RANDOM BORING THOUGHTS!

Observation of the Day!

What can I say? I have not been posting my cogent observations for some time. Am I lazy? Yes. Have I observed any observations? None to write of. I spend time playing golf and hanging around in the best weather we have had in January since we have been coming. Life is a glorious routine in Coronado, while Minnesota is enjoying its sixth coldest January. See, weather talk gets to be boring, especially to those in the cold.

My golf game sucks, but that is not news.

I shipped my car out. With the pneumonia recovery program in effect, I didn't feel I was up to the drive, especially alone. It only cost $875. The plane ticket cost $119 and only four and a half hours of my time. I figured I saved me about $500 in hotels, gas and food. It also saved me mileage against the third year of my auto lease. Overall it was a real good deal. BTW. My health is back. My defib is in place and my lungs are clear. What more can I ask?

Yesterday, I had lunch with an old friend, Dave Stafford, his wife and Tom and Konnie. I know he is a good friend because after not seeing each other in probably twenty years, we picked up just where we left our relationship. Shot after good natured shot was launched across the bows. Old friends are wonderful because they are old. And the stories never get old.

They still don't get it in Washington. The current bill on the table does little to get the economy back. They do not know anything about priority setting and the different between wants and necessary needs. I am still floating a balloon on a march on the capital to shout out,"I'm mad as hell, and I am not going to take it anymore. I urge all of you to write your legislators more often.

Super Bowl Sunday tomorrow. I saw a show and tell on Super Bowl memorabilia this morning. The had a Ticket from the first Super Bowl. It wasn't even called the Super Bowl then. It was the World Championship. Green Bay won and the cost was $12.oo. I know I was at the game, and didn't save my ticket stub of buy a souvenir because I could barely afford the $12.00. With the cost today, I still can't afford it. I am rooting for the Cardinals.

As you can see, I have become boring. I will do my best to find some humor in everyday life here in Nirvana. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take a nap by the pool.

Have a nice day!

Sam

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Observation of the Day!

Is this a great country, or what? Barack Obama became our 44th President today. The transition from one administration passed peacefully, as it has since the founding.

I thought the ceremony was very moving. The first inauguration I can really remember was John F. Kennedy. I had the feeling today as I did then that the torch had truly passed to a new generation. The only difference was I was part of the receiving generation. Now like my vote fo John McCain was voting for the past and my generation.

From a previous post I had no trouble after the election of Barack Obama becoming my President. I have been very surprised and pleased with his come together to solve the problems of our country. In my life time I have never seen the country is such bad shape as it is. I still believe that the sixties and the Viet Nam era was the worst period of my time, but the issues of that day, were not the same as the troubles of this era. We are really talking about our survival as a world power.

Having said that, I have the feeling today is a turning point in our history. I have been around long enough to know this country can solve these problems in the long run. Every element of our society contributed to the situation. Our own greed and our overpowering craving for instant gratification has been the rope from which we hang.

Obama is a genuine leader in the mold of Ronald Reagan and FDR. His oratory can inspire us to get it done. It will not be quick, and I am sure we will have many set backs along the way. Obama cannot do it alone.

I sincerely hope Obama can put an end to the rancor of partisanship. Respect and tolerance is at the center of making it all work. The Congress must work together. If the cannot, I suggest a march to the steps of the capital by the public loudly declaring that we are mad as hell and we aren't going to take in anymore. I am going to write my Congressman and Senators more often, letting them know how I feel on the issues.

It is a new day. It is a new beginning. Let us pray for the success of President Obama.

Have a nice day!

And God less the United States of America.

Sam

THIS JUST IN!

News You Need To Know, or Not!

Natalie Dylan, 22, claims her offer of a one-night stand has persuaded 10,000 men to bid for sex with her.

Last September, when her auction came to light, she had received bids up to £162,000 ($243,000) but since then interest in her has rocketed.

The student who has a degree in Women's Studies insisted she was not demeaning herself.

"I think me and the person (Nice grammar)I do it with will both profit greatly from the deal."

She added: "It's shocking that men will pay so much for someone's virginity, which isn't even prized so highly anymore."

I guess she can't get a job in Woman's Studies.

*****

Performing two Google searches from a desktop computer can generate about the same amount of carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle for a cup of tea, according to new research.

