Amazing

After a very hot, humid day at work, I came dragging home and cut grass for 3 hours. Then I really dragged into the house and proceeded to take an amazing remedy that makes you feel better, no matter what. I took a shower! Isn't it amazing how much better you feel after a good cool shower washes and refreshes and reinvigorates. Something so simple its almost magical. I really do appreciate having the gift of running water at my disposal. Clean, drinkable running water is a luxury many do not have in other countries, or this country in places.

Don't take for granted all the simple pleasures we all have at our disposal. Enjoy them and be grateful.

Later gator.

What we need is ACTION

Fate knows where you are going, but it is up to you to drive there.

Nothing happens until I make it happen.

You can’t build a reputation on what you're going to do.

I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.

Ideas without action are worthless.

I think there is something, more important than believing: Action!

The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision.

Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

There are costs and risks to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.

think about it

Me and the little one re watched The Postman movie today and he wanted to know was that the only way to stay in touch back in the old days. He said they sure needed Internet back then. At 8 years old, he's grew up in an electronic age of convenience. Can you imagine the chaos and frustration in each household if the satellite gizmo's suddenly didn't work for awhile, or any of the new fangled gizmos we all enjoy-cell phones, internet, no land line phones, no tv, no games... That is scarier than me running for President.

Lator gators

Extinct

I recently ran across a picture of something extinct- and it scared me silly. It made me think-we live in a country that has become extinct. Gone is the good ole AMERICA we grew up in and was so proud of. Gone is the safe neighborhoods for kids, gone is the moral decency of citizens, gone is the trust of governing bodies, gone is the pride that built this country. It has a become a monster landmass holding the citizens hostage.
Teach me to be looking at pictures-huh!

Wise Quotes

Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind.
All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.
All human beings, by nature, desire to know.
All life is an experiment.
An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere. The pessimist sees only the red light. But the truly wise person is color blind.
Be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.
Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so.
Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.
Chance favors only those who court her.

P U

Right at about 5 pm today, Boss said I needed to deliver the forklift, I had just repaired, back to the chicken farm 36 miles away. So I loaded it on the trailer and cranked the Kenworth up and away I went in the pouring rain. About half way there, I saw a momma skunk and 3 little ones crossing the road ahead of me. She was pushing them from behind to get their little butts in gear. They made it ok and all four gave me the salute[tails up] as I passed. When I got to the farm, there was a little low water crossing to go through and a duck was standing at the waters edge looking at the water, but not getting in. It was still there as I came out, watching the water pass by. So even during overtime on a dreary, gloomy, rainy day, I still had fun and enjoyed the little after work drive.

MORE rain

RAIN RAIN GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
I guess it is not gonna stop raining any time soon. I didn't even have the PC on last night because of the lightening storms. It did have the air cooler tho and that is a plus this time of year. The rain is so clean smelling and good tasting and fun to play in---but enough is enough. I watched as the police came by going out to the bridges at end of town checking for flooding or stranded motorists. Most of the highways and byways around here flood at all the low water crossings for a little while, but quickly run off and are passable. Guess I need to google for an unrain dance!! Why does the satellite Internet work in the rain but the TV satellite quits in the rain? So me and the kids played hide and seek for a while till Billy got carried away and hid in the dryer.---not cool---time for bed then.
I'LL BE BACK----
your soggy, saturated, prunish bloggeroony

Start your week off with a smile

Three men were sitting together bragging about how they had giventheir new wives duties. The first man had married a woman from Florida, andbragged that he had told his wife she was going to do all the dishes and housecleaning that needed to be done at their house. He said that it took a coupledays but on the third day he came home to a clean house and the dishes were allwashed and put away.
The second man had married a woman from Kentucky. He bragged that hehad given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes,and the cooking. He told them that the first day he didn't see any results,but the next day it was better. By the third day, his house was clean,the dishes weredone, and he had a huge dinner on the table.
The third man had married an Louisiana girl. He boasted that he toldher that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed,laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the firstday he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but bythe third day most of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out ofhis left eye.....

The clearly defined path

As I muddle my way through the daily routines of life, my path is clear. I have decided to not have a political party. I will just have to pick the best out of all the candidates-and vote for them. So I'm not a republican, democratic or independant-I'm just an American stuck in a messed up political nightmare. And I will always bug the government with every signed piece of paper I can, reminding them how unhappy I am at the state of this countries government. HA-like they care what I think. But remember-little thorns cause infections that spread all over-so every blogger that blogs one way or the other helps that infectious little thorn in our governments side. And remember to smile while doing it-makes everyone wonder what's wrong with you.

