Category Archives: Uncategorized

Down With Tobacco

Posted in Uncategorized by

When I went into the Marines, I would guess that at least 75% in the armed services smoked. Even then the Surgeon General spoke of the evils of it. If I remember right, it was about then that the tobacco companies were asked to withdraw their advertisements from TV. After all, the ads were aimed at the youth of the time. They encouraged children to pick up the “cancer sticks,” as they were referred to.

To be sure, everyone knew they weren’t healthy, but many didn’t care, for a number of reasons. Certainly those in war zones where their life was in danger anyway, had little reason to give up smoking. After leaving the service, the habit had its hold in most of those who did not have the forethought of the hazards.

All four of my brothers picked up smoking and three smoked until the day they died. One of them gave up the habit at 70. Ironically, the smoking did not figure into the deaths of any of them. However, I knew many who did die of tobacco related deaths. I for one was glad to see the virtual death of the tobacco industry.

How-some-ever, when we tried to do away with alcohol, we failed. Most of the common, law abiding folks gave it up. However, if a person could look in on the lives of the rich, the famous and the politicians, I think we would have seen many who were living well outside the law and without anything that resembled a conscious or law enforcement for that matter.

I can’t prove it. I don’t have the where-with-all to do the research. However, you and I both know that for every death or injury caused by tobacco, there are likely 3 or 4 caused by alcohol. This is as measure of both direct and indirect.

I have seen the affects of alcohol both in person and in the news. The true question is, can the real measure of destruction ever be measured? I don’t know, but when I was in the Marines, I was told by truly reliable sources that alcohol caused more problems than all the other drugs in the Marine Corps. I would suspect it is also true in the other services.

Yet, drinking of alcoholic beverages is not discouraged. Indeed, it is encouraged. Those, as me, who do not drink quickly are on the outside. With any promotion over the rank of E-5, a “Wet down,” is expected. When I made E-6, I’m sure I was expected to do something, but I didn’t. When others had wet downs, I didn’t attend. When the squadron I was in had beer a party, I didn’t go. You can imagine the results that had.

When I was in Vietnam, we occasionally ran out of soft drinks, but never beer. The priority of alcohol, even in a combat zone was right at the top. I suppose something could be said about it helping the morale of the troops but what did it imply to those of us who didn’t drink.

While in the Marines, I thought it would be different in civilian life. The fact is that it is the same, just in a different way. Those who don’t drink are encouraged to start. Those who start as a result of the pressure and become alcoholics are fired because they can’t do their job anymore.

We no longer encourage children to smoke. On the other hand, drinking is encouraged regularly. Even family shows such as on Hallmark, show people drinking at virtually every opportunity. It is displayed as even more commonplace than it is.

Every time the TV crime solvers solve another crime, they meet in their favorite bar and they celebrate. I’m not in law enforcement but, I really hope that is not the common practice in reality. Moreover, I am sure there are those in law enforcement who don’t drink and I wonder how they are treated when I remember how it was for me while in the Marines.

It does make me wonder what might happen if the surgeon started requiring warning labels on bottles and cans of alcoholic beverages. I wonder what might happen if it would become illegal to advertise alcohol on TV. I wonder what might happen if people start becoming shamed for showing scenes of people drinking on TV, especially in a positive way.

I don’t think that will happen. For every ounce of power in our political system that tobacco had, alcohol has a pound, maybe two. It simply won’t happen. Nor will they start trying to tax the industry out of existence as with tobacco.

There is no way I would ever want tobacco to contribute to my income. However, if I were high in the industry of tobacco, I might have a tendency to yell, unfair. Moreover, I think I would have a just reason. Alcohol is much worse and, not only is it not discouraged, but it is encouraged. And yet, no one complains.

Little ol’ me; I really don’t think anyone is going to pay any attention to me, certainly not those who like the sauce, certainly not those who make their fortunes from it. In the meantime, people die from it. People become crippled and maimed in car accidents. Wives and children are abused because of it.

