This is from CNN.com..... March 15, 2013
OK, it wasn't quite a kind of Kickstarter record, but 89-year-old Pearl Malkin did pretty well, too.
Malkin this week reached her target of $3,500 in startup capital for her first-time business business Happy Canes, a line of walking sticks she decorates with artificial flowers.
She debuted the Happy Canes project on Kickstarter in late January and needed to reach her goal by March 23.
Said Malkin, "I want to be an example to young and old people that age shouldn't be a barrier for what you want to do in life."
Her first order of business is to buy a wire cutter. "I've been using scissors to cut the flowers from the wire stems, and it's killing my fingers," she said. And she'll stock up on better quality flowers, too.
Malkin estimates she can make 10 to 20 canes a day. "But if the business grows big, then we might get a factory in L.A. to make the canes," she said.
I'm ready for this," said Malkin. "I may live to be 100 and I want to stay busy."
Do you all know about Kickstarter?Yes, of course it's a Website. Folks go to the site and present their projects that they want to have funded. Many of the projects are writing or photography projects; however, many, like Ms. Malkin's are a business venture.
The person who is seeking financial assistance, presents their project, using a video and text. They say what they want to do and how much money they need. There is a time limit and their target goal must be met or they receive no money.
As I best remember, the pledges go through Amazon using PayPal, though I could be wrong about this. I think you just make your pledge and Amazon holds it until the target date arrives. If the goal is met they transfer your money and if it's not met, well your money was never used.
Yes, I pledged money on several projects. Oh, almost forgot. The folks asking for your support also offer gifts, if you will, to thank you for your support. For instance, if you pledge $10 you might receive a label/sticker telling of their project. One photography project, I donated enough to receive a small photo; still waiting for the photo.
My favorite is a project by a group of Marines who are going to war in Afghanistan. Yes, daily, they are all going all take a self-portrait. When they return, they are going to make a DVD. My thoughts are with John and his fellow Marines. And, yes, John sent me a terrific T-shirt that I'm proud of.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Dog Has Cancer, No Problem.
"I guess my first comment about this book and this treatment, would be the obvious: it's written by a chiropractor. Chiropractic was dreamed-up or invented, if you will, by a grocer who had no medical training. DD Palmer in 1895 started chiropractic and proclaimed that he'd cured a fellow who was deaf, by adjusting his spine. I guess old DD didn't know that there are no nerves in the spine that have anything to do with hearing and the ears.
DD also talked about vertebral subluxations. He claimed that adjusting the spine could fix most diseases, illnesses, or maladies. He also spoke about vitalism and innate intelligence.
Of course, in all of these years since no one has "found" a vertebral subluxation. Recently, I think a couple of years ago, a British chiropractic association admitted that there is no such thing as a vertebral subluxation. It would seem, unless I'm missing something here, that chiropractors having been adjusting something that has never existed. Hey, I could be wrong...
Sometimes people start regular treatment for cancer. Yes, they have chemotherapy and radiation therapy. They then for various reasons stop standard treatment and seek so-called alternative treatments. If they get better, they credit the alternate treatment and not the conventional treatment. Suzanne Somers may well be an example of this.
If I were a chiropractor, or heck, just who I am, and figured out how to cure dogs of cancer, the first thing I'd do is go to the veterinarians' equivalent of JAMA and give them the information. I would want to share my healing regimens with the world so that all dogs could be healed, not only the ones whose owners bought a 102 page book.
Well, I could go on and on but will stop for now. I will leave you with this; I think it was Carl Sagan who said, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Or, something like that. You folks take care and be a little skeptical."
I guess several questions could be posed... Does this fellow actually think that he can cure dogs of cancer? If so, would we say that he's delusion? Yes, mentally ill? Or, is he just an outright fraud preying on people who are so desperate to help their pets? Why is it when these quacks rear their ugly heads, that none of our government agencies, who are there to protect us from fraud and charlatans, ever step in and shut these people down? The cancer scams have been going on since we first learned about cancer and yet nothing is ever done.
