Summer is here with a vengence!

It seems like we have gone from a wet, cool spring to a hot, humid summer. Yuk! And I still have a lot of outdoor work to do.  I hate working in hot, humid weather.  In fact I can't really do it anymore.  I confine heavy work to mornings and light activity to afternoons.  That's that pattern for the rest of the summer.  While we do have a condo in Naples, FL, there's no way I could spend a summer there.  And by summer I mean May through September.   Definitely a winter month location for me.

And so it begins

Well....it's kind of like it never really ended but now it's official. The start of the campaign season that is.  With the official announcement of Trump's intention to run for a second term the loooooong, looooong, process of getting to election day now starts-at least officially. 

There's one consolation.  The republican side is decided.  All you have to do is turn off Trump every time you see his fat face on TV.  The bad news is there are lots and lots of democrats throwing their hats in the ring. 

Hang on. It's going to be a rough ride from now to November 2020. 

It's graduation time

I've noted with interest many K-3 teachers posing with former students who are now graduating from high school. It occurred to me that the students I had in my first five years of teaching can all be members of AARP!  The students I had in my first class of 4th graders are 55 now.  I'm still in touch with many of them on Facebook so that's at least one positive thing about social media.

Back to school for two days

I spent two mornings and a partial afternoon at Sandy Hook School recently.  I was working with the 3rd and 4th graders.  Years ago-1978 to be exact-when I was a 5th year teacher at Sandy Hook a member of the board of education arranged to have two slabs of shale rock trucked to the school.  Each slab contained dinosaur fossils.  Those slabs survived the reconstruction of the school and were placed in front of it. 

A parent saw the rocks last year and used Facebook to ask what they were and if anyone knew anything about them.  I chimed in with the answer to her questions and she asked if I could tell the rest of the school about them since I apparently was pretty much the only one around at that time who knew their history.

From there I contacted the math/science specialist and she thought it would be a great idea to tell kids and staff what I know since the study of fossils are in the third grade science curriculum.

We were going to do it last year but the weather conspired against us so this year we made it happen.

It was good getting back in the 'teaching mode' again.  Especially when kids are interested in something and what kid doesn't like dinosaurs?  Even the teachers hadn't really noticed them so they were interested too.  It was my third time this year working with kids at Sandy Hook. Grandson Nicholas will be leaving the school to go on to Reed next year so as I posted in a previous piece this brings to a close a 46 year run having a connection to a place where I spent so much time. But I still know people there so maybe I'll be back for other things in the future.  Otherwise maybe Reed Intermediate will have some use for me from time to time.  We'll see.

To impeach or not to impeach? That is the question.

This morning while using the rest room at the Newtown Country Club I heard snippets of a conversation taking place out in the dining room.  There were about 4 guys sitting around talking about Trump and all the impeachment noise being made these days.  I didn't hear everything but caught a few of the following bits and pieces:
"They won't be happy until they convict SOMEONE". (I presume they mean by 'they' the democrats.)
"Impeach for what? What do they have?"
"It's just a media circus."
That sort of thing.

I felt like running out and lecturing them on the meaning of high crimes and misdemeanors but my friends were waiting for me.

So here's what I think.  I think they're right-for all the wrong reasons.  Now is not the time to impeach.  Here's why.

1. As House leader Nancy Pelosi has correctly observed, not even all House democrats are on board with this.  If you can't get overwhelming support within your own party then it looks like a lost cause from the start.

2. But suppose somehow the House does impeach him. Then what?  It goes to the Senate-a republican controlled Senate.  Senate republicans have  remained stubbornly supportive of Trump even though he's such a despicable slob. So there's no chance he'll get convicted in the Senate.

3. Efforts to impeach could backfire on the Dems.  Witness the above conversation I overheard.  How many other people think this is just a witch hunt?  Why take the chance?

So what needs to happen is that Trump's opponents  do nothing but bide their time.  Let him continue to lie, trip and stumble his way through the rest of his term and keep track of everything like police analyzing a crime scene which is pretty much what it has amounted to.   Then when the next presidential campaign rolls around and a Democratic candidate emerges (looking like Biden at this point) you've got the ammunition you need to show Trump for what he is-the most corrupt, immoral liar to ever set foot in the White House. 

