Pumps' Perplexities

There are a few people, who are running for President of
the United States in 2008, that claim that there should be
improvements made to the health care system.....It seems,
to them, that the US system is lacking by some world
standards......

Have you noticed that this 31 year old man, with a rare case
of pneumonia, was notified in Italy to go to a hospital in order
to seek care for his medical condition......Did he?.....No he
did not.....

He went to Prague, in the Czech Republic, took a flight to
Montreal, Canada, then drove an automobile to New York
City and went to a hospital there......

It seemed that he wanted to receive the best medical care
for his condition and the best was American......I wonder if
these presidential candidates will use him as a Poster Boy
for improved health care?......Pumps

For the past few days, our local TV news has been consumed
with a story about a young male bear that has found its way
into the western region of our fair Jabunyaville.......

It appears that this is about the time of the year that bears
go roaming.......This one came into an area that 10 years
ago was farm and woods but now is full of newly built
subdivision housing......

What gets me is that people leave the urban cities, which
have rats and roaches, and then complain when they see
a bug, raccoon or even a bear in what use to be country.......

Some woman, holding a baby, just can not understand why
a bear would be in her area......I guess that since her house
sits on the bear's olde feeding grounds has nothing to do
with it.......

I wonder what she is going to say when she gets a snake
in her bathroom?.......Pumps

This story is not about the immigration problems in America,
but rather one in Italy........

Italy owns a small, rock, island in the Mediterranean 70 miles
off the Tunisian coast of Africa......The little island is called
Lampedusa and it's native inhabitants number only 6,000.......

In 1998 the island started to be used to "retain" Africans who
were trying to migrate to Italy illegally......The early "retention"
of these people resulted in poor living conditions so the UN
stepped in......

Today there are 74,000 illegals living in the best conditions the
Italians can provide in the "retention camp"......The facilities are
so good that the local residents are complaining......The
immigrants are receiving better housing, health care and
schooling than the natives.......Cost for one "illegal" per day is
$67 which is paid for by the Italian government.......

The last line of the news story reads, "Immigration is a time
bomb waiting to explode"......Pumps

In this modern world, we get our news from TV "sound
bites", "audio clips", various "blogs" and the few
remaining newspapers......But is "it" really news
anymore?......

Back in English class we were told that to report a story
properly, you needed the elements of "Who, What, Where
When and How".........Analyze your next news story for
the necessary components.......

WHO - Most often the name of the individual or persons
involved in the story are not released to the public.....It's
the last thing you see, most often, due to some political
correctness thing......

WHAT - This is about the only fact you may get......This
is the "story" of what happened.......Car crash, robbery,
fight, etc.......

WHERE - Now a days you are lucky if you get the "exact"
address as to where an event took place......What the
reporter tells you is the area of town, subdivision, or the
"block" number usually starting with the number "thousand".....

WHEN - This is another fact that you may get.....There is no
harm to anyone in telling you what time of the day an event
occurred......The time may be "rough" or "sometime during"
but you do get something........

HOW - Do not look for this information......Should there be
a crime involved, these days, the police do not want to give
out any secrets......No comments are made because the
event is, "Still under investigation"........

So in reality what do you get out of a news story these days......
"A SUV crashed into a telephone pole at 1:30AM......It is
suspected to have been driven by a male and has caused
an unestimated amount of damage.......The police are not
releasing facts pending their further investigation"......And
yes the real end of the story, "Stay tuned at 11 for further
(non) information"........Pumps

I for one am extremely happy that Ms. O'Donnell will
not appear on my TV this summer.......I took no interest
in the TV program, The View......But, it seemed that
anytime Ms. O'Donnell caused a verbal stir, her rantings
were broadcast elsewhere - from Fox News to Inside
Edition.......There was just no escaping her.......

I consider Ms. O'Donnell to be your classic "bully"......If
you do not listen or agree with her, they she just becomes
more abrasive and louder, until your point of view is
drowned out.......She just can not discuss any issue calmly......
Can you imagine her on some auditorium stage during
a debate......Any retort, of her verbal opinion, would be
met with a blustering torrent of "in you face" anger......

Thank you Ms. O'Donnell for a quiet TV summer.....Pumps

There were no seat belts in an automobile.......

