Yes, I'm Still Alive

It has been a year and a half since I posted and quite a bit has happened.  I will try to be brief.  (HA!)

--The last day of January, a year ago, The Husband put in his retirement papers.  The first day of April, he was done.  He was going to keep working for another couple of years, but things at the power plant changed.  First, we weren't sure exactly how long the plant would stay open and it seemed as if the news was different every few weeks.  Instead of worrying continuously about when the work would end, he just decided to retire.  Also, his oldest niece--a couple of years younger than us--died on the day that he put in his papers.  This was a BIG influence in his decision...why put off til tomorrow, etc, etc, etc.

--No sooner had The Husband retired, we decided to build a new house.  The beginning of May we signed the papers and approved the plans for the house to be started.  We had our old house demolished the beginning of August and the new one was put in place about five weeks later.  (We had a custom-made modular built.)  We finally moved into the house the end of the first week in October.  It was quite interesting to try and pack up and move 38+ years worth of possessions, but we did it--with a LOT of help from our girls and their families.  While we are moved in and pretty well established, the basement is FILLED with boxes that still need to be unpacked.  I hope to live long enough to do the work.  ;)

--And the biggest news of all is that The Husband's health has deteriorated.  In 2006 he was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy and was stable until August.  He has been getting worsening blood test results and he is on the fast track for dialysis/kidney transplant.  We don't know when either will happen, but it looks as if he will begin dialysis probably before summer.  We are hoping to find a donor for a live-organ transplant, but don't know if that will happen...we are just beginning to get things started with the transplant team and aren't very far into the process.  I have been hopeful that I will be able to donate one of my kidneys, but with my own health issues, I don't know if I would be eligible.  We'll have to see what happens.

--Talking about my health:  The scare that I had about my heart a year and a half ago turned out to be nothing.  Things went from bad to worse and worser still before I finally got to see a cardiologist in person, which was about 6 weeks after I first was told there was a problem!  I went in for the appointment and the doctor told me that, after looking at all of my tests, he couldn't find anything wrong with me.  While I DO have some sort of anomaly with my heart rate, it doesn't seem to be anything to worry about and shouldn't cause me any problems.  Then he told me, "Basically, pretend none of this ever happened."  Okay, this was wonderful news, but I couldn't help but be pretty pissed off that I had to go through such stress over, basically, nothing.  However, I have moved on...

--The worse part of all of the health thing with me is the fact that I had to stop all exercising until I was given a cleanish bill of health.  With all of the stress I was under, I turned to my favorite coping method, eating.  That combined with no exercise did nasty things to me...namely weight gain...and got me completely back into old, bad habits.  Pretty much all of the great work and results from my time at the gym are gone.  I have no one to blame but myself, but it is a great disappointment.

--And finally, my Red Wings are doing okay.  They could be doing better and also could be doing a LOT worse.  We are on the downside of the season and just hope they will continue to do well and make it into the playoffs.  I'm really starting to dread the off season...there is no life without hockey.

Hey people, it looks as if I may be back!

I Think There May Be Some Hypocrisy Here

First, I don't follow the Olympics.  I watch ice hockey and curling during the winter games, but that is it.  (And the only reason I do that is because the NHL shuts down during the games.)  So, I have very little knowledge of any of the athletes--other than the ones that are constantly rammed down my throat via news, tweets, and Facebook.  I had no idea there was even a person named Holley Mangold before today--and that is because of the shitstorm Conan O'Brien found himself in following a tweet.  And the tweet was this:

"I predict 350 lb. weight lifter Holley Mangold will bring home the gold and 4 guys against their will."

This made a lot of people get their panties in a bunch because they saw this as poking fun of her weight.  I saw the entire story when I read an article by Mary Elizabeth Williams, a staff writer for Salon.  You will find the article here.  Go on--I'll wait.

I am not an apologist of Conan and I don't watch his show or follow him on Twitter.  However, I see nothing offensive in his tweet.  I agree with some of the (small minority) of people who commented on this article that he was just referencing her strength and NOT talking about how heavy she was.  And why did he mention her weight?  Well, probably because the 'joke' wouldn't have made much sense if the woman weighed 120 lbs, that's why.  I am waiting for Conan's forced apology to come.  So far, I haven't seen anything about a lawsuit, but there still is time.  (Isn't that what the US is all about?)