As ta la vista-baby

Schmooze Award

Goodness gracious-I have been tagged with the schmooze award. Thank you Sumo. AAAAAAAAAAAA-not sure what to say. My ramblings are only written examples of my demented thinking process on a daily basis. There-that almost sounded smart for a second, didn't it.
I enjoy all the sites and writings of all the bloggers out there. I am able to keep abreast of all the latest happenings in the world and all the various ideas and thoughts of the more informed world-the blogosphere. Opinions cannot be justly made on anything if you are not informed. I seriously don't think my little blog spot is deserving but I appreciate any and all who are enlightened or dismayed or smile at my efforts. Thank you. The blogosphere is all about everyones attempt at doing their part in making the world a better place, and for that everyone deserves an award.

Oh what a day

KIDS-they are like a rollar coaster ride. They are scary, fun, nauseating, @#$%^&*teach you patience... My oldest son leaves in 2 weeks for boot camp in California and for the last 3 weeks he's been holy heck to live with. I finally told him to go visit his mom for his 2 remaining weeks.
Later one of his girl buddies came by looking for him and said don't be too frustrated with him, he was nervous and afraid and thought if he was mad at everyone-it would make it easier for him to leave home. That really made me feel stupid-ought to be used to it by now. Then I get a email from a 22 year old girl who wants to go out for coffee and get to know me. I sent her a note asking if her glasses needed readjusting or was she legally blind!! Then the little man [8] says DAD don't worry, he loves me and I have been doing ok. He says his bro and sis are stupid and mean and pains in the booty. After settling down and watching tv a little bit, I realize that its not all that bad. Its just kids being kids, and me being a parent who cares. Oh well-life goes on-wonder what tomorrow brings?
adios amigos

Splish, Splash, Squish

Those words are what I hear as I walk across the yard to my truck. It is continuing to drench south Texas with more rainfall. I guess I'll have to see if they make a pontoon kit for my riding mower! I don't remember it being so wet in July in Nixon. All the flowers I planted are still doing fantastic because of the rain.Since I work inside a shop- the rain usually does not affect me much. I have 2 cars I've bought in other towns but have not picked up because of the weather. Thank goodness the lighting has been not very bad. I don't want another fried pc! Oh well-make someone smile for no reason-it'll do you good.