Years ago, you did not drive at 60 miles an hour, plus......
The best you could do on a modern road was about
35 MPH......Also the vehicle you were driving was made
of 100% STEEL and weighted almost 3,000 pounds.......
So, if you were in an auto accident, it was the contact of
two large and strong vehicles......Almost like bumper cars......

But people wanted speed.....In order to produce speed you
must reduce weight and so today we have automobiles
made out of imitation leather, plastic and fiberglass......
If you have an accident while riding in a piece of plastic
you CAN get hurt.......

So the insurance companies, who do not like paying out
damage claims, "lobby" the federal, state and local
governments to protect THEIR financial interests......
This has resulted in the "seat belt law"........

Fact: With or without, wearing a seat belt, you have a 50-50
chance in an automobile accident......That is just about the
same as it was some 50 years ago........

The only thing different is the MONEY that the local
governments make from giving out a "traffic fine" and
the insurance folks do not have to play in claims........Also
let us not forget all those "ambulance chasing" law firm
advertisements on TV.......The TV stations need some
of that "seat belt" MONEY also......(Even though it comes
in via the "back door".......

If you want less accidents, drive a steel car, with a clutch
(can't use the phone), with no power steering (two hands
on the wheel) and no power brakes (promotes proper
automobile care).......And drive no faster than 40 MPH.....

You will ALWAYS get to where you are going......It never
fails to happen......Pumps

You just got to read the "fine print".......Verizon, just like my
cable company, Comcast, is trying to "woo" customers with
their fast computer internet service......Sometimes you can
get 4 to 6 advertisements in one hour of television viewing......

But here is the "fine print": Connection speeds are between
your location and the central office serving your location.......
Actual download and upload speeds will vary based on numerous
factors, such as the condition of wiring at your location,
computer configuration, Internet and network CONGESTION,
and the speed of Web site servers you access, among other
factors......Speed and uninterrupted use of the service ARE NOT
GUARANTEED.........

If there is a problem with the "line" the "fine print" reads:
Customer is responsible for backup battery replacement.....
Backup battery does not supply power for the Internet, telephone
or cable service........In case of power failure, 911 service will
be available until (your) backup battery expires........Certain
telephones, answering machines and other telephone equipment
not meeting industry standards may not work with service
provided on the network........

As usual, pay them a lot of money, and they have no responsibility
for anything if things go wrong with their Internet, Cable or
Telephone service........Pumps

I just love these companies with a bureaucratic attitude......
Your cable, telephone, electric companies are just a few
of this elite group.......

My next door neighbor has decided to change his TV cable
and Internet service from Comcast to Verizon.....I guess
you can save a few pennies.....(Or so they say)......

Well along comes a Mexican "sin los papeles" with a shovel
to dig a trench......His truck was from Georgia and I suspect
his shovels were from Texas or Virginia (home of Jabunyaville)....

The new Cable/Internet line has been installed but in doing
so MY telephone line (also Verizon's) has been cut......Now call
the BUREAUCRAT- and request a "repair order".......

The person on the other end of the Verizon repair service has
no interest in what you are saying or what you want to tell
them......THEY REALLY DO NOT CARE.......

Question #1: "Have you checked if the other phones are working
in the house"......"Miss, there is only one rotory telephone on the
kitchen wall.....It has no dial tone and does not work".....

Question #2: "Are you CALLING FROM YOUR HOME?....No
I am calling from a neighbors phone......

Question #3: "Is there a telephone that you can be reached at?....
No....The one on the wall is not working.......

Answer: "OK, we can have a repairman out their in 18 hours......

Just think a MEXICAN can break something in 1 minute but it
takes a BUREAUCRAT to fix it in 18 hours........

Now when I go to bed tonight and watch some of my Comcast
TV, I will be "pounded" with both Comcast and Verizon TV
advertisements telling me how good their service is.........

What a bunch of BULL.........Pumps

It seems that "taking a stand" has been negated by the
law profession......Since there are two sides of a story, and
the best story teller (of the represented side) wins, you
can lose by "taking a stand".......

Even if you, in this modern world, do the right thing.....You
may lose if the other side has a better story teller than
you hired.......What gets me, today, is that what is the
truth is no longer important......It has all come down to
what side has the better "legal" story - "under the law"......
(That is what the judge is for - "the law)........

