tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34352354714571187062024-03-19T01:38:03.535-05:00Flight PlanWherever I go, there I amLowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.comBlogger1511125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-5582197697779864782018-09-03T18:06:00.002-05:002018-09-03T18:18:49.406-05:00Juuuust right!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv-PHP7hmO1gLUOMpz8NggdHbLT6atR-SX3Fx94tq3xgYWCqnkEWcPfJQ1xOPcdpbiREFaAL0cudkVNct8CGXyADrEWAqSSJHHQ72W2VtJf__tfw_tBd0pM_Fd9hYqe4mtR92dZOnIdc/s1600/exterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv-PHP7hmO1gLUOMpz8NggdHbLT6atR-SX3Fx94tq3xgYWCqnkEWcPfJQ1xOPcdpbiREFaAL0cudkVNct8CGXyADrEWAqSSJHHQ72W2VtJf__tfw_tBd0pM_Fd9hYqe4mtR92dZOnIdc/s400/exterior.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We're now about 6 weeks into our latest bi-annual move. There is currently a glut of new apartment communities in our area, and they all have some generous incentives designed to entice you to move. Ours is an urban-style 4-story block of buildings with some amazing amenities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Immediately off the lobby is a community room with various game tables, a conversation area, and a kitchen with a machine what spits out fancy Starbucks coffees. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZ3bXH_8xJ_L3MdOz8oHHBpsoFz36a1lFo_UbMLp28HY55zLxoE8_LhFEoBNusoEU3zR6nbOmO42iJdqEE326esvgQtLKXackozgFwnqdT5lGpCF9AqoRsPtXZsMtclh4RXnwdBT37Mo/s1600/pool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="644" data-original-width="507" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZ3bXH_8xJ_L3MdOz8oHHBpsoFz36a1lFo_UbMLp28HY55zLxoE8_LhFEoBNusoEU3zR6nbOmO42iJdqEE326esvgQtLKXackozgFwnqdT5lGpCF9AqoRsPtXZsMtclh4RXnwdBT37Mo/s400/pool.jpg" width="313" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course it has the obligatory pool....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...and gym (with a yoga studio upstairs).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> How about a small theater, available first-come-first-serve for private screenings? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLDsaONqcb0Den0otzrgb-9rj-njHDf0wZ4lAZogB6DeCDZxe7fR-P0ArGgX_xslZH4UDDymEgocDHD4ggQXBiNscU9DPnYb2_nY8Iab7RRCLKvA-pv6kaeXVS6R7RO_xkErhZxc2ivk/s1600/grills.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="502" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLDsaONqcb0Den0otzrgb-9rj-njHDf0wZ4lAZogB6DeCDZxe7fR-P0ArGgX_xslZH4UDDymEgocDHD4ggQXBiNscU9DPnYb2_nY8Iab7RRCLKvA-pv6kaeXVS6R7RO_xkErhZxc2ivk/s400/grills.jpg" width="305" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They ticked my hot-button box with a number of gas grills that they keep spotlessly clean.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jax, however, has figured out what the Paw Spa is for, and he is NOT impressed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you somehow don't have a computer (who doesn't have a computer these days?) they offer a business center with 5 Macs, 5 PC's, and printers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inside there are four elevators, the hallways are wide, carpeted, and climate controlled...and <i>VERY</i> quiet. Outside the landscaping is very nice, a greenbelt is just across the street, and a walking trail is just a block north. Best of all, I don't have to maintain <i>ANY</i> of it! <i>*happy dance*</i></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsBd704IejXu00wQW2JpXUNj3-YxMSBgJfOYAldmr3eCvQ4TugiMFEwSx1dThEBudmxkugQjaWXw-oeC9YJbk-J1tJGWwturNPYNbA7ogycEkmFEeWkUN_1GDkgwtd8aD4rQhOdlYSh4/s1600/mailroom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsBd704IejXu00wQW2JpXUNj3-YxMSBgJfOYAldmr3eCvQ4TugiMFEwSx1dThEBudmxkugQjaWXw-oeC9YJbk-J1tJGWwturNPYNbA7ogycEkmFEeWkUN_1GDkgwtd8aD4rQhOdlYSh4/s400/mailroom2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">...even the mail room is kept spotless.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> They've also ticked my <i>"I like my cars safely out of the weather"</i> box, too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wondered why we had so many electric cars (EV's) in the garage. When I found 2 electric charging stations it all made sense.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1htDqgEqGj1qNMRuXkk2Ad0_xB4jj8y1VZr7JakfBRwkYeqFEJK4N_6VOfpiMpfYIttI56o-iV9FI4As6UMxJiBke63yElNFAtiFnb_L9kZuVuI_UGM805FpGj7NiGYLvvuSnBsAouE/s1600/kit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1htDqgEqGj1qNMRuXkk2Ad0_xB4jj8y1VZr7JakfBRwkYeqFEJK4N_6VOfpiMpfYIttI56o-iV9FI4As6UMxJiBke63yElNFAtiFnb_L9kZuVuI_UGM805FpGj7NiGYLvvuSnBsAouE/s400/kit.jpg" width="293" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As for our apartment itself...our first attempt at downsizing was still too large. We began to buy more "stuff" again, which defeated the whole purpose of downsizing. On the next try I <u><i>under</i></u>shot the mark...we were seriously cramped. This time, though, I think I found the sweet spot. The kitchen is more than adequate (just out of the picture is K's "coffee bar"), as is storage space.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOjZITrfp-F9XWjIhKDwBqUT8nEeZ5G2e3cdoQaTztQzrJAA75vAGk1XNf5KwFJknBStX3_5MN24x-F9CxpF7NkOg7zLXKKfXtFmVN-2g3Eqt4Yso7vK47KrdjaihSgijWTrwrChqJow/s1600/bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="504" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOjZITrfp-F9XWjIhKDwBqUT8nEeZ5G2e3cdoQaTztQzrJAA75vAGk1XNf5KwFJknBStX3_5MN24x-F9CxpF7NkOg7zLXKKfXtFmVN-2g3Eqt4Yso7vK47KrdjaihSgijWTrwrChqJow/s400/bath.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> At Kelly's insistence we opted for the "indoor plumbing" package. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's still only one bedroom / one bath, but with lots of counter space, double lavs, a large soaking tub and a separate shower, too, we're very comfortable. I even managed to swing a covered top floor balcony, with enough room for a couple of chairs and small tables, and a TV that only receives football games. <i>*wink*</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1SPQANmo2bOX56X5dUL0tcCZC-qgoyVrO6vHjG3BUOXWrMeTc3wKAhtrnRQ4Jcf5ybuVMFtFlfyoedG4Wu_34hxGldK-xGzwzBO-kxEIx9aF7j04q9uAJViVNKd4yzYpyNC3TyEcD2g/s1600/mydesk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="505" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1SPQANmo2bOX56X5dUL0tcCZC-qgoyVrO6vHjG3BUOXWrMeTc3wKAhtrnRQ4Jcf5ybuVMFtFlfyoedG4Wu_34hxGldK-xGzwzBO-kxEIx9aF7j04q9uAJViVNKd4yzYpyNC3TyEcD2g/s400/mydesk.jpg" width="347" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Downsizing doesn't allow for a "man cave", but I did manage to squeeze in for myself a "man corner". It works fine. :) Kelly has her own "chick space", too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE4K00IYYBsmVLWM2wX1Om6SVxR89PXcCnpAjURWg3wQYKl7fXhxqpU_U8563arR1mB1gLl3t6uBqmxRf8uNoQKZNRxY602DVP1X-hYnAvqlRY7ifv_s232o9uME_nW3MoDl7O97M3cQ/s1600/jax2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE4K00IYYBsmVLWM2wX1Om6SVxR89PXcCnpAjURWg3wQYKl7fXhxqpU_U8563arR1mB1gLl3t6uBqmxRf8uNoQKZNRxY602DVP1X-hYnAvqlRY7ifv_s232o9uME_nW3MoDl7O97M3cQ/s400/jax2.jpg" width="358" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh, and Jax staked out his claim also.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For those who have kids at home, lots of out-of-town company, heirloom furniture they're married to, etc, this would be an impossible way to live. All things considered though, for us, I feel we've made a good move. Cheers!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">S </span></span> </div>
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-3823352469190349162018-08-25T21:19:00.002-05:002018-08-25T21:21:05.626-05:00My personal John McCain story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza223DyL0QPFVV2jYMsqXVS_0qQxydmtqIdMb1S8NWprJbgDcb8TMxGuOJ2qSRU6IHCNR6RMwKLEt85jxWhR8Q_YJeDnhYqW65w-cbenWziWHiFvPNd45cBVhQJiAIElASVu2EBG7a6E/s1600/McCain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgza223DyL0QPFVV2jYMsqXVS_0qQxydmtqIdMb1S8NWprJbgDcb8TMxGuOJ2qSRU6IHCNR6RMwKLEt85jxWhR8Q_YJeDnhYqW65w-cbenWziWHiFvPNd45cBVhQJiAIElASVu2EBG7a6E/s400/McCain.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="_5pbx userContent _3ds9 _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_go0">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1996 Sen. Phil Gramm was running for
President, and Sen. John McCain was campaigning for him ahead of the
first-in-the-nation political primary in Iowa. (I think that would have
made this sometime in 1995.) I was attending an airshow in Ankeny,
Iowa, participating as the advance man for an invited CAF team. Before
the gates opened to let the crowd in, and while my guys were up
preparing for their act, I was just wandering around taking in the
sights.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Out of nowhere I was approached by Sen. McCain. He
said he was a bit early, introduced himself (of course I knew of him
already) and we sat and talked one-on-one. He put me at complete ease,
acted "normal"...humble even...while we had a nice, casual conversation
for about 20 minutes. I mentioned he had been in the Hanoi Hilton with
my Congressman, Sam Johnson, and it was like we were long-time buddies.
