Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."-- Thomas Jefferson

"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." .... jbd

"When once a job you have begun, do no stop till it is done. Whether the task be great or small, do it well, or not at all." .... Anon

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein

Television is one daylong commercial interrupted periodically by inept attempts to fill the airspace in between them.

If you can't start a fire, perhaps your wood is wet ....

When you elect clowns, expect a circus ..............




Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Cruise Opportunity

I found a Somali cruise package that departs from Sawakin (in the Sudan)and docks at Bagamoya (in Tanzania).
The cost is a bit high @ $800 per person per day double occupancy but I didn't find that offensive.
What I found enticing is that the cruise company is encouraging people to bring their 'High powered weapons'along on the cruise. If you don't have weapons you can rent them right here on the boat.
They claim to have a master gunsmith on board and will have reloading parties every afternoon. The cruise lasts from 4-8 days and nights and costs a maximum of $3200 per person double occupancy (for 4 days).
All the boat does is sail up and down the coast of Somalia waiting to get hijacked by pirates.
Here are some of the costs and claims associated with the package.
$800.00 US/per day double occupancy (4 day max billing)
M-16 full auto rental $25.00/day ammo at 100 rounds of 5.56 armorpiercing ammo at 15.95 AK-47 rifle @ No charge. ammo at 100 rounds of 7.62 com block ball ammoat 14.95 Barrett M-107 .50 cal sniper rifle rental $55.00/day ammo at 25 rounds50 cal armor piercing at 9.95
Crew members can double as spotters for 30.00 per hour (spotting scope included).
They even offer RPG's at 75 bucks and 200 dollars for 3 standard loads
"Everyone gets use of free complimentary night vision equipment and coffee and snacks on the top deck from 7pm-6am."
Meals are not included but seem reasonable.
Most cruises offer a mini-bar ... these gung ho entrepreneurs offer......... get this..... "MOUNTED MINIGUN AVAILABLE @ $450.00 per 30 seconds of sustained fire" They advertise group rates and corporate discounts......and even claim"FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY"
They even offer a partial money back if not satisfied....here's some text from the ad.
"We guarantee that you will experience at least two hijacking attempts by pirates or we will refund back half your money including gun rental charges and any unused ammo (mini gun charges not included).
How can we guarantee you will experience a hijacking ?
We operate at 5 knots within 12 miles of the coast of Somalia.
If an attempted Hijacking does not occur we will turn the boat around and cruise by at 4knots. We will repeat this for up to 8 days making three passes a day along the entire length of Somalia. At night the boat is fully lit and bottle rockets are shot off at intervals and loud disco music beamed shore side to attract attention.
Cabin space is limited so respond quickly.
Reserve your package before Feb 29 and get 100 rounds of free tracer ammo in the caliber of your choice."
As if all that isn't enough to whet your appetite, there were a few testimonials

"I got three confirmed kills on my last trip. I'LL never hunt big game in Africa again.

I felt like the Komandant in Schindler's list!" --- Lars, Hamburg Germany

"Six attacks in 4 days was more than I expected. I bagged three pirates and my 12 yr. old son sank two rowboats with the minigun.

PIRATES 0-PASSENGERS-32! Well worth the trip. Just make sure your spotterspeaks English" --- Ned, Salt Lake city, Utah USA

"I haven't had this much fun since flying choppers in NAM. Don't worry about getting shot by pirates as they never even got close to the ship with those weapons they use and their bad aim--reminds me of a drunken 'juicer' door gunner we picked up from the motor pool back inNam" --- "chopper" Dan, Toledo USA.

"Like ducks in a barrel. They turned the ship around and we saw them bleed and cry in the water like little girls. Saw one wounded pirate eaten by sharks--what a laugh riot!! This is a must do.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Where are those calls, when you want them ....

I am sitting here, phone in hand, waiting for an 800 call ...

I love to get those ................

Had one a while ago ..........

Taking a survey of older citizens .... (I am one) .... about my insurance coverage and would I be interested in a supplement ............

"Aren't I covered by being in the witness protection program?"

"Ah, not sure about that."

"I was under the impression we were covered by the Federal Coverage Act of 1962."

"Ah, let me get back with you ............... click."

I love those ...................

800 calls

Neat ............
I just had a call from someone who wanted to discuss my car warranty.
So I talked with them.
I told them I had a 1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk.
They seemed surprised that I still had a waranty.
They were even more surprised when I told them I was in a witness protection program in New Mexico, and that the car had apparently been acquired in a drug raid in Lusk, Wyoming.
They seemed like they didn't know where to go.
Gosh, that was fun ................
They finally hung up .............
Now, my warranty will lapse ..... I loved that car, had it in 1959.
Love some of those calls ........ thanks, Gin and Tonic ....
ALBANY, N.Y. – Michael Vick has a place on a minor league football team if he can get reinstated by the NFL.
The Albany Firebirds, an arenafootball2 franchise, have offered the 28-year-old quarterback a one-year contract at the league standard: $200 a week plus a $50 bonus for a win.
Vick quarterbacked the Atlanta Falcons for six seasons before being convicted of bankrolling an interstate dog fighting business.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has not said if he will lift Vick's suspension after he completes a 23-month prison sentence. Vick goes from federal prison to home confinement next month.
The Firebirds' contract offer requires that Vick donate $100,000 to a local humane society.

I believe in live and let live ....... but Vick has stepped over the bounds.

NO ONE, should him become involved in ANY sport, anywhere at anytime. What he did and was involved in, is INEXCUSEABLE.

He was given the OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME .....

AND HE BLEW IT ................. BIGTIME

TO ME, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HIM IN ANY ORGANIZED SPORT VENUE

NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT HE DID .......................