Then again, it’s not the fault of those who make and distribute it. Also, we all know how important the beverages are. Those who partake of them know that they just can’t live without them.

And so it is that we continue to encourage the most costly drug this nation has ever seen.

On the other hand, we sure did take out the tobacco industry, in what, two decades. Maybe it’s time to start suing those making whisky, when someone dies with a bad liver. (Don’t think that will work)

Who Would Have Thought?

Posted in Uncategorized by

One day, as I watched TV, I learned that the Egyptians did brain surgery. I have no idea idea how successful they were, but I guess some got so desperate that they didn’t care.

The thing is, many of the advanced surgical procedures did not become prevalent until well into the last half of the twentieth century. When I was 50, I had a stint put in my heart. In A world just 50 years earlier, I would have likely died, as one of the main arteries to my heart was 90% blocked.

To be truthful, I have definitely benefited from modern medicine. Most recently, about 12 or 14 years ago, I had 4 bypasses in one procedure. When I was in school, I remember news stories speaking of such procedures as being experimental. I am grateful that they had a few decades to refine their methods.

A little while ago, I talked to a man who had a bypass and he showed me his scar. I guess I should say lack of scar. I had to look hard to see it. Kind of makes me wish I could have put my surgery off for a while. My scar is still very easy to see.

Irregardless, one day, modern medicine will not be enough. I will die. It cannot be put off forever. However, when I had the stint installed, I had a heart attack. It was painful and it made me noxious. I was very scared. I thought it was over. I am sure there are those that would argue the point but I felt a presence right next to me. Maybe an angel, or maybe Jesus Himself. Suddenly I felt no fear. I knew right then that if it was my time, I knew I would be with Jesus.

Since that time, I have not ever felt the horrid fear of death as before. I would recommend everyone learn to spend some time with Jesus. The doctor that day fixed my heart. It was Jesus who treated my soul.

He can do that, you know, if you let him.2xx

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever had surgery? What for?
View all responses

The Illusion of the Present

Posted in Uncategorized by

It’s no secret that I’m a lazy procrastinator. I mean, why should I do anything at this moment when I can put it off, perhaps forever? Moreover, if I put something off long enough, maybe someone else will do it. Then again, maybe it really doesn’t need to be done at all.

The thing is, people like me can be pulled into the illusion of the present. It’s the proverbial “Okay so far,” remark of the optimist. Never mind the problems or the dangers that lurk ahead. I am okay and I refuse to concern myself with the future.

I know this attitude has been and will be costly in the future for me. I wish I could change my attitude, but, you know, it’s just me.

As an individual, that’s bad enough. However, when a person holds an office of public responsibility, such as mayor, governor, or president, this can be very costly.

Consider the national debt. “okay so far,” so, naturally, nothing gets done about it. Indeed, they keep adding to it. They have been deceived by the illusion of the present.

I speak of the national debt but it is hardly the only thing that the politicians keep putting off. After all, as long as things last for the remainder of their time in office, it’ll be okay. Whoever inherits the job will inherit the problem. And, invariably, they will find some way of putting it off as did I.

And we, the voters are fooled as well. The politicians say, “All is well,” and we believe them. After all, we do go to work each day. We draw our paycheck. We go to the store where we are able to buy food and other goods. When we toggle that switch, the light comes on. Me, with my wonderful 8,000 BTU AC, am living in more comfort than the kings of centuries past never dreamed of.

What could go wrong. What stupid thing will some stupid politician do that can change all this? Right?

Some Things I Just Hate, for Many Reasons

Posted in Uncategorized by

I decided to charge my almost new Nissan EV. The instant I opened the trunk to get the cable out, I realized the source of that horrid smell I couldn’t help but notice the last 3 or 4 days. There, right next to the charger were the remains of a big black cat.

Stupid cat likely climbed in whilst I had the windows down to cool the interior. I hate when any animal dies. But I also hated dealing with what was left. It almost fell apart when I picked it up. I spent portions of the next hour cleaning it and trying to deal with the smell.

