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 ..............




Monday, March 31, 2014

Ripley 3/31/2014


Valet forgets to put car in park, car rolls off dock and straight into water

The number one rule of parking a car is: make sure you put it in park. Probably. I don’t know if that’s the number one rule, but it makes sense to me, so let’s go with it. 

A valet at Moss Marine in Fort Myers Beach, Florida is believed to have forgotten the number one rule of parking a car, and as WBBH NBC 2 News reports, said car wound up taking a dip in some salt water.

The vehicle’s owner told WBBH that his car simply rolled off of a dock and into the water after he handed over his keys. No one was inside of the car when it went into the water. By the time it was retrieved by Lee County deputies on Sunday morning, it was 15 feet below. The car’s owner, who was not named by WBBH, told the station he’s thankful nobody was injured.

Health care website stumbles on last day

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says a new technical problem is preventing last-minute users from signing up on the government's health insurance website. The new problem comes as traffic is surging on deadline day.

Health and Human Services spokesman Aaron Albright says technicians have identified an issue affecting consumers who are trying to create new accounts.

As a result, new users will not be able to access the system for the time-being. Technicians are working to fix the problem.

People with existing accounts can continue to work on their applications.

Albright said more than 100,000 people are using the system at the same time.

Opening Day - 2014

3/21/2014, 53 degrees here in Newark, Ohio, the sun is out, and I am sitting here, watching the Cubs and the Pirates on Opening Day. I am young again, living in the 40's and 50's, watching the game, and it is nice in Pittsburgh, so all is well. One problem, they are explaining how they can do a "replay" if needed. I could do without it.

It signifies more than just Opening Day, it the opening of a season, Spring and Summer. Hopefully, Winter is behind us and a whole new season to look forward to. Heavy snow a few days ago. Actually, yesterday afternoon I was sitting on the front porch, in the sun, and looked out next to my van, and there, was a pile of snow, the van kept it from getting any  sun. Weather has a mind all of its own.

As of this moment, all is well, the world is good ..........



Obama dismissed by Saudi King Abdullah?

Obama was scheduled to have what was described as an “intimate” dinner with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia over the weekend, and stay the night in the Kingdom. However the dinner abruptly ended, and Obama left Saudi Arabia after only two hours.

Was there a national emergency in Obama’s Final Four bracket?

The objective of the visit was to mend fences, and get the relationship between America and the Saudi’s back on track, so why the abrupt end?

Although the White House denies there was dinner scheduled, apparently scrubbing all references to the soiree; there is some evidence still out there. It is rumored that the Obama administration has even demanded the return of all materials related to the event from the media, like copies of the printed schedule. The White House has even deleted a tweet about the “intimate” dinner.

However, there remains a bit of evidence of the dinner that never was, and that abruptly ended.

Was Obama propositioned by King Abdullah? Or did the Saudi King simply dispatch Obama’s wimpy butt back to the U.S. We may never know.

Good start to a new week ....


Sunday, March 30, 2014

The good old days ............... of racing

This is how I spent many a Sunday in the 40's, out at Funks Speedway watching the races. Open wheel, no roll bars, just good racing.

This was before the track was paved. It was called the "fastest" 1/2 mile, high banked track in the world.

Unfortunately I have seen a few killed on this track. The first, and never forgotten, Grandpappy Booker, a well known driver, flipped on the backstretch, never forget that scene. There were some others, but forget their names. One was a well known driver who also drove at Indy. Saw "Spider" Webb, Maury Rose,  and many of the well-known drivers of the day.

Midgets on Friday night, Stocks on Saturday and the Sprints on Sunday. The Midgets ran on a track that was inside the big 1/2 mile oval. Great racing in those days ...................

7.5 quake on California fault could be disastrous

LA HABRA, Calif. (AP) — Experts say a bigger earthquake along the lesser-known fault that gave Southern California a moderate shake could do more damage to the region than the long-dreaded "Big One" from the more famous San Andreas Fault.

The Puente Hills thrust fault, which brought Friday night's magnitude-5.1 quake centered in La Habra and well over 100 aftershocks by Sunday, stretches from northern Orange County under downtown Los Angeles into Hollywood — a heavily populated swath of the Los Angeles area.

A magnitude-7.5 earthquake along that fault could prove more catastrophic than one along the San Andreas, which runs along the outskirts of metropolitan Southern California, seismologists said.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that such a quake along the Puente Hills fault could kill 3,000 to 18,000 people and cause up to $250 billion in damage. In contrast, a larger magnitude 8 quake along the San Andreas would cause an estimated 1,800 deaths.

In 1987, the fault caused the Whittier Narrows earthquake. Still considered moderate at magnitude 5.9, that quake killed eight people and did more than $350 million in damage.

Part of the problem with the potential damage is that the fault runs near so many vulnerable older buildings, many made of concrete, in downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. And because the fault, discovered in 1999, is horizontal, heavy reverberations are likely to be felt over a wide area.

The shaking from a 7.5 quake in the center of urban Los Angeles could be so intense it would lift heavy objects in the air, like the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in Northern California, where the shaking was so bad "we found an upside-down grand piano," USGS seismologist Lucy Jones told the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/1houJzW ).

That would "hit all of downtown," Jones said. "And everywhere from La Habra to Hollywood."

In the late 50's a number of casino owners purchased land, in Western Nevada in a predicted area that could eventually become "ocean front" ..... if and when the disaster nit California, just to be on the safe side.

In some respects, "predictable"

I was right, I had a hunch that, the Final Four would be, well, who would television want the most. Not three teams from the B1G TEN, that would be like kissing your Sister, so to speak.

They have Kentucky
They have Wisconsin, ONE from the B1G Ten
They have Florida, number ONE much of the season, and, a BIG draw.
They have Connecticut an East Coast team.

Nice geographical "pattern."

I must admit I didn't watch any of them today, watched some ladies play Bball, they are less predictable than the men. Not as BIG a TV draw, so in their case, ?may the best man, or lady, win."

Watch and listen ... probably get arrested in the USA

Disturbing the Peace
No license
Too large a congregation
Not enough police and fire protection
Non-union musicians
Blocking traffic
etc., etc., etc.

Store owner sells winning Mega Millions ticket to herself

Glinda Salgado is a co-owner of the Elden Market & Deli in Herndon, Virginia. 

Amongst the items for sale there are lottery tickets. So when she learned that her store sold a winning ticket, and thus would be receiving a $10,000 bonus, she was happy. But when she learned who had won the ticket, she was even happier.

You see, Glinda had sold the winning ticket to herself. She didn’t realize it for a while however, telling WTTG, “I didn’t think it was me, so I didn’t check my ticket.” 

Almost two weeks after learning that she had sold the winning ticket, she realized she was going to be the lucky recipient. The ticket was worth a $1 million prize, but because she had spent an extra buck for the “Megaplier,” she’ll actually be winning $3 million, making that one of the best $1 investments in recent memory.



Sunday Morning - 3/30/14

An April fool in Denmark, regarding Copenhagen's new subway. It looks as if one of its cars had an accident, and had broken through and surfaced on the square in front of the town hall. In reality, it was a retired subway car from the subway of Stockholm cut obliquely, with the front end placed onto the tiling and loose tiles scattered around it.

Tuesday is April Fools Day. I wonder what they do in Washington on that day to fool the American people, probably just business as usual. "Why should we do anything different today?"

I don't recall offhand any "pranks" that have happened to me. Some people go to elaborate lengths to pull things off. Right now I am looking out of the window at a terrific joke for April,, SNOW, white everywhere. The sun is out though, so I imagine it will all be gone in two days.

Nothing in the news worth mentioning, the "mudslide disaster" in Washington, tragic. I guess someone foretold of the incident, that it could happen, but no one heeded his warning. It was a tragedy though.

I guess baseball season starts today, I think there is a game somewhere, sometime today, that is the official "Opener" for the season. Hopefully in a warm climate. Traditionally, it used to be in Cincinnati, but no more.

