Miscellaneous Observations

1. I regret to report that the Newtown Labor Day parade wasn't up to its usual standards. There weren't nearly as many marching bands but on the bright side my two grandsons marched with  other football players. Still it was fairly good although I missed my favorite part which unfortunately comes at the very end-the tractor parade.

2.  Tomorrow night I, along with several other former classmates, will be celebrating our 55th high school reunion. It doesn't seem possible that it's already 55 years but here it is.  I've kept in touch with some of the people who will be there but as one would expect every five years at our ages is going to be marked by loss.  As it happens there will be several people there who have lost their spouses. But somehow we'll manage to have a good time.

3. The weather is mercifully beginning to cool off (although today may be noted for  record setting heat). Next week the temperatures will be much more comfortable allowing me to get in the yard and get several chores done.  But I'm not complaining because you-know-what is in the not too distant future!

That's it for now. Please notice I've avoided comment on the dismal political scene.  Also, be sure to check my web site for updates-especially with Autumn approaching.  There will be lots of photo opportunities.

georgeswebpage.com

Does your new car have a spare tire?

Does this strike you as being a silly question?  Had someone asked me a month ago, I would have answered of course-although it's probably a 'donut' but that's OK.  It'll  get you to where the flat can be fixed. Or so I thought until my wife had a blowout one Saturday evening not far from home.  When a passing Good Samaritan stopped to get the spare out all he found was a small compressor pump.  The idea was to hook the pump up to the power outlet in the car, turn it on and hope that the sealant contained inside would seal the leak in the tire and inflate it.  It didn't.  The hole was too big.  We had to have it towed putting the car out of service until Monday afternoon.  A major pain.

I called Acura about this and they gave me a bunch of bull about their research showing people rarely change their tires anyway so why not make the car lighter by not including one.  Theoretically, by making the car a few pounds lighter the gas mileage would improve enough for the owner to see a savings.  That of course is ridiculous.  The reason they do it is to save money which I'm sure is not passed on to the consumer. 

Added to this outrage is the fact that the pump included with the car is a one-time use pump.  The Acura dealer told me to toss it.  So now I don't have a spare OR a pump.  After complaining bitterly, they agreed to give me a new pump.  I bought a spare tire kit anyway which they sold to me at cost (yeah, sure) but installed at no charge because I'm a very good customer (this is our 4th Acura all purchased from the same dealer).

I went to the internet and discovered this is a very common practice affecting cars from Chevys to BMWs. In fact just this morning my son got a flat tire on his BMW but at least his car had run-flat tires which are good for about 50 miles.  Just enough to get to a service station.

This is an unacceptable situation to me.  We plan to keep our current car for a very long time but when it does come time to lease or buy a new one, I'll make darn sure it has a spare.

Happy 2016-2017 school year

Today is the first day of school for Cole (3rd) & Nicholas (2nd).  Brooke (7th)  & Courtney (5th) go back tomorrow.  It doesn't seem possible that in just 5 short years Brooke will be a senior in high school.

This marks my 12th year of retirement but I still think back to those days when I was enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of my new class.  Even now I get in Cole & Nicholas's classes as much as I can.  Being around kids and helping them learn new things has always been enjoyable to me. It was the 'other' part of teaching duties that wore me out. 

It's good to see the kids still looking forward to the start of another school year. Part of it of course is just plain boredom with the summer doldrums.  The other part is getting back into a routine and reconnecting with friends they might not have seen all summer although these days unlike when I was in school kids are around each other all year-not just the school year.

It will be September soon so our thoughts can't help but drift to the coming seasons.  Autumn will be upon us soon  and while some people dread it because of the coming winter, I actually don't mind winter that much.  Sure, it's cold-sometimes bitter cold-but is that worse than stifling heat and humidity?  Not to me.  I'll be ready.

Click here to see Cole and Nicholas on their first day of school. georgeswebpage.com

Today's Question

Here's your question for the day: In spite of not being able to hold Bible studies in U.S. public high schools, should schools be required to teach the Quran (Islamic Bible) as Pres. Obama has urged?

What a question, huh?  The inspiration for it was a group email I rec'd from a very conservative friend of mine who was using it to of course make the point that Pres. Obama is a closet Muslim and a complete hypocrite. 

