Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Teflon Love. Moving on...



Sorry, a grainy and rather distorted old Finnish song by a now defunct band called the Nylon Beat... but, a fitting entrance into 2015 none the less. You see, I'm moving my religious and philosophical  allegiance from a morally burning and totally lost America to other and more safer shores.. Seriously! Perhaps Grubner was right! Obama is destroying this Republic right in front of your eyes! And you all sit there! Are we Americans this completely stupid? (Perhaps this is why other societies from times gone by have perished...) Perhaps this is how innocent Jewish men and women walked into those Nazi concentration camp showers, so long ago, and really thought they would be cleaned...

I'm just a lone voice that cries out to this cyber world, as I watch a societal train wreck unfold... Few viewers for this blog anyway, and no one out there who would act to save this ship of state.....

Flu in Missouri is on the decline!


This year's flu season has officially crossed the epidemic threshold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even though it's still early in the flu season, the CDC has been ratcheting up concern that this year, the flu season could be a tough one, especially on the very young and very old! Part of the reason centers around the H3N2 strain, the most common flu virus this flu shots (only about 40% thus far), the mismatched vaccine will only give a person about a 50% reduction in severity should they catch the mutated strain. As of the start of January 2015, it's looking as if the group at the highest risk are those over the age of 65. 

Update: For Jan 10, 2015 - Flu activity in Missouri remains widespread! A total of 32,500 cases have been confirmed across the state. Influenza type A was the predominant strain with a rating of 93.2%. Taney County has had 101 confirmed cases so far in January 2015.

Update: For Jan 17, 2015 - Flu activity in MO, while still widespread is trending downwards and so looks to be following the normal seasonal curve. From January 11 to Jan 17, no new cases were reported in Taney County, MO. The total number of cases, statewide was at 117 cases.

Update: For Jan 24, 2015 -  Flue activity in the Taney County area resulted in zero new cases since the 17th.

Monday, December 29, 2014

When is enough - enough?

America's youth...Never give up! Never surrender!

At some point in time, you realize that your scribbles as a blogger in the darkness that we call cyberspace is for naught. At that point, you might say 'enough' and then retire.... strangely, I have not reached that point! And, in 2015 I plan to move politically forward! Obama! You want a stalled Congress with no forward movement and endless gridlock?... I say, bring it on! As a blogger, I will continue to try and expose you for the shallow, elitist ideologue you really are!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

The Regulation Nation!


What's the one thing this nation has way too much of?

Some might say politicians. According to a 1992 Census Bureau study, there were over half a million. And, while the bureau never repeated the study, it might be a safe guess to be talking a figure in the millions today.

What do all these politicians do... exactly?

They pass lots and lots of rules and regulations! There Federal regulations, State regulations, County regulations and even regulations specific to the town or city you live in being added daily. How many are there on the books today? Hard to tell. In an example of a failed attempt to tally up the number of laws on a specific subject area, in1982 the Justice Department tried to determine the total number of criminal laws. In a project that lasted two years, the Department compiled a list of approximately 3,000 criminal offenses. This effort, headed by Ronald Gainer, a Justice Department official, is considered the most exhaustive attempt to count the number of federal criminal laws. In a Wall Street Journal article about this project, “this effort came as part of a long and ultimately failed campaign to persuade Congress to revise the criminal code, which by the 1980s was scattered among 50 titles and 23,000 pages of federal law.” What's for sure is that you might breaking the law and not even know it! Let me go to a case in point.

From law-biding to felon in one small hop!

Example: Susie Simple lives in a small home where she had been supporting her grandfather right up to the point where he died. In the bathroom cabinet are a few bottles of prescription drugs that granddad used to take. All are considered controlled substances and now they are in the sole possession of Susie. Should her premises get searched by the police and the pills discovered – it's a Class C felony charge!

Boom! Susie has to post a 10K bond for which she ponies up a thousand dollars she doesn't have. She's told she has a 'bond hearing' in a few weeks and is advised that she might want to secure an attorney. Boom! There goes a $2,500 retainer fee for an attorney who will spend most of his time sitting on his butt. Susie makes it to court with her attorney and one of two things happen; a plea bargain reduces her sentence to a misdemeanor with a multi-year probation or the felony charge sticks (bad attorney) and Susie faces up to seven year in prison and a $5,000 fine! Congrats Susie! Boom! You are now a convicted felon and that title will haunt you the rest of your life!

OK! I know you're wondering, what are the chances? Well, it just happened to a friend of mine just a few weeks ago. Only, in her case, there was a creep boyfriend in place of a nice old granddad....

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Critique: Schwan's Meat Lasagna!

According to Schwan's – Their #709 Meat Lasagna at $5.49, is 'convenient, great tasting, Italian-style lasagna made just for you! This lasagna is made from scratch, with curly edge pasta noodles, three layers of rich meat sauce, and a four cheese filling featuring Ricotta, Parmesan, Romano and Mozzarella. Same formula as our Family Size Lasagna (#716). Perfect for a scrumptious lunch or dinner entrée!'

In the small package, you get two one cup servings that total about 340 calories! The directions are simple; just make 5 small slits in the plastic cover and plop it into a preheated oven set at 375°F for 32 minutes, then remove the plastic cover and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165°F or higher. There are also directions for preparation in the microwave.

A customer review: LOVE THIS !!! YUMMMMM!! Date:March 16, 2012
" I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and ate homemade lasagna a lot. Next to what I ate then, this is as close as I have ever come. I cook in microwave, and after it is done I leave it in there for five minutes or so. Result: YUMMMMM !!! "

My take on this meal was that for the money, it is a phenomenal deal. The taste was superb, the noodles cooked to perfection and I was tempted to eat both serving at one sitting! I gave this meal a solid 8 on a scale of 10 and plan to order it often!

Saturday, December 20, 2014

OK. Some Thai music!

