And the Truth Shall Set You Free...

2011-06-06T03:30:00.000-07:00

Last night

Last night, I drove over the mountain to Nyack, turned north on broadway & parked my car down on Hook Mtn. State park's lot. I took a walk along the river road & it was Something! Many folks have memories of Happy Times & this is one I hope will stay with me forever! A clear, cool evening, with a light breeze off the water, mixing with the amazing scent of blooming Honeysuckle was Intoxicating! I repeatedly filled my lungs, breathing deeply, to absorb that into myself! I met the usual joggers bikers, conversationalists, exercise folks, dog walkers,etc... And just enjoyed the peaceful coming on of the evening. Strolling is different when you take the Time to look all around, not rushed or pushed by constraints or by others who "want to get something done-damnit!" I had nowhere to go & only my heart propelling me along! What a way to Recharge, feel, be comfortable in your own skin & feel Blessed! Have You had any experiences like that recently?

The Wilford Brimley Rap Song! (You asked for it!)

2011-06-01T08:07:00.001-07:00

2011-06-01T07:57:00.000-07:00

The (High) Cost of Blogging

I received an email from my employer, notifying me that the department is aware of my blog. While I'm not surprised by this, it did kind of freak me out! Not that I'm any kind of regular poster, and a lot of what I have to say doesn't involve work, it sends a message: We are watching. Well-Good! I hope never to violate the department's policies regarding disclosing private information & of course, never reveal what I know of the lives of men (the Oath of Geneva) I suppose that I'm not just another anonymous blogger after all!

2011-05-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

10 Things I have done (&might do again) naked

I was delivered more or less normally (another post about this later)

I swam in the pond by my house with the neighborhood kids.

I ran through my high school in my Senior year.

I often cook breakfast & make Coffee (BTW Please try to Call before visiting!)

I have sat in a tree with an unclothed female in a backyard in Pennsylvania overlooking a Road.

I secured & wrapped plastic around that females' Ostomy bag, so she, for the first time since her surgery, could go swimming.

I have stood on top of a Local mountain, feeling the cool wind flow over me.

I stood in my shower alone,for the first time after open heart surgery, gently probing the scar on my chest, wondering how long it is all going to last.

I have held a Lover in my arms, laughing & exausted.

I have had the warm summer rain wash my skin & rubbed fresh peppermint leaves on my body.

I made love in a mountain stream, standing tippitoe on the Rocks by the Deep end.

I hope you have done at least as much (or a Lot more) :-)

2011-05-17T17:22:00.001-07:00

Symmetry from Everynone on Vimeo.

Have a dozen burgers on us!

2011-05-10T04:03:00.001-07:00

Fire up the grill and serve world-famous Omaha Steaks! Order $50 in 100% Guaranteed to Thrill Omaha Steaks delicious delicacies through this link and you’ll get 12 FREE juicy Omaha Steaks Burgers with your order.

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Have a dozen burgers on us!

2011-05-02T15:13:00.001-07:00

"Yum!"

View >>

2011-03-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

2011-02-24T15:33:00.000-08:00
Posting while Bored: Don't Do It.

Approx. 3 people attended my mom's funeral: me, kitty & my old work partner, Tim. I can't locate my sister Jean(probably on Purpose), her brother didn't seem particularly interested & my cousin couldn't attend due to Health issues. I don't know if it's a Delayed, Muted or no reaction at all, but I've shed no tears, haven't lost any sleep or have anything bother me, other then I'm happy she's no longer in Pain or suffering. I don't feel I'm abnormal,since she has been sick for quite some time. Just Resigned.

2011-02-09T15:01:00.000-08:00

Life: It's what happens while you're making other plans...

     I apologise to the approximately 6 readers of my blog about the paucity of my posting. Although the Bradley Manning article is current ( & remains so) I'm certain you are better entertained by staring out the window.

     My Mom passed away yesterday, at age 80 for reasons which have not been, nor will ever be adequately explained to me. "Failure to Thrive" isn't a diagnosis, more a statement of condition. It had been Coming for a while, and I've written other posts about it. I am neither upset or emotional about it, nor am I numb. I accept that her condition was deteriorating, have made my peace with it (if not her- due to her mental decline) & am now in the process of making the phone calls, trying to find my sister's number (she's moved again without forwarding any contact information) and looking through the papers she left behind. That the nursing home took all the Assets is a given ( Thank Sen. Kennedy for that) I am left with pictures, memories, a TV set & a couple of plastic containers that looks like they are all getting donated to Goodwill.

     I'll attempt to get her buried on top of my Dad on Friday. How that will work out is up to several people of whom I have no idea of how they operate! I'm leaning toward having a service in the chapel of the nursing home, mostly for the people she spent the last years of her life with. I can't guarantee any of the family other then myself will show up. Then I will go on living my life.

2011-01-01T18:19:00.000-08:00
Bradley Manning & the Case against Solitary Confinement By Lynn Parramore- I have copied this Verbatum from Reader Supported News, not to plagerize content , but to inform the few folks who read my blog. No Offense is intended!
reader supported news

The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.

~Fyodor Dostoevsky

In the earliest days of our Republic, a group of well-meaning Philadelphia Quakers set out to reform the prison system. The idea was to remove convicts from the mayhem and corruption of overcrowded jails to solitary cells where sinners would return to mental and spiritual health through reflection. In the Walnut Street Jail, no windows would distract the prisoners with street life; no conversation would disturb their penitence. Alone with God, they would be rehabilitated.

There was a small problem. Many of the prisoners went insane. The Walnut Street Jail was shut down in 1835.

But the word penitentiary became part of the language, and the idea of placing prisoners in solitary confinement did not die. It seemed so reasonable - so much better than chain gangs or public stocks. New prisons opened to test the theory that solitude might bring salvation to criminals.

Charles Dickens had a keen interest in prison conditions, having witnessed his father’s detention in a Victorian debtor’s prison. When he heard about the latest American innovation in housing convicts, he came to see for himself. At Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, the wretches he found in solitary confinement were barely human spectres who picked their flesh raw and stared blankly at walls. His on-the-spot conclusion: Solitary confinement is torture. Dickens wrote:

I believe that very few men are capable of estimating the immense amount of torture and agony which this dreadful punishment, prolonged for years, inflicts upon the sufferers…I hold this slow and daily tampering with the mysteries of the brain, to be immeasurably worse than any torture of the body: and because its ghastly signs and tokens are not so palpable to the eye and sense of touch as scars upon the flesh; because its wounds are not upon the surface, and it extorts few cries that human ears can hear; therefore I the more denounce it, as a secret punishment which slumbering humanity is not roused up to stay.

A man who had seen his share of inhumanities, Dickens pronounced solitary confinement to be “rigid, strict, and hopeless…cruel and wrong.”

That was 1842. Since then, piles of scientific studies, along with the vivid accounts of victims, have confirmed what was obvious to Dickens. Solitary confinement is worse than smashed bones and torn flesh. When human beings are deprived of social contact for even a few weeks, concentration breaks down, memory fades and disorientation sets in. Eventually, many prisoners experience explosive rages, hallucinations, catatonia, and self-mutilation. Some become irretrievably insane. Far from promoting safety, the most commonly cited justification, solitary confinement often amplifies violent impulses, turning prisoners into ticking time bombs who are far more dangerous to human society upon release than they ever were to begin with (see National Geographic’s documentary on the subject, available on Netflix).

Human beings need social contact for normal brain function. Solitary confinement is thus a method of inflicting traumatic injury upon the human mind. “It’s an awful thing, solitary,” wrote former Vietnam prisoner John McCain in Faith of My Fathers. “It crushes your spirit and weakens your resistance more effectively than any other form of mistreatment.” Among its legion perversities, solitary confinement turns medical doctors into torturers; renders violent criminals more aggressive, and makes prisoners cut off from human society incapable of functioning in it.