So, what does any of this have to do with hypocrisy?  Well, here we go.  I am willing to bet not one of these people who have vilified Conan for talking about this woman's weight would defend any other 350 lb woman who was not an Olympic athlete.  Any other woman would be told to have will power, start exercising, push herself away from the table, etc, etc, etc.  All that would be seen is a woman who is morbidly obese and pretty much scum-of-the-earth for not taking better care of herself.  And it wouldn't matter how much of a life this woman had.  She could be a wife, mother, businesswoman, social butterfly, whatever, but to most people it wouldn't matter--all they would see is a failed individual because of her weight.  And there is where I see the hypocrisy.

I am very sure that Ms Mangold is a fine young woman.  I am sorry that her athletic talent means nothing to me, but I wish only the best for her.  However, being a world-class athlete--even one in a sport that most people don't follow--does not give her any idea what the real world is like.  Very few, if any, would defend her OR her weight if she was not an Olympian.

War Between The States

We don't often see wars between two states, but for some reason or other, Michigan seems to be a participant (possibly) more than other states.  The most famous war is the one with Ohio, but these days, we are fighting with Wisconsin.  And Wisconsin fired the first shot.  Here is the story...

First, this is what Michigan looks like:

Of course, the thing that everyone thinks of most when they think of Michigan, is the shape of the Lower Peninsula:

The shape makes one think of a mitten--plain and simple.  And we who live here will use our hands to point out different places in the state, just as if we were holding maps--even using two hands so that we can show places in the Upper Peninsula, too, like this:

This concept is so famous and common, that no one could possibly think that any other state would take and run with it for THEIR state.  But we underestimated Wisconsin.

Here is Wisconsin:

Here is Wisconsin next to Michigan:

So, which state looks like a mitten?  Well, Wisconsin thinks THEY do and have a tourism ad campaign going on in which they use a mitten-shaped Wisconsin:

To say that some Michiganders are not pleased, is putting it mildly.  There are YouTube protest songs and there are 'explanations' as to how Wisconsin CAN be seen as having a mitten shape:

Anyway, there are some people who actually have their panties in a bunch over this and then there are the rest of us who are using this as an opportunity to make fun of the 'cheese-heads.'  Bring it on, Wisconsin, we're ready for you!  ;D

Controversy

The announcement that many stores will be opening at midnight on Black Friday has caused a shit-storm of controversy.  Many, many people are putting up blog posts and status updates about this.  And then you have the comments.  Seeing as I am usually behind times, I thought I would jump on THIS bandwagon early.  Unfortunately, as I have gotten older, I usually can see BOTH sides of an issue and have no clear-cut opinion either way about this.

First, for the one or two people on earth who don't know:  I REALLY hate the holiday season.  I would be so grateful if I could go to sleep on Black Friday and not wake up until the 3rd of January, just so I could miss most of the hype.  And, as usual, I blame The Mother for my hatred of the season--but what else is new?  ;)  So, with that out of the way, here we go.

Quite a few workers are lamenting the fact that they will not be able to have more time with their families before they have to head for work on Black Friday.  Well, boo-ficking-hoo!  Even today--30+ years with the same company--The Husband is not guaranteed every holiday off.  He works rotating shifts and many years in a row will work on Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's, the Fourth of July--you name it, he works it.  These days, it doesn't matter as much to me as it did when the girls were young, but it can get a bit lonely when you're by yourself 'celebrating' a holiday while everyone else is celebrating with loved ones and/or family.  But, it is something that I have had to live with.  The Husband has a good job and this comes with the territory.  And please, DON'T tell me that, just because you are working at Walmart, you didn't know you would have to work on holidays.  Since almost every store in the known universe is open 24 hours a day, SOMEONE has to work, and you just might be the one holding the short straw.  A lot of people feel that the workers have nothing to complain about, as they at least HAVE jobs--no matter how crappy--they need to suck it up.  And in this economy, that is a valid point.

Of course, the other side has a good argument going for it, as well.  A lot of people wonder why the workers can't have even one day free to spend with their families.  Why are these stores so worried about a couple of hours, that they have to open at midnight?  Don't the workers deserve a little time off?  There really is no sane reason to push the season even earlier than it already is.  This, too, is a valid point.

As old as I am, I remember a time when stores were closed on EVERY holiday AND every Sunday, as well.  (Hell, I remember having only two TV stations and THEY only broadcast for several hours each day.)  If you didn't remember to get bread and milk on Saturday, there was very little you could do on Sunday if you ran out.  Sure, we had a few 'party' or convenience stores, but the choices were extremely limited.  I don't even know if the one store in my hometown had more than a half-dozen quarts of milk delivered at any one time, so you had to get there early if you needed some.  (This same store NEVER was out of hard liquor, beer, or wine, however.  ;))  The ONLY people who worked on holidays or Sunday were nurses and cops and firefighters and any other 'essential' personnel.  (The Husband would have been an essential person, even back then:  He works in an electrical power plant.)  But, we now demand 24 hour shopping and we are having to deal with needing people to work, even on 'traditional' off-days.

