Goodbye 999 – And Good Riddance!

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Herman Cain will likely withdraw from the presidential campaign today.  Cain was never really a competent candidate.   It’s amazing that so many desperate Republicans would line up behind such an egomaniacal windbag.

 

Herman Cain came onto the political scene like a “Medicine Man” with his “999 Potion” that would cure the nation.  Naive followers ignored his lack of knowledge and experience.  It was his character that finally brought him down.

It’s back to the book tours and motivational sessions for Herman Cain.  He may be able to dazzle a room full of trainees with his gift of gab.  He wasn’t, however, able to remain credible for long in front of a National audience.

The presidential race will be less entertaining without the daily reports of Cain’s womanizing, woman bashing, and political blunders.  I for one …… won’t miss Herman Cain.

Candidates like Cain, we don’t need!  Goodbye Mr. Cain!   And Good riddance!

Pokerist – Texas Hold’em Poker Online

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I have a new addiction.  When I gave up my life-long beer drinking habit, I knew that it would dramatically alter my afternoon routines.   However, I never thought that I would replace sipping on a few beers with hours of playing poker online with a new family of friends.  Pokerist has me completely hooked. It’s fun and addictive.   It’s also a new way to meet friends and enjoy playing poker with players from around the world, in real time.

 

Every afternoon I look forward to hooking up with my new friends that I have met at the poker tables in the Pokerist site.  It’s amazing how poker exposes personalities and social attitudes.  Often, aggressive players tend to spoil the games for those that are just playing for the social experience. Clashes are not uncommon.

 

If you really want to sharpen your poker skills and learn how to take advantage of table position, aggression, intimidation, and an abundance of chips   … there are certainly opportunities to hone your skills.   Be prepared to take the heat, however, from players that are in the game for friendly enjoyment and a casual poker game.

You have an option to chat with fellow players if you desire.  You may also turn off the chat feature or turn off the chat for selected players.  You have the option of being unsociable if you prefer that style of play.  I personally enjoy meeting new players from around the world.  I believe that this aspect of the game is what makes the game extremely enjoyable and keeps me coming back for more.

You can register through your Facebook account (preferable for PC users), Xbox, or you can load the game App from the Apple/Mac App Store.  The upload is free.

There is no real money involved in the Pokerist games.  You are, however, able to purchase chips from within the game.  The average price is $1 per million chips.  There are also websites that sell chips at reduced prices, usually less than one-half the cost of chips purchased from within the game.

Sharing chips is prohibited and may result in temporary penalties such as limited communication and possible temporary playing suspensions.

Thus, albeit you are playing for play money, there is a potential cost involved.   You are given an initial amount of chips when you register your user name.  You may also win chips in the daily chip lottery, or receive chips from Pokerist after having a bad day at the tables.

If you are an experienced poker player, or a newbie, and would enjoy playing poker with others from all parts of the world,  give Pokerist a try.  You can find me at “462dave”.  I have experienced an incredible bond with my new poker family from England.  I enjoy sharing my afternoons with the Doggett family every day.  I am sure that we will meet in person someday soon, although we are separated by the vast Atlantic Ocean.  The world just keeps getting smaller.

 

 

Shame On Penn State – They’ve Made It All About Football

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The entire Nation has been focused on the shameful scandal that was unfolding at Penn State University this past week.   As many as a dozen young children (boys) have allegedly been raped or sexually abused by a former Penn State assistant football coach.

 

The shocking news, if proven, reveals much about the distorted values and the warped minds of those associated with the Penn State football program and their devoted fans.  It’s hard for others, outside of Pennsylvania, to understand how a successful coach and a winning team can be so highly worshipped by the Penn State students and the rabid fans.  The lives and welfare of the innocent victims is hardly discussed in their expressions of disappointment regarding the firing of their beloved football coach “Joe Pa”, and the fact that he will not be able to coach the last home game of the season.

Upon reading the Grand Jury Report that was released to the media, I became shaken and ill.  As a father, grandfather, uncle and soon to become great-grandfather,  I can’t begin to imagine such a horrible thing happening to one of them.  More amazing to me, I can’t imagine a major university brushing such a horrible thing under the rug in order to protect their football program.    Even more amazing to me is the unbelievable reaction of the Penn State students and fans that have been interviewed by the media.

 

I am aware that the media has not covered this story to the extent that they interview students or fans that are sickened and disgusted by the actions of the University Leaders and the involved football coaches, including Paterno.  But the eyes of the Nation only see what is presented to them on television, the Internet, and the newspapers.  The rabid worshipping of Joe Pa and his football program makes little sense in light of the current circumstances.  The worshippers make no mention about the horrendous accusations or the welfare of the children.