PERIOD.....................

HOW STUPID WAS THAT?

Beyond my comprehension that ANYONE, would simulate 9/11 ............. and for it to be ONE of his fleet of airplanes ............... the president ................. is even more astounding.

He admits is was a MISTAKE.

I think it goes beyond a mistake.

It was more of a travesty.

Wonder how many other "mistakes" have been made!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Joe Conforte

In reply to an email last week, yes, I did know Joe Conforte some, through dealing to him and seeing him around town on some of his "marketing" jaunts.
He would pull up in front of the club, cordovan colored Lincoln convertible, cashmere topcoat, cigar and a large bankroll. At the Primm, we always kept his favorite cigar and liquor on the back bar, just for when he came it. He spread money around.
He presented the image, perfectly, of who he was, and what he did.
He was a back line player, jumped in and out, and he was tough to beat. He was a promoter and knew how to play and work the system, and stay one step ahead of the law.
The old Triangle Ranch, trailers, land in three counties. When one would get too hot, he would move the operation to another county. He drove the DA, Bill Raggio to distraction. Raggio finally went in one night, without proper authority, burned the place to the ground. I think he eventually went in too politics.
Apparently, Joe did everything proper. Every night, receipts, money taken in, all the proper paperwork, all on the up and up. But then, at the end of the night, he would burn them all.
When he was sent to prison in Carson City, tax evasion or something, he was immediately taken to the Blair House in Virginia City and put on a work party.
Then, in prison, in Carson City, he was involved in the casino, where he bankrolled a few games. Of course, gambling is legal in Nevada, so it was OJT for some of the inmates. But they forgot, felony conviction and you can't work in a casino.
It was always reported to be the most honest game in the state, if you got thrown out of there, you had no place else to go.
One issue of true magazine, there is Joe, cigar, alligator shoes, red alpaca knit sweater, shooting craps. But we know that was for the picture, he wouldn't shoot craps on his own table. He was also on the cover of Rolling Stones.
He did well for a cab driver from San Francisco, made millions, owned his own town in Nevada, had friends in HIGH places, owned many a politician, spread his money around. He now lives in Brazil, and our government won't let him come back for a visit.
Oprah did one of her shows at the Mustang Ranch one day, and it was so popular that they stayed and did an additional day.
They all loved Joe. I remember one mother they interviewed, loved Joe, credited him with saving her daughters life. "If Joe had not turned her in to a prostitute, I don't know where she would be today." That's the truth, she said it.
Joe got "first count," and the casinos get "first count." Joe got caught, so the IRS got him.
In a casino, you lose your money, and get nothing ...... at Joe's, you get something in return for your money.
I must admit, I liked Joe Conforte, had cofffee with him a couple of times when I was on a break, and I knew his bodyguard a bit.
They should let him come back for a visit, he probably has a few million buried somewhere, they should let him dig it up.

What a difference a song makes .....

The start of the makeover ......

Amazing part, she's been singing most of her life and no one heard her.

Donny Osmond wants her to appear in Vegas with him.

He wants to sing to her ....... and then ....... her to him. I wonder if she is a Mormon.

Anything to rekindle the Osmond family name ............

Marie does dolls and Donny does ............... well, whatever ....

More Susan Boyle

Where was she all her life? I find it hard to believe that no one noticed that she could sing well. Unless she was only singing in her shower, someone, somewhere had to hear her and realize she had a tremendous voice.

With all of the opportunists in the world I just cannot see how she was not "discovered" before.

Maybe she has a friend that is a ventriloquist, with a good voice, and she is just mouthing the song.

And, who decided the "never been kissed" thing?

I can't imagine her doing it.

I think there is a lot more to her story than we have heard.

What Should We Do

I would rather hear our President say, "We will do whatever it takes to stop terrorism."

NOT let them know what we will or won't do. We don't need to advertise that we "water board," or do this or that, just let them know that "WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PUT A STOP TO IT." Then, let them worry about it.

Years ago, in Reno, in the casinos, before security cameras, the "eye in the sky" was always there. One way mirrors all over the ceilings. Someone was not always up there ............. but .............. YOU didn't know, so it stopped many from doing any cheating. The threat of being caught was always there.

NOT KNOWING is a great deterrent. Not knowing what they will do if they catch you, is a deterrent. But, if we let them know we don't do this or that, we sit you in a chair and ask questions ...... wow, how bad can it be.

Alfred Hitchcock said, "There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it."