Personally, I wouldn't mind if there was a law stating that Christmas shopping/advertising/etc couldn't last more than the two weeks leading up to the actual day.  (I am a big advocate for this same law being applied to elections, but I digress.)  It seems as if people are actually SURPRISED that Christmas falls on December 25th and have to be reminded of it every single year, with all of the ads and hoopla.  Really!?!?!?  These days, you can buy ANYTHING at any time of the year--and often for less than you pay around the holidays.  If you want to buy for Christmas, then do it all year round.  (Good advice--if only I could follow it.  :D)  I honestly see no need for the 'big push' that begins on Black Friday.

And talking about the Black Friday 'sales'...   Has anyone noticed how things are almost beginning to feel like bait-and-switch tactics?  Every year I peruse the ads--as most people do--and am amazed at what are being considered the 'big buys.'  For example, I can assure you that this year one of the big electronic 'must haves' is going to be e-readers/tablets.  With both Amazon and B&N coming out with their latest and greatest, many people are going to be wanting to buy one of these gadgets.  The problem is, you will find Walmart, K-Mart, Target, etc, selling devices such as this for great prices--much, much cheaper than Amazon or B&N sell them for--but the devices themselves will be very inferior to the higher priced 'brand name' ones.  People will be happy to buy one of these devices for less than half the cost of a Kindle or NOOK, but they will be very underwhelmed and disappointed by the lack of features--and they will wonder what the hype about these gadgets is all about.  Without a great deal of research, many people will waste money on under-powered, little-featured items.  And this goes on all of the time on Black Friday.  I've seen this same type of selling of computers and cellphones and music players, etc.  So, I have found that--at least the past several years--there is absolutely no reason for me to shop on Black Friday.  At least NOT in the early morning hours, as many of the deals are still in place in the afternoon and evening.

As one of a very small minority--and despite the inconvenience factor--I don't think I would be all that sad if we went back to the days where stores were closed on Sundays and holidays.  I don't know of many things that I need to get on Sunday that, with a little planning, I couldn't take care of on one of the other six days of the week.  Granted, this would change how we do our road trips, but it wouldn't be that bad.  And to think,

 "In 1965, a Senate subcommittee predicted that by 2000, Americans would be working 20 hours a week with 7+ weeks vacation. (via @JohndeGraaf)"  

 NOT quite what was predicted.

You CAN'T Make This Stuff Up

This did NOT happen here, but I found the story in our local newspaper.  I will put up the story with no comments--and you can come up with your own jokes.  ;)

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (AP)--A 50-foot-long bridge in western Pennsylvania has been stolen, and its owners say they're baffled by the crime and have no idea who took it.

New Castle Development spokesman Gary Bruce said Friday that he "couldn't believe it when they told me it was gone."

A state police report says the 20-foot-wide span in North Beaver Township went missing between Sept. 27 and Wednesday. 

You can find a little more on this story here.

 

 

 

Questioning, Again

A few days ago, the Red Wings and Flyers played an exhibition game.  The score was tied at the end of overtime, so it moved into a shootout.  During the shootout, someone threw a banana peel on the ice.  Anyone with even a slight awareness of hockey knows that things are thrown on the ice all of the time--octopi, hats, rubber rats, slabs of beef, etc.  Now, other than the NHL powers-that-be, things thrown on the ice are pretty well tolerated by everyone--until the banana peel incident.  And why was this different?  The player on the ice at the time was the only black player for either team.  And someone decided this was a racist incident--which it probably was.  And the (hockey) world exploded for several days.

While I would never argue that racially motivated acts are okay, I do have some very serious concerns about this entire affair.  First of all, this game was a pre-season game.  That in itself meant that not a whole lot of people were watching it.  There was no audio or video broadcast of this game--other than to an area in and around Philadelphia.  So, the fans in the arena and the (relatively) small viewing audience were the only people who actually saw this happen.  And I question how many people saw this, even if they were at the game--several players were questioned about this later and they weren't aware of what happened until they were told. But, someone DID see this and ran with the story.  I don't know where it first appeared--Twitter, a news story, a blog--but someone made a story out of this.  And once it was out there, it became fodder for opinion pieces, blogs, newscasts, Twitter, Facebook, etc, etc, etc.  This was reported and talked about ad nauseum for several days.

