Wednesday, August 31, 2016

I Think I Am, Therefore I Am.. Not Necessarily

Philosopher John Searle addresses consciousness as a biological phenomenon

Chasing Our Own Tails
The statement "I think, therefore I am" could be said to be awareness of oneself. Awareness is nothing more then a product of consciousness. Since without consciousness (in a unconscious state) there can be no such self awareness it can be said we don't exist unto ourselves under these conditions. However a person outside of our self is still consciously aware of our being while we are lay in a state of unconscious. So this doesn't mean that we don't exist, right? But where do we exist? In their consciousness not in our own under these conditions. So now we've become dependant on someone other then ourselves or what we call 'collective consciousness" for our continued existence.

Let's Take This All The Way To The Top
In the beginning there could exist no self awareness nor consciousness within the creator since both are products of biological conditions (humans). In order to bring about conscious awareness the creator (God) would have to first create humans. However in order to do that the creator would have to first develop a plan. A plan which of course would require self awareness that it/she/he existed in the first place. All which at first seems could only come about after the creation of humans, not before. Seems we're in a paradoxical catch-22 situation, no?

What Came 1st Can't Be Lesser Then What Came After
Scripture tells us the eye cannot see it's own self. Therefore it follows conscious awareness only exist as a reflection. That makes this "I think, therefore I am" nothing more then a reflection of something far larger going that cannot not possibly be understood by the human mind. If the only tool we have is our mind and it is operating within itself, it cannot possibly hope to understand what's truly going on through intellectual musings within it's own limited perimeters.. Back to that old catch 22 again, eh?

It is said everything that exist lay within all things that don't. The latter being far greater. Some lean on faith for what they cannot understand. Some simply block out anything they don't understand or care to think about. Still others make up things and declare them truths for what they can't comprehend. Each are much like the unconscious person I mentioned above.

There is yet another way to approach this (since no one can understand through one's human faculties). For the sake of definition I will call it 'taking a stance'. If one simply takes a stance (position) that the universe (and all the people in it both good and evil) is what it is and accepts that, one becomes more attune (one with it). Some religious philosophers called it surrendering to 'God's Will'. I'd rather think of it as leaving one's ego behind. Another way of saying it is 'going with the flow'.

All Our Troubles Begin With the 'Ego'
You Can't Beat The System
The human 'ego' tries to beguile us into thinking we are lazy, surrendering or uncaring when we resist our inclinations to 'change the world'. Whenever human reasoning gives into the temptation to change the world, what results is conflict with others. Things like wars and social bickering with those who's minds will never adapt to our own views no matter how much we argue. Simply put our world and the universe is what it is. Accept the world for what it is or die trying to make it what we think it should be. Either way the world will be much the same way it was when we came into it as it will be when we leave it.

The short and long of it is, enjoy the ride while it last. Whoever or whatever the creator is/was or what ever evolves is larger then we who are only temporary reflections of that. To do otherwise would be like a shadow (reflection in a mirror) trying to outwit that which is standing before it.


Reposted From: July 24th, 2013
I decided to repost this after considering all the strife in the news. We have the controversial elections, BLM movement, the wars in the middle east and all the other stuff people are raging against one another. It's my hope this Exposé might further explain what each of us consider reality may far more illusive then what the human conscious is capable of understanding. Indeed we may be our worst enemy when we try rationalizing from a self prospective. Then setting about fruitlessly trying to make changes to that which can't be changed. Rather then becoming a unattached witness we instead attach our "self" persona. This is when conflicts arise.

Did anyone them self personally hear from so-called God?
Of course not and no one ever will because (if you read what I said above) God is "selfless". He/she/it is above all this. Genesis in the bible gives us a hint when all our troubles begin. It spoke of a war in heaven. In essence a battle between self and selflessness. If we wish to be more like he/she/it the best advice is to become less attached to our self reasoning's which sets us farther apart in a judgmental way towards others, the world which we live and most certainly from our creator.


Saturday, August 27, 2016

Bellyaching About Planned Obsolescence

I've been digging around why my Windows Live 2012 email account is acting up. Here's what I found.

According to Microsoft, "Windows Live Mail 2012 application will no longer synchronize emails, contacts, and calendar events from these accounts – because the Windows Live Mail 2012 application does not support the modern synchronization technologies used by the new Outlook.com."

