Today is Friday, September 28,2012 - another beautiful day in the great state of Iowa. My stats: 10 minutes of yoga and a walk of 46 minutes = 2.5 miles for a September total of 56.7 miles. My weight was 162.0 pounds.
QUOTE from Hipponax The Satirist: "Throw plenty of mud and some of it is bound to stick"
MY THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE QUOTE.
This quote is very fitting to the Romney-Ryan ticket. They are telling one lie after another about Obama hoping one of them will stick.
Some political HUMOR today:
Friends were surprised when Harold, a Congressman, and Millicent, his gorgeous secretary, broke their engagement, but Harold had a ready explanation:
"Would you marry someone who was habitually unfaithful, who lied at every turn, who was selfish and lazy and sarcastic?"
"Of course not, said a sympathetic friend.
"Well," said Harold, "neither would Millicent."
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,346. The same old hate.
Today is Thursday, September 27, 2012 - it is a perfect fall day. My stats: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of the exercise ball and 46 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a September total of 54.2 miles. My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from Seneca: "Whom they have injured they also hate."
My THOUGHTS today have to do with hate. Leonard Pitts had a column in Sunday's paper entitled - Again, see the same old hate. A Florida woman named Venassa wrote to him - she had seen a bumper strip that said -"2012 Don't Re-Nig." She wrote - "I'm stunned by the fact that some people believe it's appropriate to flaunt that sentiment-and that it's not a source of shame."
Pitts wrote that he was not nearly as shocked as she because the sentiment expressed has been part of the Obama narrative since he took office. White people see America changing and they want "their" country back. Pitts gave other examples of white people's hate;
-one-fourth of the Americans question his birth place.
-Tea Party members denounce health care reform as "reparations."
-Rep. Geoff Davis calls Obama "boy."
-Rep. Joe Wilson yells out "you lie" in a presidential speech.
-Rush Limbaugh says Obama's election means it's open season on white kids.
-Obama is called a terrorist, a "food stamp president" and a "Chicago thug" - so why should "Don't Re-Nig" come as a surprise.The "white skinned haters" can't do lynchings anymore so these are other ways for them to express their hate.
Pitts concluded with these words: So this is the paradigm of our age - self delusion on the one hand, a guy trying to govern on the other, while hemmed in by race, defined in crude, stereotypical imagery, yet unable to fight it, talk about it, or evern admit he sees it, for fear of compromising his effectiveness, being dismissed as, God forbid, "an angry black man."h
QUOTE from Seneca: "Whom they have injured they also hate."
My THOUGHTS today have to do with hate. Leonard Pitts had a column in Sunday's paper entitled - Again, see the same old hate. A Florida woman named Venassa wrote to him - she had seen a bumper strip that said -"2012 Don't Re-Nig." She wrote - "I'm stunned by the fact that some people believe it's appropriate to flaunt that sentiment-and that it's not a source of shame."
Pitts wrote that he was not nearly as shocked as she because the sentiment expressed has been part of the Obama narrative since he took office. White people see America changing and they want "their" country back. Pitts gave other examples of white people's hate;
-one-fourth of the Americans question his birth place.
-Tea Party members denounce health care reform as "reparations."
-Rep. Geoff Davis calls Obama "boy."
-Rep. Joe Wilson yells out "you lie" in a presidential speech.
-Rush Limbaugh says Obama's election means it's open season on white kids.
-Obama is called a terrorist, a "food stamp president" and a "Chicago thug" - so why should "Don't Re-Nig" come as a surprise.The "white skinned haters" can't do lynchings anymore so these are other ways for them to express their hate.
Pitts concluded with these words: So this is the paradigm of our age - self delusion on the one hand, a guy trying to govern on the other, while hemmed in by race, defined in crude, stereotypical imagery, yet unable to fight it, talk about it, or evern admit he sees it, for fear of compromising his effectiveness, being dismissed as, God forbid, "an angry black man."h
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,345. Are we better off?.
Today is Wednesday, September 26, 2012. My stats: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 48 minutes of walking = 2.6 miles for a September total of 49.6 miles. My weight was 164.0 pounds.
QUOTE from Lyndon B. Johnson: "Being a president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There's nothing to do but stand there and take it."
My THOUGHTS today. Romney has been asking if we are better off than four years ago? Well. there are many stats to prove we are - her are a few of them.
*Household income hasn't improved but household balance sheets are very quickly moving in the right direction. The soaring stock market has restored 401(k)s to their former levels.
*The value of homes are creeping back above the waterline in some areas and booming in others.
*We are approaching "historic lows" in delinquency rates on consumer credit-card debt and auto and appliance loans.
*The auto workers are back making cars with good pay checks. If you remember Romney said in 2009 "let them go bankrupt."
* We've had around 27 months of job growth. Obama took office facing the the greatest economic castrophe the U.S. has had since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It took a year for Obama to get things turned around before the employment rate switched from job loss to job growth.
*We are not seeing our soldiers getting maimed or killed in Iraq.
*Our gays can now serve honestly in our armed forces.
* President hasn't had shoes thrown at him, that's a change.
The 47% who are free-loaders have behaved reponsibly since the 2008 crash
QUOTE from Lyndon B. Johnson: "Being a president is like being a jackass in a hailstorm. There's nothing to do but stand there and take it."
My THOUGHTS today. Romney has been asking if we are better off than four years ago? Well. there are many stats to prove we are - her are a few of them.
*Household income hasn't improved but household balance sheets are very quickly moving in the right direction. The soaring stock market has restored 401(k)s to their former levels.
*The value of homes are creeping back above the waterline in some areas and booming in others.
*We are approaching "historic lows" in delinquency rates on consumer credit-card debt and auto and appliance loans.
*The auto workers are back making cars with good pay checks. If you remember Romney said in 2009 "let them go bankrupt."
* We've had around 27 months of job growth. Obama took office facing the the greatest economic castrophe the U.S. has had since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It took a year for Obama to get things turned around before the employment rate switched from job loss to job growth.
*We are not seeing our soldiers getting maimed or killed in Iraq.
*Our gays can now serve honestly in our armed forces.
* President hasn't had shoes thrown at him, that's a change.
The 47% who are free-loaders have behaved reponsibly since the 2008 crash
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,343-44.
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,343 and 344. Sleep, Shakespeare and Ronald Reagan
Yesterday was day 26,343, Monday, September 24, 2012. My stats: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 47,1 miles. My weight was 163.4 pounds.
Brad and I took on Paul P. and Paul L. in best shot was won by a score of 40 to 41.
Today is 26,344, Tuesday, September 25, 2012. My stats: 10 mimutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 49.1 miles. My weight was 164.4 pounds.
My THOUGHTS today. I haven't slept well for 4-5 nights and I feel like crap today. I need to take a nap this afternoon and get a good nights sleep tonight. As I'm gotten older I've had a harder time sleeping through the night - the reason is 2-3 visits to the bathroom.
QUOTE from William Shakespeare: "O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature's soft nurse."
HUMOR from Ronald Reagan. Reagan said: "I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting."
Yesterday was day 26,343, Monday, September 24, 2012. My stats: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 47,1 miles. My weight was 163.4 pounds.
Brad and I took on Paul P. and Paul L. in best shot was won by a score of 40 to 41.
Today is 26,344, Tuesday, September 25, 2012. My stats: 10 mimutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 49.1 miles. My weight was 164.4 pounds.