As I said, I would never advocate for a racially motivated act.  I also don't believe society is benefitted by sweeping unpleasant topics/acts under the rug, BUT...  And there is the problem.  The person responsible for this was never found, so we really don't know what his motivation for throwing the peel was.  I'm NOT saying there wasn't a racial element to this, but I'm saying that the assclown who did this probably had a bigger reason for his actions:  PUBLICITY.*  And he got his share of publicity.  This is pretty much the only thing that was 'talked' about for several days.

Now, we come to my question.  Is this something that should have been ignored?  This could have flamed out very quickly, because of the small amount of people who saw what happened.  Actually, it would barely have been a spark if it hadn't been reported.  Have we become a society so politically correct that we have to 'make a big deal' out of everything, even if the intention was nowhere close to what others perceived?  We are finding in all areas of our lives where huge stories are (manufactured?) from small, insignificant incidents--from politics to our personal lives--and it doesn't seem to help do much more than inflame.  I do have to wonder who is benefitting from this--other than the 24-hour news sources and the assclowns who want publicity.



*I realize that I am publicizing this just as much as everyone else did, but I don't reach a big audience, so I don't think my little blog matters.  ;)

In The News

We've had a couple of strange news stories these last couple of weeks.  One was strange/silly and the other was strange/horrifying.

The first story was from a week or so back.  One afternoon, our lights 'blinked.'  The power wasn't off long enough to affect anything other than the clock on our ancient microwave, but it blinked nonetheless.  Within five minutes, the lights blinked again.  This really had K and me puzzled.  At first, we thought it was only our house--I do worry about our wiring, as it needs a total overhaul--but nothing more happened, so I forgot about the incident.  Until the next day.

The headline on the front page of our paper read:  "Errant Squirrel Blamed for Power Outage."  Yes, a squirrel got into a substation and caused several thousand people to be without power for upwards of an hour.  (We were lucky, but we are in an area that rarely loses power for some reason.  I guess it's the way the grid is laid out.)  The article didn't go into detail as to exactly WHAT the squirrel did to cause the power outage, but it did mention that the little rodent died.  I guess justice was served.

A couple of days ago, the front page had this headline:  "Man Dies in Chainsaw Accident."  The article went on to say that it is assumed he slipped and fell and the chainsaw killed him by cutting his throat and chest.  It also said he was wearing protective headgear and a face shield and that the chainsaw somehow slid under the shield and cut his throat.  Police don't suspect foul play.

Now I am not saying that the police are wrong in this case, but how many cop-dramas would let THIS go by the wayside as 'no foul play suspected?'  'Law & Order' would not only make this a major case, but it probably would use at least TWO episodes to solve it.  Strange, strange.  I have never heard of anyone getting killed by a chainsaw--accidentally or otherwise--here before, so this is very unusual.

You have to understand just how prevalent chainsaw usage is here.  At one time, we owned TWO of the things--one gas powered and one electric.  Early on, we used to heat our house--well, as a supplement to the furnace--with a wood-fired stove.  Many people still do.  In an area of the country where firewood is very easy to get, it is a viable alternative to heating with any kind of fuel oil/gas/propane.  During the summer, we would get a load of LOGS dumped into our yard and then K--along with anyone who wanted to help--would cut the logs, split the pieces, and pile the wood in preparation for the winter.  And during all this time of cutting, splitting, and piling, K only hurt himself once.  While he was cutting a log, the chainsaw 'bounced' on him and nicked his cheek.  It wasn't a terrible injury, but it could have been much worse.  However, he wasn't even close to death with this accident.  AND he wasn't wearing any safety gear of any kind, so it must have been a very freaky accident that killed this man.  Horrifying, indeed.

This Is News?

I have said, ad nauseum, that I don't bother with the news anymore.  I really think I used to be a news junky, but the stuff that passes for news these days has completely turned me off.  And we have three 'stories' that put me over the edge--the kind of things that make me want to shoot my TV.  (Again, there IS a reason I don't own a gun...)

