Hillbilly Hunters Joke

Two hillbilly hunters got a pilot to fly them into the far north for elk hunting. They were quite successful in their venture, and bagged six big bulls. The pilot came back as arranged to pick them up.

They started loading their gear into the plane, including the six elk. But the pilot objected he said, “The plane can take out only four of your elk. You will have to leave two behind.”

One of the hunters pushed forward, “Hey, last year our pilot let us take out six elk. It was the same model plane, same weather conditions, and everything. What’s with this? We want you to allow us to fly out just like last year.

Reluctantly the pilot finally permitted them to put all six elk aboard and the men all climbed in with their gear. But when they attempted to take off and fly out of the valley, the little plane could not make it. They crashed in the wilderness.

Climbing out of the wreckage, one hillbilly said to the other, “Do you know where we are?”

“I think so,” replied the other hillbilly. “Yep! I think this is about 100 yards further along than where we crashed last year!”

How The Banking System Works

One Of 'The Toppers' Best Concert Openings (2018)

They do one of these almost every year in Amsterdam

A Couple Last Minute Christmas Tunes

Yule Log (Philly Style)

"9th Street Italian Market Burn Barrel At Christmas HD (2 HOURS) Crackling Fire Sound & Holiday Music". This holiday season, sit by the fire with friends and family to do a little people watching on South Philly's 9th Street.

Christmas Eve's Feast Of The Seven Fishes

50 Christmas Music Videos

Click upper right to see the menu list
​

Another NDE

I've read and watched dozens of these. What impressed me about this guy is how well he describes just about every other experience others had. He speaks so well I cannot imagine someone describing the experience better then he.

UPS Truck Gets Booted By Allentown Parking Authority

lehighvalleynews.com
UPS Truck Gets Booted By Allentown Parking Authority "According to the APA website, vehicles may be immobilized for unpaid parking tickets and may be towed or impounded at any point after. It’s unclear how many unpaid tickets UPS had in Allentown that led to the vehicle being booted"

Santa better be careful!

Bowling: Are String Pins The Way Of The Future?

Sounds like a plan to me

bald and bankrupt's Most Dangerous Adventure Ever

Perhaps with these two videos we will have a different perspective when it comes to so-called illegal immigration and these peoples desperation. One has to ask themselves what would they do if they found themselves in the same situations as they? Is there any possible way of turning these dire conditions around?

When the word Darien started appearing in the news in recent years by way of the migrant crises I decided that now was the time to explore it for myself. And so myself and my good friend @TimmyKarter headed north from Medellin in search of a way across the infamous jungle, avoiding cartel and bandits, injury and tropical diseases, on an adventure with migrants from all over the world where national laws don't apply. Only the laws of the jungle.




You have probably seen the videos of us walking through the Darien jungle. This is our story about everything that happened to us on that journey. All the planning that went into it, or lack of planning, and how we eventually met the cartel. Please watch our story.



These are the kind of videos I enjoy watching. The kind you'll never see the likes of on the highly polished TV specials. I've seen things I never knew about places I hadn't a clue existed. Also amazing the amount of people who are filmed unfiltered in some of the least known places on earth.

Most of us here in the United States only are told what some wish us to believe. If it were not for the internet few would discover what the "REAL" world is like outside of our own limited experiences.

Everybody Loves Raymond Goes Off Script

The Eagles Went From 1st To 5th In A Blink Of An Eye!

One Of My Pet Peeves

Repost WITH UPDATES


I remember very clearly in 9th grade when my English teacher lambasted a kid for saying it wrong. "What are you, a baby?... goo goo dada. You're in 9th grad now. Say it right!"

UPDATES There is no such thing as "AVE". The word is avenue.
It's not "MERCH". It's merchandise.
It's clearly not a road when the street sign says "STREET".

WFMZ is the worst offender. They are especially annoying reporting an accident occurred at EXIT NUMBER so and so. Who the hell knows exit numbers. Tell us what the actual exits are for. Same goes when they report from so and so county or township. In what city or suburb are you reporting from? When people are shot or laying on the ground they are not on a "FLOOR". They also need to learn how to pronounce towns correctly. They've been around long enough they should know better. And don't get me started on Dick Dean's highly skewed surveys. The way he words them is obvious he's trying to force people to see things his way. If he really wanted to know what people were thinking he wouldn't make himself invisible to any kind of feedback whatsoever.

Anything you want to add?

Christmas Gift Tip For Husbands

A Feel Good Music Video

penguinsix Takes A Quick Tour Of The Whitehouse At Christmas

How Many Remember Mr. Six?

Repost

HINT: He was a hellva lot younger then the character he portrayed.

 

Mr. Six (Danny Teeson) was an advertising character used from 2004 to 2010 for the American theme park chain Six Flags.


Danny Teeson (born May 27, 1975) is a British dancer and choreographer.

