tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53420760824851712882023-11-16T08:10:57.102-08:00Buildin' Rockets"The heresy of heresies was: Common Sense" George Orwell - 1984Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-72536525724264282772021-11-16T22:52:00.002-08:002021-11-16T22:52:13.204-08:00It's been a long, long, long time<p> This is a long neglected blog. Does anybody blog anymore? I can't post in Caughttraveling.blogspot.com because I'm not traveling now and I don't have traveling to speak about.</p><p>So, to dip my toes in here again, I'll speak about where I am and what I'm doing.</p><p>Books</p><p>I've been reading historical biographies and related books as a personal project. I've known about It's funny (?) but as I started this journey, I realized how little I knew about all the great men of the time. Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson from various media before. Now, I started with "1776" by McCollough. Great book with a lot of information not only about the Revolutionary war itself, but more insight on Washington as a General. Also in this time period, I read Kilmeade's book about Washington and his spy network in New York. Then I read another McCollough book, "John Adams". I knew only about his part in the writing and presentation and promotion of the Declaration of Independence. As I read the book, I got the impression that William Daniels really caught the flavor of the man in his portrayal in the musical "1776". Then I read Chernov's book on Hamilton on which the play is based. I followed that with books on Madison, Monroe, JQ Adams and Jackson. Throughout all that, I also read books by Kilmeade about Jefferson and the Barbary Pirates, The Battle of New Orleans, And the fight to avenge the Alamo. I've queued up an autobiography of Martin Van Buren, but decided to finally read De Toqueville's "Democracy in America" first as it was written during the Jackson administration.</p><p>It's been interesting reading a number of accounts through the lenses of different biographies. </p><p>I also read a lot of books on social and political ideas.</p><p>I've been reading some other books as well as a break. I'm a fan of the Amazon series, Bosch. So I thought I'd start reading Michael Connelly's books which include various heroes including Bosch and Micky Haller the Lincoln Lawyer. Also, we used to listen to books on audio while traveling, and there were a bunch of Jack Reacher books. I only remember one of them, and so I started to reasd them as well.</p><p>I frequent thrift stores so the Connolly and Lee Child (Reacher) books come from there.</p><p>Lego (the plural of lego is lego)</p><p>Because I could, I started collecting set of Lego and added them to all the Lego I have from the ones we bought our kids. I've built a number of various building sttuctures and play around wirh them. Little Dash is the most amazed by what I do. </p><p>Records</p><p>I have a generous collection of vinyl albums. Close to 1000. I've tried for years to get a turntable that would connect to my laptop so I could transfer all that music to digital. I generally listen to music mostly when I'm in my car, and if I can get something in MP3 format it's great. I'm about halfway through.</p><p>Geocaching</p><p>Laurie and I began doing this years ago. I've introduced the 4 older ones to it and even started an account for them as a group. Last year, I took each of them out separately and did a bunch of finds.</p><p>Gaming</p><p>We became huge fans of the card game Magic the Gathering. I've taught a couple of the kids to play but we don't much. I also taught Eliza to play and she and I play a lot. Anouther game we play is Catan which is a board game a lot like risk. all the kids, Eliza, Brett and their friends like to play.</p><p>Model kits</p><p>I used to make plastic model kits when I was in school. I started back doing that. The kits are a lot more in cost, but when you consider how much everything costs today compared to then, it's not much different.</p><p>Well, that's what I'm doing. I'll be posting rants on many topics as the time rolls on.</p><p>11/17/2021 12:51 AM Fargo</p>Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-76865782879054754002019-04-28T22:31:00.001-07:002019-04-28T22:31:53.584-07:00April 29th - 19 days laterI can't take it. I broke down tonight. It is so hard for me to let loose, but it comes when I'm not expecting it. I'm sitting here watching stupid tv shows we always watched. Someone loses someone and I just don't feel, but suddenly, the thought hits me that she should be sitting next to me watching with me, and it's all over. I'm crying and crying. What am I going to do with out my darling? A large part of me is so fucking lost. As I'm curled up in a ball crying on the couch, the kitty comes up to see what is going on. Great little furball. Yeah, I can get a handle on the finances, and I'll be alright and all, but She has owned so much of my soul for the last 30 years that there is no replacement for that. That kind of love has no chance of ever finding me again. I was so lucky to have had her, and I know it was the same for her, but though I rejoice that she is with her son now, I am so broken for her absence. <br />
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Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-21105022407305993672017-07-06T22:00:00.002-07:002017-07-06T22:00:18.217-07:00The Occasional post - Gun ControlI'm watching Hawaii five-oh. season 7 episode 5. "The Stand". It's actually about gun control. A parent of a high school shooter kills a couple of people and then takes the Hawaii supreme court hostage to gain a platform to speak out against gun violence. Now. I really enjoy Hawaii five-oh. But since the producers are left wing Hollywood types, They have an episode that talks about the subject of the second amendment.<br />