Our first story deals with a group of organizations trying to strong-arm McDonald's into retiring Ronald McDonald.  Their idea is that HE is a big part of the fattening of America's kids.  Bullshit.  I'll say it again:  BULLSHIT!  Okay, okay--I see what everyone else sees and I do realize that there is a problem here in the US when it comes to weight.  (Believe me, all I need do is look in the mirror.)  But, cartoon characters selling food is the least of the reasons for it.  The number one problem in this country is this:   a family can be fed McDonald's food OR Kraft Mac & Cheese or any number of processed foods for MUCH, MUCH less money than it costs to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  Until the cost of fresh, 'healthful' (sorry, but I HATE that word) food is as cheap as processed food, people WILL gravitate toward what they can feed their children for less.  And, with the number of mothers who also hold jobs outside the home (I also HATE the term 'working mothers'), time is also a factor--and it does take a lot more time to cook a meal with fresh foods than with packaged.  Obesity in America is more than commercials and it would take days for me to write my impressions--which I won't do here.  Food and exercise are not the only factors at play here--we have society and career choices and other things, as well.  I'm sorry, Michelle O, but getting kids to 'move' is NOT the big solution to the problem we have here.

The second story that sent me reeling was about a 'pageant mom' who Botoxes her 8-year-old daughter and then went on Good Morning America and TALKED about it!  Is there ANYTHING that can be said about this story?  To begin with, I have hated 'beauty pageants' since I was quite young--I always thought the participants were ridiculous.  And then when they came out with pageants for little girls--who, by the way, dress up like little sluts--I was completely appalled.  To find out that these poor little tykes are getting Botox injections isn't surprising, but IS completely disgusting.  This is another reason why the rest of the world hates America.  (And with that statement, I'm thinking that little girl beauty pageants are mostly a US thing--although I COULD be wrong.) 

Story number three has to do with the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver split.  To begin with, this is a non-story for me.  I'm really surprised they lasted as long as they did--they just looked awkward together.  So, the split isn't surprising.  The story that sent me over the edge comes from the LA Times and it is titled 'How To Talk To Kids About Arnold Schwarzenegger's Infidelity.'  Really?  Is he relevant enough these days for kids to even know who he is?  I asked The Oldest about this and she said the story wouldn't even be on her kids' radar, as not one of them knows--or cares--who Arnold is.  So, who exactly is making this a much bigger deal than it is?  Don't most kids have friends who have gone through parents splitting up and haven't parents had the 'talk' with them?  This is a topic that most parents have to get to at some point--just like they have to do the 'facts of life' talk.  So why is this a topic that is so upsetting to kids just because it involves Arnold and Maria?  Am I smelling a publicist at work here?  Unbelievable.

When stories such as these are headline-inducing, I wonder if it IS true that the world is going to hell in a hand basket.  Far too many issues are being ignored by the news people and we allow it.  If we quit 'following' the junk news and actually tried looking for relevant stories, maybe we would go back to the days of insightful and meaningful and informative journalism.  But I highly doubt it.  And so, I will continue to ignore the news and wrap myself in a little cocoon of isolation.



 

We Just Don't Live Right

CNN just sent this breaking news story to me:  

Mega Millions: Two tickets, one sold in Idaho and one in Washington, matched all six numbers in $355 million jackpot.


K said that it is reported that the one-time buy-out for this is over $200 million--more than $100 million per winner.  I said I guess we don't live right, because we haven't won big-time like this.  And K's response made me remember this joke:

A guy sat in front of his TV and watched the lottery drawing.  As the numbers were being picked he prayed, "Please, dear Lord, let me win the lottery.  I promise to give some of my winnings to the poor."  He didn't win.

The next week, the guy watched the drawing and prayed, "Please, please, dear Lord, let me win the lottery.  I promise to give money to the poor and give the church a new roof."  He didn't win.

Every week, for six weeks, he watched the drawing, prayed to win and made promises as to what he would do with the money.  Week six, he prayed and promised, "Dear Lord, please let me win the lottery.  I promise to do good with 75% of my winnings.  PLEASE let me win!"

And then the guy heard the voice of the Lord:  "Will you help me out already and buy a damn lottery ticket?"

K told me we have to buy tickets in order to win.  :D

And She Has Arrived (With UPDATE)

This morning at 4:00, our sixth granddaughter came into the world--4+ weeks early.  She is four pounds and there was some concern over her breathing, so she is being transported to our NICU.  I will go to the hospital tonight and get more info and pictures!  Of course, if any of the pics turn out, I will post them later.  I talked to The Oldest and she is tired, but happy to be done with this pregnancy--it was a bit of a tough go.  All in all, Mom and Babe are doing fine.  More news will be posted as I get it.