Senator Elizabeth Warren Slams Medicare Advantage Insurers

Uploaded October 2023


Uploaded March 2023


Now knowing this, is congress going to do one damn thing about it? Obviously not. But you can. Don't sign up for one of these plans. It not only better for yourself but so too for the government run Medicare progam itself.

A Few Band Organ Videos

One of the things I noticed about these magnificent instruments is no matter how well they are designed they need excellent talents to create the rolls or fan folder punch outs for them. You'll notice several layers of instruments playing at the same time to create these wonderful pieces. So too someone to make the percussion sound just right Often times that's not the case and they sound just so-so. Please enjoy

Social Security Craziness- Scary Stuff !

@kreeflowers SSA tried to make me pay back my father’s overpayment. A tiktok saved me!! Please dont come for me, im weak and ugly irl. #ssa #lucymcbath #ssaoverpayment #overpayment ♬ original sound - kreeflowers

This would be one of my worst nightmares.

A Bunch Of Music Videos

Taking time out to watch a bunch of truly eclectic videos.. 14 of them to be exact. If you enjoy them let me know what you think. Thanks.

The Senate Hardly At Work

Tommy Tuberville objects to hundreds of military promotions

Some Veterans Day message you're sending Tommy!

Observe "Almost Veterans Day" Today

Lights in Greenawalds Kickoff Show 2023

Read all about it here... eastonpost.com
Lights in Greenawalds Kickoff Show 2023 " Lights in Greenawalds Kickoff Show is back yet again this year. Saturday November 11th, 2023 starting at 4:30PM.... THIS IS A TOTALLY FREE EVENT AND FOR ALL AGES. (Rain Date: Sunday November 12th, 2023 at 4:30PM)...."

If Healthcare Was Honest

BR> Especially true with 'Medicare Advantage' plans.

Think I'm exaggerating about Medicare Advantage plans? Well watch this...

The Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing
on denials and delays in Medicare Advantage plans
May 2023

New Law Mandates 'Kill Switches' in ALL Cars from 2026 Onwards!

I can think of dozens of examples why this is a deplorable idea. I'll leave it up to my readers to add their thoughts.

Medicare Disadvantage Plans

medium.com
The Medicare Advantage Boondoggle Rolls On "Last year, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a nonprofit health policy organization, 643,000 Medicare ads ran on television during the nine-week enrollment season, most of them for Medicare Advantage plans. That doesn’t include the bombardments of direct mail and internet ads..."

Then all the companies have to do is spend less than Medicare would have, and still make a profit. How? That’s easy — by ratcheting down the reimbursements they pay to doctors and clinicians and hospitals, and by denying coverage for expensive claims that Medicare would have approved...

An analysis in 2021 found that Medicare overpaid the Medicare Advantage plans more than $106 billion from 2010 to 2019. To put it another way, Medicare paid private insurers $106 billion more than it would have spent had everyone eligible been covered by original Medicare. The outflow continues to increase annually."

In my opinion this is the biggest scam congress ever perpetrated on the American people.

I consider it legalized fraud.





usatoday.com
Hospitals, doctors drop private Medicare plans over payment disputes "One large health system with hospitals in Virginia and Ohio this year cut off in-network access to consumers enrolled in some Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare and Medicaid health insurance plans.

Two doctors groups with Scripps Health in San Diego are terminating contracts with private Medicare plans over concerns about payments and routine denials."

Puerto Rico: The Most Unequal Place in America

The reason the rich powerful well connected trash AOC is she exposes them. We may not agree with all of AOC's views, but she does an awful lot of good exposing those who'd rather not have her around. Let all of us focus on actual issues rather then those who bring them to light.

Imagine how better off if those folks from Puerto Rico were able to live better with the families where they were born. The problem with this country is we exploit other nations economies. The resulting poverty is what drives huge numbers across our borders looking for a better life. I'm certain the answer to our immigration woes can be greatly decreased if we help the countries they are arriving from through economic drivers and equitable trade. I can't imagine people wouldn't want to remain in the cultures they were born in if were economically feasible to do so.

911 Active Shooter Call At Allen HS 10/26/2023

wfmz.com
911 call for active shooter at Allen HS prompts emergency response 10:20 AM "Police and emergency crews responded to William Allen High School Thursday morning following a 911 call."

ASD Held A Press Conference On This 10/26/2023


Thank goodness this was unfounded. I have a suspicion this may have come from some other area in the United States. There have been prank calls similar to this in the past.

What Former Part Of The Morning Call Building Now Looks Like

Thanks to Frank Warner for posting this: "At Sixth Street, Allentown, The Morning Call newsroom many of us knew lies in this rubble. This was yesterday, Oct. 22, 2023."
Next time you're feeling like you don't know what's happened to the world, remember who used to tell you. pic.twitter.com/MXKk1HTe24

— Evan Brandt (@PottstownNews) October 23, 2023

This is progress?