While millions of people tap into Google without considering the environment, a typical search generates about 7g of CO2 Boiling a kettle generates about 15g. “Google operates huge data centres around the world that consume a great deal of power,” said Alex Wissner-Gross, a Harvard University physicist whose research on the environmental impact of computing is due out soon. “A Google search has a definite environmental impact.”

This doesn't quite make sense to me. Google is going to run their computers whether or not anyone is doing searches. They aren't like lights that Google shuts off when nobody uses them.

I wonder who paid for this research, Al Gore?.

*****

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne spent $236,000 to redecorate the bathroom in his office, The Washington Post says. The paper reports that taxpayers paid for "a new shower, a refrigerator and a freezer and buying monogrammed towels."

KTVB-TV says the department denied that it purchased monogrammed towels.

In this economy we must all sacrifice, except government of course. Gives new meaning to throne room. What a bunch of crap.

*****

A funeral home might be a place for eternal rest, but police say an Arkansas man saw an opportunity to build a methamphetamine lab undisturbed by the living.

There was just one problem—the funeral home was across the street from the sheriff's office.

Officers say Robert Lee Lewis left the light on in the basement of the Higginbotham Funeral Home in Walnut Ridge on Dec. 3. Officers noticed the light on after hours and walked into the funeral home through an open door.

Inside, police say they found all the components necessary to build a meth lab. Officers arrested the former funeral home employee when he returned.

*****

The wobbly video shows a group of adults mulling inside Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant in Susquehanna Twp. Suddenly it pans left and captures a fight breaking out.

The 22-second clip, uploaded Sunday to YouTube, is the latest example of what police describe as a disturbing and bizarre crime trend: escalating violence among adults at a place designed for children's birthday parties.

Susquehanna Township police have been called to the restaurant on Union Deposit Road 12 times in the past year for reports of disorderly conduct, assault and theft. Those calls have resulted in 13 arrests, including six women -- five adults and a juvenile -- charged with disorderly conduct in a Saturday-night brawl.

"It's madness, absolute madness," Susquehanna Twp. Police Chief Robert A. Martin said.

Martin said he believes much of the violence stems from ongoing disputes among people who bump into each other in the restaurant. "They see each other at Chuck E. Cheese, and before you know it an argument turns into something physical."

The assaults also could be attributed to separated or divorced parents who attend a child's birthday party, he said. Such was the case in an April 4 incident, when police accused a man of slapping his estranged wife in the head at their child's party.

The violence at Chuck E. Cheese's isn't isolated to the Susquehanna Township restaurant. Last month, the Wall Street Journal published an article about a growing number of adult melees at locations in Brookfield, Wisc.; Topeka, Kan.; Toledo, Ohio; and Flint, Mich.

Can't we all just get along?

*****

Here’s another entry for the annals of noteworthy winter weather: The dogsled race near Frazee, Minn., has been canceled because there’s too much snow.

Too much fluffy snow that keeps drifting and therefore made it impossible to maintain a groomed trail.

That poses a safety risk to the dogs, supercharged canines whose mushers need a groomed trail to drop a hook to stop when necessary.

“We can’t pack it,” race organizer Eddy Streeper said Monday. “We just can’t get it packed. We had to speak up on behalf of the dogs.”

A dog sled race where the snow is not good enough???

*****

Mega-orgy in Tel Aviv cancelled due to public pressure

Sex fest scheduled to be held on 'International Orgasm Day' and seeking to promote world peace called off after owner of venue meant to host event caves in to threats

After weeks of preparations for the largest sex event of its kind in Israel, organizers were forced to cancel it this week due to public pressure and threats exerted on the owner of the venue where the sex fest was to take place.

The orgy was organized by the Raelian movement, a UFO religion whose followers believe humankind was created by aliens.

"The purpose of the event was to try and bring world peace through mass orgasm, this by experiencing consensual sex and natural, uninterrupted pleasure. It was important to make love without feeling guilty or shy," he explained.

Now there's a peace movement!!!

*****

A crumbling economy, more than 2 million constituents who have lost their jobs this year, and congressional demands of CEOs to work for free did not convince lawmakers to freeze their own pay.

Instead, they will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries, and watchdog groups are not happy about it.

“As lawmakers make a big show of forcing auto executives to accept just $1 a year in salary, they are quietly raiding the vault for their own personal gain,” said Daniel O’Connell, chairman of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a non-partisan group. “This money would be much better spent helping the millions of seniors who are living below the poverty line and struggling to keep their heat on this winter.”