UPDATE:

I went to see the baby-her name is Faith--and she is doing well.  I also got quite a few pictures of her, so here goes.

Here is her area in the NICU--and the best picture I took.  Of course, you can't actually SEE her...

 The lighting is subdued in the NICU, and every bit of light is reflected in the plastic of the isolette, so that is why the pics are the way they are.

And she finally opened her eyes for me.

The nurse said she probably would be here for two weeks or more--but that is subject to change every day.

Okay, This Is Creepy

I'm not sure who actually decided that clowns should be marketed for kids, but I think it's time that this practice stops.  Most clowns are NOT kid-friendly--actually, they are rather creepy and scary.  And for anyone who ever saw the movie 'It,' then they are REALLY scary!  This is why this story just baffles the hell out of me.

mental_floss posted a story of 'Evil Clown.'  Evil Clown can be hired by parents to stalk and threaten kids for the week leading up to their birthdays and, at some time during the seven days, smash a birthday cake in the kid's face.  If the kid avoids the cake-smash, it is given to him/her as a birthday gift.  (The entire story, along with a picture, can be read here.)  And this is supposed to be fun, because "most kids absolutely love being scared senseless."

I will have to take exception to the previous quote.  I don't know about you, but I never would consider being stalked, being sent threatening emails/texts, receiving prank phone calls, and having traps set in my mailbox as fun.  And I'M an adult!  I can't imagine what a kid would think if these things were happening to him.  I would imagine psychologists would think this is a great idea because there are going to be MANY kids needing therapy if this catches on.  Good grief--the things people think of.

And Here We Go Again

Now begins what I hope will be seven months of daily worry. Once again, I am not overly pleased with C's announced pregnancy. And no, for those who don't know, I am not being a horrible person. Please, read here to understand my complete and total trepidation. Since that post, there are a couple of updates. First, the seventh grandchild was full-term and she is doing fine. Second, the "All of C's children--except for the stillborn, of course--are healthy and fine." is not correct. Her son was diagnosed as a high-functioning autistic. He is quite well, but is very much a handful. Bringing in another child into the mix just isn't going to make anyone's life any easier.

Once again I will ask those who are so inclined to keep C and her unborn child in your prayers. At the very least, please send good thoughts out into the universe. I'm sure you will hear more than you ever wanted to about this pregnancy over the next few months.

Banished!

Lake Superior State University, for the past 35 years, has put out its List of Words Banished From the Queen's English for Misuse, Over-use, and General Uselessness. Even with 'banishment,' though, the words don't always fall out of favor. The list for 1993 included 'state of the art' and 'happy camper.' Banished in 2000 was '24/7.' 2004 found 'LOL' on the list and 2008 had 'it is what it is.' Unfortunately, all of these words/phrases are STILL being overused. Hopefully, this year will find some of these words falling out of favor:

--transparent/transparency
--czar
--sexting
--tweet
--app

The rest of the list for this year is here. have fun trying NOT to use any of these words in the next few days! ;)

The Octopus

Very, very, very fascinating article and videos on octopi at National Geographic. It shows an octopus carrying around a coconut shell to use as a shelter when needed. The octopus seems to be an even smarter creature than chimpanzees when it comes to using tools. Quite interesting and the video is just great.

The full video is at the National Geographic site.

In The News

Just a couple of WTF? news stories that I feel compelled to comment on. You have been warned.

I know this isn't particularly NEW news, but with the movie coming out this past weekend, I feel it is timely. The movie 2012 is about the destruction of the world. Beyond that, I don't know much more about it. Landmarks of all kinds are 'shown' to be toppling over, falling apart, etc, etc. This includes religious landmarks such as a Buddhist temple and St Peter's Basilica. What you WON'T find being destroyed in this movie is any Muslim landmark. NONE. And why is that? Because the director was afraid for his life.

Roland Emmerich said:

"Well, I wanted to do that, I have to admit," he says. "But my co-writer Harald said I will not have a fatwa on my head because of a movie. And he was right... we have to all... in the Western world ... think about this. You can actually... let... Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have... a fatwa, and that sounds a little bit like what the state of this world is. So it's just something which I kind of didn't [think] was [an] important element anyway in the film, so I kind of left it out."

(I'm thinking the word 'not' in the quote where he says "my co-writer...said I will not have a fatwa..." was a slip. Otherwise, the rest of the quote makes next to no sense.)

And conservatives are considered nut cases when we opine that many branches of Islam want to destroy anyone with a different view than they have. But a Hollywood director says he won't 'offend' Muslims for fear he might get killed and the liberals didn't jump all over him. WTF???

