Common Courtesy 101 - A Lesson I Have Not Learned Yet...

...is that I realistically cannot expect anything from anyone based on my needs, or even just based upon common courtesy. That goes for even those who I have helped out in the past (some more than once). You see, I do expect common courtesy from folks, especially folks whom I have assisted in some way or another in the past, and it irks me to no end when such is not given to me. You know that thing I just mentioned - don't you? Common Courtesy, mostly now a morality thing of the past or so it seems, but since I was brought up with it hammered into my head, I still usually go out of my way to offer it to others. Now it may be shame on me - but I expect it from others, and especially expect it back when I have been more than courteous to someone - such as when I have been generous to them.

No, as you have probably guessed, I do not mean that I am irked to no end because someone has not extended me the courtesy of holding a door open for me rather than letting it close in my face, or that someone has not waited for me to exit an elevator before they try to squeeze inside, or that someone did not stop at a stop sign and allow me to cross the street. Sure someone being discourteous like that is common today, but it gets me miffed! It should get you upset too. Being courteous and doing right by the other guy are or should be common courtesies, but the type I just mentioned are ones you would, or should, give to any stranger you pass. I am a bit more than miffed, I am pretty upset when it comes to someone who claims to be your friend, or who is at least an acquaintance, and who disregards courtesies that were once understood to be common, and that were once considered important enough to be looked upon as an important obligation to return. The type of common courtesy to which I refer is the one by which you go a bit out of your way to do something nice for someone who has done something nice or extraordinary for you. You do not need return a courtesy right away when someone helps you out, not immediately after that other person did something nice for you; but certainly when you are aware that the other person who treated you with extraordinary courtesy is now himself also in need. You should then make an effort to help out at least in some small manner. If you do not - well then you lack common courtesy, and you probably are not worth a repeat of mine - but dope that I am I would probably still offer my courtesies to you. That is I would have done so in the past, currently I am getting kind of sick of being played for the helpful stooge.

Recently I helped out a few people, whom I know, monetarily. It was not much, but in each case I went out of my way to assist them. I gave what I could, then I even gave more again after I made a concerted effort to raise some extra cash to give to them, and to tell the truth I needed the cash pretty badly myself but figured they needed it more. As I said, no great amount, and no big deal - not my helping them out anyhow. There is a big deal though, a thorn that is stuck in my foot, and I cannot shake it loose and it is festering. That thorn is in the form of the lack of help I received from them when I too could have used help. I do not mean money either, I mean help that would have been so minuscule as to have probably only taken up about a few minutes of their ever so precious time, cost them nothing in money, but which would have meant an awful lot to me as far as making something much easier for me. Now you may wonder, did the people to whom I refer actually know I was in need? Yes they did know, and they knew exactly what I needed was some information and maybe some advice on a subject about which they have ample knowledge, and they knew it would have been nothing more than the few minutes at most that it would have cost them to have made something much easier for me. Heck, I even discussed it with some of them when they told me they were aware of the specific information/advice I was seeking. You know, it went something like: "Hey I hear you are doing this that and the other thing". Me saying : "Yeah, I am I sure could use some advice about it" and waiting for more from them. Then the others changing the subject and then walking away without an offer of assistance. It would have been pretty easy to offer to give me a hand - not a handout. It was easy enough for some of you though, some of you whom I know only through my blog and your blogs. Somehow though, it apparently turned out it that is was way too inconvenient for the folks whom I helped out, when they were in need, to give me a return courtesy, and one which they could have easily afforded at that. So I am pissed off somewhat ired by their lack of respect for me as evidenced by their lack of common courtesy toward me.

Now I am wondering whether or not it is worth my while, my effort, my money, to help out pompous self centered money grubbing jerks people in need like that again any time soon, if ever again. I can tell you one thing for sure, if you receive a courtesy from someone, especially if it is after your having asked for help, you ought to return it with another tenfold of courtesies. That way you will be sure to receive more courtesies in the future rather than having someone let the door slam in your face; well truth be told that may happen anyway. All in all it just makes life a nicer more courtesy filled place because many people still return courtesies. It also makes you feel better about yourself, that is if you have a morally based conscience to begin with. As to those of you who actually offered me help and gave advice, and there were a few of you, I say thanks very much, and if you need something that I can help with - rest assured I will return the favor if I can, and I'll remain courteous to you because if nothing else - you deserve it by way of your own extension of courtesy. What goes around certainly comes around, or should do so regarding common courtesy, don't you think?

All the best,
Glenn B

I Have Got To Hand It To Obama...

No, not my vote, nor my confidence that he would make a good president (or even a passable one), but rather that he has got chutzpah. He certainly faces up to the Clinton Machine (yes the Clintons are just what they claim they are against, that so called big whatever-wing conspiracy at least when it comes to Obama). I thought it pretty amusing and rather arrogant of the old battle ax the democratic candidate currently number 2 in the running to have repeatedly made the claim (or was it an offer) that Obama would make a fine vice president as her running mate.

It was also pretty hypocritical. Here are the Clintons saying that Obama is way too inexperienced to become president, so where do they want to put him now - in the vice presidency. I seem to remember Bill Clinton once having blathered on about how a vice president has to be "ready" to take over the presidency in the event of emergency. So what the Clintons are telling us now is that Barack Obama, whom they do not believe would make a good president (witnessed by their repeated and heated attacks on him) would make a great vice president, and that his being vice president would somehow, magically I suppose, make him ready to take over the presidency in the event of an emergency. Are you following that. Well if not it does not matter, because Mr. Obama had the right answer for both of the Clintons, and the thing of it is that his words will hopefully have put an end to those ridiculous offers to him by the Clintons, and maybe even put an end to Mrs. Clinton's chances to win the nomination. Here is, according to an article, at http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03/11/mississippi-democrats-head-to-polls-with-obama-riding-high/what he had to say about it:

“I don’t know how somebody who is in second place is offering the vice presidency to the person who is first place,... I am not running for vice president. I am running for president of the United States of America.”

Now Carl Rove came out and said that Obama should never had said this, and that this will hurt him politically. According to Rove, Obama should have let an underling say this. I beg to differ. The good old knockout punch should come from the man in the ring, not from one of his trainers or sparring partners. If this man makes it into the White House, I think it will not be as vice president but believe, as scary as is the prospect, that it will be as president. As for myself, I see not other choice for myself than to vote for McCain, but I guess that is a whole other story in itself.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Have Only One Choice...

