What One Does When There's Nothing To Do.......

Being that rain fell in Goodyear, Arizona yesterday (No kidding), canceling the Indians' spring training game, I grabbed a camera and headed for places unknown, on another gray day in northeast Ohio.  

29 miles and 1056 feet later, I came upon, "The Bomb Shelter." (No kidding again)

Being such a shy guy, I poked my head into the office and asked permission to shoot some photos.  When I said that I don't charge a cent, Kevin's face morphed into what resembled the beaming Strip, in Vegas!  Seriously, he welcomed the request and said others have done the same.  Off I browsed and I welcome you to share that visit by clicking the site below.  Once there, you can enlarge any photo by placing the cursor on it and clicking.

By the way, Kevin and gang were the nicest!!!

Saved from wallowing in boredome!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jajabob/

Wednesday is not Monday

             

For those of you in the unemployment lines...there's GOTTA be an opening for film and fashion critics.  Hurry and apply NOW! 1. History has proven to me that if I viewed a movie that got "panned," I liked it a lot.  I'm sure many of you might feel the same...so, go for it! 2. I'm not one for perusing the local rag's entertainment section, officially named, "Style & Fashion," but since rain has been falling all day, I gave it a shot.  Yikes!  Of the Oscars' Red Carpet, the critic-ette penned, "No, my shallow darlings, the topic du jour on morning gab fests, quasi-news shows and the endless maw that is the blogosphere was Anne Hathaway's pink Prada dress and its placement of two darts-prominent little tentlike protrusions that, in the mind of many a critic, too closely resembled nipples."  I'm so glad she cleared THAT up for me.  Incidentally, the photo of the aforementioned's article makes her appear to be maybe 9 or 10, so, there's room for improvement.  Hopefully a lot---and soon.  She then continued on, telling us what all the other "experts" called the darts on Anne's dress.  I'd like to read one of her "What I did on summer vacation" reports. Obviously, I was misinformed on the Pope's retirement.  A week ago, it was thought that his excellency had hit the Irish Sweepstakes and left town.  As of this morning, there are more distinct facts mentioned, although I doubt we'll ever know the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  So be it.  According to what I've read and heard, the last time a pope said, "Sono fuori di qua" ("I'm outta here!") was in 1415, even prior to the birth of Chris Columbus.  Benedict XVI was quite the corporate man though, as witnessed by his submission of a 2 week notice.  Wotta guy, huh?  Although, I wonder if they made him sign a non-compete clause.                                                                                               Onward, Christian Soldiers!

Memory Lane---What were YOU doing?

By: Mark Johnson, newsnet5.com CLEVELAND - During the week of Jan. 26, 1978, a major blizzard struck Ohio and the Great Lakes. Ohio, as well as several surrounding states, was shut down for a week. As OhioHistory.org describes it: "The worst winter storm in Ohio history struck before dawn on Thursday, January 26, 1978. The Blizzard of ’78 continued through Thursday and into Friday. Transportation, business, industry, and schools were closed statewide for two days with the normal pace of society not returning to the state for five days. Atmospheric pressure fell to 28.28 inches at Cleveland, the lowest ever recorded in Ohio, as the center of the blizzard crossed Ohio. This rapidly intensifying storm pulled bitterly cold air across Ohio on winds of 50 to 70 mph. These conditions, combined with heavy snow and blowing of deep snow already on the ground, caused extreme blizzard conditions all across Ohio. Enormous snowdrifts covered cars and houses, blocked highways and railways, and closed all airports for two days." While more than 5,000 members of the Ohio National Guard worked tirelessly to clear roads and help electric crews, 45 helicopters went on more than 2,700 rescue missions. Volunteers took stranded doctors and nurses to area hospitals on snowmobiles and four-wheel drive vehicles. A total of 51 people died, making the Blizzard of 1978 the deadliest winter storm in Ohio. Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/winter/Blizzard-of-1978-34-years-ago-this-week#ixzz2J5jo2oye

When David Muir talks, Bob listens.....sometimes

ABC Evening News...Wednesday...11-28-12
David Muir did a nice feature on how buying American at Christmas time can create American jobs.  His take was, if everyone spent $64 of their Christmas shopping budget, a large quantity of jobs would be created in the USA.  Forgive me, as I can't recall the exact number, but it was substantial.  KUDOS, Dave!
I spend a fair number of hours throughout the year attending moving sales, downsizing sales, garage sales, estate sales, garage sales that are advertised as estate sales, swap meets, flea markets, antique malls, thrift shops and whatever other titles humans conjure up in their attempt to separate you from your dollars.  Nothing wrong with any of them.  After all, that's how many a company began.   It's also the basic form of social media, which means, you actually can look someone in the eyes, forming complete words that they'll understand, make new friends, exchange referrals, and....have some fun!  Sadly, the current economy has forced many sellers to depart with personal goods, including heirlooms, in hopes of paying a mortgage, utility, insurance or grocery bills.   But I digress.

