Proud papa, son's latest drawings

RJ's Thoughts 12-13-13

People who are superstitious about Friday the 13th usually don't know why or that it involves the slaughter of most of the Knights Templar, go on, look it up.

Advertising is one of the necessities of modern living. It tells you a lot about what is out there, unfortunately it doesn't give you the necessary information to make an informed decision.

Planned obsolescence is necessary to keep factories going. Products could be made to last longer, but why?

People who think that they know it all are just pretending, fearful of others knowing more then they do.

Someone who asks you "so what do you think?" are just being polite. They will pretend to listen but have already moved on.

We have little if any skills to survive on our own. Most of us would not make it.

The most powerful creature on the planet is a mother protecting her children.

We would be surprised on what others think of us. A good thing mind reading does not happen.

A man's thought process as he observes a woman walking by would make the speed of light seem slow.

Because of Netflix, I have become a documentary junkie. Learning is not boring.

I find it wonderful to meet people from around the world. I don't judge a woman by country, race, religion, just if she is cute!

A sincere compliment is the most valuable thing one can give another, and yet it is free.

I have been weaning myself from watching sports on cable because of the exorbitant cost involved in viewing. It has been easier then I thought.

When you watch someone on TV or in a movie or playing sports, you are watching someone do what they like to do. Could they say the same of you?

Wouldn't it be cool if we had a theme song while we drove around or while we were at work? What would yours be?

thanks for stopping by.

ray

If you had a college degree and a real career, you would be off on Thanksgiving

And so I was told by my wife as I grumbled about working on Thanksgiving. And so it goes. You are looked down upon for working in retail. There is no respect for the worker or for a salesman either. Management in retail offers no respect either.

I have done it all in retail. Ran stores, stocked shelves, sold for a living, because I have no skills and it was the only thing out there. Could be true, right?

There are two kinds of people in the world. Those that buy and those that sell.

Respect is given to the lawyers and doctors and the indian chiefs. Just don't be in retail, that is a nothing job. I tried many times to get me some school learning and get that career, just didn't happen. I tried again later in life and came up short.

I tire of it, I really do. But as my working career winds down, it is hard to be proud of a career that has cost me so many hours, days, weeks, months, years, missed holidays, picnics, parties and so on because I worked retail.

Friends marvel that I have been able to do the backbreaking work for so long, but not the type of work that I have done.

But a man has got to do what a man has got to do.

It's all I have.

signed,
disgruntled
ray

Black friday...Bloody thursday

It is official, Thanksgiving has been hijacked by retail. The one holiday without any baggage is being mauled by the seduction of a super sale on stuff you don't need.

I saw my schedule for Thursday and Friday. I start at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and will work until 8:00 am Friday.

15 hours straight.

I will leave the house at 4:00 p.m. to get to the store by 5:00 p.m. We will set the ad for the day and open the doors at 6:00 p.m.

Six of us will work all night, five more from 5-10 and then they will come back on Friday. The rest will work from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Friday. Why?

We work right next to Best Buy and they are opening at, you guessed it, 6:00 p.m.

So when you sit at the table pouring over the ads, mapping out your strategy, think about it for a moment.

Why?

You will be tired and mad you didn't get what you thought needed but didn't. Huge credit card bills in the mail next month.

You gave in, and now you will pay.

Mad Men must be very proud.

Ray

On being alive when Kennedy was murdered

One thing about getting older is that chances are you were alive when something important happened.

Like when Kennedy was murdered. Assassinated. and not only by Oswald.

I was in the fifth or sixth grade at the time. We had just returned from lunch and getting ready for the second half of the school day when our teacher came into the room crying.  She said the president had just been killed. The girl in front of me began to cry. I honestly did not know what it meant, it slowly dawned on me. He was dead.

Then Oswald was killed, by Jack Ruby. And it goes on and on.

I have watched and read about it over the years. And one thing always strikes me as strange, the pictures of people running to the grassy knoll. Especially the policeman.

And how quickly Oswald was found. And the suspect getting shot. And how all the usual protocols for protecting the president was changed on that day. And all the irregularities of how they handled the autopsy and the body and the sloppiness of the investigation.

It is true, many people hated him. Many government agencies, Cuba, Russia, and the mob.

Many saw a long line of Kennedy's in the White for decades to come. That scared them. Bad for business.

There are many pictures people have not seen, other movies from other angles, evidence that is not well known.

A conspiracy consists of more than one person. Simple enough.

Oswald did not do it alone, he was the fall guy, the dupe. He thought it was him alone.

No.

Fifty years later the quest for the truth is still there. No one is satisfied.

You should not be satisfied.

I am not.

Ray

Dance on my birthday, will ya?

mama, don't let your son grow up to be a football player!

When I was a kid I wanted to become a sports star. Football was a passion. We played in the rain and snow, hot or cold, day or night.

 

We didn't know we were setting ourselves for head injuries and the breakdown of various body parts then and later in life.

We did know not to cross over the line to becoming a medical monster filled with never ending rage that never turned off.

We played hard, hit hard and for the most part played clean. You were always tested. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost. But at the end of the day you could walk away.

Not true in pro football. People are very uncomfortable now that the sleazy side has been revealed. You watch a game oblivious to men being injured and carted off the field, every game without exception. You shrug it off as part of the game. It is not.

Football appeals to the barbarian deep inside us all. Why else on more than one occasion has a crowd cheered when a player has been hurt? Good thing the thumbs up or down option doesn't exist.

I am glad my son does not play. I never thought I would say that. I have followed football since I was ten or so, that would be about 50 plus years. I know football. 

Sometimes you have to walk away. I am walking.

ray

A touch of madness

whispers in the day
whispers in the night
has it started
will it start

the long journey
into darkness
the mental abyss
the lost touch of
reality

doubt sets in
clarity unsure
can it be
the mental curse
unfolds
to what end

the pit
the pendulum
the scourge
of the mind
waiting it's turn
unheard screams

The days of living off the land are way behind us

I was watching a special on Netflix and a blacksmith was making a sword, one that the Vikings had used in battle and I thought that there is no way we could do any of that today. We don't know how to work a loom, make butter or soap, build a home, hunt like the Indians did, nothing at all.

The closest would be the Amish, who get laughed at for their old world ways. We are totally dependent on factories, big farms, supermarkets and so on. This includes the few hunters among us who rely on the state of the art rifles and technology to bag their game.

The ways of the land and olden techniques long forgotten, someday we will wish we knew how.

ray

A Public Service Healthy Food Announcement!

