tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28997772067786104392024-03-05T21:14:31.224-06:00GDAD's RavingsRavings of a GrandDad.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.comBlogger484125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-41122713793128506552013-10-07T08:48:00.000-05:002013-10-07T08:48:36.067-05:00Obamacare<div style="text-align: center;">
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Says it all!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-58427515165331636022013-06-27T09:07:00.002-05:002013-06-27T09:07:13.663-05:00Highly Anticipated There are a couple Highly Anticipated items that I am not Anticipating.<br />
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A clothing manufacturer has been advertising that only thinking of us, they have removed the clothing labels from their underwear!<br />
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I may be unusual but I like the labels to help me figure out which is their front or outside.<br />
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I then saw a headline of an article "Wendy's® (Finally!) Brings Highly Anticipated Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger to Restaurants." I don't know about others but this has not been on the list of items that I Highly Anticipated!<br />
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This reminds me of a <a href="http://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/manoflamancha/imonlythinkingofhim.htm">song from the Man of LaMancha </a>:<br />
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ANTONIA<br />
(Don Quixote's niece)<br />
(piously)<br />
I'm only thinking of him,<br />
I'm only thinking of him,<br />
Whatever I may do or say;<br />
I'm only thinking of him!<br />
In my body; it's well known,<br />
There is not one selfish bone...<br />
I'm only thinking end worrying about him!<br />
<br />
I've been, told he's chasing dragons<br />
And I fear it may be true<br />
If my groom should hear about it.<br />
Heaven knows what he will do!<br />
Oh, I deadly love my uncle,<br />
But for what he's done to me,<br />
I would like to take and lock him up<br />
And throw away the key!<br />
But if I do... but if I do...<br />
There is one thing<br />
That I swear will still be true... PADRE<br />
I'm only thinking of him; I know I know my dear;<br />
I'm only thinking of him; Of course you are, my dear;<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm only thinking and worrying about him. I understand.<br />
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HOUSEKEEPER<br />
I'm only thinking of him,<br />
I'm only thinking of him,<br />
Whatever I may do or say,<br />
I'm only thinking of him!<br />
In the very heart of me<br />
There is Christian charity<br />
I'm only thinking and worrying about him!<br />
<br />
Oh, I think he's been too lonely,<br />
Living years without a spouse,<br />
So when he returns<br />
I fear I may have trouble in the house;<br />
For they say he seeks a lady<br />
Who his own true love shall be;<br />
God forbid that in his madness<br />
He should ever think it's me!<br />
If he should try I'll surely die,<br />
And I will grimly<br />
Guard my honor as I cry...<br />
I'm only thinking of him;<br />
I'm only thinking of him;<br />
I'm only thinking and worrying about him.<br />
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ANTONIA<br />
Woe, woe, woe, woe, woe, woe,<br />
Woe, woe, woe, woe, woe.<br />
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PADRE<br />
I know, I know, my dear;<br />
Of course you are, my dear;<br />
I understand.<br />
<br />
HOUSEKEEPER<br />
Woe!<br />
<br />
ANTONIA<br />
Woe!<br />
<br />
PADRE<br />
They re only thinking of him,<br />
They re only thinking of him,<br />
How saintly is their plaintive plea...<br />
They're only thinking of him!<br />
What a comfort, to be sure,<br />
That their motives are so pure...<br />
As they go thinking and worrying about him!<br />
<br />
ANTONIA, HOUSEKEEPER<br />
Woe, woe, woe, woe, woe, etc.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-81397178458793740232013-03-14T18:19:00.000-05:002013-03-14T18:19:18.795-05:00Are we Rome?<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/45821274">Are We Rome? FreedomFest 2013</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user7495404">Smooky</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
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Interesting question!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-24749211575084486382013-03-08T07:48:00.001-06:002013-03-08T07:48:21.234-06:00Catholics don't shovel!<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7uKnd6IEiO0" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
<a href="http://youtu.be/7uKnd6IEiO0">http://youtu.be/7uKnd6IEiO0</a>.<br />
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I returned a book for my LW at the Library and walked from our Church to the Library. Since we have had about 10 inches of snow, many sidewalks were not shoveled.<br />
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However, the Catholic Church went even further. They put a 12 foot high pile of snow on the sidewalk. I know that walking is almost a lost art, but it would be difficult to place it better for hindering a walker.<br />