How did we ever get along without "spellcheck?"  Actually it just corrected me here, it  is not one word, it is two ..... or hyphenated or spellchecker. I set type much of my working life. Did a lot of proofreading, and now, when I really need it, I have spell check, or spell-check or spellchecker on my computer. The first one above, is the only "red underscored" one. It even does an underline if the wrong word or tense is used.

Fall is not too far away, they are advertising "Thursday Night Football." TV Advertising will soon be the ruination of this country. Television is nothing more than a 24-hours a day of advertising, broken up by some of the most "idiotic," amateurish, mundane drivel, called TV shows, that one can imagine. (I spelled drival wrong, originally). Television will prove to be the ruination of this country. Look at the quality of the shows and the "content" of them. Being alone and naked in some wilderness (forget about the camera crew, the sound guys, the directors, etc, just pretend like you are lone, frightened, hungry ... "hey, naked lady, put some more mud on your face, nice rack."

If you have many hours of air time to fill, quality means nothing, just quantity ... (Billy Eckstine singing on my TV music channel, saw him often in Reno, smooth voice) They need anything, any premise, any theme, just get something,we have to fill in that time between commercials. Some shows are nothing more than an hour or a half hour commercial, at least they are honest about it.

My van is almost void of snow, the sun is doing its work. I am longing to set outside on the porch, in the sun, sweating, getting tanned, drinking a Bud ..... and feeling that hot sun .....

Ga. teen accused of spending cash after bank error

I wonder how often this happens and we don't hear about it. Not sure of the "legal ramifications" ....  he didn't really steal anything, the money was in his account ..... interesting scenario ... "I thought it was money I made on the internet!" ...... BANK ERROR is the definitive word here..

DANIELSVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say a Georgia teen is under arrest and accused of spending about $25,000 that a bank accidentally deposited into his account.

The Madison County Sheriff's Department says 18-year-old Steven Fields of Hull in northeastern, Ga., turned himself in Friday.

He faces a charge of theft by taking. A home phone number for Fields could not be located, and it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

The department says a teller at a bank in Hull inadvertently deposited a check for approximately $31,000 into the wrong account. Authorities say the money was spent on purchases at a car dealership, various stores and a fast-food restaurant.

Authorities say there was an effort to come to an agreement between Fields and the bank and that Fields said he couldn't repay the money.

You may soon be able to buy lottery tickets at California gas pumps

Looking to fill that fill that precious time while putting gas into your car? A new proposal in California would allow customers to buy lottery tickets from the same machine that pumps their gas.

"It takes like about 30 seconds to actually buy your lottery tickets," California Lottery spokesman Russ Lopez said about the proposal. "So it's not going to hold up the line."

Local affiliate ABC News 10 reports that customers could use their credit or debit cards to purchase the tickets. Customers would be limited to three games: Mega Millions, Powerball, and Super Lotto Plus.

If approved, the ability to purchase lottery tickets directly from the gas pump would be added to between 100 and 150 stations in the state, mostly in Los Angeles and Sacramento.

But perhaps most interestingly, any winnings of $600 or less would then be instantly credited to the debit or credit card used in the transaction.

Lopez says the state lottery commission has gotten positive feedback from gas station owners, who both welcome the new business and say it would cut down on people waiting in line inside the station's store for other products.

"Statistics show that 72 or 73 percent of people just go out and pump gas, they don't walk into a retail store. So this is another way to capture that business," Lopez said.

Proponents also say it would generate more tax income for the state. In 2013, state lottery sales generated $1.28 billion funds for K-12 public education . About one-third of total state lottery sales go to education, with a smaller percentage of those totals also going to community colleges and the state university system .

California has the 7th largest lottery system in the country. The top revenue generating state for lottery ticket sales is New York, which also gives a significant portion of its sales to state education funds. The New York state educational system received $3.04 billion last year from lottery sales.

Ripley 3/30/14


Saturday, March 29, 2014

SPRING in Ohio - 3/29/3014


Woman’s dumb Facebook post gets her in trouble

Back in 2012, Colleen Cudney was convicted for drunken driving. As part of her punishment, she was put on probation, and so on the day after St. Patrick’s Day, the 22-year-old was ordered to come to her Westland, Michigan probation office for a random breathalyzer test. She managed to pass it and celebrated the good news on Facebook. That Facebook post, as WDIV Local 4 News reports, was a pretty stupid move.

Investigators told WDIV she posted, “Buzz killer for me, I had to breatalyze this morning and I drank yesterday but I passed thank god lol my dumba**." There’s There are a lot of problems with this status update. Why don’t we go over them? (Note: Notice how I criticized her writing and then proceeded to make a mistake myself? Karma.)
It’s “buzzkill,” not “buzz killer.”
I know you meant “breathalyze,” but that isn’t a word. (I stand corrected, because it's pointed out breathalyze IS a word. I shouldn't have been so quick to be smarmy. This was a rough stretch for me, huh?)

OH AND YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE DRINKING BECAUSE YOU WERE CONVICTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING.

Cudney’s post gained the attention of a Westland police officer, who then notified the probation office. Did the probation office then say something like, “Oh well, she got us. She wins this round”? Nope. They called her up and told Colleen they wanted her to take a urine test, something that would detect whether she had had alcohol in the previous 80 hours. Colleen then…hung up on the probation officer. You’re not supposed to do that.

Hanging up the phone on the probation official was a probation violation. And to think, her probation was set to end in a few weeks. Colleen Cudney will be back in court on April 1 for a probation hearing and faces up to 3 months in jail.

A community 'changed forevermore' by deadly slide

DARRINGTON, Wash. (AP) — The search by heavy equipment, dogs and bare hands for victims from the deadly Washington mudslide was going "all the way to the dirt" as crews looked for anything to provide answers for family and friends a week after a small mountainside community was destroyed.

All work on the debris field halted briefly Saturday for a moment of silence to honor those lost. Gov. Jay Inslee had asked people across Washington to pause at 10:37 a.m., the time the huge slide struck on March 22, destroying a neighborhood in the community of Oso north of Seattle. Authorities say they have found at least 25 bodies and 90 remain missing.

"People all over stopped work —all searchers — in honor of that moment, so people we are searching for know we are serious," Snohomish County Fire District 1 battalion chief Steve Mason said.

An American flag had been run up a tree and then down to half-staff at the debris site, he said.

Among the dozens of missing are a man in his early 20s, Adam Farnes, and his mother, Julie.

"He was a giant man with a giant laugh," Kellie Howe said of Farnes. Howe became friends with him when he moved to the area from Alaska. She said Adam Farnes was the kind of guy who would come into your house and help you do the dishes.

Adam Farnes also played the banjo, drums and bass guitar, she said, and had worked as a telephone lineman and a 911 dispatcher.

"He loved his music loud," she said. "They still have not found him or his mom. They're going through a hard time right now."

Finding and identifying all the victims could stretch on for a very long time, and authorities have warned that not everyone may ultimately be accounted for after one of the deadliest landslides in U.S. history.

What's NEW in my lifetime ....... '32 to 2014

Anything new, you bet. We went from Party Line telephones to cell phones. I remember when we had to get on a "waiting list" to get a private number, our number was WAlnut 2229 in the 40's. In the 60's we were on a 3-party line. I remember buying a "bagphone" and using it. I realized then I could sit in the officer for an hour and not make a call, get in the car, and think of many to call.
Airplanes, went from the P-40 of wartime fame to landing on the moon. Cars, most still have 4 wheels, and basically still are used for transportation, but not they have a lot more gadgets. I got a car in '49, options were a radio, AM, and a dashboard clock. It was a '49, Dodge Wayfarer Roadster Convertible, Fluid Drive, loved that car.  One seater, had a back seat put in, gigantic trunk. 

