American Sniper and more

I must admit I have mixed emotions about making a movie about, and making a hero out of a sniper. He kills people, with a high powered rifle, from a great distance. Is that something to glorify. I am sure there are many who deserve such an end, but why glorify the shooter. I thought clandestine activity was kept somewhat of a secret.

If I had shot and killed many people, I am not sure I would want it publicized and glorified. Someone might put a big red target on my back. I thought Seals and other groups strive to remain anonymous.

But to make a movie, seen by millions, and to make a hero out of the shooter, I question.

Snipers have taken on a "hero" quality, "They take out the bad guys." Hidden, concealed, with the aid of a high powered sophisticated rifle, they kill. And then, they make a movie about it, publicize it, glorify it, and probably take in obscene amounts of money, by people, viewing it.

"Hit men," do the same thing for the mob and organized crime,, have not seen a movie about them. I knew one, in Reno, had him out to the house for dinner, sat with him on breaks. He NEVER told me what he did and I knew better than to ask. He was a Manufacturers Rep for a company in New York. He often ate at the Nevada Club, we sat together at the counter a few times, just started talking and a friendship grew from that. Not sure why, just knew better than to ask certain things. He would be gone for a few days, and, a name would be "erased" from a list. The last thing in the world he would ever have wanted, was publicity.

But now, a sniper, can kill, and brag about it, make money from it, just does not seem right to me for some reason.

"Hey, son, what do you want to be when you grow up? A fireman or a football player or a policeman or a teacher?"

"No, I want to be a sniper like Chris Kyle, and kill people."

"Oh!"

A car is born

Marilyn and I got to talking the other day, thought we might look in to getting a different car. Needed a change, had these two for quite some time now. For some reason, getting a different car seemed like a good idea, especially since we are in the Winter "blahs."

I've been seeing those Jetta commercials, and VW's. I had a VW many years ago, an older one, really liked it, so we were leaning toward a German car, or at last a European one.

I did some Googling on European cars, and there were many produced in Europe. We found one, manufactured by a company that grew during WWII producing a variety of war machines, still producing a variety of products, tractors, commercial vehicles, quite a variety of vehicles, but a company with a lesser known name. They were located on the Rhine River near Dusseldorf.

Their head design engineer, Heinrich VonSchlemmer had much to do with a revolutionary design of an eight cylinder engine, unique because of a new design of a Cam Nut Bolt Adjuster, a powered Clever, rather than a manual one, and some other features. It was decided they would use VonSchlemmer's eight cylinder engine in the new car they were going to produce.

The Product Development Department was given the task of promoting and marketing the car, as well as finding a new and unique name for it. Otto Presner was in charge of the Product Development Department. Gorman Schutanner, was the company President and offered Otto a few suggestions that he felt should be incorporated into the naming of the new vehicle. His two main concerns were insuring the public was aware that it was a European car, and also the companies proximity to the Rhine, and keeping the public aware of Heinrich's new eight cylinder engine.

Otto and his crew worked diligently on naming the new vehicle. Euro, somehow had to be in the name, and Rhine also needed mention, and of course Heinrich's engine. EuroRhine came to their attention, Karl Vocker, one of the team felt it was too long. "Let's take out the o and the R, and we must mention the motor."

"How about the EurineEight."

Thus, a car was born, and we are on CarFax trying to locate one. It also seemed appropriate with my Kidney Stone problem.

FDR

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945

He was the first President that I remember. I remember listening to him on the old Philco Radio, often with commentary by my Father, who was not a fan of his.

His, in a way, was a reassuring voice during WWII. I  remember his Fireside Chats.

At my young age, I could not envision or comprehend what or who he was, I did not understand what he did. I realized he was our leader, but, not to what extent. I did not understand ..... President of the United States.

I remember his address in 1941, "A day that will live in infamy," or something to that effect. He declared WAR.

I did not look upon him as a man then, only as the President, a position I did not fully understand.

I have visited his home at Hyde Park in New York, on the Hudson River. I saw the bed he slept in, the elevator he took to the second floor, the bedroom that Winston Churchill stayed in when visiting Hyde Park, I saw the Ford convertible he loved to drive around in.

I have done some studying about the man, read some of his papers. The closest I came to him, and this will sound strange, but on the second floor of his home was a small room, a telephone room, void of many furnishings. As I walked in and looked around. something, distinctly, touched and moved across my arm, it startled me, at first. A Park Ranger was standing outside the room,, and I asked her if any "ghosts" had ever been detected. "Oh,, yes, many times, Franklin's Mother, Sara has been suspected of being in her old homestead. We recently had some workers here after a small fire. Two of them worked one day and refused to come back. They had "experiences" with Sara. A number of others have also had some, and .... you? Something brushed my arm in that room. Others have experienced that also."

Franklin and I have never met, but I did have a run in with his Mother, Sara.

Would never get over this 7 seconds

Supreme Court of Canada ruling on Thursday ended a seven-year legal battle by Joel Ifergan, an accountant, to claim his share of the prize.

