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Monday, September 21, 2015

September 21, 2015 My the Summer Flew by and now we are going into Fall!

Lots of Turmoil 

 We have survived the stinging heat of summer and are now heading into what used to be called Indian Summer.  The weather has shown a last gasp of furious storms and we shall be getting a couple more in the next few days.  However, we have gotten through the worst of the tumult!

Elections 

 

All attention is now focused on the debates and the elections which will take place a year from now.  It seems that there is a lot of name calling which is going on and those people who yell the loudest seem to be getting heard more than the others.  

Isn't it strange that religion seems to be playing a role in the election process.  Many are now protesting that a Muslim is in the White House.  Well, to you it is clear, he is not running for a 3rd term.  There is no need to defend him or to castigate those who do not.  His time will be up soon!  What we need to hear from the candidates is what is it you are going to do! There are two sides to every story and without definitive proof, President Obama has to be taken at his word.  After all, you all elected him!

Programs and platforms are the agenda.  Let us know what you have planned for the common man and the things which will make life better.  Thomas Payne called this Common Sense!

Immigration:    

 Plans for those who are currently here and plans for those coming need to be formalized in some fashion.  We do not have a count of how many came in during the past 7 years.  Much less, those who have come in during the time since the last census of 2010!  During the time of taking census, the takers would go house to house and get every living place counted.  Finding illegals was normal business, since the census is confidential, those who are here never show up except in a statistical way.   I can recall the 2000 census in Houston, there were many people who were there illegally and living in apartments with other illegals.  All were either looking for work or were working under the same social security number.  When I pointed this out to the powers that be, they said it was not our business.  We just had to count people.  I wonder what other countries do?

Many people come to our country by walking across the open borders and are greeted with open arms.  They are sent to various places where no one seems to care who they are or where they came from.  Children are enrolled in school, jobs are given to some, and the rest go on the public dole for medical and food.

Now, contrast that with an American citizen who goes on a trip to a foreign country.  Must show a passport when entering that  country, must  show a passport upon returning.  Fail to do that and they cannot get back in!  Use your heads people, go to the open border and walk in!  Once here you can use your drivers license to get everything, just as if you never left!!!

Muslims are being invited to come here as they are refugees and the number is about 85,000 to 100,000.  How many will be combatants?  Are we inviting an enemy in once again to attack us?  Remember the Twin Towers?  We allowed the enemy to train and practically gave them the planes to take down a national treasure.  It is not as if we did have a premonition something bad was going to happen to the buildings.  They had been trying for years with failed attempts until they had succeeded.  We hear there are many people who are going to be with those coming in who are probably ISIS trained.  Some estimates say they will be about 2 per hundred of those people coming in.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson seemed to know way back there would be problems with the Muslims.  This is not saying that all are bad, but do you think that maybe we should do some checking on those coming?

Have a great rest of this month and we can chat again soon.  Let me know if you like what I say!

Thanks

Clark  

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

June 23, 2015 Update on Arsenic and other thoughts for the week!

Update on What is Happening on the Arsenic question in our community!

Our community has an arsenic problem and the State of Arizona ADEQ Department is doing a fine job of addressing the issues.  Problem is that it just is taking too long.  In 2006 the standards were changed by the Federal EPA from 50 PPB to 10 PPB and this was a shock to the water systems everywhere since they had to adjust and drop their levels quickly.

What did that mean?     Local water systems had to put in place equipment that could take the arsenic levels down.  Some of the communities chose to blend their water supplies with water that had lower levels with those waters which had higher levels to achieve a balanced drinking supply that would fit within the guidelines.  The EPA was funded with special loan supplies made possible by the Federal Government to assist in the transition.  Was this good enough?  Yes, but the questions remains, why didn't all those communities which had problems partake in the dole out?  Well, what was obvious is that the money had to be paid back.  Greed in trying to get more than what was needed is also a concern.

How can this be that 9 years later communities are still dawdling! In a small community like the one in which I live the water company has been procrastinating in putting in the water program which would be beneficial to the residents.  The water supply is over the Federal EPA guides.  Measurement of the level of arsenic in the water is done by both the state and the water company.  It seems there is a discrepancy in their numbers. No one seems to respond directly to the variation, but each point of variance means a question as to the risk factors in play.

Illness is caused by AR III and AR V:  The water in our community has AR III and AR V.  Testing done by a supplier of filters in a reverse osmosis system was for the purpose of determining which filter was needed to remove the type of arsenic.  Illness is cancer in humans, death in pets, and a variety of other illness factors which build up since the body absorbs arsenic and retains it.

Where do we go from here?  Is it acceptable to wait until the court ordered time of May 2016 or should the remediation of the water take place now?  It is not rocket science to have a company come in and advise what should be done to reduce the level of arsenic in the water.  Also, how long should it take to put the system in place?  Answers by the water company have not been forth coming, have they done anything to provide them?  It does not appear so!  They keep procrastinating and it has been 9 years from the issuance of the mandate by the EPA.  Problems in the water supply were present since 1980, isn't that nice! One of the legislators from our district has stepped up and had those involved at the state level report where and what things were being done. 

Many residents have come forward:  A meeting of the residents of my community was held a week ago.  We had a county supervisor present and he assured he would look into the matter as he was unaware of the problem.  We asked that water be tested by the community health service since it was a matter of health and safety.  He assured he would get them into the matter of testing.  I estimate that about 75 residents were at the meeting, a very good turnout on short notice.

We need to have more residents get into the fray!  Write to the HOA Board, your Board of Supervisors, your legislators, and the state people at the EPA.

What can you do to protect yourself?