your prune toed bloggerooney

Mother Nature might not like this

BEIJING - After weeks of watching the mercury soar, hardening the already cracked earth of their wilting orchards and farms, a group of farmers on the outskirts of Beijing gather in the Fragrant Hills that line the western fringe of China's capital city. Unlike their ancestors, they do not assemble to perform a rain dance or gather in a temple to pray to the Lord Buddha to bring the rain. Instead, they grab rocket launchers and a 37-millimeter anti-aircraft gun and begin shooting into the sky. What they launch are not bullets or missiles but chemical pellets. Their targets are not enemy aggressors but wisps of passing cloud that they aim to "seed" with silver-iodide particles around which moisture can then collect and become heavy enough to fall. The farmers are part of the biggest rain-making force in the world: China's Weather Modification Program. According to Wang Guanghe, director of the Weather Modification Department under the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, each of China's more than 30 provinces and province-level municipalities today boast a weather-modification base, employing more than 32,000 people, 7,100 anti-aircraft guns, 4,991 special rocket launchers and 30-odd aircraft across the country. "Ours is the largest artificial weather program in the world in terms of equipment, size and budget," Wang said, adding that the annual nationwide budget for weather modification is between US$60 million and $90 million. It is no coincidence that the world's biggest such project is in China. The country's leadership has never been cautious about harnessing nature, taking on a slew of what were once thought impossible engineering challenges, such as the Three Gorges dam, the world's biggest hydroelectric project, and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's longest highland railroad. For a largely agrarian country like China, the weather was thought of as far too important to be left to the whim of gods or nature. As a result, Chinese scientists began researching man-made rain as far back as 1958, using chemicals such as silver iodide or dry ice to facilitate condensation in moisture-laden clouds. In the beginning, the idea was to ease drought and improve harvests for Chinese farmers, but over the decades other functions have evolved such as firefighting, prevention of hailstorms, and replenishment of river heads and reservoirs. Artificial rain has also been used by some provinces to combat drought and sandstorms. In 2004, Shanghai decided to induce rain simply to lower the temperature during a prolonged heat wave to bring relief to an increasingly hot and sweaty urban populace. And now China's weather officials have been charged with another important task: ensuring clear skies for the Summer Olympic Games next year. Zhang Qiang, the top weather-modification bureaucrat in Beijing, said her office has been conducting experiments in cloud-busting for the past two years in preparation for the Games' opening ceremony on August 8, 2008. She said that according to past meteorological data, there is a 50% chance of drizzle on that day. To ensure blue skies, the Beijing Weather Modification Office is busy researching the effects of various chemical activators on different sizes of cloud formations at different altitudes. The aim is to catch pregnant clouds early and induce rainfall ahead of the big day so that during the opening ceremony the sky is cloud-free. Wang said similar efforts in the past have already helped to create good weather for a number of international events held in China, including the 1999 World Horti-Expo in Yunnan and the 1993 East Asian Games in Shanghai. However, Zhang warned that her cloud-fighters will only be effective in the event of the threat of a drizzle: "A heavy downpour will be impossible to combat." Her caveat goes to the heart of the primary criticism leveled against weather-modification efforts worldwide: doubts about their effectiveness. Wang himself admits that it remains notoriously difficult to establish how much real impact cloud-seeding has, since there is no foolproof way to establish how much rain might have fallen without intervention. The United States, which pioneered cloud-seeding techniques in the 1940s and 1950s, has long cooled in its enthusiasm for the science behind artificial rain. However, Israel and Russia continue to have substantial weather-modification programs and Wang said experiments conducted in these countries reveal that cloud-seeding can increase rainfall by between 6% and 20%. Zhang said reservoirs in Beijing have shown an increase of 10-13%, one directly attributable to the efforts of her rainmakers. Despite some international skepticism, the Chinese authorities remain convinced of the merits of attempting to alter weather. China's state news agency Xinhua recently reported that between 1999 and 2006, 250 billion tonnes of rain was artificially created, enough to fill the Yellow River several times over. Moreover, China's 11th Five Year Plan, which kicked off last year, calls for the creation of about 50 billion cubic meters of artificial rain annually. While declining to provide specifics, Zhang said her office's budget has seen sharp spikes in recent years and she expects it to continue to grow given northern China's extreme water shortages, which are exacerbated by the impact of climate change. Indeed, the annual per capita water supply for China is only 2,200 cubic meters, just 25% of the global average, according to the World Bank. Artificial rain, however, is not controversy-free even within China. City dwellers have raised concerns about environmental pollution, though both Wang and Zhang insist that silver iodide is used in such tiny quantities that it brings no negative health consequences. Cloud-seeding shells and rockets have also sometimes gone astray, damaging homes and injuring inhabitants. Only last year a passer-by in the municipality of Chongqing was killed by part of a rain cannon that flew off during firing in May. Wang says training programs and licenses have sharply curbed accidents in recent years, and the 135 farmers who comprise the on-call rainmaking force in Beijing go through intensive training, lasting several weeks, before they are let loose on the artillery. The farmers are paid about US$100 a month for their cannon and rocket-launching duties, which they perform about 40 times a year. The person who gives the shooters the green signal to launch their cloud attacks is none other than Zhang, China's modern-day equivalent of Zeus, Indra, or the Chinese rain god Xuantian Shangdi. However, the businesslike bureaucrat is modest when it comes to describing her role: "We try our best, but there are no guarantees of success." Could the rain gods have claimed differently?

Drowning Bloggeroos

Daily, each evening, after supper, I do my daily ritual of reading the writings and thoughts of the Internet elitist-the bloggers on my favorites list. It's quite a list and I enjoy a wide spectrum of opinions. One thing I notice that concerns me is the general anger and frustration written day in and day out by wonderful people who are at their wits end and want to voice concern about how governments are running their country. I agree with most of them but hope they don't drown in all the negativity they write. Occasionally look around and find something happy or pleasant to think about so you don't drown in the current state of things. Each and every one of you bloggers out there are enjoyable and thought provoking but in order for your batteries to stay charged- you need a tiny break now and then. So be careful and don't burn yourself out- then what would I read?

