Handy Men

A few months ago, the flat screen started having issues turning on. At first it would take 3-4 minutes before powering on, then a bit longer, until sometimes it was taking well over an hour before it would power on. The TV was 4-5 years old, ancient in this day and age of throw away electronics, but still had an excellent picture, and the features still in demand by today's watchers.

It was replaced, but we did not immediately discard the ailing machine. After some research by my son and some time spent watching youtube videos, it was decided that it maybe repairable, and for not a lot money.

So we spent the money getting the proper tools (soldering iron, solder sucker, and of course, solder), we had the rest already. The research had led us to what parts were most likely needed, and those were ordered via the inter web, for a great price and were delivered expediently.

Now we were set to get this thing back from brink of the local transfer station. The TV was long past its warrantee, so breaking the seal was not voiding anything. Once opened up, it was obvious which part was bad and the information found on the web was accurate. We had gotten the right part and now all we had to do was replace it.

After reviewing the youtube video again, we removed and replaced the bad cap (capacitor), reassembled the cabinet and plugged it in. WOW, it worked!

We saved a lot, not only money, but the environment by keeping this out of a landfill somewhere, and it was a great bonding experience for my son and I. With a little mechanical skill, research skill, the right tools, anybody can fix anything.

So the next time something breaks, think about repairing it yourself, or having it done, before trashing it. My son and his roommate will be enjoying the pleasure of viewing 40 inches. He even has it connected to his computer so he can type papers from across the room.

The Year in Review 2014

As 2014 wraps up, I want to go over what has happened, what I learned, and/or what did not happen or I did not learn (actually I can't go over what I did not learn as I probably not aware of that), so in no particular order here it is….

Personal-

• I started this blog. I was not sure if I could write well enough, write enough, and have anyone follow my gibberish. Still don't think I write well enough, and probably I do not write enough, but at least I am following through with it and I have a very small following.
• I also started a handle bar mustache, which I have wrote about numerous times in this blog. I kind of did it as a New Year's resolution, and it has lasted the whole year.
• I am also approaching the one year date of my divorce. I am not sure how I feel about that, but it is still a civil relationship and the kids are doing fine, and that is what is important. You can outgrow or grow apart from someone and it is alright and still maintain a relationship.
• I had two major surgeries on my kidneys and have recovered from them both. Only the good die young or so I have been told.
• I am back to having short hair.
• I turned 50, I still have my hair, it is not even starting to recede nor turned grey. The rest of the body is aware that it is 50.
• I still enjoy wearing a kilt and I have lots of responses to the obvious questions, some of them quite witty.

Societal-

• Robin Williams committed suicide. It affected me deeply and made me more aware of mental illness and it effects.
• Grand juries no longer work under the law, two decisions in particularly have demonstrated this with the Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo decisions. No matter what the evidence and witnesses say.
• Civil rights has taken a step backward, or maybe it never advanced and it is just back in the closet again or maybe the racists are out of the closet.
• You can skip paying your taxes and arm yourself against the government and that is ok. If you sell untaxed cigarettes, they will kill you in the streets.
• Voters are stupid and can be bought, and elections do not matter. Proven by the way people do not bother to show up to vote.
• This was a bad year for movies, with the award season coming up, I can not think of one movie that blew anyone away.
• ACA was a success, in spite of how those opposed tried to squash it. The 'job creators' were required to provide coverage and still kept or hired workers.
• The economy continues to rebound. The Party of No still has not passed a budget, a jobs bill, increased minimum wage, or done anything to help this country, including helping the veterans they created.
• Drinking water and voting are not for all citizens.
• People care more about a genetic disease then what is in their food and will waste water and energy raising money for it. And then shame people into becoming zombies and following their "moralistic" ideals.
• Americans care more about their rights then they do about human life. (Of course I have known this for a while, not just this year.) Everyone becomes a constitutional law expert about this. 
• It has been two years since Sandy Hook and we have had an average of a school shooting per week since then.
• Parents are more concerned about how their kids are taught math then they are in keeping them safe in school.
• Industry leaders have more knowledge of science and engineering then scientists and engineers.
• The average person (even those that claim they are above average) still does not understand Climate Change and/or Common Core, but this is also not something new to me, just still dumbfounded that people still don't get it. 
• More people are interested in Kim Kardashian's ass, then of anything else of substance. (double entendre intended)
• Lionel Messi still can not perform in the big game (neither can Kershaw and P. Manning), more people care about a has been shortstop then anyone else in baseball, and the behavior of those that play in the NFL warrant more attention from Congress then the passing of any bills.
• We can investigate the death of 4 Americans protecting an embassy after budget cuts to security, get the same result each time, but continue to call for another investigation. I think Mark Twain is credited with a quote about this. How does it go again?
• History repeats itself, constantly….
• Musically, I know I will be "happy" to "shake it off" because "it is about that bass" to get these ear worms to of my head.
• We have a pope finally that cares about the people and is actually a humanist first and a religious leader second.
• It rains in California.
• Torture is a way of life in America. People are more upset with a movie being cancelled then how we treat others.
• Any kind of publicity is good. Just ask the makers of the movie, "The Interview".

What the future hopefully will be and possible resolutions

• The economy will continue to get better.
• People will but their difference aside (one can only hope, right?).
• My HBM will be the envy of everyone, as I continue to grow and groom it.
• History will stop repeating itself, or at least take some time off of repeating itself.
• The sports teams I support have better seasons, one championship would not hurt anyone.
• Ok, so I really do not have a resolution for 2015, besides it will hard to top last years.

My Wish

Celebrations and Victories

Celebrations/Victories are fun.

Yesterday I completed something that was loooong over due, and then had the satisfaction to see that the work paid off. I then awarded myself with a nice cigar for my success, as I often do.

I am lucky in that I work part-time in the cigar industry, and get to celebrate victory on a regular basis. (Every time I go to the shop I have a cigar.) Do not hate, I just get to work in one of my hobbies and that is a victory itself, so why shouldn't I celebrate every time?

Others will celebrate in other ways, we each have our own delight in how we mark accomplishment. Maybe a special treat like a fancy coffee, some chocolate, a new piece of clothing, a good meal, or a nap, whatever, we all mark victories in some way.

Indulgence is a very human thing, while other animals have been noted to let the preverbal hair down and relax, it is much more a homo sapient thing. Is it our 'superior' brains that want us to indulge? That we are on top of the food chain and/or have lost that 24/7 drive to survive? Have we evolved enough to  have this need? All valid questions in my opinion and probably all have answers, but when we have arrived at that conclusion we will just squander it away in some celebration.

It is the season of celebrations, so be careful out there and enjoy!

