Wednesday, April 21
Filthy Paris Streets
However, the social media campaign was a "travesty of reality", Emmanuel Grégoire insisted. Paris was densely populated and cleaners were doing all they could, he told RTL Radio, but he said the French capital was no different from London, whose mayor Sadiq Khan faced exactly the same issues.
Among the thousands of tweets, Cyrille Capuano said that for years Paris had not lived up to its reputation as the city of light, and he accused Mayor Anne Hidalgo of turning it into a public dump. READ MORE
COMMENT: My wife and I visited Paris last summer for 4 days and 4 nights and while we enjoyed being tourists and seeing all the sights that everyone has read about, we decided that we would never visit Paris again because of:
- the unfriendly rude people
- the poor street directions and signage
- the dirty streets
And, while it may not have bothered the seasoned traveler, I found the Paris Airport and its facilities to be a pain in the ass to find one's way around. Very few employees at the airport spoke English nor were they helpful with their directions. This airport was HUGE and there was a lot of WASTED SPACE.
Tuesday, April 20
Hot Tub Fiasco
Every other week or so, I pour into the hot tub about 1-2 cups of non concentrated bleach to purify the water as best as I can... knowing that I am going to replace the water about every 3-4 months. This last time of pouring in the bleach and setting the jets to CLEAN, I noticed that foam was being created and since there was nothing I could do about it at the time, I just went back upstairs.
The next day, I wanted to get into the hot tub and once I lifted up the cover, noticed that there was still some remaining foam but lowered my body into the hot water anyway. And, once I turned on the jets, foam was created quite easily. After a few minutes with the jets on and pushing away the foam, I decided to turn off the jets... the foam gradually dissipated
Tonight, I will get into the hot tub again and I wonder what will happen and how long this foaming condition will last... I also wonder why the bleach I poured in caused this to happen... but, since I am going to drain the water and refill the tub in a couple of weeks, I am not that concerned... it is just a minor aggravation and/or annoyance with which I can easily deal.
The George Floyd Trial
Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA might have just given themselves a fatal blow with the recent comments of Congress Woman Maxine Waters about protesting until you get the verdict you want...
As soon as the Judge in the Trial was made aware of those comments, he told the Defense Attorney that he now had grounds for an APPEAL regardless of the verdict reached by the JURY.
How stupid can one person be?
Derek Chauvin will more than likely be found guilty of something... at the very least MANSLAUGHTER but could have that verdict overturned as a result of Maxine Water's comments and the influence that could have had on the JURY.
This is worse that anything former President Trump might have done or said and the Democrats and BLM are finally going to realize that they have gone too far in a country where only 13% of the population are black.
It would appear that Maxine Water's comments will be the first step in the white majority taking back control or at least undoing what the BLM movement has tried to or actually has accomplished.
This is NOT GOOD for America...
WHY?
- Because it further DIVIDES our country
- It demonstrates nothing really is ever going to change
NAZI Police Chief
 |
| Franz Josef Huber ran the Gestapo secret police in Vienna |
A Nazi SS general responsible for deporting tens of thousands of Jews to death camps worked for West German intelligence after World War Two, shielded from prosecution. The protection given to Franz Josef Huber was revealed by the German spy service BND, in archives seen by German public broadcaster ARD.
Huber ran the Gestapo in Vienna, the Nazis' second-biggest secret police HQ after Berlin. The US military knew about his crimes. Huber took charge of the Gestapo in Vienna immediately after Adolf Hitler annexed Austria in March 1938 and held that post until late 1944.
Adapt and survive
When the Allies occupied the disintegrating Nazi Reich, Huber was on a US wanted list and was arrested by US forces in May 1945. He was detained for nearly three years, but the US military found him to be co-operative and released him in 1948, so he escaped prosecution for war crimes, the New York Times reports. The paper was given access to ARD's material.
BND historian Bodo Hechelhammer told ARD that at that time "the Cold War was looming, so above all they were of course looking for hardline anti-communists. "Unfortunately all too often they searched for, and found, such types among former Nazis."
