Melting polar ice and swimming

While reading the newspaper the other day, (yes, I still faithfully read the newspaper) I came across an article regarding the melting of the polar ice. Seems the ice is melting at an alarming rate, in part due to global warming but mostly because we are in the middle of the 150 year earth temperature cycle. Rather confusing if you ask me. Imagine, us little people changing a world that has existed millions of years without us meddling with it. There was even a time when the world got sick of those huge prehistoric reptiles and sucked them up into bogs and turned them into oil. Us humans weren't even around at the time but the benefits of that reptile purging and subsequent production of oil have definitely brought about a quality of life we wouldn't have otherwise had. A lesson in evolution I guess. But I'm drifting away from the melting of the polar ice aren't I?

Anyway, this ice is melting and it is logical to assume that the water resulting from that melting has to go somewhere. I'm wondering just where it goes? The great lakes are at an all time low. We've got ships entering the great lakes from the oceans this water is melting in every day. How bout we take some tankers, fill them with the water from melting polar ice, bring them up the waterway into the middle and dump that water to fill the lakes back up. Might as well use that water otherwise it's just going to make the oceans overflow, right? Some may assume that we, as insignificant humans can't possibly take on such a task, but I think if we are the cause of all that melting, we can make use of what we've done. Or, something like that. Then again maybe I just didn't read far enough into the article to get the basics of cause and affect, or effect whatever the situation is. That's the trouble with trying to learn about the world with limited information. An old saying goes, "He has just enough information to be dangerous!"

Where's all this going? Well, I know a person that is so caught up in cause and affect that when she goes swimming, after she dries herself off, she wrings out the towel over the lake or river so as not to change the destiny of that particular body of water. If she finds some sort of aquatic life on the shoreline, she places that aquatic life thingy back into the water so as to carry on the proper cycle. She's a nice, intelligent person but I guess maybe I don't have enough information on that thought process. I would never make fun of anyone doing their thing to preserve the world in an educated and thoughtful way but I'm lost when it comes to extremes. Lions, and tigers and bears, which exist just as naturally as we do, do not concern themselves with all that stuff. Beavers aren't worried about the environmental impact of their dams, birds don't take make surveys of cause and affect before letting loose with droppings, and the world keeps moving on regardless.

So, what I'm wondering is this: If the water left on my body after a swim is wrung from a towel back into the pond, now saturated with my sweat and other stuff, does the now polluted water have the affect of eventually melting the polar ice? Maybe, just maybe. Is this climate situation being generated by nature to make us extinct and turned into some type of energy for the next type of creature that attempts to rule the world? Now there is something to think about.

Tax time chuckles

In a free society or a dictatorial society, taxes are inevitable. The main difference is that in the dictatorial society taxes are mandatory. Hey, wait a minute, I guess that's where I get confused.

I get amused when I watch the news on TV or listen to it on the radio or read it in the paper. Especially when it comes to tax supported agencies. Lots of lip service is being given to reducing federal government spending and waste. Or are those the same thing? Anyway, those in charge of those agencies speak in circles and double talk to hide their agenda's which are mainly to make sure they spend every dollar allotted to them so they will get at least that much and hopefully more the next year. That is the common wisdom of government subsidization. The joke goes like: "I don't care what you spend it on, just make sure it's spent by the end of the year! And, spend it wisely!" What a chuckle huh?

Today, as I tied my shoes before going out the door to go to work so I could earn a living and pay taxes, the superintendent of a school was making the case for hiring 6 more teachers. "If we don't hire the additional 6 teachers we will have to lay off 6 other teachers already on the payroll to make up for the loss in revenue." Now I am sure there is far more to that reasoning than my small window of information provides but on the face it sound rather amusing to me. The joke goes like: "Pay now or pay later, if they don't get enough money all the teachers will quit."

I guess the part I find so laughable is where anyone involved in budgeting tax money talks about that money as if it wasn't ours. By voting we provide a group of elected folks that disperse our "voluntary" tax payments according to our wishes. That's what the Boston Tea Party was all about, oh so many years ago. The hilarious part is that those that actually spend those taxes on specific items or services are not elected. And, in most cases they are not held very accountable for those expenditures. The joke goes like: "No taxes without representation!"

Then there is the part that is so funny I darn near fall off my chair thinking about it. Certain people receiving government aid because they are looking for just the right job to match their goals whine because they have to make do with so little instead of being grateful for the helping hand that was provided for them by others that work hard to earn money and regularly do without so they have enough to provide for their own families. The joke goes like: "Did you hear about Greece? Everyone retired and now there isn't anyone left to pay the taxes!" Now that's funny isn't it?