Store hours in those days, 8 to 5, Closed on Sunday. Some even Saturday, nothing much was open on Sunday. Department Stores offered Service, Layaway and some even Delivery, but heavy on the Service. I remember when my Mom got her "Charge A Plate" for Rikes. It even used to be, just, "Put in on my account," ...... "Yes, Mrs. Dooley."

We bought our groceries at Earls Grocery Store, across the street and down at the corner. We got our drugs, toothpaste and such items, at a Drug Store. Rarely had a prescription to fill though. Got most of our pills from the Doctor. The drug store had a "soda fountain" and we often ate lunch there, a sandwich and a Coke. I really miss the old Ten Cent Store, Woolworths, McCrorys, Kresges, they all had the same aroma in them, can still bring that aroma to mind. I loved those guys who demonstrated the little "mice" that could climb up and down their arm, with the help of a piece of thread. I bought many of them, never could get them to work, a lot of other "gimmicks" ..... bought them, had the same problem.

The computer is probably the most earth shattering thing to come down the pike. It has changed the whole world, everything we do, that and television have changed the whole world, I doubt that it has been for the better.

Ex-senator and Vietnam POW who blinked "torture" in Morse code dies

Prisoner of war Jeremiah Denton declared his loyalty to the U.S. government during a 1966 interview for what was supposed to be a propaganda film. But his enraged captors missed his more covert message: "T-O-R-T-U-R-E," blinked into the camera in Morse code, a dispatch that would alert the U.S. military to the conditions he endured.

Denton, who would survive 7 1/2 years confined in a tiny, stinking, windowless cell at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" and other camps before his release in 1973, died of heart problems Friday in Virginia Beach, Va., at age 89, his grandson Edward Denton said.

The elder Denton later became the first Republican from Alabama elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction, though the iron will that allowed him to persevere in captivity gave rise to criticism he was too rigid a politician.

In July 1965, a month after he began flying combat missions for the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, the Mobile native was shot down near Thanh Hoa. He was captured and recalled his captivity in a book titled "When Hell Was in Session."

"They beat you with fists and fan belts," he told the Los Angeles Times in 1979. "They warmed you up and threatened you with death. Then they really got serious and gave you something called the rope trick." The use of ropes - to cut off circulation in his limbs - left him with no feeling in his fingertips and intense muscle spasms, he said.

Some of the most severe torture came after the 1966 interview, in which he confounded his captors by saying that he continued to fully support the U.S. government, "and I will support it as long as I live."

"In the early morning hours, I prayed that I could keep my sanity until they released me. I couldn't even give in to their demands, because there were none. It was pure revenge," Denton wrote.

The tape was widely seen, and U.S. intelligence experts had picked up the Morse Code message. But Denton theorized later that his captors likely figured it out only after he was awarded the Navy Cross - the second-highest decoration for valor - for the blinks in 1974.

He said his captors never brought him out for another interview. But with the war's end drawing closer, he was released in February 1973.

Ohio 8-year-old turns $20 into priceless gift

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Nine-year-old Myles Eckert may be America's most reluctant celebrity. It was never his intention to be honored at civic events or posed for pictures, but for the last month, this has been his world.

"Things are not so normal right now," says his mom, Tiffany. "We're on the ride of our lives. ... I mean, I've seen stuff go viral, but usually it's like a picture of a cat -- not my son. It's the craziest thing I've ever experienced in my life."

If you missed the story that started it all, Myles' adventure began at a Cracker Barrel in Maumee, Ohio. As the security camera shows, Myles and his family entered the restaurant on February 7 at 11:14. Myles was very excited -- he'd just found a $20 bill in the parking lot.

Myles says he had started thinking about what he could spend it on. "I kind of wanted to get a video game, but then I decided not to," he says. He changed his mind when he saw a guy in a military uniform enter the restaurant. "Because he was a soldier, and soldiers remind me of my dad," Myles says.

And so, with his dad in mind, Myles wrapped the $20 in a note that read, "Dear Soldier -- my dad was a soldier. He's in heaven now. I found this 20 dollars in the parking lot when we got here. We like to pay it forward in my family. It's your lucky day! Thank you for your service. Myles Eckert, a gold star kid."

Army Sgt. Andy Eckert was killed in Iraq, just five weeks after Myles was born. All the kid has ever had are pictures and dog tags, other people's memories and his own imagination.

"I imagine him as a really nice person and somebody that would be really fun," Myles says.

The dad he imagines must also love a good story, because after lunch that day, Myles asked his mom to make one more stop.

"He wanted to go see his dad, and he wanted to go by himself that day," Tiffany says.

She took a photo from the car. Follow the footsteps and you'll see Myles standing there behind the flag, presumably telling his dad all about it. And whether heaven heard him or not, his good deed has made a huge impression here on earth.

Lt. Col. Frank Dailey of the Air National Guard is the one who got the note. I look at it every day," he says.

It turns out Myles gave him a bigger gift than $20. "A lifetime direction, for sure," Dailey says.

"It's exponential," Tiffany says. "It's extraordinary. It's amazing."

After our story aired, a lot of people wanted to give Myles his $20 back. But instead of taking any money, the Eckerts directed those donations toSnowball Express, a charity that helps kids who've lost a parent to war. So far, donations total more than a quarter of a million dollars.

Somebody would be very proud.

Kroger will cut prices, drop double coupons

If you’re a devoted coupon clipper, you might want to sit down.

Kroger’s Columbus Division is ending its practice of doubling the value of manufacturer coupons on May 1. Instead, it’s cutting prices on more than 2,000 products, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

The move by Kroger, which already has stopped the practice in its home city, Cincinnati, and in about half its other markets, leaves Giant Eagle as the sole coupon-doubling grocer in the Columbus area.

Michigan grocer Meijer ended the practice in August.

“In today’s day and age, people are more rushed and have less time to clip coupons,” said Jackie Siekmann, spokeswoman for Kroger’s Columbus division. The thinking is, a lot more shoppers will benefit from the price cuts rather than the doubled coupons.

Some grocers have discontinued the practice of doubling coupons because the number of shoppers it attracts to their stores has dwindled over the years and the practice no longer justifies the cost to administer it.

In Kroger’s case, less than 2 percent of Columbus-area customers are what the grocer calls “ heavy coupon users,” the company said, and a vast majority of its customers — 86 percent — never use double coupons.

It’s a trend in the industry, one observer said.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Nabors To Sing 'Indiana' For The Final Time at 2014 Indianapolis 500

 Beloved actor-entertainer and legendary Indianapolis 500 icon Jim Nabors will sing “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ” for the final time prior to the start of the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 25.
 
Nabors’ rendition of the song became a beloved tradition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” since he first performed it in 1972. Always accompanied by the Purdue “All American” Marching Band and thousands of fans singing in unison throughout the massive facility, Nabors has performed the song 34 times in person at IMS.

“The first time that I ever sang at the Indy 500 in 1972, the warmth I got from the crowd immediately made me become a lifetime Hoosier; and I’ve always cherished it,” Nabors said. “I’ll see you all in May; but I’ve come to the conclusion that my health doesn’t permit me to travel very much anymore. So I’ll be retiring from singing ‘Back Home Again’ at the Indy 500 after this year.

“I want to give a special thanks to everyone; and particularly the Hulman George family, who have a special place in my heart and are my wonderful friends. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

Nabors, 83, has performed at the Indianapolis 500 every year since 1987 with the exception of 2007 and 2012 races that he missed due to illness. A rendition of the song he performed at his home in Hawaii was played on the video screens at IMS prior to the 2012 race to the delight of his countless fans in attendance and millions watching on worldwide television.

"There are many special moments leading up to the start of the Indianapolis 500, but one of the most anticipated every year is when Jim Nabors sings ‘Back Home Again in Indiana,”’ said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “This year will be even more special as Indianapolis 500 fans will cheer not only for what the song means but for what Jim Nabors has meant to the Indianapolis 500."

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will honor and thank Nabors for his years of performance in several ways during Indianapolis 500 race weekend that will be announced at a later date. Fans are encouraged to tell their Nabors stories at IMS.com/WeAllHaveAStory.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will not announce a future plan for the “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” performance until after this year’s Indianapolis 500.