Ifergan went to a local convenience store just before 9 p.m. on May 23, 2008, to purchase tickets for that night's "Lotto Super 7" drawing. The store clerk told him to hurry before the 9 p.m. deadline, according to a court summary.

While the clock on the lottery terminal read 8:59 p.m., only one of the two tickets was registered in time. The second ticket, the winning one, was printed and registered on the Loto-Quebec computer at seven seconds after 9 p.m., eligible for the following week's drawing.

The store clerk told Ifergan that only one ticket was registered in time and asked if he still wanted to buy the second ticket. Ifergan said he did, and paid for both.

After he was denied half of the lottery jackpot, which was awarded to another winner, Ifergan sued Loto-Quebec for the processing lag.

The case has been working its way through Canada's courts. The Supreme Court did not comment on the case.

I wonder ...... ???

A lot of ads on TV testing and destroying cars, by a company who claims they can determine how safe a car actually is. They wreck them with a series of tests with a variety of equipment. They take a brand new car, broadside it with a "ram" .... take pictures of it, evaluate it, and produce a list of ..... The Safest Cars. A billion dollar industry.

I have done some research, very few people purchase a car because it is deemed safe. There are a number of reasons people purchase cars, but safety is near the bottom of the list. Many people, who buy a car, admit they are swayed by ads seen on TV. Some buy on an appearance they like, some purchase as a "status: symbol, luxury versus economy. Gas mileage has been one criteria, not so much now that gas prices are down.

Many purchase trucks, there, are Ford People, Chevy  People and Dodge People, period

I'm sure there are some who buy the "safest" car, but no one buys a car that intends to have a wreck. "Oh, yea, I always buy the safest car, I have two or three wrecks a year." Doesn't happen.

No one, who purchases a car intends or thinks they are going to have a wreck, so how and why could it be one of the criteria in purchasing.

"OK, honey, we are going to buy a Honda A-37, two door, gray ... that is the one with the best safety record .... and I know that you will have a wreck this year."

But, an industry was created, one, well, I imagine the manufactures give them the cars, maybe they purchase them, I don't know, but hundreds of new cars are totaled each year, in the name of safety. I wonder how they really pulled that scam off and have been able to perpetuate it. I doubt that any two wrecks are alike ..... so then ..... why ..............?

1/29/15

January is almost gone, but we are building up to Televisions Biggest Day,, their greatest show, the Super Bowl. I remember when it was just a football game. The center of attention was the game, the two teams, and then, television realized its potential and it hasn't been the same since. Little talk about the teams, just the commercials. Four or five million for a brief commercial. It didn't happen over night, it has taken many years for it to grow.

I remember many years ago, not sure which game, but we were visiting out on the farm at my wife's Grandmothers. I was sitting out on the front steps with her Uncle. All of the talk on TV and in the press was about the game, a lot of hype. I asked her Uncle if he was going to be watching the Big Game. "No, our TV went on the fritz a few months ago, and we just ain't had it fixed yet." It put it all in perspective for me, and I have never forgotten his comment.

TV has been able to expand the football season, pre season games in August ...... and now February, and half of a year of football, and all those ads. The games are merely a venue, a vehicle, to carry television ads. They have taken a game, where some guys got together on a Sunday, and played a game of .......... football ........... back in the 20's, and turned it in to the show it is today. Ads, broken occasionally by the game. Most games today, there is a man on the field, colored sleeve, in contact with the TV van. When his arm is raised, the game stops, the ads air. His arm comes down ... let the game begin.

Not to mention .... clothing, logo clothing, billions in sales. Normal, rational people pay a lot of money, to be able to walk around in an over sized football jersey ... with someone elses name on the back ........... saying to the world ...... I am a fan. And, who convinced them they should be a fan and do this ..... television. How great is that ..... perpetual motion.

Well,................

"Hey, Dooley. howya doin?"

This was called out to me at Walmart today, and I answered with a fine. Then, later, as I sit here, his comments came back to me, and I wonder if I should have given him a "true" answer, and, if he would have really been interested, or just been sorry that he had asked.

Actually, for a few weeks now, I urinate about every ten or fifteen minutes, night time, when I try to sleep, which usually ends up in a chair in the living room, every couple of hours or so, it varies. I not only do that a lot, on some occasions, I think I am passing small stones, stones made of hard Uric Acid. As of yet, the pain has only been in the 1 or 2 out of ten range that the hospital likes to use. No real pain, yet, just, well, just, it is hard to explain.

And, no appetite, have lost around 20 pounds, which is good, if that is all I lose.

Sleep, well, I get a few hours a night, generally in a chair. When I lay down, for some reason, a kidney stone makes it presence known, enough to keep me awake. So, sleep is, well, at a premium.le

Sorry for the break there, had to go to the ..... well, you know what.

So, I am 82, have two Kidney Stones, not sure what the outcome will be. I go back over in two weeks, do an Ultrasound, and the Kidney Specialist will determine my future. I have not idea what all the options for me could be.

