Friday, April 17

Cairo American College

From 1962 through 1966 I attended Cairo American College, in Maadi, Cairo, Egypt because my
father worked for the American Embassy.  The school housed grades 1-12 and those who attended were the children of Diplomats stationed at their respective Embassies in Cairo, Egypt.  My graduating class totaled 28 with about 12-15 different nationalities.  I remember that the Valedictorian of our Senior Class was a Hungarian Communist.


During those years 1962-1966, it was possible to climb up the pyramids which I understand is no longer possible.  My fellow classmates and I climbed to the top of one of the pyramids, carrying a goat-skin water bag full of wine that we drank once we got to the top.  It was also possible and very easy to buy little blocks of hash from street vendors but I suppose that is no longer possible either.

CAC had no cafeteria so all students had to bring their lunch and sit at picnic table under a covering to protect us from the sun.  While there were trees and a little vegetation, most of the area inside the walls of the school was compacted sand.  The buildings were made of substance that reminds me of sandstone or a plaster/clay like material.  The buildings had tall ceilings with fans and openings covered with wooden shutters with no glass or screens.  I guess the idea was that heat rises and it would remain cool where one was seated, but that was never the case.

Our sports teams basically consisted of basketball and field and track and volleyball.

Ancient Egypt

Thursday, April 16

Are You A RACIST?


RACISM QUESTIONNAIRE


Yes      No     Maybe     Questions
(    )    (    )     (       )      1. Would you attend a Caucasian/Black Church?

(    )    (    )     (       )      2. Would you live in a Caucasian/Black Community?

(    )    (    )     (       )      3. Would you marry a  Caucasian/Black male/female?

(    )    (    )     (       )      4. Would you allow your child to data a Caucasian/Black girl/boy?

(    )    (    )     (       )      5. Would you go to dinner with a Caucasian/Black person?

(    )    (    )     (       )      6. Would you have sex with a Caucasian/Black person?

(    )    (    )     (       )      7. Would you go on vacation with a Caucasian/Black person?

(    )    (    )     (       )      8. Would you share an apartment with a Caucasian/Black person?

(    )    (    )     (       )      9. Would you shower nude with a Caucasian/Black person?

(    )    (    )     (       )      10. Would you attend a Caucasian/Black only Social Club?


Notes:

  1. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian professional athletes working together
  2. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian professional musicians working together
  3. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian professional actors/actresses working together
  4. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian employees working together
  5. I understand that there are Black/Caucasians Americans that are already racists
  6. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian parents that teach their children to be racists
  7. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian ministers/pastors that preach racism
  8. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian people that pretend not to be racists in public
  9. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian leaders that indirectly/directly promote racism
  10. I understand that there are Black/Caucasian only colleges and universities

If the United States of America did not want to be a RACIST nation that it would not be...  Our government cannot LEGISLATE an end to RACISM...  it can only happen when ALL THE PEOPLE actually want to end RACISM once and for all...


CHINA DENIES

Why Do I Write?

What an interested question that I have just posed to myself...

I do not see myself as a Professional Writer because I did not earn a living from writing, nor am I a Published Writer although I did self-publish a book of poetry entitled Reflections In Thought that I sold - 500 copies in all - but, that was mainly because I wanted to teach myself the printing process.  I did all my own layout boards, burned my own printing plates, operated the printing press, collated all the printed sheets, folded, stapled, and trimmed the edges.  I sold them at a local bookstore for $10 each, paying the bookstore a commission of $2 for each one sold.  I have about 50 booklets left that I was giving away as gifts to people with whom I worked to show my appreciation.

But, that really doesn't answer the question, does it?

A wrote a couple of poems in high school but I did not really take writing poetry seriously until after graduating from high school and needed something to do while drinking coffee in the student union waiting for my 9 am classes to begin in college.  I felt self-conscious just sitting there with a cup of coffee.  I doubt those first poems I wrote were worth a damn, but when I stopped writing poetry  on a daily basis in 2015, I had written over 42,000 of those "suckers" and I am sure that some of them had to fairly good.

I write what I feel at the moment and NEVER edit anything unless there is a spelling mistake or a glaring grammatical error.

After writing poetry for several years, I created a fake profile on LinkedIn and started publishing 1,000 word opinion articles on that forum.  I used a fake name in case my employers were checking up on their employees and I did not want to be "fired" for writing something negative about who hired me which I did often.  All totaled, I wrote between 1,200 - 1,500 of those articles.

Why the range?

Well, I decided to merge my fake profile with my real profile and in so doing I lost all my fake profile articles.  I have written and published about 200 articles on my real profile.  All my articles were saved on a file on my personal computer and I have not decided yet whether to take the time to publish them all again.