Hollywood "Standard" Formula

My daughter watches the Disney shows (sit-coms) that revolve around family. Some of you may know the ones I am referring to; 'Dog with a Blog', 'Good Luck Charlie', 'Girl meets World', etc…

They all are based of the same formula/stereotypes. All of them require the following; three kids, sometimes more or less with a best friend extra that is always hanging around, but three is what is needed to for the basic formula in having a dumb one, a smart one and a weird one. This formula bleeds past the Disney gates and can be seen in many primetime sit-coms as well (see Home Improvement, Family Ties, Modern Family, Full House, etc.). Next you have to add in the mother figure, she has to have no cooking skills, complain about the cleanliness of an immaculate kept house, and always be dressed flawlessly in the latest greatest designs. I say mother figure because of the shows Full House and The Nanny. Are following me so far?

Now we come to the stereotype that bothers me the most….The Dad.

To be a sit-com dad, you have to be stupid, boring, and don't get enough sex. He will work a boring job like sales, handyman, or psychologist.  The wife is always much smarter than him, even in the Cosby Show this was done. He is clueless on how to do anything around the house or how to take care of kids, especially if left alone with them. And he needs a never ending supply of jokes about how he never gets enough sex.

As a father, I do not consider myself dense, I enjoy spending time with my kids and know how to take care of them, have fun with them, and can do work around the house.

By the way this formula can also be used in other sit-coms, think about the components and apply them to shows like Friends, (Example; Smart- Chandler and Monica, Dumb- Rachel and Joey, Weird- Ross and Pheobe), Seinfield, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, and Two and a Half Men.

As a bonus, you can toss in that quirky neighbor/relative as a source of peripheral entertainment. (See Bewitched, Simpsons, Everyone loves Raymond, and of course the shows I previously mentioned above and more)

Sorry if I have ruined the way you watch television, but at least you have something to think about and watch for.

Shakespeare was right….

Here's your Christmas Card

As the Holidays quickly approach, I thought of doing holiday cards and mailing them out, but when I took a moment to think about it, and all that had to be done, I decided to do it as part of my blog and then tag everyone on Facebook. Not only is it a time saving in trying to gather everyone's addresses, it is more economical, environmentally sound, and will allow me to get a card to more people. So here you go…

So now I suppose you are also expecting the traditional enclosed letter of everything that is going on and how life is just peachy keen. So without further ado…

Hello-

2014 has been...

• Yadda, yadda, yadda…..
• Blah, blah, blah…..and
• Nana nana boo boo.

Happy Chanukah Xmas Kwanzaa Year!!!

Seasons,

Herb

PS- I just figured out this is a great way to generate traffic for my blog, so be on the look out for my the year in review post.

Beware of Bananas

In addition to being phallic and causing hair growth over the entire body….

• Every banana you eat brings you nearer to death.
• Nearly all sick people have eaten bananas, obviously, the effects are cumulative.
• An estimated 99.9% of all people who die from cancer and heart disease have eaten bananas.
• 99.9% of people involved in car accidents ate bananas within 60 days of their accidents.
• 93.1% of juvenile delinquents come from homes where bananas are provided regularly.
• Banana eaters born between 1920 and 1950 have been noted to have wrinkled skin, brittle bones and failing eyesight.
• And lastly, among the people born in 1879 who later dined on bananas, there has been a 100% mortality rate.

Now don't get me started on cumquats…..

TV Network Idea

With increasing number of law enforcement shooting and killing unarmed citizens, there is a move to fit  police with body cameras. I support this for everyone's safety.

But the cost of outfitting and maintaining cameras for police will be costly and the 'tax hawks' will have none of this, so I propose that we have a TV network similar to the NFL Redzone. It would be on 24/7 and when a "situation" arises somewhere in the country, we get live look ins from the body cameras. Charging for subscriptions to view and ads in banners along the bottom as a way to generate revenue that could be used to offset the cost of the cameras.

Of course there would be commentators, maybe some retired cops to provide color, a former victim as an opposing view, maybe a lawyer or two to debate the legal action of all involved. Soon interactive voting by text/tweeting/up-voting will be added (current rates and charges apply of course).

This would be no different then the instagrams/tweets that deliver what is going on in the world today. Let me know what you think and if you want to help put together the proposal.

HBM Update 5- Special Movember Edition

As the month of Movember comes to a close, it is time for another HBM update. There was not a chance on the face of this earth that I was going to shave and start clean, but I did add a full beard over the growing season. The question now is, as the month come to an end, do I go back to just the badass 'stache, or do I keep the full face for the winter season? I could dye everything a deep mahogany and sport the look of Yukon Cornelius from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I even wear knit hats and the occasional ear muffs (I need to find a yellow pair).

The HBM did stay perfectly coifed the entire time and still receives plenty of feedback from it's fan club  (growing everyday with new members- inquire within for details) and total strangers. Was even told by some TV producers that it was perfect for television and that it might make a reality show (more on that, as we get closer to filming- Summer 2015).

Growing and maintaining the beard was easier, now that I have discovered beard oils. It is enjoyable treating it with oil (leaving it soft and supple), but then again who does not enjoy being rubbed down with oil, but that is a total different post and commentary.

I have also completed my second run of 'stache wax, this time with a nice subtle java scent. Nice smell to easily start your day and a little pick me up for those midday and afternoon wax touch ups for the well manicured look.

So help me out folks, does it stay or does it go? The beard that is, the 'stache is staying!

2015 HOF Ballot

The 2015 Baseball HOF ballot was released today.

The names on the ballot were no surprise, with 'headliners' being Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Delgado, and Nomar Garciaparra (among others). None of these guys are unanimous first ballot inductees.

Randy Johnson has great career numbers and had many dominant performances, and should have the 75% to get into the Hall. Maybe a few extra votes for picking a bird off with 97mph fastball and instilling fear in John Kruk. 5 Cy Young Awards.

Pedro Martinez, great career, but not phenomenal numbers. Still not sure who his daddy is, but should have the 75% to get in. Maybe he will let us know who his daddy is at the ceremony. Hope he brings the little guy that used to be in his entourage as one of his guests. 3 Cy Young Awards.

John Smoltz lived in the shadows of greats Greg Maddox and Tom Glavine, but was pivotal in the Braves organization and their dominance during that era. Although he maybe this years Mussina and be over looked.

Sheffield will be on the bottom due to his link with PEDs (see Sosa, Bonds, McGuire).

Delgado and Garciaparra are long shots. Not sure if they will even be considered down the road.

Past list member Craig Biggio may have the 75% to make the Hall this year as he narrowly missed last year. Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell will miss again this year.

My vote is for Edgar Martinez, not that I have one, but the man has the numbers, he is the man that set the standard for the DH position.

Dinner Conversation?

I took my daughter out for dinner, and two women at the table next to us were having an interesting conversation. While I am not one for eavesdropping on others, but they were loud enough that I had no other choice.

Their conversation was about breasts.

Yes, you read that right.