“We want the focus for this year to be on celebrating Jim’s final performance at Indianapolis,” said Boles.”

Brother recovers sister's body from Oso landslide

Tragic story, I can't imagine how he must have felt ...........

Washington (Reuters) - Days after risking his own life and defying arrest by joining the search for Washington state mudslide victims in a vast, mucky debris field near Oso, Dayn Brunner retrieved the body of the No. 1 person he had been looking for - his sister.

Brunner, 42, recounted the tragic coincidence in an interview with Reuters on Friday, two days after it unfolded on the enormous mound of mud and rubble left by last Saturday's disaster, which has claimed at least 26 lives and left 90 people still missing.

Brunner said he was on the mud pile on Wednesday afternoon when other rescue workers found a blue object and called him over to the spot. It was the same color as the car his sister, Summer Raffo, 36, was known to have been driving through the area when the slide struck.

Brunner, a police officer from the nearby town of Tulalip Bay, told his teenage son, with whom he had been working as a volunteer member of the search team, to brace himself what they were about to see.

"He said he'd been preparing himself for five days," Brunner recalled.

As they approached, he saw the body of his sister, still mired from the neck down in mud, seated in the driver's seat of her car.

After an hour of additional digging, Brunner pulled her out by the torso and laid her body out on a tarp. It appeared that she had suffered a blow to the head, but her body was intact.

"She's the most pristine person that's come out of this," he said. "We know she didn't suffer. She most likely never saw it coming."

Soon after the recovery, Raffo's body was flown away by a helicopter. She has since been identified by the medical examiner's office, Brunner said, but it was not immediately certain whether Raffo was among the 17 victims officially counted among the dead as of Friday.

Brunner took Thursday off but returned to the pile on Friday, and said he would keep going back until all those members of the community he was searching with had found their loved ones.

"You can find parts of people, and you can find people that obviously experienced a lot of trauma to their bodies," he said. "You can tell that someone had suffocated, some people had been tossed around pretty good and hit by other objects."

Brunner said the family was planning a funeral toward the end of next week for his sister, who worked as a horse ferrier and was on her way to a friend's farm when a rain-soaked hillside along Highway 530 collapsed and cascaded across the river and roadway below, swallowing dozens of homes and vehicles.

Brunner had joined the early search on Saturday, despite the dangerous conditions posed by quicksand-like conditions, the risk of further slides and authorities who were trying to keep volunteers out of the area by threatening to arrest them.

On Tuesday, officials finally agreed to allow many community members to join official rescue teams working to find survivors in the dangerous rubble. No further signs of life have been detected.

How much, you can keep that job!

I wonder, just how many coaches, basketball, football, etc., make more money per year than the President of the United States, reportedly the leader of the Free World? Obama would be smart to make a deal with the TV networks to do one of the late nite shows. Jay Leno made 16 MILLION per year. WHY would anyone want to be president?

Obama almost qualifies for Welfare, in comparison to many, many people in this country.

Where will IT end?

 A runaway "salary train" is loose in this country, all due to television revenue being "shared" with colleges and universities, and, and, and, their ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. The athletes get an education and room and board, the university, MILLIONS if not BILLIONS. It has gotten out of hand. I think the present "system" will result in its downfall. TV will sometime be accused of "tampering" with game results, results which could lead to more revenue. I predicted the one, mid season, the "best" scenario for the Super Bowl, "brother against brother." I predicted that mid season. Sometimes it is best to think, "What would be best for television?" Often, that works out.  NO insinuations, but this final game in the NCAA will have some of the highest ratings, ever, possibly a "dark horse" in the finals ...... time will tell. Think back, some passes dropped, a fumble here and there, all game changers. An "athlete" is making millions per year, and, well, perhaps if???

The Governor of the State of Ohio makes $144,269 per year.

Incoming Ohio State University President Dr. Michael Drake will earn $1 million a year, according to the terms of his five-year contract. He will receive a base salary of $800,000 a year and $200,000 annually in deferred compensation. He is also eligible for an annual performance bonus of $200,000 a year if he meets performance targets and goals.

The Athletic Director at the Ohio State University could earn $1.5 million, if incentives are received.

Football coach, Urban Meyer, at Ohio State contract guarantees him at least $4 million annually - with a chance to make significantly more through bonuses, youth camps and other compensation. It includes perks common for football coaches at major universities - golf club membership, car stipends, tickets and a suite for home football games, use of private jets for recruiting and personal trips.

Something is wrong here ..................


Lute Olsen
was the highest paid state employee
in
Arizona
when he coached
Basketball
at the University of Arizona

"Jockships"

Arguments for and against sports scholarships

Critics have labeled the term to be an oxymoron, stating that physically talented persons selected for their ability to run, jump, throw, kick or hit a ball are retained to staff a school's teams, and paid for their services while being classified as "scholars". Some critics of the athletic scholarship system have coined the term "jockship" to describe the awards. The term is based on the word jock, a mildly derisive American slang term that plays on the stereotype of the "dumb athlete".

Such scholarships have been characterized as salaries paid to the persons selected in order to induce them to perform for the hiring school. (The characterization of the salary as a "scholarship" is deemed necessary because, generally, at most American colleges, participation as a member of the school's athletic teams is a privilege accorded exclusively to enrolled students, and team members are, in theory, amateurs.)

Supporters contend that many students would be unable to receive a higher education at all, but for the availability of athletic scholarships, due to the prohibitive costs associated with university education.

The theory is that while most academic scholarships are predominantly awarded to students of middle and upper-class backgrounds (thought of as counter-intuitive, as they are typically considered more affluent), many feel the tendency does, in fact, lean toward athletic scholarships being awarded to less-privileged students, who, in many cases, members of a minority.

Athletics = High School = College = $$$$$$$$$$$$$

 
We, the USA, apparently are the only country in the world where athletics is bigger than academics. There are little to NO athletics in other countries in colleges. They attend school to get an education, what a concept is that.

In may states, coaches and athletic directors make more money than the governor of the state. At OSU, the football coach makes more than the college president, I think the AD does also, when all is said and done.

COLUMBUS: Every time an Ohio State athlete or team wins a national title — in track, swimming, fencing, rifle, pistol or any of 24 other non-revenue sports — athletic director Gene Smith will receive a bonus of $18,000 to $36,000 under terms of the new contract extension announced earlier this week.
Smith could earn more than $1.5 million a year in salary and bonuses under the pact that runs through June 2020.
If the Buckeyes football team plays in a major bowl game or the men’s or women’s basketball teams make it to the Final Four, Smith will receive four times his weekly base salary, or more than $72,000.
Smith also received the additional title of university vice president and has oversight of Ohio State’s facilities, marketing and branding.

 At Northwestern, they athletes are becoming employees of the school. NOT students, employees, I wonder if that includes paid vacations.

Athletics now rules the school, something wrong there. Who is responsible, in my opinion, very simple, television rules. Athletics and television gained popularity about the same time, no coincidence. The biggest television spectaculars revolve around athletics, the Super Bowl, March Madness, pro football, and where are we academically, . . . .  .   on the hind one.

On an annual basis, it would be interesting to know the breakdown on "hours" .... programming hours. Athletic events vs other shows ..... how much revenue taken in on them would also be interesting to know. Revenue from TV is talked about in BILLIONS, not millions, revenue going in to colleges, BILLIONS not millions. So, don't tell me ALL games are on the "up and up" when they are being controlled by TV. They would much "prefer" seeing happen what might be best for them, not the schools.

It's all about the DOLLARS, here in the good old USA.

Where will I be tonight? Watching basketball games.......

Ripley 3/18


Thursday, March 27, 2014

Michelle Obama’s China trip taxing hotel employees: ‘We can’t wait for this to be over’

ARROGANCE RUN AMOK
 in China
the UGLY american
YOU BET!

