the stirring backdrop: those are Russian warships.
While retired Adm. John Nathman, a former commander of Fleet Forces Command, honored vets as America’s best, the ships from the Russian Federation Navy were arrayed like sentinels on the big screen above.
These were the very Soviet-era combatants that Nathman and Cold Warriors like him had once squared off against.
“The ships are definitely Russian,” said noted naval author Norman Polmar after reviewing hi-resolution photos from the event. “There’s no question of that in my mind.”
Naval experts concluded the background was a photo composite of Russian ships that were overflown by what appear to be U.S. trainer jets. It remains unclear how or why the Democratic Party used what’s believed to be images of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at their convention. ...
The veteran who spotted the error and notified Navy Times said he was immediately taken aback.
“I was kind of in shock,” said Rob Barker, 38, a former electronics warfare technician who left the Navy in 2006. Having learned to visually identify foreign ships by their radars, Barker recognized the closest ship as the Kara-class cruiser Kerch.
“An immediate apology [from the committee] would be very nice,” Barker said. “Maybe acknowledge the fact that yes, they screwed up.”
The background — featured in the carefully choreographed hour leading up to the president’s Sept. 6 speech accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination — showed four ships with radar designs not used in the U.S. fleet.
For example, the ship in the foreground, on the far right, has a square radar antenna at the top of its masthead. That is the MR-700 Podberezovik 3-D early warning radar, commonly identified as “Flat Screen” for its appearance, a three-dimensional early warning radar mounted on the Kerch, said Eric Wertheim, editor of “Combat Fleets of the World.”
Similarly, the third ship has a MR-310 “Head Net” air search radar, shaped like two off-set bananas, at its masthead and is mostly likely the guided missile destroyer Smetlivyy. The first two ships seem to be Krivak-class frigates, but it’s hard to discern from the silhouette, experts said.
But the fact they are Russian ships is not in doubt. In addition to the ship’s radar arrays and hulls, which are dissimilar from U.S. warships, the photo features one more give-away: a large white flag with a blue ‘X’ at the ships’ sterns.
Polmar, who authored “The Naval Institute Guide to the Soviet Navy,” recognized the blue ‘X’-mark: “The X is the Cross of St. Andrew’s, which is a Russian Navy symbol,” Polmar said. (An anchored U.S. warship, by contrast, flies the American flag on its stern.)
Based on this specific group of these ship types, one naval expert concluded that this was most likely a photo of the Black Sea Fleet.
“Ships are all Black Sea Fleet,” A. D. Baker III, a retired Office of Naval Intelligence analyst, told Navy Times after looking at the image. “These four ships, at the time the photo was taken, constituted the entire major surface combatant component of the Black Sea Fleet,” Baker said, noting the photo was likely to be six years old or older. (The Kerch is now on the list to be scrapped, Baker said.)
It is good to know that the Democrats believe that the Russians are the friendlies! It is not that hard to find real pictures of American ships! see below from Navy Flickr.
 |
| http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/5387910936/sizes/n/in/photostream/ |
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Enough to REtire
Fidelity’s new guide estimates that workers should save at least eight times their salary by the time they retire at age 67, in order to replace 85% of their pre-retirement income. (To reach that 85% replacement rate, Fidelity adds in expected Social Security benefits.) The guide offers specific age-based savings goals to meet along the way.
| AGE IN YEARS | SAVINGS TARGET |
|---|---|
| 30 | 0.5 times current salary |
| 35 | 1 X |
| 40 | 2 X |
| 45 | 3 X |
| 50 | 4 X |
| 55 | 5 X |
| 60 | 6 X |
| 65 | 7 X |
| 67 | 8 X |
For example, Fidelity says that a 35-year-old should be on track to cover her basic retirement expenses if she’s saved one year’s worth of her current salary and she continues to save at a specified rate until she retires at age 67. For a 40-year-old, it’s two times salary; for a 55-year-old it’s five times salary.