He told stories, I asked some current event questions, and he answered
with complete candor, devoid of any two-faced BS the way every other
politician I've ever known would have. With sincere smiles we
eventually shook hands again and he said he had enjoyed our visit, then
he went off to "press the flesh" on behalf of Sen. Gramm as the crowd
began to filter in.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Senator John McCain passed away today. I can
honestly say I knew him personally and felt he was a sincere man of
great integrity. I know he's in a comfortable place now, and I feel
better knowing that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RIP my friend.</span></span><br />
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-16892798204558083052018-08-25T15:07:00.000-05:002018-08-25T21:19:34.835-05:00A sign of our times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FG9d9DcvTex73ypMWpSmhjI7Px_B6S4RfNc1GLEroX5wFzscWQ2m0gfzn7_d2nTadsBdEz3dNIbWb5i7ij0YBI8H39cN7nalJ5Zq5DTb_myl9Pw42NPE9HaYyD9PUfGAX0hCsa8kM7k/s1600/Olive_Garden_Italian_Restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FG9d9DcvTex73ypMWpSmhjI7Px_B6S4RfNc1GLEroX5wFzscWQ2m0gfzn7_d2nTadsBdEz3dNIbWb5i7ij0YBI8H39cN7nalJ5Zq5DTb_myl9Pw42NPE9HaYyD9PUfGAX0hCsa8kM7k/s400/Olive_Garden_Italian_Restaurant.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you've had the opportunity to travel around the US much, and if you've been paying attention, you've probably noticed how much one place looks like every other. If you want to go out for dinner, you'll find lots of Olive Garden's, Outback's, Chili's, Applebee's, McDonald's and Taco Bell's, but you'll have to look hard to find a Mama's Cafe.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most towns will have multiple branches of Bank of America, Citibank, Chase, and Wells Fargo, but it's doubtful you'll still find a local First National Bank. You'll find lots of Chevy, Ford, Dodge, and Toyota dealers that may have a sign that says "Proudly serving _____ since 1974", but if you'll Google it you'll probably find it's now owned by one of the hundred-dealer auto conglomerates.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You probably won't find a local Tip Top Grocery, but you'll find plenty of 7-11's, Quick Trip's, and RaceTrac's. And almost all sell gas, too, which has put the locally owned and operated 4-pump Exxon's and Texaco's out of business. Grocery stores are now dominated by big names like Walmart and Kroger's. Find yourself in need of a pair of pliers or a screwdriver? You'll likely find a Lowe's or Home Depot before you find a Floyd's Hardware.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have an unexpected day free for some fishing? You'll burn up a tank of gas looking for Bubba's Bait and Tackle, while you drive right past Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, Academy, and Dick's. Need a dress shirt? Ken's Man's Shoppe is long gone, replaced by Men's Wearhouse, Dillard's, and Joseph A Bank's. Rick's Furniture was killed off by the likes of Nebraska Furniture Mart and Haverty's, who are themselves now keeping a wary eye on Wayfair.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is true for every midsize and large city I've been to in recent years. It may or may not be true if you're in some place like East Bull Turd, Alabama. Even then, if East Bull Turd happens to be within 30 or 40 miles of a major city, it will soon be a growing suburb and will see this phenomenon, too. And if it's too far away to attract city commuters, then it will likely continue to just wither away.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The little guys don't stand a chance these days, and even the big guys are now feeling the heat from the 500-pound gorilla in the room....Amazon. I guess it's true what they say: <i>"The only thing constant is change."</i> *sigh*</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-36367927593264757392018-08-19T17:33:00.003-05:002018-08-19T21:17:14.967-05:00Form vs function<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rIkHIijf7IMMSo-tk2vnuiww-a1n23Ph2r3sEr17dYNY-PIK33YDaHLA6bH0OnKT8Y8rXlMI6SzVUtfoNPocNLZIadki87H6Q7zwySjcF7YIgbgvHX-Qu6voKGU_8HcBAdawCfD4fB4/s1600/badcouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="688" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rIkHIijf7IMMSo-tk2vnuiww-a1n23Ph2r3sEr17dYNY-PIK33YDaHLA6bH0OnKT8Y8rXlMI6SzVUtfoNPocNLZIadki87H6Q7zwySjcF7YIgbgvHX-Qu6voKGU_8HcBAdawCfD4fB4/s400/badcouch.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I receive catalogues from many different sources, for products that I have absolutely no interest in. Furniture vendors in particular. I guess I clicked on something one day and BAM, I was on their radar as a <strike>sucker</strike> potential customer. Now I do like (soft) contemporary architecture and furniture, but much of it just looks downright uncomfortable. Obviously (to me) whoever designed it placed form over function.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAbcKzjeej0xHZuhjhqBJwkNn0-1l2KN410ZqugGsMzI1Qo7z-NcFWXQWK2GzqXa7VvePALAsRR8pKgw1GyZU_TrS6p-80t0acsKrQLj4nmpD6G7hMOl1A4ZASfqTpmBqwiTMzZfRMVU/s1600/lambo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAbcKzjeej0xHZuhjhqBJwkNn0-1l2KN410ZqugGsMzI1Qo7z-NcFWXQWK2GzqXa7VvePALAsRR8pKgw1GyZU_TrS6p-80t0acsKrQLj4nmpD6G7hMOl1A4ZASfqTpmBqwiTMzZfRMVU/s400/lambo.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exotic automobiles are often conflicted by this "form vs function" conundrum, too. Lamborghini's are decidedly gorgeous, sleek cars....</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS5Ms0G6xQPb-Ke9nG17EW7peEwtjTUgVYpdEUpMbt4rchXJ2pbk0E2Q2WCtoghHdF_VI_Xs2ZJKGGtXWjJe_6TUfdaKiy2KxRNVRijnU7ETf97T0ujCEQ2jcgQlH-vrtpVDkayr5m1g/s1600/66f61feb29aec07699974477aec45a57--ingress-lamborghini-aventador-roadster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="736" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyS5Ms0G6xQPb-Ke9nG17EW7peEwtjTUgVYpdEUpMbt4rchXJ2pbk0E2Q2WCtoghHdF_VI_Xs2ZJKGGtXWjJe_6TUfdaKiy2KxRNVRijnU7ETf97T0ujCEQ2jcgQlH-vrtpVDkayr5m1g/s400/66f61feb29aec07699974477aec45a57--ingress-lamborghini-aventador-roadster.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">....but have you ever tried to get into or out of one? *groan*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM92AEYUgFlfGfMbyPsmsa6Pobu0XbQaoiKpuPv4lJAYTHKYIv_XvL5ZGd34eAGMBARzabTVusAnVgGOBHL2-MHqK3EKBJhuwnAY016R4ZwG2ymqf_rfiWMEJfI5l61JeCKy7HFByT7wY/s1600/aamish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM92AEYUgFlfGfMbyPsmsa6Pobu0XbQaoiKpuPv4lJAYTHKYIv_XvL5ZGd34eAGMBARzabTVusAnVgGOBHL2-MHqK3EKBJhuwnAY016R4ZwG2ymqf_rfiWMEJfI5l61JeCKy7HFByT7wY/s400/aamish.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Amish, by contrast, don't even recognize the concept of "form".</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlnNn0fgHEJZPKnlGWPMAqRuR1u-aZ_Yiy7aRhpvp2NKeER3thhz0e4sdDAcgX1fh3ym0tq-qzavKH_WChciAvjVdsPjDi3Ym-wHSTkDpkjXgDSsoSja2AvzCiI6jYpj53VgERasy9xM/s1600/charles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="793" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlnNn0fgHEJZPKnlGWPMAqRuR1u-aZ_Yiy7aRhpvp2NKeER3thhz0e4sdDAcgX1fh3ym0tq-qzavKH_WChciAvjVdsPjDi3Ym-wHSTkDpkjXgDSsoSja2AvzCiI6jYpj53VgERasy9xM/s320/charles.jpg" width="257" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some people are impeccably stylish. You rarely see England's Prince Charles in anything other than his trademark double breasted suit, and then he's either wearing his polo attire or one of his dress military uniforms. Do you think he ever just puts on some shorts and a t-shirt and gets in a quick game of croquet out back with the guys?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVnU8TbX9V6-GeLE1sDECzFRwsMJ6KVq1_u1jKI9_UHeuAa_CSXt60EnbmB5qRYaLFAZQJNu8BSXZ_kQ11loton9vH998xiizwo-Vwn2V7DoTtnGlamU8fstuQB4jY1Pf2HpVApouSR8/s1600/Trump-Manhattan-Penthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVnU8TbX9V6-GeLE1sDECzFRwsMJ6KVq1_u1jKI9_UHeuAa_CSXt60EnbmB5qRYaLFAZQJNu8BSXZ_kQ11loton9vH998xiizwo-Vwn2V7DoTtnGlamU8fstuQB4jY1Pf2HpVApouSR8/s400/Trump-Manhattan-Penthouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donald and Melania Trump's New York apartment is I'm sure considered by many to be Architectural Digest perfect, but if he invites Sean and his pals over to watch the game, where would they sit? You think he has a man cave no one ever sees where he goes to let his hair down? (pun intended)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of us fall somewhere in between. We like form, but we like function, and comfort, more. I can't imagine buying a sofa or a chair from a catalogue. I insist on sitting on it first. If it isn't comfortable, I don't care how good it looks, I'm not buying it. I have an old, decidedly worn looking oversized leather chair in my den. As I recall it had a pleasant "form" when I purchased it 20+ years ago, but since then it has decidedly conformed nicely to butt, making it's original form almost unrecognizable today. It will probably join Archie Bunker's chair in the Smithsonian some day. *snort* </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I look around our apartment I'd have to say I lean 90% +/- toward function. I own very little that anyone would consider "stylish". Not our furniture, not our "art", and certainly NOT my wardrobe. My car, a Mazda, is currently parked in our garage between a Mercedes and a Maserati (no joke). I wonder if either of those people ever say to themselves, "Doh....I coulda had a Mazda!" (They probably do, actually, when they're looking out the window of their respective dealer's service departments and see me puttering by.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How about you? I'm not saying there's anything at all wrong with being stylish. To some it's worth the effort. How would you rate yourself....be honest now....on the "form vs function" scale?</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-33795341258318926882018-08-15T13:34:00.000-05:002018-08-15T16:44:10.676-05:00Do I know you? No? Great....let's keep it that way.<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you noticed how UN-social we've become? People are withdrawing, to one degree or another, from social interaction. It's been a creeping thing for years, but now it seems to me it's becoming a stampede. The most obvious example of this....</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Texting</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Given a choice, people....young people in particular, would prefer to not talk to other humans, ever. Instead of going to see our neighbor two houses down the street, or calling them, we text them. People go out for dinner, and then spend half their time texting, sometimes to the person sitting right across the table from them!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTyZic510QMrpQdotN25nvsRYGD5j8RlXvSvCAwgYW4SQKn8b4WNgM7hHGPmI35kio7dDKPP6V2d04aoxc4hiJJbStuteZA0kwkWdNGfi_ssW-TfGteNBAoOmNhrtycjbpIOspyrDqOg/s1600/closed+malls+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1065" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTyZic510QMrpQdotN25nvsRYGD5j8RlXvSvCAwgYW4SQKn8b4WNgM7hHGPmI35kio7dDKPP6V2d04aoxc4hiJJbStuteZA0kwkWdNGfi_ssW-TfGteNBAoOmNhrtycjbpIOspyrDqOg/s400/closed+malls+.