I did hate that it died. And, as I said, I really wished it didn’t climb into the car. I am going to need to really be more careful. Maybe we need screens on car windows. It would be good for keeping flies and skeeters out too. When I leave the windows down, it does seem an instant invite to any little pest with wings.

Anyone Thinking of Their Reputation

Posted in Uncategorized by

I don’t know but there was a day when people really thought long and hard before sullying their reputation. Nowadays dems don’t think anything of tossing all that they have down the tube for the party. They must realize that it will be found out. The current and prior press secretaries have and do tell lie after lie and one day, it will be clear to all.

Senators and representatives know Old Joe ain’t all there and yet they jump at the chance to say he is. Then one day, it will be that their rep will be worth nothing. All will know that they willingly lied and did for the party.

Then again, they do have another type of reputation to think of. Just how much are they willing to do for the party? Is he a soldier willing to give all for the party, in spite of the harm it causes to their country.

It is casual to the most obvious observer just how much the democrat soldiers are willing to do and say to protect the power of the party.

Sometimes I wonder, just how much the party is willing to do to the soldier who steps out of line.

The Democracy vs the Republic

Posted in Uncategorized by

It is a shame but the vast populace of the US get the two terms confused. You don’t need to take my word for it, but they are not the same. You can look it up. Moreover, though the Democrats would like us to believe we live in a democracy we don’t and never did.

The fact is that we live in a representative republic. No sane person who knows and understands what a democracy is would want to live in a true democracy. Let’s consider a home owner’s association run totally by democracy. Let’s also assume that there are 100 members in the association.

At this point, 51 people would control all 100. If 51 people decided that the other 49 needed to pay 55% of the cost of the operating costs, guess what? 51 people would pay 55% of the operating costs. 49 people would pay only 45 % of the operating costs.

“Unfair!” you say. And it is. It is the weakness of the democracy. The minority would always be at the mercy of the majority. It is why, when they wrote the Constitution, they decided on a representative republic. The same problem, to some degree still exits, however, there are some advantages in the republic in that there are protections in the system for the minority. The majority has some limitations over minority.

We do not vote on the laws. We vote for people who write and vote on the laws. As such, the majority has it’s limits. There were many things in the constitution that keep the majority from rough-riding over a small group, or even an individual. Certainly, The Ten Amendments are a big part of it. By them, individuals and groups are protected from the government, which represents the majority.

Theoretically, before a man can be imprisoned, he must be convicted of a crime. Moreover, there is great care to make sure that many rights must be observed. Laws and procedures must be followed. Moreover, there are higher courts to make sure of this.

The democrats don’t like these procedures. President Trump was convicted outside a proper trial system. It will very likely at some point be overturned. Nonetheless, it shows what happens when the mass takes control, a true democracy. Virtually all of Trumps rights have been sidestepped by a biased system. The whole court system, even the jury was strongly biased. They needed no proof. The prosecutor could have stood before them and said he’s guilty and they would have returned a guilty verdict on the spot.

No one, but not one person should be glad at what happened. It is the 51% ruling over 49% regardless of the evidence. AND it can happen to all of us. If it can happen to a multi-billionaire, it most certainly can happen to a penniless man in the slums, no matter what color his skin is.

One of the most important and overlooked amendments is the tenth, in which all authority which is not explicitly given to the federal government is supposed to be reserved to the states and the people. Nowadays, it is mostly ignore. Some laugh at the few important words. If it were properly observed, there would be no department of education. There would be no FEMA. It was a good thing that the north won the Civil War. However, the the 10th Amendment was one of the casualties of the war. Since the war ended, not many pay attention to it. And we truly suffer because of it.

I have a question concerning this. Do we really want to put the national government in charge of deciding what we teach and and how we teach our kids. It is how Hitler took over in Germany, through the schools, and quickly. Better that schools be controlled as local as possible.