Also, as an aside, his book, at least at the moment, is selling better than mine. Yes, pay Eisen $21.38 for a useless 102 pages, a book that is hawking his supplements and such...or, hey, for $7.95 you can buy my book and I'll almost (notice I said, almost) guarantee you a few laughs.
You know, I guess we could say that chiropractors can almost get away with murder. Well, there may not be an almost here.
Note: As an afterthought, I borrowed the duck from the Internet. Yes, some might call it cute or funny and it may well be; however, there is nothing cute or funny about chiropractors.
Colonel Sherman Potter, MD, Died...
MASH was set during the Korean War. Not only was it entertaining in the ha ha way, there were also many serious issues that came up during the program including the absurdities of the military at times and, of course the horrors of war. The other amazing thing was the overall quality of the acting and writing. These were people who you almost felt you knew.
Mr. Morgan gave many of us many hours of TV viewing pleasure, in a way that seems to be gone. Though I gave up TV five or six years ago, the current fare that is supposed to pass for comedy holds a far distant place to a quality program like MASH and, the quality acting from Mr. Morgan and the rest of the cast.
Thank you, Mr. Morgan.
December 2011
257 Bears Killed First Day of Hunt in New Jersey
When
I got up today, December 6, 2011, this was a headline on MSNBC and
elsewhere, that greeted me. Reading the articles, it seems that
Division of Fish and Wildlife in New Jersey decided a hunt was the only
way the bear population could be dealt with.
On the other side, the citizens, who protested and are members of http://www.savenjbears.com/home.html, say otherwise. They claim the state is using junk science and manipulating the information.
Yes, I have an interest in what the protesters are saying and it does seem that there could be ways other than shooting them that would accomplish their objectives. However, the purpose of this essay is to look at another aspect of the trophy hunt.
Most of us are snapshot takers. Yep, we fire away on vacations, record birthdays, Christmas, take snaps of our boats, cars, participation in our hobbies, sports...well, I think all will agree, that we take snaps because we are proud of something and the snaps allow us in a visual way, to somewhat relive the event that has been captured by the snap.
OK.
This is part that I guess I understand on some level but that is a little puzzling and, well a little disturbing, if I may use that word.....
I'd be willing to bet you that every hunter involved in the bear hunt that killed a bear has a snap, rifle in hand, or propped-up and seen in the snap posed next to the dead bear.
Hey, I bet most of the snaps will be enlarged and framed and will hold a prominent place in a den, living room, and no telling where else. Though I have no idea what happens to the carcasses of the bears, I would guess that if allowed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, that at least some will end up as bear heads mounted, and proudly displayed and hung from a wall.
No, I'm not arguing against or for hunting as I surely do not have enough information to have any sort of an opinion. Of course, some times I will express an opinion with little information and no research.
OK, in order to be proud of killing the bear what would my thought process be? Hey, you know those bears, they are strong and can be brutal and have killed people and on and on.
Of course, someone other than the bear shooting person might say, Well, let's see what you are proud of. You went out in the woods with a most likely giant rifle and killed a bear that had absolutely no way to defend itself. If you guys are so macho and so much a real man, hey, challenge the bear to a fight. Yeah, duke it out with the bear. Here, even if you won, what does it say?
You folks remember the first Planet of the Apes movie? The one with Charleton Heston? Yes, the apes did the same thing as the bear hunters. Yes, the apes posed with the humans who they had killed.
No, I'm surely not comparing bear hunters to apes. Hmmm. But, should we, should I?
Yes, I have an interest in what the protesters are saying and it does seem that there could be ways other than shooting them that would accomplish their objectives. However, the purpose of this essay is to look at another aspect of the trophy hunt.
Most of us are snapshot takers. Yep, we fire away on vacations, record birthdays, Christmas, take snaps of our boats, cars, participation in our hobbies, sports...well, I think all will agree, that we take snaps because we are proud of something and the snaps allow us in a visual way, to somewhat relive the event that has been captured by the snap.
OK.
This is part that I guess I understand on some level but that is a little puzzling and, well a little disturbing, if I may use that word.....