Taken from the 10-12 issue of Men's Health page 34

Sticker Secrets

mystery solved
The numeric codes on fruits and vegetables reveal how they were grown.

Look for five digit stickers that start with 9-that's code for organic

4 digits-conventionally grown

five digits starting with 8-genetically grown or GMO

hope you find this helpful!

ray

Random Thoughts from RJ 10-22-13

When it comes to the the healthcare law, the only important thing to me is the elimination of "preexisting conditions"

Why don't we have healthcare like the other civilized countries do?

Why do we spend the most for healthcare and get the least out of it?

Why do we pay tremendous amounts of money for drugs that are not safe?

Aspirin has been around in one form or another since 1853 and no one is quite sure why and how it works.

How come there isn't a price menu so you can shop pricing from hospital to hospital instead of being surprised when you get the bill?

Dentists are like that too.

Why doesn't the diploma on the wall show the ranking of your doctor in his graduating class?

Why is it that the Social Security is talked about as an entitlement when you have been paying into it your whole working life?

Why is it that some people from the current generation hate the foreigners that follow?

If you were supposed to report only the facts, most TV journalists would be out of work and Fox news would be out of business.

Love the Ta Ta's But Pink is not about a cure

I love them, all shapes and sizes but the marketing of Pink is not about a cure for breast cancer, it is a business. If a cure is found they close up shop. Really, you think so? Not a chance.

Something for sale. "A portion of the profit goes to something cure." What is a portion, how much is raised, what is being done?  Sounds of crickets.

A long time ago, there was a thought to do something good. No longer. You think you are doing something of good, something of value. You are not. Sorry bucko.

A war on something is never won. a moment can take forever. What has been accomplished? A survivor is considered someone who lives five more years, mixed successes ya think?

Radiation, chemotherapy kills everything. That is not a cure.

Cancer is a big business. Remember that a business strives to grow and expand.

grumpy coffee time

ray

A Collective Groaner

There was a man who was in love with all things Mozart. Anything and everything. One day he decided to travel to see the final resting place of the famous composer.

He decided to visit the cemetery late at night so he would be alone with his thoughts about the great man and his wonderful work.

As darkness fell, he noticed, off to the side of the grave, a light from below.

Curious, he looked closer, noticing that it looked like it lead to some steps below.

The temptation was too strong, so he worked his way down inside the chamber.

Much to his surprise, he found Mozart himself, sitting at a desk with sheet music and erasing notes off the page.

Startled he cried out, "Mozart, what are you doing?"

Mozart looked at him and calmly said Why, I am decomposing!"

thank you
ray

For the first time anywhere or how Michael Jackson learned to moonwalk

The big cities are crumbling and there is no where to go

Detroit has filed for bankruptcy and there was a collective shake of the heads. Oh well, that is Detroit, what do you expect!

Except they are not the only ones. Years ago it was New York city, remember? Teetering on the brink of financial insolvency, the federal government ready to step in.  Forgot, didn't you.

I am from Chicago, a city that recently became number one in murder. Don't worry tourists, they are killing each other, not visitors. A ready supply of victims are mostly locals.

The city is broke, the sales tax rate is 10.5%. The state is broke too. Pension funds are tremendously underfunded.

Unemployment is very high, highways are crumbling. People are desperate. For some, gangs are the answer.

Is there a definitive cause for all this? Maybe. People who are in charge are totally out of their element with the huge problems that never seem to end. Like the saying, "we are losing money on each sale but we will make it up in volume!"

Here is the problem, there is no where to run. People are leaving the big cities but where are they going? I don't see the answer anywhere on the horizon.

You don't fix stupid with more stupid.

a morning meager cup of coffee.

ray

The smartphone has killed the small talk

We all are guilty of this. Walk into your break room, restaurant, lobby, a large group of people can not resist the urge to check their phones before making eye contact or saying hi. Forty people sit down, forty phones come out of hiding. Hoping for something important or better yet something interesting.

A moment of importance, a moment of meaning. That is all we want  and truly hopeful for being wanted if for just a moment.

Some one cares.

Is being anti social the new social? I sat down at a table and two guys were talking about cars they liked but were having troubles with models and I helped them out with some details. I found out that one guy was from Chicago, left because of the cold and snow and a small bond was formed between us. and then we moved on.

Who hasn't seen a group of people texting to each other instead of talking to each other while sitting next to each other?  Talking involves effort and focus and listening to each other. Paying attention!

what, I am sorry, I was texting...

ray

elton john's best song ever

In the name of work, there must be some pain right?

The last year of working involved a lot of sitting which meant an aching butt, sore knees, sore back and so on. Th pain of the cubicle. Lots of driving (sitting) and lots of walking.

The current job has me standing for 8-12 hours a day, lots of walking and my share of step climbing.  Most of my work life has involved walking on concrete which gives the knees and back a beating. There is also the hard knocks taken in sports and life in general that add to it all.

Am I complaining? Some, but we all have something hurting in the name of work. There is no escaping it.

I don't think there is away around it. It all catches up with you eventually. As the man said, "It is what it is."

However, you know those ideas that one gets that you think will change the world? I have a few that need to be examined and see if they are worth looking at and doing.

No pain, no gain right?

sigh...

coffee and work time!!

ray

Elon Musk, Tesla, Iron Man!

What if you gave it your all and it wasn't enough?

This last year has been a financial nightmare for me as I stumbled from one profession to another. It was almost like starting up a company with little or no qualifications but a desire (need) to move on from the tried and true that has been practiced over the years to something completely different. What was lacking though was the confidence that I would succeed, the end result was a self fulling prophecy. I failed. After a year that was my end result.

So today I go back to what I have done before, and I will do well at it.  Once again I will be like an actor on a stage playing a part. I will be selling tangible things, appliances, not ideas, not promises. Things that you can touch and see, not visualize or imagine (insurance). Has it all been a waste? Failure has not been for naught as I know how not to do something. It does clear the mind of wondering if I could.

I have learned a tremendous amount over the last year and though it may someday be only trivia, I do have facts and information stored away for future use.

My mind is aswirl in ideas that need to be tried and tested but in a part time way as the bills still need to be paid and the future to be tended to.

What I have found that if you have the courage and desire to work on straight commission that there are opportunities a plenty, after all, most of the cost is covered by you. Finding the right fit is the trick, pay is the treat.

Hope springs eternal. Execution lays the foundation for success.

coffee time

ray

It's False Flag Time or The Calendar says it's time for another war!

false flag

Web definitions

1. False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. ...
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_flag
2. 
   

Here we go again. It has been a slow summer hasn't it? Congress is away on their many vacations, (not that they do anything anyway) and things are starting to slow down in the war world. 

