Friday, November 23, 2007

IS IT IN YOUR FOOD? IS THE FED IN YOUR FOOD?

If you look carefully, you'll see a little illegal alien in this picture. The lettuce is called mache in Spanish, Valerianella locusta in Latin. It's a gourmet form of lettuce. And it is sold in many food stores in the Southwest. I don't know anything other than that about it. Well, maybe the fact the animal is apparently a frog, carrying who knows what diseases. In fact the idea of consuming any of this lettuce is not being given any room in my cluttered mind. How should I put it? "There's enough s**t in my head now"? "No more p**s and vinegar, thank you"? You get the idea. . When America imports food stuffs don't we have the right to ask that it be readied for us by our standards? Well, yes. And no. Yes, we have the right to demand this from our federal and state governments. No we don't, according to the sellers and buyers of the the raw product. (Raw seemed to fit well here.) . Complaining to either of these governments (ours and theirs) can be most frustrating and lead one in circles that are like crop circles (do you suppose?) that never seem to end. If you don't believe that, here's a little test you can perform. Write down a question to ask the IRS. Call the IRS, read the question and carefully record the response with pen and paper. Hang up, call the 1-800 number again and read the same question. Write down their answer. Hang up and call the number again. Read the question. Write down their answer. The odds are all three will be different responses. Keep calling and you might get an infinite variety of answers. And the IRS cannot be held responsible if they give you the wrong answer and you wind up with a fine and late fees. That's in their rules. Federal Income Tax was first started in 1862 to pay for the Civil War and was eliminated in 1872. Then it was revived in 1894 and declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court the next year. In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution made the income tax a permanent blight on our lives. The Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935 and the first payment was made into it in 1937. Under this law, only retirement benefits were paid to the primary worker. In 1939 a change in the law added survivors benefits and benefits for the retiree's spouse and children. In 1956 Disability benefits were added. The original 1935 law contained the first national unemployment compensation program, aid to the states for various health and welfare programs, and the Aid to Dependent Children program. Franklin Roosevelt, President and multimillionaire, saw that many businesses had no retirement nor pension plans and forced the bill through a Congress who did not want it enacted. They were afraid of losing the support of big business who supplied them with perks and money for re-election campaigns. The cost was low to the average wage earner. A few pennies out of their paychecks. People thought, correctly, that there would be some money coming in after the business world was through with them. Poor houses would become a thing of the past. And the people were right and the houses disappeared. And contentment reigned in the country. (The children of the retirees were happy that they wouldn't have to hold two jobs to support the parents in their old age. Parents were happy because they wouldn't have to take orders from their snot nosed kids. Everybody was happy. COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment) were first paid in 1975. Before that, Congress played the catch me when you can game before giving them raises. However, Congress, which gives itself and the President raises when it feels like it, decided that retired people didn't need to have their COLA figured on the same basis that Federal Government employees did. Maybe they thought that retirees paid less for food, less for cars and gasoline and repairs, less for housing costs, less for clothing than gov employees. Maybe. . This coming year, retirees are being treated to a magnificent 2.3% COLA because of the way it is figured. (Bean counters another 1, citizens 0.) The message I see the government sending is: If you don't like it, stick it in your gas tank. I think that perhaps the last president we had who really cared about the average citizen was John F. Kennedy.

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Oh, clicking on the header will take you into an entirely different world.

. I confess, it was a sneaky way to get into this subject.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

WE'RE GIVING THANKS TODAY

One word sums up my feelings about today: YUMMY!
Wherever you live, eat, drink and be merry.
The first thanksgiving in America is available clicking on the header.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

