8 more days of ..... till my "procedure" ...

Say a prayer each night for my Urologist, Bodo Knudsen, M.D. .... give him good judgement and strong steady hands .... and a healing sympathetic attitude, and a tremendous knowledge of the Human Urinary system, and how it all works .... and how to fix, when it doesn't .... and, above all, how to turn BIG Kidney Stones in to little, sub microscopic ... minuscule, easy to pass ... reeeel small pieces ........... Amen.

Other than my Kidney Stones and the constant discomfort from them, which will continue until 3/3, the cord on my laptop has frayed, the battery is old and weak, so the laptop that I have used all these many years is .............. well ................ as Colonel Klink might say, "is Kaput." I am back on my wife's computer, took me almost 30 minutes to sign in, passwords were established many years ago.

I have not checked on the state of the country or the world for a few days, I really don't care. My discomfort supersedes all of that. What little sleep I get, a night, sitting on the couch, covered with three blankets .... however, every two hours .... yep, gotta go. I will not go into detail where the discomfort might be, a "private" matter, very private.

I do not do well during the day on so little sleep, I sit and stare, out the window, at the wall, or the TV. The wall and the TV are about the same, boring. Occasionally a car will go by while looking out the window, and even they are almost boring, they all look alike.

I have noticed on the news, a robbery or an escape of some kind, in a vehicle. It used to me, make, model and color. Now it is only the color, sometimes, your choice of perhaps 5 or 6 makes. "Well, gosh, I think it was a, well, it was blue of some kind, and, yeh, I remember it had tires, and it coulda been a .......... or a .......... or a ........... or a ........... or a .......... or a ............ or a .......... or a????? But, I think it was blue, dark blue, or maybe black .... I know it wasn't white."

I miss my laptop, the cord, just to plug it in is around $35 or so dollars, I refuse to pay that for a plug. It was a charger also, I guess, but that is way too much money for just a cord.

I unfortunately missed the Academy Awards last night, that's 50 or so I have missed. I think Bogart won it the last year I watched ... The African Queen .... great flick. Excuse me, I had to take a "potty" break, about every ten minutes while up and around, every two hours or less at night, while trying to sleep, sitting up in a chair, covered with blankets. One night, three house sleep, it was heavenly.

I am not a song writer, but I am in the process of composing one .... incorporating the word ..... "burning."

Truck containing 36,000 pounds of Crisco stolen

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A truck containing 18 tons of Crisco sticks headed to a grocery store chain distribution center was stolen in a Florida city.

St. Petersburg Police say that a tractor-trailer containing the 36,000 pounds of vegetable shortening was snatched Sunday morning.

The truck was destined for a Publix distribution center in Lakeland. Authorities said the stolen tractor was a 2005 red Volvo, with a Florida tag and had the business name of "NS Express LLC on both sides of the cab. The trailer was a white Hyundai.

"Crisco can be used for frying or making delicious baked goods," one bystander said.

A tongue twister ..........

Titleist balata golf ball, a liquid center then the covered with elastic windings then the balata cover ( not a thin film but thicker ).

Mister Vladishoff Blahah was Plant Manager of the Asthlet Balata Company. I am not positive of the spelling, just Balata.

Years ago, at our Snelling and Snelling Employment Agency, we got a call from this company, they needed some help finding employees.

Rick Harper, the Manager and I went out to the plant to look around and determine what type of employee they needed. We entered the building on East Main Street here in Newark, chatted with Mr. Blahah a short time, and were ready to take a tour.

"Any matches, lighters or metal in your pockets, you'll have put these covers over your shoes, be very careful when you walk through the plant, the atmosphere is VERY explosive."

As I recall, it was a tower type thing, where they did something to the balata rubber, dropped it from the top of the tower and had the start, or something to be used in the manufacture of golf balls. One problem, the building kept exploding and catching on fire. NO one wanted to work in such an environment.

"Oh, I have a possible opening for you here, it's out on East Main ......"

"No thanks!:

It ultimately exploded, had a fire, and they never rebuilt it, and, we never had to try to pronounce his name and title again ....................

Ohio casinos seek new edge

We as people are great. Smoking kills people. Gambling is harmful. So, after a lengthy fight, Ohio has casinos. So, to accommodate those who are killing themselves smoking, an isolated area is set aside, and now they want slot machines in those areas. What about those poor souls who like to play 21 and smoke while doing so, what can they do? WHY NOT just, build a big casino, put a wall down the middle, one side smoking, the other no smoking? Problem .... NO SMOKING in state buildings, a casino is a BIG revenue source for the state ... almost a state building, now what? 