...for whom to vote in the upcoming presidential elections as I see it. Look at the video that Rita at the JungleHut had imbedded in her blog:



If nothing else, John McCain will be a leader seeking to secure and strengthen our great nation for all Americans. Clinton or Obama will be little more than weak kneed wanna-be tyrants who want to tax the wealthier amongst us in order to elevate the poor economically, while at the same time deescalating the wealthier so the poor through the rich all arrive at a level of equality economically regardless of effort. Thus the only difference being that the middle class and the rich have worked for what they will have, and the utterly poor on welfare, and other low lives, who are unwilling to work will have gotten a free ride. That is not what freedom is all about, not what capitalism is about, not what America is about. It is what socialism and communism are about. I prefer a society in which one makes it as best he can based upon amenability to become a good citizen, willingness to fit in, willingness to start at the bottom and work your way up and so forth. I do not believe that anyone has an entitlement to what I have worked to establish you are entitled to what you have made for yourself - anything else is a handout. Not that handouts are not good or required in some instances, just that entitlements should jot be the driving force of a nation. Any nation that has tried likewise in the past has always failed miserably. I plan to help re-defeat communism and socialism in 2008 by voting McCain.

All the best,
Glenn B

Quick - Don't Delay - Go...

...here to watch a video and listen to words of wisdom about Islam. I do not know how long this will be kept on the page to which I have supplied the link - and if you really want to here some straight talk about Islam in England - well then hurry to this link.

You can bet I am going to listen to a lot more of what this guy has posted on his site.

Oh goody, I just found it on YouTube, so here it is:



Oh, don't expect to be finding a lot of reverent holier than thou Christian stuff on this guys pages or in his videos. I don't think he is very pro-religion - at least not in most of the current forms. I kind of get the picture that he believes in one of the things I have always believed - It is the weird holy men of the world who cause most of the grief in the world - does not matter what religion they practice either - yes in that regard he may be in agreement with me, but that requires further research to determine.

All the best,
Glenn B

My Own Web Page...

...is a thing that I have been thinking about getting lately to help facilitate an extension/growth to my hobby of keeping and breeding reptiles and amphibians. Actually I am planning on starting up a small scale business selling reptiles and amphibians at shows and possibly via the Internet. So with that in mind earlier, I went ahead an ordered 2 years of website hosting from StartLogic.com. Then this afternoon, and tonight I sat down, with a lot of time to kill, and tried to figure out how to make it work to design and create my website. After a few hours of getting frustrated by their website development tool, I called their 24/7 live help line. Over 53 minutes waiting for tech service to take my call, then I spoke to the techie for about 2 or 3 seconds and the line went dead, I am pretty sure on the other end. So I called back, and pressed whatever number for sales. The wait for someone in sales was shorter, only about 25 minutes. I got a friendly guy who almost did what I asked, which was to cancel my account and give me my money back as per their 30 day no questions asked guarantee. He said he put a note in the system for someone to do that tomorrow. Oh well, one can only hope it will get done.

What to do now. Well I guess I can ask - anyone out there know of a good web hosting site that has an easy to use, and extensive, web design program included. If so, let me know. If no one speaks up, I'll have to pick up a web design program and design it myself. I was thinking off MS FrontPage 2003. I would much rather avoid that expense by finding a company that offers easy to use website building software with their web hosting. If it was even only half as easy as it is to use Easy Designer (AOL's choice for web design to build your AOL homepage), or half as easy as using Blogger as I do for this blog, then it would be a snap. I don't know if there is something like that out there, but I imagine there must be if AOL and Blogger can make it as easy as they do - and they both let people sue it for free!

Of course I could make up a site here on Blogger, but I would rather have my own domain name. I had one for several hours today, and now it is in limbo because the company retained rights to it since I got my money back. I think I can pay them $6.50 to register it in my name for a year, and I'll have to look into that if I go with a different web hosting company. If I go back to StartLogic, it is my understanding they will give me that domain name back. First though, I want to make sure I can get what I consider easy to use, fairly full featured, website building software. Then I'll build my site. Then I'll have someone host it.

Now mind you, I am not saying that there was anything wrong with StartLogic, well except for how long it takes their service people to answer the telephone. Besides that it was just that I did not understand how to use the darned site building software - and I must point out there was no tutorial on it that I could find, and then having to wait that long and be disconnected was a major bummer. One othe rthing was that it looked as if you had to build from a template, and the choices were not to my liking. A personal thing regarding my tatses, not their wrong doing. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

All the best,
Glenn B

Primary results so far????????

The Republican Primaries are basically over. Huckabee has done the right thing and finally conceded. McCain is the man.

As for the Demoncrats, their primary results as reported by the media are truly mumbo-jumbo to me:

They say it is too close to call in Ohio. I beg to differ, but what do I know.

Ohio
Democrats
Precincts Reporting: 52%

Candidate
Hillary Clinton
653,379
58.35%

Barack Obama
466,450
41.65%

Who is kidding whom that the Ohio race is too close to call at 1055 EST when I retrieved this from Fox News! With over 52% of the vote in, and with Clinton beating Obama by 58 to about 42% of the vote, is it really too hard to call? I just do not get that at all, looks like a slam dunk to me for Clinton.

As for Texas, that is another story, and it is readily apparent, as I write, as to why it is too close to call:

Texas
Democrats

Precincts Reporting: 25%

Candidate
Barack Obama
711,759
50.02%

Hillary Clinton
711,183
49.98%

Wow, that is a close one, but only 25% of precincts reporting so far. Time will tell if a head will be lopped off tonight leaving but one Demoncrat in the running.

All the best,
Glenn B

Is It Possible We Can Finally Get Rid Of One Of Them Today?

Yeah you guessed it, I mean either Hillary Rodham-Clinton, or Barack Hussein Obama in the Democratic Primaries. It would be wonderful to finally be rid of at least the incessant ultra liberal blabbering, the face raking remarks, and the back stabbing innuendo that goes on between the two of them. I for one am sick of it, and I would be willing to bet that even a lot of those who might actually vote for one of these possible candidates is probably as sick of them as am I.

Hopefully one of them will deal a slashing death blow to the other today - politically of course not literally - and come away the winner with the other's head in his or her hands.

Then all we have to listen too is McCain debate the winner (yeah maybe a little more of Huckabee but no one is really giving him any air time and he is nowhere nearly as annoying as the two dems.) Of course I am no big fan of McCain, but if it comes down to just him and the one pick of the dems, we will at least get to hear something a bit on the conservative and sensible side.

