JUST SOME POSTS

You guys all know (I think) that I was on the Atkins diet a ways back. The Atkins people are big supporters of the Sucralose / Splenda sweetener . This sweetener is now in a LOT of food and drink. I used quite a bit of it, and we still have it in the house and I use it occasionally. However, those of you that see me regularly also know I do NOT use it for most of my sweetener needs. I did some research on it and was convinced it was not good for humans, especially in any quantities. I came across this today. It is a study from Duke University that shows that the sweetener is NOT healthy. You folks that know me also know that I have strong feelings about health, supplements and foods. I will not be using Splenda any longer at all, when given a choice (it is in so much of the diet foods and drinks, I do not know if I can avoid it totally). I would advise you to do the same. As for what you should be using, who knows. It may be that in small amounts sugar (cane, not fructose or co...

I have been told that I have offended some with my last post. I am glad there were people to offend. That being said, I thought a bit of follow up and explanation was in order. First, I do not think being a democrat makes you inherently any worse or any better than being a republican or an independent (of which I am one). In fact, the current republicans are not much (if any) better in practice than the democrats. Given the history of control (see the last post for details) where the democrats have controlled Congress for the vast majority of the post WWII era, I do feel the democrats and their core beliefs to be flawed greatly. Some current commentary - see this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs The democrats are going on and on about how the George Bush policies of deregulation caused the financial mess we are in. - B.S. The problem has been of "half ways". The financial sector (like the airline and transportation sectors, and others) have never been...

So much to say, so much to comment on, WOW! Here we go... A few weeks ago John McCain was made a laughing stock by most of the media for saying the fundamentals of the U.S. economy were strong. The ridicule dished out was so great that he wimped out and started explaining that he meant something different than what was reported. (some stuff about how he was commenting on the American worker and population). The whole problem I have with this scenario is - HE WAS RIGHT! The fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong. We still have an economy that is the envy of the world. Are there problems now, yes. Are the fundamentals (American Heritage dictionary says fundamentals are - 1) Of or relating to the foundation or base; elementary : the fundamental laws of the universe. 2) Forming or serving as an essential component of a system or structure; central: an example that was fundamental to the argument. So, our fundamentals are: Freedom, democracy, free markets, equality, etc. All sti...

We, the U.S. of A. seem to be rapidly heading towards socialism. Our efficient, well-managed, totally ethical government in one week has taken majority ownership of the world's largest insurance conglomerate and the two largest mortgage lenders. We have added billions upon billions of potential debt, and no small measure of real current debt to our burden as taxpayers. Although I understand the reasoning behind all three moves, at a base level I abhor them. Free enterprise involves both reward and loss. It appears now that there is expected to be only reward in any investment. Risk is inherent in all speculation. In a free market (or as free as we historically have ever been) the potential reward was scaled in relationship to the degree of risk. Low return equalled low risk - think U.S. Savings Bonds or a passbook savings account. High return equalled high risk - think "junk bonds" or a venture capitalist providing start up dollars for an inventor. Mortgages have t...

I have always known we are on the verge of anarchy and chaos. Just go to a grocery store in N.C.(or most other southern states) when the first snowflake is forecast. Bread is treated like true manna from heaven and milk is like liquid gold. People will fight to the death over a half-gallon. Don't even get me started on toilet paper - you would think it was made with $10 bills..("isn't Jackson snuggly soft today?") Chicken Little would be proud. Friday, with Hurricane Ike pounding the coast of Texas/Louisiana; someone, somewhere said - "gas will be going up!?!" The rallying cry started - "Gas will be going up $1 at noon" - "Gas will be $10 by Saturday" - "Aliens are probing our *SS" (sorry, I lost it a minute - that one is ALWAYS out there). I was told by many people Friday morning that they heard from someone that heard from someone that ate a bagel next to the CEO of Exxon that gas was going to go up $5 by dinner-time that ve...

I did not realize how long it had been since the last post - apologies. I forgot one got "eaten" by the internet one night in a hotel. I thought some more memories might be in order - "Give ya a quarter for a peek at those." Man if I had a dime for every time I heard that one. Another memorable summer was the one I spent with my Uncle Pierce. He was a strange little man that was quite disagreeable. Of course some of that angst may have been from his job. Pierce was a chicken sexer . (yes, even in the age of computers, that is a real job - look it up) Pierce spent his eight working hours looking at chicken butts. Through some magic of prodding and observance he could tell if the chick was Al or Alice. This "talent" was of no use in the real world and made Uncle Pierce a bit mean and cranky most of the time. (he also had a bad habit of taking babies and looking in their diapers - hey, thinking back on that - he was weird !) Not much happened that summer...

WARNING - this is PG-13 or so. Spidey LIVES! Imagine my surprise when I went out to face Spiderman's killer tonight and saw - Spiderman in his web! And, guess who was in the web with him (or I guess now I might have to say - her) the other spider! It appears now what I was witnessing when I saw Spidey being killed was...... Spider Sex! Spiderman (or Spiderwoman - although that does not have the same ring to it) was just setting up house with a suitor. Hey, I didn't even know Spidey was seeing anyone! The large guy/girl was eating the grasshopper while Spidey held down the fort in the cocoon/cave are I was discribing earlier. I wonder who the kids will look like... I guess I need to watch more Discovery Channel or National Geographic.