Why is California advertising for tourists? They didn’t used to have to do that. The picturesque beaches and fantastic weather had been all the advertising they needed.
Could it be that the Golden State is becoming less than desirable?
Monthly Archives: March 2024
Maybe I Need Photos
Generally, my water bill has been running about $50 a month. This last month it was $70. That was a big jump. Rather than fighting city hall, actually the water department, I accepted the weak concept that it was because I left the water running to avoid frozen pipes.
I really didn’t believe it. It’s not the first time I was overcharged. Then today, while mowing, I noticed something. The water meter was covered with fall leaves, untouched for a long time
It reluctantly came to my mind, how was the meter read without disturbing the leaves? Were they put back after reading the meter?
I guess this means I will have to resort to taking photos of the meter regularly. Is this the kind of trust we should have with our utility companies. Maybe. Maybe we should all resort to such things. Then maybe we would not be overcharged.
As locked doors keep honest people honest, photos might keep utility companies honest.
Ignore CDC
One thing I learned about the CDC is that they lie a lot… would you believe, on purpose. In at least 4 cases they misdirected the public in major ways. Looks to me like we are paying them to be wrong 100% of the time.
Daily writing prompt
How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?
Lazy
A couple of weeks ago, my son complimented my beard. Actually, I don’t like beards, especially on me. However, I am also lazy. Besides I hate scraping the stubble off. The only reason I had a beard that day was that I forgot to shave it off.
Now that I’m retired, I am less likely to shave, sometimes for weeks at a time. My wife has said nothing about it, which leads me to believe that I should shave very regular.
I have known men that would prefer to lose their left foot as to have to shave. I do find that odd as beards usually grow back while feet don’t.
I considered writing about the beard earlier. I also considered not writing about it at all. I mean, as subjects go, beards are not at the top of the points of interest.
I did know one guy who shaved his beard every spring and let it grow back in the fall. He claimed it helped him keep his face warm. I suppose there might be a little truth in that. It does seem to me that more beards can be found north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Regardless of anything else, they don’t cost as much as shaving. A ton of money has ben made off those who shave.
Time & Space
There’s just no end to it. If there was, what would be on the other side of it.
Drones?
Just found out, according to an Air Force general, there are approx 1000 drone encounters a month on the southern border. That is a totally incomplete report. It serves very little purpose. I was but a S/Sgt in the Marines but I can easily, see there are far too many questions left open.
It’s just wrong that the man got off with such an inept delineation. Where were they? What size payload might they have? Might they be carrying drugs? (Even 1 pound of fentenyl could be devastating.) Were any destroyed? Why not? Might they have been carrying explosives? (1 lb can destroy a truck.)
As with all else in this command of Old Joe’s, no one cares until it shows up on the 5:00 news, if then.
Humorus Things, Usually
When I was in Marine boot camp, I laughed at the confession I was in. The man next to me warned me that if the D.I. saw me I’d be in trouble. I replied, “If I don’t laugh I’d have to cry.” He looked at me as if I were nuts, which of course, I was. No one, but no one wanted to be caught laughing without permission.
Of course there are many other things that prompt me to laugh. Children are my favorite. Unfortunately, I am not around them all that much anymore. It’s one of the disadvantages of getting old.
Dogs, cats and occasionally birds make me laugh. My border collie loved to chase remote control cars, big bouncy balls and bubbles. He would chase them until he could hardly stand. Others watched him too and laughed. I have already said how I love to watch the cats chase lasers.
I like a good comedy movie. As I’ve said, I’ve seen Kelly’s Heroes at least a dozen times and just thinking of some parts make me laugh. Then there is Paleface with Bob Hope and Support Your Local Sheriff with James Garner.
A good joke will cause me to laugh while the dirty ones just turn my stomach. Sometimes, the right phrase will cause me and others to laugh. Today, I noticed some people in a restaurant slightly laughing. I looked over at the the total strangers and cautioned them that they were having entirely too much fun. We all laughed, especially them. Obviously I am not very good at quelling an outbreak of laughter.
I guess the little heading that was in Readers Digest is valid. Laughter is the Best Medicine. I always feel better after a good laugh. I think most of us do.
It’s Still Bribery
God, through his prophets speaks, or should I say cautions, against bribery quite a bit. I will leave it up to you to look it up. He not only cautions the judge from taking bribes but against the person using his fortune to bend the outcome of a judgment.
Not only that. Guess what! It just makes sense to speak against bribery. Any time money, things or favors are offered to change an official decision, is wrong and possibly illegal. It results in bad judgments. It can result in unfair judgments. The guilty go free and the innocent gets locked up.
In modern times, it can warp the judgments of those we elect to represent us. in some cases, to gain money and power, they vote opposite of what they know is right. If you doubt me, start checking what some of these senators are worth. Look at the value of some of their homes. Look at the lobbyists who are lined up, cash in hand, willing and ready to propose their bribe.
They, the briber and the bribee, will one day face the Lord for what the have done and failed to do. I have virtually given up on most of who practice their dirty deeds in the government buildings, those most of us would like to hold sacred. Not only is their practice obvious but they no longer try to deny it. They almost all go into office as paupers and come out multi-millionaires. I mean with proof like that….
However, bribery has become common in almost every walk of of life. one of those sideways methods of bribery is advertising. It would seem, though I can’t prove it, that advertising has gained significant control over radio and TV programming.
I would guess the worst of this is the advertising of gambling on virtually all media. 30 years ago, not only would it not be done, it was illegal in most areas.
Unfortunately, both the bribers and the bribees have been hard at work. Of course we always hear those little disclaimers at the end of the ads, which you and I know are as effective as paper walls.
Now sports betting has become quite the thing. It brings together one thing I love and one thing I detest. And why? Who benefits? Of course. Those that pay the bribe, those that are bribed. The rest of us, not so much. The sports and the athletes stand in danger of destruction.
Playing Loose With the Truth
Morgan and Morgan, a law company keeps playing a commercial in which it is said that we all have a right to be fed. I would like to know where he got that from. It is not in my Bible nor do I find it anywhere in the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence only calls out Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of happiness. To be sure, there is not even a right to happiness, only to pursue it.
The fore fathers never intended that you can just sit and be fed by the country, or anyone for that matter. It is up to us as individuals to seek out a life for ourselves.
Fortunately, we are in a rich country that does feed those who are not able.
On the other hand, Paul in the Bible makes it plain for all that those unwilling to work should also not eat.
As I say, I don’t have the foggiest idea where he came up with the idea of which he spoke. I think the man is playing with the truth. Of course, I might be wrong. Until he proves me wrong, however, I will remain very suspicious of him.
One Reason to be Rich
I had just finished doing some things outside and kicked off my shoes when a story came on TV showing relatively large beautiful blue pool. Surrounding it was a nice manicure lawn.
I turned to my wife and said, “I would love to have that pool.”
After a short pause, I added, “Unfortunately, we don’t have anywhere to put it.” I don’t know, if there were a way, maybe I could put both my front and back yard together. Then, somehow, I might suspend the house above the pool to provide enough area for sunning myself.
The neighborhood might not like the architecture, but I suspect I would be very popular with the neighbors during the late days of summer. I could have a poolside BBQ once a week and dozens would be begging tickets.
Yeah. It would be amazing just how many friends I could buy and influence.
Well, we don’t have the pool, or the fortune. So. what we do, about 2 or 3 times a year we rent a room at a nearby hotel with a nice pool.
The thing is, neither of us can swim well. But we love to try.
bfrhodes99 