Friday, December 30, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
No, Gold Is Not All I Do
No, gold is not all I do, but it is where I'll be putting the rewards of my other endeavors as they begin to yield the benefits of patience and hard work. Want to become a part of this? Join me as an affiliate. http://mykbgold.us/
My ID# is 81700. You'll need that to register.
My primary aspirations lie in a project that is now in its third year of development. After several fits and starts, we are just a couple of months away from releasing the first 3D social network on the Internet. We have quietly amassed a membership of just over 521,000 from 170 countries representing 32 languages. Our prototype website is still in two dimensions, with just a hint of the 3D world ahead.
If you are interested in the experience, I invite you to join us on the rest of the journey into the future of social networking at - http://www.me2everyone.com/222268. I can assure you of a warm welcome from the M2E leadership as well as the general membership upon your arrival. As a newly registered member you will be given 2,000 "metoos" (our internal currency) which can later be converted into fully-paid company shares. Invite others to join you and there's another 5,000 metoos added to your account for each one who accepts your invitation.
Have a business of your own that you would like to advertise to a captive audience? There will be a place to do just that when the 3D version is rolled out. In the meantime, come wander around this new world, meet folks from different countries, different cultures, speaking different languages, all enjoying the fun in anticipation of the rewards that lie ahead.
No, there is no cost to join. Not now. Not ever. Once registered, visit our "Be Social" side of the house, complete your profile and let the fun begin. Look me up when you get there and I'll be sure to introduce you around. They call me "OldMrBill" over there, but I'm registered as William Littlehales. Hope to see you on M2E.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Power of Kindness
Charles Plumb was a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said, 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.
Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plan was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, don't forget to recognize the people who pack your parachutes.
More than anything else, kindness is the one way you can be assured of making a difference with your life. Practicing small acts of kindness changes your own life while also changing the lives of others.
Leo Buscaglia said it best: "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
Re-posted without permission from:
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said, 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.
Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plan was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, don't forget to recognize the people who pack your parachutes.
More than anything else, kindness is the one way you can be assured of making a difference with your life. Practicing small acts of kindness changes your own life while also changing the lives of others.
Leo Buscaglia said it best: "Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."
Re-posted without permission from:
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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Subsidized Water
Future Water
Most Americans drink subsidized tap water.
Sure most homes that use municipal water services typically pay for water and sewer services, but the bill that is paid almost never equals the true cost of the delivery of the water or the sewage treatment that follows. As a country we have decided to make water and sewer service as close to a human right as possible.
In his December article, The Aging Water Infrastructure Dilemma, Gregory M. Baird stated, “Most of our nation’s water and wastewater systems are underground and had been hidden out of the public view, in many cases for over a century.” The United States installed a large number of pipes in three main time periods based on population growth in the 1800s, 1900 to 1945, and post 1945. There are over 155,000 public drinking water systems in America today. There is a tremendous amount of costs associated with the renewal and replacement of our water and wastewater systems.
In 2002 the American Society of Civil Engineers said, “A Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that community water systems nationwide have an immediate need of $12.1 billion in infrastructure investment, primarily to protect against microbiological contamination.” Today the cost to rebuild infrastructure is estimated to be in the $120 billion range. Cities, states and the Federal Government must subsidize the costs associated with the proposed rebuilding effort.
And yet, according to the reports from the EPA, the quality of the tap water that we receive is decreasing every year as new lists of chemical compounds are discovered to be present. In general, the price of water in the United States has little to do with supply and demand. Municipalities and regulators typically set rates as low as possible, so much so that 30 percent of all water utilities operate at a loss or a deficit.
A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE
In a real life case of infrastructure subsidies in February of 2011 in Auburn, Georgia, the annexation of Green Tree Acres community of twenty-five homes raised alarm about the actual cost to the city to provide a water main, fire hydrants and water service to each of the homes. “Green Tree Acres property owners favor the annexation because their private well and distribution system built in 1980 are showing signs of wearing out,” according to city planner Larry Lucas.
With the $91,250 in waived fees and the initial estimate $50,000 for a 12-inch water main, 25 household water meters, neighborhood fire hydrants, and other materials, the combined fiscal impact would be $141,250. The annexed lots, which are developed with mobile homes and single-family houses, would yield only $2,585 annually in city property taxes, according the staff’s report in the meeting packet. This is a costly example of city subsidization of water infrastructure for only twenty-five homes. What will the cost be to renew infrastructure for the millions of homes in America?
United States Southwest:
Too Many People, Not Enough Water
The prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published an impressive collection of papers in December on the future of water resources in the southwestern United States. The authors' consensus bears out what those who live in the Southwest already know pretty well: They are headed for a water crisis that will cause shortages and conflict for the tens of millions of humans living in the region, and likely disaster for many of its other species. As one of the authors points out, one look at Lake Mead -- the water-storage reservoir on the Nevada-Arizona border that's now less than 40-percent full, an all-time low -- is worth a thousand words.
In a paper named, The Last Drop: Climate Change and the Southwest Water Crisis Copyright © 2011 by the Stockholm Environment Institute, very dire warnings about the future of water in the Southwest of America were presented.
The authors said that. “At present, without climate change, the Southwest is relying on the unsustainable withdrawal of groundwater reserves to meet today’s demand; those reserves will be drained over the next century as population and incomes grow. With climate change, the Southwest water crisis will grow far worse.”
SO, WHAT'S THE ANSWER?
Reprinted in part with permission.
For more information, contact me via email at: littlehales@att.net
Are you ready for 99.99% Pure Water?
The WaterCycle™ is now Available for Office, Hotels & Homes
Reprinted in part with permission.
For more information, contact me via email at: littlehales@att.net
Friday, April 29, 2011
A Golden Tipping Point
A Golden Tipping Point: University of Texas Takes Delivery Of $1 Billion In Physical Gold
Tipping points are funny: for years, decades, even centuries, the conditions for an event to occur may be ripe yet nothing happens. Then, in an instant, a shift occurs, whether its is due a change in conventional wisdom, due to an exogenous event or due to something completely inexplicable. That event, colloquially called a black swan in recent years, changes the prevalent perception of reality in a moment. This past week, we were seeing the effect of a tipping point in process, with gold prices rising to new all time highs day after day, and the price of silver literally moving in a parabolic fashion. What was missing was the cause.
We now know what it is: per Bloomberg: "The University of Texas Investment Management Co., the second-largest U.S. academic endowment, took delivery of almost $1 billion in gold bullion and is storing the bars in a New York vault, according to the fund’s board." And so, the game theory of a nearly 100 year old system of monetary exchange has seen its first defector, but most certainly not last. With an entity as large as the University of Texas calling the bluff of the Comex, the Chairman, and fiat in general in roughly that order, virtually every other asset manager is now sure to follow, considering there is not nearly enough physical gold to satisfy all paper gold in existence by a factor of about 100x. The proverbial Nash equilibrium has just been broken.