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Now, it's late, I'm tired and I have to work in the morning, but if I rant here, maybe I can go back to bed and sleep.<br />
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So, McGarrett and Williams have a discussion about guns. Danny, who is from New Jersey is against private citizens owning guns. McGarrett, who is an ex-Navy Seal, is all for it. The conversations initially lay out the differences of opinion, But then it all goes bad as it only can in Hollywood.<br />
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Danny brings up how the second amendment talks about militias, and well-regulated, but McGarrett never tells him how or why that argument is fallacious. That is the hypocrisy of the left. Put forth your point of view, but don't waste time putting out the opposing point of view.<br />
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In the episode, the man states about the high amount of mass shootings in America as opposed to other large nations. He never admits that the majority of these shootings are from Islamic terrorists. In the episode, a judge has just gotten his concealed carry permit and tries to intervene and gets himself shot while not seriously injuring the hostage taker. This shows how silly it is to be a Concealed-carry person. In the sterile controlled environment of a TV fiction show, life happens just as the left always predicts it. So much less messy than real-world events.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-47019644863973883442017-04-30T06:32:00.002-07:002017-04-30T06:32:28.794-07:00The Family Leave scam.There is a push by some Republicans to further the cause of a family leave mandate. I don't know what form this would take, but such things for me, go into the same category as minimum wage. Government intrusion into the free market workplace.<br />
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Mr. Miller starts a business selling widgets. For a while, his business does okay, and he hires workers to work for him. At some point, Mr. Jones opens a similar widget shop in the same neighborhood. How does Mr. Miller insure he gets enough of the business in the neighborhood to keep going?<br />
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One way would be to lower his prices. Of course, he can only do this to a point, and the lower income may affect his meeting his financial obligations. Another way to do it is to provide not just a quality product, but the very best customer service. To do this, means he has to hire the employees who are the best in personality and drive. If he hires just a body to fill a spot, that person may not really care about Mer. Miller's business because he is just wanting that paycheck. But someone who has a desire to excel recognizes a growing business means growing opportunities. That leads to customers preferring Mr. Miller's friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff to Mr. Jones' employees who just go through the motions of working.<br />
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So, Mr. Miller has to carefully screen his employees to find the best people, but there are no guarantees they will accept the position. How does he do this? Well, compensation is the key. He may not be able to offer a much greater wage, and that in itself may not be the only factor for a person to work for him. If Mr. Miller can offer a group insurance plan, it might help. This is where family leave comes in. This is another benefit that can be offered in lieu of higher hourly wages which would sway a serious employee. Competition doesn't always have to take the form of higher wages or lower prices. Of course, if the work place is a positive enough environment, your employees are usually that much more productive and may make it possible to employ a smaller staff cutting those costs and allowing the employer to offer more benefit options.<br />
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When the government mandates an across-the-board benefit like the family leave, It destroys competition and ultimately causes failing business and higher unemployment.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-64637060315944061542017-04-07T12:26:00.000-07:002017-04-07T12:26:20.753-07:00April 7,2011 - What's happening.Syria's leader drops Sarin gas on his own people killing over 100 civilians, including babies. 7 years ago, Obama drew a "red line" and put chemical weapon use on the other side. Syria violated that, and all that happened, was a treaty where Russia lied or was fooled into saying Assad had either destroyed or gave t Russia all their stores of gas. They then continued to use chlorine gas, but then used 72 hours ago, that same gas on his own people. <br />
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This last week. Trump has met with leaders of Jordan and Egypt, both leaders praising Trump.<br />
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Yesterday<br />
President Trump approved a strike of 60 Tomahawk missiles to be dropped on the airfield from which the attack was carried out.<br />
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Today<br />
Gorsuch through the nuclear option, was confirmed to the supreme court. Conservatives have regained their 5 to 4 advantage.<br />
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There is a terrorist attack by truck against pedestrians in Sweden<br />
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Trump will meet with China's President Xi.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-7130106107031082252016-10-16T17:47:00.000-07:002016-10-16T17:47:10.307-07:00This week in Football.No way I'm going to document my feeling for an entire season. Just sayin'<br />