All the best,
Glenn B

Today In History - Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861.

"I am loth (sic) to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." (Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1861)

So sad that he was so wrong, and the war was inevitable, but he made the attempt to keep the Union together by easing up on his opposition to some demands of the South over slavery, while steadfastly refusing to give up federal property to the 7 states that had already seceded from the Union. Then, just over one month later on April 12, 1861, the first shot of the Civil War rang out as the South attacked Fort Sumter, SC.

He was right though, in the end, the better angels of our nature saw the Union come together again, and it still stands strong today because of, and in some instances despite, the resonance of those mystic chords of memory.

All the best,
Glenn B

Trivia Resurrection

Well, I have only had a few guesses to my trivia question of earlier this week, so I decided to give some really blatant hints about who was:

The First man To Appear On The Cover of Playboy Magazine, and lest I say I idolize him, let me just say he was a great actor - one of the all time best.

If you want to try your hand at guessing who it was, without cheating, please go to the below link and view the post and the comments:

http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2008/02/trivia-for-night.html

All the best,
Glenn B

Up Early On A Sunday...

...and soon to be off to the Long Island Reptile Expo (not to be confused with the Long Island Herpetological Society's Annual Reptile Expo) at the Hilton Hotel on Route 110 in Melville/Huntington, NY. I am hopeful I can sell trade a few animals while I am there. If nothing else, accomplishing such trades helps Brendan and me keep our hobby going without a lot of expense. Speaking of Brendan, he told me to wake him up t 8, and he will tag along. That is okay by me, he has not been to one of these in quite sometime due to either work, lacrosse practice or games, or being with his girlfriend. Some time together for the two of us will be a special treat for me. While there we will help out manning the LIHS table, giving out info to the public about reptile and amphibian care and so forth. Look me up if you are there.

No more time to jabber, I have to get busy readying animals and other stuff for the show.

All the best,
Glenn B

"There is no information to lead us to believe that this is the result of any terrorist activity or related to any possible terrorist activity."

You have read the title; now take a moment and read these 2 definitions:

terrorist

ter·ror·ist [ térrərist ] (plural ter·ror·ists)

noun

Definition:
somebody using violence for political purposes: somebody who uses violence, especially bombing, kidnapping, and assassination, to intimidate others, often for political purposes

anarchist

an·ar·chist [ ánnərkist ] (plural an·ar·chists)

noun

Definition:
1. supporter of anarchism: somebody who believes that governments should be abolished as unnecessary
2. lawless person: somebody who tries to overthrow a government or behaves in a lawless way


Okay, you have seen the title of this particular post. You have read the two definitions above. Now go to Vegas police find deadly ricin in motel room if you want a clue as to all of this, and to see where I found the quote in the above title. You can also go to Police: Firearms, 'Anarchist Textbook' Found in Ricin Hotel Room" to read more about it. After you read those two articles, about a man in the hospital apparently suffering from Ricin poisoning, riddle me this Batman:

1. Is there any possible link to terrorist activity?

2. Should the man who is in the hospital be a suspect, at least a preliminary suspect, in this case in that he should be suspected of possessing Ricin? Note I am not saying he is guilty, I am asking should he be suspected of such, even if the suspicion is tentative and will depend in the long run on further information being developed to keep him as a suspect?

If the police truly believe that there is no, and I mean absolutely no link to possible terrorist activity here, I think they are screwballs, and should literally be demoted or fired. Here read the quote to which I refer:

“There is no information to lead us to believe that this is the result of any terrorist activity or related to any possible terrorist activity,”

What do they mean by that? Are they idiots or are they just trying to keep people from panicking? My guess is they are well trained idiots acting at the behest of higher authority; but I could be wrong, and it is possible they are just idiots of the plain and simple type. Why? Well because:

1. Ricin is an extremely toxic chemical agent with few legitimate uses except in cancer research.

2.Certainly there was absolutely no legitimate cancer research going on, and no legitimate use use for it, in a skid row welfare type motel 6 blocks from the Vegas strip.

3. An "anarchist type textbook" (from the MSN article) was found in the motel room when authorities searched the room. The book is tabbed at a certain page, that page containing information about how to make buttery pop cornRicin.

4. Firearms were found in that room (no not even indicative of a crime on their own, but they can add to suspicion of criminal activity when certain other things fall into place).

5. A man has been hospitalized with symptoms of Ricin poisoning, the same man who had been staying in the room where the above items were found.

6. Authorities seized the "anarchist type textbook" and the firearms, but the vials of Ricin in the plastic bag were not discovered when the book and guns were found. This sort of implies that the police searched the room when or once the 2 seized items were found, or that they certainly should have searched the room if those items had been discovered by someone other than LEOs.

7. Authorities seize the book and weapons.

8. A friend of the hospitalized man, went to the motel room in question, to pick up the belongings of the hospitalized man, and this friend reportedly finds the vials of Ricin in a plastic bag in said room.

9. The first man has been in the hospital since February 14.

10. The weapons and the guns were found on or about Tuesday February February 19.

11. The vials were only found on or about Thursday, February 21.

12. On February 22 the friend, who went to the hospitalized man's room to pick up his belongings, contacted motel management to inform them there were pets in said room.

13. "A dog was found dead but the animal had gone at least a week without food or water, Suey said" This quote from the FoxNews article. I imagine that dog (unlucky 13) was found dead by authorities or by the motel management on the 22 or later, and am basing my conclusion on number 12 above. (Where were the police in regard to this earlier?)

14. "Along with the ricin, police found castor beans possibly used to make the substance. Suey said the manufacture of ricin is a crime." Again from FoxNews.

15. We don't know an awful lot about him," Suey said. "We don't even know that it was him that was in possession of the ricin" That would be Deputy Chief of Police Kathy Suey to whom that quote was attributed in the FoxNews article.

16. Suey apparently made her statements yesterday.

I ask you again to consider:

1. Is there any possible link to terrorist activity?

2. Should the man who is in the hospital be a suspect, at least a preliminary suspect, in this case in that he should be suspected of possessing Ricin? Note I am not saying he is guilty, I am asking should he be suspected of such, even if the suspicion is tentative and will depend in the long run on further information being developed to keep him as a suspect?

If you are uncertain, or if you answered "No" to either of those 2 questions, you are far from correct as I see it.