There's my two cents worth for the day!

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day-the unofficial first day of the summer season.  Between all the baseball, soccer, picnics, barbecues, etc let's see if we can set aside a second or two to quietly acknowledge those who gave their lives so we could enjoy this time of year. 

As a side note, in just a little over a week we will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the greatest invasion in history-D Day which pretty much spelled the coming end of World War II.  Check social media  cyber media and TV listings for events commemorating this event.

Two observations

1. Spring is here!  Or is it? Finally, today after several days of raw, rainy weather the sun is out but it's windy and chilly.  Not what I was hoping for on a nice warm spring day.  Generally this spring has been terrible.  More evidence supporting climate change.

2. I recently saw an article in some paper or magazine about a new push to teach coding in the public schools.  It usually starts in middle school and goes into high school.  Do you know what coding is?   Basically it's what we used to call computer programing.  The question that comes to mind to me is why are they teaching that?  The defenders of coding instruction point out that kids can design their own video games.  Also, teaching coding teaches logic.   I think perhaps it's interesting as an extracurricular subject but to teach it as part of mainstream education is in my opinion silly.  Are public schools in the business of training computer programmers?  I shouldn't think so. We are not vocational schools.  Teaching it as a hobby or after school activity is fine but let's not take up precious time during the school day to do this.

 

A word about a really boring topic-International trade tariffs.

I heard Trump make a statement the other day that added more evidence to the assertion that he's either a liar or profoundly ignorant.  (The truth is probably a lot of both.)  Anyway the statement was something to the effect that the tariffs he's levied against China has added billions of dollars to American coffers.  That statement is absolutely false.   Here's why.

 First, to put it in the simplest possible terms, a tariff is basically a tax a country places on imported goods the purpose of which is supposedly to level the trade playing field.  The end result is that the goods sold by that country's manufacturers cost more thus resulting in American buyers turning to domestic products.  Remember, that's the theory.  It rarely works that well.

OK, so if the country the tariff is against isn't paying the tariff, who is?  The answer is the producer of the goods being shipped from that country.  The importing American country is now paying a higher price but rather than turn to domestic manufacturers they simply pass the cost on to....YOU!  Yes, folks. That's right. You're the one paying for Trump's clever trade policies. 

Why aren't people on to him?  How has he and others like him gotten away with it?  For two reasons. First, no one fully understands how international trade works so they take it as an article of faith that someone somewhere knows what they're doing.  Second, sometimes, done correctly, tariffs do in fact work.  But it's the result of careful negotiation requiring countries to compromise and practice give and take-something Trump can't or won't do.  He thinks he can sit down with China or India or Japan or whoever and dictate policy like he used to do in his board room.  The problem is our trade partners will simply leave the table laughing historically leaving the U.S. high and dry.

The solution is reasonable, respectful negotiation-not a 300 pound 2-year-old throwing a temper tantrum. 

Remember all of this the next time you vote!

The End of an Era

Grandson Nicholas at his grand finale as a 4th grader at Sandy Hook School. Now it's on to Reed Intermediate.

On a side note-this is a bitter sweet moment for me because this will end my 46 year run being associated with Sandy Hook School in one way or another. First as a 32 year teacher, then a sub and volunteer and finally a proud grand parent of two SHS students, my awesome grandsons.

It's been a long bumpy road but lots of great moments too.  Now we're looking forward to many new adventures with grand children who are rapidly growing up.

May Day

Happy May Day.  Take a dance around the May Pole.  To learn lots of neat stuff about the month of May, click here georgeswebpage.com.

What diet are you on?

One of the health issues I've been dealing with in my 'senior' years is prediabetes.  In talking to my primary care doc and a nutritionist I've learned that a diet high in simple carbohydrates (foods containing large amounts of refined sugar (sucrose) , white rice, french fries and white bread) combined with a somewhat sedentary life style are contributing greatly to the problem.  