Crossroaders

Got an email over the weekend, he wanted to know if I had heard the term "crossroaders."
YES, a term we used to use in Nevada, not sure if it is still in use.
It referred to those who devoted all their time and energy to "stealing" from a casino. Some of the cleverest and most intelligent people I have ever met and known, were crossroaders.
The term originated in the old days, when the towns in Nevada were small, an "arrangement" of some kind was made to take money from a casino, and after the "hit" they would meet out of town, at the "crossroads." Thus the term.
Casinos have money, money for the taking, and if you develop a move or a system, or whatever, and can take the money without getting caught, it is there for the taking.
I knew people in Nevada who devoted hours a day to practicing some move, "mucking" cards, short stacking, adding to a stack, a shot on a craptable, marking cards, daubing .... and I mean days and weeks of practicing till their move was perfected.
I was promoted to a "boxman" on a craptable, and was offered an opportunity to "travel the road" a bit, in order to learn how to protect my table.
So, I got to know a lot of them, got to know a few rather well, they were a rare and interesting breed.
I learned early on, when dealing a game, never be overheard saying, "Oh, I love that suit."
In a short while, a person, a hanger, and that or a similar suit would appear, at a greatly reduced price. I know, I built up my wardrobe that way. Even got two pair of alligator shoes that way. Shirts and underwear you had to purchase.
I have watched old Wesley West, carry a book of matches, concealed in his hand, have one laying on the bed or a table, pick it up, and drop the concealed book in exactly the same spot, completely undetected.
There was not the surveillance in those days there is today.
I knew some brothers, from San Jose, California, had their own airplane. They would get something lined up, fly in to Vegas, extract their money, score, or whatever term you like, and they fly back to California. They lived well, nice homes, and basically that was all they did.
One of the old timers, and the first one to "take advantage" of me when I was a "dealer trainee," lived in Reno, by the golf course, rented house, leased car, nothing in his name, and was an expert at whatever he did. He had been a crossroader all his life.
They used to have weekend golf tournaments in Reno, he never won on the weekend. But a few of the money players would stay over a day or two, get a little "action," and they his game improved. He was a great golfer, but no one knew that, except those he beat.
I went with him one time to pick up a new golf cart, his old one had worn out. We spent an hour beating it up to look like his old one.
He drove an older car, kinda beat up, but it had new "everything" on and in it. He never looked like he had any money. Even wore bib overalls at times. No pretense.
He was good. Took me a long time to learn not to "flip for coffee" with him. He would let me call it, I never won.
He finally told me how he did it. When he flipped the silver dollar, it was always the same number of revolutions, if he caught it here, it was tails, up here, heads.
Pool, he was an expert, he could not even hold a cue right, until the money was right.
We went bowling one night, he limped out of his house, limped in to the bowling alley, in practice he was awful, I had a real pigeon here.
Until money entered the scene. Then it all came back to him. He never kept or knew his average, same in golf, no handicap, he just could bring it on, when the money was on the line, and he didn't want anyone to see how good he was, till it was too late.
They had a pro golf tournament one weekend in Reno, years ago, mostly West coast pros and club pros. Quite a few of them stayed over a day or two, as they often did. Got some heavy betting going on. He won more, on monday, than the tournament winner got on Sunday.

Something Is Wrong

I was watching TV this morning while drinking coffee.
THE NEWS
Terrorists, bombs, death, torture, abduction, tornadoes, global warming, pirates, hostage situations, murder, water boarding, massive layoffs at GM, and other places, swine flu ..... and more
then.................
CELEBRITY DIGS
A show about opulent living, multi million dollar house, pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, a billion dollar car collection, a bedroom bigger than our apartment.
DEATH IN NIGERIA
A story about children starving, one little ten year old orphan, taking care of his three younger orphan brothers, feeding them, and not himself, living in a little hut, no future at all...............
I LOVE LUCY
Nuff said...............
NFL DRAFT RESULTS
Many young men, who can play football, getting million dollar contracts, for playing football ............... so they can go on ............... CELEBRITY DIGS
The WORLD is not right, something is wrong, somewhere.

To Torture or Not To Torture ...... that is the question

I am opposed to torturing terrorists and political prisoners.

I am opposed to terrorists killing Americans, or anyone for that matter.

Where is the middle of the road?

When I think of torture, I think of Hitler, Koreans, Vietnamese, dungeons and that sort of thing. You can get no information, from a dead person. So what can be done to get someone to disclose information?

After 9/11, terrorists were at the top of the list of most wanted. Was more planned, what are you planning, when, where, how, so many questions.

In torturing, did we find out any valuable information?

There have been no more attacks on our soil. There are, however, attacks going on all over the world. Did we reveal some conspiracies through this "torture."

Something has worked, it seems.

Or, has it just become a political issue?

A lot of smoke for the politicians to blow!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Susan and her lies .... they weren't necessary

I must admit a great deal of the lustre was removed from the Susan Boyle story. Make me wonder how much else was made up.

From her appearance, I might have guessed she had never been kissed. I don't know why they felt that was necessary. Her voice was the thing, not the other BS.

Now, to me, she is just another voice, coming out of a pile of lies.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Great Idea

One guy wrote and told me, that he got the jump on the raisin/gin thing ....

He eats nine raisins, and then drinks gin .....

He said it must be working, he doesn't feel the hurt like he used to ....

Friday, April 24, 2009

Apple Computer announced today that it has developed a computer chip that can store and play high fidelity music in women's breast implants. The iTit will cost between $499.00 and $699.00 depending on speaker size.

This is considered to be a major breakthrough because women have always complained about men staring at their breasts and not listening to them.

They are working on a stereo version ..................

REEEEEALLLLLLLY GOOD.................

If this doesn't send chills up your spine .......

BEtter call a Doctor .............

Cause, somethin is wrong ...................

LET FREEDOM RING
TAKE A BREAK................

RELAX .....................

ENJOY THIS ..................

DAVID PHELPS WITH THE GVB

EVEN MORE

MORE INFO ON THE RAISIN AND GIN PROGRAM

Raisin follow up ....

Although there are several versions and variations of the gin-soaked raisin remedy, the general recipe seems to go something like this:

take a box of golden raisins. (note: they must be the golden variety, sometimes called white raisins, not ordinary black raisins).

place the raisins in a shallow container.

cover the raisins with gin.

let the raisins soak in the gin for a few weeks until the gin evaporates.
you then eat nine of these drunken raisins a day to help your arthritis. (note: nine a day is the number you see most often, but you'll find many variations of the number).

HAD NOT HEARD THIS BEFORE .......

A new one I had not heard of .............

Soak WHITE RAISINS in GIN ........... eat the raisins ............

HELPS ARTHRITIS .............

I'm giving it a try ............