Also, Fidelity assumes you’ll work and save continuously until you’re 67, and will die at 92. Your investments will earn an annual 5.5% along the way, and your salary will grow 1.5% a year over and above a general inflation rate of 2.3%, according to Fidelity’s assumption
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/retirement-savings-how-much-is-enough-2012-09-12?siteid=nwhpf
Interesting to me at least, of course, I am retired, I certainly hope I have that much!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
GM Volt
Cheap Volt lease offers meant to drive more customers to Chevy showrooms this summer may have pushed that loss even higher. There are some Americans paying just $5,050 to drive around for two years in a vehicle that cost as much as $89,000 to produce.
…Nearly two years after the introduction of the path-breaking plug-in hybrid, GM is still losing as much as $49,000 on each Volt it builds, according to estimates provided to Reuters by industry analysts and manufacturing experts.
Some are put off by the technical challenges of ownership, mainly related to charging the battery. Plug-in hybrids such as the Volt still take hours to fully charge the batteries – a process that can be speeded up a bit with the installation of a $2,000 commercial-grade charger in the garage. …GM’s basic problem is that “the Volt is over-engineered and over-priced,” said Dennis Virag, president of the Michigan-based Automotive Consulting Group. …
It currently costs GM “at least” $75,000 to build the Volt, including development costs, Munro said. That’s nearly twice the base price of the Volt before a $7,500 federal tax credit provided as part of President Barack Obama’s green energy policy.
“I don’t see how General Motors will ever get its money back on that vehicle,” countered Sandy Munro, president of Michigan-based Munro & Associates, which performs detailed tear-down analyses of vehicles and components for global manufacturers and the U.S. government.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/10/us-generalmotors-autos-volt-idUSBRE88904J20120910
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/10/us-generalmotors-autos-volt-idUSBRE88904J20120910
In general, companies don't continue manufacturing a product that costs twice as much to make as it sells for. But if you are Government Motors you do! I have heard that the Volt is a great car, but overpriced and with some problems burning down garages, it looks like the price actually is too low.
I of course refuse to buy any GM product until the government is out of it. They (government (Obama) and the labor union) screwed the bond holders and the old stock holders probably contrary to law, but that doesn't bother or stop Obama.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Wonderful Chicago
Among what are considered Alpha world cities, Chicago has the highest murder rate -- higher even than the Third World metropolises of Mexico City and Sao Paolo.
Here’s how we rank in murders per 100,000 among cities we consider our peers, based on a projected murder total of 505 for this year.
The African American murder victimization rate was approximately 34 per 100,000; the Hispanic rate was 11 per 100,000, and the white rate 3 per 100,000
Here’s how we rank in murders per 100,000 among cities we consider our peers, based on a projected murder total of 505 for this year.
Singapore 0.4
Tokyo 0.5
Hong Kong 0.6
Berlin 1.0
Sydney 1.0
London 1.4
Toronto 1.7
Amsterdam 1.8
Paris 4.4
New York 6.0
Los Angeles 7.5
Mexico City 8.0
Moscow 9.6
Sao Paulo 15.6
Chicago 19.4
(http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/The-Deadliest-Global-City-163874546.html#ixzz265VGDYgj)Tokyo 0.5
Hong Kong 0.6
Berlin 1.0
Sydney 1.0
London 1.4
Toronto 1.7
Amsterdam 1.8
Paris 4.4
New York 6.0
Los Angeles 7.5
Mexico City 8.0
Moscow 9.6
Sao Paulo 15.6
Chicago 19.4
Chicago has very strong gun laws, so only the criminals and fortuneately the police have guns. This is a beautiful city, but there are neighborhoods where innocent people and gang members are murdered almost every night.
To top off the greatness of Chicago, the teacher are on strike.
