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A Blog About Anything & Everything.
Friday, March 6, 2026
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Take The New H.S. Exit Exam
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* You only need 4 correct out of 10 questions to pass.
1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years
2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador
3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November
5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? Squirrel fur
6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? A species of dogs
7) What was King George VI's first name? Albert
8) What color is a purple finch? Crimson
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand
10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange (of course)
What do you mean, you failed?
Me, too.
(And if you try to tell me you passed, you LIED!)
Pass this on to some brilliant friends, so they may feel useless too.
New High School Exit Exam.
* You only need 4 correct out of 10 questions to pass.
Remember, you need only 4 correct answers to pass.
Check your ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Check your ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? 116 years
2) Which country makes Panama hats? Ecuador
3) From which animal do we get cat gut? Sheep and Horses
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? November
5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? Squirrel fur
6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what animal? A species of dogs
7) What was King George VI's first name? Albert
8) What color is a purple finch? Crimson
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? New Zealand
10) What is the color of the black box in a commercial airplane? Orange (of course)
What do you mean, you failed?
Me, too.
(And if you try to tell me you passed, you LIED!)
Pass this on to some brilliant friends, so they may feel useless too.
Another Thing Solar Panels Have Going For Them
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Graphic Courtesy Of-- 'One Block Off The Grid'
Whenever solar reflector arrays, nuclear materials, biomass or fossil fuels are used to make electricity, they all have one thing in common. They rely on steam turbines that require lots and lots of water. Several of these fuels further rely on vast amounts of water for the extraction of them in the first place. We all know how much water drillers use fracking. Each of the coal fired power generators can leave behind 100's of tons of sludge waste as well.
As population grows there's an ever increasing need for water coupled along with the alarming lack of it for Midwest farmers. It makes little sense not committing to solar panels in supplying our future electrical needs which is water free just as soon as practically possible.
Water should not be the only reason..
All fossil fuels create varying levels of pollution in both the extraction and the combustion of them. There's also the safety aspects in transporting fuels to get them there in the first place. In most cases across rail and pipeline. With nuclear materials there are even greater hazards then those associated with fossil fuels. It's not just getting nuclear material to a generating station alone. Spent radioactive waste has to be transported and stored for up to 10,000 years before it's considered safe.
The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether we should convert to solar energy, but rather.. when?
Whenever solar reflector arrays, nuclear materials, biomass or fossil fuels are used to make electricity, they all have one thing in common. They rely on steam turbines that require lots and lots of water. Several of these fuels further rely on vast amounts of water for the extraction of them in the first place. We all know how much water drillers use fracking. Each of the coal fired power generators can leave behind 100's of tons of sludge waste as well.
As population grows there's an ever increasing need for water coupled along with the alarming lack of it for Midwest farmers. It makes little sense not committing to solar panels in supplying our future electrical needs which is water free just as soon as practically possible.
Water should not be the only reason..
All fossil fuels create varying levels of pollution in both the extraction and the combustion of them. There's also the safety aspects in transporting fuels to get them there in the first place. In most cases across rail and pipeline. With nuclear materials there are even greater hazards then those associated with fossil fuels. It's not just getting nuclear material to a generating station alone. Spent radioactive waste has to be transported and stored for up to 10,000 years before it's considered safe.
The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether we should convert to solar energy, but rather.. when?
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Like The IRS To Bill You?
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The New York Times is asking, Would You Let the I.R.S. Prepare Your Taxes?
Why not?
We already get itemized bills for our phones, cable, hospital bills and a whole host of others. I'm warm to the idea as long as it's optional and not compulsory.
The IRS has all the information already. All we're doing to re-entering what the IRS already knows. The only thing we have a say in is how we wish to take advantage of the available reductions. In my case, like the vast majority of us, I end up taking the standard deductions anyway. It always has beat out those when I try itemizing everything. As such it turns out a waste of my time and the $76.30 I spent this year with the tax preparation software I used. Besides, if I make a error it could cost me a penalty.
Maybe this won't work for businesses so well, but I believe for most Americans having the IRS billing us would work out just fine.
As for the paranoid who walk among us who don't trust the IRS I'd ask this. Who do you trust more with all yours financial details. Some third party accountant, an online service or the government which is going to scrutinize and go over the filings anyway with all the information they already are privy to?
So yeah I kinda like the idea. I'd like Pennsylvania to do this as well.
Why not?
We already get itemized bills for our phones, cable, hospital bills and a whole host of others. I'm warm to the idea as long as it's optional and not compulsory.
The IRS has all the information already. All we're doing to re-entering what the IRS already knows. The only thing we have a say in is how we wish to take advantage of the available reductions. In my case, like the vast majority of us, I end up taking the standard deductions anyway. It always has beat out those when I try itemizing everything. As such it turns out a waste of my time and the $76.30 I spent this year with the tax preparation software I used. Besides, if I make a error it could cost me a penalty.
Maybe this won't work for businesses so well, but I believe for most Americans having the IRS billing us would work out just fine.
As for the paranoid who walk among us who don't trust the IRS I'd ask this. Who do you trust more with all yours financial details. Some third party accountant, an online service or the government which is going to scrutinize and go over the filings anyway with all the information they already are privy to?
So yeah I kinda like the idea. I'd like Pennsylvania to do this as well.