Employees at the Chinese hotel hosting the first family are reportedly “fed up” with the Obama’s high-maintenance antics, and say they can’t wait for them to leave.

Staff workers at the Westin Beijing Chaoyang hotel told the Daily Mail that First lady Michelle Obama, her mother and two daughters have apparently outstayed their welcome. They have been staying in the $8,350-pre-night presidential suite in Beijing since Thursday.

According to one concierge staff member, the Obama women have inconvenienced “pretty much everyone” and the first lady’s mother, Marian Robinson, has been “barking at the staff” since she arrived.

“We can’t wait for this to be over, to tell you the truth,” the staffer told the Daily Mail. “We entertain many important people here, but this has been, I think very different.”

The Daily Mail reported that, since Thursday, government security forces from both China and the U.S. have been screening everyone who entered the building, including paying guests. They have also been setting up check points.

The Westin had to vacate rooms on the highest floor, booting guests with previous reservations, to accommodate the Secret Service in executive-level rooms.

Secret Service agents are also monopolizing hotel elevators long before the Obamas need them, the Daily Mail reported.

The Obamas are staying in a 3,400-sqaure-foot suite described on the Westin’s website as an “oasis of comfort.” The suite includes a “private steam room, corner sofas with silk pillows” and in-room dining for six. They also reportedly have a 24-hour butler.

To those of you reading this in China, and abroad, these arrogant visitors are not an example of the majority of Americans. We presently have a government that is out of control. The PEOPLE are no longer in control, it has gotten out of hand. We are normally not an ARROGANT and DEMANDING people. The people in question are on an unprecedented "power trip," have through political manipulation, risen to the top position in our government, and, frankly, are "out of control." They are taking advantage of our money, and your hospitality. Unfortunately, we have no recourse, this situation is comparably to a "run away" train that cannot be stopped.



California state senator arrested in FBI sweep

SAN FRANCISCO/SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - A prominent California lawmaker was arrested on Wednesday in an FBI sweep that netted 26 people, a high-profile case that could affect statewide elections and brings to three the number of Democratic state senators who face criminal charges this year.

Senator Leland Yee, a former San Francisco supervisor and one-time mayoral candidate, was criminally charged in federal court in San Francisco with two felony counts of conspiring to import and traffic in firearms, and six corruption counts.

Yee was released on $500,000 bond and declined to comment on the case.

A criminal complaint posted online by the U.S. Attorney office for the Northern District of California alleges that Yee did favors for an undercover FBI agent in exchange for campaign contributions. The complaint alleges that Yee also offered to facilitate a meeting between the undercover agent and an arms dealer, and discussed the types of weapons that the undercover agent might need.

Yee's arrest deals a body blow to California Democrats, whose two-thirds majority in the state Senate was eroded when Senator Ron Calderon, indicted on corruption charges, and State Senator Rod Wright, found guilty of voter fraud, took paid leaves of absence earlier this year.

Nebraska dog dials 911 on owner's smartphone

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — When emergency dispatchers in Nebraska's Sarpy County picked up a recent call, all they heard were the sounds of breathing and scratching.

Dispatchers were worried — until they learned the noises were coming from a dog who dialed 911.

Sarpy County 911 Assistant Director Marilyn Gable tells Omaha television station KETV  that it's the first time a dog has called the emergency center.

The dog's owner, Melissa Acosta, says she thought her 2-pound Japanese Chin, Sophie, was trying to curl up next to her on the couch, when she realized Sophie was scratching at Acosta's smartphone with her paw.

Then Acosta heard a voice from the phone asking for an "address of the emergency."

Acosta says the whole thing is "a little embarrassing." Sophie, of course, had no comment.

And the winner is .................

At my advanced age, I want to state publicly, that there are number of things that I am thankful for. I am not going in to detail as to what they all might be.

Television is a big part of our lives. Turned on in the morning and off as we go to bed. We sit and watch it when there is really nothing worth watching. I admit, I do, often, during the day, have the music channel on, listening to music from the 30's and 40's, my kind of music.

There are certain shows my wife likes in the evenings, during the day, 19 to 12 a couple of shows we regularly watch, we like Drew Carey. Then news, then generally, my music. Jeopardy and the one with Vanna are regulars also.

But, there are three shows, that deserve recognition, for their entertainment value and their longevity.

Matlock, Perry Mason and Murder She Wrote, have saved more than one dull viewing time. They have been on forever, and still, occasionally, one of the three we have never seen. Some I think I have seen many times, but they are still worth watching. I woke up early today, at 6, came out, turned on the TV and been watching Perry and Ben since then.

I will admit also, 4:30 in the afternoon, I do watch, well, The Lone Ranger, two episodes.

The Good old Days ..... Lake Tahoe


Thursday Morning, early, woke up at 6 for some reason, I think I got a good night's sleep, new pillow. Woke up with Lake Tahoe on my mind, for some reason. That would be the late 50's, and I was working at the Nevada Lodge, for Fitz. He didn't allow everyone to work up there, I was one of the lucky ones. The Olympics were to start in '60, and this was the first Winter that the North end of the lake had been open. Most of the places closed for the Winters, which up there, were rather brutal.

The road around the lake then was a narrow two-lane, and most of the land was pristine. Pine trees dominated the aroma in the air, it was glorious. The North side only had about 4 casinos of any size, and a drug store, that was it. I had a room in a small ski lodge, more like an apartment, had my own outer door, bar and restaurant upstairs, short walking distance to the Lodge. Heaven on earth for a naive kid from Ohio.

I worked days at the Lodge then, not many customers, we were opened primarily getting ready for the throngs they hoped would show up for the Winter Olympics. There was the Crystal Bay Club, an older casino, well known and notorious, a Summer casino only, prior to this year. Some notorious old "clerks" worked up there, some retired from the roaring places of the 20's, 30's and 40's. Red and Slim and others had some great old stories to tell

I would put in my eight hours at the Lodge, head for the Crystal, and listen to their stores. Had I known at the time, the Cal-Neva was open and owned by Sinatra. There was a lot going on there also. I could have spent time with Sinatra and Martin and the rest of the "pack," Marilyn spent time there as well as some of the Kennedys, mixed with many notorious gangland members. I didn't know that then. Sinatra and his entourage came in to the Lodge to eat occasionally. Walt Disney and his wife were staying there, working on the artwork for the Olympics.

I must admit, I was in love, with the surroundings, the scenery, and me, working with and rubbing elbows with people who were "legends" and lived in an entirely different world than I did. Mac McCloskey and "Slim" La Borde were two of the owners of the Crystal Bay club. Slim was quite a character, reportedly had participated in the Olympics a couple of times, as an archer. Always doubted that. Went out with he and his entourage a few times, generally to Carson City, had some great times.


Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Michelle Obama’s hotel suite: $8,400 a night — deemed too pricey for Joe Biden


Not all the costs are in, but so far Michelle Obama’s soft-sell public relations tour — little more than a vacation, some say — to China includes her stay at a hotel that charges $8,400 a night.
The first lady is staying at the presidential suite in the 5-star Westin Hotel at Chaoyang, located near the U.S. Embassy, USA Today reported. That’s the same hotel that was deemed as too expensive for vice president Joe Biden when he made the trip in December, The Daily Caller reported.

Documents from the Federal Business Opportunities reported by the Weekly Standard revealed that Mr. Biden was pressed to find cheaper digs during his visit. The memo: “Westin Chaoyang — price was prohibitive when compared with St. Regis — otherwise met requirements.”

The memo also explained: “Westin Chaoyang expressed interest [in serving Mr. Biden] and was considered. In preliminary price comparisons, the costs were tens of thousands of dollars over the St. Regis. We requested a price reduction but a great cost difference remained.”

So Mr. Biden instead took over the St. Regis Hotel — which ultimately cost $384,479 for 213 hotel rooms, The Daily Caller reported.

Mrs. Obama is reportedly staying at the Westin with her daughters and mother. It’s not clear if taxpayers are paying full-price for the rooms.