My THOUGHTS today. I haven't slept well for 4-5 nights and I feel like crap today. I need to take a nap this afternoon and get a good nights sleep tonight. As I'm gotten older I've had a harder time sleeping through the night - the reason is 2-3 visits to the bathroom.
QUOTE from William Shakespeare: "O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature's soft nurse."
HUMOR from Ronald Reagan. Reagan said: "I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting."
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,340-41-42.
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,340-41-42. It's tough when the Hawkeyes lose.
On Friday, Spetember 21, day 26,340, I did nothing but play a round of golf with Brad, Paul Pinney and Paul Pinney.
On Saturday, September 22, day 26,341, I went with Brad to the Hawkeye versus Central Michigan game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Hawks lost 32-31 on a 47 yard field goal with 3 seconds left.
Today is Sunday, September 23, day 26,342. I did not enjoy reading the sports page in the Gazette this morning. Most everybody was pretty hard on Ferentz and the Hawkeye football players. We play Minnesota next Saturday - they are 4-0 - the Hawks are 2-2. If we are to beat the Gophers we have to play better than we have been.
Brad and Dave Thiher (Carron's friend) are playing golf this afternoon in the Lutheran Golf Tournament at the Fawn Creek Golf course.
FOOD for THOUGHT: After getting beat by Central Michigan yesterday I had the thought that life would be so much easier if I didn't care if the Hawks won or lost. But on the other hand I've had so many joyous times when they've won many big games. Life is a bunch of ups and downs and this season might be one of those where there are more downers than uppers. Oh well, the sun will keep coming up every day and that's more important than a football game (but not nearly as exciting as a Hawkeye victory.)
On Friday, Spetember 21, day 26,340, I did nothing but play a round of golf with Brad, Paul Pinney and Paul Pinney.
On Saturday, September 22, day 26,341, I went with Brad to the Hawkeye versus Central Michigan game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Hawks lost 32-31 on a 47 yard field goal with 3 seconds left.
Today is Sunday, September 23, day 26,342. I did not enjoy reading the sports page in the Gazette this morning. Most everybody was pretty hard on Ferentz and the Hawkeye football players. We play Minnesota next Saturday - they are 4-0 - the Hawks are 2-2. If we are to beat the Gophers we have to play better than we have been.
Brad and Dave Thiher (Carron's friend) are playing golf this afternoon in the Lutheran Golf Tournament at the Fawn Creek Golf course.
FOOD for THOUGHT: After getting beat by Central Michigan yesterday I had the thought that life would be so much easier if I didn't care if the Hawks won or lost. But on the other hand I've had so many joyous times when they've won many big games. Life is a bunch of ups and downs and this season might be one of those where there are more downers than uppers. Oh well, the sun will keep coming up every day and that's more important than a football game (but not nearly as exciting as a Hawkeye victory.)
Friday, September 21, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,340. The Flip-Flopper.
Today is Friday, Spetember 21, 2012 - it is cool and rainy. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a September total of 43.1miles. My weight was 161.4 pounds.
QUOTE from Frank Dane: "Any man with a fine shock of hair, a good set of teeth, and a bewitching smile can park his brains, if he has any, and run for public office."
My THOUGHTS today concerning Mitt Romney and the 2012 presidential campaign. To me Romney is one of the biggest hypocrites ever to run for president. He has flip-flopped on nearly every issue in order to please. He stands for nothing. Here are some of the main issues he has flip-flopped on since he was governor of Massachusetts.
-abortion rights
-support for Planned Parenthood (to which he and wife once wrote checks)
-gun rights (he supported the Brady Bill in the 1990s)
-Grover Norquist's "no tax increases" pledge (which he refused to sign as a candidate for governor)
-immigration
-don't ask, don't tell
-and most famous of all is health care (he promises to repeal Obamacare on his first day in office even though it is identical to the health care bill he signed into law in Massachusetts)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT; We tell lies when we are afraid...afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.
QUOTE from Frank Dane: "Any man with a fine shock of hair, a good set of teeth, and a bewitching smile can park his brains, if he has any, and run for public office."
My THOUGHTS today concerning Mitt Romney and the 2012 presidential campaign. To me Romney is one of the biggest hypocrites ever to run for president. He has flip-flopped on nearly every issue in order to please. He stands for nothing. Here are some of the main issues he has flip-flopped on since he was governor of Massachusetts.
-abortion rights
-support for Planned Parenthood (to which he and wife once wrote checks)
-gun rights (he supported the Brady Bill in the 1990s)
-Grover Norquist's "no tax increases" pledge (which he refused to sign as a candidate for governor)
-immigration
-don't ask, don't tell
-and most famous of all is health care (he promises to repeal Obamacare on his first day in office even though it is identical to the health care bill he signed into law in Massachusetts)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT; We tell lies when we are afraid...afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,339. The 47% people.
Today is Thursday, September 29, 2012 - a beauty of a day in the 70s and sunny. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a September total of 40.6 miles. My weight was 161.2 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Edward Teller, 1950. "How do we know? Nuclear fallout may be good for us."
My THOUGHTS today have to do with Mitt Romney's comments about the 47% of Americans who he says do not pay taxes. Most of this info comes from Todd Dorman's column in the morning Gazette. I agree 100% with what he says.
Romney made these comments to a $50,000 per plate fundraiser in Florida in May. He didn't know he was being videotaped. He smeared nearly half of the American people and they do not deserve to be smeared. Romney and many other hardcore Republicans don't seem to realize that they do not owe a federal income liability because they might be old and have finished working, or are very young and just starting out, or they are in school, or are disabled, or are working at one, maybe more, low-wage jobs, or are unemployed amid this economic downturn or they happened to receive various tax credits approved by Republican and Democratic administrations in the last 30 years.
Of the 47%, 61% paid payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) in 2012. That means they work. Another 22% are elderly. That leaves just about 17% who aren't paying income or payroll taxes amid the worst economic downturn since the 1930s. But all 47% of these people still pay sales tax, gasoline taxes, road use tax, real estate tax, city taxes, etc., (DESPITE THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY).
It is obvious Romney has contempt for President Obama's economic policies, and apparently he has contempt for 47% of America's people and those who have suffered the most.
HUMOR for today: William Jennings Bryan (the three time Democratic candidate for President in 1896, 1900, and 1904) was giving a speech in a jam-packed auditorium to about 500 people. But there were another 500 outside who couldn't get in. An aide told Bryan about this. Bryan told the aide, just find something I can stand on and I'll address them when I'm done inside. All the aide could fine was manure spreader. The people laughed when Bryan got on up on the spreader but he was equal to the occasion.
"My friends," Bryan began cheerfully, "this is the first time in my life I have ever spoken on a Republican platform."
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Edward Teller, 1950. "How do we know? Nuclear fallout may be good for us."
My THOUGHTS today have to do with Mitt Romney's comments about the 47% of Americans who he says do not pay taxes. Most of this info comes from Todd Dorman's column in the morning Gazette. I agree 100% with what he says.
Romney made these comments to a $50,000 per plate fundraiser in Florida in May. He didn't know he was being videotaped. He smeared nearly half of the American people and they do not deserve to be smeared. Romney and many other hardcore Republicans don't seem to realize that they do not owe a federal income liability because they might be old and have finished working, or are very young and just starting out, or they are in school, or are disabled, or are working at one, maybe more, low-wage jobs, or are unemployed amid this economic downturn or they happened to receive various tax credits approved by Republican and Democratic administrations in the last 30 years.