Now I am a fan of breasts (I would say big fan, but I like them in all sizes). One of the ladies had just recently had a mammogram -not sure which one- and they were talking about the possible outcomes of the test. This quickly spun off into other factoids about breasts and then conversations about breast size, sensitivity, nipple shape, getting larger during that certain time, bra comfort, you name it, they probably talked about it. The entire time I had to sit and appear as if I heard nothing. I could not even smirk and most definitely could not make eye contact or glance that way. Not sure if my daughter was listening or not, and if she did, she never gave any indication.

Now the women were probably in their mid 30s, nicely dressed, with a professional manner about them. I was impressed that they are aware of their health care needs and bodies. I guess I should be impressed that they are willing to openly talk about their bodies. Probably something as being a male, we should do, but do not.

Now I am not sure if this was the best dinner conversation to have in a public restaurant, and definitely not at the volume they were speaking. Also they should have been aware of those around them, especially a youth. May be the conversation was done for my benefit and I was just too clueless to know (I have always been a bit dense and slow around women). Should I have said something to them or made some indication that I could hear their conversation? Would they have been offended if I did say something? Would I have been embarrassed after saying something? It really was a Catch-22.

Shake my head….

I do not get the sports writers in today's world. I guess they have fallen into the same trap as the rest of the news media. They write and vote based on what will sell.

I do not understand, how Felix Hernandez did not win his second Cy Young. I hope he is right in that it will motivate him to pitch even better next year (not sure how he can elevate his game much more, but anyway). The funny thing when the MVP results came out, Hernandez placed higher then the pitcher that won the Cy Young this year.

While watching one of the sports pundit shows, one reporter stated that he chose Klubber over Hernandez based on salary, in that Hernandez made 23M and Klubber made 550K, so Klubber performance was better because he made less money. Really, I was not aware that salary was now a stat in baseball. I guess the game is evolving that way. For everyone's information, Hernandez makes that kind of money because he puts up Cy Young numbers every year, just not once.

Now lets talk about the rest of sports reporting, and where it has gone. You can not turn on a sports show with out hearing about which NFLer has broken the law and has been suspended. Sad really, and there may be a lot of causes (not excuses) for this. But where are the positive things coming out about players? Tamba Hali was born in Liberia (one of the Ebola ridden countries), and left the country when he was 10 to be educated here in the US, he learned football and has become an All-Pro. He recently donated a million dollars to expand medical centers in Liberia to help treat Ebola victims. His team the KC Chiefs and his team mates also made donations, yet no one has heard of it. I guess that is not news worthy.

Now I am a big Hope Solo fan, but she has gotten herself into a mess with charges of domestic abuse similar to some of the NFLers. But why hasn't she been suspended from her professional team and is still representing the US in international competition. Is she getting differential treatment because she is female? Is it fair?

Dear Ex-Pat,

(I have a couple of friends who have been relocated over seas for the last couple of years. This is an open letter advising them to stay over seas and not return to the US, unless they have some testicular fortitude.)

Due to the low informed voters, the dumbing down of America, and the expense paid by big money corporations, it is advised that you stay put out of country. The recent results of the mid-term elections have demonstrated that the people that call themselves 'patriots' are not really about what is good for their country. Sad when you think about it, there was a time when people cared and truly respected their fellow citizens.

If you return, you will be facing a so-called 'morality' of denying children an education based in math and science, proper nutrition, and a loving family. Add to that, the stripping of basic needs of healthcare, assistance, and the rights of choice for adults, the citizens of this country. This will be even difficult for those of a minority culture, believe in an alternative lifestyle, or practice an non-christian religion.

If you can handle that, you will face the destruction of our environment with the deregulation and dismantling of those charged with protecting the air we breathe, the water we rely on to drink and wash, and the soil we grow our food in. If you think you can survive that, you can now face the killing of Social Security and Medicare, snuffing out your future and placing the care of the elderly in jeopardy. Now find a job, while the 'job creators' receive massive tax breaks to out source those jobs overseas. If happen to have a job, you have to venture out on roads that need repair, bridges that are on the verge of collapse, and toil in buildings that are unhealthy.

So return to the 'American Dream', it is all of what you have been told and more. The check is in the mail, trust me.

MLB: Umpiring

We have just gotten through a post season and crowned a WS Champ. All without a major flub from the officiating crews.

No missed or blown calls, no weird rules adjudicated in the heat of competition. No clash of egos between managers and the boys in blue (black nowadays).

Jim Joyce- Great Mustache, Great Umpire

While I did not see all the games or innings played, I heard nothing of any controversy over a call or application of a rule. I guess it helps that the majority of the managers involved in this year's post season are not known for being assholes…well maybe Uncle Buck. So that may have eased the antics.

I believe that replay was not a huge factor in the post season, especially the final series. I think the first time it was used in this series was in game 7, on a close play at first. Was the umpire wrong? Nope, he called what he saw in an instant on the field of play. When reviewed, it took almost 3 minutes for a definitive decision to overturn the call, and then no complaints from anyone. (Still no sure that the booth  got it right, one of those flip a coin calls)

So is this a positive sign for baseball? Does this display that a game can be played at a high level without controversy? May be the off season will not be mired with rules changes, experiments in officiating, and baseball can move on, and the the game can played on the field.

HBM Update 4 Part II Volume 1 Subsection a

So I have decided to base my Halloween costume around my 'stache. After some research on the inter web, and an order from Amazon, I am going as an early explorer/safari/Boer War general. Pith helmut, monocle, and of course perfectly coifed mustache.

Stand by for further updates and photos....

It is back

Well my Mac is up and running again, now to piece all my stuff back together, find my copies of my applications, down load my recovered files, and see what is missing.

I still need to invest in some kind of back up, or two. May be a hard drive and a large thumb drive.  Any thoughts on this or suggestions?

Also trying to remember all the different log ins and passwords for various access to stuff, brain is not good for this...

Along with having to recreate the settings I like, the short cuts, the favorites, etc...

While my Mac was down, I had to use a PC system, that is not an easy thing to do. All the extra steps, the right clicks for some operations, the slower speeds of applications. Interesting world, the PCers live in. I will take Mac any day....

Ahhhhh technology

Well my computer crashed on me, must be the massive amount of blogging I do and the mass that follows me.

Good news, is that it should be up and running again soon, and that the hard drive was still under warranty. While it is apart also making some minor upgrades and replacements.

The bad news, I lost about 7-10 days of work and for some reason all my excel files did not back up to the cloud storage. Is there a special setting for excel and backing up files? Probably time to clean old files anyway, now I am forced to do it.

I guess I should invest into some kind of external storage and take advantage of Apple's Time Machine program. Also after this fix not sure how much life I have left on  5+ year old laptop anyway.

I should not rely on the cloud anyway, I don't want those photos getting distributed by some mad hackers.

HBM Update 4

It has been a while since I updated the HBM progress.

It continues and the care and grooming has become second nature. In fact on the rare days I wander around without grooming, I will catch sight of myself in the mirror and run to get it sculpted into perfection. Trimming has become a bit nerve wrecking, in the fear that I will slip or cut it uneven and have to start over.

