How to Get Rid Of Bedbugs

I know I am concerned about a possible bedbug infestation every time I sit on a bus or go to a theater or pick up clothes or buy a mattress. I don't let my concerns hold me back. But I certainly have tried to keep up with the latest products available to get rid of bedbugs.

Once bedbugs infest your home, it is very difficult to get rid of them. Bedbugs can survive up to eighteen months in your home with no one to feed on.  And most products up until recently only work the moment you are using them.

That's why I am writing this blog. To help, in the only way I could, those with bedbug infestations get rid of the bedbugs and help them avoid being bitten at night.

Nixalite makes a bedbug spray called 'Kills Bedbug II Spray.

Another product that kills bedbugs and is non toxic is a product called Diatomaceous Earth. 

Smarter Households has a product called BedDefense which when placed under you mattress repels bedbugs so you can sleep without getting bit.

I am not affiliated with any of the above products I've described and will not profit from any purchases of the above products I've described.

I hope this helps people who have a bedbug infestation or who want to be prepared for a potential bedbug infestation. I suggest everyone keep up with the latest bedbug products on the Internet. 

Depending on the Government

Conservatives seem to think that too many people are depending on the government. They claim people should stop depending of the government.

I've been friends with many of these people. Believe me when I say, they have real problems. Some have severe logic deficit problems. Others have severe emotional problems. Others have brain damage due to an injury. Others were abused when they were children. Others have mental problems. Others have symptoms of autism. I've known one person whose IQ is 70. I've known another person whose attention span was about 15 seconds. I've known others who suffer from severe depression and often consider suicide. Others have problems because when they were young children they witnessed a loved one committing suicide. Others sent out thousands of job applications over a short period of time and never found a job. Others have a poor self image possibly because one or both of their parents always denigrated them.

Conservatives are out of touch. They don't understand and they don't want to understand. They think there is a magic pill that resolves any and every problem.

Conservatives speak with a forked tongue. They complain about people depending the government while they allow corporations to depend on the government. 

What Your Manager Said About You

"Hey Joe, I heard the manager talking about you." said Jim.

"Oh yeah? What'd he say?"

"He said he loves the way you handle yourself."

"Really?" Joe smiled

"Yep. He wishes you'd do it on your own time!"

(Source unknown)

Chuck Berry: My Ding-a-Ling

This performance is way too funny!

Chuck Berry: My Ding-a-Ling

The Monster Mash

I remember how much fun it was to listen to this song on the radio.

The Monster Mash

American Pie: Don McLean

American Pie was one of my favorite songs of all times. I even memorized the lyrics at one point. It wasn't intentional. I couldn't help it. My brother played the song every night. Hope you enjoy listening to it again.

American Pie: Don McLean

Everybody Wants To Rule The World: Tears For Fears

Everybody Wants To Rule The World  (Shout)


(Everybody wants to rule the world)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFU1GeGFpzY&feature=related

Alfred Noyes: The Highwayman

This is probably the best poetry I have ever read. Anyone who loves excellent poems that relate a story will love this poem.

A highwayman is a robber. This poem is romantic and gripping. An excellent read.

The Highwayman

The Hobbit: Trailer Number Two

This trailer is humorous. Listen to the Dwarfs' song. Well worth watching!

The Hobbit; Trailer Number Two

When Allergies Hinder One's Performance

This article explains how my wife and I deal with our allergies. It explains how my allergies affect my performance.

When Allergies Hinder One's Performance

Following My Dreams: Am I Yearning To Be The Person I'm Not?

I published this article on Triond.

Following My Dreams: Am I Yearning to Be The Person I'm Not?

Clint Eastwood

A lot of people I've spoken to did not like Clint Eastwood's stand up comedy routine at the Republican National Convention.  Personally, soon as Clint Eastwood introduced the chair, I suspected he was not following convention rules.  I question the reasoning of those who allowed Clint Eastwood to talk for five minutes.
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Why would anyone familiar with Clint Eastwood expect him to follow rules.  Even when he was acting in his spaghetti westerns, he would scratch out dialogue that he thought was unnecessary.  I think that's why he was chosen for the characters he played. Though he was not the violent person he played in those movies, his personality certainly complemented the characters he played..

I heard that visitors to his house were greeted by a hangman's noose. Eastwood intended it as a joke.

Anyway, his speech at the Republican National Convention was absolutely hilarious.  He should have performed this comedy act on a late night talk show. He should not have taken up an extra fifteen minutes to perform it at the Republican National Convention.

Below, I provide a link to a book review. The book is titled  'Clint: The Life and Legend.' It was written by Patrick McGilligan.

Eastwood: The Life and Legend

Recipe for a Tragedy

A young teenager comes walking (toward the west) up the hill of an unlit road. He is wearing dark clothes, has headphones covering his ears, listening to loud music while looking at a gadget in his hands. The teenager is on the right side of the road.

