A Political Comment

 

A Political Comment

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man with virtually no expertise in the topic opined.  Opposing opinions are welcome, but they are wrong. 

As almost no one reads blog posts anymore and Blogger won’t display my post for days after I hit PUBLISH, I feel it is safe to actually vent on a political issue.

What particularly grabs my attention is the DOGE effort to cut Government spending.

No sooner than it was announced that two billionaire business and technical geniuses would head an agency to slash government waste, than the Democrat talking point was, as stated by that efficiency genius Senator Elizabeth Warren,

"The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person," Warren said in a post on X, sarcastically adding, "Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient."

Could there be a more negative comment, not to mention incredibly STUPID! (OK, so I did mention it.)

First of all the two people are not drawing a salary so…Oh hell even if they were it is still an incredibly ignorant comment.

Next, talking heads keep advising me that government spending is 90% Social Security, Medicare and Defense and those programs can’t be touched.  As if there is no waste in these areas, and cuts can not be made without diminishing service.

Apparently to many, the thought of reducing government spending is not just a bad idea, but a dangerous concept. 

Hmmm, dangerous to whom?

My experience in operations of a large brokerage firm was expense cuts were periodically directived from above. As soon as profits began to slip All departments would receive notice to,

“Cut spending 10% across the board!”

Periodically expenses would be cut and operations if anything improved.

HOW?

Over the years, computers and technology advances increased operation productivity by factors of 2 and 3, yet staff remained the same until cuts were mandated.

Managers are never incentivized to cut costs on their own. 

Why? 

The importance of most departments is often an expression of it’s budget.  If a manager cut his budget by 10%, he was not only not rewarded, but his importance was diminished from the eyes above.

Managers knew what staff or processes needed to be cut but would never do so until mandated.  Many employees were given busy-work, waiting for the eventual mandated expense cuts.

Older employees ready to retire, wait for the mandated cuts, knowing they will be given pay packages to leave in lieu of not suing for age discrimination.

In my operations area, from 1970 to 2010 we went from processing orders and executions on the New York Stock Exchange at an average of 9 million shares a day with 110 employees, to processing volumes of 350 million shares a day with 15 employees.  Service went from unsustainable to instantaneous.  Errors went from significant, to insignificant.

Does any of this waste exist in Government.  Government where employee numbers have grown explosively even while technology has cut work load in half many times in the last 30 years?

The whining of many that DOGE just,

“Does not understand the inner workings of operations like the dedicated expert employees!” 

Reminds me of hired efficiency experts putting fresh eyes on processes in areas where I once worked.  Often the experts, “Did not understand” because many obsolete processes were simply unexplainable.

Perhaps Government is not the same as the competitive world of business.  Maybe these many areas of waste that are stripped from corporations via “Mandated cuts” do not exist in Government.

Maybe.

Then again, maybe Elizabeth Warren is right.  Two people to do the work of one is waste.  Perhaps we do not even need one person. 

DOGE should simply put out a memo to heads of all Government agencies,

“Cut expenses by 10%, or pack your bags!”

Those cuts would be made before the ink was dry and productivity and service would only improve!

The preceding was the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.

Presents for the Wife

 Presents for the Wife

OK. I’m just going to admit it, I hate getting presents for my wife.  Birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, Mother’s Day, it never ends.  I’m not cheap (well maybe a little) it is just that when it comes to presents, a woman cannot be pleased.

I repeat “A WOMAN CAN NOT BE PLEASED!”

They say they can, but they cannot.

It starts two weeks before an occasion.

“What do you want for ________?”

“Oh, I don’t want anything, it’s fine.”

This is code for you better get something and you need to put some thought into it.  I learned this code from wife #1 and it did not go well.

“No, it is important, I am getting you something and I want it to be nice.”

“Surprise me.”

This is code for do some research and get me something nice that I have been wanting.  I learned this code from wife #2 and it did not go well.

A woman will not be specific about what they want because if you didn’t think of it yourself the present does not count.  

OK, I’ll surprise her.  

Turns out sexy outfits are a bad idea.

“You bought that for you, not for me!”

There was some truth in that, but still...

Clothes of any sort are risky, they may appreciate the thought, but never your taste, and you had better get the right size.

“Do you really think I am that fat!”