People are starting to ask if it is real. The daring even ask to touch for proof of authenticity. Some so bold they will even give it a tug.  I have also started the growing a beard of the cold season (Winter is Coming- supposed to be a GOT reference or so I am told). This should be an interesting venture. Also getting a huge jump on the upcoming Movember.

Having discovered beard oil and conditioner, during this adventure, it has helped with the associated itching with facial hair growth. Still working on creating and maybe selling my own wax, and may now adding a beard oil.

Stay tuned for more HBM updates.

The Stupidity of Corporate America

So I drove through an industrial park or complex and was amazed at the number of buildings that were empty. About seven or eight total, but what really made me shake my head, was that three brand new buildings were being constructed for businesses moving into the complex.

What is wrong with retrofitting or using the buildings that already exist? This is just asinine and not good practice, both business wise and environmentally. It wasn't like these new building were different from the existing buildings. They were all your typical steel structure warehouse type.

I get that everyone has been conditioned to want something shiny and new. The current global economy and worldwide environmental state, I thought would leads us to better use of all resources, both economical and environmental. Seeing what I saw today, has proven me wrong.

It is just not this one industrial park, drive through any town, any city, and you will see empty buildings not being used and new construction for new business. I can understand that some businesses have a certain need or particular look to promote their commercial enterprise, but you have to think that at some point business schools are going to have to teach that reuse, reduce, refit, is more economical approach and this will lead to a more environmental friendly way of living.

I work part-time in a city and also see the number of empty store fronts, office space, that go years without use. I have been told that building owners will purposely keep the properties un-used for tax write off purposes as a business loss. May be it is time to change the tax structures and close the loopholes and start giving the tax breaks to property owners that get businesses into their buildings and refurbish spaces for use. And place higher tariffs on those that leave structures empty for years. How about moratoriums on new construction until all other properties in the area are being utilized?

Have you ever....

Have you ever had a time with your child when you just laugh over nothing?

I had one of those times with my daughter tonight. Not sure what started it, or what it was all about, but before we knew it we were laughing uncontrollably about nothing. It helps that she has an infectious laugh, and listening to it will just cause you to smile and break out into more laughter.

 I hope these times will continue until I am old and grey. I hope that I will remember them and it will always bring a smile to my face. She says she gets her funny from me and I have always been able to be silly with her. Sometimes to the point that it is annoying to other people, but who cares, it is not about them. It is about us, and that is all that matters to us.

What students may never experience today....

I have spent the last couple of weeks in a classroom and love the fact that Smartboards have become the norm, allowing great diversity in the presentation of lessons to students. Being able to switch from various media (video, internet, etc..), to writing notes and saving them for easy review and distribution. Interaction with students working at the board.

Of course the predecessor to the Smartboard and is still used a lot in classrooms is the white board. The white board took the place of the black/chalk board. The chalk board is just not found in classrooms anymore.

Because the black board is no longer in the classroom, today's student will not experience the chill of the squeak of chalk or someone clawing and dragging their nails across the slate. If anyone needs to be reminded of this sound, I found the following video, enjoy.

Retire #21

Roberto Clemente Walker

Pittsburg Pirates

Aug. 18th, 1934 - Dec. 31st, 1972

A friend put a thought into my head, and it truly got me thinking. The number 42 is retired and is not to be used in professional baseball. He asked about retiring the number of Roberto Clemente, #21.

He is right, Clemente's number should be retired from professional baseball. He is a Hall of Famer, that also broke racial barriers, like Jackie Robinson, being the first Latino inducted into the Hall of Fame. His career statistics are great, with a .317 batting average, 3,000 hits, 240 home runs, and 1,305 runs batted in, playing his entire career of 18 years with the same team, winning two World Series, a MVP, a World series MVP, 15 All-Star nods, 12 Golden Gloves, and 4 NL Batting titles. Clemente's career was cut short and these numbers would probably have been much larger, along with the awards.

I know that everyone has been hagiographic over Jeter and how he has earned so much respect, but Clemente laid a lot of the foundation and set the example for players like Jeter. Clemente's off the field life is what makes him much more respectable then Jeter could ever be. Clement played the game right, both on the field and off, early in his career, Clemente even spent his off season in the military as a Marine Reservist, and of course his charity work.

Clemente's philanthropy and his work established the Roberto Clemente Award, which is awarded to a player each each with great skill and involved in community work, this award has been given out since 1973 (back dated to 1971). A wide range of players have been awarded this prestigious honor, from Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Cal Ripken Jr., Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn, to David Ortiz and Clayton Kershaw. Even Derek Jeter was honored in 2009.

I support the movement to honor one of the greatest individuals to play the sport of baseball by retiring his number 21. So I have included the link www.retire21.org Go to the website and sign the petition to move this forward.

American League MVP

As the season wraps up today, many will start to think about year end awards. One of those awards being the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. I think that Mike Trout of the Angels will most likely get it, but is he the most valuable player in the league?

I say, with jaundiced eye, that Robinson Cano is the MVP for the American League. Cano left New York and headed to the Northwest to take a team that was 71-91 (.482 winning percentage) in 2013 to  86-75 (.534) in 2014, with one game left and a possible playoff spot. Seattle didn't change much else with the exception of bringing in the second baseman, and have gained a 15 game  (and counting) swing in the team record column. That has added a lot of value and should be recognized.

I understand that Mike Trout had another outstanding season, with a .288 batting average (BA), 35 home runs (HR), 111 runs batted in (RBI), and 115 runs scored (RS), which are outstanding numbers. A field percentage of .992 with three errors

Cano has .316 BA, 14 HR, 82 RBI, and 77 RS. He has a fielding percentage of .987 and 9 errors.

Looking at the numbers, it is easy to pick Trout.

Of course we could give it Derek Jeter, as he has never won a MVP for the league, after all he is batting .256, with 4 HR, 49 RBI, and 47 RS,  a .973 fielding percentage and 11 errors, it would make a excellent farewell gift for him.

Derek Jeter

So this is Derek Jeter's last weekend of professional baseball as a player. He may be back as a manager, coach, or commentator, but he is ending his career as a professional player. Very sad, especially for NYY fans. Of course we will get to hear the Yankee fans regale us with the many Jeter tales of glory days gone by, which is typical, as they can never shut up about the "tradition."

I had a Yankee fan state the other day that #2 of the Yankees was the most respected player of all time, he quickly corrected himself, and restated he was the most respected player of the last 20 years. Really? Someone needs to take off their Yankee tinted glasses and look around baseball.

Did Jeter play the game right? Yes, he was a class act surrounded by Yankees. Was he fun to watch? Yes, again. He did a lot of things that should be done more often in professional sports like, spending entire career with one team, playing for the love of the game, being an ambassador of the game. But we as fans of the game, can all probably come up with a long list of players that have similar qualities.

I believe that part of Jeter's idolization and placement upon a pedestal is where he played. So let's play the "what if" game.

