Friday, January 30, 2015
Sunset
Sunset on Tybee can be a beautiful time of day. It is off season so the streets, shops and restaurants are quiet. When the sun goes down these days this quiet coastal paradise goes to sleep. Here are a few of our recent sunsets.
There is one thing that makes you happy the sun has gone down.
Good night from Tybee.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Food
Our personal relationship with food is always interesting and varied. We all have our personal likes and dislikes. One of the things I have learned dieting the last 4 months is just eating when I am hungry. Food isn't a cure for boredom. It isn't a substitute for love. It isn't an escape from pain or loneliness. The other thing that becomes apparent very quickly is that your groceries last longer. Having said all that what I want to talk about today is donations to food banks. I volunteered at the FISH Food Bank in Galesburg. I've seen the faces of the hungry. I have an idea what they look for when they come in and what we always seemed to need.
1. Money. It was not so much a problem at FISH as it is here in the Savannah area. When you get to a big city and a large food bank it is better to donate money rather than food. Why? They are able to buy in bulk, to get deals from producers and warehouses on dated products or discontinued items. Sometimes the cost is jus the freight to have it delivered. So my advice, for your church pantry give food, for a large community pantry give money.
2. Spices. Food banks often provide a lot of rice, dehydrated potatoes and beans. Bland foods that could use a little spice.
3. Feminine Products. You can't buy these items with food stamps.
4. Chocolate. Okay, not a necessity, but it would provide a nice treat once in a while. When I was volunteering we would get candy in from time to time and it went out the door pretty quick.
5. Toiletries. Grocery stores and food distributors are good about donating food items. They have almost zero incentive to donate nonperishable items like toilet paper. So think about a donation of tooth paste, shampoo, soap, deodorant or similar items.
6. Canned meat. It is tough to provide enough protein.
7. Crackers. Everybody loves them and they keep well.
8. Baby items like diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, baby bottles. We rarely had those items and when we did they were gone quickly.
9, Soup Packets. Dried soup mixes can dress up an otherwise bland meal.
10. Socks. These are especially vital for the homeless. If you have ever had cold feet you know how miserable that can make you feel.
11. Canned Fruit. Just please not pineapple. We would have 50 cases of vegetables and sometimes no fruit. When we did get fruit it was often pineapple. Look for an alternative. Apple sauce is popular.
Please take a few minutes to donate to your local food bank. Food, money, any of the items listed above. If you really want to make a difference donate some of your time.
1. Money. It was not so much a problem at FISH as it is here in the Savannah area. When you get to a big city and a large food bank it is better to donate money rather than food. Why? They are able to buy in bulk, to get deals from producers and warehouses on dated products or discontinued items. Sometimes the cost is jus the freight to have it delivered. So my advice, for your church pantry give food, for a large community pantry give money.
2. Spices. Food banks often provide a lot of rice, dehydrated potatoes and beans. Bland foods that could use a little spice.
3. Feminine Products. You can't buy these items with food stamps.
4. Chocolate. Okay, not a necessity, but it would provide a nice treat once in a while. When I was volunteering we would get candy in from time to time and it went out the door pretty quick.
5. Toiletries. Grocery stores and food distributors are good about donating food items. They have almost zero incentive to donate nonperishable items like toilet paper. So think about a donation of tooth paste, shampoo, soap, deodorant or similar items.
6. Canned meat. It is tough to provide enough protein.
7. Crackers. Everybody loves them and they keep well.
8. Baby items like diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, baby bottles. We rarely had those items and when we did they were gone quickly.
9, Soup Packets. Dried soup mixes can dress up an otherwise bland meal.
10. Socks. These are especially vital for the homeless. If you have ever had cold feet you know how miserable that can make you feel.
11. Canned Fruit. Just please not pineapple. We would have 50 cases of vegetables and sometimes no fruit. When we did get fruit it was often pineapple. Look for an alternative. Apple sauce is popular.
Please take a few minutes to donate to your local food bank. Food, money, any of the items listed above. If you really want to make a difference donate some of your time.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Frustration
It has been a trying couple of days. Carol has a very nice and very expensive long arm quilting machine. We took it into Savannah last week because it was skipping stitches. Not a good thing when you are quilting. The shop where we took it said it looked like a simple problem and it would be ready on Monday at the latest. We were in South Carolina on Monday and Carol had a class yesterday in Garden City. We decided this morning we would go pick it up. The tech guy working on it said he had done every possible adjustment on the machine and could not get it to stitch correctly all the time. He relayed that a job like this would normally take him about an hour. He would clean everything and set the timing. Job done. He did all that, adjusted tensions on the upper and lower thread, adjusted the hook in, out, up and down but nothing fixed the problem. He changed the needle. No effect. He suggested replacing the hook and would order the part. We said go ahead. Maybe it will be ready next week. When we got home a phone call was made to the store in Illinois that sold us the machine. They suggested all the things that had been done already. One important detail they added. They had a machine that behaved like ours and it had to be sent back to the manufacturer to be repaired. We called them and got the same list of things to do. Advised they had all been done and we were going to try replacing the hook. If that didn't work then the machine had to go back to them. It has to be returned in the original box. The original box and packing materials are in Illinois. We are in Georgia. Jeremy is going to UPS us the box.
Problem number two. For Christmas I bought Carol a Club Car Precedent golf cart. She wanted one to drive around the island. It needed to have seat belts, horn, brake lights and turn signals added. The place where we bought it suggested a shop on Tybee Island so we went and talked to the owner. No problem. Here's what you need to order. So everything arrives. Seat belt bar is wrong. Ordered another one from a different company. Original needs to be shipped back. Guy who is going to do the lights is busy but finally came by yesterday. Poked, prodded, cursed and said he would pick it up later in the week and get everything done. "Never seen one wired quite like this one." Not the reassuring words you want to hear.
So that is my life at the moment. A golf cart that runs but no where to run it because it isn't street legal without the modifications. A long arm sewing machine that currently is a very expensive paperweight or desk ornament. Really folks. Thousands of dollars tied up in a couple of things that are useless. I am frustrated and jealous. Being useless is my retirement gig. I don't need the competition.
Problem number two. For Christmas I bought Carol a Club Car Precedent golf cart. She wanted one to drive around the island. It needed to have seat belts, horn, brake lights and turn signals added. The place where we bought it suggested a shop on Tybee Island so we went and talked to the owner. No problem. Here's what you need to order. So everything arrives. Seat belt bar is wrong. Ordered another one from a different company. Original needs to be shipped back. Guy who is going to do the lights is busy but finally came by yesterday. Poked, prodded, cursed and said he would pick it up later in the week and get everything done. "Never seen one wired quite like this one." Not the reassuring words you want to hear.
So that is my life at the moment. A golf cart that runs but no where to run it because it isn't street legal without the modifications. A long arm sewing machine that currently is a very expensive paperweight or desk ornament. Really folks. Thousands of dollars tied up in a couple of things that are useless. I am frustrated and jealous. Being useless is my retirement gig. I don't need the competition.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
South Carolina Visit
Carol and I went to Camden, South Carolina yesterday to see a house that her sister and brother in law are thinking about buying. They wanted us to do a walk through to see if we noticed anything that would cause them major problems. It was interesting to be in Camden again.
This picture is my previous visit to Camden in 1969. I'm the tall youth in second row on the far right. What you don't appreciate when you are young it the history of a place like Camden. We didn't have time to explore or take pictures yesterday but in the future a visit to Camden will require a visit to several parts of town. Today there will just be a bit of Camden history.
Camden is the county seat of Kershaw County South Carolina. The 2010 census recorded a population of 6,838. It is the oldest inland city in South Carolina and the fourth oldest city in the state. It was originally laid out in 1732 as Fredericksburg when King George II ordered eleven inland townships established along South Carolina's rivers. In 1780 Lord Charles Cornwallis and 2,500 of his loyalist troops marched to Camden from Charleston. They established a supply post there for the Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Camden was fought on August 16, 1780 and was the worst defeat of the war for the Americans. The Battle of Hobkirk Hill was fought near Camden on April 25, 1781 between 1,400 American troops led by General Nathanael Greene and 950 British and Loyalists soldiers led by Lord Francis Rawdon. The battle was a costly win for the British and they were forced to retreat to the coast. During the Civil War Camden functioned as a supply point and hospital center. Dr. G.R.C. Todd, brother in law to President Lincoln worked there as a surgeon. Like many South Carolina towns Camden was partially burned by forces led by General Sherman. Starting in the 1880's Camden became a popular destination for wealthy northern families to spend the winter. The town became associated with equestrian activities and is now home to the third oldest polo field in the United States. The Springdale Race Course hosts the Carolina and Colonial Cups each year continuing the town's rich history of horse racing. The downtown has over 60 buildings listed in its National Historic District. In addition two of the buildings in town were designed by architect Robert Mills who designed the Washington Monument. Those buildings are the Mills Courthouse (1826) and the Bethesda Presbyterian Church (1822). A byproduct of the winter visitors and their substantial wealth is the inventory of antebellum homes in the area that retain their original charm and character.
