I Ponder . . . .

I Ponder . . . .

It is said that if a person keeps their mind active one can ward off senility or dementia. In my case, my brain is constantly processing and analyzing, sometimes way too much, and I focus too hard on something and miss something else (ask my lovely wife about this). Supposedly I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). When I checked out the symptoms, I knew I that I did. However, through the miracle of modern chemistry – I am ‘happily medicated.’ I just wish that I had been diagnosed decades ago – my life might be different – but that’s another story for another time.

What I am leading up to is the fact that at times I tend to ‘think’ about what I hear or see and begin to ask myself simple questions.

As an example:

Why are there Interstate highways in Hawaii? (They are islands, there are no roads to other states!)

Why do they sterilize needle for lethal injections? (Could the recipient get sick after death?)

Why do banks charge you a "non-sufficient funds fee" on money they already know you don't have?

Why do you press harder on a remote control when you know the battery is dead?

Since light travels faster than sound, isn't that why some people appear bright until you hear them speak?

If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

Isn't Disney World a people trap operated by a mouse?

Should you trust a stockbroker who's married to a travel agent?

Why do they call it the Department of Interior when they are in charge of everything outdoors?

Why is the alphabet in that order?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why buy a product that it takes 2000 flushes to get rid of?

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?

Why is a carrot more orange than an orange?

Why could Superman stop bullets with his chest, but always ducked when someone threw a gun at him?

When I erase a word with a pencil, where does it go

Wouldn’t the best way to save face would be to keep the lower part shut?



Other times a comparison might be in order: (these are not necessarily my original thoughts – I’m just sharing them with you)

Life isn't like a box of chocolates; it's more like a jar of jalapenos. You never know what's going to burn your ass.

I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.

Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.

Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If they aren't there the first time, chances are you won't need them again.

I don't have an attitude problem; you have a perception problem.

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where in the hell is the ceiling?

My reality check bounced.

On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.

I don't suffer from stress. I am a carrier!!!

You are slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

Everyone is someone else's weirdo. (This is ME!)

Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

Be careful . . .a pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the ass.

Don't be irreplaceable --- if you can't be replaced, you won't be promoted.

The more crap you put up with, the more crap you are going to get. (This is TRUE!)

You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.
So this isn't Home Sweet Home . . . Adjust!

Ring bell for maid service. If no answer, do it yourself!

I came, I saw, I decided to order take out.

Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused. (Oh – so true!)

I'd love to live life in the fast lane, but I am married to a speed bump. (Not me)

What should you give a man who has everything? A woman to show him how to work it! (Hmmmmm)

How can you tell which bottle contains her PMS medicine? It's the one with bite marks on the cap! (Careful now)

Buying a Used Car – do your research!

We spotted an article in the current edition of Reader’s Digest about an issue which we had never considered when buying a used car, or repairing a car which had been involved in a collision. It startled us so much that I felt it to be important to share with everyone. The subject is automobile airbags.

The article is online at this link:

www.rd.com/airbags

It points out that if your airbags deploy during a collision, you should ensure that they are repaired and replaced by a reputable firm.

If you purchase a used vehicle, it should be checked out for proper maintenance and airbag installation.

It never entered my thoughts that this would be an issue . . . . .and I drive quite a number of cars – old and new. I hope and pray that the airbags are properly installed and are working.

Winter 'colds'

The wife and I are recovering from illnesses which have been 'shared' with us. She got it first, and guess where I got mine?

I HATE BEING SICK! I turn into a complete, whining wimp, stuck in the house, doomed to watch day-time television fare (there is waaaay too much courtroom TV). And this is despite the fact we have DISH Network with 200 channels to choose from. ECCHHH!

I walk around in a fog, unshaven, uncaring and oblivious to world events. You get the idea.

Come on, medicos, with all the technology lets find the cure to the "common cold."

"Rebate" checks from Uncle Sam

It appears that taxpayers will be receiving 'rebate' checks in the next 6 months, courtesy of Congress and "King George." It is supposed to 'stimulate' the economy.

Hmmmm. I've got to believe there is a catch. My question is - if the U.S has a deficit budget, where is this money coming from? Is the U.S Mint just going to 'print more money?'

Whose economy is this going to 'stimulate?'

Motor Home shopping

As part of our plans during retirement, we want to travel the U.S. in a motor home. We checked out some of them at a recent RV show.

