Small Town, USA – Part 5

One of the differences between living in a big city as opposed to living in a small town is the types of crimes that are committed.

A city may have murders and kidnappings and bank robberies; a town has its share of petty robberies but murders may not have caught up to the small town yet., There is a big difference in the conduct of the citizens though.

Big city people check all their locks before going to sleep. Townspeople just hope for the best. Maybe it’s because big-time violence hasn’t arrived yet. Here is a sample of the type of crimes being perpetrated in my town.

Two weeks ago, a thief stole a bunch of lawn sprinkling heads from a nursery garden. Tell me what kind of person says to himself, “What can I steal tonight? Oh, I know, I’ll steal me some sprinkling heads.”

A couple of months ago, someone broke into a pickup truck. There were all sorts of safety equipment and a satellite radio among other pricey things, but the thief must have been thirsty because all he took was a can of soda and two AA batteries. Sorry, I can’t explain the batteries. We have some really quirky thieves.

The biggest theft that I can remember was a missing car, however the guy left his keys in the ignition and the car door unlocked. Oops. But that isn’t as uncommon as you would think.

Lots of people leave their car doors unlocked. It must be force of habit when you’ve grown up in a small town. The thing is while they were playing in the schoolyard, and graduating from high school and later raising a family, their small town grew up with them. It was a smaller town back then.

Times they are a-changin’.

 

Olympic Team USA – Made in China

When you see your Team USA march in the Opening Ceremony in London, they, of course, will be proudly carrying the United States flag, but they will be wearing, from head to toe, uniforms Made In China. Doesn’t that get your patriotic juices flowing?

Are you asking why the United States Olympic Committee had to outsource our athletes outfits to China? Evidently, someone beat you to the punch with that question. Part of the Committee’s official response is “…”Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors…”

Does that mean the Sponsors chose China?

This is just too outrageous. Even the Democrats and Republicans in Congress have finally found something they can agree on.  What a disgrace!

 

Harry Potter

80% of the time, Hollywood does a lousy job of translating a wonderful book to the screen, but Harry never disappointed. I read all the books. I’ve seen all the movies.

And The Deathly Hallows doesn‘t  miss a beat. Action galore. Magic sublime.

Over 1,000 people showed up at our theater for Friday’s midnight show – over half dressed as one of the characters. For a small town, that must be some kind of record. Balloons and crepe paper festooned the lobby. Everyone partied like there was no tomorrow. And maybe there isn’t.

It’s quite a letdown to know that there will be no future books or movies to look forward to. The fantasy world of Harry, Hermione and Ron has reached its expiration date. What a bummer, but what a fantastic ride!

Entitlements

What do you figure the word “Entitlements” stands for?

Maybe it means old people feel they are entitled to receive money from the government after they reach a certain age.

Or maybe it means after people work their entire lives and contribute money to Social Security and Medicare that they are entitled to receive some of their money back after they retire.

Either way, where do these old folks think all this moolah is coming from? Can the federal budget be balanced while these freeloaders siphon off tons of cash from the government?

Here are the facts. Read carefully so this sinks in.

Social Security is NOT part of the budget. It sits in a fund that was set up when Social Security was created. (That is unless the government hasn’t misappropriated the money to use for other purposes. I remain hopeful that hasn’t happened, but maybe I’m an optimist.)

According to Paul Owens writing in the Orlando Sentinel on May 6, 2011 … Congress has been raiding the Social Security trust fund for years… To read his entire article go to Orlando Opinionators.

Over the years, Social Security has collected more money than it has paid out. The surplus funds have been invested in U.S. Guaranteed Treasury Bonds. AARP states that in 2009, the trust fund had $2.5 trillion in bonds, earning 4.9 percent interest.

Perhaps the finger-pointing should be aimed at Congress — not at Entitlements.

Royal Wedding

She would be so proud.

I wished throughout the entire regal wedding ceremony that Diana could have been there. It was hard not to think about her while watching her two handsome sons do her proud.

Kate was beautiful as she made her entrance and walked down the aisle. One can only hope that she and Prince William will enjoy many happy years together.

Diana, you did a fabulous job making your sons approachable, yet dignified and dedicated individuals. Your legacy lives on.

10 Men I Like — A Lot

I haven’t listed any American presidents, politicians or religious leaders. That’s an entirely different list. My list is random. Although the names are numbered, no ranking is intended.