It is clear that a visit is required and plenty of pictures. Stayed tuned we will be visiting again soon.
Camden is the county seat of Kershaw County South Carolina. The 2010 census recorded a population of 6,838. It is the oldest inland city in South Carolina and the fourth oldest city in the state. It was originally laid out in 1732 as Fredericksburg when King George II ordered eleven inland townships established along South Carolina's rivers. In 1780 Lord Charles Cornwallis and 2,500 of his loyalist troops marched to Camden from Charleston. They established a supply post there for the Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Camden was fought on August 16, 1780 and was the worst defeat of the war for the Americans. The Battle of Hobkirk Hill was fought near Camden on April 25, 1781 between 1,400 American troops led by General Nathanael Greene and 950 British and Loyalists soldiers led by Lord Francis Rawdon. The battle was a costly win for the British and they were forced to retreat to the coast. During the Civil War Camden functioned as a supply point and hospital center. Dr. G.R.C. Todd, brother in law to President Lincoln worked there as a surgeon. Like many South Carolina towns Camden was partially burned by forces led by General Sherman. Starting in the 1880's Camden became a popular destination for wealthy northern families to spend the winter. The town became associated with equestrian activities and is now home to the third oldest polo field in the United States. The Springdale Race Course hosts the Carolina and Colonial Cups each year continuing the town's rich history of horse racing. The downtown has over 60 buildings listed in its National Historic District. In addition two of the buildings in town were designed by architect Robert Mills who designed the Washington Monument. Those buildings are the Mills Courthouse (1826) and the Bethesda Presbyterian Church (1822). A byproduct of the winter visitors and their substantial wealth is the inventory of antebellum homes in the area that retain their original charm and character.
It is clear that a visit is required and plenty of pictures. Stayed tuned we will be visiting again soon.
Monday, January 26, 2015
One of Chicago's Best
So Cub fans I am sorry for your loss. Baseball in Chicago has lost one of the greats of the game. It seems sad as we watch an era past into history. Players like Ernie and Stan just don't exist any more. Very few, if any, players stay with one team throughout their career. If they do I cannot think of one at this time that has done so with the class that marked the careers of these two greats. Baseball is a better game because of them. Ernie, I hope tonight somewhere, somehow there is a glove in your hand, a bat in the rack and the opportunity to stand in the warm sun and play two.
Friday, January 23, 2015
What Is Important
Most of what is on the news really isn't news. The headlines have been dominated by the President's State of the Union address and the under inflated footballs in the AFC Championship game. Sometimes I wonder how lazy we have gotten when the State of the Union address is now referred to as the SOTU and the President as POTUS. Is it that much more effort of us to type or read the actual words? Effort! That is what today's post is all about.
Vannessa, the oldest daughter of our youngest son and daughter in law made the honor roll at her school. We could not be happier or prouder. Vannessa has had to really work at school . It hasn't been easy for her. Being on the honor roll isn't something that just happened. She isn't one of those kids who gets great grades with minimal work. It takes effort. It wasn't a gift. It was the result of her dedication and hard work. It was also the willingness of her wonderful parents to be encouraging and strict at the same time. Vannessa accomplished something in school that I never did. She made the honor roll. My major accomplishments in school were missing lots of recesses and spending more time than should have been necessary in detention. School required effort and I wasn't willing to put forth much. Kept my grades just good enough to participate in sports and eventually graduate.
So Vannessa, congratulations on your accomplishments. You make us happy every time we see you. The smile on your face can light up a room. We are so proud that your hard work and dedication to your studies has been recognized. Keep up the good work. Nana and Papa are thrilled and love you very much.
Vannessa, the oldest daughter of our youngest son and daughter in law made the honor roll at her school. We could not be happier or prouder. Vannessa has had to really work at school . It hasn't been easy for her. Being on the honor roll isn't something that just happened. She isn't one of those kids who gets great grades with minimal work. It takes effort. It wasn't a gift. It was the result of her dedication and hard work. It was also the willingness of her wonderful parents to be encouraging and strict at the same time. Vannessa accomplished something in school that I never did. She made the honor roll. My major accomplishments in school were missing lots of recesses and spending more time than should have been necessary in detention. School required effort and I wasn't willing to put forth much. Kept my grades just good enough to participate in sports and eventually graduate.
So Vannessa, congratulations on your accomplishments. You make us happy every time we see you. The smile on your face can light up a room. We are so proud that your hard work and dedication to your studies has been recognized. Keep up the good work. Nana and Papa are thrilled and love you very much.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
This One's for Audrey
Audrey is our youngest son and daughter in law's middle child. It is a position in life Jeremy (our middle child) and I (middle child in my sibling group) understand all too well. She has decided to participate as a member of a traveling tumbling team. She participates in competitions and is scored against others in her age and experience group. I've sat at too many events where parents and grandparents have pushed their young person way to hard. When they are done competing all the talk is about what they could or should have done different or better. There are a few things we want her to know. The important things she needs to understand about her competitions.
1. Have fun.
2. Do your best. Whatever that is on that day.
3. We love you.
When the competition is over we want her to hear from us.
1. Did you have fun?
2. We are proud of you.
3. We love you.
Competitions can be about getting medals and trophies. As her grandparents we don't really care about those things. We want Audrey to have fun. We want her to do the best she can. We want her to know how proud we are of her no matter what place she gets. At the beginning of the day we love her and at the end of the day we love her. We don't go to the competitions to watch her win, or to see her get a medal or a trophy. We go because we LOVE to watch her play.
So, Audrey, go play. Be the best tumbler you can be that day. Have FUN. The important thing to remember is that we (Nana, Papa, Mom and Dad) love you and we love to watch you do something you enjoy.
1. Have fun.
2. Do your best. Whatever that is on that day.
3. We love you.
When the competition is over we want her to hear from us.
1. Did you have fun?
2. We are proud of you.
3. We love you.
Competitions can be about getting medals and trophies. As her grandparents we don't really care about those things. We want Audrey to have fun. We want her to do the best she can. We want her to know how proud we are of her no matter what place she gets. At the beginning of the day we love her and at the end of the day we love her. We don't go to the competitions to watch her win, or to see her get a medal or a trophy. We go because we LOVE to watch her play.
So, Audrey, go play. Be the best tumbler you can be that day. Have FUN. The important thing to remember is that we (Nana, Papa, Mom and Dad) love you and we love to watch you do something you enjoy.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Elderly?
I was reading this morning about the State of the Union address last night and the Republican response. I watched the speech last night and refused to watch the Republican response. Nothing against their response I just had a problem with the delivery person. Brand new senator from Iowa. She hasn't been around Washington long enough in my opinion to be qualified to give a response. The whole mess was going to be my blog post today BUT, it's not. I always say that nothing good is said after a but in a sentence. This may be an exception. I'm just tired of politics and bullshit at the moment. So I want to talk about something else.
One of the things I was reading referred to the elderly as a group. It got me wondering. Who are the elderly? What is the definition? I'm almost 61 years old. Do I qualify as elderly? Most places now give me a "senior citizen discount". I didn't pay much attention but last time we went to Kroger they gave me the discount and saved me a few dollars. I didn't know they had one. The clerk didn't ask. Apparently I appear old enough to get a "senior citizen discount" without even asking. Does that qualify me as "elderly"? It appears to be one of those amorphous terms. It seems to matter where you stand on the timeline. When you are 20 years old elderly may appear to be anyone over the age of 45. As you approach 45 it seems less elderly and more akin to "middle age". Since I cannot picture living to 90 I think middle age hit me a bit earlier. Then one really cannot know middle age until they are dead. It can clearly be defined then but seems at that point to be useless information. So back to elderly now that we have worked through middle age. At 45 years old 65 or so seems like a good point to define elderly. It might be useful to nail it down to full retirement social security age. Since that definition is in the process of changing we could reasonably argue somewhere between 65 and 67 years of age. Of course, if you draw social security early, it could be as young as 62. Yet even now as I look at the obituary column every morning in the Galesburg newspaper (my first stop after reading Mike's blog existinginbfe.BlogSpot.com) someone dying in their 60's seems to have been robbed of a few years. My Dad died at age 70 and had he not smoked would likely be active and with us today. Mom is still around and being a gentleman I will not reveal her age. Is she elderly? Well depending on where you stand on the timeline, most likely she is. I won't define her that way. She's Mom and she gets to be whatever she wants. If she wants to call herself elderly she can. I won't. So it would seem the answer is apparent to me. If my Mom isn't elderly, and I'm younger, then there is no possible way I can be. Good news for me. Almost 61 years old and still a kid. Well, at least to one wonderful lady back in Illinois. Since elderly isn't clearly defined anywhere you get to make it whatever you want. Maybe it's an attitude rather than an age. You get to be elderly when you act elderly. I think maybe I have a ways to go on that way of looking at the subject.
