Thursday, May 7

Males or Females?

Sexual Harassment
It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person's sex. Harassment can include "sexual harassment" or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person's sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn't prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.  SOURCE:  EEOC

Murder Hornets

Wednesday, May 6

Homemade Soup

What I like about homemade soup is that my soups are typically filling and that I don't mind using
leftovers with which to make the soup.  I have discovered which was important to me that potatoes cooked a long time will thicken any soup in case I do not want to use cornstarch or flour.  And, if you use a submersible food blender on cooked potatoes, the soup becomes even thicker.

With every single soup I make and cook, I start with the following:

  • 2 onions
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 2-3 tablespoons of crushed garlic
  • 5-7 stalks of celery
  • 3-5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tablespoon of black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of Sea Salt
  • 1 can of French Onion Soup or Broth
  • 1 can of water
This mixture usually cooks for about 2-3 hours on medium heat with the lid on, stirring every 10-15 minutes.

To this mixture, I COULD add the following in any combination:
  • 1/4 cup of uncooked Basmati rice
  • a handful of extra thin spaghetti noodles broken in half
  • can(s) of beans, corn, limas, peas, potatoes
  • broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, string beans
  • can(s) of crushed tomatoes
  • hamburger (ground), chicken, or ham
  • mashed potatoes if available
  • hot dogs and/or sausage cut up the size of 2-3 poker chips

A VERY PERSONAL OPINION

Just saw on the news where the owner of a SALON was put in jail because she violated the STAY AT HOME...   NO WORK ORDERS issued by the Texas Governor... 

The judge said that she was  IRRESPONSIBLE but she retorted that SHE WAS VERY RESPONSIBLE AS SHE WAS TRYING TO FEED HER CHILDREN...  

The judge did not accept her explanation since she had ignored numerous restraining orders and gave her a choice, either:
  1. spend 7 days in jail
  2. pay $7,000 in fines

Both those choices HURTS HER CHILDREN...

THIS IS WRONG IN SO MANY WAYS...

MY DREAM CAR

1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD


Fox News has been alleged by academics, media figures, political figures, and watchdog groups of having Republican Party bias in their news coverage as well as perpetuating more general views of a conservative bias. ... For example, in 2009 the Fox News Channel engaged in a verbal conflict with the Obama administration.



The Ultimate List Of Hot Tub Health Benefits






  • Improved Range of Motion. As we age, we lose our range of motion...
  • Relief from the Symptoms of Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis...
  • Heat increases circulation by dilating blood vessels...
  • Relief from the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia...
  • Jet massage soothes away tension...
  • Relief from Lower Back Pain...
  • Decreased Anxiety and Stress...
  • Eases Sore Muscles...
  • Better Sleep ...
  • Meditation...

In 1967, I purchased a Plymouth Barracuda convertible that came stock with a 318cc engine but I had specially ordered a 383cc and a 4 speed rather than an automatic.  In the first 5 years of ownership, I had recorded over 100,000 miles or 20,000 miles each year when the average was 10-12,000 miles.  I drove this car when I lived  just outside of Alexandria, VA (4 miles going towards Mount Vernon) which was 8 miles away from Washington, DC.  There was a beltway that completely encompassed the Nation's Capital and it was a great place to challenge other vehicles to drag races.  I was 20 years old and knew that I knew everything.

In 1987, I had the Barracuda restored with all original parts and paint pigments and in 1997, I had to sell the Barracuda when I had been laid-off and needed money.  When sold, it had over 300,000 miles recorded on the Odometer.

This One's Mine...

Click on the white triangle twice the click on [ ] to expand to a full screen...

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...


Tuesday, May 5

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The owner had put a Trump flag on his dock and the people across from his house complained to the club. Admirals told him that he had to take the flag down. The guy got pissed & sent his boat to get wrapped. This was a video of him bringing the boat home after.

For Healthy-Minded Folks...

Several months ago, I decided that I would count my daily intake of calories in the hopes that I could shed/lose a dozen pounds or so that I had previously gained because of taking steroids with my chemo for over ten years (actually, it was 30 pounds).  My research revealed that if a person, my gender, age, and weight consumed over 2500 calories each day, I would gain weight and if I consumed 2000 to 2500 calories I would maintain my weight, but if I consumed 1500 to 2000 calories I would lose weight.  My initial goal was to see if I could limit my intake of calories from 1500 to 2500...

Over the course of the first month, it was discovered that consuming between 2000 to 2500 was relatively easy...  so, reducing that by up to 500 did not seem like it would be that difficult.  To help me with this process, I created a calorie counter (see below) thinking that if I recorded each day I would be more motivated to continue...



During the April, I decided to add an exercise routine to my calorie counting and started peddling on a stationary bike for 20 minutes each day.  After a week, I increased it to 30 minutes and then after another week, I increased it to 40 minutes.  After another week had passed on my 40 minute bike routine, I would peddle for 20 minutes, walk a 1/4 mile and then peddle for another 20 minutes.  A week later, it was peddle for 20, walk for 1/2 mile, and peddle for 20 again.  Then, a week after that it was peddle for 20, walk for 1/2 mile, peddle for 20, walk for 1/2 mile.