Warning Against Choosing A Medicare Advantage Plan

You've been warned.

Tuerk's 2024 Allentown Budget Has A 6.9% Tax Increase

wfmz.com
Tuerk unveils 2024 Allentown budget with 6.9% tax increase "The tax hike will generate about $2.6 million of revenue for the city's general fund and "will have a limited impact on the majority Allentown residents," according to the mayor.... The mayor also wants to spend more money on "celebrating the various cultures"

Some limited impact! I'm on Social Security. Celebrating culture. << THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB !!!

This guy can find more ways to waste money on social programs. These have nothing to do with providing city essential services.

Taxpayers at the federal and state levels are pouring bucketfuls of money already into this city. Apparently the $2 billion NIZ cash cow has done nothing for city taxpayers. A coupled million more dollars in state and federal grants hasn't either.

Talk about your incompetence.. this is madness!



UPDATE
11/04/2023: Allentown City Council approves budget with no tax increase for 2024

Tesla's Roadside Assistance Vehicle

Mail In Ballot Tip

If you're too stupid to figure out how to correctly fill it out and mail it properly you shouldn't be voting.

John Boehner- Ideologues Harm America

April 11, 2021

His words ring true now more then ever given the U.S. House is currently shutdown in complete disarray. Can't say we weren't warned. Man he sure did have things pegged. Kind of makes you miss the guy who kept some of these screwballs from gumming up the works. Boehner is the guy who we never knew how good we had it till he was gone. What a sad state of affairs we find ourselves in. Can we ever hope to find someone able to assume the position of speaker who can keep these radicals in line?

LIVE STREAMING Minute To Minute Coverage Of The Israeli War

I recommend Al Jazeera because they have more reporters in Lebanon, the Gaza region, Isreal and elsewhere then the other two. They also seem to have more field journalists doing live reports on the ground.

Al Jazeera English (Doha, Qatar)

i24NEWS English (Tel Aviv)

Sky News (UK)

How To Fix The Economy

Repost

It is the month of April. A resort town sits next to the shores of a lake. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.

The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher.

The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig raiser.

The pig raiser takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.

The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the town's prostitute that in these hard times, gave her "services" on credit.

The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 dollar bill to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.

The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything.

At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.

No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism.

Medicare Advantage Plans Rip-off

alternet.org
OPINION:
The Medicare Advantage ripoff every American should know about "President George W. Bush and Republicans (and a handful of on-the-take Democrats) in Congress created the Medicare Advantage scam in 2003 as a way of routing hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of for-profit insurance companies.

Those companies, and their executives, then recycle some of that profit back into politicians’ pockets via the Citizens United legalized bribery loophole created by five corrupt Republicans on the Supreme Court."

It seems to me long as people sign up for these plans they are perpetuating the problem. There's many things we can't do about the crap congress pulls off, but this isn't one of them. People need to vote with their wallets by not signing up for these plans.

Medicare Advantage. What Advantage?

The short, if anyone signs up for a Medicare Advantage plan they're being played. I saw through this scam congress enacted from day one. Each are either HMO or PPO plans. This meaning you cannot go outside their network of approved doctors. Thus sometimes forcing people to drive hours to one of their specialist even if one is minutes away that Medicare would have covered.

I'm familiar with a fellow who once worked for a health insurance company. His job was to try and deny payments for treatments. He was constantly reviewed and hounded if he approved too many. Eventually he was fired because his denial rate didn't match the insurance company's goals.

There are actually certain groups of doctors who form a company paid to only review records never having seen any of the patients. These can be many states away and are contracted by insurance companies to do just that (deny treatment is necessary). The more they diagnose a treatment as unnecessary the more they are paid.

As far as I'm concerned Medicare Advantage plans are legal scams perpetuated by those in congress trying to destroy Medicare. They're great plans as long as someone never gets seriously ill. Otherwise they are a nightmare for those unfortunate enough not to have chosen traditional Medicare.

Frankie The Dinosaur Message For Humanity

Repost From November 2021


Created By: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Nancy Pelosi Evicted From Her Private Office In The Capitol By Interim House Speaker

Talk about petty vindictiveness!

nypost.com
Pelosi evicted from her private office "An email sent to Pelosi’s office on Tuesday said the “room will be re-keyed” and reassigned for “speaker use,” Politico first reported... A television and bags were seen outside the office before they were hauled away.

The move came just hours after McHenry was named House speaker pro tempore following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a historic vote Tuesday. "


This new guy gave her less then 24 hours to vacate. He surely must have known Nancy was in San Francisco for the burial of former Senator Feinstein. Face the fact these new classless jackasses have little to do with traditional Republican values.