One of the things I was reading referred to the elderly as a group. It got me wondering. Who are the elderly? What is the definition? I'm almost 61 years old. Do I qualify as elderly? Most places now give me a "senior citizen discount". I didn't pay much attention but last time we went to Kroger they gave me the discount and saved me a few dollars. I didn't know they had one. The clerk didn't ask. Apparently I appear old enough to get a "senior citizen discount" without even asking. Does that qualify me as "elderly"? It appears to be one of those amorphous terms. It seems to matter where you stand on the timeline. When you are 20 years old elderly may appear to be anyone over the age of 45. As you approach 45 it seems less elderly and more akin to "middle age". Since I cannot picture living to 90 I think middle age hit me a bit earlier. Then one really cannot know middle age until they are dead. It can clearly be defined then but seems at that point to be useless information. So back to elderly now that we have worked through middle age. At 45 years old 65 or so seems like a good point to define elderly. It might be useful to nail it down to full retirement social security age. Since that definition is in the process of changing we could reasonably argue somewhere between 65 and 67 years of age. Of course, if you draw social security early, it could be as young as 62. Yet even now as I look at the obituary column every morning in the Galesburg newspaper (my first stop after reading Mike's blog existinginbfe.BlogSpot.com) someone dying in their 60's seems to have been robbed of a few years. My Dad died at age 70 and had he not smoked would likely be active and with us today. Mom is still around and being a gentleman I will not reveal her age. Is she elderly? Well depending on where you stand on the timeline, most likely she is. I won't define her that way. She's Mom and she gets to be whatever she wants. If she wants to call herself elderly she can. I won't. So it would seem the answer is apparent to me. If my Mom isn't elderly, and I'm younger, then there is no possible way I can be. Good news for me. Almost 61 years old and still a kid. Well, at least to one wonderful lady back in Illinois. Since elderly isn't clearly defined anywhere you get to make it whatever you want. Maybe it's an attitude rather than an age. You get to be elderly when you act elderly. I think maybe I have a ways to go on that way of looking at the subject.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
State of the Union
Tonight the President will give the annual state of the union address. He will open, as every President has, with the statement that the state of our union is strong. I wonder if he is right. Is it strong and in what ways?
I see many issues dividing us and those in charge increasingly beholden to people who get them elected. Those people are not the millions who go out and vote but those who spend their millions to influence elections. It does not seem unreasonable to look on the money they spend as an investment. When they spend money on something they expect something in return. They buy houses and cars to impress others with their wealth and power. They buy businesses, not to employ workers but to produce a product or service so they can make more money. They fund candidates for election not because they believe in democracy, it is to buy influence. It is so they can move public policy in a way that benefits them. Increased government business contracts, a change in tax law, or perhaps the easing of a regulation on air or water pollution. So to me a few hundred or a few thousand folks at the economic pinnacle have an influence that the hundreds of millions of us below them can never hope to achieve. It is a growing cancer on our nation. It is not something the President will address tonight. He will talk about changes in tax law and closing loopholes that allow the richest among us to pay less in taxes by percentage than the common laborer. It will just be talk. Congress is beholden to the money folks and if you take a look at Congress now it is increasingly occupied by those folks. How many millions or billions does it take to satisfy their greed? It is a question that cannot be answered.
The question I wonder about is rather simple. What are our priorities? As I have written in the past we spend a staggering amount of money on national defense compared to the rest of the world. The United States Navy wants to update its fleet. The LHA 6 America-Class Amphibious Assault Ship. The ship is designed to transport Marine Expeditionary Units and their equipment. It can carry up to 1,871 troops in addition to its crew of 1,204. Cost per ship $3,400,000,000. Next up the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer. It is the largest destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy. It is designed to provide near shore support for land troops and dominate the waters. Cost per unit, $7,300,000,000. Gerald R. Ford-Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier. This is the Navy's premier fighting vessel. A crew of 4,539 and carries over 75 aircraft. Cost per ship $12,000,000,000. The President tonight will again address the issue of student loans and the cost of a college education. Free community college tuition for two years for all students who qualify to attend is estimated to cost about 6 billion dollars per year. Many will argue the cost is too high. I look at the numbers above and wonder. Would the trade be reasonable? Two years of college tuition may mean one less aircraft carrier. About four less America Class Amphibious Assault Ships. Would those cuts put our national security at risk? Would a more educated workforce be a greater long term benefit than those warships?
We stand once again at the crossroad. What path will we choose. I suspect those with the influence and money will steer us toward weapons. Free college tuition will do nothing to expand their already fat wallets.
I see many issues dividing us and those in charge increasingly beholden to people who get them elected. Those people are not the millions who go out and vote but those who spend their millions to influence elections. It does not seem unreasonable to look on the money they spend as an investment. When they spend money on something they expect something in return. They buy houses and cars to impress others with their wealth and power. They buy businesses, not to employ workers but to produce a product or service so they can make more money. They fund candidates for election not because they believe in democracy, it is to buy influence. It is so they can move public policy in a way that benefits them. Increased government business contracts, a change in tax law, or perhaps the easing of a regulation on air or water pollution. So to me a few hundred or a few thousand folks at the economic pinnacle have an influence that the hundreds of millions of us below them can never hope to achieve. It is a growing cancer on our nation. It is not something the President will address tonight. He will talk about changes in tax law and closing loopholes that allow the richest among us to pay less in taxes by percentage than the common laborer. It will just be talk. Congress is beholden to the money folks and if you take a look at Congress now it is increasingly occupied by those folks. How many millions or billions does it take to satisfy their greed? It is a question that cannot be answered.
The question I wonder about is rather simple. What are our priorities? As I have written in the past we spend a staggering amount of money on national defense compared to the rest of the world. The United States Navy wants to update its fleet. The LHA 6 America-Class Amphibious Assault Ship. The ship is designed to transport Marine Expeditionary Units and their equipment. It can carry up to 1,871 troops in addition to its crew of 1,204. Cost per ship $3,400,000,000. Next up the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer. It is the largest destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy. It is designed to provide near shore support for land troops and dominate the waters. Cost per unit, $7,300,000,000. Gerald R. Ford-Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier. This is the Navy's premier fighting vessel. A crew of 4,539 and carries over 75 aircraft. Cost per ship $12,000,000,000. The President tonight will again address the issue of student loans and the cost of a college education. Free community college tuition for two years for all students who qualify to attend is estimated to cost about 6 billion dollars per year. Many will argue the cost is too high. I look at the numbers above and wonder. Would the trade be reasonable? Two years of college tuition may mean one less aircraft carrier. About four less America Class Amphibious Assault Ships. Would those cuts put our national security at risk? Would a more educated workforce be a greater long term benefit than those warships?
Monday, January 19, 2015
Meat and Taters
I'm a fat guy. I like to eat. Always have, most probably always will. I grew up on the farm so no fancy food for me. I like to look at the menu and know what the hell is going to show up on my plate. It is Restaurant Week on Tybee Island. The participating restaurants are:
Coco's Sunset Grill
North Beach Bar & Grill
Sting Ray's
A-J's Dockside
Rock House
Sundae Café
80 East Gastropub
Tybee Island Social Club
Spanky's
Bernie's Oyster House
Ok, so you want to set yourself apart from the crowd. Show off what you can do for the special week. The deal for the week is that you get a "prix fixe" three course meal for $25 per person not including drinks or tip. It seems to me that you would just want to focus on what you do best. Crab stew at A.-J.'s for example. Some places- which shall remain nameless have gone down another road.
"Grilled Krispy Kreme Doughnut with chicken foie gras and lavender/orange scented custard" Really? Sounds to me like chicken liver with a grilled doughnut and pudding. WTF is that?