Jewelry is nice, but also expensive and after a few years wives run out of fingers toes and ears.

Flowers and candy are nice, but flowers die and candy goes to the hips.  Both are also assumed to be last minute no thinking presents…not great.

I learned as a young lad through situation comedy TV shows that any gadget relating to housework is a really bad idea.  Come home with a better vacuum cleaner for no particular occasion and it is appreciated, on a special day? NO!

Anyway, it is getting near Christmas, normally time for the dance to begin.

This year I am going to skip the dance. 

I think I’ll just get a nice coffee (tea) mug that says,

“MERRY CHRISTMAS…I’m a jerk!”

Presents for the Wife

 

Presents for the Wife

OK. I’m just going to admit it, I hate getting presents for my wife.  Birthday, Anniversary, Christmas, Mother’s Day, it never ends.  I’m not cheap (well maybe a little) it is just that when it comes to presents, a woman cannot be pleased.

I repeat “A WOMAN CAN NOT BE PLEASED!”

They say they can, but they cannot.

It starts two weeks before an occasion.

“What do you want for ________?”

“Oh, I don’t want anything, it’s fine.”

This is code for you better get something and you need to put some thought into it.  I learned this code from wife #1 and it did not go well.

“No, it is important, I am getting you something and I want it to be nice.”

“Surprise me.”

This is code for do some research and get me something nice that I have been wanting.  I learned this code from wife #2 and it did not go well.

A woman will not be specific about what they want because if you didn’t think of it yourself the present does not count.  

OK, I’ll surprise her.  

Turns out sexy outfits are a bad idea.

“You bought that for you, not for me!”

There was some truth in that, but still...

Clothes of any sort are risky, they may appreciate the thought, but never your taste, and you had better get the right size.

“Do you really think I am that fat!”

Jewelry is nice, but also expensive and after a few years wives run out of fingers toes and ears.

Flowers and candy are nice, but flowers die and candy goes to the hips.  Both are also assumed to be last minute no thinking presents…not great.

I learned as a young lad through situation comedy TV shows that any gadget relating to housework is a really bad idea.  Come home with a better vacuum cleaner for no particular occasion and it is appreciated, on a special day? NO!

Anyway, it is getting near Christmas, normally time for the dance to begin.

This year I am going to skip the dance. 

I think I’ll just get a nice coffee (tea) mug that says,

“MERRY CHRISTMAS…I’m a jerk!”

JOSEPH!!

 

JOSEPH!!

Mrs. C just got home from working a week-long Ballroom dance competition in another state.  This is typically a very difficult week’s work and Mrs. C is sometimes a bit snarky when she gets home.

In preparation for this suspected snarkyness, I was sure to have all bathrooms clean, dishes put away and floors vacuumed.  I even bought a new vacuum sweeper thing for the kitchen which has an easy handheld attachment for small spills which I showed off when she returned.

“Very nice, now I’m going to shower and maybe get a quick nap before bowling tonight.”

Hmmm, not too snarky…that is a good thing.

Until.

Moments later I heard a snarky yell.

“JOSEPH!!”

Use of a full proper name from a spouse is never a good thing.  I learned this, two spouses ago and it remains a constant.

Up the stair I trod.

“What’s wrong?”

“Go back downstairs and bring your new vacuum thingy.”

“What happened?”

“Your electric razor fell and spilled hair all over!”

I came a nanosecond from apologizing before it set it.

“My razor fell?  How did MY razor fall?”

“It fell as I was putting it away in the drawer.”

“It fell, or you dropped it?”

“It fell! After I dropped it; but it should have been the drawer and it wouldn’t have fallen!”

“So it was my fault that the razor fell?”

“Exactly!”

“Good to know.”

I retrieved the vacuum thingy, cleaned up the tiny mess, and put the razor in the drawer.  No need to get a win out of this battle, better to let her get the snarkiness out over the razor falling than have her find some real screw up I may have committed in her absence.

I might be a jerk, but I’m not stupid!

 

TARIFFS

 

TARIFFS

 

About 50 years ago, with the popularity of VCRs, many local stores started up a new industry.  They stocked up VCR tapes of virtually every movie ever made, and rented them. 

Now, as I recall, the tapes of most of these movies would cost maybe $25 to purchase and $3,50 to rent.