1. Prince William – He has done his mother proud.
2. Anwar Sadat – His death was a tragic loss to his country.
3. Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perce tribe – His ill-fated retreat of more than 1,000 miles from federal troops is legendary.
4. Martin Luther King – He had a dream. We’re still working at it.
5. George Carlin – He’s probably my all-time favorite comedian.
6. Paul Newman – A good man.
7. Danny Thomas – He was much more than met the eye. Visit the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis to see what I mean.
8. John J. Audubon – I’m a birder, so Audubon makes my list. He spent 50 years painting and describing the birds of America.
9. Norman Rockwell – He shared the spirit of America through his paintings. I grew up enjoying his artistry on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post.
10. Thomas Edison – Every time there is a power outage, I wonder what people did before the light bulb.

These are the first ten names that popped into my mind. I probably missed a few of your favorites.

Darvocet Is Off The Market!

Are you asking me to believe that it took the FDA over fifty years to decide Darvon and Darvocet should be taken off the market?!

It appears even the panel of experts couldn’t agree:

The pain medications Darvon and Darvocet should be pulled off the market, according to a recommendation approved on a 14-12 vote by a panel of medical experts assembled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For those of us who suffer from chronic pain, this is a catastrophe. Anyone who uses Darvocet or its generic, propoxyphene, which is a mild drug, will attest to its effectiveness, and it doesn’t make you drowsy. In case you’re wondering how many people that is–in 2009, 10 million people depended upon propoxyphene to help make their life livable. Deaths linked to Darvocet annually – .0005%.

What I find so wrong about this is–I would like to be able to make my own choice. Give me the facts and let me decide whether the risk is worth the pain relief.

Here are some comments from Join Together. It appears a lot of people would like to make their own decisions.

According to an article on the link Darvocet should be banned.. 23 million prescriptions per year are issued, (for the last 50 years??) the article also mentions 2,100 deaths from 1981 to 1999 (18 years). This does not seem to be a high risk ratio to me. I can only conclude the people making these waves have never dealt with moderate to severe chronic pain.

Here’s another:

I hope that this medicine is NOT taken off the market. I am deathly allergic to ALL NSAIDS.

And another:

My wife had a stroke and none of the other drugs that she was given gave the relief for the nerve pain that she has. If it is taken off the market then what can she use? The other drugs are either more addictive or so strong that it causes her to sleep 24/7. What quality of life would she have without it? Darvocet seems to be the only drug that actually cuts down the pain to tolerable level.

I’m really, really tired of the government taking such good care of me.

Now, I’m in the process of trying out other drugs that might be able to take the place of Darvocet. If and when I find it, I can be sure it will cost a whole lot more than my 50-year-old medication.

I’m sure the pharmaceutical companies are happy with the FDA’s decision. They must be jumping up and down with joy.

The Good Wife

Photo from

This is my question. If Kalinda (Archie Panjabi) won an Emmy last season for Best Supporting Actress, why have the powers-that-be given her “half” the screen time this season? Her character was beginning to shape up into a complex, fascinating personality. Getting a glimpse of her private life had kept me interested.

The new character she is sharing time with, Blake (Scott Porter), as another private investigator for the firm has, thus far, been unexciting.

Another thing that has the hour dragging is this sudden interest in the kids–boring.

All My Children

Alright, All My Children is one of my guilty pleasures.  I’ve become addicted. I tape every episode.

I was so happy to see Michael Nouri (Caleb) join the cast. He’s been a favorite of mine for years. I hope the writers keep him on for a long time.

And it will be interesting to see if Vincent Irizarry (David) can rise from the dead. (As I understand it, this type of thing happens all the time on the soaps.)

What I’ve noticed lately is the ladies on this soap opera are withering away. It’s like watching skeletons walk across the screen.

Susan Lucci has always been petite, but now there seems to be a lot of slimming down going on. Alicia Minshew, who plays Kendall, is tall and painfully thin. Rebecca Budig (Greenlee) (where did they come up with that name?)  and Christina Bennett Lind (Bianca) aren’t far behind.

It was refreshing to see Jamie Luner’s character, Liza, in her underwear recently. She actually has a “real” woman’s body.

I hope the skeletal look doesn’t become a trend.

That said, here’s a little something on Scott Chandler’s character.

NCIS and Castle Are Back!