Many people apparently choose to die from Emphysema and broke, with a glove on their right hand. 

CINCINNATI — Ohio’s casinos are planning to ensure gamblers can still feed the slot machines during their smoke breaks.

Major casinos in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo want to install slot machines in designated smoking areas while keeping their main gambling floors smoke-free. Ohio’s smoking ban has been seen as a competitive advantage to three riverboat casinos in southeast Indiana, where smoking is allowed.

Cincinnati’s downtown casino proposed plans to install about 150 slot machines and other gambling devices on a nearly 10,000-square-foot smoking deck now under construction, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Officials with the Columbus and Toledo casinos are also working on installing slot machines to their smoking decks. Ohio’s smoking ban has been seen as a competitive advantage to three riverboat casinos in southeast Indiana, where smoking is allowed.

Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for Penn National Gaming Inc., which operates the Columbus and Toledo casinos, said that adding smoking areas for gamblers “is a way to meet customer demand.”

Regulators with the Ohio Casino Control Commission said they are reviewing the Cincinnati casino’s proposal and will approve it as long as it meets requirements.

All five of Ohio’s racinos have at least a few slots in smoking areas, but the scope of the Cincinnati casino’s proposed gambling area for smokers is larger than anything currently in the state.

One-third of Ohio casino gambling revenue goes to the state in taxes. The Cincinnati casino could generate an additional $10 million in annual gambling revenue with the added slot machines if they generate the property’s average $175 daily unit revenue.

Football RULES in Steubenville, Ohio

It would be nice if the stadium was empty for their games, especially void of any female, in protest. This whole affair was a "good ol boy" thing from the start. Football comes first, all else ..... follows ..

An Ohio high school student is back on his school’s football team after serving a little over nine months of a one-year sentence for rape.

Ma’lik Richmond, 18, of Steubenville, was found guilty last year – along with fellow student Trent Mays – of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl after a night of drinking and partying in August 2012. The case sparked outrage on social media after a picture emerged showing Mays and Richmond carrying the victim, who appears to be unconscious, by her hands and feet.

In an interview before the trial, Richmond told ABC’s Elizabeth Vargas he didn’t think it was rape.

“I didn’t rape anybody. I didn’t witness a rape going on. And if I would have thought that somebody was being raped or anything like that, I would have stopped it,” Richmond said.

Following his conviction, Richmond turned to the victim’s family and begged for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry to put you guys through this,” he said, crying.

Richmond was sentenced to a year at a juvenile detention center. He served nine months and was released in January.

A judge also classified the teen as a sex offender, a classification that will require him to report to an officer every six months for the next 20 years.

While some are criticizing the school for allowing Richmond back on the team, the Ohio High School Athletic Association says this is a local school decision.

“The OHSAA is bound by By law 451, which gives the school the authority to determine if the student can participate,” OHSAA’s Information Director Tim Stried said.

Fred Abdalla Jr., Richmond’s probation officer, defended the school’s decision to allow the student back on the roster.

“I think the boy should be allowed to play,” Abdalla said. “Ma'lik Richmond has done everything the court has asked him since he’s been sentenced.”

HOF Week

Some great memories will glow this week, along with some tears, looking back at the times Son Brad and I attended the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony up in Canton, Ohio. We go way back to the day it was not the "spectacular" that it is today, more of an intimate little affair.

The ceremony took place in front of the building, people were sitting all around on anything they could find, we milled through the building, rubbed elbows with the "greats" ... "There is Ditka, having lunch, right there." 

So many from my era were there, names I had only heard on the radio, or read about in the magazines, or read of in the newspaper. We would walk through and see all the displays, THERE .... Mack Hummon, his shirt and  shoes ... "My teacher in school."  The greatest part of the whole thing, sharing it with Brad.

After the ceremony we would walk down to the stadium and watch the game. One regret. I think the last time we were there, the game was over and we were walking around, and down by the buses, which were loading some of the teams, there stood a man, all alone,  ready to get into his car or something. Brad and I saw him, we almost went over to talk with him, and shake his hand, which I am sure he most graciously would have done, but we didn't, but we had a chance to say hello to a legend, Eddie Robinson, who was still coaching at Grambling.