In 1890, the United States Supreme Court nearly declared the punishment unconstitutional. It is banned by the Geneva Convention, condemned by the United Nations, and either prohibited or restricted in most civilized countries. And yet today, as Atul Gawande showed in his revealing 2009 New Yorker article, tens of thousands of Americans are tortured in this fashion every day, out of sight, in the “Supermax” prisons that have popped up like poisoned mushrooms on the American landscape since the 1980s. Some prisoners are consigned to these Houses of Unholiness for violations - both major and minor — of prison rules. Some for gang activity. Others for trying to escape. Or for violent behavior. Some are placed there because they are mentally ill and there is nowhere else to put them - the equivalent of casting a sufferer of pneumonia onto an Arctic tundra.

Save for the death penalty, solitary confinement is the most extreme sanction allowed by law. Like slavery and every other form of institutionalized inhumanity, it should be banished to the dark annals of American history as an example of what happens when our humanity slumbers.

Instead, it is being used as a method of terror and coercion by the United States government upon a citizen who has not even been convicted of a crime.

As Salon’s Glenn Greenwald and several other courageous journalists have documented, Bradley Manning, the 22-year-old U.S. Army Private accused of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks, has been detained in solitary confinement for the last seven months, despite not having been convicted of any crime, having been a model detainee, and having evidenced no signs of violence or even disciplinary misdemeanors. Manning has been kept alone in a cell for 23 hours a day, barred from exercising in that cell, deprived of sleep, and denied even a pillow or sheets for his bed. As Greenwald reports, “the brig’s medical personnel now administer regular doses of anti-depressants to Manning to prevent his brain from snapping from the effects of this isolation.” A court hearing has not been set.

The message of the U.S. government to its citizens in this activity is clear: blow the whistle and your brain will be mutilated before you even have a trial.

But it may be that much to the shame of the U.S. government, our slumbering humanity is awakening. The solitary confinement - the torture, for we must call it that - of Bradley Manning is ironically shining a light on this brutality and tipping us off to the danger of authoritarianism. A United Nations probe is now investigating the Bradley case, and the drumbeat of outrage in the blogosphere grows louder every day. Whatever one thinks of Manning and his involvement in the WikiLeaks release of classified information, there can never be any justification for torture. As Greenwald argues, such practices weaken the position of the United States government, both abroad and at home. Other countries will think twice before accepting extradition requests to a place where inhumane treatment of prisoners is sanctioned. Our moral standing in the world suffers, while the American citizenry, already suspicious of post-9/11 governmental abuses of power, grows even more alarmed. Trust and faith in justice deteriorate.

As we spend time and rejoice with our friends and family this holiday season - enjoying the social interaction that human beings require - let us pause for a moment to remember the thousands of people being tortured in American prisons, including Bradley Manning, and let us send our own message back to our government: We are Americans. We will not accept the intimidation and coercion of our fellow citizens, even from the Pentagon. Most assuredly, we will not accept torture in our name. Not of the accused. Not of the mentally ill. Not even of convicted criminals. When our civilized society is attacked, no matter what the justification, we will rise up to defend it.

The placement of human beings in solitary confinement is not a measure of their depravity. It is a measure of our own.

Lynn Parramore is Editor of New Deal 2.0, Media Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, and Co-founder of Recessionwire.

Please send postcards to Mr. Manning:

Bradley Manning

Quantico Marine Brig

Marine Corps Base Quantico

3247 Elrod Avenue

Quantico, VA 22134

Bradley Manning

c/o Courage to Resist

484 Lake Park Ave # 41

Oakland CA 94610

The pictures on the cards might be therapeutic, and the open messages might make guards realize that their harming Manning is UnAmerican. Make it a habit. Send many. Ask others to send, also.

Of course President Obama has the authority and responsibility to immediately put an end to Manning's abuse. He can simply order it.

President Obama

1600 Pennsylvania Ave

Washington, DC 20500

2010-12-26T19:11:00.000-08:00
This reciepe is directly lifted from the blog of the Always Awesome @schmutzie. You're Welcome.

Arrabiata Sauce

¼ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

Fry the above ingredients minus the tomatoes together until the garlic is browned but not burnt.

Turn off heat and allow to cool for approximately one minute to avoid excess spatter during the next step.

Add the tomatoes and turn the heat back up to medium. Continue to cook the sauce for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve over spaghetti – I prefer the rice variety – or pasta of your choice.

When I am so moved, I also like to fry a diced onion with the garlic and add 1 tsp of oregano and a ½ tsp of basil when I add the tomatoes.

2010-12-12T19:29:00.000-08:00
No speak Americano-Cleary & Harding

Now THAT'S entertainment!

2010-12-04T16:38:00.000-08:00
PeaceBOMB Bracelets-Article 22

peaceBOMB - A Kickstarter project from Bigballs on Vimeo.

2010-12-03T14:45:00.000-08:00
Olivia's Story: As told by Tracy Lynn Kaply (http://kaplyinc.com/) all rights (and Pie!) reserved

A Story For Olivia

Posted By Tracy on December 2nd, 2010 Once upon a time there was a girl. She was not a princess, because she had a backbone and thought that waiting around for someone to rescue you instead of doing things for yourself was more than sort of stupid.

She also felt positive that thinking a guy was a suitable life partner because he wandered around the place trying to get random women to try on this shoe he found was a road to disaster, and also, such a guy was probably a pervert with a shoe fetish.

The girl felt pretty strongly that sitting around bitching about stuff was useless, and so she determined that A) she was gonna do stuff and B) if she found someone she liked, then yay, but she wasn’t putting her life on hold for that shit.

The girl went on to do many things. She traveled all over the world, she worked at a lot of different types of jobs, she learned a lot of interesting things and meet many people.

She devoted a fair part of her time to making the world a better place and an equal amount of time to doing stuff that made her happy.

And in the long run, she was happy and productive, and life was good.

***Friend's, I saw this post & wanted to share it with you! If you haven't followed (or heard) of Tracy Lynn Kaply, Please go check her out! this isn't Plagerism- it's a Great Story that many Adults need to read to their little Girls (and boys)

2010-11-29T13:57:00.000-08:00
TIME.

     I attended the Memorial service of a Quaker friend I've known for years'. Everyone was reminding each other of what a Great, Intelligent, Compassionate he was ( all True!) In a world where the word Gentleman is used interchangable with Sir (I never did figure out why) he really was a Gentleman of Excellent Taste, Intelligence, Wit and Modesty. I was sitting, contemplating Life & Death when I remembered something I heard about Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Time itself is Not an Ever Present Force- it is, in fact an effect! The faster you move, (I'm not talking moving your arms/legs etc...) in relation to the speed of Light (186,000 miles per Second, squared) the slower time is for you. That got me thinking.

     If Time is an effect (Perhaps of Gravity, Motion, Who knows ???) then There is a place where everything IS: You as a baby, you, playing with your friends, You, playing football in High School, You in College, You in Love on Your Wedding Day,Your first day on the Job, Your Promotions, You, raising your children, You, Retiring, You, sitting alone in an empty house, You, dying. All together. Birth through Death. We are Born, We live and We Die. So it goes, on & on. Newton taught us that: You cannot Create, nor Destroy Anything- you can only change it's Form. I don't know the Implications of all this Drivel, so I'll leave it there, for the Moment.

     I know that I will die one day. I don't know when that will be, but it's Coming. It is the Same for All of us. Kinda Depressing? Maybe. but True Nonetheless. I don't feel afraid of death, as so many others seem to be. Perhaps it's my Life Experience: I've seen all kinds of Death, up close & Personal. My job has been to keep folks alive until we can bring them to a place where they might Cheat Death-for a while, at least. For me, it's Important that I try to live a life of Honesty, Hard Work & Laughter, using Ethics, a Moral Sense & Responsibility as Guideposts. Hereafter? Don't Know. but I feel that by being True to myself & my fellow Creatures (Human & Otherwise) I'll be OK. How about You? Damn, if I know this is Deep, but can't help it- I was thinking about different aspects last night until I fell asleep.