Hope

Throughout history,many of the greatest achievements of mankind have been accomplished by a little thing called HOPE. Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life. Hope implies a certain amount of perseverance — i.e., believing that a positive outcome is possible even when there is some evidence to the contrary. Beyond the basic definition, usage of the term hope follows some basic patterns which distinguish its usage from related terms:
Hope is an emotion produceing a motivation to act. For example, if one has hope a bus driver will wait for them, that person may be motivated to run towards it; but if the bus begins to pull away and the person loses hope they can catch that bus, they lose motivation and stop running. Similarly, if standing at a bus stop hopeful a bus is soon forthcoming, one may be motivated to remain at the stop. If that one loses hope that a bus will come shortly, that person might lose motivation to stay waiting and might try to hail a taxi or just walk.
Hope is often the result of faith in that while hope is an emotion, faith carries a divinely inspired and informed form of positive belief. Hope is typically contrasted with despair, but despair may also refer to a crisis of faith. Hence, when used in a religious context, hope carries a connotation being aware of spiritual truth. Hope is distinct from positive thinking, which refers to a therapeutic or systematic process used in psychology for reversing pessimism.
Many underdogs of great battles only had the feeling of hope, but that was all they needed to turn the tide.
We need to have HOPE and optmism that we will prevail and overcome the absurd directions the world has taken. We are the underdogs-but that shouldn't stop us!

drinkable sea water

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — On a one-acre site alongside a string of docked shrimp boats and fronting the turquoise waters of the Brownsville ship channel is a $2.2 million assembly of pipes, sheds and whirring machinery — Texas' entree into making Gulf of Mexico sea water suitable to drink.
Plant operator Joel del Rio is its guardian, constantly checking the intake pumps, the pretreatment filters, the discharge pond and the long pipes of the desalination unit. In an occasional moment of truth, he opens a small spigot at the end of a fat pipe and fills a plastic glass in hopes the finished product will taste "like regular bottled water."
"Sea water," he said. "It's never going to run out."
The plant is a pilot project for the state's first, $150 million full-scale sea water desalination plant slated for 2010.
Desalting the sea water is expensive, mostly because of the energy involved in pushing water through layers and layers of filters to strain it. Current cost estimates run at about $650 per acre foot (326,000 gallons), as opposed to $200 for purifying fresh water. But a glimpse around the world shows that when water needs are crucial, governments and private investors ante up.
About two-thirds of the world's desalinated water is produced in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and North Africa, with the Persian Gulf getting some 60 percent of its drinking water through desalination. Perth, Australia, is looking to meet a third of its fresh water demand through desalination.
Israel in March showed off its plant at the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon that's able to process 87 million gallons of water a day. Singapore in 2005 opened a sea water desalination plant designed to meet at least 10 percent of the nation's water needs. General Electric Co. in May announced a $220 million contract to build a plant in South Africa.
Global output is less than 0.1 percent of all drinking water. But according to a a recent report by Global Water Intelligence, the worldwide desalination industry is expected to grow 140 percent over the next decade, entailing $25 billion in capital investment by 2010, or $56 billion by 2015.
While the United States has hundreds of plants to purify brackish ground water, sea water desalination is just getting started. Tampa Bay's $158 million sea water desalination plant opened in March after years of problems with design and a lawsuit with a contractor.