 

Big football programs have distorted the values of many students and fans that have converted football into a religion.   The football team and/or the coaches are revered as saints.  They walk on water and are larger than the educational institution that they represent.  Such a distortion is shameful in and of itself.   But under these circumstances, the shame is beyond belief.  Attending a university should never be all about football.   It should be about attaining a good education, including morality and social awareness.   The victims of these crimes deserve more from the Penn State Students.

 

I welcome your input.  I know that many Penn State fans will have much to say in   response.   I only ask that we can have a respectful discussion.  Personal attacks will go directly into the trash.

 

Herman Cain’s Crazy 999 Plan

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The Republican Party has become so desperate for Presidential Candidates, they are actually demonstrating high polling results for arguably the most unqualified candidate in the history of the Party.  Herman Cain has absolutely no government experience, no knowledge of International Affairs, and little respect for human rights (he is anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-poor, and anti-worker).  And worst of all …. Cain has come up with a ridiculous plan to overhaul the federal tax structure.   His fantasy 999 Plan is right out of a Sim City fantasy game.

 

If Herman Cain was to gain the power to enact his 999 Plan, he would be reducing the taxes paid by millionaires and billionaires  to a small fraction of what they pay currently.   Tax revenues would be replaced by taxing the middle and low income individuals and families using a much higher rate than they have ever paid.   In addition to State and local taxes, each individual would be taxed at a flat rate of 9% on earnings and 9% on all purchases.  In areas such as Southern California where the current sales tax rate is around 8%, the rate would more than double to a total sales tax rate in the area of 17%.

Herman Cain has no concern for the poor or the elderly citizens of this country.  Cain would agree to end Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  He also stands against most social programs, and women’s assistance programs.

Like most Tea Party candidates and politicians, Cain is in favor of creating a Berlin type wall to seal off our neighbors across our Southern Borders.   Also like the Berlin Wall, he is in favor of using heavily armed guards, drones and electrically charged fences in order to separate our countries.  Never in my life did I ever think that our country would consider such barbaric tactics.

I’m not in favor of allowing immigrants into this country without due process and paperwork.  But, I think that we would send a horrible message to the rest of the world if we were to use inhumane tactics and aggressive military responses against those that are looking to enter America to seek work and a better life.

Herman Cain will probably not be the Republican choice to run for President in 2012. I am stunned that the Republicans would even give him any consideration given the reasons listed above.   I hope that the Republican Party can get their act together in the future and enlist highly qualified candidates for public office.   America benefits from having two strong Political Parties with skilled and knowledgeable Party Members.  When we elect the likes of Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and Rand Paul ….. The country suffers tremendous setbacks as these unqualified individual gain the power to alter the government.

I welcome your comments and leave you with this question.   When did any of the above individuals ever do anything to create jobs?

answer:  Herman Cain   Pizza delivery workers and pizza makers average about $7.50 per hour. Maybe he can provide a job for the primary wage earner in your family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The New iPhone 5 – It Will Change Your Life

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I am really excited about the anticipated release of the new iPhone 5 next week.  I have not owned a cell phone for several years ……. But I don’t think that I can resist the temptation to buy the new iPhone 5.   What makes this iPhone so special compared to previous models?   Let me count the ways:

  1. A new larger screen.
  2. The new iOS 5 operating system
  3. iCloud … the ability to store, access and share files on a remote server
  4. Automatically shares uploads with other my devices and my MacBook Pro
  5. New A5 Processor (faster speed and better power management)
  6. New 8 Megapixel camera.  (3D camera is rumored)
  7. Front facing camera for video chatting
  8. New SIM-less design with 2 to 3 internal antennas for CDMA and GSM compatibility, which will make it a “worldphone”.
  9. Extended battery life
  10. A new sleeker body design
  11. Wireless sync with iTunes
  12. Increased RAM (512MB to 1GB)
  13. Improved screen resolution
  14. No increase in price anticipated.

Some of the above listed features are not verified.  All of the anticipated upgrades are from usually reliable sources.   Apple will conduct a company conference next week where the new iPhone 5 is rumored to be announced and officially released.

I’m not sure if I have the will power to resist the new iPhone.  It’s so much more than just a cell phone.  This phone has the ability to change one’s life.