I have the opportunity to watch a lot of games this season, so I'll post all my prejudices as best I can. You know how it is, Teams fall into four categories. Your team(s), teams you like, teams you hate, teams you don't really care about. Am I right?<br />
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Okay, this week.<br />
First, the San Diego Chargers. This is one of my teams. My main team. I didn't get into football at all until my family moved to San Diego. I saw the Chargers play at Balboa stadium back in the day. I watched as Jack Murphy Stadium (now Qualcomm) was built. I feel you have to support the home team. It's like going to high school, and supporting the team of a different school. Really. So here I am. It appears the Chargers are committed to staying in San Diego. if they don't, I'll find another team. Phillip Rivers, Man. really. Over 43,000 yards. breaks the record for most complete passes by a San Diego QB. The 31 year record was held by Football Hall of Famer, Dan Fouts. The Chargers go into this game with 7 starters in the injured list. Antonio Gates is finally back. It was a tough game. Rivers and Gates seemed to not be on the same page all day, heck, they were reading different books. However, the team seemed to be in the game and the Chargers managed to not squander another lead and beat the Broncos. So, barring any complications, this team is looking like it can pull through to better times. And after all that happened today, the division is only separated by two wins. Phillip Rivers is now no. 2 in the NFL in passing.<br />
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My second team is The New England Patriots. I always root for them except against the Chargers. Tom Brady is one of the finest QBs that has ever played the game. I discount all the controversy surrounding the team because I think all the teams do all they can to win. The Patriots just seem to suck at cheating, so they seem to always get caught. Cinncinatti is a team I don't care about and I don't rate very high, and NE beat them 35to 17.<br />
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Of course, any team in the same division as your favorite is one you want to lose. Today, two division rivals played each other. Now what? It was simple. the one with the best record should lose. In this case it was Oakland, which is doubly good because I just hate the Raiders. Always have. Kansas City did m a favor and Took them apart completely in a 26/10 win.<br />
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One of the big games today was the Green Bay vs Dallas game. The controversy here is about how Tony Romo has been out, and the rookie backup QB has been winning games so it looks like it's questionable whether or not Romo will get his spot back. Since I have always thought Romo was overrated, I wanted Dallas to win just for that reason. Prescott did not disappoint, and Dallas beat Green Bay 30 to 16. Prescott broke Brady's record for number of pass attempts without an interception by a rookie. 177 passes and then, yes, an interception. But still a new record. Brett Farve made an appearance in the broadcaster booth and had a love fest conversation with announcer Troy Aikman talking about old match ups between the two of them. <br />
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Green Bay was Jeremiah's favorite team, especially with Farve as QB. Consequently, I dislike the Vikings. Good for them standing at 5-0.<br />
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I dislike Seattle and would have been happy if they had lost. Despite a great effort and the help of a bad call The Atlanta Falcons lost 26/24<br />
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Colin Kapernicks sideline schenanagans has increased my standing dislike for San Francisco teams. A win by the Giants was welcomed. Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-70694764399443274202016-09-29T12:45:00.003-07:002016-09-29T12:45:53.438-07:00Was this trip necessary? On political DebatesSometimes I don't really know the purpose of political debates, unless it's to further the agenda of the mainstream media. The narrative is decreed by the networks and moderators, so, the party candidate that they side with gets lowball questions and the opposition gets "gotcha" questions.<br />
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Politically we have a few different groups in America. We have libertarians, who are closest in temperment to the true beatnicks of the 50s and the true hippies of the 60s. leave me alone and just be nice. then you have the Independents all of whom actually belong to one main ideology or another, but don't want to be seen embracing any party's complete agenda. but face it, a liberal independent will always vote Democrat etc. There are two groups within the Republican party, the Constitutionalists who believe that the Declaration and Constitution should be the rule of the land, and the Crony capitalist/Hooverites with their populist agenda.<br />
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So, it all comes down to knowing what groups the candidates ascribe to and picking the one that is going the way you would support. The important thing for the average voter is that he does enough reading to know the difference between the ideologies.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-78011527168340057652016-03-11T12:30:00.000-08:002016-03-11T12:30:21.553-08:00Two more rock icons succumb to age - Martin and Emerson<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Today I found out that one of the musicians who made an impact on my life, Keith Emerson, had passed away. I have no words to describe his influence on my listening habits. He did more than just played keyboards, but composed and arraigned as well as being the ultimate keyboard showman. As each album of his, whether as the Nice or ELP, I was constantly blown away by the mastery of not only his talent but those he surrounded himself with as well. He constantly challenged me to widen my definitions of rock, classical, and even jazz music. I am sad at his passing.<br />