In this economy everyone must sacrifice, except the government of course.

*****

Burger King Corp. may have just the thing. The home of the Whopper has launched a new men's body spray called "Flame." The company describes the spray as "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat."

The fragrance is on sale at New York City retailer Ricky's NYC in stores and online for a limited time for $3.99.

Smell like a Whopper? All you will attract is supersized females.

*****

LIMA, Peru — Drug agents in Peru say they have seized 3 tons of cocaine mixed into a shipment of guano bound for Spain.

Police delayed announcing the Dec. 4 raid because it was initially impossible to calculate how much cocaine was mixed with the guano, the nitrogen- and phosphate-rich droppings of birds and bats.

Cortijo said the cocaine was destined for Barcelona, Spain.

This cocaine smells funny!

*****

MEXICO CITY — A well-known U.S. anti-kidnapping expert has himself fallen victim to the wave of abductions in Mexico as unidentified assailants snatched him from a street in the northern state of Coahuila.

Local authorities say American Felix Batista was in Mexico to give talks and offer advice against kidnapping. The former U.S. army officer sometimes serves as a negotiator with kidnappers.

I guess his days as an "expert" are over.

*****

In a poll conducted by the Marion Chronicle Tribune, 56 % of its citizens were not dreaming of a white Christmas in Marion IN.

Have a nice day!

Sam

THIS JUST IN!

I don't usually like to use internet stuff on the Blog, but my friend Tommy sent me this and I just needed to share it with you.

Proof That The World Is Nuts

In Lebanon , men are legally allowed to have sex with animals, but the animals must be female. Having sexual relations with a male animal is punishable by death.

(Like THAT makes sense.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In Bahrain , a male doctor may legally examine a woman's genitals, but is prohibited from looking directly at them during the examination. He may only see their reflection in a mirror.

(Do they look different reversed?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Muslims are banned from looking at the genitals of a corpse. This also applies to undertakers. The sex organs of the deceased must be covered with a brick or piece of wood at all times.

(A brick?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation.

(Much worse than 'going blind!')
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There are men in Guam ; whose full-time job is to travel the countryside and deflower young virgins, who pay them for the privilege of having sex for the first time
Reason: under Guam law, it is expressly forbidden for virgins to marry.

(Let's just think for a minute; is there

any job anywhere else in the world that even comes close to this?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Hong Kong , a betrayed wife is legally allowed to kill her adulterous husband, but may only do so with her bare hands.
The husband's illicit lover, on the other hand, may be killed in any manner desired.

(Ah! Justice!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Topless saleswomen are legal in Liverpool , England - but only in tropical fish stores.

(But of course!)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Cali , Colombia , a woman may only have sex with her husband, and the first time this happens, her mother must be in the room to witness the act.

(Makes one shudder at the thought.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In Santa Cruz , Bolivia , it is illegal for a man to have sex with a woman and her daughter at the same time.

(I presume this was a big enough problem that they had to pass this law?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In Maryland , it is illegal to sell condoms from vending machines with one exception: Prophylactics may be dispensed from a vending machine only 'in places where alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises.'

(Is this a great country or what?

Well, not as great as Guam !)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Who volunteers for these tests?)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

(From drinking little bottles of?)

(Did our government pay for this research??)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Ah, geez.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

(I know some people like that.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Starfish don't have brains.

(I know some people like that, too.)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

And, the best for last?

Turtles can breathe through their butts.

(And I thought I had bad breath in the morning!)

Thank you all for reading this, if you need to reach me in the future I will be in Guam !

INTOLERANCE IS NOT A ONE WAY STREET!

Observation of the Day!

I thought it was an admirable choice that Barrack Obama ask Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration. Obama stated that, although they disagree on several issues there was also common ground. To me it was a gesture of trying to bring the country closer together. The closing prayer will be offered by Reverend Joseph Lowry,who is at the other end of the political and religious spectrum. Obama has bookended his inauguration. Equal time

Rick Warren's statement

"I commend President-elect Obama for his courage to willingly take enormous heat from his base by inviting someone like me, with whom he doesn't agree on every issue, to offer the Invocation at his historic Inaugural ceremony.

Hopefully individuals passionately expressing opinions from the left and the right will recognize that both of us have shown a commitment to model civility in America.