I'd be willing to bet you that every hunter involved in the bear hunt that killed a bear has a snap, rifle in hand, or propped-up and seen in the snap posed next to the dead bear.
Hey, I bet most of the snaps will be enlarged and framed and will hold a prominent place in a den, living room, and no telling where else. Though I have no idea what happens to the carcasses of the bears, I would guess that if allowed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, that at least some will end up as bear heads mounted, and proudly displayed and hung from a wall.
No, I'm not arguing against or for hunting as I surely do not have enough information to have any sort of an opinion. Of course, some times I will express an opinion with little information and no research.
OK, in order to be proud of killing the bear what would my thought process be? Hey, you know those bears, they are strong and can be brutal and have killed people and on and on.
Of course, someone other than the bear shooting person might say, Well, let's see what you are proud of. You went out in the woods with a most likely giant rifle and killed a bear that had absolutely no way to defend itself. If you guys are so macho and so much a real man, hey, challenge the bear to a fight. Yeah, duke it out with the bear. Here, even if you won, what does it say?
You folks remember the first Planet of the Apes movie? The one with Charleton Heston? Yes, the apes did the same thing as the bear hunters. Yes, the apes posed with the humans who they had killed.
No, I'm surely not comparing bear hunters to apes. Hmmm. But, should we, should I?
Thursday, March 14, 2013
I'm Psychic...No You Aren't!
November 2011
Since I was just a little kid, I've been fascinated by magic. Yep, always had a few tricks and
several times I made a concerted effort to learn magic, in fact took a
few lessons. Twenty years or so ago I tried learning closeup magic with
coins. My latest foray into magic was a few years ago as I attempted to
learn card magic. Bought eight or ten DVDs and a bunch of cards. And,
for a while practiced somewhat regularly. Anyway, let me get on with my
story.
Since I was just a little kid, I've been fascinated by magic. Yep, always had a few tricks and
several times I made a concerted effort to learn magic, in fact took a
few lessons. Twenty years or so ago I tried learning closeup magic with
coins. My latest foray into magic was a few years ago as I attempted to
learn card magic. Bought eight or ten DVDs and a bunch of cards. And,
for a while practiced somewhat regularly. Anyway, let me get on with my
story.
I said to her, “I'm psychic.”
“No, you aren't.”
“OK, I'll show you.” I shuffled the cards. Fanned them, and thumbed through them, and said, “Tell me when to stop.”
“Stop.” I showed her the card without me being able to see it.
I gave her the cards and she shuffled them.
“OK, now I want you to think of your card. And, I'm going to try to get your thoughts...yes, psychically, I'm going to tune in to you and I'll know what your card is.”
“OK, I know what it is. It's the ten of hearts. Am I right?”
“Yes, but that was a trick.”
“Are you doubting my psychic abilities?”
“You aren’t a psychic.”
“How do you know?” I said.
“Because you aren't.”
“How do you know a so-called psychic is a psychic?”
“Because they say they are.”
There is a point I'm trying to make with this story, which by the way, yes, this actually happened just as I wrote it.
My point. When someone who says they are a magician puts on a show for us, we often times try to figure how the trick is done; how the magic works. I guess that's pretty normal and of course there's nothing wrong with that.
However, when someone states they are a psychic, the believers never question what they are doing and how they are doing it. That's what keeps them as believers. Well, I guess that's true in lots of things.
The same could be said about religion, so-called alternative medicine, astrology...yep, all of that stuff. If there is a truth here, I'm guessing that they, the believers, just want to keep their delusions going, they want no one to rock their believer’s boat.
“No, you aren't.”
“OK, I'll show you.” I shuffled the cards. Fanned them, and thumbed through them, and said, “Tell me when to stop.”
“Stop.” I showed her the card without me being able to see it.
I gave her the cards and she shuffled them.
“OK, now I want you to think of your card. And, I'm going to try to get your thoughts...yes, psychically, I'm going to tune in to you and I'll know what your card is.”
“OK, I know what it is. It's the ten of hearts. Am I right?”
“Yes, but that was a trick.”