Surely they must have more important matters to attend to. Like let's say the budget for instance. It seems to me 90% of their time is spent trying to backstab not only Democrats but also members of their own party. Heaven forbid a priority should be to take up the matters that are most meaningful to their constituents who sent them there. This session of the House is the most hateful useless one I've seen in my lifetime. What a bunch of buffoons.

Which bring us to the next appointment to speaker of the house. The MAGA Republicans won't be satisfied with anyone even mildly rational. The Democrats won't except anyone who isn't. We could very well not have a speaker for a very long time. This means the U.S. House will come to a complete stop. Wonder what that will mean in terms of when the continuing resolution for the budget extension runs out in a several weeks.

Putin must be laughing his ass off thanks to his new BFFs in congress. Face it, we're in one hellva' mess. I see little hope for the days that lay ahead. The saddest part is, these spiteful jerks didn't get there on their own. American voters put them there time after time again. What does that say to the rest of the world about us!

Ever Wonder What Goes On Behind The Scenes In Washington, D.C.?

I've been watching 'penguinsix' YouTube videos for some time. He's a fully credentialed freelance photographer for the Washington D.C. media. He post almost daily.

I've learned more about Washington landmarks then most will ever able to come across on their own. You couldn't find a better tour guide if you tried.

In this video he is covering actress Selma Blair's visit on Monday, October 02, 2023 to the Whitehouse.

Store Looters Not Just A Problem In The U.S.

dailymail.co.uk
Nearly 90 retailers call for crackdown on brazen looters and thieves bringing chaos to our streets "The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said this summer shoplifting had risen 27 per cent across ten of the largest cities in the UK, with some cities up as much as 68 per cent."

So despite what some people would have you believe the problem doesn't lie alone within the liberal run cities. It's a ongoing problem throughout Europe as well. People really need to knock this partisanship crap off and start working together for solutions. Seems we're so mired in finger pointing nothing is getting resolved. All this bickering is useless. It accomplishes nothing.

I'm Thinking About Upgrading My Present Internet Provider

Dem computers sure do talk funny doesn't they?

Allentown Has Total Of 16 Homicides So Far This Year,

WFMZ:
This now brings Allentown to a total of
16 homicides so far this year, more than the entirety of 2022.

Doesn't look like all this taxpayer money going to organizations promising to cut down violence is working. Does it?

Perhaps redirecting these funds instead to the police department might be better spent.

AOC Taking Care Of Business

Now that we got that crapola out of the way, start working on the budget!

Speaking of the budget. House Republicans introduced 78 amendments on Thursday. Many which included reducing the salaries of the secretary of defense among dozens of other department heads to $1 per year. The speaker of the house even refused to allow a vote on the bipartisan Senate budget approved bill. A lot of bullshit if you ask me.

Senator Warren Taking Care Of Business

Senator Warren's exchange at a September 28, 2023, Senate Finance Committee Hearing entitled: To Consider the Nomination of Demetrios L. Kouzoukas, to be a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Supplementary Medical, Hospital Insurance, Old-Age and Survivors Insurance,, and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds.


I have no idea why the Biden adminstration would have nominated this guy.

Phila. Store Looting: Bad News/Good News

The bad news is...
A bunch of stores were looted.

The good news..
As far as I can tell no work shoes were stolen.

Pete Buttigieg, The Man Who Should Have Become President

First off Pete made it clear this past weekend he has no intention what-so-ever of campaigning for either president or senator.

I always favored Pete over Biden. He has everything it takes to be a great leader. Most importantly, THE SMARTS! It breaks my heart to see what could have been. Imagine where things would stand today if he had won.

Pete's Best 2020 Debate Moments (Debates 2-6)


Sunday, September 24, 2023


It really upsets me that either Trump or Biden should once again hold office a second time. The future looks bleak. We can and should do better then either of these two who past their expiration dates years ago.

Great Idea? Let's Build 186 Apts. W/O Parking At 10th And Hamilton

WDFMZ.com
Hamilton Street apartment plan lacks parking "Allentown buildings in favor of 12 stories of apartments at 10th and Hamilton Streets lacks any provision for parking, according to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission."

Hey I got a great idea,
let's build an entertainment venue and hotel in this same area too!

A Fun Fact

Imagine Being Paid $2,596,153 A Week

Big Pharma rip off "If you were a Big Pharma executive, that could be your reality. Regeneron’s Len Schleifer, for example, made $135,350,000.00 (over $2.5 million a week, or over $500,000 a day) in 2020. "


Anyone wonder why their medications are so crazy expensive? If you read the article you no doubt would be enraged. Is anyone in congress going to stop it? Most likely not!