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RIP KEITH EMERSON- It is with profound sadness I have to report the death of Keith Emerson last night in Santa Monica, CA. Below is the official statement from Carl Palmer:</div>
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I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my good friend and brother-in-music, Keith Emerson. Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come. He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz. I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship, and dedication to his musical craft. I am very lucky to have known him and to have made the music we did, together. Rest in peace, Keith.<br />Carl Palmer<br />March 11, 2016</div>
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The Tarkus returns to the sea, defeated</div>
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We also say goodbye to one of, and arguably the best, producer and sound engineers of all rock history. George Martin was also a teacher. He taught great musicians and engineers. His work with the Beatles helped four young men find their way as the talent they had screamed to evolve. George Martin showed them how to use those talents and how to develop them for themselves. He also took a young man named Alan Parsons and groomed him to be the best he could which became not only the refinment of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon" album, but led him to create his own expeimental progressive rock band, The Alan Parson's Project. He was 90</div>
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Both of these rock giants point out that a major era of rock music is passing. </div>
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Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-37083874965193726462016-03-06T10:51:00.001-08:002016-03-06T11:01:20.772-08:00God calls one of his faithful home to be with him and her soulmate. Nancy Reagan passes away at 94Today, One of the most beautiful ladies the world has ever known, passed away. Nancy Reagan, wife and partner of former President Ronald Reagan has gone to be with him in heaven.<br />
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Her obituary will be written with more information and style than I have,but I will always remember the grace, style, and class of this wonderful lady. Despite being hated by all those who also hated her husband and what he stood for, She stood by his side even after his passing with her head up and solid in her love of Ronald, America, and her God, the God of Israel and the Gentiles.<br />
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This is a story of a great love affair between two great people. Reagan, in his dairies, always mentioned how lost he felt in the few times he traveled away from her. They were deeply in love for their entire lives. It's good they get to be together again side by side with their King, Jesus.<br />
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Whenever we lose another one of these wonderful people from a gentler and more traditional time, the world passes further away from a time when a man's word meant something and family and marriage were not just social constructs, but the very foundations of our society.<br />
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Today, on a rainy Sunday in Southern California, we say goodbye to a great spirit, an American Icon, and a strong Christian Woman.<br />
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Rest in Peace, Nancy.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-64013425068286713862016-02-29T18:35:00.000-08:002016-02-29T18:35:12.930-08:00Media rantIt happens all the time. They want to get you to watch and once you see the story, they want you to remember it in the grisly details they portray it with. <br />
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A news story accompanied with video spoke of this man whose boat (row boat) had overturned and he had to hang on until help arrived. The text of the report was that he was desperately hanging on in the rough water. Well, in the video, the man was sitting on top of his overturned boat gently rising and dropping a couple of inches at a time. The situation didn't seem desperate, the man didn't seem to be having difficulty keeping his seat. But to hear the report, you'd think it was very traumatic and touch-and-go for the man.<br />
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There was an opening on a news report for an upcoming story. It spoke of the horribly unsafe conditions of our nation's bridges and the huge cost of fixing them. I was sure they were pointing fingers at all the bureaucrat's who have neglected their civic duties at the possible cost of human life as well as the need for more federal dollars to be collected for repairs. The article stated the example of two particular crumbling bridges. I-35 which collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007 and the Famed Tappan Zee bridge which spans the Hudson river at it's widest point. Here's the thing. As horrible as the I-35 collapse was, it did so not because of neglect, but an inherent design flaw. The second issue was the Tappan Zee which has not collapsed, is still in use, and -wait for it- is currently being replaced by a completely new bridge being built right alongside of it. So, for all the chest beating and hysteria, The two biggest example of this "problem" either don't fit, or contradict the premise that no one is fixing them. Dumb.<br />