It was a great deal, and a great idea. 

Pretty soon, come Friday, families would rent several movies for the weekend. They could even rent a VCR if they did not own one.  For less than $15 you had movies for the weekend…plus popcorn!

The first local VCR rental store in my neighborhood was an investment by several local entrepreneurs.  They borrowed heavily, worked their asses off and within 6 months their risky investment was paying off handsomely.

Until…

Along came Blockbuster.  A larger, fancier super VCR rental store.

I remember my kids excitedly telling me that you could rent a movie at the new store for $1.99!

Within one year Blockbuster was the only store in the country where you could rent a movie.   Within one year and a half, Blockbuster was charging $4.99 for a movie rental. 

What looked like a great deal, and a money saver, ultimately ended up costing consumers more to rent a movie, and a lot of little guy risk takers lost their shirts.

CRANKY!!

What the Hell does all this have to do with Tariffs?

Well, for example, if China starts building cars with cheap labor in Mexico and sells them for considerably less than cars built in the US, it would be great for consumers.  Taxing these imports through tariffs would in effect be a tax on US consumers.

Except, once car producers in this country were put out of business, what might happen to those Chinese owned Mexico produced vehicles?

Much like Blockbuster rentals went from $1.99 to $4.99 in a short time, imported car prices would also take off.

We would be left with even more expensive import vehicles and destruction of an industry which was basically invented in this country.

Tariffs on some imported products are not a tax on consumers, they are a tool to stop another country from destroying our productive industries with the ultimate effect of uncompetitive long term higher prices.

When people tell you that all tariffs are bad and simply a tax on consumers, think Blockbuster.

On the other hand, I graduated 55 years ago with a degree in economics.  I had a C- average so…

THE CLOCK

 THE CLOCK

Thirty-one years ago, I received a clock from my company representing twenty-five years of service.  It is a nice clock.  It is an Atmos clock, a special clock that never needs winding as it self-winds by virtue of changing atmospheric pressure…or something…I never really understood. 

The clock looks pretty on my mantle, but it never kept accurate time, and when I attempted to adjust the speed to maintain correct time, it stopped after a few days and needed to be manually rewound.

This clock was a common recognition gift for service from many companies back when employees did not skip firms every few years as seems to be the way to move up in the world these days.

Anyway, I have seen many of these clocks at friends or family members  who managed to stay with the same firm for extended number of years.  It seems all these other clocks maintain accurate time and they run forever, as advertised. 

I figured mine was just a dud.

I do know that one key to keeping the Atmos clock running is to have it perfectly balanced.  There is a tiny level bubble thing and adjustable “feet” that assist in this delicate balancing.  Occasionally, over the years I adjusted the balance and the clock would run for a while but it would stop before I could properly adjust the timing adjustment bar. 

I pretty much just gave up on using the clock for time and accepted it as a nice mantlepiece ornament.

A few months ago, after having giving up on the clock as a time piece since the demise of my second marriage, I adjusted the balance just for the heck of it and started it up.

Son-of-a-gun the clock ran with out stopping.  It ran a few minutes a day slow, but it continued to run. 

For the last month I have been adjusting the timing bar every few days until it now keeps time within a few seconds a week of my cable box Greenwich Mean Time analog clock.

Thirty-one years and the clock now is not just an ornament but it actually maintains accurate time!

Apparently, my former wife who was a bit of a neat freak periodically dusted not just around the clock but also under it.  It seems you should not move the clock.  Using atmospheric pressure to keep a clock running requires perfect balance.

The Atmos clock is very sensitive.

Among the many reasons I have for appreciating Mrs. C, I now add to the list the fact that she does not dust the mantle.

THE CLOCK

 

THE CLOCK

Thirty-one years ago, I received a clock from my company representing twenty-five years of service.  It is a nice clock.  It is an Atmos clock, a special clock that never needs winding as it self-winds by virtue of changing atmospheric pressure…or something…I never really understood. 

The clock looks pretty on my mantle, but it never kept accurate time, and when I attempted to adjust the speed to maintain correct time, it stopped after a few days and needed to be manually rewound.

This clock was a common recognition gift for service from many companies back when employees did not skip firms every few years as seems to be the way to move up in the world these days.