Of the 47%, 61% paid payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare) in 2012. That means they work. Another 22% are elderly. That leaves just about 17% who aren't paying income or payroll taxes amid the worst economic downturn since the 1930s. But all 47% of these people still pay sales tax, gasoline taxes, road use tax, real estate tax, city taxes, etc., (DESPITE THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY).
It is obvious Romney has contempt for President Obama's economic policies, and apparently he has contempt for 47% of America's people and those who have suffered the most.
HUMOR for today: William Jennings Bryan (the three time Democratic candidate for President in 1896, 1900, and 1904) was giving a speech in a jam-packed auditorium to about 500 people. But there were another 500 outside who couldn't get in. An aide told Bryan about this. Bryan told the aide, just find something I can stand on and I'll address them when I'm done inside. All the aide could fine was manure spreader. The people laughed when Bryan got on up on the spreader but he was equal to the occasion.
"My friends," Bryan began cheerfully, "this is the first time in my life I have ever spoken on a Republican platform."
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,338. Can't hit the golf ball very far anymore.
Today is Wednesday, September 19, 2012 a cool windy day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 39 minutes of walking = 2.1 miles for a September total of 38.1 miles. My weight was 162.0 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Charlie Chaplin, 1914.
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. I'm going to get out of this business. It's too much for me. It'll never catch on."
My ACCOMPLISHMENTS today. I played 9 holes of golf with my golfing buddy Paul Lewison. We had another 44. We had 3 pars but we started with 2 double bogeys - not a good way to start a round of best shot. Our biggest problem is neither of us can hit the ball very far anymore so on a 500 yard hole we are lucky to get there in 4 shots and sometimes 5. It is hard to get pars when that is the case.
HUMOR for today: Republican boys date Democratic girls. They plan to marry Republican girls, but feel they're entitled to a little fun first.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Charlie Chaplin, 1914.
"The cinema is little more than a fad. It's canned drama. I'm going to get out of this business. It's too much for me. It'll never catch on."
My ACCOMPLISHMENTS today. I played 9 holes of golf with my golfing buddy Paul Lewison. We had another 44. We had 3 pars but we started with 2 double bogeys - not a good way to start a round of best shot. Our biggest problem is neither of us can hit the ball very far anymore so on a 500 yard hole we are lucky to get there in 4 shots and sometimes 5. It is hard to get pars when that is the case.
HUMOR for today: Republican boys date Democratic girls. They plan to marry Republican girls, but feel they're entitled to a little fun first.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,337. A lazy day.
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,337. A lazy day.
Today is Tuesday, September 18, 2012 - a cool day in high 50s and sunny. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of exercise ball and 46 minutes of walking = 2.6 miles for a September total of 36.0 miles, My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Ken Olson, President, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977. "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home."
I'm lazy today so will just say it was fun playing golf with Paul Lewison this morning. We had a 43 - not super for best-shot but for a couple of duffers that is okay - we're not too serious about our golf game.
I also went to the dentist this morning - it was not fun paying $116.85 to have my teeth cleaned and looked at by the Doctor.
HUMOR from a political loser. I was defeated in the election and I'm glad because I won't have to keep all the promises I made during the campaign.
Today is Tuesday, September 18, 2012 - a cool day in high 50s and sunny. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of exercise ball and 46 minutes of walking = 2.6 miles for a September total of 36.0 miles, My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Ken Olson, President, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977. "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home."
I'm lazy today so will just say it was fun playing golf with Paul Lewison this morning. We had a 43 - not super for best-shot but for a couple of duffers that is okay - we're not too serious about our golf game.
I also went to the dentist this morning - it was not fun paying $116.85 to have my teeth cleaned and looked at by the Doctor.
HUMOR from a political loser. I was defeated in the election and I'm glad because I won't have to keep all the promises I made during the campaign.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,336. NO to GOP takeover of Senate.
Pete Bungum's BLOG-Day 26,336. NO to GOP takeover of Senate.
Today is Monday, September 17, 2012 - a cool cloudy and rainy day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a September total of 33.4 miles. My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one is from Robert Welch, President, John Birch Society, 1963. (The Tea Party is the 2012 equivalent of the 1950s and 1960s John Birch Society.)
"Dwight D. Eisenhower is a dedicated, conscious agent of the Communist conspiracy."
My THOUGHTS today: I do not want the GOP to gain control of the U.S. Senate. There are 33 senate seats up for grabs in this election. Democrats are defending 23. The Republicans only need to pick up four seats to take control and start implementing their dangerous agenda.
Their agenda is what is scary for me and most all Americans. Here is why it is scary!
-They'll repeal the Affordable Care Act, denying health insurance to millions and putting millions more with pre-existing conditions at rick of losing their coverage.
-They'll gut sensible financial regulations that prevent predatory lending and curtail Wall Street reckless gambling.
-They'll give special tax breaks to their wealthy friends while shifting the burden onto the backs of the struggling middle class.
-They'll eliminate environmental protections and let the oil companies call the shots.
-They'll take a woman's control away from her own body.
-They'll probably lead us into another war in the Middle East, this time with Iran.
-They'll turn Medicare into a voucher system.
-And what are the cuts they are going to make to balance the budget. I'm totally convinced it will be the middle class, the poor, the young, and the seniors who will suffer the most.
HUMOR for today: A Texas Republican had just died. He was so huge he would not fit into the largest coffin available. The undertaker phoned the heart-broken family.
'What shall I do?" he asked.
The politician's youngest grandson, the town's leading liberal, supplied the answer.: "Just give him an enema, and you can bury the remains in a cigar box."
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,334 and 35. Hawks look better.
Yesterday was Saturday, September 15, 2012. My stats were 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 50 minutes of walking = 2.7 miles for a September total of 30.9 miles. My weight was 162.2. This was a good day as the Hawks defeated UNI by a score of 27-16.
Today is Sunday, September 16, 2012. No stats today as I took the day off. It was fun to read the Sunday Sports page with news about the Hawkeye victory.
My ACCOMPLISHMENTS yesterday and today. I'm working for the OBA (Obama for America). I'm responsible for most of the mobile home court. So the last 2 days I've been interviewing the registered Democrats in the court and encouraging them to be sure and vote again for Obama. The response has been very positive. Only 3 people have said no and over 70 have said yes. That is encouraging. I carry with me absentee ballot request forms for any who want to vote that way. I've signed up 15 voters who want to vote by absentee ballot.
It makes feel good to know I live in a democracy and that I have the freedom and right to go out and campaign for the candidate of my choice.
FOOD for THOUGHT. Harry Truman said: "When a leader is in the Democaratic Party he's a boss, and when he's in the Republican Party he's a leader."
Today is Sunday, September 16, 2012. No stats today as I took the day off. It was fun to read the Sunday Sports page with news about the Hawkeye victory.
My ACCOMPLISHMENTS yesterday and today. I'm working for the OBA (Obama for America). I'm responsible for most of the mobile home court. So the last 2 days I've been interviewing the registered Democrats in the court and encouraging them to be sure and vote again for Obama. The response has been very positive. Only 3 people have said no and over 70 have said yes. That is encouraging. I carry with me absentee ballot request forms for any who want to vote that way. I've signed up 15 voters who want to vote by absentee ballot.