The Bible admonishes us to pray for our leaders. I am honored by this opportunity to pray God's blessing on the office of the President and its current and future inhabitant, asking the Lord to provide wisdom to America's leaders during this critical time in our nation's history."

Obama's statement.

At a news conference in Chicago, Obama called himself a "fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans" and said he will remain so as president. But he said it's important for people who disagree on social issues to work together.

"We're not going to agree on every single issue, but what we have to do is be able to create an atmosphere … where we can disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things that we hold in common as Americans," Obama said.

Compare those statements to the statement by the Green Party and other activists.

“Unless we make our anger known now, Mr. Obama will continue to betray gay people,” said Starlene Rankin, co-chair of the party’s Lavender Green Caucus (http://www.lavendergreens.us). “Barack Obama’s claim to be a ‘fierce advocate for equality’ is not credible when he chooses a pastor notorious for his ill-informed and slanderous opinions about homosexuality and vigorous support for Proposition 8.”

and

Gay rights groups say they are appalled at the selection of Warren, whose church is 22,000 strong. Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solomnese sent Obama a letter asking him to reconsider what they say is a show of "disrespect" and a "genuine blow" to the gay community.

The invitation to Warren has "tarnished the view that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans have a place" at Obama's table, reads the letter.

"[W]e feel a deep level of disrespect when one of architects and promoters of an anti-gay agenda is given the prominence and the pulpit of your historic nomination," Solomnese wrote.Words in articles about the invitation say "Warren defends his selection" and "Obama defends his selection of Warren".

Why on earth should they have to defend an invitation. There was no call to defend Obama's selection of Reverend Lowry and outspoken gay rights supporter.

Whether you believe in Warren or Obama's position on the gay rights is actually immaterial. If Reverend Warren's beliefs are sincere, he has a right to those beliefs, as does Obama and the gay right advocates, but it is interesting that Obama's offer to recognize others that sincerely believe what they believe is attacked as a betrayal.

To me, this shows intolerance of the gays rights activists to any beliefs that are not there own. Intolerance is a one way street. Either agree my position or hit the highway. It is Warren and his believers who are more tolerant. I don't mean to say that there is not outrageous intolerance on the religious right. Some on the religious right attack Warren because he accepted the invitation. There is intolerance on both sides. Both add little to an inclusive America but hate and anger.

I commend Obama. I believe he has done the right thing.

In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"

Have a nice day!

Samuel C. Arnold

CRUSHED ICE!

From the Archives!

I was flipping channels the other day and came across a figuring skating program. To me ice shows have lost the glamour of the ones of my youth. Maybe it's just me. Ice shows now seem so gay, not that there's anything wrong with that. In the old days it was all about the star. Sonja Henie was such a star. I thought about a piece I wrote many years ago. I would like to share it with you.

Crushed Ice

Love really has nothing to do with wisdom or experience or logic. It is the prevailing breeze in the land of youth.

Rudolph Block (Bruno Lessing)

We all share in the unrequited love crush experiences of adolescence that play such integral roles in our coming of age. The commonality of all of these love affairs of the mind is that they are unattainable, not noticed by the objects of these squishy feelings in our stomachs, and, thankfully, are short lived. It’s the thought that counts. A first crush represents the embryonic stirrings of sexuality that often comes before we even understand the subject. Crushes are usually directed at a teacher, an athlete, a neighbor or an older boy or girl down the block. They go with all adolescent territories. My first crush was on Sonja Henie. “Who the hell was Sonja Henie?” You ask?

Sonja Henie was an Olympic and World figure skating champion and later a popular movie star from Oslo, Norway. She was simply the best amateur figure skater of her era, dominating every major world skating championship for more than ten years. To capitalize on the charisma of her beauty and skating talent, as well as her Olympic and motion picture fame, she formed the first exhibition ice show with full extravaganza, choreographed and star-driven audience impact. She knew there was an audience waiting for an ice spectacular -- and for her. She was right; they were waiting, and their wait was rewarded by the Sonja Henie Hollywood Ice Review.