"Lobster Bisque with aged sherry and parmesan tuile" What the hell is a parmesan tuile? I had to look it up. Some that there frenchy cookn that the rich folks are all gaga for. It is a thin crisp wafer that is named after its shape which is similar to a roof tile. It's a fancy cracker. I guess cracker wasn't a fancy enough word for their menu. When I order bisque I expect to get crackers not tuile.
"Agedashi Tofu Stir Fry with fresh ginger, radish and white rice" What is agedashi tofu? It is the Japanese way to serve hot tofu. Silken firm tofu is cut into cubes, dusted lightly with potato or corn starch and then fried until golden brown. Maybe for us ignorant farm folks you could just call it fried tofu.
"Seared Rockfish with lime/cilantro coulis, Yukon gold rosti and white asparagus linguine" Coulis? Well that is a thick sauce made from pureed and strained vegetables or fruit that is commonly used on meat or vegetable dishes. Okay, Rockfish with lime/cilantro sauce. At least then I know what to expect. Rosti- well basically that is the Swiss version of hash browns. Potatoes are coarsely grated, pressed and fried. I guess if you are going to call sauce coulis you have to call hash browns rosti.
"Lightly fried squid tossed in a sweet chili roasted red pepper aioli" First, fried squid? Ewww! Good news there is whatever aioli is to make you forget it is squid. Aioli is a Provencal sauce made of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, egg yolks and seasonings. Okay sounds like garlic mayo.
"Airline Chicken Breast Picatta- French cut boneless breast with drummette. Pan seared and finished with a lemon caper butter sauce" What the heck is "airline chicken"? It is a boneless chicken breast with the skin on with the first wing joint and tenderloin attached. Where did the name come from? If you guessed airline you win. The term "airline chicken" became popular in the 1960's when the major commercial airlines included full service meals in your fare. Airlines required a small breast portion and it was felt that including the portion of the wing made the portion look larger than it actually was. So there is your history lesson on chicken breasts. It also was referred to as a "hotel cut", "supreme" and "French cut". So the use of the term airline chicken and French cut above on the menu is unnecessary repetition.
Personally I think A.-J.'s Dockside did it right. Here is there menu for the week
Appetizers
House Salad
Caesar Salad
Cup of Crab Stew
Entrees
Fried Shrimp
Bowl of Gumbo
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Crispy Scored Flounder
Desserts
Key Lime Pie
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
Nothing fancy here just normal sounding food done very well. Great place to eat and a menu an old Midwestern farm boy can understand.
Coco's Sunset Grill
North Beach Bar & Grill
Sting Ray's
A-J's Dockside
Rock House
Sundae Café
80 East Gastropub
Tybee Island Social Club
Spanky's
Bernie's Oyster House
Ok, so you want to set yourself apart from the crowd. Show off what you can do for the special week. The deal for the week is that you get a "prix fixe" three course meal for $25 per person not including drinks or tip. It seems to me that you would just want to focus on what you do best. Crab stew at A.-J.'s for example. Some places- which shall remain nameless have gone down another road.
"Grilled Krispy Kreme Doughnut with chicken foie gras and lavender/orange scented custard" Really? Sounds to me like chicken liver with a grilled doughnut and pudding. WTF is that?
"Lobster Bisque with aged sherry and parmesan tuile" What the hell is a parmesan tuile? I had to look it up. Some that there frenchy cookn that the rich folks are all gaga for. It is a thin crisp wafer that is named after its shape which is similar to a roof tile. It's a fancy cracker. I guess cracker wasn't a fancy enough word for their menu. When I order bisque I expect to get crackers not tuile.
"Agedashi Tofu Stir Fry with fresh ginger, radish and white rice" What is agedashi tofu? It is the Japanese way to serve hot tofu. Silken firm tofu is cut into cubes, dusted lightly with potato or corn starch and then fried until golden brown. Maybe for us ignorant farm folks you could just call it fried tofu.
"Seared Rockfish with lime/cilantro coulis, Yukon gold rosti and white asparagus linguine" Coulis? Well that is a thick sauce made from pureed and strained vegetables or fruit that is commonly used on meat or vegetable dishes. Okay, Rockfish with lime/cilantro sauce. At least then I know what to expect. Rosti- well basically that is the Swiss version of hash browns. Potatoes are coarsely grated, pressed and fried. I guess if you are going to call sauce coulis you have to call hash browns rosti.
"Lightly fried squid tossed in a sweet chili roasted red pepper aioli" First, fried squid? Ewww! Good news there is whatever aioli is to make you forget it is squid. Aioli is a Provencal sauce made of garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, egg yolks and seasonings. Okay sounds like garlic mayo.
"Airline Chicken Breast Picatta- French cut boneless breast with drummette. Pan seared and finished with a lemon caper butter sauce" What the heck is "airline chicken"? It is a boneless chicken breast with the skin on with the first wing joint and tenderloin attached. Where did the name come from? If you guessed airline you win. The term "airline chicken" became popular in the 1960's when the major commercial airlines included full service meals in your fare. Airlines required a small breast portion and it was felt that including the portion of the wing made the portion look larger than it actually was. So there is your history lesson on chicken breasts. It also was referred to as a "hotel cut", "supreme" and "French cut". So the use of the term airline chicken and French cut above on the menu is unnecessary repetition.
Personally I think A.-J.'s Dockside did it right. Here is there menu for the week
Appetizers
House Salad
Caesar Salad
Cup of Crab Stew
Entrees
Fried Shrimp
Bowl of Gumbo
Stuffed Chicken Breast
Crispy Scored Flounder
Desserts
Key Lime Pie
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake
Nothing fancy here just normal sounding food done very well. Great place to eat and a menu an old Midwestern farm boy can understand.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Shut Up- Please Just STFU
Carol went to Savannah today to learn a new quilting technique called paper piecing. She has tried a couple of times to explain to me how it is done. I'm not able to picture it in my head. She was going to be there from 10 am to 1 pm so I thought I would find somewhere new to do my daily walk. I went to Lake Meyer Park which is on Montgomery Cross Road in Savannah near the Truman Parkway. It has a very nice blacktopped jogging path. One lap around is 1.48 miles so I did two laps plus just a little extra to get in 3 miles.
Why the shut up in the title? If you are a frequent reader you know I did a post recently about getting disconnected. I took a Sunday and didn't use my iPad or iPhone. Actually no computer usage at all that day. Today as I'm walking around the lake a guy comes toward me talking on his cell phone. What is the hell could be that important? I carry my phone when I walk because I use the GPS feature on Map My Walk to determine how far I have walked and at what pace. I am not inclined to answer it if or when it rings. A little while later I hear someone coming up behind me talking. It is a woman's voice and I don't bother turning around. The path is wide enough for her to get by and I'm walking by the edge. She jogs past talking on her phone as she goes. My first thought is how could it be that important. I can see her for the next quarter mile or so and she is on the phone the whole time. I think that is when amazement and/or jealousy reared its ugly head. I walk at about 3.5 miles per hour. She was jogging at about twice my pace or 7 miles per hour. Granted she weighs at least 100 to 120 pounds less than I do. Could I carry on a conversation while jogging? Please. If you wanted to hear gasp, gasp, ok gasp, gasp, what, gasp, gasp. Well you get the idea. I could maybe give a few one word answers while I attempted to suck in enough air to stay upright. The line would go dead when my heart explodes like a hand grenade in my chest and I fall twitching to the pavement for my meeting with the grim reaper. Old fat men and jogging are a deadly combination. Normally I don't care what people do when I'm out walking but the cell phone crap just drives me nuts. There was hope for a solution.
When I got back to the east side of the lake near my car I saw a sign. It said: "Beware, Lake Has Alligators." I'm not sure I would throw the folks in who were talking on their cell phones but throwing the phones in is tempting.
Why the shut up in the title? If you are a frequent reader you know I did a post recently about getting disconnected. I took a Sunday and didn't use my iPad or iPhone. Actually no computer usage at all that day. Today as I'm walking around the lake a guy comes toward me talking on his cell phone. What is the hell could be that important? I carry my phone when I walk because I use the GPS feature on Map My Walk to determine how far I have walked and at what pace. I am not inclined to answer it if or when it rings. A little while later I hear someone coming up behind me talking. It is a woman's voice and I don't bother turning around. The path is wide enough for her to get by and I'm walking by the edge. She jogs past talking on her phone as she goes. My first thought is how could it be that important. I can see her for the next quarter mile or so and she is on the phone the whole time. I think that is when amazement and/or jealousy reared its ugly head. I walk at about 3.5 miles per hour. She was jogging at about twice my pace or 7 miles per hour. Granted she weighs at least 100 to 120 pounds less than I do. Could I carry on a conversation while jogging? Please. If you wanted to hear gasp, gasp, ok gasp, gasp, what, gasp, gasp. Well you get the idea. I could maybe give a few one word answers while I attempted to suck in enough air to stay upright. The line would go dead when my heart explodes like a hand grenade in my chest and I fall twitching to the pavement for my meeting with the grim reaper. Old fat men and jogging are a deadly combination. Normally I don't care what people do when I'm out walking but the cell phone crap just drives me nuts. There was hope for a solution.