WOW!

We saw some decent units, and some incredible units. There were some totally amazing vehicles as well, such as the one which had a trailer able to haul two (yes, two) automobiles - one above the other. It would be like driving an 18-wheeler semi-truck, not something I really want to do.

The prices were very tempting, as the dealers really wanted to make sales. The question to ponder is whether we want to buy a brand-new unit, or one at a lesser price which has been 'broken in.'

I've narrowed my choice down to units manufactured by Newmar, Monaco, Fleetwood, Gulfstream and Winnebago (not in any particular order). Since this is not something we are going to do next week, we've got time to consider our options.

I'd welcome any comments on this (or any other topic).

Snow - Winter in Michigan

Until my wife and I retired - no longer had to go to work every day - I tolerated snow. Now, since I don't HAVE to negotiate slick and slushy roads on a daily basis, it's not so bad. As a matter of fact, I say to 'Mother Nature' "BRING IT ON!"

In the past week, we've received probably nearly 8 to 10 inches of the fluffy stuff.

What is interesting to note is that the television stations here 'breathlessly' report the weather as an urgent news item. I understand that it is important to be aware of the conditions, but THIS IS MICHIGAN - WE GET WEATHER! Thanks to our geographic location south of Canada and being surrounded by the Great Lakes.

Have you noticed all the 'technology' used by the climatological prognosticators to keep us informed? They should be able to tell us when leaves should fall, and into whose yard it will land. Recently one display of weather advisories on the TV map looked like a kaleidoscope of colors. what is the adage . . . . if you can't amaze them with your brilliance, baffle them with B.S.

Photo posting (albums) on the web - FLICKR

Yahoo offers on-line photo sharing at FLICKR (yes, without the 'e'). This is a project I have been putting off for years and have finally decided to tackle it. I have to state that this is a GREAT way to 'share' photos with family and friends.

If you have photos you want to 'share' with others, I'd recommend you check it out.

Here is the link:

http://www.flickr.com/

Michigan's Upper Peninsula in winter

If you have never visited the "U.P." in winter, consider the possibility. What (you say), go to the cold, snowy, frontier hinterlands in the winter?


Yes, it is colder and snowier as you would expect, but it is winter in it's finest glory. Quite picturesque, actually. Plus, you aren't fighting any crowds of tourists looking for fudge or native American "artifacts," just people seeking outdoor recreation like skiing and snowmobiling, or just trying to 'get away.'

The scenery is quite spectacular with trees coated with fluffs of pure, white snow and the stark reality of bare, leafless trees poking up into the occasional blue sky. Even when it is grey and overcast (normal for Michigan winters), it can be breathtaking in a black and white sort of way - if you get my drift (pun intended).

It is quieter there during the winter months; you are able to contemplate better than during the noisy, busier and bustling summer months.

Give it a try. Take a weekend, or even a week and visit our sister peninsula to the North. You will find it relaxing and refreshing.

Reporting the News

My wife and I are former journalists and we are becoming increasingly irritated over how the News is reported, specifically on television. First, let me point out that if you truly want 'just the facts,' it can be found in print publications or on the radio. The print media reporting of the news is limited only by space restrictions, so one would be able to get much of the details to be an informed citizen. Radio news reporting is limited to the time length of the newscast, usually five minutes or less (an hour); which would be just a summary.

Television news reporting is 'big business' and a visual medium which rakes in big bucks for the station owners (if they have good ratings). To garner the ratings - which IS the name of the game - TV stations go 'all out' to insure they are the one to watch. They resort to all sorts of gimmicks to attract your eyes and ears, to intrigue you, to pique your interest, and hook you to tune in to their broadcast instead of their competition. Of course, that's how it works, you say. And there is POWER in this tactic.

The problem that we are noticing is that there appears to be more gimmickry and gadgetry sometimes - than there is substance. Details are left out, the reporters place themselves into the story, the staff constantly states how they 'researched' ("worked their resources"), that they were first with the report (". . . we reported this earlier, " ". . . as we broke this story . ."), and constantly wave documents at the camera in an attempt to prove they have done their homework.

I DON'T CARE! Just report the details, completely and accurately. Forget all the 'homey chit chat' and give me INFORMATION!

