Open Blog - Weekend

Enjoy yourselves.

PLEASE NOTE - THESE ARE ALL POLITICAL COMMENTS, IF POLITICS OFFEND YOU PLEASE DO NOT READ....SER

But if think most of them are pretty funny!

aphorism

aph•o•rism

[af-uh-riz-uh  m]
noun
A terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation, as “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).

If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates.

~Jay Leno~

The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

~Henry Cate, VII~

We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office

~Aesop~

If we got one-tenth of what was promised to us in these State of the Union speeches, there wouldn't be any inducement to go to heaven.

~Will Rogers~

Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.

~Nikita Khrushchev~

When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become President; I'm beginning to believe it.

~Clarence Darrow~

Why pay money to have your family tree traced; go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.
~Author unknown~

Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel.
~John Quinton~

Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other.
~Oscar Ameringer~

I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.
~Adlai Stevenson,  1952~

A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.

~ Tex Guinan~

I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

~Charles de Gaulle~

Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.

~Doug Larson~

There ought to be one day -- just one -- when there is open season on Congressmen.

~Will Rogers~

Four for Fridays

Hello everybody! Welcome back to Four for Fridays! it has been a topsy turving week, especially where the weather is concerned... Just when ya think winter is over with... Anyways, your questions!

1) What is the tallest mountain you have even seen?

2) How much of the Olympics have you seen?

3) Feather or foam pillows?

4) What do you prefer, digital or analog clocks?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

That looks like Oz.

Open Blog - Thursday

Aw, bunny!

Ahahaha!

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my thawed, but not flawed, friends!  How are you?  How’s the heat wave treating you?  Have you broken out the sun-block yet?  Ha-ha!  The joke’s on us.  Another winter storm tomorrow.  Ha-ha!  Old Man Winter and all of the Weather Witches must have conspired to make this winter a nasty one. 

Well, I refuse to lose hope.  Today I could still see clearly outside at 6 pm.  Not too long ago, it was dark at 5.  We’re getting there; we just have to take it one day at a time.  One storm at a time.  One act of kindness toward someone encumbered by the weather at a time.  I know that February and March can kick very hard.  I don’t look forward to any of that.  However, winter is one the wane.  Protest all you want, Old Man Winter, but even you can’t stop the march of time.  (Psst, by the way, I think you did a marvelous job on winter this year.  It reminds of the “real” winters we had when I was a child.)

Fifth graders in our area have an opportunity to submit posters for the 2014 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest.  See the story on Racine Uncovered here: http://racinecountyeye.com/ai1ec_event/expert-talk-parents-keeping-children-safe-digital-world/?instance_id=  Best of luck to all of the entrants!

Also, “The Racine Unified School District is partnering with SC Johnson to present a workshop for parents called the ‘Dark Side of Digital Technology: internet, cell phones and social media’ from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 19 [tonight] at SC Johnson Golden Rondelle Theater, 1525 Howe St.”  See the story on Racine County Eye here: http://racineuncovered.org/2014/02/2014-national-missing-childrens-day-poster-contest/ Unfortunately, such things are necessary in today’s world.

Mr. OrbsCorbs’ blog on the death of Sid Caesar (http://www.jtirregulars.com/2014/02/sid-caesar-tv-comedy-pioneer-dies-at-91.html) saddened me because I, too, was a fan of early television.  Here’s a short clip from those days of yore, featuring the introduction to the Texaco Star Theater.

That, of course, was Milton “Uncle Miltie” Berle, a man who was always too wiling to appear in drag for a laugh.

Thank you for walking down TV’s memory lane with me.  I love all of the JTI readers and my fans in TV land.  Your attention encourages me.  Your friendship inspires me.  Your love overpowers me.  Thank you, JTI’s.

Is the rumor about “Uncle Miltie’s” member true?  Ask madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com

A storm for tomorrow and then we get the deep freeze again for the weekend.  Sound familiar?  You know the drill, dears.  Have a great week.  Anonymuncule!