 

 

The success of the iPhones and the iPad Tablets is astounding!  Android fanatics are forever attacking the iPhones and the iPads, calling them inferior to the android devices.  The proof that the Apple Dvices are far more popular is illustrated in the charts below:

The first charts shows the most current smart phone usage as reported by the primary service providers.

The chart below shows current activations for 3G and 4G devices.  Despite the lack of 4G service, the Apple devices are far more popular than the competition.

 

 

  Above data provided by Good Technology.

Elder Care Horror Stories in Schuylkill County

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I live in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.  The population of persons over the age of 65 is about 18.5 %.  That’s nearly double the amount of seniors (by percentage) living in California, where I lived previously.

There are many facilities (often called “Manors”) in this region.  They no longer refer to them as “sanitariums”.  Manor sounds much more distinguished.

In California we often referred to these facilities as Rest Homes or Convalescent Homes.   Many seniors wind up in these facilities once they are unable to care for themselves and their children (or families) are unable to provide full-time care.  These facilities typically charge over $7,000 per month for the care of a typical senior.  For those that cannot pay that much, the facilities will usually accept the entire income of the elderly resident, and Medicaid typically will supplement the cost.

 

Is this a great benefit?  Is it worth the cost?  Do these facilities provide excellent care as advertised?    ……   It really depends on whom you talk to.   Most of the manors are connected to medical doctors or medical groups.  Most facilities use glitzy advertising programs and have very decorative entries and grounds.  It’s difficult to evaluate them by appearance only.  They often resemble a luxurious place like the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel or other such fancy joints.  Who wouldn’t want to live in such a plush and pleasant environment?

 

Unfortunately, the service and the lifestyle are often far from plush and pleasant in many of these facilities.  Horror stories are common.  Patients may suffer from neglect, malnutrition, or various forms of abuse in many of these hospices.  Those suffering from dementia often do not receive proper nutrition or medications.  The care providers do not have the time to assure adequate attention to critical needs of such patients.  Many patients die prematurely or suffer unnecessarily due to inadequate care.

 

Modern families often don’t have time to closely monitor the care that is provided to their elder family members in such a facility.   They trust that the staff and doctor/s will devote adequate attention to their needs.  Often, critical needs are overlooked, and family members are not made aware until such circumstances become very grave.

 

Making sure that our elders are receiving adequate care in a senior facility is not always easy.  Although it seems quite simple to others, it becomes a very heavy burden on the family member who assumes the responsibility to oversee such care.  Family members should all pitch in to lighten the load.  Even younger members of the family can help to brighten the day of an elder in a rest home.  Old friends should also be encouraged to drop in on occasion if possible.  Everybody needs to pitch in.  Someday it may be our turn to reside in such a place.

 

 

America Is Going Backward

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It seems that a clan of new extreme right-wing politicians want to undo a vast amount of our country’s historic advancements and return to the way that things used to be.  They would like to erase decades of negotiations and bi-partison efforts in their brief time in office.

During my lifetime America has made profound progress in areas of human rights, civil rights, infrastructure development, medical science, and technological development.  This progress has made us the envy of the world and the greatest country in which to live.

I grew up during a period of much turmoil.  I was just graduating from high school when the Viet Nam War began to escalate.  There were many protest demonstrations being conducted throughout the country.  The Civil Rights Movement was also just beginning to gather momentum about that time.  Marches and demonstrations were seen almost nightly on the television news

Despite all of the civil unrest, the nation seemed to come out of that time period as a stronger and more tolerant place to live.  Minorities (including women) were finally given the opportunities that they justly deserved, and the civil rights of all people were finally protected under the federal laws.   America was growing into a more tolerant and peaceful society.

I also witnessed the development of the California freeway network and the National Highway System, the construction of many nuclear power plants, and the construction of thousands of new schools.  I have seen evidence of millions of Americans (including many members of my family) enter into retirement with the comfort of knowing that they would have Medicare Health Benefits and Social Security Income for all of their retirement years.

Fast forward to the year 2011.   What has happened to the more tolerant and peaceful society?  Why have so many Americans begun to make their bigotry such a motivating factor behind their political beliefs?  The extreme right-wing movement, headed by the recently emerging Tea Party followers, openly expresses their disapproval of gays and hate for minorities — particularly Hispanics and Middle Easterners.  States and local communities are passing laws that are arguably unconstitutional and prejudicial, in order to protect them against the increasing number of immigrants (documented or undocumented) who are becoming more visible in their communities.  Other states refuse to recognize gay partnerships and are also passing laws to reduce the rights of women seeking to retain the control of their own bodies and futures.