This  led me to an exercise program and various books listing foods that have a relatively high glycemic index.  The bottom line to all of them was avoid carbs-some even took an extreme approach by saying ALL carms-not just the simple ones.

In contrast to this I recently had a conversation with someone who suggested I read a book called The China Study.  I'm nearly done with it. It is a long, tedious read full of original research and detailed information.

Here are the main points it makes:
-nearly all cardiac disease, cancer, diabetes, immune disorder diseases ranging from arthritis to multiple sclerosis and many others result from what we eat-not poor genes or growth hormones, etc.
-with the right diet you can not only prevent these diseases but reverse their progress.
-the culprit is animal based protein, i.e. beef, milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs. 
-the solution is to adopt a 100% vegan diet.  Eliminate all animal based protein. And contrary to other books, carbs are good.

The rest of the book helps you figure out how to do that.

When I was about three quarters of the way through the book, I went on line and found several studies that dispute some of the findings of The China Study.  One of the biggest critiques is that it fails to give sufficient attention to things like too little exercise, the effects of a protein based diet in moderation and confusion between correlation and cause and effect.

Here's my take on all this.
There is absolutely no question that we are a grossly overweight society. Just look in any classroom or sit in one of those comfy chairs in the mall and observe the people walking by.

Our diets are terrible and we don't exercise enough.  But the solution suggested in this book is like others that call for the total elimination of carbs from your diet, i.e the other extreme.

To me the solution is not extreme.  It's moderation and common sense-and exercise.   If you're pounding down a couple of big Macs and fries every day then you're headed for trouble.  Eat a well balanced, portion controlled diet with plenty of exercise and you'll probably be OK.

By the way, while I am prediabetic I have managed to control it through-not medication but diet and exercise!

update to last post

In my last post regarding our trip to Aruba I said I'd soon have a slide show ready.  It's now up and running.  Go to georgeswebpage.com and click on photogallery in navigation bar.  From there find the appropriate link in the table at the top of the page.  One column is for iOS/Mac users and the other for PC/Android users.  Give the page a few minutes to load and enjoy.  BTW: PC/Android users may have to enable Adobe Flash.  If you don't you won't be able to view it. 

Go to Aruba

Looking for a place to go for a nice vacation?  Ever been to any of the Caribbean islands?  I have a suggestion.  Go to Aruba.  Here's why:

First and foremost the weather is as close to perfect as you can get.  Temperatures year round range from high 70s to low 80s; there is a constant breeze; there is no rainy season to speak of.  In fact the only down side to the island is it is very dry-20" of rain a year roughly. But they have several facilities that convert sea water to fresh water.

Second, in terms of hotels there's something for everyone.  Many of them are right on the beach and they range from affordable  like the one we stayed at, The Holiday Inn to ultra luxurious like the Riu, one we're not likely to see any time soon.  But frankly the Holiday Inn is in the best location.

Third, as Caribbean Islands go this is definitely one of the more prosperous.  We've been to many places in the Caribbean (Cayman Islands, Jamaica twice, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Croix, Dominican Republic, Cancun, and Sandi & Becky went to Barbados).  Of all of them I've never felt safer walking just about anywhere off the resort grounds.  Very unusual. 

Fourth, there's a ton of things to do and many restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. 

The plane ride is a bit long but certainly nothing like Hawaii. 

I'm working on a slide show to put on my web site so when it's done I'll post it and you can get a feel for what the island is like.

By the way, hotel, meals and plane fare together cost about $4500-$5000.

Off to Aruba

We are headed to Aruba tomorrow morning with my son's family and several other couples who are friends of theirs.   We'll be back in a week at which time our standby generator will be installed, hooked up, tested and ready to go.

Look for pictures to appear in the form of a slide show on my web site-to be announced. 

Recommended Reading

I've read a lot of books about history.  Most of them are historical fiction.  The two major areas of interest are the American civil war and World War II.  Many of the books I've read are from the stand point of military strategy and battle descriptions.  But over the past few years I discovered a collection of books-mostly dealing with World War II-that take another point of view entirely.  Some are from the stand point of German citizens who many people don't realize suffered more than Americans who were safely protected by the Atlantic Ocean.  Others are from the point of view of British citizens and others still from Polish citizens.