Lunch with Friends

I had lunch with 2 of my unmarried friends.

One is engaged, one is a mistress, and I have been married for 20+ years.

We were chatting about our relationships and decided to amaze our men by greeting them at the door wearing a black bra, stiletto heels and a mask over our eyes.

We agreed to meet in a few days to exchange notes. Here's how it all went.

Engaged friend:
The other night when my boyfriend came over he found me with a black leather bodice, tall stilettos and a mask. He saw me and said, 'You are the woman of my dreams...I love you.' Then we made passionate love all night long.

The mistress:

Me too! The other night I met my lover at his office and I was wearing a raincoat, under it only the black bra, heels and mask over my eyes. When I opened the raincoat he didn't say a word, but he started to tremble and we had wild sex all night.

Then I had to share my story:

When my husband came home I was wearing the black bra, black stockings, stilettos and a mask over my eyes. When he came in the door and saw me he said:

(You are going to love this...)

"What's for dinner, Zorro?"

"Pussy Riot members detained near Sochi"

Their name ensures their notoriety.

Open Blog - Wednesday

Grab a handful of sunshine.

"Hoffman & addiction: Sharing our pain, anger and honesty"

Christine M. Flowers, Daily News Columnist 
Posted: Friday, February 14, 2014, 3:01 AM 

"NOTHING touches the psychological third rail as saying that 'addicts are selfish.' Since early last Friday morning, when my column on Philip Seymour Hoffman first appeared online, I've been receiving emails from all over the country with various levels of outrage, self-righteousness and, most surprisingly, gratitude. 

"I expected the comments like 'I want to bitch slap you' from the woman in Florida who said that her son had just died of a heroin overdose. The supercilious tsk- tsking from those in what I call the industrial-addiction complex was hardly surprising, either. They took me to task for my ignorance, including the self-described therapist who told me that she understood that I had the right to my opinion but that it was dangerous to express that opinion. It's as if calling Hoffman 'selfish' would burden recovering addicts with unhealthy guilt. Personally, I think it is the lack of guilt that lies at the root of the injuries we inflict on others, if not ourselves. 

"But what really struck me with more force than the bolt that hit Saul on his way to Damascus was the volume of readers who agreed with me that Hoffman was selfish in failing to consider how his actions would affect his babies. 

"There, I said it again and will continue to say it until the last co-dependent parent writes to call me a jackass because his daughter just got out of rehab and I apparently don't know what the hell I'm talking about."

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20140214_Hoffman___addiction__Sharing_our_pain__anger_and_honesty.html#2Q1imXgexyScVWdX.99


I agree.

From Alcoholics Anonymous, page 62: "Selfishness - self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt."

"Ernie Kovacs - The Nairobi Trio 'Solfeggio' - ABC Television Network Videotaped Version"

After Sid Caesar's death (http://www.jtirregulars.com/2014/02/sid-caesar-tv-comedy-pioneer-dies-at-91.html), I got to thinking about the pioneers of TV comedy. "The Nairobi Trio" was a classic Ernie Kovacs skit. Look how little they needed in the way of props and plot. It was a simpler time.

Winter Grins

Open Blog - Tuesday

Smooches for everybody!

"Adam Magyar - Stainless, Alexanderplatz (excerpt), 2011"

Adam Magyar - Stainless, Alexanderplatz (excerpt), 2011 from Adam Magyar on Vimeo.

"High speed video recording in Berlin at U2 Alexanderplatz station. (2011)

full video: 24min. 48sec. 720p 50fps"

magyaradam.com

"Note: There is no Creative Commons License applied to this work. Thus it is not legal to copy."

Read more: http://vimeo.com/83663312


Why is that so fascinating to watch?

