Pumps' Perplexities

The 24/7 Cable News Channels have created a
new "class" of people.......The Talking Head......

Every show on every cable news channel now
has its expert to discuss and comment on
a news story.......

Have you noticed that usually these people
do not fully know the "subject" on which they
are called upon to discuss......The answers
to the subject are #1 "general", #2 "generic"
in nature......As if they were just thrown in
front of the camera to say something......
And, if they have something to say, it
consists of "talking points" which have
nothing to do with the question........

The 24/7 Cable News format has created
a group of overpaid idiotic people trying
to make a buck on the side......Pumps

April 22, tomorrow, is Earth Day......(It is also
Lenin's birthday, on the Gregorian calendar.).....

Tomorrow, people are supposed to do or
buy something to make the Earth better and
to reduce CO2 emissions......

Suggestion: For this coming summer roll
down the windows in your automobile or truck
and do not run the auto's air conditioning.....
You will save gasoline also because it puts
less of a demand on the auto's engine, thus
less CO2.....It can be done and be helpful.....
Remember automobile ACs are relatively
new in it's manufacturing history and can
be driven without one.....Pumps

Yes, I must admit that the US economy is slowing
down......I have seen the "signs"......
Personally.......

Two jewelery stores have "closed their doors"
in two local shopping centers......

I guess we must go back to the olde style of love
where jewels and trinkets were not involved......

Ah, the struggle to survive these days.....THEY
CLOSED THE JEWELERY STORE......Pumps

Some 50 years ago, gasoline was 20 cents a
gallon......Cheap you say......But no.....Because
you only made about 70 cents an hour in a
part time or "entry level" job......
20 X 3.5 equals 70.......

Today gasoline costs $3.00 a gallon and an
"entry level" job is about $10.00......
3.00 X 3.5 is 10.50......It's relative......

What makes "it" different is that 50 years
ago, we did not travel as far (used less gas),
did not have a $150.00 TV-Cable bill to pay......
Did not have a $99.00 cell phone bill
each month plus all the little extras like
dining out and expensive movies (25 cents X
3.5 equals .87 cents - movies cost 10 times
that now).....

Gasoline is as cheap as it has always been
in our daily lives.....It's the other "extra" things
that are hitting our pocket books.....

Let's start bitching about them......Pumps....

I guess we all know by now why gasoline and
certain food items have gone up in price....
The reason "ethanol"......

Ethanol is made from corn and is a grain food
for beef and chickens.......

Can anyone tell me why the price of "orange
juice" has also doubled in price, recently.....

For some reason I can not equate a Florida
fruit tree with an Iowa grain......

What has made the price of orange juice
"go through the roof"?........Pumps

Well, I guess it is now "official" because I heard
it on TV this morning.......Americans are
"adjusting" to the rising prices of gasoline and
food and continuing on with their lives.......

This "adjusting" thing takes me back
to the olde days.......It seems that I can still
remember the phrase, "Well, I'm sorry, but
we can not by "that" this week. Maybe we
can next week"......

Looks like the "new kids on the block",
who were not taught Eco 101 in high school,
are getting a quick lesson in Economics......

It's funny to say that the price of food and
gas WILL come down during a recession......
Reason: People can not afford the high
prices, so the merchants reduce them, in
order to stay in business......

Eco 101.........Pumps.......

I have to admit I love my "slow cookers"
aka "crock pots", all three of them which are
of different sizes.......I look at them as a
cooking TOOL.....They are just another
pot or appliance in my kitchen......

What annoys me is that the modern
home-maker expects this little appliance,
that you plug in to a wall socket, and LEAVE,
should cook perfect food which is to your
liking.......

In my years I have determined that PEOPLE
cook food.....MACHINES do not.......(Unless
you are a corporation in the food making
business)......

To day's home makers are also complaining
about the new "slow cooker - cooking bag".....
If you use the bag you do not even have to
CLEAN up.......

Let's face it.......You have to WATCH what you
are cooking......I doubt if a caveman left his
"catch" on a spit over an open flame and went
off for 5-7 hours, neglecting his new found
source of nurishment.....

IT AIN'T NO FUN UNLESS YOU STIR THE
POT.......Pumps