Solution To End Our National Debt? (Repost From 2021)

"The Onion" came up with this in 2009. It shouldn't be giving people any more screwy ideas then they already have. There's almost a blur between the crazy ideas politicians are coming up with and satirical comedy. So much so it is almost putting The Onion out of business :-)

Select Recent Headline Links 09/20/2023

South Whitehall Trash Hauler Charges Going Up 62.5%

Potentially the world's largest lithium deposit has been found in a US volcano

Express-Times to end publication of Saturday print edition 

Doctors in the U. K. admit they can't tell Covid apart from allergies or the common cold anymore - highlighting how mild virus has become

Dr. Kelly Victory: The new COVID-9 boosters



09/18/2023: Social Security agency demands money back from overpayments

How Congress Works

Repost

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert. Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?" So they created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?" So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

I Received A Settlement Offer From Nigeria In My Email

Repost


From: "Western Union Department"
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2012 03:50:28 -0300
Reply-To: **********@qq.com

Attention Beneficiary:

This is to officially inform you that the United Nations Organization compensation payment committee, has mapped out funds running into Millions of United States Dollars for the settlement of all funds that have been lost to Nigerian/UK Scams via Lottery Winnings, Contract payments, Fake Bank Transfer scams, Inheritance Funds payments, fake money orders, fraudulent online shopping, dating scams, charity scams, check transfer and ATM scams etc.

This compensation is been sponsored and done by the Nigerian Government in collaboration with the World Bank, United Nations Organization and Western Union Money Transfer.

We have been directed by the United Nations Security Council to make a compensation payment of US$100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars Only) to you being one of the listed beneficiaries. Be informed that a first part payment of sum of US$2,000 (Two Thousand U.S Dollars) shall be sent to you on a daily basis for 50 days.

RECEIVER INFORMATION:
NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Immediately confirming your information, we shall give you more information on what you need to do to activate the MTCN(987-651-****) to start up your transfer.

Regards,
Mrs. Helen White
Western Union Department Head office®s
Tel: +************
Email: 1557125209@**.com
Send Money Worldwide®
OH BOY. It looks like I hit the jackpot!
:-)

I have to admit this fraudster is finally thinking outside-the-box. It sure beats the same old repetitive line of crock they've been sending my way over the last decade.

As Larry the Cable Guy would say...
"Now that's funny right there, I don't care who ya are".

The Evolution Of TV News (VIDEO HUMOR)

Repost

Who's Left To Do The Work (HUMOR)

Repost


Population of the USA-300 million.
160 million are retired.
That leaves 140 million to work.
There are 85 million in school.
Which leaves 55 million to work.
Of this there are 35 million employed by the federal government.
Leaving 15 million to do the work.
2.8 million are in the armed forces.
Which leaves 12.2 million to do the work.
10.8 million people who work for state and city governments.
And that leaves 1.4 million to do the work.
At any given time there are 188, 000 people in hospitals.
Leaving 1,212,000 to do the work.
Now, there are 1,211,998 people in prisons.
That leaves just two people to do the work.

You & me.
Well it ain't going to be me... I just decided to retire.
:-)

And here you are, sitting on your ass,
at your computer, reading jokes.

Better Get Busy!
~

Where Our Expressions Came From

Repost


They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery.If you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor"

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot. They "didnt have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.



Here are some facts about the 1500s:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell . .. . brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat.

They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old..

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave.

When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive.

So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

Even if only 1/2 of this is true, makes for good reading

Speaking Of "Urban Sprawl"...

Repost

Some theorists would have you believe this is a new phenomena. One that has just been around for the last few decades. Not true!

The Truth About "Urban Sprawl"
Let's begin right in our own backyard with Allentown. William Allen way back in the early 1700's was credited with the development of Allentown. You might even say he was the town's first outside developer.

William Allen was both the former mayor of Philadelphia and a one of the powerful & richest men from Philadelphia. To make a long story short, Allentown's very existence came about as a result of Philadelphia's urban sprawl.

Now let's take a look at the nation as a whole. From the very beginning of the United States people began leaving Eastern cities heading West. Cities started being born everywhere to the West. Small towns grew into ever expanding cities. As railroads began connecting Eastern cities together in the early 1800's. They too then began to expand ever Westward. By 1869 the first transcontinental links were made. Talk about urban sprawl!

Railroads were the modern means of transportation at the time. Railroads allowed people living in the outskirts to receive supplies and transportation to and from the bigger cities. You might even say they were forerunners to what this nation's modern high speed highways are to us today.

As some urban theorists get all bent out of shape complaining about today's ever expanding highway network and the cars on them, the railroads had their own nimby's detractors. I'm sure the Wells Fargo Stagecoach aficionados were just as nimby with the encroaching railroads as today's mass transit enthusiasts are with the cars and highways of today. Therefore, those who opine for urban density and mass transit have been losing the battle for over 300 years.

Hess's isn't coming back. The railroads aren't coming back and neither are the urban economic centers the way they once were. I may be accused of being old fashioned and stubborn, but even I can see the nose in front of my face. No one can change historical facts.