I think this was in the lat 80's and a whole passel of Pittsburgh Steelers were going in HOF, the crowd was a sea of black and gold, not that far of a drive from Pennsylvania, so they really turned out. Ham and Lambert, I forget the others, but for a couple of years .... and we saw most of them.

Great memories, I will shed a few tears this week .... thankful we made those memories when we did ..

John Eshelman, Jr. an old friend, gone.

I have lost a good friend, and did not find out about it until today. I just saw him a week or so ago, he looked in good health and in good spirits. He and his wife were loading grocers into their van at Walmart, we chatted a bit. I related to him that I originally wondered what his name  was, his license place, ZRE, I wondered what his first name might be, then in dawned on me, he owned ZODIAC Real estate. He mentioned to me on a few occasions that I should get a real estate license, comparatively easy in those days, I never did, always had something else to do, I regret that now. I have lost another friend.

NEWARK — John Eshelman Jr., who wore many hats in his political and professional life, most recently as a LEADS board member, died Thursday.

Eshelman, 87, a former Licking County Commissioner and chairman of the Licking County Democratic Party, died at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus.

Visitation will be 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Brucker-Kishler Funeral Home, 985 N. 21st St., Newark. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Marcia Phelps, also a former county commissioner and fellow member of the LEADS community action agency, said she will miss her political discussions with Eshelman.

Phelps, who became commissioner after Eshelman left the office, said she could count on getting his perspective.

“I just remember John being somebody you could always talk to about government,” Phelps said. “He was always a wealth of information about government and county issues.

“I know he kept that passion for public service. He was a good loyal Democrat, but when it came to his service, he served everybody equally.”

Eshelman worked as a real estate agent for 40 years and retired from the Ohio Department of Transportation as a real estate administrator.

Pat Guanciale, a local Realtor for more than 40 years, said working with Eshelman was never difficult.

“He was always smiling,” Guanciale said. “I had a transaction with him a few years ago. If you have a problem with a transaction, he was always trying to get it solved, but always with a smile.”

Guanciale said Eshelman did appraisals on foreclosed homes for the Licking County Sheriff’s Office recently, possibly even last year.

“John was one of the fixtures,” Guanciale said. “He was always around. He was always easygoing, and he kept up with things.”

Current Newark City Council member Marc Guthrie, who Eshelman was appointed to replace as commissioner in 1983, said he talked to him recently about getting together more often.

“He was just a quality fellow. I’m devastated,” Guthrie said. “He was a very honest and ethical realtor. I can’t say enough good about the guy.”

Don Hill, who served as county commissioner with Eshelman, said: “He was a good worker, very diligent and concerned about politics. He was a problem-solver.

“He lived a good life and enjoyed about every minute of it.”

Eshelman, a 1945 graduate of Newark High School, served in the U.S. Navy. He and wife Gerry Kaercher were married for 66 years.

I want them on the WWW .... that's why.

For my own reasons I wanted to get these on the WWW. Me as a baby and at a year and a half.

By posting them, with my name as a keyword, they may be searched on the internet.....

That's why .................

How do you feel about Obama?

Someone asked me that the other day, as a serious question. He was an ardent Democrat, so I didn't reply right then, I told him to let me think about it a few days and then, read my blog .... this is his reply.

About who, does he really exist, or has all of this just been a bad dream, and when we all wake up, our leader in the White House will be a John Waynelike person, or a Reaanlike person, perhaps even ... Bushlike.

Perhaps someone who draws respect because, a "Dadlike" figure who we look up to, we know we are in good hands, experienced, quiet, unassuming, but Eisenhowerlike, you snap to and stand taller when he enters the room. "Wow, that he is, that is him, Wow."

Colin Powell, Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., even Condoleezza Rice, where are people we can respect?

The only respect that I have for obama is that he has been able to accomplish all that he has, with his personality. L. Ron Hubbard, probably Glen Turner, and some "notorious" leaders have done the same. Old Bernie Maddoff had it, as well as some well known "con men" have had that same ability. Con men, doing a con job, on the public. You can the long list of successful "evangelists" and add them to that list also. Rush Limbaugh and all of the other "radio personalities" who have become Political Pied Pipers are in the same catagory.

They have nurtured nothing in to something. They are called "con men" in no uncertain terms, they have that old innate ability to "pull the wool over our eyes."

