Has anyone heard those commercials?  We are being inundated with them.  How you should do this and that for your family.  Some are common sense, few are actually enlightening.  But some are just wrong! Wrong?  Yes.  Sorry.  Maybe I am a bad parent.  But the latest is "reward your child for good grades".  Sorry, I don't buy that.  You do not reward for expectations (lets not go into the the differently abled and their incentives - lets stick wi...

This is actually not about my mother.  She is a great woman, and I do love her,  But she is Wonder Woman, and raised 7 children virtually by herself.  She is a great woman. No, this is about my Godmother.  My heroine, my inspiration, and for the mentally handicapped (the ones with no physical handicaps parking in the handicap spaces) the reason for your Keying. She is in the hospital.  It is not serious as in life and death, but serious for her.  She has a tor...

A while back, Cordelia did a blog on where are you.  But it was limited to the 50 states.  Which was good, but not really good for all.  Recently, Sally posted a blog, and Dynamaso said something about posting while we sleep.  He lives down under, so yea, he is offset from us colonials by 12-14 hours.  I know Islandgurl is also over there as she does not usually come on line until after 6pm, my time. But I am curious as to where you are at in time.  Here on the e...

As predicted, the vampires started calling me last week.  The gave me the weekend to donate, but I was busy that weekend. So yesterday, I finally broke down and went to donate.  I was a little leery after my previous donation when I almost passed out, but knew that unless I contracted AIDS, they would not stop calling. So I go for the mini-physical, and all seemed to be OK.  Then into the chair to donate.  Just as they were sticking the needle into my arm, my wife called.&...

JU is acting Hinky today {GASP} .  Yes it is true.  Many have been posting 2, 3 or more times because they get an error when posting an article.  It happens, it has happened before, and probably will again. Just a suggestion for those not wanting the hassle of multiple articles saying the exact same thing.  When you get the error message, open a second browser window (leave the original one on the Article you are trying to post) and navigate to Joe User/Newest Article...

Well, not actually.  I finally broke down and bought the 2 volume set of A Tale of Love and War.  And Since I am taking a trip soon, I will be enjoying a saga of the time of the greatest generation.  My Kudos to the one who recommended it. Review to come later.  Amazon is Slow San Chonino!  I ordered it 3 weeks ago!

There are several sites out there that show you your property on a satelite map.  And they give you the worth of it.  While we all know that prices have skyrocketed, unless we hire an appraiser (about $300), most of us dont really know what our property is really worth now.  (Thank god Assessments have not kept up!). But there is one.  zillow.com.  It is not accurate.  but my neighbor just put his house on the market, so I compared his asking price to zillow and ...

Mason, I know you love you bike, and I have not squealed and told her about your thoughts of cheating!  Seriously! But should you ever find yourself in my neighborhood, let me drive you.  This is becoming a regular story in the press around here and it sickens me.  Motorists just dont give a damn. I have seen a lot of cyclists downtown.  I gather the drivers are better down there (some are the couriers).  But this is like the 4th in the past 2 months outside of dow...

I guess I am different from most of JU.  I graduated High School in Europe, and then we all split for colleges in the states.  Lots of friends.  We exchanged Mail addresses and went on our way. I went to a high priced, but good school in Ohio.  But I wrote my friends.  WROTE.  This was in the 70s.  There was no email.  I had about 2 dozen.  I wrote them once a week.  I was on a work to study program.  I had to work to afford to study!&nbs...

My Son was down again this weekend.  There was not a lot we could do Saturday as it was raining (which we needed), but we did manage to see Silent Hills (If you are thinking of seeing it and have not, save your money!  Boring!).  SO we mostly hung out and talked, and re-arragned his room some. Sunday was a bit different.  He wanted to earn some money for a DVD, but as it had just rained 2 days, there was not really a lot to do outside.  After all, everyone knows you d...

I have my watch list.  But because the "delete all" does not work, it is way old.  SO I have things on it from a month ago.  It is tedious to delete each one that no one is responding to any longer.  Yet, it does have its advantages. Recently (actually over a month ago), Gideon blogged about the death of a fellow volunteer fire fighter.  His blog was very reverant and respectful and heartfelt.  I noted it, commented on it and put it on my watch list. Then just...

I am way over the limit on patience on those cards!  I am canceling them all!  They are effing morons and I am tired of them! first they bought out a company I really liked. Then they started jerking me around on the due date, often giving me less than 1 week to pay.  OK, I can deal with that.  Then a netscammer gets our card and decides to ride the horse!  A effing Hoodia scam! (my wife fell victim).  After 3 days of trying to get this crap returned, and te...

For a second year in a row, I have the ultimate power over what you are going to hear on the radio!  There is nothing you puny mortals can do, as I wield all the power!  Mwuhahahahaha (Hack-coff-hack). Sorry, the power got to me for a second. But yes, for the second year in a row, I am an Arbitron kid!  I get to fill out the survey for a week, and for keeping track of all I listen to I get a whopping $3!!!!! I guess I will do it just so I can plug my favorite shows. ...

With Kudos to Adventure Dude who is going through a sort of crises because he is wanted, I bring you my Phobia blog! AD has more hangups than I about giving, but I hope he does decide to.  For while I don't see blood as the Generational marker he does, I share his phobia to needles. Not fear.  Not aversion. Not disdain. Not dislike. Phobia.  Phobias are irrational fears that are not supported by rational thought.  Indeed, that is exactly what they are.  I ha...