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shopping</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's estimated that 20% of American shopping malls will close within 5 years. People are just not going out shopping like they used to. Toys R Us, Radio Shack, Circuit City, and Blockbuster, among many others, are long gone. Sears and Kmart are dead men walking, JC Penny isn't far behind, and even big chains like Macy's are closing stores as fast as they can. Yet online retailers are THRIVING! (OK....guilty. Just this week I placed online orders with Amazon, LL Bean, and REI.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can even buy a car online without ever speaking to a live homo sapien! That is, those who still want to drive can. I recently read that the average young person doesn't even bother getting their driver's license until they're 19 years old. In my day (as we old farts used to say) we were at the DMV at 6 am on our 16th birthday to be first in line to get our license. Auto makers are seeing a trend of "car sharing", where a number of people will buy a car together, then take their turn driving it on the increasingly rare times they have to venture out of their house/apartment.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't long ago that if you wanted a meal of a slightly higher caliber than a drive-thru joint, you had to go INSIDE, be seated by a human, tell a human what you wanted, and pay a human on your way out. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today we have home delivery via Grub Hub and Uber Eats. Just place your order and pay online, in half an hour open your door up just wide enough for someone to slip your food to you, then slam the door and lock it again. No eye contact necessary. *sweet!*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many local grocery stores are now making home deliveries, and they all allow you to order everything from beans to toilet paper online, then just pull up curbside where they will hand you your assembled order. (Coming to a complete stop is appreciated.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb903yUHUkDJ0wI2uBs9aJ-I3DeFN4wDR_YdLlvoYgwVuHtV14OZTlJ57MQtZOZrVbWztucKGDAUQ9YLkS6AKIMQKIWzdusotGI12v34dO9eHByM_bx3uoO7v7rpms-LH8xv9ku8vz4cs/s1600/online+doc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1600" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb903yUHUkDJ0wI2uBs9aJ-I3DeFN4wDR_YdLlvoYgwVuHtV14OZTlJ57MQtZOZrVbWztucKGDAUQ9YLkS6AKIMQKIWzdusotGI12v34dO9eHByM_bx3uoO7v7rpms-LH8xv9ku8vz4cs/s400/online+doc.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you're feeling puny, you can call any number of online doctors who will examine you long distance (?) and in many cases send you a prescription from a mail-order pharmacy. (Just hold your camera phone up to your open mouth and say 'ahh'.) Why go out to see a doctor or to a hospital (oh, many hospitals are closing, too) when you can sit at home and get fixed?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Will dermatology eventually become an extinct medical specialty? Today dermatologists are in their heyday, treating all of us who regularly went outside when we were younger and now have skin cancer. Soon we won't go outside enough to absorb any of those evil rays that give us problems 30 years down the road. *note to self: sell all suntan lotion stock*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are we just getting lazier, or just more scared to interact with others? Gee thanks Gates, Jobs, Bezos, and Zuckerberg. *sigh*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-46602876809419248672018-07-23T10:21:00.003-05:002018-07-23T15:13:08.319-05:00That's all folks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi576PGRr6jI6N1x9Fb5sJz-tzw-VduI-IOA_VK9F_hiApGqZrG5r2MIGJdGE0Vaf1e_fC8PPJTPTbz9-66Y3R1qQPCPjhd1F0nCX8a2kvIPK24-wRsT9sR__MEMdTDKrycasmyCzdiF9U/s1600/thats+all+folks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="690" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi576PGRr6jI6N1x9Fb5sJz-tzw-VduI-IOA_VK9F_hiApGqZrG5r2MIGJdGE0Vaf1e_fC8PPJTPTbz9-66Y3R1qQPCPjhd1F0nCX8a2kvIPK24-wRsT9sR__MEMdTDKrycasmyCzdiF9U/s400/thats+all+folks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do we dare hope? Is Robert Mueller about finished with his investigation? Please?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With congressional mid-term elections just a little over 3 months away, Special Counsel Robert Mueller will either have to wrap up his investigation soon, or hold it over until <i>after</i> the election. A final report out immediately <i>before</i> the election is not going to happen, particularity after Comey botched a similar situation back it '16. The Democrats are probably hoping for the former. Both say their position, whether pro or anti Trump, will be vindicated. I predict....only Robert Mueller knows. *wink*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seriously, it seems to me Prez Trump's only hope to avoid the political guillotine is for the economy to continue to boom. <i>"It's the economy, stupid"</i> has never been more true. That's overwhelmingly what the 40% who avidly support him tout about him. Truth is, he has indeed helped the economy stretch its 10 year rebound from the Great Depression of '08, but he is really just riding the recovery coat tale. Not that Obama fixed it either....the economy had little place to go but up after our $%^&# crooked bankers nearly tanked us all.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think Trump and his team will be in a world of hurt when Mueller makes his findings known publicly. There is ample evidence that at least <i>some</i> of those around Trump were duped by Putin and his intelligence people. The Russians originally recruited Trump's team, not the other way around. Still, Trump's team didn't walk away, and may have even taken the Rooskie's bait to Trump personally, and when the "implied" offer of help was accepted....<i>BOOM!</i> Putin has likely been reeling him in ever since. Or Trump's vulnerability may go back several decades with Russian money financing his businesses after US banks told him they'd had enough of his fast-and-loose financial shenanigans. We'll see.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if Mueller does in fact indict some of Trump's team, or his family (Jr, Jared?)....well, the plot thickens. With something like a 95%+ successful prosecution record, the smart money will be betting on Mueller to win this one, too. And that's <u><i>IF</i></u> Mueller and the DOJ (Rosenstein) agree a sitting president can not be indicted. If they puncture the presidential shield of prosecution....<i>YIKES!</i>....Watergate redux! Look for popcorn sales to skyrocket! *snort*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But not to worry. We'll survive this, too, whatever happens. I'm pretty sure. :)</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-75639406504648584932018-07-19T09:18:00.000-05:002018-07-19T13:01:01.677-05:00What has happened to the Republican Party?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't that many years ago that the "Republican Party" and "Ronald Reagan" were synonymous. Conservatives were proud to say they were "Reagan Republicans". He would bend and compromise if necessary, but NEVER when it came to the Soviet Union. He stood firm, gave them no quarter, worked with and within NATO, and eventually backed them down. Ronald Reagan was <i>tough!</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The USSR officially collapsed on December 26, 1991, on GHW Bush's watch, but it was all due to Reagan's perseverance. Reagan very famously said, when talking about our arms control treaty with the Soviets, <i>"Trust, but verify."</i> He did not say, <i>"Well, they <u>said</u> they were abiding by the treaty, and that's good enough for me."</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Early in his Presidential term a very naive George Dubya Bush once met with Vladimir Putin and said, <i>"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and
trustworthy....I was able to get a sense of
his soul."</i> Later, a much more experienced and worldly Sec Defense Robert Gates said after he met V Putin, <i>"I....looked into Putin’s eyes and I saw a stone cold killer."</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's now said the GOP has become Donald Trump's party as [brilliantly] designed by former advisor Steve Bannon. Rank and file Republicans rarely say anything negative about Trump. His brag, <i>"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters"</i> has been proven essentially true. President Trump met with Putin in Helsinki recently and fawned all over him. He had just been briefed on the 12 Russian intelligence officers who were indicted for meddling in our 2016 election <u><i>with Vladimir Putin's express approval</i></u>, but said he believed Putin's denial instead. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Republicans began to stir uncomfortably, Trump backpedaled his sweetness weakly, and his faithful seem to have gone compliant again. Their stock, canned comeback to any criticism is <i>"well, Hillary did a lot worse."</i> For the record, Hillary's emails, Watergate, Teapot Dome, etc, were all criminal scandals, no doubt, but none of that has anything to do with the way Donald Trump is behaving today. A bank robber can't use as his defense, <i>"well, I only got $500....Hillary got $1,000."</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have many <u><i>very</i></u> intelligent, good friends who resemble the description of the Trump Republican I just described. I encourage them to continue to present their positions on health care, immigration, tax reform, etc. Those are all things we can reasonably debate. Kowtowing to Russia and the thug-killer Vladimir Putin should be beyond debate.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I suggest you refresh yourself with the Steele Dossier (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump%E2%80%93Russia_dossier" target="_blank">here</a>) that was in the news last year. The jest of it was that the Russians/Putin had some incriminating evidence on Donald Trump that they could someday use to blackmail the new President. Given the recent strangely cozy US/Russian relations, I expect you'll see this topic soon re-enter the news.</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-62949392813933693132018-07-18T12:44:00.002-05:002018-07-18T12:44:25.903-05:00We can reasonably debate many issues, but kowtowing to Russia is NOT one of them!Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-2365111536550744702018-07-14T19:36:00.001-05:002018-07-15T07:29:20.249-05:00I wish this was funny....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl73uc1vUpwgZ1T1ecW9qA9JByK2UmTq2Xm94BILfkTljtoiMX2O4W5XGhO13MRKJUCzMlAxOWAw2hs1X3h0ItqKyDgi8AlvgoTIzKoJskoNbHygc3zknYUWvrq3SwFFBahhDAt003pvc/s1600/trumpputin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl73uc1vUpwgZ1T1ecW9qA9JByK2UmTq2Xm94BILfkTljtoiMX2O4W5XGhO13MRKJUCzMlAxOWAw2hs1X3h0ItqKyDgi8AlvgoTIzKoJskoNbHygc3zknYUWvrq3SwFFBahhDAt003pvc/s400/trumpputin.jpg" width="346" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">....but it isn't. It's scarily accurate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">President Trump meets with Russian President Putin in just a few days. Putin is right now most likely huddled with his personality profile psychologists determining exactly what he can say to get Donald Trump to fetch, roll over, and sit up and beg. Trump is right now most likely propped up in bed skypeing with his BFF Sean Hannity.