INTERESTING

George A. Hormel founded the Hormel Company in Austin, Minnesota in 1891, it is now one of the leading pork processors in the U.S. Hormel sold its first canned ham in 1926, and in 1937, Hormel invented SPAM, a ground pork-shoulder and ham product that was destined to become the world's largest selling canned meat. It was created to make use of surplus pork shoulder, mixing it with ham, salt, sugar and sodium nitrite.During WW II, Hormel sold more than half of its output to the U.S. government, which supplied SPAM to the armed forces of the U.S. and also to the U.S.S.R. under the lend-lease program.

Sylvester Graham (July 5, 1794 - Sept. 11, 1851)Inventor of Graham flour, bread and crackers (1829). Graham was an American Presbyterian minister who mainly preached nutrition and wanted to reform the eating habits of America and the world. He advocated vegetarianism and the use of only coarse, whole grain flour. He railed against meat, potatoes, tobacco and alcohol, coffee and tea, chocolate and pastries. He was hated and sometimes attacked by butchers and bakers, liquor and tobacco companies. He wanted Americans to eat fruits and vegetables; stop wearing corsets; sleep on hard beds, take cold baths daily, and weekly warm baths; and above all eat bread made with only whole grain, unrefined wheat flour. According to Larousse Gastronomique (1984) Graham bread was the first internationally consumed bread. Many of his ideas on diet have been proven correct and widely accepted.

Richard Hellmann (Early 20th century)Richard Hellmann was a deli owner in New York City in the early years of the 20th century. He made his salads and sandwiches with his wife Nina's mayonnaise. It was so popular, that he began selling it by the scoop, and then in bulk to other stores. In 1912 he built a factory for producing it in jars, and it was an immediate success. His Blue Ribbon mayonnaise in jars contributed greatly to the surge in popularity of cole slaw as a side dish.

Maurice and Richard McDonald (20th century)The brothers who founded McDonald's restaurant. Richard also designed the golden arches logo. They opened the first McDonald's in 1948 in San Bernadino, California, and in 1954 signed a franchise agreement with Ray Kroc. Kroc bought the McDonald brothers out in 1961 for $2.7 million. The chain had more than 100 restaurants at that time.Ray Kroc (October 5, 1902 - January 14, 1984)Before setting up the a fast-food restaurant chain, Ray Kroc was a high school dropout, ambulance driver, jazz pianist, Florida real-estate salesman, radio station manager, and paper cup salesman. In 1954 he was a distributor for a line of blenders which could mix 5 milk shakes at the same time. One of his customers was a restaurant in San Bernardino, California owned by Maurice and Richard McDonald. Kroc set up a chain of drive-in restaurants based on the McDonald brothers model of assembly line preparation for high volume food sales. He opened his first restaurant on April 15, 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois. By 1961 he had 228 restaurants and he bought out the McDonald brothers. When he died in 1984 there were over 7,500 McDonald's restaurants.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Academy for Children

I designed this logo for a NP in New Jersey.

They are doing some great work, not sure if it is one of the links on this page, if not, will be there soon.

They are listed under Academy for Children.

Joseph Bradford Dooley, II

For those who asked, Brad Dooley, my youngest son, lives and New York and is with Whole Foods at their White Plains store.

He was a Chef for a number of years. We worked together when we had Shamrock Printing after he got out of the Navy.
This goes way back. I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, and this is an old view looking south across the Miami River. The large building in the background is Steele High School, where by brother went to school. I think the red building closer was a fire station. Behind the school is downtown Dayton. I think the bridge still stands. Steele closed its school doors in the 40's and became the Board of Education building. Not sure if it is still there or not.

I returned to Dayton in late '56, was there for a year or so, and then returned to Nevada. I don't recognize Dayton today, has really grown.

Nevada Club, circa the early 50's

For those who asked.

This is the way the Nevada Club looked back in the 50's. I was not working here then, but I recognize a few people I worked with.

Lower right, pink sweater, is Bettye Johnson, one of the dealers who trained me. It looks like the gals are wearing western slacks, and that was pre-1957.

Around that time, Fitz was in the cage one day with his wife, Meta, who was wearing the western slacks. She leaned over to pick something up, and from that day on, the gals wore skirts and a white blouse.

I recognize Jimmy Jones and I think, Eddie Beatty.

Those slots are worth a lot of money today, and are collectors items.

Poor Caleb

My wife, it was her idea, made me ache to think of it, had Caleb FIXED. He was taken to the vet as a happy, normal dog, and came home as a lampshade. Has to wear it for ten days. He can't lick certain parts of his anatomy anymore.

He has taken it pretty well, being called, "The Lampshade," not sure how the "removal" is going to affect his personality though.

Bob Barker, all those years, "Have your dog or cat, spayed or neutered," I think is what drove her to it. Now Drew Carey has taken up the same battle cry. Neither of them was ever "neutered," that I know of.

Will keep you posted on the progress of our "Lampshade."