Here's the thing.  The person who originated the message got it all wrong.  First, high schools across the country teach comparative religion classes wherein the Bible and Quran, among others,  are covered. Second, Obama is not a Muslim. He's Christian.  Third the message writer missed the point completely.  Isn't it better to make informed decisions out of knowledge rather than ignorance. That's the purpose of education and that's the point the president was trying to make (maybe he could have done a better job in that regard). 

The real take-away message here is simple: Many conservatives, liberals, Obama haters, Obama lovers, whatever are going to bend the truth to fit their belief system no matter what you say or do to 'educate' them.  Not everyone is like that but enough people are to muddy the waters.  And wouldn't you know  it's that same group who are the loudest! 

Witness the current republican presidential candidate. Enough said.  Back to lighter things next time. 

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL???

"Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?" blares out of my TV speakers when watching the CBS television station this time of year. It's not just about the NFL.   It also involves just about every town in the entire United States for kids (mostly boys) ranging in age from 7 to who knows what by the time they get through college.  So in the spirit of this great American fall ritual that we attended our grandsons' first football scrimmage last Saturday morning. 

As I wrote in this space some time ago, I had my reservations about kids playing football.  There has been so much written about concussions that one can't help but wonder about the wisdom of allowing children to get out there and butt heads.  So it was with some trepidation that we attended this first game.

We were pleasantly surprised.  There was little if any actual head involvement that we could see.  The kids made clean tackles and their heads were well protected with well padded helmets.  The coaches were right there on the field as the plays were run and they acted immediately and appropriately when one of the players was shaken up on the play.

I've discovered subsequent research has shown that soccer is much more of a culprit in head injuries than football.   So we'll continue to go to the games and watch the kids enjoying themselves. But, believe me,  we'll be watching for signs of trouble too. After all, that's what grand parents do, right?

To see pictures of the kids as they participate in their various sporting events be sure to check my web site from time to time.   georgeswebpage.com.

You'll also see some good nature photos there too.

Thank God for the Olympics-and other diversions!

Now on day 11 of the Olympics which I've been watching with a great deal of interest.  The bonus is that it's a welcome break from summer reruns, the heat  and politics all of which have been terrible.  (Every time I think Trump can't get any lower he surprises me. Oh well. Only about two and a half more months of it.)  At least the heat should break soon and new programming will kick in next month.

In the mean time we have NetFlix.  We've been hooked on a British series called Midsomer Mysteries.  Good stuff.  If you have NetFlix, try it.

I've also got plenty to ready.  I'm currently reading a book that was written some time ago and I recently discovered the author-Jane Smiley.  She's an excellent writer. The book is Moo.  I just started it and so far it's a very good read.  Try that too.

Later.

Recent additions to web site

Don't forget to check out the photo gallery of my web site.  Some new, interesting pictures have been added.   Check Brooke's web page as well.

Click here georgeswebpage.com

Rest in Peace, Jack

Rest in Peace to my friend Jack Fitzpatrick who passed away last night. He had just celebrated his 93rd birthday. Jack served on the U.S.S. Alabama in World War II, the Greatest Generation. I had been visiting Jack for the past 8 or so years and he told me many stories of his time in service.

In civilian life Jack was a chauffeur for  Helen Keller .  He met many well-known people including Eleanor Roosevelt as a result of this. 

Jack had one brother and an adopted brother who stayed with him to the end.  His adopted brother was almost always with Jack and me when I visited.

At some point in Jack's life, his other brother died leaving three sons who Jack took on as his own. He often referred to them as his sons even though they were nephews.  All three boys attended New York Military Academy.  Only one of his nephews is still alive but very ill having suffered several serious strokes.

Jack's adoptive brother, 83,  lived with Jack pretty much his entire adult life and he cared for Jack during his later years.  He was with him every single day of Jack's 10 years at The Lutheran Home in Southbury.

We will all miss our conversations with Jack.  He was a great man.

Summer activities drawing to a close

I'm on my way to Dickinson Park to watch the boys in their summer camp talent show.  Tomorrow is the last day for camp so for the next few weeks they'll be with me until school starts. 