Well golly gee isn't that swell. Indeed it will still send and receive messages (although not all of them time to time). However deleting or moving emails around will not sync it to the official webmail site. For that I have to go online. Thus I spent an hour on the same damn 589 emails still existing on there no matter how they appear on my Windows Live email client after I thought I took care of that a few day ago.

Ah but they have two workarounds. The first suggest I click on my Windows 8.1 email icon. I tried that and it notified me it's a no can do because the "User Account Control Is Turned Off". Yep, sure is. When I first upgraded to Windows 8.1 I spent hours trying to update or find a workaround for my surveillance cameras. The bottom line is the "User Account Control" must be turned off or it won't operate. This is because the cameras need to constantly create new video files. With that turned on Windows won't allow permissions for them to do that. In fact with it turned on my camera software absolutely refuses to load.

So with that out of the question here's Microsoft's second option. "You can switch to the Outlook.com for Windows email application to connect to your account, by taking advantage of a free one-year subscription of Office 365."

YEAH BUT... "Offer valid for a free one-year subscription of Office 365 Personal. Must redeem by October 15, 2016. Payment instrument required, and will be automatically charged the current subscription price after one year unless you cancel your subscription."


So Here We Go Again
First it was my carrier informing me my cell phone would brick in a few months because it isn't 3G. It's obvious my surveillance cameras manufacture wants me to toss out a $500 system in order to get their latest and greatest to work on Windows 8.1. Now this. Course I could hand over my credit card directly to Microsoft so it can charge it at-will in order to keep my email going like it once use to for years.

Here's a message for all three of ya'. I'm not going to be held hostage throwing out $2,000+ worth of computers, phones and cameras every 3 or 4 years or pay yearly subscription fees because of you guys wanting to stick it to this consumer. It ain't never gonna happen.



They may not call it blackmail,
but it sure seems like legal blackmail to me.



Another Off Topic Gripe
EpiPens: For my daughter they are a must have. Many of us heard how they've gone up 400% in a few years to $600+ for two. What many may not realize the expiration dates that once lasted two years now only last for one. So therefore it's not a 400% increase rather a 800% increase.

BTW: Under Canadian government's control these very same EpiPens cost $125 in Canadian dollars ($96.11 US).

Thursday, August 25, 2016

How Do Animals See In The Dark?




What I Got Out Of The 'TED-Ed' Video
Being somewhat uneducated I always wondered why my cat looks at me wondering why I keep kicking him in the middle of the night on my way to go piddle. It would sure be nice to have a set of reflectors in the back of my eyes like owls and cats. This would have saved me a hellva' lot of stubbed toes for sure. Probably wouldn't need to spend all this money for electric lighting either.

(Bob Rivers) Piddle In The Night


Something Wrong In The Head With Software Designers

Ok so I wake up this morning and go on my 'Windows Live' email client and it gets all screwy with me. This is one of my accounts I used for years which errored out (AGAIN). After deleting it, setting it up by hand (for the second time in two weeks) it begins to download 589 messages to my inbox. WHAT THE HELL !

Turns out most of them were alerts from my various past purchases receipts and delivery notifications. Others bill due/paid notifications I never received as well as this blog's statistics from statcounter since May 2016. Here I thought it was the accounts I was dealing no longer sending them. So apparently all along 'Microsoft' had them stored on their servers which doesn't do me any good. It also explains why email from my Social Security account never arrived nor my Lehigh Valley Hospital and medical insurance claims informational updates.

This is ridiculous. Over the past few months I've spent about 1/3 of my time fixing internet website things as opposed to using them. No none of these problems with this computer are on my end. Every one are from various internet websites and their programmers screwing around. Consumerist.com reported United Airlines Updates Login Protections. Check out the article. Now they joined the rest of the screwballs making it ever increasingly harder to use their websites.

One of the more interesting backed up emails was from Social Security responding to complaints about users being unable to login with the screwball changes they made back at the beginning of August and the procedure users could now take. They sent it out about a week ago. Gee it sure would have been nice to have gotten that one. None of these emails turned up in my junk mail nor in any other form. Apparently 'Microsoft; programmers (up until today 08/25/2016) decided on their own to block email they deemed not worthy of my consideration. Thanks a lot geniuses.