"It’s Time To Review The City of Racine’s Control Over The Water Utilitity"

From Racine Exposed:

"So, it’s not that the City of Racine has not worked to reduce costs. It’s that the City of Racine has a vested interest to increase Water Utility rates and fees as much as possible in order to fund the Cities growing financial deficit and avoid the pain of having to control their costs. By issuing Water Utility Revenue Bonds or manipulating property values, Water Utility revenues are redirected to the general operations of The City of Racine and the costs are silently passed onto the surrounding communities. That’s wrong. A financially sound Water Utility that provides safe and clean water to a region is too important and too vital a function to be left in the trust of Politicians who may allow their ambitions and dreams of development  to jeopardize the Utilities financial health and continuous operation."

Read more: http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/its-time-to-review-the-city-of-racines-control-over-the-water-utilitity/

See also: http://racinecountyeye.com/2014/02/12/sturtevant-says-sky-high-fees-driving-away-jobs/

See also: http://journaltimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/racine-residents-to-see-water-rate-increases/article_5754f31a-e448-11e0-a0b5-001cc4c002e0.html


I don't understand our Water Utility.  It seems to be an organization that's outside of city control.  When they lose customers, rates go up.  When they gain customers, rates go up.  That must be why they always have the newest trucks and equipment. 

"Sid Caesar, TV comedy pioneer, dies at 91"

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/02/sid-caesar-tv-comedy-pioneer-dies-at-91-100275.html

Gadzooks!  How did I miss this?  He died five days ago.  Why wasn't I informed?

He was one of my earliest favorite TV stars.  My family gathered each week to watch his shows.  I'll never forget how my father would laugh so hard that he'd have a coughing fit.  It happened every week.

Rest in peace, Sid Caesar, and thank you for so many wonderful hours of humor.
   

Local Loyalty - Alaskan Fireplace

Welcome back again!

Today's edition is on  - 

Alaskan Fireplace

9820 Durand Ave. 

Sturtevant, 

Just west of the RR Tracks.

Alaskan Fireplace was originally Builders Showroom Building Supply, opening in 1992 near the old Kohl's Grocery Store , near Elmwood Plaza. 

In 1997, they moved to their current location and became Alaskan Fireplace. 

 

As the whole big hullabaloo (I know, awesome word, right?!)

came up with the impending Y2K, fireplaces were quite in demand, 

and have continued to be popular, whether wood, gas or other. 

Even we (hubby and I), thought it best to have a safety net for heating back-up, just in case the electrical grid should fail. I've been acquainted with them since 1999, when we too, were looking for something for our basement. If the grid held up, at least we'd be able to have supplemental heat for our otherwise chilly basement when entertaining. I'm still very glad we did, love it as much today as I did the day we got it!

When we went in, we didn't know what we needed or wanted, but they quickly helped us, held our hands, listened to what need we had and showed us the options and things that would work well for us. They were absolutely wonderful from very start to finish and I know they're there if we ever need anything. 

Alaskan Fireplace even did our fireplaces at work! 

Small world, AND a great company!

Their hours are - 

Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri. 10-5

Wed. 10-7

Sat. 10-3 and

closed Sundays.

In 2009, they joined with Fireside Hearth and Home. 

They have been, and continue to be the biggest supplier of fireplace and hearths in the area, so they are unique and the only ones like them. 

As I spent time with Ken and we talked about his business, I asked what he'd want people to know about them. Alot of that is covered above. They are very service oriented, and they do whatever it takes to care for their customers. 

When you research something like fireplaces, don't just research the actual thing but also the company behind it. They're the ones coming into your home and installing it, don't you want to know who they are too? :) You'll have complete confidence in Alaskan Fireplace, I can guarantee it from personal experience. 

The 3 words Ken chose, came in the version of a phrase - 

"Small town values".

That explains the whole taking care of their customers, 

something alot of places have gotten away from.  

Besides their website (clickable link above), they are also on Facebook.

I know it's not every day you go out and get yourself a fireplace, but if you have the need, these are your people and your place to go. You won't be disappointed!

And don't forget to tell them you saw it here!

Open Blog - Monday

New blog.

Useless Information

Did you Know:

 

Total length of galvanized steel wire used in both main cables on the Golden Gate Bridge is 80,000 miles

 

Source:

http://goldengatebridge.org/research/factsGGBDesign.php