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trump is in no way intellectually or cunningly Putin's equal. Putin has been laser focused on returning Russia to its former glory ever since the USSR was officially dissolved on December 26, 1991. Trump was completely unprepared for his office, and was as shocked as anyone when he was elected on November 8, 2016. Putin was trained as an intelligence officer in the KGB, eventually becoming a Lt. Colonel, and later heading the KGB's successor, the FSB. Trump kept his dad's slick lawyer on retainer to keep him out of trouble. Bone spurs *wink* kept him out of the military. Putin has a honed, long-term strategy. Trump just says and does whatever pops into his head. Trump slanders and belittles his opponents. Putin kills his.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vladimir Putin will destroy Donald Trump, and we'll all be collateral damage. No, this is not funny at all.</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-52931276785060701042018-07-02T08:55:00.000-05:002018-07-02T08:55:32.342-05:00Kickin' a$$ and takin' names<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2T2QZYACHnKMAkTrh-LVFPFvVy3NAtSL2CtjzvpDSkGNpJ62CsJ6Qb_VzzoZdmjCkWGBM_NPFuIFeZL8_ykFu8vEfaS5R2D8cHsS3W_iFuCxDrcXOTsKCq454tD83bx2II9pZelPbLE/s1600/kidsfighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="607" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2T2QZYACHnKMAkTrh-LVFPFvVy3NAtSL2CtjzvpDSkGNpJ62CsJ6Qb_VzzoZdmjCkWGBM_NPFuIFeZL8_ykFu8vEfaS5R2D8cHsS3W_iFuCxDrcXOTsKCq454tD83bx2II9pZelPbLE/s400/kidsfighting.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Democrats and Republicans conducting the People's business in Washington.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently saw a news clip of a Republican congressman giving the acting Attorney General hell because the Mueller investigation is taking so long. "If Mueller has something, take it to the damn Grand Jury. This is tearing the country apart." He was upset because the investigation has so far taken one year. For the record, the Nixon/Watergate investigation took TWO+ years, as did the Clinton/Lewinsky investigation and the House Benghazi investigation. Why can't Mueller have the time he needs, too?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what Congress should, but won't, do: Both parties should ban all talk about Mueller's investigation. They should zip their pie holes. Don't respond to the latest tweet or leak. Wave the press off. Just go to work. Let Mueller do his job, AND MAKE CONGRESS DO THEIRS. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a good day, many reports say, the typical congressman and Senator spends half his time fund raising so as to build up his campaign chest for his next election bid. Then they spend most of their remaining day strategizing how, when, and at who they will poke another sharp stick in the eye of, and of course primping for their next TV appearance so they can lie to us about how hard they work blah blah blah. That leaves them just a few precious minutes a day to actually DO anything. If anything actually gets done in Washington, it's purely by accident. You and I would get fired on our second day of work if we were that unproductive!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No foreign overseas frolicking at the taxpayers expense. No spring/summer/fall/winter recesses. They need to go to their offices and WORK. Figure out what to do about North Korea, trade with China/Mexico/Canada/Europe, immigration, how to cyber smack Russia, fix our decrepit roads and bridges and air traffic control system, etc. No one can go home, no one can get paid, no one is eligible for re-election UNLESS they work out something with the other party. There is no shortage of projects that needs urgent attention.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kickin' ass and takin' names. Who's with me?</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-81864553547419180192018-06-29T08:19:00.002-05:002018-06-29T13:11:29.954-05:00FAKE NEWS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuk9zJluKaBjJJsRC6LETcU445XtpIAhGPKHlHA6da99flM-HAwg5kUqVDjq8ggsAWMttupytJUOCxKDtTfNr5bMLbgfGvXeg-FyMmZxq502FdUlNB2yubv09shF5XY-kRAAQ1Fkev_k/s1600/fakenews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1356" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuk9zJluKaBjJJsRC6LETcU445XtpIAhGPKHlHA6da99flM-HAwg5kUqVDjq8ggsAWMttupytJUOCxKDtTfNr5bMLbgfGvXeg-FyMmZxq502FdUlNB2yubv09shF5XY-kRAAQ1Fkev_k/s400/fakenews.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Webster defines "fake" as: <i>Not true, real, or genuine.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm sure over time many politicians, celebrities, and others have called unflattering stories written about them "fake". Occasionally they were right, and they sued for defamation, and were awarded millions of dollars in damages. National Enquirer-type grocery store tabloids are notorious for this. Occasionally articles are published that are simply satirical. Stories in <i>The Onion</i> fall into this category. (Tom Cruise did not have a love child with a three-headed alien.) The editorial page is by definition not news, but opinion. The two should not be confused. And occasionally photos are mislabeled....John D. Smith might be referred to as John B. Smith, and an apology and a correction are later published. Mistakes happen....meh.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today President Donald Trump has made "FAKE NEWS" his battle cry, and his supporters buy it, no questions asked. I contend there is virtually <u><i><b>no fake news</b></i></u> these days, but only <u><b><i>slanted</i></b></u> news. If a media outlet such as FOX News on the right or MSNBC on the left uncovers 10 facts about someone, but only reports on the 5 that support their view, that doesn't make those 5 facts "fake". You can't label what they report as <i>not true, real, or genuine</i>. They just aren't reporting those facts that give credit to something that doesn't further their bias. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Their coverage is simply "slanted".</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If the media makes up a story with no basis in fact, they can be sued and they'll lose their shirt. That's why they corroborate everything they publish. The next time you hear President Trump say a report about him is fake news, ask him why he doesn't file suit and make them <i>prove</i> what they say is true? Put up or shut up.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have great admiration in general for American journalism. Without them and their investigative talents, evil-doers would run roughshod over us. I might disagree with them sometime, but I respect them.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess you could say, ironically, that a blanket claim of "fake news" is itself fake news. That's the "virtual" caveat I mentioned. That's kinda funny, huh?</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-19183883142410659632018-06-27T19:31:00.000-05:002018-06-27T19:38:10.265-05:00The streets are a dangerous place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0ndpvGMKe3ntpCxjI9dbYryK6Sz9SsFlmw4dEevbJ-ycUkvvnooBpPcfmT-lqj6y6XtjWT0pb6_VRR2qIrhH_RK4kx_XeUzJR23OnwIF0RZHnzU6yBnQp6jjwsotnGFEQlo5W8uBxqY/s1600/antwon+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="361" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0ndpvGMKe3ntpCxjI9dbYryK6Sz9SsFlmw4dEevbJ-ycUkvvnooBpPcfmT-lqj6y6XtjWT0pb6_VRR2qIrhH_RK4kx_XeUzJR23OnwIF0RZHnzU6yBnQp6jjwsotnGFEQlo5W8uBxqY/s320/antwon+rose.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today the East Pittsburgh, PA officer who shot and killed Antwon Rose as he jumped out of a car and ran AWAY from police has been indicted for criminal manslaughter. This seems like a slam-dunk case to me since the unarmed teenager was shot in the back by the officer (on his very first day on the job), and it was all caught on cell phone video. Mr Rose clearly never turned and confronted, or charged toward, the officer. The officer was NOT threatened. I can't imagine a remotely believable defense. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But lets look deeper: The next time you hear a politician say if elected he'll put another 50,000 or 100,000 police on the street to combat crime, call BS. Truth is, it's hard to find people who want to be police officers these days. Your large cities especially have to cast a wide net, likely over several states, to find new recruits. It takes a very special person to be a good police officer. Just throwing more money at them won't make them any smarter. I think the above officer is proof that not everyone can do it. Few have the intelligence/judgement AND the physical attributes AND can pass an in-depth background check AND the psychological tests necessary to be a good cop. It's a tough job, and it's getting tougher every day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It also appears to me training standards are often being relaxed, too, maybe to accommodate the questionable quality of many of the recruits available these days. I can't imagine how this officer, on his first day on the job, could exhibit such horribly bad judgement. IMO it's a serious indictment of the training he received. *shaking head*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And finally, why would a teenager jump out of a car and run away from the police? Did he REALLY think he would be able to outrun them? Did he REALLY think he could outrun a police radio, or a police helicopter? Did he REALLY think his friends wouldn't rat him out and that he could escape? I know that some will say an old white guy like me can't imagine the fear this black teenager must have felt, and they'd be right. But I also don't think you have to be white to see that this young man checked every wrong box there is when he ran from the police. Young people, of every color, need to learn to THINK!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While Mr Rose might or might not have deserved to be punished for some crime, he did NOT deserve to be shot in the back. Nobody does. Ever. May he rest in peace.</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-26520286532295503122018-06-22T16:34:00.002-05:002018-06-23T08:34:24.718-05:00Watch where you step....there are mines EVERYWHERE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXASItoxd66GlBsu1URGDA6rNGaH_jbIJVB1ejlEsNkrVNCyTGjtFKaXVqkdcy8kB_j_detAX4rvP8ffnxnVYU1NrgN4ncYXCNhvYCxJwN6q5M5W-tBokkEMQCNmXtv-_9FgNPHqxmgA/s1600/mines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXASItoxd66GlBsu1URGDA6rNGaH_jbIJVB1ejlEsNkrVNCyTGjtFKaXVqkdcy8kB_j_detAX4rvP8ffnxnVYU1NrgN4ncYXCNhvYCxJwN6q5M5W-tBokkEMQCNmXtv-_9FgNPHqxmgA/s400/mines.