Using available resources

One of the biggest financial wastes in this country is the funding of institutes. We have institutes on the economy, the war, politics, big government, little government and almost any other facet of our lives here in the USA. These institutes costs big bucks and the hired guns are expected to spiel the crap that the financiers want to be spieled.
What we overlook is the most prevalent wide-spread problem-solving institute in America. It is the "Cheap Coffee for Senior Citizens Institute" and can be found between the hours of 6:30 and 11:00 each weekday morning (excluding weekends and holidays) at almost any McDonald's in America. The participants who gather each morning belong to the "What they really ought to do if they had any brains..." school of logic. If something crucial or dramatic has occurred in the past 24 hours, this group of high level thinkers will have found the solution by next morning and passed on their wisdom to the bevy of listeners who also gather for inexpensive coffee.
My father belonged to one these institutes but dad was a listener and passed on the problem-solving of others. It also serves as a social occasion so it's really a "two-fer." Why do we waste monies on over-educated effete intellectuals when there are so many outlets coming to similar conclusions. We need to tap this resource. Remember: Coffee is a small price to pay for a mind.

This is from a story in yesterday's USA Today.
The president of New York University makes more than $1.3 million; Columbia U. over$1.3 million; Univ. of Pennsylvania over $1.2 million; Yale over $1.2 million; and Southern Cal over $1.1 million. The chief investment officer at Yale makes over $4.3 million and several professors in medical schools make between $2 and $4 million per year.
The Southern Cal football coach makes over $4.3 million and the basketball coach at Duke earns over $3.7 million. Something is wrong. Universities and colleges are out begging for money, cutting staff and entire departments-tuition isn't going down. It isn't just private industry that pays a lot for leadership at the top and for sports.

Bumper sticker on the back of an aging sedan:
"I HAVE A PERFECT BODY
but it's in the trunk and beginning to smell"

There is a downtown restaurant in Casper called Sanford's. It has a restaurant liquor license which in Wyoming means that the minimum balance ration of food to liquor sales must be 60/40. Last week Sanfords all of a sudden is selling penny beers and dollar drinks. The owner claims he is just helping people so they can dine out due to the economic downturn. He says it has nothing to do with the ratio. Right. Why would I ever suspect an American entrepreneur of doing anything suspicious. Witness the high ethical standards of the banking and insurance industries when they just had to pay out large bonuses using government monies so they could keep their sometimes overpriced executives. It's just the American way of doing business honestly. How could I ever suspect an ulterior motive?

I'm not that old

Yesterday at the UW-UNLV FB game in Laramie, I did something I never thought I would do. I rode the golf cart for the handicapped and seniors from the second level down to the main level. I left the game with a minute or so to go. The cart was getting ready to take a couple down. I asked if I could go down with them and the driver said sure. It's faster to take the cart and I was trying to avoid as much post-game traffic as possible. I did beat most of the crowd and had a smooth getaway. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. I'm not that old!

Siren Sam

Siren Sam is alive and well and making his/her presence known. With the reduction in revenues for most government agencies, it appears the law enforcement community has taken it upon itself to pump up funds for governmental spending at state and local levels. On the highways I have never seen so many highway patrol cars with speed offender pulled off to the side (It appears that a majority have out-of-state license plates). I've even seen cars pulled over in Colorado which was a rarity. Their favorite spot seems to be in the median where cars come over a rise and are headed downward picking up speed. Crafty devils.
At the local level, the grey fuzz can be seen hiding in alleys and have an affinity for work zones. With all the street and road construction with moisture and colder weather coming on, the number of construction zones is at its zenith-besides the fines double (two bucks for the price of one).
Yesterday I saw the most brazen speed enforcement of all-they were using an unmarked pick-up (in Wyoming no less). Is nothing sacred???
FIGHT FAIR, MAN!!!!

No more homonym blogs.

Had the swamp cooler winterized yesterday. This is the equivalent of putting the snow blower away in the spring. It's supposed to be in the 80's by the weekend.

Drank coffee with my homies. Small crowd as it's hunting season.

From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if.....Your working television sits on top of your non-working television."
Or
"...... You've ever forced people to take your homegrown squash."

