10 years ago, I was living a boring married life and had a cat. One day I went to PetsMart to get cat litter. Little did I know going in that my life would change forever. I would go in seeking cat litter, but would come out with a friendship. A friendship that would be more fulfilling and last longer than any other I have ever had. It would even outlast the marriage and the wife!
The local shelter in Raleigh NC had taken dogs to PetsMart in a last ditch effort to get them adopted before being euthenised. When I walked in, Blackstone was laying down in the middle of a wire pen in the entrance way. He was the only dog in it. In some strange way that matted, hairy dog caught my eye. I walked him around the parking lot and from the very beginning we had made a great connection. In retrospect I think we connected because we were going thru the same things at the same time. He had been put up for adoption by a family who no longer loved him, and I was in a loveless marriage. We were 2 wayward souls looking for a friend. And in each other we found that friendship.
Fast forward 10 years, 5 moves and countless broken hearts, and we find ourselves at the final chapter of our relationship. As I look at the empty space beside my bed where he has slept every nite, I realize that I am not really losing my friend. He may not be here physically anymore, but his influence on my life will be with me forever.
Good Nite Stonebone. I love you!
Can We De-Evolve? or "How I Forgot to Remember and Learned to Love the Gas Prices"
May 14, 2011
Conspiracy theorists, and fringe science aficionados will tell you that "Yes", it is possible to De-Evolve. They are not contending that we are going backwards toward Homo Erectus (hahaha gotta love that name!) But rather that we can evolve backwards technologically speaking. [*Note1*]
These ideas are usually supported by such evidence as the Baghdad Battery, the Antikythera Device, or the Piri Reis Map. Here is a link to a video detailing all 3! Their is other evidence to support the idea that humans of long ago had access to technology that would be considered far to advanced for the time period. Ancient Chinese, Mayan, and Hindu texts all talk of using rockets to get into space. Even the Bible, has something called Ezekiels Chariot or Ezekiels Wheels. Which upon reading in modern contexts, reads exactly like a rocket ship landing!
But if the ancients had access to this technology, where did it go? Why did we de-evolve so to speak and forget it? And if this de-evolution did take place, is it still? Is their a modern equivalent? Oddly, I think their is...
I turned 16 in 1988. Gas in my town was at 90Cents a gallon. I could get about 5.5 gallons of gas on a single $5 bill. My car, with its bad CV joints, oil burning engine, was a 5 speed, 4dr, hatchback. It was silver and ran like crap, but it ran and never failed me. That car was made in 1979 by Datsun. Yet even though it looked horrible and ran just as bad, it still managed to get almost 45 miles to the gallon! For those doing the math, that's 225miles! So for a kid with $5 in his pocket, I could drive to school and back for a week, and still have enough gas to drive my friends to the beach on the weekends. Remember this car was made in '79!
The world was coming out of the pseudo gas crisis of the 70's. So emphasis was put on smaller cars, that did better on gas. Plus it was the start of the Japanese imports vs. American Muscle cars rivalry. And the American side was losing. By the time I graduated high school, Honda had a commercial detailing what it called "The Most Fuel Efficient Car In The World". It was a Honda Civic and would get over 60mpg! So for $5 I could go 300miles!
Then something happened in the 90's. Cars manufacturers touted luxury and roominess and got people to buy bigger cars. Gas had risen to about a dollar a gallon and it seemed ok to buy big cars. You could fill one up for less than $20. Even though it didn't get good gas mileage, somehow we didn't seem to care. So people hopped on the SUV bandwagon and started using more gas than ever before.
Now that gas prices have risen to $4 a gallon or more we are being more conservative and looking at smaller more fuel efficient cars. Todays big push is Hybrid, gas/electric cars. The auto manufacturers say these cars get 40mpg! Indeed I typed 'hybrid car gas mileage' into Google and the first thing in the list is for Ford Fusion Hybrid boasting 41mpg and 700 miles on a single tank! Seems impressive. But I call BullSh!t My 1979 Datsun did that. and it was a regular eco killing, smog producing, gas engine. Same with the late 80's Honda Civic that boasted 60mpg. I don't understand how this hybrid car is a step forward? It seems that as far as cars go, we HAVE DE-EVOLVED.