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On the way back, I went by the Episcopal church, they had shoveled all the way around the Church and made my life much easier. So <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Episcopal</span> church shovels but not the Catholics! Thank you, Episcopalians!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-87288127334106414422013-03-04T09:25:00.001-06:002013-03-04T09:25:22.840-06:00No Refund!<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Henry Payne" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/payn_c10753220130301120100.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Henry Payne" /></div>
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<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/03/01/107532">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/03/01/107532</a></div>
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<img alt="Political Cartoons by Nate Beeler" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/81_12804320130301110338.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Nate Beeler" /></div>
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<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/03/01/107547">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/03/01/107547</a></div>
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One of my pet peeves is when people have the IRS take out more from there paychecks and get a "refund", Even with a good president (unlike now) I don't believe in giving the government a free loan. Take the extra out of your check and put it in a savings account if you can't save!</div>
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An intersting article on "refunds: <a href="http://dealnews.com/tax-day/">http://dealnews.com/tax-day/</a></div>
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Also people are increasing their personal debt more now: <a href="http://creditfederal.com/article/articles/135/1/Personal-Debt-Increasing">http://creditfederal.com/article/articles/135/1/Personal-Debt-Increasing</a> another bad sign!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-40819208189577976562013-02-19T09:26:00.001-06:002013-02-19T09:26:36.592-06:00Coincidence?<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/02/19/107274"><img alt="Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/gv021913dAPR20130219054512.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/02/19/107274">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2013/02/19/107274</a></div>
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Around the presidential election, the price of gas was decreasing and the unemployment rate "miraculously" "surprisingly" went below 8% (7.8%) .</div>
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Now gas is increasing and is about $4/gallon here and the unemployment rate is increasing.</div>
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Now we know our "virtuous" president wouldn't manipulate the "stimulus" money to spend a bunch of it in the months leading to the election would he?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-20512034949223739832013-02-11T12:19:00.002-06:002013-02-11T12:19:29.921-06:00Great Man speaks<div style="text-align: center;">
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There are some great people that get it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-31298021589333627152013-02-09T11:58:00.000-06:002013-02-09T11:58:16.673-06:00Finally Snow!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIQvKSwRFgKNE19H8BKanw-yhwm0jLVo5v5lPxFogkUucoU0mGAnrDWEFK5_4ntu_9alS-7LPI-7t7i6g3_Te_TgaF40hdC2IebJT1vbBmoQlIOG8VcoG1jZ7p5OuJEln20m3oeY-4ptx/s1600/IMG_0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIQvKSwRFgKNE19H8BKanw-yhwm0jLVo5v5lPxFogkUucoU0mGAnrDWEFK5_4ntu_9alS-7LPI-7t7i6g3_Te_TgaF40hdC2IebJT1vbBmoQlIOG8VcoG1jZ7p5OuJEln20m3oeY-4ptx/s400/IMG_0266.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7a9zkgAqqkMx0RVGnbRomBLLCL5hIS_XIPnfaoqO1R__0fej_MsxnoC8IJ_QpnZm_SQYL0vHpQZ7OLdx-_XduL7BnnUFoFDgkmDTCZ5ae4DYne_SFXYwwKR0qTqc8L1377nvPa0V9Vsl/s1600/IMG_0264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7a9zkgAqqkMx0RVGnbRomBLLCL5hIS_XIPnfaoqO1R__0fej_MsxnoC8IJ_QpnZm_SQYL0vHpQZ7OLdx-_XduL7BnnUFoFDgkmDTCZ5ae4DYne_SFXYwwKR0qTqc8L1377nvPa0V9Vsl/s400/IMG_0264.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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We finally had a real snow. We got about 10" on Thursday. Our choir practice was cancelled. It seems like all the "bad" weather occurs on Thursday, the day we had sleet was on a Thursday and choir practice was also cancelled (I think).</div>
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Before this snow, we had only a very small amount of snow adding up to a grand total of maybe 2" of snow. Even though areas around us got much more!</div>
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Snow makes for some very beautiful scenes!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-81446259424685339992013-02-07T13:09:00.000-06:002013-02-07T13:09:42.917-06:00What Dems have Done<br />
<i><b>Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, already the most unpopular governor in the nation, has his work cut out for him at his annual "state of the state" speech on Wednesday</b></i><br />
<i><b>The fiscal crisis caused by pension underfunding in Illinois is so bad that some hospitals wait a year to be paid by the state for insurance claims.</b></i><br />