ฉันขอร้องห้า!
วิดีโอ> 2 องค์ประกอบ> 4 โดยรวม> 3

OK, so what's going on here? Two young girls near a city called Chiang Mai. They are pleading the fifth amendment.....

On pleading the Fifth Amendment~!.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Love the visuals - the composition and the music! It expands the mind..

ที่หอของ bable พระเจ้ายากจนเราเข้าไปในลิ้นจำนวนมาก สิ่งที่น่าแปลกใจก็คือการรำลึกความเข้าใจแม้กระทั่งในยุคเก่าของฉัน! 

Ten things you can do to avoid the flu!

  1. Avoid crowded venues!
Visits to grocery stores and shopping malls should be kept to a minimum. If you do venture out, try and go during the early morning hours when fewer people are out.
  1. Wash your hands!
If everyone remembered to wash their hands fairly often, we'd all see fewer colds and flu attacks! Make an effort to wash up after any outdoor excursion.
  1. Avoid touching your face!
    The average person touches their face with their hands 1-3 times every 5 minutes! There! You just did it again! Try to curtail this nervous habit by groping your crouch instead. Just kidding.
  1. Butt those hands!
    Butting hands with someone else, as a form of greeting is way better than shaking them. You'll walk away with a fraction of the germ transfer that would otherwise occur.
  1. Avoid anyone who looks ill! - Duh!
    When your out and about, keep your situational awareness keyed up. Watch out for anyone who appears even slightly ill and if you see someone like that, head the other direction!
  1. Get a flu shot!
    Of all the things you can to to help avoid a week or more of abject misery, a quick visit to your doctor, health clinic or pharmacy is just the ticket. But, remember, it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become effective in your system!
  1. Use credit cards, not cash!
    During the hectic holiday periods when many of us tend to shop a lot more than we usually do, cash becomes a great medium of germ exchange. Switch, instead, to credit cards or even better opt to make most of your gift purchases on line!
  1. Eat well, exercise and get plenty of sleep!
    Maintaining you over all conditioning, getting plenty of sleep and eating a balanced diet will do wonders for how you feel and can add some protection against rhino viruses and the flu bug.
  1. Avoid stress!
    Right next to following the advice in #8, reducing stress has a direct impact on that status of you immune system. Anyone who has made it through a holiday like Christmas can attest to all the opportunities to become stressed out!
  1. Skip those holiday parties and stay home!
    OK, this one might be hard to do.

    This post represents the sole opinion of the author and is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Things to look forward to in 2015!


Two and half more months of cold, icky weather!
Little to no greenery til April 2015!
Cyber attacks from China and Russia!
Stagflation and rising grocery prices!
&
Two more years of Obama's unique form of leadership!

This post represents the sole opinion of the author and is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Friday, December 19, 2014

A response from Congressman Billy Long...

December 19, 2014


Mr. Dan Owen
xxxx Street
Forsyth, MO 65653-5415

Dear Mr. Owen,

Thank you for contacting me regarding appropriations for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015.

H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, or Cromnibus, sets funding levels for most federal agencies until September 30, 2015. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency responsible for implementing President Obama's Executive amnesty immigration policy, was only extended until February 27, 2015. This bill does not include any new funding for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), known as Obamacare, and does not authorize President Obama's Executive amnesty immigration policy. Additionally, the temporary DHS funding will give the 114th Congress the opportunity to address the President's illegal immigration policy with the newly elected Republican majority in the Senate and a larger Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

The Cromnibus reduces spending, over-regulation and abuse by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It slashes the EPA budget by $60 million, which is a 21 percent reduction since FY 2010, and it blocks the EPA from redefining 'fill material', which would have a negative impact on several industries. Additionally, it cuts the IRS budget by $345.6 million, which is below FY 2008 funding levels, and prohibits the IRS from targeting organizations based on their beliefs or for exercising their First Amendment rights.

This is far from a perfect bill, but it is an important step in stopping President Obama's agenda and an opportunity to return to regular order when considering government spending. I believe the 114th Congress will take this opportunity to act on the message that the American people sent to Washington on November 4, 2014. We have relied on short term and stopgap measures to fund the government too many times; if Congress votes on each appropriations bill separately, we will scrutinize all programs and cut the unnecessary spending. That is why I voted in favor of this bill when it passed the House by a vote of 219-206 on December 11, 2014. It was then passed by the Senate and was sent to President Obama for his signature.

Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Hearing the views of all Missourians gives me the opportunity to better understand how important issues could impact the people of the Seventh District and the future interests of the nation.

For additional information regarding current legislation, my representation of the Seventh District, and to sign up to receive my monthly newsletter, I invite you to visit my website at http://long.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Billy Long
Member of Congress



WHO recommends changes to flu vaccine!

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday (Sept 25, 2014) recommended changing two of the three strains in trivalent influenza vaccines for use next year in the Southern Hemisphere, because of signs that changes in circulating strains have made them less well matched to the current vaccine.
The WHO called for switching the A/H3N2 and B strains in trivalent vaccines. For quadrivalent (four-strain) vaccines, which contain two B strains, the agency recommended no change in the second B component. The A/H1N1 strain in the vaccine also should stay the same, the WHO said.
"Increasing proportions of the recently circulating A(H3N2) and influenza B Yamagata-lineage viruses have undergone antigenic drift since the last vaccine recommendation," the agency said in a question-and-answer statement accompanying the vaccine recommendation.

Because of the time it takes to prepare vaccine viruses and grow them in eggs or mammalian cell cultures, the WHO recommends the vaccine strains in September for the following year's Southern Hemisphere flu season and in February for the Northern Hemisphere season.
The WHO recommends the following for trivalent vaccines:
  • For H1N1, an A/California/7/2009-like virus
  • For H3N2, an A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 virus
  • For type B, a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus (belonging to the Yamagata lineage)
For quadrivalent vaccines, the agency recommended using the same strain as in the current Northern Hemisphere vaccine for the second B strain: B/Brisbane/60/2008, which belongs to the Victoria lineage.