A blue sedan with bright beams is on the opposite side of the road and is a ahead of the young teenager. This blue sedan is traveling east.

A Hyundai is coming up the opposite side of the hill. The car's headlamps are on but the driver is not able to see the young teenager ahead of him and to his right. The Hyundai is traveling west.

Near the top of the hill, the teen veers between two parked cars.

As the Hyundai comes over the hill and the driver is blinded by the bright beams of the approaching blue sedan, the young teenager walks into the street from between the two parked cars.

The passenger in the Hyundai yells "Look out!" At that same instant in time, the Hyundai driver sees the teenager ahead and to the right of his vehicle. The driver applies the breaks and comes to a stop.  The blue sedan passes the Hyundai and keeps on going.

The teenager doesn't stop. He crosses the road without looking up from the gadget in his hand.  The teenager probably had no idea how close he came to being hit.

If the driver of the Hyundai had been driving faster, the teen would probably have ended up in the hospital or dead.

Mitt Romney, CEOs Worried About Economy

According to the article "Why CEOs Are Worried About The Economy" written by Rick Newman and published in USANews.com, the top concerns of CEOs are the European crisis, commodity prices, and the Chinese economy.

So what does Romney have to say about these three concerns? Romney advocates tax cuts, deregulation and drilling for more oil. The problem is that none of these fully address the concerns of the CEOs as listed in the article written by Rick Newman.

So I went to the web site 'Mitt Romney for President' and accessed to the page 'Mitt Romney On The Critical Issues.'  On that web page, there is not a single word about the European Debt Crisis.

Romney clearly defines his position regarding the trade issue between the US and China.

With regard to commodities Romney focuses on oil. He ignores all the warnings that the world's supply of oil will be depleted. There are numerous web sites on the Internet warning about the depletion of oil.

While the Republicans show great concern for the cost of programs they don't like in the next 30 years, they show no concern over the depletion of the world's oil supply. Romney has no interest in developing any other form of energy. Romney has no interest in solar power, wind power, global warming, our aquifers or the environment.  He is willing to sacrifice everything for profit.

Romney claims to have consulted with CEOs. I think he should consult with them again and update his proposed policies.

Having said that, the only interest the Republicans express concerning the future of our nation is the debt. But in order to secure the future of our nation we must be concerned with everything. What good is alleviating the debt for future generations if we neglect all other economic and environment needs of future generations?

Romney's vision of our future is a recipe for disaster.

References:

Why CEOs Are Worried About The Economy

Elect Romney 2012 Website

Oil Depletion Analysis Center

Christianity and Capitalism

With all the talk about Paul Ryan's inspiration for politics and his comments about Ayn Rand, writing a blog about Christianity and capitalism seemed natural.  I've read the four gospels of our Lord Jesus and I have not found any parable wherein Jesus speaks out against capitalism.  Our Lord Jesus spoke against greed. But there is a difference between greed and capitalism. They are not one and the same as some would have us believe. Here are some references, parables and quotes from the NIV Study Bible that directly or indirectly relate to capitalism.
 
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

In Luke 16:1-14, Jesus tells a parable about a manager accused of wasting his master's possessions. The manager loses his job. Then the manager lowered the debts of three people who owed the master so that they would be indebted to the manager. In other words, the manager 'cooked the books.' Hence, the manager had someone to take him in. The master commended the manager's shrewd dishonest actions.
In the NIV Study Bible, Jesus explained the meaning of the parable as follows: Luke 16:9 "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourself, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."

In the notes for Luke 16:9  in the NIV Study Bible, it states: "God's people should be alert to make use of what God has given them to gain friends by helping those in need, who will in the future show their gratitude by welcoming their benefactors into Heaven."

In the NIV Study Bible Luke 16:17 Jesus says, "You cannot serve both God and money."

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard.

In the NIV Study Bible Mathew 20:1-16 Jesus explains what the kingdom of Heaven is like by telling a story of laborers in a vineyard and their dispute over wages paid to them. The laborers, who had worked a whole day were paid the wages they had agreed to, complained about workers who were hired for only the latter part of the day and paid the same wages. Those who only worked the latter part on the day were paid first. The master explained that he had the right to do what he wanted with his money.  Jesus explains this parable in the NIV Study Bible by saying "So the last will be first and the first will be last."

Jesus at the Temple

In Mathew 21:12, Jesus reprimands the money exchangers in the Temple yard. In the NIV Study Bible it states: "He (Jesus) drove out all who were buying and selling there. Jesus said, 'It is written My house will be called a House of Prayer. But you are making it a den of robbers.' "

The Parable of the Rich Fool

This parable is about a rich man who produced a good crop and decided to save it for himself.  In the NIV Study Bible Luke 16:20, God speaks to him, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you."  In 16:21 Jesus said, "This is how it will be for he who stores things up for himself but is not rich toward God."
In the NIV Study Bible, Luke 12:15 Jesus talked about those who grow rich for themselves instead of growing rich in the sight of God.  He warns us to avoid greed in all it's forms.