There are many stories about school bus drivers in the news
lately......And the poor drivers never come out winners.....
If there is a fight in the back of their bus......Should they
stop the fight, they get sued by a parent or two.....If they
do not stop the fight they get fired by the school district......

What really gets me is that, it is better to be fired by the
school district, because it does not cost you any additional
money......If you get sued, you have to pay for a lawyer
to defend your position.....And if you do win the court case,
there may be a civil case against you by one or both
parents for some "civil rights" infringement, or such.......

With the world getting so complicated, maybe it is time
to go back into a cave and protect yourself with a pile of
rocks and some big sticks......At least you will keep the
lawyers away.......They hate big rocks.......Pumps

Being one that believes that "history" is only measured


during one's own life span, than to me the world changed


in the late 1960's......





The changes occurred in the generation after mine.......Us


of the WWII "growing up" generation do not have an


assigned name......It was the "Boomers" and their "free


love", "anything goes" attitude in the late 60's that changed


the world......While the "free spirits" did "their thing", there


were other people who saw these actions as "sins against


their God"......It was during the late 60's that radical Islam


was born........The Egyptian-Israel war of 1967 did not


help matters either.......





It was the classic clash of ideas, religion and ideology.....There


are many names given to this clash.......I will submit


"burka vs. bikini"........





Nations conquer other nations.....Little "cells" of devoted


Islamics will do nothing but be a "burr under the saddle" of


humanity and a footnote in history.......Currently nations


are "living" with one another......The world has become too


complicated for one country to truly dominate......





The world is full of "pissed-off" people and it always has been


so.......Prior to the '60's they just hid in a corner and cried,


now they can blow themselves up and enjoy their last few


seconds of live by "getting even" with a few others......





Come to think of it, did they not close all the mental hospitals


in the '60's?........Pumps

It seems that the recent stories about contamination of
dog and cat food ingredients, made in China, have
resulted in other problems "coming to light" with Chinese
food items.......There have been reported problems with
imported Chinese catfish, shrimp, dried apples and
mushrooms.......

News stories are now mentioning the rejection of certain
items by the FDA, at our docks.......Items shipped back to
China are only re-labeled and re-shipped back to the USA.....

I have come to the decision to fully inspect, myself, any fresh,
frozen or canned food product......Most imported food items
from Central or South America have some American
involvement in their production, processing or shipping ......
There is no such involvement with a Chinese company......

From now on, no more apple juice, fish etc. from a Chinese
source.......Pumps

New Orleans is having its problems rebuilding.......Everyone
wants their "cut" of the money and lack of any real
progress has lead to "finger pointing"......

Here in Jabunyaville, one major Eye Hospital is build in
a flood plain very close to the river.......The river has seen
flooding on many an occasion and the hospital had to close
at times until the water have receded......

But due to expert engineering design, the hospital is built
20 feet above the ground......Ground level is devoted to
employee parking......To enter the building you have to drive
up a long ramp, climb up a long flight of stairs or take an
elevator........Should the area flood there would be no damage
to the structure what so ever.......The elevator shaft would
see some water damage......

Having had to use this hospital a number of times, I am still
amazed how well it was constructed and planned out......
I wonder how long it will take for New Orleans to adapt
these simple construction principles?........Pumps

One thing about the United States is that anytime anyone,

got off the boat, to come to America, someone else did

not like it......Having an Irish Catholic move into the backyard

of an English Protestant did not work well......Same for

an Italian in a Jewish neighborhood......



But all these people, who saved up the money to take a boat

trip to come to America, wanted to become Americans.....

They left their home country and social structure to change

their way of life........



Today the immigrants, throughout the world are

effecting different countries.....(Turks in Germany, Romanians

in Spain, Arabs in Sweden).....are nothing more than

modern gypsies.......They cross borders for the purpose of

money and return to their roots to die.......



The United States of America is not ready for that style

of migration.......The people who disapprove are the

people who migrated for the purpose of becoming an

American......Not for the purpose of having their bones

planted in Ireland, Poland or Italy.......Life in America

is about becoming an American, and it should stay that

way......Pumps

Thirty years ago I lived in Vermont and enjoyed their
Town Meetings........(Even got elected once.)....

Now it is 2000 and for the first time in years I attended
a mini-mini non official rezoning meeting.......Only
3 local people showed up but 6 lawyers did......