• What if Jeter played his entire career with another team? Maybe a small market team like the KC Royals? 
• Would he be the same player?
• Would he have even stayed with the team his entire career?
• Would he have had the same career stats?
• Would he have had the same All-Star appearances? The championships? The ladies?

Did Jeter make the Yankees? Or did the Yankees make Jeter? The Yankees had a lot of success with Jeter and he helped in that success, there is no denying that. But he was not a one man show playing on Broadway.

Now let us all take off those Yankee tinted glasses and look at who I think are some of the most respected players in the last 20 years of baseball, and you can develop your own ranking. These are mine in no particular order...well I am going to list my leading candidate first. Ken Griffey, Jr., and then the rest, Greg Maddox, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Tony Gwynn, Paul Molitor, Edgar Martinez, Kirby Puckett, and Bernie Williams. Lets look at just shortstops that played during this time, with Cal Ripken, Ozzie Smith, and Omar Vizquel. And then there is Jeter's other teammate, Mariano Rivera.

So there you have it, respect, but not the most respected in the last 20 years. Is he on the list? Sure why not. Is he #1or #2? (Yes, I know he wears #2) Probably not.

[See, I did not even bring up the fact, that I think he did steroids, and the evidence that his late career injuries are indicative of athletes that have used steroids and growth hormones, and just happened to occur after his teammate was outed for use. Nope I am not going there.]

Good v. Evil

Watching the news lately and reading many friends' FaceBook post, I see the start of the political/religious attacks on Muslims, Christmas (or christians), and nonbelievers. I happen to partially fall into the last group, not that I am a nonbeliever (I believe in many things- see Crash Davis speech in Bull Durham), and being a man of science and because of my teachings, I have yet to see, read, or hear any credible proof of a higher order being outside of natural world. I do understand that there is an energy force that runs through everything and if people simply need to place a name on it, they can call it god, allah, buddha, zeus, odin or whatever.

So here are the question themes that are asked and implied in everyone's day to day lately.

Are Christians better than Muslims or Jews, or any combination of this equation? Are Muslims and/or Christians evil? Do nonbelievers have no ethics or moral base? If you pay attention to any of the talking heads on the heavily biased "news" shows, you can answer yes to any and all of these questions.

So are there good Christians? Yes. Probably a lot of people I know personally, who follow a christian based church and lead a mundane non threatening life and give to charity and do what they can to not harm others could be considered good Christians. I also know Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and others, including nonbelievers that live that same maudlin lifestyle and are very good people. A lot of Christian individuals have done some recognizable good work, like Martin Luther King Jr., Bishop Tutu, the current Pope, Bono, just to name a few. There is also a list of Muslims that have done good work in the world, I know most live a sheltered existence here in the US and believe that all Muslims are secret Jihadists living amongst us in sleeper cells, but that is just stupid to think and believe that. Malala Yousafzai, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Ahmed Zewail as a some that have displayed positive doings. Nonbelievers that have accomplished good ethical deeds, Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, Clarence Darrow, David Suzuki, Douglas Adams, Katherine Hepburn, Brad Pitt, and Bob Geldof come to mind for me.

So now are there evil Christians? Yes. Many that claim they are religious, but demean others for being of a different race, culture, or have different sexual preferences. One of the biggest offenders in christianity is the Westboro Church. The history of "the church" with the inquisition, Jim Jones, Marshall Applewhite, Pat Robertson, Davis Koresh, all committed evil in the name of christianity. The same could be said for Muslims, with Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, ISIL leaders, etc... I am sure nonbelievers that have committed sinister acts. While naming famous nonbelievers is a bit more difficult and I can only come up with one and that being Garvilo Princip. I am sure many will try and tie some despots on to this list like Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh, Hitler, and/or Milosevic, but they would be wrong as all of these people have had been members of a religious sect.

As some one who is skeptical, does it bother me when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings or whatever? Absolutely not. Am I offended when I sneeze and someone say god bless you? Nope. It is not worth getting twisted about it. Do I offer similar salutations to others? Yes. Do I worry about offending them? No. My gesture is simply being cordial and polite. Once again, not worth getting twisted in a knot about.

So as we approach the high holidays and the winding down of the year, relax and enjoy life and sweat the little things and turn off the media and don't believe the hype.

Sometimes it is boring...

I spent a fair amount of time working with children of all ages, but most time with middle schoolers lately. I have been with one system for three years and the students know me well, I have very little issues of any kind in the classrooms. This makes the work easy and even boring sometimes.

Today was one of those days. I was working with a couple of groups of very high functioning students, I handed out the assignment and they worked diligently for double blocks (120 minutes). They needed no help from me, and there was no discipline issues or off-task students, and early finishers sat and read quietly. This makes for a looonnnggg boring day for me. Of course it didn't help that I forgot my glasses, making my own quiet reading difficult. So time seemed to ooze by slowly, what seemed like an hour was actually only four minutes. I did get to help a few with a couple of "hard" words like stenographic, verbatim, and pedagogical.

The good news is, I get to do it all over again on Monday with the same group, I hope I remember my glasses and a good book.

The NFL

It seems that everyone has an opinion with what seems to be an epidemic with players in pro sports, particularly the National Football League. So here is my two cents worth...

Players are being arrested for domestic violence, child abuse, and/or drug and alcohol violations, yet if you murder someone, that is OK. Ray Rice-suspended for spousal abuse, Adrian Peterson- suspended, then not suspended, for whipping a child with a stick, 31 players in 2014 so far for drug/alcohol violations including Wes Welker and Josh Gordon (league standouts). Yet Aaron Hernandez can gun down several people and sit waiting for trial and not be suspended from the NFL. If all charges were dropped against Hernandez today, he could be playing next weekend. Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend and then turned the gun on himself, I guess saving the NFL from levying sanctions against him (if any).

Lesson and message is...it is ok to kill, just don't abuse.

Now I am against domestic violence, really against child abuse, and think there should be consequences for some drug and alcohol violations. I am also against murder. But should the NFL have its own court and laws for this? Is this not double jeopardy? Are these players being tried and punished twice for the same crime? Shouldn't the NFL wait until courts make a decision before placing their own judgement on the players?

Michael Vick is a good example. He was arrested for abusing animals and did time and paid his debt to society. Many do not like the fact that afterwards he was allowed to return to the league. But as with any criminal, he met his punishment and was deemed rehabilitated, so he should be allowed to return to society as a member. Now once again I do not like what Vick did, and I am against it, but understand that he served his penance, so should be allowed to work, his job and career just happened to be professional football.

Remember that this is the same organization that has ignored head injuries and establishing any kind of protocol for dealing with the long term effects of concussions. This past year they finally passed a poor program offering just financial compensation for former players that have had documented head injuries. May be they need to start looking and supporting research how head injuries effect the cognitive function of players current playing the game and decision making.