2010-11-08T13:20:00.000-08:00
Mom.

     This is kinda hard to Write.I am nothing if not a Realist. My mom is in the hospital, not communicating with just about anyone, & when she talked to me, she's not making any sense. it's difficult to match that with my memory of a bright, sharp-tongued older person who was nobody's fool. There's nothing to recommend getting old; I've said it before & I get no disagreement from any older person. What doesn't hurt, Doesn't work. Her chronic health problems are finally getting the upper hand & it hurts to watch. In my opinion, she has lost the will to live. I don't know what the future holds, but I'm getting set to say goodbye to her. I don't imagine it will be terribly long.

2010-11-01T15:28:00.001-07:00
I Remember, So I'm Voting

"Take Me Out" by Atomic Tom LIVE on NYC subway

2010-10-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

2010-09-10T17:31:00.000-07:00
9/11

     It was a bright sunny morning,without a cloud in the sky. I had driven the my Union headquarters early, in order to be a poll-watcher that morning (it was the Primary for the upcoming mayoral & state elections) We loaded into a van & were headed across the 59th St. Bridge when someone said:" hey look! The World Trade Center's on Fire!" We looked over, saw the smoke & turned on the radio to hear the announcer say "A small plane has crashed into the World Trade Center" I looked around & said to noone in particular " Either this guy had a heart attack, was the World's Worst Pilot or it was deliberate."

     thus began my involvement with the WTC. I did Many, many different things, set up, organized & ran an aid/evacuation center in the Staten Island ferry terminal, treated the first responders that managed to escape the 1st tower collapsing, commandeered a city bus, evacuated victims out of liberty plaza (before it collapsed)- and that's just the first day!

     This is the 9th anniversary of the attacks. and as we go on, it becomes framed by the experiences of everybody. In my own case, it means I have "bilateral, sub segmental atelectasis", a condition I'm told needs nothing more then monitoring, but has reduced my lung tidal volume. Where this will leed, no one knows I hope to make it into retirement, am planning for it in fact but I may not. I hope that maybe I'll be the Lucky one but also knowing how cruelly the city is treating WTC responders, I know I will have a Long, Uphill Battle in which their entire Goal & Strategy will be to delay Everything until I'm at Death's very Door, so they won't have to pay anything out, other then the benefits they would normally pay if I died while working .

     For those of you who may be thinking to yourselves: " they wouldn't do that!" The last couple of EMS employees to be retired 3/4 salary from the WTC -NEVER LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO CASH THEIR FIRST RETIREMENT CHECK! New York City is a Cruel Mistress, make no mistake. I can't write anymore.

2010-08-21T18:50:00.000-07:00
From Talk2action.org:

Beyond Toleration: The Enduring Message Of Washington's Letter To The Touro Synagogue

Rob Boston

Tue Aug 17, 2010 at 12:34:28 PM EST

President George Washington received an interesting letter 220 years ago today.

Washington was visiting Newport, R.I., and Moses Seixas, an official at the Touro Synagogue, wrote to welcome our first chief executive to the city and to solicit his views on religious liberty.

Washington's reply, dated Aug. 21, 1790, isn't as well known as some other historic documents from the founding period, and that's a shame. Every American should read it.

"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation," Washington wrote. "All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."

In today's Washington Post, columnist Dana Milbank cites the Washington missive in relation to the ongoing controversy over the so-called "Ground Zero mosque." Milbank contrasts Washington's eloquence with some of the bigoted and inane things that have been said about the proposed Islamic cultural center by today's political leaders.

Milbank certainly makes a valuable point. But for me, the importance of Washington's Touro Synagogue letter has always been twofold. His message transcends any contemporary controversies; it is a powerful statement of religious liberty that belongs to the ages.

First, Washington makes it clear that mere "toleration" is not enough. There was a time when religious majorities believed that their willingness to tolerate members of other faiths (as opposed to killing, exiling or imprisoning them) was a great step forward. It was, but Washington recognizes that much more is needed for society to be truly free. All persons have an inherent right to liberty of conscience and the benefits of citizenship regardless of their beliefs about religion.

Secondly, Washington's reply repudiates the wrong-headed idea that the United States is an officially Christian nation. (Glenn Beck, David Barton, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, et al, please take note.)

Remember, the Jews of Newport wrote to Washington one year before the Bill of Rights was ratified. They had good cause to be concerned about their status in the new nation, given the problems they had experienced in Europe.

Washington set their minds at ease. All alike possess the same rights, he noted, and bigotry would never receive state support. Nowhere in Washington's letter do we find any credence for the idea that America would be officially Christian but that Jews would be "tolerated" in the practice of their faith. Washington's letter specifically rejects that idea.

Employing a nice turn of phrase, Washington added, "May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."

The Touro letter echoes sentiments Washington expressed in a 1783 letter to some Irish immigrants. In that missive, he observed, "The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations And Religions; whom we shall wellcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges, if by decency and propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment."

Washington's message of religious freedom still speaks to us after more than 200 years. I wish all of our political leaders would adopt his "enlarged and liberal" vision.

2010-08-20T12:22:00.000-07:00
The Republican Mess- with thanks to TPC

2010-08-13T12:58:00.000-07:00
Cat: Owned? or Abuse?

2010-08-13T12:53:00.000-07:00
Working: What does a work ethic do?

     I like to say that my parents (in general) & my Father (in particular) raised me with a Work ethic, I show up to work almost every day, I don't call out sick if I'm not actually sick or hurt. I believe I've missed a sum total of about 2 weeks total on the last 9 years, that wasn't due to illness or circumstances beyond my control. I'm not a saint however. I do run late on a regular basis; usually due to the terrible region known as the George Washington Bridge, the Cross Bronx Expressway & the Major Deegan Expressway, none of which are guaranteed to be moving at any given time. When the Yankees are playing, it's mostly a Disaster Area!

     Many of the folks I work with do not share my ethic. Many call in without regard of how it will look or how it will affect the job. I have been known to benefit from this in the form of OT. I have also been stuck working with people who really didn't want to work with anyone other then their regular partner, as their "rhythm" gets messed up- whatever... I believe that a work ethic is the difference between an average and an Outstanding employee. The city however feels differently. What do you think?

2010-08-07T22:00:00.000-07:00
Blogher10: A 1st Timers' view

Well, the Ecological disaster in the gulf is supposedly contained, after 85 days. For those of you with a statistical bent, the amount of oil actually released into the gulf will never be known- BP will put out a number, but can you really believe a company that initially says that the release was 5,000 barrels per day, but upon looking at the camera feed was more in the range of 60,000 barrels per day; the amount is Enormous! Only Time will tell how badly we are all screwed- but make No Mistake, we are all Screwed!

I was able to attend a Very Small Part of Blogher10 in NYC. I thought I wouldn't be able to go at all, but then that particular weekend opened up for me & after asking several folks on Twitter (yknot.twitter.com) I posted that I'd like to obtain a Cocktail ticket, with the intention of trying to meet some of the folks that post on Twitter. @justheather of Inexpensively.com came through with her husband's ticket(he couldn't attend) The following are some of my observations.

You really need to attend the whole conference! This Cannot be denied! I knew that there was a lot I might be interested in checking out, but the schedule is Extensive! I only saw things from the vantage point of someone on the edges. You gotta be In it to Win it,& There's a Lot of Great Stuff going on!