Over the past week Facebook once again made a bunch of changes. Today CNN updated their terms of service which pretty much makes anyone linking to them a copyright criminal. The Windows 10 Enterprise edition update screwed up many computers as did a recent Apple update. My embedded YouTube videos on this blog will no longer play full screen on the 'IE 11' browser either.


I don't know what kind of people they are hiring these days, but either they are on drugs or should be. Very few people have the time to spend on a PC computer I do to screw around with these things. Apparently they're more concerned with creating their own special mobile apps then traditional websites.

The reason why is apps don't offer a fraction of the privacy protection PC's do. Excuse me if I don't play along... it ain't gonna happen. Those mobile apps can circumvent nearly all the protections a PC can provide. Many of which would never be allowed on a regular PC.




Well I guess that explains that doesn't it?


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Here's What Happens When You Punch A Police Horse



Springsteen Out Does Himself

Sixty six year old Bruce outdid himself last night (Tuesday, 08/23/2016) in East Rutherford at the Meadowlands with his four hour concert before 55,000 ending with a eight song encore !

It seems the older he gets, the more popular he and the band become.



2 Videos From The LVCI Vault




Way back when in May 2007 when I first started to screw around on YouTube I made of a couple of these GTV news video thingies. I noticed this one in particular seemed to be similar to some of the stuff going on in the news today.





 




The next is a rock video I pieced together from various clips


Hope you enjoyed em'


My Grandson Doing His Karaoke Thing




Another Partial Clip From Last Halloween With The Band He Hangs With Time To Time

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Andrea Tantaros Lawsuit Against FOX News Detailed

"In a new lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court on Monday, former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros alleges she was among a number of women sexually harassed by, yes, former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes. But she also alleges she was sexually harassed by the network’s biggest star, Bill O’Reilly... The lawsuit seeks total damages of at least $49 million for sexual harassment, lost income and mental anguish."

My Comments About The Article Above
The article has a number of copy & paste items from this whopper of a lawsuit.


What people may not realize is 37 year old Andrea is a Lehigh Valley girl. She graduated from Parkland High school and Lehigh University. Her Greek parents originaly owned 'The Pied Piper' restaurant (formerly located in Trexlertown) where she once worked.

Her father Konstantinos A. Tantaros passed away in December 2009

Outdated Expressions Kids Don't Understand

"Playing backseat bingo at the drive-in."
"They hung him out to dry."
"Living The Life of Riley"
"Got more excuses then 'Carter' has pills.
"There's too much snow on our TV."
"Stay tuned. Don't touch the dial,"
"In like Flynn."
"You sound like a broken record"
"He's a carbon copy of...
"Here's a nickel. Call somebody who cares"
"Better dead then red'"
"He snuck in over the trasom"
"You should dial her up."
"Get cranking."
"Your brother looks like the milkman."
"That's the $64,000 dollar question."
"I saw it on the tube."
"It was a Kodak moment.'
"I got a bunch of 45's."
"I'll ring you back on the extension tonight around eight bells."





Monday, August 22, 2016

Alert For Computer Owners

"The Windows 10 free upgrade period has now closed, so how will Microsoft get more Windows 7 and Windows 8 users to adopt it? Now we know: take away user control and make both operating systems behave like Windows 10… Not only is a monthly roll-up simpler, it also gives Microsoft full control over the updates Windows 7 and Windows 8 PCs will install moving forward. "


My Comments About The Article Above
I thought I'd never say this, but I haven't been updating for months. Don't intend to either. We already learned the recent Windows 10 Anniversary update has screwed up people's webcams and some older applications like the ones I use. At this point I'd sooner take my chances with hackers then these guys. I'm hoping my Norton Virus protection will be able to handle my future concerns on my Windows 8.1




One Person's Experience (June 2016)

Who Needs This Kind Of Aggravation !


Sunday, August 21, 2016

What B Corporations Are

It's short for "Benefit Corporations"



Wikipedia puts it this way,
"A type of for-profit corporate entity, authorized by 30 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that includes positive impact on society, workers, the community and the environment in addition to profit as its legally defined goals. Benefit corporations differ from traditional C corporations in purpose, accountability, and transparency, but not in taxation....