It makes feel good to know I live in a democracy and that I have the freedom and right to go out and campaign for the candidate of my choice.
FOOD for THOUGHT. Harry Truman said: "When a leader is in the Democaratic Party he's a boss, and when he's in the Republican Party he's a leader."
Friday, September 14, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,333. Bowling Trivia today
Today is Thursday, September 14, 2012. Temps in the 70s today but sunshine all day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 43 minutes of walking = 2.3 miles for a September total of 28.1 miles. My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Helen Buffington in 1974. She was a member of the Committee to Re-Elect President Nixon. "If President Nixon is impeached, there will be mass suicides, mass nervous breakdowns, and total demoralization of the country."
I LEARNED from my Bathroom Book how the sport of bowling came to be. As a former bowler I found this quite interesting.
Bowling originated in German monasteries around 300 AD. The monks had churchgoers knock down a bottle-shaped object called a kegel from a distance to prove their devotion to God. The kegel represented the devil, and upsetting it meant complete absolution from sin.
Gradually, more kegels (pins) were added and it turned into a non-religious game. By the 1600s, a version called "nine-pin" had become popular throughout Europe.
Ninepins was popular in the U.S. in the early1800s. But because many lanes were located in saloons, the game became associated with drinking. Many states banned it. Bowlers got around the laws by adding a tenth pin to the set. Eventually Ten-pins became more popular than Ninepins.
BOWLING TRIVIA.
-a bowling ball is called an apple.
-a 7-10 split can be called bedposts, snake eyes, mule ears , or goal posts.
-a random, gap-filled group of pins left standing is called grandma's teeth.
-a 7 pin left standing is called a mother-in-law.
-a roll right into the gutter is called a poodle.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Helen Buffington in 1974. She was a member of the Committee to Re-Elect President Nixon. "If President Nixon is impeached, there will be mass suicides, mass nervous breakdowns, and total demoralization of the country."
I LEARNED from my Bathroom Book how the sport of bowling came to be. As a former bowler I found this quite interesting.
Bowling originated in German monasteries around 300 AD. The monks had churchgoers knock down a bottle-shaped object called a kegel from a distance to prove their devotion to God. The kegel represented the devil, and upsetting it meant complete absolution from sin.
Gradually, more kegels (pins) were added and it turned into a non-religious game. By the 1600s, a version called "nine-pin" had become popular throughout Europe.
Ninepins was popular in the U.S. in the early1800s. But because many lanes were located in saloons, the game became associated with drinking. Many states banned it. Bowlers got around the laws by adding a tenth pin to the set. Eventually Ten-pins became more popular than Ninepins.
BOWLING TRIVIA.
-a bowling ball is called an apple.
-a 7-10 split can be called bedposts, snake eyes, mule ears , or goal posts.
-a random, gap-filled group of pins left standing is called grandma's teeth.
-a 7 pin left standing is called a mother-in-law.
-a roll right into the gutter is called a poodle.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,332. Right-wing Religious Extremists upset me.
Today is Thursday, September 13, 2012. It is rainy and cool day with temps in the 50s. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of the exercise ball and 39 minutes of walking = 2.1 miles for a September total of 25.8 miles. My weight was at 161.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Thomas J. Watson in 1943: "I think there is a world market for about 5 computers." (He must have changed his mind in a couple of years.)
Why I'm UPSET with the GOP and the RELIGIOUS RIGHT. Last week a retired biology professor from Cornell College wrote a letter-to-the-editor that struck home with me. His letter was entitled; Republicans overtaken by religious extremists. His words: "The Republican platform appears to have been taken over by mean-spirited and intolerable people who have the nerve to call themselves Christians. These born-again religious extremists who have morphed a once-respectable politican party into a faith-based entity would likely be happier working for the government in Iran than in an all-inclusive melting-pot America founded by immigrants seeking freedom from hatred, religious and social intolerance and bigotry. Showing little humility or compassion for others who are deemed "different," they promote themselves as God's mouthpiece on earth. What kind of God do the Republicans of the religious right believe in? Certainly not the God who encourged us to private prayer, not to judge lest we be judged, and love thy neighbor."
The words above are my exact thoughts. In the last couple of days the religious right-wing conservative Moslems are attacking our embassies in Libya, Egypt and Yemen - all because of a video that was not complimentary to the Islam religion. As I get older the thought running through my mind is that right-wing religious extremists are going to cause a global war. The seem to feel that their religious beliefs are the only true ones and it is their way or the highway. That's why blind religious faith is scary to me.
HUMOR for today:
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Thomas J. Watson in 1943: "I think there is a world market for about 5 computers." (He must have changed his mind in a couple of years.)
Why I'm UPSET with the GOP and the RELIGIOUS RIGHT. Last week a retired biology professor from Cornell College wrote a letter-to-the-editor that struck home with me. His letter was entitled; Republicans overtaken by religious extremists. His words: "The Republican platform appears to have been taken over by mean-spirited and intolerable people who have the nerve to call themselves Christians. These born-again religious extremists who have morphed a once-respectable politican party into a faith-based entity would likely be happier working for the government in Iran than in an all-inclusive melting-pot America founded by immigrants seeking freedom from hatred, religious and social intolerance and bigotry. Showing little humility or compassion for others who are deemed "different," they promote themselves as God's mouthpiece on earth. What kind of God do the Republicans of the religious right believe in? Certainly not the God who encourged us to private prayer, not to judge lest we be judged, and love thy neighbor."
The words above are my exact thoughts. In the last couple of days the religious right-wing conservative Moslems are attacking our embassies in Libya, Egypt and Yemen - all because of a video that was not complimentary to the Islam religion. As I get older the thought running through my mind is that right-wing religious extremists are going to cause a global war. The seem to feel that their religious beliefs are the only true ones and it is their way or the highway. That's why blind religious faith is scary to me.
HUMOR for today:
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,231. Why do we have financial crashes?
Today is Wednesday, September 12, 2012. Mt stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 50 minutes of walking = 2.7 miles for a September total of 23.7 miles, My weight was 162.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Emmeline Snively (modeling agent) to Marilyn Monroe, 1944. "You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married."
I LEARNED the main reasons we have financial crashes? I learned this from a newspaper article in the C.R. Gazette on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012. The title of the article was BOOK: DEBT SCHEMES KEY TO DOWNTURNS. The article was written by a Reuters reporter. The reporter was explaining what Scott Reynolds Nelson, a history professor at the College of William and Mary, wrote in his book entitled: "A Nation of Deadbeats: An Uncommon History of America's Financial Disasters".
As we all know we had the financial meltdown in 2008 from which we're still recovering. Professor Nelson points out we also had financial meltdowns in 1792, 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893, and 1929. The point of his book was what do all these financial meltdowns have in common.
Professor Nelson says this : First, every one of them was caused by financial machinations (evil plots, secret or cunning schemes) of Wall Street wizards. And second, the weakness of Americans for get-rich schemes. For example, in the 1850s. investors at home and abroad bought railroad bonds whose underlying value rested on mortgaged land whose value rested on the price of wheat - a predecessor of collaterized debt obligations (remember those from 2008). In each, Nelson writes, "financial intermediaries convinced themselves that the financial instrument they had created was sophisticated enough to protect them from consumer default. And in each case the complex chain of institutions linking borrowers and lenders made it impossible for lenders to distinguish good loans from bad." And in each case the banks were saved but the people got ruined.
