SunsetMan

Pale Green or just cheap?

2008-07-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

I think I am more cheap than Green. I tend to reuse and or repair items rather than throw away. I drive my cars until they are worn out. Most of my cars have been used cars. These things that I do are Green, but I do them because it saves me money. Lately I’ve been looking to be Green. However, it cost to do so. Yes I have bought a few compact fluorescent light bulbs and I figure that it will take three to five years to recover the extra expense for the CFL bulbs in the energy savings. I guess I will live long enough to make it worth while. But many of the things to be Green take too long to pay back the initial cost. I would consider things that pay back within two to three years. Conservation is the only thing that makes sense for someone of my age. So going Green to heat water, to heat the house, or to make electricity just isn’t going to happen around my house.

Kneepads!

2008-07-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Ever since I had a total knee replacement on my left knee last fall, its been painful to kneel due to pressure on the scar. I had a kneeling pad and some cheep foam kneepads from before the operation which only did a little (very little) to reduce the pain. Today I bought a pair of kneepads that had a hard plastic cap. With these I can kneel without pain. Being only able to kneel on one knee has made many of the things I do around the house very hard to do. I worried what I would do after I got my right knee replaced this fall and I could not kneel without pain at all. Problem solved!

Are we (USA) becoming a third world country?

2008-07-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

I found the following rant in a story I am reading. It struck a resonate cord in me. There seems to be a lot of truth in this rant. It may not be quite as bad as the rant indicates, but we seem to be headed in that direction. I’ve modified the wording to remove story elements and to make it a little more readable. Note, there are no solutions offered, it’s just a rant.

The problem is that reasoned argument -- and even principled agreement -- no longer works in this country. No, we have allowed our politics to degenerate to a level of corruption we usually associate with third world nations.

Our courts, our politicians, our police, and above all our legislatures are bought and paid for by money from every sort of interest and pressure group. Decisions in this country are no longer made in the best interests of the country or the people, but in the interests of whichever group or organization has bought and paid for enough influence to get their way.

I submit to you, this isn’t a very good way to run our country.

And, make no mistake about it -- this is our fault. Yes, there are those who are taking advantage of the system, and it’s a system that has been redesigned and reconstructed by those who are intent on reducing us to third world bondage -- and we have let them do it. We say that we’re voting for the lesser of two evils when there are people running for office who are unpalatable. We vote the party line or we vote on a single issue without regard to the other issues and worst of all we don’t vote. Until recently, this was a country where we had a free press with competition that kept track of what was going on -- if had we the least interest in seeing how the sausage was made. The USA press (newspapers, radio, TV and the like) is owned and controlled by a few -- with little or no competition. Therefore, we usually get only one point of view from the press.

Yes, watching sausage being made isn’t pleasant, and of course neither is watching politics. The problem is, the sausage factory isn’t producing sausage for the people these days -- it’s making all beef patties on sesame seed buns for just a few.

I wonder

2008-05-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

I wonder how much of the increase in gasoline/energy prices are a result of the secret energy conference at the start of W’s and Cheney’s reign. The secret conference did not result in an energy policy for a transition from a oil based energy society to other sources of energy. I also think it funny that when “oil companies” talk about “alternate energy” they mean new places to drill for oil.

Wisdom of Ziggy

2008-04-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

I have so much to get done today, I don’t know which thing to put off first!

I wonder

2008-02-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

I wonder how many Americans stand as their national anthem is played on TV?

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

I wish for each of you a joyful and happy Christmas.

War Bonds

2007-09-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

The USA financed WW2 by selling war bonds. Why aren’t we financing the “war” in Iraq by selling war bonds? Because W and his cronies do not want to spend their money supporting the “war.” They want the middle class, not the upper class, to pay for W’s “war” with their taxes.

Why the quotes around the word war? When a country is at war the whole country and everyone in it are at war not just the military. In W’s war, the country is not on war footing. Where is the draft to support the military. Where is the rationing? Just where is the all out effort to win? All this means that W is not serious about the military action in Iraq.