The purpose of a benefit corporation is to create general public benefit, which is defined as a material positive impact on society and the environment, i.e. maximum positive externalities and minimum negative."




They've only been around since 2010. Maryland was the first to grant legislation for the creation of them. Pennsylvania eventually came around in October 2012 to pass similar legislation. There's a website listing some of them. Although it's not been updated since 2014 they seem to still remain active on Facebook. There also seems to be another site HERE

On May 31, 2016 Forbes posted an article entitled, When Being A 'B Corp' Is Better Than Just A Company.

Lord knows I and many others complain constantly about corporations and their lobbying. Here's a chance for consumers to make a real difference by supporting companies that invest their profits for something other then influencing Washington and state politicians for their own gain. We may not be able to change the world. Here at least is something we can do to make our voices heard even if in a small way.

Every business exist to make money. The way to bring about real change is through our wallets not just at the voting booth. Buy local from those you know and trust. Shop family owned farms, stores and businesses. Support B corporations existing for the greater good beyond themselves.


May 2012

Courtesy "TEDx Talks"


Ever Try Dr. Bronner Castile Soap?

What I'm posting below may sound like one great big advertisement for the product but I swear I'm not receiving any kind of remuneration of any kind whatsoever.



I'm posting this because I believe it's a great product. One we've been using for over 10 years. I like this liquid soap because it never leaves soap scum like other bar soaps. They way I figure it, if bar soap leaves a residue it must on one's body as well. Thus by using Dr. Bonner body odors won't return as quickly from my experience.

It may seem a bit more expensive, but used sparingly it is cheaper then soap bars which melt and crumble after only a few washes. I also like the fact buying this product helps support special causes as you will see in the film below.


Plus this company is committed to ethical sourcing for it's ingredients. Things like only those countries who actually have balanced fair trade agreements providing sustainable wages, living conditions and who's farmers provide truly organic materials for the product. Most considered impoverished nations.

The company also states, "..income that is not needed for growing the company is contributed to charitable, social and environmental causes, and to community development programs."

These are the reasons I'm enthusiastic about this product. Let me repeat I'm not getting paid nor remunerated in any way. Rather I'm trying to share and bring this product to the attention of those who may never heard of Dr. Bronner's products and may find them of interest and may want use to them as well.


Dr. Bronner's: 150 Years of Soapmaking

One of the three original locations use to be in Easton, Pa.


Saturday, August 20, 2016

Advice About Robocalls & Other Scammers

Wherever a discussion comes up about telephone scams invariably someone will say they called the pest back to screw with them. BIG MISTAKE.

Never ever acknowledge them (or cold call telemarketers) in any way whatsoever if you hadn't picked up the telephone. This is feeding right into their hands. Scammers have little idea if their messages were ever received. By calling back it is confirming the call was received. More of the unscrupulous ones might even set up their devices to hound even more and/or sell your number to someone else. You could end up getting many more calls then ever imagined. The best way to fight back is through utilization of Caller ID. Knowing it can be easily be spoofed it's best to let it go through to an answering machine if you don't recognize a number.

Same goes with emails. Very early on I was dumb enough to click on that little button at the bottom that asks if you wanna be removed from the mailing list. DUH... by clicking on that it confirms your email address is a valid one which otherwise they'd have no way of knowing. Their automated equipment then compiles a list of all the valid email responses which they can use and sell to others.

As far as pests coming to the door, I have front & back cameras. I always first check on who's there never having to deal with them.

Here's one more ace I have up my sleeve. Whenever I receive an unrecognized caller when sitting by my computer I click on a shortcut I've created to this audio file. Then hold the telephone to my computer's speakers.



How This Works
Robo calling systems recognize 'Special Information Tones'. The set you hear above tells a robotic system to delete a number from it's database because it thinks it's invalid. If you will notice whenever you first pick up a phone and it's a robo call there is a certain delay period before it begins. That's because the robo machine is listening to determine whether to proceed if a human answers. Hang up if it's a voice mail tone OR eliminate future calls because of these tones and the speech recognition patterns which follow them. I can tell you from experience, it does work.