There is a POSSIBLE link to, or suspicion of, terrorist activity. This would be based upon the evidence that manufacture of Ricin is a crime, a man has been hospitalized with apparent Ricin poisoning (either intentionally or accidentally poisoned it does not matter), the Ricin apparently was kept under unsafe conditions in a motel room, in that same motel room were firearms (not by themselves an indicator of crime by a long shot mind you), and in that room was found an "anarchist type textbook". Ricin is most often associated with terrorists when not used legitimately. By now, even by yesterday, it is/was probably very apparent to the Las Vegas Police brass, and others involved in this case, that the Ricin in said room was not there for legitimate purposes.

Let's examine a for just a moment now the other legitimate uses of Ricin beyond cancer research. Hmm, zero! So with no legitimate uses of Ricin save cancer research, what nefarious uses of Ricin are there? It has been used to kill people in political assassinations carried out by terrorists. In fact an extremely small amount of Ricin, in its purest forms, is required to kill someone. But let me not bore you with what I know about the subject, let me give you just a smidgen of what the CDC says about it here:


"It would take a deliberate act to make ricin and use it to poison people. Accidental exposure to ricin is highly unlikely.

People can breathe in ricin mist or powder and be poisoned.

Ricin can also get into water or food and then be swallowed.

Pellets of ricin, or ricin dissolved in a liquid, can be injected into people’s bodies.

Depending on the route of exposure (such as injection or inhalation), as little as 500 micrograms of ricin could be enough to kill an adult. A 500-microgram dose of ricin would be about the size of the head of a pin. A greater amount would likely be needed to kill people if the ricin were swallowed.

In 1978, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian writer and journalist who was living in London, died after he was attacked by a man with an umbrella. The umbrella had been rigged to inject a poison ricin pellet under Markov’s skin.

Some reports have indicated that ricin may have been used in the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s and that quantities of ricin were found in Al Qaeda caves in Afghanistan.

Ricin poisoning is not contagious. It cannot be spread from person to person through casual contact. "

Are you getting the picture? Ricin is a deadly chemical, extremely deadly, and it is often associated with terrorists and terrorism. There are few legitimate uses of it, all centering around cancer research. This Ricin was not found in a cancer research facility, and in fact was found with a bag of Castor beans (the source from which Ricin can be manufactured, and it is very unlikely that a cancer researcher would leave either lying around his motel room). Do I watch too much television, or do I just have too much experience with criminals, when I think that Ricin in a motel room would be highly suspicious of wrongdoing, and its former links to terrorists in combination with firearms and an "anarchist's type textbook" add up to a suspicion of terrorist activity? Look to the link to the CDC web page about Ricin. At least glance over it, read each section's header. Look at the size of each section on the article the CDC wrote about Ricin. Which is the largest section? Yes the one about how to protect yourself from Ricin as if a terrorist attack had taken place. Remember, as seen above, they said it would take a deliberate act to spread enough to harm people. Any suspicions yet?

How can the police NOT BE at least SUSPICIOUS that this was in some POSSIBLE way linked to terrorism? How can the police not believe that the man who was poisoned is at least a suspect in this case? I said a suspect, nothing more, and I mean nothing less such as the bullshit political butt kissing term of: 'person of interest'. If they are not in the least suspicious that this is related to some for of terrorism, and that the hospitalized man is not at least a suspect then I, in my personal opinion, believe the LEOs involved in this case to be out and out idiots absolutely incompetent.

Of course as I mentioned above, they could be well trained idiots and be withholding their suspicions so as not to panic people, but who would get panicked over this who would not already be scared into seeking out a cave in which to hide after having read those articles and just a little more on the subject? There is no need to panic, but there is reason to be suspicious, and to be suspicious that there is a possible link to terrorism. There is reason to look into links to terrorism based upon those suspicions. If the police already firmly have made up there minds that there is no POSSIBLE link to terrorism and that the hospitalized man is suspected of nothing wrong - well their investigation is less than a good one - it stinks. Tell me, just what in Hades is it for which we pay their salaries?

As for you and me, it is good to be aware of such thing, and how to react and act after a suspected spread of Ricin (hint: a terrorist attack using Ricin). There are oodles and oodles of websites that give you such info, so I will not go into any such readiness preparations here; however I will recommend you start with the links on the CDC webpage that covers Ricin. Just suffice it to say, you should be prepared for terrorist attacks because in all likelihood they are coming. No this may well not have been one, and if it was supposed to have resulted in one chances are it maybe would have been small scale. Though we do not know the size of the "vials" vials are usually pretty small, so let's say a scale like a suicide bombing killing dozens of innocent people. Still though, a larger attack to come is probably almost a certainty. No not necessarily with Ricin, or other biological or chemical agents, it could be nuclear, it could be a regular bomb or IEDS, it could be gunshots, it could be a maniac mowing people down with a car. The thing is you should have some sort of a plan what to do if a terrorist attack occurs; and if anything happens that has even half the evidence that it is a terrorist attack as the example above, you should suspect it is just that - a terrorist attack - and you take appropriate action to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Now maybe I am just the overly suspicious type, but that's my slant on it all. Oh, before I leave you for now, did I forget to mention: Maybe the police ought to read up on the definitions of anarchist versus terrorist. Pretty darned similar are they not? No suspicions ineed!

All the best,
Glenn B

Viewer Number 20,000...

...just stopped by for a virtual look at my site. Thanks for stopping by. That person, whoever you may be, is over in or about Adelaide, Austraila and used bigpond.net to access my site. G'day mate, and thanks again!

All the best,
Glenn B

Days Of Future Passed...

The Moody Blues, 1967. All I can say is wow what an excellent album. I cannot remember listening to this whole album all at one sitting in over 30 years, and therefore I cannot believe what I was letting myself miss out on for all that time.

Listening to it right now is like reliving a daydream that never quite faded away. If you are as old as me, and decide to listen to this, pay careful attention to the track: The Morning: Another Morning. Tell me was that childhood living or what!

This came out right as I passed from childhood into my teen years. I almost 12, or 12, when it was recorded in October 1967, and definitely 12 when it was released in November that same year. Yeah, I was a Beatles fan then, but that was all soon to change with fine music and lyrics like this, and this album was played over an over for years back then. This was definitely one of the first of all life based impressionistic albums of my youth. They covered life in a day, and I do mean a whole life covered in one day, all in one album of only 7 songs. From: "The Day Begins" all the way through to "The Night: Nights in White Satin". Damn it was and is good, and was as they said it from yesterday's dreams to tomorrows sighs. To which I can truly say: today's sighs are often remnants of yesterday dreams for sure - mixed in with all that stuff we never dared dream about that blew many of our dreams all asunder (like growing up, graduating school, getting a job, war, crime, politics, hate, love, getting married, working hard for almost nothing so your kids will have it better, did I forget to mention having kids, slaving to get the American dream, illness, middle age, death, hardship, success, joy, old age and whatever).