If my 1979 Datsun could get 45mpg, and the Honda Civic 60mpg, why can't todays cars reach 75, 80, or heck 90mpg? As it stands right now, comparing gas mpg to gas mpg, I would be better off driving my '79 Datsun vs a brand new 2011 Ford Fusion. That's de-evolution at its finest.
I am not sure if the ancients had technology that got them into orbit, or if they had electricity and somehow this was all lost and had to be rediscovered during the industrial revolution over a thousand years later. But it certainly seems possible. After all, in less than 25 years, we seem to have lost the ability to make a more fuel efficient car.
*Note1* I was doing a photo shoot for Magic Magazine with Harry Anderson of Night Court fame. We were doing some spoof photos of a long ago mentalist name Ted Annemann. One of the photos had me in the shower drinking Bay Rum Cologne. Ted was a notorious alcoholic. So I had to take off my shirt and wear a pair of shorts it the shower. I am a very hairy person. And Harry quipped "Its nice to see someone fight for something. I just don't know why you are fighting evolution" hahaha nice one.
These ideas are usually supported by such evidence as the Baghdad Battery, the Antikythera Device, or the Piri Reis Map. Here is a link to a video detailing all 3! Their is other evidence to support the idea that humans of long ago had access to technology that would be considered far to advanced for the time period. Ancient Chinese, Mayan, and Hindu texts all talk of using rockets to get into space. Even the Bible, has something called Ezekiels Chariot or Ezekiels Wheels. Which upon reading in modern contexts, reads exactly like a rocket ship landing!
But if the ancients had access to this technology, where did it go? Why did we de-evolve so to speak and forget it? And if this de-evolution did take place, is it still? Is their a modern equivalent? Oddly, I think their is...
I turned 16 in 1988. Gas in my town was at 90Cents a gallon. I could get about 5.5 gallons of gas on a single $5 bill. My car, with its bad CV joints, oil burning engine, was a 5 speed, 4dr, hatchback. It was silver and ran like crap, but it ran and never failed me. That car was made in 1979 by Datsun. Yet even though it looked horrible and ran just as bad, it still managed to get almost 45 miles to the gallon! For those doing the math, that's 225miles! So for a kid with $5 in his pocket, I could drive to school and back for a week, and still have enough gas to drive my friends to the beach on the weekends. Remember this car was made in '79!
The world was coming out of the pseudo gas crisis of the 70's. So emphasis was put on smaller cars, that did better on gas. Plus it was the start of the Japanese imports vs. American Muscle cars rivalry. And the American side was losing. By the time I graduated high school, Honda had a commercial detailing what it called "The Most Fuel Efficient Car In The World". It was a Honda Civic and would get over 60mpg! So for $5 I could go 300miles!
Then something happened in the 90's. Cars manufacturers touted luxury and roominess and got people to buy bigger cars. Gas had risen to about a dollar a gallon and it seemed ok to buy big cars. You could fill one up for less than $20. Even though it didn't get good gas mileage, somehow we didn't seem to care. So people hopped on the SUV bandwagon and started using more gas than ever before.
Now that gas prices have risen to $4 a gallon or more we are being more conservative and looking at smaller more fuel efficient cars. Todays big push is Hybrid, gas/electric cars. The auto manufacturers say these cars get 40mpg! Indeed I typed 'hybrid car gas mileage' into Google and the first thing in the list is for Ford Fusion Hybrid boasting 41mpg and 700 miles on a single tank! Seems impressive. But I call BullSh!t My 1979 Datsun did that. and it was a regular eco killing, smog producing, gas engine. Same with the late 80's Honda Civic that boasted 60mpg. I don't understand how this hybrid car is a step forward? It seems that as far as cars go, we HAVE DE-EVOLVED.
If my 1979 Datsun could get 45mpg, and the Honda Civic 60mpg, why can't todays cars reach 75, 80, or heck 90mpg? As it stands right now, comparing gas mpg to gas mpg, I would be better off driving my '79 Datsun vs a brand new 2011 Ford Fusion. That's de-evolution at its finest.
I am not sure if the ancients had technology that got them into orbit, or if they had electricity and somehow this was all lost and had to be rediscovered during the industrial revolution over a thousand years later. But it certainly seems possible. After all, in less than 25 years, we seem to have lost the ability to make a more fuel efficient car.