Another thing I noticed. Sometimes I'd go weeks without robo calls. Then suddenly two or three would start appearing daily. I can only assume it was from the same robo machine no matter what the Caller ID said. Sometimes within minutes of each other. A day or two playing that audio file, they'd disappear sometimes for weeks.

Course this didn't stop those damn live telemarketers calling from Philadelphia for years wanting to clean my chimney. I finally decided to answer each time and ask what the hell they're talking about. "I don't have a chimney!". Course I really do but it does look like they've given up for now. It's been about three months. Fall is coming again, we'll see.


Graphic Courtesy Consumer Reports "Rage Against Robocalls"


Dick Van Dyke Still Going Strong

I like this guy. He's always been a positive influence.





Still going strong @ 90 years old here he was caught a few days ago on August 12th, 2016 at a local 'Denny's' restaurant in Santa Monica.

This just after visiting LA to promote the Vantastix upcoming show in Cerritos, Dick's book "Keep Moving", and their album "Put On A Happy Face".






Follow him on Twitter


For more information check out the on the "Vantastix" website-- "The group that started "just for fun" has built up an impressive and enjoyable repertoire of children's songs and standards... The group continues to perform at benefits and children's events"


Dick and Arlene Van Dyke (his wife) singing a tune driving through Chicago in June 2016



Dick Van Dyke's 90th Birthday Flash Mob + Sing-A-Long
The Grove in Los Angeles on December 12, 2015



Good Stuff !


Friday, August 19, 2016

LVCI's Going To Jail ?

Oh No, Say It Isn't So !

This is an example of the calls going around from these scumbags. There's a few things that should be a tip off. They gave no specific information knowing who I am. It was a Robo call. This IRS only does business in this way by certified, registered mail or by a process server coming to your home. Even if some scumbag should come to your door the documents themselves will list all your personal details that crooks have no way of knowing. Take it and don't leave them in under any circumstance.

The IRS itself warned on August 2nd, 2016 there's been a surge in automated phone scam calls.-- "The IRS has seen an increase in “robo-calls” where scammers leave urgent callback requests through the phone telling taxpayers to call back to settle their “tax bill.” These fake calls generally claim to be the last warning before legal action is taken.... Scammers are evolving and using more and more automated calls in an effort to reach the largest number of victims... If you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040."

Don't be stupid. Before responding in anyway what-so-ever call the one mentioned above to make an inquiry no matter the circumstance which you've been approached.



Hey I may look stupid.

May even be possibly dumb...

BUT I didn't just crawl out from under the cabbage patch yesterday either !




BTW:
It's a cell phone number out of Los Angeles, California.
Not exactly what the IRS would be using, is it?


My Opinion Of Computer Self Driving Cars

WHAT ARE YOU NUTZ !


Yeah sure there are a lot of people who shouldn't be driving who can't even walk straight, but... * There are 1,000's of weather related conditions computers simply won't be able to handle. There's a vast difference between two inches of snow and one foot. Fog conditions that can vary between several feet to a few inches. Braking and acceleration is best left up to drivers. Even those who might have poor judgment.

* Computer driven vehicles will never differentiate when to brake if leafs or some small none threatening animal should cross paths up close against their sensors over that of some object several feet away resulting in a hard unexpected braking condition.

* They can't anticipate another driver's actions as a vigilant driver may become aware of and react accordingly.

* What will a self driven car do coming across a double parker. Sit there all day?

* What will a self driving car decide to do if traffic lights are out?

* What will a self driving car do if there's a construction flagman, emergency responder or school crossing guard directing traffic?.

* Will self driving cars recognize flooded road conditions which might imperil passengers lives?

* Will they recognize pot holes or continue full speed?
I could go on and on. If people are too stupid to drive or pay attention anymore and wish to rely on computers in the future to do all our thinking for us we've reached a very sorry point in our evolution.


I may be an old fart, but these contraptions seem, dangerous to me. I'm predicting they'll never replace human drivers.

If they do, heaven help us if we become so stupid as to not being able to make our own judgments on the road or with anything else for that matter.

Lehigh County Being Sued Over It's Seal

"A religious freedom group and four residents are suing Lehigh County over its official seal and flag, claiming the cross depicted in both violates the U.S. Constitution by endorsing Christianity."