A smile always comes to my face when I hear of how the oil companies would face financial ruin if they were denied government subsidies and tax breaks. I can hardly contain my joviality or restrain my infectious giggling when I hear that. The joke goes: "Did you hear about the oil company that went broke selling oil and gas?" Hard to top that one isn't it?

Fun with spyware

It's all becoming quite clear to me now. Duh! All those directed solicitations for diplomas and other such things in my email box are the direct result of something I sort of ignored up until now, Spyware! Spyware was a sort of mystery to me or rather I simply didn't pay attention to the concept because I was way too smart for it to affect me. Like my friend Sarah says so eloquently,"Yeah, you betcha!"

It took me a long time to catch on to the spyware tactics, how they work and exactly what they generated but I'm on to them now all right. Listen to this a second. I'm sure you naturally assume I'm talking about Internet spyware right? No, not necessarily. You know those specific store rewards cards you faithfully carry on your key chain? Spyware! Gas cards too. Spyware! Those credit cards you use every day, you remember that they sent you a pamphlet way too long to read thoroughly explaining their security when divulging any information about your transactions? Spyware! Virtually all your financials are infiltrated by some sort of spyware. Medical records, driving records and electrical usage is recorded and documented and spyware has a way of getting that information. You think I'm being a little paranoid don't ya? Think about this? If you aren't on the "do not call list" how do the solicitors know you might be in the market for a specific product. It's no accident senior citizens get a mailbox full of insurance offers neither. You buy a pair of shoes with a credit or debit card and what do you find folded neatly in your next Sunday paper delivery? Shoe sales!

I've figured out that spyware is just like this really huge type butterfly net, constantly moving back and forth across the information highway, capturing our bits of information and putting them into that big ole' advertising jar. You know whats really fun now that I know how it works? I often find these store rewards cards laying in the parking lot somewhere. If I use them I still get the discounted price and the original user gets all the email, snail mail and telemarketers too. I'm sure they wonder why, being only in their mid 20's and having two kids under age 5, why they get stuff about Medicare, rolling over an IRA, walkers, retirement villages, bus trips to the casino and Viagra. I think that's kind of fun don't you?

I wonder, Area 51

What with all the headlines recently I am led to wonder about some things:

Area 51 is touted to be so secret the people in there don't even know where they are. Does the government actually have the bodies of space aliens frozen in liquid hydrogen? Do they really shoot down anyone foolish enough to fly over in an airplane? If you work there do you ever get to go home, ever? I really don't know, its a secret you know.

This asteroid flying at us through space will be coming as close as 215,000 miles. Is it actually a disguised space ship? Or, is it a messenger from God to pick up some people because of the rapture. Is it a space drone spy ship sent from aliens looking for their relatives frozen in area 51?

What is the political affiliation of the women accusing Herman Cain? Why haven't they spoken up before? The old saying goes: Where there is smoke, there is fire. Will that be true this time?

Where is the actual Hawaiian birth certificate anyway? Not that I particularly care really but: Why was it kept secret in the first place if producing it would do away with the controversy?

Why are people who don't use illegal drugs, don't break any major laws, work hard, pay their bills and taxes, don't go to prison, take raising their kids seriously and possibly have a religious affiliation considered know-it-all do-gooders and other people take great pleasure in bringing them down?

Why don't we learn something about jumping to conclusions about new research? Coffee was bad, now its good. Mammograms were good, now they're bad, oops, now they're good. Aspirin is bad, Tylenol is good, oh wait, Tylenol is sorta good but sorta bad and aspirin we're not quite sure about. Stuff like that.

Why does my nose always itch or run when I am meeting a very important person for the first time? And, there is no tissue or handkerchief in sight?

I've heard on the radio that most all of our problems originate in Area 51. It's all an experiment. I wonder about that too.

Now that I have acknowledged Area 51 will my postings not disappear anymore?

2011 predictions

There are a couple things I think will happen in 2011. Over the past 5 years much of what I thought came to be true. The economic downturn, high unemployment, the manufacturing losses, incredibly high numbers of illegal aliens, the bursting housing bubble, gold and silver prices rising, Ethanol demand being a bust, continually lowering of student competency and a myriad of other events. I'm not an expert but I have a high percentage of being on top of things and being able to plan for them. I can't stop what's going to happen but knowing in advance has given me a slight advantage in survival. Here are a couple ideas I have for the upcoming year.