I was about twelve years old when my parents took me to see the show at the Coliseum on the State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. I was awed and excited by everything in the show, as was the rest of the enthusiastic audience. It had a full live orchestra with strings; whirling multi-colored spot lights; spectacular costumes; comedy acts that made us laugh at their antics and pratfalls; pairs of handsome couples, gliding and dancing as one; male and female featured solo skaters; chorus lines that started in the center of the ice with two skaters skating in a small circle and then joined by other skaters one by one attaching themselves to the rotating line of skating partners, as the line got longer and longer each skater had to skate faster and faster to catch up and finally came the last skater, usually the smallest, skating as fast as she could to catch the line and the cheers of the excited crowd; and, finally, the star of the show -- the adorable, sequined, bundle of blond energy with the beautiful dimpled smile -- Miss Sonja Henie. She made dramatic spot-lit entrances in beautiful costumes with white skates flashing to beautiful music and spun and waltzed and Hulaed her way into my young boy’s heart.

I thought Sonja and the rest of the young ladies in the cast were the most beautiful females I had ever laid my eyes on in my relatively short life. Maybe it was those great, long, shapely, athletic legs and those little skirts, so short you could see their underpants (well, that’s what it looked like to a boy my age); and the splits and spins that tickled my little boy’s fantasy, not to mention other things. The show was the most spectacular and exhilarating experience I had ever had in my life.

As we were leaving the building, with the warm glow of the show still fresh in our minds, Sonja came out on a balcony above us in a full length white fur cape and a sparkling tiara taking a final spot-lit bow to once more soak up the admiration and excitement of the thoroughly captivated crowd. Everyone stopped in their tracks to cheer and applaud, Sonja Henie -- the beautiful star of the show, and she was indeed a STAR in every sense of the word. It was an electric and spectacular end to a perfect evening.

I took the souvenir program home, clasped tightly in my moist little hands. It was a first class program with a maroon velvet-like cover and gold-tasseled binding. It contained stories and pictures of the supporting stars and acts and, of course, several glamour shots of my beautiful Sonja. I slept with the program and her picture under my pillow for weeks, looking at it every night before dropping off to sleep to dream of my beloved Sonja. My heart pined for the love of Sonja Henie.

I don’t know exactly when I lost my crush on Sonja. It went the way of most crushes, I suppose, other things got in the way -- like girls my own age. However, whenever I see a figure skater in her short skirt, long muscular legs and white skates, I think of the beautiful Sonja Henie; the first; the original; the star of stars; the queen of the ice; the queen of my heart.

As you might suspect, what you see on the movie screen or on the ice was not reality. I read her biography Queen of the Ice, Queen of the Shadows after writing most of this poignant tribute to Sonja and my first crush. I was crushed. The real Sonja, although at times could be a sweet person, was, for the most part of her adult show business life, a thrice married, hard-swearing, miserable, greedy, miserly, hard-to-get along with and work with, selfish, alcoholic, bitch of a human being. Real world and real people -- but that’s not what crushes are about. I will always love you, Sonja Henie.

Have a nice day!

Sammycarl

2009 ??????

Observation of the Day!

My first year of Looking for Nirvana is complete. I have enjoyed getting back to writing. I apologize for the poor performance during the last couple of months, but I was busy trying to stay alive. I promise I'll get back. I am still operating at about the 80% level, but feeling better everyday. I leave for California on January 12, and my winter will be over.

As we look ahead to 2009, I believe that things will get better. That is optimistic, I know, but have always believed in the concept 'This too will pass." Things are still unstable and bad things can happen, but I try to be positive.

I have been pondering a few thoughts on the state of the economy. This country has been brought to its knees by capitalism and socialism working together. The capitalist of Wall Street figured out how to leverage risky loans and make huge bonuses for there work. Bonuses beyond a reasonable amount. The risky loans were brought about by the socialist leaning left that felt everybody should have a home, and encouraged extending credit to those who didn't have any.

Now we bail out the Capatalist and in the mean time nationalize the some of the banking system. The taxpayers have equity staes. We put out $750B with little or no accountability. So some of the capitalistic financial sytem is no partially owed by the state.

Now everyone is lining up demanding a piece of the action. From state and local governments to the Vikings owner trying to get a new stadium. While all this is going the poor schlubs like us who played by the rules and are still playing by the rules are left to fend for ourselves.

Thank the greedy capitalist and thank the redistribution socialist. Together they have gone a long way in destroying America. Once the government gets into running businesses that they no nothing about we are doomed to second class world citizenship. Europe west.

Politicians are dangerous. I am optimistic on Obama. So far he has done the right things. I would hate to face what he is facing.

I question just how much debt we can take on a a nation. Of course to congress it doesn't seem to matter. It's not there money.

Have a nice day and let us pray for the best.

Samuel C. Arnold