Anyway, I have seen many of these clocks at friends or family members  who managed to stay with the same firm for extended number of years.  It seems all these other clocks maintain accurate time and they run forever, as advertised. 

I figured mine was just a dud.

I do know that one key to keeping the Atmos clock running is to have it perfectly balanced.  There is a tiny level bubble thing and adjustable “feet” that assist in this delicate balancing.  Occasionally, over the years I adjusted the balance and the clock would run for a while but it would stop before I could properly adjust the timing adjustment bar. 

I pretty much just gave up on using the clock for time and accepted it as a nice mantlepiece ornament.

A few months ago, after having giving up on the clock as a time piece since the demise of my second marriage, I adjusted the balance just for the heck of it and started it up.

Son-of-a-gun the clock ran with out stopping.  It ran a few minutes a day slow, but it continued to run. 

For the last month I have been adjusting the timing bar every few days until it now keeps time within a few seconds a week of my cable box Greenwich Mean Time analog clock.

Thirty-one years and the clock now is not just an ornament but it actually maintains accurate time!

Apparently, my former wife who was a bit of a neat freak periodically dusted not just around the clock but also under it.  It seems you should not move the clock.  Using atmospheric pressure to keep a clock running requires perfect balance.

The Atmos clock is very sensitive.

Among the many reasons I have for appreciating Mrs. C, I now add to the list the fact that she does not dust the mantle.

Blogging In The Wind

 

Blogging In The Wind

 

I thought I had quit this blog thing as the venue has mostly gone the way of the eight-track tape, CDs, and DVDs, but sometimes I just have to vent, even if it reaches no one.

Mrs. C does not wear make-up, she does not like ear-rings.  She loves rings, and has one for each finger, thumb, and occasional toe.  She does wear  bracelets and on rare occasions, a necklace.

We had one such occasion the other day, the baptism of Charlie, my six grandchild. 

Dressed to the nines, Mrs. C commented,

“This outfit would really look nice with a necklace.”

Now, I have given Mrs. C several nice necklaces over the years, nothing extravagant given my love affair with a dollar, but nice.

“Why not one of the necklaces I gave you?”

“That would be perfect, but I can’t find them.”

“You lost the necklaces?”

“Not lost, I just can’t find them.”

“That is the very definition of lost!”

Now here comes the Mrs. C statement that forced me back to the key- board.  I suspect those with She/Her/Hers pronouns will understand it, but He/Him/His pronouns will be scratching their heads along with me.

Said with attitude,

“I didn’t lose them; I just hid them where they wouldn’t be stolen!”

“Or found!”

“You’re a jerk!”

 

Who Are They Pointing At?

 

Who Are They Pointing At?

 

This is a bi-partisan political post.

Have you noticed that when a politician, no matter the party, no matter the office, meets a crowd, they do that pointing thing?

Politicians gaze around the crowd and then selectively point at a few people in the crowd as if they spotted some old friends and need to acknowledge them.  I suppose it humanizes them, they all do it…every. single. one! 

Oh yes they do, watch, you’ll see.

When President Biden entered the studio in the Trump debate, he pointed to a friend in the empty of all but two narrators studio.  The pointing move was so engrained that he could not avoid it.

At a local Christmas parade in my town years ago, the Mayor was on a float doing the pointing thing.  When he passed me, someone he had never met, I started pointing at him…he started to laugh…he knew.

Too bad Trump did not spot the sniper, he might have pointed at him and spared the snipers victims and his ear.

Is there anything wrong or nefarious about the political point?

Nah, I just think it is funny and like calling them out on their bull shit.

 

She’s A Cold Hearted Bitch I Tell Ya!

 

She’s A Cold Hearted Bitch I Tell Ya!

 

Tonight, while packing for a trip I noticed a strange box among Mrs. C’s many piles of closet stuff.  As I must have paused for two seconds Detective Mrs. C asked,

“What are you looking for?”

“Nothing, I was just wondering what is in a strange elongated unopened box.”

“Never mind, just leave my stuff alone.”

“Now I have to know.”

“If it’s in the long box, it is like a back scratcher except it is for applying lotion on my back.”

“When did you get it?”

“A couple of years ago.  I haven’t used it yet.”

“Of course not, you have me to rub lotion on your back.”

“I’m just planning ahead!”