Be Sure to arrange to meetup with folks you follow/stalk/ are Twitter/Facebook buddies with. I'm not a guy who gets a lot of Social Anxiety- I work in a Ghetto & there are many occasions when I'm not in a familiar environment. That said, I didn't make any arrangements & when I showed up- I was Alone, in the middle of a crowd! I showed up after work at about 10:30pm on Friday night. Until I saw a post by @schmutzie at around 12:30 that indicated she was in the same bar & Direct Messaged her; The only person who spoke to me was the Bartender!
-By The Way- Big Hugs to @schmutzie,@palinode & @lod (laid off Dad) for being the Great Canadian Bloggers & people they are. I'm not sure if laidoffdad is a Canadian, but he's certainly in Good Company!

I showed up Saturday afternoon (Unfortunately, as soon as I thought I could go for the Whole weekend, I was Mandated by the job for Saturday evening& Night & Sunday evening & night, due to Call Volume) I walked around the art exhibit met the self-described "kissame mob"-
@missbritt
@mrbritt
@avitable
I then ran into @herbadmother & volunteered for Tutu duty for her son Tanner (tutusfortanner)
"Do I make you Horny? O.K. Nauseous, but it's a start..."

I ran into @sarcasticmomLC, who took this shot (I think) I wandered around for awhile, but, as expected for a guy dressed in a tutu, was alone again. My day considerably Improved after I went back to the bar & DM a few folks who were Twittering.

The Awesome @thecaffeinatrix came down for a drink & we hit it off. Apparently, she knows everybody! So all of a Sudden a lot of people came over to talk. I met @looneytunes, dead on her feet & the last person I met was someone I follow regularly: @borneochica, at around 1:30am She's a Great Writer and we exchanged some chit-chat. That made my night!

There are still some folks I would have loved to meet, but circumstances prevented it:
@faiqua
@neilochka
@grace134
@theweirdgirl
????????
I know that using Twitter handles is Geeky, but that's how I know these folks!

It is also Weird that,I know things about many of these folks, but don't actually know them! I know for Instance, that @borneochica is vexed by a Wonky drier at home that she can't seem to get fixed. I know she likes to run & is very fit & while she speaks passable German, she's slowly learning the Swiss dialect. Yet,While I think we could have a sit down & a good conversation (a distinct pleasure in this world), I didn't feel like I should invite myself along when they (the women)went to get food (and I was also Tired & had a 45min. drive in front of me)

I picked up the car and drove out through the city streets, using my "Street eye" to pick out all the details, the hookers in the blocks around the Hustler Club, using their phones as a cover to scan the traffic, then smiling & beckoning, the restaurant workers sharing a cigarette (or a joint) out the kitchen door, the "rocks" scanning the area around the park for the Unwary,all a part of NYC.I have a lot of Unconventional knowledge, built up over time. I don't normally blog about it- perhaps I should. I am reticent to disclose other peoples' affairs. I think it's bad karma. but maybe I can work on changing enough of it to matter, while still holding the Truth clear. I'll let you know...

2010-05-05T11:19:00.000-07:00
The Culture of Corruption and it's Price

We have all watched in Horror, the developing Environmental Disaster that is happening in the Gulf Coast. If we are Lucky, the last-ditch, Containment methods will work and we will just have destroyed one of the Worlds' Great Areas for Generations. but what makes me Angry, what makes me feel Hopeless about all this is IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED!!!

A device called an Acoustic Switch, when properly implanted at the bottom of an oil pumping line can be remotely triggered to close off a leak or failure in the pipeline. They cost about $500,000 a switch, no small number for a piece of equipment, but in comparison to the cost of doing nothing-CHEAP!!! The use of the Switch is NOT REQUIRED by recommendation of the Minerals Management Service, who found: "acoustic systems are not recommended because they tend to be very costly." Not Surprisingly, this is an agency filled with Bush Cheney appointments, mostly from the very industries they "Monitor" I wonder if anyone who is either in the Underwriting Industry, the Management of these Companies or their stockholders wish they had installed those switches today...

The Bottom Line is the Hard Truth that No One can effectively be Trusted to Monitor themselves. The Same off- Balance Partnerships that did Enron in are still Legal, fought for by the accounting Industry themselves, The Heads of the Banks Knew that the Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis was developing, but were making too much money to care & Big Oil & Big Mining has Proven that they will cut Any Corner!

It is especially Telling that, in it's message to it's stockholders that the Massey Energy staed that they were not insured for the loss of production but were insured from workers' claims. They also said that they would recover all the Equipment from the mine and move it to another site, saving the company a significant expense...

2010-04-28T16:39:00.000-07:00
Portrait of an Artist

I know a local man who lives near me. He's very...weatherbeaten, ruddy complexion and is in an overcoat for most of the year. He worked for a guy who sells Stuff, Junk, "Americana", what-have you for the last several years. Recently, the business closed up , leaving him without a job, and I became-I guess concerned would cover it & went to visit him in his house about 1/2 a mile away from mine.

I knew he was down on his luck (I Might imply there are Reasons for this, but it's neither my or indeed your business & really not the point of this post) but I was Unprepared for what I found. If you would like to Visualize this, you need only to recall what a standard High Ranch type house & you're Spot on.There were/are no locked doors, the Garage & back doors are open as is the garage door into the house. I know they haven't been for a long time. There are many items outside, but Almost no items inside. His bed is a mattress on the floor in front of an opening in the house that used to have a Bay window. No Heat, No Hot Water, no Refridgeration, a hole in the floor where the stove used to be. (it's in the Garage)

After talking for a while, he invited me in to see some of his artwork. He has talent, and apparantly an entire family of artists, all of whom have talent! His latest endevour is carefully, but randomly applying small dots & drips of Nail Polish to panes of glass from small size frames, then over & over again, in different colors, creating works that remind me very much of Jasper Johns & Jackson Pollock. his several examples have that kind of Style.

Today, I dropped off a few things he needed & as we were sitting at the entrance to the Garage, a starling flew in behind a crate. "She made her nest behind the door." he said. Sure enough, after hopping onto the door track & watching us for several minutes, she was satisfied that we weren't any danger & put herself into her nest!

I feed the birds outside my house every day & I have yet to have any bird build a nest close enough for me to touch!

The Japanese have a Philosophy behind the Tea Ceremony embodied in 4 Concepts: Wabi, Sabi, Shibui & Fura

D.T. Suzuki says:

Wabi in the narrow sense indicates a life of poverty and avoidance of luxury, remote from falsity and intrigue. Whoever lives according to wabi is content with simple things, has understood the wisdom of rocks and grasshoppers, serenely accepts poverty as an enrichment of the spirit of life.

Sabi has a not dissimilar meaning but refers rather to things and places; it brings to mind a certain 'unpretentious rusticity, an archaic imperfection' which put people and matter into a relationship of loving intimacy. This implies somewhere in the background a solitary, a hermit, actively putting all this into practice.

Shibui literally means astringent, broadly means good taste. It implies sobriety, absence of ostentation, simplicity, impeccable taste.

Fura indicates a way of life prescribed by Zen principles. It is a chaste enjoyment of life...identification of the self with the creative spirit, the spirit of the beauty of nature. Men and women of fura find their friends among flowers and animals, in rocks and water, in showers and the moon.

This man IS Wabi! Perhaps even Sabi! I don't believe he embodies the other two but 2 out of 4 ain't Bad!

2010-04-27T16:45:00.000-07:00
Blogger, Why do you make it SO Difficult to get any Help?

To those Brave few of you following me, you may have noticed that I stopped putting Headlines and different type on my Blog. This is NOT my Doing! this is the Hot Mess that is Blogger, who apparently decided one fine day that I somehow wasn't "Worthy" of such "luxuries" and just removed the settings, so I can't change type styles, size or much else...

