We visited the Village Craftsman, a small Amish owned furniture store, where several brothers build and sell their handy work. I have visited it numerous times, and spent quite a bit of time engaged in conversation on various topics.
No TVs, computers, blackberry's and such for them, yet they are up to date on the latest local, national and international news. They seemed better informed and more knowledgeable then most who are armed with the latest in technology.
It was a pleasure to converse with someone whose ideas and opinions are guided by common sense. No need for gray areas or loop holes. Just say what you mean and mean what you say. They don't dig in their heels to defend their position, but rather welcome a differing opinion to guide them in making a decision.
So who is better off; we who are bombarded with bullshit from every electronic gadget under the sun, or these people who take their bullshit and fertilize their fields?
Friday, August 31, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
HEY STUPID,IT'S TELEVISION
Here is a news flash for all of the executives at CNN, MSNBC, and FOX news. If I wanted to read the news, I would part with fifty cents, and get my cardio workout in at the same time and go purchase a newspaper at the gas station on the corner.
I didn't turn on your station to read the scroll at the bottom of the screen; those cute bobble head dolls are supposed to do it for me. So don't repeat the same four or five stories every fifteen minutes. Do something brash, and report something besides Vick, Britney and the Utah mine disaster.
Don't you think that Michael Vick and all of those U.S. Marshall's are totally exhausted from going in and out of the court building for the hundred thousandth time; so change those standard videos once in a while.
What is with rounding up the Usual Suspects, to comment on the stories. I know what they are going to say, before they say it, as they spiel the same lines over and over. Try someone with an original idea, that would be so refreshing.
Last but not least, your a news station, not Entertainment Tonight. So stick with serious news stories that concern and inform me. There are enough stations for the brain dead to be entertained 24/7, so leave that fluff to them.
I didn't turn on your station to read the scroll at the bottom of the screen; those cute bobble head dolls are supposed to do it for me. So don't repeat the same four or five stories every fifteen minutes. Do something brash, and report something besides Vick, Britney and the Utah mine disaster.
Don't you think that Michael Vick and all of those U.S. Marshall's are totally exhausted from going in and out of the court building for the hundred thousandth time; so change those standard videos once in a while.
What is with rounding up the Usual Suspects, to comment on the stories. I know what they are going to say, before they say it, as they spiel the same lines over and over. Try someone with an original idea, that would be so refreshing.
Last but not least, your a news station, not Entertainment Tonight. So stick with serious news stories that concern and inform me. There are enough stations for the brain dead to be entertained 24/7, so leave that fluff to them.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
I DON'T BELIEVE IT
During this whole Michael Vick fiasco, I cannot believe how many times the term "he is such a gifted athlete" has been used to excuse his actions. How dare they do this to him.
If your a gifted athlete, your allowed to do anything you want. I was going to exclude murder, but it seems that falls in the realm also.
After hearing some of the comments of how he is being persecuted by the media and the public, I am surprised the pope hasn't canonized him for Sainthood yet.
After reading commentaries from the hungry hero worshiping sports fans, Vick would have been smarter to face a jury of his peers. I firmly believe this jury would have found the prosecuters guilty of picking on this "gifted athlete", and sent them off to prison instead.
If your a gifted athlete, your allowed to do anything you want. I was going to exclude murder, but it seems that falls in the realm also.
After hearing some of the comments of how he is being persecuted by the media and the public, I am surprised the pope hasn't canonized him for Sainthood yet.
After reading commentaries from the hungry hero worshiping sports fans, Vick would have been smarter to face a jury of his peers. I firmly believe this jury would have found the prosecuters guilty of picking on this "gifted athlete", and sent them off to prison instead.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
LOOP HOLES
Must every law that we pass in this country have a million loop holes. A story regarding trans fat in our food products, showed what a sham our laws are.
As long as there is less then half a gram of fat per serving, the product can be labeled as "zero grams trans fat". But was is a SERVING? One would assume a cookie as a serving; but it seems some of them are three servings or more per cookie. So we are misled to believe that we are not gorging ourselves with artery-clogging fats, when in fact we are.
As of late the consumer is left out on a limb, wondering what and whom to believe.
As long as there is less then half a gram of fat per serving, the product can be labeled as "zero grams trans fat". But was is a SERVING? One would assume a cookie as a serving; but it seems some of them are three servings or more per cookie. So we are misled to believe that we are not gorging ourselves with artery-clogging fats, when in fact we are.
As of late the consumer is left out on a limb, wondering what and whom to believe.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
Recalling toys and bad publicity; so how much money did Mattel save by shipping there operations to China, instead of paying a living wage here?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
SHORT SIGHTED
How did we become a nation that is so short sighted? Instant gratification must come right now, and worry of the consequences is put off till much later.
Electronic gadgets must be purchased instantly upon their entry on stage. Heaven forbid you're not the first one on the block to own it. These toys aren't cheap and eventually must be paid for.
American auto makers, have no contingency plan for after the truck and SUV craze dries up, and there is no longer a market for them. As long as the last quarter was profitable, we will worry about the next one later. You would think after a hundred years in the business and having gone through such periods, they would have learned a lesson. Then they wonder why foreign auto makers are surpassing them!