Proponents who argue for urban density and mass transit should reevaluate their positions given the history of the United States. Americans love urban sprawl since the early 1700's. No amount of subsidies or grants are ever going to change the historically based behavior of Americans.

These philosophers tell us that we've been wrongly subsidizing the suburban areas. Could it just be the other way around?

If you took every one of the surrounding townships and small municipalities. Added up every dime of state and federal grants and subsidies. Combine them all together, they still wouldn't equal what just any one of the three major cities alone received in Lehigh County last year.

We've built taxpayer subsidized arts centers, offices, gambling casinos, sports complexes, transit systems, restaurants and dozens of other ventures in attempt to lure suburbanites back into town. When is it time to review the outcome of these many failed attempts over the last decade?

Like it or not, cities everywhere in the U.S. are withering on the vine. If it were not for the heavy burden of tax supported subsides, would cities even exist?

I used the term wither on the vine" as a metaphor for what I'm about to say. Had cities been left on their own, they would have withered. No matter how much fertilizer or water is applied, once a plant has come to the end of it's cycle they're usefulness has come to an end. Much the same with large cities no matter how disagreeable that may sound to some. Crumbling pipes, buildings and infrastructure should be heeded as a sure sign that they too have come to the end of their useful life.

Not All Is Doom & Gloom
We see examples all around us of vacated properties where manufacturing and empty homes now stand. Had the land been cleared, planted with grass, trees and left empty, we'd not only have a greener environment, but one less dense. The very thing that draws more affluent suburban dwellers throughout America's history. Instead we heavily subsidize these to re-urbanize them once again. This is the very thing that caused problems in the first place. Had we instead exercised patience through time to allow the natural order of things, these urban areas would eventually become suburbanized much like the sought after areas by the middle and wealthy.

We can continue to channel mass amounts of taxpayers' money into bus and train transportation. Funnel unspeakable amounts of taxpayers' money chasing after some social urban idealistic venture. Or we can acknowledge historically Americans always had preferences that run counter to this.

Allentown's citizens, who lived here all their lives, lament subsidized housing has led to this city's woes. How much more so the problem has now been compounded when we do the very same thing yet again. This time with millions taxpayer dollars used to subsidize wealthy commercial developers instead. Have we learned nothing from history?

Everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath. The time is long overdue to revaluate what works and what doesn't?

INTERNET WARNING: (Humor)

Repost



If you get an email titled "Nude photo of Nancy Pelosi,"
don't open it...

It contains a nude photo of Nancy Pelosi.

The Universe Drives Me Crazy

Repost

Whenever I indulge myself on scientific reasoning when it comes to the universe three thoughts comes to mind. (1) Whatever the craziest thing is you can imagine, it is possible. (2) No human is capable of visualizing just how large or how old the universe is scientifically or otherwise. (3) When it comes to the universe, science can be a faux game of math.



My Mental Masturbations On this SubjectLet's start with number (3). Mathematical formulas can be fudged to make them work out. Take for example 'dark matter'. No one has ever physically been able to find it. Quantum physicists have made this math expression up and used it in their mathematical formulas to make their final results work.

It's sort of like incorrectly stating 2x3 equals 5. So someone (in error) rewrites the formula to (2x3)+1= 6 to make things come out right based on their limited math skills.

Moving on to number (2), the age of the universe. I believe that science has incorrectly dated the age of the universe. Today's present scientists have pretty much agreed that the universe is 14 billion years old. Here's my problem with that. That number has constantly evolved over the years as optical instruments have improved. To date our instruments are capable of seeing nearly all there is to see going back 14 billion light years. Emphasis on 'light years'.

This number may be correct in-so-much as dating "our" universe because of our own solar system's current location. To my way of reasoning this is not an absolute regarding the actual age of the universe. Here's why. This age was derived by the farthest observable light reaching us. In this case, 14 billion light years. Just suppose for a moment that we lived elsewhere in another planetary system. One that was older then 14 billion years.

Logic dictates that if that planetary system was around longer then 14 billion years, they'd observe things differently. Suppose they existed 40 billion years before us. That would mean light would have 40 billion more light years to reach their location. Hence they'd be convinced the universe was 54 billion years old. Why not 100 billion or even 1 trillion depending on their point of reference ? Who's to say there is even a limit on how old the universe is!

Now, speaking to number (1). When it comes to the universe and our understanding of it. I relate to it to Carlos Castaneda words in his series of books, 'Sorcerer's Apprentice'. In one of his books he described the 'tonal' world as one in which everything is known. On the other side of the coin there is the 'Nagal'. Defined as all things unknown. The 'Tonal' being a infinitesimally small fraction of all that is possible. In short the manifested and what has yet to be manifested (the unlimited infinite possibilities).

U.S. Attempt At Interdiction Of Fentanyl

Despite what you might have heard the United States is working hard at the border.