In the NIV Study Bible; Mathew 19:23 Jesus said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." When the apostles asked, "The who could be saved?" Jesus answered, "With man, this is impossible. But with God all things are possible."

Note that Jesus didn't say "But with God this is possible." He stated, "But with God all things are possible."  Not just a rich man entering the Kingdom of Heaven, but all things.

Conclusion

The above sections of the New Testament clearly indicated that Christianity and honest uncorrupted capitalism can exist in harmony as long as that capitalism is not based on greed and selfishness. Our Lord Jesus encouraged honesty in our business dealings as well as our personal dealings with others.

Response to Reverend C.L. Bryant's FreePAC Speech

The Reverend C.L. Bryant gave a speech at FreePAC on August 2, 2012. This is my response to his speech.

President Obama is not your enemy. He is your President. As your President, he deserves as much respect as President Ronald Reagan. President Obama is a patriot just like all other presidents.

President Obama honored President Abraham Lincoln's famous words that our great nation is a nation of the people, by the people and for the people. The Republican leaders have not truly lived up to Abraham Lincoln's words.

Both Democrats and Republicans served in wars and died for our nation. Both Democrats and Republicans are patriots.

Republicans love big government in the form of tax incentives and tax subsidies to big business. Tax incentives and tax subsidies favors some large corporations and consequently discriminates against other large corporations.

Republican big government oppresses the workers with lower wages and less benefits.

Republican big government places an undue burden on the states by transferring financial responsibility for government programs to the states; thereby forcing the states to raise taxes.

The Republican Congress members shirk their duties. There are many examples including the attempt to allow our banking system to fail, the refusal to help the US Auto Industry and the attempt to force a default on the national debt payment. The Tea Party Congress members shirk their duties by refusing to compromise.

Democrats and Republicans are good people. Liberals are good Christians just like Republicans. Reverend C.L. Bryant's is a devoted Christian. Liberal members of the Clergy are devoted Christians too.

Democrats are patriots who stand up for God and Country. Democrats love America just like Republicans do.

President Obama is a patriot. All the Democratic politicians are patriots. President Obama loves our nation as much as any other President in the history of our nation.

If Republicans truly understood the US Constitution they would not be trying to expand big government into the private lives of our citizens with the Gay Marriage amendment.

Is Reverend Bryant absolutely sure he wants to restore the country that our Founding Fathers gave us? I don't think he understands what our Founding Fathers gave us. For example: Does he know that Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian. Thomas Jefferson believed in Deism which accepts our Lord's teachings but not His miracles and not His resurrection. They do not accept our Lord Jesus as the Son of God.

In short, Reverend C.L. Bryant owes President Obama an apology for slandering him. Obama acted like a patriot of our great nation. Obama was willing to compromise with the Republicans. Obama is not a dictator. The Tea Party Congress members has earned the label dictator.

And there is no reason to mock Obama's wife. Reverend C.L. Bryant did not sound like a Reverend devoted to our Lord Jesus. He sounded like a politician willing to slander others to win an election.

Reverend C.L. Bryant's FreePAC Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=bYItpzNrKXM&feature=endscreen

Our Health Care Experiences

Joyce and I have two doctors who are absolutely wonderful and very generous. One doctor is our family doctor. He is extremely polite and always asks "May I" before doing anything. He offered me free prescription samples. I thanked him and refused the samples. I told him to save those prescription samples for someone who really needs them.

The other doctor is my wife's heart doctor. He is a very kind generous man. We've known him for years. He  took care of my mom 30 years ago.  She was experiencing pain that extended from both ears to her throat and down the center of her chest.  The family convinced her to go see a doctor. One of her main arteries was 90% clogged. She underwent a procedure with balloon catheters to clear her arteries. At the time, I was surprised because my mom always ate a balanced diet.

But nine years ago I learned through experience that in some cases, including mine, the body manufactures cholesterol to high blood levels even if one doesn't eat high cholesterol food.  When I went on a low cholesterol diet, my cholesterol levels sky rocketed.

Another expensive prescription medication is the strong antibiotic given for H Pylori; a stomach bacteria that is believed for be responsible for ulcers. My wife did not have an ulcer, but she did have a polyp in her stomach. A biopsy revealed that she had H Pylori. She was prescribed Pylera. A fourteen day supply of the prescription, Pylera, would have cost us nearly $900 without insurance. Fortunately, our insurance covered most of the cost and we only paid three hundred and something dollars for it.

My wife and I have been blessed thus far. No hospital stays. I opted for out of network insurance coverage because I recognized the high cost that one could incur if one does not have out of network coverage.

A History of American Law

A synopsis:

A History of American Law

Karate Kid Alternate Ending: Master Li vs Mr Han!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=7MixnqJIlvg

The Complex Issues Surrounding Abortion and Rape

I published this article on Triond.