Obama falls right in that category. He has "conned" the country, and the world, and dazzled the world. He himself has nothing to offer, but his image, so he has surrounded himself with "talent." Look at all those he has put on the payroll, same thing Hubbard and Glen did. They pushed the wheel to the edge and it did the rest on its own.

I remember many years ago, Woolworth's or one of the Ten Cent Stores, that guy at the end of the counter, had that little wax mouse thing, he had it do wonders, up and down his arm .... I would always have my Mom get me one .... got it home, and it did nothing .... he was a con man, same as those guys in the traveling carnivals, they were good, you would win, win, win .... until you lost, and then you knew, you had nothing, and you just shook your head. I remember one here in town years ago, one guy, lost his paycheck, plus more, complained loud enough he got his money back ..... generally ..... if you are gonna be a sucker, be a silent one ...... same thing applies to obama .... we are suckers, so let's just be silent ..... well, "How do I feel about obama," he is a great "Con Man." He is taking our money, our government and then, our country .... what happened?????

He is the epitome of Joe Goss .... you had to be there .................

Mary Ann

Not sure what made me think of her, I guess it was when I was running the vacuum cleaner I thought of her, and I will explain why.

She was one of those who trained me as a deale in Reno. She was a whiz with numbers, as good as a calculator. She was also a 21 dealer at the Nevada Club and through after shift drinks, etc., became a good friend She was a dealer "icon" to me, her ability to deal the cards and her razor sharp mind. She also dealt craps, and was a whiz at that also, payoffs just came to her naturally. When she was on the table, her end was ... neat, arranged well, not sure if there is a word for it, but she was a pleasure to work with. Her stacks of silver dollars, which we used in those days, were all symmetrically perfect, she was very "neat" on the table.

I think it was on a Sunday, after shift, we were all at the bar at Kelley's Nugget, and it ended up, she invited me and another dealer, whose name escapes me, to come out to her place for dinner. Home cooked meals were scarce in those days. She had some errands to run, gave me the key to her door, a rental house on North Virginia, almost across from the Reno Campus.

Anyway, she left, we had a few more drinks, and headed out to her place.

We got there, parked in front, went in, and the place was a mess. She never did laundry, she would buy new (we made a lot of money in those days) and when the pile got too high she would haul them off to the Goodwill Store. The kitchen was a mess. It took us an hour or so to clean the kitchen, do the dishes, and get it workable.

About that time, she came in with a load of groceries, smiling, and, as it worked out, I cooked the dinner.

By the time we left, we had cleaned her place up, cooked dinner, cleaned that up, and left, left a smiling Mary Ann Sterns standing at the door ...... like a .... "It worked again" look.

Shortly after that, she moved to another place, and the other guy, whose name escapes me, rented the place for a few months. There was a bar across the street, not that far from town, nice place. On one occasion, we had a few too many after a shift, I think I had the night off, ...... well, I lost my car, forgot where I parked it, it was no where near our house, took us a few days to find it .... oh yea, that was the day I stole a five-gallon new milk can, from behind one of the clubs, and, well, collected money around town using that can to hold the money ..... collecting for the Cutty Sark and Milk Fund ... that is another whole story. As I understand it, my boss, kept the can as a souvenir in his rec-room at his home ... memories of the old days.

The bad news, as I collected donations, I invited everyone to a "kickoff" party at that house on North Virginia .... I woke up, later that night surrounded by people, on the couch in the living room, in my underwear ... the collections went well, I had enough to feed and quench all of their appetites and thirsts ... that's all I remember ...........................

LeBron James to Sign With Cleveland Cavaliers

Free agent superstar LeBron James will bring his two NBA championships and four NBA MVPs back to Cleveland, almost four years to the day after he decided to bring his talents to Miami.

James made the announcement in an article with Sports Illustrated Friday.

Heat owner Mickey Arison tweeted his disappointment in the decision Friday afternoon.

The heartbreaking news for Heat fans came after a Wednesday full of movement from the Cavaliers. The team cleared out more than $20 million in salary cap space to offer LeBron a full max contract of between $88 million and $118 million, depending on whether the Heat and Cavaliers exchange James on a sign-and-trade or he simply leaves Miami with no compensation from the Cavs.

The loss of LeBron is a devastating blow to a team that went to the NBA Finals for four straight seasons from 2010 to 2014, winning back-to-back championships during that run.