From 1955 to 1967 Huber was employed by West German intelligence, the BND. Originally it was the Gehlen Organisation, headed by ex-Nazi officer Reinhard Gehlen, who had run agents on the Eastern Front.
Huber was pensioned off in 1967, as the BND had concluded that he could not be kept on, lest his role "endanger the service". He drew a German civil service pension, but also worked for an office equipment company, living under his own name in Munich until his death aged 73.
Among Nazi elite
In Nazi-run Austria Huber worked hand-in-hand with Adolf Eichmann, who set up the Central Agency for Jewish Emigration in Vienna. It handled the mass deportation of Jews. SOURCE: BBC News READ MORE
Monday, April 19
INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE SUPREME COURT...
MAKE WASHINGTON DC A STATE...
MAKE PUERTO RICO A STATE...
END THE FILABUSTER...
ALLOW ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN...
CENSOR CONSERVATIVE VOICES...
DEFUND THE POLICE...
IF YOU ARE WHITE YOU ARE A RACIST...
WHITE PRIVILEGE MUST END...
This is no longer the country in which I was born and I really don't recognize her anymore... These changes will not really impact me that much since I am retired and really do not have to play these games anymore... and, as long as the Stock Market continues to grow, my retirement income will grow as well... If the Stock Market stops growing and declines, I have money in straight saving accounts and can simply use that money as is needed and there is enough money to pay my wife's and my expenses until we are both 95 years of age... What could impact us negatively is INFLATION and if that happens we will just have to reduce our expenses as we have already done and can continue to do...
Governmental changes will not really impact us... but, they will impact YOU... and your future unless you do something about it. If you decide to ignore, then down the road you will pay the price... and, down the road, I will be dead and will not care...
Our American Pickers
One of the most successful TV shows right now is American Pickers. It has been on the air for almost 10 years now and helped the History Channel receive some of its highest ratings. The show basically focuses on two guys, going around the country picking antiques. They go through attics, basements, garages and even storage sheds to find anything from that past.
However, in addition to Mike and Frank, there is one person on the show who is a fan favorite. Viewers fell in love with Danielle Colby, the talented and creative store manager. The Iowa girl is filled with spunk, confidence, and an incredible assortment of tattoos. Still, it’s her sense of humor and positive attitude that draws people towards her. But who is she? Where is she from? And how did she get the coolest job ever? Here’s everything you need to know about Danielle Colby.
American Pickers
American Pickers is a show that practically took over the world recently. It follows Mike and Frank, two guys traveling the country looking for cool historical items in old junkyards. Danielle Colby is the female force behind all of the sales. She finds everything and sets them up. Colby has a story way more interesting than any of the items she has ever picked. READ MORE
Sunday, April 18
Saturday, April 17
An East TN Saturday
As always my day(s) begin with feeding our three cats, taking my thyroid pill, filling up my YETI cup with coffee and Cappuccino Mix, and watching FOX NEWS.... and as I have explained before, I do no get ALL THE NEWS or the TRUTH OF THE NEWS if I were to watch: CNN, CBS, ABC, or NBC and that bothers me because I used to watch CBS and CNN all the time... but those days are over.
As with all news shows, the same news is broadcasted over and over again throughout the day and the only additions to that news is when something unexpected happens... so, after a while this redundancy causes me to change channels. I then turn to shows about animals, cooking, history, scifi, or living in Alaska and/or living off the grid. Somewhat entertaining these shows are but I oftentimes wonder about the drama that they try to create especially when the CAMERA CREW IS ALSO PRESENT TO FILM THIS SO CALLED DRAMA...
After a couple of hours of watching, I get bored and begin posting articles to my blog which I will do for the rest of the day unless I decide to cook something like I plan to do today and I am not sure what you would call this other than Turkey Burgers, Peas, and Noodles. I will make a fairly large pot of this concoction and divide it up into 3-4-5 bowls depending upon how far it will go... ranging from 300 calories/bowl to over 500 calories/bowl.