My Comments About The Article Above
The whole thing could have been avoided. Commissioners should have said it wasn't a cross but rather the intersection where 7th meets Hamilton as a means for visitors to locate county offices.

Seriously I've been alive and living here in this county for 68 years and seen this on my documents for years having had no idea. I hardly think the Lehigh County seal is going to make converts out of anyone. In my opinion some people have too much time on their hands and may be looking for an opportunity to bring in a little extra $cratch for themselves.



According to the suit, "As a result of the action and inactions of Lehigh County, each of the plaintiffs are suffering and will suffer irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law,"

Here all along growing up I thought only vampires could suffer such ill effects. Who knew !

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Still Cranking About My Computer Woes


I just got done frustrating myself yet again. In my past posts I mentioned some sites refuse the wife's VISTA Internet Explorer version 9 browser the latest which can be uploaded for that system. Google's Chrome still works but is no longer supported either, but sometimes we can still get on with it.

So I came up with this brilliant idea to use my two hundred some dollar Windows 7 installation DVD I paid for a while back which would upgrade her system. It would enable me to install IE version 11 (which is the latest). I checked online and it said Windows 7 would upgrade the operating system without changing files and settings.

So I began. First it suggested I check compatibility by downloading software and installing that. Which I did. It said the sound card drivers needed to be updated. So I attempted to do that and ended up with two extraneous programs I never was informed about and none of updated drivers. Two more programs I then needed to uninstall.

After about a forty five minutes of this BS I decided to go forward anyway thinking I'll straighten that driver crap out later. Next up the Windows 7 installation disk informed me I couldn't upgrade from VISTA to Windows 7 Professional without it deleting all the files and settings after all. Well there's an hour of my life I'll never get back.

All of this came about again because the wife got into a tangle with her Target account. Last evening it rejected her older browser and would no longer accept her old password she's been using for two years. Clicking on reset password results in Target sending an email with a reset button linking to her account. Unfortunately clicking on that email opens up the default browser which is her IE version 9. You know the one they won't accept. Soooooo. We copied the email shortcut and pasted into the chrome browser. She typed in a new password. Hit save It then took her to a screen which said the password didn't meet their requirements. Why the hell didn't you say that when she typed her new password. What the hell's the matter with you folks! She got pissed off (who wouldn't after screwing around 45 minutes with this crap). So we'll save that frustration for another day.


Talking Points
(1) All these super password requirements are bullshit. It's not on our end. It's theirs. Every time hackers gain access to their servers they download the usernames, passwords and account numbers so they can gain access. Therefore it should be obvious to everyone (except these geniuses) these hackers never had the passwords to begin with until they were leaked from your end. All this seems to be a pretense to make customers feel somehow a 16 digit crazy mix up of letters, number and symbols will make things more secure. IT WON'T !

(2) Companies promote these sites as convenient and easy to use. They encourage folks to go paperless as well. I'll tell you what's easy and convenient... you send me a bill, I send you a check. A couple of our accounts stop sending paper bills as soon as we created online accounts with no option to restore paper billing. It's starting to become time we simplify our lives. If we can't get online with these stooges, that'll be the end of that.

(3) All of these woes were on a PC. These kind of computers are starting to go the way of the dodo bird with younger people. I can't begin to imagine how much harder it would be dealing with this on smart phones which is all many of the younger people have these days.

(4) These guys make a living by deliberately needlessly creating obsolescence before it's time for the things we buy.


In Conclusion
What started out convenient and easy has become cumbersome and time consuming. I can write a check. Stuff it in an envelope in less then a minute or two instead of wasting an hour or so dealing with this nonsense. And I don't have to update a damn thing. Somehow they forgotten they're not doing us any favors. We're doing these companies a favor by not having to hand process checks & bills.

Throughout my life I've always eliminated that which frustrates and complicates my life unnecessarily. Sometimes going go back to the basics (simplifying ones life) may be the best way to move forward. Such as the case may be with these developers and programmer clowns who unceasingly create unnecessary complications trying to get us to spend money for their latest gizmos.

Count me out. I'm not going to play this game. After 39 years of owning almost a dozen computers (starting with Radio Shack's TRS-80) I'm sick & tired of you guys screwing around. It's you NOT ME who are screwing everything up.