It’s hard to overstate James' value in Miami for the past four seasons. From the court to the tourism industry, James has been one of the biggest draws to South Florida outside of South Beach itself.

James has averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game since joining the Heat. He took over the team's leadership after the Heat lost the first NBA Finals with the Big Three and ran off two straight NBA championships before losing this year to the San Antonio Spurs.

LeBron took on more of the load in Miami, but he also elevated his game. He won MVP awards and NBA Finals MVP awards, and he was arguably the defensive player of the year for at least two of those seasons.

The Heat deployed James all over the court, having him guard any player on the other team’s roster. LeBron also elevated his post play while with the Heat, letting Miami play a smaller, quicker lineup that ended up abusing NBA opponents for two seasons.

Haskell collapses in Texas court as details of Texas murder read

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The man accused of fatally shooting four children aged 4 to 14 and their parents after entering their suburban Houston home while looking for his former wife collapsed when details of the murder scene were read in court on Friday.

Ronald Lee Haskell, 33, who is being held without bond, was in court for a procedural hearing after being charged on Thursday with capital murder and multiple murders. Capital murder can bring the death penalty in Texas.

Haskell said "Yes, sir" after his rights were read and then collapsed as details of the crime were listed in the court. Bailiffs had to pick him up and wheel him out in an office chair.

Haskell is accused of killing two boys ages 4 and 14, two girls ages 7 and 9, and their parents Stephen Stay, 39, and Katie, 33. Five of them were found dead and one of the children died after being flown to a hospital for treatment. A 15-year-old daughter survived the attack, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities said he went to the Stay home looking for his former wife, who is related to the victims, and held the children at gunpoint until their parents returned. He then brought all seven family members into a room and shot them, killing all except the teenage girl, police said.

The suspect's former wife did not live at the house and was not harmed in the incident.

FedEx said in a statement that Haskell was once employed by a contractor used by the shipping company but had not worked for that company since January.

Thursday, 10 July

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my Granddaughter Amanda, she is a delight, very proud of her. She has traveled 25 years in my life. I am at the age where I can no longer comprehend time. I have lived through mine, my kids, my grandkids and my great grandkids, too much to remember, I guess. An odd thing, when you get old you have all those memories, but the mind is not as .......  can't think of a good word. I  guess, when you need it the most, it is not working as well. I hope that makes sense.

OBAMA is in Texas working out the illegal immigration thing. Sixty plus years ago, I spent a few months at the Tijuana border, Shore Patrol in the Navy. There were daily buses bringing "illegals" back to Mexico. We should be thankful that he finally is there to work out a solution to the problem. How fortunate are we to have such a leader. He is a real Captain Obama. I have to wonder WHY? Is his arrogance such that he honestly thinks that HE has a solution to an age old problem. There is NO solution to the problem, well, there is, but it is not politically correct, and politics is the guiding hand in any decision made. What is good for the party, not what is good for the country?

I must admit, recent events on this old laptop have taken much of the joy of writing and working on this blog, away. I used to look forward to having my coffee in the morning, checking the news and posting on this blog, but, as in "Mudville" ..... mighty Casey has struck out. Thanks to Supra Sales and their "POPUPS" and their sharing this computer now, not much fun anymore. I could live with NSA sharing this with me, they were just observant and passive, almost like someone just looking over the shoulder.

Early July and Summer is almost over, time, now, till October, will fly by. TV is advertising their NEW Fall shows, the NFL is advertising Thursday Night Football ...... no more Summer, sure went by fast. September Song is playing ..... the melody is lilting through the air .............

U.S. poll: more voters see Obama as worst president in modern times

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two years into President Barack Obama's second term, more voters say they are dissatisfied with his administration's handling of everything from the economy to foreign policy, giving him the worst marks of any modern U.S. president, a poll on Wednesday said.

In a survey of 1,446 registered voters, 33 percent said Obama was the worst president since World War Two, while 28 percent pointed to his predecessor, George W. Bush, as the worst, the poll by Quinnipiac University found.

Voters were split over which of the two most recent presidents has done a better job with 39 percent saying Obama has been a better president than Bush and, 40 percent saying Obama is worse.

Most voters said Ronald Reagan, who served two terms in the 1980s, was the best president since 1945, the survey showed.