Still though, some of those Nights in White Satin have survived unopened by the reader to whom they were written but to whom never sent. Those dreams survived all the way until today, many only tucked away in the recesses of faded memory, some more easily recalled. Yet others of them, at least for some of us, actually unfolded by the one for whom they were meant, blossomed into a reality, a lifetime of wonder, more marvelous than could ever have been just dreams of our youth. Dreams or reality you decide which was the better. Me I'll take the reality built upon the dreams, even upon the ones that never quite made it. As the album's last words said: "..but we decide which is right, and which is an illusion".

All the best,
Glenn B

Trivia For The Night

I am not one to post many trivia type questions, but I just found out something about one of my favorite magazines of my childhood (my favorite from about 8 years old through my early teenage years). I would like to share that trivia with all of you, but only if someone can guess it correctly - and please do so without cheating, and without looking at the comments section first to see if someone else has guessed it already. Try to answer the question, then leave a comment with the answer you had in mind, not effected by an answer someone else already gave.

Who was the first man to be pictured on the cover of Playboy Magazine?

This is not a trick question, and the answer may surprise some of you, it sure did me. Somehow though, the more I think of it, the more I see him as having been the perfect first for that honor. He often played the role of playboy, and he surely had some gorgeous wives, but that is more than enough for the hints.

The first person to get it right has my heartfelt admiration as a true trivia buff (that of course so long as you don't cheat and that is totally up to you). In other words I have no prizes for this.

Oh by the way - just give it a guess even if you never would look at something like Playboy. The fun is figuring out who such a mag would have as its first man on the cover - a difficult guess if you are not a Playboy fan, or a fan of this actor (an maybe even if you are a fan of his).

All the best,
Glenn B

Oh Angela baby - do I make you randy?

I suppose that Angela is just some hacker's program that places silly comments into the comments areas on peoples' blogs. Here is what I got from her, posted to my rant on Global Warming, immediately proceeding this one:

"Anonymous said...

I am Angela. A mature and beautiful 40+ woman, I want to explore new relationship by Internet. So I have uploaded many hot and sexy photos on BoomerMingle.com under the name HotbAudrey. You maybe want to check out my photos firstly!

27 February, 2008 02:59"

Funny how Angela has a site called hotbAudrey - I suppose she may have an identity crisis on her hands.

This was my reply, and is my response to try to avoid such in the future:

"With my luck Angela is a chick with a -ick. Sorry, I just could not resist. I have enabled word verification to try to avoid comments like this in the future; if that does not work, I will put comment moderation into effect."

While we all can use a good laugh, I prefer to have my comments sections reserved for comments about my blog, and not act as a advertisement for folks the likes of Angela. Sadly though, forever from tonight, I'll wonder if she was real and if I made her randy - oh baby!

Now truly, I hope no one is silly enough to visit that website.

All the best,
Glenn B

Now This Would BE Global Warming...

...and if this is the way it turns out, well then I will have had to admit (should I still be around) that Al Gore was right about fearing Global Warming, but just not in our lifetimes. I mean 7.6 billion years is a long way off isn't it! Read this, it is the Global Warming theory of the century: Scientists Predict When World Will End. Kind of funny how these scientists are seemingly taking the lead from Al G in as much as their theory contradicts all the other science out there about the earth being sucked into the sun. Oh well, what does science, or the lack of it, matter anyway in this age of air headed Al Gore like enlightenment.

Just imagine all the Red Giant Days sales that places like Walmart will have and you won't be bothered with thinking about doomsday scientists at all. I am gonna stock up on beer, and wieners for a nice BBQ.

All the best,
Glenn B

Monday Night Already...

...where in Hades did Sunday go? Well I spent some of yesterday finalizing my taxes, and trying to get my daughter's taxes done. Alas she complained when I claimed her as a dependent, as was my right to do, we had an argument, the wife chimed in on her side, we had more of an argument, and I stopped doing the taxes.

Today I had to see my doc for some bad aches and pains and other things that have been bothering me for the past month and a half; for some reason they were worse this morning - go figure. Doc says: "Maybe a virus" - when have I heard that catch all before? Then I went home to finalize my taxes; this time one dependent less. In all I had to pay $2,799 for state and federal combined. A bit less than I previously had thought which was $3,008. Well that is over and done with, and paid for electronically, or will be once the feds and state approve my tax filings. After getting the taxes done I was back at the doc's office for a echo-cardiogram or sonogram of the heart. Just testing she had told told me in the earlier visit of today, but best to get it done today based on my symptoms of the past month and a half (funny how she had not mentioned the EKG she took that morning). When I got there a technician took the sonogram, not my doc. Did not even see the doc again. Tomorrow is another day. I will be off to the cardiologist for a stress test. Oh well, as I have been heard to say: Another day in Paradise"!

(The above has been abridged, content was removed that was too personal. If you read it already, oh well...)

All the best,
Glenn B

Yeee Haa A New Gear Purchase...

...was made by me today. Just a day or two ago, I said I wanted one of these but just could not afford one. I gave my reasons like being low on cash, needing to find a few grand to pay to the tax man, just having paid for some expensive electrical work on the house, just having bought a bed for my son, just having put a new floor in my son's room, needing about two grand to have an oak tree cut down in my backyard. Yes the outlook for me buying the H&K p2000 SK was gloomy, and as a matter of fact it still is just as dismal. I don't think I will be getting one of them in the near future. But I did pick up a new piece of gear today despite my scant cash situation.

Last summer I fell down while on a fishing trip, and my big blubbering self landed on top of one of my fishing reels. I snapped the handle off. Since then I have tried to buy a replacement handle for it with absolutely no luck. The reel would probably last another 10 years (I have probably had it that long, maybe longer), but I just cannot find a handle for it. I was not figuring on getting a new one, but a few days ago I received a $10 coupon (good as cash) in the mail from Dick's Sporting Goods because of prior purchases I had made. I started thinking of what I could use that $10 on, anything from a brick of .22LR ammo, to a folding knife, to a box of trap/skeet shot, to a new reel. I figured I would save it until I went shopping at Dicks which I did not think would be for a month or more. Otherwise Brendan could have used it. Then yesterday I found an old Dick's gift card. I checked it and found it had a whopping $5.20 left on it, a small but nice surprise. I stuck the gift card and the coupon in my wallet.