legs or no legs-that is the question

THROUGHOUT his ascendance from a school athletics track in Pretoria to the cusp of Olympic competition, Oscar Pistorius has gained strength from an uncomplicated maxim. "You're not disabled by the disabilities you have," he says. "You are able by abilities you have."
The 20-year-old South African has only been a competitive sprinter for three years, a fact belied by the speed of his progress, and the flippancy with which he dismisses the physical hindrances he has overcome.
Born without fibulas in his legs, Pistorious became a double amputee a month short of his first birthday. Two decades on, and a clutch of medals and titles to his name, he is known as the "world's fastest man on no legs".
Now, with brash determination, he stands before the international governing body of athletics, stating his case for the right to participate in the greatest competition of all.
The question of whether the sprinter - whose life story is to be made into a Hollywood film, reputedly by Tom Hanks - should be permitted to race against the global elite raises a wider dilemma: by allowing his entry into the Beijing Olympics - some contest that the purity of sporting competition could be irretrievably compromised.
This evening, in the rarified surroundings of Rome, the "Blade Runner" will savour his first race abroad against able-bodied athletes. Come Sunday, he will take on world and Olympic 400 metres champion Jeremy Wariner in Sheffield. Though competitive as the next man - with a personal best of 46.34, the Springbok is close to reaching the 4x400 relay team in Beijing - the focus is not on Pistorius's placing in the races, but rather the manner by which he runs them.
Such concerns stem from the £2,000 carbon fibre Cheetah Flex-Foot blades which hurtle him towards the finishing line. The Icelandic technology , a discomfited International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) fears, may not simply compensate for his physical disability, but afford him an advantage, courtesy of a longer stride.
It is an issue fraught with contradiction. The IAAF, while placing limits on devices that assist athletes, has at the same time embraced technology, allowing, for example, athletes to sleep in tent-like structures designed to improve their ability to carry oxygen.
Quite how science might determine a definitive answer in Pistorius's case is unclear. Scrutiny of the biomechanics of amputee athletes is in its infancy. In Sheffield therefore, the IAAF will employ three video cameras to analyse the movement of his J-shaped prosthetics.
Nick Davies, IAAF spokesman, is adamant no decision has been taken yet. "Only when we've done the research and we can prove - prove strongly - that [Oscar is] getting an advantage should we be talking about bans. Until then, innocent until proven guilty."
For his part, the blond, spiky-haired Pistorius - the Paralympic 200 metres gold medallist and world record holder at 100, 200 and 400m - contends that his stride is of a normal range. In fact, he reasons, the blades temper his full capabilities, given his knees cannot flex fully, and in wet conditions, he has an unsure grip.
With the IAAF having initially banned him from open competition, Pistorius is warning the organisation against taking supposition for scientific fact, and is understandably eager to seek redress this weekend, lest he be forced to take legal action.
He said: "I think that amputee sprinters and disabled people worldwide have been pretty taken aback by some of the comments the IAAF have made in the past three, four months."
Pistorious rejects being defined as disabled, eschewing, for instance, the use of special parking bays during day-to-day-life. His coach Ampie Louw supports fully his resolve to compete in full-blooded competition.
"For the spectators, it's a very inspirational thing when he runs. You can hear it when they announce the athletes. Even when he's not in front," he said. "There's nobody in the world like him, and it may stay that way for the next maybe ten to 20 years."
Phil Lane, chief executive of the British Paralympics Association, said: "As long as research shows Oscar has no unfair advantage, he should be able to compete. He's a remarkable athlete who's blowing boundaries."
Yet with the onward advance of prosthetic endowments, it is possible the dilemma surrounding Pistorius may impact on the notion of equality in other sports. That is the contention of George Dvorsky, a director at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, which seeks to further the use of technology to expand man's capabilities.

legal computers

Fortune magazine has an article stressing the Chinese market's importance to Microsoft's long term strategy, and touching on Linux's involvement in the Chinese market. In the early days of Microsoft rampant piracy helped establish it as the de facto standard in PCs despite good alternatives. History may be unfolding again here, with the exception that having the Chinese government as an ally has huge additional benefits. Or perhaps Gates has met his match with the Chinese government. 'In another boost for Microsoft, the government last year required local PC manufacturers to load legal software on their computers. Lenovo, the market leader, had been shipping as few as 10% of its PCs that way, and even US PC makers in China were selling many machines "naked." Another mandate requires gradual legalization of the millions of computers in state-owned enterprises. In all, Gates says, the number of new machines shipped with legal software nationwide has risen from about 20% to more than 40% in the past 18 months.'"

caffeine in soda

"The Institute of Food Technologists summarizes some recent research on food. All things considering, it should settle some arguments among geeks about the caffination of beverages. 'Caffeine is a well-known stimulant added as an ingredient to various carbonated softdrinks, but which drink contains the most, and how can consumers know? A study in the Journal of Food Science used high-performance liquid chromatography to analyze the caffeine contents of 56 national-brand and 75 private-label store brand carbonated beverages. Caffeine contents ranged from 4.9 mg/12 oz (IGA Cola) to 74 mg/12 oz (Vault Zero). Some of the more common national-brand carbonated beverages analyzed in this study were Coca-Cola (33.9 mg/12 oz), Diet Coke (46.3 mg/12 oz), Pepsi(38.9 mg/12 oz), Diet Pepsi (36.7 mg/12 oz), Dr Pepper (42.6 mg/12 oz),Diet Dr Pepper (44.1 mg/12 oz), Mountain Dew (54.8 mg/12 oz), and DietMountain Dew (55.2 mg/12 oz). The authors found that store-brand beverages generally contained less caffeine, and they also suggest that consumers would benefit from having the actual caffeine content labeled on the beverage.'"