This is always a busy time of year for me since summer activities for the grand children are ending and school won't be starting for a while but it's all good times. Fortunately I enjoy being around my little "grands". 

I'll be back with some stories of what we've been doing. I'm sure you'd rather read them than listen to me rant about politics, right?

Bye for now.

Happy birthday to our son Peter

One of the few things I like about Facebook is the opportunity to embarrass our kids.  I recently posted this picture of our grown son to wish him a happy birthday today.  I suggested he probably still has his stuffed turtle.  Nothing like payback! On the other hand, I do hope he has a great birthday.

Happy August

It's August already-the dog days of summer.  By the way did you know that the expression 'dog days' has nothing to do with how dogs are affected by summer heat?  It has to do with the appearance of the constellation Canis Major which is now visible in the night sky. 

Anyway, click here to learn more about the month of August and to see recent photo updates as well  georgeswebpage.com

 

What is it people don't get about leaving kids and pets in cars?

I admit it. There have been times when I've left my grand children in my truck while I run in to do something.  BUT when that does happen, it's when the temperatures are in their 70s or lower and when I KNOW I'm going to be a very, very short time doing what ever it is I'm doing.

But what about those people who pull up to a convenience store or somewhere, it's 90 to 95 degrees out, windows closed tight, long line at the counter and finally they get back to the car and, well, you know the rest?  What is it they don't get about how dangerous it is to do that?

Watching the evening news tonight I guess the answer to that question is 'nothing'.  They don't get it at all.

And the tragedies keep mounting up.  Well, as comedian Ron White reminds us over and over, "You can't fix stupid."

New blog spot

I just signed up on WordPress as a blogger.  My grand daughters got me to do it.  You won't be seeing anything there that you can't see here but I thought I'd give it a try anyway.  Check it out if you'd like george223.wordpress.com

Book Recommendation

Here's a book recommendation for you:  The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson.  This book is heavy on character development set in the historical context of World War I serving as the larger issue. 

Throughout the book is a subtle humor that will make you laugh out loud unless you're reading the part  related to the war.  

Pick up a copy or download it to your Kindle.  You won't regret it.

Is Melania a plagiarist?

Social media is all abuzz over Donald Trump's wife's remarks at the RNC wherein she allegedly plagiarized Michelle Obama's speech of 4 years ago.  Maybe she did and maybe she didn't. It doesn't much matter to me because Melania Trump is not really the issue.  The real issue-and what should be the greatest concern to anyone with half a brain-is the prospect-as remote as it may seem-of her lunatic husband becoming the president of the United States-a country which I think is already great notwithstanding Trump's remarks to the contrary.

(I just reread the above paragraph and noticed I used a lot of dashes).

Any thoughts of your own about this?  If so, see my email address on this page (somewhere).

More pictures

The previous post linked you to Brooke's photo gallery web page.  This link will take you to the pictures I took at the same locations as Brooke's.
georgeswebpage.com/photogallery

Check out grand daughter Brooke's recent photography efforts

Our grand daughter Brooke has really caught the photography bug.  Yesterday her father lent her his good camera so we went to The Pleasance in Newtown and Southford Falls in Oxford/Southbury.

Click here to see her great photos
georgeswebpage.com/brookespics

Who's responsible? An observation about health care insurance

The issue of health care was the topic of a recent newspaper article. 

As the article reported the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) is supposed to give everyone an opportunity to have health care insurance at an affordable price depending on their circumstances.  If everyone took advantage of it, it would mean everyone could get the care they need without the need for public assistance.

The article went on to note that a slight twist to this is that the insured must give up their $9 per day cigarette habit if they have one.  Someone can't willingly contribute to their poor health while receiving public assistance.

Well, it seems that rather than give up that disgusting habit (oh, and save $63 a week), people are opting out of the program thereby leaving the tax payer to pick up their health care tab.  As it now stands, no public hospital can turn away a patient for any reason. If they can't pay, then you and I pay.

Something's wrong here.  Why should we pay for a smoker's very poor and very unhealthy choices?

I generally understand why hospitals will not turn people away but then why isn't the patient the one who should pay and if they can't pay, the cost should be deducted from their earnings and if they don't earn anything, they should work it off somehow.