From Bloomberg:
The fund, whose $19.9 billion in assets ranked it behind Harvard University’s endowment as of August, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers, added about $500 million in gold investments to an existing stake last year, said Bruce Zimmerman, the endowment’s chief executive officer. The holdings are worth about $987 million, based on yesterday’s closing price of $1,486 an ounce for Comex futures.Years from now, when historians attempt to define who may have started it all, one name may emerge...
The decision to turn the fund’s investment into gold bars was influenced by Kyle Bass, a Dallas hedge fund manager and member of the endowment’s board, Zimmerman said at its annual meeting on April 14. Bass made $500 million on the U.S. subprime-mortgage collapse.In summary - the fiat tide is now going out. And among those who will first be observed swimming naked are the very same people whose fate has been so very intrinsically linked to the perpetuation of a flawed regime (and who coined this very saying). In the meantime, hold on to your hats: should a scramble for delivery ensue, the recent parabolic move in various precious metals will seem like a dress rehearsal for what is about to transpire.
“Central banks are printing more money than they ever have, so what’s the value of money in terms of purchases of goods and services,” Bass said yesterday in a telephone interview. “I look at gold as just another currency that they can’t print any more of.”
The only open question is who was the broker with enough gold to deliver to the UofT. We hope to find out soon enough. We also hope that the UofT is smart enough, and that Kyle Bass advised it, that if they are getting "delivery" in a Comex vault in New York, the gold has likely already been leased out at least several times to various entities demanding paper allocations. Submitted by Tyler Durden.
OldMrBill likes to think big, but $1 Billion in gold is beyond my vision. That said, this is my vision - http://bit.ly/enK4Ww and you should consider making it yours too.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Are You Still drinking Tap Water?
Did you know that the average adult human body is 55-60% water? (Babies’ bodies are closer to 75%.) The brain is made up of about 70% water, and the lungs, closer to 90%! This means that the quality of the water you drink has an enormous impact on the quality of your health.
Unfortunately, high quality drinking water is increasingly difficult to come by in this day and age. Most health conscious Americans know that, while we are lucky in this country to have access to water that is largely free of disease-causing microorganisms, drinking plain old, unfiltered tap water is generally not a great idea.
What’s wrong with tap water?
Recent analyses of municipal drinking water have shown that, despite government regulations, there are still many dangerous contaminants present in our water, even after it has gone through municipal water treatment facilities.
In fact, these water treatment facilities often actually contribute to the problem by adding dangerous chemicals like fluoride and chlorine to water as part of the treatment process. The water regulations and treatment methods used in the U.S. are old and outdated and do little to address the assortment of toxic chemicals that are currently present in our environment. The Safe Drinking Water Act only regulates 91 potential water contaminants. Yet there are more than 60,000 chemicals used within the U.S., many of which have been identified as probable carcinogens. According to some estimates, there are now more than 2,100 known chemical toxins present in U.S. tap water. Additionally, many municipalities transport their water in antiquated, corroded pipes, which may leach toxic heavy metals into the water after it has been treated.
Here’s a rundown of some of the chemicals that are more than likely lurking in your tap water:
1. Fluoride
For over 50 years, the U.S. government has mandated that fluoride be added to the water supply to prevent dental problems. However, current research has shown that fluoride, a chemical that is used in rat poison, does a lot more harm than good. The fluoride found in tap water has actually been shown to damage tooth enamel, increase fracture risk, suppress immune and thyroid function, increase cancer risk and disrupt the function of the pineal gland.
Many European countries have banned the use of fluoride altogether, and there is a large activist movement of people working to get fluoride banned in the U.S. Visit FluorideAlert.org to learn more.
2. Chlorine
Water treatment facilities use chlorine as a disinfectant. It effectively kills microorganisms, but also has toxic effects on the human body. Chlorine has been identified as a leading cause of bladder cancer, and has been associated with rectal and breast cancers, asthma, birth defects and premature aging of skin.
3. Radioactive contaminants
Radioactive fallout from Japan has been detected in drinking water supplies throughout the U.S. As of last week, radioactive iodine-131 had been detected in drinking water samples from 13 U.S. cities. Radioactive cesium and tellurium isotopes have also been detected at low levels in some cities. (You can view this data on the EPA’s website.) The health implications of this radioactive contamination are yet unknown, but the EPA has said it will continue to monitor the situation.
4. Pharmaceutical drugs
Recent investigations have shown that an increasing number of pharmaceutical drugs are finding their way into our drinking water. Drugs ranging from antibiotics and birth control pills to painkillers, antidepressants and other psychiatric medications are now showing up in most municipal water supplies.
5. Hexavalent chromium
Earlier this year, an Environmental Working Group report revealed that hexavalent chromium, a chemical identified as a “probably carcinogen by the EPA,” is present in high concentrations in 31 U.S. cities. This is the chemical made famous by the movie, Erin Brockovitch, which chronicled the case brought against Pacific Gas and Electric for contaminating the water in an area of Southern California and poisoning thousands of people. Yet despite its known toxicity, there are no government regulations for hexavalent chromium in drinking water.
6. Lead, aluminum and other heavy metals
Lead and other heavy metals can make their way into your tap water through corrosion of the pipes in your plumbing system. Lead consumption has been linked to severe developmental delays and learning disorders in children. Aluminum and other heavy metals have been linked to nerve, brain and kidney damage. Currently, some municipalities still transport water in lead pipes.
7. Arsenic
Arsenic is a poisonous element known to be extremely carcinogenic. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans drink water containing unsafe levels of arsenic. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the U.S.
So what are the healthier alternatives to tap water?
So what is the best way to ensure that the water you drink is supporting your health, rather than damaging it?
WaterPure International offers equipment that produces 99.99% Pure Drinking water From Air. There are No Pesticides, No Pharmaceuticals, No Chlorine, No Chloramine, No BPA's No Chemicals of any kind...Just pure refreshing chilled water. How can none of these contaminants be resident in our water? when you think about , it makes total sense...The were never there in the first place! We bring water from the air to your glass and bypass the entire toxic process. we are not trying to make bad water good...we are making good water great!
Being that the WaterCycle tm produces Water from air and does not require municipal water supplies, we can also reduce our dependence on our aquifers and land based resources and the associated toxic chemicals and equipment used in the process. This can substantially reduce our carbon footprint and provide a truly sustainable unlimited supply of pure water for consumption anywhere the conditions are right for this cutting edge green technology.
Its Green..It's Clean..and it's sustainable.
We represent the only US based manufacturer that provides this patented process and we welcome you to learn more.
Please visit our website www.myacquapura.com or contact us direct as noted below.
A fusion of Science and Nature... WaterPure International Inc. providing responsible water that is good for you....and our Planet.
For more information on pricing, delivery or affiliate/referrer opportunities, you may email me directly at littlehales@att.net or use the Contact Us link on the website and tell 'em "OldMrBill" sent you. You'll be glad you did.
What’s wrong with tap water?
Recent analyses of municipal drinking water have shown that, despite government regulations, there are still many dangerous contaminants present in our water, even after it has gone through municipal water treatment facilities.