My first Celeb as a Dealer

I turned out as a crap dealer at the Nevada Club in 1956. The training period was intensive, much to learn, trained by other dealers, and after my 8 hour shift I was exhausted.
There are so many bets to learn, shortcuts to paying off, in those days, learning how to work with the silver dollars, that's right we used silver dollars in those day. Handling the silver was an art in itself. A hand full of about 25 dollars, using the index finger to "cut" off the right amount, silver in both hands, it took a lot of practice.
I trained for a few weeks with other dealers, learning, then eventually working with customers, and real money.
You not only learn to deal, but you learn to protect your table, everyone at the table is trying to take advantage of you, increase a bet, decrease it on a loser, distract you so they can do "something."
One of the first things I learned, and the most important, pay attention, learn each bet, where each stack is, on your end of the table, the size of the stack, and watch each bet.
As well as pay the right amount, don't drop the silver, there was a lot to learn.
I went in to work one weekday evening, 3 in the morning. We did all our training on the graveyard shift, 3am to 11pm. There weren't too many customers in the club, so Mark, my floor boss, had me relieve a dealer who was alone on a table.
I was standing behind the table, white on white french cuff shirt, gold cuff links, expensive tie, part of the dealers uniform, when I heard a very familiar voice, "Give me those dice, fella."
My first celebrity, Jimmy Durante.
He was playing the Riverside Hotel and had finished his last show and was doing some clubbing.
I gave the dice to him, he made his bet, threw them, not sure of how the game went, but for about fifteen minutes, it was just he and I at the table, bantering back and forth a little.
My first celeb, first of many during my years in Nevada .......... the good old days.
You didn't do too much kidding, or talking, money is money, the customer, regardless of who it is, wants to win money, so each customer, whether a celeb or not ... you just did your job.
But, I will never forget my first celebrity.
As I type this, close at hand, a pair of Nevada Club Dice, and two $20 Chesterfield Club checks. The checks date back to the 30's, used in Detroit in the "roaring" days, and then taken by Lincoln Fitzgerald to Reno, when he moved there and opened the Nevada Club.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Can't compete with the below craft. Years ago,, we lived in the country and had a rather nice sized pond.
I have always loved old boats, and driving around one day, came across a Chris-Craft for sale.
Bought it, put it on the pond, got it running, and had a great time. Most thought I was nuts, a boat like that on a small pond, but I liked it.
We had a front screened in porch, and in the evening I would take the boat out a bit, anchor it, turn the running lights on, and be in heaven.
The kids loved it, I could take a wide swing, get close to shore, take a hard to port, and create great waves for the swimmers.
Then, one day ............... I decided to re-finish her, stripped all the metal off .......... it ended up in a back yard ...........ruined ...................... ended up, giving her away.
Same boat now, about the same condition as she was before .............. about five thousand.......
You're supposed to live and learn, I don't think I ever have ...............

George Whittell

George Whittell had a life-long fascination with the latest technology of the day, particularly that which manifested itself in aircraft, automobiles and boats.
Among the many he owned were a Douglas DC-2 airliner, outfitted in luxury for his private use; a Grumman Goose amphibious airplane, five of the most uncommon Duesenberg motorcars, a 145' pleasure yacht named Elia, and the legendary 55' speedboat, Thunderbird.
The latter is certainly one of the most unique and elegant wooden vessels crafted in the Twentieth century and is as much a work of art as a means of transportation.
Commissioned by Whittell specifically for Lake Tahoe while he was building his fabulous estate there, the Thunderbird was designed by famed naval architect John L. Hacker and built by Huskin Boat and Motor Works in Bay City, Michigan.
Enamored by the art-deco styling of the era, it is said that Whittell asked Hacker to incorporate the lines of his DC-2—also named Thunderbird—and Duesenbergs. Fashioned of double-planked mahogany and having brushed stainless steel cabins, the new acquisition enabled Whittell to get about Lake Tahoe with unmatched style and speed.
Originally outfitted with twin 550-horsepower Kermath V-12 Sea-Raider engines, the vessel could cruise at more than 50 knots. To accommodate the Thunderbird its notoriously reclusive owner ordered the construction of a 100-foot long enclosed boathouse with 600-foot tunnel that would connect it to the main residence, both blasted out of solid granite.
Shipped by rail and completed at a cost of $87,000 (over $3.3 million in today's dollars), Whittell took delivery of Thunderbird at Mayfield’s (Tahoe City Marina) in 1940.
For the first time that year, she crossed the Lake to her new home in the pre-dawn hours of July 14th. The aging sportsman cruised extensively that summer and the next, shuttling friends and supplies from nearby communities and showgirls from the Cal-Neva casino for lavish parties at his estate.
Following the U.S. entry into World War II, possibly afraid that his beloved yacht or its engines might be conscripted into military service, Whittell hid her away in Lodge's boathouse.
Whittell became even more reclusive as he entered his seventies. His yacht was seen so infrequently that it seemed to some who caught a glimpse to be nothing more than an apparition.
When Whittell broke his hip late in life and refused surgery to repair the fracture, he was confined to a wheelchair and unable or unwilling to use Thunderbird.
Resting idly in the boathouse for many years, Thunderbird was rescued by casino magnate and car collector William F. Harrah who purchased her from Whittell in 1962 along with two Duesenberg autos.
Harrah rotated the vessel between his Skyland, Lake Tahoe villa; restoration shops in Sparks, Nevada; and winter storage at the Whittell boathouse.
Harrah’s workmen added a matching stainless steel superstructure and replaced the original Kermath engines with vintage WWII fighter aircraft engines: these V-12 Allison V-1710 motors develop 1100 horsepower each.
Harrah called Thunderbird his “70-mile-per-hour cocktail lounge” and frequently entertained showroom headliners aboard including Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Liberace, and Bill Cosby, to name a few.
Harrah was meticulous and, each year, his team sanded down the wooden hull and applied ten new coats of varnish!
Thunderbird is now owned by Foundation 36, a Nevada public charity founded by casino entrepreneur Bill Watson for the purpose of saving Nevada’s historic and cultural treasures. Tahoe’s most famous yacht still operates and serves as a cruising classroom to educate the public about Lake Tahoe’s rich maritime heritage and fragile marine environment.
When she is in port, Thunderbird resides in her original boathouse and may be viewed as you tour the Thunderbird Lodge estate.

Glenn W. Turner .....