<i><b>Illinois' pension systems are in the worst financial shape of any state at <span style="color: red;">39 percent funded when no less than 80 percent is considered healthy</span>. State <span style="color: red;">pensions are in the hole by the staggering amount of nearly $97 billion, or $20,000 per Illinois household and nearly four times the annual state revenue.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b>There might be some movement afoot. <span style="color: red;">Majority Democrats, who have relied for decades on labor unions for political and financial support,</span> are showing signs of a willingness to confront organized labor.</b></i><br />
<i><b>"To date, we have received no cooperation from the labor unions representing state employees on addressing these challenges," powerful state House Speaker Michael Madigan wrote in a January 30 letter to the head of a labor coalition.</b></i><br />
<i><b>The legislature will discuss this week proposed laws to boost worker contributions to pensions, raise retirement ages, eliminate the cost-of-living adjustment for retirees for several years, and end some abuses. </b></i><b><i><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/illinois-governor-bear-grim-news-over-pension-crisis-204320138.html">http://news.yahoo.com/illinois-governor-bear-grim-news-over-pension-crisis-204320138.html</a></i></b><br />
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The state that I am living in has been controlled by the democrats as long as I have lived here. They have made IL the most bankrupt state in the nation.<br />
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<b><i>The Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, and Energy and Commerce Committees today unveiled the <a href="http://waysandmeans.house.gov/uploadedfiles/aca_burden_tracker_.pdf">ObamaCare Burden Tracker</a> (#ObamaCareBurden). The Burden Tracker is a real-time online resource to help the public keep track of all of the new government mandates, rules, and red tape as a result of ObamaCare.</i></b><br />
<b><i>The burden of ObamaCare is already being felt, even though many provisions of the law, including the requirement for most Americans to buy government-approved health insurance or pay a tax, are not set to take effect until 2014. According to the Obama Administration’s own estimates, ObamaCare will require American job creators, families, and health care providers to spend over 127 million hours per year on compliance.* That burden is growing with every new regulation published, and the Burden Tracker will be updated as those new regulations are issued throughout the year. </i></b><br />
<b><i>Every hour and dollar spent complying with the Democrats’ health care law are time and resources being taken from spending time with family, growing a business and creating jobs, or caring for patients. Since many small businesses do not employ in-house lawyers and accountants, compliance costs are especially expensive and burdensome. Given the new demands of complying with the law, it is not surprising that over 70 percent of small businesses cite the health care law as a major obstacle to job creation.</i></b><br />
<b><i>What could be done in 127,602,371 hours? </i></b><br />
<b><i> Mount Rushmore, which took 14 years to build, could be constructed 1,040 times.</i></b><br />
<b><i> Halley’s comet, seen from Earth once every 76 years, could be spotted 191 times.</i></b><br />
<b><i> The Empire State building, which took 7 million hours to build, could be constructed 18 times.</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://waysandmeans.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=319029">http://waysandmeans.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=319029</a></div>
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<b><i>The Obama administration has been publicly upbeat about the coming rollout of its health care law. But a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office suggests that at least one set of influential observers anticipates some turbulence in the law’s first years.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>On several important measures of the law’s success, CBO’s numbers are pessimistic compared with earlier estimates: <span style="color: red;">Fewer uninsured people will get coverage, insurance options will be more limited, and more employers will stop covering their workers. Perhaps most noteworthy, the report suggests that the new health insurance marketplaces set to launch later this year are unlikely to be completely ready in time.</span></i></b></div>
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<b><i>That negativity came cloaked in the careful language of the budget office—what former Bush health official Tevi Troy called “heavy bureaucratese”—but the report signaled CBO officials are worried that key provisions of the law are not going to work as intended.</i></b></div>
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<b><i><a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/budget-office-predicts-rocky-start-for-health-care-law-20130206">http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/budget-office-predicts-rocky-start-for-health-care-law-20130206</a></i></b></div>
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The costs are higher than "promised" by P.O., it is unlikely that you can keep your old coverage (as promised by P.O.).</div>