Reality TV shows will abound. Next up? "Can you belch louder than a 6th grader?"

Someone will unearth the toenails of the oldest human being, linking us to being descendants of prehistoric wombats.

City buses that run on pig droppings will be sanctioned by the government. The main contributing factor is the development of a new deodorizing exhaust system.

Another reality TV show will focus on ways to sneak into the United States and where to obtain false documentation.

Federal and state employees as well as politicians will be required to receive the same benefits and live by the same affordable standards as the tax payers.

Someone on Utube will uncover proof positive that John Bon Jovi really has false teeth.

New educational standards will require high school graduates to read and write as well as play basketball.

Social security will be safely funded by the profits from the sale of Asian carp.

Telephone solicitors will be required to talk truthfully.

Unemployment will continue at one percentage or another.

News agencies will be mandated to report good news and happy events right along with all the tragedies. Reporters will have to stop bobbing their heads at us.

A new law will require politicians to actually do what they said they'd do during their campaign.

By the end of 2011 either these or other things will all come true. And that's the truth..........Joe

Just another day in Michigan.

I am the first to admit that I do not have a huge speech vocabulary. I do, however have a vast vocabulary of understanding. In my writing and every day speech I probably work around a high school level. I've found that is where I am most comfortable. That's perfectly OK with me. I'm not out to make my mark as a word smith, public speaker or great orator of any measure. I'm simply an every day, almost invisible type of guy. But there are times when I feel I'm doing better in some ways than those that are way more educated than I am. Namely, those folks on TV and radio that give us the news. For the most part they are excellent in keeping me up to date on current events and weather. I am grateful for that and will continue to use them as well as the newspaper. I do have to take issue with their more than occasional misuse of superlative descriptive terms. RE: "Shocking, surging, jumping, leaping, shattering, terrible, incredible," you know, stuff like that.

This morning I listened as the local meteorologist described how a snow fall of 5 inches, "Shattered" the old record. What was the old record? "4.75 inches" In my limited vocabulary 1/4 inch of snow doesn't shatter anything. The other day gas prices were described as "surging" and "leaping" up in price. Although gas prices are extremely volatile, this particular increase was 2 cents, or less than one percent. A financial wizard was reporting on the huge increase in the price of gold one day. Gold is presently at around $1375 an ounce, not an insignificant piece of change by any means. But she described the increase of $1.60 as an "incredible, almost shocking" rise in value. I think you may be getting my point.

All I'm saying is that when someone is coming into my living room with the news of the day, I ask that they please do not try to sensationalise the trivial. Save it for the truly amazing stuff. Otherwise I am reminded of the kid that cried wolf all the time and when the wolf did come nobody paid attention. Give me the news straight, give me the facts and I can see for myself what is worthy of a scary or surprising term.

"There roads are covered with snow and ice today and hundreds of people are slipping and sliding all over the place almost making travel impossible." Hey! This is Michigan, what do you expect as far as the weather in December? We'll handle it! Where's the skis?.................Joe

Almost laughable

If this wasn't such a divisive subject, this Koran (Quran) burning by the pastor of a small church would be almost laughable. He's got the right, in this country anyway to express his views in a non-violent way with the beliefs as set forth in the Muslim holy book. Burning a book is one way to do that even though it's just a book. Kind of like when we kick the door when it hits us on the nose or the flat tire on a car. Yeah right, the fault lies completely with the inanimate object doesn't it? The door did it on purpose. The tire was simply waiting it's chance to go flat. Now we have a pastor burning a book to teach it a lesson about what, I'm sure I don't quite know.

Now, front and center comes an imam who says a mosque won't be built near ground zero if the book isn't burned, then the pastor says he won't burn the book. Then some other imam says the mosque will be built anyway and the whole thing starts over again and the pastor's little firestorm is back on. The pastor says what the book teaches is evil. The imam says his religion is a religion of peace. The pastor is going to burn the book peacefully. An imam will call for a peaceful holy war. The Muslims that want to build a mosque near ground zero say the pastor is being insensitive. The pastor says look who's talking.

I think they all ought to sit down and have a beer as one local elected official did with two other people that disagreed. Once again the words of folk hero Rodney King ring out, "Can't we all just get along?" Yup! If this wasn't so serious a subject it just might be laughable...............Joe