Quadrivalent vaccines have been developed in recent years because of the difficulty of predicting which B lineage, Victoria or Yamagata, will dominate in any season. Yamagata viruses have remained dominant over Victoria strains over the past 8 months, the WHO said.

Antigenic drift

To assess the match between flu vaccines and circulating flu viruses, WHO laboratories take serum from vaccinated ferrets and humans and examine how well the antibodies in the serum react with circulating viruses.
Most recently isolated H3N2 viruses were antigenically distinguishable from the H3N2 virus in the current Northern Hemisphere vaccine, called A/Texas/50/2012, and more closely matched A/Switzerland/9715293/2013, the WHO said.
"Current vaccines containing A/Texas/50/2012 antigens induced antibodies in humans that reacted less well to A(H3N2) clade 3C.3a viruses," the agency said.
The strains in the current Northern Hemisphere vaccine are the same as in last year's version and in the 2014 Southern Hemisphere vaccine.

Low drug resistance

In a note on drug resistance, the WHO report said the "vast majority" of H3N2 and B isolates analyzed in recent months were susceptible to available antivirals, including oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), peramivir (sold in Japan as Rapiacta), and laninamivir (sold in Japan as Inavir).
It said most H1N1 viruses also were susceptible to the drugs, but a small proportion of tested H1N1 isolates showed resistance. In Japan, 2.7% of isolates showed resistance to oseltamivir and peramivir.



Late December Winter Weather Blues!

It's now late December and the morning thermometer reads 38 degrees. My mind makes the calculation, that were the mercury just 6 degrees lower, then the world outside would be at the freezing point of water. Something that is supposed to occur when a cold front comes slamming through the area. I consider this dull fact as I move my aging body out to the kitchen to find something to eat. I flip a light switch and light bathes the room. At 6AM, when I arose, it was still very dark outside. Nothing out of the ordinary there. As it was December the 28th, I knew that even though the days were now getting longer, it was still dark until well after 7AM.

Standing with a box of cheerios in one hand, I part the window blinds with the other and look out towards the east through my kitchen window. Sunrise today will be at 7:23 AM sharp. Still, an hour and 23 minutes away and only darkness can be seen in any direction. Inwardly, I sigh and busy myself with making a bowl of cereal under a single artificial light hanging high over my head. It's one of those old style light bulbs that has a tungsten filament – I imagine I can hear a tortured sound as it glows white hot while somehow managing to give off a sullen light that casts shadows all around me. Bowl in hand, I head over to the kitchen table to begin my day. Yeah, December is pretty much a bitch!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

I think I was in that room...


Our Wheel of Destiny!

Even as many environmentalists today raise strident voices over concerns of global warming, a few little people such as myself embrace the concept wholeheartedly! You see, it takes money to heat ones home in the winter where I live. And, if the winters are getting milder due to all the carbon we humans are throwing into the air, I can live with that. 'Let the coal-fired plants rage full force', I would shout!

After all, it's a no-win situation that humanity now finds itself in, anyway. Even though America has made great strides in improving its air quality, other countries, like China and India with their billions of citizens have quickly erased any progress we've made. (And, with new coal-fired electric plants coming on line almost weekly, don't expect to see much in the way of improvement). Meanwhile, Third World countries are slashing our world's rain forests and burning them just as fast as they can go! (And, when they're not doing that, they're copulating like crazy making about 358,000 babies each day)! Even with those who die (about 155,000 each day), we're still on a pretty steep growth curve!

So, rather than having a conniption fit over global warming, forgive me if I am focusing on other factors that could well see the extinction of not only Western Civilization but even of mankind itself!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

What's wrong with World of Tanks?

After having played WOT for over a year and after having spent money on a multiplayer online game developed by Belarusian-Cypriot company Wargaming, I can state with some authority that while the game could be one of the best out there in cyber space, it suffers from a fatal flaw... the people who play it.

While I won't bother going into the nitty gritty of how this game is played or how awesome the graphics are, I will say that were it not for the 1% of players who wreck the gaming experience, I'd still be playing today. Who are these 1 percenters? In my studied view, they are mostly comprised of 20 to 30 somethings, who are living in their parents basement and who spend an inordinate amount of time on viewing stats! In games they participate in, they have a tendency to launch vendetta's against players, even those on their own team and make thus make playing a total drag.

And that's too bad. I give the game a rating of epic Fail.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

At the end of days...


As we humans carelessly lurch our way, from day to day, mostly out of control in most every way.

Be it religious fervor, war technology or sheer numbers of mass... The end of this earth is foretold alas!

Only, if we as a species promote our tech well, might there be constructs left to wander that hell.

Entities who sit, hand in hand, amid the rubble of a destroyed land.

Constructs who casually watch, yet another beautiful sunset. Blissfully unaware of mankind's true regret.

Powersite Sewer Project set to begin!

I had a visit from one of the engineers for the Great River Engineering firm that is in charge of the Powersite Sewer Project and he informed me that they would be waiving the cost of the sewer hookup and planned to begin the project in the near future. He also advised that the project would be in full swing by this coming summer, so be prepared if you happen to live in the affected areas!

If you have questions, GRE can be reached at 417-886-7171.

Critique: Stouffer's stuffed Pepper entree!

At $4.65, I felt that I had really splurged when I bought what had always been a favorite in days gone by. The packaging looked just the way my homemade peppers looked when I made this recipe from scratch! At just 150 calories per serving, it sure seemed to be a good deal. Even the microwave instructions were a breeze – cut a slit in the plastic cover and nuke for thirteen minutes on high.

That said, this meal did not meet with my expectations, not by a country mile. The pepper was mushy, the meat and rice filling tasteless and that sauce – what what the hell was that? Suffice it to say that I was not pleased. I gave this creation a 3 on a scale of 10. Avoid it and make you own at home! For a hint of what the real thing is like, please check out my post on Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Schwan's mini Deep Dish Pizza a failure?