All of those nonmilitary people suffered terribly.  So it's important to read about all sides of a war to really understand it.

Here are some of the titles I would strongly recommend for a rounded understanding. They are listed in the order I read them-NOT best to worst:

All the Light We Cannot See-Doerr

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Summer Before the War-Helen Simonson

In Farleigh Field: A novel of WWII

Lilac Girls: A Novel (about WWII)

Beneath A Scarlet Sky-Mark Sullivan

Winter Garden-Kristen Hannah (WWII) 

The Ragged Edge of Night-Olivia Hawker

The Zookeeper’s Wife-Diane Ackerman

The Tuscan Child-Rhys Bowen

We Were the Lucky Ones-WW II-Georgia Hunter 

Even if you're not interest in history, these books are great reads.   Worst case scenario, at least you'll be entertained.  Best case scenario, you'll come away with a deep understanding of the suffering and courage of so many people-certainly not just soldiers.

Another Victim

 One more victim has been added to the list of people in the 12/14/12 tragedy at Sandy Hook School. The father of one of the victims took his own life at Edmund Town Hall in Newtown this morning.  The town is understandably reeling at the news with hundreds-perhaps thousands- of reactions on social media  and the local newspapers and television.

This latest victim was a man who 'seemed' to be dealing with his loss constructively.  He started a foundation in his daughter's name-The Avielle Foundation-and he was an active, inspirational speaker for the cause of mental health.  It is a very sad reminder that no one really knows what kind of pain people may be in-at least not until they seek help. Sometimes, as in this case, it is too much to bear. In my view there is nothing worse than losing a child. Nothing. Sure losing a spouse, a parent, sibling, etc is traumatic but losing a child is in a whole other category to me.  Frankly, it's a wonder to me that there aren't more suicides when this kind of thing happens.

But for now all one can do is be kind, be patient and try to be perceptive-and be there for anyone who shows signs of severe depression. You don't have to be a specialist but know how to get the person the help they need. 

Another sad day in Newtown.

For Whom the Tolls Toll

 There's a controversy raging in the state of Connecticut at the moment.  Gov. Ned Lamont has pledged to dramatically improve the state's crumbling infrastructure and in order to pay for that he's proposed installing electronic tolls on the interstate highways that pass through the state.  Thus the controversy.

Nearly all legislative republicans, some democrats and a significant number of residents oppose tolls.  The main reason is because they cite CT as the most taxed state in the country and tolls are just one more burden on an already overburdened tax payer.   Then they go on to list a long litany of others.

Frankly, one has to sympathize with these howls of pain.  We are over taxed.  But let's face it.  The state's infrastructure is a mess.  Everyone agrees on that.  The problem is how to pay for it's repair.

Toll booth opponents maintain with appropriate cost-cutting practices, the money would be there without tolls.

I know what they mean by cost-cutting.  They mean continue to screw state employees and the teacher's retirement fund.  The state has been doing that for years. What's the problem?  Those people are over compensated as it is.  It doesn't matter that the state is contractually obligated to support the pension funds of these two groups and for years they've been underfunded.  Abiding by legal contracts is apparently not an issue for many. 

So what to do?  What are some other solutions?  One that I've heard is to put up the tolls but give CT residents a significant tax break.  Let out of state motorists bear the burden.  They are using the roads so it's only fair they help maintain them. 

A nation of privilege

You know how the great American dream use to be work hard, get an education, be honest, treat others as you would like to be treated and the American dream can be all yours?  Remember that?

In light of recent events, i.e. the college admissions scandal, it would seem that's a load of bull.

Consider this. If you were lucky enough to be born into wealth you are entitled to the following:
An education where ever you want to go.
Quality health care.
Easy passage through the legal system if the long arm of the law finds you.
Excused from serving your country.
Good jobs and appointments to high places (maybe even the Supreme Court!).
This is just to name a few!

The good news is that with the latest incident receiving so much attention, maybe the public will start to be more selective in their elective choices.  Let's face it, the democratic party has been far more sympathetic and responsive to this problem than republicans.  Let's remember that next year.