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<b><i>In a final regulation issued Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assumed that under Obamacare the cheapest health insurance plan available in 2016 for a family will cost $20,000 for the year.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Under Obamacare, Americans will be required to buy health insurance or pay a penalty to the IRS.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The IRS’s assumption that the cheapest plan for a family will cost $20,000 per year is found in examples the IRS gives to help people understand how to calculate the penalty they will need to pay the government if they do not buy a mandated health plan.</i></b></div>
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<b><i>The examples point to families of four and families of five, both of which the IRS expects in its assumptions to pay a minimum of $20,000 per year for a bronze plan.</i></b></div>
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<b><i><a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2013/02/01/irs-cheapest-qualifying-family-health-insurance-plan-will-be-20k/">http://hotair.com/archives/2013/02/01/irs-cheapest-qualifying-family-health-insurance-plan-will-be-20k/</a></i></b></div>
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"In a democracy, we get the government we deserve." We (not me) reelected P.O. and this is a result. Many want others to pay not to work hard and earn.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-59532803698825684382013-02-05T10:00:00.000-06:002013-02-05T10:00:27.266-06:00Poor CA<div style="text-align: center;">
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It used to be that people came to the US for medical treatment, now Obamacare is leading to this!</div>
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Back to CA:</div>
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Poor California not only are they one of the most bankrupt states (<a href="http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-california-debt-clock.html">http://www.usdebtclock.org/state-debt-clocks/state-of-california-debt-clock.html</a>) with some cities declaring bankruptcy (<b><i>San Bernardino, Calif., is the latest municipality to seek bankruptcy protection for its $45 million budget shortfall, following Mammoth Lakes and Stockton, which was the largest U.S city to ever go bust. Bankruptcy filings by these three California cities have raised questions about the scope of budget issues on the local level and whether there will be more. <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/three-california-cities-bankrupt-tip-iceberg-says-fmr-155121281.html">http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/three-california-cities-bankrupt-tip-iceberg-says-fmr-155121281.html </a></i></b>)</div>
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But I was listening to the radio a few weeks ago and heard that "bitter cold" with highs only in the 50'sF and lows in the 30'sF was striking CA. It was intersting to me since at the time we were having a hot streak with the High almost 50F and lows in the low 30'sF.</div>
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Since that time, we have have -5F temperatures with high almost reaching 10F, my daughter's temperatures have been as low as -12F (that I have seen maybe it was lower at times).</div>
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So poor, poor CA, we must have pity on them!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-29152997211202068062013-02-04T09:57:00.000-06:002013-02-04T09:57:11.354-06:00Doesn't make senseI don't understand. My son just had a birthday and he is dc (not roman numerals) years old. But my LW and I are so young.<br />
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Do you think it is possible for your children to streak years ahead of their parents?<br />
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This year my daughter will reach a milestone birthday and she was our baby for so long!<br />
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I mean we haven't reached middle age yet! Some might say that I am still very immature! So how can we have mature-ish kids?<br />
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Of course we have been married 2/3ths of our lives. We must have gotten married when we were -15 years old or so, YES that MUST be the explanation!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-53229512600146702752013-02-04T09:42:00.000-06:002013-02-04T09:42:15.889-06:00Sneaky Ground Hog DayThis year Ground Hog Day sneaked up on me. The only way we knew was because my LW heard on the radio the day before. Every Ground Hog Day, we watch the movie "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray.<br />
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We like the story of a selfish man learning that only by helping others can he be truly happy.<br />
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The movie's premise is that 1 day (Ground Hog Day) in the life of a Weatherman covering the famous Ground Hog P Phil is played over and over. He finds that the day has no consequences and tries to get in bed with his female producer by learning more and more each "day" to make himself her ideal.<br />
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Of course it doesn't work and he decides to eventually (after trying to kill himself numerous times) to try to help others.<br />
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It is my understanding that it was actually filmed a few miles west of us.<br />
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A fun movie, you should try it if you want a happy movie to watch. It is not very deep and goes as you would figure, but who needs anything else?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-7398777111790923102013-02-02T11:48:00.000-06:002013-02-02T11:48:39.866-06:00Not Gambling?<br />