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With immigration front and center again these days, we'd better be careful what we wish for. There's a huge "unintended consequences" minefield out there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I don't believe those who are saying we need to slam our borders shut and deport all illegals here now are thinking it through all the way. If they get their wish, any nasty, dirty job that needs to be done, especially outdoors, might not get done. Need to pour any concrete or spread any asphalt, put on a new roof, or have any landscape work done? Haha....good luck! Do you think your favorite restaurant can keep its doors open without them? Farmers everywhere are already reporting they're having trouble finding seasonal help to get their crops harvested....much of it is now just being plowed back under. (Wouldn't THIS be the ultimate "national security" crisis?)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What we need is an <u><i>expedited</i></u> method of vetting those who want to immigrate here, say within 2 or 3 months, vs the current 2+ years. This long wait time is what drives many to just wade the river. Let them apply at US embassies and consulates in their home countries and GET THEM AN ANSWER WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. We need to bring illegals out of their thriving underground economy and make them full taxpayers. Right now they pay little more than the sales taxes on their daily purchases. Lets vet them, and if they're good people, welcome them and put them to work. And if they aren't, turn them back / send them packing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, about those kids separated from their families....it's still wrong. Why are we punishing the kids for the sins of their parents? And I don't want to hear about what Obama or Dubya did. Wrong was, is, and always will be WRONG!</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-23124939444722607102018-06-18T17:49:00.000-05:002018-06-18T18:10:23.816-05:00"Thank you for your order. You should expect delivery in about 2 years."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRkFw4gftl8kzrpYK3SXtESNoBHTPZlRh3MepQ2nxHgwpa9fB1FCdulhME74XS8iAsN-eJo7ytLtkp4cu9LWx95s0I3JvRde-K7W2PmOC_yNz9T0feipZivi4G4fOW2hRWgkjZafDgu4/s1600/immigration-court.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="533" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRkFw4gftl8kzrpYK3SXtESNoBHTPZlRh3MepQ2nxHgwpa9fB1FCdulhME74XS8iAsN-eJo7ytLtkp4cu9LWx95s0I3JvRde-K7W2PmOC_yNz9T0feipZivi4G4fOW2hRWgkjZafDgu4/s400/immigration-court.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I remember a number of years ago talking to a guy who worked at a local hardware store. He was Hispanic, worked all day, and then went to evening classes at the local community college. I was pretty impressed with him. I asked him if he was here legally, and he said, yes, he was, and so were his parents, but his uncle was not. I asked him why his uncle wasn't, and he said after waiting two years on his paperwork to be processed, he finally just gave up and waded the river to get here for a job. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've heard since that a 2+ year wait is not unusual. My understanding is that both the Democrats and Republicans say they would welcome <b><i>legal </i></b>immigrants, but they had to go through the proper channels and jump through the proper hoops first. Fair enough. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here's my question: I googled "Samsung TV's" and it found 1,410,000,000 responses in .53 seconds. I can buy a gun and it takes the FBI about 15 minutes to do a background check on me to see if I qualify. I can go through a fairly exhaustive Texas Dept of Public Safety background check in order to legally carry a firearm in about two months. In this age of the internet, massively powerful computers, and nano-fast search engines, why should it take <u><i><b>TWO YEARS</b></i></u> to get a background check on some guy from Mexico? And I checked....yes, they have computerized record keeping in Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and elsewhere in Central America, too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also want strong borders. I want to know who we're letting in. I want to know they aren't felons, aren't currently wanted for a crime, etc. But if we drag our feet for a ridiculous <u><i><b>TWO YEARS</b></i></u> and still can't complete a background check, why should we be shocked if they just sneak in? It seems to me we could control our borders much better if we had the cooperation of a proud, secure, legal immigrant population. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or is there some other more sinister ulterior motive that explains why we throw up all these roadblocks?</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-80947269157459986612018-06-12T17:01:00.000-05:002018-06-12T18:03:29.213-05:00Don't go lighting your cigars with $20 bills just yet<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This morning while making my rounds I saw this on the front window of a Domino's Pizza store:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMUUSfyLg8UQS7bk-z4llBJvOo_zpOZvaewTVciCERUKgoY3hghE4AZaxzH2kvdwK0fvfZiRxuSnpbSMh7Ks8UdQTcLdrE9upNQjMHWHbkdhwhsSYTIiuNRhz_hBCDbzLZYu149NCx6c/s1600/dominos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="580" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMUUSfyLg8UQS7bk-z4llBJvOo_zpOZvaewTVciCERUKgoY3hghE4AZaxzH2kvdwK0fvfZiRxuSnpbSMh7Ks8UdQTcLdrE9upNQjMHWHbkdhwhsSYTIiuNRhz_hBCDbzLZYu149NCx6c/s640/dominos.jpg" width="451" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How can they pay "<u><i>UP TO</i></u>" $15 an hour "<u><i>OR MORE</i></u>"? Which one is it? I think I'd go for the "MORE".</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The official US unemployment rate recently dropped to 3.9%, the lowest since the Pilgrims beached their boat in Massachusetts, before it was Massachusetts. Historically the stats people say 4% is considered "full employment"....anyone who doesn't have a job now just doesn't want to work.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here in my area of the northern DFW Metroplex (Plano, Frisco, McKinney, etc) they say the unemployment rate is somewhere down in the 2% range. Pizza delivery drivers can get $15 an hour, and McDonald's is begging for help, even offering starting pay of $12+.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday I was talking with my steel fabrication vendor and he said it was just he and his son....they can't hire and keep help, and they pay <i>very well! </i>My electrician has been trying to hire for 2 years with no luck.<i> </i>Construction material prices are continuing to climb. We try to buy 300 yards of concrete and can't get anyone's attention at the concrete plant....they're shipping <i>tens of thousands</i> of yards <i>daily</i> to commercial construction sites. We're small fry! Any materials with a petroleum base have gone up dramatically along with the recent increase in crude prices. Talk of import tariffs isn't helping, either.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't long ago that the cost of living in my area was below the national average. Now, according to one report I saw recently, the CoL in my immediate area has <i>surpassed</i> the national average. Property tax bills are hitting homeowners hard after a few years in the doldrums. Standard and Poor's Case Shiller home price index actually says our area's home prices today are <u><i>OVER</i></u> valued.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where am I going with this? "Make hay while the sun shines" as they say, but be cautious. Make all you can while you can, as these good times will eventually go flat just as other overheated good times have in the past. Just recognize where we are in the economic cycle and don't let yourself think this is the "new normal". Remember what happened to those who got fat and sassy back in the run-up to 2008?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's all enjoy our good fortune today and be grateful, but not let it go to our head. Been there, done that.</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-45962941950266045832018-06-09T15:52:00.000-05:002018-06-09T16:36:57.946-05:00A somber Friday and a fun Saturday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a ceremony at the Dallas Fort Worth National Cemetery honoring my late friend Ted Short. I had never been to this site before and I must say I was impressed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCaBCUTUJ6lOOK8rDGL8GC4UAyMM2NEHTmhzYgh2RsePZmXXReq8EGA0VuoMT0lENBU8Q8Unzu1GQz1I8HsDKJK1bB0MgVg0i01_RLLhz_w7q9CUCedQ4pzCsZ5ySARaIJ7bTRofI-ZA/s1600/dfwcemetary3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1024" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCaBCUTUJ6lOOK8rDGL8GC4UAyMM2NEHTmhzYgh2RsePZmXXReq8EGA0VuoMT0lENBU8Q8Unzu1GQz1I8HsDKJK1bB0MgVg0i01_RLLhz_w7q9CUCedQ4pzCsZ5ySARaIJ7bTRofI-ZA/s640/dfwcemetary3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVlt1TtF68A_NkK7Lm5lTF4TocPVLT3ppRfkgywAlWMTjbQWQ7YT1SKct_y06StdW9FTWS0BDS81XG9A0aER3cCQlbQbhgk8Kmx7vk6kFNpet51ABoLyQzeAZr1ouEBMobxvkImGSvk8/s1600/dfwcemetary1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="724" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVlt1TtF68A_NkK7Lm5lTF4TocPVLT3ppRfkgywAlWMTjbQWQ7YT1SKct_y06StdW9FTWS0BDS81XG9A0aER3cCQlbQbhgk8Kmx7vk6kFNpet51ABoLyQzeAZr1ouEBMobxvkImGSvk8/s640/dfwcemetary1.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The facility was immaculately maintained and the service was attended
to by US Army personnel and a local Korean War veterans group. It was a
fitting end of service for a good man. The grounds absolutely felt as hallowed at those at Arlington National Cemetery, which, if you haven't been there in person, you have to see to understand and feel what I mean.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGuuGo47GDBzzPnuNsc2d1Z3m4qhxBxEwBdVzy5KjPKqey7YcuE26Y6Dpb2GmPaNA9E2KmitpE30PPbMVIGtgh9U1EVZKJANCVZDvvhEAZeBKfG2ai0g6SRWPRY7raZjARQHFPvlKtSI/s1600/farmersmarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="629" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGuuGo47GDBzzPnuNsc2d1Z3m4qhxBxEwBdVzy5KjPKqey7YcuE26Y6Dpb2GmPaNA9E2KmitpE30PPbMVIGtgh9U1EVZKJANCVZDvvhEAZeBKfG2ai0g6SRWPRY7raZjARQHFPvlKtSI/s640/farmersmarket.jpg" width="476" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, on a lighter note, the Ms, Jax, and I made a run to the McKinney Farmers Market for some fresh vine ripened tomatoes and some tamales. No, I didn't know there was such a thing as a tamale farm either, but trust me, I've tasted their latest crop and they're delicious!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGCV3biLn7eme9ye0sAkFqAFfL1I0i98CTvTjPRkDuFIovBBjs5t0vVqrEaPpKdzH1gIynP3HW-PVgS6ab8yy2lLZm2cqUpD0zfBss80NCxWp9YGYX0ArlUcL3jcgpSxZgJNj_nlL0ds/s1600/jaxlunch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="591" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGCV3biLn7eme9ye0sAkFqAFfL1I0i98CTvTjPRkDuFIovBBjs5t0vVqrEaPpKdzH1gIynP3HW-PVgS6ab8yy2lLZm2cqUpD0zfBss80NCxWp9YGYX0ArlUcL3jcgpSxZgJNj_nlL0ds/s640/jaxlunch.jpg" width="460" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then it was off to the <i>Spoon Cafe</i> in historic downtown McKinney for brunch, where Jax the One-Blue-Eyed-Wonder Dog stood guard to make sure no dropped morsels made it to the ground. His perfect record is still in tact I'm happy to report.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now it's back home for a siesta. Maybe later when it's cooler I'll venture out to check on our neighborhood ladies bikini volleyball team. (Or not, depending on whether the Ms reads this first. ;)</span></span></div>