Flamboyant and tireless, Glenn W. Turner is to salesmanship what Billy Sunday was to revivalism. He built a tiny door-to-door cosmetics firm into a multimillion-dollar empire by stirring life's losers with a bewitching fast-buck gospel.
Turner gave up selling sewing machines to poor Southern rural blacks and became a distributor for a small cosmetics concern, but he soon wound up broke.
He then got a $5,000 bank loan and started his own cosmetics firm, Koscot Interplanetary Inc., in Orlando, Fla.
Even before he had a product, Turner had a small staff out recruiting distributors, who were asked to advance up to $5,000 to get in on the ground floor of a great proposition.
Amazingly, the recruiters found people willing to pay. The money began to flow in, and Turner was on his way.
He contracted with Kolmar Laboratories in Port Jervis, N.Y., to turn out a Koscot product line, which consisted of 104 items ranging from nail-polish remover ($1.25 a bottle) to mink-oil concentrate, used as a skin softener, which is priced at $10 for a two-ounce bottle.
Using Koscot's rapidly spiraling income, Turner went on to found such companies as Fashcot, which sells wigs, Emcot, which makes pink and yellow colored fur coats, and Transcot, a trucking firm. One of his companies sells a success-motivation course called "Dare to Be Great," which consisted of a recorder with cassettes and a notebook crammed with such power-releasing hints as "Develop a Positive Mental Attitude" and "Remember Everybody's Name."
Complaints about the course, which costs up to $5,000 to complete, brought legal actions in eight states. In Davidson County, Tenn., five "Dare to Be Great" salesmen were arrested for violating a law against pyramid selling. Since Turner was sole owner of his companies, he did not have to report his total sales volume, but with his usual extravagance, he estimates it as running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

A good explanation of a PONZI

Ponzi Schemes are named after Charles K. Ponzi, who ran such a scheme in Boston during 1919-1920.
A Ponzi scheme is an investment scheme in which returns are paid to earlier investors entirely out of money paid into the scheme by newer investors.
Ponzi schemes are similar to pyramid schemes, but differ in that Ponzi schemes are operated by a central company or person who may or may not be making other false claims about how the money is being invested and where the returns are coming from.
Ponzi schemes don't necessarily involve a hierarchal structure, as in a pyramid scheme.
There is merely one person or company collecting money from new participants and using this money to pay off promised returns to earlier participants. Social Security is a legalized Ponzi scheme.
A Ponzi scheme defrauds an increasingly larger group of people. (That is why "fixing" Social Security is such a hoax!)
In an illegal Ponzi scheme people are deceived into thinking that someone is trying to make money with you when in fact it is set up to take money from you.

L. Ron Hubbard

In reply to a couple of inquiries.
I met him, probably late 50's. He gave a brief talk to a group of locals in Reno, Harold's Club, 7th Floor. There was a Dianetician in Reno who had studied in Maryland, Baltimore, I think, and was using Dianetics in his practice.
He had quite a group in Reno studying Dianetics. I was one.
Hubbard was a very impressive man, very charismatic, and you got under his spell when you heard him speak. I was very impressed with him.
I remember some of his history from his talk, and they conflict a bit from what is published about him.
I know nothing much about Scientology, it was in its infancy in those days, and most of his concern was about Dianetics.
I knew, personally, some people who were greatly changed, and/or healed, through Dianetics. To this day, I use some of his philosophies from the book.
FARMLAND can be purchased at a low rate, because it is zoned Agriculture.

Developers purchase the land at this low price.

The government spends their money, puts in roads and improvements.

The developer then get the land rezoned to residential, some commercial.

And then, sells the land for a GIGANTIC profit, the percentage is staggering.

That is one reason developers and realtors, in some cases, make so much money.

And, the farms are gone, turned in to communities and shopping centers.

How long can this go on ........................?????

Interesting Farm Facts

98% of farms are owned and operated by families, but these farms impact more than just the people working on them.
Farmers have business interactions with many businesses in the community you may not realize.
They work with local feed mills to obtain food for their pigs, accountants to make sure all business transactions are in order, purchase equipment and seed to produce grain, as well as fuel, tires and parts for vehicles and equipment used on the farm, not to mention the building materials for the barns tehmselves.
All these interactions stimulate the local economy and provide jobs as far away as the store in Japan, where the final product may be sold.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Prank and Unsolicited Calls

Prank calls are one of the most annoying things in the entire world. If you have received one or two, you probably shook your head and wished that the caller would get a life and stop aggravating people.
However, if you have received many, you probably started to get nervous. You may have wondered if this was really a prank caller or if it was someone that meant you harm. If the prank caller threatened you in some way, you probably definitely wondered if the caller meant you harm.
It is not a light situation if you are afraid for your family or your children and your safety. This happens to many different people that have had to deal with this.
The trouble is that the police can't do much of anything unless there is a real threatening event that happens outside of the phone calls. This is enough to make you angry on top of feeling threatened. It's frustrating to know the phone number of the person but not the name. However, you can take action yourself and make the calls stop happening.
Whether it's an unlisted home phone number or a cell phone number, it is possible to find out the identity of the caller without having the police trace the telephone calls. Simply visit a website like Net Detective and enter the phone number of the person that called you.
You can get the number from your phone bill or the caller ID. After you enter the phone number, simply wait a few seconds and you will be provided with the name and address of the person who is associated with the phone number.
You can even assure yourself that they are not dangerous, or get enough information for the police to act by searching their criminal or arrest records which are also provided.
Yes, you can find out if they have ever been charged with a crime, locally or nationally. You can see if it was a misdemeanor or a felony as well.
You do not have to deal with phone calls like this and be helpless. When you search their number at a site you can get the truth about who is calling you.
Then, either the police can take over, or you can answer the phone with their name and inform them that you have their address and more. Feel free to say it back to them.
If you do this, chances are they will not call you back. If they are dangerous or do have a criminal arrest record, you should not answer the calls. Simply inform the police and allow them to do their job. They will consider the calls a priority and a threat if the person has a criminal record. If this is happening to you, don't take it any longer.
Do something about it and show that prank caller that they have stumbled upon the wrong person's phone number.