In fact, these water treatment facilities often actually contribute to the problem by adding dangerous chemicals like fluoride and chlorine to water as part of the treatment process. The water regulations and treatment methods used in the U.S. are old and outdated and do little to address the assortment of toxic chemicals that are currently present in our environment. The Safe Drinking Water Act only regulates 91 potential water contaminants. Yet there are more than 60,000 chemicals used within the U.S., many of which have been identified as probable carcinogens. According to some estimates, there are now more than 2,100 known chemical toxins present in U.S. tap water. Additionally, many municipalities transport their water in antiquated, corroded pipes, which may leach toxic heavy metals into the water after it has been treated.
Here’s a rundown of some of the chemicals that are more than likely lurking in your tap water:
1. Fluoride
For over 50 years, the U.S. government has mandated that fluoride be added to the water supply to prevent dental problems. However, current research has shown that fluoride, a chemical that is used in rat poison, does a lot more harm than good. The fluoride found in tap water has actually been shown to damage tooth enamel, increase fracture risk, suppress immune and thyroid function, increase cancer risk and disrupt the function of the pineal gland.
Many European countries have banned the use of fluoride altogether, and there is a large activist movement of people working to get fluoride banned in the U.S. Visit FluorideAlert.org to learn more.
2. Chlorine
Water treatment facilities use chlorine as a disinfectant. It effectively kills microorganisms, but also has toxic effects on the human body. Chlorine has been identified as a leading cause of bladder cancer, and has been associated with rectal and breast cancers, asthma, birth defects and premature aging of skin.
3. Radioactive contaminants
Radioactive fallout from Japan has been detected in drinking water supplies throughout the U.S. As of last week, radioactive iodine-131 had been detected in drinking water samples from 13 U.S. cities. Radioactive cesium and tellurium isotopes have also been detected at low levels in some cities. (You can view this data on the EPA’s website.) The health implications of this radioactive contamination are yet unknown, but the EPA has said it will continue to monitor the situation.
4. Pharmaceutical drugs
Recent investigations have shown that an increasing number of pharmaceutical drugs are finding their way into our drinking water. Drugs ranging from antibiotics and birth control pills to painkillers, antidepressants and other psychiatric medications are now showing up in most municipal water supplies.
5. Hexavalent chromium
Earlier this year, an Environmental Working Group report revealed that hexavalent chromium, a chemical identified as a “probably carcinogen by the EPA,” is present in high concentrations in 31 U.S. cities. This is the chemical made famous by the movie, Erin Brockovitch, which chronicled the case brought against Pacific Gas and Electric for contaminating the water in an area of Southern California and poisoning thousands of people. Yet despite its known toxicity, there are no government regulations for hexavalent chromium in drinking water.
6. Lead, aluminum and other heavy metals
Lead and other heavy metals can make their way into your tap water through corrosion of the pipes in your plumbing system. Lead consumption has been linked to severe developmental delays and learning disorders in children. Aluminum and other heavy metals have been linked to nerve, brain and kidney damage. Currently, some municipalities still transport water in lead pipes.
7. Arsenic
Arsenic is a poisonous element known to be extremely carcinogenic. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans drink water containing unsafe levels of arsenic. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the U.S.
So what are the healthier alternatives to tap water?
So what is the best way to ensure that the water you drink is supporting your health, rather than damaging it?
WaterPure International offers equipment that produces 99.99% Pure Drinking water From Air. There are No Pesticides, No Pharmaceuticals, No Chlorine, No Chloramine, No BPA's No Chemicals of any kind...Just pure refreshing chilled water. How can none of these contaminants be resident in our water? when you think about , it makes total sense...The were never there in the first place! We bring water from the air to your glass and bypass the entire toxic process. we are not trying to make bad water good...we are making good water great!
Being that the WaterCycle tm produces Water from air and does not require municipal water supplies, we can also reduce our dependence on our aquifers and land based resources and the associated toxic chemicals and equipment used in the process. This can substantially reduce our carbon footprint and provide a truly sustainable unlimited supply of pure water for consumption anywhere the conditions are right for this cutting edge green technology.
Its Green..It's Clean..and it's sustainable.
We represent the only US based manufacturer that provides this patented process and we welcome you to learn more.
Please visit our website www.myacquapura.com or contact us direct as noted below.
A fusion of Science and Nature... WaterPure International Inc. providing responsible water that is good for you....and our Planet.
For more information on pricing, delivery or affiliate/referrer opportunities, you may email me directly at littlehales@att.net or use the Contact Us link on the website and tell 'em "OldMrBill" sent you. You'll be glad you did.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Telling Tales Out of School
There's an old phrase that goes something like this "telling tales out of school"*. Was never really sure just what that meant, but always felt it was something to be avoided. Well, here's one that began "in school", or more precisely because I wasn't in school.
I got caught for the umpteenth time, skipping classes during my first time through the eleventh grade of my secondary education. They expelled me. I was fortunate after 10 days to be admitted to another high school where, as providence would have it, I met my bride of 42 years, Suzanne Mallory. That in itself is worth a chapter or three, but I'll save it for another of my "Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind" blog entries, though I'll have to 'Eat That Frog' again before writing it.
My future father-in-law was an artist, working for the old Southern Bell Telephone Company, with the responsibility for creating the cover art for each year's telephone directories, both the residential (white) pages and the commercial (yellow) pages directories. That was back in the 1960s, before they switched to photographic and digitally altered stuff for the directory covers.
Jack T. Mallory also did a lot of painting, everything from landscape to portrait and abstract to nudes. When Jack passed away back in the mid 1990s, he left a treasure trove of artwork which has since been parceled out to various family members and friends. We have 18 framed pieces of his work in our home. Jack also participated in a good many art shows in and around Atlanta Georgia, selling an occasional piece for enough to buy art supplies for the next year.
One of his fellow artists and art show friend was a gentleman by the name of Harry Rossall, who interestingly enough, worked for my father in the U.S. Forest Service and was the creator of "Smokey Bear", the cartoon character which graced more than a thousand fire prevention posters over the years. Prior to his death in 1999, Harry had been commissioned by the State of Oklahoma to create a huge mural depicting the state's history from prehistoric times to the modern day Western state that it is.
My bride and I were invited to represent the Littlehales family and the Mallory family in Broken Bow Oklahoma for the unveiling and dedication of Harry's magnificent mural. The mural covers the wall from floor to ceiling for a distance of over 100 feet. It was to be Harry's last public appearance, as his health was declining and his passing came soon thereafter.
This past weekend, I was looking through a closet I've been meaning to clean out and I found a framed pencil sketch of Smokey Bear with the words "Remember Bill, only you can prevent forest fires". It is dated 1957, and is signed by Harry Rossall. Also uncovered in the closet were approximately 30 original Smokey Bear posters done by Harry that my Dad had saved over the years and gave to me. I really need to talk to the folks at the Antiques Road Show TV program about those posters.
Three separate families all brought together by providence because a smart-aleck teenager skipped school one too many times. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.
*TELL TALES OUT OF SCHOOL - "Betray confidences. It was originally said only of children, apparently children who let drop at home things they had heard from schoolmates in the nature of gossip or happenings within a family. Now it applies to anyone who reveals confidences (usually not very weighty) he has received. The saying is old enough to have been picked up by William Tyndale in 'The Practyse of Prelates' : 'So that what cometh once in may never out, for fear of telling tales out of school.'" From "Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Wings Books, Originally New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985).