The democrats have certainly done a great job governing Chicago. The corruption has helped certain portions of the populous but others live in fear.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Falling Down
Yesterday reminded me of the commercial which said, "I've fallen down and can't get up." My LW had a meeting of Church Women United and she decided to bicycle there. So I decided to bike to the YMCA, so we could bike together for first 5 or so miles. When we biked there, we noticed that there was a spot on the bike path that had glass.
Since we had biked much of the way earlier in the week, we "knew" that after that spot there was little if any glass on the path.
Unfortunately as my LW discovered, that was not the case yesterday. So she decided to skip the worst parts of the path on the way home. This caused her to be on a sidewalk on a street that was dead ending. So she decided to stop and walk her bike for a while, unfortunately her foot got stuck in the.pedal clip and since she was in the process of getting off the bike, she fell and slightly hurt her hands.
On my way home, I got to the spot where the glass was (actually I was on the other side of the street from it) and I crossed the street worrying more about the cars then the glass on the other side of the road. So I found that I was on the wrong side of the path (the glass side), so I went off the path (at that point it was recently black topped, for some reason the bike path had had blacktop put at all the intersections with roads) to the right of the path. After I was pass the glass, I decided to get back on the blacktop. So I turned the wheel to the left (of course, the blacktop was basically 3-4 inches straight drop to the ground where I was), with the result that I fell onto the blacktop. I had a scrape on my left leg and my left elbow took the brunt of the fall. At the moment, it (the elbow) is merely swollen and I have a little pain when I try to straighten it or bend it past a certain point. It is much better than yesterday and should be OK in a day or two.
To add insult to injury, my LW was walking the dog at a fair distance from our house and it decided to start raining (we need the rain, but couldn't it wait till she was home?). As a result, she and the dog got soaked. Some days are better than others!
Since we had biked much of the way earlier in the week, we "knew" that after that spot there was little if any glass on the path.
Unfortunately as my LW discovered, that was not the case yesterday. So she decided to skip the worst parts of the path on the way home. This caused her to be on a sidewalk on a street that was dead ending. So she decided to stop and walk her bike for a while, unfortunately her foot got stuck in the.pedal clip and since she was in the process of getting off the bike, she fell and slightly hurt her hands.
On my way home, I got to the spot where the glass was (actually I was on the other side of the street from it) and I crossed the street worrying more about the cars then the glass on the other side of the road. So I found that I was on the wrong side of the path (the glass side), so I went off the path (at that point it was recently black topped, for some reason the bike path had had blacktop put at all the intersections with roads) to the right of the path. After I was pass the glass, I decided to get back on the blacktop. So I turned the wheel to the left (of course, the blacktop was basically 3-4 inches straight drop to the ground where I was), with the result that I fell onto the blacktop. I had a scrape on my left leg and my left elbow took the brunt of the fall. At the moment, it (the elbow) is merely swollen and I have a little pain when I try to straighten it or bend it past a certain point. It is much better than yesterday and should be OK in a day or two.
To add insult to injury, my LW was walking the dog at a fair distance from our house and it decided to start raining (we need the rain, but couldn't it wait till she was home?). As a result, she and the dog got soaked. Some days are better than others!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Unemployment drops to 8.1%?
Now the depressing details of the jobs report:
– Nonfarm payrolls increased by only 96,000 in August, the Labor Department said, versus expectations of 125,000 jobs or more. The manufacturing sector, much touted by the president in his convention speech, lost 15,000 jobs.
– Since the start of the year, job growth has averaged 139,000 per month vs. an average monthly gain of 153,000 in 2011.
– While the unemployment rate dropped to 8.1% from 8.3% in July, it was due to a big drop in the labor force participation rate (the share of Americans with a job or looking for one). If fewer Americans hadn’t given up looking for work, the unemployment rate would have risen.
– Reuters notes that the participation rate is now at its lowest level since September 1981.
– If the labor force participation rate was the same as when Obama took office in January 2009, the unemployment rate would be 11.2%.
– If the participation rate had just stayed the same as last month, the unemployment rate would be 8.4%.