The Complex Issues Surrounding Abortion and Rape

Why Our Marriage Lasted So Long

This article was published by me on Triond under my pen name johnmariow. It details the many reasons my marriage with Joyce has lasted so long.

Why Our Marriage Lasted So Long

http://beyondjane.com/family/marriage/why-our-marriage-has-lasted-so-long/

Are Video Games Destroying Relationships

Here is a well-written article published by Christopher Starks on Triond.

Are Video Games Destroying Relationships?

http://www.triond.com/users/Christopher+Starks#

Ten New Excuses for Being Late to School

Here is a funny article published by Steven West on Triond.  Read and enjoy.

http://purpleslinky.com/humor/ten-new-excuses-for-being-late-to-school/

Is Your Backyard Soil Contaminated?

I wonder how many people research the history of the neighborhood surrounding the house they want to buy?  I think hundreds of millions of owners and renters let their children play in the backyard without any knowledge of the history of the soil the children are playing on. Normally, this does not become an issue.

Here is a link to a recent news article about contaminated soil.  It sure makes one think.

Some neighborhoods dangerously contaminated by lead fallout

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-04-20/smelting-lead-contamination-soil-testing/54420418/1?csp=24&kjnd=8XTFuPNQ2o2%2FvFAkjwY9kR4nRMymT%2FFxYyLFlAAapxNOe3WJHGbBFGVqxXyVPv8A-372cba99-6fbf-4ccf-bf1a-4878b85c0a87_fSgm66VZIeuvX%2FnnosIQJS%2F4BGvVRS9qE5cWb8%2FUaiYZgFlQ1Wg5IIQBDql43aOa

My Second Colonoscopy One Week After the First

Two days after my first colonoscopy, my doctor phoned me to tell me that there was another small polyp.  She wanted to perform a second colonoscopy as soon as possible to remove the polyp because the four polyps she had removed were precancerous. One of those four polyps was stage 3 precancerous. So she wanted to tattoo the area so that she could keep an eye on it during future colonoscopies.

She jokingly suggested that she could tattoo my wife's name near the polyp, but my wife said that was not the preferred site for her name.

Last Thursday, ,I went in for my second colonoscopy.  They found and removed the polyp and also removed a small suspicious looking area without breaching the colon wall.

I was very lucky. Neither the colon nor the small area was precancerous.  She told me to come back in a year for another colonoscopy. 

Colonoscopy: My First Experience.

If you are thinking about having a colonoscopy,  remember that each person's experience is different. Remember to tell your gastroenterologist  all your concerns including what to do about an upset stomach, gastritis and any other concern regardless of how minor the concern appears. This is important because the formula for cleaning your colon may vary according to what you tell your gastroenterologist.

I decided to go for a colonoscopy primarily because I'm 65 years old and I figured it was high time to do so. 

I told my gastroenterologist I had a nervous stomach' as a child. I don't know what it really was. 'Nervous stomach' was the term my mother used. I would get stomach cramps often. My first case of gastritis occurred when I was in my mid-twenties. The gas bubbles would form in my stomach after I ate and when the bubbles came up, they'd bring up the food causing me to choke. So I had to lay down. This lasted for several days. On the second day I visited my family doctor who prescribed something to get rid of the gases.      My doctor had me take more than the maximum dosage of the prescription because the maximum dosage did not relieve the gaseous feeling. My stomach was so upset that for months the only food that wouldn't give me gases was a broiled hamburger. It took years of experiment to find out what foods I could and could not eat.

I found the preparation for the colonoscopy not so bad. Of course, I could only have clear liquids the day before the colonoscopy. My doctor told me that broth, Jello, sports drinks, soda and coffee were all acceptable. So I had a bowl (not a cup) of Chicken broth and some Jello whenever I got hungry. The formula I had to drink at 6:00 PM did not taste good. So I sipped a little sports drink whenever the taste of the formula got to me. Then I drank a quart of sports drink. The sports drink replaces all the electrolytes that are drained from one's body during diarrhea. It also rehydrate the body. Of course I was in the bathroom all night. 

On the morning of the colonoscopy, I woke up early and had another bowl of chicken broth. Then I drank the formula and drank another quart of sports drink. I had no liquids for two hours before the colonoscopy. I was not conscious during the colonoscopy. During the colonoscopy they found and removed four precancerous polyps. 

  

Polanski's Oliver Twist

I watched Roman Polanski's gritty tale of Charles Dicken's Oliver Twist.  This movie is a hard-hitting drama that tells the story in straight forward form.  The abuses of orphan children are omni-present throughout the story. Oliver is presented as a child orphan brought up in a workhouse, abused verbally, starved, rejected, whipped, scorned, arrested and injured. The innocent character, Oliver, retains his goodness and kindness throughout it all.

I saw the musical 'Oliver!' and I read the book 'Oliver Twist.' It has always been one of my favorite novels.