Monday – ABC – “Castle” is back!

Tuesday – CBS – “NCIS” (my favorite) and “NCIS Los Angeles” have returned! And it looks like “NCIS Los Angeles” is giving us a double whammy. Make sure you stay tuned for not only the 9 P.M. slot, but for the 10 P.M., as well.

Thursday – ABC – “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” are rumored to swing in with some exciting episodes. I hope so, because they were becoming predictable last season.

Thursday – Fox – Have you discovered “Fringe?” (9 P.M.)

Friday – CBS – I’m planning on giving “Blue Bloods” a try. The story line sounds blah to me, but how can you resist Tom Selleck? Perhaps he can pull this dreariness out of the doldrums.

As far as Saturday is concerned, if it weren’t for the PBS lineups and “Saturday Night Live,” we’d be lost.

I suppose I should mention the season premiere of “The Mentalist” on Thursday on CBS. But think about this–have you noticed the formula for “House”, “Lie To Me” and “The Mentalist” are all the same? The lead character is always right. Each of them treat their colleagues as if they are merely there to kowtow to them. And they each love themselves very much. In spite of that, I seem to have been hypnotized by the Mentalist, because I’ll probably end of watching it from time to time.

Oh, well, there’s lots of new shows. If you discover one you love, let me know.

BP Oil Spill Cartoon

WHAT A CRYING SHAME!

Drawing by John Darkow-Columbia Daily Tribune

Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream – A Disappointment

I remember the days when I had no choice. If I wanted cherry vanilla ice cream, I’d pass all the other brands and head straight to the Breyers section. No  question. Breyers has always been about $1.00 more than the other brands, but it was worth it. I always say, if you’re willing to swallow the calories, they should me A #1 calories.

Of course I’m talking about the days before Cherry Garcia. It seems while I wasn’t paying attention, the quality of all the Breyers ice creams were being cheaped-down, while Ben &  Jerry were using top quality ingredients in their ice creams. This has become my dilemma.

Do I eat less ice cream, because Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is a whole lot more expensive? Or do I accept the fact that Breyers ice creams have become mediocre, but are still pretty good in comparison to other cheaper brands?

This certainly isn’t the most pressing dilemma in the world, but it’s one I at least have control over. What do you think?

Pensacola Beach After the BP Oil Spill

Photo from

How sad! And the oil is still gushing. It’s like the Exxon Valdez all over again–only this time on a daily basis.

A lot of people and politicians are asking why the well can’t be blown up.

From Rep. Phil Gingrey

“For the life of me, I can’t understand why BP couldn’t go into the ocean floor, maybe 10 feet lateral to the — around the periphery — drill a few holes and put a little ammonium nitrate, some dynamite, in those holes and detonate that dynamite and seal that leak. And seal it permanently,” Rep. Phil Gingrey (Ga.) said earlier this month.

Could it be BP is more worried about their bottom line? Do you think they care nothing about people or nature?

Oh, forget I wrote that. No one could be that greedy.

NCIS: Los Angeles

Why aren’t more people watching NCIS: Los Angeles? It’s lead-in, the original NCIS, is always one of the top ten programs, yet Los Angeles doesn’t rollover the entire audience. I wonder why?

I love both shows.

When NCIS: Los Angeles first came onboard, I thought it would never be as good as the original, but it easily holds its own. And it has a star power line-up.

If you’re not watching, you should be.

Justified on FX

Photo from poptower

Is anyone looking at Justified? Normally I don’t go in for loads of violence, but this show gets a pass because the dialogue is so good, the writing is meaty and Timothy Olyphant, as the badass Marshal, is superb. His Kentucky accent is dreamy, yet tough. How does he do that?!

Don’t miss this one. It’s different. And it’s not too late to start watching. So far, very little back-story has been revealed.

Trust me on this one. It’s in my top five this season.

Julia Roberts – A Disappointment

What was Julia Roberts thinking when she wore a jersey dress to the Golden Globe Awards Ceremony?

Photo from The Find

I don’t know about you, but I watch the award shows to see the fashions. Julia certainly disappointed this year. Maybe she thought she was a big enough star to forgo the trouble of dressing up.

Perhaps she didn’t get the memo that the Globes are all about glitz, glamour and stardom. If you’re a star–you come looking like a star. It’s part of  “the job.”