She is cold I tell you.

A Conspiracy of Incompetence?

 

A Conspiracy of Incompetence?

 

On July 6, it was announced that Donald Trump would hold a rally in Butler Pa.  That would give a 20-year-old probably depressed loner kid 7 days to plan an assassination.

This kid (baby by today’s standards) lived an hour away.  Did he know the area where Trump would appear?  Did he know what buildings or high points would be available to assume a shooting position?  Did he have any idea that such a spot would not be covered by secret service?

Highly unlikely.  More than unlikely, outrageously unlikely.

Did this kid make that hour trip and do surveillance of the site days before?

How did this kid get anywhere near the rally carrying a rifle?

How did he manage to climb onto the roof unnoticed with a rifle?  This kid was not an athlete, I don’t see him shinning up a drainpipe with a rifle over his shoulder and not being suspicious.

Apparently, there was a ladder nearby.  Oh, that makes…WAIT WHAT? So not only was this vantage point for a kill shot not monitored closely, there was a ladder left for easy access!

I am not suspicious of any organized or planned conspiracy to murder Ex-President Trump, but clearly there was mass incompetence somewhere down the security line.

Was it pure incompetence, or was it passive incompetence because some “lone wolf” security person or group decided,

“Hey, if he’s shot, he’s shot!” and practiced extreme relaxed due-diligence.

Did this kid just show up early, see the roof with a direct line, and plant a rifle ahead of time.  (I believe he was seen wandering around the grounds sans gun) Did he then use the ladder and climb the roof to shoot Trump? 

Was it simply a crime or opportunity?

Did this kid think, “Let me show up with a rifle and if somehow I get a chance to kill Trump, I’m going to go for it.”

What did he have to lose, clearly this was a “suicide by cop” scenario.

The only thing more amazing than the shot missing it’s mark, is that the shot was allowed to made in the first place.

I wonder if we will get any real answers. 

Grassy knoll?  Move on, nothing to see here.

 

PLEASE STEP DOWN!

 

PLEASE STEP DOWN!

In the I interest of my own sanity I have temporarily removed the “no politics” clause to this blog.

Joe Biden needs to step down.  No argument, no discussion, no more lying to the public, we all know what we have seen and it is more than concerning. 

Much of the world is worried, much of the world is laughing, and our enemies are sure to be extra embolden.

Just step down before it is too late. 

Not because you may lose, but because you still might win!

It is not too late to step down and allow a reasonable patriotic more middle of the road candidate who is completely in control of his faculties, to take your place.  

It is not too much to ask that the leader of our country not be a doddering old man, one who 26 years ago went through two extensive brain surgeries, one who in his best days many, many years ago was determined to be unqualified for the position he now holds and seeks for four more years.

Will the man we have seen protected by his handlers and much of the media for the last three years and who was fully exposed the other night improve in the next few years?

NO WAY IN HELL!!

It is not too late to run a new candidate.  As much as I dislike her, Hillary would be acceptable.

My choice?  I am not a Democrat, but since you asked, head for New Jersey.

Senator Cory Booker has leaned left for political expedience, but deep down he is a highly intelligent, caring, and a motivated public servant.

My second choice is New Jersey Governor Murphy, also highly intelligent reasonable and an empathetic man.

Most of the names I have seen thrown around are not my Republican cup of tea, but at least they are all capable of rational decision making and leading.  

Joe Biden is not.  

You know it, I know it, and for God sake, someone please tell Joe!

 

 

DINNER WITH FOGHORN LEGHORN

 

DINNER WITH FOGHORN LEGHORN

For those too young to remember, or too intellectual to watch a cartoon, Foghorn Leghorn was a cartoon rooster with a very loud booming cartoon voice.

Last night, Mrs. C and I went to dinner with her sister (who picked up the tab thank you very much) at a fancy seashore restaurant. 

Fancy being you needed a reservation, and a collared shirt.

The food is always excellent, the prices not too unreasonable and the atmosphere relaxing and inviting.  We look forward to at least one night there when we are enjoying our time at the Jersey Shore.

Did I say the atmosphere was relaxing?  Well, most of the time, but not when you are dining next to a table where the conversation is dominated by Foghorn Leghorn.