What I saw at those aforementioned sales was an IMMENSE amount of non-USA manufactured goods.  Folks, I'm talking TONS!!!  One needn't be an alum of Wharton or MIT to see/understand what has been happening.  Not in any particular sequence...Greed caused facilities to close as manufacturing headed out of the country and Americans lost jobs.  Shareholders quickly made increased profits.  (Keep in mind that snowballs don't go uphill.)  One money person saw how rich another was becoming, so HE sold HIS company and had those goods produced in a lower labor market outside of the USA.  HE made higher and quicker profits.  More Americans lost jobs.  (Can you see the snowball now?)  As more snowballs are grown, more Americans are losing jobs.  A handful of money people are making more money and in a very short period of time.  In time, a great many Americans will not have jobs, causing the inability to afford the cheaply made products that now fill the racks and bins of American stores.  Are you getting the picture?
Back to the sales venues mentioned above.  The seller needs to raise money and has little room to haggle.  The prospective buyer has little money and wants a bargain.  The twain are having difficulty reaching an agreeable price.  The buyer moves along.  The seller makes no sale, but must pay rent if he is at a privately owned facility.  The facility owner has less vendors than in years past.  To make up, he raises the rental fees.  The sellers have to raise prices to pay the rent, but the buyers are still short on funds.  The sellers pull their wares because sales are dwindling.  The privately owned venue closes when the dwindled rental income is not enough to cover the overhead.  The local municipality loses tax revenues.  Safety and fire forces are cut.  Public assistance is pared.  Unemployment payments run out.  Less jobs are available.  Food lines increase.  More Americans are having garage sales and are setting up at flea markets.  No one has money to spend.  The sellers paid rent, but made no sales.  The venue owner didn't make enough to cover overhead and shuts down his property.  He has a garage sale the following week but no one came because there was no spendable money.  Remaining "professional" vendors are overstocked with imported items and complain to each other about the lack of sales.  I asked why they didn't sell American made goods.  They told me that the costs were too high.  I suggested they combine and buy American after negotiating better prices.  They gave me weird looks.  I asked if they were to go to a garage sale in China, might they see items made in America?  More weird looks.

SO...great advice from David Muir.  However, when the Christmas season is over, what then?  Well, I'LL tell you what then!  Go to your local establishments.  Trust me...when you look, you'll find many.  Explain how you'd love to keep them in business by purchasing their American made goods, but because your income is shaky at best, you'll need a discount.  If he can understand that he'll stay in business by allowing an equitable discount, as opposed to closing down from zero sales, it can catch on!  Ask your friends to do the same.  Know ye this: You MUST CONTINUE the practice to make it successful.  You can actually do without something once in awhile.  In a recent interview, I heard a man ask, "If you had to leave your home in 30 minutes, what would you take?"  That's a good start.  In time, jobs CAN return!  I fully realize I'll be branded insane, but the collective stance is what got this country going in the first place and made it a success for more than 200 years!  Don't let the power driven take what is yours. 

The rich are rich partly due to the risks they took and the long range sight they had and continue to have.  They shouldn't have to pay for everything.  After all, it was their money that made a lot possible.  Our government must look inside the monstrous house they allowed to grow and begin trimming therein.  With a computer driven world, the government keeps adding people to the payroll, making it the largest employer in the land.  Stop voting for people who truly don't care about you.  Vote for those with proven financial success.  I could go on, but don't wish to veer too far off track.

You still have time!!!