I have installed a filter system for water which we drink and for cooking.  It is installed under the sink and works well to remove the arsenic III and V from our water.  This is short term, but the filter will last for 1000 gallons which is about a year's supply.  That will take us through the court ordered May 2016 date when the water company is supposed to have their reduction in place.  If not?  Well, we will buy another arsenic filter (Cost $89) to go another year.  The water company offers a gallon of water per day per person, but their source is inadequate and when people have shown up to get 2 gallons of water, were given one plus a small amount in another gallon as they had run out.  Another option is to purchase water from local stores in larger quantities (5 gallon).

Personal Note:

In 2004 my brother Leslie Alfred Isaacs died.  He was 72.  Today is June 23rd, the date he was born!  I surely miss him as we used to talk everyday about the events that were going on in our lives and our children.  He was a good man who cared so much about others and their needs.  We all should care and do something about it.  That is one of the reasons that I am so interested in community affairs and those who live around us.





Friday, June 12, 2015

June 12, 2015: Update on Arsenic in the water in Valle Vista

Times are a changing with regard to the water and Arsenic:

The water situation has escalated into a whole different realm.  When I discussed the water problem with Culligan Water Company recently I was told that they had installed a special filter to treat the water that would be obtained from the Truxton Water Company.  Reason was that the water contained Arsenic III which is the inorganic variety and most deadly since it cannot be removed with ordinary filtration like Arsenic V.

The Brita water filters only work to remove particles, chlorine, and other contaminants, but only ARV and nothing to do with ARIII.  I talked with the store where I purchased the system (Home Depot) and they said they were unaware that ARIII had to be removed and assumed it was ARV which is the organic kind of arsenic.

The folks at Home Depot were very cooperative and said that I could bring the Brita system back and get a full refund.  Also, they did not have any type of filter system which could remove ARIII.

Searched the Internet:

What a wonderful life we lead in 2015.  I was able to search the internet and find Pure Earth Technologies.  The call that I placed gave me a lot of information in addition to printed information on their website.  It seems that they do not use a reverse osmosis system, it is an on demand system which will purify the water immediately when you turn on the faucet!  I ordered the system and it cost $289.00 including free delivery and no sales tax because it comes from Georgia.  It will arrive on 6/15/2015.

Decided it was time to inform other people!

At first I thought that I would tell a few friends about the situation.  Especially the person who had installed the Brita system.  Then my letter was published in the newsletter which is distributed to all residents of Valle Vista.  I have received a number of calls and then an invitation to speak at the Board of Directors meeting on Monday the 15th of June.  Since then, there have been other calls and other people whom I had never met before, contacting me about the meeting.  I decided additionally to write the legislators in our district and the Mohave County Commissioner for our district.  Commissioner Gary Watson is coming to our meeting on Monday!  I have to prepare a talk to explain what I have discovered so far, and let me say that it is a lot!

Arsenic III is very dangerous when you drink the water and the symptoms appear quickly.  Loss of appetite, nausea, and other signs that you know you are ill.  On top of this the big C is going to  attack you unless something is done pronto.  Best recommendation is to stop drinking the water!!!  Get bottled water!  Make coffee and cook with bottled water!!!

Truxton Water has been aware since 1980:

The shame of this whole situation is that Truxton Water Company has been aware of this situation since 1980.  Has violated ADEQ court orders (a state agency) and is now under order to provide drinkable water to the community it serves which is 740 customers.  Their solution is laughable: 1 gallon of water per person per day.  This is to be done from a system which provides  60 gallons of water per day.  There are about 2200 people residing in Valle Vista alone.  There are other customers on the service and they are not even considered in the count.

Additionally, there are people who are not  customers of Truxton directly.  They are secondary customers who purchase water to haul to their homes from a stand-pipe which is located at a local gas station.  There are no warning signs that this water has AR III or AR V in the water.  They take the water home, feed their animals, drink it, and blithely think all is well.  It is not!

What remedies are available to get better water and safety?

First:  Immediately require signage which warns of the extent that the water is dangerous.

Second: Require that Truxton put in a water treatment facility in 60 days and not wait until one year or May 2016!

Third:  A serious remedy would be Condemnation by the County or State of the entire water system, from well to pipes.  In other words, take over the water company.  As a part of this allow only those customers currently receiving water to  purchase shares in the water company.  Have management of this company be done by the Valle Vista Home Owners Association.

Fourth:  Compensation of the owners of the water company should be determined by the courts.  Claims against any all funds allocated could also be adjudicated at the same court.

Fifth:  A Class Action lawsuit should be investigated for the purpose of determining loss of value for existing property owners due to the negative publicity and diminution of values created by tainted water and the inability of new home owners being allowed to purchase water from Truxton Water Company.

These are a few suggestions and are by no means penultimate solution.  It should be up to the customers of Truxton Water Company and the water company itself to achieve a fair and just solution to this horrendous problem.


Friday, June 5, 2015

June 5, 2015:  Thoughts to the start of the summer months


A drought in California and Arsenic in our water in Arizona..


There are many folks living in California who are having severe water problems because of a lack of water and those living in Texas are having severe water problems because of excess water.  Doesn't that make you wonder why sometimes we never get things right?  There are icebergs melting in the cold climes adding water to the oceans and we have politicians running around talking about how we have global warming, scientists saying that for the next few years we are going to have global cooling!  What is the end result?  Who knows...progress causes everyone to scratch their heads and say huh?

Here in our Arizona community we have a problem with Arsenic:


Our community is serviced by a water company who has been trying to make it next to impossible to do business with them.  Under an agreement with the officials at the state's attorney general's office the water company agreed to provide potable drinking water during the lull of when they put in a large water removal plant to take the arsenic out of the customers water.  That won't happen until May 2016 which is their deadline and they are always waiting until the last minute to get things done.  Don't you wonder where they get their water? 

We went to Home Depot to get an Arsenic filter for our own water rather than go to the office of the water company every day and get 1 gallon of water per person at a set time and sign in when you get the water.  The other problem is that they are giving the water out from behind closed doors!  Yes, they put the water system they have into a closed room, no one can see what they are doing, and you cannot question if the water is good or not. 