Just getting up, in the back of the room, to ask questions
and doubt the legal spoken word, was fun......It reminded
me of those old days some 30 years ago........

It is very simple to do......#1 Just bring in a lot of paperwork......
#2 Have a big pad and pencil......#3 Sit in the back of the
room.......Number Three makes all the lawyers turn around
and look at you......They are not accustomed to that type
of maneuver and it does throw them off their "game".....

But, just like in Vermont, the rezoning will go through......
Property owners and lawyers will make their money and
profit.......The local "politico" will tell falsehoods and get his
"cut".......But it was fun to just upset their little "pre-dinner
apple cart."........Pumps

There is a small clan of Mexicans living, in my part of
Jabunyaville, in a rented house......Three woman, three
children and one man, Rafael.....

Rafael was a hard worker......With his little "English" he
was a crew chief and like anyone else had a little side
business on the side.......Buying and selling used cars, to
other Mexicans......

Well some two months ago a man in a uniform, with a patch
on his sleeve and a gun in his holster, came to inspect the
newest Rafael automobile acquisition......The Department
of Motor Vehicles agent inspected the vehicle from top to
bottom.......And, wrote a citation, which he gave to Rafael......

The next day the automobile was gone from the front lawn
and two days later so was Rafael........Now there is no
one to fix the two inoperative vehicles owned by the
women which are parked on the front lawn......I miss Rafael.....
Pumps

As my avid readers will attest to, from past postings, I
believe that the cell telephone is "dumbing down" its
users because they do not have to think their
way out of a situation (thereby learning something) all
they have to do is call someone else for an answer or
decision......

My Jabunyaville newspaper had an article that confirms
my suspicions.....It concerned the younger generation,
called Millennials or Generation Y.......Seems that their
parents, The Boomers, in catering to their every wish
and with constant contact via a cell phone, have created
a generation which can not think for themselves.....

The Gen Y'ers, "often do not know what to do next",
lack realistic expectations and a work ethic".......Instead
of learning while young, they have to find out what life
is like in their late teens or early twenties......

The newspaper article concerned parental interference
with the "job interviews" of their children.....Cell phones
are for 911 or emergency calls, not to confirm a "benefit
package" offered by the Human Resources Department of
a pizza emporium.......Pumps

Growing up C. S. Forester was my favorite high school
novelist.....In fact his set of novels regarding the
exploits of Horatio Hornblower was the subject of one
of my senior year English "papers"......

Most of his novels are about the sea or ships, in one
form or another......Besides Hornblower, he wrote the
African Queen, The Gun (which was retitled The Pride
And The Passion for the movie).......The British also used
a couple of his novels for their cinema.....

So if you know a young man or boy who wants to smell
the smoke from a full broadside of 10 pound cannon drift
from the pages of a book, C. S. Forester is your author....

Pumps

The scientists that say the temperature of the earth
is increasing, and it is, have also admitted that the increase
in temperature has happened before......The last period
was between 850/900AD to about 1500AD.......That is
when the Vikings had a "field day" in Northern Europe,
Iceland and Greenland......

There have been warming periods all the way back into the
Bronze Age, but the modern mind can not even comprehend
back that far......

Since the invention of the wheel, Man has said, "Let's get
out of this place", for one reason or another......Bad crops,
bad weather or bad neighbors......

If people do not like where they live, then they move......
Due to the weather and storms there are more people
moving out of Florida than are moving into the state......
And so it should be......When the Spanish settled in
Florida they did not encounter any "retirees" just a
few Indians, who did not like hurricanes either.....

It is the politicians, bureaucrats and academia who want to
STAY in their castles......Everyone else will just move on.....

It seems that a lot of those castles, built between 850AM
and 1500AD are for rent these days or in a state of decay.....
A sign of the future perhaps?.........Pumps

Some 10 years ago, after moving into Jabunyaville, I drove
on a newly paved road that went through the woods.....I was
some 3 miles long and one two lanes, one in each direction.....
It connected to a road that went to an area high school.....

Well since then, the "county fathers", have built an overpass
on it for a new highway.......A local community college has
been established on it......And, about 12 housing sub-divisions
have connected to it.........This road has now become "highly
travelled"......