On my honor, I will not attempt asking you to vote for anyone in particular.  Please keep in mind that 11-06-12 means electing more than a president.  It means you will be voting for practically a whole new set of people in congress.  Those are the representatives elected to carry out the wishes of those whom they represent, which, of course, is why I chose to overuse the word, representative.  It's rather obvious they aren't, nor have they been, listening to us.  If you care about your country and if you weren't able to see "60 Minutes" last night, you can see it on your computer, for free.  Therein, you'll get to watch some fine interviews.  I'm not referring to the one with a football player.  Steve Kroft tried to elicit some intelligence from both Demorat Harry Reid and Revulsivecan Mitch McConnell as to why compromises could not be made.  Their answers combined might have reached 40 on an I.Q test.  The two of them couldn't even look into each other's eyes!  I now officially love Olithia Snow, Republican Moderate from Maine, who announced that she will not seek re-election.  Why?  She's had it with those who won't even consider playing nice.  I challenge all the voters in Maine to write her in and keep her intelligence at the forefront.  There were other notables with equally good comments.  I recommend you watch that episode in hopes you vote and vote with a clear conscience.  Those chambers need a good housecleaning, and, tomorrow is a good time to begin, by not re-electing those who are in it for the money or a high paying job when they retire.  Kindly keep in mind that there are independents running for many of those seats and you are allowed to vote for them.  Shoot, I'd vote for my Gramma, if she were alive...she couldn't do any worse than some of those money-mongers currently occupying a nice leather chair!

I hope I'm wrong, but-----

If you think there's no control over the price of gasoline...If you think big brother isn't involved in the price of gasoline...Watch what happens to the price of gasoline after the election on Tuesday.

History shows, when tragedy strikes, as in the northeast, gasoline prices shoot skyward very quickly. As yet, they haven't. Someone might say they insisted on cooperation from refiners and suppliers so that folks who lost their homes could at least cook, stay warm and get to their jobs. That's a nice thought.

I filled my tank today at the probably soon to be forgotten price of $3.079 per gallon.

By the way, it's reported that the majority of the congress will be re-elected.   As Riley would say at the end of the old teevee show, "What a revoltin' development!"

Debating the Debates

Without going into a lengthy diatribe, I'll say that we have been slowly conditioned into believing that there should be ONLY a 2 party system. Why? It's what has been designed by those with money and power. It's called "control." Allowing at least 1 more party threatens the comfortable existence they now enjoy, paid for by we the people. I therefore encourage you to watch what is explained below and give consideration to write-ins. Yes, a write-in dilutes the vote for the 2 main candidates, (My, how convenient), but...done enough times, more people will exercise this option and cause incumbents to do what we voted them to do, as opposed to doing what they can/will get away with.  (You might have to copy/paste the below noted site)


From my great friend in Georgia: Yesterday I found out that democracynow.org is going to be live for the debate tonight and doing something no other channel will (as far as I know). They will pause between the questions to allow both the candidates for the Green Party and Justice Party to answer. This is important to me because I am considering writing in Jill Stein of the Green Party in on my ballot in November and casting my vote for her. Both her and the Justice party are legal write in on the GA ballot.
I think it is important for people to "tune in" online for another reason too. It is becoming increasingly clear that the Democratic and Republican Party are both being run by the corporations and money holders. Although they scream their differences neither stray far from the beliefs of those handing out the cash. In many ways they are casting the vote for the same old same old no matter which way they talk. So, I think it is important for third, fourth and more parties to become a part of the scene. How many people even realize that there are other parties in this country? Not since Perot (Did I spell that right?) I would imagine and only because he was allowed to be present in the debate. So, if enough people watch on democracy now tonight just maybe the media and the Giants of decision making will see that it would be beneficial to their pockets to add variety to the debates. Even if you watch via tv on a media station perhaps you could tune in via computer on to democracynow.com? En joy.

Be afraid...Be Very, VERY Afraid

Call me Ishmael, call me paranoid, but I feel it must be said...


I don't know who said this post's title. The source, for the moment, is irrelevant, but, the statement makes a ton of sense.

It matters not if you're republican, democrat, independent, left, right or whatever the buzz word of the day might be. Our nation is being molded into a "machine" that will produce enormous wealth for the very few. That they already have more than they or their ensuing progeny will be able to spend is not the point. Money and the power it brings has become the "drug of choice" for the greedy. They will step on whomever and whatever gets in the way, namely, our middle class.

Pensions have been eradicated, speculators raise gasoline prices at will, no bankers were jailed for fleecing your savings, there are no penalties for outsourcing, to name just a few.