I recently purchased a box of 6 'crispy, 5-inch deep dish crust is loaded with slices of premium, smoky pepperoni, along with creamy, 100% real Mozzarella cheese.' And, while the taste was awesome (a solid 8), and they are super easy to prepare (just 2 ½ minutes in the microwave), there was also definitely a flaw!

At 460 calories each, these little gems are Diet Busters of the first order! For someone on a 1500 calorie per day diet, I just can't afford to eat more than one a week! While each little pie constitutes a complete meal, they go down my throat in a heartbeat! Still, for a late night snack, they cannot be beat, and at just $10.64 for the box, they are a pretty decent deal!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Critique: A boneless pork meal!

Before I delve too far into this critique, I think some facts about pork, are in order. One serving, (in my view), should be about 3 ounces for any one meal sitting. I'm diet conscious you see! From that small portion, you’ll get only about 137 calories along with 4 grams of fat. (Pork is similar to chicken, with 3 ounces of chicken breast containing 140 calories and 3 grams of fat). A pork chop also has 65 milligrams of cholesterol, compared to 72 milligrams in chicken breast, while they both have just 1 gram of saturated fat. So, all in all, they're pretty close as far as the 'white' meats go.

But wait! There's more!Boneless pork chops, also deliver a big boost of complete protein. Men get 43 percent of their recommended daily intake, and women gain 52 percent from one 3-ounce pork chop. Add in a small baked potato and milk, as I've done here, and your hitting on all of the essential amino acids you need to keep your body going. As a bonus, pork gives you an added boost of Vitamin B complexes that aid essential enzymes!

In general, enzymes that activate and speed up biochemical processes (think energy at the cellular level) depend on B vitamins to function properly. In this role, B vitamins help metabolize food into energy, create normal red blood cells and produce neurotransmitters. Pork chops contain all of the B vitamins (except folate) and they're an especially good source of three that contribute to cardiovascular health. A 3-ounce pork chop provides 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B12, 38 percent of vitamin B6 and 47 percent of niacin. So, it was with that sort of mindset that I ordered eight 6 ounce boneless pork medallions from Schwan's Home Delivery, just recently! For this meal, I've prepared the 6 ounce portion by frying it in olive oil over medium heat for ten minutes per side. (This was divided in half with one portion eaten for lunch and one for dinner). OK, enough with the technical stuff.

The truth be told, I like to eat pork, (that's been properly prepared) quite a bit. As one who also watches out for gout, I like the fact that a three ounce amount produces only about 150 mg of uric acid, making it moderately low among most meats. Pork also lends itself, nicely, to all sorts of marinades which can help to add a whole new dimension to the dining experience!

One this occasion, I skipped the marinade, nuked a small potato and did the same for some green beans to which a glass of milk was added. As you can see from the nutritional panel – this meal was loaded more in favor of proteins and fat than it was carbohydrates and so was therefore more slowly digested with less of a glycemic impact on the bloodstream later on. All told, just 346 calories
meaning I still have some wiggle room left over for a snack later on. (When you're dieting, those snacks mean quite a lot)! The meat was juicy, flavorful and cooked just the way I like it! I gave the chop a score of 8 and, once again, I have to give credit to the folks at Schwan's for doing such an excellent job with all the products I've tried so far!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Critique: Schwan's Roasted Turkey Meal!

Commercial picture
For some time, I've wanted to give Schwan's Home Delivery a try. I finally had a chance to order a batch of food including one Roasted Turkey meal a TV dinner if you will. The cost was $4.50 for a 230 calorie 12 oz. meal. This is one of their LiveSmart® meals with 'slow roasted turkey medallions in our made-from-scratch turkey gravy. On the side is a medley of lightly seasoned, Grade A vegetables, flash-frozen at the peak of freshness for ultimate nutritional value and fresh taste; broccoli florets, julienne carrots and cauliflower florets.'
The real deal!

'OK', I thought, 'this might be interesting!'

The directions were similar to those I've seen before on offerings by Healthy Choice. The microwave instructions were as follows:

Remove tray from outer carton. Cut slit in film to vent.
  1. Cook on HIGH (100% power) 4 minutes.
  2. Carefully pull back film and stir. Replace film.
  3. Continue to cook on HIGH (100% power) an additional 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
  4. Let stand for 1 minute.
Seemed simple enough. I did as instructed and very quickly had a meal to sit down with and enjoy.

Score: OK, I stand in awe! The veggies were perfectly al dente! The turkey flavorful, juicy and complimented by the gravy to an extend I gave this meal a 9.5 out of 10! Just short of perfect!

Critique: Schwan's French Baguette Bread!

Fresh and warm!
According to Schwan's Home Delivery, their French Baguette bread is 'easily stored in your freezer, it’s a happy day when the aroma of freshly baked bread fills your home. Our bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Great for a ham and Swiss sandwich, or get out the butter and strawberry jam! Ideal served with soft French cheeses, salads, soups or any entrée.'
At a cost of $5.79 for three frozen loaves, I thought that while expensive, I would try them anyway!
The instructions were to pre-heat an oven to 375F and then to bake each loaf for about 15-16 minutes. I did this and then and then cut myself off a slice after the loaf had cooled for a few minutes.
Score: The crust was hard and the insides tender – just like myself. And, as I can use it as I need it, it will be a sure repeat purchase! I scored this a solid 9.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Small romaine salads hit the spot!

Real pepper and fake salt were used!

Whenever the hunger bugs hits me, which can be often, I like to make a small petite 170 gram salad composed of whatever I find in the fridge. Normally, this would consist of some romaine lettuce, celery, onion, bell pepper with maybe some shredded cheddar cheese and ham! The dressing is a simple mix of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, perhaps a scant teaspoonful. The taste is marvelous and it is filling enough to get me on through until the next regular meal!