As I see it the problem isn't with government. Rather the users themselves who create a demand almost impossible to contain. While politicians from both sides toss the blame back and forth like a football the problem is getting worse. If there is a solution I sure as hell don't know what it would be. One thing I do know, whatever solutions might come about it won't come from finger pointing politicos nor any amount of policing.

Kensington Ave Philadelphia -Sept 08, 2023



Uploaded 01/23/2023
This is absolutely real.
Seriously scary stuff !

Good Idea To Invest In Lawsuits?

Repost

Just a quick post about something I came across. Ever notice all those advertisements on TV looking for victims so they can sue some company?

Ever wonder who pays for all those expensive advertisements?

Seems there's a new burgeoning investment industry growing. Investors put money into an investment group along with other investors who's sole purpose it is to recruit victims of some disease or another.

When they get enough people to sign up, a lawyer's group then can begin a class action lawsuit.

Sometimes the victims receive as little as 10% of the settlement if the legal action is successful.

Entitlement Propaganda

Repost

I wasn't sure how to title this post nor how in depth I should go. For those with a short attention span I will begin by summarizing.

Currently there is an enormous effort being made to confuse the difference between what citizens are entitled to versus what could be considered discretionary spending. First of all entitlements are just that. It means you pay into something, therefore your entitled to it.

I will highlight this discussion to Social Security versus defense spending since they are the largest two budget items although the two are separate. Defense spending comes from a completely different budget. The budget for the defense department is not entitlement spending. While there is still an argument for spending on our defense needs being necessary, it still doesn't make it an entitlement. No one has a separate tax deduction on their paycheck to pay for it. Therefore I consider the Defense Department budget something entirely separate and consider it discretionary spending.


Social Security expenses in 2012 were $773.247 Billion . Social Security took in $837.827 Billion. In other words S.S. took in $64.58 Billion more then it spent. S.S. assets for 2011 were $ 2.653336 trillion. In 2012 it's assets were $2.717916 Trillion. In short S.S. currently has almost $3 trillion more it took in from taxpayers then what is has spent thus far. I do realize this scenario will change in the coming years, but let's confine this discussion to the current moment.

SOURCE:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/ProgData/fyOps.html

In short, people are making payments to Social Security which has a current surplus of nearly $3 trillion. The defense department on the other hand is draining the general budget of the United States nearly $600 billion this year. Why are we even talking about two separate budget items? One which Social Security produced a multi trillion dollar surplus. The other, the general budget which has nearly a trillion dollar deficit for 2013?

If one is looking to make cuts shouldn't it be on the budget that's dragging taxpayers down and not the one that pays for itself and even generates a surplus? How on God's green Earth can anyone call entitlements such as Social Security something that folks should feel guilt about receiving? Hence why I named this post 'Entitlement Propaganda'.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now for the unabridged details....
How much do we spend on defense?
It depends who you ask. The annual budget requests for defense was:US$530.1 billion (2010)
US$549.1 billion (2011)
US$553.0 billion (2012) However there were additional funding requests made to Congress that totaled a near $672 billion after all was said and done. Granted sequestration will require cutting $50 billion a year from the Pentagon budget for the next 10 years. However Congress can enacted special funding requests that could offset that for many years to come.

Here are a few items to consider. We currently have 10 Nimitz class aircraft carriers. We're supposed to have 11. In 2015 a new class of carriers, the Gerald R. Ford class will be added to bring the fleet up to the level of 11. It and each of the Nimitz class cost about $13.5 billion each. It costs about $6.5 million per day to operate each carrier strike group. Which consists of five surface combatants, and one fast-attack submarine, plus the nearly 6,700 men and women to crew them.

Each carrier has about 90 aircraft which consist of helicopters and primarily F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and F/A-18C Hornets. Introduced in 1999 the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets cost $66.9 million apiece (about 500 were built). Introduced in 1983 the F/A-18C Hornets: cost $29–57 million (2006 figures). About 1,480 of them were built.

Each carrier is expected to be in service for 50 years. However they need to dock in port for maintenance every 6 to 11 months. They also require a complex overhaul about every 25 years which can last up to 44 months. This cost between $750 to $900 million. Recently some Congressional members have questioned, considering today's satellite and missile technology, that they may vulnerable.

Lest you think I'm singling out carriers alone when it comes to defense spending...* At Least $8 Billion in Iraq Rehab Funds Lost To Waste, Fraud

* Pentagon Watchdog Doubts Army Needs New M4 Carbine that comes with price tag of $1.8 billion

* Department of Defense Plans to Order 650,000 iOS Devices.. According to the DOD, it will have 8 million smartphones in service over the next three years.. Department of Defense for classified data handling are modified for enhanced security with components that can quadruple their final cost.