Yes, television is a visual medium - but quit being so damn clever and just provide NEWS and not Vaudeville.

Walter Cronkite is, no doubt, shaking his head at the current state of local TV news broadcasts. Me too!

AARGH!

The practice of PROFESSIONAL Public Relations.

I am sensitive about this issue, as I am proud to say that I was employed in this field for over 20 years. I have the education and the experience to back me up, which does not include my background in radio broadcasting and journalism.

I bring this up as a fiasco has developed with a local and respected corporation which has been alleged to having been involved in a campaign to recall government officials in another part of Michigan. Additionally, a local PR firm may have been behind a letter writing effort to discredit the same local officials.

It is sad to see the blot this might have on the practice of public relations by professionals who abide by the Code of Ethics of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) or others who value integrity and ethical standards in their work.

It is a fact that ANYONE can hang out a shingle saying they are a PR person and carry on with dubious distinction, casting a dark shadow upon true professionals.

I am not making any judgement on this previously mentioned scenario, but let us not make a wholesale comparison of everyone in the public relations profession to those who 'make up their own rules.'

On the topic of driving . . . .

Other issues that 'concern' me:

Continuously driving in the 'passing' lane. I admit that I used to be guilty of this.

Driving without lights at dusk or dawn or during hazardous weather.

Not allowing for safe distances between vehicles (just because there is an 'opening' between my car and the one in front of me, doesn't mean it is an opportunity to 'fill-in the space').

No being polite enough to permit anyone to enter heavy traffic from a parking lot or a mall driveway.

When traffic signals are out, it is a Four Way Stop!

Turning left, when the signals changes Green for a Left Turn. PAY ATTENTION and move along. It only stays Green for a predetermined amount of time.

In Winter, clear the snow from your rear window - I see you, but you might not see me.

Truckers . . . . AARGH!

Driving at the posted Speed Limit

I do a lot of driving. It is amazing to observe other drivers and their foibles. I've previously mentioned my pet peeve of not using turn signals (Clue Signals?). But I have recently noticed something about Speed Limits.

There are not enough signs indicating what the speed limit is in various locations. After turning onto a different route, there is no indication how fast a driver can go in that particular area. Now I know (according to the booklet handed out by the DMV/Secretary of State) what the expected/allowed limit is in unposted areas, but in urban locations, it might be different.

Also, as confusion arises as to the appropriate limit, some drivers tend to go slow - which may be OK until a limit sign is visible.

What ticks me off are the drivers who go too slow ( when it is obvious other vehicles are passing them by), or those who feel the limit is a 'suggestion' and decide it doesn't pertain to them and 'whiz' by me like they were shot from a cannon (Detroit drivers being a primary example). And the 'speedy' drivers honk, blink their lights, tailgate, and issue a hand gesture as they go by.

Well, I am issuing to them their own official "Single Digit Salute" and wish them well (hoping radar is operating just down the road).

Weather Happens!

I'm getting tired of the weather being the "top of the news" on television newscasts. Look, "Mother Nature" has been around longer than the News, and it will 'weather' no matter what. Just state the facts of: How Much, How Little, How Hot, How Cold, When and the Severity of it all.

Some of the graphics 'upmanship' is getting out of hand. And, how many Climatological Prognosticators does a TV station need? One for every day of the week?

The Weather Channel really goes to the extreme, with their 'reporters' standing out in the wind and rain, barely able to stand up.

And when one thinks about it, what other job continues to keep you on the job whether you are right or WRONG?

A National ID Card?

Shades of George Orwell's "1984." The premise may be good, but the requirement IS BAD!

Next we'll have to have an ID number tattooed on a viewable body part.

I do not like where this is heading, and I don't know if I will be able to refuse to participate. Requiring airline passengers to have an ID card if they want to fly (not that flying is fun anymore) is getting out of hand. If I understand correctly, you will have to prove who you are and where you were born to obtain this ID card. This data will then be entered into a national (large) database (a goldmine for identity thieves).


YIKES!

BLOG - Not Forgotten!

It's a New Year, and the holidays are over. The decorations are down and we can now return to "normal." The time seems to be so busy during December that proritizing is required, and some things are set aside . . . to wait until the 'dust settles.'

I apologize Dear Readers if you have been bored and waiting 'breathlessly' for new posts - Now IS The time! So here we go again . . . . .