*Note1* I was doing a photo shoot for Magic Magazine with Harry Anderson of Night Court fame. We were doing some spoof photos of a long ago mentalist name Ted Annemann. One of the photos had me in the shower drinking Bay Rum Cologne. Ted was a notorious alcoholic. So I had to take off my shirt and wear a pair of shorts it the shower. I am a very hairy person. And Harry quipped "Its nice to see someone fight for something. I just don't know why you are fighting evolution" hahaha nice one.
You are a *Special* Customer!
May 2, 2011
Well this started as a rant on a magic website. Another magician was hawking a new trick and trying to get people to 'pre-order' and 'get on the email list'. These *special* people who buy the trick before its officially released or get on the email list, have 'exclusive access' to the trick before us normal pee-ons.
Not sure why but this rubbed me the wrong way, and I sent a not so nice response to them. This got me thinking as the magic guy isn't the only one who thinks that you should sign up on a list to become a 'special customer'.
Most grocery stores, bookstores, coffee shops, etc all have these discount cards that will save you a few pennies on certain items that you buy. They make it sound like a club that you are joining. A special club for those lucky enough to be invited to join. Truth is anyone can join. And you only save $ on certain select items of their choosing. Which is ok, but the trade off is, that I have to give out some very personal information. Name, Address, Phone #, Email. Things I would rather keep private! Is it worth it to save a dollar? I guess that depends on how much you value your privacy.
I then got to thinking about this more and it really started to piss me off. Instead of suckering people into giving out their personal information for god know what, under the guise of the 'Special Discount Club', isn't it them who should actually feel special?
I mean I could have gone to ANY OTHER grocery store, coffee shop, book store. Any one of your competitors would be happy to have my business. But I DIDN'T go to them. I came to YOU! Doesn't that make you the 'Special One'? I don't know where or when the customer started to come second. But I for one am gonna start putting my foot down and demanding that I get those same special deals, not because I am a 'Special Club Card' holder but because I am YOUR customer!
You see its very simple. If I don't get the same savings without the card, then YOUR customer, will become THEIR, customer.
Not sure why but this rubbed me the wrong way, and I sent a not so nice response to them. This got me thinking as the magic guy isn't the only one who thinks that you should sign up on a list to become a 'special customer'.
Most grocery stores, bookstores, coffee shops, etc all have these discount cards that will save you a few pennies on certain items that you buy. They make it sound like a club that you are joining. A special club for those lucky enough to be invited to join. Truth is anyone can join. And you only save $ on certain select items of their choosing. Which is ok, but the trade off is, that I have to give out some very personal information. Name, Address, Phone #, Email. Things I would rather keep private! Is it worth it to save a dollar? I guess that depends on how much you value your privacy.
I then got to thinking about this more and it really started to piss me off. Instead of suckering people into giving out their personal information for god know what, under the guise of the 'Special Discount Club', isn't it them who should actually feel special?
I mean I could have gone to ANY OTHER grocery store, coffee shop, book store. Any one of your competitors would be happy to have my business. But I DIDN'T go to them. I came to YOU! Doesn't that make you the 'Special One'? I don't know where or when the customer started to come second. But I for one am gonna start putting my foot down and demanding that I get those same special deals, not because I am a 'Special Club Card' holder but because I am YOUR customer!
You see its very simple. If I don't get the same savings without the card, then YOUR customer, will become THEIR, customer.
Cant see the forest for the pollen
Apr 16, 2011
Tis the season to be sneezing falalala la la la la...
My allergies have been exceptionally bad this year. Its no wonder with pollen counts over 3000 almost everyday. The only break I get seems to come when it rains. But lately even that comes at a price. The last few times is rained here, its been torrential. With lots of lightning, damaging hail and even a few tornados!
I have tried several allergy medicines to abate my situation. All of them over the counter. So far at least. Here are the results of the different medicines.
Zyrtec: Slogan is "Lots of allergies, just one Zyrtec!" I took one and still had lots of allergies. So I guess the slogan was right!
Benadryl: I took the recommended dose of 2 pills every 4hrs. Did it stop me from sneezing? I don't know I was asleep. :/ But when I woke up I was stuffy again.
Claritin 24hr: A single dose a day! Sounded promising. But thats all it was.