I can't either find an answer to my question of how to fix this or even where to send a question! It isn't listed under "help" If I don't get some HELP with making this Blog work, I'm Jumping Ship & taking my Blog Elsewhere! Be Prepared if I announce this in the near Future. and, if by some MAJIC someone at Blogger sees this- I'd call my Boss over & Strongly Suggest he/she gets me some HELP ASAP!

2010-04-26T07:18:00.000-07:00
Birds. Why did it Have to be Birds!

I awoke this morning to the sounds of Rain and flapping wings! Immediately sensing that the Angel of Death had come, I said "Go make yourself a cup of Coffee." then looked. A bird had flown through the open window and was sitting on my Armiore! I was Bummed, birds don't even like coffee & refuse to make it & I had to get up & get it back outside! I opened the door to the bedroom & the front door & using a blanket & pillow, I scared the shit out of the bird until he/she/? flew out. Now I'm cleaning up the birdshit. True Story.

2010-04-11T16:42:00.000-07:00
Today's Thought: I'm not the One you would Choose, I'm just the One who Cares!

2010-04-06T13:32:00.000-07:00
The Ross Sisters-Solid Potato Salad- Wow!

2010-04-01T16:48:00.000-07:00
Wyld Abandon!

The following is a comment I made on my Twitter Buddy Kris' site: Not a Girl not yet a Wino (See sidebar for the link) about the First Day of Spring (today) Tell me what you think.

1.yknot
Posted 04.01.10 | Permalink
Spring! Yay! Watched out my back yard to where the neighbor’s 11 year old daughter had the time of her life swinging on the rope swing, yelling and laughing her head off! I wanted her to Own that moment; as we all do of Innocent Happiness & Wyld Abondon!

I should have done the Responsible thing, played the nasty old “Get off my Lawn, Kid!” but my heart isn’t in it at all. Youth is a precious time for each of us, all too short & many times frittered away & wasted.

I hope she keeps this Day Close, remembers how she felt, the Joy of being ALIVE!

Meanwhile, I sort through stuff I’m either Giving Away or going to list on EBay, taking another Tylonol for my Right knee, which, after a lifetime of lifting and carrying people is Stiff & Sore and Remembering a Day a lot like this when I was her age; with both Fondness & Sadness, ’cause Life is like That too.

2010-03-13T14:58:00.000-08:00
"Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly."
-Thomas H. Huxley
English biologist (1825 - 1895)

Bill Withers - Lean On Me

2010-03-12T15:17:00.001-08:00

A Classic. . .

2010-03-10T18:34:00.000-08:00
Hoarding, American Pickers and the fine Art of Actually Helping Someone rather then Helping Yourself...

A & E has some great programs. I like Hoarders, Intervention and their newest program American Pickers. After watching several episodes however, it has come to my attention that these guys are a couple of Greedy Bastards who look for Hoarders, gain their trust , then try to walk off with as much merchandice as they can- usually ripping off the person they "befriended" They revel in finding stuff the person put away many years' ago & give them some low-ball figure, then go & sell the stuff at Top price & laugh all the way to the Bank!

I want,instead of that model of bad behavior, to look at Hoarders. While those folks are Extreme, the show just doesn't tape them & go home. ?They send in Professional Therapists & Organizers to help before, during & After. They Pay to clean out the houses & for subsequent therapy. I consider that both responsible & reasonable. Remember, with any luck, we will all get old- which way do we want to be treated? Below, I copied a posting from one of the show's Organizers & hope you'll taks a quick look at it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The experts say...
"Many hoarders live alone and face mental illness or disorders. Because of this, by the time they are in the court system, there is an assumption that they are not able to care for themselves or their finances and belongings. The court then assigns a conservator and while understandable � it is completely overwhelming, sad and frightening for the hoarder."

- Dorothy Breininger

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Help For Hoarders: Ten Small Steps
If you want to help the hoarder you need to remove the threat of being judgemental - instead look at situation from their point of view. Every hoarder feels that their collection, clutter, trash is valuable - nearly every disintegrated book and newspaper circular is viewed by a hoarder as though it were a "diamond in the rough."

1-"Trust is essential." When they know that WE know all this trash and clutter represents their identity, they are less defensive and are able to relax and trust us so that we can help them.

2-Don't throw anything away without the persons approval.

3-Excavate one tiny area at a time - one tabletop, one corner, one drawer, one shelf in the medicine cabinet.

4-Sort before discarding anything. It's hard to relinquish one scarf, but less hard to get rid of 20 out of 40.

5-Donate items instead of throwing them away, since it's a comfort to know they can find a good home with someone else.

6-Make contact face-to-face and use a soft, gentle approach and let the hoarder tell his/her story.

7-Treat the hoarder with respect and dignity -- remain calm and factual but caring and supportive.

8-Evaluate the situation for safety then refer the hoarder for medical and mental health evaluation.

9-Go slowly and expect gradual changes and be sure to involve the hoarder in seeking solutions.

10-Avoid being critical or judgmental about the hoarder's environment.

Present ideas for behavior modification - for example: Don't buy a book unless you spend half an hour with it in the bookstore. For every book acquired, relinquish two books that you've already identified as dispensable.

Rolling ball / kinetic sculpture by Rob Moore (17/01/2010)

2010-03-07T16:39:00.001-08:00

Lifestyle Intervention for the Prevention of Chronic Disease

2010-03-07T16:35:00.001-08:00

Did you ever wonder, "What if I...?" This video, while quite long answers that question.

2010-03-03T04:16:00.000-08:00
London Ambulance Service Bicycle Patrol! at Heathrow! _courtesy of ukmedic999

2010-03-02T18:13:00.000-08:00
On Trusting Folks...

A while back, a "friend" came by and asked to borrow a couple of Tools I had. I gave them to him and asked that he return them when he was finished. About a week ago, someone else was discussing the Great deal he just got on some Tools & proceeded to show me 2 of my own tools! I know they are my tools because I have my license number engraved in them (I do that with ALL my tools) I explained the situation and bought both my tools back (after all, why should anyone be out money they paid for tools when they didn't know they were Stolen?)

I called my "friend" up & asked him to return my tools. He said he "didn't know where he had put them and he would return them to me as soon as he had located them." I told him I know where he put them- On Sale & that I wanted the last tool he had back the next day, No Excuses! Well, 3 days passed & I heard nothing from him & I finally left a message that, unless he returned the Tool, I was calling the Cops-THAT worked! He came back with the tool & I told him not to bother calling or coming around anymore. If I can't Trust you-You're Gone! Apologies only go so far, then they are just Words to try to Manipulate you. I'm Tired of Manipulation!

What would You have done? Do you Agree?

Is College Worth It? | Online Education

2010-02-26T11:51:00.000-08:00
Is College Worth It? Online Education BTW: I (and my parents) thought it was!

2010-02-26T11:44:00.000-08:00
Originally, I wanted to e mbed posts from this site, but Sadly, I can't figure out how to do it! :-( So I invite you to this link: www.onlineeducation.net/porn/

2010-02-16T18:18:00.000-08:00
I love it when...
I have the day off
It is snowing.
Kitty is Purring.
The fire is burning.
The wine is Chilled & opened.
The meal was Superb.
& you can guess what starts to happen next!

2010-02-02T19:14:00.000-08:00
Oh, What a Tool I am!

Now that most of you who, from time-to-time look in here have noticed, I really haven't been blogging much- I have however been posting on Twitter almost Daily, proving that talking about yourself can mostly fit into 140 characters (or Less) I'd Apologise, but I still have a Duty to the Truth & most of you (like me) would think it insincere. I like talking with folks from all over the world, sharing the Bad Jokes, Life Situations, Quips, Witticisms, what-have-you. Like most of you who do this, I'm not in it for the money, and just like a lot of you, my job, while it has more then it's share of Exciting Moments, is also filled with Dull, Drab people that you wouldn't choose to hang out with if you could!

