2016- The Year of the Electronics

We’re barely past the middle of January, and it already looks like the year to replace most of our electronic devices. We started out by getting two new Kindle Fires for New Year, because my Android tablet died in October, and Franklin’s Nook HD Tablet has not been holding a charge well. It is now in the bedroom where it stays plugged in most of the time and just gets pulled out to check email or Facebook real quick or blast Pandora while I’m cleaning in there.

Then we discovered that our cordless phones aren’t holding a charge, and they are getting worse (Comcast only seems to work with cordless phones). Looks like we will be picking up a new cordless phone system soon.

Next to the laptop. I have been wanting to get a new laptop for months now, but now we have to. While trying to wipe the laptop to remove some malware that a hacker had installed, we discovered that the hard drive was failing. So, I guess a new laptop it is!

To add insult to injury, Franklin and I both got a text from our wireless provider yesterday (Tuesday). Apparently they will not be sending software updates to our dinosaur phones after the end of this year, and after that we will lose service unless we update our phones. So at least we have time to pick out a new phone. Most likely we will try to enter the 21st century and get us some smartphones. We will also likely be changing carriers because our current carrier has very poor coverage through most of Wisconsin, which is not good for traveling in or through that state, which we do fairly often. If you need me, I will probably be at Best Buy or trolling Amazon’s electronics department.

Fine.

Sometimes I wish husbands had a bigger vocabulary. All right, I generalize too much. I wish they had a bigger vocabulary when it comes to relationship things. “How are you doing, Honey?” “Fine.” “How do you like my new dress?” “Fine.” “How do you like this cake?” “Fine.” I wish there were a better way to describe things. 

Shades, Anyone??

I am beginning to wonder what happened to shades. Not the things you wear on your face, the things you put on your windows. I always had shades growing up. Since I have moved to the Twin Cities over 20 years ago, I have never seen a house or apartment with anything but blinds. Blinds do not keep the light out nearly as well as shades. This is a big deal for people with Fibromyalgia like me. We sleep very lightly as it is because of the pain.  When it is not almost completely dark, it is even harder to sleep.  Unfortunately, I live in a rental unit, so there is nothing I can do. *Sigh*

New Filter or New Vacuum?

 

My home seems to be the place where vacuums come to die.  Every single vacuum we purchase seems to lose suction after a year or two.  We clean out the hose and the filter to no avail.  Our current vacuum apparently has two filters.  Franklin was able to get the first one cleaned out pretty good, but the second one is beyond cleaning.  It will cost about $22 to replace, which isn’t going to happen right now with our summer savings running out and no paychecks expected until mid-August.  However, we are kind of in a bind because we are also hoping to find a bigger place in the next two months, and moving means cleaning.  LOTS of cleaning.  Heavy-duty cleaning.  So, I have to weigh the cost of getting a working vacuum on a tight budget against getting a house that is presentable for our landlord to show to prospective renters/buyers.  Hmmm, what to do, what to do?  If I should decide to go with a new vacuum, does anyone have any brands or models to suggest?  Oh, and I do like HEPA filters.

Signs It’s Spring in Minnesota

The construction crews are out.

You ride in your car with the windows open (or top down)—and your windbreaker on.

You have the heat on in your car in the morning and the air on in the afternoon.

You open the windows during the day to air out the house, forget to close them before you go to bed, and shiver violently when you get up in the morning.

Your winter cold turns to spring allergies.

You put your boots and parka away—just in time to hear the weatherman talk about a spring snowstorm on the way.

Sorry, No Special Privileges for Legislators!

From A Retired Army chaplain:

No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, and receive full pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense.

Monday on Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. When you add this to the below, just where will all of it stop?
35 States file lawsuit against the Federal Government
Governors of 35 states have filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention
This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.
This is an idea that we should address.
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform… in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn’t seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law. I truly don’t care if they are DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT, or WHATEVER. The self-serving must stop.
If each person that receives this will forward it on to 20 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message.. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: “Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.”

Here’s Your Change!

Here’s Your Change.