Take a tour of the International Space Station

I'm posting a link to a 25 minute YouTube video of the International Space Station.  It's a little long but well worth it.  A fascinating look at how the ISS works.  If you're into that sort of thing, check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/doN4t5NKW-k

Daylight Savings Time for more daylight, right?

 It's daylight savings time.  Tonight we'll all go around setting our clocks ahead one hour (unless you forget in which case you'll be running around tomorrow morning doing it) in the mistaken belief the days will get longer.  Obviously adjusting a clock has no bearing whatever on how much daylight we are going to get.  What we're doing is simply making the day longer at night but shorter in the morning under the belief that it's more desirable to have more light at night.

This tradition started as an energy saving strategy during World War I and for the most part continues to now.  There are some places that don't observe DST thus confusing things a little.  For example I remember some time ago my brother-in-law lived in a state that didn't observe it and whenever he called at night it would always be after we had gone to bed because he would forget about the time difference.

Anyway, there's a movement under way to leave the clocks alone.  In fact I think I heard or read somewhere that some senator has introduced a bill to change things to Standard Time and leave it at that.

I for one don't much care although I do feel bad for kids who have to get early school buses.  Very often they're waiting in the dark.  This can make for a dangerous situation.

Maybe we should leave the clocks the way they are going to be after tonight, i.e. DST.  Then we could just call that Standard Time from now on.

All I know is whatever we do it will take me an inordinate length of time to adjust.  I'll be tired one way or the other.

A few thoughts about Facebook

Are you on one or more social networking sites?  I signed on to Facebook several years ago when it was quite popular and from what I read with over a billion users I guess it's still going strong.  Although others are gaining fast with Instagram for example at about 100 million and growing.  Instagram is apparently the favorite among the younger crowd or so I've heard.  My two teenage grand daughters use that. 

I got on Facebook because I wanted to keep in touch with distant relatives.  Then I posted a bunch of class pictures from my 32 year career as a teacher and before you know it former students, now young men and women, jumped on board and friended me.  It was a lot of fun seeing what they were doing now and how well they were.  I'm also friends with a lot of former colleagues who I otherwise would lose touch with. 

Then there are high school classmates and finally "real" friends-not the acquaintances we call friends. 

Even with all that I only have about 145 friends.  I see where other people have 5, 6, even 7 hundred 'friends'.  Many people haven't a clue who their friends are.  They just keep friending people for the high numbers. I get tons of friend requests from people I don't know.  I of course ignore them.

Another thing is it amazes me to see the various things people post.  Anywhere from political commentary to jokes to math puzzles and riddles (one of my favorites to post) to romance problems to requests for advice as to what to buy or who to buy it from.  I read recently where one lady posted a description of two houses  she and her husband were down to to purchase and she wanted to know which one they should buy since they couldn't decide!  There's a lot of other stuff there too but it seems to me that a lot of those things are pretty personal.  Do you really care what a bunch of strangers think?  After all, as I pointed out, even though you call them 'friends' they're not really. 

Anyway, I'll keep using it for the time being.  Whenever I encounter someone I find annoying, I simply block their posts without necessarily unfriending them.  That way they don't know I can't see their obnoxious posts. 

Bye for now, friend!

Happy March

As I write this it's snowing.  More is coming tomorrow morning and even more Sunday night into Monday.  Happy March anyway.  Spring is right around the corner.
To learn more interesting things about March, click here: georgeswebpage.com/almanac

Pet Peeve # (I forgot)....

I, like most people, have no problem stopping for school buses with flashing red lights.  Taking a few minutes to help keep school children safe is really a no-brainer.  But my pet peeve is to the (almost always) mother who has to stand there and chat up the bus driver while a long line of cars builds up behind the bus.  I mean really.  Let me help you out, ladies.