“Are you doubting my psychic abilities?”
“You aren’t a psychic.”
“How do you know?” I said.
“Because you aren't.”
“How do you know a so-called psychic is a psychic?”
“Because they say they are.”
There is a point I'm trying to make with this story, which by the way, yes, this actually happened just as I wrote it.
My point. When someone who says they are a magician puts on a show for us, we often times try to figure how the trick is done; how the magic works. I guess that's pretty normal and of course there's nothing wrong with that.
However, when someone states they are a psychic, the believers never question what they are doing and how they are doing it. That's what keeps them as believers. Well, I guess that's true in lots of things.
The same could be said about religion, so-called alternative medicine, astrology...yep, all of that stuff. If there is a truth here, I'm guessing that they, the believers, just want to keep their delusions going, they want no one to rock their believer’s boat.
Another Home Allowed to Burn
December 2011
The following is from Yahoo news.
South Fulton Mayor David Crocker defended the fire department, saying that if firefighters responded to non-subscribers, no one would have an incentive to pay the fee. Residents in the city of South Fulton receive the service automatically, but it is not extended to those living in the greater county-wide area.
"There's no way to go to every fire and keep up the manpower, the equipment, and just the funding for the fire department," Crocker said.
Crocker, went on to say that the firefighters would have acted if anyone was in danger. I'm not sure what his definition of danger is. The article also reported, “However, Bell and her husband were forced to walk into the burning home in an attempt to retrieve their own belongings.”
It would seem that the other absurdity is that the fire department responded, in both instances, and stood by. What would the additional cost be to spray water?
Regardless how you look at this and argue it, it's just not right for this to happen. Period. There can be no excuse for this, or any reasonable or logical argument to allow a citizen's home to burn to the ground.
I guess I could make the comment, fairly or not, that we, the United States, crossed oceans and are spending billions of dollars to invade a sovereign country, blowing things up, bombing, and yes, setting things on fire; all done on the premise of there being weapons of mass destruction, which of course there weren't.
Spending billions in a foreign country to set things on fire because of a lie and, not putting out a fire here in our country because of $75.
For the second time this year, in Obion County Tennessee, the fire department stood by and watched a home burn to the ground. Why? Well, the folks who lived in the homes hadn't paid the annual $75 fee.
The residents of the county are required to pay the fee so that the
South Fulton Fire Department is compensated for providing the service.The following is from Yahoo news.
South Fulton Mayor David Crocker defended the fire department, saying that if firefighters responded to non-subscribers, no one would have an incentive to pay the fee. Residents in the city of South Fulton receive the service automatically, but it is not extended to those living in the greater county-wide area.
"There's no way to go to every fire and keep up the manpower, the equipment, and just the funding for the fire department," Crocker said.
Crocker, went on to say that the firefighters would have acted if anyone was in danger. I'm not sure what his definition of danger is. The article also reported, “However, Bell and her husband were forced to walk into the burning home in an attempt to retrieve their own belongings.”
It would seem that the other absurdity is that the fire department responded, in both instances, and stood by. What would the additional cost be to spray water?
Regardless how you look at this and argue it, it's just not right for this to happen. Period. There can be no excuse for this, or any reasonable or logical argument to allow a citizen's home to burn to the ground.
I guess I could make the comment, fairly or not, that we, the United States, crossed oceans and are spending billions of dollars to invade a sovereign country, blowing things up, bombing, and yes, setting things on fire; all done on the premise of there being weapons of mass destruction, which of course there weren't.
Spending billions in a foreign country to set things on fire because of a lie and, not putting out a fire here in our country because of $75.
Come to Virginia, We'll Let You Kill Your Kid!
December 2011
Yes, it seems as though the Commonwealth of Virginia will let you let your kid die if you're religious. Yep, talking about no separation of church and state.
This is part of Code of Virginia 63.2-100
“However, no child who in good faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination shall for that reason alone be considered to be an abused or neglected child.”
All states have provisions to protect children from abuse and neglect. Gosh, Virginia, you have really failed. This is almost 2012 and you have something like this on the books. What does it actually mean?