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Finally, what got me riled up today. A news story about a man who was trying to rob a bank today. Throughout the article, the TV showed a frame from the surveillance cameras of the man. It was a pretty clear picture. The announcer said his apparent age, height, weight and the clothes he was wearing, which was clear in the photo, and that was it. But wait, in the photo, it was clear he was an African-American. I'm sure, they didn't want to stigmatize anybody by stating his race, but skin color is a physical characteristic that separates one person visually from another. It was an important fact, and wouldn't have been slanderous in any way to mention it. I wonder if they would have mentioned it if he had been white.<br />
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It's bad that we as citizens have to really watch what we see and think so deeply about such things, but it's part of the responsibility of being an aware citizen. Do you not think,though, that the press has some responsibility here as well?Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-4051641150631231462016-02-18T18:06:00.001-08:002016-02-18T18:06:11.030-08:00The Walking Dead - A review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Walking dead. What could be worse than a world completely shut down technologically, and populated with many, many more undead zombies than living humans?<br />
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Well, you know that idiot that hangs out by the water cooler all day instead of getting his work done? The work you'll end up doing because the company has deadlines? Assuming he survives the initial onslaught of people dying and eating each other, How is he going to behave when it's just you and him with the zombies approaching? How about all those people who always seem to get into bar fights, even going to bars and getting drunk so they can start them, going to behave when they band together to attempt survival?<br />
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On AMC's "The Walking Dead", you find a small group that bands together not just for survival, but for the survival of the kind of ideals that create a civil society. It's true they have to stoop, maybe just bend to a level none of us ever want to think about getting to, but they have an intrinsic unspoken feeling that if "they" survive, some basic human values have to be preserved when the new society can finally be rebuilt.<br />
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So, you have to ask yourself how you would act in these situations. If you're a Christian or just a person who doesn't believe in violence, how do you reconcile trying to survive with people who wish to climb over your corpse to get theirs?<br />
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During the first 5 seasons of the show, The main characters go thorugh many trials for survival and quicly in the show it becomes apparent that the zombies are only a problem in large numbers. The real evil in the world are the survivors who will take what you have, whether it's shelter, food, or just a stupid stick you are using to keep alive with. The age-old struggles of power, politics, and wealth all survived the great zombie transformation and it comes down to who has faith and hope in people and God, and who has given up.<br />
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Even the heroes in the story, who do not think of themselves as heroes, are finally cornered and stuffed in railroad cars. <br />
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Let me say some background. Rick is the main character. He was a state trooper in Georgia. A man of conviction and a family man. He is injured in the line of duty and is hospitalized. This happens before the outbreak, so when he finally comes out of his coma, He is like the viewer, completely unaware of what the world is like. He discovers it as he searches for his family and brings us all along with him. Of course, terrible things and losses happen to everyone on the show and Rick Grimes is no exception. The writers have a way of enduring people to us just before sacrificing them to the God of ratings.<br />
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At the end of the fourth season, Rick has finally had it with walking the line between being a protector of the people and the leader of his group whom he desperately wants to save. So, in the railroad car at the end of season four, after all that has happened to them, This happens:<br />
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RICK: (looking out a crack in the wall) "These people are going to be very surprised."<br />
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DARYL: "At what?"<br />
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RICK: "They're screwing with the wrong people!"<br />
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I've been binge watching and have seen five seasons. I can't wait for season six.<br />
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THIS IS MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-53246911363304072342016-01-29T13:38:00.002-08:002016-01-29T13:38:54.568-08:00Paul Kantner - What I remember - My way of saying goodbye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The starship has landed. interstellar overdrive. It left yesterday and took one of the formative sixties San Francisco rock sound guitarists with it. Left behind was his life mate, Grace Slick and their daughter China God Kantner.<br />
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Let's get the politics over. A true leftist believing in commune living but never embracing the Hippie's drop-out philosophy. Back in the 70s, he and his mate plotted to slip then President, Richard Nixon LSD. (The secret service denied them entrance to the function). <br />