What to do, what to do.

The boys in the war room decided it is time to attack another country. Let's not bring in the United Nations to see what they think. My goodness, the British are saying no this time too. There goes our hope for a coalition.

A few more wars and all those nasty cutbacks for the defense department will go away! You are either for us or against us, right boys?

No weapons of mass destruction available? How about talk of chemical weapons? Where have we heard that before? Proof? we will get back to you on that.

Since the days of Joesph Pulitzer and William Hearst who helped provoke the Spanish-American war to sell newspapers we have gone out of our way to go to war.

By the way, after that war we ended up with Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines.

Stay tuned for more exciting news!

a disgruntled old man

coffee time

Ray

Another fiction story soon to be real!

I read a lot of books in my day, still do.

Back in 1927 Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote this story about brain swapping, putting a brain into a younger body.


On Mars, Paxton is taken in by elderly mad scientist Ras Thavas, the "Master Mind" of the title, who educates him in the ways of Barsoom and bestows on him the Martian name Vad Varo. Ras has perfected techniques of transplanting brains, which he uses to provide rich elderly Martians with youthful new bodies for a profit. Distrustful of his fellow Martians, he trains Paxton as his assistant to perform the same operation on him. But Paxton has fallen in love with Valla Dia, one of Ras' young victims, whose body has been swapped for that of the hag Xaxa, Jeddara (empress) of the city-state of Phundahl. He refuses to operate on Ras until his mentor promises to restore her to her rightful body. A quest for that body ensues, in which Paxton is aided by others of Ras' experimental victims, and in the end he attains the hand of his Valla Dia, who in a happy plot twist turns out to be a princess


Then today I read about this.

Immortality

It's tempting to dismiss the bold claims of futurists as pie-in-the-sky—or merely empty hope that they won't die. But the promise of immortality is not one taken lightly.

Dmitry Itskov, a 32-year-old Russian tech entrepreneur, is the man behind Global Futures 2045, an international congress that focuses on how to overcome 21st century challenges. At this meeting of the minds, Itskov laid out his plan to learn how to remove the human brain and consciousness and keep it alive in a robot body. And he wants to do it in about 30 years.

It sounds crazy, but Itskov has support from top minds at MIT, Harvard, and Berkeley. Maybe in 30 years man and machine won't be so separate after all.

See slide 8

 Superheroes are unbelievable, and that's the point. But technology is quickly closing the gap between what is human and superhuman. Advances in cybernetics, aviation, and other areas have created a convincing argument that these physical limitations are only temporary-that one day we can read minds, turn invisible, fly, and live forever. 

Truth is stranger then fiction!

now for a strange cup of coffee!

ray

from the little mind of RJ, sunday thoughts

Ever notice that Cialis commercials have hot looking women the husbands are lusting after and Viagra has a guy starting a fire with his knife or using horses to pull out a truck out of the mud. why is that?

If you get BBC America, do you notice how much better overall the TV shows are overseas? I think it has always been that way.

When oh when will reality shows stop being produced? And on the housewives shows, the women rarely go in the sunlight because they may melt!

Do we realize that the melt down nuclear reactor is still going on and dumping spent fuel in the ocean for the last 2 1/2 years, that by now, we have all been touched by it?

I have found that if my Tv has 300 channels, I rarely watch more then 20 or so.

Sports used to be about competition and challenges and now it is more about drugs, money and whatever else. I will pass.

The game that still interests me is golf. I watch it when I can but I wish I had more time and money to play.

Changes in a career late in life is such a challenge, you can't imagine, unless you are there with me. I have burned, dismantled, and tossed away all the bridges and left them behind me. I have to succeed.

It is rare that a new movie grips and captures my attention, but with a book, it can happen at any time.

I watch the young men working around me, full of energy. I wonder if they will still have that fire when they are 6o. I hope so.

Watching a son or daughter leave for a new job and adventure is a mixed bag of feelings, wonder and amazement and pride, and a sense of loss and happiness.

Life should be easier as one gets older, after all, haven't we mastered it all? Nope, they keep changing the rules.

We watch others do what they love to do whether it is in sports, TV, movies and so on. wouldn't it be nice if we all have a chance to shine?

Back to studying and a cold beer.

ray

Murray Head - One Night In Bangkok [1984]

They are rich and famous and they all play it safe, but I don't blame them

I was watching a movie trailer showing the latest Jennifer Aniston movie the other day and my daughter commented that every movie she is in, she plays the same part. I agreed, it is true. But she is not alone.

Tom Cruise, Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington, (my reason for not showing up on the web) are prime examples. They are actors playing a part in the movie but they are not actors becoming the part in the movie. And Morgan Freeman is fast becoming another example.

It is not that they are not good at what they do, but that they do it again and again and yes again, A formula, it is safe, they make a lot of money and why not? But that is not what actors should do. They should work their craft, grow, stretch the boundaries, try different things. True, they will have some misses along the way, but they will be remembered for achieving greatness.

But as I am writing this I am thinking it is true of most people, we call it being in a rut, doing the same thing on a daily basis because it pays the bills, afraid to take a chance in life.

Maybe, just maybe, Jennifer will call and ask if I want to go out for a few beers. And I would say...Yes!

dreaming and reaching for a cup of coffee

ray

Another All Star Game Come And Gone

Last week there was the baseball all star game. I didn't watch, again. If you think I am not a baseball fan, you would be mistaken. Actually, I was.

When I was little, baseball was a big part of my life. I was born in Chicago and I became a Cubs fan. I had my heros. When the all star game was on, I could barely breathe, hoping all my Cubbies would play, do well, be a big part of the game and help bring home a win for the National league all stars.

Growing up, I kept hoping they would win the pennant, win the World Series, many times. I am still waiting. Then over time, baseball its self became tainted with one star after another found to be doing drugs and gradually my love for the game faded away. Also, for the most part, the game its self became all about the money. How much a team spends, how much a player makes, ticket prices out of control and so on. None of my kids say "how about going to a game?"

We were spoiled with Cubs baseball daytime home games. They played at 1:30 p.m. It made many boring, hot summer days bearable because of baseball. It was great growing up with baseball.

And now, it is a distant memory.

morning coffee time

ray

Rock and Roll will never die but alas, it will fade away

I hate to say it, but it will. It will be a very large footnote in history, but in time rock and roll will be but a memory.

Let's face it shall we. The Rolling Stones have been around for over 50 years but their last hit was in the seventies. Paul McCartney is in his 70's. The old time rockers are old or dead and no one has replaced them.