Yes, folks, I know I have no legal training and shouldn't be so bold as to try to interpret what this means; however, to the guy on the street, yep, that’s me, this really doesn't look good if you're trying to protect children from dying when they don't have to.
It would seem, yes, my interpretation of this code, that if the child is in a household that is clean, has food, and so on, that if the child has a life-threatening disease, and the family, or those responsible for the child’s welfare, just want to pray and not seek medical help, then that is OK.
As an aside, what the hell does, “a recognized church or religious denomination mean?” Recognized by whom? Man oh man, is there any hope for us?
Yes, it seems as though the Commonwealth of Virginia will let you let your kid die if you're religious. Yep, talking about no separation of church and state.
This is part of Code of Virginia 63.2-100
“However, no child who in good faith is under treatment solely by spiritual means through prayer in accordance with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination shall for that reason alone be considered to be an abused or neglected child.”
All states have provisions to protect children from abuse and neglect. Gosh, Virginia, you have really failed. This is almost 2012 and you have something like this on the books. What does it actually mean?
Yes, folks, I know I have no legal training and shouldn't be so bold as to try to interpret what this means; however, to the guy on the street, yep, that’s me, this really doesn't look good if you're trying to protect children from dying when they don't have to.
It would seem, yes, my interpretation of this code, that if the child is in a household that is clean, has food, and so on, that if the child has a life-threatening disease, and the family, or those responsible for the child’s welfare, just want to pray and not seek medical help, then that is OK.
As an aside, what the hell does, “a recognized church or religious denomination mean?” Recognized by whom? Man oh man, is there any hope for us?
Kevin Trudeau Lost His Bid to Throw Out a $37.6 Million Fine...
January 2012
(Reuters)
- Infomercial pitchman Kevin Trudeau lost his bid to throw out a $37.6
million fine for violating a 2004 Federal Trade Commission settlement
over his advertising and a federal appeals court said the amount might
even be too low.
Trudeau has long battled federal regulators over his marketing of "cures" for such conditions as AIDS, hair loss, memory loss, obesity and financial distress.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Terry Baynes in New York (November 2011)
Trudeau has long battled federal regulators over his marketing of "cures" for such conditions as AIDS, hair loss, memory loss, obesity and financial distress.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Terry Baynes in New York (November 2011)
Occasionally, there is a little justice.
A few years ago I was in Sam's browsing in their book section. A lady had just picked-up one of Trudeau's books. The conversation with her went something like this:
"Hi. I don't mean to be rude and intrude, but do you know anything about him?" pointing to her book.
"Oh, yes."
"Do you know he's been in jail for fraud?"
"Ah, yes."
"Do you know most of what he writes is not true, that his books are just a scam?"
"Well, in one of his books I learned that a little vinegar helps with an upset stomach."
"Hi. I don't mean to be rude and intrude, but do you know anything about him?" pointing to her book.
"Oh, yes."
"Do you know he's been in jail for fraud?"
"Ah, yes."
"Do you know most of what he writes is not true, that his books are just a scam?"
"Well, in one of his books I learned that a little vinegar helps with an upset stomach."
Well, folks, I guess that's just the way it is. And, yes, I guess it's true that there are a lot of suckers out there just waiting for the Trudeaus of the world to steal from them.
My God Isn't as Weird as Your God!
January 2012
Yes,
I know this is a possibly an over-simplified look at what's going on in
Iowa. It seems the Christian so-called fundamentalists are coming out
in droves. Though I am surely not politically astute, and frankly just
know the bare bones about politics, it seems as though when Romney is
mentioned among the fundamentalists, it's almost a battle of whose god is
the weirdest...or, maybe the least weird, depending on where you're
standing. Yep, Romney ain't no real Christian...he's one of them cult members. Yeah, he's one of them Mormons.
This would be funny if these folks weren't helping to determine who will soon be running for president. The separation of church and state isn't working, at least in this part of the political process.
This would be funny if these folks weren't helping to determine who will soon be running for president. The separation of church and state isn't working, at least in this part of the political process.
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