(http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/09/the-awful-awful-august-jobs-report/)
Actual Labor statistics (http://bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm)
Looking at only one number, it looks like P.O. is doing better, but actually fewer people are employed and more people are getting discouraged. Yesterdays video on people who want to eliminate corporate profit can see the results. If business has no reason to hire (i.e., no higher profit) they will not hire more people. If there is a anti-business administration, they will not hire people!
In November, we have a chance to change things. Romney may not be perfect, but anyone has to be better than what we have now!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Some Videos
I honestly can't tell if they are real people. Many of us don't realize our own prejudices.
Some people just can't think. Do they honestly think that businesses exist to give them money? I guess in the Communist world they do!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
When is less than 50% 2/3?
When is less than 50% 2/3? When Democrats count the votes! Be very afraid America!
School Days
On September 4, the Chicago schools started back to school. So as far as I know everyone is back in school now. (Of course, chicago schools are probably going on strike next week, but at least there is school there now).
Since our kids have graduated college and our grandkids are so far away, we did not have the start of school panic that occurred when we had school age kids around. No shopping for school supplies with the list in Walmart, Kmart, etc for each school or grade.
When we were younger, school started right after Labor Day, but at least 2 of our grandkids started in mid-August. Of course, with the 20 mile walk uphill both ways carrying 50# of books in the ice and snow or rain, we had it a lot harder than kids today.
Teachers are such important people, they can start kids off with a love for learning or turn them off. At times I thought of teaching, not sure I could have handled some of the problems teachers (especially in the big cities) have to handle when trying to teach. Good teachers are worth their weight in gold. I hope my grandkids have good teachers.
Since our kids have graduated college and our grandkids are so far away, we did not have the start of school panic that occurred when we had school age kids around. No shopping for school supplies with the list in Walmart, Kmart, etc for each school or grade.
When we were younger, school started right after Labor Day, but at least 2 of our grandkids started in mid-August. Of course, with the 20 mile walk uphill both ways carrying 50# of books in the ice and snow or rain, we had it a lot harder than kids today.
Teachers are such important people, they can start kids off with a love for learning or turn them off. At times I thought of teaching, not sure I could have handled some of the problems teachers (especially in the big cities) have to handle when trying to teach. Good teachers are worth their weight in gold. I hope my grandkids have good teachers.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Obama's paid crowd
College students from across North Carolina will arrive in Charlotte by the busload. Same with members of predominantly black churches in neighboring South Carolina. Their goal: help fill a 74,000-seat outdoor stadium to capacity when President Barack Obama accepts the Democratic nomination Thursday night.
Anything short of a full house on the final night of the Democratic Party's national convention will be instant fodder for Republicans eager to use empty seats as symbols of waning voter enthusiasm for Obama.
Unlike last year when P.O. filled stadiums on his own, this year they have to import an audience for his big night. This year, he is whining about Romney raising more money than him; unlike in 2008 when he out raised McCain by 300-400%.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Reflections during Dogwalk
We live about half a mile from a semi-major highway. This morning at 0430 on labor day, I could still hear the traffic. Not as many cars as normal perhaps but still traffic. I wondered if there is ever a time when there is no traffic, I guess not in this motor-centric society.
I like walking the dog early in the morning since there are not a lot of people about ( basically none!) or cars on the roads that we walk. I was surprised that there still was some cars. Usually, on Sundays there are not many at all, due to not many workers going to work. Also, usually on holidays there are few cars.
I find it interesting that on Labor Day, most people take off. Here is a day that celebrates the American spirit of work and to celebrate it we take the day off.
I hope everyone has a safe Labor Day!
I like walking the dog early in the morning since there are not a lot of people about ( basically none!) or cars on the roads that we walk. I was surprised that there still was some cars. Usually, on Sundays there are not many at all, due to not many workers going to work. Also, usually on holidays there are few cars.
I find it interesting that on Labor Day, most people take off. Here is a day that celebrates the American spirit of work and to celebrate it we take the day off.