The only president to take the bull by the horns and do something about financial disasters was Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1930s Roosevelt got sweeping financial regulations through Congress including the Securities Act and the Glass-Steagall Act. But in the last 30 years those regulations were abandoned by both political parties. We saw more and more deregulation of the financial institutions resulting in the near fatal economic collapse in the U.S in 2007-2009.
Nelson mentions that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." And he had this to say also; "We have met the enemy and he is us."
I remember when Alan Greenspan resigned in 2008 as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. If we look at history I'm afraid we will do it again. (It is pretty sad to hear him say something like that but I'm afraid he may be right. Americans seem not to know history and are slow learners when it comes to the consequences of excessive greed and money.)
HUMOR for today: "I understand small business growth. I was one." George W. Bush
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Emmeline Snively (modeling agent) to Marilyn Monroe, 1944. "You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married."
I LEARNED the main reasons we have financial crashes? I learned this from a newspaper article in the C.R. Gazette on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012. The title of the article was BOOK: DEBT SCHEMES KEY TO DOWNTURNS. The article was written by a Reuters reporter. The reporter was explaining what Scott Reynolds Nelson, a history professor at the College of William and Mary, wrote in his book entitled: "A Nation of Deadbeats: An Uncommon History of America's Financial Disasters".
As we all know we had the financial meltdown in 2008 from which we're still recovering. Professor Nelson points out we also had financial meltdowns in 1792, 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893, and 1929. The point of his book was what do all these financial meltdowns have in common.
Professor Nelson says this : First, every one of them was caused by financial machinations (evil plots, secret or cunning schemes) of Wall Street wizards. And second, the weakness of Americans for get-rich schemes. For example, in the 1850s. investors at home and abroad bought railroad bonds whose underlying value rested on mortgaged land whose value rested on the price of wheat - a predecessor of collaterized debt obligations (remember those from 2008). In each, Nelson writes, "financial intermediaries convinced themselves that the financial instrument they had created was sophisticated enough to protect them from consumer default. And in each case the complex chain of institutions linking borrowers and lenders made it impossible for lenders to distinguish good loans from bad." And in each case the banks were saved but the people got ruined.
The only president to take the bull by the horns and do something about financial disasters was Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1930s Roosevelt got sweeping financial regulations through Congress including the Securities Act and the Glass-Steagall Act. But in the last 30 years those regulations were abandoned by both political parties. We saw more and more deregulation of the financial institutions resulting in the near fatal economic collapse in the U.S in 2007-2009.
Nelson mentions that "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." And he had this to say also; "We have met the enemy and he is us."
I remember when Alan Greenspan resigned in 2008 as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. If we look at history I'm afraid we will do it again. (It is pretty sad to hear him say something like that but I'm afraid he may be right. Americans seem not to know history and are slow learners when it comes to the consequences of excessive greed and money.)
HUMOR for today: "I understand small business growth. I was one." George W. Bush
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,230. My memories of 9/11.
Today is Tuesday, September 11, 2012. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 45 minutes of walking = 2.5 miles for a September total of 21.0 miles. My weight was 163.8 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Gary Cooper. "Gone With the Wind" is going to be the biggest flop in the history of Hollywood. I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling flat on his face and not Gary Cooper."
My MEMORIES of 9/11/01. On September 11, 2001 I was retired from teaching and and kept myself busy painting, both interior and exterior. That day I was painting a small barn a mile north of Anamosa. I had already painted the house and had a couple of days left on the barn. I turned on the TODAY show while eating breakfast. Then at 8:20 they interrupted the TODAY show for a special news announcent. The said a passenger plane had flown into the World Trade Center. As they were showing the smoking fiery building another plane hit the other Trade Center. At that time the announcers decided that we were under attack. Then the Trade Centers collapsed within minutes of each other. In a few minutes they said a plane had hit the Pentagon and they showed footage of the fiery Pentagon. Then they said there was another plane that had been hijacked and it was still in the air.
They speculated that it was headed for Washington D.C. and was probably going to target the White House or the Capitol.
At that point I took my radio along and plugged it into the electric outlet in the barn. I listened all day. At some time in the next couple of hours they reported that a plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. After another hour or so it was confirmed that it was the hijacked plane.
These are my memories of that day. This was a day that changed the world and we're still dealing with the consequences of that day. Do the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ring a bell? How about names like Osama bin Laden, al-queda, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld? How about words and places like Abu Graib, Guantanamo, waterboarding, terrorists, terrorism, Mission Accomplished, Shiites, Sunnis, Koran, Allah, suicide bombings, and............
HUMOR for today from the HAGAR comic strip this morning.
Helga (the wife) is screaming at Hagar: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE"?
Hagar answers: I DRINK TOO MUCH.....I EAT TOO MUCH.....I FIGHT TOO MUCH.....AND I STAY OUT TOO LATE.
Helga says: "RIGHT!"
Hagar says: "IT JUST SAVES TIME THEN I LIST THEM MYSELF."
QUOTE from another so-called expert - this one from Gary Cooper. "Gone With the Wind" is going to be the biggest flop in the history of Hollywood. I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling flat on his face and not Gary Cooper."
My MEMORIES of 9/11/01. On September 11, 2001 I was retired from teaching and and kept myself busy painting, both interior and exterior. That day I was painting a small barn a mile north of Anamosa. I had already painted the house and had a couple of days left on the barn. I turned on the TODAY show while eating breakfast. Then at 8:20 they interrupted the TODAY show for a special news announcent. The said a passenger plane had flown into the World Trade Center. As they were showing the smoking fiery building another plane hit the other Trade Center. At that time the announcers decided that we were under attack. Then the Trade Centers collapsed within minutes of each other. In a few minutes they said a plane had hit the Pentagon and they showed footage of the fiery Pentagon. Then they said there was another plane that had been hijacked and it was still in the air.
They speculated that it was headed for Washington D.C. and was probably going to target the White House or the Capitol.
At that point I took my radio along and plugged it into the electric outlet in the barn. I listened all day. At some time in the next couple of hours they reported that a plane had crashed in Pennsylvania. After another hour or so it was confirmed that it was the hijacked plane.
These are my memories of that day. This was a day that changed the world and we're still dealing with the consequences of that day. Do the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ring a bell? How about names like Osama bin Laden, al-queda, Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld? How about words and places like Abu Graib, Guantanamo, waterboarding, terrorists, terrorism, Mission Accomplished, Shiites, Sunnis, Koran, Allah, suicide bombings, and............
HUMOR for today from the HAGAR comic strip this morning.
Helga (the wife) is screaming at Hagar: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE"?
Hagar answers: I DRINK TOO MUCH.....I EAT TOO MUCH.....I FIGHT TOO MUCH.....AND I STAY OUT TOO LATE.
Helga says: "RIGHT!"
Hagar says: "IT JUST SAVES TIME THEN I LIST THEM MYSELF."
Monday, September 10, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Days 26,227-26,229. U.S. and Religion
Saturday was September 8, 2012 - day 26,227. The Hawks got beat by Iowa State bu 9-6.
Sunday was September 9, 2012 - day 26,228. It was hard to read the Sunday sports page because of our defeat by the Cyclones.
Today is Monday, September 10, 2012 a beautiful day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 18.5 miles. My weight was 162.0 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert. This one from Dixie Lee Ray, Washington Governor, 1977.