I have a Lot of Plans for the new year: Getting my workshop together, fixing up my place, making money, buying a new car,etc... but someone I knew just committed suicide recently and a quote from the Movies has me Thinking. The quote was: "Were all going to die someday and Sooner that any of us would like." I hope I'm not slated to die this year or even this coming decade, but nobody knows. I think I'm going to make a Will out this year, and start putting all of my Important papers together with instructions. Sounds like a Good Idea to me. What are You doing? Is your Life better or worse then it was this time last year? What are Your Goals & how do You see yourself getting there? All good questions. You don't have to leave a comment if you don't want to, but I'm sure I'm not the Only one having these kinds of thoughts!

Best Part of Christmas - Katie Love Hess

2009-12-24T14:18:00.001-08:00

"The Best Part of Christmas is You."

Surprised Kitty (Original)

2009-12-14T13:37:00.001-08:00

This is the Original video- the other has been taken down.

Sen. Al Franken's Remarks on Health Care Reform - Part 1

2009-11-21T14:30:00.001-08:00

Al Frankin is trhe Bomb!

Sen. Al Franken's Remarks on Health Care Reform - Part 2

2009-11-21T14:29:00.001-08:00

sheep shearing

2009-11-19T15:19:00.001-08:00

I'd say this is the story of my life- but I don't have any Wool. . .

Celebrity Autobiography - Kristen Wiig reads Suzanne Somers

2009-11-10T12:52:00.001-08:00

I think I want to attend one of these events. . .

2009-11-07T04:47:00.000-08:00

Well, That about sums it all up for me. . . How about you? Leave a Comment, (Please)

Lydia the Tattooed Lady

2009-10-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

An oldie but still a Goodie! look at how young Groucho is!

cangelosi cards in nyc underground 3

2009-10-28T15:31:00.001-07:00

They never play in the subway when I'm around!

A Message from Lewis Black

2009-09-28T10:16:00.001-07:00

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH*****ROTFLMAO-PIMP!*****HAHAHAHAHAHA!

2009-09-19T10:05:00.001-07:00

2009-09-17T12:00:00.001-07:00
"I believe universal health care is, quite simply, right. It is a moral imperative. I cannot enjoy health coverage and turn to my neighbor and tell him he doesn’t deserve it. A nation is a mutual undertaking. In a democracy, we set out together to do what we believe is good for the commonwealth. That means voluntarily subjecting ourselves to the rule of law, taxation, military service, the guaranteeing of rights to minorities, and so on. That is a cheap price to pay."
— Roger Ebert’s Journal: I’m safe on board. Pull up the life rope

CATcerto, Nora The Piano Cat, soloist

2009-09-14T13:59:00.001-07:00

Yes, it is Exactly what it says!

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale

2009-09-13T04:47:00.001-07:00

Wow!

'It Might Get Loud' Trailer HD

2009-09-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

All a man can say is... WoW!!!

U-Turn (30,000 Subs)

2009-09-09T16:17:00.001-07:00

Have some Free Time?

2009-09-07T14:20:00.000-07:00
Guess Who I look like?

Wilford Brimley on his experience with diabetes (Rap)

2009-09-07T13:57:00.001-07:00

Walrus TV Artist Feature: Swoon Interview from "The Run Up"

2009-08-28T13:52:00.001-07:00

Why We Need Government-Run Universal Socialized Health Insurance

2009-08-28T12:49:00.001-07:00

Nuff Said'

2009-08-23T11:50:00.000-07:00
MOVIE MARKETING MISTAKES

I don't know if the rest of you have noticed this, but the folks marketing movies are using scenes that are NOT in the movies themselves in the trailers. I recently saw District 9 & I remember seeing the trailer a couple of weeks prior. There was a scene where the "Alien" Christopher was being interrogated about how the alien weapons work. He also spoke & the translation said "we just want to go leave" This scene was NOT in the movie copy I saw! Perhaps it was a deleted scene, but if so, it should not have been used in the trailer.

The same thing occurred with another movie I saw: Julie & Julia. The trailer contained a scene between Julia & the owner of the Le Cordon Bleu where the owner says to julia "You will never be a french chef" (I don't want to tell you the wrong bit of dialogue- I'm not sure of the actual phrase) As the Owner walks away, julia gives her a razz berry. In the movie, the scene occurred but the dialogue was slightly different & julia made the razz berry noise AFTER the Owner left the room!

I dislike this tactic. I want the trailer to show me enough of the actual film to get me interested in it, not in deleted scenes that aren't in the final version. What stops someone from making a trailer that doesn't even remotely resemble the film? Marketing is NOT serving either the movie industry or the public by continuing this type of behavior.

So Your Cat Wants A Massage?

2009-08-21T21:12:00.001-07:00

Cat Massage!?! Yay!

2009-08-14T14:57:00.000-07:00
Review: Verizon Range Extender

I purchased a Verizon Range Extender from my local Store, after looking online and talking to the reps by phone. I have Awful Reception in my house (not surprising, since I live in a Butler Prefabricated Building-Made of Aluminum) The Unit is about the size of an external hard drive and comes with all the cables needed to hook it up. It needs to be placed near your router & has an Antenna (the size of a Tiger Balm tin) on a 25 ft. cord that has to be placed on a window.

The Range Extender works by connecting to your Broadband Connection (FIOS) & when in use it uses a small part of your Bandwith to act as a Repeater, Dramatically increasing reception. It has some limitations- it will handle up to 3 cell phones at a time & there is another dedicated channel available for someone to call 911. It has the capability to store up to 50 numbers as "Priority" numbers. This is Programmable. Three (3) numbers automatically have priority over other calls.

The Retail price of this unit is $200.00, quite pricey for what it does. I believe it will come down as more folks see it's advantages. I was able to reduce the price to $174.65 by combining a group discount and I have a couple of phones on my account. Now for the Meat:

Yes, it really does the job! Now, when I make a call anywhere within range, I hear a short 2 tone beep and my connection is 4 bars. The calls are crisp & clear. I will tell you that it only works for voice calls- data (Txt, Pics,etc..) aren't helped at all. I hope they will correct this in the future- it would really make it more useful.

I am a Verizon customer. I have No financial interest in the companies involved. I bought & continue to use the product and have not recieved any form of compensation. My review is my Opinion only and I am responsible for it (as I am for much of the rest of my life as well)

2009-08-12T15:40:00.000-07:00
Some Remarks about a new NBC TV series: TRAUMA and a completely unrelated note about BLOGGER.

I went to see Julie & Julia today at a matinee. I highly recommend it. It's a chick flick to be sure, but Good! What I'd like to say a few words about is the Ad for the upcoming NBC TV series Trauma. First, marketing your TV series in a movie theatre feels too much like the very TV commercials everyone HATES!!! Bad Move! Second, about the previews, I've been in the TRAUMA game for much of my Adult life, both as a volunteer & as a working Professional. Some Observations:
-If I am ever in the middle of exploding cars without Gear- I'm in the Wrong Place!
-I actually have been in the middle of a gunfight & I can tell you: I was in the Wrong Place!
-running away with a patient in one hand, shielding my face with my (short sleeved shirt) hand as the Glass is Flying=Wrong Place!

Many folks think EMS is like that & almost nothing is further from the Truth! & as you know if you are reading this blog-this truth is free! It has all the boring parts of every job I've ever had, bad bosses, bad partners, too many hours, BS up the Wazoo etc... I've also had (& have) Great Partners, Great Bosses and I've gotten to do a Lot of things most other people never will! My Objection is that kids are going to see this & think: WOW! That's the job for me!