I hope everyone has a safe Labor Day!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Anniversary
Today is our oldest child's anniversary. Both of our kids have been married for 17 years. It got me thinking again about how blessed I have been. We have been lucky that our kids were always great kids. Of course, they haven't been perfect but pretty close!
We have been married for 2/3 of our lives. I haven't always been the greatest husband ( I would like to think that I haven't been bad all the time), but my LW has always been the greatest wife in the world for me. We got married fairly young and I was not as mature as I am now ( assuming I am a little mature now). My LW was ( and is) more mature than me.
So I have been lucky to have great kids and a LW.
Our health ( so far) has been good. We were able to live OK on our income and in general did not spend more then we could afford. We have been lucky to join Churches that met our spiritual needs and where we have met great people. We went to good schools, including where I met my LW. We now have fun singing together in a fun choir and the Swedish Glee Club. We have had tragedy in our lives, but we have survived it.
Our kids have picked great spouses and have given us grandchildren.
I am grateful to have had all of the people that are and were in my life! Especially my LW. In many ways, I have been living thevAmerican dream.
We have been married for 2/3 of our lives. I haven't always been the greatest husband ( I would like to think that I haven't been bad all the time), but my LW has always been the greatest wife in the world for me. We got married fairly young and I was not as mature as I am now ( assuming I am a little mature now). My LW was ( and is) more mature than me.
So I have been lucky to have great kids and a LW.
Our health ( so far) has been good. We were able to live OK on our income and in general did not spend more then we could afford. We have been lucky to join Churches that met our spiritual needs and where we have met great people. We went to good schools, including where I met my LW. We now have fun singing together in a fun choir and the Swedish Glee Club. We have had tragedy in our lives, but we have survived it.
Our kids have picked great spouses and have given us grandchildren.
I am grateful to have had all of the people that are and were in my life! Especially my LW. In many ways, I have been living thevAmerican dream.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Biking Error
On Thursday, we went for a longish bike ride (for us, 21 or so miles). Last year, I bicycled home from Swedish Glee Club practice. The trip if done correctly is around 15 miles.
Unfortunately I missed a turnoff in the bike path and ended up on a semi-major road in the middle of the night (2230 or so). So Thursday, I wanted to ride the bike path from the other direction and see if I could find my error. Since my LW is a wonderful person, she fortunately went with me.
At the start of the bike path, they had put down a fresh layer of the fine ground rock (or whatever it is). So since it was not very well packed, this increased our effort biking immensely.
We got to a point ( after 8 or 9 miles) where the path switched sides of the street. Unfortunately, to me, the sign did not make any sense ( it was one of those signs which could point in any direction). So we crossed the road and my LW corrected me and we found the right path.
Shortly thereafter, we got to the place where I screwed up on my other ride. Turns out that you have to cross the street ( I just keep going before) and go up a bank and under a overpass. Hopefully I will be able to go the right way the next time I bike from practice!
But since I needed my LW to get me in the right direction this time, what hope is there for me?
Unfortunately I missed a turnoff in the bike path and ended up on a semi-major road in the middle of the night (2230 or so). So Thursday, I wanted to ride the bike path from the other direction and see if I could find my error. Since my LW is a wonderful person, she fortunately went with me.
At the start of the bike path, they had put down a fresh layer of the fine ground rock (or whatever it is). So since it was not very well packed, this increased our effort biking immensely.
We got to a point ( after 8 or 9 miles) where the path switched sides of the street. Unfortunately, to me, the sign did not make any sense ( it was one of those signs which could point in any direction). So we crossed the road and my LW corrected me and we found the right path.
Shortly thereafter, we got to the place where I screwed up on my other ride. Turns out that you have to cross the street ( I just keep going before) and go up a bank and under a overpass. Hopefully I will be able to go the right way the next time I bike from practice!
But since I needed my LW to get me in the right direction this time, what hope is there for me?
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