The whole system is a mess but we don't hear anything about it from politicians.  But, hey, don't worry.  Trump will fix it!

On this day....

July 7, 1930 - Construction began on Boulder Dam, later Hoover Dam, on the Colorado River. The Hoover Dam is regarded as one of the most extraordinary engineering feats of all time.

Hoover Dam Fast Facts:

Important Statistics
Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet high at its crest, and the towers on the parapet rise 40 feet above that. It's made from 3.25 million tons of concrete and weighs more than 6.5 million tons.

Working on the Dam
Construction started in April 1931 and was completed in March 1936. In total, 21,000 men labored on the dam, and the average total payroll was $500,000 per month.

The Earth Moved
Workmen removed more than 5.5 million tons of dirt and other materials and placed one million cubic yards of earth and rock fill. They also placed nearly 4.5 million cubic yards of concrete and drilled 410,000 linear feet of drainage holes.

Unusual Construction Fact

The dam was built using 215 blocks of various sizes that were connected by horizontal and vertical keys at the joints. Grout was then forced into the spaces to form a solid structure.

Building Boulder City
After constructions was completed, government and civilian employees needed housing to live nearby and operate the dam, and Boulder City was built. Seven miles of roads were constructed from Boulder City to the dam, along with 10 miles of railroad track. Another 22.7 miles of railroad track was laid from Boulder City to the Union Pacific line in Las Vegas.

Happy birthday to the good old U.S.A.

Happy birthday to a great country (in spite of Donald Trumps insistence that it isn't).  Here are a few things you may not have known about Independence Day.

The 4^th of July

Author Kenneth C. Davis has revealed that the 2nd of July may actually be the more appropriate date to mark the nation's special day. "The fact is that John Adams wrote home to Abigail on the 3rd that this day, July 2nd will go down in history,"

July 4 marks a day of liberation in both the Philippines and Rwanda. In the Southeast Asian nation, July 4, known as "Republic Day," marks the date when the United States officially recognized the Philippines as an independent state in 1946

"Americans began observing the Fourth of July as early as 1777, when the first-ever major celebration in Philadelphia included a parade, a thirteen-shot cannon salute and fireworks,

Five years to the day after Adams and Jefferson died -- on July 4, 1831 -- the fifth President, James Monroe, passed away. So three presidents have died on the same date: July 4th. One more Presidential fact about the Fourth of July. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born in Vermont on July 4th, 1872!

July Fourth is the "biggest hot dog holiday of the year," according to TIME magazine, with Americans reportedly consuming about 155 million of them on Independence Day alone. But despite a nationwide love for the salty snack, no one really knows where the hot dog came from. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, it is "likely that the North American hot dog comes from a widespread common European sausage brought here by butchers of several nationalities."

Though hot dogs, french fries and barbecued treats are typical Fourth of July fare nowadays, our Founding Fathers feasted on some pretty different foods to celebrate the country's independence back in the day. "According to legend, on July 4, 1776, John Adams…and his wife, Abigail, sat down for a celebratory meal of turtle soup, New England poached salmon with egg sauce, green peas and boiled new potatoes in jackets. They followed the meal with Indian pudding or Apple Pandowdy,

Is Pennsylvania the country's most patriotic state? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the so-called "State of Independence," where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed, is home to 11 places with the word "liberty" in their name and 33 with the word "union" in them, leading the country for the number of places with such names. (Only one place in the nation has "patriot" in its name, according to the bureau. Patriot, Ind., is said to have an estimated population of 209.)

In a letter to his daughter Sarah Bache in 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote that he was displeased that the bald eagle had been chosen as the symbol for the nation. "He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly," he wrote. "You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk." A turkey, Franklin went on to argue, is a far "more respectable" bird. "Turk'y… [is a] true original Native of America,"

Due to concerns about cracking the iconic instrument, the Liberty Bell has not been rung since 1846. Instead, every year, to mark the Fourth of July, the 2,000-pound bell is tapped 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.

The world has officially gone crazy!