The Brita Water system we got is for under the sink.  We replaced a leaky Culligan system and the cost differential was not too much than to get the parts from Culligan.  Problems we had with the new system were discovered after our handy-man installed the system.  It seems that there is a little gadget called a water restrictor which the instruction booklet says is a must do in order to make the system function.  Well, we had this running for some time and nothing was happening!  The water was not going into the pressure tank, the water was not flowing from the faucet, and we could not stand the noise.  So at about 3 am in the morning we got up and turned off the water flowing into the drain!  Read many of the YouTube comments and the videos which had people talking about their methodology of installation and came to the conclusion that first thing in the morning we would  correct some of the problems. 

Our fix..which worked!  Put some air in the pressure tank.  You use a bicycle pump!  Check if the restrictor valve was installed.  We put the air in and installed the restrictor valve which had been put in the box for safe keeping? (Only the handyman knows why it need to be there rather than in the system).  Right away the water filled the tank!  Right away the noisy flow of water was eliminated! Now we go through the steps of purging the system of particles which are cast off by the filters when first installed.  We have only one more time to do this and we then can turn on the line to the ice maker in the refrigerator.  Oh Happy Day!

I have said enough today!  More in a few days. 

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Memorial Day 2015 - Remember our troops and Family who served

This is the time to remember family who served and have died!


My brother Leslie Isaacs died, not in battle, but after he had come back after he had served his country, family, and his Masonic brothers.  A life which was noble and giving to all of those who were fortunate to have known him.  He was far to young to be taken by cancer as he had so much more to give to humanity.  I miss him and pray for him every day when I open my computer and see his smiling face which I have as my splash screen.

My first cousin Darwin Boslov died this past year.  He too served his nation and was a fine humanitarian who lived out his last years being legally blind.  What I recall most about him was that both my brother and I had worn his Navy uniforms when we served.  Darwin had a great sense of humor, was athletic, and lived life to its fullest.

Joseph Berger was married to my cousin Shirley Boslov.  Both of them are deceased now.  Joe served in the Army.  He was a man who tried his best in the things that he did and always had a great sense of being pleasant even when circumstances were difficult.  He provided well for his family and left two children Diane and Ronald.

This memorial day I feel honored to have known them and pray that they are at peace in heaven!


Thoughts about protests:


The other day I read that protests in Ferguson Mo were paid demonstrations.  Those people who went out into the streets were there at someone else beckoning to raise a ruckus.  Do we see anyone doing an investigation of who did the paying and the motives?  No!  Some news articles are decrying the person or persons as instigating the unrest!  If this was true and information is known, we should justly be totally upset!  Inciting a riot is a felony crime.  Yet - nothing is being done.    Then in Baltimore, there were riots, destruction of property, and death caused by the mob mentality.

Now, Cleveland is the next bastion of trouble.  71 people were arrested last night (Saturday May 23, 2015) for crimes against persons and failure to disperse.  The question is were these "demonstrators" spontaneous protestations of outrage or were they paid by the same organizers of Ferguson and Baltimore?  Can we rely on the efficacy of the Justice Department to investigate?  I doubt it, what they seem to be doing to second guessing the legal system as to the innocence or guilt of the police officer who had been in court and found to be innocent!  Double jeopardy should attach, even if there is a Federal violation found in an effort to placate an unruly mob!

We need to have all people stand up and demand that enough is enough.  This could be a summer of violence worse than the 1960's when many cities, both North and South were left smoldering.  We are a people far better than that and when foreign interests interfere with our livelihoods, safety, and prosperity it is time for the people to react peacefully.  Demand that Congress step in and pass some laws which will protect and allow the police to serve.

It was a terrible time in Baltimore when the Mayor and Chief of Police refused to allow officers to do their jobs.  The result was destruction until there was outrage by the citizens.  Same went for Ferguson and it looks like Ferguson will never recover the stature of its fine past.

There are great solutions available to resolve some of the problems that we have here in the United States.  It appears that unemployment and pride in earning a living for the black community is necessary.  Congress can develop some inventive ways to put youth and the unemployed adults to work doing meaningful jobs which are geared to help the communities.  Daily we read about the wonderful collection of taxes and the money that flows into the treasury.  Why not dedicate some of that money for training, education, and jobs?  Stop wasteful spending where we read about the glorious travel of the President and his entourage to Kenya!  Why go there when we have severe problems here at home  that need addressing now, not later?

Whenever people have problems in their lives they seem to extricate themselves by the old fashioned method of hard work.  Congress should stay in session until they get the job done!  Who says that they have to take a summer off?  Passing legislation, holding hearings, investigating wrongdoing, and all the necessary things they were elected to do are mandates given by the people.  Adhere to these time honored traditions and get busy!

Monday, May 11, 2015

Is Congress going to start passing legislation which will be in keeping with the goals of all Americans?

One of the things that we Americans keep wondering is whether or not the Republican dominated House and Senate will pass legislation which is adverse to the President's wishes.  We keep hearing they are upset with many things and will be doing a lot about it.  So far in the past few months of their tenure they have been weak in getting things done which would put a band-aide on presidential executive orders to stop the bleeding of American values.

We need to address several issues and today Sen. Rand Paul said that he was going to be a filibusterer and delay many things which were put into the Patriot Act which allows temporary violations of individual rights which has been done in violation of the Constitution because exigent circumstances existed because of 911.  Well the time has come to address search and seizure provisions which allow searches without warrants if probable cause exists which would harm the United States.  There are many other things which the act provides and they need to be addressed with a full airing and discussion of whether or not they should be stricken down for the future.