So, I wrote because I feel something that I want to put down on paper and I write because I have a
personal opinion that I want to share.  Currently I am writing because I want to share my personal experiences being a cancer patient for over 12 years and my attitudes living with the highs and lows of being bipolar...   so, there is a clinical and medical reason why I write as well that was not a foundation for my writing earlier as I wanted to keep my personal and medical life QUIET...  but then, when that is done nobody learns from my experiences or mistakes.

This is why I write...  at least, this is why I think I write today...  tomorrow, I might find another or alternate reason for my public writing.

Unemployment Increases

More than 5.2 million jobless claims filed according to FOX NEWS this morning making a total of 22 million American Workers are out-of-a-job...

Stock Market has dropped from 28,000+ down to 18,000+ but it now up to 23,000+ which is an indication, at least to me, that our investors believe that our economy will survive...

Stay at home orders have lowered/reduced the spread of COVID-19...

Social Distancing when out and about has prevented others from getting COVID-19...


W  T  F   CHINA???

W  H  O  COVERUP!!!


Honorably Discharged from the US Navy


I was almost 25 years old and had spent 21 months in the US Navy on a 2 year enlistment contract, receiving an early out to return to college.  I had joined the Navy after taking a leave of absence from college after 2 and 1/2 years and while my grades were right around a "D+" to "C-" range, I just did not want to pursue a college education.  I don't know if it was because my parents had forced me to go to college or because I had not learned enough in high school, but I was not interested in anything college had to offer me.

However, after spending a year working before entering the Navy and almost 2 years in the Navy, I quickly realized that college offered me what I needed whether I liked it or not...  When I graduated in 1974, four years behind schedule, my grade point average in my major was 3.8 which I thought was pretty damn good, given my previous grades.

Interestingly, looking back on my 45 year career, none of my employers (which included colleges and universities) never once asked to see my grades either before or after being employed.



Wednesday, April 15

Hump Day

Here in the Valley, social distancing is not really being followed when people are out and about, and every time my wife needs to go out for groceries, like Walmart, she notices that no one is wearing face masks...

Of course, there is less than 25 people in our area that have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and only 7/8 deaths so far, giving rise to a lack of concern among the local residents here; but, to me that is a stupid way to behave.

People like me, who have a low or no immunity, MUST follow the social distancing guidelines or else face a high probability that we will catch COVID-19 and possibly die.

As always, I spend most of the morning watching FOX News...  and, the reason why I watch this cable channel is because I have previously watched:  CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC and what I have discovered is that ALL OF THESE NEWS ORGANIZATIONS distort the truth against President Trump and/or they simply do not broadcast those stories that FAVORS President Trump...

Why is this important to me?

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I did not vote for candidate Donald Trump.


Second, I am a Conservative Liberal and as a result am a SEEKER OF THE TRUTH...  regardless of whether the truth agrees with my personal political beliefs or not.

THIRD and equally as important as my FIRST AND FOREMOST is the fact that no matter what President Trump does or says, the Democrats and mainstream media are against him.  This is a fundamental problem for our DEMOCRACY, not to mention the concept that it is ethically wrong, morally wrong, and a complete loss of integrity which is the heart and soul of the American Mindset in my opinion.

If this philosophy continues, we will most certainly lose our FREEDOM...

You've Got To Be Kidding Me...

Visit Florida

Tuesday, April 14

Did You Know?



I maintain 7 blogs on a regular but not daily basis...

On the home page of this blog, on the right hand side, you will notice there are links to three other blogs:
Reflections:  White Scorpion
My Cancer Journey
A Bipolar Scorpion

BUT,
I also maintain three other blogs at:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Tumblr

Note:  There is "X" rated material on Facebook and Tumblr so visit those at your own risk...

Also,
I have added several pages to my Reflections:  White Scorpion blog that I will try to maintain on a daily basis as well.  Being retired, I have plenty of time.


The Art of Problem Solving

Monday, April 13

Staying at Home -- 5th Week

For my wife and I, we started staying at home March 16, 2020, and I remember when I went to my
monthly cancer treatment last month on March 26, I was wearing a surgical mask and disposable gloves and made a point of gargling mouthwash in my car before leaving the parking lot...  We postponed all our medical appointment until the month of June except for those that were critical to our health and for one I had a video teleconference...

Once or twice a week, my wife who has a better immune system than I do, drives to a restaurant for a take out meal so that we can support our local restaurants as best as we can.

From what I have heard on FOX NEWS, many Americans are having a difficult time staying at home because they are the most comfortable and relaxed when they are around other people.  I logically understand why it is difficult for those people while at the same time cannot identify with those feelings because I have never needed to be around people for my happiness or sense of self-worth or comfort.