Mental illness, both psychological and physically caused, are some of the most under studied and non-addressed health issues facing our society. We witness the mass shootings, the road rage, the suicides, and more, yet we still are afraid to talk about it. We will engage in our own inane way the "Ice Bucket Challenges" to try and cure a genetic disease that affects a very small amount of people, but do nothing about something that is much more treatable and much more widespread. Warped values in my eyes.

Books I Want to Write, but......

...I don't have the discipline, the completed plot, and/or the skills.

I have always thought I wanted to write a book. The problem with this, is I don't know where to start, how to start, how to end, and most importantly, have all that goes into the middle. I have several friends that have written or are writing books. I am so envious of their endeavor(s). I have trouble coming up with enough to write several paragraphs for a blog that no one follows, so I can't imagine coming up with enough to fill a book that no one would read. Book tour would at least be short as no one would show up.

I have ideas on the theme or story line for several books. Some based on the style of my writing influences (except I don't live that la vita loca) and others based on my beliefs or view of what I think the world should be like. A political thriller, if it must be placed into a genre. I would share the simplistic plot, but I don't want someone else taking it and constructing a master piece.

I am one who does not write with a lot of detail, going verbose and consuming page after page of  painstakingly oriented, minute, in depth descriptions of the setting, characters, or situations. I am much too direct. It sets me up to be more of a technical writer. So maybe a manual or a how-to book...the only problem with that is I am not sure if I know enough about any one thing to write a complete book. So maybe pamphlet writing.....

An autobiography maybe, but that would be pretty boring. A brief paper on fifty years of failings and oh so close....it would turn into a how-not-to book.

A book filled with romance...not really the romantic type, probably would be more of Rom-com in a very dark, very cynical satirical voice. Would make anything by Woody Allen look bright and cheery.

Syfy- once again, my technical knowledge is just enough to get in the way of writing anything of fantasy and vision. I would be stuck in the reality of known scientific theory and could not break the rules like most that is out there today. I would name some that do this, but don't want to burst any one's space bubble.

Fantasy- see above comment about details, setting, characters, and situations.

I would also feel sorry for the editor and proofreaders that had to suffer through my mutterings on the pages, along with trying to find continuity in the storyline. Not enough Advil in the world for them.

Reading.

Reading is an import part of society, and being a part of society. If you can read you can succeed (may be should be part of an ad campaign).

Many people read for pleasure, to entertain themselves, they will read maybe a Stephen King book, or something by JD Robb, or JK Rowling. Oh and that Grey Shades book.... Me, I read Hiaason, Twain, and Thompson, my writing inspirations, also James Rollins, David Morell, and Tom Clancy. All for pleasure, but not very often and probably not enough.

Most of the time I read for information, something to answer a question, a need, or a curiosity. The books can range from cookbooks, manuals or how-to, rule books, to politics and economics, and everything in between. I am one of those people that reads the car manual cover to cover. I have a thirst for knowledge. I like to do my research. I want to have a basis to grow my opinions, and I have a lot of opinions. I like Daniel Yergin,  Chris Mooney, or Matt Taibbi in this department. I also read sports pages to keep current with what is going in that realm.

Having a young reader in the house, it is always good to set an example of being a reader. Both my children have seen their parents read a lot, the older one is a ferocious reader and reads for pleasure. The younger one reads, but is more like me and wants to read for information, and needs to be prodded to read for pleasure. But she still reads which is important.

Reading will also benefit you for advancing in your job, keeping up with changes, trends, and innovations within your industry. Nothing more impressive then knowing what is going on and being current. Also being willing to research and read will maintain a healthy career.

Well thanks for reading this, and feel free to post below, what you enjoy reading and why.

Telephobia

Telephobia is the reluctance or fear of making or taking telephone calls, literally, "fear of the telephone". Telephone phobia is also considered to be a type of social phobia or social anxiety problem. Is it an offshoot of glossophobia (fear of public speaking)?

I bring this up, because there are many in my family who have varying degrees of this (Is there a spectrum?), especially when it comes to making phone calls. They simple will not make or return phone calls. Some will also sit and watch (or listen) to the phone ring and make no attempt to answer it.

This may be because of where technology has taken us, with texting, tweeting, etc., and with the invent of caller ID (some of us just choose to ignore the incoming call when we see who it is). It may also be complicated with the over use of robocalls and getting stuck in the never ending automated answering gauntlets prevalent in today's business world.

This phobia gets in the way of scheduling events, or appointments, returning phone calls and following up on what is needed. This leads to a denying, not receiving, and/or getting important useful services.

I know people that have cellphone break downs of their usages, and it will have 6 or 7 minutes of talk time and 5,000-6,000 texts per month. For a society that has become collectively obsessed with our cellphones and social media, this is just weird in my opinion. Yet there are those that join social media sites and then fret over their privacy settings, just a different kind of social anxiety I guess.

If you have any questions call me.

My one fear...what me, worry?

My last post was about my surgery for kidney stones (see My Surgery: By the Numbers), while considered "major" and invasive, I was not worried about all the complications and possible outcomes. I just needed to stay positive. I trusted the people involved at all levels. Also I am not one to panic in situations that I have no control over and cause most other people stress. Not my monkeys, not my circus.

But I did have one small concern going through this procedure. The protection, care and upkeep of the HBM. I have developed a liking for my facial hair and take pride in being able to grow and groom a well coifed lip cover. Every where I go, I receive complements for my 'stache. It is nice to get kudos on my looks, something I have not gotten much in my life.

My fret was that at some point during the operation they would need to shave it off. I would wake up with a clean upper lip and have to start over. I know it is facial hair and like most it hair grows back. Over the last 8+ months I have nurtured the 'stache and developed it nicely, having to start over at this point would be disheartening, at least to me.

The HBM survived as did I, and things are returning to normal, whatever that is?

My Surgery: By the Numbers

So the following is a breakdown of my kidney stone removal surgery by the numbers (not prices) as best as I can remember (was there the entire time, but not awake for all of it)...

Doctors (10)

• 1 Referring Urologist
• 3 Urology Specialists (all surgeons) -1 consulting, 2 in operating room (1- regular attending/professor, 1 5y in program).
• 1 Primary Care
• 2 Anesthesiologists (1 attending/professor, 1 2y student)
• 1 Cardiologist (see note below)
• 1 Hospitalist
• 1 Intern (4y in program)

Nurses (13)

• 1 Office Visit Nurse
• 2 Pre-op Nurses 
• 2 OR Nurses
• 3 Post-op Nurses (see note below)
• 3 Floor Nurses (my night shift nurse was outstanding, even remembered me from my baseball officiating days)
• 2 Nursing Assistants

Other Medical Personal (8)

• 4 Phlebotomists (1- lab, 1- Pre-op, 1 Recovery (see note below), 1- on floor)
• 2 CAT Scan Techs
• 1 OR Tech
• 1 Pharmacist

Drugs (7)

• General Anesthesia
• 8 bags of saline solution
• 7 doses of Fentanyl (people this is the stuff, it is a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more powerful then morphine, works in seconds when pushed through an IV)
• Oxycodone
• Lopressor
• Laxative
• Lexvaquin

Equipment

• Robotic Surgery Unit (with Nephroscope, dilators, laser, camera and suction attachments)
• Cat Scan
• Fluoroscope
• Foley Catheter
• Nephrostomy Tube
• Lymphadema pump

Miscellaneous

• 3 different beds
• 3 lousy meals
• 5 hospital gowns ( I liked the one with the built in heating ducts)
• 4 linen changes
• numerous dressing change

Cause

• 1- 2.6cm by 1cm kidney stone

(NOTE: About the cardiologist, extra post op nurse and phlebotomist...while in recovery I was asked how I was doing, I said pain was minimal, but stated that I had a tightness in my chest, within minutes I felt like an episode of some medical drama on TV. I had an EKG attached, blood drawn, oxygen attached, and a statin administered. Turns out to have been muscle soreness from spending 4 hours face down on the operating table strapped to hard rubber supports for the surgery. My heart is still good and strong.)