I did go on CarFax today, I was searching for a car that had been in limited production, not sure where they manufactured the UrineEight, I thought it might be appropriate for my condition.

Follow the NY snow here: http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tsrobo1

Great IDEA

Hundreds of hats and scarves have been spotted in cities that are experiencing freezing temps this Winter. 

The message attached to one scarf says: "I am not lost! If you are stuck out in the cold, please take this to keep warm!" 

A really neat idea, should spread to every city across the country, and the world.

A simple gesture, but to someone who is cold, a welcome surprise.

Check this out ............. very funny ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArMf6xbMsLI&list=WL&index=2

SMI - 1/24/15

Went to OSU yesterday, for a visit with Kidney Stone expert Doctor Knudsen. Result, I go back in two weeks for an Ultrasound and another visit that is done. Had a real shock yesterday, one consideration concerning what can be done ...... my age .... first time I had heard that, TOO OLD for .

The Renal Ultrasound will be performed in the Stephanie Spielman Center. She was the wife of Chris Spielman, OSU football great, who I have seen play, also played in the pros, and her fight with Breast Cancer was followed by many. I'm sure I will enter her building experiencing some emotions.

I have .... almost .... decided to leave my body to the OSU Medical school. I have had so many surgeries, Appendectomy, Vagotomy, Kidney Stones (3), Cyst in Colon, Triple Bi Pass, more Kidney Stones and Laproscopic Surgery for a Hernia, actually he did 16 holes, rather than the one he was going to do. The hospital got rid of him. I am thinking of getting a tattoo listing all of the above so some student does not miss anything, and knows my medical history.

The first Doctor I saw yesterday, not sure of his name, in doing some research of the staff, the only one from Illinois, which he mentioned to me was a Doctor Chad Gridley, so it may have been him. Anyway, he was wearing a similar pair of shoes. I rarely am attracted to a mans shoes, but these, I thought, were stunning. If I were younger, and, wore something other than $5 tennis shoes from Walmart, would definitely have a pair of these. On second thought, I would have to shop around at other places, these were a bit on the pricey side, real quality, but a bit much for my price range. I think, a tap on the shoe will link you to their site.


GREAT NEWS RECEIVED THIS MORNING - Hi, Unc. Thanks for update....what a long process but they must run their tests! Hang in there!(referring to my Kidney Stones)
Kyle is recovering well from the lumpectomy on Thursday and will get biopsy results and her customized therapy plan next week. She will have radiation for sure, but perhaps no chemo... to be determined... but her spirits are good and hopefully she will finish with an “all clear” in a few months. Love, - Janie

Kyle is my Niece, one the youngest of my brothers three children. She and her sister Jane and her daughter Becca came down for our 50th. first I had seen her in many years, and had never seen her daughter. She is raising two great children. That damnable Cancer

I have been remiss in posting more, but personal health issues combined with major concerns about the health of my wife has taken precedence over everything else. Every waking hour I am concerned about her, Survival and taking the steps necessary for survival dominate our days, and we are probably in much better shape than many are. I have had, in the past, a number of conversations with my Dad about .... Quality versus Quantity .... of life. As a physician, I think he often weighed that dilemma, in his day of practicing medicine, it was much more often in the hands of the physician than it is today. I think today it is Quantity, at all costs.

http://youtu.be/Q37mtdX9BCk

A Health, or lack of it, UPDATE

A few have asked, so here is a health update.

Quality of Life: 50%

Reason: TWO Kidney Stones, one on each side, LARGE ones.

Reason for Quality of Life: Old, for one thing, some sort of a tube sticking out of my left side. Two Stents ... Bathroom break (a nice way of saying it) about every ten minutes, sometimes less. No appetite, lost 20 pounds.

Ambition level: 10%

Problem for the Day: I have a doctors appointment on Friday, in Columbus, Ohio, at the OSU Hospital with one Doctor Knudson, a Kidney Stone Specialist.

The Problem: Getting there. My dear wife, who has Afib, and is a source of great concern, wants to go with me. One time, not long ago, she accompanied me for a test, I was signing in at the Surgery Desk, a nurse took one look at her, put her in a wheelchair, and took her to Emergency. She spent her time there while the tests were performed on me.

I "lose" a little each day, I feel like something is gradually "poisoning" my system, possibly some leakage from all of my plumbing problems. As of today, I am not even sure I am going to be able to, or feel like, going on Friday.

So, I am not confident enough to go by myself, so I need someone to take me there, wait, and bring me home, and someone to babysit my wife while I am away.

Old age is ....... well ..... old age, a problem of its own.

WHO let the air out?

IF, the New England Patriots, did, in fact, purposely not inflate the footballs to the proper psi, and if it could be proven where the source for such a decision was made, and if the coach, the owners, or someone other than the guy with the pump, who had a wild idea, did make such a decision, they should not be allowed to play in the Super Bowl

I don't know for sure how the system works, does each team use their own footballs, I can't imagine that happening, I would think that both teams use the same footballs, if so, what would be an advantage to one would also be an advantage to the other.