There is NO war in Iraq.

The USA’s Iraq policy is a failure

2007-09-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Why? Because W and his cohorts do not understand the realities of the Mideast. W and his crowd only see/believe the facts, half-facts and falsehoods that support their preconceived (although erroneous) beliefs and desires. To continue down this path is just stupid. Its like the joke about a guy betting on the losing sport’s team while watching a video rerun expecting a different outcome. It is not going to change! W’s asking for more time for his policy to work is like asking for an additional video rerun hoping for a different result this time. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Blue Light Special

2007-07-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

How many of you remember K-Mark’s Blue Light Special they use to run in the stores? Not many I’d bet. Its been a long time since the last one. I think its interesting that the current K-Mark ads features a blue light bulb guy. Must be someone old at the ad agency.

Yes I’m still around

2007-05-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

I’ve started several posts - I first write them in my word processor - but they seem too short to bother with the hassle of the new login procedure that Bogger has started. Instead of logging in to Bogger, I log into Goggle Accounts then go to my blog. I don’t seem to be able to login directly to my blog. That also means that in order to comment on Blogger blogs I must first login to Goggle then go to the blog I’m reading and leave my comment. What a pain.

Well messing around some more I have found that Blogger had changed my user name to an email address. I hate this! Its harder to type in and not as secure. And Google will not let me change my user name. Damn Damn Damn

Hypocrisy

2007-03-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

Saw in the Sunday newspaper in the “Voices” section.

“The party that believes bringing every pregnancy to term and then letting those children fend for themselves is the same party that sends our ill-equipped soldiers off to war and then abandons them upon their return. What a shock.”

In general terms I agree with this statement; however, I don’t think it’s “the party” but the religious supporters of that party that believe in bringing all pregnancy to term. This group is only able to fucus on one issue at a time. This group of believers cannot see the forest for the trees, in fact, they can’t see the tree for looking at the bark to even see the tree let alone the forest. I think the name of this group should be changed from “Right to Life” to “Right to a Bad Life.”

Also, I don’t think that the “movers and shakers” of the party are very religious but they do pander to the religious right. So the politicians pretend to be religious, at least in public.

As for the shameful way the US has been treating its wounded veterans, it’s the result of cost cutting to give the very rich a tax cut.

How do you see your spouse? With your eyes or your heart?

2007-03-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

I saw a cartoon today that caused me to think about this. It was a single panel by the name of “Real Life Adventures.” It shows a seated man with his wife talking to him saying:
“So, what do you think?”
He replies, “Oh... um, I like your new haircut.”
“Same haircut.”
“New blouse?”
“Old”
“earrings?”
“Ditto”
“Am I getting warmer?”
“No, but I am.”

It’s a standard joke that men do not pay attention to the physical appearance of their wives. This is based somewhat on the truth. However, there is another side to the story. I think as partners live with each other, after awhile we start seeing with our heart instead of our eyes. We start looking beyond the physical appearance and start seeing the reasons we are (still?) together. As we grow older and the body declines this is a good thing.

The Dollar coin

2007-03-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

What makes the US Government think that the third(?) try of a dollar coin is going to work? Hell, even the half-dollar has gone out of circulation. If the Government wants to change the coins we use, stop making the penny and the nickle. These coins are used mainly for taxes and should go the way of the mill.

Rain, Rain, Sun breaks, Rain and more rain!

2007-02-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in the Portland area for the last several weeks. And all but part of one day it has rain or drizzled. It is cloudy every day with a few Sun breaks. Until I have been in the northwest I have never heard of the weather term “Sun breaks.” I think it means that the clouds part enough to let the Sun shine through for a few minutes. Not even enough Sun to call it partly cloudy. Back in “fly over country,” it would be called overcast.

My son has gotten remarried and is in Hawaii. I am watching his business, signing checks and doing a few repairs at his office.

I feel tired most of the time. I hope it is mostly the overcast weather and rain that is getting to me.