Yes, the music still sounds good. Yes they can still play, they are musicians after all. Yes, they can still hit most of the notes. But they are slowly dying off and so are we. We joke about hearing our songs being played as elevator music. There are no garage bands being formed to replace them. (garage bands are bands that learned how to play using the family garage as their studio)

Times change, tastes change. There is always a void that has to be filled, and fill it someone will. One's music growing up is part of one's memories, that will always be with us. But new great memories are hard to come by and so is music.

Does it still sound good? Yep.
Still playing air guitar in the car? Yep
Air drums? My favorite (used to play drums a bit) Yep.
Sing badly when no one is around? Yep.
Sing the wrong words? Check!

But that is okay with me. This old rocker doesn't mind. Someday they will have to pry the drumsticks from my dead cold hands, but until then...Dazed and confused for so long...


old rocker coffee time

ray

Ladies and Gentlemen...The Beatles

The Letter

pen in hand
inkwell close
cursive script
gently flows
words and thoughts
from times before
thoughtfully written
poetic in sounds
emotions shown
love and passion
folded and placed
sealed in wax
long journey taken
time stands still
miles and months
may pass
response is wanted
letter in hand
gently opened
savour the moment
eyes take in
unbridled joy
power of the pen

Thoughts By RJ 6-23-13

To all the people who in reaction to reports of their own government spying on emails and phone calls said "I have nothing to hide.", there is no help for you and there is not enough time to explain the right to privacy.

The next stock market crash will make the great depression seem like a minor inconvenience.

There is more money tied up in derivatives than there is money. And no way to take care of it.

We will all be under martial law in our lifetime. When the banking system shuts down and there is panic in the streets and no money for food and then no food, what then?

I wondered for so long how come Africa is not being exploited for all it's natural resources, I wonder no longer.

China = The Jones's as in keeping up with! Like a flock of birds or a school of fish, the world shifts directions trying to keep up with China.

We may be somewhat out of Iraq and Afghanistan but never fear, soon we will be in Syria.

All the fighting around the world over the last 30 years or so has been over oil. The biggest battle over a resource has yet to begin. That resource...

Water.

We are at the beginning of the new dust bowl, no water, no crops, no food, no jobs.

The world is envious of our ability to produce cheap food. They are not envious of the quality of the food.

We as a country are not doing a great job of leaving a legacy to our children that we can be proud of.

I have high hopes though they will make the world a better place. But the old guard has to be removed.

Term limits have to be put in place for senators and congressman. Plus, no special exemptions on pay or medical plans. They have to live with the same stuff as we do. They would vote differently wouldn't they?

60% of all healthcare is spent on people during the last six months of living.

Chemotherapy is such a cash cow, that is why there have been no major breakthroughs in cancer.

Enough brooding thoughts this morning.
coffee time.

ray

I actually stayed up for the "Big"game?

I managed that last night because I took a nap first! Old age? Maybe. I watched with my daughter who had to do a  college paper on it. Nope, no beer was involved.

Did I watch a big battle and superior athletes clashing on the hard-court? No, actually it was the sloppiest game I had seen for quite awhile. Really bad passing, really bad shots that didn't get better throughout the game.
Like old fat guys at a picnic trying to relive their youth in between beer and chicken wings, it was boring.

There will be many people and pundits trying to build up the play and the results and I will tell you no, not much of that at all.

The pressure of the seventh game, and bragging rights to the winner, which will last all the way until September when it starts again.

Funny thing though, they would run highlights of stars and games and teams of years gone by, and I called out every player and threw in some stats for good measure. I am so over "hype".

On the plus side, watching the game with my daughter was nice and she asked the old man many questions during the game.

Now it time for a big morning coffee and go grind out another work day.

Ray

Try calling a guy handsome and see his reaction

Go ahead, ladies, say it.  Handsome. And watch what happens. A look of bewilderment will cross his face, Then followed by a smile, a small smile. He will walk a little taller, feel a bit more confident.

I had to wait until I was 55 to have a woman say it to me. From someone I have still not yet met. It brought tears to my eyes. I felt touched by an angel. No, my wife has never said it,

I was at work last week, a lady customer came in, was being introduced to the staff, and when it was my turn to say hi, she said " oh you are handsome"! I smiled and thanked her.  and sat a little taller...

Most guys feel very average, and as we get older, invisible. So it is good to know, for some we are, well, you know...

coffee time

Ray

A Wonderful Foggy Morning

mists rising upward
blanket ones vision
what lies ahead

moisture on the face
feelings arise
what is out there
something I know

been there before
confident in past
wonders of future
better or worse

2 step forward
1 back
progress is
not a straight line

determination
needed in defeat
determination
13 letters
you counted

fog to rise
view ahead
clearer
never clearest

life is not
like that
count on
the butterfly
effect

embrace
the foggy

morning
morning

Hey, What happened to all the invites to the holiday picnics?

They don't happen.

Back in Chicago, the early marriage years, we used to have 30-40 people over to our little house for picnics and pool parties.

When we mention this to our children, they roll their collective eyes. Sure mom and dad! We believe you, not!

Fire up the grill, serve the usual picnic fare, have plenty of beer, good times, a good mix of fun and friends.

Leer at all the women, scantily clad, or wish they were scantily clad!

Loud music, loud voices, for hours on end.

Move on to Florida.

Never again.

Time passes. Kids grow up, the party mindset passes, mind and bodies age.

Holidays are for work around the house. Work that needs to be done for sure, but fun, not so much.

Hangovers are not missed but sometimes I wish I could go back in time...

no morning after time

ray

Pitchforks and Fire, the peasants storm the castle to fight Franken food

People are fighting against Monsanto, against the gmo, (genetically modified foods), lab created seed that they have used to try to take over the worlds food supply. "Corn, soybeans, canola and sugar beets — are grown from genetically engineered seeds, creating a challenge for companies"  Who can you thank for helping out? Whole Foods, who listened to their customers and want gmo products labeled as such. 

You might think, fine, I won't eat corn, soybeans, canola and sugar beets. you are though. Fructose, is sugar made from corn! It is everywhere. The food system has a two year lag time, so we are looking at 2015 to make the change over.  Maybe Wal-Mart will be the next player in the battle. 

There is hope. Please read the article below. Bon appetite! 


                 Seeking Food Ingredients That Aren't Gene-Altered     

morning coffee

Ray

I so wanted to be the man from U.N.C.L.E.

How Bacteria "Talk"

I love to learn!

It has taken almost 60 years, but a new dust bowl is almost upon us!