Riting inn homonyms

When eye tot English, I used two teach uh unit on homonyms (similar pronunciation; different spelling/meaning). Two-day aye thought I wood try too rite ah blog inn Homonyms.
Thee wife is still on Nova Scotia time and we all most eight breakfast together. As hour table is small, I red the paper be four taking my tern to eat. Things knead too get back two normal soon.
My to favorite base ball teems, the Rockies and Twins, one last knight. Their playing well rite now.
My brother called. Wee are planning two attend thee UW-UNLV foot ball game on Saturday. Will meat at the ticket booth and than will half lunch at thee Cowboy Joe tent.
I thought the spell checker wood go crazy, butt it only questioned three words.
Happy Homonym Day.

First Fall Day

Today is the first day of fall. Technically yesterday was still summer and we got about 6 to 12 inches of snow on Casper Mountain so we can claim we had snow this summer.
Sunday night about 30 minutes before the wife's plane landed, there was a hail storm with winds reported at about 90 mph by the weather bureau. Since the weather bureau is at the airport and I was right there, I don't think they were too far off. I thought the windows in the terminal were going to blow in. I also thought they would have to run a snowplow up the runway to clear the 3 inches of hail.

I don't think a single one of my preferences won an Emmy.

The phone, TV, and Internet were off from 9:30 to 1:30 today. It's amazing how much I miss them when they're off. Remember my definition of "roughing it" used to be a black and white TV. Now it's no high def.

Where are the caregivers?

I have a question for our leaders (?) in Washington, D.C., the land of the assbackward. If we put 30-40 million more on health insurance, who will be the care providers for them? It would appear that the med schools, dental schools, nursing schools, etc., need to be annually putting an additional 500-1,000 MD's, dentists, nurses, physician's assistants, and nurse practitioners into the health fields. Since most of those colleges and universities that supply heath care providers are crammed right now, where will the additions spaces and monies come from. Most the the health care proposals I am following fail to address this issue. It's the "cart before the horse" or "assbackwards" way of doing things. We need to expand med schools, etc., before we drop more clients on the health community.

Emmys

TV Emmys will be give tonight. Here are my choices to win:

DRAMA SERIES: House
COMEDY SERIES: 30 Rock
BEST ACTRESS DRAMA:Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
BEST ACTOR DRAMA:Hugh Laurie (House)
BEST ACTRESS COMEDY:Tina Fey (30 Rock)
BEST ACTOR COMEDY: No Choice
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS DRAMA: Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR DRAMA: William Shatner (Boston Legal)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS COMEDY: No Choice
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR COMEDY: Neil Patrick Harris (How I met your Mother)

Note: I won't be watching the Emmys. I'll just read about it in the paper.

The Wyoming Way

From: Bar Stool Mountain Myth
"Wyoming has never been a state to let science or fact get in the way of culture, custom, and wishful thinking. Our 1880-era political system is based on one cow, one vote premise, and change comes hard."

What the ranchers refuse to acknowledge is without the minerals industry Wyoming would be poorer than most third world countries. Ol Slow Poke

Amigos

I watched GLEE last night. I didn't like it as well as I did the first two episodes. They're ignoring some pretty good story lines. I like the cheerleader sponsor character.

I visited my friend Luciano, who is in the hospice with bone cancer. Alberta, his wife, was there. He also had two other visitors but they soon left. The three of us (we've known each other for over forty years) visited and reminisced. A former governor, who later had become the US Ambassador to Ireland, and his wife had visited. Their daughter had gone to Spain one summer with Luciano and Alberta. She showed me some of the cards he had received. The general theme was "we appreciate what you did for our kids when you had them in Spanish class and the writer(s) were happy they had settled in Casper." This is what teaching is all about.

Got my new driver's license in the mail today. I'm good for another four years. Watch out other drivers!

Home alone

The wife is out of the country for 8 days. What kind of changes does this mean for me?
1. I can load the dishwasher any way I want.
2. I can read the paper and not have to share sections-especially the Sunday paper.
3. I don't have to hang up my jackets, etc.
4. I can leave things on the counter and they will still be there.
5. I can use the computer any time I wish.
6. I can leave the toilet seat up.

But in the end........I still miss the woman who mumbles "Good Morning" to me each day.

The truth

Bumper Sticker on the back of a pick-up

"DON'T ACT STUPID
WE HAVE POLITICIAN FOR THAT"

This bumper sticker is dedicated to Rep Joe Wilson (R-SC) who loudly challenged the President's veracity during the health care speech last week. Way to go, Joe-making a bumper sticker come true.