The first lady is on a weeklong trip to the region for what the White House described as a “person-to-person” soft diplomatic tour — that doesn't include any members of the press but is still paid by taxpayers.

She remarked on her first “wonderful” day in the capital city: “We had an opportunity to meet with students. I tried my hand at ping pong — not so good. And our visit to the Forbidden City is one that we will never forget. Being able to see my mother, who doesn't get to travel internationally often, walk throughout that ancient city, and to see her excitement and wonder, is a moment that I will treasure forever,” USA Today reported.

What happened and who did it?

Henry Ford produced a car, a black car, take it or leave it. He sold many of them. Not sure, but then he went to a 4-door, probably some extras, and the industry blossomed from there.

What is the purpose of a car. Transportation, to take you from one place to another. Yesterday, I had to take Marilyn for her monthly "finger prick" at the hospital, they check her blood, monthly. After we left, naturally, we headed for Walmart. Going up 21st, there was a Cadillac running next to me. I noticed it because it had also been at the hospital, and we left at the same time, and now, we were both heading up 21st street. Oddly enough, both going to Walmart.

My point. We were in our little Chevrolet Cavalier, she was in her expensive Caddy, and, we were both doing the same thing. Going from the hospital to Walmart. We were being "transported" ... both using a car, for transportation. Is it ego, status, money, need, why did she need to be in that expensive Caddy. We were going to the same place, doing the same thing.

I remember in the 40's, after the war, you could get a Chevy, 2 or 4 door, with a few "extras," and in a few colors, but that was all. A variety of cars to choose from, but nothing like today. Each one of those cars, in those days, was recognizable. No more, they all look alike. a staggering range of prices, a variety of names, all still intended to get you to Walmart.

I have had very expensive cars, family cars, sports cars, vans, and they all did the same thing, they got me from one place to another. I admit it, the "Imperial" I had, in the 50's, was all "ego." I guess that Studebaker Golden Hawke was a bit of an ego thing also, but they all had one purpose, transportation.

Old Henry really started something. And, fellow Daytonian by the name of Kettering contributed also ....  he of the "electric starter," and many other contributions.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

School Reverses Ban on Girl Who Shaved Head to Support Her Cancer-Battling Friend

A Colorado school, who told a third-grader she was barred from class after shaving her head in support of a friend undergoing cancer treatment, is reversing its position after the decision sparked outrage on Facebook. 

And, with me .............................

UConn wins 42nd straight, 91-52 over Saint Joe's

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis had the third triple-double in UConn history as the Huskies moved into their 21st straight NCAA regional semifinal with a 91-52 rout of Saint Joseph's on Tuesday night.

Mosqueda-Lewis had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, to lead five players in double figures for the top-ranked Huskies (36-0), who won their 42nd straight game.

Breanna Stewart added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Bria Hartley also chipped in 20 points for the defending national champions, who are trying to win a record ninth NCAA tournament.

Erin Shields and Sarah Fairbanks each had 12 points to lead Saint Joseph's which finished the year at 23-10. Natasha Cloud had 10 and six assists for the Hawks.

UConn will face 12th-seeded BYU in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday. The Cougars upset Nebraska in the second round, sparing the Huskies a date with the Cornhuskers on their home court.

More Washington mudslide victims found

ARLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — A scientist working for the government had warned 15 years ago about the potential for a catastrophic landslide in the community where the collapse of a rain-soaked hillside over the weekend killed at least 14 people and left scores missing.

Searchers found more bodies Tuesday as they slogged through muck and rain, but the number of victims in addition to the 14 already found has not been confirmed, Snohomish County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Shari Ireton said.

With the grim developments came word of the 1999 report by geomorphologist Daniel Miller, raising questions about why residents were allowed to build homes on the hill and whether officials had taken proper precautions.

"I knew it would fail catastrophically in a large-magnitude event," though not when it would happen, said Miller, who was hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to do the study. "I was not surprised."

Snohomish County officials and authorities in the devastated rural community of Oso said they were not aware of the study.

But John Pennington, director of the county Emergency Department, said local authorities were vigilant about warning the public of landslide dangers, and homeowners "were very aware of the slide potential."

In fact, the area has long been known as the "Hazel Landslide" because of landslides over the past half-century. The last major one before Saturday's disaster was in 2006.

NBC ‘Surprised’ Obama Not On List of Greatest Leaders

Fortune Magazine exhibits journalistic integrity and intelligence. NBC is stunned and reveals their lack of it. Why I don't watch that show ..... a new dimension in"idle pratter."

This week’s Mainstream Media Scream features NBC’s “Today” hosts expressing surprise that Fortune Magazine’s new list of the 50 greatest leaders didn’t include president Obama.

From the Thursday, March 20 “Today” show on NBC:

Savannah Guthrie: “We are back now at 8:14 with ?What’s Trending Today.’ And this morning, Fortune magazine is releasing its first list of the world’s 50 greatest leaders. The issue’s out tomorrow. We’re going to get an exclusive look right now at who makes the list. Bill Clinton comes in at number five and makes the cover. There are a lot of other notable names here.

“Tell you what, though, there may be some talk about one leader who did not make the list, the leader of the free world, President Obama. Fortune tells us he was not overlooked, he just did not make the cut.”


I apologize ..... to the world

Obama dismisses Russia as ‘regional power’
I am sorry for this remark, made by perhaps one of the two most "arrogant" people we have living in this country today. The other one is in China, helping them improve their education system. If a George Bush or a Ronald Reagan or at least a Republican had made that statement, the ensuing explosion would have been heard around the world, especially in Washington. Why he said it, I will never know.

THE HAGUE
President Obama acknowledged Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea would be difficult to reverse, but he dismissed Russia as a “regional power” that did not pose a leading security threat to the United States.

Concluding a summit here on nuclear security, Obama also warned that broader Russian military intervention in neighboring countries would trigger further economic sanctions that would disrupt the global economy but hit Russia the hardest.


Ohio Weather


A funny thing happened in Ohio today, 3/15/2014. I went to Walmart, got some mulch, some seeds, some fence and some other gardening tools, and started digging a small flower garden in our front yard. Got some bricks and was going to use them at an angle for a nice fence.
And then ..............


I'm sorry, I just have to say more about the previous blog ...

HOW .... could any educator .... tell a nine year old girl, who had the compassion, the emotions, the maturity, to show her support of a FRIEND who had lost her hair due to CANCER, to have her head shaved ..... go to school ..... and be told that it was against school policy. I cannot conceive, anyone, being so callous as to do that. I would have resigned my position in the school if I had been the one who had to do that. I would have hugged her, which also is, I am sure against school policy and probably against the law, and congratulated her ..... and, asked her to be "my friend." Friends like that are few and far between and hard to come by.

How does she look upon her elders now, her "teachers" ..... her peers?

"Mom, what did I do wrong?"

"Well, Honey, ah, well, the ah, well, the ah school, well they want everyone to look alike."

"Why Mommy, I was just showing my support for my friend who has cancer and has lost all of her hair, was that wrong, Mommy?"

"WELL, MOMMY???????????"

And, we wonder and question how any child can enter a school, with a firearm, with the intent of harming his teachers and classmates ....... and, our president's wife had the bold faced audacity to travel to China to tell them ...... how to educate their children ...........








Girl Shaves Head to Support Pal With Cancer, Gets Kicked Out of School

May God keep a vigilant eye on both of these young girls ............ and heal the one with cancer ... I have tried to maintain a certain level on this blog, so I will make NO COMMENT on the staff at Caprock Academy, but, I sure am thinkin 'em.

A 9-year-old Colorado girl who shaved her head to show support for her best friend battling cancer, was barred from attending school because her baldness violates its dress code. But on Tuesday night, following an outcry about the situation on social media, the Caprock Academy charter school in Grand Junction plans to hold a special meeting to determine if an exception will be made for the empathetic third grader, Kamryn Renfro.