The latest reports coming out of the midwest and the west is that the huge and vast aquifers that have been supply all the water for all the farm land for the last 60 years or so is quickly running out. The vast pool of underground water had been tapped into to grow crops where rain was scarce, well the water has run out in many areas.

Crops have been devastated. Small towns are going away. The cause? A watering system on wheels that carefully covered every inch of ground. Aquifers take millions of years to grow in size, but man can tap in and eliminate an source of of liquid gold in a heartbeat.

History always repeats itself. Man has the ability to forget, to its own devastation. Prices will start to skyrocket, people will complain and wonder why.

We don't learn to conserve until its too late. We are idiots as a species.

Oil used to be ten cents a barrel. Growing up, gas was 25 cents a gallon. We built cars that wasted gas.
and complain when gas is over 4 dollars a gallon.

Soylent green everyone!

ray

Kids Aren't Spoiled Today, They Just Won't put Up With Incompetence

Case in point, I tagged along for a doctors appointment with my son last week, I was needed because it was on the family insurance plan. We looked like we were running a bit late so I called to let them know we were on the way.
They had no record of him having an appointment. I had the paperwork in hand and told them so. Nope, no record. When you get here, go to building A.

You guessed it. Sorry, go to building B.

Wait in the receptionist line, shuffling of paperwork, nope back to building A, side door.

Back to A. They were supposed to fax paperwork over to us, they never do it right. You need to go back to building B.

I checked my paperwork, shows date and time faxed to them.

Back to building B. Told them we needed to see the insurance department. Uh Uh, fill out the paperwork first, five pages. Son is filling out paperwork, points out there are ten pages, five duplicates.

Appointment was for 9:00 am, now 10:00 am. Lady come over, we have an opening at 10:30 am., want it?
Heavy sigh, yes we will take it.

Different room, waiting. 10:30 comes and goes. Clerk mentions to someone when they shut down for lunch. Not looking good.

Finally, after waiting for two hours, at 11:00 am, he gets to see a doctor.

He told me he would of went home by 9:15 am if I wasn't there.

If the world is to change and be a better place, the paperwork quagmire will have to go away.

It's not the kids, it's us.

ray

Thunderstorm

billowing clouds
natures force
darkened vengeance
howling winds
sideways rain

flashes of night
crackling bolts
havoc reeked
earth
but a pawn

run for cover
warning given
destruction
awaits
for the
unbelievers

like
you
!

The year the music died (for me)

Dateline

September 25th, 1980

It was a lunch time run to try to buy tickets to see Led Zeppelin with two work friends. 

Hundreds of people had gathered, lined up on the stairs of a downtown Chicago Sears store, hoping against hope that the tickets would still be there when it was our turn to buy when the word came down that John Bonham had died.

Concert canceled.

  

We staggered out of the building to go back to work in almost a drunken like daze unable to believe what we had just heard.

October 19th, 1980

got married, a good thing!

Dateline 

December 8th, 1980

I, like millions of others, was watching Monday NIght football, when the announcement came that John Lennon had been shot.

Something was missing in my life after that. Musical heros gone but not forgotten. But that touch of innocence was gone forever. It was the same feeling I had the day we found out that John F. Kennedy had been shot. I was in the fifth grade, had settled in for another (not fun) afternoon of schooling when our teacher came into the room crying, telling us that the president had been killed. 

Mental scars. We all have them. Forever...

morning coffee

ray

Sun and Moon

morning sun's rays
gently wipe darkness away
nature stretching
waking to a new day
pinkish hues bathe the skies
never ending colors
across the skies expanse
while the orb of night
reluctantly gives up its hold
as the governor of darkness
still full and bright
to soon disappear from sight
wildlife shrugs
it has seen it before
again again
forevermore

Guys holding business signs at the corner, the new age ad man?

I don't know if it is a Florida thing. I suspect the warm weather has something to do with it. But many businesses now hire someone to sit by the entrance to a business holding a sign that is meant to get you to turn in to buy that pizza for $5.00 or we buy gold or really cheap phones here!

Some sit, some stand, some twirl the signs like an ad ninja, but they are everywhere. A desperate attempt to bring in some business? A successful form of advertising? I was tempted to ask one guy what the going pay rate was.

As I wrote this I realized that many decades ago, a man would walk around with a wearing a sandwich board, a two piece advertisement held together with straps, allowing him to walk around extolling the virtues of the special of the day outside a restaurant. I realize that things haven't changed much at all.

Thinking about it, it seems like a new career choice!

morning swim time and the coffee!

ray

I mourn for the losses like everyone else, but I am a bit suspicious

I am far from cold hearted, I mourn for the dead and feel the pain of the injured in Boston. But to me, somethings don't make sense. You have thousands of runners, thousands of people watching and yet they manage to find the two guys who set off the explosions, track them down, shoot one and capture the other. They quickly know everything there is to know about them. Because it was a sports setting, the story is headlined in all the sports reporting. The news programs breathlessly report the latest "breaking news". I don't buy it. It has a false flag feel to it. And it raised the fear factor once again doesn't it?

I have learned not to trust the government as the local police looks more like the army and marines.

coffee and soon a beer time!

ray

They all are important, But what could you live without?

I was sitting around the house and a thought occurred to me about the things we take for granted. No matter what the income level we all have them.

1. Indoor Plumbing
Who doesn't long for the old days of pooping in the woods, the latrine, chamber pot, no matter what the weather or stage of dress, out side you go! (don't forget the days before toilet paper) And just as amazing, water from the faucet.

2. Electricity
Fire places, open pits, kerosene lights, gas lights. Sources of light and sources of heat and cooking. The advent of indoor lighting, a thing of amazement!

3. Refrigeration
Why do you think they called it an ice box? The ice man would bring into the house a big block of ice which was used to keep the food cold, followed by many upgrades including the frost free refrigerator. (many memories of chopping out the inside of the refrigerator)

4. Air conditioning 
It was originally thought it would battle mosquitos, it enabled people to live anywhere they wanted, Florida thanks you!

Just a few things off the top of my head, basic stuff, Things you take for granted.

morning coffee time, and that is another story...

ray

The secret to finding a parking space?

While watching "the secret" one of the speakers talked about always finding a parking space in a crowded parking lot. I too started to imagine finding a space when the lot is full and it seems to be working. I think the key is to be calm while looking, knowing someone will be leaving soon..

Ever notice how at a fitness center, everyone parks as close as possible so they don't tire themselves out walking to the gym? And then they stop off for a 500 calorie coffee at Starbucks afterwards?

and one more thought.

The ease of the drive to work is connected to how much time you give yourself to get there. When you are late nothing goes right. Give yourself 15 minutes extra and see what happens.

time for a zen coffee

ray

how fast is fast?