Computers used to be a lot of fun for me. They were supposed to make life easier and increasingly more convenient to use. Thanks to you guys running these websites they are neither.



Wednesday, August 17, 2016

A Word About Allentown Pools


This is the second time the wife was down at Cedar Beach on a few sunny days ago with the granddaughters and said not a single person was working on the pool rebuild.

The picture you see is what it once looked like. Both she and I suspect before it's all said and done there might not even be a pool. Instead yet another spray park.



When the apartment complex I worked at decided to build a new set of apartments the pool was in installed within a month start to finish. It doesn't take two years. In fact it took Dorney Park less then one year for the original "Wildwater Kingdom" to be introduced in 1985.

Allentown once had eight pools. Now we're down to four assuming the Cedar Pool ever gets completed.

The press and city is making a big deal about reduced and free swims on hot days. At one time everyday was a free day at the former Fountain Park pool which now instead has become a homeless shelter in the winter. Right next to it use to be the Allentown Boy's Club for inner city youth. At the current time we don't a have a single pool serving downtown youth. What's going on with this city's pools is egress, not progress.

I challenge anyone to go down to Cedar Beach's pool rebuild and see if they can spot any real work going on. I'd think four or five guys with pickaxes, shovels and a rented backhoe could have had this done by now. Hell it took about the same time to build the entire 5 acre arena as has been for the work on this pool. If this city paid Butz (the arena contractor) I bet he could have got it done in a matter weeks. Something screwy is going on.

Some Videos From The Philadelphia "Eagles Nest"

Concrete Charlie Bednarik - NFL Films Presentation (2015)



Eagles vs Bears - "The Fog Bowl" (12/31/1988)



Eagles Fans Snowball Bomb Santa Claus (1968)



Eagles vs Giants "The Miracle in the Meadowlands (2011)"

All The Above Videos Credit To" "The Eagles Nest on YouTube






RU Ready For Some Football !


Got Left Over Musikfest Food Tickets?


Don't throw them away. Musikfest tickets are redeemable at SteelStacks through Labor Day 2016•Up to $5 on your purchase of $25 or more at Stacks Shop.
•Up to $5 discount per ticket to SteelStacks shows and events.
•Up to $5 of fest tickets toward food and beverage purchases of $25 or more at the Mike & Ike Bistro, Yuengling Bar and Grill, Mack Cafe and Musikfest Cafe. Alcohol is excluded.


Aetna Pulling Out Of Obamacare, Why?

Aetna CEO Threatened Obamacare Pullout If Feds Opposed Humana Merger
Jonathan Cohn | Senior National Correspondent, The Huffington Post
"Aetna officials said the pullout was necessary because of Obamacare’s problems ― specifically, deep losses the insurer was incurring in the law’s health insurance exchanges. But the move also was directly related to a Department of Justice decision to block the insurer’s potentially lucrative merger with Humana, according to a letter from Aetna’s CEO obtained by The Huffington Post.

"“It is very likely that we would need to leave the public exchange business entirely
and plan for additional business efficiencies should our deal ultimately be blocked."
Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini to the Department of Justice, July 5


My Comments About The Article Above
If any of it's true this is one more reason why federal regulators shouldn't let companies get so big as to have the government and customers over a barrel if they don't get their way. Capitalism succeeds for all of us when there's a highly competitive market environment.


I realize there's a bunch of fans out there against government regulation, but without it there would be nothing to stop these mergers until there would be only one mega company left

Imagine what the world would be like if there was only one or two banks, insurers, hospitals, auto makers or food companies from coast to coast.

When companies can get so powerful as to back the government into a corner imagine what they would be capable of doing to individual customers.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Anybody Else Experiencing Computer Insanity


IT AIN'T ME!

A few posts ago I discussed my experience trying to log on to Social Security. To make a long story short I tried again today. It said I was still locked out. So I tried to create a new account anyway. It said I already had one so I tired clicking on resetting my password despite this. After I did that, it unlocked me and worked just fine. Since the wife had the same exact problem we did hers on her computer in the exact way and it totally failed.

What the hell is going on!