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Ranch Queen Is Walking For Suzanne
Do you "tweet"? Then you know where the link below will take you. If you're not on Twitter, then just skip the link and read on.
Know someone with cancer? I do. I married her 42 years ago. Our friend "The Ranch Queen" is helping. You can too. http://bit.ly/RanchQueen
Back in the early 1990s we were living in the little town of Lowry Crossing Texas, about 40 miles NE of Dallas. I was working for Electronic Data Systems and Suzi was working at the Bill Bates Cowboy Ranch. Some of you will remember Bill Bates #40, strong safety with the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team. The ranch manager was a lady by the name of Katherine, affectionately called "The Ranch Queen" and Suzi was the office manager on the ranch. Katherine was not only a great boss lady, but she became a good friend to most all that knew her and Suzi and I count ourselves among the lucky ones who have kept in touch with Katherine over the years.
As you know, if you've read any of my earlier blogs, my bride of 42 years, Suzi was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer on her birthday in February 2010. It had metastasized to her brain. After 10 whole-head radiation treatments, the brain tumor was declared dead, but was inoperable. Then six grueling months of chemotherapy for the lung tumors showed signs of improvement, that is to say, they had not spread and most had either been reduced in size or disappeared altogether. As we had no insurance, we relied on a study grant for her treatments at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. That grant expired in September 2010. We are in search of another study grant which will help with the enormous costs of a follow-up MRI and CAT scan to set benchmarks against which to measure her cancer's progression or more hopefully, continued remission. We both have a positive attitude about our chances of finding that grant.
So what's all this got to do with The Ranch Queen? A few days ago, we received an email from Katherine, asking our permission for her to run in the 2011 Relay For Life in support of Suzi's battle with cancer. We, of course, agreed and are honored that Katherine would do that for Suzi. But beyond just honoring Suzi's valiant battle with cancer, Katherine and her team are trying to raise funds for the American Cancer Society by seeking donations from those willing and able to contribute to the fight against cancer. You can visit Katherine's web page at http://bit.ly/RanchQueen, read her dedication to Suzi and make a small donation if you can.
This is a point where I would usually add a few of my Random Thoughts, but this evening I think I'll not do that. Instead, just let me close with a word of thanks to those of you who know Suzi and me and have kept her in your thoughts and prayers through the past year. You have given her the strength to battle on for as long as it takes. We are eternally grateful.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Transphorm, Google-Backed Startup, Claims Major Breakthrough In Energy Technology
Ever wonder how much water is consumed at Google? Hundreds of gallons a day I'd wager. I wonder how much of it is designer-l
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
Sunday, February 20, 2011
What Are You Doing OldMrBill?
Lately, I've been asked what I'm up to; what am I doing; why am I doing something different; and why am I doing 'that'? The answers aren't simple. It depends on who is asking and what prompted the question.
For the last two weeks or so, I've been battling with my computer over the issue of who's in charge here, me or it. Until today, it had the upper hand but after four hours of running an anti-virus scan, a malware application, not one but two different registry optimizers and a spy-ware removal application, I have regained control of the situation. The lesson here is: Don't put off updating and running your security protection applications.
Another answer is that I am working on several different projects at the same time, so on the surface it might seem like I'm doing something different, but in reality it's only that you caught me in the middle of work on one of those projects to the exclusion of all else. Multitasking is not an inborn aptitude, but one which is acquired out of necessity and must be continually practiced in order to be successful at it. Oh, and then there's the "Eat That Frog" maxim which I still struggle with every day. You know about that, don't you? No? Go back and read my January 3, 2011 blog for the explanation.
My last post <http://oldmrbill.blogspot.com/2011/02/acquapura-in-news.html> was a bit of a commercial plug for one of the companies with which I am associated, AcquaPura LLC. I have mentioned them in a couple of earlier bloggings and will continue to do so in the future when there is some noteworthy news to share.
Yes, the following is an authorized commercial endorsement of a product and is not a "Random Thought from a Wandering Mind".
WaterPure International Appoints New Senior Vice President
As a registered agent with AcquaPura LLC, I am proud of our association with Water Pure International and look forward to working with Lee Stein in his new position as Senior VP of Sales and Marketing. So ends this commercial announcement. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Here's one of those "Random Thoughts" I've been saving up:
Did you know that sex is the way most babies are started, but is sexual intercourse really the primary cause of human reproduction? Let’s consider the statistics:
The World Health Organization estimates that 100 million couples engage in sexual intercourse on an average day, which is only 3.3% of the world’s six billion humans. This pitifully low amount of love-making results in around 910,000 pregnancies, thanks in part to contraceptives and sterility. For a variety of reasons, 55% of these zygotes don’t make it through fetushood to live birth. According to a current U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 359,000 do make it daily.
So, less than 0.4% of each day’s heterosexual trysts result in the creation of new humans—a statistically insignificant correlation for proving causation. In fact, it rounds to zero.
Try it for yourself. Estimate how many times you’ve engaged in sexual activity in your lifetime. Now estimate how many times you were trying to make a baby. Divide the little number by the big number to give you the percent of times sex and procreation have simultaneously motivated you.
Perhaps if there were more opportunities for sexual gratification, so many people wouldn’t feel the need to fill a nagging emptiness with a needy dependent.
[Please note: the above shows how statistics may be manipulated. If we approach the equation from the other end, more than 99% of us were started by sexual intercourse.]
The Silver Snip Award
For Reproductive Responsibility
This handsome trophy is awarded to those outstanding citizens who acknowledge 6+billion humans on Earth is more than enough, and who put their money where their gonads are.
The Silver Snip Award
Anyone, including biological parents, who has chosen permanent, surgical contraception (vasectomy, tubal ligation, hysterectomy, etc.), may download this animated gif.
Somewhere in the Good Book it says "Sinner, Heal Thyself". If you're a reader and a follower of the Good Book, you know that it always takes a little help from above to get healed. Getting "fixed" can't be done by one's self either. It's best left to the professionals.
It gives the belly ease,
It warms the bed in winter,
And suffocates the fleas.
A fart can be quiet,
A fart can be loud,
Some leave a powerful,
Poisonous cloud
A fart can be short,
Or a fart can be long,
Some farts have been known
To sound like a song......
A fart can create
A most curious medley,
A fart can be harmless,
Or silent, and deadly.
A fart might not smell,
While others are vile,
A fart may pass quickly,
Or linger a while......
A fart can occur
In a number of places,
And leave everyone there,
With strange looks on their faces .
From wide-open prairie,
To small elevators,
A fart will find all of
Us sooner or later.
But farts are all bad,
Is simply not true-
We must never forget.......
Sweet old farts like you!
Kinda brings a tear to your eye - right?