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I read once where it was said, that when Marty Balin was forming Jefferson Airplane, he saw a guy who played guitar in a bar, and thought he looked like a rock musician and so approached Kantner to play with him. The rest was an unstoppable force few of us were ready for.<br />
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In the early days, there was this blues singer named Sine Anderson. Tall, blond, and a voice that could knock down walls. Balin's group was touring and making itself known. On one occasion, the band did opening sets for Grace Slick's Great Society. Named for LBJs policy of wealth distribution in the war on poverty. The Great Society's leader had her own program. I don't know if it was the immediate attraction to this long incredibly handsome blond John Lennon glasses wearing rock star or just the overwhelming confluence of talent in the Airplane band itself, but when Anderson walked away to start a family, The Great Society went with her and Slick bearing her own song writing abilities, moved in.<br />
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Surrealistic Pillow rates as one of the greatest rock albums of all time. It opened the door for all the San Francisco sound bands from then on. Jefferson Airplane immediately divorced itself from any type of "sound", denouncing hippies as well as the establishment and began moving into the unknown realm of progressive rock. It would be years before the band ever had another huge hit on the commercial stations, but that never mattered. We, who were constantly seeking music outside the box, were never disappointed as the band changed style if not sound, and never compromised.<br />
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Marty Balin had a voice that made girls croon and made us boys wish we could sing like that. Jorma Kaukonen was undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists of the age. Firmly grounded in his love of the blues, created some of the best rock licks ever. Jack Cassidy was the one member of the band who shared Jorma's brain. Still, an incredible near-lead bassist. The drummer spot had a number of members, but always solid talent. Marty's voice was accompanied and sometime overshadowed by the tall beautiful dark haired wonder Grace Slick. Outspoken, opinionated, driven. Despite, in her own words, not having a great range, she definitely had the lungs. The entire machine was held together by a solid, inventive and talented Paul Kantner. The band was as much Kantner's as it was Balin's. In later days, Balin left and later came back when the band reincarnated as Jefferson Starship.<br />
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The second Slick album, Crown of Creation spoke of humanist ideas, the horrors of atomic war, love politics, and where was society going as a people With engineer Pat Maurice Ireaci wielding his 16 track the album soared and dove into depths never before seen. As the band released it's next album, they became one of the show stoppers of Woodstock and immediately moved again away from pop music into the unknown with Bathing at Baxters with tracks too intense and involved for AM radio.<br />
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In the last few years, they took on a 70 year old blues violenist, Papa John Creech, who kept up with the energy of the rest of the band. The album "Bark" had a track "Third Week in Chelsea", which Kaukonan describes as his letter of resignation. The band got together for a final album and tour before splitting for good and going into separate projects.<br />
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Cassidy, Kaukonen, and Creech formed Hot Tuna a foray into the blues which had always been Jorma's passion.<br />
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Slick and Kantner did a few albums together and solo. Their love and lives together created a child, China. A beautiful girl. They released "Sunfighter" dedicated to her and featured a picture of the infant on the cover. One of Kantners albums was called "Blows against the Empire". Basically a rant against Nixon and the American political system. The band was a recorded with a huge group of musicians including most members of CSN, The Greatful Dead, and Santana as well as Airplane. The cover credits was to Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship as he called the group of musicians. The name would later be used as the reincarnation of Airplane with mostly new members except Kantner, Slick, and Balin.<br />
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1965 to 1972. A long life for a band in those days with regroups and redos all through the 70s, 80, 90 to today. only 8 studio albums and among the live albums one that had music not recorded elsewhere.<br />
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Paul Kantner embodied the 60s rock star. recognisable in his music as well as in front of a camera. He had his own politics and beliefs and stood true to them especially in his music. I always think of him in two ways, the young man on the cover of Surrealistic Pillow, and the Self-portrait of him with marijuana leaves as hair.<br />
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Here's a website with quotes from Kantner.<br />
http://celebriot.com/paul-kantner-quotes<br />
"If you can remember anything about the sixties, you weren't really there."<br />
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Goodbye, Buddy. You gave us so much. Thank you.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-51994417864733434222016-01-11T11:01:00.001-08:002016-01-11T11:01:10.078-08:00We lost David BowieHaving lost an 18 month fight with cancer, David Bowie passes away yesterday January 10, 2016. Ziggy Stardust, The thin white duke, The man who fell to earth, TVC15. <br />