There are some interesting bets that can be made on the Super Bowl. One is Frank Gore's yardage vs. Louisville's score v. someone.<br />
<br />
Personally, I don't like to bet. Basically, I am cheap and don't want to lose the money.<br />
<br />
However, the Super Bowl is one of the most bet on games. There are a lot of bets that can be made like first TD person/ team/ offense or defense and scores at quarters, win/ lose, etc.<br />
<br />
Though I do have some investments in mutual funds and stocks. Perhaps they are worst bets then gambling. In bets it is easy to see if you won or lost quickly. With stocks, you buy it at a price and it goes up or down and you have to decide whether to sell or buy more and when to sell. I like to say that even if the stock is down from when I bought it you don't lose money until you sell it.<br />
<br />
I recently bought a stock that went down 20+% the day after I bought, fortunately I did not buy a lot of it and so far I haven't lost any money on it ( i.e., I haven't sold it). At least there is still 80% of its value left, unlike a gambling bet where you lose all of it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-74606035141023220332013-02-01T13:12:00.001-06:002013-02-01T13:12:57.070-06:00Super Bowl apathy <br />
When there are no teams that I am a fan in the Super Bowl like this year, I don't care anything about it.<br />
<br />
It is interesting to me that it seems like every show that I listen to has something about it. Usually, I listen to either Sports radio or Talk radio at home and they are full of the Super Bowl trivia.<br />
<br />
I do like to watch the Super Bowl commercials after the game, some are really good like the VW ad with the little kid dressed as Darth Vader and some of the PepsiCo classics. But I don't plan on watching the game!<br />
<br />
This year there is a player on Baltimore who will have this game as his last one. Of course, in general they don't mention that he was involved in a murder and is basically a punk.<br />
<br />
QB's tend to get a lot of attention and the coaches are brothers, but who really cares (other the fans of the specific teams) about this game?<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-58421463229710697442013-01-08T08:15:00.000-06:002013-01-08T08:15:01.775-06:00KidsHow long are your children still kids?<br />
<br />
My "kids" are out on their own and have kids of their own. Recently I reconnected with a couple of my cousins on Facebook. One said the last time she saw us was at our wedding reception which was many years ago. I remember her as a pretty little girl, but now she is a pretty woman.<br />
<br />
It seems like my "kids" are still the same size as they always were. But I remember the fear and awe when they were born. We somehow raised (mainly my LW) them and they are great parents.<br />
<br />
It is awesome thinking that maybe we did something right!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-60608352298943961032012-12-25T14:06:00.000-06:002012-12-25T14:06:13.531-06:00Workers<br />
On the early dog walk this morning, I saw the fire engine leave the Fire Station that is near us. It started me thinking about all the people who don't get Christmas Day off.<br />
<br />
Obviously, the firemen don't get the day off and of course, policemen also are out there protecting us (since thieves also don't take off, but I don't feel sorry for them).<br />
<br />
People that work at Electric Generation Plants are required to be there every day. Paperboy/men work every day.<br />
<br />
The most important group that work on holidays is the military. They often are away from home and work most days (of course, not everyone who work in the above work on all holidays, but a subset are required to work).<br />
<br />
THANK YOU for your sacrifices to keep us safe or supply needed services!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-48564322003013400092012-12-24T12:36:00.000-06:002012-12-24T12:36:51.072-06:00Lack of Truth<br />
Yesterday we watched a movie called, "Christmas Kiss". It was a very predictable in that the Good girl ends up with the guy after various tragedies which gave an impression that the Bad woman was winning. The movie was OK since we like happy endings.<br />
<br />
But part of the premise of the movie was that the good girl kept thoughts and actions from the guy that would have helped him to realize that she was the right one for him. And I was thinking how often keeping secrets or outright lies are part of the reason that movies last beyond 10 or 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
If only the people wouldn't lie or keep thoughts to themselves there would not be a plot.<br />
<br />
If in real life we would always tell the truth and not try to hide things, our lives would be much easier and happy!<br />
<br />
<b><i>Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."</i></b><br />
<b><i>- Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review. (Just a fun quote!)</i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-77760765370010806632012-12-23T14:00:00.000-06:002012-12-23T14:00:10.411-06:00Winter 2012<br />
( This was written 12/21 but had blogger problems getting it in) It is the first day of winter. Yesterday we got the first measurable snow in 9 months. It was not very measurable, maybe 1/4 inch or so. This morning on the dog walk, the wind was blowing at about 30 mph. So neither of us were willing to walk far.<br />
<br />