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-24712698822217497222018-06-06T16:18:00.001-05:002018-06-06T21:31:57.814-05:00The American Dream....or is it?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImDW5rOS2GSeA2voJc4BDl4fqpN5m9dqwPUAjyRPpWueBDvC3VjZMvOQ4_Cmo8Flw8Y3OmIZ14Gok0RaLZIZY2jcXaDl17I7AhTGDYn4Xk_Rqol6jpKefmDnTH4TRHyPtcZDunz5nRDs/s1600/american+dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="1100" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImDW5rOS2GSeA2voJc4BDl4fqpN5m9dqwPUAjyRPpWueBDvC3VjZMvOQ4_Cmo8Flw8Y3OmIZ14Gok0RaLZIZY2jcXaDl17I7AhTGDYn4Xk_Rqol6jpKefmDnTH4TRHyPtcZDunz5nRDs/s640/american+dream.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For roughly 65% of Americans, owning a home means you've realized the American Dream. Everyone has a vision of living on that picturesque tree-lined street with quaint homes and neatly manicured lawns. That's what my generation, at least, was taught to aspire to, and there's nothing at all wrong with that. If you have a young family (or nowadays grandkids living with you), or have a constant stream of out-of-town friends who come to visit, or if you just want bragging rights among your circle of friends, then by all means enjoy your American Dream home.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But frankly, home ownership isn't what it used to be. Things change, people change, and circumstances change. We were told owning a home brought with it huge tax benefits, and it still does....for about a third of us. Sixty five percent of us own homes, and of those, half either have mortgages with so little balance left (or no mortgage at all) they miss out on the tax break. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many people naively think when they get their house paid for they'll be living virtually free. Hardly! In my area just the property taxes and homeowners insurance can easily be $1,000 a month on a middle class home. Speaking of....yes, you can make a handsome profit due to appreciation, at least on paper, but the tax collector wants his money RIGHT NOW! Rapidly increasing taxes are forcing some homeowners out of the homes they've lived in for decades.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there are the maintenance and repair costs. Yikes! Here in North Texas we used to have one damaging hail storm every seven years, on average. Now we're having them yearly, including one just last night that will keep insurance adjusters and roofers busy for the next year. Homes still need painting, and HVAC systems and water heaters and appliances still need to be repaired/replaced. Carpets need to be cleaned and/or replaced, too, and wood floors need refinishing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And of course there's the lawn maintenance. *cringe* And here in termite country, those little bastards will eat your house out from under you if you don't stay ahead of 'em. Oh, and "updating". Remember that old fuzzy wallpaper? <i>Ewww</i>. Even if those old harvest gold appliances still work, they went out of style back in the Nixon administration. Get out your wallet.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though my credit is primo and the banks say I can easily qualify for a modest home loan, I'm just not feeling it. Years ago we parked ourselves in a nice apartment while I looked for a small lot to build a new home on. It didn't take long to realize renting was actually, for me/us, a good alternative to owning. I've had good neighbors (an OB/GYN, a respiratory therapist, a Realtor, etc), my car is in a secure, gated, concrete parking garage and safe from the weather (hail), and the mechanical units are somebody else's maintenance problem. And every few years when a newer, nicer community opens up, I'm free to move. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">True, my rent goes up a bit yearly, but no more than my taxes would go up if I owned. I feel no need to build a home to accommodate my furniture (I have no family heirlooms), I don't need a 3rd or 4th or 5th bedroom, and I jettisoned my ego years ago. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There will always be quality builders and Realtors to cater to the 65% who want to be homeowners, but there's a lot to be said for nice upscale apartments, too. The empty nester, downsized lifestyle is actually pretty sweet. :)</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-38089221383215150582018-05-31T15:12:00.002-05:002018-05-31T16:39:53.442-05:00The Age of Outrageous<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There have always been people who acted, dressed, and behaved somewhere outside the mainstream, but they were usually mocked, laughed at even, and not taken seriously. Just in my lifetime, however, I've seen this attitude change dramatically. Time doesn't stand still.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While the early rock 'n roller's music was...ahh...<i>different</i>, they still looked pretty "normal" with their suits and ties. Baby steps.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But then came the rebellious '60 's and the hippies and Woodstock an all the rest. Long stringy hair was in, along with tye-died shirts and sandals (if not bare feet). Grunge was in, to the shock of The Establishment. And it wasn't just a few who joined the movement, but kids by the MILLIONS became the "sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll" generation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At about that same time outspokenness, for better or worse, arrived on Main Street. Archie Bunker laid all his prejudices out for us on <i>All In The Family</i>, and the battle lines were drawn. Some loved Archie, while others were repulsed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the 1970's, the more outlandish the better. That's how you made a name for yourself, that's how you stood out in a crowd, and life was now all about "standing out". Kids wanted more than ever to be like KISS or other shock groups of the time. Outrageous became cool.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Today we have the social media phenomenon. True, we now know what all our friends had for lunch, and everyone loves the cute photo of me and my dog I just posted, but it also gave sicko's a stage to shock us with their outrageous-ness. A couple of misfit kids in Colorado shot up their school and became folk-heroes to many other kids, who in turn shot up <i>their</i> schools in Connecticut, Florida, Texas, and <u> ?_,</u> copy-cat style. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A terrorist mows down a hundred innocent people on a street in France, and before long a copycat does the same thing in NYC.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now we have a President who just makes up stuff on the fly and Tweets about it at 4 AM to his adoring base, and they all but foam at the mouth. <i>"If it's on the internet, it must be true!" </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjihI5G0pFEOSUdN_F0o0kYqprP7ygxAHxpfvgq8OT5DQ2eq3rXeZo2xThoVJbKrWgD867AnpY2Rgx43VwjRTup1V6O2ku74TE0kUWMX9-iO82vi216QMsUsq1b-_TPN1k9ojtigzGZk/s1600/olberman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="850" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjihI5G0pFEOSUdN_F0o0kYqprP7ygxAHxpfvgq8OT5DQ2eq3rXeZo2xThoVJbKrWgD867AnpY2Rgx43VwjRTup1V6O2ku74TE0kUWMX9-iO82vi216QMsUsq1b-_TPN1k9ojtigzGZk/s400/olberman.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now conservative Roseanne Barr can call a black woman the offspring of an ape, and liberal Samantha Bee can return the insult by referring to Ivanka Trump on live (cable) TV as a "cunt". <i>REALLY?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To me the take away on all this is that the more outrageous you are, the more attention you bring to yourself, and that apparently makes it all OK. That isn't necessarily bad. I liked Elvis and Janis Joplin, Steve Jobs and even that Gates guy. Many brilliant people who did good things were often unconventional looking (Albert Einstein) and acting (Robin Williams). But too often people are using their individuality and outrageous-ness to hurt and insult and destroy. If we some day crash and burn, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves. Lets not encourage and enable those who are destroying us. There's nothing cool about hurting and insulting and destroying.</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-84575382435885469372018-05-23T10:42:00.000-05:002018-05-23T14:05:25.720-05:00So now do you feel old? Well, do you...punk?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My friend Frank recently posted on his Facebook page this photo of TV's MASH characters Cpl Maxwell Klinger, now 83, and Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan, now 80. (The title is a nod to 87-year-old Clint Eastwood if you didn't catch it.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And if you're curious, Marilyn Monroe would have recently turned 92, Neil Armstrong would have been 88, Elvis would have been 83, Sophia Loren is 83, and youngsters Raquel Welch and Roger Staubach are 77 and 76 respectively. Yikes! And to add insult to injury, this year will mark the 50th anniversary of me being honorably discharged from high school. These are things you don't really think much about, until you think about them. Then it's like, "Sumbitch, where has the time gone?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is not meant to be a downer post. Just the opposite. I've seen some pretty amazing things that Generation XYZer's might have only heard about on Twitter, <i>maybe</i>. I <i>DON'T</i> envy them at all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now consider this: The average American today lives to be 78.7 years old, which has dropped recently and is below the 80.3 year average of other OECD advanced nations. Some of that is due, they say, to poor lifestyle choices, and some due to lack of adequate healthcare. Regardless, all of us are one day closer to kicking off today than we were yesterday. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the recent prescription drugs that are advertised on TV got me to thinking. One is a treatment for those who have non-small-cell cancer that has spread. It says Optivolumovoriousoptomoline (marketed as YippieJuice*) can "give you a chance to live longer". That concept, "living longer", baffles me. Why does everyone want to "live longer"? Is that some great virtue? Why would you want to squeeze out a couple of more months/years of feeling like crap? Just to prolong the inevitable?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We seem to put way too much time and effort in trying to hold on. Just think of Max, Hot Lips, Marilyn, Elvis, Sophia, and all the rest of your childhood icons as forever young. Then just live right, be kind, help those you can, hurt no one, and go on about your business. What's gonna happen is gonna happen. ;)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">* Now don't go running to your pharmacy asking for some YippieJuice. I might have just made that name up.</span></span><br />