G. W. BUSH AND HIS PECKER

The header should be clicked on by anyone building a web site.
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I sometimes dig out a picture and then write a post around it.
Since Thanksgiving (American) is just around the corner, I decided you should be impressed by this picture of two turkeys.
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I love Thanksgiving. I love pigging out on turkey and stuffing and smashed potatoes and dressing and rolls and cranberry sauce and eggnog and pumpkin pie. (Wild thing has accused me of being able to eat real turkey at least twice a week. So?What's your point?)
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I also watch football on that day. Real American style football. It's one of my myriad of vices and even Wild Thing has become knowledgeable about it (See, she must love me.)
Speaking of vices, I am an inveterate web surfer as you may have guessed. So there's a couple of sites I found that either tickled me or caught my attention.
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At a news conference, a journalist said to the politician running for the presidency, "Your secretary said publiclythat you have a small penis. Would you please comment onthis?"
"The truth is," replied the politician, "That she has a big mouth."
I wonder who he was refering to?
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A Cat's Dictionary
  • Aquarium: interactive television for cats.
  • Cataclysm: any great upheaval in a cat's life.
  • Catatonic: a feline medicinal drink.
  • Caterpillar: a soft scratching post for a cat.
  • Cat Scan: to look for a new cat.
  • Dog: a cat's device for running practice.
  • Im-purr-sonate: to act like the cat.
  • Purr-ade: an organized march of cats.
  • Purr-adise: the garden of Cats.
  • Purr-amour: a cat lover.
  • Purr-anoia: the fear that your cat is up to something.
  • Purr-aphernalia: a cat's personal belongings.
  • Purr-ch: any favored feline napping spot.
  • Purr-chase: anything bought for a cat.
  • Purr-fume: the scent of an open can of tuna.
  • Purr-gatory: a houseful of kittens.
  • Purr-petual: everlasting feline love.
  • Purr-plex: a house with two or more cats.
  • Purr-suit: the garment your shedding cat rubs against just as you are leaving home to go to an important meeting.
  • Tuner: sonar-like device in cat food that causes cats to appear.
  • Yawn: a cat's honest opinion openly expressed.
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I think it would be a good idea.---
Mahatma Gandhi, when asked what he thought of Western civilization
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Here's a link about the RCMP and counterfeiting:
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An artistic link:
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A satiric site:
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A really cool Gmail trick If you use your Gmail address to sign up for websites, newsletters, etc. you can use a trick to see if they send you unwanted email or sell your address to others. Normally you would use your email address such as me@gmail.com but you can use a plus sign ( + ) to mark the address because the plus sign and everything between it and the @ sign will be ignored. As an example if you were to sign up for my newsletter and wanted to make sure I'm not lying when I say I won't use your address just sign up as me+coolsites@gmail.com. The newsletter will go to me@gmail.com but be marked as going to mailto:me+coolsites@gmail.com. Then you can use Gmails filters to send that unwanted email to the spam folder or even just delete it. Spam Control for Gmail Users. This is a cool trick to find out if the place you just gave your gmail address to is sending you unwanted email. http://www.lockergnome.com/nexus/theoracle/2007/08/09/spam-control-for-gmail-users
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Here's a different kind of site:
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Here's a site you should visit and use. Very helpful:
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And finally, one for all the lovely ladies:

Monday, November 19, 2007

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Ah, peace and contentment. Be sure to click the header, please.
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The old grouch here is feelin' pretty mellow and relaxed right now.
In spite of the VA insisting I can't see my Doctor until January.
In spite of the seeming crookedness of our local politicians.
In spite of all the dangerous and ugly things going on in this world.
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I've been smoodging (I think I made that word up...but I bet you can figure out what I meant.) around the Internet today.
Visited a number of sites, went to check up on Microsoft's latest screw ups, downloaded a couple of freebie programs (I don't love downloading them, just trying them out) and removed a couple of oldies that I don't use. Saw some cute things, some nostalgic things, some things that brought back old time Christmas's to me.
Here's a web site I would really like you to visit and interact with: http://ecard.ashland.edu/2004admission/index.html
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It was sent to me by, of all things, a churchie site where I had left a comment. I don't normally visit this kind of site, but for some reason I found myself there a few days ago. I'm glad I did, now.
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I found this quote:
All you need is love.
But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
~ Charles M. Schultz
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I wonder if the approaching season is getting to me?
After all, I've had a lot of Christmases. And presents. And giving. And enjoyment. And great music. I remember the fun and the food and the football and some of the conversations, too.
I come from what was once a large family, but inevitable time and death and distance have broken us apart from each other. We phone various members during the season, but it's too difficult to get together, physically, with them now.
Perhaps Christmas is really meant to be a time of remembering. A time to chuckle over jokes and pranks we pulled on our loved ones.
I can remember when the girls were teens and just as obnoxious as any other youngster. I remember threatening them with something like "Keep that up and you'll get a lump of coal for Christmas." More than once.
While shopping for presents, I wandered into a candy store and LO! there before me, in their glass case were wonderful pieces of licorice made to resemble large lumps of coal.
Yes, I bought them. Yes, the girls were given them as their first (and supposedly only) present and it was fun. Laughter and joy throughout the house. Daddy had struck back.
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Canada has lots of great scenery and many good people. They also have a chain of coffee shops called Tim Horton's. Here's a story I found about them:
Tim Hortons are Canada's favorite donut shops and there are even some in Afghanistan for the Canadian troops there.
Because of the high quality donuts and excellent coffee, they are also a favorite place for police to have their brief lunch and coffee breaks. Whenever you see more than three police cars in the same parking lot in Canada, it is usually either a police station or a Tim Hortons. Imagine the crush at this time of year.
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A lady picked up several items at a Dollar Store here. When she finally got up to the checker, she learned that one of her items had no price tag.
Imagine her embarrassment when the checker got on the intercom and boomed out for all the store to hear,"PRICE CHECK ON LANE THIRTEEN, TAMPAX, SUPERSIZE."
That was bad enough, but somebody at the rear of the store apparently misunderstood the word "Tampax"for "Thumbtacks."
In a business-like tone, a voice boomed back over the intercom. "DO YOU WANT THE KIND YOU PUSH IN WITH YOUR THUMB OR THE KIND YOU POUND IN WITH A HAMMER?"
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Of course, we never forget our cats at Christmas. An interactive toy, a bag of treats (handed out judicially) and petting and rough housing. Which brings me to this observation:
Cats are independent, they don't listen, they don't come in when you call, they like to stay out all night and when they're home, they like to be left alone and sleep.
In other words, every quality that women hate in a man, they love in a cat.
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One day a little boy on a ranch here woke up and sat down at the table expecting breakfast. However, his mother said, "You don't get any breakfast until you do your chores."
Ticked off, the boy goes out to do his chores.
When he goes to milk the cow, he kicks it.
When he goes to get eggs he kicks a chicken.
When he goes to feed the pigs, he kicks a pig.
When the little boy sits down his mother gives him a bowl of dry cereal.
"Where is the bacon, eggs and milk?" asks the little boy.
His mother replies, "I saw you kick the cow, so you don't get any milk; I saw you kick a chicken so you don't get eggs; and I saw you kick a pig so you don't get any bacon!"
Just as she finishes saying this, the boy's father comes down the stairs and kicks the cat.
The little boy looks up at his mother and asks, "Do you want to tell him, or should I?"
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And here's a letter from a New Mexico warrior defending our freedom:
Dear Ma and Pa:
Am well. Hope you are.
Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Army beats working for old man Minch. Tell them to join up quick before all the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. (but am getting so I like to sleep late.
All you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things --no hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.
The guys have to shave, but they say it is not bad in warm water, and after I thumped a few of them, they don't tell nobody about why I don't need to shave.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, beef, ham steak, fried eggplant, pie and regular food, but you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee.
Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed.
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on"route marches," which, the Sgt. says, are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is a casual stroll about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys all get sore feet and we ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.
The Sgt. is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Captain is like the school board. Kernels. and Generals just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.
I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why, the bull's-eye is near big as a chipmonk and don't move and it ain't shooting at you, like the Higsett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it, you don'teven load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer and Mary to hurry and join before others get onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter, Pat