Additionally, there is the question of immigration policies (or the lack thereof) by Presidential fiat!  We are starting to see many border crossings and little stoppage of illegals.  The question is tantamount to open borders.  News media who report (many do not) say that there is a waiting list of about 5 million people who are legally applying for US citizenship and are put on waiting lists.  What is weird is that the illegals who walk across the southern border to not get stopped, no waiting, just come on in!  There is hardly any track-age of their where about and over 80% who are given court appearance dates fail to show up and they have melded into the local communities.  

We find that states must give driver's licenses, Social Security will give out cards, and then to make matters worse the way that voting is handled, they are given the right to vote! 

Much is said on Facebook about issues which plague the illegals, but to have them file for taxes and get refunds when they do not work and do not pay into the system is abhorrent.  When you look into the proof of some of the claims it seems that they are untrue and made up by fearful citizenry.  Take what you read with some skepticism, check out the facts for yourself.  Then, if you are satisfied with your conclusions, by all means speak out!  However, do so with putting your sources there for everyone to check themselves.

If Congress does not do something, then again we shall have a shuffling of the deck and many people will once again vote what they think best.  The regime will change or shift!  

NFL and Patriotism!

 

The news broke over the weekend that 14 NFL teams took money from the Federal Government to demonstrate their patriotism with troops and the country by showing the Flag.  

What a crock! 

The NFL lets the Superbowl be played knowing full well there was tampering with the footballs before the game and instead of checking them before play let the game go on!  Now they are going to use their righteousness to castigate Tom Brady when they easily could have countered the problem.

These two instances are enough to turn off a lot of fans who have been loyal all these years.  

One of the things that makes America different is that we support sports teams with dollars, viewership, and pride in our own individuality.  Now, we are being shown the door of decency with a quick slam in our faces.  Respect of fans is out the window and the cost of things at the games is outrageous.  We are not a bunch of sheep who can be led by the greed of certain people.  Maybe we should walk away!  

Have a great week, be alert, stay safe, and above all...love thy neighbor, but don't covet thy neighbor's wife!!!    

Saturday, May 2, 2015

May 2: There are many things which happened this past week!

Baltimore during the week!

Police had to struggle this past week with the city officials, unruly crowds, and rule following marchers.

What started out as a peaceful demonstration overwhelmed the police department, the administration of Baltimore, and those who tried to keep the peace.  Many mistakes were made by the Mayor and others who tried to direct the response to rioters.

As the week progressed, the officials finally got their act together and declared curfews to stop destruction and injuries.  It worked!  Then as the week went on it became apparent that trying to appease meant the rush to judgment against six police officers.  The range of crimes from 2nd Degree Murder to failure to follow rules should have been bought before a grand jury.  It would have made a lot more sense to have fresh sets of eyes bring out the charges rather than a person who had been on the job for 4 months without much criminal law experience in her background.  I thought that she did a fine job of speaking and laying out the facts as she saw them, but when others realized that she was talking without much substance and a biased point of view it became a situation where she laid herself into a lot of criticism.  Far better it would have been to take the matter before a grand jury and let the indictments come from there.

Questions were raised by the police that their lives were put in jeopardy and also the destruction of property stemming from Monday night riots where the police had instructions not to interfere.

Justice systems vary, but the truth is that the Constitutions of the United States and that of Maryland need to be followed whether the rules are for the police or citizens.  Additionally, if there is a question of conflicts of interest because the State's Attorney has relationships with attorneys, aldermen, or the family of the deceased, an independent counsel might be in order so that the police involved can get fair and unbiased trials.

Naked May 2nd?  

Someone sent me a photograph of a person tending a garden and that person was naked!  It was the backside and nothing obscene was shown, but the idea was that on May 2nd, tending gardens was to be a naked time!  Funny for sure.  One of my neighbors said "Richard will not be tending to the garden today!"  I replied, that I would be, would you care to come and watch?  I did not say or infer that I would be sans clothing.

We have a weekend of vintage cars!

This weekend is the annual event here in Kingman on Route 66 where vintage autos of yesteryear are brought out by their owners to drive the existing route of Route 66 from Kingman to Seligman Arizona.  Events are planned along the highway where the drivers stop, get refreshments, BBQ, and the like.  In Kingman itself there are places where they all can show off their pride of ownership and gawkers can see what all the hullabaloo is all about!  A fun day for all and it is a celebration Americana which is peaceful and great sport.  The cars as they age get more and more valuable!  Prices on these relics of the past exceed $20,000.00 each.  If you are of the older generation, you might kick yourself when you think about that car of the 1950's you once owned and if you kept it what it would be worth today!

Enjoy the first week in May.   Get out and look around!

During the past week on Facebook there were a lot of discussions about Baltimore. 
Also, some statements about cell phones.  One of the things that I was discussing was the fact that I do not use a cell phone.  There are a lot of people who do and I am getting the feeling that I am now in the minority!  Probably true.  In the 1970's I had the first proto type of cell phones.  It was quite interesting because they worked mostly through the AT&T lines.  The size was about the same as they are now and you had to keep them charged.  Then came along the FM phones which were through local towers.  The cost was about $350 per phone (that is the wholesale cost).  Then resale was $700.  I started a company to do this and we sold one phone!  The buyer was a man who did repossessions of cars.  One week after he had the phone he called me.  Told me the phone saved his life because when he was repossessing a car the owner came out and started shooting at him.  From behind his tow truck he called the police for help.  They came and saved him!  That was the only sale every made by me.  We folded up the company and watched as the cell phone of today came into existence.

Have a great week...until next time...

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

April 28th and what has been going on the last few days!!!

During the past few days we have seen many disturbing images on the TV regarding Baltimore riots.  We have had speeches, denials, and statements which are blatently misleading.  Why people would not remember what they had said and blame others for twisting their thoughts is beyond my comprehension.

The poor mayor of the city is so caught up in not understanding what she is doing it is really quite sad.  What appears to have happened is that she came out of meetings with officers and others in her command posture and then said what she had been thinking in private.  Not realizing others heard her correctly, but she could not believe herself coming out with those strange utterances.  