The "county fathers" have now decided to add an additional
real estate assessment tax on the people, living on this road,
because it HAS BECOME CONJESTED and NEEDS
IMPROVEMENTS........

The typical "Catch 22"........Pumps

Some thirty years ago I was a gas repair man......This is a story
about a Propane Gas Toilet.......And yes, they do still make
them.......

The toilet is a self contained device that, after being used,
will incinerate either liquid or solid waste matter......They
are designed to be used where a flush toilet is impractical
due to lack of water supply or proper drainage and sewage......

They are quite simple, really......You use it, close the cover
and the pilot light ignites the incoming gas and burns the
contents of the toilet.......All combusted material goes out
by means of a flue, just like a gas hot water heater......

Well one day, I was called to solve a crisis......Six people
came up to Vermont on a ski weekend and stayed in a small
house trailer which had a propane toilet......It seemed that
the toilet was not functioning properly.......I should note at
this point that for incineration of a liquid, it took one
combustion cycle.....For the incineration of a solid, it took
three combustion cycles to clear the toilet.......

It seemed that all 6 people, in the trailer, decided to use
the toilet for 6 "batches" of solid waste.......They would
"fire" and "fire" the toilet but it seemed nothing was
going away.......I stayed to complete the 18 cycles needed
to "clear" the toilet....And, provided proper instructions
on the use of this device in order to prevent a future
crisis........

Since this repair call was about 10AM on a Sunday
morning, needless to say my afternoon was spent
with a few beers in the hopes that my morning
"visions" would be erased.......Pumps

Assumption is a word I dislike........

You get a telephone call, which is computer generated and
controlled, and the "voice" asks you to either "press #1 or
press #2", etc.......That is pretty tough to do on an olde
rotary Ma Bell telephone, which I bought for $26 back in
1987 and have not had a moments problem with......It's a
good olde kitchen wall telephone.....Remember them......

Here we are, only twenty years later, and every "Boomer,
X'er or Y'er" thinks that everybody in the world has
a touch tone telephone, cell phone or Blackberry.......

No thought, thus the word assumption, is ever given to
the fact that you still are living and conducting your
normal life with something that has not been obsoleted
by the "tech generation"......They still make photo film
for cameras, why not have a "note" on a telephone call
that, "If you have a rotary phone, please DIAL "O" for
operator"?.......

But I guess these new generations just can not comprehend
the world of "rotary", much less "party line".......Pumps

I have come to the conclusion that sooner or later what you
want gets cheaper, if in some cases even free......

My TV cable company has been "pounding" me, via TV ads
and the mails, to buy more services from them.......They are
now selling TV, Internet and Phone service.......

Everyday the "market" it changing and every day they have
to change their marketing procedures in order to maintain
their share of the market place......

Since they are going digital with their TV transmissions, they
had to exchange my olde analog cable box for a new digital
one.......Along with the new box, just to make me happy and
so I continue my services with them, I got some new FREE
"goodies".......Had I wanted these "goodies" two years ago
there would have been a charge.......

I do love the market place and competition.......With the
telephone company wanting more of my business, I wonder
how much more FREE stuff the cable company will give me?

Guess I will just sit and wait, like I have been doing....Pumps

This "fine" senator from the State of New York has come
up with an idea to help all those people who can not pay
their mortgage on their overpriced home......Yep, people
went out and bought houses that they could not pay for
and now may lose them......So Schumer, like Spiderman,
wants to come to the rescue.......

He wants the US Government to give "you"money so that
you can pay "your" mortgage........Oh good, what a nice
vote getting idea for "Joe Sixpack".......But........

The homeowner does not hold on to the money......He/she
has to pay the mortgage with it.....Thus, this US Government
money is going to a BANK........Oh good, what a nice "payback"
to all his "banker" friends........

Did we not bale out a whole bunch of stupid bankers back in
the '80s........If I make a mistake, I have to pay for it......
Let the money makers, who gambled on cheap homeowner
loans, take the loss.......I can not afford to pay for their
financial mistake a second time.....Pumps

New York City has changed since I lived there some
20 years ago......When I left, SoHo was the craze.......
Olde industrial loft buildings were being converted
into housing units.......Back then you could buy a "loft"
for $6,000.......Today the same "loft" is worth
$6,000,000..........