 From the Military Times website:

"In an historic and controversial move, the Pentagon on Thursday lifted its longstanding ban on transgender troops and began outlining how the military will begin allowing — and paying for — service members to transition, medically and officially, from one gender to another.
Now transgender troops will no longer be considered “medically unfit” for military service. By October, transgender troops may begin an official process to change gender in the military personnel management systems.
The Pentagon will pay for health care support related to gender transition in cases where a military medical doctor determines that is necessary, according to the new policy."

I'm usually very open-minded and tolerant of  individual differences but I have to admit I'm having a problem with this latest development.  I'm trying to picture how exactly this is going to work.

First of all, I admit I wasn't quite clear as to what a transgender is.  I thought it was just a weird person who wants to dress up like the opposite sex.  In actuality it goes much deeper.  Here's the official medical definitiion:
Many people have assumptions about what it means to be transgender, but it isn't about surgery, or sexual orientation, or even how someone dresses. It’s how they feel inside.

So even though you may be born biologically a male or female, if you feel like you're really supposed to be the opposite, then you're a transgender.
Of course this whole topic has been an ongoing issue with many states declaring it legal for transgenders to use which ever restroom they feel comfortable in but until recently it has escaped the military. Hence the above policy.

A lot has changed in the army since I was in over 50 years ago.  At that time only men served in combat units and if you were a homosexual, the policy was to keep it to yourself.  Don't ask. Don't tell.  For the most part everything worked well. So I'm having trouble wondering how they're going to handle a transgender in today's army.

Some questions:
1. If you're a man but think of yourself as a women, would you go in the Women's Army Corps?
2. If you're a man and already in the regular army but think of yourself as a woman do you have a separate latrine or are they going to switch you over?
3. How's all this going to work in combat situations?  It could get complicated.
4. Will uniforms be tailored to your particular sexual preference or will everyone still have to wear the same uniform?

I'm sure the army has thought all this through very carefully (yeah, right!) but frankly I'm glad I served when I did.  No confusion.  Men were men.  Women were women. How you 'felt' inside was irrelevant. Period.

Happy July

  Here we are, the month of July, the lazy, hazy days of summer.  To learn about some interesting historical things in July, click here: georgeswebpage.com/almanac

Football

It's only June but not too early for football as any die-hard football fan will tell you.  That sentiment  spans all levels including the beginners which now include my two grandsons.

Cole & Nicholas just received their uniforms and practice is set to start July 1st.  (see my website photo gallery for their pictures georgeswebpage.com)  Junior football involves an enormous commitment. It's every night of the week!  Games don't actually begin until some time in late August.

I have mixed feelings about all of this. On one hand I like that the boys are interested in sports and willing to try anything but on the other hand I, like many others,  have been following the research and the issue of concussions is a very real concern. 

There are those who tend to poo poo it and say kids run all kinds of risks only one of which is football.  Then there's the other extreme that says football should be banned. Period.  Both extremes are, well, extreme. 

I tend to fall in the middle.  Yes, football is a sport and therefore inherently risky.  Consider for example the fact that soccer is often responsible for more concussions than football (thus the ban on heading the ball by some leagues).

But I'm a man of science.  I believe in research, evidence and facts regardless of  whether or not it flies in the face of a popular activity.  On this issue the research is on-going but it is getting clearer.  Thus the recommendation of the medical community: three concussions and you're out-forever.  No exceptions.

I believe my son and daughter-in-law are very aware of this and are taking a watch and wait attitude. If things proceed as planned, great.  The boys do something they enjoy (if in fact they do enjoy it. The jury is still out on that), they learn the skills and teamwork that goes with the sport.  If things start to get ugly, then it's on to something else. 

That works for me and seems to represent a very common sense approach to just about anything kids do.  Unfortunately not all parents possess common sense which could result in life-long health issues.

Happy first full day of summer & the start of a new feature

Today is the first full day of summer 2016.  Actually summer solstice officially occurred at 6:35 P.M. yesterday evening. 

I have  decided to intersperse my blog posts with items of a factual nature.  I hope you'll find them interesting and a refreshing change from my frequent gripes or tiresome bragging about grand children.

Herein is my first offer.  Twenty five interesting facts about summer.