That I do not understand. It is inconceivable to me that the coach would tell the "ball boy" to under inflate 11 of the 12 balls used. Did the 12th ball have a "Do Not Use" label on it?

And, why, would anyone think that such a difference would not be detected. The players, the officials, have been handling them for years, Who noticed the difference. I think one official did. Didn't Andrew Luck, the Colts quarterback notice, or he aid and chose not to say anything, like finding gold.

Or, is this just something to add more "fuel" to the Television Show that used to be a football game that was televised? I can just imagine so TV Exec coming up with the idea at a "Drop it in the well and listen to is splash" meeting in some ivory tower. Anything to get people talking. 

I can relate to this ..........

A lady left a meeting several days ago, She couldn't find her keys. She quickly checked all of her pockets, her pocketbook, and looked everywhere.

They weren't in her pockets. Suddenly she realized she must have left them in the car. Frantically, she headed for the parking lot. 

Her husband has scolded her many times for leaving her keys in the car's ignition. 

He's afraid that the car could be stolen. As she looked around the parking lot, she realized he was right. 

The parking lot was empty. she immediately called the police. She gave them her location, confessed that she had left her keys in the car, and that it had been stolen. 

Then she made the most difficult call of all to her husband: "I left my keys in the car and it's been stolen." 

There was a moment of silence. She thought the call had been disconnected, but then she heard his voice. "Are you kidding me?" He barked, "I dropped you off!" 

Now it was her turn to be silent. 

Embarrassed, she said, "Well, come and get me." 

He retorted, "I will, as soon as I convince this cop that I didn't steal your car!"

Truer words ...... never spoken ..

Thanks, Ernie, I missed this one ... my Kidney Stones and all the attachments have held me down a bit .... gettin old.

Best comment of the year so far.

Heard this on Fox News this evening (Mon., 1/12) from Oliver North.

Some one asked why President Obama, Vice President Biden, Eric Holder nor Secretary of State Kerry were NOT at the solidarity March in Paris Sunday. 

Colonel North said

"That's Because "The March was for 'world leaders' "!!!

Predictable ..... You bet

First, let me say I was an Ohio State, or a Buckeye Fan for many years. I was born one, had everything Scarlet and Gray, I even did the Bike ride of New York City, the Five Borough Ride, with a tape player on my bike, playing music by the Ohio State Marching Band. We spent part of our honeymoon, 50 years ago, at an Ohio State game in Columbus.

And then, Woody left, I did not like the way they got rid of Earle Bruce, will never know why they hired John Cooper, and, most of all the FANS became completely arrogant. Obnoxious and arrogant.

I dropped off of the Fan list at Ohio State.

And now, they somehow win a National Championship, against all odds. It has happened, they just could not win the title, now, primarily the fans have to belittle the Oregon team they beat. Facebook and a flood of bumper stickers etc., are flooding the airwaves. "Our Third String Quarterback beat YOUR Heisman trophy winner," is just an example. They could not win, anything, graciously.

I have never heard anyone refer to an Ohio State fan as ..... gracious ..... that is a shame, a great institution .... but such arrogant fans .... many of whom probably could not spell the name of the institution ..... 

Just Wondering

When, where and how, did it become so popular to wear "logo" clothing, now a multi billion dollar industry.

I remember when you gave your sweetheart your letter sweater, or a letter jacket, that one was awarded for prowess in athletics. There was little other logo emblazoned wearing apparel. Occasionally someone would "borrow" a piece of clothing, "Property of" ... I remember in high school I bought an "Oakwood" belt buckle and wore it proudly.

I don't remember when the "fad" started. I am not sure of the history of "Silk Screening" ... but I imagine in coincided with the logo craze. I even remember seeing "Licensed by."

What is it that makes a rational person want to wear a football jersey, with large letters on the back saying .... MANNING, representing a team located thousands of miles away .... that the person actually has no connection with.

I remember one player ran "afoul" of something, they offered to take returns, and thousands were returned, many thousands.

Logo clothing, a billion dollar industry, relying on ...... ????????

Me and Uric Acid

I really don't know a lot about Uric Acid, and I don't know what a Uric is, but, it has ruled my life in many ways.

In '60 or '61, I was working in Elko, Nevada, two jobs, the Ranch Inn and the famous Stockman's Hotel. My ankles started hurting, worse, worse and worse. I was immobile, could not move. Went to the local, well, the one and only one, then, hospital, after a few hours they determined I had .... The Gout. Probably the most painful of all ailments. Uric Acid.

Then, many years later, Kidney Stones, three hospital visits, the last, they laid me open and rebuilt that system, six hours on the table. The stones were Uric Acid.

And Now, 2015, they found a Kidney Stone on my left side, they put in Stents. Then, a week later, they found another Kidney Stone on the right side, and put in more Stents.