When I got back to the east side of the lake near my car I saw a sign. It said: "Beware, Lake Has Alligators." I'm not sure I would throw the folks in who were talking on their cell phones but throwing the phones in is tempting.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Walking Around Tybee Island
Lily and I walk every day. It is a slower way to get around Tybee and you notice things that you would likely miss on a drive around town. I want to share some of the things we get to see when we go on one of our walks.
This piece of art sits in front of 173 Lewis. Tybee is an artsy kind of place and works of art are scattered about the island.
This is the same house. I enjoyed the dolphin over the entrance to the side yard.
Just around the corner a couple hundred feet on 6th Street you are treated to this view of the marsh looking east.
This is the view from 10 Street looking east. If you look closely in the horizon line at the center of the picture you can see the Tybee Island Lighthouse.
Looking to the west from the same vantage point there is an empty lot. I was surprised to see daffodils in bloom. Spring is coming to the island in January.
This picture has not been edited. The house is that blue. Like I said, it is an artsy place. Someone wanted to make a BOLD statement.
Once again the lighthouse in the background.
Over on Chatham Ave. these folks have taken the time to put some real effort into their yard art.
I admire folks who can take a pile of parts and turn it into something. I can see when it's done but have no idea it would be that from the pile of parts.
Still the same yard. I think this is my personal favorite. Love the old reel mower on the front.
Not sure how practical it would be for boating but it sure looks like it would be fun to cruise on the water with this one.
This little garden space is on Butler near 19th St.
Thanks for walking along with me and Lily.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Get the Facts Right
The problem with reading the news on the internet and being of Facebook is that sometimes friends post links to stupid articles. Since I don't give a shit about what celebrities think about issues I probably should have skipped this one. Unfortunately I didn't. It was the IJReview. The title of the article is "Liam Neeson Slams the United States & Absurdly Uses Paris Terrorist Attacks to Push Political Agenda". Let's start with the headline is just way to long. Why not something simple like "Liam Neeson and Obama Want to Take Your Guns". Or Liam Neeson is a Douche". Anyway on to what Mr. Neeson said.
"First off, my thoughts and prayers and my heart are with the deceased, and certainly with all of France, yesterday. I've got a lot of dear friends in Paris." He went on to say: "There's too many [expletive] guns out there. Especially in America. I think the population is like 320 million? There's over 300 million guns. Privately owned, in America. I think it's a [expletive] disgrace. Every week now we're picking up a newspaper and seeing, yet another few kids have been killed in schools."
The article goes on to question Mr. Neeson's credibility due to his use of guns in the Taken series of movies. Apparently if you use guns in a fictional setting you are disqualified from addressing the issue in the real world. They go on to quote the Washington Post which made the following statement about France's tough gun laws.
"There is no right to bear arms for the French, and to own a gun, you need a hunting or sporting license which needs to be repeatedly renewed and requires a psychological evaluation. Why didn't France's gun laws save the Charlie Hebdo victims?"
On its surface that seems to be a reasonable question. It may have been more difficult to get a gun in France but somehow these two killers ended up with guns. It does not follow logically for me that the introduction of more guns, being carried by members of the general public would have done anything to solve the problem. I know there are many out there who feel that an armed citizen would have come to the rescue, gun blazing and killed the killers and saved the day. It is the stuff of comic books and urban legend. I've shot lots of guns and in my younger days when my hands were steadier I was a decent shot. It was always shooting at something moving or still that wasn't going to shoot back. Add the other party into the mix with a gun shooting back and everybody tends to become a less confident and accurate shooter.
I think where the article went off track for me was in comparing the gun laws in Chicago to those in France and asking why there were so many shootings in Chicago. There are likely more guns in Chicago than there are in all of France. There will be multiple shootings in Chicago every day. The gun culture in America is different than the one in France. I have serious doubts that today the French people are saying. "If we had more people out there with concealed carry permits and carrying handguns this wouldn't have happened." That is a sentiment unique to the American experience. If a few guns are the problem then lots of guns are always the answer. The logic escapes me.
"First off, my thoughts and prayers and my heart are with the deceased, and certainly with all of France, yesterday. I've got a lot of dear friends in Paris." He went on to say: "There's too many [expletive] guns out there. Especially in America. I think the population is like 320 million? There's over 300 million guns. Privately owned, in America. I think it's a [expletive] disgrace. Every week now we're picking up a newspaper and seeing, yet another few kids have been killed in schools."
The article goes on to question Mr. Neeson's credibility due to his use of guns in the Taken series of movies. Apparently if you use guns in a fictional setting you are disqualified from addressing the issue in the real world. They go on to quote the Washington Post which made the following statement about France's tough gun laws.
"There is no right to bear arms for the French, and to own a gun, you need a hunting or sporting license which needs to be repeatedly renewed and requires a psychological evaluation. Why didn't France's gun laws save the Charlie Hebdo victims?"
On its surface that seems to be a reasonable question. It may have been more difficult to get a gun in France but somehow these two killers ended up with guns. It does not follow logically for me that the introduction of more guns, being carried by members of the general public would have done anything to solve the problem. I know there are many out there who feel that an armed citizen would have come to the rescue, gun blazing and killed the killers and saved the day. It is the stuff of comic books and urban legend. I've shot lots of guns and in my younger days when my hands were steadier I was a decent shot. It was always shooting at something moving or still that wasn't going to shoot back. Add the other party into the mix with a gun shooting back and everybody tends to become a less confident and accurate shooter.
I think where the article went off track for me was in comparing the gun laws in Chicago to those in France and asking why there were so many shootings in Chicago. There are likely more guns in Chicago than there are in all of France. There will be multiple shootings in Chicago every day. The gun culture in America is different than the one in France. I have serious doubts that today the French people are saying. "If we had more people out there with concealed carry permits and carrying handguns this wouldn't have happened." That is a sentiment unique to the American experience. If a few guns are the problem then lots of guns are always the answer. The logic escapes me.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
A More Perfect Union
The Preamble to the United States Constitution reads as follows.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Some days it seems fair to wonder how we are doing accomplishing the task set forth in that Preamble. Have we established Justice?
Are our citizens more likely to participate in criminal behavior than those of every other country on Earth? Are we more criminally minded or do we just lock folks up because we find them annoying? Their drug abuse or mental health problems mean they shouldn't live among the rest of us. Rather than provide treatment for substance abuse, counseling or care for mental health issues we lock them away in prison. I started with something I knew. Working 20+ years in the Illinois Department of Corrections you deal with lots of different people. Did all of them need to be there? Was incarceration the best answer for the problems these folks created in free society? Not the best answer in many cases but when you have the cell space available you are going to find some reason to put someone in there. I would like to think that IF mental health facilities and drug treatment facilities were available those who would benefit from treatment would be sent there instead.
We are admonished to provide for the common defense.
The chart above makes it clear that we spend more on national defense than the next 15 countries combined. Can we be safe with less of our tax dollars spent on national defense. What this chart also does not disclose is the additional billions of dollars spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost of care for our wounded veterans and their families and to the widows and orphans of those killed in service to their country. I do not in any way begrudge those payments to veterans but I do question why they were sent into harms way.
Promote the general Welfare. In a sense the issue is not welfare as we know it today but it is the care of our fellow citizens. Are we better off as a nation when our citizens have access to health care? Citizens in every other industrialized country on Earth have access to health care. They are not concerned with bankruptcy because they get sick and must be hospitalized. It is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. Since we all bear the cost of those bankruptcies why is provided health care and insurance coverage to every American such an issue?
We spend more on healthcare than any other country yet millions of our fellow citizens are uninsured. Rather than go to the doctor they let problems grow until they require a hospital visit at much higher cost. We all foot the bill for that.