Today I took a trip to my sister's house to visit her family and my mom who lives with them. The trip actually started out with me going to a few other places that took me somewhat east of where I live, and thereby closer to them. One thing led to another and I decided to visit them since I was getting closer and closer anyway. On my way to their place I passed a Dick's Sporting Goods and made a stop. While in there, I spied a fishing reel I liked, a spinning reel. Then I remembered the stash in my wallet. I took the reel to the counter and asked how much (in fact I took two of them, each basically the same model in different sizes). I liked the bigger one, but if it cost too much I would take the little one that was marked $24.99. When the cashier told me the bigger one was only $19.99, I took out the coupon, the gift card, and a total of $5.65 in cash and paid for it. No its not a fancy reel, not one of very high quality either, but a decent brand - Quantum (same brand as the other one that I had broken) and cost about the same as the other one did about 10 years ago. I am pretty sure it will hold up as good as the old one, and give me many seasons of good fishing (at least of good casting, I don't know if I'll catch anything).

This particular reel is a Quantum OP40F. I figure it to be a medium freshwater reel. Line capacity is 230 yards of 10 pound test; and I usually use 6 or 8 pound test, so it will hold plenty more of either of them. If I decide to use 10 or 12 pound for larger fish, it will hold more than enough of each. It has 4 stainless steel ball bearings, an aluminum spool, an extra graphite spool, and a front drag. Not quite the piece of hardware I blogged about a couple of days ago, but something I will put to very good use nonetheless.

If nothing else, my having this new reel will assure two things: Spring Fever will grab hold of me harder and earlier than usual; and if I don't get to use it, well then that will be because Brendan swiped it to use for himself. So right about now, just after I finish this rant, I am going to find a nice hiding place for it; somewhere in which I'll remember where to find it, but that he will be unlikely to look. Now where around the house do I need a job to get done?

Not a bad purchase for $5.65 cash, a gift card with a small remaining balance that I found by chance in my junk pile, and a $10 coupon I got in the mail. Sought of made my day, and while I am not often easy to please, I sure was today.

All the best,

Glenn B

For Around Here It Snowed A Lot...

...but looks like a little, I guess because it started to rain a few hours ago. When I got up at o515 hours this morning the snow had to have been about 4 inches deep, and everything around my house was completely covered even the pine tree in the pic to the right. (The pic was taken hours later after it had rained for awhile and lots of the snow had melted.). It was coming down hard too, straight down no wind, not even much of a breeze. I took one look and figured it was steady and hard enough to mean that there would be at least several more inches on the ground before it stopped. So since I was already up at that ungodly hour, I decided to take shovel in hand and get to it. I don't have all that much to shovel, but I make sure I do a good job and get as much as I can off the sidewalk, driveway, front and side walkways, stoops, and side patio. Took me a while, so thank goodness it was cold enough for the snow to be on the lighter side. Once I was done with my property, I did the side of my neighbors house. Shovelling that is probably as much as all of my property combined. I was going to do the sidewalk along the front of his house too, but the old back injury started to pain me, so I figured it was time for a break. I went inside, and took a rest.

After a few more hours or so I headed back out to shovel some more. How nice, someone had been out there and done most of it for me a second time, so it left me with only an inch or two of snow on my sidewalk. I got to it, got that off, and then hit my neighbor's house and got all of his done (someone had also done his and he only had about an inch on the ground). Looking at it all I realized there must have been 7 to 9 inches on the ground where no one had shoveled. I also realized something else, it was raining, probably had been for a while, a steady light rain or drizzle. The little bit of snow that was left was heavy. Ouch there went the back again. I called my boss and banged in sick. Heck it was noon already by the time I got back inside to call! Whoops.

Later on I decided to go out and take another look, and try to see how deep the snow was in a few places where no one had shoveled. I dipped a ruler a few times, and each time it came up between 6 to 7 inches. Since that it had warmed up a bit and rained for several hours already a lot of the snow had already melted. I suppose my earlier guess of an overall snowfall of 7-9 inches was correct. I'll have to see what I can get out of the weatherman later on this evening.

Tonight promises more snow, or at least the weatherman promises more. More on the way for tomorrow too. I only hope the wet ground does not freeze hard, and then get snowed on. That makes for difficult shoveling, slippery footing, and treacherous driving conditions. As for right now, the rain has stopped, the temp seems steady, and it looks like a winter wonderland outside. So am I out there having snowball fights, building snowmen, or sleigh riding - heck no. I am inside where I can enjoy the warmth, have a cold one, and let the Aleve do its wonders for my aching back. With any luck my son will be home before anymore white stuff covers the ground, and it will be his turn to shovel next.

All the best,

Glenn B

Tour of Duty - Almost Complete

When I signed up with Soldiers' Angels, I guess I never had a clue as to how rewarding an experience it could be for me, or for anyone. Sure I knew it would be a morale boost for the soldier who would be selected as the one to whom I would write and send care packages, well I hoped it would be a boost and sort of took for granted that it would be anyhow. As it turned out, I was assigned to a soldier. That really is sort of the way it was, I was assigned to a soldier to be his email buddy, to send care packages, to keep his spirits high, to try to let him know that there really are people who care about our troops, to... well you get the idea. What they don't tell you at Soldier's Angels is that not only do you get assigned to a soldier, you become attached to him or her. No I was not the best at keeping in touch. As per the Soldiers' Angels policy I think I was supposed to write once a week, and send letters at that. I never wrote a letter, except to include in a Christmas/Holiday Care Package, and I think I forgot to put it in the box. All I wrote were emails, and luckily my soldier had frequent access to a computer. Of course I sent a few care packages over to him and his unit too. His emails to me were not all that frequent either, understandable on his part since he was the one in the middle of a war in Afghanistan. So sometimes the arrival of his email would remind me, heck I have not written in way too long.

Our emails to one another were never very heart wrenching, were friendly but never too affectionate (heck they were emails from two married men who were writing to one another as pen pals, and I think that was strange turf for both of us to tread), they had a certain friendliness about them while still seeming as if we were somewhat aloof from one another. Despite that feeling of apartness, that separation between us, there was also a feeling of respect for one another between us, of a sort of kinship, a certain type of brotherhood, a friendship that developed. No they don't tell you that you become attached to the Soldier to whom you are assigned, I guess much how they probably never told him he would become attached and greatly affected by his time spent in a war far from home.