“Caprock Academy does have a detailed dress code policy, which was created to promote safety, uniformity, and a non-distracting environment for the school’s students. Under this policy, shaved heads are not permitted,” the school noted in a community statement, released to parents Monday. “Exceptions, however, are sometimes made under exigent and extraordinary circumstances.” The statement was posted on Facebook by Wendy Smith Campbell — whose daughter, Delaney Clements, is battling the rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma, and whose hair loss from chemotherapy inspired her friend Kamryn to go bald too. To the post, Campbell added, “Please tell me how a shaved head is a distraction to a learning environment,” prompting a slew of supportive responses.

Kamryn, who was permitted to return to school on Tuesday for the time being, tells KKCO that she decided to shave her head because “it felt like the right thing to do.” And at least one other friend has joined her as of Monday, according to a photo of another shiny-headed girl posted to Campbell’s Facebook page, with the caption, “Another baldie to add to the bunch!!!!”

I would like to see each child, go to school, bald, and in a gesture of solidarity, to show their feelings that that the child with cancer is NUMBER ONE ... all, with middle fingers extended in a NUMBER ONE gesture to the staff and faculty ..................... and the world. Educators are becoming more like coaches and politicians and evangelists. In nearby Columbus, they are finding that CRIME, of a nature, has infiltrated their schools at every level .... "changing grades to make the staff look better." More and more a hymn runts through my head ... "Is no one worthy" .......... 

No need for one


Wife: Jim Kelly's cancer is spreading

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly is dealing with an aggressive, spreading recurrence of cancer, his wife wrote on Instagram, and his health is deteriorating, multiple media outlets reported Monday.

Jill Kelly wrote that Jim Kelly was tentatively due to undergo surgery in Manhattan on Thursday. According to Buffalo News 4, Jim Kelly was in and out of hospitals the past 10 days.

Late last week, former teammates Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and Andre Reed visited Kelly at his home.

The Hall of Famer was diagnosed with upper jaw cancer last June, and he had surgery to remove part of his jawbone. He subsequently was declared cancer-free without undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.

However, on March 14, the Erie County Medical Center announced that Kelly's cancer has reappeared.

"Jim Kelly came to ECMC this week for continued testing related to his oral surgery," said Dr. Thom Loree, a head and neck surgeon, in a statement. "Unfortunately, it has been determined that his cancer has returned.

"Our team of head and neck cancer specialists is determining a course of treatment that will allow Mr. Kelly to battle this cancer successfully. Mr. Kelly has asked that you to keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Kelly, 54, entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 after playing from the Bills from 1986 to 1996. He holds most of the franchise passing records.

"Hey old timer, what's it like being 80?"Not

We had some visitors last night, had a nice evening of chatting, and one them, a young rather brash, outspoken lad is his 20's looked at me and asked that question, "What is it like being 80." I laughed and made some comment, and we went on talking about something else.

But, it got me thinking, still on my mind this morning.

First of all, I guess, I am sitting here looking out the window, no TV or radio or stereo or HiFi or whatever these new contraptions are that produce volumes of music that I cannot even comprehend. It is quiet and I like that. I will be on this laptop for a while, and then I will go back and wake up my wife. She is almost 80, carrying a boatload of physical problems. Breast cancer, defibrillator, she is a "high risk" patient, heart problems, dizziness, and as I walk back to awaken her, I will be praying that when I call her name, she will arouse and be well and alive. That happens when you are in your 80's.

During the day, my heart may miss a beat now and then, I will get dizzy as I stand, taking the trash down to the dumpster, is an adventure in walking, sometimes that walk of 50 yards is no problem, other times, a challenge.

There will be a number of times during the day that I will wonder if my next breath may be my last, and I will contemplate a bit, what dying may be like. Does it hurt or is it just like a light switch being turned off. Or, as I have heard from some, the bright light, the ascent, all the glorious things we have heard about.

You don't dwell on this things when you are 80, but being rational I know that 80 is old. Many don't make it that far, and I wonder, at times, why He has allowed me to take this long journey. Sometimes, I optimistically think that some live to 90 or even 100, but I concern myself with the "quality" of my life, not the quantity. I have been blessed with reasonably good health for my 80 plus years.

I don't look to the future that often, I prefer the past. The future for an 80 year old can be rather foreboding, to say the least. Future options are rather limited. Rather not even go in to them.

I'm going to end this here, I am getting depressed thinking of being 80 .... I guess, the worst part of it is wondering about the next breath, knowing I am using a lot of "old" parts to keep me going .... enough of this, going to turn the radio on and listen to music from the 30's and 40's ..... my kind of music......


Mid-Atlantic, New England brace for nor'easter

BOSTON (AP) — As the East Coast shivers through an unusually cold early spring, parts of the Mid-Atlantic and New England are bracing for a nor'easter that could bring additional snow.

The National Weather Service says a powerful low pressure system will develop off the Mid-Atlantic coast Tuesday night. Where and how much snow falls will depend on the storm's track, according to the weather service. But, cold temperatures and windy conditions will cover the Mid-Atlantic states north into New England.

More than half a foot of snow is forecast to hit southeastern Massachusetts on Tuesday evening into Wednesday, and parts of coastal Maine could also see snow. The NWS also called for the potential of minor coastal flooding and some beach erosion along the Massachusetts coast.

Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are expected to be hit the hardest, starting Tuesday evening and lasting until Wednesday morning, National Weather Service spokesman Bill Simpson said. The heaviest snowfall is expected early Wednesday, and that could make it a rough commute into work, Simpson said. Snowfall totals there could range from 8 to 10 inches.

"It is not unusual to have storms this late in the year," he said, adding that April has seen quite a few big storms in the past. The Boston area got more than 2 inches of snow in an April storm last year and was blanketed with almost 2 feet the same month in 1997.

"The snowfall can go early or stay late," said William Babcock of the NWS. "When you are in New England it all depends on the year."


Boston and northern Massachusetts could get 2 to 4 inches of snow and coastal New Hampshire may see 1 to 2 inches. Areas west of Boston to Worcester are forecast to get about an inch and far eastern Maine could get 8 to 14 inches.Coastal Rhode Island, Connecticut and eastern Long Island in New York are expected to get 2 to 5 inches, while New York City is expected to get less than an inch. Portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania could get between 2 and 4 inches of snow.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Jerry Garrity Passes

Probably few of you will recognize this name, Jerry Garrity. I have never personally met him, internet correspondence only. I had posted on a Reno site, and heard from him. We had several nice, long, conversations on the telephone.

We talked about a couple of books on Reno, I received them in the mail in a few days. He called me up once just to see how all was going. He loved Reno and casino history.

He passed away on March 14. I only talked with him on the phone, but I feel a loss. We shared a love of Nevada history, casino lore, and the great time in Nevada history that is gone. The books he purchased and sent to me have taken on a new meaning.

The title I just posted, I realize, can also refer to a casino, dice, and a crap table. If one didn't want to throw the dice, he or she, passed ..... Jerry Garrity Passes

Custodian's Discarded Cigarette Started Fire That Burned Down NJ Elementary School, Prosecutors Say

A custodian discarded an unfinished cigarette into a trash can at a New Jersey elementary school, starting a blaze that burned down the building, prosecutors say.

The custodian, Jerome Higgins, was charged with smoking inside the James Monroe Elementary School in Edison, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. The charge is a petty disorderly offense.

Higgins told NBC New York it was "clearly an accident."

"I don't know what to say," he said. "I would do anything for those kids,"

The flames broke out at the front and rear of the school just before 8 p.m., officials said. Firefighters from several New Jersey towns battled intense winds for three hours until the fire was brought under control.

Higgins also spoke to NBC New York on Sunday night after the fire.

"I thought it was a basic trip of the alarm and I would come and reset it, but I couldn't believe how much of it was engulfed," he said. "I couldn't come within 100 feet."

A dozen firefighters needed treatment for smoke inhalation. No one was inside the school at the time.

