Happy Birthday Gladys

My prayers go out to Scott, my sisters son in law (my niece's husband) who fell from a roof while at work and was rushed to a hospital then flown to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, KY.

I mowed yesterday and we had our dryer and dishwasher fixed. Everything was successful - today I pick up grass clippings and place them around our flowers to give them a nice winter blanket.

Punkie did not respond to his kitty litter training so he went out with the cats. He has a great friend in Ice-D who has turned out to be the friendliest of all our cats. His friends include mom and dad, all the cats, 3 dogs, 1 tom, 1 skunk, 1 possum and Allycat plus the new kitten (Thom.) from my sister Sandy. The new kitten is strong enough to play with all the toys now plus she has fat on her bones.

I think our hummingbirds have left for warmer climates. They were feeding here last Sunday and they did looked pretty chubby.

Normally our grass this time of year is brown from the harsh dry summer. But this year our grass is still lush and green as I speak. A killing frost may do some severe damage to the grass because it has not settled into a dry dormant stage. We will see.

flu.gov

Do you have a question about who should have a flu shot?

This looks to be an all around access point for questions about any type of flu.

Wal-Mart is the institution that best symbolizes America today.
Before I was in the 2nd grade I do not ever remember entering any department store. The first department stores was the Levi store in Alhambra, CA., a small department store for an complete Easter outfit and new shoes all in Alhambra (1950's). Next came the four story Sears Store somewhere in LA.
I lived in Pasadena before this time and I remember the downtown stores but I do not ever remember entering one. I remember salesmen always coming to our home to sell salves and notions. I remember a Sears catalog in our home.

Calendars Through the Ages

Today is Sunday the Sun Day. Our day of reflection. I being retired from the hum drum of the odysseys of the 9 to 5 work week do reflect at every moment of the day and week. I can also do this by whispering or screaming because it is an understanding of existing, a prayer to god and the the bowing down to the sun's warmth.
The earth is but a moment in time in the vastness of space.


From the calendar web site:
"In ancient Rome, a priest observed the sky and announced a new moon cycle to the king. For centuries afterward, Romans referred to the first day of each new month as Kalends (from their word calare, which means "to proclaim”)."

It is foggy out this morning and we do have a spectrum of cat life in our home. At the moment our youngest is learning about the keyboard which makes it a little amazing to post anything without scrolling, pawing or tabbying.

We have states and commonwealths in this area of America.
We call this union of states "The United States of America" because we are unionized or united we are very strong and able to function very well in the world.
Ronald Reagan tried to tear it apart and let corporate America run the states but that has turned out to be a failure because of greed and corruption.
The best solution on how to run the United States is in the Preamble to the Constitution.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

The United States of America

Our government is being used as a scapegoat as to what is wrong here in the United States.
Because we can stand up and say our piece we seem to ignore what is right in the United States.
It is true that everything has an ulterior motive to it we still benefit.
Lets make a list of what our taxes do.

1. Roads across the United States are sound and paid for by gas taxes.
2. There are schools in every county in the United States paid for by taxes and private money.
3. There is a health department in every county where children can get shots for dangerous diseases paid for by federal taxes.
4. Farmers are paid to rotate crops to keep their farms from turning to dust. These farmers are paid with federal taxes.
5. Farmers are also paid to keep the price of farm goods down. This is done with federal taxes.
6. College bound students can receive government grants, scholarships and loans to help them through school. These are paid for by federal taxes.
7. Businesses are given grants to study just about everything to keep our minds moving forward and reward us with unbelievable technology in our homes. These are paid with federal taxes.

There may be other things our taxes do to improve our society but I can only think of one thing we as a nation do not do.

Today is Saturday. It is cloudy out and 64 degrees here in Marion.
I have done some of the projects I wanted to do with NARFE. It was difficult and tedious. I have to learn to use a database on my website because that is part of the future in the direction we are going.

Web sites created for $70.00 dollars per hour.