How about this for Father's Day? A Golf Hovercraft!

What? No Chocolate Bunnies This Year?

How can one overdose on chocolate when there is none around to eat? Yesterday was a quiet one with the kids out and about, no company (thankfully) but a long day of landscaping on the berm in the front of the house. It came out nice but I was very tired when it was all said and done.

Plants can be very heavy to move around and add thirty bags of mulch and plenty of digging to the mix, I knew I was going to sleep well at night.

One never knows what will be found when digging. In this case, several pieces of concrete roof tiles from years ago did hamper things a bit adding to my fun but there is always a work around, except one piece that I couldn't break and remove and broke the handle on my 5 lb sledge hammer and I hope the plant doesn't die piece I couldn't get out, everything went well.

Dinner was delicious and I had a quick nap before finishing the mulch. Might have to buy some edging material to keep the mulch in place.

But it was a nice quiet weekend. I love having weekends off!

coffee time

ray

I've got a Secret

The movie, The Secret,

I first saw it last September. It reminded me of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill but as a movie. It is well done and while watching it, it seemed to make everything clear in my mind. I have always been a fan of self help books and it made me think quite a bit. Goal setting and such.

So I ordered it a few days ago and watched it again last night. And I will watch it again tonight when I come home. As some might know, I changed careers last year and jobs a few times, looking for the right fit but still in sales.

I want to do well, better then most in the business, so I have been working hard, learning, crafting new skills and setting goals. I fine tune what I do every day, what I say, how I say it, and each call, each customer, is another step to success. The fact that I am at a desk each day and not on the road is a plus, that I know who I am going to call is a plus and knowing that each call is another step closer to a sale.

Anyone that will look at my sales record at the end of the year will not understand what it took to achieve what I have done, but I will, and that is all that matters. I leave tired each day, but a good tired, working with the mind, not the back.

Goal setting, believing, seeing, success.

The Secret. works for me.

coffee time!

ray

If You Are Stuck In Traffic...

Of course this only works if you are not running late, have to go to the bathroom, low on gas, well you get the picture. Flashing lights ahead (car accident), don't rant, be thankful it is not you. Car broken down in your lane, you will get by in due time.

The other day on the way home, I was in heavy traffic twice because of multiple car accidents. Each time I took a deep breath and relaxed and it worked. I think I was being Zensible yes?

As I have gotten older I noticed I don't cut time to the second, I allow for the unforeseen to happen and I think of work arounds when some thing does happen.

teaching an old dog new tricks

ray

Don't blame Florida For The Cold Weather

We didn't suck all the warm weather all the way down to South Florida. It has been a cold winter here too. People have noticed the winter we are having. Our normal cold season lasts a few weeks, maybe a month and then we are back complaining that it is too hot!

Not this year. High 30's, low 40's, the cold keeps hanging around, refusing to give up its icy cold grip. More rain than usual too. The days and nights have been more like a fall day in Ohio and Minnesota wink and a nod to some favorite writers, or maybe Chicago.

The swimming pool awaits, crystal blue waters beckon invitingly. Not a chance, very cold water shrinks stuff!

One would think that being in a sub tropical zone we would be spared. It would appear not. Vacationing people are surprised that we have more than one season down here.

Oh sun, where art though?

soon to be beer time!

ray

Spooky Dreams About Moving On

Spooky yes, and it was a two part dream last night. I first awoke after wrestling with something, I couldn't make it out but it seemed like a fight to the death. What ever it was, I had a two handed grip around its neck, squeezing, locked in combat. It felt so real I was compelled to wake up and turn on the night stand light and look around. I struggled to go back to sleep.

Finally I fell back to sleep, but a new dream appeared. This time I was in a swamp like setting, the mist rising from the water. I could see people, couples sitting together in small boats, not saying anything, seemingly resigned to their fate. I was by myself. I looked back and the boats had now sunk below the surface. I could see the people below the water, unmoving.

I felt myself getting weaker, laying down, feeling the water rising upwards. I was talking to someone. I felt something licking my face and I turned, thinking it was a dog, but it looked like a miniature horse, which then ran away.

It was not yet my turn to go.

erie coffee time

ray

Robert Plant - Big Log

Kennedy Center Honors 2012 - Led Zeppelin full segment

Tribute to Led Zeppelin-Kennedy Center

He Is 15 Years Old And He Discovered An Inexpensive Test For Pancreatic Cancer

What Can I Tell You, The Fast Went Fast!

I had a quick exam for a life insurance policy Friday morning. To prepare for it, it called for a number of hours of fasting, no alcohol, coffee and such. Being a guy I decided to take it to another level.

Thursday morning at 6:00a.m., I had a nice breakfast consisting of eggs, cottage cheese, strawberries, banana and two cups of chocolate milk. Believe it or not, that clocked in at about 1200 calories. I had two cups of coffee later Thursday morning.

And that was it! Until dinner Friday evening! At about 6:30 p.m.

And I found my self not hungry. I was amazed. I craved nothing. No stomach grumbling. I did drink plenty of water and I know that helped. But still...

When I ate Friday night, I felt fuller faster. Probably still ate too much.

Maybe it all went well because it was necessary. My mind was at ease because it was needed.

Teaching an old dog new tricks...

no coffee this morning, ice cold water instead,

ray

Ye Olde Bloggers Are Getting Tired

Even I have noticed it. The writing energy is slowing down a bit as I will soon be starting my fourth year in a few months.
Sometimes life gets in the way.
Personal stuff gets in the way, physical or mental, doesn't matter.
Family stuff looms large or it doesn't.
Many writers I have followed write less or not at all.
Some are writing once a week.
The craftsmanship is still there, the ability to entertain has not waned, but perhaps the desire is not sustaining.
Out of topics?
Every writer goes through feast and famine.
One must remember that writing is a form of expression that must be fanned and nurtured.
Hang in there.
We need you.

coffee time

ray

what if money did not matter?

Comments on IKEA that made me laugh at 4:00 am

There is a continuing story of horse meat being sold to unsuspecting buyers across Europe and how it affected IKEA and their Swedish meatballs.  Supposedly it did not involve their stores here in the states. But in a rare occurrence, the comments I saw posted were funny.

Here are a few:

If you can't trust meatballs from a furniture store, who can you trust?

This puts a whole new meaning to the phrase "I am so hungry I could eat a horse."

Actually, Ikea just sold the ground meat with vague instructions on how to roll it into a ball.