My meals will go in the frig and I will eat them for the next several days until I have to cook again. I would rather cook like that than cook daily.
Chocolate Success
Last year the retail industry was worth $107bn (£78bn), according to one projection, but Ghana - the world's second largest cocoa producer - earned just around $2bn.
This is a familiar pattern for many African countries where the economy is still shaped by a colonial relationship in which they export commodities to be processed elsewhere.
Ghana's President, Nana Akufo-Addo, served notice on this last year when he told an audience in Switzerland that "there can be no future prosperity for the Ghanaian people" if this way of doing things continues.
The country currently processes about 30% of its cocoa crop, but despite plans for growing the domestic chocolate industry there are still many obstacles in the way.
Ambitious cocoa farmer Nana Aduna II - a traditional ruler, who inherited his 80-acre plantation two decades ago - is well aware of the difficulties. READ MORE
Mrs. Sri Lanka
Moments later, the 2019 winner seized Mrs De Silva's crown, claiming she could not be awarded the title because she was divorced. The prize has now been returned to Mrs De Silva, after pageant organisers confirmed she is not a divorcee.
Judges named Ms De Silva the 2021 winner at the Mrs Sri Lanka final in a theatre in Colombo on Sunday night. But the 2019 winner, Caroline Jurie, stripped Mrs De Silva of her crown, citing a pageant rule that competitors must be married and not divorced.
"There is a rule that prevents women who have already been married and are divorced, so I am taking steps to make the crown go to second place," Mrs Jurie told the audience. She placed the crown on the runner-up, prompting a tearful Mrs De Silva to walk off stage, a video of the incident showed. READ MORE
Friday, April 16
Saving Turtles
A little known island plays a very important role in the survival of green sea turtles. Sir David Attenborough: “A marine paradise that plays host to one of the most spectacular ocean migrations on the planet. This is Raine Island…”
Raine Island (situated on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef, North Queensland), is a unique and important nesting site for green turtles. As many as 60,000 female green turtles make the journey from their feeding grounds to lay their eggs on this tiny island. During the nesting season it is one of the world’s largest populations of green turtles. They swim from as far afield as Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait and the West Pacific.
Unfortunately this annual event is under threat. Both adults and eggs are dying. Rising sea levels have caused tidal inundation, killing the newly laid eggs that cannot survive underwater. The island’s landscape has also changed resulting in as many as 2,000 adult deaths annually from falls and entrapment in rocks. This situation has added to the other threats, such as pollution, habitat loss, boat strikes and over harvesting, which contribute to them being endangered.
A five year project to protect and restore the island’s critical habitat began 18 months ago. The Queensland Government, BHP Billiton, the Traditional Owners and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation are collaborating on the AUS$7.95M project. The project aims to ensure the future of key marine species, including green turtles and seabirds. To achieve this their efforts will be focused on beach engineering, sand replenishment, fencing, turtle tagging, remote sensing including video recording and weather stations, tide and sea level monitoring and 3D modelling using GPS survey technology.
The project has been making use of drones to monitor the turtle activity and the initial results are very positive. It is estimated that in the 2015-2016 nesting season at least 400 adults and many hatchlings have been saved by the initial efforts of the project. This number is expected to increase as more of the island is reshaped and pool fencing is extended. This investment will help the survival of the species and allow for more green sea turtle hatchings to swim to some of your favourite diving destinations!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
Giving Feedback
So, how do you start? Ask them questions like the following:
- How do you feel about (how things are going at work, your presentation, this situation, etc.)?
- What are your biggest challenges right now?
- How can I help?
At the same time, you learn how to see things through their eyes. That information will help you contribute to solving problems, instead of adding to them.
Admit your own failures
Everyone hates a "know-it-all." But we love "learn-it-alls"--those who can admit they don't know everything and the lessons they've learned.
When you share a struggle you've had in the past, or a blind spot someone pointed out to you, along with how they helped you improve, you put yourself on the same level as your communication partner. Then, ask if you can pay it forward, by sharing something that you think can help.