Ruined, I tell ya

After a summer and a couple of weekends this fall of watching baseball and football I find that I can't stand to watch sports on anything less than a 30 inch, high definition TV. I tried to watch the Bears-Packers last night on a smaller screen and I couldn't hack it. My saying used to be that my definition of roughing it was a black and white TV. Now roughing it is less than a minimum of 30 inches in HD.

OD'ing on FB

Saturday I made a token effort to pick up leaves. Then I barricaded myself in the house to watch FB. I started with Iowa-Iowa State-a bummer so I took a shower. In the afternoon I switched back between Wyoming-Texas and Michigan-Notre Dame. Wyoming had one good half and then the roof fell in. Michigan defeated the Irish and that made me happy. After watching the news I tuned in on Ohio State-So Cal game. I'm not a big time Big 10 rooter. I liked Purdue when the former Wyoming coach went there (Joe moved back to Wyoming when he retired.). S-I-L Eric is from Ohio and likes the Buckeyes. I fell asleep at the end of game and had to watch a replay on Sports Center. I never did get the St. Olaf score.
Today I put on my Vikings jersey and switched between Vikes-Browns and Broncos-Bengals. Fortunately I saw both Peterson's long run for the Vikes and the miracle catch at the end of the Broncos game.
Do I watch the Packers-Bears tonight or do something constructive? Adult decisions are tough.

Ghosts are leaving the house

I got up at 4:00 a.m. to drive the wife to the airport to catch the first leg of her flights to Halifax, NS. That's about 2 and 1/2 hours earlier than I usually rise and shine. There were a couple of flights leaving within about 20 minutes of each other so there was quite a crowd trying to clear security. There were around 15 members of the Casper Ghosts baseball team there. Their season ended last night and they are anxious to get out of Dodge. I visited with some of the host families while I waited for the wife to clear security.
As long as I was up, I decided to make my first attack on the leaves that are beginning to turn and fall. For some reason I take umbrage about leaves being on my grass. Last year I hauled over 30 bags of leaves to the city compost pile last fall. I'm so green.
The big news item in Wyoming all week is the University of Texas is playing football at the University of Wyoming. I had a chance to go but passed because I would be tired and run off the road either going or coming home. The biggest concern is how badly will Texas beat us. We'll know tonight.
I plan to spend a lot of time in front of the TV (Little Thunder) and watch FB starting with Iowa State-Iowa and ending with something late in the evening.

I'm feelin' lucky

I had my annual physical yesterday. For a person of my age and size I'm in pretty good health.
But yesterday I learned that a friend and fellow teacher was in the hospice with cancer. I visited him for about 45 minutes this morning. He told me they brought him there to die but his wife convinced him to think about his family and fight it. He's off treatments and feeling better. We talked about our families and other matters. I kept a chess board in my office and Luciano would come down and play during his lunch hour. He usually beat me. He reminded me of the time we were so engrossed in chess that I finally asked him if he had a class at this time. He did and ran out of my office. He was a stickler for students being on time.
Many friends have stopped by. There is a banner on the wall signed by former students and friends. He has a large picture of his family on another wall and I think that is part of his inspiration to live. They usually feed the patients anything they want but his wife took all his sweets away from him and checks his diet.
I will miss my friend but I'm glad I got to spend this morning with him and hope we have some more mornings together.

Masochism

I renewed my Casper Ghosts season ticket for next year. For my early sign-up I received an autographed baseball with the signatures of this year's players who have been in last place almost every day of the season (I don't think it will be valuable in the next few years). Why? There was a guy who was sitting next to my group who have had tickets together for years. He remarked that we didn't often enjoy the games but we sure do have fun. I guess it gets me out of the house so the wife can have some quiet, keeps me out of Bingo parlors, and gives me something that's not too serious to complain about. For the price of a ticket, a person just can't beat that. I am going to stay home tonight and watch GLEE.

I added a new friend and posted three comments this week on Facebook. I am now spending almost 5 minutes a day looking at the site. Am I becoming addicted?

For some reason I like this one.
From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if......Your family tree is a tumbleweed."

Politics are getting slimier

I'm tired of politics based on party affiliation with no concern for the public but just following party policy. A pox on both parties of Congress. I wish we would adopt a unicameral system like the Nebraska legislature (did I just write something nice about Nebraska?) has. A voter casts a ballot for the person-not the party. I like this the more I think about it.

Added the Ole niece as a friend on Facebook. I'm starting to get gregarious.
Also-good luck to the nephew who started law school this fall.

I looked for Stooey on the Doggie Care Cam this weekend but didn't see him.