Influence of Music, Art and Sports on Children

Seems to me, music, art and sports are first to feel cuts in a diminishing budget. Everyone appears very interested in their children learning reading, writing, arithmetic, history, math and science.  But not everyone recognizes the importance of music, art and sports.

Music, art and sports in a child's life helps that child develop a positive self-image.  Any child with a negative self image is not likely to have as good a career as a child with a positive self image.  The key to a positive self image is often self achievements and acceptance of failure along with the resolve to improve. A sense of achievement could and often does improve a child's self image. 

As a child I loved writing stories. My father would often read my stories and encourage me to write more.  This support was extremely beneficial for me. It gave me a sense of achievement. It helped my self image. Learning how to play a musical instrument did the same for me as an adult. As everyone knows, children need much more than food, shelter and love. Children need to develop their social, mental and physical skills.  Playing baseball, football, hockey, basketball or any sport develops a child's mechanical coordination. In these sports a child must use both his mental skills and his physical skills. 

Parents consider it important to provide these needs for their children; especially when the schools are cutting funds for these activities. This is difficult at best when both parents have to work full time jobs. When my sister was in high school, my mother would drive her to social events.  

People claim that the children and grandchildren will bear the burden of the national debt. Likewise, children will suffer due the the cutting of sports, music and art in the schools. Let's not make the children pay for our mistakes.

Using Google Plus With Dial Up Connection

Hi folks,

Here is an set of instructions that will enable you to use Google Plus with a dial up connection.

Sign into Google using Google Chrome

Click on the wrench on the upper right side of your screen.

Click on Options

Click On Under The Hood

Click On Content Settings

Check the box beside the phrase 'Do not load show any images'

Close the windows. Although you will see no images, you will be able to post your entries on Google Plus. It isn't the optimum solution, but it's the only one I know of at this time.

Social Conservatism or Negligent Genocide?

This article is about our moral responsibilities as a people and as a nation.

I've visited patients in the psychiatric ward of our local hospital.  I've seen people who are totally dysfunctional, people who have major mental problems, people who don't want to leave for fear of committing suicide. I've seen people with all sorts of problems that require psychiatric care. Some are on such heavy medication that they are non-responsive and have difficulties with such simple tasks as holding a cigarette. Some people are released in the care of their families.

Others are released into group homes. These are in need of closely supervised living. Those requiring less supervision are transferred from group homes to rented apartments. Usually, three or four live in a rented apartment. This makes the rented apartment affordable. The ones in a rented apartment still need a structured living environment. Social workers come to drive them to the bank, the laundromat, the grocery store, the department store, etc.  Nurses come to the rented apartment to provide health care for those with high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.  The people receiving this type of care are the lucky ones. Their families realized that these people could not survive on their own and did what they had to do to ensure that these people did not end up homeless and roaming the streets. One might see these people sitting on the front porch of their rented apartment or pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. They may be heavily medicated and in their own world.

Others are not so fortunate. Others are living on an inadequate income without any form of supervised living arrangements. They are on the streets.  I see them almost every week.  Some of them stand on a street corner holding a sign that reads "Will work for food."  or "Will work for money."

Some look hungry, but will not ask for money or food.  They'll spend what little change they have on a cup of coffee. But we think they're hungry because of the way they look at the food being served to us. We're pretty sure they don't eat well because some of them are thin as a broom stick. They probably are at the local food pantries and soup kitchens often. Sometimes we offer one a sandwich or french fries or a soda.  Sometimes they just want someone to listen to them. Sometimes they're just looking for a friendly conversation.

There are those who ask for money. My wife and I usually only give loose change. One asked for some money for food. When he received the loose change, he immediately entered the fast food restaurant and ordered a hamburger and a coffee.

When I hear talk of cutting Medicaid, I think of these people. When I hear talk of eliminating Welfare, I think of all the people who belong on Medicaid but are instead on Welfare.  I think of the people who are trapped in their own living situations due to major emotional scars and other problems.

When I hear talk of cutting Medicare, I think of all those elderly folks who cannot afford any other medical insurance.  It's sad to realize that many who lose their Medicare insurance might die needlessly of a disease that in the early stages is curable.

When I hear talk of privatizing Social Security, I think of those who are unfortunate enough to lose their investments in a stock market crash or a stock market downturn at a critical moment in their lives. I know that some think we all should be aware and act accordingly. But that line of thought is so ridiculous, it is almost laughable. That is . . . If it wasn't so sad.

If I saw a person injured and badly in need of medical attention, I would call a ambulance. It would not matter whether the person is an illegal immigrant, a visitor or a poor person.  If a person dies because I refused to get that person medical help, that act is tantamount to negligent homicide.   It doesn't matter if it's an unborn baby or a living person. It's no different with governments. If a government denies health care for an illegal immigrant and that person dies because that person was denied health care, that's negligent homicide . . . plain and simple.