By the way, she is the Secretary of the National Democratic Party!  A leader who has fallen on her sword!

Ferguson:


Can we ever understand why those people in Ferguson are now back in the streets?  This Freddie Gray incident was not theirs.  Yes, it seems that he was killed in a way that leaves a lot of questions which need to be answered!  There will be responsibility leveled at those who did this and they will have to pay the consequences, but why are the people in Ferguson taking to the streets?  There has not been anything yet said and the settlement of the issues need to be addressed by the justice system.  Cannot blame a whole police department and a mayor for the problems which came about, yet that is what is being done.  Are we going to have a summer of discontent all over the US?  Very sad indeed.

Curfew:

A curfew should have been put in place before 15 buildings were set on fire, 100 plus cars burned, and 20 or so police officers injured.  Waiting a day only added substance to the statement made by the Mayor that we had to give the protestors space to vent their rage.  A CVS store had been courted to come to Baltimore to provide quality and reasonable prices for their products.  Now will they even think about  rebuilding?  Remember, the riots of the 1960's destroyed neighborhoods of the minority communities and it took many years to rebuild them.  It took a lot of effort to get the stores to re-enter markets which had been so bad on them.  Now...the same thing is happening again and might just spring up in other communities across the nation.  The only ones who get hurt are the people living in this area of the minority neighborhoods.  Youngsters who have nothing to gain or lose are responsible.  Saying they need opportunity is not the answer!

What can we do to help the situation of impoverishment among black youths?

President Franklin D Roosevelt had a solution in the 1930's long before WWII bailed out the economy.  There were specialized job corps programs for both youths and adults.  People were given opportunities to work and earn their way back from poverty.  Today we do not have that setup at all.  We have food stamps, great, but there is no pride in getting them!  We give dole outs of clothing, housing, and the like, but no pride in getting them!  We need to change the system, Obama Phones are nice, but there is no pride in getting them.

Giving people jobs, doing work will instill pride!  Earn while you learn!  No, we don't pay youth to go to school, we should however, have  on the job training.  The infra-structure of this country is in disparate need of repair.  Why not have a summer of fixing.  Fix the bridges, roads, buildings, and build items of pride in communities.  High Schools in the great depression were able to obtain  stadiums whose construction created jobs for the people who built them.  Is it wrong to do the same thing once again?  Housing is sorely needed for low income families, Habitat for Humanity is a great program, but a government sponsored program would be a great step forward in getting the homes needed, giving jobs, and teaching skills that could be carried over into the creation of prideful jobs!!!

Wonder what ever happened to community gardens?

Looking back over the past 30 or so years we have seen many communities build parks, gardens, and spruce up neighborhoods.  Is that going on today?  The only  reason I question, I have not seen much of it in either the news or discussion on talk radio or community papers!  It would be very interesting indeed to see if this is still going on.  Food for those who need it!  What about paying for produce from a  community garden with food stamps which could be turned into cash to pay the youth who would tend these gardens and have pride in produce!  Pride in earning money so that they could go to school in the fall it will be with a little jingle in their pockets!

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I am putting out thoughts which I have regarding today's events, tomorrows events, and trying to make this world a better place.  Having taught college, practiced law, and participated in many community events through the years I see things through a more humanitarian set of eyes than I did so many years ago.  Please let me know if your are getting the message.  I am friends now with people all over the world!  Do  we speak the same language and care  about our  fellow personages enough to speak up when things go wrong?  I hope so!!!

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Can you believe it is April 19th?

Here it is the 19th of April and it only seems like it was yesterday that it was January...I guess when you are living out in the area of the country where the weather stays nice and you do not have to suffer with snow, rain, and all the other maladies of life you can forget how long it takes to find sunshine and flowers.

Yesterday I was reading about some of the pioneers who helped develop the West.  It was interesting to read about some people who had been Minnesotans because they wanted to and then they branched out to make huge strides in the rest of the country.  There was James J. Hill a train baron who was helped by his good friend Frederick Weyerhauser in building the rail system which extended to the Northwest.  Both were very wealthy even by today's standards.  St. Paul was the city which they lived in because they liked it.  Weyerhauser was a man who loved the woods and back country.  He had many children and a wife who he left alone a lot of the time so that he could develop relationships with other timber barons in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and then in the Pacific Northwest.  There are several great books out there which bear looking into for the education of your children and their children.  

 Are you going to toss your hat in the ring?

Election campaigns are heating up and there are many more people stepping into the forefront so they can get their ideas into the mainstream.  Realize that only one person will be President!  There are so many who are announcing they are going to run, is it because they want something else out of their campaigning?  Many jobs are available once the President takes office.  Folks who run swiftly back the chosen candidate and help that person gain the office.  It is in this spirit that the chosen one gives patronage to those who helped getting elected.  Back in the day when Jimmy Carter ran I somehow had been put in place as the Chairman of Veterans for Carter in Minnesota.  When he won the election I was sent an application to apply for a job in the administration in the Department of Veterans Affairs.  I did not want to return to Washington DC so I declined.  I still have that application.  In fact, they even sent me an invitation to the Inauguration ceremonies and the balls which took place that evening.  I kept those as mementos, but did not attend!  Do you know how cold it gets in DC in January?

Summer is quickly coming...are you ready?

Is it quirky or is it just me?  I think of the heat of summer when I am out here in the desert, but reality is that we treat summer as though it were winter here.  We rarely go out into the 90 and 100 degree days.  What we like best is Spring until about early June.  Then we look forward to late September or early October when it cools down once again.  Right now we have our tomato plants out in pots, watering them daily as it is getting into the 80's now.  There are these nice green globules dangling from the plants and the yellow flowers are attracting critters which will pollinate them.  We have a plum tree and it is loaded this year!  The pomegranate tree is in full blossom and looks like it will have a bumper crop this year.  We placed a new shed in the yard and had to trim a couple of trees to get it there.  What resulted is that the trimmed trees have been going bananas and growing far larger than they ever had before.