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Weather for Taney Country Missouri!


Weather radar and forecasts for the Taney County area in southwest Missouri. Updated daily, available 24-7!

Is Obama insane?

Yes, he is...
An article written by L. Todd Wood and published in Western Journalism...

When you ask a Russian what he thinks of Stalin, the typical answer is, “Well, he was a sick person. He was mentally ill. Why else would he have done the things he did?”

Stalin was a megalomaniac, paranoid and deadly. He killed over twenty million of his own people. I think most dictators throughout history have had all of these traits.

This is what concerns me about Barack Obama. How else could you explain these quotes from our Dear Leader? Upon his nomination for president, he said, “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”

Or when talking to his supporters on how there would not be a repeat of the ‘94 midterm elections when Clinton lost control of Congress, he said, “‘Well, the big difference here and in ’94 was you’ve got me.”

I mean really, who says this kind of stuff? He is a legend in his own mind, and that’s dangerous. However, what really worries me is my realization that Barack Obama operates within his own version of reality.

How else can you explain the obvious complete incompetence of this administration and the inability to understand how the rest of the country thinks, acts, and lives? Does he really believe all the untruths that he puts out there for the liberal press to propagate for him? Did he really believe that the public would not see through his lies about the Bergdahl release? Did he instruct Susan Rice to tell the world on national TV that Bergdahl served with distinction and honor? Did he think we would just accept it as truth because King Obama said so?

I think the answer to that question may be yes. And that, my friends, is disturbing.
It shows that the president of the United States is not living in reality. The man with his finger on the nuclear trigger is a few cards short of a full deck. Any armchair journalist could off -the-cuff come up with a dozen or more instances of the same type of non-truths that Obama has put out there for the public to swallow. The Bergdahl fiasco was definitely not the first time.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result.  I have written on these pages many times how I believe that Obama is operating with a different agenda that is very destructive and dangerous for the United States. The well-being and the preservation of America is not on his mind. It is something far darker. When you combine this radical agenda with a sick mind, the inevitable result is frightening. Impeachment, anyone?

The views expressed in this opinion article are solely those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by WesternJournalism.com. 

Bio: L. Todd Wood is a USAFA graduate, a former special operations helicopter pilot, and emerging market bond trader. He has worked on Wall Street for 18 years and has conducted business in over 40 countries and travels extensively. Todd is a contributor to The Moscow Times, NY Post, Fox Business, National Review, and others. His first of many thriller novels, "Currency", deals with the national security consequences of overwhelming sovereign debt. He splits his time between NYC and Moscow. His website is LToddWood.com

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Your controlling government at work! Operation Choke Point!


If you are not aware of what your government is doing while you sleep, then you are most likely doomed. Check out Operation Choke Point! An operation under the control of the Department of Justice that is in the process of deciding who can or cannot do business in the US. Seriously. TomKat Ammunition cannot even get a POS charge ability because of these bureaucratic idiots, (you have to buy via Paypal). They are working to shut down these businesses through the banks! See the list at Wikipedia!

This is your very evil and out of control government at work - making your lives and how you live to be what they feel it should be! Forget any idea of Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness crap... And, the really strange thing..the vast majority of American citizens are walking quietly into the Auschwitz showers of these modern times...

Please, copy and share this short blog - I don't care for any recognition, I care only for my country~!

Friday, December 5, 2014

In Search of the Lost Chord!

Ignoring the fact that physicists mostly all concur that each humans life is etched forever from beginning to end in space time, and the only reason we cannot clearly see the future and only dimly remember the past is the way the brain parses out events. We can only focus on an event horizon of the here and now, a bit of an illusion in of itself as there is really no here and now. The true connection to the past, in my view, is the sense of smell. No matter how dim a past event, I can always focus on the smell of that moment. The smells of freshly cut grass, the scent of a first love and that really bad meal you had in grade school, all help to focus our mind on days gone by. That said, our individual future are also there for us to see. And, that reality our minds close off with desperate hope.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Roy Orbison - It's Over!


One of the iconic songs that brought me forward through life. A most amazing voice! Not to be repeated in our time!

The Doors - The End circa 1967!

All the children are insane... waiting for the summer rain!
And yes, that snake was BART!

Monday, December 1, 2014

Madonna - Lucky Star


Perhaps one of the best of the 80's choreographed numbers...
Please feel free to go full screen -  a bit grainy, but wtf!

The Day the US Power Grid Collapsed!

According to former HSL director, Janet Napolitano, 'A massive and serious cyber attack on the U.S. homeland is coming, and a natural disaster, the likes of which the nation has never seen is also likely and on its way.' In my view, she should know.

So, would it surprise many to learn that the United States in the persona of President Obama, is more interested in passing legislation concerning global warming? Rather than investing tax dollars to help and improve our vital infrastructures, Obama is much more interested in hobbling the energy industry via a set of sweeping reforms that would see the demise of the coal fired electrical plants nationwide. His arm of enforcement would be the EPA – a department that looks more and more gestapo like every day!

Make no mistake, a successful hacking attack on the control interfaces that keep the electrical power going, would be a disaster on a scale hereto unknown to modern man. Overnight, the nation would be plunged back into the dark ages with all that would imply. Should the outages last longer than a week, food dearths would become widespread, cell phones and towers would cease to function, even the water supply in home would stop as the batter backups at the local water departments would stop the pumps. Shortly thereafter the riots would begin as those desperate for food and water would surge out of control. Massive deaths would follow with the specter of disease growing each day. Not a very good scenario to be sure.

But, really! What are the odds of that actually transpiring? Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.), who chairs the Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, Science, and Technology Subcommittee, said the United States faces chilling odds of an electrical-grid attack. According to a statement recently made by her, “Our networks are already being penetrated as we stand here,” Clarke said, according to a report on InfoSecurity.com. “We are already under attack. We must stop asking ourselves ‘could this happen to us’ and move to a default posture that acknowledges this fact and instead asks ‘what can we do to protect ourselves’?”