Baseball Sucks Now

I have spent some time watching professional baseball and have come to the conclusion that the administrators of the game have made it SUCK. Teams can now have umpires calls checked and have the home office review video and uphold or overturn the call made on the field.

After umpiring the game for 20+ years at many levels, I can say that umpires get few calls wrong, and what I have seen with this review process supports my opinion (as most calls are not over turned and the arbiter had it right). Hopefully they will see this and get rid of this stupid allowance and return the game to the players and officials involved in the contest. This needs to be quickly before this trickles down to youth sports and parents are coming out of the stands with their cell phones with different angles of the play and pleading for Johnny or Missy to have the call reversed in their favor.

Sports are a peoples' game, that should have many aspects of human error built into it. Whether it is the players making the mistake, the coach or manager's bad decision, or an official missing a call, it is all part of the game. Allowing any and everyone to dictate the calling of the game makes the contest inane. This is not a court of law, with people pleading their viewpoint.

The thing that has destroyed most professional sports has been instant reply, slo-mo,  reverse angle, and jumbotrons in every stadium. Before the dust has even settled and the official has finished his call, it is replayed for all to see. Whatever happened to the game being played out on the field? Now it is played through video tape in a control room, and decided by those not even on the plane of play.

Police, Militarization, and Citizens

Over the last week or so, I have witnessed from my friends and contacts on Facebook and news on the television, voice concerns over police brutality, the so-called police state, and the responsibilities of citizens in America. The following is an opinion piece of my views, thoughts and feelings about all of this.

Law enforcement today is a thankless job. For some reason society has become disenchanted with the men and women behind the badge. I am not sure why this has come about, it may be a number of causes. It may be television and the media with the way police are portrayed in the news and that every talking head no longer reports the facts, but has to opine about the situation. It is shows like 'Cops" which displayed people breaking the law and being belligerent during their interaction with authorities, because it is boring just watching people cooperate, so they edited that out and showed more "exciting" arrests.
Also since policing has become a thankless job, I believe many great qualified people with the right temperament are not entering into service. Who wants to put their life on the line in today's world. Instead we are getting people that have illusions of who-knows-what and not being throughly vetted (background checks, psychological, training, performance reviews, etc...), becoming law enforcement agents, and then gunning down, use of force, and not earning the respect behind the badge.
Many are referring back to the good old days of 'Barney Fife", and why aren't today's police departments (PDs) like that anymore? Just look at the world around you, we can not even pass decent gun control legislation, and that we as private citizens want to stock pile weapons in our homes, along with loads of ammunition. Poor Officer Fife does not stand a chance against that type of unchecked citizenry. Which leads into the next part of this...

Many are paranoid that the PDs of today are becoming too militarized and the good old U S of A is becoming a police state. But is it any different from the times of Kent State, the Race Riots of the South, or the Watts Riots in our history? Not really, we just have short memories and as we are removed by time from these incidents we become numb to what happened.
The 1033 (formerly 1208) programs are providing equipment from the invasions of other countries, to local Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). Every one thinks this is a looting of the armories of the military, but a quick search will tell you that it is much more regulated then that. Before anyone is handed a new vehicle for SWAT use, the LEAs must go through the proper training to use the equipment. And the 1033 and Homeland Security programs give monies to maintain the equipment, easing local budgets. BTW, you have to remember that the 1033 program was created in the early 1990s as the first invasion of Iraq ended and is not a new program.
All this equipment is not used for "evil" by the departments, anyone remember Superstorm Sandy, these tactical vehicles were used to rescue people stranded during that emergency. I don't remember people bitching about it then. Everyone got nervous when Boston was shut down and a man hunt was conducted, people complained of marshal law, but I personally liked that the authorities conducted what they had to, to keep everyone safe as possible. Yes it was an inconvenience, but it was necessary.

The citizens of the US have all become little street lawyers and think they know their rights and think that their rights are given no matter what. Because of this they think they are empowered to question any and every thing. That as soon as they are approached by authorities, their rights kick in automatically, and they have no need what so ever to cooperate in any manner because it says so in the constitution. This leads to a lot unsavory confrontation on many levels.
I have been stopped on a number of occasions, even retained until things got sorted out. Never panicked that my rights were being violated or infringed, knowing with confidence that it will get corrected in the end.
I am not sure what it is like to be a person of color or a minority and be profiled, born with the white privilege (I didn't ask for it). I still see the underlying prejudice that exists in society, even when everyone talks a strong game of tolerance, we are still not a very tolerant country. Racism, sexism, agism, and classism are very much the norm. Not sure what drives this, our beliefs (religious and political), our upbringing, our experiences, whatever...some how we need to break it and get over it. Probably won't happen in my life time, but one can hope.

Cranial Dribble

                           <Abstract random thoughts>

A lot of things have been bouncing around in my skull, but not enough to really construct a full post, so the following is a compilation of what has been on the mind and going on in the world around me. Excuse the brevity...

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge-
Interesting viral campaign that has raised money and I guess some awareness about ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's Disease. I will not get into my opinion on the semantics of the endeavor, but I think everyone that has participated in it has been having fun. People have even been following up and actually submitting their donations, so the ALS Association which has seen a rise from $22k last year during this quarter to over an estimated $1.5M this year. That is awesome....but now what? Is there a mechanism in place to coordinate and distribute these monies for research and/or care for individuals with ALS? How much of that money will be eaten up in administration costs?

Ferguson, MO.-
I personally saw something like this coming from a long way off. This could have happened anywhere, but it was bound to happen. We have all been taught to tolerate each other and we all talk a great game, but how many actually put into practice what we have been taught? And we have so bastardized the word tolerance so bad, it holds little meaning for anyone anymore. I always thought tolerance was about how much you were willing to put up with before you were not going to take anymore. What every happened to acceptance and understanding?