Two days ago my 'Windows Live' email went completely whacko on me and refused to connect with my accounts. I attempted to import my accounts from the backup files I created after first deleting each account. Same thing. Next I decided to delete all the accounts reconfiguring them from scratch. So far it seems to work fine. I used this program for years and never had this problem. What the hell are they doing!

It seems these days I'm spending more time trying to get things to work rather then using them. Over the last few weeks our Wells Fargo & BB&T bank accounts also required a certain amount of jumping through hoops to get them to work as well. At this point I believe hackers have a better shot at my and the wife's accounts on her computer then we do.

Today I read how Windows 10 operating system users got whacked too.

These IT clowns need to stop screwing around with what works. These people are creating more problems then any malware ever could. They need to knock it off. They are constantly changing things, not me. Looks like I'm not alone.

I came across this video on FaceBook


This BS Needs To Stop !


Kane Quits As Pa. Attorney General

"Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane resigned Tuesday afternoon, effective at the end of work Wednesday, according to her press office."

My Comments About The Article Above
In my opinion only a fool with a civil and criminal background in law would run for office. There's so much more money to made in private practice without nearly the scrutiny. Either that or she was a lousy attorney.





BTW
Kathleen Kane comes from Scranton, Pa.


Are We The Most Corrupt State?

No, but we're trying...

"The Democrat has belatedly reported receiving $160,000 worth of gifts from friends, including a new $45,000 roof on his home and Eagles sideline passes... Besides sideline passes for Eagles games from 2011 to 2015, the gifts included $20,800 in free airfare and lodging for vacations to Key West, Las Vegas, Virginia, and the Dominican Republic, as well as $2,930 in Phillies and 76ers tickets, Philly.com reported."
Keep in mind it's his job to keep the rest of us on the straight and narrow. Whether this turns out to be legal or not, it stinks. If he had any ethics he wouldn't have accepted these "gifts" in the first place. I'd think with his weekly salary of $3,376 he could pay for his own roof and vacations like the rest of us.

In some states he'd be in trouble with the state's attorney general but we already now how screwed up that office is. Yesterday (08/15/2016) Kathleen Kane was found guilty on all nine counts because of her own misdoings.

(08/02/2015) Trib Live.com: Pa. breeding ground for corruption, experts say
"By mid-2012, eight of Pennsylvania's former legislative leaders were in prison, and former House Speakers John Perzel, a Republican, and Bill DeWeese, a Democrat, briefly shared a cell. They were among more than 30 public officials with ties to the state Capitol who had been convicted of corruption charges by state, federal and local prosecutors. It never ended.


Since 2013, 11 state officials — including five former legislators and former Treasurer Rob McCord — have been convicted in cases ranging from bribery and extortion to theft. In many cases, they agreed to plea bargains and offered pleas to conflict of interest. McCord pleaded guilty in February to extortion. There appears to be no end in sight"


Then we have that whole missing Center County DA Ray Gricar thing back in April 2005.

It seems almost every time we vote or prosecute 10 of these slimeballs out of office 10 more are waiting in line to replace them. No wonder nationally less then 50% vote in presidential elections and far fewer in state and local


Where are the honest people?
Maybe it's like George Carlin once said...

He may have been a curmudgeon, but there's a certain grain of truth behind his words.


Although Pennsylvania ranks 5th in corruption doesn't mean we've given up trying to move further up the list.

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Where Your Dinner Comes From




Baby Chicks Ground Alive




My family eats nothing other then fake soy chicken nuggets & paddies from Wegmans and others. I swear nobody would know if they were being served their soy paddies ("Don't Have A Cow" meatless brand burgers) or beef crumbles either. People should at least give it a chance. Think of it this way.. what if aliens one day decided we where fit for their meals. Is this how we would wanted to be treated?

With all the vegan alternatives possible in today's world
why do people insist on turning their backs on this needless hell?





If people insist on eating meat the Department Of Agriculture should force CCTV's to be installed making this industry conform to practices that make this humane as possible.


Make no mistake about it. Anyone who eats meat is part of this. If anyone is truly disgusted they need to seek plant based alternatives. Otherwise they are a part of these animals sufferings just as well as those who supply these meats to American's dinner tables. Pretending otherwise is not only disingenuous but is in complete and utter denial unto oneself.