Officials said about 500 students, kindergarten through fifth grade, attend the single-story school, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. District officials said they were hopeful that the school would be rebuilt, noting its importance to the community.

The district plans to hold classes at an area community college until permanent arrangements can be made. Officials said they decided to keep students together in the short term and that they couldn't place them in other, already-overcrowded, district schools.

There are no classes for students enrolled in the school Monday and Tuesday and there will be a meeting for parents Monday at Edison High School. School will reconvene on Wednesday in classrooms at Middlesex County College. Busing will be provided.

On Sunday, former students and community members said they were shocked by the destruction.

"I almost broke into tears last night because it's my childhood," said one former student who is now an adult."I can still vividly see all the memories we've had here."

Burglar makes it incredibly easy for police to arrest him

21-year-old Travis Devonte Rice broke into a car dealership recently and, along with an accomplice, stole files, license plates, 44 car keys, and four cars. How do we know that it was Travis Devonte Rice who did the deed? Well, he dropped his ID on the floor of the dealership, and then on top of it,posted a picture on Facebook of him holding one of the car keys he had just stolen. As WSVN 7 News reports, police had quite a bit of information to work off of.

Jonathan Shamis, manager of Arion Motors in Plantation, Florida said that the next day when he came in and saw they had been robbed, they noticed a drivers license on the floor. After watching surveillance video, he and his coworkers noticed that Rice had unwittingly dropped it out of his pocket when he had taken out his cellphone. Arion Motors owner Adnan “Eddie” Radoncic told the Sun Sentinel , “[The investigator] was taking fingerprints but I said, 'I don't think you need to do that,' and she said, 'Why not?' and I said, 'Because the bad guy left his [ID card] here, in plain sight.'"

As if that wasn’t enough to help police catch him, Rice then posted a photograph of himself holding one of the keys he had stolen on Facebook. Shamis told WSVN what we’re all thinking, “I think the guy was very careless. Maybe he thought that there wasn't any surveillance here. It says here, in big letters, all over the walls that this place is recorded. I would say the world's dumbest criminals."

WFOR CBS Miami reports that Plantation police arrested Rice and discovered that he was, “on probation after a conviction for armed robbery and had just been released from prison in February.” Rice is facing charges of, “grand theft, probation violation and a burglary causing more than $1,000 in damages.” The cars have not been yet recovered and police are still searching for the other suspect seen on the surveillance video.

The above photograph is part of my further research in to "Attention Getting." I will publish my findings when the complete survey has been done. Thanks for your input.

New Orleans nun's truck towed while she delivers food to homeless

There should have been a sign reading, "Thou shalt not park here." Then a New Orleans nun — who was delivering food to the homeless — might not have gotten towed.

Sister Beth Mouch had just finished delivering food to the St. Jude Community Center in New Orleans, according to WWLTV.com. When she went back outside, she found that a tow truck was preparing to take her vehicle away.

With her vehicle not yet hitched to the tow truck, Mouch begged the driver to stop, she told WWLTV.

"Please, sir, stop. I'm a getting ready to move," Mouch recounted. The driver apparently offered little sympathy. Mouch noted that her truck wasn't ticketed before it was towed.

This isn't the first time volunteers at the community center have been ticketed or towed while delivering food or other items, Mouch told WWLTV, and to her, that's a problem.

Volunteers helping in the city, people trying to do acts of kindness, are not treated with the same respect, and that is a concern from me," Mouch said.

Mouch said she doesn't want the fine waived but that she would like tow truck drivers and parking enforcement officers to undergo sensitivity training.

The above photograph is  probably inappropriate for the article, but I am using it as an "attention getter." It is part of a study I am doing on "Attention Getters."

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Jimmy Carter believes U.S. is spying on him

I am too, why should he be any different ........... they, or someone, knocked we off of Yahoo Mail on one occasion ...........

Former President Jimmy Carter believes U.S. intelligence agencies are spying on him — so much so, he eschews email to avoid government spies.

"You know, I have felt that my own communications are probably monitored," Carter told NBC's Andrea Mitchell in an interview broadcast Sunday. "And when I want to communicate with a foreign leader privately, I type or write a letter myself, put it in the post office and mail it.

"I believe if I send an email, it will be monitored," Carter continued.

The 89-year-old said the National Security Agency and others have abused the argument that gathering intelligence is critical to homeland security.

"That has been extremely liberalized and, I think, abused by our own intelligence agencies," Carter said.

The 39th president, however, stopped short of criticizing No. 44 over the handling of the N.S.A. scandal, the crisis in Ukraine or anything else.

"I don't have any criticism of him," Carter said of Obama.

Officials: About 18 missing in Washington mudslide

ARLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — About 18 people are still unaccounted for after a massive mudslide in rural northwest Washington state killed at least three people and forced evacuations because of fears of flooding, authorities said Sunday.

Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said at a news briefing that "we suspect that people are out there, but it's far too dangerous to get responders out there on that mudflow."

Searchers in helicopters will be flying over the area of the square-mile mudslide Sunday to find people who may have been able to get out on their own, as well as look for other signs of life.

Authorities are also trying to determine how to get responders on the ground safely, Hots said, calling it as "like quicksand."

Officials described the deadly slide as "a big wall of mud and debris" that blocked about one mile of State Route 530 near the town of Oso, about 55 miles north of Seattle. It was reported about 60 feet deep in some areas.

Several people — including an infant — were critically injured and as many as 30 houses were destroyed. The slide wiped out one neighborhood, where there were about 28 to 30 homes, authorities said.

Hots said the number of missing is fluid and could change because some people may have been in cars and on roads when the slide hit just before 11 a.m. Saturday.

Say it ain't so ... Joe ...

Was that really Opening Day they just had in Australia? What the hell does Australia have to do with American Major League Baseball. It ALWAYS used to be in Cincinnati, then they changed that and it was OK, but Australia.

What other National Holidays, and Opening season for baseball is a National Holiday. I took off school to go to games in Cincinnati. The parade, is was a tradition.

WHO decided that it was a good idea to hold it in Australia?

Are they going to start "farming out" other national holidays. Might be a good idea to move Congress to .... well ..... anywhere. Perhaps Alaska, they could put the "hot air" to good use.

This Kentucky -Wichita State game is great. Back and forth, back and forth ...... Great stuff, the best game so far .... whoops, a few commercials, then back to the game, I hope, Ah the Capital One commercial, I think I have seen it 87 times now ... I love that one line in one of them though ..... boy to girl ... "Did it hurt much when you fell from heaven?"

New Owner at attitudz in Newark, Ohio


Now you know, the rest of the story

"Hey Ahmad, I gotta idea."

"What idea Muhamm?"

"I'm gonna hijack an airliner and crash it in the ocean."

"Why?"

"Well, well, ah, its gonna cause a lotta problems for some people."

"Like what?"

"Well, ah well, they are not gonna know what  happened to it."

"And that gets you what?"

"Ah, confusion, I'm gonna create confusion, on TV, an a different countries, an a no one is gonna know what happened to it, they are gonna look everywhere for it."

"Won't they know where it went down from its last radar signal?"

"No, I got this thing at Radio Shack that is gonna turn the plane around on a different course an they ain't gonna know where to look for it ,,, it's headin in one direction an with the help of that thing from Radio Shack it's gonna go another way, is that great, or what, cost me $13.95."

"What do you hope to accomplish with this?"

"Ah, well, they are gonna know how smart I am, and how I could do this an get all them countries involved an puzzle the whole world, that's what I'm gonna do, its gonna be great."

"Muhamm, they are not going to know it was you, if you tell them they will send you to Guantanamo for life, or worse, you will be hated around the world, you will have accomplished nothing by doing this, you will be sending no message at all, I see no point in doing it at all, it is just a stupid idea, forget it, do you hear me, forget it!"

"I got you upset just thinking about it."

"Drop it, it is a bad idea."

"We'll see, I already got the thing at Radio Shack."