Two important dates are fast approaching: April 22nd and April 29th. Do you know why either of them is significant? Stay tuned and I'll let you in on some special news about both of them in future postings. You're probably thinking the 29th is special because the future King of England is getting married, right? Okay, yes that is special, but it is just a coincidence that they chose that date. And, unless you've been living under a rock for the past 41 years, you should darn well know about April 22nd. Here's a clue:
That's about it for this go round. But as what's his name says: I'll be back.
For the last two weeks or so, I've been battling with my computer over the issue of who's in charge here, me or it. Until today, it had the upper hand but after four hours of running an anti-virus scan, a malware application, not one but two different registry optimizers and a spy-ware removal application, I have regained control of the situation. The lesson here is: Don't put off updating and running your security protection applications.
Another answer is that I am working on several different projects at the same time, so on the surface it might seem like I'm doing something different, but in reality it's only that you caught me in the middle of work on one of those projects to the exclusion of all else. Multitasking is not an inborn aptitude, but one which is acquired out of necessity and must be continually practiced in order to be successful at it. Oh, and then there's the "Eat That Frog" maxim which I still struggle with every day. You know about that, don't you? No? Go back and read my January 3, 2011 blog for the explanation.
My last post <http://oldmrbill.blogspot.com/2011/02/acquapura-in-news.html> was a bit of a commercial plug for one of the companies with which I am associated, AcquaPura LLC. I have mentioned them in a couple of earlier bloggings and will continue to do so in the future when there is some noteworthy news to share.
Yes, the following is an authorized commercial endorsement of a product and is not a "Random Thought from a Wandering Mind".
WaterPure International Appoints New Senior Vice President
OAKLAND PARK, Fla., Feb. 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WaterPure International, Inc. (The "Company" or "WaterPure") (OTCBB:WPUR) announced the appointment of Lee M. Stein as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Mr. Stein will be responsible for defining and implementing the Company's sales, marketing, and cutting-edge green initiative strategies worldwide.
"We are thrilled that Lee has agreed to join WaterPure. He will add depth and diversity of experience to our leadership team," said Paul Lipschutz, President and CEO of WaterPure International. "Lee will be responsible for functions that are fundamental to the Company's foundation and expansion. He will bring extensive experience and demonstrated leadership qualities to our organization."
"I'm delighted to be joining WaterPure International at this juncture," Mr. Stein said. "No other Company provides this cutting-edge green technology, and is, at the same time, produced right here in the USA. I am confident that WaterPure will continue to transform and become a market leader, and I look forward to working with Paul and the team, while realizing a substantially stronger return for shareholders."
WaterPure's line of Atmospheric Water Generators condenses the humidity in the air and then creates "water from air" through its patented ozone purification system. WaterPure water has been shown to meet or exceed all of the World Health Organization's guidelines for safe drinking water. As part of the Company's green initiative, WaterPure is focused on reducing the carbon footprint associated with traditional bottled water through a decrease in both plastic production and plastic waste, and reduction of carbon monoxide associated with transportation.
----------------------------------------------
Here's one of those "Random Thoughts" I've been saving up:
The World Health Organization estimates that 100 million couples engage in sexual intercourse on an average day, which is only 3.3% of the world’s six billion humans. This pitifully low amount of love-making results in around 910,000 pregnancies, thanks in part to contraceptives and sterility. For a variety of reasons, 55% of these zygotes don’t make it through fetushood to live birth. According to a current U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 359,000 do make it daily.
So, less than 0.4% of each day’s heterosexual trysts result in the creation of new humans—a statistically insignificant correlation for proving causation. In fact, it rounds to zero.
Try it for yourself. Estimate how many times you’ve engaged in sexual activity in your lifetime. Now estimate how many times you were trying to make a baby. Divide the little number by the big number to give you the percent of times sex and procreation have simultaneously motivated you.
Perhaps if there were more opportunities for sexual gratification, so many people wouldn’t feel the need to fill a nagging emptiness with a needy dependent.
[Please note: the above shows how statistics may be manipulated. If we approach the equation from the other end, more than 99% of us were started by sexual intercourse.]
The Silver Snip Award
For Reproductive Responsibility
This handsome trophy is awarded to those outstanding citizens who acknowledge 6+billion humans on Earth is more than enough, and who put their money where their gonads are.
The Silver Snip Award
Anyone, including biological parents, who has chosen permanent, surgical contraception (vasectomy, tubal ligation, hysterectomy, etc.), may download this animated gif.
---------------------------------------------
A fart is a pleasant thing,
It gives the belly ease,
It warms the bed in winter,
And suffocates the fleas.
A fart can be quiet,
A fart can be loud,
Some leave a powerful,
Poisonous cloud
A fart can be short,
Or a fart can be long,
Some farts have been known
To sound like a song......
A fart can create
A most curious medley,
A fart can be harmless,
Or silent, and deadly.
A fart might not smell,
While others are vile,
A fart may pass quickly,
Or linger a while......
A fart can occur
In a number of places,
And leave everyone there,
With strange looks on their faces .
From wide-open prairie,
To small elevators,
A fart will find all of
Us sooner or later.
But farts are all bad,
Is simply not true-
We must never forget.......
Sweet old farts like you!
Kinda brings a tear to your eye - right?
----------------------------------------------
Two important dates are fast approaching: April 22nd and April 29th. Do you know why either of them is significant? Stay tuned and I'll let you in on some special news about both of them in future postings. You're probably thinking the 29th is special because the future King of England is getting married, right? Okay, yes that is special, but it is just a coincidence that they chose that date. And, unless you've been living under a rock for the past 41 years, you should darn well know about April 22nd. Here's a clue:
That's about it for this go round. But as what's his name says: I'll be back.
Monday, February 14, 2011
AcquaPura in the News
OAKLAND PARK, Fla., Feb. 2, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WaterPure International, Inc. (WaterPure) (OTCBB:WPUR) announced that it has selected Acqua Pura, LLC (Acqua Pura) as its first platinum level broker.
The "Platinum" status acknowledges Acqua Pura's exceptional talents at facilitating the acquisition of "best in class" domestic and international distributors and agents for WaterPure's product line. Acqua Pura's executives bring with them a valuable set of skills and maturity in the marketplace of direct sales. Through their network of high quality partners, Acqua Pura will offer the WaterPure line of Atmospheric Water Generators, devices that produce crystal clear drinking water from the humidity that is present in the air.
Acqua Pura's key executive management personnel were previously engaged in Fortune 500 companies and have concluded multimillion dollar opportunities with numerous satisfied clients and profitable contacts that continue to prove their concept of win-win for all parties involved.
WaterPure is the only company that manufactures atmospheric water production and treatment products solely in the United States of America.
Their principal product line includes various models of the WaterCycle(TM) brand atmospheric water generator. WaterPure employs a patented water purification process that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization requirements for safe drinking water.
In addition to Acqua Pura's network, WaterPure offers its products under the 'WaterPure' brand through other prime distributors covering territories in France, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Ireland, Great Britain, the Cayman Islands, and the United States of America.
WaterPure International, Inc. was founded in 2005 and is based in Oakland Park, Florida.
Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/WaterPure-International-pz-631151780.html?x=0&.v=1
The "Platinum" status acknowledges Acqua Pura's exceptional talents at facilitating the acquisition of "best in class" domestic and international distributors and agents for WaterPure's product line. Acqua Pura's executives bring with them a valuable set of skills and maturity in the marketplace of direct sales. Through their network of high quality partners, Acqua Pura will offer the WaterPure line of Atmospheric Water Generators, devices that produce crystal clear drinking water from the humidity that is present in the air.
Acqua Pura's key executive management personnel were previously engaged in Fortune 500 companies and have concluded multimillion dollar opportunities with numerous satisfied clients and profitable contacts that continue to prove their concept of win-win for all parties involved.
WaterPure is the only company that manufactures atmospheric water production and treatment products solely in the United States of America.
Their principal product line includes various models of the WaterCycle(TM) brand atmospheric water generator. WaterPure employs a patented water purification process that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization requirements for safe drinking water.
In addition to Acqua Pura's network, WaterPure offers its products under the 'WaterPure' brand through other prime distributors covering territories in France, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Ireland, Great Britain, the Cayman Islands, and the United States of America.
WaterPure International, Inc. was founded in 2005 and is based in Oakland Park, Florida.
Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/WaterPure-International-pz-631151780.html?x=0&.v=1
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Edna's Super Bowl Clam Dip and Other Oddities
Today, after two weeks of procrastination, I managed to Eat the Frog once again, so here we go..............
The Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area and more precisely, Arlington Texas, is about to host the 45th Annual Super Bowl Football Game. No surprise to anyone in the US not living under a rock someplace, this will probably be the biggest hyped-up media event to hit North Texas in decades. We have a fancy new stadium (home to the Dallas Cowboys, who unfortunately didn't make it to the big game again this year) and an economy which most certainly welcomes the influx of revenue from both Packers fans and Steelers fans.
For me, however, it's not so much about who's playing, or the fact that the game is being played virtually in our backyard. Okay, McKinney Texas is an hour's drive northeast of the game site and we don't have a backyard anymore since we moved into an apartment, but it sure seems close to us. No, Super Bowl weekend is important to me for another reason altogether. It gives me an opportunity to share a special recipe with folks and to enjoy the fruits of that recipe myself, while watching the big game.
Edna's Super Bowl Clam Dip became a tradition in our home years ago, and is often enjoyed on other special occasions as well. It's only been elevated to Super Bowl stature since Edna's passing in April of 2008. It has been shared with others from time to time, and has typically drawn rave reviews from those who have partaken of its goodness. I present it today in hopes that it will bring pleasure to your Super Bowl watching this year.
**************************************************************
Ah yes, the naughty ingredients....even those have positives....so focus on those instead ...
cream cheese = Calcium
So you can excuse yourself and eat more, knowing its not that bad for you really.... (Wicked Grin!!)
**************************************************************
On the perchance that you don't give a damn about America's Super Bowl football game and you absolutely can't stand the thought of eating raw clams, allow me to share a few Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind.
We're all aware of the old axiom (probably heard it in one of your high school English classes): "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with". That lesson was driven home recently by this short story (an old joke, I'd wager).
**************************************************************
**************************************************************
Tetanus Shots - a MUST READ for you older folks:
The old man in his mid-eighties struggles to get up from the couch, then starts putting on his coat. His wife, seeing the unexpected behavior, asks, "Where are you going?"
He replies, "I'm going to the doctor." She says, "Why, are you sick?"
He says, "Nope, I'm going to get me some of that Viagra stuff."
Immediately the wife starts working and positioning herself to get out of her rocker and begins to put on her coat.
He says, "Where the hell are you going"?
She answers, "I'm going to the doctor, too."
He says, "Why, what do you need?"
The wife replies, “If you're going to start using that rusty old thing again, I'm getting a tetanus shot!”
************************************************************
The foregoing were merely "Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind" because "I let my mind wander and it didn't come back". I'll try to do better next time.
The Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area and more precisely, Arlington Texas, is about to host the 45th Annual Super Bowl Football Game. No surprise to anyone in the US not living under a rock someplace, this will probably be the biggest hyped-up media event to hit North Texas in decades. We have a fancy new stadium (home to the Dallas Cowboys, who unfortunately didn't make it to the big game again this year) and an economy which most certainly welcomes the influx of revenue from both Packers fans and Steelers fans.
For me, however, it's not so much about who's playing, or the fact that the game is being played virtually in our backyard. Okay, McKinney Texas is an hour's drive northeast of the game site and we don't have a backyard anymore since we moved into an apartment, but it sure seems close to us. No, Super Bowl weekend is important to me for another reason altogether. It gives me an opportunity to share a special recipe with folks and to enjoy the fruits of that recipe myself, while watching the big game.
Edna's Super Bowl Clam Dip became a tradition in our home years ago, and is often enjoyed on other special occasions as well. It's only been elevated to Super Bowl stature since Edna's passing in April of 2008. It has been shared with others from time to time, and has typically drawn rave reviews from those who have partaken of its goodness. I present it today in hopes that it will bring pleasure to your Super Bowl watching this year.
**************************************************************
Edna's Super Bowl Clam Dip
Ingredients:
8 bricks of cream cheese
8 cans of "minced" clams
4 packets of Lipton dry onion soup mix *
4 oz of Worcestershire sauce *
2 squirts of Tabasco sauce *
2 Family sized bags of Frito's Dipping Chips
Carrots, celery and cauliflower cut to dipping length
Prepare the day before the Super Bowl:
Place 4 bricks of cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and allow to reach room temperature.
Open 4 cans of minced clams and drain juice from 3 into a container and save.
Add 2 packets of Lipton dry onion soup mix to the bowl.
Add juice from fourth can and all four opened cans of minced clams into mixing bowl.
Add 2 oz of Worcestershire sauce to the bowl.
Mix cream cheese, dry soup mix, Worcestershire sauce and clams with a beater on slow speed.
Add 1 squirt of Tabasco sauce and continue to mix until all ingredients are combined to a thick dip.
Test flavor and consistency of dip with a Frito's dip chip. If chip breaks, add more clam juice.
Place resulting clam dip in a covered container in refrigerator to chill over night.
Place remaining clam juice in covered container in refrigerator to keep chilled.
Morning of the Super Bowl:
Removed chilled clam dip from refrigerator; open bag of Frito's dip chips and test consistency of dip.
If chip breaks, add a small amount of clam juice. Test consistency again until chips no longer break.
Continue testing dip until first bag of chips are gone.
Important: When this first batch is gone (usually hours before the game),
repeat mixing directions above using the remaining ingredients and refrigerate until game time.
Serve in large bowl on a tray, surrounded by dipping chips, and veggies.
Note: My Mother, Edna (1921-2008) would not have approved of finishing the first batch before game time, thus saving considerable expense.
* More or less can be added, according to personal taste.Ah yes, the naughty ingredients....even those have positives....so focus on those instead ...
cream cheese = Calcium
clams = Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron and quite low in Cholesterol
onion = Fiber
Worcestershire sauce = very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. Calcium, Copper, Vitamin C, Iron and Potassium.
Tabasco sauce = Pretty much nothing bad in it.. but does have Vitamin A and tastes so good it gets the heart going!