Go Rockies! The Casper Ghosts are dead in the water. I plan to go to three of the last four games, however.

From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if.... You think being a wine connoisseur means buying a bigger box."

Odds & ends

Because my other Alma Mater, Colorado State, beat the Univ. of Colorado in FB yesterday, I am wearing my CSU T-shirt today. I will even wear it to the Ghosts' game tonight which is a dangerous thing in Wyoming. The bad news UW plays Colorado in two weeks right after the Texas game. Maybe Iowa State will beat the Buffs this year.
Niece Julie officially becomes an Ole today after the welcoming ceremonies. Make sure your checks don't bounce, parents.
I'm still holding with 5 friends on Facebook. I don't want to rush into things.
Just a lazy day planned for Labor Day since I don't labor anymore.

Season opener

Drove to Laramie yesterday for the UW-Weber State (Utah) FB game. I just enjoy the solitary drive and seeing people when I get there. I met my brother and we headed to the Tailgate Park and lunch at the Cowboy Joe Club tent (we're members). Ate lunch with the Colorado Comet and Blondie.
Game was OK-Wyoming won, got a sunburn, left in the fourth quarter with Wyoming up 22points and they gave up 2 touchdown before I could get the radio on the game. Listened to ESPN on the way back. BYU beat the Okies which is one of the few times I would consider rooting for the boys from behind the Zion Curtain.
I'll probably go down for a couple more games if the weather holds.

Happy birthday, daughter-in-law.

Redneck bumper sticker of the day on a Yukon parked in a handicapped spot in Casper:
"Welcome to Wyoming
Assume everyone is armed"
Makes one proud, doesn't it?

Just following orders

If you are following the wolf hunt story (a couple of blogs ago), you know that the first wolf kill reported in Idaho was by a realtor. If you listen to the radio or watch TV and hear or see some of the recent real estate ads, they advise a person to contact a realtor. The phone numbers and email addresses for folks in real estate, are easy to get. Several of the wolf lovers are now calling or emailing this particular realtor to tell him what a jerk he is for having shot a wolf. The guy is going out of his mind with negative communiques; however, people are just doing what they were told-"Call a Realtor."

Road trip

Neighbor Dave came over the other morning and asked if I were interested in a road trip. I asked when and where and he replied Denver on Thursday to watch the Rockies and Mets in an afternoon game. After securing permission from the wife, the road trip was on.
I won't say Dave has a lead foot but we left around 7:30 from our houses (I estimate it's about 280 miles to Coors Field), gassed up in Cheyenne, parked the car across the street from Coors Field, and ate lunch at Jackson's across the street from the stadium by a little after 11:30.
Our seats were in the Club Section (near where Marcie Glasser got us tickets, Keri). The ride in the elevator was nice and the uncrowded escalator after the game was also a perk. I called the Colorado Comet as I usually do from a ball park but he wasn't home. I'll see him Saturday.
The game, however, was terrible. The Rox got creamed 8-3. The Rockies did hit 3 homeruns including one by Ian Stewart, a former Casper player.
We got out of the main part of game traffic around 4:45, gassed up in Cheyenne to check mileage, ate in Wheatland (Dave had an Arnie Palmer-see previous blog) and arrived in Dave's driveway at 8:45. He did complain about only getting 31.6 MPG in his Toyota but the air con was on most of the way.
We agreed to do it again some time.

Cheers

I was reading USA Today about golfer Arnie Palmer and his signature drink which also the wife's favorite. An Arnie Palmer is half ice tea-half lemonade. I decided the Ol Slow Poke needed a signature drink. The Ol Slow Poke is 2/3 orange juice-1/3 lemonade.

From the calendar:
"You might be a Redneck if....You think going formal means driving a black pickup truck."

Big bad wolf-part II

If you thought the Red Riding Hood caper was bad for wolves, you should see what's in their future. Since their reintroduction in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, ranchers have complained about stock losses. Recently wolves went off the endangered species list and now wolf hunting season begins today in Idaho and in a couple of weeks in Montana. Idaho hunters may harvest (?) 220 wolves this fall. The odds for wolves aren't good because over 9,000 wolf licenses were sold in Idaho alone. They weren't concerned about ranchers and livestock; the wolves went after elk and other game animals and that infuriated the hunters.
Wolves came off the endangered species list when it was estimated that their population had exceeded by 10 times the desired number. It just shows that too much sex can be bad for wolves of all kinds-human and animal.