GREAT TEN MINUTE EASY TO MAKE FUDGE

THE FUDGE RECIPE
ONE CAN OF CAKE ICING AND ONE JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER
EQUAL AMOUNTS
ANY KIND OF EITHER
STIR THEM TOGETHER IN A GLASS OR MICROWAVEABLE BOWL
MICROWAVE FOR THREE MINUTES
STIR WELL - THE MORE YOU STIR IT - THE BETTER IT IS
POUR IN TO A BUTTERED DISH
PUT IN THE FREEZER FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES
GREAT FUDGE - EASY TO FIX
EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT ICINGS AND
PEANUT BUTTERS - DIFFERENT LAYERS
CONSISTENCY IS GREAT
WE TAKE A MELON BALL SCOOP, ROUND THE BALLS BY HAND
THEN ROLL SOME IN COCONUT, NUTS, COCOA, ETC
THEY ARE GREAT THAT WAY
This is GREAt Fudge and Easy to Fix

My Introduction to Nevada, casinos and Fitz




ARRIVING IN RENO - May, 1956




I first heard of Fitz when I got out of the Navy in 1956, and flew to Reno, Nevada, which is where my family was, at that time.




After a few days I was looking for a job, looked through the paper, and the Nevada Club was hiring. So, I got cleaned up and headed for downtown.

We were living in between Reno and Sparks at the time, gravel road, near the stockyards, the wild, wild, west.

I heard rumors about Fitz from everyone, mafia, Purple Gang, dictator, hard to work for, gruff old man, all sorts of information to make me nervous.


I headed downtown, found a place to park, parking was allowed on the streets in those days, and there was plenty of parking.


I parked just across the tracks, near the train station. I headed down Virginia Street, down and alley, and found the back door, to the Nevada Club. Went inside, asked a change apron where the office was, she pointed it out, and I headed for the CAGE, to face Fitz.


He was in the cashiers cage, white shirt, tie suspenders.I don't know what I said, but he asked me a few questions, brief background, married, from where, family, schooling, that was about it.


He told me to head for the police station and register and get a background check. I don't remember any of that, but I did go, got fingerprinted, and after a while, was given a card and told to return to the club.


I did as told, Fitz was still in the cage, he looked at the card, looked at me, "Come in at 3 in the morning, wear a white shirt and a tie." That was it, I had a job, didn't know what it was, but I knew I had to be in at 3am, white shirt and tie.


I look back on that meeting and try to remember, but I was so nervous and excited, it all became sort of a blurr. Remember, we are talking the mid 50's, no computers, I don't think I even filled out an employment form. I think all that information was gotten my first morning of work.


I think Fitz wanted to make sure I would show up before getting any of that information.I later found out there were a few things he liked about me, some college, 4 years in the Navy, married, young daughter, and my Father was a Doctor, and, I never drove a cab or was a bartender, two jobs that were no nos, for Fitz. He hired a bar manager, but let the manager do all the hiring of bartenders.

APPALING

Killing our Small Farms and Farmers Markets
Posted by Michelle Mahoney, Corvallis, March 29, 2009 8:00PM

I am appalled by these bills, and the lack of publicity they are receiving. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) introduced House Resolution 875. Her husband, incidentally, works for Monsanto - the largest manufacturer of herbicides and genetically-engineered seeds.

They also seem to be one of the biggest benefiters of these bills. The bills, or "Food Safety Modernization Act," would have far-reaching consequences for small growers, organic farmers, and farmers' markets. All seeds would have to be purchased from "approved providers" (such as Monsanto), which will almost completely eliminate heirloom seeds, and greatly reduce the number of organic seeds.

Crop diversity will become virtually non-existent. Seed shares will become illegal. Even giving away food to family and friends is not allowed. There are absolutely no caveats in these bills for small farms or growing your own food on your own property.

If these bills pass, not only will they make sweeping changes to the FDA, but a new oversight entity will be established, costing an estimated $40 million dollars over the next few years.
Most food issues, such as salmonella outbreaks and toxins in food, have occurred at the source of the manufacturer - most often in foreign countries such as China. These bills do little to address any real issues, while making it almost impossible for people to grow their own food or purchase it locally.

Please spread the word and contact local representatives to stop these bills. This should be front-page news, in my opinion.

Thinking more about this spirit uplifting that Leno is going to do.

At what point in a career do you become a "spirit up lifter." Are there different degrees, or ranks.

"I'm an UP LIFTER FIRST CLASS."

"He's an UP LIFTER APPRENTICE," just like ranks in the service. I'd say you have to be at least a FIRST CLASS to get the job done right.

Time in rank is important, but not critical. In this day and age of TV, IPOD's, cell phones, and all the stuff I know nothing about, fame is instant. You can become an UP LIFTER FIRST, almost overnight, or, keeping it short, a UF. You can go from a UA to a UF, in one appearance on TV, like that 47 year old in England. They should send her to Wilmington.

Obama is probably an Uplifting Captain, he is one UPLIFTING son of a gun, he wants to UPLIFT the world, and I think has hopes of attaining that. He wants to UPLIFT everyone, and he wants he world population to be able to see him, in person.