When I think of all the people who will be without support and without health care after these cold-blooded politicians wipe out the Entitlement programs, the phrase that comes to mind is not negligent homicide. The phrase that comes to mind is negligent genocide.



  

The 2008 Recession and The Economic Recovery Efforts of Bush and Obama

I listened to the Republican response to Obama's 2013 budget and I listened to the Democratic response to Obama's 2013 budget.  My last post outlined the 2013 tax cuts and tax breaks (in Obama's budget) I support.

I agree with the Republicans on one point.  Obama should have mentioned in his budget plan that spending cuts will be implemented after economy recovers and is stable. I think this statement would have bi-partisan support in Congress.

Although the economy is improving, it is still very fragile. I think that the Republican austerity plan that includes massive spending cuts will push our economy back into a deep recession with 900,000 jobs lost in a single month.

We've already experienced 900,000 jobs lost in the month of Jan 2009.  I don't know anyone, employed or unemployed who wants to experience that again.

Under Obama's leadership, we made progress from 900,000 jobs lost in Jan 2009 to 250,000 jobs gained in Jan 2012.  When we consider the total collapse of the job market, the real estate market and the equities market in 2008, going from 900,000 jobs lost to 250,000 jobs gained is a remarkable achievement.  Add to this remarkable achievement, the extraordinary effort to save the major financial institutions and the US auto industry should be credited to both Obama and Bush.  The Bush Administration created TARP to salvage our economy and again, given the depth of the 2008 recession, TARP was a remarkable achievement.   I'm not talking about the gauranteed loans. I'm talking about TARP.

With regard to the 2008 recession, we cannot separate the efforts of Obama from the efforts of Bush because both Presidents contributed to the economic recovery we've experienced thus far. Bush deserves credit for laying the groundwork for the current recovery and Obama deserves credit for implementing the Bush Emergency Economic Act of 2008.

Likewise, we cannot call Obama the worst Democratic President in history without calling Bush the worst Republican President in history.

No matter who is President in Feb 2013, I wish him the same success in the real estate market.

Robots Invading Industry and Eliminating Jobs: Humor

I've been interested in the rapidly widening application of robotics in industry and elsewhere.  Robots are replacing workers every place one looks. Robots do complex assemblies. Soon robots will be performing every task imaginable at work. That's a problem for workers who cannot retrain for whatever reason.  The jobs for some unskilled workers and some skilled workers are vanishing; especially in manufacturing. The laborer's jobs are disappearing.

There is one new robot application that has not been developed.  It would be the worker's personal robot. Each worker would have one of these robots. The personal robot's functions would include getting coffee, stock items, and even teaching the worker how to perform certain tasks. The most important function of the personal robot would be to warn the worker if he is in danger: For example, hazardous materials. The personal robot would remind the worker how to deal with a hazardous material spill. Oh and one more one more important task for the personal robot would be the message 'danger danger. The boss is coming.'

Our Wedding and Reception

Joyce and I have been married since September 1984.  I met Joyce years before we got married. She was a friend of my sister Mary Ann.  The first time we tried dating, it didn't last long due to a misunderstanding. However, we got back together a year or two later.

Joyce and I got along extremely well.  The only difference was our views on religion.  I have always been a firm believer in Christianity but not a devout Catholic. Joyce was a devout Catholic and a Born Again Christian.

Joyce phoned me one night and we talked about getting married.  We decided to ask her dad on the following Saturday. When I arrived at Joyce's house, her parents were not home yet. A short while later, her parents pulled into the driveway.  While they were still in their car, I asked their permission for Joyce's hand in marriage.

Her father responded "Just her hand? Take all of her. We've been trying to get rid of her for years!"

So we started preparing for our wedding.  Our reception was inexpensive. We rented a hall and hired a caterer to provide a hot buffet.  The buffet included a choice of meat, fish and pasta. We figured that would cover everyone and no one would be stuck eating something they didn't like. We bought all the decorations for the reception. Joyce and my sister Mary Ann decorated the hall the night before the wedding.

We also hired a group to play at the wedding.  The group was a family who had been playing at weddings and in churches for years. The father's name was Carmen. Carmen was a practical joker. At one point while talking about our wedding, Carmen asked Joyce if she wanted on the job training for the wedding night.

The night before the wedding, Joyce called the priest at the church we were going to be married in. The priest told her that I had cancelled the wedding. Of course, I had not cancelled it. Joyce instantly realized the priest was joking.

Father Bill Eagan performed the marriage ceremony. He had know Joyce since she was in her early twenties.  We still see him and write him often. He is a good friend and a wonderful person. I often felt uncomfortable talking to priests. But not with Father Eagan.  I felt perfectly comfortable talking to him about any topic.

We had a wonderful time at the reception.  Marrying Joyce was the best decision I had ever made in my life. Our marriage is a happy one. We give each other a lot of space.  We allow each other to spend time at our hobbies.