All due to too much Uric Acid. We will know on the 23rd of January what they intend to do, at the OSU hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

All, thanks to Uric Acid, and, perhaps other ailments I am not aware of. Perhaps, that Cyst in my Colon was also the result of ...... Uric Acid.

Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3. It forms ions and salts known as urates and acid urates, such as ammonium acid urate. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides. High blood concentrations of uric acid can lead to gout. The chemical is associated with other medical conditions including diabetes and the formation of ammonium acid urate kidney stones.

I can relate to all of that, yes I can.

Federer claims 1,000th win with Brisbane crown

Brisbane (Australia) (AFP) - Roger Federer brought up his 1,000th victory at tour level in style Sunday when he beat Canadian Milos Raonic in three tough sets to win the Brisbane International.

Federer was forced to absorb some superb shotmaking and blistering serves from the 24-year-old before winning 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 in two hours and 13 minutes at the Pat Rafter Arena.

Federer's glittering career now includes 83 singles titles, including 17 Grand Slams, since his first victory over Frenchman Guillaume Raoux in Toulouse in 1998.

The 33-year-old is third on the all-time list for matches won, behind Jimmy Connors (1,253) and Ivan Lendl (1,071).

"To get to 1,000 wins in front of you two greats means a lot to me," Federer said, describing it as a "special day".

"I'll never forget this moment," he added as he was presented with his Brisbane International trophy by Roy Emerson, as well as a special award for his 1,000th win by Rod Laver.

"It feels very different to any other match I've ever won, because I never thought about anything reaching 500 or 800.

"All those numbers didn't mean anything to me, but for some reason 1,000 means a lot because it's such a huge number. Just alone to count to 1,000 is going to take a while."

World leaders head Paris march to honor terror victims

PARIS (AP) — More than 40 world leaders, their arms linked, marched through Paris Sunday to rally for unity and freedom of expression and to honor 17 victims of three days of terrorist attacks.

The leaders were heading a demonstration of at least tens of thousands of people who converged on the capital after three gunmen attacked a newspaper office, kosher supermarket and police. Deafening applause rang out over the square as the leaders walked past, amid tight security and an atmosphere of togetherness amid adversity.

Families of the victims, many weeping and embracing, were also at the front of the march along with the world leaders, including French President Francois Hollande, top representatives of Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The aftermath of the attacks remained raw, with video emerging of one of the gunmen killed during police raids pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group and detailing how the attacks were going to unfold. Also, a new shooting was linked to that gunman, Amedy Coulibaly, who was killed Friday along with the brothers behind a massacre at satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in nearly simultaneous raids by security forces.

"Today, Paris is the capital of the world," said French President Francois Hollande . "Our entire country will rise up toward something better."

Rallies were also planned in London, Madrid and New York — all attacked by al-Qaida-linked extremists — as well as Cairo, Sydney, Stockholm, Tokyo and elsewhere.

"We are all Charlie, we are all police, we are all Jews of France," Prime Minister Manuel Valls declared on Saturday.

Tressel, the Boz make for a rare Hall of Fame controversy

Easy, just "Lower the Bar." .... any other school but OSU, this would not happen. Another Travesty.. I wonder what happened to the old "file" from Youngstown State. It is that "Methodist Minister" image that won the NCAA over, and some pressure from OSU.

DALLAS (AP) — Jim Tressel will become a College Football Hall of Famer while he is still being punished by the NCAA.

Tressel won't be the first inductee to the college hall with a black mark on his resume, but the National Football Foundation went outside of its comfort zone when it selected the former Ohio State coach as part of its latest class.

Nominated for the Hall of Fame by Youngstown State, where he won four Division I-AA national titles from 1986-2000, Tressel has two years remaining on the punishment he received from the NCAA for withholding information about an investigation of his players while at Ohio State.

Also among the class announced Friday by the NFF was Brian Bosworth, the outspoken Oklahoma linebacker who was suspended for his last college game for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs.

NFF chief executive operator Steve Hatchell said Tressel's missteps were carefully considered by the panel that reviews nominees.

"It was not hidden," Hatchell said. "Frankly, the people that are involved know all about the NCAA issues. So it was openly discussed. The feeling was what he had done coaching-wise at Youngstown State was strong enough."

Tressel will enter the hall as part of its Divisional Class, meant to honor players and coaches outside college football's top level, now known as FBS but once called I-A.

Do I Believe ........... You bet I do ......

Ohio State, or, The Ohio State University, will be the First National Champions under the new system. I have somewhat predicted that since the beginning of the season, or, at least after they started winning, after their loss.

When TV decided on this format, their first decision,, who, should be the first to win?

Notre Dame was the first on the list, then Michigan, then Ohio State. These were the oldest, with a tremendous "fan base" that had a chance and were most deserving. Then, OSU lost, Michigan was out and it looked like ND was also out of the running. Their only hope was that OSU could turn their season around, with Urban Meyer and the talent they had, this was a possibility.