Hoping that you all have a great summer!  I would like to get out there and do some fishing for a change.  Since being out here we have missed that part of our lives.  In Minnesota I used to fish a lot with my great friend George from Kentucky.  Life sure has changed a lot since those days.  When we lived on the houseboat we did a little fishing, but never really got into it on the scale that I had done before.  We purchased a lake place and it was great for fishing, but we only did a little.  My step dad Max went fishing when he and my mom joined us for a vacation at our lake place.  Max told me that it was the first time that he had ever gone fishing...I was happy to have given him that experience.

So long for now....
Clark    

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April 1st...Fools and their money shall be soon parted!

The Main Theme today is Thrift: 

Are you saving money for the rainy day?  Do you live from paycheck to paycheck?  Have you ever thought about winning the lottery?

These are elements which get into today's thrift message.  Saving is great, but where do you put the money that you save?  The banks have such low interest rates that it might be better to invest your money into candy and gum...LOL.  The reason is simple, the prices of commodities shall be rising as the time marches on.  Look at the cost of oil, food, and other necessities of life.  They are constantly going up and yet wages are stagnant and in some cases are retreating. 

Those who are on fixed pensions get a little relief with cost of living increases, but do those increases really reflect the rising of prices?  There are some things which we all need and those prices are up and down.  Take oil for instance.  The cost of gasoline affects everyone.  Even if you take a bus the costs are passed onto you in one form or another.  What can you do about it?  VOTE!  Yes, vote for those candidates who are not aligned with interests which are detrimental to you.  You can easily check out the voting record of Senators, Congressmen, and local officials in your states.  If they seem to be voting along with the bloc of money grabbers, get them out of office.  If they are voting independently and based upon principle, then by all means keep them in!

One of the things that the internet is providing is a means for us to invest in foreign countries which have the same values that we have here in America.  An example is Australia.  The banks there are paying higher interest on deposits than we are paying here in the US.  We see that interest on savings accounts amounts to 1 percent if that.  They are paying more than that and we should investigate the banks there and determine if it is wiser to send out hard earned savings out of this country to another.  There are taxes to consider because you can be taxed on earned income from foreign countries just the same as the income from here which you earn.

It is the Day of Fools!

I can recall being pranked on a job when I got out of the Navy way back in 1958.  It seems that one of my co-workers thought it would be a good thing to leave me a message that Mr. Bear called and needed me to call him back.  Now, the co-worker did not know that my Step-Father was named Baer.  I thought tht it might be an emergency that he called because my mother had been ill.  However, there was a phone number left with this call so I returned the call to this number all day long.  It seems that the number was for the Zoo.  The Zookeeper kept getting calls all day long for Mr. Lion, Mr. Bear, Mr. Fox and so forth.  He was very pleasant about it when I finally got through, but can you imagine the number of hours this fellow wasted of the taxpayers money just because of foolish pranks?  If you try a April Fools joke make sure that it is of short duration, does not waste time and further that it is not a complete annoyance.

Just a personal note...my cold is a lot better now and at least I can sit without coughing or having a runny nose. 

Saturday, March 28, 2015

March 28, 2015:  Many things have been going on around the world that it makes me wonder where all of this is heading!

Iran in talks to modify the relationship between their country and the nuclear weapon!

Secretary of State Kerry is being 2nd guessed at each juncture that he approaches.  Words are being leaked by many sources.  Is this a ruse to get reaction from the rest of the world?  Then, there is the release of information to the press about the TOP SECRET information regarding Israel's Nuclear program which has been going on since 1987.  It was released ostensibly several weeks before the election in Israel and seems to be an affront to their Prime Minister when he was fighting for his political life.

Wonder what would have been said if Israel would have interfered with our election in 2012?  Easily they could have come out and said that the Obama Administration has lied to them and have not provided the security they need to be kept safe from their neighbors.  Look at Yemen as an example of the poor communication being made by the administration to the public at large.  Is this a part of the openness doctrine which had been touted by this president when he ran for office in 2008?  I do not think so!  Now, that Yemen has collapsed and the president of that country was swift boated out of harms way, the administration continues to exhort us that all is good and we have our fingers on the pulse of Yemen.

Last news program of a couple of days ago said that Iran refuses to sign any agreement made with the United States!  A flat out affront to the "progress" claimed by Kerry in his talks.  These trial balloons of what we can expect as an agreement live you very confused as to what is the truth after all is said and done.  Will Iran be allowed to bury in a 'secret cave' all of their research and experimentation?  What about the sanction which were passed by Congress?  How can Kerry and Obama think that they have the authority to override Congressional approval?  The UN was never vested with the power to make decisions of this magnitude for the United States.  Obama certainly does not have this power under the Constitution.  

What is happening with the appointments which were shot down by the US Supreme Court?

A big question arises   about the standing of those people who were appointed to jobs by President Obama during the interim period between sessions of Congress.  The Supremes said that Congress was still in session even if they had gone home and there was not a break because things were planned to allow for calling itself in session.  Well!  What is the situation with all those people who were appointed?  Will there have to be a new session in Congress with vetting all those people?  The news media seems to be downplaying this decision and not giving any coverage.  Well?  You be the judge!

I just received the new issue of Esquire magazine...as my stepson Wayne said "What is this world coming to."

The lead in on the cover is...Women and Men, An issue about Our Current Difficulties...Great, if that was all there was about i.  But how about a Black & White photo of two totally nude people (be it their behinds) the cracks in their butts are clearly delineated.  It is a good think that the shipping label peels off easily so that it fits nicely over both of them!

That is enough for today...I have a cold and it is miserable!  Good thing for Halls Cough drops, they work!