What do I do each day?

First of all, I give our three cats their morning treats and then fill their food bowls which are typically empty from their nocturnal hunger...

Second, I watch FOX News for a couple of hours while drinking coffee in an effort to stimulate my body to have a bowel movement...  sounds crazy...  but, this has been a routine for me since 1966 and 99% of the time it works perfectly...

Third, I start writing...
I have a Composition Notebook in which I write each day.  It could be thoughts, feelings, concerns, a list of things to do, financial analysis of our future funds, recipes that I found on the Internet, counting my calories for a meal I want to cook, a political opinion, ideas for a novel, and possibly a poem which does not happen that often anymore.

I review my 4 blogs and make sure that something is ready to be posted for the day and if not, then I create a post and schedule it.

Fourth, I eat breakfast and take my 6 morning pills.

Fifth, I work on my chores either inside the house or outside the house.

Sixth, is lunch.

Seventh, is preparing article for my blogs which includes research.

Eighth, I cook something if I need to and if I don't I play with the cats.

Ninth, I eat dinner

Tenth, I watch something that we recorded on Cable or a series on Netflix until it is time for my evening pills and bed.

This is my routine and it never gets old.
I am comfortable being with my wife and cats and writing.
I want for nothing. 
I am content.

Easter Monday

Many Christians around the world celebrate Easter Monday as a day of rest, particularly in countries where the day is a public holiday. It is a day for many to enjoy the time outdoors in countries such as Australia and Canada. Easter parades occur in some parts of the world on Easter Monday. It is known as Dyngus, or Splash Monday, among many Polish communities where children often play water games.

The United States has its own tradition, known as the Egg Roll, which occurs at the White House. This tradition can be traced as far back as 1878, although it was not always held at the White House grounds in the earlier years. It receives media attention each year. Easter egg races are held in other parts of the world, including Germany.

Understanding Technology

Sunday, April 12

BREAKFAST

Outside of going to a BRUNCH, breakfast is my favorite meal...  and, what I typically order for breakfast is an omelette and/or pancakes...  my omelette usually comes with pancakes and hash browns but I substitute the hash browns for pancakes giving me a total of 5 pancakes.  My omelette,typically the Everything Omelette although it has different names in different States or regional locations.

I eat half my omelette there and take the other half home for the next day.  I eat no pancakes there and take them all home to each for future breakfasts with either vege sausages or sugar free jelly, usually Strawberry.  Eating 1 pancake a day, I have breakfast for another 6 days.  Cost is around $12-$15 for 7 meals or right around $2 for each meal.  Drinks obviously are extra...

My favorite restaurant for this is PERKINS...  However, not all PERKINS are alike as they are franchised and it depends on how the franchised owner conducts his operation.  The Perkins franchise 7 miles from our house has been owned by a German man named Otto for over 40 years.  In a conversation with Otto several years ago, he told me that he started with Perkins cleaning tables, then became a waiter, then cook, then assistant manager, then manager, then OWNER...

There is two other PERKINS RESTAURANTS near us, one north about 60 miles and one south about 20 miles and neither one has the quality of food or service as the one hear our home.

My wife and I usually go to Perkins for breakfast every other Sunday and we always order the same meal.  I get the Everything Omelette and she gets the Magnificent Seven.

As a matter of fact, my wife just left a few minutes ago to pick up breakfast from Perkins since they only have "take out" because of the COVID-19 Pandemic and our State's stay at home order.  We usually ask for our senior citizen discount when we go, but decided not to ask for that discount this time...  since they need all the financial help they can get to stay open.  It may not be much but everything helps.

During My Lifetime... so far...

1950
Korean War
NATO created
McCarthy attack on Americans Communists

1960
Vietnam War
Space flight
Moon walk
Civil Rights Movement
Kennedy assassinated
Martin Luther King  Jr. assassinated

1970
Gay Rights movement
Watergate
Energy crisis - gasoline lines
Women's rights movement

1980
Berlin Wall comes down
Collapse of the USSR

1990
Cold War ends
Space Shuttle Discovery
War in Iraq
Gulf War

2000
Stock Market Crash
9/11 Attack on USA
Twin Towers Collapse
Dot.com bubble bursts
ENRON scandal
First Black President

2010
Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill
Osama bin Laden killed
Pope Benedict abdicates
Global terrorist attacks
President Trump Impeached

2020
COVID-19 a Global Pandemic



NOTE:  These are the events that caught my attention or when experienced influenced my life and do not represent all the important and/or major events that took place during these decades...

Diners... Drive ins... and Dives


Solving the Puzzle Box