Chips..... Yes, well we shall ignore these... LOL.... Today's portion has had ALL the calories taken OUT! :D
Carrots, celery and cauliflower = ALL healthy!So you can excuse yourself and eat more, knowing its not that bad for you really.... (Wicked Grin!!)
**************************************************************
On the perchance that you don't give a damn about America's Super Bowl football game and you absolutely can't stand the thought of eating raw clams, allow me to share a few Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind.
We're all aware of the old axiom (probably heard it in one of your high school English classes): "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with". That lesson was driven home recently by this short story (an old joke, I'd wager).
**************************************************************
On his 74th birthday, a man got a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate paid for a visit to a Cherokee medicine man living on a nearby reservation who was rumored to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction. After being persuaded, he drove to the reservation, handed his ticket to the medicine man, and wondered what he was in for.
The old man slowly, methodically produced a potion, handed it to him, and with a grip on his shoulder, warned, 'This is a powerful medicine, and it must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful, and then say '1-2-3.' When you do that, you will become more manly than you have ever been in your life, and you can perform as long as you want."
The man was encouraged. As he walked away, he turned and asked, "How do I stop the medicine from working?"
"Your partner must say '1-2-3-4,'" he responded, "but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon."
He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, "1-2-3!"
Immediately, he was the manliest of men. His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes, and then she asked, "What was the 1-2-3 for?"
And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition, because we could end up with a dangling participle.
**************************************************************
Tetanus Shots - a MUST READ for you older folks:
The old man in his mid-eighties struggles to get up from the couch, then starts putting on his coat. His wife, seeing the unexpected behavior, asks, "Where are you going?"
He replies, "I'm going to the doctor." She says, "Why, are you sick?"
He says, "Nope, I'm going to get me some of that Viagra stuff."
Immediately the wife starts working and positioning herself to get out of her rocker and begins to put on her coat.
He says, "Where the hell are you going"?
She answers, "I'm going to the doctor, too."
He says, "Why, what do you need?"
The wife replies, “If you're going to start using that rusty old thing again, I'm getting a tetanus shot!”
************************************************************
The foregoing were merely "Random Thoughts from a Wandering Mind" because "I let my mind wander and it didn't come back". I'll try to do better next time.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The 11 January 2011 Phenomenon
"Today will soon enough become tomorrow, and spent wisely, will then become a yesterday to remember." How will yours be remembered?
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 began pretty much as any other day of an otherwise nondescript weekday for me. Oh, there was (and still is) snow on the ground here in McKinney Texas; 4"+ of the white stuff. Temperatures were in the teens with a wind chill of 11F. Hmmmm, there's an interesting number.
And so it began, the phenomenon of 1/11/11 (US) 11/1/11 (UK). Now I'm not a numerologist by any stretch of the imagination, but numbers have always fascinated me. You can do some pretty strange things playing around with numbers. I'll not drag you through a list of them here, so just relax.
I was napping today, as I usually do after lunch, when I was awakened by the telephone ringing. "Damned telemarketers!" I thought as I reached for the handset to check the caller ID. There it was. A perfect subject for today's blog, though it didn't dawn on me at that moment. The call came in at 1:11pm. The caller ID read "Alzheimers" 951-281-3716. Seriously. My wife asked me who it was and when I told her, she said "maybe they forgot who they were calling?". Folks, you can't make this stuff up.
In an earlier blog, I mentioned the idea of eating a frog first thing every day (http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com). Do that, and everything else will seem pretty easy the rest of the day. So, I ate the frog a little late today, but it's down and I'm blogging. Look, I'm a newbie at this blogging stuff and I've been putting it off for way too long, so cut me some slack here.
One of the things I have become accustomed to doing every day is "tweeting". It took me a while to get into it and understand the power of using Twitter to reach a multitude of people around the globe. There is a huge amount of information being shared out here in the cloud of the Internet and a lot (if not most) of it is on Twitter. It runs the gambit from the informative to the sublime to the ridiculous. If you're not using Twitter, you're missing a good bet to learn something, be amused and if you're not careful, to be abused as well.
Therein, lies this next little piece for today.
For some folks, being ignored on Twitter is taken as a personal affront, a rejection by those from whom we seek attention and a tweeter with an exaggerated sense of entitlement can be thrown into a rage of revengeful recriminations. Today, I ran across this comical YouTube video, done I believe by one of our British cousins. It's a real hoot (that's Texas talk for a laugh).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJr8uAqQCBM&feature=player_embedded Trust me on this one.
In my 6 January 2011 "Water, Water Everywhere" blog, I made mention of a US-based company, WaterPure International and its newest distributor, Acqua Pura LLC (http://myacquapura.com), in conjunction with an article about the purity of the world's water supply. The CEO of Acqua Pura wrote to me, asking for permission to include a link from their web site to my blog. I was flattered, to say the least. Okay, so now you're thinking, "here we go, OldMrBill has sold out and his blog is going to go commercial". Not so. I'm just doing a bit of bragging here, okay?
And while I'm at it, this isn't really a brag, but rather a mention......My 90 year old Dad, a retired US Forester, actually read my last blog and dropped me a note saying he was proud of me. He went on to say, and I quote "You are doing mighty well with the English language". Now before you get the idea that perhaps English is a second language to me, it's not. I am American born and bred, of British heritage, and the offspring of a mother (may she rest in peace) and father who have always been sticklers for correctness in speech and writing. Dad was always meticulous in his own avocation as a writer, so a small pat on the back from him was warmly received.
Let me wind up today's blog with a few Random Thoughts:
- The verb "cleave" is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.
- The only 15 letter English word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
- The longest one-syllable word in the English language is "screeched."
- Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
- In England, in the 1880's, "Pants" was considered a dirty word.
- Einstein couldn't speak fluently when he was nine. His parents thought he might be retarded.
- Aztec emperor Montezuma had a nephew, Cuitlahac, whose name meant "plenty of excrement. Montezuma's Revenge come to mind.
- An average person laughs about 15 times a day.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Water, Water, Everywhere
A recent article in The Atlantic titled "U.S. Cities That Risk Running Out of Water" prompted the following editorial response from OldMrBill:
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.
At first blush, one might think a rhyme from so long ago has no bearing on the issue, but avast ye hardies, 'tis but a foretelling of our plight, lest we take heed and secure a steady course towards conservation and the wise use of new technologies to produce potable water.
There is today a superfluity of companies flouting the issue with Rube Goldberg devices all promising to deliver the purest of pure water, but most require a source for that water which is to be made pure for our drinking pleasure. And, it is the source of water that is the issue; a dwindling resource in many areas of the world.
What if water could be squeezed from the very air we breath, purified and delivered in such a manner as to quench our thirst day or night, without tapping conventional water sources? Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) extract moisture from the atmosphere through a condensation process and transform it, creating absolutely pure, healthy drinking water. Multiple air and water filtration systems remove particulate matter smaller than .01 microns. Utilizing ozonation, it eliminates any micro-organisms including bacteria and viruses.