When The Constitution was first ratified, senators were selected by the state assemblies. The idea was, the people selected the representatives and the states select the senators. A constitutional amendment ended that, as well as all representation of the states. It was a horrible blow to the concept of a republic.

Now, another aspect of the republic is apparently sitting on the chopping block. If it falls, it will be devastating. The majority will have their rule. The president will be selected by the majority and the communists will take over. Maybe not immediately, but soon.

Believe it or not, their is a purpose to the Electoral College. I suppose if we do away with it, we’ll find out about it. Maybe a little late.

Heat and Mileage

Posted in Biden, Electric Automobiles, EVs, Uncategorized by

I have always known that the heat will effect mileage of electric cars, or any car with air conditioning really. However, as usual, experience is a good teacher. Now that it has been hitting 95 degrees daily lately it is becoming a great deal more obvious. For this reason, the wife and I have started waiting longer before we go out.

At the end of each trip, my EV Nissan gives me a report on how many miles per KW hour I had. It is pretty normal to score anywhere from 3.0 to 3.8. However, here lately, I have been getting reports around 2.3 and 2.4. It is somewhat logical as it takes half the 5 mile ride to cool the car down.

On rare occasions, when driving at night, I get reports close to 5.0. Then the other day, in the evening, I needed very little air conditioning. It wasn’t so hot and my trip was about half in the shade. When I pulled into the drive and turned off the car, I was surprised with a 6.1 miles per KW Hour.

That tells me, I would get much better mileage if I could do all my driving in a climate of 72 degrees where the sun is not heating the cabin through the windows.

Well, I have also drawn a few more conclusions. I could drastically increase my mileage if I could always park my car with the windows wide open. If I could leave the air conditioning off, I just might be able to double my range.

I can’t imagine that others are not completely aware of what I am saying. Moreover, air conditioning does create a load on internal combustion engines, too, likely more than we want to admit. Might it be possible that AC might cost as much as 5 or 6 miles per gallon. This is particularly true when a car must be parked in the sun, pushing the cabin heat to 130, maybe 140 degrees. Likely that compressor in any car is kept running the first 3 or 4 miles.

In the old days, we just rolled the windows down which helped a lot. We just can’t do that anymore. Weather aside, too many thieves. Too much of a temptation. The cost of insurance is high enough. However, If the cost of fuel keeps going up, we might need to roll the windows down anyway and make sure we leave nothing in the car we don’t want to lose.

There are other solutions of course. I did many years ago cover my car with a reflective cover. It worked okay, but by the time I took it off the car, the sun already heated the car. Besides, someone took the cover.

My wife is always tell me, I think to much. I guess that’s true. I did consider just a couple of 4 x 8 pieces of plywood with aluminum foil. I almost did it a time or two. I also wondered if I might be able to mount the things on the car while driving. I am sure it would drive the cost of AC down, but I’m not sure it would be legal.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a piece of foam that would fit over the car and hang over the windows a little. That would not only protect from the heat but it would also prolong the life of the interior, maybe a little. The foam could be rolled up while not in use and put in the trunk. I kind of like this idea the most, if I could find a piece of foam. It would not help while driving. However, it would not take as long to cool the cabin.

My car, I guess as most cars with AC allow the driver to select to recirculate the interior air or pull in fresh air and cool it. Many overlook it. When the cabin is 120 degrees, it is better to draw 95 degree air in and cool it instead of the hot interior air, while forcing the 120 degree air out.

On the other hand, once the interior of the car has cooled blow the 95 degree outdoor temperature, it is far better to cool the interior air than the the hotter outside temperature.

My car has all kinds of automation, but I must do this manually. Moreover, I must only guess. I have no interior temperature indication, other than guess. With all the push to go green, why is this so. Nonetheless, I do my part. When I get in my car, I select outdoor. After about 5 minutes, I switch to recirculate. My guess, I’m probably off some.