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-11382363723159277342018-05-20T11:46:00.001-05:002018-05-20T17:25:26.796-05:00Very prophetic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last Thursday when I opened my morning email I found this in my inbox:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It wasn't an hour later when we first began to hear the news of yet another mass school shooting, this one in Santa Fe, TX that so far has claimed 10 innocent lives. The NRA (which I am not a member of) has for a while now been advocating for at least some classroom teachers to be armed. As you might imagine this has been met with much resistance from those who claim teachers are trained to teach, not to be armed security. I, too, have had some reservations....until now. Now I'm reluctantly on board with the idea. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the main lessons learned from the Columbine school shooting back in1999 is that shooters must be confronted <u><i>immediately</i></u>. Back then it took SWAT one hour and 50 minutes to muster, brief, and finally enter the school. The killing was long since over before they got inside. Speed of confrontation saves lives, and that has been the standard police response ever since....the first cop on the scene enters and engages.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think back to the Dark Ages and the high school I attended. As I recall we had five buildings on campus plus two parking lots, spread out over quite a few acres. Today, due to budgetary constraints, there is probably just one School Resource Officer (SRO) patrolling that same campus. What are the odds of that one officer being in the right building, on the right floor, at the right time, able to respond immediately to a shooter? Now imagine how much better the odds would be if there were <u><i>five</i></u> armed, trained teachers or administrators scattered around the campus, plus that one SRO, available to respond? With speed being of the essence, this could save lives!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course the key to this is making sure those adults on campus who volunteered were themselves thoroughly vetted and trained. And not just trained once, but subjected to ongoing training until their response becomes automatic. This muscle memory is essential as (so I've been told) when the shooting starts, people suddenly exhibit the IQ of a gerbil. It would be a hefty responsibility these volunteers would take on, and there are serious coordination and liability issues that would need to be worked out, but again, <u><i>it could save lives!</i></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My state has allowed school districts to permit teacher carry for some time now, but so far I've heard of only a few rural districts who have done so, mainly because they know police response would take too long to do any good. I think this is an idea that, sadly, should be strongly considered by every district. Laws can be passed that restrict this or that, and they <i><u>might</u> </i>be effective, but confronting shooters will <u><i>definitely</i></u> save lives. We can't afford to just sit here and talk about it ad infinitium. We need action.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm S, and I approved this message.</span></span><br />
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-20146738203425407852018-05-06T19:07:00.001-05:002018-05-06T19:07:04.069-05:00British and European Car Show 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWxr8fAZDklTdzNFxeRFOSnqOd-7FSGnqSgEz8yujSiHrEYqfvF-Z0OvdOs_uApvlhVoJmC8wS4K73an00Z78qC-AF7CH12VtjaxV_-UXCKK1yacKPR1ofTpjSOE8usBm03VoMyoCZ5g/s1600/bulldog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="633" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWxr8fAZDklTdzNFxeRFOSnqOd-7FSGnqSgEz8yujSiHrEYqfvF-Z0OvdOs_uApvlhVoJmC8wS4K73an00Z78qC-AF7CH12VtjaxV_-UXCKK1yacKPR1ofTpjSOE8usBm03VoMyoCZ5g/s400/bulldog.jpg" width="323" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Visitors to today's British and European Car Show were greeted at the gate by Sir Winston and his nicely turned out Triumph TR3.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMbD37Ab1UBlOU3khsD73B3p9lYwbcLGyLuuu3x1Vp37G2o6VaywEdxsSah7SEBQ3sp3gMDhxe1q0RMGauxviWiGg5c3_8sx34wgM7b3T3Pw7G2v0e6e9Dv2kemw4ST-BXUIaA0NMhtc/s1600/carshow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="632" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGMbD37Ab1UBlOU3khsD73B3p9lYwbcLGyLuuu3x1Vp37G2o6VaywEdxsSah7SEBQ3sp3gMDhxe1q0RMGauxviWiGg5c3_8sx34wgM7b3T3Pw7G2v0e6e9Dv2kemw4ST-BXUIaA0NMhtc/s400/carshow.jpg" width="303" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day was gorgeous, the sun was hot, and the crowd was lovin' it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsp9gsdq0mKvibF7KUe5K2vX-PvX_A0ek4Mb_DiEU9-WAt45nVBXPbWEMDDYCu-rYQSFcT1Usr96pTudOP0IMeW4V3ofj4JdHdB64AJAfVqvyKE6tf5SXYWzE1haVtQk3K5QK7-W4OHc/s1600/mg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="756" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsp9gsdq0mKvibF7KUe5K2vX-PvX_A0ek4Mb_DiEU9-WAt45nVBXPbWEMDDYCu-rYQSFcT1Usr96pTudOP0IMeW4V3ofj4JdHdB64AJAfVqvyKE6tf5SXYWzE1haVtQk3K5QK7-W4OHc/s400/mg.jpg" width="383" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wasn't there when the awards were announced, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this beautiful Triumph took home a top award.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OeheC9ud-tNjo3QNBnLh2jAp3U8qN-b_PYSO6oVIi_4_QXOORNGEL7mudUSyM_p1FmZzoio3A4yNpKACPZ0JSnMSPaYwpa1sydTWVFhTeyTGy75ChS_RMZp6hvha5q5_65rOdLEzaB8/s1600/morrisminor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="805" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OeheC9ud-tNjo3QNBnLh2jAp3U8qN-b_PYSO6oVIi_4_QXOORNGEL7mudUSyM_p1FmZzoio3A4yNpKACPZ0JSnMSPaYwpa1sydTWVFhTeyTGy75ChS_RMZp6hvha5q5_65rOdLEzaB8/s400/morrisminor.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This nice Morris Minor caught my eye. I think it should have received more looks than it did.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFLESN5jH6P4S_N5pXZnfptbb4kToYnihybszGv7rc0UwlViQ6Ejdn4Ap6qJBQp_5LMZ0fFuzulIsI52sCgVMaT6cdv_i1g7joCAAxqc_ro0OsdKnpsZ97yF-B-lkj4D87062B-yUd4g/s1600/saabsonnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="783" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFLESN5jH6P4S_N5pXZnfptbb4kToYnihybszGv7rc0UwlViQ6Ejdn4Ap6qJBQp_5LMZ0fFuzulIsI52sCgVMaT6cdv_i1g7joCAAxqc_ro0OsdKnpsZ97yF-B-lkj4D87062B-yUd4g/s400/saabsonnet.jpg" width="385" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another of my favorites from the past was back again...a Saab Sonnet. <i>Tougher 'n a nail, and slower 'n a snail.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6uDj2-qHgjduxCMzR94_d7jeajS56XlQ4V1kWQ7Lw4hV-1uZsP98WMp56LffQki3biZLsvvhQCNOiSO7XUjVmIv738Gl7MlNZwzQql3GWkhK977VpOrOj3-Lwd5cAZcLJxX3qS-wyH4/s1600/isetta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6uDj2-qHgjduxCMzR94_d7jeajS56XlQ4V1kWQ7Lw4hV-1uZsP98WMp56LffQki3biZLsvvhQCNOiSO7XUjVmIv738Gl7MlNZwzQql3GWkhK977VpOrOj3-Lwd5cAZcLJxX3qS-wyH4/s400/isetta.jpg" width="358" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm always a sucker for an Isetta micro-car. This one was nice, and colorful, too.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahMsIxX6xIA963rjiJrGbp6uk7w67dynEvPEcKh9JCtjFiUJs61Wvh7b6odGYjgRSrCE9qMF3dr5qn8dupt-0bpDjDfQltrTe0mP1BAz-TrRe3RNzlzKjfQi7iLI3a58gL8VJTuaP6vc/s1600/tuctuc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="790" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahMsIxX6xIA963rjiJrGbp6uk7w67dynEvPEcKh9JCtjFiUJs61Wvh7b6odGYjgRSrCE9qMF3dr5qn8dupt-0bpDjDfQltrTe0mP1BAz-TrRe3RNzlzKjfQi7iLI3a58gL8VJTuaP6vc/s400/tuctuc.jpg" width="380" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have no idea how this Tuk Tuk qualifies as British, or European, or even a car for that matter, but I guess it was too unique to turn away.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMMUY8X3b-Tn29wKmIu8YTDpH46N0vKhIT7LKwbI1EFOqT5_VuOPnqrL_3jwPrMTik0BY_uRS6z-M26rhhlX_8M9cyQIU9WwzjZ8NEBRrI7iIw1Kml5KVbdjwTs3ia8fZF-UW9k1quIY/s1600/gt6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="760" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqMMUY8X3b-Tn29wKmIu8YTDpH46N0vKhIT7LKwbI1EFOqT5_VuOPnqrL_3jwPrMTik0BY_uRS6z-M26rhhlX_8M9cyQIU9WwzjZ8NEBRrI7iIw1Kml5KVbdjwTs3ia8fZF-UW9k1quIY/s400/gt6.jpg" width="367" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for my money, this Triumph GT6 is the one I'd like to have taken home. It was a good day....the 2018 British and European Car Show.</span></span></div>
<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-44421468124831727472018-04-26T14:10:00.001-05:002018-04-26T14:11:02.746-05:00More construction stuff...<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It rained yesterday so Jax and I didn't get to walk around the big construction site, but today we were back in stride. Here is what has happened since Tuesday:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInfN2bsm3BZ-6t-cq2Gpb0x_CsAL_C9zqoQuIf974HOXHCEy_qL7wP5jqPoGJof-gEVhsdNlaj26fA2BrrtpfxQxKGFazkT5psDfJ_b818SGe_U7TAKAKoeQJd8xl-MtdvE3Tc8HTA-o/s1600/construction+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInfN2bsm3BZ-6t-cq2Gpb0x_CsAL_C9zqoQuIf974HOXHCEy_qL7wP5jqPoGJof-gEVhsdNlaj26fA2BrrtpfxQxKGFazkT5psDfJ_b818SGe_U7TAKAKoeQJd8xl-MtdvE3Tc8HTA-o/s640/construction+2.jpg" width="536" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All the scaffolding is in place and now the big crane (I <i>reeeeeeally</i> wanna drive it!) is moving these concrete form panels into place. I earlier thought they would be steel, but it appears they are lumber and plywood. They will eventually all be tied together and leveled, rebar steel will be installed on top, then concrete will be poured. That concrete will form the floor of the second level. Then they start all over again...taller column extensions, more scaffolding, more concrete form panels, more steel....</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-78349771970597371752018-04-24T14:00:00.000-05:002018-04-24T14:56:55.436-05:00Pretty cool construction stuff....<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've been enjoying walking Jax around our neighborhood lake where I can get an up close and personal view of the construction site just feet away.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtXpYFr2pqZ0fg753FgpMVBN_5BSmPuABrbxo1YqGep5NAiWqj5j3WSOKNeH7b5XBlKr9p8bzDa9l3KTMURKXZpMpcanDrnpylRQ6JD1hoqXwTE02GRyZe5ePgizvQdakFjGAPwOhSSc/s1600/independbank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="879" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtXpYFr2pqZ0fg753FgpMVBN_5BSmPuABrbxo1YqGep5NAiWqj5j3WSOKNeH7b5XBlKr9p8bzDa9l3KTMURKXZpMpcanDrnpylRQ6JD1hoqXwTE02GRyZe5ePgizvQdakFjGAPwOhSSc/s400/independbank.