Here's the whole story.

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And Barack is off and running in another part of the world once again. It will be interesting to see how long he stays in Washington when he gets back this time. I don't EVER remember a POTUS being out of Washington as much as he is. I guess he wants to get as many of those frequent flyer miles as possible. WTF???

Another Reason NOT To Watch The News

I haven't really watched a news broadcast for the last two years or so. I quit at some point during the last presidential campaign--just couldn't take all of the hype and pushing of non-issues. Tonight I had the news on, basically because I wanted to listen to a story about the swine flu vaccine. After the story, I left the channel on as background noise. And then the story came. A big enough story to make the national news broadcast--a place where we as citizens are supposed to find out what is going on in the world. And the story? Bo, the dog, has shit in Airforce One. More than once.

Excuse me? This is a story that needs to make the news? No wonder I don't get my news from the TV. And some people wonder why viewership is going down.

Waiting For The Implosion

And we STILL have to hear about Michael Jackson 432 days after he died? Good grief.

Anyway, it seems that his family--who has exploited his death beyond belief--now are upset because yesterday's interment service has been widely reported by the media. The family drive from Encino to Glendale was televised AND the family had invited some cameramen to record the star-studded service, yet they were dismayed at the intrusiveness of the media. Can this family GET any crazier? I thought after the King of the Crazies died, things would calm down, but it's not to be. Seems as if there are more than enough nuts in this family to take his place--and we aren't talking La Toya, surprisingly!

Let's Do Some Rambling

K had an appointment with his nephrologist and internist today--mainly because of his gout. The bottom line: everything HEALTHY that we have done to try and make our diets better are now the things that are bad for him! He has to avoid dairy, whole grains (mainly wheat,) nuts, beans/legumes--all high phosphorus foods. This includes cola, chocolate, and beer. Because he had another flare-up this morning, he now has CHRONIC gout and not just acute episodes. And he is now going to have to take yet another medication from now on. This will REALLY make us change our lifestyle.

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A little over a week ago we saw the neighbor's cat carrying something--its prey--from our yard. To me, it looked like our baby rabbit. I haven't seen the rabbit since then, so I probably was right. If the hawk had taken the rabbit, so be it--that is the circle of life. But I can't handle having an animal that isn't even supposed to be unleashed do this. It is just, plain wrong.

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I realize I have been suffering from hockey withdrawal--and it has been in a very, very big way. I have taken to watching baseball every chance I get. As I told The Youngest: people have to worry about me if I ever start watching football. If that was to happen, we can all expect the Apocalypse to occur very soon. (The Tigers are doing very well and are in the pennant race. I even have my favorite players already. Please don't let me become obssessed about this!)

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There are some that will deny that fall is here. I have no doubt that we are experiencing fall. We live just a couple of blocks from the high school and the marching band is practicing for the football season. I can hear the music from my living room and bedroom. Both of my girls were in marching band, so I KNOW the sounds of fall--and these are it.

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(I'm not a Sarah Palin supporter and I don't hate her like a lot of people do. However, I don't think anyone should have to read what a puke like this kid has to say about them--in a national magazine, at that.)

So Levi Johnston--you know, the baby daddy of Sarah Palin's grandchild--has been paid by Vanity Fair for 'his story.' And tell it he does. At least it seems that way. I haven't--and won't--read the article. There are many reports and 'blurbs' from the article, and it is not pretty. Suffice it to say, he doesn't come across as anything more than a spoiled teenage boy who would probably say anything for his 15 minutes of fame--and the odd amount of money he got for this. This whole thing is so bad that someone commented on the story titled "Surprise: Even MSNBC thinks Levi Johnston's a lying scumbag":

"What a pathetic little boy. You know you’ve lost it when even MSNBC has tired of your Sarah schtick."

Is there any doubt that he is being manipulated to say the worst things he can come up with? Or IS this just about the money? I wonder who his handlers are? Hopefully, this is his last hurrah.

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And as of today, we are one month away from the first game of the 2009-10 NHL hockey season. The Wings open their season by playing St Louis twice in Sweden. The day can't come fast enough for me!

Is It Because They're So Young?

Two events of the last day make me wonder about the younger generation. And maybe it isn't the generation as much as it is talented youngsters with big egos. Whatever it is, there are a few 20-somethings that I really have little to no respect for--no matter WHAT accomplishments they may have on their resumes.