Sunday, November 18, 2007

BILL RICHARDSON HAS STRANGE HAIR

Among things I can't explain, including this picture, is the governator of New Mexico.

He was on yet another television"debate" amongst Democratic wanna be candidates for the job of President. And he looked fat and puffy and unkempt. I suspect that look was created by his campaign manager.

No self respecting man would want to look as if he'd forgotten how to comb his hair and didn't know how to wear clothes properly. I have a lot of trouble equating his appearance with the idea that he was an Ambassador (or some such) to various foreign countries.

In any case the subject of illegal aliens was bruited about and Bill (who begged for a fence across the N. M. border a little while back) now doesn't want one. Personally I think the environmentalists got to him and pointed out that various wild life (not including Mexican fiestas) had to cross the border or become extinct. He didn't think about fencing the worst holes for human entry in border security. Nah. Just don't do it at all. I agree with the stupidity of the fence all along the border. We are not East Germany. I do, however, think that the well worn and constantly used trails (by illegals) should have some kind of fence. It might help the border guards narrow the entry way through the Rio Grande River. (Now you know why they're called "wets" by the ranchers here.)

Bill seems to think that all we need to do is hire an army of border patrol guards and that'll keep them out. Oh, yeah, he also wants more and more "sophisticated" electronic detection tools. I kid you not. The numbers, costs, support units, etc., etc., have not occurred to him. Maybe he'll start a national lottery to cover expenses? Maybe he'll go on fund raisers?

My guess about the number of human American bodies needed goes into the millions. The cost of this "plan" of his is terrifying. Hell, Bush's war would look bargain basement cheap to us.

He alo supports giving driver's licenses to illegals. He claims that way they'll have insurance and every thing will be hunky dory. I have no idea if he wants to teach them to read and write before they take the driver's written test. (The vast majority, I read on another site, can neither read nor write any language, much less English.) In Mexico, the government wants everybody who drives a vehicle insured. In actual fact, it ain't happening. And I can guarantee their insurance is a whole lot cheaper than ours. Oh, did you know that if you drive your car into Mexico you need a written statement from your insurance company that the policy is valid in Mexico? Yep. You get to pay extra for that coverage.

Speaking of paying extra for car insurance, we had to pay an extra $100 a year a while back so we would be protected from "uninsured" motorists. There are lots of illegals driving without insurance now. Lots of them.

Bill wants to be known as the "Education President". Now, I think he should have kept his mouth shut on that one. The drop out rate in N.M. is right around 40%. Yessiree. Four out of every ten children don't finish even the push courses offered in High School. Or bother to attend school and get a worthless "No Child Left Behind" diploma. That's something Bill should remove from his platform.

Another troublesome thing about him is his stance on the "Pakistan problem". He wants to cut off all American aid to Pakistan until they do something about the terrorist cells there. Now, the very word "terrorist" raises our hackles, our anger levels and creates a feeling of hatred among Americans. He says they are a small group and it should be easy for the Pakistani government to get rid of them. I guess he figures that America should blackmail any government with which he doesn't agree. I also guess that he has learned nothing from history. When the Nazi Party started in Germany, they were a small terrorist group. America put trade restrictions into action. Hitler's party got a lot of mileage out of that. It helped them to grow. And we know what happened then. Bill apparently did not get A's in American history.

A surprise under the header.