We decided to save the extra wedding invitations. We figured if we ever got divorced, all we had to do was cross out the word 'wedding' on the wedding invitations and write the word 'divorce.'

The cards would read; "You are cordially invited to the divorce of John and Joyce on . . ."

Problems Focusing On The Job

Have you ever known a worker who can't handle pressure and stress? I have.  As long as the worker was given ample time to perform the task at work, the worker was fine. But as soon as anyone put pressure on him to finish the task sooner, the worker would 'fall apart.'

In other words, the person would lose his focus and start making mistakes.  There are many workers who can't handle stress or pressure. They don't deliberately make mistakes. Their focus is lost and they cannot push aside the stress and focus on the job.

Many workers have a tough time leaving their personal problems at home when they go to work. They let their personal problems distract them. They fail to focus on their current task and consequently their productivity drops and so does the quality of their work.

Sometimes it's something a worker hears on the news. I remember when the second United Nations tower was struck by a plan on 9/11.  I was so upset and shocked by this horrible terrorist act, I could not focus on what I was doing.

But some people can't focus for other reasons; reasons that would not distract most workers.  The key to holding one's focus is the ability to push other issues aside.

At one place at work, a worker asked me why I'm was not upset at the new company policy. I told him that if I allow myself to get upset, I won't get my job done.

When a worker is under a lot of pressure to get the task done, the key word is relax and focus on the task. If the worker thinks about the deadline constantly, the worker will not complete the task on time. If the worker gets frustrated, the worker will not complete the task on time. The worker should stay calm and focus on the task at hand.

My Diet and Liver Problems

I did not realize until recently how red meats affect the liver.  The first phase of a bad liver is a swollen liver. At that point my diet had to change. I had to get off the red meats and other foods loaded with saturated fats and start eating more fruits and vegetables.

I don't like overcooked vegetables. My present diet has consisted of nuts, grapes, figs, pears, turkey, spinach, peas, beans, corn, hot cereals, etc.  My diet before the liver problems included lots of hamburgers, peanut butter, steaks, french fries, etc.

I guess part of the problem is that I am getting older. When I was younger, I was able to eat anything I wanted. Now I have to watch the amount of salt, cholesterol and saturated fats in my food. I am now on the healthiest diet since I was 18 years old.

And the strange thing is: I am enjoying the new healthy diet. I look forward to all the fruits I eat. I love the hot cereals. I always add raisins and figs to my hot cereal. I also add wheat germ to my pasta and rice.

I never was a big drinker of alcoholic beverages. My intake of alcoholic beverages was limited to a glass of champagne on New Year's Eve. And I never took any drugs except over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs.  So I think I am in pretty good shape; the key word being 'think.'

It always pays to catch a health problem early. That's what happened with my liver problem. The doctor spotted it during my last physical. Now I'm really happy I did not postpone that physical.

My Favorite Alfred Hitchcock TV Episode

I always like the Alfred Hitchcock series on TV.  The stories were intriguing and I never knew how the story would end or who would survive. Each show had a totally different cast and different plot. Alfred Hitchcock employed a lot of humor in his introduction to the show and comments during and at the end of the show.

My favorite show was about a little girl who received a plastic doll. The doll turned out to be a lot more than a simple doll.  The doll was able to become another human child and play with the little girl. At times they would switch places. The doll would become human and the little girl would become a plastic doll.

It seemed like a story you would expect to see on the Twilight Zone or Outer Limits.

Unwanted Voice Messages and Text Messages

Have you been pestered by marketeers and campaign ads? Do you receive campaign ads on your cell phone or your land-line phone?  Are you tired of receiving voice and text messages on topics you have no interest in? I am.

I suspect it's a marketeer that calls me every morning because they don't leave a message.  Either that or it's some credit card being offered by a bank at a 25% interest rate because they want to make up for all the people who max out their credit and never pay.

All the campaign ads are loaded with lies and empty promises that will never be fulfilled.

I am on the national no-call list but I guess that doesn't apply to financial institutions and campaign ads.

Sometimes, when I hear a campaign ad on my answering machine, I pick up the receiver and then hang it up.

I've also received calls from debt collectors about people who don't live here and never lived here. I try to tell them that the person does not live here, but the collectors keep on calling. So I hang up on them too.

The great part about an answering machine is that you can use it to filter your incoming calls.  If the calling number is restricted, we wait for the voice or text message. Then we decide if we want to respond.

Jim Quit Looking For a Job. Why?

So Jim can't find a job and he gave up looking.  It was the height of the recession in Jan 2009. Over a hundred thousand jobs disappeared. It seemed like no one was hiring. But that's not  the total reason why Jim stopped looking.

Jim is not a quitter. He is a very hard worker. He is not mentally challenged. He is just slower than other people. And when he tried to speed up, he'd make mistakes.