With Frisbit's unsteadiness on his legs, it appeared he was going to be knocked over when we were directly in the path of the wind. But he managed to remain on his feet.<br />
<br />
It is nice to see snow on the ground, the last few days we have been getting rain and it was dreary. Snow gives a nice contrast to mud.<br />
<br />
One thing I have noticed with our new ( still seems new after close to a year) car is that it attracts frost to its windshield. Our old car did some but not as much. Of course, the new car has a smaller windshield so it is not as hard to clean.<br />
<br />
I have always thought that cold was better than hot since you can always layer on clothes and there is a quick limit to amount of clothes you can remove in company. It is hard to get use to the cold, after a while 20F seems OK but the first few days it seems toooo cold. I guess we will survive!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-49447450973923829752012-12-18T07:25:00.000-06:002012-12-18T07:25:21.060-06:00Crowder Video<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0Hb5T-yHuEk" width="560"></iframe><br /></div>
<br />
I enjoy his videos. It amazes me that people support a party they don't agree with!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Glenn McCoy" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/gmc10574320121217090000.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Glenn McCoy" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/17/105743">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/17/105743</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Jerry Holbert" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/holb_c10573320121217120100.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Jerry Holbert" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/17/105733">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/17/105733</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Steve Kelley" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/sk121412dAPR20121214094518.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Steve Kelley" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/14/105775">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/14/105775</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/mrz121412dAPR20121214064525.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Michael Ramirez" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/14/105759">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/12/14/105759</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just some fun cartoons from HotAir.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-67148332364913600972012-11-27T08:44:00.001-06:002012-11-27T08:44:36.233-06:0012 Days of Christmas I was thinking of the carol 12 Days of Christmas and how yucky most of the gifts are. Who really wants a Turtle Dove or French Hens or Calling Birds or Geese or Swans, especially with all the mess of multiple birds?<br />
<br />
In general, maids a milking is not that useful in most households!<br />
<br />
Ladies dancing or pipers piping or drummers drumming would not lead to peace and quiet!<br />
<br />
And who wants a bunch of lords a leaping?<br />
<br />
Now 5 Golden rings might be OK, but I don't like wearing rings!<br />
<br />
Not to mention the cost:<br />
<div style="border: none; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>Want to give your true love some traditional Christmas gifts? Why not buy him or her the items from the famed "The 12 Days of Christmas" carol?</i></b></span></div>
<div style="border: none; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b><i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Maybe because it will</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/11/26/12-days-of-christmas-107k/1726807/" style="border: none; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">set you back $107,000</a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. That's about 6 percent more than the items from the song cost last year, according to PNC Wealth Management's "Christmas Price Index." </span></i></b><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/12-days-of-christmas-cost_n_2193494.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/12-days-of-christmas-cost_n_2193494.html</a></span></div>
I being an ignorant sort did not know this:<br />
<u><br /></u>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>Religious symbolism of <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD1" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-image: none !important; background-position: 0% 50%; border-bottom-color: rgb(33, 100, 179) !important; border-bottom-style: dotted !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; cursor: pointer !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px !important; position: static;">The Twelve Days of Christmas</span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>(The <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD2" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-image: none !important; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(33, 100, 179) !important; border-bottom-style: dotted !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; cursor: pointer !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px !important; position: static;">12 Days of Christmas</span>)</i></b></span></div>
<br />
<div align="justify">