It was such a fun idea for the invasion of Iraq. We got to "shock and awe" with all our bells and whistles as the skies lit up like the fourth of July. Did anyone think of what would happen next? We got to show them how tough we were at the time. Now we get to show them what a bunch of blundering idiots we are, with one misstep after another.
And now the mortgage fiasco. Let's throw money at everyone whether they can afford it or not then bundle up these loans and sell them off to someone else. Didn't we think someone was going to get bit in the ass eventually. Now it seems as a couple of the major players in the game are crying the blues at having to hold on to these money losing propositions. Now they too have to suffer with the others who were blinded by the short lived high rate of return.
Our elected officials are spending like there is no tomorrow. In some states they are selling tomorrow's money making assets to private corporations in order to pay for today. What will they sell in the future? Or will there ever even be a future we don't plan on saving it.
Trade agreements are made that sound good at the time and then come back to haunt us later. For example the case of China threatening us with bankruptcy if we should question or cease imports from them; whether they are safe or not.
And what will happen when all the credit card companies come crashing down from the weight of all that debt? How long can this pyramid scheme continue to function without collapsing?
Let's throw people out of work so that today's quarterly profits can be high and ship the jobs overseas. What happens when all of these out of work people can no longer afford to purchase these products?
La Sirena laments that many things that ail us has to do with air conditioning. She may be right. It seems the brains have been frozen and are not functioning properly.
Electronic gadgets must be purchased instantly upon their entry on stage. Heaven forbid you're not the first one on the block to own it. These toys aren't cheap and eventually must be paid for.
American auto makers, have no contingency plan for after the truck and SUV craze dries up, and there is no longer a market for them. As long as the last quarter was profitable, we will worry about the next one later. You would think after a hundred years in the business and having gone through such periods, they would have learned a lesson. Then they wonder why foreign auto makers are surpassing them!
It was such a fun idea for the invasion of Iraq. We got to "shock and awe" with all our bells and whistles as the skies lit up like the fourth of July. Did anyone think of what would happen next? We got to show them how tough we were at the time. Now we get to show them what a bunch of blundering idiots we are, with one misstep after another.
And now the mortgage fiasco. Let's throw money at everyone whether they can afford it or not then bundle up these loans and sell them off to someone else. Didn't we think someone was going to get bit in the ass eventually. Now it seems as a couple of the major players in the game are crying the blues at having to hold on to these money losing propositions. Now they too have to suffer with the others who were blinded by the short lived high rate of return.
Our elected officials are spending like there is no tomorrow. In some states they are selling tomorrow's money making assets to private corporations in order to pay for today. What will they sell in the future? Or will there ever even be a future we don't plan on saving it.
Trade agreements are made that sound good at the time and then come back to haunt us later. For example the case of China threatening us with bankruptcy if we should question or cease imports from them; whether they are safe or not.
And what will happen when all the credit card companies come crashing down from the weight of all that debt? How long can this pyramid scheme continue to function without collapsing?
Let's throw people out of work so that today's quarterly profits can be high and ship the jobs overseas. What happens when all of these out of work people can no longer afford to purchase these products?
La Sirena laments that many things that ail us has to do with air conditioning. She may be right. It seems the brains have been frozen and are not functioning properly.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
TO MANY EXPERTS
Instead of simplifying our lives, all that these experts have done is make it more complicated. Name any subject and there are hundreds of consultants with hundreds of opinions how to solve the problem.
For a fee they will solve any problem that we have. They tell us how to raise our kids, solve our marital and financial problems. Everyone scurries to meet the expectations that they have set forward. Heaven forbid someone doesn't fall within the guidelines. Suddenly they are in need of counselling or medication. All it does is enhance the financial portfolios of these consultants.
Why can't common sense rule in solving our problems. I always look back and think of my father whenever facing a dilemma.
How quickly he would come to solving problems that he faced. A neighbor's dog would come to our fence and tear up the grass my father worked so hard to grow in between two buildings, as the dog barked at ours and scampered about, ripping up the newly seeded area. My dad laid down some chicken wire over the seeded area, and after watering the area, electrified the wire. What a surprise the dog got when he stepped on the wire, never to return again. It gave the dog a reminder, without hurting it.
Another problem was solved when we worked together at a construction site and were faced with the theft of all the hardware for the doors. They were stored in a closet and someone would break and steal them. Dad purchased a gallon of liquid tar and poured some gravel into it. He then set it up above the door of the closet. The next morning as we came to work we saw a trail of droplets on the sidewalk. Going to the closet we saw that the thief received the full brunt of the tar over his head and body.
There was no need to call the police or put up an elaborate security system. An annoying problem was simply solved. Needless to say we never encountered any more thefts.
So remember don't compound a problem by worrying about it. Just sit back, relax and think it over. With a clear head, examine it and find out how easily it can be solved. Find out for yourself. It has always worked for me.