-Trust me when I say this: WE DON'T NEED YAHOO'S OUT IN THE STREETS!!! Have I done some Cool shit? Yes! Will I in the future? Seems Reasonable. but as you work here long enough, the real message should be: I want to do my job to the BEST of my Ability. I also want to go home, intact, at the end of the day. I don't want to Trade my Life for someone else's OR get so injured that I will have to Retire early & live, in pain, the rest of my life.

Like it or not, There are 3 rules in EMS that are Universal:
Rule #1- PROTECT YOURSELF!
Rule #2- PROTECT YOUR PARTNER!
Rule #3- PROTECT YOUR PATIENT -if doing so won't involve breaking Rules 1 or 2!

I will NOT stand in between you & whomever trying to Kill you! I won't let my partner do it either! If I can Grab you & Go- That's what I'm doing! If you want to leap off the GW Bridge and I can't Talk you out of it, you will be leaping by Yourself! I have a deep and Abiding Love of Life! and I don't want to give it away!

I have appropriate Protective Gear and I WEAR IT! You only have had to be in the middle of only 1 car wreak, protecting yourself & patient from flying glass as the Fire Department cuts the car to extricate you and have to take Multiple showers afterward to get all the slivers of Glass out/ away from your skin to learn that lesson! No Joke!

*********************Comment about/ to Blogger*************************************

Why is it that I can't change the size of my fonts? I so Totally enjoy seeing everyone else do it and supposedly I can when I post but those buttons don't work! And compounding the Problem, is your Absolutely Piss-Poor help site! I can't find my issue in the FAQ and I can't find who to ask! So I have Resorted to Blogging about it in order to GET YOUR ATTENTION!!! Fix the Problem(s) O.K.?

2009-08-05T19:39:00.000-07:00
Blocked!

I am on Twitter a lot! I enjoy the Banter, the Bon Mots, the funny Observations etc... I follow a bunch of folks who are Interesting but recently found that one of them has Blocked me! Me? I can't quite get my head around that, I am one of the more innocuous people I know but obviously I caught someone the Wrong way. I formally Apologised to that person as a tweet & hope they read it but if they don't- Cie la Vie- Life goes on. I hope anyone who reads my blog is well, healthy and in Good Spirits as I am, perhaps because I am keeping myself busy & being mildly productive. If you would like to look me up on Twitter go to http://twitter.com/yknot

Eating a Carrot!

2009-07-20T13:47:00.001-07:00

How did they catch me eating?

2009-07-15T05:37:00.000-07:00
10 Things I'd like to say to People

1. I'm here to help you!
2. Getting angry with me for asking questions to get the information I need to fill out the paperwork isn't helping you.
3. I mind my business, but please don't do anything -illegal -stupid or both in front of me; I don't want to have to testify about it in court or get caught in the middle of a "Jackpot".
4. Don't let my white skin fool you. I don't care what race, religion, age, sexual orientation you are-we all feel Pain & we all bleed the same color: red & that means I want to treat you, transport you to a place where you can get the help you need & keep you alive through the whole thing.
5. I've been at this game for most of my Adult life, please try not telling me how to do my job.
6. I respect your wishes for the right to Die with Dignity- Please talk to your family and Doctor and have the M.O.L.S.T.-(Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) paperwork AT YOUR BEDSIDE! Frame it if you must. By Law, I have to start resuscitating you if it isn't there & once I start, I can't stop.
7. If you can't remember the names of your medications & you take a lot of them, Write them down! Many of the drugs given in EMS react badly to other medications. None of us want to kill you while trying to save you!
8. I don't want your money, jewelery or stuff. If it comes with you, it will be turned over to the hospital clerk. I want to earn my own money & I can buy my own stuff.
9. If I am doing CPR, breathing for your loved one or your wife in Labor and in Trouble, we are going to the closest hospital. Save Lives First-everything else is 2nd.
10. Drivers: When I am driving with the lights and Sirens on-MOVE TO THE RIGHT OR OUT OF THE WAY!!!!! Pulling in front of me so you can be "forced" through the light (Cabbies-you Know who you are!) or trying to pull in right behind me so you can go faster than the other traffic is both Stupid and Dangerous.

Personalized Start Page

2009-06-23T05:50:00.000-07:00
Personalized Start Page
Today's Moment of Zen. And an Apt discription of the world financial crisis by someone who was talking about something else entirely!

: "The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.
- Douglas Adams"

How catnip gets cats high

2009-06-18T13:56:00.001-07:00

I like Catnip!

2009-06-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

2009-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:00
Pictures from the Puerto Rican Parade 6-14-2009

I had the honor of driving the ceremonial ambulance at the parade yesterday. A lot of fun was had by all! There must have been people 6-10 deep!

"Kuglebahn" Ball Machine - Video 1

2009-06-12T18:07:00.001-07:00

Low Clearance 2''

2009-06-10T06:30:00.001-07:00

I love the cat meowing at the end...

Left Turns Kill - More Proof

2009-06-08T17:56:00.001-07:00

"Call 911" FDNY

2009-05-24T04:43:00.001-07:00

Not that I'm a big fan of Rap, but I can't help respect these guys' efforts.

The two talking cats

2009-05-18T19:09:00.001-07:00

2009-05-03T15:35:00.000-07:00
Well, So much for Regular Posting...

I am a Worm, I have NO excuse! I've been busier than sh*t & I have Twittered much more than I should! Blame me for swine flu, Somilaian Pirates, Global Warming, Whatever... This Week's Bad Joke is: 50 people die of Swine Flu & everyone is wearing a mask but millions of People die of AIDS & no one wears Condoms!

Coca-Cola: Encounter

2009-03-11T20:53:00.001-07:00

I know this is a Coke ad- but it's certainly not the typical coke ad! It's Message is Beautiful and Enduring!

Turtle Rape Shoe

2009-03-10T15:42:00.001-07:00

I warn you... this video is graphic!!!

2009-03-05T20:22:00.000-08:00
A Tale of (Laundry) Woe.

First off, I'd like to Thank the many folks who Mingled over here. You Guys Rock! I Love to hear from a bunch of folks! I'm doing much Better, now that the Activia yogurt worked it's Magic.

I want to tell you my tale of Woe. I'm a caretaker in a Quaker Meeting House & have been so for the last 27 years! Along with the many pluses comes a big minus- I can't have a washer/dryer here. The building was never designed to have it and there isn't room for even an Apartment-style stacked model. I have to use the local laundromat. I end up wasting a good half-day there or, if Overtime is involved; paying the price for the convenience of Wash-Dry-Fold (currently $1.10/lb.) It gets Expensive Quickly. and because I ave limited time off, I use it a lot. I wish there were a better way to do this but Alas, I'm stuck.

How about all of you? How do you handle this? I'm told there may be something new that might help but I'm Skeptical until I see it work. If you want, check it out : http://tinyurl.com/awczm4 I guess we will see ( hopefully)

2009-02-17T14:49:00.000-08:00
Why I'm not Hungry today...

( On a completely unrelated note: I really wish BLOGSPOT would fix the letter sizing button so I wouldn't have to Bold everything!!!)

I am completely not hungry today. I cannot ever remember a time that I have gone for more then a day without eating or feeling like I should eat. Perhaps that's the Norm for some, but not me; That is until I got a case of Extreme food poisoning!

I took my significant other to dinner at the Italian place her her job (she was on her dinner break) & we both had the same dish: Pasta with Bolognaise (meat) sauce. we both asked for & got roasted Garlic included. She ate about half her dinner and we doggie-bagged the rest so I wouldn't have to buy dinner the next day. I put the leftovers in the fridge & took it to work & had it for dinner. Boy was that a Mistake!!!

The next morning, I felt queasy when I got up. I remained in bed for 2-3 hours, sleeping fitfully. I got up to use the bathroom & preceded to vomit up about half of the dinner I consumed 14-16 hours before! I took an Imodium & returned to bed, until I had to get up for work. I really try not to call in sick & thought (Wrongly) that because of the extra rest, I would feel better when I started moving.