* $1.5 million on a new type of beef jerky
25 More Things The Government Waste Money On



FINAL WORDS
Everyone should clearly see, before we even consider cuts to entitlements (things we already paid for with a surplus in advance), there are a ton of other things that could be reduced. I find it unconscionable that these items should not be considered long before we even think about reductions to our 'paid for' safety net to spend on what I consider discretionary items. While Social Security will need to be adjusted to make it work, it shouldn't be slashed to pay for things it was never intended. If someone can't see that, there's little else that can be said.

The Rich Live In We$t End Allentown

Reposted From: August 25, 2011

It's one of my hot-buttons that gets tweaked every once and awhile. I've long endured a heaping helping of these bull patties for years. Even at work they constantly talked about the rich in Allentown's West End.

Define "rich", compared to what?
Yeah West End Allentown is better off then downtown, but compared to what?

Many suburbs surrounding this Allentown neighborhood have greater household incomes.

This nonsense has gone on for long enough. TIME TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT!

Here's the Breakdown. Those that are in red are the ones that have greater income then Allentown's folks living in the West End.18104 (The West End)
Per Capita Income- $33,820
Median Household Income- $65,542

18069 Orefield, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $36,074
Median Household Income- $72,142

18051 Fogelsville, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $41,374
Median Household Income- $82,490

18078 Schnecksville, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $35,317
Median Household Income- $80,389

18020 Bethlehem, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $32,336
Median Household Income- $74,939

18034 Center Valley, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $37,119
Median Household Income- $81,330

18951 Quakertown, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $28,245
Median Household Income- $67,737

18045 Easton, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $34,851
Median Household Income- $71,164

18064 Nazareth, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $29,905
Median Household Income- $67,936

18066 New Tripoli, Pa.
Per Capita Income- $31,456
Median Household Income- $70,672

West End's Median Value- $185,214
Orefield- $356,502
Fogelsville- $292,801
Schnecksville- $261,276
Bethlehem- $194,813
Center Valley- $370,563
Quakertown- $204,593
Easton- $184,227
Nazareth- $208,269
New Tripoli- $227,151

Select Recent Headline Links 09/05/2023

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A disorienting and blinding fog connected to a store's alarm is a relatively new security measure to stop would-be thieves

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Days after then-City Councilman Joshua Siegel fought to give the Lehigh Valley IronPigs $1.5 million of city funding, he attended a World Series game in Philadelphia with two tickets gifted to him by the minor league franchise.

VIDEO: Benjamin Does A Walk Around in Bangladesh [I can't believe this country exists on this planet]

Historical Video: Regulation Will Destroy Capitalism

Repost

Richard Whitney, President of the N.Y Stock Exchange, warns the risks to capitalism by government regulators because of the the National Securities Exchange Act.

Almost 4 years before he was sent to Sing Sing for embezzlement.

Phrases You Don't Hear Anymore

Repost

Be sure to refill the ice trays, we're going to have company.

Watch for the postman, I want to get this letter in the mail today.

Quit slamming the screen door when you go out !

Don't forget to wind your clock before bed.

Don't you go outside with your school clothes on.

Take that empty bottle to the store so you won't have to pay deposit.

Quit jumping on the floor, I have a cake in the oven.

Let me know when the Fuller Brush man comes by.

Don't lose that button; I won't be able to sew it back on.

Soak your foot in this pan of kerosene so it doesn't get infected.

Hurry up and finish drying the dishes.

I'm going out and compression start the car.

I have to take the wash off the line before we leave.

I'm running out of fresh boiled diapers.

Why would I need a phone in my bedroom?

Don't forget to leave a note for the milkman.

The car needs to get it's points adjusted.

Isn't a skateboard nothing more then a scooter with a broken handle?

I just met the cutest 'soda jerk'.

Got to go and boil some baby bottles.

Socks need darning.

TV's acting up. I'm going down to the store's tube tester.

The coal bin is almost empty.

The record player needs a new needle.

I ran out of carbon paper.

The 8 track mangled the tape.. AGAIN !

I got that information on my 'rolodex'.

The Mimeograph needs more stencils

The handle is broke on the office adding machine.

Encyclopedia salesman is at the door.

Insurance man is here for this month's payment.

Check the oil. Give me $2 worth of gas.

I'm taking the toaster down to the fix-it shop.

What's 'revolving credit'?

Hospital says there's no smoking near the oxygen tent.

When cigarettes go to 35¢ I'm quitting!

Try pumping it & pull the choke out.

Use the electric plug in the floor.

Where's the # key on my rotary?

Beer delivery man is here !

Did you hear, the soda's machine is going up to 25¢?

With cable TV you can now get 12 channels !

HiFi Stereo.. wow !

Which should I buy.. VHS or Betamax?

Why should I put 'siding' on my house?

Triple track windows are the way to go !

The push mower needs sharpening

The ash man comes on Tuesdays.

The wringers are shot on my washing machine.

My dungarees need patching.

Doctor says we can pay him next time he comes to the house.