Obnoxiously loud and content driven to demonstrate how wealthy, important, and fascinating he is.

“I say, when we were supping in Cambodia the most delightful event happened.  We were served pompow, I say pompow and I asked, I say son, what in tarnation is pompow, and he says it is chicken.  I say son, I say in my area of this big globe we call chicken chicken!”

I whispered to Mrs. C,

“Is that clown with the incredibly boring story as big an asshole as he sounds?”

“Pretty big…asshole, not in stature.”

“Could I kick his ass?” (Even at 78 years old most men judge other men in two categories, I could kick his ass, or I could not kick his ass…I know)

“Yes.”

I took that as an OK to be loud myself.

“SO, AS I WAS SAYING, THE OTHER DAY WHEN DRIVING MY BIG ASS BMW, I WAS STOPPED BY A COP FOR SPEEDING, I ASKED THE COP, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? HE SAID NO SIR, AND I SAID…”

“Stop it, you’re too loud and that never happened!”

“I SAID SON, I SAY I’M THE ONE WHO PAYS YOUR SALARY AND YOU DESERVE A RAISE!  HE SAYS HAVE A NICE DAY SIR AND SLOW DOWN A BIT.  YOU SEE YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE!!”

Ok I’m not that big a jerk, I only raised my voice a little to make a point, and Mrs. C quickly shushed me.

Unfortunately, Foghorn’s wife was not as concerned for other diners.  It was all we could do to have any conversation of our own.

I did quietly imitate the jerk a little and we managed a good laugh to drown out the bore so we did still have a nice time.

 

What is the proper etiquette for dealing with a loudmouth bore at a restaurant?

 

 

 

 

WHY SHIT IS SO EXPENSIVE

 

WHY SHIT IS SO EXPENSIVE

                                                                  ALL FIXED UP

OK, I apologize, that should be WHY STUFF…It is just that I am so incensed!

“What Happened, Cranky?”

I’ll tell you.

A few weeks ago, while racing from the Bowlero parking lot as I was a bit late for league warm up, I realized my key fob had fallen out of my coat and was lost in my car’s interior.

In my haste and panic when I could not find the fob, I pulled open the passenger side door to check if the fob had somehow flown into the passenger side.  (I eventually found it barely peeking underneath a seatbelt anchor cover.) When I yanked on the passenger door, it grabbed onto the front side car panel and buckled it.  The door would not operate without effort due to the door panel obstruction.

WTF?

I had no idea how this happened, but apparently the panel had been pushed ½ inch or less backwards where the passenger door would not open unobstructed.  There was no apparent damage to the car otherwise.  Not a scratch or a dent.

I had my friend who is the head mechanic for the local AAA and a borderline genius (just trust me) look at the issue.  I was informed that yes, somehow the panel had been pushed.  He estimated it would cost from $1500 to $2000 to repair.

The first shop I took it to said “Somewhere from $1500 to $2000 to fix.”

I called the insurance company.

“How did the accident happen?”

“I have no idea.”

“When did it happen?”

“Somewhere between end of March and beginning of May.  Possibly someone bumped me in a parking lot…I have no idea.”

I was told the shop I took it to had no relationship with that insurance company.

I took the car to an accredited collision shop that has a working arrangement with my insurance company.

I have $500 deductible, so what ever the cost, that is all I stood to lose.  Truth be told, if the cost was all coming out of my pocket I would have asked,

“Just pull the panel, bang out the crumple, adjust it back where it does not impede my door, and I will spray some paint over the damage so it won’t rust.” 

Probably cost me $750-$800.  With the deductible, I left it to the discretion of the insurance company and the body shop.

I was without my beloved Harvey (Honda HR-V) for two weeks.  Yesterday it was done and I picked it up.

The car is beautiful, no dings, no dents, years of minor scratches were buffed out and the car was completely detailed. 

It is now gorgeous, not that I really care that much…scratches and dents do not really bother me that much, they are inevitable.

“So why are you so incensed? It only cost you $500 and they did a great job!”

The insurance company was billed $7500 to fix a dented ½ inch moved front panel.

$7500!!!

OK, no more than $500 dollars of skin off my teeth, but damn, no wonder insurance is so dang expensive.

The shop charged for every screw and face mask, every rubber glove and every second of labor.  They adjusted shit that did not need adjusting and they painted stuff that did not need painting. 