It is evident in his latest email to me that both those things happened. He has been affected by the war, both good and bad, to a greater extent than he usually lets on in his emails, and I could see that in his latest email, the one in which he told me he is coming home to the USA later this month. I guess when you spend a year of more anywhere you are affected by your experiences, but to spend it in a far away land where things are strikingly different than they are at home, and to be there in time of war, while others at home forget you, even show disdain for you has got to be something you cannot understand unless you have lived it.

Still though Bob S. only tries to let his good outlook on life come through in his emails to me. I had to sort of read between the lines to see that war has effected/affected him in a way he does not want to say. I respect him for that, he will wind up going on with life fine because he has a good outlook about things. Here is the closing paragraph of his two paragraph email to me, in it you will see that good outlook shining through:

"There has been many good experiences that I will look back on over the next years ahead. I am sure as holidays or certain days come around think back to what I was doing on that day a year ago. Certain days of the week we had certain things that had to be accomplished. The support of many fine people like yourself has really helped make the time go quick. The many emails and just the hey hang in there will write more later emails that helped get your mind away from the frustration of being away from home, safety and security. The many people who would write to us to say, Thanks, really does go along way. The extra stuff they would send in the care boxes really was a huge Morale boost to many soldiers. The many different things we have received from supporters out there has been tremendous to know there are people who care. We, as soldiers, are here irregardless of there political views. We, as soldiers, are here because we decided to be a big dog and get off the porch and go run where others only talk about going and believe what they see on TV or hear on the radio. We all may not believe or agree with the leadership running this country, but we all do believe in giving others the freedoms Americans and illegal immigrants take for granted. Give the boy a chance to walk and eventually you will see a man run.

THANK YOU for all the support and friendship. Hope our "email pal" friendship will be able to continue."

As Bob S. has sent his thanks to me, I wanted to say thank you to him too. I will do that in an email to him because he, and others like him in our military, are the ones who deserve the thanks. I also wanted to thank all of you, those of you that is who show support for our military, and for their mission. Your helpful donation and well wishes that went into those holiday care packages I put together for Bob and his unit were a good thing, a kind thing, the right thing. You should all not only be proud of guys like Bob and all the other troops who defend our freedoms and those of others, you should be proud of yourselves for helping to give them the boost they needed to make their days go by a little bit easier.

If you are a person who has not supported the troops, well just read this sentence again, and think about if you are one of those about whom Bob writes who takes freedom for granted:

"We all may not believe or agree with the leadership running this country, but we all do believe in giving others the freedoms Americans and illegal immigrants take for granted. "

Are you a person who takes those freedoms for granted. I guess I am sometimes guilty of that myself, but there are just too many reminders out there each day to allow that to happen for too long, so most of the time I value my freedoms and liberties dearly. I also dearly value folks like Bob S because without the likes of him, we would have no freedoms, no rights, and no liberty to enjoy them. Many of you understand that, and you not only understand it but also practice what you believe and have supported our troops. To you, especially those who helped me out with those care packages that went to Bob and his unit, I say thank you very much, you are good Americans. To Bob, those in his unit, and to all of our troops in harm's way, I say: Thank you brothers and sisters, you are Great Americans. Stay safe, come home soon, you will not be forgotten.

All the best,
Glenn B

An Islam I'd Like To See More Of...

...yes I would indeed! I almost fell over as I read this piece not because of its impact mind you, but rather because it took me by surprise since there are so few articles like it out there. Yes, I see your point, there are lot's of articles out there about how Islam needs reform, about how this religion, the so called religion of peace, must start to condemn the terrorists instead of coddling them, that Islam is the enemy, that Islam equates with terrorism to many throughout the world, that groups like CAIR are in essence full of hypocrites - but they are few and far between when they are written by Muslims as was this one. What a refreshing oddity was it to have seen a Muslim condemning the Islamo Fascists 00and other hardliner Muslims who hide advancement of their evil intentions, and of terrorism, behind a curtain of claims of Islamophobia. As per the author, he has been writing like this for 20 years or so, too bad he is not an Op-Ed writer on the staff of every newspaper in the USA. Here is a brief sample of his wisdom:

"Islamophobia could end when masses of Muslims demonstrate in the streets against videos displaying innocent people being beheaded with the same vigor we employ against airlines, Israel and cartoons of Muhammad. It might cease when Muslims unambiguously and publicly insist that Shariah law should have no binding legal status in free, democratic societies. "

If more Muslims, millions more Muslims, came out bravely and openly as has Dr. Tawfik amid, the world would be a much better place in which to live. The truth is though that far too few Muslims condemn Islamo Facists, and other Islamic terrorists. Too few Muslims find barbaric acts of terrorism such as stooning, beheading, suicide bombin as heinous enough to speak out against them. No it is not that Muslims are too scared to do so, but rather that they embrace these aspects of islam. If you think not then just look back to the riots that took place in Europe after a few pictures of Mohamad were published. There were literraly hundreds of thousands of Muslims protesting violently over cartoon caricatrures, and many injuries and deaths of those who were not Muslims because of the rioting and unrest created by Muslims. In my opinion, Muslims look for any excuse to spread Islam through violent means, and I mean most Muslims. Those who are not looking to do so are quite happy to be complacent as there fellow Muslims do so.

That is why an article like the one to which I linked, appearing every now and then, from the likes of a seemingly moderate Muslim like Dr. Hanmid, does little to satisfy me. Nor does it do much to convince me, that I should not fear Islam. I am stocking up on supplies, in the event an Islamic caused crisis begins here in the USA as many have already been caused in places like England, France, Denmark, The Netherlands, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Australia and other places to name just a handful. I'll be ready to take action to defend myself, my family and my country - and that action will not be to bow down on a prayer rug while facing east. If that is Islamophobic, well so be it; but remember this: If millions of other Muslims were like Mr. Hamid there would be no to little reason to fear Islam - and that is just not reality at the current time.

All the best,
Glenn B

I Surely Cannot Afford One...

...but I sure as heck want one. Its an H&K P2000SK. See: http://www.hk-usa.com/le_p2000sk_general.html for more eye candy. There has got to be some way that I can wrangle myself into picking up one of these, especially since I can purchase one direct from H&K through my employer at an incredible price (that for some reason eludes me right now, but I was told it is a great price.