Indeed, Ms. Clark's fears are backed up by many industry experts. Government and utility industry officials were so concerned, in fact, that in November 2013, they staged a massive emergency drill, called GridEx II, that involved thousands of utility workers, business executives, National Guard officers, FBI anti-terrorism experts and government officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. They practiced responding to a simulated failure of large parts of the electrical system across North America. The scenario envisioned by GridEx II is a particularly scary one, in which terrorists or an enemy country stages a combination of cyber attacks and physical attacks that destroy or render inoperable crucial power facilities and take down large sections of the grid. Then, it will be checkmate!

So, next time you wander out to your kitchen to fix up a nice tasty snack, just remember that most everything you and your family take for granted is available only for so long as the national grid is up and functional. Perhaps you can even find a moment to shoot off an email to your Congresspeople to give them a heads up....

Let's get William Devane off the TV!


Mr. Devane, I'm not rich like you. I can't afford to buy gold (groceries are enough of a chore) and I don't need to have that fact hammered into my head night after night by the likes of you and Rosland Capitol!

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Random Thoughts for November 2014!

Wilson vs Brown!
A black man the size of a Chicago Bear linebacker charges a much smaller officer, ignores repeated stop orders and tries to grab the officers gun away from him. He is duly shot down dead as a mackerel. Not big surprise there. And sadly, no big deal. Blacks are killed most every night in the streets of Chicago, occasionally by a white office, but more often than not by other blacks. The difference in this case, was a liberal dose of ignorance on both sides augmented by special interest groups that are always attracted to media events. The end result – a protracted event that saw riots and many businesses burned to the ground. Today, the crowds are dispersing, leaving a small town completely gutted. My only sad thought was that I was glad I don't live in Ferguson.

Obama slips another one into our collective derrière!
Over Thanksgiving, President Obama is set to announce thousands of new Federal regulations that will not only affect business but individuals as well. One such regulation will have to do with new food labels on just about everything consumers buy. An expensive process for the food distributors who have announced their intention of passing on the cost increase to consumers. The EPA is also set to start ratcheting down the emissions of coal fired plants – a move that will see many of them shut down over the coming years. And yes, that will translated into skyrocketing energy costs! The list goes on and on and on – but, in the immortal words of Nancy P – you'll have to find out what's in them after they pass.

Obama and his Executive Orders!
Say what you will, Obama sure has a way of dividing an already divided Congress! Just last week, he granted what amounts to amnesty to millions of illegal aliens by granting them temporary work permits. And while this is supposed to be a temporary thing – no one in their right minds believes that. Every one of these individuals will stay permanently all the while advertising to millions of other foreign nationals that now is the time to come on down to the US! The water's fine.

If you want it, now's the time to get it!


'If you want it, here it is, come and get it
Make your mind up fast
If you want it, anytime, I can give it
But you better hurry 'cause it may not last!'

I think the opening lyrics to a song by Badfinger pretty much got it right! Back then, I assume they were talking about sex. Today, however, the song might more aptly apply to Obama and the developing Banana Republic of which he is currently the titular Monarch. The it they are referring to is entitlements and yes, you better go and get yours now cause they definitely ain't going to last very much longer!

And, the truth be told, vast numbers of Americans (along with millions of assorted illegals) are getting everything the Nanny State offers in the form of free food stamps, housing assistance, medical aid and the like. As a matter of fact, some have even made a sort of business out these programs by ripping off the Feds to the tune of billions of taxpayer dollars every year! (Next time you are making that check out to Uncle Sam in April, just remind yourself that much of it goes to support the lifestyles of the chronic lazy). Just try and not feel like a total fool when you trudge off to work the next day.... OK... Badfinger - https://youtu.be/N3TOcw7taBo

Monday, November 24, 2014

Thanksgiving under Obama!

Bon Appetite America!
Never let it be said that, in order to have the effective 'change' our Leader has promised, Americans have to be willing to compromise here and there. Balderdash! OK, sure the economy remains slightly 'sluggish' and yes, there are millions of us who are either unemployed or underemployed. But so what? The 27th of November is a time when we all can to be thankful, no matter what kind of mess we collectively might find ourselves in!

In years gone by, when America and Americans were at the top of the World's heap; wealthy and brimming over with a surplus of goods and services, we all had enough to go around. Even the poor could look forward to a nice Thanksgiving repast at local houses of charity. Others, more well off, enjoyed tables that spilled over with all the trappings of an opulent society; turkey, yams, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, you name it and that item graced many a table. Family and friends would all gather together to give thanks for living in one Nation, under God with Liberty for all.... Today, that isn't so much the case.

After almost a decade of watching the transfer of wealth to other nations, most notably China, America quickly went from creditor to debtor status, to the tune of 18 trillion dollars! And, under Obama's astute leadership, that debt continues to accrue at the rate of a trillion a year. Tick tick tick...

Today, on the eve of Thanksgiving 2014, America finds herself in decline just about everywhere one cares to look. China, on the other hand, is rapidly emerging as the new world power and she's doing it with a vengeance. (That country's disdain for the West is well documented and yes, her government hackers are capable of taking down our power grid at any time. According to HLS, it now is more a question of not if, but when).

ISIL is rapidly expanding and consolidating her position in the Middle East. A group that is sworn to the destruction of our country and our way of life. And yes, you can bet they will mount an attack on our soil just as soon as it becomes convenient for them to do so. (What's Emperor Obama doing about that? He's too busy kowtowing to appeasing Iran and building his Legacy to bother with this country's security concerns). Truth!

On the home front, our people on the southern border are preparing, as best they can, for a major influx of Mexican and International illegals as the word of Obama's most recent 'Amnesty order' spreads far and wide. The four million who were just granted work permits won't ever leave now. That's a fact! And Obama has promised that the other seven million will be granted similar permits, just as soon as he can refresh the ink in his pen.