1.     The word “summer” is from the Proto-Indo-European root *sam-, meaning summer. The root *sam is a variant from the Proto-Indo-European root *sem-, which means “together/one.”

2.     The “dog days of summer” refer to the weeks between July 3 and August 11 and are named after the Dog Star (Sirius) in the Canis Major constellation. The ancient Greeks blamed Sirius for the hot temperatures, drought, discomfort, and sickness that occurred during the summer.

3.     Summer is the by far the busiest time at movie theaters, and Hollywood always hopes to earn a significant portion of total annual ticket sales through summer blockbuster months. To date, the top 10 most famous summer blockbusters of all time are 1) Jaws, 2) Star Wars, 3) Jurassic Park, 4) The Dark Knight, 5) Raiders of the Lost Ark, 6) E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, 7) Forrest Gump, 8) Ghostbusters, 9) Animal House, and 10) Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

4.     In the United States, over 650 million long-distance summer trips are made.

5.     In the United States, the top 5 most popular summer vacations are 1) beach/ocean (45%), 2) a famous city (42%), 3) national parks (21%), 4) a lake (17%), and 5) a resort (14%).

6.     The top 5 most popular summer vacation activities in the United States are 1) shopping (54%), 2) visiting historical sites (49%), 3) swimming/water sports (49%), 4) going to a park or national park (46%), and 5) sightseeing tours (46%).

7.     In the summer heat, the iron in France’s Eiffel Tower expands, making the tower grow more than 6 inches.

8.     The month of June was named after either Juniores, the lower branch of the roman Senate, or Juno, the wife of Jupiter.

9.     The word “solstice” is from the Latin solstitium, which is from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop) because it seems as if the sun stops at the solstice.ⁿ

10.  Both “equinox” and “solstice” refer to the path of the sun throughout the year. During a solstice, the sun is either at its northernmost point (Tropic of Cancer) or it is at its southernmost point (Tropic of Capricorn). An equinox is either of the two days each year when the sun crosses the equator and both day and night are equally long.

11.  Summer babies are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and are less likely to become CEOs. Because summer babies are typically the youngest children in each school class, their relative immaturity can affect the quality of their education.

12.  The word “season” is from the Old French season, which means “sowing/planting” or “seed time.”

13.  Ancient pagans celebrated midsummer with bonfires. It was believed that the crops would grow as high as a couple could jump across the fire. Additionally, bonfires would generate magic by boosting the sun’s powers.

14.  Warmer weather causes certain diseases to peak during the summer, such as Valley Fever, West Nile Lyme Disease, and food poisoning.

15.  While rare, the plague is more readily contracted and spread during the warm summer months, particularly in the western U.S. In 2012, for example, a Colorado girl contracted the disease when she touched a dead squirrel on a family camping trip.

16.  Leprosy is more readily contracted during the summer. Each year about 150 Americans contract leprosy, the same skin-disease that is mentioned in the Bible. In the United States, the source of leprosy is usually armadillos. The disease is transmitted when people, particularly in the southern U.S., hunt, kill, and eat infected armadillo.

17.  According to custom, in the United States, a person can wear white pants only during the summer, or between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

18.  A ubiquitous summer treat is watermelon. Watermelon is part of the cucumber, pumpkin, and squash family and consists of 92% water. On average, Americans consume 15 pounds of watermelon annually.

19.  Popsicles, a popular summer treat, was accidentally invented by an 11-year-old boy in San Francisco in 1905. He left a glass of soda sitting outside and by the next morning the soda had frozen. He began selling them at an amusement park in New Jersey. In the U.S., cherry is the number 1 flavor.

20.  July, the hottest summer month in the Northern Hemisphere, is National Ice Cream Month, not surprisingly. Americans eat an average 20 quarts of ice cream a year. Vanilla is the most popular flavor, with chocolate coming in a distant second.

21.  Contrary to popular belief, crime rates do not increase during the summer. However, the types of crimes change as the seasons change. For example, during the summer, bike thefts and items stolen from cars increase. During the winter, criminals are more likely to steal cars and Christmas presents left in cars.^v

22.  The first Olympic Games in the modern era were the 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad in Athens, Greece. The Games featured the Panathinaiko Stadium, the first giant stadium of the modern world that housed the largest crowd to ever watch a sporting event.