I have reached my limits so I am not going to increase anything for several weeks remaining at 40 minutes peddling at a moderate speed and walking 1 mile at a speed of 3.0...  what is interesting here, at least to me, is the fact that because of my weight, my treadmill does not operate very well at speeds lower than 3.0...  so, I have been at that speed from the getgo.  3.0 is a 20 minute mile.  BTW, my little exercise routine burns 350 calories (40 minutes peddling - 1 mile walking at 3.0)

Listening to Books

When I was in High School or College/University, I did not like reading...  mainly because I had to read very slow in order to mentally conceptualize what I was reading...  there needed to be intense focus which at that time did not have the discipline to perform and still don't unless I absolutely have to and then I postpone it as long as I can.

In the 1990's, I was spending two hours a day in the car going back and forth to work and decided I would listen to music at first but later decided to listen to self-help books from Audible.com which I copied to my computer then transferred to an IPOD... listening to earphones...  then I learned how to connect the IPOD to the car's speakers with better quality.

INTERESTINGLY, I discovered that not only did I enjoy listening to books but that my retention increased while listening as well...   Immediately, I regretted the fact that I had not been able to listen to books in high school and college/university because I would have been a much better student.
Mornings are always better when one is being served Espresso...  whether it be Turkish, Greek, or Italian...  Espresso is the coffee of the enlightened...

BARCELONA, SPAIN

Antoni Gaudí  (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism.  Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, one-of-a-kind style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Família.

Gaudí's work was influenced by his passions in life: architecture, nature, and religion.  He considered every detail of his creations and integrated into his architecture such crafts as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He also introduced new techniques in the treatment of materials, such as trencadís which used waste ceramic pieces.

Under the influence of neo-Gothic art and Oriental techniques, Gaudí became part of the Modern movement which was reaching its peak in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work transcended mainstream Modernism, culminating in an organic style inspired by natural forms. Gaudí rarely drew detailed plans of his works, instead preferring to create them as three-dimensional scale models and molding the details as he conceived them.  Source: Wikipedia

EXAMPLES OF GAUDI ARCHITECTURE










Monday, May 4

POWER CORRUPTS


Where Are We Going From Here?




I know that one is not supposed to answer a question with a question but, "Can we get there from here?"  And if we do not know where we are going, we cannot get anywhere other than putting one foot in front of the other one and keep doing that until we get somewhere...  but, even that seems like a stupid thing to do, especially from a logical point-of-view.  It would appear that my ARTICLE Title Question needs a tad more clarification...

This is a good example of how fast the mind moves relative to how fast the hand type because what I was thinking when I thought up the ARTICLE Title Question was where are we, as a nation, going relative to going back-to-work while the Pandemic is still AT LARGE.


First of all, it really does make sense, and I mean logical sense, to open up our economy slowly with the understanding of 25% then 50% then 75% and finally 100%.  But, as was pointed out to me from a restaurant owner, if his restaurant is opened with 25% capacity, he still has to employ almost as many people as when his restaurant is opened 100% so he would be losing money and quite possibly file for bankruptcy...  in other words, 25% would hurt worse than 0%...  BUT, this is not the case for everyone.  So, where are we going as a nation?



  • Do we open National Parks?
  • Do we open Public and Private Beaches?
  • Do we open up Baseball Stadiums?
  • Do we open up Restaurants?
  • Do we open up Movie Theaters?
  • Do we open up Schools?
  • Do we open up Airline Travel?
  • Do we open up Cruise Ships?
  • Do we open up Hotels and Motels?

AND...  would the 25% then the 50% then the 75% then the 100% work for everyone?

Telemarketers

I would put Telemarketers in the same disgusting category that I would put Used Car Salesmen and Lawyers even though you cannot see them face-to-face...  they are still horrible in that they try to sell you something that you don't need, typically do not take "no" for an answer, and have an accent so harsh that you cannot understand them.

In the past, I would answer all these calls by saying, "Duke County Sheriff's Department, how can I help you?"  They would always hang up.  Sometimes, I would ask "to whom would you like to speak?"  And, when they pronounced by name incorrectly, I would say "I am not talking with anyone who cannot pronounced my name correctly...  goodbye," or I would say "He is dead...  would you like to contribute to his burial fund?"

But, sometimes I would listen to their explanations and pretend to be interested...  but, would end up being on the phone with them for 20-30 minutes and if you did not buy something they would call back.  I just did not want to take the time anymore to "toy" with them.

Since we have "Caller ID" as part of our phone/internet/cable package, my wife and I decided that from now on we would just not answer the telephone if the number was from someone we did not recognize.  It took a while but now we only have about 3 or 4 calls a day instead of 15-20.