1. No, the driver doesn't know whether or not there's going to be an early dismissal because of possible bad weather.  You'll be notified by school officials.
2. No, the driver doesn't know if there's going to be a delayed opening tomorrow.  It will be on TV as early as 4 A.M. the next morning.
3. Yes, she remembers the notes you've been giving her all week telling her there will be a sitter there at drop off-not you.
4. Yes, she spoke to the little boy/girl who's been picking on your little boy/girl.  She told you about it yesterday, remember?
5. Yes, I'll drive carefully.  Now get the f--- out of the way.

Another Birthday rolls around

It's my 76th birthday today and there's good news all around.  

It's another year and I'm still here to acknowledge it. 

I got up under my own power this morning with no more or less than the usual aches and pains.

I feel good and am still able to do most of the things I want to do.

I, like many others, have my share of health issues but nothing I can't handle.

I'm having a great life and there's a lot more to look forward to.

So onward we go.  Year number 77.  Who knows what adventures await me.

Here's a REAL national emergency for you, Trump.

Headline: Shooter in deadly Illinois rampage.

Donald Trump recently side-stepped the United States Constitution by declaring a fake national emergence in order to secure the funds he needs to build his useless, promised border wall.  Rather than face the fact that this wall will do nothing to limit the transport of drugs by motor vehicles into the U.S. he insists he needs to keep his promise to his base although he lied about Mexico paying for it.  But then we shouldn't be surprised.  We all know he's a compulsive liar.

Anyway, Trump apparently thinks he needs to listen to the ignorant rabble he calls a base instead of the other 80% percent of the nation. 

If he is that concerned about national emergencies, I suggest he focus on the latest of a national tragedy-too many guns in the hands of the wrong people. And what is he and his republican cohorts doing about it?  Continuing to collect obscene sums of blood money from the NRA, that's what!

WAKE UP, AMERICA.  HE. HAS. GOT. TO. GO!!

Happy Valentine's Day

All you husbands out there. Remember to get a card, flowers, candy, whatever or you'll be in trouble!  Here are some Valentine's Day statistics for you to ponder:

1 in 2 Americans plan to celebrated Valentine's Day
Americans will spend a total of 19.7 billion.
The average American spends $166.
25-34 year olds spend the most money.
35% of Valentine's Day shopping takes place at a department store; specialty store=19%; florist=20%.

For the record, I did not spend $166 but that's OK because I'm way beyond the 25-34 year old group of big spenders.

Suggested card for older married men:

The State of the Union: What SHOULD be said vs. what WILL be said

As required by the Constitution of the United States the disgusting human being (barely) we call a president will deliver the State of the Union Address.

Herewith is my view of what should be said vs what will be said.

What he SHOULD say

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and honored guests.  It is with great pleasure that I stand before you to deliver the State of the Union Address.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have looked back over the past two years of my service to this great country and I have reflected deeply on my performance.  What I've seen is not pretty.  I have spent an inordinate amount of time issuing nonsensical tweets, preaching hatred, bigotry and intolerance.  I have royally screwed up congressionally mandated legislation by setting the environmental movement back 60 years, destroying the foundation of  public education, creating confusion and hardship with an incomprehensible trade policy, thoroughly embarrassing our great country with our allies, utterly destroying a flawed but workable affordable health care system and laying waste to an already broken immigration policy. 

I am so deeply ashamed that there is only one thing left for me to do.  I hereby resign my presidency and hand the mantle of leadership to (God help us all) Vice President Pence.  With any luck at all, he'll realize he's utterly unfit for the job and resign along with me. 

At that time we can begin the healing process.  That is all. God bless you and the United States of America.

What he WILL say (or a close rendition thereof)
Hay, hay, hay.  Has this been a ride or what? Am I not the greatest president of all time, ever, in the history of our wonderful country.  Oh, sure. There have been a few minor bumps in the road but that's to be expected given the task left to me.  In view of my very, very enormous success I would like to announce Executive Order No. 600,023 whereby I rename the United States Capitol building The Donald Trump Monument to Himself.  I will then order a pre-approved likeness of me etched into the dome of the building for future generations to admire (at this point Congressional republicans stand up enmasse and cheer wildly for 20 minutes).  I will then immediately issue another executive order requiring every single news agency in the country present to me for approval what they intend to say for that day's news.  By God I'll have no more fake news in my country.