Happy Birthday Sandy

I have been busy with web sites and visiting FaceBook and my sisters blog plus sizing and formatting old photos that I have not posted here in a while.
The photos are overwhelming with memories as I try to work on my websites.
I am trying to figure out how to imbed links into a photo. It can be done I just have to learn to do it.
I have to close the pool this week before ice starts forming in my pipe work.
So I will do that today.
Now I have not forgotten how to maintain my prayer and work simultaneously.
Motherkitty has placed more food out for the hummingbirds as they are fattening up for their trip south.
The trip to North Carolina Lake Junaluska with NARFE was eye opening. I think that was the purpose. They wanted a little shock treatment for a tired and still association. They had to move forward since they changed their name from The National Association of Retired Federal Employees to National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and keeping it's acronym, NARFE.
The active part of the name meant that we had to step on board with federal employees still working and getting close to retirement. Those employees use the Internet. So I was there to gently move them forward. It was hard for folks set in their ways to step forward into the steam of information flowing online. That is why I was asked to be part of their future.

subtle

Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun - Dick Cavett Show

Low key heavy mild just getting ready to take off.

Sandy's birthday is just a few days away.

it was a strange night of wide eyed sleeplessness. I have no clue as to what caused the eye opening, gear turning night.

Happy Birthday Diane
Happy Birthday John

Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday Laura

President Barack Obama - Loyal Supporter

I am loyal supporter of President Barack Obama and I do believe in universal health care.
Equality for all human beings.
A good sound work ethic.
I believe in the family where standards start at the oldest and move on down to the youngest as in Confucianism (One of the most prominent features of Confucianism is the belief in the importance of the family and in the hierarchy of the family.)
I believe in products made in the USA and the profits staying in the USA.
I do not like the idea of products made here and the profits going overseas (As in Toyota).
I believe in the 40 hour work week and what it stands for. Overtime for anything over 40 hours. Overtime for anything over 8 hours in a day.
I believe in retirement benefits.

Labor Day

This morning I hear a cricket outside last week it was a cicada off in the distant trees.
At one time in the United States children worked alongside adults in factories and mines. That started to change in 1832.
Groups of people united to change the way we were treated at work. Those unions of people have pretty much disappeared since Ronald Reagan fired Federal Employees for standing their ground.
Ronald Reagan pretty much learned how to treat people from the movie industry where people were moved around by Directors who worked for Producers.
Workers unions helped organize health benefits and retirement plans for their employees - that has pretty much disappeared.
***
It is early Monday morning and my life has been very physical.
In the past I have been moved rock as in a chain gang. The work made my muscles sore.
Hard work drives out the time to ponder and to muse.
That is something I learned at Tolstoy Farm and Morningstar Commune; I learned that work is part of life and part of the ability to survive. Being paid to work is a bonus. Work has nothing to do with society; it is strictly a personal thing; society benefits from my work.
I grew up thinking that a human being had to work nine to five jobs and that if you did not work for society you were a slacker. That thought is pushed into the minds of human beings in our society and creates a false sense of moral values of doers and slackers.
The world has learned to abuse the ability of work by creating slaves to do their work; causing me to think that work is part of the evil when in realty it is the man that controls the slave that is evil; not the work.
Where ever you find a group of men working as slaves you always see a few men that are content with their lives and you wonder why.
I know why now.
Yes we must free man from slavery; not free man from work; pounding rock is not evil.
We should also free man from the propaganda implanted in the brain about work.
***
"Carrying water and chopping wood are the activities of the Buddha,"
"The everyday mind is Buddha," are two of the most well known Zen sayings.

It is nice here in Western Kentucky.
We have two types of cats here at our home. Tiger Lily, Loretta, Dolly and Polly-I hunt and eat outside at night. They sometimes are gone for days and live off the land, sometimes they take rides on the school buses. When they come home they collapse and sleep. We have one tom who just sleeps, fights and lays around who rarely ever goes farther they eye distance from the cat dish.
Alley Cat and Peaches are old and rarely hunt anymore and they look ragged and worn.
Then we have a young cat named George who has been cut who got very fat until we threw him out to fend for himself, he has slimmed down by mock fighting with Ice-D and now comes and goes as he pleases. This year we have the kittens Ice-D and Punkie. Ice-D is just over a year old and Punkie is about is maybe four months old. Ice=D and Punkie are in constant battle, it used to be that George and Ice-D were in constant battle. Ice-D has played with dogs, cats, possums and skunks so Ice-D is going to be a tough tom some day (he might of cut himself during the ice storm).