                                                            - 30 -
 

Monday, March 23, 2015

March 23 and we are still kicking!

 Today I tried an experiment to see if I could upload a video.  I have no idea if it will work or take a lot of time, but I am always liking to try new ideas and things.

Last Blog I talked about the Hoover Floor product.  Well, we have tried it and it works great.  The cleaning ability on tile and grout is super.  We did a small area in the kitchen and used the recommended cap full of solution in the machines container bottle.  We all were surprised that you could do so much with so little effort.  It is cordless, easy to maneuver, and best of all even without much training we all could do it.  Slow and patient is the key with this machine.  Not that I am trying to sell them, but at Amazon they cost only $137.00!  Also, the liquid cleaner is about $9.00 for 16 oz and that is a bargain all in itself.

Was there interference in the Israel election?

There are several things coming up about the election and the people who were sent to help the opposition defeat Prime Minister N.  Well, it turned out badly for those trying to unseat this popular man who stood up to president and the Dems.  Now, will Israel have to pay a price for their electing someone that is contrary to the views of the United States President?  Hopefully, not!  It might be that those who have saner minds will prevail and the attempts to diminish a true democracy in the middle east shall fall flat.  Iran is a danger to all of the world and has the means to accomplish some horrendous ends if allowed to proceed unchecked and unhindered.  The sanctions which have had their toll on the ability of Iran to conduct its methodology which is to destroy oppositional forces need to be kept in full force and effect.

Has the Medical Community fallen into hard times?

The medical community and treatment of patients seems to be ignoring common decency in treating patients.  Have you visited a doctor's office lately?  They are crowded, dirty, and uncomfortable.  Some of the offices in the new buildings are just fine, however, in the older buildings it is appalling.  The use of the internet is not a substitute for common courtesy.  Today my wife had an appointment cancelled by the Doctor and in the Email which sent the notification was a statement that we should go to the portal at the hospital for more information.  There was none!  It was just a list which had the appointment blanked out and the appointment with another Doctor listed.  Upon calling, my wife was able to schedule  a new appointment with the Cardiologist for 34 days hence!  It would seem that when an appointment is cancelled the new one should be set as close as possible.  After all, she had waited two months to get the new one in the first place.  The office never has responded to any emails that we had sent regarding healthcare needs.  It seems they are not technology literate!  Considering the cost of medical services, it would be nice if there were a doctor out there who really showed some concern for the patients.

My visit to a doctor was different!

I visited a doctor a couple of weeks ago and it was a totally different experience.  My doctor was short on time,but never seemed to be rushing me out of  the office.  There had been concern about my kidneys and a nefrologist was the person who I saw.  She was pleasant, knowledgeable, and set me at ease.  Thank goodness I had no serious problems and she will be following up in 2 to 3 months.  There are ways to treat patients and there are other ways in which the mental state of a patient can be irritating.

Holidays are here again!

The Spring season brings Passover, Easter, Good Friday, and other religious events together.  This year we have the first sedar of Passover on Good Friday!  Interesting that Easter and the last supper were considered to be Passover in olden days.  Now we have them meshing once again!  We are an ecumenical household and celebrate both Christian and Jewish holidays.  We are, however, not going to have a Kosher Ham!  LOL.

Have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.  We are going  to be celebrating with friends and looking forward to seeing  everyone.  It is a solemn time and yet a joyous time to be alive sharing blessings together!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Here is March 8th and not too much going on!

This is the 8th of March and there is not too much going on.  We have been very busy with a new shed we had installed in the backyard.  It is 10' by 12'.  We have installed new shelves inside and a safety/security light outside.

Modern technology is really great.  The lights we installed today were solar and 500 watts.  Motion detectors and solar panels included.  Three of these lights cost $100.00(about 35 each) and were fairly easy to install.  Last night we tested one of the lights in the front over the garage.  It was exceptionally bright, covered the full driveway and was set to go off after 1 minute.  Worked out swell.  Then we installed one over the front doorway and will test that tonight, as well as the one on the shed.  

These lights are about the same cost for each as those little ones you would poke in the ground.  Those never seemed to last!  After a few months they all went out one by one.  Hope that these stay on for a longer period of time.  The battery is  replaceable and the solar unit seems really sturdy.

Next project, moving all the things into the shed after we have the Whirlybird on the roof installed so that we can have the hot air escape better.  The shed has two vents, but we were advised by friends to get the Whirlybird to compliment the exhaust system.

We painted the inside doors and shelves that we installed since splinters are always a nuisance from rough wood.  

Almost time to plant tomatoes!  We are lucky that our growing season starts early and it is fun to take advantage of that. We had discovered some  great plants at Walmart for herbs.  We put those in the window sill in  the kitchen and have had fresh basil, thyme, and parsley all winter long.  Bought a box to plant them in but it seems that it is too high and will have to get a better way.

As a writer for Amazon vine I get all kinds of things from them.  This time I got a floor machine made by Hoover.  It is battery operated and looks just like a  large regular vacuum.  However, it is equipped with brushes and when you go forward it emits water and scrubs tile and other hard floors (not for rugs) and when you bring it back it picks up the water.  We have not gotten to use it yet, but have it on our agenda to do so soon.  Well, I am away to putting some ribs in the oven and then will finish them on the grill.  We will have a yummy day for sure!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Well it is February 7, 2015 and I am just pondering a few things

Here in Arizona it is a bright a beautiful day for this 7th day of February.  Can you believe that it is 2015 already?  Seems like it was yesterday that I was going to high school in Toms River, New Jersey and along the shore it was a nice day as well in 1954!  The years go by and so does the weather!

Some of the things we have to remember are that when we were young we had the verve and vitality to do anything.  Today, we have the verve, the ability to accomplish many things just isn't the same as it was then.  You could at the drop of a hat go off and enjoy whatever you wanted, visit friends, do hobbies, have a nice part time job, and enjoy just hanging out.  Well, we have life today and take it for what it is.  Global warming is an interesting thought...but is it true?