Very early this morning, I finished reading the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. This is the story of the founding of Facebook and, to tell the truth, I am so disgusted by the whole thing that I have to think whether or not I want to continue using Facebook. I didn't find a sympathetic character in the entire book and I find the developer/co-founder/whatever he is a real sleazeball. Zuckerberg--the co-founder--seems to be as big an asshole as Steve Jobs is. Of course, the people who were screwed over by Zuckerberg are only a half step less sleazy than he is, but less sleazy they are. And Sean Parker--a co-founder of Napster--is just scary. I cannot believe ANYONE would want their company associated with this guy in any way, shape, or form. After reading about these people, I just wanted to take a long, hot shower. And I definitely would never want to meet any of them in person.

So, I'm just surfing around the web this afternoon when I find the STORY of the day--and it, too, makes me wonder what the hell is going on. Patrick Kane is a star with the Chicago Blackhawks. He is making money hand over fist--and stands to make even MORE when he signs his contract next year. (He probably will get anywhere from $6-8 mil per year, or more. And this doesn't include any endorsements.) He is 20 years old. He was arrested this morning.

Some time around 5 AM, Kane and his 21 year old cousin were picked up by a cab in the nightclub district of Buffalo, NY. When the cabbie charged them $13.80, the kids gave him $15. The cabbie gave $1 back in change and said he didn't have the coins to give back $.20. The kids got mad, one of them grabbed the cabbie by the throat, one punched the 62 year old man in the face and broke his glasses, and then they took the $15 from the guy. The cops were called, the cabbie pressed charges, and the kids were arrested. And that is pretty much where the story stands at this time. Now the waiting period begins to see if anything more comes of this.

Now back to my original question. Are these kids--and to me they definitely ARE kids, as they are young enough to be my children and most of them are even younger than my youngest--just being kids? Or are they so filled with their own egos that they believe they can get away with whatever they want? Do they feel as if the world owes them? Have they had it so easy that they don't think they have to behave with any amount of manners?

The people in the book are, basically, computer geeks. They seem to not have many of the social graces and live in their own geeky worlds. They also are geniuses, or very close. But, does this mean they can't treat people with any decency? Does this give them license to do what they want and hurt others because they 'don't know any better?' Just because someone is 'brilliant' doesn't mean he/she should get a pass when it comes to being a decent individual. But, in many circles, I guess genius lets a person get away with anything.

Then, we have the athlete. For the most part, the Red Wings (and probably other teams, as well, but I know about the Wings) let their players develop and mature before they are brought to 'the big club' and payed hundreds, or millions, of dollars. Many teams, however, have 18, 19, 20 year old kids signing big-money contracts and praising them to high levels. These kids don't have the maturity to handle the pressure, the fame, or the money that they have. Many of them believe the hype surrounding them--mainly because they were big fish in little ponds from the time they were toddlers and have been told from the time they could walk how great they are. And they were handed everything as soon as it was seen that they had any amount of talent whatsoever. So, they have egos that just won't quit.

I know that I have no idea how much of anything I read regarding either of these stories is true or false. I really can't judge any of these people. I want to believe that the next generation isn't going to hell in a hand basket, but after reading too many stories like these, I don't know if I CAN trust.

Let's get Ready To Ramble

When I was a child--don't know if it is still the case--our local newspaper would publish the outer page on green paper. They called it 'The Green Sheet.' I don't remember what the content was on the green sheet.

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How sad and disturbing is the news about the Billy Mays' autopsy? While the coroner still says he died of heart failure, it is now thought that the heart problems came from cocaine use. The tox report showed he had used cocaine. He reportedly also took several pain killers--including oxycodone--because of hip problems. You NEVER know what is going on behind closed doors, do you?

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One of the neighbors talked to a guy who works for the company that will pave our road and he said they (the workers) have NO idea when the job will be done. I guess it will be done before the end of October, because the snow will start falling by then and it is extremely difficult to pave during a snow storm.

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I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that The Youngest had a sick cat. It had to be put down. The ultrasound was inconclusive, but his kidneys failed and there was nothing more to be done for him. It is sad to think I will never see Sam again. He was a very sweet cat.

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On 5 August I celebrated ten years of being a non-smoker. Once again I gave myself an anniversary gift and went and bought the phone I've been wanting.



The Nokia E71x is about the neatest thing and I am having SO MUCH FUN with it. I don't even think I know half of what this thing can do and I've been playing with it for days. I didn't find the price to be all that bad, but my monthly plan increased by $15. I still haven't told K. I'm hoping he doesn't notice. ;)