Things Only a Republican Could Believe

From Reddit:
So, y'all remember that email that went around years ago called "Things Only a Republican Could Believe"? I'm pretty sure there was a Democratic variant as well. Well, I've put together a new and updated list and wanted to run it by you. Please feel free to add to it or offer corrections\comments. If you like it -- email it out to your spamming list. I'm hoping for a bit of a viral effect to get it circulating. Satire is an effective weapon against craziness!

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I make no apologies if you consider yourself a Republican. I am a registered Independent and have voted Republican at various levels of government, but the current crop of Republicans at the national level are off the reservation. To call them bat shit crazy would be an insult to bat shit.

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Things Only a Republican Could Believe:

*

Parents who don't want their children to pray in school are Anti-American zealots -- parents who don't want their children to listen to a speech by the President of the United States telling them to work hard and get good grades are noble patriots.
*

Peacefully demonstrating against the country starting an international war is treason -- showing up with automatic weapons to protest healthcare reform is democracy at its finest.
*

Any government official with a desk job should have every action scrutinized -- any government official with a badge and a gun should never be questioned or disrespected. At all. Ever.
*

Questioning the legitimacy of an election because the "winner" was selected by the Supreme Court is sour grapes -- questioning the legitimacy of an election because the winner (by the largest number of votes in American history) is really a Kenyan born Muslim despite all evidence to the contrary is being a vigilant American.
*

Lying about a blowjob is an impeachable offense -- lying about a war is no big deal, really.
*

Investigating a shady land deal involving the First Lady is a matter of National Identity -- investigating the use of torture at the direction of the Executive Branch is a partisan witch hunt.
*

Executing Japanese officers for waterboarding prisoners during WWII shows that we have the moral high-ground on human rights -- waterboarding prisoners of our shows that we have the moral high-ground on human rights.
*

Sitting two rows in front of Jane Fonda in a 1970 anti-war rally is an OUTRAGE! Shaking Saddam's hand in 1983...meh, not so much.
*

Anyone who questions the president during a time of war is giving aide and comfort to the enemy and should be deported...unless the president in question has a (D) next to their name in which case you should undermine them at every turn even if you have to routinely make shit up to do it.
*

Socialism, Marxism, Communism and Fascism are all interchangeable words that mean pretty much the same thing.
*

Anyone who abuses drugs should be locked up indefinitely...unless they are a popular Republican radio host in which case they need your prayers as they recover from the illness of addiction.
*

Health Insurance companies have your best interests in mind and anyone who thinks otherwise is trying to turn America into the Godless heathen nation of Sweden where EVERYONE in the country dies (eventually).
*

Obama is an atheist communist muslim who attended a radical christian church.
*

Believing that human activity could impact the global environment is crazy talk -- believing that an invisible man in the sky personally told George Bush to invade Iraq to fulfill Biblical prophecy is logically sound.
*

The verdict is still out on evolution -- but Jesus Christ returning in our lifetimes is a pretty much a given.
*

The media are unquestionably biased against Republicans -- Talk Radio, The Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, The Wall Street Journal, Rightwing Blogs, Fox News and NewsCorp are not part of the media.
*

The government should have no part in regulating multi-national corporations as they make decisions that impact the lives of millions of people -- government should regulate individuals by determining who they can marry, what kind of intercourse they can have, what they can smoke, how to manage their pregnancy and how to proceed with end of life decisions.
*

Communicating with hostile nations is a stab in the back to our great nation -- Reagan communicating with the USSR during the Cold War was Political Genius.
*

Iran is a mortal threat to our nation and anyone who attempts to talk to them is traitorous scum -- selling weapons to Iran and then funneling the money to start wars in South America is clearly in our National interest.
*

George Bush kept the nation safe after 9-11 (NOTE: the Anthrax attacks, the DC Sniper and Hurricane Katrina don't count. Also, the fact that 9-11 happened on his watch despite receiving a security briefing specifically warning of the attack doesn't count either.)
*

Social Security, Meidcare, public schooling, public libraries, fire departments, police departments and the US Military are as American as Apple Pie -- universal healthcare is ZOMGDEATHPANELSOCIALISM!!
*

George W Bush is a regular 'ole Texas rancher just like you and me despite the fact that he was born in Connecticut, attended two Ivy League schools, bought the Crawford ranch just before running for president, sold it immediate after leaving office and is terrified of horses.
*

The two guys at the center of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals are trustworthy voices in discussions of current national policy and should be taken at face-value.