Jim is a slow thinker and he is not mechanically coordinated.  Before forming a conclusion, think about it. It you are a slow thinker, it takes you longer to perform a task that requires some thought. So the perplexing question is: How do you speed up your thinking?

There are herbs that will sharpen your memory. But a sharp memory is not what Jim needed. He needed to think faster. So when he saw others find the solution to a problem, he would ask them in the hopes of finding an answer for himself, "How did you figure that out?"

The answer Jim got did not help him. "I don't know. It just came to me."

The answer just popped into the person's mind. No known thought process. No method of arriving at that answer.

Jim wasn't convinced. He asked others. Is it the thought process? Or is it something else?  If one thinks slower, one works slower. And if one has a reputation of being a little slow, one won't find a job. Not in a recession.

That's why Jim quit looking. Now don't get the wrong idea. Jim is not collecting unemployment compensation. Jim is not on Welfare and Jim is not on food stamps. Jim is waiting and hoping the economy is getting better.

Millions of people are waiting for the economy to get better. And I'll bet most of them could give you a pretty damn good reason for waiting.

I Know What Depression Is and What Laziness Is Not

I know what it is like to suffer depression. I know what it's like to feel listless. I know what it's like to want to stay in bed all day and all night. I know what it is like to stop caring. I know what it's like to face failure.

Failure. The world, the schools, the parents and the teachers . . . They all teach us how to handle success. But who teaches us how to handle failure.  Do you know that there are people in this world who won't try?  No, they are not lazy.  Some of them are very intelligent and very knowledgeable. They are afraid of failure. They can't face it. They can't handle it. Nobody told them how to. So when they face their first failure, they experience depression -- even hopelessness.

Feeling listless and feeling like sleeping all the time comes with depression. Being angry at the whole world is not always a part of depression, but it is a symptom.

Some folks, like myself, are very strong. I don't mean physically strong. I mean strong inside. Something one cannot see. But it's there. And it's evident by the person's tenacity, the person's determination, the person's persistence.  That person, like myself, finds ways to deal with depression.

Other folks have a very difficult time with depression and failure. They lose hope. They feel like they are in a room with no windows, no doors, no way out. Trapped. They feel like they are failures. Some of them have a very poor self image. They search desperately for help, but all they find is criticism. They only find people who yell at them; people who call them names.  Nobody wants to understand. Nobody wants to help. Or maybe, the person suffering depression is looking in the wrong place for help.

Medication helps one cope with depression. But that same medication can make one feel drowsy.  It can affect one's performance.

I get angry when I hear people calling other people lazy. It's easy to do name calling. It's much more difficult to try to help. That's . . .If the person wants help. If all the person is looking for is someone to listen. Listening helps. Sometimes talking about a personal problem helps.  Sometimes writing about it helps.

Sometimes it helps the person suffering from depression. But most important . . . Sometimes it helps those who need help.

The Old Perry Mason Mysteries

I loved the Perry Mason mysteries. I watched Perry Mason on TV as often as I could.. When I was a young teenager I use to go the public library, pick out a Perry Mason mystery, sit down and spend four hours reading the mystery.  It was very enjoyable cause I could hear Raymond Burr's voice in my mind as I read the mystery.

Erle Stanley Gardner must have had a couple of bad experiences with police lieutenants.  Lieutenant Tragg was incompetent. He was always  in such a hurry arrest a suspect. His investigation was sloppy and was not thorough.  Any District Attorney would have fired him. But not in the Perry Mason mysteries.

I remember reading 'The Case of the Empty Tin.'  Somewhere in the book, Erle Stanley Gardner told the reader that he wrote this mystery to show how incompetent Lieutenant Tragg was.  I think the actual word Erle Stanley Gardner used was 'dumb.'

The other character I was very fond of was the Private Investigator Paul Drake. I loved the conversations Paul Drake, Della Street and Perry had in Perry's office. The court sessions were very interesting. They contained a lot of information for the viewer or reader.

The solutions to the mysteries seemed somewhat contrived only because the clues Perry picked up were never explained. But the viewer knew by the expression on Perry's face that he had solved the murder.

I also watched the Perry Mason movies after the series ended.  Now I watch the old Perry Mason mysteries on channel 77 on CableVision.

The Doctor's Office Humor

I've been going for annual physicals since I was 50 years old.  My doctor was a very funny man.  One day while he was in the midst of a prostate exam, he wished me a happy birthday.

There were other funny moments. When my wife was there, the doctor said something in Yiddish and then started laughing. My wife explained to him that she did not understand Yiddish and asked him to translate it. He responded by saying that he wouldn't translate the Yiddish joke and then assured her that it was very funny.

I liked that doctor very much. When he learned that I could not lower my cholesterol by modifying my diet, he said, "You're screwed!"

The doctor I have now is very kind and very polite. Instead of saying he is going to perform a prostate exam, he asks my permission to perform a prostate exam. He isn't as funny as my other doctor, but I still like him a lot.