But wait! There's more. Just over the horizon are sweeping carbon emission restrictions that Obama so graciously gave away to China. A 26% reduction over the next ten years has been agreed upon for the US with no reductions agreed upon by China! How would we achieve that, you might ask? Simple. Close down most if not all the coal fired electricity plants across the Nation. A move that would cause our energy cost to skyrocket overnight! Oh, and by the way, these actions, enforced by a now well armed EPA would be done via Executive Order – not by any any actions of a lame and growingly useless Congress.

I could go on, but that would be mostly a waste of my time. Truth be told, most Americans no longer seem to care. And, even though many of us will have to make do with less, this time around. Thanksgiving is, and always be, near and dear to my heart!

Saturday, November 22, 2014

TV Dinner remix!

Total cost = $1.20!
Forgive my slowness in all things human when it comes to thinking outside the box. These days, it takes me a lot of time to force my mental neurons to jump those damnably wide synapses. (Perhaps a product of increasing age. I'm still intelligent...it just takes me longer to demonstrate it)! Yet, today, something clicked as I was preparing my evening 'meal'.

For years, I've contented myself with one of two mealtime approaches, where TV dinners were concerned. I either bought a cheap one and suffered substandard taste or saved my money and opted for the likes of Healthy Choice, a much more elevated dining experience where good taste is somehow married to even better nutrition! A rare thing that!
This dish and afterbirth - Twins!

But, then it hit me! (Funny how necessity really may be the Mother of Invention)! One afternoon, while basking at home under the light of Emperor Obama's awesome New Republic, I decided to go to the store where I bought myself a Banquet Pepper Steak meal for just ninety-seven cents! A true cheap meal deal where added salt subs really well for taste. Anyway, a buck was all I had to splurge on dinner that day.

After viewing this meal prior to microwaving, I elected to try and get it arranged on a plate as opposed to eating the slop right out of the tray. It then came to me that I also had some extra corn and a small baked potato in the fridge.... hmm, why not add them to the party, I thought. The end result was much more appeasing to the eye as I think you will agree. And, at under 500 calories, not a diet breaker!

Friday, November 14, 2014

Thanksgiving at the Frosted Mug!

The Frosted Mug, in Forsyth Missouri, will be offering a very generous Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings for just $6.50! The date is Thursday, November 27, so mark that date down on your calendar! The Frosted Mug is located at 15861 U.S. 160 Forsyth, MO 65653 and the venue can be reached at (417) 546-4149 should you have any questions!

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Middle Class taking it on the chin!

As we approach the end of 2014, I hope that the millions of Americans who dwell in the working middle class realize what's been happening to them under the Obama form of Socialist government. Wages are stagnant with millions underemployed, the cost of goods and services has been increasing while the buying power of the money they do receive decreases. Meanwhile, most of the poor are being taken care of in fine style with generous Federal entitlement programs, while the rich only keep on getting richer.

Even with the Republicans taking over of the Senate in January 2015, I've been assured that the status quo will remain in place! Obama, after all, has two more long and tedious years in which to continue wrecking the Republic while the men and women now sitting in Congress are ill suited to get anything done. It will be business as usual and the Congressional party will go on, even as the Republic continues to sink into a horrific quagmire of National Debt currently will exceed 18 trillion! Obama did not drive a bus over the fiscal cliff, he used an F16!

Friday, November 7, 2014

The Nylon Beat! Where ever you go. Suomi!


A great performance, by a Finnish group, of some years past who were bilingual, sexy and very talented! Rock on! Sept 23, 2019 - So, I'll state, for the record, that this Finnish video has been altered! It's not what I originally put out..... bullshit media control!

Thursday, November 6, 2014

A Japanese Classic - Tearful!


This beautiful song is for anyone who has lost a close loved one!
この曲は近い1を失った人のためです!

I flip through an old photo album And whisper, “Thank you” To the person in my heart Who is always there to comfort me On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance I’ll look for the traces you left behind And remember you on a tearful day I pray to the first star in the night It’s become a habit of mine Looking up at the evening sky And searching for you with all my heart In sadness, in happiness That smile enters my thoughts If you can see me from where you are Then I’ll live my life Believing that we’ll meet again someday On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance It’s lonely without you My emotions for you are tearful I miss you, I miss you My emotions for you are tearful

Copy and WIN : http://ow.ly/KNICZ 
I flip through an old photo album
And whisper, “Thank you”
To the person in my heart Who is always there to comfort me
On clear days, on rainy days
That smile enters my thoughts
Even though my memories fade into the distance
I’ll look for the traces you left behind
And remember you on a tearful day
I pray to the first star in the night
It’s become a habit of mine
Looking up at the evening sky
And searching for you with all my heart
In sadness, in happiness
That smile enters my thoughts
If you can see me from where you are
Then I’ll live my life
Believing that we’ll meet again someday
On clear days, on rainy days
That smile enters my thoughts
Even though my memories fade into the distance
It’s lonely without you
My emotions for you are tearful I miss you, I miss you
My emotions for you are tearful

I flip through an old photo album And whisper, “Thank you” To the person in my heart Who is always there to comfort me On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance I’ll look for the traces you left behind And remember you on a tearful day I pray to the first star in the night It’s become a habit of mine Looking up at the evening sky And searching for you with all my heart In sadness, in happiness That smile enters my thoughts If you can see me from where you are Then I’ll live my life Believing that we’ll meet again someday On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance It’s lonely without you My emotions for you are tearful I miss you, I miss you My emotions for you are tearful

Copy and WIN : http://ow.ly/KNICZ

I flip through an old photo album And whisper, “Thank you” To the person in my heart Who is always there to comfort me On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance I’ll look for the traces you left behind And remember you on a tearful day I pray to the first star in the night It’s become a habit of mine Looking up at the evening sky And searching for you with all my heart In sadness, in happiness That smile enters my thoughts If you can see me from where you are Then I’ll live my life Believing that we’ll meet again someday On clear days, on rainy days That smile enters my thoughts Even though my memories fade into the distance It’s lonely without you My emotions for you are tearful I miss you, I miss you My emotions for you are tearful

Copy and WIN : http://ow.ly/KNICZ

Monday, November 3, 2014

It's time for a Chicago Dog!