So the good news is you have 2 more years of this unless of course our corrupt democratic House and the phony witch hunt investigation of  Mueller somehow get me impeached but I'll deal with that later.

For now MAKE AMERICA HATE AGAIN!

Are you an 'anti-vaxxer'?

Do you know what a 'vaxxer' is? If so, then you of course know what an 'anti-vaxxer' is.  I ran across this term for the first time on a Facebook post.  Someone wanted to know what steps they could take to help their children avoid catching common-place childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, etc.   They were seeking this information because they didn't believe in vaccinations, hence the term vaxxer, or in this case, antivaxxer.

The responses to this person's post ranged from raw sarcasm to severe scolding.  After all, who in their right mind wouldn't want to vaccinate their kids?  Well, as it happens there are a fair number of people who feel that way.  Some of them have religious beliefs that prohibit medical treatment like vaccinations but the overwhelming majority feel that way because of an article published  some time ago  in the British medical journal, Lancet.  The author, a prominent physician, linked vaccinations to the onset of autism.

It wasn't until some time later that the claims made in the article were completely debunked and the physician was kicked out of the British Medical Society as a quack.  Unfortunately the belief persists.  Parents are worried that their children if vaccinated will develop autism.  That belief is completely and absolutely false.

So what happens when kids don't get immunized?  They just get sick and move on, right?  Lots of people my age had childhood diseases like measles and mumps and here we are.  But there are also a lot of people walking around with complications from those diseases.  And that's the least of it.  Sick children also pose a threat to other's-especially pregnant women.  Women who are exposed to many of these diseases in the early stages of pregnancy risk developmental issues for their unborn babies.

There are other consequences too but the point is people who avoid vaccinating their kids are in my view negligent, irresponsible and, well, just plain stupid.

That was pretty much what most people told that lady who put that post on Facebook.

There's no law saying you have to vaccinate your kids but I hope you're prepared to home school them because unless they've been vaccinated they're not going to a public school.

Be a 'vaxxer'!

35 days wasted

Thirty five days later we're back to square one.  Exactly where both sides of Congress had agreed on to begin with. Then Trump reneged on his promise to sign the budget and shut down government for over a month.  Unfortunately our republican congress did not have the backbone to stand up to him-until it became obvious the democrats were not going to cave.  It was then that republican congressional leaders somehow managed to get Trump to back down-for 3 weeks. 

Many  of his base are calling him a 'caver'.  They stupidly wanted him to stick to his guns.  Well, he'll have a second chance three weeks from now when it starts all over again. 

There's much talk about Trump declaring a national emergency and pretty much stealing the $5.8 billion from somewhere else.  I hope it's challenged in court because the only national emergency is of his own making. 

On and on it goes.  A rogue, lunatic president running the country into the ground while a republican led congress stands by.   That's the national emergency!

Hello, Winter

Winter is finally here in earnest.  Snow to rain to ice and bitter cold Sunday the 20th leading to power out at 2:30 P.M. but back on at 11:30 P.M.  Fortunately we have a wood burning stove and a portable generator that powers all essential appliances i.e. furnace, pump, refrigerators and freezers and some lights.  We were even able to which recorded TV shows even though we didn't have cable or Internet service.  Cooking needs to be done on the wood stove or our gas grill.  We didn't hook up our electric range  since it draws too much power.

We ran the generator for 7 solid hours but when it isn't running,  the wood stove keeps the house comfortable.   We bought it 7 years ago and it sat unused for 5 years.  But for the past two years we have used it for 3 prolonged periods of outages.    Power outages are a pain but without the generator it would have been much worse.

Now we're considering the possibility of switching to a propane run whole-house unit that would power everything.  There is significant cost involved in doing that but it saves me going through a big hassle of having to move the car, pull out the generator, hooking it up, starting it and then going downstairs to switch from 'line' to 'generator.   Every time  we're done with it for the day or to refuel, we have to reverse the process.   Not a major deal but a bit of an inconvenience and if anything ever happens to me where I can't do it, my wife would be helpless.  Anyway it's a thought.

In the meantime it's normal New England weather.