Crop Circles

Locals in Payerne in the northern part of Vaud are scratching their heads after the discovery of a corn (wheat) field where the crop has been flattened in a round shape 60 metres wide. The farmer who owns the field said he does not know who did the design and he is just as puzzled as others as to how it got there.François Blanchoud, a Swiss army pilot, first spotted the crop circle, in the field near Payerne's military airport, while flying over the Broye region this week. Surprised by the appearance of the geometric figure, he asked his father Pierre, a specialist in unexplained phenomena, to accompany him on another flight to take photographs of it.
"His father claims the crop circle is 'authentic,' meaning no-one can say who made it. 'The work is huge,' he said. 'It is not humanly possible.' Pierre Blanchoud said the design is too precise to have been the result of heavy rain and 'it is not in the interest of the farmer to flatten the corn (wheat).'
"Pierre Blanchoud said about 20 percent of phenomena initially thought to be crop circles turn out to be made by humans. He claims the others are the result of 'light balls' that produce microwaves, which heat the corn and flatten the stalks. Crop circle enthusiasts, known as cereologists, have offered various paranormal and naturalistic explanations for them. However, in England two men revealed a few years ago that they created a variety of crop circles using planks, rope, hats and wire as their only tools.
"The owner of the 7.5-hectare field containing the crop circle in Payerne said he will harvest the corn (wheat) in 10 days. But the circle is expected to remain after the harvest as the flattened corn (wheat) will not be collected."

Makes you stop and think

A couple of days ago, my little one said I didn't care about him. Typical kid reaction to not getting what they want. His cousin was here visiting for the summer. I told Billy that he better count how many toys and video games he had and be carefull what he said or he might not get any more. In about an hour he came up and said he and his cuz had figured up they money value of games was 2550.00 and toys they didn't know. Billys cuz then said that was really cool, because his Dad wouldn't spend anything on him at all since he was born. That made me feel bad for him-because he's been hinting for a year that he sure would like to live with me and the kids. With the oldest son leaving I guess I got room for another one. I told him I'd talk to his mom and he said that was the best news he'd ever had. It sure made Billy stop and think for a minute-me too. I do have it good and things always keep happening good for me, so maybe I'll be able to spread a little more happiness in this messed up world. We'll see.

Why can't they

In this day and age of technology, why can't they make a biscuit container open like it is supposed to, without all the breath holding and shielded face in anticipation of the inevitable ploooop?

Why do they make the kids little juice containers out of bags that squeeze way to easy and turn a little juice treat into a multicolored water pistol that stains.

Why do they show square foot area on toilet paper labels? My butt isn't shaped in square feet.

Why do the gadgets for your desk that will organize the clutter, wind up making more clutter than you had?

Why does my brain think of such stupid stuff?

later gators.

rain, rain, go away

I'm on the verge of needing one of these type of vehicles. Its rained nonstop for a while now. Every river in the state of Texas is at flood stage. Thats a lot of rain. Talk at you all later.

your prune looking bloggeroo.

Holidays

I think Congress should introduce a bill that would make all holidays happen on weekends, not during the week. Hope you all had a pleasant 4th and a safe one. Lator gators.

4th of JULY prayer

Dear Lord:

Long time no see-sir. I want to take this time to thank you for keeping me and my family safe thru another year. Despite my worrying-you managed to work miracles constantly in my life-as usual. I enjoy life, work, and my family as I have never enjoyed them in the past. Please forgive all the dodos in the world for their ignorance and deceitful ways-especially the Republicans and democrats in this country that have forgotten what a good and morally strong lifestyle is. I love the earth and the country and the state I live in and I appreciate even the little town I call home. Please be patient with mankind-we are kind of slow in learning how to do things right. Thank you for showing me how to be a spiritual person instead of a religious person. Again, thanks and talk to you later.

Robert Crawford

In the beginning-the Declaration

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
The signers of the Declaration represented the new states as follows:
New Hampshire Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark Pennsylvania Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

4th of July customs

Independence Day, the only holiday that celebrates the United States, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Fourth of July celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions are closed on that day. Many polititians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, society and people. Speeches and editorials may invoke American Revolutionary themes such as the founding fathers , the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, and democratic principles such as liberty, freedom, equality under the law, inalienable rights, and representative government.
Families often mark the Fourth of July with a picnic or barbecue, and take advantage of the long weekend or off-day to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) generally are colored red, white, and blue due to the colors of the American flag. Because Independence Day is in the summer, bathing suits have once in a while been given the American flag design. Parades are often held in the morning, baseball games played (July 4th being nearly halfway into the baseball season), and fireworks displays in public parks in the evening. Other traditions include face painting for children and tossing of a football or frisbee.

You are what you read

You are what you read. I hope that is not always correct. Every two or three days I peruse all my junk mail in case a good one is tucked away by accident in there. According to my junk mail I am a bald, overweight, pervert, gambling idiot in need of financial restructuring and my college degree, without any ink and a falling down roof. And I've won about anything you can imagine as long as I do a stupid survey!