I got to work & less then 15 minutes later, managed to vomit all over the desk I had sat down at to await my partner! I signed out & went home, called my doctor and returned to bed. 3 hours later I awoke, achy chilled even under the blanket & shivering. I drove myself to the ER. The high point was when the registration clerk wouldn't get the Triage nurse until I had gotten my insurance cards out. I vomited into the nearest garbage can, clearing the Entire waiting Room (Yes, I am That Awesome) & said to her "I told you I was sick" I had an ER bed less than 1 minute later!

Tests & X-Rays later, I got the IV & meds that fixed me up, right as Rain! I slept soundly and have been symptom- free since. But, Not Hungry. I can't remember the last time I had Food Poisoning- never this bad!

Have you gotten this sick recently?

BTW: Kitty also got sick as well, so I know it was the food- she didn't have as severe symptoms but then again, she didn't eat as much.

If I Made a Commercial for Trader Joe's

2009-02-10T12:07:00.001-08:00

2009-02-08T05:16:00.000-08:00
Mingle!

WOW! I've never had this many folks reading my blog! This mingling stuff works! Now if only I don't get laid off... but I guess Time will tell.

I went to PA to work with my watch/clock guy & was happy to work but kind of disturbed to see that the city he is in (York, Pa- where they make the barbells) has a real & ongoing problem with drugs (Crack) & it's always attendant problem, prostitution. To say the locals are disturbed is putting it mildly. The Mayor & council seem not to want to take any action but it's not going to take very long before the Taxpayers are going to run out of patience with their ineptitude and demand they do something!That and the number of half-way houses that are around.

York is a beautiful, clean city within easy distance of Baltimore, MD and has a lot of Gorgeous building stock- Stop by & take a look- I am impressed & I think you will be too! I'd move there if I didn't have to work for NYC but the commute... I'm sure that they will fix it an it will get big when folks discover it's Obvious charms.

2009-01-31T01:52:00.000-08:00
Layoffs!

Now that I have your Attention, I have to say that FDNY cutting Ambulance tours in order to save a few bucks is Madness! Ambulances don't Cost money, they Save Money! Transporting the Ill and Injured makes insurance money for the city! and getting folks to where they can be helped gets them on their feet & back to work faster! AAARRRRGGGGHHH!

2009-01-25T15:37:00.000-08:00
Thanks!

I'd like to thank all the commenters! It's nice to know there are a few folks listening out there. I've been off for a few days, twittering, cleaning & shopping. Paying the bills may not be Glam. but I've made a real effort to pay off most of my outstanding debt and "clear the deck" for saving for a new car. I think it's do-able, given my habits of working crazy OT and small footprint living. What Motivates You these days?

2009-01-19T12:58:00.000-08:00
Blogging. Sometimes a Pleasure; Sometimes a Pain.

I've been Twittering up a storm! it is nice talking (in a SMS way) with some of the folks whose blogs I read but I realize that posting in my own blog also is required. I've been trying to recover from a cold/flu/virus that really laid me out. It has only retracted slowly & I'm monitoring it., but talking about it bores even me! I'd like to ask you a question: Is anybody there? I see that some folks visit but I rarely get comments and I'd like to know for my own head. Please let me know.

2009-01-14T17:41:00.000-08:00
When do you know when it's time to let Go...?

Friends, I've known this person for 25 + years. I was there when he got engaged, married and at many other great events that have happened in his life. For the past year or so, I've called him steadily, on Birthdays, Christmas and when one of his parents died, I took some time off, drove up & helped him out by doing some needed work for him. I just don't hear from him & it occurred to me today that unless he starts making some sort of effort to continue our friendship, then it's Over. I wish I could point to something I did/didn't say or do, but I can't. Has this ever happened to you? What (if anything) did you do/not do? I'd like to know.

Four Hands Guitar

2009-01-03T05:55:00.001-08:00

Now That's Entertainment!

2009-01-02T14:40:00.000-08:00
New Year. What's your position?

I'm not making any Resolutions this year. I've lost interest on making myself promises that I don't fully intend on keeping. I recognise that, for some folks this is a motivational technique that works- just not for me. How do you approach this? I will accomplish the Goals I have set for myself this year & I won't fail. or I will but I will make the effort.

2008-12-26T04:35:00.000-08:00
Christmas. The Sequel.

So, I worked all christmas in order to give a Young EMT time with her new fiance & family (You can only be Young & in Love once) & she is supposed to repay me by working today. I've made plans to spend the morning with kitty, opening the Presents I have been studiously ignoring on my Coffee table, then going upstate to see my BFF Vicki and give her daughter her Christmas gifts I was told she will go wild over- Personally, I never saw the allure of Hannah Montana, but then again, I'm nowhere near young. The only person I didn't get anything for is Mom, but only because I take her out on a regular basis & make sure she wants for nothing.

I know the Economic Crisis is affecting many Folks, both here & around the World. We put our Trust in (Supposedly) Better educated & Savvy individuals and are now paying the Price for that mistake. There are just as many Thieves, Liars & Cheats among the Educated Class (maybe even more) than there is in the population as a whole. Your future really is in your own hands, at least as far as financial is concerned. Imaging if this country had actually bought into Bush's plan to invest part of Social Security in the Stock Market?

What about OIL? Before this whole business happened, didn't all the "experts" say that the World demand was driving up the price? Where did the "World Demand" go? Did China & India & Japan really stop needing OIL? OR WAS IT ALL A BIG SHELL GAME, DESIGNED, PLANNED & EXECUTED BY BIG OIL, THIS GOVERNMENT & IT'S OIL MEN IN OFFICE IN CAHOOTS WITH THE OIL PRODUCING NATIONS? Oil is now trading at just over $34/barrel- that means gas should be selling at approx. $ .94/Gallon? Why isn't it? Why is home heating oil still at it's Highest prices ever? I'll tell you why since no one else will- THE OIL COMPANIES ARE STILL RIPPING US OFF & GEORGE BUSH & THIS GOVERNMENT IS STILL PROTECTING THEM! Notice you don't hear either Democrats or Republicans calling the companies to task now & Now is when they NEED to be called on their Ripping off the Public!!! Let me know what you think, if you want.

2008-12-25T01:25:00.000-08:00
Merry Christmas Everyone! Happy Holidays with Peace on Earth & Goodwill to All! May the New Year bring you Peace and Prosperity!

2008-12-19T18:09:00.000-08:00
A Rant about Twitter...

I like Twitter! it's kind of the Cotton Candy of the Internet(s); easy to use & many us us actually get to communicate regularly with Other bloggers we follow. I really have enjoyed exchanging Bon Mots with thewino, kimsnotebook, borneochica,theenglishrose & several more that I've found while I was there.

My Problem with Twitter is the bunch of "people" who are signing on to follow my updates. I always get notified when someone starts following me & when I check them out, they literally follow Thousands of people. I don't understand it- No one can possibly follow that number of folks 7 the only thing I can come up with is some sort of marketing effort- which turns me right off.What do you think?

Lulajze Jezuniu - Sungha Jung

2008-12-14T04:52:00.001-08:00

I hope anyone who listens to this will remember that Love knows no Borders.

Broccoli Kitten LOVES Broccoli!

2008-12-13T14:38:00.001-08:00

(Beatles) Blackbird - Sungha Jung

2008-12-08T17:55:00.001-08:00

Seriously, This kid is Great! Watch 7 see if you don't agree.

10 Ways You Shoot Yourself in the Foot in the Workplace

2008-12-05T06:02:00.001-08:00

Air - Sungha Jung

2008-11-20T04:26:00.001-08:00

WOW! Just wow.