Claritin D 12hr: Now we are getting somewhere. It kept me from sneezing and stopped my nose from running. I was still stuffy, but, not runny. It didn't last 12hrs though. I was scared to take more for fear of an overdose.
Since I found success (somewhat) with the Claritin D, I wondered if I could add another medicine to it to help it out and maybe get it to last a bit longer. So I took the Claritin D and when I felt a bit sniffly I took a single, half dose of Benadryl. That was ok and helped to keep me from sneezing buy my nose was still a bit runny.
Then my dad and a few other people suggested a nose spray. So I got something called Nasal Four which is a Kroger brand knockoff of a more expensive brand. It says its a FAST ACTING decongestant. So the next day I took my Claritin D 12hr tablet when I got up. I was also stuffy, so I squirted that Nasal Four up into my nose. **side note**I have been told my whole life that cocaine is bad, very addictive and its taken up the nose. So on some subconscious level, when I use this product, I feel guilty!** Within a minute of inhaling the Nasal Four, my sinuses both opened up allowing me to breathe through both nostrils at the same time! SUCCESS!!
So I finally found a Magical Medicinal Cocktail that works to clear my allergies up. Though admittedly I have used the Nasal Four, a bit more than recommended. But if you have ever seen how bad my allergy attacks are, you wouldn't blame me.
I hope that my trial and error of these products will help some other poor sufferer to find relief so that we can stop hiding inside on these beautiful spring days and finally step outside and walk confidently into the forest!
My allergies have been exceptionally bad this year. Its no wonder with pollen counts over 3000 almost everyday. The only break I get seems to come when it rains. But lately even that comes at a price. The last few times is rained here, its been torrential. With lots of lightning, damaging hail and even a few tornados!
I have tried several allergy medicines to abate my situation. All of them over the counter. So far at least. Here are the results of the different medicines.
Zyrtec: Slogan is "Lots of allergies, just one Zyrtec!" I took one and still had lots of allergies. So I guess the slogan was right!
Benadryl: I took the recommended dose of 2 pills every 4hrs. Did it stop me from sneezing? I don't know I was asleep. :/ But when I woke up I was stuffy again.
Claritin 24hr: A single dose a day! Sounded promising. But thats all it was.
Claritin D 12hr: Now we are getting somewhere. It kept me from sneezing and stopped my nose from running. I was still stuffy, but, not runny. It didn't last 12hrs though. I was scared to take more for fear of an overdose.
Since I found success (somewhat) with the Claritin D, I wondered if I could add another medicine to it to help it out and maybe get it to last a bit longer. So I took the Claritin D and when I felt a bit sniffly I took a single, half dose of Benadryl. That was ok and helped to keep me from sneezing buy my nose was still a bit runny.
Then my dad and a few other people suggested a nose spray. So I got something called Nasal Four which is a Kroger brand knockoff of a more expensive brand. It says its a FAST ACTING decongestant. So the next day I took my Claritin D 12hr tablet when I got up. I was also stuffy, so I squirted that Nasal Four up into my nose. **side note**I have been told my whole life that cocaine is bad, very addictive and its taken up the nose. So on some subconscious level, when I use this product, I feel guilty!** Within a minute of inhaling the Nasal Four, my sinuses both opened up allowing me to breathe through both nostrils at the same time! SUCCESS!!
So I finally found a Magical Medicinal Cocktail that works to clear my allergies up. Though admittedly I have used the Nasal Four, a bit more than recommended. But if you have ever seen how bad my allergy attacks are, you wouldn't blame me.
I hope that my trial and error of these products will help some other poor sufferer to find relief so that we can stop hiding inside on these beautiful spring days and finally step outside and walk confidently into the forest!
Mobile blogging
Apr 11, 2011
Today I decided to start a blog. Not only did I start one but I did it all from my phone! The setup, and this first post all done from my Android powered device. It's a true testament to today technology.
Later I will customize the pages to make them more "me". I'm not crazy about the birds on there now. But ill soon have it up to speed. I'm going to be overhauling my website as well to make it more mobile friendly.
It's weird how times change the meaning of words. When I was growing up, being 'mobile' meant you had wheels, and saw the world thru a windshield. Now to be mobile means you see the world thru a small 2x3 glass screen on your phone. If you haven't broken it that is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)