"A nuclear power plant is infinitely safer than eating, because 300 people choke to death on food every day."
Today I LEARNED a new to way to look at the U.S. and religion. There was an article in the paper this morning about a man named Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake Unversity in Des Moines. He gave a talk in Cedar Rapids explaining his views on religion and politics in the U.S.
His main points are:
1. Is the U.S. a Christian nation? He says the question can be clarified by understanding the Constitution. The Constitution does not protect religion but it protects religious freedom. There'a a big difference. He said his students often feel the U.S. is a Christian nation, but he explained that they're looking more along demographic lines. He cited surveys that show the U.S. is 78% Christian, 5% "other" and 16% unaffiliated. Only Catholics and Baptists make up more than 10% of the religious community.
2. Goldford asked the audience, "One nation under God whose god?" To which he answered, "It's one nation under no one's God. It is a nation under many gods."
3. With so many religions, it is important that we be tolerant of other people's beliefs. "Whatever I think is right, I have to respect your right to believe what I believe to be wrong. If you religify politics, you politicize religion."
4. The Founding Fathers framed the Constitution to keep religion and politics separate to protect individual religious freedom.
5 He said, "I advise caution. I say religion is somewhat like electricity. It somewhat makes our lives more comfortable, but it you're not careful it can kill you."
(This man and his views has made me think. It made me think about some conservative churches in 2008 who threatened to kick anybody out of the church who voted for Obama. I think that is what I would call "politicizing religion" or "religifying politics.")
Sunday was September 9, 2012 - day 26,228. It was hard to read the Sunday sports page because of our defeat by the Cyclones.
Today is Monday, September 10, 2012 a beautiful day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 18.5 miles. My weight was 162.0 pounds.
QUOTE from another so-called expert. This one from Dixie Lee Ray, Washington Governor, 1977.
"A nuclear power plant is infinitely safer than eating, because 300 people choke to death on food every day."
Today I LEARNED a new to way to look at the U.S. and religion. There was an article in the paper this morning about a man named Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake Unversity in Des Moines. He gave a talk in Cedar Rapids explaining his views on religion and politics in the U.S.
His main points are:
1. Is the U.S. a Christian nation? He says the question can be clarified by understanding the Constitution. The Constitution does not protect religion but it protects religious freedom. There'a a big difference. He said his students often feel the U.S. is a Christian nation, but he explained that they're looking more along demographic lines. He cited surveys that show the U.S. is 78% Christian, 5% "other" and 16% unaffiliated. Only Catholics and Baptists make up more than 10% of the religious community.
2. Goldford asked the audience, "One nation under God whose god?" To which he answered, "It's one nation under no one's God. It is a nation under many gods."
3. With so many religions, it is important that we be tolerant of other people's beliefs. "Whatever I think is right, I have to respect your right to believe what I believe to be wrong. If you religify politics, you politicize religion."
4. The Founding Fathers framed the Constitution to keep religion and politics separate to protect individual religious freedom.
5 He said, "I advise caution. I say religion is somewhat like electricity. It somewhat makes our lives more comfortable, but it you're not careful it can kill you."
(This man and his views has made me think. It made me think about some conservative churches in 2008 who threatened to kick anybody out of the church who voted for Obama. I think that is what I would call "politicizing religion" or "religifying politics.")
Friday, September 7, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,226. Stories of the Taj Mahal.
Today is Friday, September 7, 2012 - a cool day and we got almost of inch of rain last night. My stats for today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 52 minutes of walking = 2.8 miles for a September total of 15 miles. My weight was 162.2 pounds.
QUOTE from my Bathroom Book - my next several quotes will be from so-called experts who were so wrong. Being an expert means never having to admit you're wrong. Well, read these as the days go by and see what a bunch of BS this is. In 1954, The National Cancer Institute said this" "If excessive smoking actually plays a role in the production of lung cancer, it seems to be a minor one."
From my Bathroom Book I LEARNED some interesting information about the Taj Mahal. I love this kind of trivia because it makes life more interesting.
In 1628, Shah Jahan became the fifth Mogul emperor of India. Jahan was a Muslim so he had four wives. His favorite was one called Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz was a bloodthirsty religious zealot and a committed foe of Christianity. She persuaded her husband into destroying a Christian colony on the northeast coast of India. He did and the survivors were marched 1,200 miles to Agra. There the priests were thrown beneath elephants; the rest were sold as slaves.
Mumtaz died in 1631. He was devastated and went into mourning by staying in his quarters for eight days, refusing food or wine. On the ninth day he emerged determined to build a monument to his beloved. The project took 22 years. More than 20,000 jewelers, builders, masons and calligraphers worked on it day and night. When they finished, they had created the wondrous white mausoleum which is still regarded - nearly 360 years later - as the most remarkable piece of architecture in the world. It was made of white marble and is adorned with turquoise, jade, carnelian (a kind of quartz), and other precious metals.
He showed his appreciation for this masterpiece by ordering the HANDS of the master builders - and the HEAD of the architect - to be chopped off, so the perfection of the Taj could never be duplicated.What a nice guy he was!!!!!!!!
HUMOR for today" The Cubs lost to the Nationals again last night by a score of 9-2.
QUOTE from my Bathroom Book - my next several quotes will be from so-called experts who were so wrong. Being an expert means never having to admit you're wrong. Well, read these as the days go by and see what a bunch of BS this is. In 1954, The National Cancer Institute said this" "If excessive smoking actually plays a role in the production of lung cancer, it seems to be a minor one."
From my Bathroom Book I LEARNED some interesting information about the Taj Mahal. I love this kind of trivia because it makes life more interesting.
In 1628, Shah Jahan became the fifth Mogul emperor of India. Jahan was a Muslim so he had four wives. His favorite was one called Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz was a bloodthirsty religious zealot and a committed foe of Christianity. She persuaded her husband into destroying a Christian colony on the northeast coast of India. He did and the survivors were marched 1,200 miles to Agra. There the priests were thrown beneath elephants; the rest were sold as slaves.
Mumtaz died in 1631. He was devastated and went into mourning by staying in his quarters for eight days, refusing food or wine. On the ninth day he emerged determined to build a monument to his beloved. The project took 22 years. More than 20,000 jewelers, builders, masons and calligraphers worked on it day and night. When they finished, they had created the wondrous white mausoleum which is still regarded - nearly 360 years later - as the most remarkable piece of architecture in the world. It was made of white marble and is adorned with turquoise, jade, carnelian (a kind of quartz), and other precious metals.
He showed his appreciation for this masterpiece by ordering the HANDS of the master builders - and the HEAD of the architect - to be chopped off, so the perfection of the Taj could never be duplicated.What a nice guy he was!!!!!!!!
HUMOR for today" The Cubs lost to the Nationals again last night by a score of 9-2.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
PETE'S blog-dAY 26,225. Hurrah for coffee.
Today is Thursday, September 6, 2012 - a wonderful day with temps in the high 70s. My stats today" 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of the exercise ball and 60 minutes of walking = 3.1 miles for a September total of 12.2 miles. My weight was 163.0 pounds.
QUOTE from Ronald Reagan" "I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.