What got me is that I did not know where TriBeCa
was "created"......Thanks to the "Internet" I know
it is now nothing more that South SoHo........

It seems after SoHo became popular they found another
little corner of Manhattan Island (NYC) that had some
olde industrial "lofts" for conversion.........

That is one thing I have to say about New York City,
it never stops to change and restructure itself........
People come and go, it is destroyed and and then
rebuilt......It is forever changing.......

And, it's major change is that the price of living there
keeps on going up........Pumps.......

Thousand, upon thousands, of dollars have been spend
by marketing and supermarket owners to determine
how their customers prefer to shop.......There has been
extensive analysis of where to place the vegetable,
deli, dairy, canned and frozen food section inside the
"square footage" of a supermarket.......

All the great "minds of wisdom" have concluded that
the consumer likes to shop in a "counter-clockwise"
movement.......In other words you enter the store and
you go to the "right".........From then on you proceed to
go to the "left" and do your shopping.......

No where in the many of millions of dollars spent on
consumer research was their any consideration to the
"bum" front wheel on the shopping carts........Pumps

It seems that the value of the New York Stock Exchange
has risen to new "heights" this week.......That means a lot
of people are making money........

While the price of gasoline is going up, and I have to watch
my gasoline consumption, I also like the fact that my "little"
401K is also going up as a result of the raise in stock prices......

Have you noticed that the TV media are not really talking
about either "fact"........Gasoline pricing is taking money
out of your pocket and the Stock Market is putting it back
in.......And you will probably hear about the poor person
that could not afford to buy stock and still has to buy gas.....

I say, if you have the money to buy a bag of M&Ms, then you
can save that money and buy M&M stock.......Pumps

The Queen is in Jabunyaville today for a visit......Oh joy
of joys.......There are hundreds of people standing alongside
the path of her motorcade, on a somewhat "coldish" and
damp day to "do their thing."......

There is massive security due to the possibility that
someone, like the Irish Republican Army, or another
fanatic, wants the Queen to have a bad day......

The school children, which will be in her presence for the
purpose of a "photo-op", have been rehearsed in their
physical and verbal actions......The adults have worn their
best "finery" and have also been instructed on how to
"address Her Majesty".......

The result of all of this "pomp and circumstance" is for
some one's bragging rights at their next cocktail party
and nothing more.......It is showmanship in the best
of Barnum's world........

Stood on the side of the road once, back in the '40s,
and watched the automobile that FDR was in pass by.......
Hate to say it but, it DID NOT change my life one bit......
"God Bless The Queen".......Pumps

One of the national TV channels is running news stories, during
"Sweeps Month" on how to live "Green"......

I admit that I was impressed with a house that was built with
solar sun panels on the roof which was constructed of recycled
rubber tire material.....It was big, expansive and elegant and
not cheap to build......The owner was indeed proud of his
purchase and style of leaving......I guess the house must have
impressed his peers......

At the end of the news story, the reporter mentioned that the
electric bill for the house averaged $70.00 a month.....That
peaked my interest......THAT IS MY MONTHLY AVERAGE....
And my house, which does not impress my peers, is made of
wood, brick and shingle......

So I guess that must be the new "carbon footprint" guideline.....
Have a roof over your head and a $70.00 a month utility bill
and you are living green......Boy, that is a weight off my
shoulders......

PS: According to an article in a major US magazine, the CO2
emissions cause by humans living on Earth has the same
effect as a fart during a hurricane........

Pumps

Growing up in an era when you learned how to "duck under
a desk" during an atomic attack, we also saw TV or movie
pictures of the large, massive parades held by Communist
countries on May 1st - May Day........

It was their proclamation to the world that they would one
day control and rule it all.......Pictures of long lines of marching
solders, carrying guns......Rows and rows of tanks, rocket
launchers, with banners and flags.......The "new society".......

Also there were a lot of Communist workers, socialists and
unions that marched and held rallies, that day, in America......
There seemed to be one always at Union Square in New York
City.......

Well the Cold War has been over for almost twenty years........
Unions are on a decline because their wants and needs can
not be met by corporate America.......The socialists are the
same, just a little older and trying to recruit a younger following......

Where do today's immigration marches and rallies fit in.......
Are they the "New Communists"?......."New Socialists"?......
Or do they think a "Union Leader" has their best interests
at heart?........Pumps