The chart above shows what welfare costs us over a 5 year period. We all have a picture in our minds of some person (not of our race no matter what our race is) sitting on their ass, talking on their cell phone, playing their Xbox, and laughing at all the squares heading out to their jobs. The truth, if you choose to look, is that the majority of those receiving benefits work or are elderly. They receive benefits because their jobs don't pay enough to keep them out of poverty. Trickle down economics sounded like it made sense until we saw that it doesn't happen. The folks at the top don't trickle much of that money down. You might argue that corporations aren't making enough money because their tax burden is too high. Try doing some research. Corporations are making more profit than ever. They are not spending it on labor or expanding production. The folks at the bottom who would like to buy those goods can't buy because they aren't being paid enough. When pay goes up, consumption will rise and jobs will be created. This will create more growth and more jobs. Did you ever wonder where your tax dollars go?
You may be concerned about welfare costs and you should be. Most of the money you are paying is for corporate welfare. It isn't those folks working at WalMart who are paid an inadequate wage that are the problem. It is a highly profitable corporation like WalMart who pay their workers poverty wages. Those workers get government benefits because their employer does not pay them enough for their work.
Want to balance the federal budget? Eliminate the tax breaks. Stop allowing millionaires and billionaires to pay a lower tax rate than the secretaries that work for them. Cut out the corporate tax loopholes. Stop allowing companies tax breaks for moving jobs out of the United States.
We secure the blessings of liberty and prosperity for ourselves and our posterity when we all work together. When we stop being divided by race, class, religious belief and everything else the folks in charge have us fighting each other about while they screw us over. The power is not with the government or with the rich and influential. Over 200 years ago the people who worked to found this country understood and began our supreme law with WE THE PEOPLE.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Some days it seems fair to wonder how we are doing accomplishing the task set forth in that Preamble. Have we established Justice?
We are admonished to provide for the common defense.
The chart above makes it clear that we spend more on national defense than the next 15 countries combined. Can we be safe with less of our tax dollars spent on national defense. What this chart also does not disclose is the additional billions of dollars spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost of care for our wounded veterans and their families and to the widows and orphans of those killed in service to their country. I do not in any way begrudge those payments to veterans but I do question why they were sent into harms way.
Promote the general Welfare. In a sense the issue is not welfare as we know it today but it is the care of our fellow citizens. Are we better off as a nation when our citizens have access to health care? Citizens in every other industrialized country on Earth have access to health care. They are not concerned with bankruptcy because they get sick and must be hospitalized. It is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. Since we all bear the cost of those bankruptcies why is provided health care and insurance coverage to every American such an issue?
We secure the blessings of liberty and prosperity for ourselves and our posterity when we all work together. When we stop being divided by race, class, religious belief and everything else the folks in charge have us fighting each other about while they screw us over. The power is not with the government or with the rich and influential. Over 200 years ago the people who worked to found this country understood and began our supreme law with WE THE PEOPLE.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Farting is the Answer
A reasonable person might wonder if farting is the answer what is the question. How do we fix Congress? It isn't by us common folks farting it is by our elected representatives being willing to let it rip.
Think about it. Our elected representatives spend their lives surrounded by others. The general public, staffers, big money donors, lobbyists, in the Senate 99 of their friends and in the House with 434 of their buddies. They walk around all day with the ass cheeks clinched and the buttholes so tight they could crack a walnut. No real opportunity to let one rip. They would be worried the noise would be picked up on a microphone or recorded in video and they would be the subject of ridicule. Suppose they could sneak out one of those silent ones. Then they would have to be concerned with the stench. Seeing as, at least in my opinion, folks in elected office are generally full of shit. It would logically follow that their farts must smell bad. Not just normal bad. The bad that might cause the wallpaper to come loose from the wall. The bad that makes your eyes water. None of them is smart enough to do what Rodney Dangerfield did. He was in a Las Vegas elevator with a group when a woman got on. After the doors closed Rodney let one rip. It was one of those killers that burns the inside of your nose. When they got to their floor as Rodney got off and others got on he said: "It's okay lady, you can tell them I did it."
I don't think this is a fool proof theory. There are at least two apparent flaws in my Congressional farting plan. First, it assumes that our elected officials have spines and brains. Given what we have seen from the Congress in recent years I have serious doubts that most of our elected representatives possess either. The second problem relates to an issue addressed earlier. Since our Congressional representatives are full of shit and older they must rely on an lesson taught by old age. That lesson- NEVER TRUST A FART. You are out in public, say at Home Depot and you suddenly notice an extreme rise in pressure at the "back door" of your anatomy. You clinch. You pace, You squirm. You hope to all that is holy that it is gas. Please be vapor. You recently ate Chinese food or Mexican food or Thai food. Maybe it isn't gas. Since our representative are clearly and undeniably full of shit it is a question they must always ask themselves. Maybe they could explain a loud or smelly fart to their folks back home but shitting yourself. No the voters wouldn't tolerate that stain on your record.
So the next time you go to Washington D.C. stop by and visit the Capitol Dome. If you go inside and it doesn't smell like farts then understand they are busy creating shitty ideas that will become law of the land.
I don't think this is a fool proof theory. There are at least two apparent flaws in my Congressional farting plan. First, it assumes that our elected officials have spines and brains. Given what we have seen from the Congress in recent years I have serious doubts that most of our elected representatives possess either. The second problem relates to an issue addressed earlier. Since our Congressional representatives are full of shit and older they must rely on an lesson taught by old age. That lesson- NEVER TRUST A FART. You are out in public, say at Home Depot and you suddenly notice an extreme rise in pressure at the "back door" of your anatomy. You clinch. You pace, You squirm. You hope to all that is holy that it is gas. Please be vapor. You recently ate Chinese food or Mexican food or Thai food. Maybe it isn't gas. Since our representative are clearly and undeniably full of shit it is a question they must always ask themselves. Maybe they could explain a loud or smelly fart to their folks back home but shitting yourself. No the voters wouldn't tolerate that stain on your record.
So the next time you go to Washington D.C. stop by and visit the Capitol Dome. If you go inside and it doesn't smell like farts then understand they are busy creating shitty ideas that will become law of the land.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Fundamentally Flawed
A few days ago a couple of Muslim religious fundamentalists attacked the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The actions of those two idiots caused the death of 12 people. Why did they attack? They were offended because the magazine had published cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad. The shooters felt they were avenging the insult of the prophet Muhammad. So one could reasonably ask, where in the Qur'an does it forbid depictions of Muhammad? Well, it doesn't. There is no verse that forbids that action. Many historical rulers in India, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Central Asia have commissioned artists to paint pictures telling the story of Muhammad's life complete with pictures of him. The condemnation comes from the hadith, collections of the teachings, actions and sayings of Muhammad that many Muslims use as a guide for Islamic life. Modern Sunni Muslims, the largest single branch of Islam are sympathetic to this belief. Shia Muslims are less troubled by this and in Iran the marketplaces have depictions of Muhammad for sale. Does the belief of Muslims who think the depiction of Muhammad is wrong require the response to be violent? The answer is no. Many Muslim groups have spoken out against the killings in Paris. The actions of the two killers have been condemned by as not representative of Islam.
The killers may have used Islam as a rationale for their actions. It was an act of terrorism not an act of religious fundamentalism. There are unfortunately many in the United States who will blame all Muslims for the act of a couple of idiots with guns. The same folks most likely would find it unfair and prejudicial to call into question the Christian religion based on the actions of Westboro Baptist Church or many of the white supremacist groups who wrap themselves in the mantle of Jesus. Fundamental religious beliefs of any kind seem to be a form of insanity. There are those, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, who believe the world is only 6,000 years old. They deny evolution. They deny man made climate change. The good news, at least for now, is that they are not killing folks who believe otherwise. They two men who murdered 12 in Paris wanted to die as martyrs. Today the police in France obliged them. They did not die as martyrs but they did die. If you look back at this you will note at no time did I mention them by name. It was intentional. There are two names I want to mention. They are Franck Brinsolaro and Ahmed Merabet. Who are they? They are the two police officers gunned down in the attack. Ahmed Merabet was a Muslim. He was the officer who was begging for his life to be spared. The gunmen killed one of the fellow believers. Another follower of Muhammad. Ahmed may have been offended by the cartoons published by Charlie Hebdo. I don't know and I'm not sure anyone does. He may not have agreed with the magazine publisher's free speech but he gave his life defending their right of free speech. If there is someone to be honored for their actions in this tragic affair for me it is Ahmed Merabet.