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Did you ever hear of Stieg Larsson? He wrote The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The title intrigued me, so there you are. I picked the book up. That’s how happy mistakes are made.

The intrigue doesn’t stop with the title. Main characters don’t come more fascinating than Lisbeth Salander. Her personality: mysterious, hidden, socially inept, computer savvy (genius hacker), sometimes deadly, cautious, captivating, hold-your-breath nerve wracking.

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Separation of Church and State

Does this Representative from Georgia have nothing else to do with his time? Like, maybe he could consider thinking about a resolution to help bring back a robust economy. Does he not know we are hurting out here? Click here to see the idiocy.

Fat Girls, Beware!

I don’t know exactly when it became fashionable to humiliate people on national TV. Did that first happen with American Idol? Or some other show with equally distasteful “judges?”

When did it become okay to debase people? And when did other people begin to enjoy it, to find it completely acceptable and totally delightful? Perhaps, soon we will allow some energetic entrepreneur to build a coliseum for our entertainment pleasure.

Before that happens, though, WE-TV has decided stalking is the new wave of reality’s future. Oh, better still–stalk the fat girls. Let’s make them squirm. It will be fun to spy on them and then invade their homes to see what vile food is lurking in their cabinets.

But, of course, WE has sanitized the show by assuring the viewer that the degradation to women is all done in the name of healthy living.  Oh, did I forget to mention the reason why these fat girls will be made to eat humble pie instead of apple pie? WE-TV is out to Save Their Lives. Yes, sir–it’s all about being altruistic. Thanks so much, WE.

Really! How far is too far? Will America really delight in watching women be put through a meat grinder of mental torture?

10 Great U.S. Cities to Visit

For the past few months, in an effort to encourage travel within the United States, I’ve been writing about cities I have enjoyed while on vacation.

This year in particular, it’s a good idea to spend your vacation dollars right here in the good old U.S.A.

Have fun, while stimulating our economy.

Click here for the list of links.

Phone Books – Think Green

Recycling can be so sexy. Creator Jolis Paons pleated, sewed and glued this entire dress by hand.

Photo and quote above from Neatorama

Two huge, thick, heavy phonebooks were waiting for me at my front door last week. Normally, I drag them into the house, trash the old books (recycling isn’t available in my area at the moment) and replace them with the new ones. I don’t believe I’ve used my phone-books for the past four or five years, and I bet loads of other people haven’t either. How many wasted trees do these unwanted volumes represent, I wonder?

Creating a dress is a novel idea, but I had to ask myself, why do I receive these books year after year. I don’t want them. With the advent of the Internet, these books became obsolete.

A better idea would be to mail all area occupants a postcard asking whether they wish to continue receiving the phone-books. It would cut down on an immense amount of waste and save a lot of trees.

Turn Signals May Be Detrimental To Your Health

Not using them, that is!

Why have so many people stopped using turn signals? Too lazy? Or maybe cutting cars off is more macho? I don’t know. What I do know is blood pressure rises when the car in front of you brakes to make a turn, or swerves into your lane without signaling.

Aside from raising your blood pressure, the “no turn signal” habit can kill you.

A lot of people feel the same way. See Ed’s Thoughts On Life

I don’t care who you are, where you’re driving, who’s around you or any other excuse you might give, if you don’t use your turn signal when driving your vehicle you make the roads a little bit less safe. On city and country roads – okay maybe you can have a little lea-way, but for gosh sake when driving on the highway, use your friggin’ turn signal!

The last time I bought a new car, the turn signals weren’t part of an optional package. All cars come equipped with turn signals. They’re meant to be used. They’re not an option.

Tension and anxiety levels in our society are on the rise. Stressful situations already abound in our fast-paced lives, why add to the pressure cooker?  Clogteachr doesn’t like sharing the road with the “crazies,” either.

Are these really an option when it comes time to purchasing a car? You would think so. It is just polite to use them … I mean how else are we to know that you want to turn?

Of course if the police don’t even use their signals why should the general public. You can get a ticket for not using one.

I was watching the movie “Shoot ’em Up” (with Clive Owen) this weekend and the director made a point about this. You only have to move your finger a half an inch to signal you are changing lanes … so come on people be connsiderate …

A half an inch–with one finger–is all it takes. If everyone used signals there would be less of this,

And more of this.