"Over the span of 69 years of American history and 12 presidencies, President Barack Obama finds himself with President George W. Bush at the bottom of the popularity barrel," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of Quinnipiac University's polling unit.

While Obama's job approval rating has inched higher to 40 percent, up from 38 percent in December, more voters gave him largely negative marks in key areas: the economy, foreign policy, healthcare and terrorism, according to the poll.

On the environment, 50 percent gave Obama positive marks.

The telephone survey, taken June 24 to June 30, had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

Creative Medicine ............

A California truck driver pulled into the Blue Beacon Truck Wash in central Pennsylvania and spotted an advertisement for low-cost health exams for truckers. Needing one for his commercial driver's license, he called the number on the sign and was picked up by a woman in an old Ford Tempo. She drove him to her town house, where she performed the $65 physical, had him provide a urine sample and faxed the required forms to the California Department of Transportation.

It all seemed a bit odd to trucker Todd Wakefield, whose suspicions were heightened when California authorities told him about irregularities in the paperwork. After some clever sleuthing of his own, Wakefield turned his findings over to Pennsylvania State Police — who say they uncovered a scam that snagged at least 16 commercial drivers they know about, and probably more they don't.

Police were looking for more possible victims Tuesday after charging Joann Wingate, a 56-year-old chiropractor from Carlisle whose license was suspended, with swiping the identity of a psychiatrist with the same last name to perform bogus exams on commercial truck drivers who needed them to maintain their licenses. Wingate was charged Friday, posted $10,000 bail and was released Monday from Cumberland County Prison. She faces a preliminary hearing July 16 on charges of forgery, identity theft, impersonation, fraud and related offenses.

The phone number that state police said she used to advertise was still in service Tuesday. It answered with a recorded message that promoted services ranging from physical exams for truckers to drug testing for bath salts, oxycodone and other substances. The recording offered a "free five-minute shuttle from all Carlisle truck stops," and gave another number to call for 24-hour service. A woman who answered the phone at that number identified herself as Wingate but declined to comment.

State records show that Wingate's chiropractic license was suspended indefinitely in the fall after regulators found she had been offering trucker physicals at least since 2009. It wasn't clear Tuesday whether regulators made a criminal referral to police as a result of their investigation, and a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of State declined to comment.

Wingate continued to advertise after her suspension and, since Jan. 1, performed physicals on 16 drivers licensed in Pennsylvania, police said. She examined Wakefield, the California trucker, on June 1. After talking to authorities in that state and researching Wingate on the Internet, Wakefield concluded she wasn't who she seemed to be, police said. The trucker contacted the ersatz physician the day after his exam, and she agreed to refund his money.

While meeting with her, Wakefield managed to snap a picture of her medical examiner's certificate. He later shared it with state police, who noted it bore the license number of a psychiatrist from the Philadelphia area.

The psychiatrist told police she didn't perform physicals and had never been to Carlisle, a town about 20 miles from the state capital of Harrisburg. State police searched Wingate's home last week and said they found "a large quantity of medical documents and forms related to DOT physicals," as well as signs and brochures. They also found a small quantity of marijuana and a marijuana pipe, court documents said.

State police said that truckers who believe they were victimized should contact them.

SMI - 6/28/14 and Craig Young

Another Saturday Morning Inspection. A Saturday does not go my that I don't think about my days at The Citadel, and the inspections we had, on Saturday Morning. Bleached wooden floors so they were as white as possible, brass work polished, clothes properly arranged, shoes shined. Sometimes spent the night getting ready for it. And on some occasions all that work done ...... after ...... a party.

Best wishes to dear friend Craig Young who had some "work" done on his legs last week. Our friendship goes back many years. I was having lunch one day, at Roger's Old New Landmark, sitting at the bar. Someone sat next to me. I think it was after Christmas that year. Someone had given Roger a new telephone system for the occasions. It did not work right. Her name escapes me right now, but, she told us that it was not working right. I told her it was the wiring. "It comes in high on the wall, there, travels down to the floor, then back up to the phone. It is too high for the signal to climb."

The guy next to me agrees, and we go on for a while. It was Craig, and we have been good friends since. I have done some printing, designing, etc., over the years, and given him the highest designation for being a "pain in the ass" customer. He likes that. We have done many things together, enjoyed them all.

I wish him a speedy recovery, and he has advertised for some part time help. I applied.