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what the final product will eventually look like</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf8fi3Hs8qfX8hjTPy-dd9UKP53lyis9raK4n09UwTuzeQi97BHEJ9IKR97D1kHBZYE4AUj0sjDYzsJ6sSjysqcKRvaFaGjQKAli0N0vSiv8GuKGcif4vAQneXCLVQ4bnBEXWdXFRThM/s1600/construction3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="634" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRf8fi3Hs8qfX8hjTPy-dd9UKP53lyis9raK4n09UwTuzeQi97BHEJ9IKR97D1kHBZYE4AUj0sjDYzsJ6sSjysqcKRvaFaGjQKAli0N0vSiv8GuKGcif4vAQneXCLVQ4bnBEXWdXFRThM/s400/construction3.jpg" width="383" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To date they have these foundation columns in place. They are setting up what looks like heavy scaffolding, which will hold up horizontal steel panels that a layer of steel reinforced concrete can be poured on top of. When that concrete hardens (cures) they will take the scaffolding down, add on to the columns to make them another story taller, then reinstall the scaffolding for another layer of concrete, over and over, higher and higher, until the owner runs out of money.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqFFv25ppzKnRyiudBRs_c4e_FWCfrn20bDQvm0k1cpwrP68N1Ho-QXb_xY2eDgb32xLQM7O8DMs7j8I25lQvzm_0JIMmVUICp4KlMGKbpKSbV9bAV3_kXUwc-Lc8kFGL-ufq4-YONkM/s1600/bishoplake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="980" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqFFv25ppzKnRyiudBRs_c4e_FWCfrn20bDQvm0k1cpwrP68N1Ho-QXb_xY2eDgb32xLQM7O8DMs7j8I25lQvzm_0JIMmVUICp4KlMGKbpKSbV9bAV3_kXUwc-Lc8kFGL-ufq4-YONkM/s400/bishoplake.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you ever noticed these beautiful man-made "water features" inside many new developments? I'll bet you thought it was so nice of the developers to go to such great lengths to beautify their projects, didn't you? You would be wrong.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOy56jQgPNT40S-3_d5CT5kxbRXfYURfVZ8sw0-cmezJ68ao1XkqRnA4QyqaN3_I-MlWKjawku54uU9ieaXd9So9fs-UJNpkv66a6mRbiKW3_LOYVeuVQuRNodyCc2IYOL24aRkr3yfQ/s1600/construction2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="535" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOy56jQgPNT40S-3_d5CT5kxbRXfYURfVZ8sw0-cmezJ68ao1XkqRnA4QyqaN3_I-MlWKjawku54uU9ieaXd9So9fs-UJNpkv66a6mRbiKW3_LOYVeuVQuRNodyCc2IYOL24aRkr3yfQ/s400/construction2.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's what they're really for: They're storm water retention ponds. This is what they look like drained ^ . In flat land like we have here, with everything paved over (parking lots, streets, buildings, etc), there is no place for rainwater to soak in. Therefore developers dig these big "ponds" lined with decorative stone walls, then empty all the surrounding storm water collection drains into them. That's what that big pipe just below wall height in the far right/center of the picture is. (There are several more you can't see also dumping water in.) From here the water will drain into a larger city drain, then a creek, then a larger river, and eventually out to somewhere far, far away you'll never see.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzSPGyF7U5k_BgDt-O93An9oTMpYnmSr_NjB_EC1ffcMXAarwA83xCW8Xl7XS5q4Kq4ZF0RDwRwwE26N66z84k61n1jdQOwNw1EfDdlilFuQpwep4fWlGc3YU9ldIv8e6jj2yY588x0/s1600/construction1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="633" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBzSPGyF7U5k_BgDt-O93An9oTMpYnmSr_NjB_EC1ffcMXAarwA83xCW8Xl7XS5q4Kq4ZF0RDwRwwE26N66z84k61n1jdQOwNw1EfDdlilFuQpwep4fWlGc3YU9ldIv8e6jj2yY588x0/s400/construction1.jpg" width="303" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They're currently draining our beloved neighborhood "lake" so they can install new storm water pipes into it to drain the new building site. These look to be about 4' in diameter. This is pretty heavy duty civil engineering stuff.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bottom line is this: developers don't do anything out of the kindness of their hearts. Everything they do makes them money or they don't do it. No "water feature" (storm water retention pond), no pretty landscaping, no zoning approval, no building permit, no payday. Now you know.</span></span><br />
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-1068595943033830402018-04-23T11:34:00.000-05:002018-04-23T14:48:48.981-05:00Battle Of The Bullies<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I, along with my fellow international relations scholar, Jax the Wonder Dog, recently sat down and put together our list of the three biggest bullies on the international scene today. Here are our finalists:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjvs4oqGLRoDZrLSt19ljOfn4ZmM6C4ZmjuTuHqq2X_rt-IE-QhtG2I4R1N4I8wU1_LAtfWt7aXDbmyifMgGws6pcfh7NnGtLQQcQk-X5NAPU_F-rojqNQEG0RiYIx2uCGsw0bMp9jxI/s1600/kimdeepshit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="569" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjvs4oqGLRoDZrLSt19ljOfn4ZmM6C4ZmjuTuHqq2X_rt-IE-QhtG2I4R1N4I8wU1_LAtfWt7aXDbmyifMgGws6pcfh7NnGtLQQcQk-X5NAPU_F-rojqNQEG0RiYIx2uCGsw0bMp9jxI/s400/kimdeepshit.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">North Korea's Kim Jong Un</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Coming in at third place is Kim Jong Un. He has been trying hard since his elevation to power back in 2011 to prove he is a worthy successor to his late father and grandfather, the two previous dictators of North Korea. They have all tried to elevate themselves onto the world stage by becoming a nuclear power, but it appears KJU is now on the cusp of actually succeeding. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His spoiled-rich-kid's temperament has until now been to run his mouth, threatening to rain death and destruction down on America with his new toys. He might, however, be thinking twice as President Donald Trump seems to be calling his bluff. Between the economic sanctions we have against his country and what the Chinese have piled on with, too, not to mention the US 7th Fleet parked off his coast, he may soon be down to eating tree bark like the rest of his countrymen. In his upcoming summit with Trump he might try to dance and shuffle a bit hoping to save a little face, but Jax and I think KJU will eventually have to retreat with his tail tucked.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">President Donald Trump</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Coming in with a solid second place showing is Donald Trump. Donnie John has been oozin' for a brusin' since the day his former lawyer, the legendary Mafia consigliere Roy Cohen, taught him to Attack, Attack, Attack! He, of course, didn't himself actually attack, but his lawyers and bodyguards did on his behalf. Now he has Twitter that enables him to mouth off, and a Department of Defense to back him up as he recently showed by rearranging the debris formerly known as Syria.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That was likely enough to convince Kim Jong Un Trump could both talk <u><i>and</i></u> walk and scare him back into his hole. Likewise, Trump's strutting to date will likely bring the pragmatic Chi Coms to the bargaining table to conclude some sort of new trade agreement with America. (They have too many warehouses full of cheap junk they need to unload.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russian President For Life Vladimir Putin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And now, after serious deliberation, our 2018 World Champion Bully Award goes to *drum roll* Vladimir Putin! That's right, rootin' tootin' Vladimir Putin backs down all opponents and detractors by forcing them to break eye contact, rigging elections, and as a last resort, dropping errant journalists who dare say mean things about him from their 5th floor balconies. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If Vladimir Putin demands your lunch money, you'd better give it up!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Putin is an old school KGB street brawler, and the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg are tougher than those in New York or Washington. He has the gumption, the muscle, hookers with hidden cameras, and the willingness to use them all, and that makes unblinkable Vladimir Putin once again the World's Biggest Bully. </span></span></div>
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Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3435235471457118706.post-84614026843482424832018-04-17T08:24:00.001-05:002018-04-17T08:37:18.672-05:00Mom....make him quit saying mean things about me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmblNmXYo1wvlAoWvc6nU8X8iNaThqTHg5X8HxS9ZY2DxnI0GXgPU0irLKAyb1Ihcy8hDhRH44KRM2H2X55GpDvXUhIizdlLw5bVodSOkcqcseXqL990b_W79UZ5nyU3UJR3fsBKgFjBU/s1600/Car-and-driver-magazine-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="465" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmblNmXYo1wvlAoWvc6nU8X8iNaThqTHg5X8HxS9ZY2DxnI0GXgPU0irLKAyb1Ihcy8hDhRH44KRM2H2X55GpDvXUhIizdlLw5bVodSOkcqcseXqL990b_W79UZ5nyU3UJR3fsBKgFjBU/s400/Car-and-driver-magazine-cover.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People like to have their opinions validated. If a car enthusiast buys a Porsche, or BMW, or Audi, he'll likely join their brand's car club, too. He wants to hear others of like mind tell him how cool his car is and how smart he was to buy it. If they see a magazine on the newsstand that implies their favorite car smoked the competition, he'll buy it. If it says his car got creamed in a comparison test, he won't.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The same holds for politics. A supporter of Elizabeth Warren or some other Progressive will probably choose to watch MSNBC and read the Huff Post. Their go-to validator will be someone like Rachael Maddow. Liberals can do no wrong; conservatives can do no right. They're told what they want to hear, and they like it that way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ultra-conservatives work the same way. They only want to hear and read things about Donald Trump that validate what they already believe. They watch FOX News and listen to Rush Limbaugh. They're told what they want to hear, they're patted on the back and made to feel all warm and fuzzy, and they like it that way.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So why were there raised eyebrows when it came out that Sean Hannity is also a client of President Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen? Hannity is a shill for Donald Trump. That's a fact. Did anyone <i>really</i> expect him to seek out Whuppie Goldberg's lawyer?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So why was there a "courtroom gasp" when Hannity's name came out yesterday? His faithful radical conservatives still love him, probably more than ever, and those liberals who believe him to be the devil incarnate will just dig in their heels deeper, too. This is just the Fact-Free World we live in today.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of all this political bickering, I propose that from now on we only talk about who has the best football team. That should be something we can all agree on, right? *wink*</span></span><br />
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<br />Lowandslowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08608734222483888884noreply@blogger.com7