The end of the season, the lopsided wins, "YES" ..... move them up, get them in the final four, which happened, and now they are playing ...... ah ..... from out West ....... the Northwest, trees .... Oh, yea, Oregon, and, the cherry on the top of the Sunday, they are the Ducks, and OSU is ..... the Bucks. A match made in heaven, no, not really, it was made in the executive office of some very articulate television executive, who has already received his bonus and is in Antigua, basking in the sun.

In my opinion, this was a "done deal" .... months ago.

And, the Michigan - OSU rivalry was petering out a bit .... that same TV Executive made a call to California, chatted for a while .... and ..... Harbaugh goes to Michigan .... and, the rivalry lives, soon, as bright as when Woody and Bo were at it .... who wins ........... TV, again.

Do I think that TV, who gives BILLIONS of dollars to the academic world has any say in what happens. You bet I do .......... remember that guy down on the field, when his arm is raised ..... the football stops .......... when it comes down ............ the game resumes.

I don't even want to get in to the world of Professional Athletics. I remember years ago, in Tijuana, watching Jai Ali matches .............. during the "warm ups" the participants are watching the tote boards to check out the odds ..... I learned early, money talks.

Bill Cosby jokes woman should be careful drinking near him

He is still out .... free, after all of the allegations, performing, and making a farce of his actions in his show .... THIS IS A DISGRACE .... I walked out on his show once, years ago, and would not even attend one now if the occasions arose .... I always liked Canada ... what is wrong with them? I am astonished that any venue would even consider him making an appearance.

LONDON, Ontario (AP) — Bill Cosby jokingly warned a woman in the audience during a show in Canada Thursday night to be careful drinking around him.

Cosby made the remark at his second performance in a row after a string of cancellations that followed sexual assault allegations from more than 15 women. Some of the women accused Cosby of drugging them by slipping something in their drinks before he assaulted them

A woman who got up from one of the front rows and walked past the stage was asked by Cosby where she was going. When she answered that she was going to the lobby to grab a drink Cosby responded: "You have to be careful about drinking around me." The remark was met with loud applause.

A few minutes later a heckler yelled at Cosby that he was a rapist.

Cosby stood up as the crowd started to boo the man and asked them not to respond. "No, no, stop," he said, waving his hands.

The man was removed from the theater by a police officer while one member of the audience yelled "we love you" to Cosby.

Cosby later addressed the disruption — the first at a show since the allegations surfaced — in a statement.

"Dear Fans: One outburst but over 2600 loyal, patient and courageous fans enjoyed the most wonderful medicine that exist for human-kind. Laughter. I thank you, the theatre staff (Budweiser Gardens), the event organizers and the London, ON Community for your continued honor and support. I'm Far From Finished," Cosby said in the statement issued by his publicist following the show.

Brunch with the Terrorists

Live, from France, TV, two locations, gunfire, grenades, and vehicles, hundreds of vehicles, some ambulances, some, unknown. I am sitting here, drinking coffee, in Newark, Ohio, watching what is going on in Paris.

What a great world we live in. Confusion reigns. I love these "reporters" .... they are able to ramble on and on, talking, saying noting, but repeating the same thing over and over.

Update, looks like all the "terrorists" are dead. As they say, "the two brothers." The other, is someone they were aware of.

The scene on TV, hundreds of vehicles, many ambulances, or similar looking cars, helicopters, in the air and on the ground ..... a "textbook" conclusion to the crisis.

I remember years ago, someone made the statement that we were entering .... "The Age of Terrorism." How true that statement was.

My breakfast this morning was ..... different .... a cold meatloaf sandwich, actually, I only had two "heels" left, so they were used. Hot, the meatloaf was a little "mushy." A night in the fridge, nice and firm, good sandwich.

I wonder what we will see tomorrow??????

Paris Attack Suspect Dead, Two in Custody

One of the suspects in the Paris attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine has been killed and the two others are in custody, a two senior U.S. counter terrorism officials told NBC News.

Authorities identified the three men as Said Kouachi and Cherif Kouachi, both French and in their early 30s, and 18-year-old Hamyd Mourad, whose nationality wasn't immediately clear.

One of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the investigation, told The Associated Press that the men were linked to a Yemeni terrorist network. And Cherif Kouachi was convicted in 2008 of terrorism charges for helping funnel fighters to Iraq's insurgency and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Authorities have not reported any arrests in the case.

The gunmen, armed with AK-47s, attacked the offices of Charlie Hebdu, a publication that has enraged Muslims for publishing cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. On their way in, they killed a maintenance worker, then stormed into an editorial meeting, where they killed eight journalists, including Stephane Charbonnier, the magazine's editorial director, and Bank of France economist Bernard Maris, a columnist. A security officer and a guest were also gunned down. As they fled, they killed a second police officer.

Eleven other people were injured, four of them critically, officials said.

Because the masked, black-clad gunmen attacked with militaristic precision and left the scene with shouts of "Allahu Akbar," the killers were suspected to be well-trained Islamic extremists. But their motive and backgrounds are still being investigated.