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire
The killers may have used Islam as a rationale for their actions. It was an act of terrorism not an act of religious fundamentalism. There are unfortunately many in the United States who will blame all Muslims for the act of a couple of idiots with guns. The same folks most likely would find it unfair and prejudicial to call into question the Christian religion based on the actions of Westboro Baptist Church or many of the white supremacist groups who wrap themselves in the mantle of Jesus. Fundamental religious beliefs of any kind seem to be a form of insanity. There are those, in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, who believe the world is only 6,000 years old. They deny evolution. They deny man made climate change. The good news, at least for now, is that they are not killing folks who believe otherwise. They two men who murdered 12 in Paris wanted to die as martyrs. Today the police in France obliged them. They did not die as martyrs but they did die. If you look back at this you will note at no time did I mention them by name. It was intentional. There are two names I want to mention. They are Franck Brinsolaro and Ahmed Merabet. Who are they? They are the two police officers gunned down in the attack. Ahmed Merabet was a Muslim. He was the officer who was begging for his life to be spared. The gunmen killed one of the fellow believers. Another follower of Muhammad. Ahmed may have been offended by the cartoons published by Charlie Hebdo. I don't know and I'm not sure anyone does. He may not have agreed with the magazine publisher's free speech but he gave his life defending their right of free speech. If there is someone to be honored for their actions in this tragic affair for me it is Ahmed Merabet.
"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire
Thursday, January 8, 2015
That Nagging Bitch
Let me be clear right off the bat. THIS IS NOT CAROL!!!!! Life becomes a series of routines. Get up in the morning. Take Lily for her morning walk to do her required duties. Cup of coffee. Read stuff on the iPad. More coffee. Breakfast. Enter the nagging bitch. It would be Miss Lily Lu. When breakfast is done she wants to go for a walk. She wants the morning mile plus walk down to and around Jaycee Park. Then we settle in for the remainder of the morning. She may take a quick nap or just lay around quietly. That is if no dogs walk by. She doesn't seem to mind little dogs. If a big dog walks by then she is going to bark. It is the hound dog bark that lets hunters know where she is treeing a raccoon. No little woof for her. When lunch rolls around she takes her position between Carol and I so she has the opportunity to beg a bite or two from each of us. It always works. She has those sad puppy eyes. After lunch I get up and start cleaning up the dishes or Carol does. When that happens Lily begins to nag. She goes to the door and whines. She runs back to me, stands up and puts her feet on my chest and whines. She runs back to the door and back to me and back to the door and back to me. It is time for our long afternoon walk. The big 4 miles I post on Facebook every day. It doesn't matter if I want a day off. She doesn't allow me to put it off till later in the afternoon. Come on, its TIME TO GO. Let's take our walk. She settles in when we get back and we repeat the sequence when we are done with supper. The after supper walk is usually only a half mile or so. It's like having my own fitness coach. Want a day off from walking. Not with Lily on duty.
I will admit that today she got cheated a bit. After lunch we walked about 2 miles. I came home and dropped her off and drove the car over to north beach. I wanted to walk along the shore during low tide. I made the walk from north beach to the pier and back for a total of 4.5 miles. It was very quiet on the beach today with a wind out of the east and a temperature of 36 degrees. On the walk I encounter less than 10 people and a couple of times there was no one in sight. It is tougher than walking on the streets here. There really isn't any way to know how far you have walked. Everything looks the same. The walk was productive beyond the exercise as I found the following along the way.
The conch shells are not big, about the size of your hand. They are the first ones I have been able to find. The one on the far right is in the best shape but still has a large crack in it.
If you come to visit and need a motivational coach to walk with you Lily is available. She loves to go and will walk as long as you want to go.
I will admit that today she got cheated a bit. After lunch we walked about 2 miles. I came home and dropped her off and drove the car over to north beach. I wanted to walk along the shore during low tide. I made the walk from north beach to the pier and back for a total of 4.5 miles. It was very quiet on the beach today with a wind out of the east and a temperature of 36 degrees. On the walk I encounter less than 10 people and a couple of times there was no one in sight. It is tougher than walking on the streets here. There really isn't any way to know how far you have walked. Everything looks the same. The walk was productive beyond the exercise as I found the following along the way.
If you come to visit and need a motivational coach to walk with you Lily is available. She loves to go and will walk as long as you want to go.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Dong Devalued
Vietnam has once again devalued the dong. Second time in seven months. Really. It would seem to me that a Vietnamese dong would have some value. According to sources you can get 21,458 Vietnamese dongs for a dollar. Why? Who could possibly need that many dongs? I have one and it is worth more than a dollar. If the price of Vietnamese dong is based on size those must be some really tiny dongs. The claim is that it was done to control inflation. If those dongs are that tiny how much could they possibly inflate? They are trying to push up economic growth. Really, try bigger dongs. Maybe size does matter. The move is "in accordance with the developments of the domestic and international markets, creating a solid stability for the forex market." What the fuck. There is an international dong market. I do understand that the Vietnamese would want "solid stability" for their dongs. What is a forex market? I certainly don't know. The government of Vietnam claimed the dong devaluation with help keep their thriving exports, mainly smartphones and other electronics, competitive with other regional rivals. Apparently in southeast Asia there is a booming trade of dongs for electronic equipment. Maybe they should think about sexting pictures instead of actually trading dongs. Seems kind of sexist to me. How do women get cellphones or electronics? Economist Vu Dinh Anh from the Econimic Finance Institute told AFP (whatever that is) that the dong had come under mounting pressure on foreign exchange markets in the past year. Why is mounting pressure on Vietnamese dongs a problem? There is a foreign exchange market for dongs? I am so confused.
Wait, wait. I got it the dong is the Vietnamese currency. Never mind. Dong crisis averted.
Wait, wait. I got it the dong is the Vietnamese currency. Never mind. Dong crisis averted.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Thoughts
It is Tuesday on Tybee Island. It is 11:22 a.m. The sun is shining. It is 57 degrees. In Wataga it is 10:22 a.m. The sun is shining. It is 7 degrees. There is a wind chill warning. It feels like -4 degrees. Jeremy called earlier and was having trouble getting the tractor started so he could run the snowblower on the driveway. After a brief conversation he got it started and cleared the driveway. His Facebook post reads: "Driveway is done, I'm frozen, and the dogs are just laying here spoiled." There are things you don't expect to happen. Things like Jeremy running a tractor with a snowblower. When you are faced with hundreds of feet of driveway to clear you will quickly determine that a shovel is not an option. I know my friend Mike sits in Florida today and ponders life in the Midwest. One wonders about leaving family, familiar sights and sounds behind, friends abandoned to the harsh winters. It is days like today that make the south so damn appealing. I've been out in that kind of weather, and worse, running a snowblower. Fingers chilled to the bone. Ice in my beard. Snow blowing back on me and the tractor. Jeremy, congratulations on your first trip out dealing with that driveway. I am not sorry to say, "Better you than me!"
So having told you how wonderful the weather is here today it is time to share some upcoming events. In keeping with Tybee loves parades we have the following upcoming.
January 10, 2015 is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade at 3:00 p.m.
March 14, 2015 is Irish Heritage Celebration Parade at 3:00 p.m. This area is a huge party on and around St. Patrick's day.
May 1, 2015 Tybee Rainbow Days. LGBT travelers will show their pride on Tybee with a series of events that includes a parade.
May 15, 2015 join the largest water fight in the south and participate in the Beach Bum Parade.
If you don't want a parade the following events are coming up on Tybee.
January 16th through the 25th is Tybee Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants will offer a 3 course, prix fixe dinner menu for $25.00 per person (not including tax and gratuity).
February 6, 2015 is the Critz Tybee Run Fest featuring a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, 2.8 mile beach run and a 1 mile run. You can do any or all of the events. If you choose to do all five runs they add up to a full marathon.
February 14, 2015 is Mardi Gras Tybee. Come down and celebrate Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day with a costume and cocktail party, parade and a street party.
April 22, 2015 come celebrate the Tybee Wine Festival. Come sip wines, enjoy fresh seafood and other culinary delights on the grounds of the Tybee Lighthouse. Proceeds benefit the Tybee Post Theater restoration.
April 25, 2015 is the Tybee Turtle Trot. It is a 5K run walk to raise money for the Tybee Sea Turtle Project.
May 1, 2015 come down to North Beach and watch students from the Savannah College of Art and Design participate in the sand sculpture competition.
So there are your options for this winter and spring. Want to escape that cold weather up north? Bedlam in Florida? Come on down and celebrate Tybee.
So having told you how wonderful the weather is here today it is time to share some upcoming events. In keeping with Tybee loves parades we have the following upcoming.