"I would like to apply. I have a few limitations. I can only work two hours a day. Can only lift three pounds. Need a five minute break, every ten minutes. I sometimes get dizzy when standing up. I need at least two "potty" breaks every hour. I can only stand for eight minutes and then must sit down. I am allergic to dust, paint and cleaning chemicals. I will need transportation to and from work. If you need references, call Craig Young or Joan Batstra at 1st Response. Oh, I have had a triple bi-pass and have limited use of the range of my arms. My nick-name is "Shaky" and I am a Veteran, and an explosives demolition expert. What, honey I can't hear you, what else should I put, oops, I dropped my coffee cup. Who, Craig, I told them .... no, I am not going to tell them I will not work for them if Craig picks me up and takes me home. My heart,, remember? I look forward to hearing from you in regards to my employment. My telephone number is unlisted as I am under indictment for unemployment fraud and don't wish for them to find me."

They never called me back, wonder why. Joan Batstra, who I sent the application to, replied, and indicated they had already hired some with the same qualifications.

USA Soccer plays again this week, sometime, will be glued to the set, I have to watch it that way, otherwise, when I fall asleep I would slide to the floor ..... USA ...... USA ........ USA ...... took me a while but I am learning the cheers ....................... 

How do you rob a drive-thru?

ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) — A man who worked at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in northern South Carolina has been accused of robbing a KFC. Fifty-year-old old Jeffrey Coley is accused of taking $516 from the KFC in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Monday.

Police say Coley pulled a gun at the drive-thru at KFC and demanded cash. Coley was arrested Tuesday after a chase. Police say the cash drawer was still in the vehicle.

He's charged with armed robbery, possession of a gun during a violent crime, failure to stop for police and possession of methamphetamine. It wasn't clear whether he has an attorney.

Chick-fil-A spokesman Mark Baldwin tells The Rock Hill Herald Coley was fired June 18 from a restaurant in Indian Land when he failed to show up to work two consecutive days.

I heard of a guy who tried to rob the drive-thru ATM at his bank, pulled a gun on it and the machine blew a fuse ..... and it died.

Alaska black bear, cubs steal kids' lunch boxes

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Witnesses say a black bear and two cubs that have been frequenting midtown Anchorage stole several lunch boxes at a children's day camp on the Alaska Pacific University campus.

Katie Adrian, program manager at the summer program run by Camp Fire USA, tells The Anchorage Daily News (http://is.gd/P7BKH2) the bears wandered onto the school's soccer fields Monday, soon after the campers ate lunch at picnic tables, leaving behind some snacks. The bears carried a few lunch boxes into the woods and dug in.

The bears weren't aggressive and camp staff corralled the kids. After this, she says the campers will eat elsewhere and store their food indoors.

David Battle of the Alaska Fish and Game Department says there are no plans to remove the bears. He says the agency doesn't consider them a public safety hazard.

Trademark board rules against Redskins name

Do you think ANY pressure might have been exerted by ............ ?????????

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled.

The 2-1 ruling comes after a campaign to change the name has gained momentum over the past year. The team doesn't immediately lose trademark protection and is allowed to retain it during an appeal.

Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has refused to change the team's name, citing tradition, but there has been growing pressure including statements in recent months from President Barack Obama, lawmakers of both parties and civil rights groups.

The decision means that the team can continue to use the Redskins name, but it would lose a significant portion of its ability to protect the financial interests connected to its use. If others printed the name on sweatshirts, apparel, or other team material, it becomes more difficult to go after groups who use it without permission.

The decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board is similar to one it issued in 1999. That ruling was overturned in 2003 in large part on a technicality after the courts decided that the plaintiffs were too old and should have filed their complaint soon after the Redskins registered their nickname in 1967.

The new case was launched in 2006 by a younger group of Native Americans, and was heard by the board in March of last year.

Driver is cited for using dummy in carpool lane

QUINCY, Mass. (AP) — A commuter heading into Boston had a real dummy along for the ride.

State Trooper John Carnell was working a paid detail in Quincy on Thursday morning when he saw a vehicle enter the carpool lane on Interstate 93 north with a suspicious-looking passenger.

Carnell pulled over the vehicle and found that indeed, the driver had propped up a jacket with a mannequin head on top in the passenger seat. The fake head even had a little mustache drawn on.

Vehicles using the lane must have at least two occupants.

The driver, whose name was not made public, has been issued a citation for operating on an excluded way.