For a fee they will solve any problem that we have. They tell us how to raise our kids, solve our marital and financial problems. Everyone scurries to meet the expectations that they have set forward. Heaven forbid someone doesn't fall within the guidelines. Suddenly they are in need of counselling or medication. All it does is enhance the financial portfolios of these consultants.
Why can't common sense rule in solving our problems. I always look back and think of my father whenever facing a dilemma.
How quickly he would come to solving problems that he faced. A neighbor's dog would come to our fence and tear up the grass my father worked so hard to grow in between two buildings, as the dog barked at ours and scampered about, ripping up the newly seeded area. My dad laid down some chicken wire over the seeded area, and after watering the area, electrified the wire. What a surprise the dog got when he stepped on the wire, never to return again. It gave the dog a reminder, without hurting it.
Another problem was solved when we worked together at a construction site and were faced with the theft of all the hardware for the doors. They were stored in a closet and someone would break and steal them. Dad purchased a gallon of liquid tar and poured some gravel into it. He then set it up above the door of the closet. The next morning as we came to work we saw a trail of droplets on the sidewalk. Going to the closet we saw that the thief received the full brunt of the tar over his head and body.
There was no need to call the police or put up an elaborate security system. An annoying problem was simply solved. Needless to say we never encountered any more thefts.
So remember don't compound a problem by worrying about it. Just sit back, relax and think it over. With a clear head, examine it and find out how easily it can be solved. Find out for yourself. It has always worked for me.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A BUG UP MY A-- II
Where is a nation headed, when at one time in its history, we used to welcome parents and grand parents into our homes in their old age? We took care of them,and they helped in household chores and care of younger children.
Now we punish them, and ship them off , so that their remaining days can serve corporate America as greeters at the big box stores dotting our country. My God, I hope this isn't waiting around the corner for me.
Now we punish them, and ship them off , so that their remaining days can serve corporate America as greeters at the big box stores dotting our country. My God, I hope this isn't waiting around the corner for me.
Monday, August 6, 2007
A BUG UP MY A--
They should be getting paid a whole lot more, and not made to wear those silly blue vests; if they are going to be called associates.
I don't see them rowing a boat, so why are they referred to as crew members.
None of them are dribbling, kicking or swatting at a ball, so they can't be team players.
Most of them are adults who are forced to work these minimum wage jobs for the lack of something better. So don't degrade them any more then you have already, and refer to them in a pure and simple way, as employees.
I don't see them rowing a boat, so why are they referred to as crew members.
None of them are dribbling, kicking or swatting at a ball, so they can't be team players.
Most of them are adults who are forced to work these minimum wage jobs for the lack of something better. So don't degrade them any more then you have already, and refer to them in a pure and simple way, as employees.
STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
What would happen, if everyone in this country, was as well informed about politics and politicians; as they are about movie and sports celebrities?
Sunday, August 5, 2007
THE WAR ON TERROR
When will the phrase "the war on terror" finally be put to rest. Anyone with an ounce of a brain will realize there is no such animal.
No matter how sophisticated or well armed a military is, they are no match for a rag tag collection of believers, with stone-age armaments. A look at history, including the United States, reveals that some of the greatest armies were either defeated or held to a stalemate by these dedicated forces.
If this war continues, the nation will go bankrupt, and the terrorist will not only have defeated an army, but a whole nation will crumble.
Isn't a soldier's life just as great a loss as one in the twin towers? Oh I forgot; they volunteered. I think it was to fight, not to die. So people are still dying at the hands of terrorists, but it doesn't count, since it is over there.
Has anyone considered that more lives are lost in this country each year to homicides, then to any terrorist actions? More teens die in stupid speed related accidents. On a daily basis lives are lost on cities' streets to hit & run drivers; yet no war is declared to fight this senseless loss of life.
But the worst loss of all, are the real freedoms we are so willing to give up for this false perception of safety.
So lets take all of these billions of dollars that some over grown children are using to play war games, and put them to good use in rebuilding this country. Who knows, there might even be some left over to help other nations that aren't as blessed as ours.
No matter how sophisticated or well armed a military is, they are no match for a rag tag collection of believers, with stone-age armaments. A look at history, including the United States, reveals that some of the greatest armies were either defeated or held to a stalemate by these dedicated forces.
If this war continues, the nation will go bankrupt, and the terrorist will not only have defeated an army, but a whole nation will crumble.
Isn't a soldier's life just as great a loss as one in the twin towers? Oh I forgot; they volunteered. I think it was to fight, not to die. So people are still dying at the hands of terrorists, but it doesn't count, since it is over there.
Has anyone considered that more lives are lost in this country each year to homicides, then to any terrorist actions? More teens die in stupid speed related accidents. On a daily basis lives are lost on cities' streets to hit & run drivers; yet no war is declared to fight this senseless loss of life.
But the worst loss of all, are the real freedoms we are so willing to give up for this false perception of safety.
So lets take all of these billions of dollars that some over grown children are using to play war games, and put them to good use in rebuilding this country. Who knows, there might even be some left over to help other nations that aren't as blessed as ours.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
STUPID QUESTION OF THE DAY
Why do we have millions of dollars for bridges that are not wanted or needed, and nothing for one that serves hundreds of thousands daily?
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