While I've never made Sonics a regular on my list of places to eat, I do like to make a trip to the one located in Forsyth, Missouri about once a month to get myself a genuine Chicago Hotdog! At 690 calories for a hotdog and an order of small fries, this type of fast food is on my list of no-no's from a diet standpoint! That said, a meal of this type every once in a while can't hurt. And, the taste is soooo good!

The hotdog itself is 236 grams while the French fries come in at about 88 grams. And true you are getting hit will a load of saturated fats, especially when you tack a small order of fries onto the meal! The villain, so we've long been told, has long been saturated fat. Conventional wisdom, which dates to the 1950s, is that saturated fat, which is present in meat, dairy, and some plant products, increases our total cholesterol and chance for heart disease and stroke. Trans fat, a relative newcomer that dominated packaged goods and fast food, is another bad guy: It not only ups our LDL cholesterol but also lowers our HDL cholesterol (the kind that helps sweep bad cholesterol out of the body). The American Heart Association recommends limiting your intake of saturated fat to less than 7 percent of your total calories (if you eat 2,000 calories a day, that's 16 grams, roughly the amount in a chocolate milk shake) and of trans fats to no more than two grams a day.

After decades of bashing saturated fat, the medical community was stunned by a 2010 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In a research analysis, scientists discovered that there wasn't enough proof to link saturated fat to either heart disease or stroke. It wasn't the first time this fat had been vindicated: Four years earlier the Women's Health Initiative study found that eating less saturated fat didn't result in lower rates of heart disease or stroke. The 2010 analysis, however, was so big and so thorough — involving 21 studies and nearly 350,000 people — that it grabbed experts' attention. "Everyone had just assumed that the evidence against saturated fat was strong," says study author Ronald Krauss, MD, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, who was surprised by the finding and the controversy it created. "We had to work hard to get our study published. There was an intrinsic mistrust of this kind of result."

Researchers say there were even earlier clues that saturated fat didn't deserve its reputation as top dietary villain. The decades-old "diet-heart hypothesis" — the idea that saturated fat is bad for the heart — was mostly based on animal studies and short-term trials that looked only at people's cholesterol levels, not at whether they actually had heart attacks. "Those studies are great for making hypotheses but not for making widespread recommendations," says Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and a researcher of diet and heart health. "When we started getting evidence from longer trials and observations, we realized that the truth is more nuanced than we thought." The bottom line, for me, is to keep all foods I eat in moderation with an emphasis on vegetables and whole fruits!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Mollyann A - a great talent brought down by the petty jerks among us!

This video circa 2009 or thereabouts.

I was going to do a diatribe on the sad individuals that fester among us. You know the types -  they always are finding fault and leave comments intended to hurt others efforts on social sites. (I've had occasion to run across these same types myself, time and time again). These individuals are part of the hidden cancer that lies just below the surface of our Republic.. and, I'm afraid, their ranks are growing every day... But, no - I won't continue on such a sad vein...at this time anyway!

This post is just a thought and a personal opinion - nothing to do with the video - however, I feel that there is a reckoning yet to come in the near future...

Friday, October 31, 2014

Help by the Beatles!


When I was growing up, songs like this did not really inspire me. I was oh so cool, don't ya see. Now, just a heartbeat away in time, there's much more meaning to be found in the lyrics....

Monday, October 27, 2014

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Craig Leonard & Turn the Page!


An alumni of mine from Prospect High, though we ran in different circles - A most excellent musician Craig Leonard. - Also an endearing song from back in the time! Now, as I reflect back to those times, there existed a special group of very talented people back in that 500 plus group from 1968, I remember people like Bruce Boxleitner who went on to stardom. And then there was the Cellar in Arlington Heights, back in the day with groups like The Shadows of Knight! Good times all! And yes Craig, I do like your music! Please rock on! We are 'still crazy after all these years', for those of us still standing, at least? Personally, I'm still 'strutting and fretting' on a stage with little to very few audiences....  That be me, though. And, circa 2017, I'm still listening and still turning those pages, Craig!

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Random Thoughts for October 2014!

Will there be another 'Winter Vortex' this winter?

Short answer – No! Back to back arctic air spill overs are relatively rare events. Having said that, look for some interesting winter weather later this year!

Is the media over-hyping the Ebola outbreak?

What do you think? Honestly, I think the average American has a higher probability of getting hit by an asteroid than of getting Ebola. (But, do watch out for the flu this season and go get your shots).

What's going to happen when......

The Fed stops printing money as early as this winter?

Cap and Trade becomes the law of the land?

Full immigration is enacted without first sealing the borders?

Health insurance costs skyrocket in 2015 under Obamacare?

Russia invades the Baltic?

You'll notice I didn't respond to any of these very credible future events. Please do your own research, form an opinion and then make sure to vote in the midterms and the 2016 elections.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

West Texas Crude

Country music only here! This original track is just crying out for a really amateurish sort of UTuber video. Ya think? Sadly, that never happened..


So sue me!








Saturday, October 4, 2014

Nyt Ma Meen - Kristiina Brask


A very early effort of mine (circa '08 or thereabouts) to translate a popular Finnish song called Nyt Ma Meen - or 'I'm Going Now'! Help owed to Valura and Visa! You Tube banned this effort worldwide. I can live with that, just as I live well in 2017 without them.  Melko varmasti tämä on myös kielletty - Hei, Suomen ystävät - apua! Rabbit holes, they do run deep...