Photo from

DO NOT Keep a Diary

About a week ago, I sent an email out to several friends asking them to share a favorite childhood memory with me. Many of the those who replied were the same people who have been telling me they can’t write.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I strongly feel everyone should be writing something –anything– so that the only thing one leaves behind isn’t just ashes. What would be the point of your being here if that’s all you leave?

Don’t even think about keeping a diary. Because you probably won’t.

A DIARY? NO WAY! READ MORE

Text Messaging Is Bad, I Think, Maybe

I don’t text message. What I mean is, I don’t send them and I don’t receive them because I don’t use a cell phone. I don’t own one,  I don’t want one, and I hope I never have to rely on one. That said, I do understand why people feel they need to have one.

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10% Ethanol Added To Your Gas – Lovely

Have you noticed whether your gas station is putting ethanol in their gas? Have you noticed that your gas mileage has decreased?

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First the Soapbox, Then Mom’s Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Okay, I’m on my soapbox again, encouraging you to write something this week about yourself. If you do, I can almost guarantee one of your children or your grandchildren will thank you someday. You are living in their “good old days.”

I can’t tell you how many times I could kick myself for not asking my mother more questions about her life. Now it’s too late. The only things I have of hers, in her own handwriting, are a few recipes she gave me over the years. At least when I see her handwriting on the page, it helps me to remember other small things about her. I’m going to share one of her recipes with you at the end of this post.

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This Blog Awarded E for Excellence

Can you believe it? My blog has been awarded the E for Excellence by Catherine from The Political Voices of Women.

Along with the award comes the opportunity to award the big “E” to ten of my favorite blogs. Here goes.

GO HERE TO SEE MY AWARDS

Why More Americans Are Working Past Age 55

That was the title of a recent article in Charles Schwab’s investment magazine, which the company sends out to its investors. They could’ve changed the age to 62 or 65. The answer would be the same, but it took them more than 200 words to say medical insurance costs are outrageously high even if you’re old enough to be covered by Medicare.

And the article also noted:

“Many older workers saw their retirement portfolios balloon during the late 1990s bull market and opted to retire early. However the bursting of the technology-fueled bubble and the resulting bear market between 2000 and 2002 dramatically devalued those new retirees’ portfolios. Subsequently, some Americans who had taken early retirement found they had to return to work.”

There was no mention of the fact that even with the new drug plans, retirees still can’t afford to buy all the drugs they need.

And think about this–many senior citizens didn’t save a dime while they were younger. So, the answer to the question, why are they still working? They have to!

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Hatha Yoga Or A Pedicure

I got it into my head that I should try yoga. Pretty much, the only things I know about yoga are, it’s a form of relaxation, it helps with flexibility, it’s good for one’s balance and it doesn’t require me to bounce around too much.

I had one problem with the yoga class; it’s held at my local hospital for the 55+ gang on Tuesday evenings and, as it happened, I had an appointment to get a pedicure last Tuesday. Pretty much, what I know about pedicures is it’s a form of relaxation, your feet and legs receive a massage and it, too, requires no bouncing.

Hmm. What to choose, what to choose…  

 

Image from

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Elvis

If you’ve been following my blog, you know I swept in and out of Memphis, TN with two friends for a three day weekend last month. We packed in a lot of sightseeing and activities, but we didn’t have time to visit the King’s house–Elvis, that is.

I happened to mention that fact to one of my younger co-workers shortly after I returned. And she said to me, “You call that guy who died on his toilet from a drug overdose a king?”

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How To Buy A Car In 2008

 

PHOTO FROM

It doesn’t happen that often, but when it’s time for me to buy a new car, I cringe. Last Saturday, I thought I had myself talked into visiting some car dealerships to test drive a few cars. But when Saturday rolled around, I couldn’t make myself go. My insides seized up, my head began to pound and I think I actually had a panic attack. I couldn’t leave the house.

By Monday, after giving it some serious thought over the weekend, I decided there must be a better way. Maybe if I didn’t have to deal face to face with a salesman, I might be able to hold on to my sanity.

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Memphis, Tennessee & Tunica, Mississippi

drawing from

Did you know Memphis is situated in the southwest corner of Tennessee and that it shares its borderline with Mississippi and Arkansas? Well, it seemed to my friends and me that we should, at the very least, have lunch in one of these two bordering states. We decided to drive over the bridge into Mississippi. What a surprise we had in store!

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