The Holy Book of Terror

2007-01-26T12:12:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting opinion piece by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times. It basely asked, where was the “Muslin Martin Luther King?” He also asks, “How could it be that Danish cartoons of Muhammad led to mass violent protests, while unspeakable violence by Muslims against Muslims in Iraq every day evokes about as much reaction in the Muslim world as the weather report?” It should be also noted, that although Mr Friedman only wrote about Iraq, this Muslin on Muslin violence happens throughout the Muslin world.

Well Mr Friedman, I have an answer for you. According to Muslin Holy book, which is the actual words of Allah, not the inspired word but the actual word and is not subject to interpretation, violence against those who do not believe correctly, that is as you do, is permitted. By the way, I don’t equate Allah with the Christian God but with a darker and evil deity. You must also remember that the areas that Islam rules was not converted by reason, but by the use of the sword.

So you see there will not be a “Muslin Martin Luther King.”

Iraq, the end game

2007-01-24T18:15:00.000-08:00

Here is the way I think that Iraq will end up. Iraq will revert to the pre-British arrangement. Three regions or maybe countries, Kurdish, Sunni and Shia. The Sunnis will get the short end of the stick. Many Sunnis will be slaughtered by the Shia. I don’t think that there is anything that the US is willing to do that will change the eventual outcome.

Love is ...

2007-01-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

Today in the Comics. The Garfield strip.

Jon says,

“Love is Weird.”

“It just sort of sneaks up on you when you least expect it.”

“Sort of like a chili dog in an Elevator.”

How to shovel snow

2007-01-21T15:33:00.000-08:00

when you are out of shape. Shovel snow a few shovel fulls then look at the beauty of nature for a while. Repeat for about 20 min then go inside to watch TV for 30 min or so. Spend several hours shoveling, standing and then watching TV inside. After awhile remembering that the snow will still be there tomorrow. Go inside and rest up for tomorrow.

I was able to get the inch or so of ice chipped off of my front sidewalk and steps and on the drive where there is a ten degree slope before the Saturday night’s three inch snow. Now I’ve got the snow removed from the front walk and driveway slope. I live on a corner lot with city sidewalk on the front and side and I am starting to get the ice and snow off of it. However it will probably take a day or two to get it all removed. That’s OK, what else do I have to do?

Life is boring

2007-01-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

or at least I am boring. Not much going on here. I had a cold for a couple of weeks around Christmas. Because I should not take decongestants, I have some codeine cough syrup that I use to dry up the nose. That stuff causes my “Getup and go” to be gone. It’s a good thing I’m retired cause I can laze around all day.

Anyway there does not seem to be much to blog about. Well, I could rant and rave about political things (like what W, I mean King George, is up to) but then I would seem like a grumpy old man which I am not.

Oh, another good thing about being retired, I didn’t have to get out and drive during the ice storm.

ThanksGiving

2006-11-24T01:02:00.000-08:00

Well the big day has come and gone. Of course, I ate too much. Watched part of the parade on TV and stayed out of the kitchen, with three cooks there, it was a zoo. I finally got to working on the basement. The tooth problem kept me from wanting to do much beside take meds and feel bad. The antibiotic had upset my stomach so now I am eating an active culture yogurt to restore the good things in my tumtum. I still have a bit of pain from the root canal. But now it just bothers me when I go to bed. So I take three Ibuprofen and three Tylenol to reduce the pain and swelling in my jaw. I just did that and am having a bite to eat to have something on my stomach and am waiting for it settle before going back to bed.

There are a lot of things to be thankful for at this time of year but I am too lazy and wanting to get to bed to make a list.

And Jamie, I’ll be sending you an email soon to get a password.

Night all.