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>1 True Love refers to God</i></b></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b><i>2 Turtle Doves refers to <span class="IL_AD" id="IL_AD3" style="background-attachment: scroll !important; background-image: none !important; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat !important; border-bottom-color: rgb(33, 100, 179) !important; border-bottom-style: dotted !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; cursor: pointer !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; padding: 0px 0px 1px !important; position: static;">the Old</span> and New Testaments</i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b><i>3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues</i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<b><i>4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<div align="left">
</div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">the Old</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.</span></i></b></span><br />
<b><i>6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation</i></b></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b><i>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed</span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://www.carols.org.uk/the_twelve_days_of_christmas.htm">http://www.carols.org.uk/the_twelve_days_of_christmas.htm</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br /></span></div>
</i></b></span><br />
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="color: #336699; font-family: Times New Roman;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-8575272334423481922012-11-21T13:17:00.001-06:002012-11-21T13:17:13.710-06:00Foggy Walk<br />
This morning, it was very foggy during the dog walk this morning. Fog reminds me of a song that my LW sings in her Swedish women's chorus called HANDS OF WINTER. It is depressing and somewhat discordant.<br />
<br />
You could only see about 40-50 feet in front of you. It always seems that it is colder when you are in fog.<br />
<br />
I have an over active imagination and it seems that my hearing is more acute when it is hard to see. So drops of dew falling from trees sound like intruders lurking in the shadows ready to attack us. The mere fact that the neighborhood is very safe and we never have intruders; has no effect on my imagination.<br />
<br />
Fortunately there were no cars near us on the walk. And the intruders did not attack either and we arrived home safely.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-39546316948520048292012-11-13T09:00:00.000-06:002012-11-13T09:00:33.976-06:00Bush's Fault<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Henry Payne" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/payn_c10500320121113120100.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Henry Payne" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/11/13/105003">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/11/13/105003</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Some more election humor!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<b><i>Rising prices and chronic unemployment were heavy on the minds of voters Tuesday even as a glimmer of optimism peeked through. Four in 10 said the nation’s battered economy is getting better.</i></b><br />
<b><i>Most everyone agreed there’s still far to go. <span style="color: red;">They were less likely to blame President Barack Obama for the economic troubles, however, than to point the finger at his predecessor, George W. Bush, according to preliminary results of a national exit poll.</span></i></b><br />
<b><i>Only a fourth thought they were better off financially than four years ago when Obama was elected in the midst of the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. Voters were most likely to say their families were doing about the same, and Obama led among that group.</i></b><br />
<b><i>A third felt worse off, and they were voting heavily for Romney.</i></b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://clintonherald.com/electioncoverage/x691732677/Exit-poll-Many-still-blame-Bush-for-bad-economy">http://clintonherald.com/electioncoverage/x691732677/Exit-poll-Many-still-blame-Bush-for-bad-economy</a></i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Bush had a democratic congress in his last years when the US starting going in the dumper! But usually the President gets blamed, but not P.O.!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-33839310323273249612012-11-12T09:26:00.000-06:002012-11-12T09:26:41.675-06:00SportscastersLast night, I was listening to the Bears/Texans game on the radio.<br />
<br />
In my opinion, the Bears' sportscasters are awful.<br />
<br />
On one play, the play by play guy said that the Texans had intercepted the pass. At no time did he say where it was intercepted. Remember on the radio the only way we know the yard line is if they tell us.<br />
<br />
Then he would say a good gain, no amount or down and yardage to go.<br />
<br />
The color guy is an ex-Bear, who does not know how to shut up. Much of what he says is very technical on the blocking (he is an ex-ProBowl Tackle) and is interesting. He yells "BALL" when there is a fumble and certainly wakes up the dead or sleeping.<br />
<br />
On every play, the Bears were interfered with or held or had a personal foul toward them. A little homer is OK but they are too much.<br />
<br />
The old Bears' play by play guy now calls the game for the GB Packers and he was and is excellent.<br />
<br />