While authorities hunted the suspects, shock and mourning spread across Paris and the rest of France, a country with an estimated 5 million Muslims. France has a long, troubled relationship with its Arab immigrants and a more recent history of unrest among young native-born Muslims. There has been growing concern about young men and women returning to France after joining jihadist activity in the Middle East.

Thousands of Parisians took to the streets in spontaneous and defiant demonstrations of unity. They lighted candles and held signs declaring "Je Suis Charlie" ("I am Charlie") in reference to the magazine. At the Place de la Republique, they crammed themselves up onto the monument in the middle of the square and chanted "Charlie! Liberty!" Candles, posters and signs covered the three statues representing Liberty, Equality and Fraternity — the bedrock of French values.

"They want to scare French citizens and prohibit any criticism of religion, so here we are to remind them that religion can be freely criticized," said Sasha Reingewirtz, 28, president of the Jewish Students Union.

President Francois Hollande declared Thursday a day of national mourning and called for a minute of silence at noon. Flags will fly at half-staff for three days. The government raised its terrorism threat level to its highest grade and announced that security forces would be deployed at media outlets, major shopping venues, sites of religious worship and transportation networks in the Paris region.

Some food for thought ........

The "gay boy" you punched in the hall today, committed suicide a few minutes ago.

That girl you called a slut in class today, she is a virgin.

The boy you called lame, he has to work every night to support his family.

That girl you pushed down the other day, she is already being abused at home.

The girl you call fat, she is starving herself

The old man you made fun of because of the ugly scars, he received them fighting for our country.

The boy you made fun of for crying, his Mother is dying.

YOU think you know them, you don't. 

There is no excuse for BULLYING in any form.

Sunday - 1/4/15

Gloomy outside, chilly and rainy, bleak, dreary, about the same as I am, this morning. I am at about 60 percent this morning, no hurts from anything, still have this tube in my back, just not up to par. Now about 1:15 PM and I am almost ready for bed. Still doing some internal bleeding and I think it wear me down some.

Who won in college football this season? In my opinion, the BIG winner was television. The OSU-Alabama game one of the highest viewed sporting events in history, and I imagine that will pale in comparison to the upcoming game, the Bucks and the Ducks. A game made in heaven. There was some controversy at the end of the season as to whether Ohio State should be included. It could have gone either way, but .......... for some reason ................ Ohio State won out, the result, a matchup made in Heaven, OHIO State versus Alabama. Ohio State has the LARGEST following, I wonder if that had anything to do with their decision?

So far, everything has fallen right into the lap of television. I must admit, I wonder how many decisions are made ...... with their help? I will guarantee, however, that the Oregon/OSU game will break all records for Ad Sales, Revenue, Apparel Sales and viewers. Now do you see why OSU is playing?

I have not checked the news yet, probably more about the airplane crash, obama on vacation, North Korea ..... I wonder if obama is, in fact, the leader of the wold's strongest nation, or if he is just deceiving himself in to thinking that .... "Well, we used to be ...... why aint we now?" .... "Ah, we be gonna do so sanctions agin them .... what we got they need? ..... what? ...... what you mean nuthin!"

I see what China has accomplished, North Korea, other countries, and I see the shape we are in, total and complete chaos, and I have to wonder what we "lead" in.

The people who have chosen to protect us are being gunned down on the street, rioters and looters are having a field day, questionable shootings. Nightly shootings and killings in Columbus, Ohio, so I imagine this is happening around the country. Only certain shootings are singled out, shootings that support the agenda of a few, a few whose existence depends on racial unrest.

I have seen a few instances where the country pulled together. WWII we all pulled together, 9/11, the majority pulled together, there were those who cheered the event.

If a space ship, from Jupiter threatens our existence, as long as they were neither white or black, but green, with one eye .... then, we might all pull together, as a nation, as one people ...... other than that, pray.

4 large objects detected in AirAsia wreckage hunt

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian officials said Saturday that they were confident wreckage of AirAsia Flight 8501 had been located after sonar equipment detected four massive objects on the ocean floor.

The biggest piece, measuring 18 meters (59 feet) long and 5.4 meters (18 feet) wide, appeared to be part of the jet's body, said Henry Bambang Soelistyo, chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Though strong currents and big surf have prevented divers from entering waters to get a visual of the suspected fuselage, officials are hopeful they will find many of the passengers and crew inside, still strapped in their seats.

There were 162 people aboard the plane, but after a week of searching, only 30 bodies have been found floating in the choppy waters.

The Airbus A320 crashed Dec. 28, halfway into a two-hour flight from Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, to Singapore. Minutes before losing contact, the pilot told air traffic control that he was approaching threatening clouds, but was denied permission to climb to a higher altitude because of heavy air traffic.

It remains unclear what caused the plane to plunge into the Java Sea, though bad weather appears to have been a factor, according to a 14-page report released by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

"Flight 8501 appears to have been trapped in bad weather that would have been difficult to avoid," the report said.