I wonder, did the insurance agent who approved the job get a little extra in his sandwich bag?

Just got me thinking.  Where else does this sort of thing happen?

 

BTW, after further reflection, I am pretty sure the damage was done when Harvey was parked in my tiny garage almost abutted against a cabinet when New Jersey was hit with a 4.9 earthquake the shaking of which pushed Harvey’s panel.

The news reported back on April 5 that the NJ quake shook lots of people up but there was no known damage.

Apparently, they did not know of the $2000 damage to Harvey that was turned into $7500.

 

 

CRANKY THE BOTANIST

 

CRANKY THE BOTANIST

Ocean View

I am not a botanist, but I am sometimes observant and nature fascinates me.

Mrs. C and I along with occasional second and third generations of cranks and or other relatives and friend drop-ins are at our Jersey Shore rental.  The rental is a small apartment off the garage of Mrs. C’s Aunt Catherine’s home, a mere 50 yards from the beach.

This morning, I took my morning coffee to a bench overlooking the ocean.  

As beautiful and calming as an ocean view is, my eyes were drawn to the large dunes that were built after super storm Sandy many years ago.

DUNES

The dunes protect ocean front homes from rising waters. Of course, this probably ultimately directs the rising water to the bay, making those homes vulnerable to rising waters destruction.  You cannot stop water; you only redirect it…anyway that is another rant.

When they built the dunes, they also planted special grass in neat rows for the roots to grow deep and hold in the sand, which after 12 years has been pretty successful.  What caught my interest was how the fauna of the dunes has changed.

The rows of grass have lost some of their neat farm-like row quality.  Much of the grass has expired or perhaps gone dormant, seemingly in the spots that may drain rain water the fastest.  In place of the grass, several other varieties of plants, bushes or grasses have filled in to also hold the sand.

Of particular interest to me was one small patch of cacti that has taken hold. 

Cactus!

Where the heck did cactus come from?  I’m pretty sure cactus in not indigenous to New Jersey…we have zero deserts in New Jersey.

The cactus was flowering, and I know I had seen these flowers somewhere before…hmm.

Got it!

Auntie Catherine has a pot of ornamental cactus on her back deck where I sometimes BBQ dinner.  One small pot of cacti.

Apparently, the wind has carried her cactus seeds, or a bird has feasted and them pooped a seed onto this one small spot on the dune and from there a crop of cacti has taken root and spread.

Much like animals or plants get transferred across the world’s oceans on ships, tides, or birds, so has Auntie C’s cactus moved to the dunes. 

Sometimes this transfer process we declare as invasive.  Without natural enemies these migrants can change the environment. 

But are they really invasive?  Do they destroy native plants and or animals or do they just change the environment. 

The environment will eventually adapt after maybe hundreds of years.  Hundreds of years to us humans is destructive.  To nature it just is.  The world adapts.  We are just visitors and while we like to think we can control nature, we really cannot.

We can and should do our best to not harm our environment, especially as nature’s adaptive ways might necessitate our species demise, but we are not as controlling of the forces of the environment as we like to think.

Anyway, I wonder how many people will glance at these Jersey dunes in the future and wonder, “Where the Hell did the cactus come from!”

I know.

 

 

D-DAY

 

D-DAY

I don’t believe I’ve ever done anything especially brave in all my years.  I’m not a coward, I am risk adverse, but not a coward.  If called I would serve, and maybe if in different times I would have stepped up to serve.

Anyway, today is a reminder of all those who did serve.  Many voluntarily, some on demand.  All who faced the enemy on that D-Day beach reached deep for bravery I cannot imagine.

Several years ago, I attended the funeral of a friend’s father.  It was a military burial and intensely moving as those services always are.

Afterwards we went to dinner and the discussions were of course on the many exploits and attributes of a man who was truly loved by his family.

The discussion came around to his father’s service.  He apparently was one of the brave soldiers who landed on that D-Day beach and survived. 

The family spoke about how Pop never talked about the war…never.  Except recently when discussing a current movie about the D-Day invasion Pop asked only one question, with a tear in his eye,

“Did they show the blood in the water?”

Thank you for your incredible sacrifice.