After two years of B. H. Obama … Here’s your change! January 2009 TODAY % chg Source Avg.. Retail price/gallon gas in U.S. $1.83 $3.44 84% 1 Crude oil, European Brent (barrel) $43.48 $99.02 127.7% 2 Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel) $38.74 $91.38 135.9% 2 Gold: London (per troy oz.) $853.25 $1,369.50 60.5% 2 Corn, No.2 yellow, Central IL $3.56 $6.33 78.1% 2 Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL $9.66 $13.75 42.3% 2 Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. Fob $13.37 $35.39 164.7% 2 Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall 7.6% 9.4% 23.7% 3 Unemployment rate, blacks 12.6% 15.8% 25.4% 3 Number of unemployed 11,616,000 14,485,000 24.7% 3 Number of fed. Employees 2,779,000 2,840,000 2.2% 3 Real median household income $50,112 $49,777 -0.7% 4 Number of food stamp recipients 31,983,716 43,200,878 35.1% 5 Number of unemployment benefit recipients 7,526,598 9,193,838 22.2% 6 Number of long-term unemployed 2,600,000 6,400,000 146.2% 3 Poverty rate, individuals 13.2% 14.3% 8.3% 4 People in poverty in U.S. 39,800,000 43,600,000 9.5% 4 U.S. Rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings 5 9 n/a 10 Present Situation Index 29.9 23.5 -21.4% 11 Failed banks 140 164 17.1% 12 U.S. Dollar versus Japanese yen exchange rate 89.76 82.03 -8.6% 2 U.S. Money supply, M1, in billions 1,575.1 1,865.7 18.4% 13 U.S. Money supply, M2, in billions 8,310.9 8,852.3 6.5% 13 National debt, in trillions $10.627 $14.052 32.2% 14 Just take this last item: In the last two years we have accumulated national debt at a rate more than 27 times as fast as during the rest of our entire nation’s history. Over 27 times as fast. Metaphorically speaking, if you are driving in the right lane doing 65 MPH and a car rockets past you in the left lane. 27 times faster, it would be doing 7,555 MPH!   Sources:  (1) U.S. Energy Information Administration; (2) Wall Street Journal; (3) Bureau of Labor Statistics; (4) Census Bureau; (5) USDA; (6) U.S. Dept. Of Labor; (7) FHFA; (8) Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller; (9) RealtyTrac; (10) Heritage Foundation and WSJ; (11) The Conference Board; (12) FDIC; (13) Federal Reserve; (14) U.S. Treasury     THE PRESIDENCY SOME WILL APPRECIATE THIS AND SOME WILL NOT, HOWEVER, ALL OF IT IS TRUE. So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can’t think of anything? Don’t worry. He’s done all this in 24 months — so you’ll have one year and ten months to come up with an answer. Every statement in this email is factual and directly attributable to Barrack Hussein Obama. Every bumble is a matter of record and completely verifiable. EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS… I WONDER HOW MANY WILL FORWARD THIS ? I wonder how many will actually understand it!   Oh yeah, those would be the folks that will be voting for Obama in 2012!

Finally, a Doctor Who Knows His Stuff!

WE ARE FINALLY UNLEASHED.  HAHA!!

Q: Doctor,  I’ve heard that  cardiovascular exercise can prolong life.  Is this true? A: Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it… Don’t waste on exercise.  Everything wear out eventually.  Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster.  Want to live longer?  Take nap.  Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake? A:  No, not at all.  Wine made from fruit.  Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way.  Beer also made of grain.  Bottom up! Q: How  can I calculate my body/fat ratio? A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one.  If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc. Q: What  are some of  the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program? A: Can’t think of single one, sorry.  My philosophy is: No pain…good! Q:  Aren’t fried foods bad for you? A:  YOU NOT LISTENING!  Food are fried these day in vegetable oil.  In fact, they permeated by it.  How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!?  Q:  Will  sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle? A: Definitely not!  When you exercise muscle, it get bigger.  You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach.  Q:  Is chocolate bad for me?  A:  Are you crazy?!?  HEL-LO-O!!  Cocoa bean!  Another vegetable!  It best feel-good food around! Q:  Is swimming good for your figure?  A:  If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me.. Q:  Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?  A:  Hey!  ‘Round’ is shape!   For  those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health.  It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.  1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. 2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. 3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. 4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans..  5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans. CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Thoughts on Cat Baths—by The Cat

“But you said you loved me!”

 

“You will pay, as God is my witness, you will pay!”

 

“Holy crap, you call this water warm?!”

 

“I don’t think I like you anymore.”

 

“You lied!”

 

“E.T. phone home…quick!!”

 

“No, I’m not your Good Little Kitty anymore.”

 

“Traction…I’m losing traction!”

 

“I want my Mommmmmyyyyyy!!”

 

“Oh, hell no!!!”

Cleaning the Refrigerator

Well, Franklin spilled some blueberries in the refrigerator the other day.  I knew cleaning it up would be a chore, but today I sucked it up and got to it.  Oh, my Word, what a mess!!  The inside of my refrigerator was purple!  It took me over an hour to get all that stuff out of there.  I told Franklin the next time he redecorates, let me choose the color.