Ikea sells meatballs? I thought they only hired them!

and finally

I walked into an Ikea in November. I am still trying to find my way out.

morning coffee time

ray

Really? You paid someone for that dress?

I stopped watching award shows many years ago, the glitzy over the top productions, the look at me red carpet interviews, it got boring. I don't go to the movies that much anymore so that doesn't help. But I still love the look of glamour when it comes to the ladies.

But in the fierce battle to out do each other, their are many losers. There must be only a few top notch designers out there. There is a rule to accent your attributes and hide your perceived flaws.

Some of the outfits I have seen in passing, a bag lady would leave behind. She of course, has her own standards.
And the hair? And jewelry? What gives? You looked so pretty before you dressed up!

There is a subtleness in a woman's looks that draws attention to herself. Something that gets a man thinking and thinking. Clean and fresh, a little that will say a lot.

Bawdy and trampy doesn't work unless a lot of drinking is involved!

So there you have it, an awards show review by someone who didn't watch the award show.


coffee time

ray

Sometimes One Gets Pushed Into Another Direction

Ha Ha, no, this is not about finding inner peace, just a new way home from work.

When you switch jobs, one of the min struggles one goes through is how to find the best way to get to work and to get home. If you are familiar with the area you know no matter what, you will get there. You try this away and that away and like an animal in the woods, your trail emerges.

Sometimes the one that seems the most efficient is a bit stressful but it will do. Turn here, turn there, anticipate traffic patterns and so on. Zigging and zagging.

Then one night, a bit of daydreaming I miss my turn and was forced to continue on. A bit annoyed, I traveled on to the street I knew would take me home. And a funny thing happened.

I had a sense of calmness as I drove, it seemed easier, it cut my turns in half, and to top it off, less traffic! I was happy. And I have been doing it ever since. A path less traveled!

Side note, I tried it on the way to work and it didn't seem to work.

Another mini victory for me!

coffee time

ray

After Valentines Day Thoughts From RJ

Our satellite communication system circles the earth at over 22,000 miles above the earth (hard to fathom that distance), the asteroid was closer than that at 17,000 miles above the earth. We are not ready if somehow it had turned toward us.

The Mayan prediction was very close, only off by a few months and a few miles. The meteor in Russia showed the destructive power of a direct hit. A coincidence? I think not.

Valentines day is a day to foster guilt and loneliness and is a great marketing ploy.

The seemingly endless battle to feel good and look good can take its toll. Are both concepts joined at the hip? Like the chicken and egg theory? What does come first?

Does anyone know how hard but doable it is to eat 2,000 calories a day, or less? Me and my fitness pals do!

The health and welfare of those around us is more important than ones own health and welfare.

I watched once again the movie Syriana with George Clooney and Matt Damon. A world stage thriller about oil and corruption, It came out in 2005. Things haven't changed. Recommended viewing.

Sometimes life gives one a serpentine path to follow to get where you want to get even if where you want to get is not really clear.

Everyone laughs when the weather gets cold and chilly here in south Florida unless you have come down here for fun in the sun and to work(on ones tan by drinking a lot and wearing as little as possible so when you go back up north you can taunt the less fortunate) on your tan and having breakfast by the pool!


coffee time
and yogurt!

ray

If Higher Education Is So Important, Why Have A Crushing Debt Load To Go With IT?

1.

The game is rigged, you know that. Need the schools, need the grades. Make it for only a select few, thin out the herd. Don't level the playing field. And by chance if they do make it through it all, leave them with a crushing debt load that they feel they will never get rid of.

2.

What if you guess wrong, what if you do the 4 years, six years, eight years or more, and no one is hiring? It happens all the time. Let us say, you wanted to be a lawyer and work in Florida. Currently there is close to 84,000 lawyers in Florida. Do you think they all are making good money, fancy cars, and country clubs? Not a chance. Many are just getting by, many are broke, college loans just don't go away.

3.

You are all grown up now, the world should be one big adventure but it isn't. In your twenties and your fiscal world is crashing around you. Some would say it was your choice, deal with it. If you didn't try some would say you are one big slacker. It is not right, it is not fair.

4.

The pressure to succeed is enormous, to break even, exhausting. Life is not fair, never easy. But sometimes it is not right.  Mentally, physically, it takes its toll.

and I have to watch helplessly.

coffee time

ray

Man vs. Printer

So far it is the printer by a long shot with man falling behind. My problem? Color. No color. Web site, down loads, clean, new cartridges,

Nada. Zip.

Hey, laugh if you want at this wanna be techie. With my ink stained finger tips I shall carry on.

align. check.
printer head clean. check.
deep printer head clean. check.
test page. check
take printer head out. check.

I used to love my wireless Lexmark s605 wireless-copy-scan-print-fax machine.

Until now. Like a scorned ex-lover, it has cast me aside.

The battle-tussle continues.

forget the coffee
it is beer time!
that is right, a breakfast beer!

ray

They do read my poetry, who knew?

You may not know it but I, on occasion, write a bit of poetry. I would say not in the classic sense but I do the best I can. Some happy, some sad, and some very silly. Sometimes something touches me and the words just tumble out, a reflection of sorts on the subject matter.

So I write and post and forget about it. I have a blog just for my poetry and check on it once in awhile.  The number of views that I get from each poem gets more attention than one can hope. It does make me happy.

The following got the most attention so far. It is a very sad poem, the picture sets the scene. I hope you are touched as I was.


No Hope

coffee time

ray

Awaken, once again

to awaken and lay
after hours of sleep
still so tired
legs almost lifeless
the drain of energy
aches and pains
an endless parade

like a light
left on to
drain the power
saps the will
to do
what has brought joy
I fear
nevermore

memories of youth
all to go by
freedom
to run like the wind
to revel
in happiness

life never forgets
a collection it keeps
payback will come
some sooner
some later

a visitor that stays
never to leave

so tired
of being
tired

There is no such thing as dying peaceably in your sleep

A friend from up in Chicago called to let me know that a neighbor of mine growing up had died, she was 91. He told me that she had not been sick or ill and just one day did not wake up. He said she had died peaceably in her sleep.

Bullshit!

Peaceably. All that means is that she did not get hit by a car or a truck or shot or stabbed or whatever. Dying in bed is that much better?

I am betting that when the time comes your mind is screaming no,no,no,not yet as your body starts to shut down. You can't move, you want to cry out but no words come out and there is no one to hear you. Fear takes over as your body does what it can to stay alive. Your body may not be moving but in side you are doing jumping jacks trying to stay alive.