Ouch

2006-11-17T22:06:00.000-08:00

Last week I drove from Provo to Portland to visit my son. I took my time staying overnight in Bosie. I left Provo on Sunday and arrived in Portland Monday around rush hour. I drove through very heavy rain the last hour in the gorge. Was sure tired of the rain when I got to my son’s house. Tuesday was a good day, however on Wednesday my upper right molar started hurting me. I took Ibuprofen to ease the pain. Friday I started the drive back to Provo taking Ibuprofen at each rest stop and taking a short nap. I did the same Saturday. It rained and snowed off and on all day. I looked like a chipmunk with the infection in my upper jaw. I got setup with a Dentist on Monday morning and was sent over to an Endodontist and by Monday afternoon I got a root canal on my molar through a cap I had on that tooth. And a prescription for an antibiotic for the infection. I’ve got the infection under control now with just a couple of days left on the antibiotics but the upper jaw still hurts some from the root canal. Hopefully the pain will be gone by Thanksgiving day.

Iraq

2006-11-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

I read an opinion piece in the USA Today newspaper by Ralph Peters. He said, “I supported this war, but the deteriorating situation is starting to convince me that we can’t win. Those of us who hoped that the Iraqis could achieve democracy were wrong – and their failure has implications for the entire region.”

Latter in the piece he said, “My disillusionment with our Iraq endeavor began last summer, when I was invited to a high-level discussion with administration officials, I went into the meeting with one firm goal, to convince my hosts that they’d better have Plan B in case Iraq continued to disintegrate. I left the session convince that the administration still didn’t have Plan A, only a blur of meandering policies and blind hopes. After more than three years, it was still ‘An Evening at the Improv.’”

You can (and I think should) read the full article In Thursday, November 2, 2006's paper.

I feel the USA is “Staying the Course” on a road that is dead end. I think we need to shit-or-get-off-the-pot. By that I mean we should send in enough troops to control the country, probably two or three times the number we have now, or get out as fast as we can. However, to send in more troops would require the draft and the administration is afraid to do that because they are not really conducting a war on terror, but are in fact using those words to create fear in order to stay in power.

I’m in Utah

2006-10-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

My niece-in-law’s wireless was not working when I got here. I had to st it up - - again. Unfortunately, she had misplaced all the settings and codes so I had to reset everything and start from scratch.

I’ve done a few things around here. One of which was to install an overhead fan and light. It took me all day to get it done. Well I did have to go to the store to get some screws and washers. It sure looks good in her bedroom.

Driving around here is hard. The town of Provo and Orem are right next to each other. You can’t tell when you leave one and enter the other. And the street “names” are just plain lame. Both have a street named Central (an east-west street) which is the north-south dividing line. On the north side of central the streets go 100 North, 200 north, 300 North and so forth and on the south side the streets go 100 South, 200 South, 300 South. This is for both towns. The main north-south street is State and this is a common street for both towns. The east-west streets go 100 East, 200 East, 300 East an so on and 100 West, 200, 300 West and the like. It would be a great system if both towns didn’t use it or both towns used Stake Lake as the start point for the system of street names. So as it is if you are the corner of 800 North and 400 East and you try to use a map to get to where you want to go you cannot tell where you are, you have to first find out whether you are in Prove or Orem. Try finding someone to ask at five in the morning. Needless to say I got lost.

I’m still alive and kicking

2006-10-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

My main computer has died. It’s a Win98 machine and Win98 will no longer boot. So I guess its time to move up to Win XP. I need to upgrade the hardware also. I guess I will do that in December when I get back from my next trip. My last trip to North Carolina was to be just to be three weeks, but I was there for four months. Now I am leaving Friday the 6th of October to drive to Utah. I plan to drive back the first week of December. I hope! More family handy man work.

I’ve been working on my house trying to get caught up on the work I was to do last spring. Some of the yard work will have to wait until next spring.

My back has stopped hurting when I urinate. Never passed a stone. I don’t know what was going on. My Doctor is injecting my knees with Synvisc (sp?). I hope it helps me get around better.

I am soo upset with W and his non-war on terror. I could rant for hours about the things that he has done wrong. But, because I live in a red state I have very few people with which I can let my true feelings out. The main thing people are concerned about around here are Gay marriage, abortion and stem cells. They don’t think much about what is happening in the rest of the world – except they want to “stay the course.” Too bad it’s the wrong course.