Many of the new Tea Party Politicians want to do away with programs that are designed for the purpose of continuing the development of our infrastructures and our education systems.  Their belief seems to be that the Federal Government should be reduced to providing nothing more than national security, the defense of our borders, and high paid jobs for politicians.

When listening to the concerns of these right-wing extremists, one would think that we have been invaded by millions of blood sucking outer space aliens, and they are devouring all of our resources.  They seem to fear that these invaders are going to eat all their food, take away their jobs and benefits, and heaven forbid … have sex with their sons and daughters.   Frankly, I have trouble understanding their paranoia.  The only reasonable explanation for their high level of fear is that their ignorance and bigotry generates the primary impetus behind such irrational thinking.

Is this becoming the way that most Americans think and feel?  Do we, as a country, wish to do an about-face and wipe out all of the progress that we have made since the 1960’s?   Or, is this just the radical thinking of a small clan of less informed radicals that have been heavily sponsored by wealthy entities in order to garner national attention to their agenda.

What say you?  Are you ready to see America dismantle Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid?  Would you prefer that our government turn its back on the less fortunate and enact major cutbacks in social assistance programs, federally sponsored jobs, and disaster relief?

* I would appreciate your comments.  These are important matters and your opinions are valuable.

 

* Name calling and insulting remarks will not be posted.

 

 

 

 

 

The Tea Party Is About To Flame Out

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The Tea Party congressional members have been getting on everyone’s nerves.  The Republicans don’t like their tactics and lack of knowledge and experience.  The Democrats wish that they would just crawl back in their holes and allow the Congress to get some business done.   If the Tea Party suffers major failures in the next elections, it couldn’t happen to a sadder bunch of bush (pardon the pun) politicians.

The political world was taken by surprise when the Tea Party suddenly appeared on the scene with an entire agenda based on very old thinking.  They somehow started appearing at political rallies and town hall meetings throughout the country.  They had large signs and posters expressing their dislike for President Obama and the way that the country was being run.

Tea Party posters were often hateful and crude.  But they seemed to have a lot of appeal in areas where would-be voters were less educated and often bigoted.   Some showed Obama with a bone through his nose or some other unflattering depiction.  The lack of class or political etiquette did not seem to slow them down.   They were well organized and on a mission.

Who was behind this mysterious movement?  Who was funding their movement?  I suspect that some very powerful right-wing elements or individuals were providing the organizational methods and funding.

 

The abundance of posters protesting the Obama Healthcare Plan leads me to believe that the Health Insurance Industry is largely behind the anti-Obama Healthcare movement. It just doesn’t seem logical that a bunch of maverick tea baggers would be so much against a plan that would very likely benefit them and their families.  The Obama plan has been well studied and determined to save huge amounts of money for the plan participants.

The Tea Party politicians that have recently been elected to the Congress have turned out to be a royal pain-in-the-ass for everyone. They almost succeeded in shutting down the government because of their refusal to pay the bills.   Yes … the government has a responsibility to pay its debts.  Due to the irresponsible actions of the Tea Party members of Congress, we have lost our AAA credit rating for the first time in our history.

 

Now that the majority of Americans understand the Tea Party’s agenda, they have lost the political popularity that they once enjoyed.  Americans understand that tea baggers wish to dismantle the Social Security System, destroy Medicare and the Obama Healthcare Plan, put an end to Medicaid, and greatly limit social services. The Tea Party platform will never fly with the majority of Americans.

Candidates like Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin are not long for this world, politically.  Their ideas about running the country are borderline crazy.  Their lack of knowledge makes one wonder how they ever got this far in politics.  It just goes to show you how many people can be fooled into voting for totally unqualified candidates.

 

 

When the Tea Party comes crashing down … a lot of people will be happy to see them fade away.

I will be happy to see the Tea Party crash and burn.  They have done nothing but spread hate and misinformation.  As a country, we must get back to the business of moving forward together as a nation.

 

 

WiiFit – It Really Works!

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I like to eat.    No … I love to eat!

For me, food is a passion.  I think of food when I awaken in the morning and pretty much all day.  I enjoy cooking, and I’m a pretty good cook.  I like most foods if they are prepared right.   I mostly love gourmet foods, ethnic foods, appetizers, desserts and of course … Mexican Food!  I’ve always joked that I have only found two food items that I don’t like —  beef brains and head cheese.   I pretty much like every other food I’ve ever eaten.