We have been gifted with an overflow of devices that have "changed our lives forever." Social media and instant access to movies, music and the like fills our needs to be entertained. Newspapers and books are the new dinosaurs. Radio is losing local content, being replaced by the streaming of repetitious tunes ad infinitum and ad nauseum. Where there was banter about local politics and current events, there is now a robotic voice telling us the title of the song just played...as if we were too incapable of remembiering the past 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Talk shows fill our brains as would an auctioneer, thus keeping us way too occupied to sort the barrage of words and make a wise decision. These radio heads all began innocently and caring, but with endorsements, TV appearances and a carpetbagger style of road trips, they've fallen under the spell of what money can do to a person. (Thankfully, subscription radio offers an intelligent selection of airwave entertainment and enlightenment)

Electronic games, social media and a plethora of brain-sucking reality(?) TV shows, coupled with sodium and fat filled foods that are programmed to weld us to the sofa, keep us occupied while the uber-riche devour whatever might remain of our ability to protest. All these "gifts" are, in a way, a reminder of gun control in Europe's pre World War 2 days. The probable thinking is...since so many Americans own guns...if they're too fat to assemble and fight, the rest will be easy! Ergo, "The Girth of a Nation."

For those who are fit, the current game of war will keep selected economies growing.

Does anyone track the percentage of campaign promises that are fulfilled? Doesn't it bother you that people such as bernie madoff laughs in his letters how he bilked so many of you? Doesn't it bother you that he's not in a hard labor federal prison? Doesn't it bother you that the Nevada congressman, when confronted about the subsidized airline flying vacant planes, dismisses the reporter? Doesn't the arrogance of dick cheney and his new millions piss you off? (Incidentally, upper case in the names of some people is no longer deserved) Doesn't it bother you that Malia Obama took an entourage of her friends to Oaxaca, Mexico, using 2 planes and 25 secret service agents for her spring break? And, doesn't it bother you that the story was kept from the media, save for 2 foreign reports? I wrote the local newspaper, TV investigative reporter and my hopefully former congressman regarding the issue and, you guessed it, no reply.
By the way, it's not the first incident of no replies or condescending responses.

I could go on and on, but even the American attention span might be too short for this diatribe. I implore any and all to read, "The Betrayal of the American Dream." Should the thought of reading a book scare the hell out of you, at LEAST read the below noted site for an abridged portion. If the site won't open, please Google the title.

Have a nice day...........they might be numbered.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inq_BarlettSteelePart1.html

Mothers Day Serenade

Even if you've not been a genetic Mom, it's a good bet that you've nurtured children in one fashion or another.
Please enjoy some of those thoughts that I've collected over time.....


Real Mothers don't eat quiche; They don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come out of carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?' and get their answer when a little voice says, 'Because I love you best.'
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade...
It is marked by the progression of Mama to Mommy to Mom to Mother....
**********
The Images of Mother
4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything,
She can fix nearly everything and that NEVER will change because she will ALWAYS try!!
THAT’S JUST THE WAY MOMS ARE!!
8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.
14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.
16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!
25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!
35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion.
45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs up her hair.  The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.  It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
********
The good Lord has BLESSED us all with "our very own angel"
I called my angel "MATKA"
*************
Whether it's Ma, Mom, Mommy or Mother...Whether you have your own children or help raise the children of others...Whether you are a Mom to other than family or perhaps animals...The below is from one who knows about Moms. Althought THIS is Mother's Day, a Mom is needed EVERY day!
This is for those mothers...
Who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Meyer weiners and cherry Kool-Aid, saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here."
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end ,soothing crying babies who couldn't be comforted.
Who came to work with spit-up in their hair, milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purses.
Who run carpools, bake cookies and sew Hallowe'en costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
Who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
Whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
Who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and meant it.
Who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
Who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the grand mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
Who go hungry, so their children can eat.
Who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
Who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
Who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
Whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
Who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
Whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
Who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
Of the victims of recent school shootings, and the m! others o f those who did the shooting.
Of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
Who taught their children to be peacful, and now pray that they come home safely from a war.
What makes a good Mother anyway?
Is it patience?
Compassion?
Broad hips?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sewa button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?
Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child ! when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us.
Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them. And pray.
"Home is what catches you when you fall - and we all fall."
Please pass this to a wonderful mother you know.
(I just did)
***********************
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of ?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms & dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Keep a Lookout---NOT!

When you enter the main parking area at the Manchester, New Hampshire Veterans Administration Hospital, this ominous building sticks out like a sore "tower." At my first appointment last week, I asked Ralph, who was assisting my records transfer, if he knew anything about it. He apologized and said he had been meaning to get the information. Now curious, I went home and began the Bob version of CSI. Spending nearly an hour on the web, it amazed me how limited the information on the man who was Manchester's mayor several times, governor of New Hampshire twice and good friend of Abraham Lincoln. However, here we go: Fredrick Smyth, 1819-1899; Governor 1865 and 1866, (apparently the term was but 1 year); Smyth Tower built in 1888 as his personal retreat/hideaway; It resembles a Scotch Border Watchtower.