Test results of WaterPure water measured 99.9% purity, exceeding EPA requirements. Operating on standard 110v/or 220 power, it is extremely efficient and uses a minimal amount of energy to produce water. The unit requires no plumbing, water lines or pipes and is easily installed (just plug it in). Driven by a microcomputer control system, it will stop generating water when full. The WaterPure (Water Cycle) proprietary purification system also employs specialized filters to remove any unpleasant tastes or odor that may be present in the air. 1-888-757-8598
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/11/the-10-biggest-us-cities-that-risk-running-out-of-water/66399/
"Rime of the Ancient Mariner"
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink.
At first blush, one might think a rhyme from so long ago has no bearing on the issue, but avast ye hardies, 'tis but a foretelling of our plight, lest we take heed and secure a steady course towards conservation and the wise use of new technologies to produce potable water.
There is today a superfluity of companies flouting the issue with Rube Goldberg devices all promising to deliver the purest of pure water, but most require a source for that water which is to be made pure for our drinking pleasure. And, it is the source of water that is the issue; a dwindling resource in many areas of the world.
What if water could be squeezed from the very air we breath, purified and delivered in such a manner as to quench our thirst day or night, without tapping conventional water sources? Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) extract moisture from the atmosphere through a condensation process and transform it, creating absolutely pure, healthy drinking water. Multiple air and water filtration systems remove particulate matter smaller than .01 microns. Utilizing ozonation, it eliminates any micro-organisms including bacteria and viruses.
Test results of WaterPure water measured 99.9% purity, exceeding EPA requirements. Operating on standard 110v/or 220 power, it is extremely efficient and uses a minimal amount of energy to produce water. The unit requires no plumbing, water lines or pipes and is easily installed (just plug it in). Driven by a microcomputer control system, it will stop generating water when full. The WaterPure (Water Cycle) proprietary purification system also employs specialized filters to remove any unpleasant tastes or odor that may be present in the air. 1-888-757-8598
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/11/the-10-biggest-us-cities-that-risk-running-out-of-water/66399/
Monday, January 3, 2011
January 3rd Frogs Are Hard To Swallow
Adriana, Danny and Gracie - Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my first feeble attempt at blogging.
As I mentioned to a few friends in a Skype message yesterday, I need to start eating a frog every morning http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com if I'm going to stick with this. But I also need to decide how to garner some followers in order to feel like I've accomplished something here. Any suggestions?
Oh, I guess I could go out on Twitter and Skype and Facebook and MySpace and Me2everyone and post a link back to this blog, but isn't that a bit like begging? Wait, that's right, I remember my Mom telling me that "beggars can't be choosers", so maybe a little begging could go a long way. Okay, so let's see......I'll need to put together some catchy phrases to entice folks to make the time to visit. Sounds a bit contrived to me. I mean after all, I'm not selling anything on here, so why do I need to be cute? Why not just tell folks what I'm up to and let them make up their own minds? Yeah, that might work.
I had another one of those "Random Thoughts" today. Do the jerks that drive around with their boom boxes blasting that really low, loud booming sound actually hear it inside their car the way we do on the outside? A few months back, I was sitting in our car waiting for Suzanne to come back out from our local Walgreens when one of those jerks pulled in next to me, got out and left his engine and his boom machine running while he went into the store. I thought "what if I went over and turned off his noise-making machine" wondering if he'd be really pissed or just curious when he came out. So I did.
Only one problem, I couldn't find an "off switch", so I just turned off the motor, and slid the keys up under the driver's seat. Suzanne came out and we left before he came back out. In retrospect, I should have waited around to see what his reaction was, but discretion being the better part of valor, we left. I hope maybe he got the message, thus saving some other old fart from getting his blood pressure up over such a silly thing.
Here's another not so "Random Thought": Do you enjoy music while you're working (or playing) on your PC? I do. Each morning when I boot up the old desktop PC, I am greeted by music of my choice and it plays all day until I shut down for the night (which I need to do here in a minute). About a year ago, I stumbled on something called Pandora Radio. If you haven't heard of it or tried it yet, you really should. It's really cool. You select an artist you like and Pandora establishes a station just for you which plays that artist's music and the music of other artists of the same genre. For instance, I like the acoustic guitar music played by a fellow named Andy McKee. Pandora plays selections of his works and those of other acoustic guitar players I've never heard of before. It's really a neat application.
Okay, I'm outa here for tonight. That first frog went down easier than I thought it would. I'll be back again after it passes (the frog, that is) and if there are no lingering side affects, I'll try next time to ramble less and perhaps you'll be enticed to come back again.
"Today will soon enough become tomorrow, and spent wisely, will then become a yesterday to remember."
As I mentioned to a few friends in a Skype message yesterday, I need to start eating a frog every morning http://www.eatthatfrogmovie.com if I'm going to stick with this. But I also need to decide how to garner some followers in order to feel like I've accomplished something here. Any suggestions?
Oh, I guess I could go out on Twitter and Skype and Facebook and MySpace and Me2everyone and post a link back to this blog, but isn't that a bit like begging? Wait, that's right, I remember my Mom telling me that "beggars can't be choosers", so maybe a little begging could go a long way. Okay, so let's see......I'll need to put together some catchy phrases to entice folks to make the time to visit. Sounds a bit contrived to me. I mean after all, I'm not selling anything on here, so why do I need to be cute? Why not just tell folks what I'm up to and let them make up their own minds? Yeah, that might work.
I had another one of those "Random Thoughts" today. Do the jerks that drive around with their boom boxes blasting that really low, loud booming sound actually hear it inside their car the way we do on the outside? A few months back, I was sitting in our car waiting for Suzanne to come back out from our local Walgreens when one of those jerks pulled in next to me, got out and left his engine and his boom machine running while he went into the store. I thought "what if I went over and turned off his noise-making machine" wondering if he'd be really pissed or just curious when he came out. So I did.
Only one problem, I couldn't find an "off switch", so I just turned off the motor, and slid the keys up under the driver's seat. Suzanne came out and we left before he came back out. In retrospect, I should have waited around to see what his reaction was, but discretion being the better part of valor, we left. I hope maybe he got the message, thus saving some other old fart from getting his blood pressure up over such a silly thing.
Here's another not so "Random Thought": Do you enjoy music while you're working (or playing) on your PC? I do. Each morning when I boot up the old desktop PC, I am greeted by music of my choice and it plays all day until I shut down for the night (which I need to do here in a minute). About a year ago, I stumbled on something called Pandora Radio. If you haven't heard of it or tried it yet, you really should. It's really cool. You select an artist you like and Pandora establishes a station just for you which plays that artist's music and the music of other artists of the same genre. For instance, I like the acoustic guitar music played by a fellow named Andy McKee. Pandora plays selections of his works and those of other acoustic guitar players I've never heard of before. It's really a neat application.
Okay, I'm outa here for tonight. That first frog went down easier than I thought it would. I'll be back again after it passes (the frog, that is) and if there are no lingering side affects, I'll try next time to ramble less and perhaps you'll be enticed to come back again.
"Today will soon enough become tomorrow, and spent wisely, will then become a yesterday to remember."
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