By seeing that you're willing to make yourself just as vulnerable as them, they'll be willing to learn from your experience.
Thank the other person
It's not easy to take constructive feedback--even if you deliver it well. So thank the person for being open to listening and improving.
Of course, you shouldn't view these steps as a one-size-fits-all template or formula. It's just a start, to help you on your way.
But whatever you do, remind yourself to focus on making feedback constructive, instead of critical. SOURCE: INC. com
Thursday, April 15
A New Perspective
I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived with cancer(s) for over a decade and I am still alive... it must not be my time... or someone or something is looking out for me... it cannot just be coincidence... that's too simplistic and melodramatic.
Each morning when I wake up and before I go to the bathroom, I sit on the side of the bed and just appreciate the fact that I actually woke up again. This may not seem so special to you, the reader, but to me it is very special.
In 2018, I had radiation treatments to slow down the spread of melanoma along with Opdivo infusions because the radiation was supposed to supercharge the Odivo... which it did... working perfectly... and, several months later my Oncologist let it slip out that my cancer(s) had turned very aggressive and he was not sure if he was going to be to get them both under control...
I never knew this... and, I am glad that I did not because my whole attitude would have changed and no doubt I would have gotten depressed, perhaps very depressed... and, when one is fighting cancer, depression seems to make things worse. ODD... but a positive attitude actually helps fight the cancer sometimes.
But, each day is a blessing for me.
An appreciation of life.
A chance to see the beauty of life FREE OF CHARGE.
Just A Footnote
Paul Simon will be a forgotten name in the history books when scholars look back on 20th-century music and see only Bob Dylan and The Beatles standing tall -- that's the polarizing take of one NBC writer, anyway.
Jeff Slate -- a NYC-based songwriter and journalist -- penned a controversial piece for NBC Think ... titled, "Paul Simon sold his catalog to Sony for millions. He'll still end up a historical footnote to Dylan." Indeed ... it is triggering.
His subheading reads, "He was a prolific songwriter with a lucrative catalog any corporation would happily monetize. But there are only a few names our descendants will ever learn."
We know, we know ... you're fuming already. That's exactly what the internet is doing as well as it jumps to PS's defense.
You can read Slate's take in full for the big picture -- which is all about how Dylan recently sold his catalog of music and the rights to it to UMG for a reported $400 million, and how Simon followed in his footsteps by doing the same with Sony for his rights -- but the gist here is ... Paul Simon will be an "also-ran" compared to BD when it's all said and done.
In Slate's view, Dylan will perhaps be alone with John, Paul, George and Ringo and as the standout folk/rock acts of the '60s/'70s -- and that artists like Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and others will fall by the wayside, especially among younger, average-Joe listeners.
That seems to be what Slate's getting at -- and of course, A LOT of people disagree ... with some arguing Simon is just as prolific and culturally impactful as Dylan ever was. We don't have to get into a pissing contest ... both guys have scores of songwriting credits and hits under their belts. Of course, you could argue Dylan is perhaps the better-known of the two. READ MORE
Jeff Slate -- a NYC-based songwriter and journalist -- penned a controversial piece for NBC Think ... titled, "Paul Simon sold his catalog to Sony for millions. He'll still end up a historical footnote to Dylan." Indeed ... it is triggering.
His subheading reads, "He was a prolific songwriter with a lucrative catalog any corporation would happily monetize. But there are only a few names our descendants will ever learn."
We know, we know ... you're fuming already. That's exactly what the internet is doing as well as it jumps to PS's defense.
You can read Slate's take in full for the big picture -- which is all about how Dylan recently sold his catalog of music and the rights to it to UMG for a reported $400 million, and how Simon followed in his footsteps by doing the same with Sony for his rights -- but the gist here is ... Paul Simon will be an "also-ran" compared to BD when it's all said and done.
In Slate's view, Dylan will perhaps be alone with John, Paul, George and Ringo and as the standout folk/rock acts of the '60s/'70s -- and that artists like Bruce Springsteen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and others will fall by the wayside, especially among younger, average-Joe listeners.