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Monday, March 2, 2026
A History Primer On Cuba
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All the chatter about how Fidel & his brother are evil dictators doesn't take in account the overall history of Cuba. They had it far worse then they do now under these two. Let's put a little perspective on this by taking a brief look over the history of Cuba and how the Cuban people always seem to get the short end of the stick no matter who rules the joint.
Going back to 1492 when Christopher Columbus's three ships landed things really started to go downhill for the Cuban people. Columbus claimed the island for Spain. Cubans finally had enough and began fighting against Spain in 1895. Spain sent around 200,000 troops who overwhelmed the population rounded them up and put them into "reconcentrados" which were similar to concentration camps. The Red Cross estimated between 200,000-400,000 Cubans died while in these camps from disease and starvation.
By 1898 the United States Spainish-American war ended. Spain then sold the Philippines, Guam and Cuba to the United States for a sum of $20 million. Then in 1902 Cuba became a independent country. There were too many clashes and uprisings to mention here in this brief highlight. Suffice it to say Fulgencio Batista ended up being elected President in 1940. After being defeated for second term (1944) he came to the United States only to return to Cuba to become it's dictator for seven years (1952-1959) until Fidel's Cuban Revolution..
Yeah Sure He's A Dictator, But He's Our Dictator Life Under Batista's Cuba became a police state when he returned in 1952. Nearly all the Cuban liberties were taken away under his corrupt regime. He aligned himself with the American Mafia bosses (Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano). Prostitution, gambling and drugs like marijuana or cocaine were as easy to come by as candy.
The Mafia in Cuba
He took bribes which allowed American companies to own & control nearly 80% of all the oil & cattle ranches. 90% of the minerals and 40% of the sugar farmlands. When the Cuban people began to rebel he started doing executions in public. It was estimated up to 20,000 people were killed or tortured during his seven years in power. Witnesses said hundreds of those executed were hung on street lights or thrown into the streets. All this while still receiving military, logistical and financial support from the United States. No wonder the time was ripe for Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959.
Next Up, Fidel Castro Over the next six years when the dust finally settled, up to 33,000 Cuban lives ended up dead. Still this was not the end of it. The Cuban people rose up again in 2003 in what is called "Black Spring". Fortunately instead of being killed 75 dissents were sent to prison. In 2010 all of them started being released by the Castro regime after the 'European Union' lifted it's sanctions. Cuba claimed they weren't arrested for disagreeing with the government but rather because of their links to the U.S. in trying to undermine Fidel's government.
The Way I See It There's a hellva' lot of older investors in the United States who are still pissed they got their asses kicked out of Cuba. They along with individuals who had a vested interest with them. Also those who lost family in the fight against Fidel. It should be no wonder why then so many are opposed to normalizing anything with present day Cuba. You can say what you will but when you look over the entire history of Cuba, today's Cuban people deserve a chance at hope for all they've endured.
The Castros for all their blemishes are far less evil then what transpired over the Cuban people these past centuries. 'Normalizing relations' is more about helping the Cuban people then an endorsement for it's present government. Continued isolation of them only serves to punish those who had least to do with any of this and their extended families living here in the United States.
One more thing I want to add. Nearly 60% of Cubans are Catholics hence why the pope became involved. I find it hypocritical that many who claim they want more Christianity in schools and government involvement are now critical of the pope for doing just that. Does anyone seriously believe the pope is fond of Castro or is he just trying to look out for the people who follow him?
All the chatter about how Fidel & his brother are evil dictators doesn't take in account the overall history of Cuba. They had it far worse then they do now under these two. Let's put a little perspective on this by taking a brief look over the history of Cuba and how the Cuban people always seem to get the short end of the stick no matter who rules the joint.
Going back to 1492 when Christopher Columbus's three ships landed things really started to go downhill for the Cuban people. Columbus claimed the island for Spain. Cubans finally had enough and began fighting against Spain in 1895. Spain sent around 200,000 troops who overwhelmed the population rounded them up and put them into "reconcentrados" which were similar to concentration camps. The Red Cross estimated between 200,000-400,000 Cubans died while in these camps from disease and starvation.
By 1898 the United States Spainish-American war ended. Spain then sold the Philippines, Guam and Cuba to the United States for a sum of $20 million. Then in 1902 Cuba became a independent country. There were too many clashes and uprisings to mention here in this brief highlight. Suffice it to say Fulgencio Batista ended up being elected President in 1940. After being defeated for second term (1944) he came to the United States only to return to Cuba to become it's dictator for seven years (1952-1959) until Fidel's Cuban Revolution..
He took bribes which allowed American companies to own & control nearly 80% of all the oil & cattle ranches. 90% of the minerals and 40% of the sugar farmlands. When the Cuban people began to rebel he started doing executions in public. It was estimated up to 20,000 people were killed or tortured during his seven years in power. Witnesses said hundreds of those executed were hung on street lights or thrown into the streets. All this while still receiving military, logistical and financial support from the United States. No wonder the time was ripe for Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959.
The Castros for all their blemishes are far less evil then what transpired over the Cuban people these past centuries. 'Normalizing relations' is more about helping the Cuban people then an endorsement for it's present government. Continued isolation of them only serves to punish those who had least to do with any of this and their extended families living here in the United States.
One more thing I want to add. Nearly 60% of Cubans are Catholics hence why the pope became involved. I find it hypocritical that many who claim they want more Christianity in schools and government involvement are now critical of the pope for doing just that. Does anyone seriously believe the pope is fond of Castro or is he just trying to look out for the people who follow him?
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