January 10, 2015 is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parade at 3:00 p.m.
March 14, 2015 is Irish Heritage Celebration Parade at 3:00 p.m. This area is a huge party on and around St. Patrick's day.
May 1, 2015 Tybee Rainbow Days. LGBT travelers will show their pride on Tybee with a series of events that includes a parade.
May 15, 2015 join the largest water fight in the south and participate in the Beach Bum Parade.
If you don't want a parade the following events are coming up on Tybee.
January 16th through the 25th is Tybee Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants will offer a 3 course, prix fixe dinner menu for $25.00 per person (not including tax and gratuity).
February 6, 2015 is the Critz Tybee Run Fest featuring a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, 2.8 mile beach run and a 1 mile run. You can do any or all of the events. If you choose to do all five runs they add up to a full marathon.
February 14, 2015 is Mardi Gras Tybee. Come down and celebrate Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day with a costume and cocktail party, parade and a street party.
April 22, 2015 come celebrate the Tybee Wine Festival. Come sip wines, enjoy fresh seafood and other culinary delights on the grounds of the Tybee Lighthouse. Proceeds benefit the Tybee Post Theater restoration.
April 25, 2015 is the Tybee Turtle Trot. It is a 5K run walk to raise money for the Tybee Sea Turtle Project.
May 1, 2015 come down to North Beach and watch students from the Savannah College of Art and Design participate in the sand sculpture competition.
So there are your options for this winter and spring. Want to escape that cold weather up north? Bedlam in Florida? Come on down and celebrate Tybee.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Another Monday
Yesterday was no tech Sunday. My buddy Mike stated my effort was like pissing in the wind. He is right about that as you come to realize quickly that you can never completely disconnect. The television was on, my fitbit remained on my wrist tracking my exercise for the day. I made excuses for it by telling Carol that I would not check my progress but let it function in the background. I did hold to my word and at no time during the entire 24 hour period did I check my iPhone, iPad or use the laptop. No internet usage at all for the day. Was it difficult? No really. Was there a point to it? Probably not. Just an experiment to see how it felt. Missing Facebook posts for a day doesn't seem like much of a loss. I do access lots of my news every day on the internet. Having said that I don't feel like much was missed there either. Will this become a weekly effort? I don't know yet. Maybe.
Now, back to my buddy Mike. If you haven't visited his award winning blog existinginbfe.blogspot.com then you are missing out on great writing and photography every Monday through Friday. Mike is probably wondering what award his blog has been award. It is the Tybee Island Savannah Candy Kitchen Gopher Award. If you have never eaten a gopher you are missing out on a real treat. Take a minute and google Savannah Candy Kitchen and see what the buzz is all about.
Saturday Carol and I went to Savannah to spend a bit of time walking around downtown. We found a couple of new places we enjoyed. The first was a shop called The Salt Table. It is a store specializing in salts and spices. They had some smoked salts and I must say it has to be an acquired taste. The downstairs area specializes in Georgia products so we went down and sampled some wines. We ended up buying three. The only decent grape growing area is in the mountains of northern Georgia. It is too hot here in the low country. We also stopped at The Ancient Olive. It is a shop that carries a variety of balsamic vinegars, olive oils and gourmet food products. We were able to buy some sample size bottles of olive oil to try. The final place was a pizza place called Your Pie. It is similar to Subway in that you choose your crust (white or whole wheat) and then add toppings to your personal 10" thin crust pizza. We had noticed it on our way to the other shops and grabbed a late lunch on the way back by. Savannah downtown is a great place to walk around and do a little shopping. You never know what you might find in a variety of interesting little shops.
Now, back to my buddy Mike. If you haven't visited his award winning blog existinginbfe.blogspot.com then you are missing out on great writing and photography every Monday through Friday. Mike is probably wondering what award his blog has been award. It is the Tybee Island Savannah Candy Kitchen Gopher Award. If you have never eaten a gopher you are missing out on a real treat. Take a minute and google Savannah Candy Kitchen and see what the buzz is all about.
Saturday Carol and I went to Savannah to spend a bit of time walking around downtown. We found a couple of new places we enjoyed. The first was a shop called The Salt Table. It is a store specializing in salts and spices. They had some smoked salts and I must say it has to be an acquired taste. The downstairs area specializes in Georgia products so we went down and sampled some wines. We ended up buying three. The only decent grape growing area is in the mountains of northern Georgia. It is too hot here in the low country. We also stopped at The Ancient Olive. It is a shop that carries a variety of balsamic vinegars, olive oils and gourmet food products. We were able to buy some sample size bottles of olive oil to try. The final place was a pizza place called Your Pie. It is similar to Subway in that you choose your crust (white or whole wheat) and then add toppings to your personal 10" thin crust pizza. We had noticed it on our way to the other shops and grabbed a late lunch on the way back by. Savannah downtown is a great place to walk around and do a little shopping. You never know what you might find in a variety of interesting little shops.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Connected or Disconnected?
Technology has invaded every part of our lives. Computer chips are in almost everything. Sitting at home today it is possible for me to check on the house in Illinois. I can watch a live video feed, check sensors and determine which doors were open and closed, including the time those events occurred. When I'm in Illinois I can do the same thing for the house in Georgia. I can also check the thermostat and change it if I want. Face Time chat with the granddaughters. Facebook to keep up with old friends. Text, email, GPS tracks my car and now my walks every day with Lily Lu. My cell phone is my constant companion. My iPad is almost always within arms reach. TV is on. Cable channels out the ying yang. Video on demand. ROKU. Amazon Prime video. Virtually any movie or TV show I could ever want to watch any time I want to watch it. What the FUCK happened to us?
We seem to be more connected to our technology and less connected with each other. We hide behind screen names and make comments we would never make in real life. All the hate and discontent that is spewed forth in the comments on news sites makes me sick. Are there really that many trolls among us? Do so many of the folks that seem so normal when you see them out in public turn into complete assholes when they get on the internet? So much of what floats around out in cyber space isn't true. We have all the information we could ever want available to us with a few key strokes. We don't do that. We see something on Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr or some other social media and rather than check it out we assume it is true. Stupid things like a picture of Mars and the moon in which they nearly the same size. Lots of dumbasses go out looking for something that can never happen. The truth is available but we are too lazy or stupid to look. So, what is the answer?
It's time to experiment with disconnection. Sunday will be a no computer, no iPad, no iPhone day. No internet. Not going to answer the phone if it rings. Spending the day with my Sweetheart. Don't care about Facebook or any of that other social media that seems to have turned us into antisocial jerks. Enjoy your weekend. Turn off all the devices. Cut out the constant background noise and talk to someone. Be a human being again.
We seem to be more connected to our technology and less connected with each other. We hide behind screen names and make comments we would never make in real life. All the hate and discontent that is spewed forth in the comments on news sites makes me sick. Are there really that many trolls among us? Do so many of the folks that seem so normal when you see them out in public turn into complete assholes when they get on the internet? So much of what floats around out in cyber space isn't true. We have all the information we could ever want available to us with a few key strokes. We don't do that. We see something on Facebook or Twitter or Tumblr or some other social media and rather than check it out we assume it is true. Stupid things like a picture of Mars and the moon in which they nearly the same size. Lots of dumbasses go out looking for something that can never happen. The truth is available but we are too lazy or stupid to look. So, what is the answer?
It's time to experiment with disconnection. Sunday will be a no computer, no iPad, no iPhone day. No internet. Not going to answer the phone if it rings. Spending the day with my Sweetheart. Don't care about Facebook or any of that other social media that seems to have turned us into antisocial jerks. Enjoy your weekend. Turn off all the devices. Cut out the constant background noise and talk to someone. Be a human being again.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy 2015
Last night Carol and I were invited to a New Year's Eve party at our neighbor's Patrick and Terri's home. It was a gathering of our neighbors on Anderson Court and very likely one of the few times I will stay up until midnight. During the party one of the neighbors invited us to go to the Tybee Polar Plunge today at noon. My response was a quick and hardy: "Hell NO!" The current water temperature and air temperature on Tybee are similar at 59 degrees. The other issue for me was not paying $20.00 each for the privilege of freezing my man bits off in the ocean. The charity is worthwhile being the Tybee Post Theater. We have paid to participate in both of their wine festivals so the next time alcohol is involved I will donate to the restoration effort. I did toy with the idea of going down and taking some pictures but assumed (correctly) that I could steal them from the internet. So without comment here is this year's polar plunge. Tybee will use any excuse to get folks out here to spend money.
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