What I LEARNED today. I truly enjoy my two cups of coffee after my workout and breakfast. The morning newspaper made me enjoy this mornings coffee even more. The headline said STUDY FINDS NEW BENEFIT OF COFFEE: IT REDUCES PAIN. A study was done in Norway with 48 volunteers who could drink coffee or not while doing an experiment designed by researchers from Norway's Institute of Occupational Health and Oslo University Hospital. The 48 volunteers spent 90 minutes performing fake computer tasks meant to mimic office work. The 19 volunteers who drank coffee had a lower intensity of pain in the neck and shoulders than the 29 people who didn't. The average shoulder and neck pain intensity was 41 (on a 100 point scale) for the coffee drinkers while the non-drinkers had 55.
The article went on to say that coffee has already been found to do many other things to keep the body healthy. Such as: help with weight loss, reduce the risk of developing Alaheimer's disease or dementia, boost muscle growth, protect against certain types of cancer and can even reduce one's risk of premature death, among many other benefits.
Drinking COFFEE is a win-win deal.
HUMOR for today: The Chicago Cubs lost again last night to the Nationals. The CUBS have the second worst record in the major leagues - only Houston is worse. The Cubs are 51-85 and 31 games our of first place while the Astros are 42-95 and 40 1/2 games out. Ruth Ann and I get our laugh of the day when we look up the Cubs score every nmorning. To be a little more fair about the Cubs I should mention that they are rebuilding under the direction of Theo Epstein (the former Red Sox GM). They have many young players who, I hope, will improve a lot in the years to come.
QUOTE from Ronald Reagan" "I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.
What I LEARNED today. I truly enjoy my two cups of coffee after my workout and breakfast. The morning newspaper made me enjoy this mornings coffee even more. The headline said STUDY FINDS NEW BENEFIT OF COFFEE: IT REDUCES PAIN. A study was done in Norway with 48 volunteers who could drink coffee or not while doing an experiment designed by researchers from Norway's Institute of Occupational Health and Oslo University Hospital. The 48 volunteers spent 90 minutes performing fake computer tasks meant to mimic office work. The 19 volunteers who drank coffee had a lower intensity of pain in the neck and shoulders than the 29 people who didn't. The average shoulder and neck pain intensity was 41 (on a 100 point scale) for the coffee drinkers while the non-drinkers had 55.
The article went on to say that coffee has already been found to do many other things to keep the body healthy. Such as: help with weight loss, reduce the risk of developing Alaheimer's disease or dementia, boost muscle growth, protect against certain types of cancer and can even reduce one's risk of premature death, among many other benefits.
Drinking COFFEE is a win-win deal.
HUMOR for today: The Chicago Cubs lost again last night to the Nationals. The CUBS have the second worst record in the major leagues - only Houston is worse. The Cubs are 51-85 and 31 games our of first place while the Astros are 42-95 and 40 1/2 games out. Ruth Ann and I get our laugh of the day when we look up the Cubs score every nmorning. To be a little more fair about the Cubs I should mention that they are rebuilding under the direction of Theo Epstein (the former Red Sox GM). They have many young players who, I hope, will improve a lot in the years to come.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,224. Jim Crow Lite.
Today is Wednesday, September 5, 2012 - we got a half inch of rain last night and it is a little cooler today. My stats for today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 47
minutes of walking in Wapsi State Park = 2.6 miles for a September total of 9.1 miles. Me weight was at 162.2 pounds.
QUOTE from Kin Hubbard: "We'd all like to vote for the best man, but he's never available."
I LEARNED a new phrase this morning, that phrase is "Jim Crow Lite." Last week I had my letter-to-the-editor published in the Anamosa and Monticello newspapers. My topic was "The GOP and Voter Suppression." This morning when I saw a column written by Mary Sanchev of the Kansas Star entitled "Will Republicans succeed with Jim Crow Lite" I had to read it because it was the same topic as mine.
The gist of Mary's article was that the Republicans of today are doing the same thing the Southern Democratic Party did in the late 1800s and over half of the 1900s. The Republicans of today have devised 3 main schemes to deny the rights of hundreds of thousands of Americans to vote. By creating new ID laws, shortening absentee and early voting times and making it tougher to register to vote they are doing the same thing the Jim Crow voting laws did in the South. And most of the disenfranchised will be blacks, Hispanic, poor or elderly - the people most likely to vote for President Obama. The Republicans aren't admitting they are racist but they are passing the new voter suppression laws under the guise of nonexistent voter fraud. It is simply Jim Crow Lite - the goal is the same.
The Jim Crow laws were outright racist. They used such devices as Grandfather Clauses, poll taxes, and literacy tests to keep the blacks from voting. The Grandfather Clauses in the South stated that if they themselves, or their fathers or grandfathers had been entitled to vote on January 1, 1867 then they could vote. That meant that only whites could vote because blacks could not vote in 1867. The whites got to vote even if they failed to meet literacy or poll-tax requirements.
The good news is that the courts are striking down many of these voter suppression laws as being unconstitutional. Let's hope they get them all struck down before November 6, 2012.
HUMOR for today: "YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN PAUL RYAN IS LYING. HIS LIPS MOVE."
minutes of walking in Wapsi State Park = 2.6 miles for a September total of 9.1 miles. Me weight was at 162.2 pounds.
QUOTE from Kin Hubbard: "We'd all like to vote for the best man, but he's never available."
I LEARNED a new phrase this morning, that phrase is "Jim Crow Lite." Last week I had my letter-to-the-editor published in the Anamosa and Monticello newspapers. My topic was "The GOP and Voter Suppression." This morning when I saw a column written by Mary Sanchev of the Kansas Star entitled "Will Republicans succeed with Jim Crow Lite" I had to read it because it was the same topic as mine.
The gist of Mary's article was that the Republicans of today are doing the same thing the Southern Democratic Party did in the late 1800s and over half of the 1900s. The Republicans of today have devised 3 main schemes to deny the rights of hundreds of thousands of Americans to vote. By creating new ID laws, shortening absentee and early voting times and making it tougher to register to vote they are doing the same thing the Jim Crow voting laws did in the South. And most of the disenfranchised will be blacks, Hispanic, poor or elderly - the people most likely to vote for President Obama. The Republicans aren't admitting they are racist but they are passing the new voter suppression laws under the guise of nonexistent voter fraud. It is simply Jim Crow Lite - the goal is the same.
The Jim Crow laws were outright racist. They used such devices as Grandfather Clauses, poll taxes, and literacy tests to keep the blacks from voting. The Grandfather Clauses in the South stated that if they themselves, or their fathers or grandfathers had been entitled to vote on January 1, 1867 then they could vote. That meant that only whites could vote because blacks could not vote in 1867. The whites got to vote even if they failed to meet literacy or poll-tax requirements.
The good news is that the courts are striking down many of these voter suppression laws as being unconstitutional. Let's hope they get them all struck down before November 6, 2012.
HUMOR for today: "YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN PAUL RYAN IS LYING. HIS LIPS MOVE."
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,223. Why I walk six days a week.
Today is Tuesday, September 4, 2012 - another hot and humid early school release day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 6.5 miles. I walked the cemetary today. My weight was 162.2 pounds.
QUOTE from Charles Dickens: " The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy, walk and be healthy."
I LEARNED today why I walk instead of running 26 mile marathons. The quote above sums up why I walk - it makes me happy and and makes me healthy - plus I like to do it. This morning in the newspaper I read an article that added fuel to and justified my joy of walking. The article said that according to a recent study marathon running may trigger a lung condition that causes shortness of breath, severe coughing, and in serious cases, heart attacks or respiratory failure.