I much prefer the national radio guys over the Bears' announcers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-78245045647792549682012-11-12T08:14:00.002-06:002012-11-12T08:14:18.161-06:00Fat Tax<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel" src="http://media.townhall.com/Townhall/Car/b/gv111112dAPR20121109044545.jpg" title="Political Cartoons by Gary Varvel" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/11/11/104979">http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2012/11/11/104979</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just thought it was funny!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Denmark said Saturday it would scrap a fat tax it introduced a little over a year ago in a world first, saying the measure was costly and failed to change Danes' eating habits.</i></b></div>
<b><i>"The fat tax and the extension of the chocolate tax -- the so-called sugar tax -- has been criticised for increasing prices for consumers, increasing companies' administrative costs and putting Danish jobs at risk," the Danish tax ministry said in a statement.</i></b><br />
<b><i>"At the same time it is believed that the fat tax has, to a lesser extent, contributed to Danes travelling across the border to make purchases," it added.</i></b><br />
<b><i>"Against this background, the government and the (far-left) Red Green Party have agreed to abolish the fat tax and cancel the planned sugar tax," the ministry said.</i></b><br />
<b><i>Denmark's centre-left minority government is made up of the Social Democrats, Social Liberals and Socialist People's Party, and requires support from other parties to pass legislation in parliament.</i></b><br />
<b><i>The government and the Red Greens reached the agreement as part of their negotiations on the 2013 budget bill.</i></b><br />
<b><i>The previous right-wing government introduced the fat tax in October 2011 to limit the population's intake of fatty foods.</i></b><br />
<b><i>According to the Danish National Health and Medicines Authority, <span style="color: red;">47 percent of Danes are overweight and 13 percent are obese.</span></i></b><br />
<b><i>"Now we need to try to do something else to address public health," Food Minister Mette Gjerskov said, news agency Ritzau reported.</i></b><br />
<b><i>The fat tax has been levied on all products containing saturated fats -- from butter and milk to pizzas, oils, meats and pre-cooked foods -- in a costing system that Denmark's Confederation of Industries has described as a bureaucratic nightmare for producers and outlets.</i></b><br />
<b><i>The measure added 16 kroner per kilo of saturated fats in a product.</i></b><br />
<b><i>As an example, when the tax was introduced the price of a pack of 250 grammes (0.5 pounds) of butter rose by 2.20 kroner ($0.37, 0.29 euros) to more than 18 kroner.</i></b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3exgRYcjub3JqFh8NqZULcowKfw?docId=CNG.21e9b6c39551266eec2b615c33bd28bf.71">http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3exgRYcjub3JqFh8NqZULcowKfw?docId=CNG.21e9b6c39551266eec2b615c33bd28bf.71</a></i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Government can't teach self-restraint. Adding a tax raises money does not cause "correct" behavior.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>More Americans are becoming overweight or obese, exercising less, and eating unhealthy foods.</i></b><br />
<b><i>That’s the finding of the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which shows that <span style="color: red;">63.1% of adults in the U.S. were either overweight or obese in 2009</span>.</i></b><br />
<b><i>That was a small but measurable increase from 62.2% the previous year. The survey finds that <span style="color: red;">36.6% of Americans are overweight and 26.5% obese.</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><a href="http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100210/percentage-of-overweight-obese-americans-swells">http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100210/percentage-of-overweight-obese-americans-swells</a></i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I like desserts so I try to not get started eating them since once I get started I tend to eat a lot!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2899777206778610439.post-86950386932580066572012-11-10T13:51:00.000-06:002012-11-10T13:51:22.748-06:00Political AdsWe DVR TV shows and watch them usually on Fridays. A lot of the shows we watch are Monday shows.<br />
<br />
So this past Friday, we watched three shows that originally were broadcast on the Monday before the election.<br />
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As you can guess there were a lot of political ads during those shows. Everyone of them were negative, showing why we should NOT vote for their opponent. Since IL is a very Obama state there were no Presidential ads, but were ads for various House of Reps seats.<br />
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I would have thought at least one of them would be positive, but there were none.<br />
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We received a lot of campaign literature (exactly none of them could really be considered literature). Everyone of them also were reasons to not vote for the opponents.<br />
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I think that a reason to vote for someone would be better at convincing voters then what was used. But I could be wrong since there are people elected to all the positions!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13442051709220611288noreply@blogger.com0