Global warming as with anything is something propounded by pundits who claim to know all.  In 1951 I used to hitchhike to Monroe High School in Rochester NY.  Each day the same fellow stopped and picked me up and dropped me off within walking distance of the school.  On the way we would chat about the weather that day and his theory about the weather.  It was after a time I found out he was the weatherman for the area working for the United States government.  His theory was that weather was cyclical and that he had been tracking patterns which were recorded from 1800 to 1951.  His theory was it would be warmer at the start of the century (i.e. 1800) get gradually colder to mid century (i.e. 1850) and then gradually get warmer to 1900.  Then cycle back to colder 1950 and then start warming up again to 2000.  We according to his theory are in the cycle of getting colder to 2050!  Never, I repeat never, did he talk about global warming!  Wonder where and how that theory evolved?

My theory...Enjoy each day, one at a time, get the most out of it, and be kind to your fellow man or woman! 

So my friends...have a great day, if you have sunshine...enjoy it, if you have snow...go skiing!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Holocaust Remembrance Day

As we remember all those who perished and those who were freed 70 years ago, we should keep in mind that adage of never again!

Time after time I have heard from those who had no idea that those who perished did not have a choice.  They were taken quickly, lied to as if it were for their best interests, and assured they would be protected in a new location.  Rounding up by Nazis was the norm and their homes were confiscated so quickly confusion reined supreme.

During the past few years I have read so many books about the Holocaust which were written by those who had survived.  There were many books written by non-Jews based upon what they had seen as well.  Some of the exploits which have been described are unbelievable and doubters could easily  say they did not happen that way.

One book that stuck out in my mind was about a young Jewish man who was living in Berlin.  He moved from apartment to apartment which had been previously occupied by other Jewish families, he found food, clothing, and other things of use.  No one dared to enter into those premises and thus things remained as they had been a year or two previously.  Since he was blond, looked like any other German on the streets, he was able to pass and get along.  He sold many possessions that he found so that he had money.  In fact he found that he could eat at restaurants among the Nazi elite and they did not suspect him at all.  Eventually, he left Berlin and traveled to Norway so that he could live without fear.

Another book which stood out in my memory was how a non-Jewish family took in Jews who were escaping from the concentration camps.  This couple hid them in a Zoo!  The cages for the animals were equipped with tunnels underneath where the zoo keepers would feed traverse to feed them.  In these tunnels Jews were hidden, walls in the house were rebuilt with  secret passages.  At the same premises of the zoo were German occupiers with their storage of weapons.  It was difficult at best, but through all this subterfuge there was survival so that those who had been hidden could find passage to safer places.

The stories go on, even with all of this, however, 6 million were murdered.  Every living Jew has knowledge of the events.  All vow to never let it happen again.  Our hearts go out to those in Israel who have to live in fear daily because of their neighboring countries who have vengeance in their hearts.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Musings about getting more out of the Internet

There are some days which seem to occupy more time than others with just sitting on the computer and playing games or reading the news.

What if we started to change our existing habits of same old, same old?  That is to say we should shake up our thinking and confront our ways to be a bit more!  More what?  Well, education, sharing our life experiences, reading about others experiences, or delving into our families. 

This past year I reached out to existing family members who I discovered on Ancestry.com and found many of them who had been close to each other, but not close to my immediate family.  How do we get them altogether?  That is where the Internet comes in.  We use this space to integrate our lives and share the things that have been going on about us with others.

Sometimes we have been so busy that we forget "to smell the roses," and old cliche, but oh so true.  We move along in our daily journeys and do not communicate enough with everyone.  It takes a few minutes out of our hectic schedules to just say howdy!

I am moving this Blog out further so that all family members can join in, comment what their thoughts are and share their thoughts.  Hopefully, it will catch on!

Friday, January 23, 2015

Regarding the past with Delis

Today seems to be a day in which I received an email about Jewish food. My thinking stimulated a response!

How true it all is. I can remember, even when we lived in
Toms River, going to NYC to have deli there since there was not very much in TR. When I lived in Rochester NY we used to go to Cohen's Deli and it was such a joy! A corned beef sandwich which was too big to hold on to. Pickles in the barrel! Oy, I salivate just thinking about them!

Then years later, we moved and raised a family in St. Paul, Minnesota. We had come back to Yiddish land. Many delis to choose from in both St. Paul and Minneapolis. Years have passed, when we visit now, there are a few of the Delis left, but oh so few. One that I know of in St. Paul and a couple in Minneapolis. Indeed our heritage is dwindling.

When I lived in Houston, Katz came to town and there were a couple more which we indulged in. They are still there and in Houston Judaism flourishes. We lived in an area where they were over 13 synagogues in a 3 mile radius! Even a Jewish Community Center.

Now we live in Kingman. There is one place where you can still get a pastrami sandwich! It is tremendous! Homemade by a transplanted Yid who also makes home rolls on which he serves this colossal delicacy. You also get a can of soda and a bag of chips for the handsome price of $5.00! McDonald's eat your heart out!

We also can go to Las Vegas and there are several places where you can gourmet deli food. All you have to do is put them in your GPS and get directed to their doorsteps. One store (Smith's) is a part of the Kroger group, and they have a section in the store which is the largest Kosher store I have ever seen. It beats the heck out of those in your area since it also has a meat market par excellence.

Enough reminiscing, now on to bigger and better things since I cannot eat much of the Yiddish food anymore!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Testing the waters!

Testing the waters for blogger!  This is a test to see how to get this working and writing a regular blog.

Sometimes we have thoughts that are relevant to the way things are working in this world and those thoughts should be shared. 

This is the purpose of this blog to see the way it will work out.