PRICE GOUGING

 

PRICE GOUGING

This cranky old man is temporarily stepping out of blog retirement because I just need to vent.

 

Most people believe that our rate of inflation, the price of goods and labor, is rising at an uncomfortable rate.  No one likes inflation, especially older citizen that make do on a fixed income.

What is the cause of this inflation and what should be done to reverse the trend?  

(Actually, the trend has reversed a bit, but reversed from really too GD high, to unpleasantly GD high.)

As one who graduated with a degree in economics over 50 years ago sporting a high C- average I admit to not having a clue to a solution.

I do have a good idea as to what will not work.

I recently saw an article where politicians are calling on an end to price gouging, particularly with the cost of groceries.  The claim I read was,

“Notably, grocery prices have not fallen at the same rate as inflation. This is caused by excessive price gouging by food and grocery giants,"

Well that sounds reasonable, we just need to end price gouging by evil corporations.  Clearly if the rate of inflation falls then food prices should also fall, so there must be price gouging.

Nixon tried to stop price gouging way back with his Wage and Price freezes. 

Remember how well that worked. 

I do. 

Wages and prices were frozen and many items could not be purchased at all.  Seems many entrepreneurs were not willing to sell things at a price where they would lose money.  

Imagine that?

Funny how the law of supply and demand works so well until demand exceeds supply. Well, it still works, but no one likes it.

When the price of oil goes up, politicians blame Big Oil and price gouging.  I wonder why when oil prices drop drastically Big Oil doesn’t get a big thank you.

It’s because except in cases of monopolies or collusion, economic laws beat price gouging all day long.

By the way, that politician’s comment,

“Notably, grocery prices have not fallen at the same rate as inflation. This is caused by excessive price gouging by food and grocery giants,"

Even with a high C- in economics I know that if the rate of inflation falls from 10% to 5% it is unreasonable for prices to fall 5%.  It is reasonable to assume that prices will still rise 5%!

DUH!

But politicians think we are stupid.

Come on smart people, find a solution to inflation.  But start by not blaming price gouging.

And, to the politician who said,

“Notably, grocery prices have not fallen at the same rate as inflation. This is caused by excessive price gouging by food and grocery giants,"

Thank you, I now understand the meaning of “Gas Lighting.”

End of vent, damn that feels good!

 

 

WHY I SELDOM BLOG

 

WHY I SELDOM BLOG

I used to post every day.  I posted stories from my past.  I posted opinions.  I posted about everyday happenings around the Cranky home.

I have run out of stories from my past.  Opinions no longer promote thought and discussion; they promote judgement and anger.  Happenings around the Cranky home have already been well documented. (And often treated as if I was looking for solutions to a problem…apparently, I suck at sarcasm.)

I have also noticed a significant difference in reader reactions to my posts and in general any media articles or news items.

I sometimes go back and read old posts from 2012 to around 2017.  Posts that many, if I do say so myself, are dang funny and occasionally almost inciteful.

Comments typically used to be, “Funny Cranky” or “LOL” or “ROFLMAO” or “I know you are joking, but much of this is spot on” or “Your wife is a hoot” or “I totally disagree, but still had to laugh at some of this crap.”

Comments today would be,

“I think you meant insightful, not inciteful, unless you wanted to start a riot!”

I read an article today about 6-year-old twins, and their reaction to a present of clothes and not toys.  I expected comments on the parenting style to what I thought was a bratty child reaction.  Instead, at least 40% of the comments were on the authors apparent grammatical flaw of referring to the Twins as a “Pair of twins.” I did not even notice this flaw as I am apparently also grammatically challenged.

For instance, I still refer to pants as a pair of pants, not a pair of pant.  Or glasses as a pair of glasses, or pliers as a pair of pliers, or even scissors as a pair of scissors. (Plus, it just took me four tries to spell scissors correctly).

I should not even be allowed to post!

I think I may have just slid slightly off topic.

Point is, it seems to me that these days people do not read anything to learn, discuss, laugh, or cry. Instead, there is a tendency to be insulted, indignant or judgmental. 

People are angry. 

In our current nationwide effort to be inclusive of different people, cultures, and ideas, we have become compartmentalized finger pointing virtue signalers.

This is of course a giant generalization, but the point is it is a clear direction that we are moving towards, and I do not like the direction one bit.