Conclusion? There is no good way to stop living. But this is just the thoughts of an old doddering old man, what do I know.

breakfast and then coffee

ray

Remembering the street vendors from my youth

I was making my weekly soup for lunch for the week this morning and noticed that one of my knives had gotten dull, made a mental note to sharpen them up and brought out another knife to finish the job.

It got me thinking back when I was a kid a man would come around the neighborhood with this huge grinding wheel, walking for miles, doing what he did best..

It was on wheels and as he pushed it down the street ringing his bell, the wives would bring out whatever needed sharpening and then he would be on his way. The neighborhood kids would tag along to watch him work his magic and then would go back to play, now looking for the next distraction.

Just a passing thought, back to my soup making.

coffee

ray

Oh so shy, High school was such a waste

Sad but true. Not being popular in grade school set me up for a long four years in high school. Not popular, not cool, not most likely, not overly skilled in sports, tongue tied around around girls of all kinds and shapes. I only had a few friends that over time faded away. I was overmatched in most of the classes that I took. My report card always had the bloody red F's adorning them.

I never went to the dances, never had a date to any proms. They were invisible years. It was a painful time, many scars that never quite healed. It took a long time to recover. The thinking on this post my prove otherwise.

Eventually I put myself in positions that forced me to overcome and evolved. In my early twenties I became a bartender which overtime changed everything about me. I was forced, one baby step at a time to act differently. I let my funny side show. I stopped worrying about rejection. I became a very good bartender, in demand, working as much as I wanted, learning to deal with all kinds of people in all kinds of situations, good and bad.

But still things linger. I don't think I have even come close to my potential in life. But I have survived. Some days that is like being most likely to succeed.

To all the pretty girls who never gave me a look or kindness or the time of day, if you only knew...

coffee time

ray

Why we are like we are, the United States copied everything from the British

SInce this country was born, we have used the way the British became a world power as a blue print and have done it better. The sun never sets on British rule.
We stole their playbook. We learned from their mistakes. We do make mistakes, many of them but we hide them better from the American public.

The rest of the world sees us as we are. Not the people themselves but our great leaders are at fault. But this has been going on for quite awhile.

I was watching the History channel the other day and the focus was on Teddy Roosevelt, and his connections with the Suez canal.  He realized that if a canal was in place it would be easier to get our navy from one ocean to another. So he had congress ratify a treaty to rent the land and the canal. The problem was the land was owned by Columbia. They said no. So we put in place a new country, Panama, which let us in. "Talk softly and carry a big stick", remember that phrase?

Soon afterwards, we had a fleet of 16 ships "visit" countries around the world, to let them know what we had and what would happen if they messed with us. We don't use the under rule phrase any more, but our military is everywhere. Currently we are trying to put the squeeze on China. They have noticed. And are gearing up.
A new cold war is brewing. Here we go again.

sigh...

coffee

ray

Did you ever wonder "what if I had done this sooner?"

Come on, we all have those thoughts, don't we? Or am I the only one? What if I had done this or took this job instead or met this person or gone down this road. I know for sure, I would not be writing this now and you would not be reading it. For better or worse, for richer and poorer. You have made your bed and now you must lie in it.

Pick a saying, any one at all and it will probably fit for whatever life has given you so far and whatever lies ahead.

People you have met over time have touched your life in one way or another. The car that let you merge on a busy highway, someone who opened a door for you when your hands were full, someone who said good morning and smiled, watching children play, peals of laughter cascading over all. A couple holding hands, the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen, only to be topped by tomorrows grand spectacle.

You made a right instead of a left and avoided that accident. You asked how someone was doing today and realized that they were happy that someone cared. You let someone know that they were not alone. You made someone realize they were not invisible today, they were noticed.

Ask someone if they need a hand, chances are they will be grateful for the kindness and the effort you have offered. You will find yourself smiling for no particular reason and people will want you to share. Do not allow little things to ruin your day, laugh at the absurdity of it all.

Little things count, for you and against you. Life offers no shortcuts but will allow you to take the long way if you so desire.

It is okay to wonder and then it is time to move on. Keep wondering, it is what makes us special.

coffee time
ray

They fear our government, that is why they have guns

There is a lack of trust that our government is for the people by the people.  A deep seated fear. They will say"you will have to pry my gun from my cold hands." The truth is, they will. One can have all the assault weapons and bullets and guns and knives and whatever, but if they launch an attack, it is over. And they will cart you away in a body bag.

They will quote the 2nd amendment as their bible. In fact the government doesn't believe in the constitution, hasn't for many years. They have chipped away at it, it is barely hanging on. For example, people are more involved with the latest smart phone than due process in a court of law. Whatever happened to habeas corpus?
Secret courts, secret camps, the president can order American citizens killed. Where is the hue and cry?

Yes there are gun nuts. Yes atrocious things have happened, many lives taken away. By that same token soldiers lives are lost everyday and many by suicide. Put in harms way, not to protect our country but to further some one's agenda. Many come home in body bags you are not allowed to see because it would inflame the American public. But still, more people are interested in the judges on American Idol.

Some that read this will say this a disjointed jumble of words on this page and that I don't understand what is going on in the world. Maybe that is true. But I do know it is almost impossible to have a discussion about politics, religion and world affairs without a lot of arm waving or arms crossed and foot stomping or whatever because it comes down to my way or the highway.

The problem with our government is that it sees every problem as a nail and they are the hammer. We stopped being the land of the free a long time ago.

time for a cold dark brooding coffee

ray

very early morning random thoughts from rj

It is proving once again that the football playoffs are much more watchable then the Super Bowl will ever be.

That if I had dedicated myself to one particular sport, with years of training, the best teachers, the best techniques,  that I would still be an average athlete, They are that good.

That the most scary thing one may do is changes careers late in life.

That as a parent, one can only hope you have done well. It will be years before you know how it turns out.

One almost has to trick the mind in believing that what you want is what you want. The mental roadblocks to failure will pop up everywhere. It is hard to mute the inner voices of defeat. When you do, your successes will be enormous.

Success does not have to be shrouded with fame. It is okay to be great at something and still unknown to the world. The good thing is that greatness will be recognized in due course.

There is nothing worse then waking up from a long sleep and still being tired.

The problem with working through physical pain as you get older is you are not sure it will go away.

Sex is not the most important thing in a relationship but like seasoning in cooking, you should always add enough to make it worthwhile and tasty.

The rewards in life should be on par with the effort put forth. A surprise bonus can be helpful and appreciated.

The hidden intrigue of a woman can sometimes be better then the unveiling.

The warm touch of a hand is always better than the promise of nothing.

Time of an energizing cup of coffee
but it is very noticeable that the effect isn't what it used to be.

ray