It is 66 degrees outside this morning and I am going to turn on the pool solar heater.
People do read and listen to the written word. They may not acknowledge it but the words do seem to get to where it is needed without embarrassment.

Health Care

Health Care Premiums for residents of Kentucky have risen 61% since 2000.

Through health insurance reform, 621,300 to 692,400 middle class Kentucky residents will be eligible for premium credits to ease the burden of these high costs.

Natural Selection

I though of Jesus when I read this recently. Jesus understood who he was and he told everyone who he was and they believed him so well that we are still talking about him today. That is a natural selection by humanity as a whole and that is one of the things Darwin was talking about in his book, "On the Origin of Species".
It is one thing to understand god and Jesus and it is another to worship him and exclude humanity as a whole.
We have a Ministress in town who does exclude parts of humanity and still extols the virtues of Jesus.
I grew up Catholic and wondered why Jews were punished? My friend Emory was Jewish and he felt the brunt of the pain and he rebelled. I have had two other Jewish friends and both rebelled. I could not understand religion in the old Christian terms that excluded humans and animals there had to be something that understood god. The bible was the first place to give me a clue in Genesis and the revolution in 1960's was the second clue when my young friends started passing out books on religion and philosophy on the communes. The words equality and freedom were ringing true as were the words of Jefferson, Gandhi, Siddhartha Gautama, Confucius and Tolstoy.
All these people were right. What was the common theme? Well they all opened theirs mouths to speak. And what did they speak about? What is the first thing that comes from your mind and out of your mouth when you see a beautiful sunset? When was this first uttered; I'll bet it was way before any languages were set on walls?
Am I getting closer to the truth or is the truth always passing before my eyes just as a human being walks near me going there and there. Is it my responsibility to understand them and also theirs to understand me.
Some folks were capable of writing or voicing their thoughts and we read about them because they touched our hearts.
We are all the books.
Natural Selection

This is a good morning. Today mom has a doctors appointment; it seems her blood pressure has been above normal the last two times she has visited her doctor in Paducah. Her blood pressure was up here in Marion just after being hit by the young boy at Walmart. We do not have a clue why her pressure is up after the collision but it is. The doctor in Paducah had her hip x-rayed.

The earth is crying for help!

Religion: a selective advantage

Religion: a selective advantage; Darwinism at its best.

Cucoo at the Beach

Check out this post by my sister Sandy.
Love It.

All you children and grandchildren better keep track of all these Blog and Facebook postings we are doing. Some day you will wish you had.

Portable Record Player and 45 EP

In Temple City and Arcadia we had one of these.
You could buy 45 rpm record albums with more than one song per side. I have not seen any 45 rpm albums anywhere online. Let me look again.
I listened to mostly pop EP's but one I really enjoyed was Chum's Rossini - William Tell overture.

Part 2.

Our home in Pasadena (Mom's parents home) had one of these (I am not sure as to what it looked like but this is very similar) RCA Victoria's pictured at left.. We had a great assortment of 78's Marches and classical records.
At my grandparents home in San Gabriel we had one of these player pianos pictured below.

A Steady Pace

I have eliminated the bear from my woods and I keep a steady pace right here in my environment.
Some places in the world envy the environment that we have created. This is a peaceful environment free from danger. Why is that so? We have created a mental wall of security. There is harm here but mostly it is harm that we create.
We are more dangerous than a savage tiger we have blown two countries away in our history. So only a few sparks ravage our territory.
Where I live there are rifles everywhere because we are the quiet militia our founding fathers wanted.