Obamas drop $1K for meal at Hawaii restaurant that charges $500K for membership

By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times - Friday, January 2, 2015

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama spent a leisurely couple hours at Vintage Cave Honolulu, dropping an estimated $1,000 on a meal with wine at an upscale restaurant that actually charges $500,000 for those who want to buy a membership.

Mr. Obama passed on the membership at the Vintage Cave Honolulu, but he did order the price-fix menu at $295 per plate, Mediate reported. And, according to Honolulu Magazine, “the total bill for two, with wine, will approach $1,000.”

The restaurant bills itself on its website this way: “One can enjoy exceptional food and wine at the hands of gifted masters of the culinary arts. ‘Chef’s recommendation’ commands a gravitas guaranteed to satisfy the most discerning palate. Seasoned sommelier’s conduct the process of pairing wine and food with true finesse and style. Secure in the natural embrace of the cave-like environment, guests are encouraged to relax, ‘hit reset,’ and escape the ordinary.”

The meal comes as Mr. Obama continues to be riddled with criticism about the optics of his presidency — including a hastily assembled presser in mid-2014 about the Islamic State beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley, and then moments later hitting the golf links.

Shortly after, Mr. Obama took to “Meet the Press” with Chuck Todd to explain his actions.

He said: “It’s always a challenge when you’re supposed to be on vacation. Because you’re followed everywhere. And part of what I’d love is a vacation from the press. But there’s no doubt that after having talked to the families, where it was hard for me to hold back tears listening to the pain that they were going through, after the statement that I made, that you know, I should’ve anticipated the optics [of golf].”

He also said to CNN that he was aware “optics … matter. And I’m mindful of that.”

This seems OBSCENE to me, when so many are homeless, jobless, and hungry. It is akin to a slap in the face of the American public ...... "Don't do as I do, do as I say" I think it indicates their total disregard for the American People ..... WE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS AS LONG AS WE CAN ...... Screw You, America, we WILL do as we please .........

The Bucks and the Ducks ......

Ohio State beat Alabama last night, in Football. Oregon also won .... The Bucks and the Ducks. A match up made in heaven

 .... or ...... ?

I am somewhat of the opinion that the outcome of some sporting events is often determined on what is best for TV. I predicted, well before the event, what would be the best scenario and the most profitable for TV in a Superbowl .... Brother against Brother ..... and it worked out. I predicted in September that Harbaugh would go to Michigan .... even had the salary right. Michigan is a BIG TV event, and it was waning ............. no more .... a big media do over now. Who greatly benefits from these and other predictable events .............. TV.

I do, however, feel that OSU was, by seasons end, one of the top teams in the country, and they are one heck of a TV draw ...... all Sugar Bowl Champions ...... apparel, sold out, back order. millions and millions in apparel sales. My guess would be that next week, all records will be broken, TV revenue, ad sales, apparel sales, viewers ..... all will go through the roof. This game will be "hyped" like no other, even the super bowl.

The Bucks and the Ducks .... coincidence?

Me and Uric Acid ........................

Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the formula C₅H₄N₄O₃. It forms ions and salts known as urates and acid urates, such as ammonium acid urate. Uric acid is a product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides. High blood concentrations of uric acid can lead to gout. The chemical is associated with other medical conditions including diabetes and the formation of ammonium acid urate kidney stones.

High levels of uric acid is called hyperuricemia and can lead to gout.

Some medical history and background. It was around 1960, Elko, Nevada, I was working two jobs in, Elko, Nevada, one shift at the Ranch  Inn, and next one at the Stockman's. I had heard many of the old timer's and locals, talk about the Stockman's. It was one of the earliest clubs in the state, and had a notorious history. While working at the Ranch Inn, early evening, my ankles started hurting. By the end of the shift, they really hurt. 

I made it to the Stockmans, got behind the table and started dealing craps ... the longer I worked, the more they hurt. Finally .... the hurt got to a point .... well, excruciating and worse, describes it. I was immobile, any movement caused pain. I finally could not take it any more and reported to the floor boss I was leaving. I could not walk, but I somehow made it out of the club, across the street, and went to a nearby bar. 

Breathing hurt, heartbeats hurt, you have to have had the gout to appreciate the hurt. We called a cab, carried to the cab, taken to the little hospital in Elko, taken in via a wheelchair. A couple of doctors checked me over, diagnosis ..... GOUT .... pain pills, and they sent me home. I had a second floor apartment then, the cab driver and a couple of neighbors carried me up the stairs. The bed and I were close friends for a few days, and it went away. I have had some minor twinges since then, but nothing like the first one.

Apparently, it manifested itself in kidney stones, rather than gout. One bout about 30 years ago resulted in an 6 hour surgery, and now, these two new BIG BOYS.

I guess I can attribute it all to diet, but Uric Acid has had quite a devastating effect on my life, and still is. Two new ones, BIG boys ..... will know more on the 23rd............