That seems to be what Slate's getting at -- and of course, A LOT of people disagree ... with some arguing Simon is just as prolific and culturally impactful as Dylan ever was. We don't have to get into a pissing contest ... both guys have scores of songwriting credits and hits under their belts. Of course, you could argue Dylan is perhaps the better-known of the two. READ MORE
The Killing of George Floyd Trial
It is entirely likely that when this police officer goes to jail and no matter how long his sentence is, the fact remains that BLACK INMATES at his location are going to find some way to KILL HIM... or execute him as he executed George Floyd.
If the sentence of Derek Chauvin (this killing policeman) IS NOT what the BLACK COMMUNITY WANTS then ALL HELL is going to break loose all over the US as blacks take to the streets, burning, rioting, and looting... I don't know this for sure, but one can easily guess that this will happen, especially since it happened right after the killing.
JUSTICE IN AMERICA is biased in this case in order to achieve a greater purpose to ease racial tensions... but, is this the underlying intent of JUSTICE... ignoring the TRUTH in favor of future convenience?
What I have heard on the TV News and/or read, this policeman IS GUILTY of taking this man's life... but, did he do this intentionally or with premeditation. He was obviously racially biased and should have never been in law enforcement to begin with... the vetting process should be evaluated and modified to prevent people like this from being employed...
Robo Calls
I am sympathetic to these callers because they need to earn a living, but their employers have abused their rights to contact the general public at large in order to sell a product. I am TURNED OFF to sales people no matter who they are... and, when they call my home, it pisses me off even more.
You can block numbers, and you can put your number on the NO CALL list, but these assholes have ways to circumvent the rules and call your number anyway.
SO... don't answer or, answer and play games in the hopes that it will stop them... don't be fished in...
Death to Democracy
"The word democracy itself means rule by the people. A democracy is a system where people can change their rulers in a peaceful manner and the government is given the right to rule because the people say it may."
Because we live in a Democracy, we are FREE to dissolve that Democracy as long as we have a majority of the people who want to do that...
Another way to eliminate or destroy our Democracy is to change the underlying rules that govern the Democracy like:
- Ending the Rule of Law
- Changing the Constitution
- Censoring Opposing Views
- Revolting and Rioting
- Defunding the Police
- Canceling the Culture
Personally, I don't give a damn what happens to this Democracy nor do I care about defunding the police, changing the Constitution, ending the rule of law... because the only winners in this transformation will be the WEALTHY... and, since this country is totally controlled by the WEALTHY, then nothing really is going to change at all other than more WEALTH.
The BLACKS population is only about 13-14% of the overall population in the US and I doubt if there was a physical revolt that resulted in violence that the BLACK population would be controlled by the National Guard... however, I doubt there will be that kind of a revolution.
INSTEAD... a gradual tearing down of our Democratic System is what is taking place and will continue, so the change will happen over time and will virtually be unnoticed and we will have no idea what happened until it is over.
Investing Basics
Introduction to Investing
Many people just like you turn to the markets to help buy a home, send children to college, or build a retirement nest egg. But unlike the banking world, where deposits are guaranteed by federal deposit insurance, the value of stocks, bonds, and other securities fluctuates with market conditions. No one can guarantee that you’ll make money from your investments, and they may lose value.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforces the laws on how investments are offered and sold to you. Protecting investors is an important part of our mission. We cannot tell you what investments to make, but this website provides unbiased information to help you evaluate your choices and protect yourself against fraud. READ MORE
Many people just like you turn to the markets to help buy a home, send children to college, or build a retirement nest egg. But unlike the banking world, where deposits are guaranteed by federal deposit insurance, the value of stocks, bonds, and other securities fluctuates with market conditions. No one can guarantee that you’ll make money from your investments, and they may lose value.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforces the laws on how investments are offered and sold to you. Protecting investors is an important part of our mission. We cannot tell you what investments to make, but this website provides unbiased information to help you evaluate your choices and protect yourself against fraud. READ MORE
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