23.  According to Forbes, the top 9 most hazardous summer injuries are caused by 1) playground equipment; 2) skateboards; 3) trampolines; 4) lawn mowers; 5) amusement attractions; 6) non-powder guns, BBs pellets; 7) beach, picnic, camping equipment; 8) barbeque grills, stoves, equipment; and 9) trimmers, small garden tools.

24.  According to the CDC, children are more likely to gain weight over the summer because kids are less active, are more likely to have an inconsistent sleep schedule, and tend to eat more junk food.^aa

25.  Before the Civil War, schools did not have summer vacation. In rural communities, kids had school off during the spring planting and fall harvest while urban schools were essentially year-round. The long summer holiday didn’t come about until the early 20th century.

Second thoughts-More on the alligator incident

Regarding my previous post on the horrible alligator incident in Orlando,  I more or less side with Disney World.  Briefly, I said everyone knows or should know that there are alligators around just about every body of water in Florida so due diligence is key.

After talking to some people and hearing what some have to say on the news I've pretty much done a 180 on the topic.

My son for example reports that he and his family were in an area of Disney World that was pretty much identical to the one where the boy was taken.  Apparently unlike many lakes around condos like mine, Disney made the surrounding shores look like beaches.  While there are 'no swimming' signs, many people assumed Disney would keep alligators clear of the areas.  Furthermore signs or no signs what do people do when they see an area resembling a beach?  The walk up to the water without necessarily swimming.

Consider this for example: if you have a pool in your yard without a fence and even though you have 'no swimming' signs plastered all over and a child wanders into that pool, you're libel.  Period.

On top of all of this are reports from previous visitors who can show copies of letters they've sent to Disney World management warning of having spotted numerous alligators.  In spite of that not much was done to warn people off much less fence off the area as they're doing now.  Well, you know what they say about locking the barn door....

So taken all of this into account I have to say Disney World at least shares some responsibility for what happened.  Having said that, let the law suits begin.

New content

Check this out.  New pictures have been added to grand daughter Brooke's web page.
See photo gallery for other new pictures as well.
georgeswebpage.com

A word about the alligator incident

Orlando is certainly getting their fair share of bad things.  First the massacre in the night club and now at Disney World where a 2-year-old boy was snatched up by an alligator.  The little boy was playing with his father on the edge of one of the many bodies of water there.  An alligator appeared out of nowhere and took him away.  The boy's body was found yesterday.

Now many people are up in arms about there not being enough signs warning of the danger even though there were signs telling people to stay away.  It's just a matter of time before the law suits start.

That this is a horrible tragedy is of course obvious.  But when did we lose our collective common sense?  You're in Florida.  You're by a body of water.  What's known to live in such environments in Florida?  Why can't we just leave this as a horrible accident and hope others get the message?

Is this cold hearted?  I don't think so.  Just realistic.

Orlando-Update #4. Your moral dilemma for the day

It has been revealed that the Orlando shooter's wife was aware of his plans to commit an act of this nature.  The FBI has further stated that after investigating many of these shooting tragedies, someone in the family knew enough to head it off, i.e. Adam Lanza's mother in the Sandy Hook School massacre.

Here's the dilemma: To what extent, if at all, should family members who have not acted be held accountable?

The Orlando shooting-update #3

Trump criticizes the president for not mentioning that Omar Mateen is of the Islamic faith. Message to Trump: it's not about religion. It's about a nut-job who managed to get his hands on an assault rifle because of a negligent congress. Is Trump in the NRA's pocket too?

More on the Orlando shooting

Omar Mateen, the shooter who brought us the worst massacre ever on American soil, was on the FBI terrorist watch list, a victim of a mental disorder called bipolar personality (nee manic depressive) and a wife beater.  Yet he was able to legally purchase an AR 15 assault rifle  and a semi automatic 9MM hand gun.  Legally because Congress was unable to get the necessary majority of 60 votes to make the sale of fire arms illegal to anyone with his background.

I know I'm not the only one who sees something very, very wrong here but apparently there are enough U.S. Congressman in the pockets of the NRA who disagree.

Enough.