Technology-
Question for the IT advanced and the nomenclature people; what is up with tablets coming with fold away or attachable keyboards? I thought the whole point of the tablet was to do away with the keyboard. If your want a keyboard, get a laptop. And why do we call them laptops? Most of us now use them at a desk, so why are they not called desktops? And the ones that are call desktops, are hidden away under the desk to allow more space on the desk. Please explain....

Friendship and getting older-
I had the chance to spent some time with an 'old' friend the other afternoon, and catch up on our lives. We talked about our kids, relationships, what is going on in the world, but the topic that came up that was the most interesting to me, was about getting older and our thoughts on aging. We conversed about our failing bodies (both of us played sports and had no respect for the vessel in our younger days and it is now catching up to us) and how it is getting tougher to keep in shape and stay active and that our lifestyles get in the way (along with being lazy). The interesting part is that we both agreed that we did not feel our age mentally, and believe we are much younger in thought process, and then realized we are not familiar with the thought process of people our age so we may not be thinking like a younger person, or are we? Totally confused...maybe this is a sign that the mind is also starting to go...

Enough drippings for now....

Lipstick

I have never been enthusiastic about women that wear lipstick (especially a lot), I guess kissing something greasy is not a turn on for me and that I like a more natural look and feel. Then I saw the meme above and it got me thinking....

Everyone today is all gluten-free-range-organic-not tested on animals-all-natural-no chemical based in their lifestyle or at least they try or pretend to be. So I looked up what is in lipstick (not all), but some and most have some really interesting ingredients and components that go into them.

So lets take a look into what is found in lipsticks, like I said some but not all....

The ingredients of lipstick has to be approved by the FDA, but the amounts and mixtures do not. FDA requirements are a lot looser then most people think, but that is a whole other blog post.

Most lipsticks are wax based and use three different waxes, bees, candelilla, and carnauba (the same stuff we wax our cars with). The wax, by the way, is to hold its shape. Oils are the next ingredients, oils provide some of the shine. Castor, vegetable, mineral oil, and lanolin are the most common oils used. The wax and oils make up 60% of the lipstick.

Now the other stuff involved, pigments and dyes, fragrances, preservatives, and pearl essences. 

Pigments and dyes provide the color of the lipstick. These can range from bismuth oxychloride, manganese violet, titanium dioxide, D&C Red No. 6, D&C Red No. 21, D&C Orange No. 17, to D&C Red No. 34. Fragrances contain alcohol and are used to mask the smell of the other ingredients and as a solvent for the wax and oils. Preservatives and/or antioxidants are added to keep it from going rancid. 

Pearl essence is not made from pearls like the name would suggest. It is actually the scales of herring or other really shiny fish. They have also been known to use silica and mica, also known as rocks.

Other ingredients that are showing up in lipstick are jojoba oil, chamomile oil, Shea butter, along with pigments like turmeric and beetroot extracts, see there is some good stuff in there.

If the above didn't raise questions lets get into the good stuff that is still approved by the FDA to be in lipstick. 

• Lead: some contain small amounts of lead (there is a limit, but it is still allowed).
• Coal tar derived coloring:  a number of red dyes are made from coal tar.
• Carmine: color made by boiling cochineal scale insect, yes, bugs.
• Lake colors: pigments that are made from aluminum, barium, potassium, and strontium.

So there you have it, Bon Appetite!

Robin Williams

As I scrolled through FaceBook this past week, I have seen everyone (including myself) pay tribute to Robin Williams. By posting quotes from him, about him, and even some negative stuff from the right wing. We lost one of kind, but I am grateful for what he has given and left everyone.

I have seen people talk about their favorite movies featuring Mr. Williams; World According to Garp, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Awakenings, Dead Poet's Society,Good Morning, Vietnam, Good Will Hunting, or Jumanji were some of the more mentioned ones. I have taken the week to think about my favorites from him and have come to a couple that I think are his best in my opinion, and suggest that people take the time to re-watch (or watch).

The first film is 'The Fisher King' (short clip above). I have always liked this movie, it just resonates with me don't ask me why. Maybe because it was directed by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame and involves an Arthurian theme, and Williams won the Golden Globe for Best actor for his role in this film. This film ask garnered many awards at the Oscars that year.

The second film is 'FernGully', an animated feature (see below), in which Mr. Williams did the voice of Batty Koda, an escaped lab animal (bat), with many diatribes on the stupidity of man and what they are doing to the earth we live on. I know why I like this one.

A Milestone?

So I have reached a milestone, or at least to me....

I have 45 posts, over a 1000 views, viewers from 9 different countries, and to celebrate I updated my page template.

Enjoy!

The Comb-over

So in conversation the other day, a comb over came into topic, and it was about a very bad comb over. We are talking obvious, so much more than Donald Trump obvious, we are talking old school comb over.

Come on fellas, it is the 21st century, most people today just give up and shave as the bald look is accepted. But this guy was a doctor, so looks and presentation are part of his public life. He was sporting a few strands stretched across the crown with plenty of open space between. He is in the medical industry, he has to have connections for a transplant or  hair plugs. Or accept the fact that some people go bald, it is genetics.

Now I don't have this issue, I have a full head of hair, there is not even gray showing, let alone any male pattern baldness. They tell me you get your hair DNA from your mother's father, well my grandfather on my mother's side passed at the age of 89 with a full head of hair, and did not start to gray until his mid 70s.

I have never liked getting my haircut, even as a kid, I hated it. I have had my hair in different styles and lengths, short, shaved for the military, long <past my shoulders>, a mullet- it was the sign of the times, permed- don't judge it was an 80s trend, and everything in between. I personally wish I would go bald, the cost savings on shampoo (and now product) and haircuts would be appreciated. Although I am not one that wears sun screen, but I am a fan of hats, so I am covered. 

But a comb-over?

Lunacy Part II?

Last month when the super moon rolled by in the heavens we experienced an up tick in craziness around the world. We had the SCOTUS making idiotic decisions, the House suing the President, Ukraine shooting a plane down,  and the Israelis were just starting the assault in the Gaza Strip.

Well the moon is full (and super) and once again the craziness is back (or may be it never left us). The POTUS has decided to start bombing in Iraq, cops are shooting unarmed children in the streets, and everyone is obsessed with dumping ice water over there heads and challenging others to join in this bizarre ritual of merriment in hopes of raising awareness (and money) for Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS for the younger generation). All while we have drought in California and people are being denied access to water in Detroit.

Other lunacy continues with the legislature taking a 5 week vacation after getting nothing done for the past 4 years, the apartheid and genocide continues in the Gaza Strip.

But here is the real madness of the day after the super moon, a true genius and legend in his field, took his own life. I have to assume it was depression and/or mental illness. As much as we care for one another and promise that we will give to charities for buckets of ice water, we still have not done anything for the people that are mentally ill in this country or the world for that matter. We still are more concerned with gun rights, religious rights, and paying less taxes, then we are for caring for each other.

Mr. Robin Williams, you checked out too early, you didn't finish the game, but you gave so much and we will always be thankful for that.