Leno probably has officer status, maybe a Lieutenant Commander UP LIFTER.

It is not easy being an UP LIFTER. What are the qualifications? Well, you have to be able to smile and to wave. Helen Keller was an UP LIFTER, and her resources were limited.

As are Mohammad Ali and Michael Fox, limited, but UP LIFTERS.

We have Oscars, Emmys, why not the Up lifter of the Year Award, not sure what to call it. I think we will call it the Willy. No one has done more UPLIFTING than Willy Nelson, and he has done it sincerely and genuinely, with the purpose of helping the farmer. Farmers care about farmers, Willy does, but no one else does, until .................. when the farms are all gone, and the food is gone .................. THEN we will care ............ better start caring before it is too late.

Old Bob Barker, and now Drew Carey ....... "Get your dogs and cats spayed and neutered."

Better start a movement on TV, newspapers, Internet, emails, everywhere
.................. "Save the Farms and the American Farmers"

ONE good American Farmer, producing food for our tables, is invaluable.

There will be NOTHING going on, no TV, sports, music, celebs, nothing .......... on an empty stomach .............

Farms are closing at an alarming rate, they even raise a crop that can help relieve our fuel dependency, and they are losing those farms to golf courses, housing developments, shopping centers. WE had better wake up before it is toooooooooo late.

Wondered WHY?

I always wondered why it was imperative for a President or Vice President to view a CATASTROPHE. Floods, they visit, tornadoes, generally any disaster, gets a visit from the President, VP, the Governor, local Senators.

Who is the visit for? Many people have the TV turned on when a disaster hits, so is the VIP visit for the exposure, or is the arrogance level such that they want the survivors to see them.

I picture myself, sitting on the roof of my house, surrounded by family and pets, and surrounded by water, no way down, no food, and then, waving at the President as he flys overhead.

"Wow, we've seen the President, the Vice President, the Governor, our Senator, wow, we've seen them all. Wonder how long we are going to have to be up here?"

The President wanted to see the devastation, first hand. Why? He knows nothing about flood control or rescue operations. He will spend the night, nearby, on dry land, at an exclusive hotel, and we'll be sitting up here on this roof with no food, but, we got to see the President.

A bundle of money was spent to fly them all here, why?

I never understood the rational behind their needing to know first hand. Send someone who knows what they are doing, and know how to handle the situation.

Lifting Spirits

I was just informed, by my wife, that Jay Leno is going to be in Wilmington, Ohio. I asked WHY? He is going to "lift peoples spirits."

I guess after you have been on TV all those years, and made all those MILLIONS, you take on a God-like attitude. I wonder if it hit him all at once, "I am going to Wilmington, Ohio and lift their spirits." I wonder which of the cars in my collection I should drive, which one would they like to see? Maybe the yellow one, remind them of how it used to be, before DHL left.

I guess it's a nice gesture. I wonder if the venue is large enough to hold everyone in the town, and do you have to be a resident, or laid off employee to see him, or can people who live in other "economically devastated cities" get in also.

I don't know who conceived the idea of DHL. Who came up with the grand idea, "Let's compete with FedEx and UPS ..... and, don't forget, THE POST OFFICE. Why not, "Let's start a hamburger chain and compete with McDonalds, or better yet, let's compete with WALMART."

Why not start another religion, and compete with Christianity.

I predicted its demise when I saw their first truck.

UPS, and FedEx, probably could infuse their systems into our government, and run the government much more economically and efficiently than "they" are going now. When they can tell you ..... "It's in your driveway now, looks like your son signed for it," when they are working with millions or billions of packages, all over the world, with thousands of employees, THEY know what they are doing.

WalMart, has a computer system, second only, to the Pentagon, and I imagine FedEx and UPS are not far behind. Someone thinks they can start, catch up and compete, no way.

I wonder how many trucks DHL sold, or did they just give one to each employee as severance. If they did that, Jay had better have his shades on when he drives his, well, whichever one he chooses from his collection, car, into Wilmington. And, I think the Bengals train there, I think they used to anyway ...... near, where professional football actually started, but that's another story.

Hello Again ...

I have a number of blogs, being UNREAD, so hopefully, I am going to stay on this site, and hope my ADD doesn't kick in and lead me elsewhere.

To all those who have asked, I will periodically add some of the booklet my Dad wrote, and eventually publish the whole book on this site. A number of people have purchased it on my LULU site, but will break it into sections, and publish here.

I hope to make it interesting reading. I have had a hard time focusing since my "surgery" over a year ago, triple by-pass. It plays many head games with you, all are unexpected. Some go away, others sneak up on you.

They don't warn you about the side effects of the surgery. Their concern is that you don't use your arms too much, exercise a little, don't lay on your side, and use your knees when you get up our of a chair. Nothing about depression, anxiety attacks, blackouts, and those are the ones that take so long to get over, if in fact, you ever do.

You think you are complete recovered, then some little thing happens, and you realize you are over a hurdle, but you were not aware the hurdle was there, if that makes sense.

Anyway, DOOLEY Observed is back, not too much to discuss, Obama, terrorists, pirates, the economy, unemployment, financially speaking, running the country into the ground, the new Yankee Stadium, (paying $800 for a ticket), the NBA finals, or, more importantly, how to stay awake while watching all those millionaires frollick around, and after the game, you can watch a show where they take you on a tour of a players home, (oppulance we can't even imagine), and one of my major concerns, THE FARMER. They are declining daily. We are dependent for oil. Think where we will be when we are dependent ............... ON FOOD ................ I think that will be about the last of our country as we know it.

Time to learn a second language, just not sure what it should be. To be on the safe side, learn Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.