Half of 26 runners in a 2011 Pennsylvania marathon had some form of pulmonary edema, in which fluid builds up in the air sacs of the lungs, about 20 minutes after the race. Twenty percent of the runners had a moderate or severe form of the condition. Previous studies showed marathon runners are at risk of high blood pressure and heart complications.
The author of the study said "While pulmonary edema can be a negative consequence of marathon running, regular exercise can also keep you fit and healthy."
AMEN - I'll keep walking.
HUMOR for today: A mountain lion ate a bull. He was so full and happy that he started to roar. A hunter heard the lion roar and shot and killed him.The MORAL of the story is: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
QUOTE from Charles Dickens: " The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy, walk and be healthy."
I LEARNED today why I walk instead of running 26 mile marathons. The quote above sums up why I walk - it makes me happy and and makes me healthy - plus I like to do it. This morning in the newspaper I read an article that added fuel to and justified my joy of walking. The article said that according to a recent study marathon running may trigger a lung condition that causes shortness of breath, severe coughing, and in serious cases, heart attacks or respiratory failure.
Half of 26 runners in a 2011 Pennsylvania marathon had some form of pulmonary edema, in which fluid builds up in the air sacs of the lungs, about 20 minutes after the race. Twenty percent of the runners had a moderate or severe form of the condition. Previous studies showed marathon runners are at risk of high blood pressure and heart complications.
The author of the study said "While pulmonary edema can be a negative consequence of marathon running, regular exercise can also keep you fit and healthy."
AMEN - I'll keep walking.
HUMOR for today: A mountain lion ate a bull. He was so full and happy that he started to roar. A hunter heard the lion roar and shot and killed him.The MORAL of the story is: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Pet's BLOG-Day 26,222. History of Labor Day
Today is Monday, September 3, 2012. It is Labor Day. My stats for today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 45 minutes of walking = 2.4 miles for a September total of 4.5 miles. My weight was 162.2 pounds.
QUOTE from Teddy Roosevelt: "The corporation has come to stay, just as the trade union has come to stay. Each can do and has done great good. Each should be favored as long as it does good, but each should be sharply checked where it acts against law and justice."
I LEARNED today about the history of Labor Day. The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City in 1882. It was held in the midst of labor strife in America. Workers were working 12 hour days and 7 days a week in order to eke out a basic living.. Children as young as 5-6 were working in mills, factories and mines across the country and earning a fraction of their adult counterparts. Workers faced unsafe working conditions with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks.
With conditions like this about 10,000 workers in New York City, in 1882, took a day without pay and marched from City Hall to Union Square to demand a shorter work day and better working conditions. This was the first Labor Day Parade. News of the parade spred across the nation and workers in other cities had parades of their own. Labor unions were being formed and were meeting with resistance from the corporate owners and the police. There were numerous strikes and bloodshed in the next decade. In 1894, in an attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed and President Grover Cleveland signed a bill establishing Labor Day as a national holiday. Workers would no longer have to forfeit a day's pay in order to march in a Labor Day Parade.
To me it is sad that we have to have labor unions. But it is corporate greed and lack of empathy for the working person that brought about the need for unions. Think about it - working 12 hour days 7 days a week and using children as young as 5-6 in terrible working conditions is unbelievable, even if it happened a 100 to 150 years ago. Companies like IBM never were unionized because they treated their employuees in a fair manner. They shared their wealth with the workers, at least enough so the workers felt they did not need a union.
HUMOR from Mark Twain: "Let us be grateful to Adam: he cut us out of the blessing of idleness and won for us the curse of labor."
QUOTE from Teddy Roosevelt: "The corporation has come to stay, just as the trade union has come to stay. Each can do and has done great good. Each should be favored as long as it does good, but each should be sharply checked where it acts against law and justice."
I LEARNED today about the history of Labor Day. The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City in 1882. It was held in the midst of labor strife in America. Workers were working 12 hour days and 7 days a week in order to eke out a basic living.. Children as young as 5-6 were working in mills, factories and mines across the country and earning a fraction of their adult counterparts. Workers faced unsafe working conditions with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks.
With conditions like this about 10,000 workers in New York City, in 1882, took a day without pay and marched from City Hall to Union Square to demand a shorter work day and better working conditions. This was the first Labor Day Parade. News of the parade spred across the nation and workers in other cities had parades of their own. Labor unions were being formed and were meeting with resistance from the corporate owners and the police. There were numerous strikes and bloodshed in the next decade. In 1894, in an attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed and President Grover Cleveland signed a bill establishing Labor Day as a national holiday. Workers would no longer have to forfeit a day's pay in order to march in a Labor Day Parade.
To me it is sad that we have to have labor unions. But it is corporate greed and lack of empathy for the working person that brought about the need for unions. Think about it - working 12 hour days 7 days a week and using children as young as 5-6 in terrible working conditions is unbelievable, even if it happened a 100 to 150 years ago. Companies like IBM never were unionized because they treated their employuees in a fair manner. They shared their wealth with the workers, at least enough so the workers felt they did not need a union.
HUMOR from Mark Twain: "Let us be grateful to Adam: he cut us out of the blessing of idleness and won for us the curse of labor."
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Pete's BLOG-Day 26,220 & 26,221. Disaster Averted.
Yesterday was Saturday, September 1, 2012. The Hawks played Northern Illinois and won 18-17. My stats for yesterday were 10 minutes of yoga , 10 minutes on the exercise ball and 40 niles of walking = 2.1 miles for a September total of 2.1 miles.
Today is Sunday September 2, 2012. No stats today. It's Sunday and I take Sunday off.
QUOTE from Mike Hlas - sports writer for the Cedar Rapids Gazette - he was commenting on the Hawk victory. "My grade of a 'C' for the Hawkeye team doesn't stand for 'catastrophe,' which was on the table almost all game. "
I'm HAPPY today as the Hawkeyes won yesterday by a score of 18-17. We probably didn't deserve it but we won, that's all that counts. Sundays are more fun when the Hawks win on Saturday. We have 11 games to go (maybe 12 if we go to a bowl). I'm hoping I can have at least 7 - 8 more happy Sundays. Next week we play Iowa State and they are pretty darn good. I actually predicted they would beat us - hope I'm wrong.
HUMOR for today from Scott Dochterman - sports reporter for the Cedar Rapids Gazette - he was commenting on the Hawk victory: "Some good, some ugly but nobody talked to a chair."
Today is Sunday September 2, 2012. No stats today. It's Sunday and I take Sunday off.
QUOTE from Mike Hlas - sports writer for the Cedar Rapids Gazette - he was commenting on the Hawk victory. "My grade of a 'C' for the Hawkeye team doesn't stand for 'catastrophe,' which was on the table almost all game. "
I'm HAPPY today as the Hawkeyes won yesterday by a score of 18-17. We probably didn't deserve it but we won, that's all that counts. Sundays are more fun when the Hawks win on Saturday. We have 11 games to go (maybe 12 if we go to a bowl). I'm hoping I can have at least 7 - 8 more happy Sundays. Next week we play Iowa State and they are pretty darn good. I actually predicted they would beat us - hope I'm wrong.
HUMOR for today from Scott Dochterman - sports reporter for the Cedar Rapids Gazette - he was commenting on the Hawk victory: "Some good, some ugly but nobody talked to a chair."
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