Another more recent Idea I had is to get one of these battery powered leaf blowers. Roughly five minutes before going anywhere, I can roll down the front windows and point the leaf blower in one window and blow 95 degree in one window forcing he 120 degree air out the other window. I haven’t done it yet, but it does seem that it would work.

Then the blower would go in the trunk for just before I start home.

If anyone has any other ideas, I have my ears on. If the engineers don’t want to solve this problem, let’s do it for them. Incidentally, Old Joe is going to make sure we are all going to go to electric cars. Y’ll are going to be facing these problems one of these days.

Keeping Cool

Posted in Uncategorized by

Unlike most folks, I have really taken a liking to window ACs. When I had central air, I spent over a grand a year to keep it running. Considering the increase in prices these days, I would not be at all surprised if it’s pushing 2 grand a year.

Roughly 5 years ago, I bought a 12 thousand BTU unit that lasted 5 year. I pulled it out and put it at the curb. My guess is that someone cleaned it up and now has a perfectly good unit that will last another 4 or 5 years.

Those window units are really built well. Some just might last forever but for the dust.

I put a new 8 thousand BTU unit in for about 5 hundred. I was

afraid it wouldn’t carry the load, but, with my age, 12 thousand BTU units are just too heavy for me.

So now the unit is being tested as the temp is hitting 95 daily. I am impressed. During the heat of the day, it runs about 75% of the time and keeps us comfortable.

My guess is that it also uses about a quarter the power of a 2 ton central unit.

There is a side benefit. When I finish working in the yard and come in really hot, I sit in front of the AC 15 minutes and I’m recovered. Can’t do that with central air.

Maybe one of these years, they will start making central units as reliable as window units. However, I’m not going to count on it.

As Most I’m Told, Waiting

Posted in Uncategorized by

I guess it is likely the biggest advantage of being a multi-millionaire. Can you imagine Elon Musk waiting in line for a hair cut. How many seconds do you suppose Bill Gates has to wait for anything? I probably spent more time waiting for stuff when I was in boot camp than all the Kennedys together in all their lives. I wonder if any of Rockefeller’s children ever had to wait for a school bus.

The other day, coming home from dinner, I waited on a road close to half an hour to get through one traffic light. That’s right, we have traffic jams in Desoto County, almost daily. It’s all those folks in Memphis coming down here, “forgetting” to signal a lane change as the force their way into another lane. Believe me. We have experienced them enough to know to expect them, especially on Goodman Road near I-55.

When I first moved down here, Goodman was 2 lanes, one each way. Now the bridge going over I-55 has 7 lanes and it’s still not enough. Hence, those of us who mush cross I-55 know what it means to wait.

I suppose those who go through drive-throughs know about waiting too. I wouldn’t know. I refuse to use them. Nonetheless, McDonald’s has taught me a thing or two about waiting. It used to be that when they saw me coming, they made me wait intentionally. They don’t do that anymore. I don’t go there. I go to places like Abbay’s where they have my hot food ready for me before I can get my drinks from the fountain.

I don’t waste much time waiting in gas stations anymore. I filled my gas powered car twice in six months since I got my electric car. As near as I can tell, I pay about the same for the electric. I can remember the lines in California in the 70’s when the Arabs decided to shut things down on us for a while. Gas went from thirty cents a gallon to eighty in a few weeks. That was when you could find it. Wasted a lot of time waiting in line for an open gas pump back then and I was not the only one.

Then, of course the really neat part about that, they post the sign “Out of Gas,” when I’m next in line. Then, of course, I had to find another line to wait in and hope and pray the gas lasts until I get my share of gas before I run out.

Somehow, I don’t think the millionaires had to wait for gas. I really don’t think they had to look for it either. If they did have to wait a time or two, the problem would have been fixed immediately, if not sooner.

The thing is, most of us from the time we start school learn how to wait in some way, shape or other. Well, most of us learn. When you get out on the road around here, you can quickly pick out those who have learned and those who haven’t.

Daily writing prompt
How do you waste the most time every day?
View all responses