As a result of my passion for food, I have always struggled with my weight.  Now that I am in my late 60′s, it’s much harder to stay in shape and prevent weight gain.  Thus, I have been researching effective methods of dealing with weight control and body conditioning for senior citizens.  In my search I made an interesting discovery.   Lots of people (young and old, male and female) are posting testimonials on the internet about their successes in losing weight, improving body condition, and greatly lowering their BMI (body mass index) using the WiiFit System.  They not only claim to have succeeded in reaching their goals, they also claim to have thoroughly enjoyed the experience!   Although it required dedication and hard work, they actually claim that they had a lot of fun using the WiiFit Method.

It sounded too good to be true.  The testimonials sounded more like Nintendo advertisements.  Then, I started watching WiiFit Video demonstrations on youtube.com.   The people in the videos all had one thing in common —   they were all having a blast.  Some were dancing, others were bowling or skiing down a mountain.  Others were boxing, playing tennis, golfing or riding a bike.  These activities were performed in their homes in front of their television sets.

I was convinced!  I researched the best prices for the Wii System and all of the necessary accessories, and I decided to purchase everything from amazon.com.

Now that the WiiFit Systems have been out for a while, they are available at greatly reduced prices.  I was really happy with the deals that I found.  I purchased WiiFit Plus, My Fitness Coach,  We Ski and Snowboard, Wii Sports, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, and Word Jong Party (Mickey loves her word games).  I found everything at 50% below list or less.

Well …. the proof is in the pudding!   Does it really work?   The answer is a resounding   YES!    There is one caveat however.  One has to be motivated.  I really committed to the workout program, and I also modified my eating habits.    I am thrilled with my progress thus far.  I am only into my third day, and I’ve lost seven pounds and two inches on my waist.  The best part is … I’m having a great time!   I just hope that I can keep it up.  I know that I have a long way to go, but I’m committed to making it work.   Maybe someday I’ll be posting one of those testimonials, claiming to have lost over 100 pounds while having fun with my Wii Fit games!

Followup:

I have decided to post my weekly progress below.  Perhaps I can help motivate someone who is on the fence about trying out the Wii System.  This will also help to keep me motivated.  Photos to follow.

TOTAL ACCUMULATIVE TOTALS: 

Week 1 – 8/22/2011:  Total Weight loss = 8 lbs.   Inches lost (waist) =  3 inches

Week 2 – 8/28/2011:  Total Weight loss = 11 lbs.  Inches lost (waist) =  3 inches

Week 3 – 9/4/2011:  Total Weight loss = 14 lbs.    Inches lost (waist) =  5 inches

1 Month – 9/15/2011:  Total Weight loss = 16 lbs.   Inches lost (waist) =  7 inches

Week 5 – 9/19/2011:  Total Weight loss = 18 lbs.   Inches lost (waist) =  7 inches

Week 6 – 9/26/2011:  Total Weight loss = 19 lbs.   Inches lost (waist) =  7 inches

 

Is The U.S Postal Service Taking A Dive?

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At a time when more and more individuals are shopping online, the package delivery industry has become more efficient than ever… with one exception, the U.S. Postal Service.

UPS currently dominates the industry and for a good reason.   The UPS delivery system is faster and much more reliable than any of its competitors.  When I purchased my iPad, it was delivered directly from Shenzhen China to my home in Pennsylvania in one day! Conversely, I have waited up to nine days to receive packages from the West Coast that were delivered via the U.S. Postal Service.

 

FedEx provides Saturday delivery service to residential customers in most areas. Although Saturday deliveries have been a benefit from time-to-time, the UPS service is usually faster for out-of-state deliveries.

 

 

I recently purchased a Wii Fit Console Bundle from a seller in Oklahoma.  I paid extra for “expedited delivery”.  The seller mailed my package via U.S. Postal Service on a Monday afternoon.  The U.S. Postal tracking system indicated that it would arrive on the following Monday … seven days later!  In the meantime, I ordered extra software and accessories which all arrived within two days via UPS.

Recently we were notified that our local Post Office is scheduled for closure.  There are major cutbacks in the works:

  •   The U.S. Postal Service is apparently closing nearly four thousand post offices throughout the country.
  •  The Postal Service recently announced the planned layoff of 120,000 postal workers.
  •  There are plans to change the retirement and healthcare plans for postal employees.
  • There is talk about closing all post offices on Saturdays.

I wonder how bad the USPS customer service will get before the whole mail and parcel delivery industry becomes privatized by the right-wing leaders in government.   While the right-wing politicians destroy what’s left of what used to be a great government system … we’ll all sit back and watch the U.S. Postal Service take a dive.