It would be a great pistol, especially one in .40 S&W caliber, to carry after I retire; and I will probably retire at the end of this year. I may just have to get a second job snow shoveling (oh let it snow tonight baby), or start collecting bottles and cans for rebates, or begging (no not by way of this site, but maybe panhandling in the Bowery), or saving my lunch money, or hitting up the super seKrit stash I have in the credit union in California (which of course is already earmarked for the tax man, and what I have stashed out there is just less than half of what I owe in taxes). Woe is me right now, but you can bet I am going to try to think of something. I do have a reptile show coming up on March 2nd, and I have a few lizards and snakes to sell. I could potentially make a few hundred to five hundred bucks or so, and then invest that into one of these beauties. Then I still need to worry about the tax man and what I owe him. Who knows - maybe I can pay off my taxes on a timed interest free plan.

I want one, I want one, I want one, I want one, I want one. Where in Hades is Donald Trump when I am throwing a fit and could use a handout (or even a few days work)! Oh well, I just had to get that out of me. Nope, you guessed right, it is not out of me quite yet. So I will be scheming because there has got to be some way for me to be able to afford one of these in the direct sales H&K offers to me because of my job. Anybody wanna buy a bridge (yep in Brooklyn no less).

All the best,

Glenn B

Carrying Guns On Campus...

...is not advised in most colleges throughout the country, and that is mostly because it is illegal just about everywhere. Everywhere that is except for Utah from what I can tell. Yes folks, in Utah it evidently is legal to carry concealed weapons onto at least some college campuses, and apparently even to class. I think that is the way it should be, and I do not see it causing much of a problem. Sure there could always be a crime of passion, or some drunk student grabbing for the gun of another; but I doubt very much there will be a school shooting the likes of the VA Tech shooting, or Columbine on a college campus in Utah that allows concealed carry.

Why, well simply because most if not all of the school shooters, and the church shooters, and the mall shooters are wussies. They are not looking for a conflict, they are looking for victims, people they can harm, and harm with little fear of themselves getting hurt. They are not brave, they are not strong, they are cowards, and are usually weak physically, and surely weak mentally. So if the chances are they are going to get cut down by someone who is armed, and who is willing to defend himself, his loved ones, his friends, his teachers (? well- you never know, I have had some decent professors) and maybe even that stranger next to him, from harm (sound familiar) chances are the evil ones will avoid such places. Of course now that I have said that, some arsehat will probably try to hit a school in Utah, but I mean it in general - and if you have half a brain - you get my point.

So what kind of a person is it who would arm him or her self while at school, and yet not cause a problem. What would make a person want to be armed at school in the first place. Well first of all the person is someone who is good, law abiding, and who wants to protect himself or herself, and as I said maybe also protect his friends, teachers and even some strangers. He or she is not paranoid, but rather someone who wants to be prepared for any eventuality for which he/she can prepare within reason. Therefore he or she is a person who responsibly and legally obtains and carries a gun, and who responsibly gets some training in how to use it to protect him/herself and others. He or she is also a person who realizes that his/her own well being is his/her own responsibility in that there can be times when we cannot expect the police to be there like magical heroes (sound familiar). He or she is a person who thinks along these lines:

"Nick says his gun doesn't make him feel immune from attack. "But I feel that I will be able to protect myself, and I'm confident in my training and my ability," he said."" (see: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/20/cnnu.guns/index.html)

He or she is not a timid, piss pants, cry baby who thinks only mommy or daddy figures, the police nanny state, should be allowed to carry guns as is apparent in my opinion in this statement:

"His confidence is not shared by fellow student Griselda Espinoza, who recently transferred to the university. Some 28,000 students attend the school, as of the latest enrollment figures.

"I feel less safe knowing that a stranger sitting beside me in class may have a gun in his or her backpack," she said.

"The only people that should carry guns are trained officials." " (See: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/20/cnnu.guns/index.html)

The only people who should carry guns are trained officials - did you just read that - it makes me sick to think that the sheep among us think that way. They are too afraid to protect themselves, and thereby believe all people should be just like they are, apparently (at least as I see them) timid, afraid and cowardly, and dependent upn the state for the fantasy of a shield of protection from all evil.

I guess that woman did not read this. Had she read it, maybe she would be of a different mindset. I can tell you something else that will put her into a different frame of mind, something that rapidly will remove her from her commie/socialista fantasy land of delusions that only the state should be armed. Can you guess what that would be? Yes you guessed it, didn't you! The next time a psycho rifle wielding maniac comes onto a campus, her campus, shooting - and there are no armed federales or judiciales around, I would be that good old Griselda will be hiding behind a guy named Nick begging him to do something to end it all. You remember Nick don't you; he's the college kid carrying concealed firearms legally on campus> he is the guy that Griselda does not think should be allowed to carry. Sad thing is that Griselda did not read my blog here; and she has apparently been brainwashed to think only the officers of the state should be armed. I would also bet she believes that calling 911 just about will instantaneously transport a 'dial a hero', or three, to the very spot where she needs them at the exact moment she needs them. I believe that law enforcement is there to help (heck I am an LEO), but I don't believe in fucking magic FM folks, but my bet is that Griselda does! Too bad she does not beleive in what Nick beleives in - silver bullets!

All the best,
Glenn B

Were You Out Howling At The Moon Tonight...

...or maybe just enjoying a sight you will not see for another three years - the total eclipse of the moon. I got to watch in spurts and started watching when it was about 1/6 eclipsed. Then again when about 1/2 gone,, then when 3/4 gone, then when only a teensy-weensy spot was left, and again only 15 minutes ago when it was well on its way to once again basking inthe ray of Old Sol. I read on the news tonight, that this was the third total eclipse in the last year. Heck I remember one other, but not two others. All were supposedly visible from the USA, and if they truly are omens of evil, well maybe that accounts for: 1) the poor economy, 2) Obama and Hillary as choices on the left, and 3) no choice on the right. (Come on now, McCain is not on the right is he?)

Oh well, I wonder then what accounts for my recent money woes? I guess just piss poor planning on my part. I was never all that good with finances, so I suppose I cannot blame it on the lunar eclipses. LOL........

I just ran outside and took another look - just a small bite sized piece missing from that baby now. Almost all over for another 3 years. Hurry and get a look see. I am gong back outside to see it all reappear. Its magic like that that thrills me.

All the best,
Glenn B