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Gone, Unwashed and somewhat slightly dazed. The man who sold the world.<br />
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A great musician and a major iconic figure. Try as you may, you'll never be able to completely measure his impact on music.<br />
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He is survived by a son, a daughter and his wife, Iman.<br />
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I treasure his work and miss his presence in the world.<br />
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Thank you, Mr. Jones<br />
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And I've been putting out fires...with gasoline.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the film Labyrinth</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aladin Sane. (A lad, insane)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final picture taken on his birthday by his wife, Iman.</td></tr>
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R.I.P.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-28514067539896983932015-11-09T09:39:00.002-08:002015-11-09T09:39:47.023-08:00Exporting Democracy - Nation BuildingWhy is it that the idea of going to other nations and trying to teach them to have an America-like democracy is bad and oppressive, but it is desirable to open our borders for any and all entire cultures or populations to come here and be able to experience that democracy?<br />
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Is it because there are those who actually despise America so much that they want others flooding in here not really to benefit from American society but to help overwhelm and destroy it?Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-83117082939773428032015-11-08T07:44:00.002-08:002015-11-08T07:44:34.082-08:00America - a special place?I think America is only a special place because it was founded and run on the Constitution. Any society that wanted the same conditions for prosperity could do the same. Why would you want to change a successful system when there are plenty of socialist countries in Europe? Why are all the people coming illegally from all over the world coming to America? Why aren't they flocking to the socialist utopias of Cuba, Venezuela, France, Greece, or Spain in the same numbers?<br />
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Put another way, if you feel the Constitutional system is so badly flawed that it doesn't work as it should, but the socialist model in some other country does, then why would you want to go to all the trouble to change this country when you could go to a different one where, even if that system isn't running quite as you think it should, it would be closer and therefore easier to correct.<br />
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The beauty of the United States is that the government is not limited to the federal level. If you have two fairly equal states,say, California and Texas, install all the socialist programs you want and let the constitutionalists do the same for their state. If you are right, California will flourish and serve as an example of how to create a fair and just society. And being more successful, the citizens of other states will follow.<br />
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Is it that you want your way so badly that you can't allow any example of an alternative exist? <br />
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I have found that anyone, even in the worst situation, can move to a different state and find the type of system they choose to live in. We didn't want to leave California, but we couldn't afford to live there as the employment climate would not afford us a chance to get on our feet. The welfare system insisted we surrender everything we had in order to get help. Once there, we would not have had the means to climb up out of that hole without breaking laws. They wanted us to sell our car and when that money ran out, we could get help. But, without a car, how are you going to find work in California? We moved a family of five to a state where there was more opportunity and lower costs and taxes and were able to create a stable life for our children. This was because there were two states being operated under different ideas by two different state governments.<br />
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<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-89130813659123938982015-07-23T09:58:00.001-07:002015-07-23T09:58:16.315-07:00My Views on MarriageIn this increasingly post-constitutional nation, We the people are constantly bombarded by the loudspeaker voice of the media. Right/left and Religious/not. It's hard to find a quiet space in your head to reason issues out. Here's my thought on the Gay Marriage issue.<br />
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Understand that I have friends all over the spectrum about this issue. Maybe they will all understand what I'm trying to say. Some may think I'm being intolerant, some maybe too.<br />
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Here are the parts of the issue as I see them:<br />
Gays and those who sympathize with them make two points. One, that their lifestyle is natural and they should be able to wed as much as heterosexuals. Two, that there are times when the absolute rule of written law is applied and therefore denies significant others such things as visitation rights and inheritance.<br />
Christians and other religious people make the point that marriage is a rite of Christian faith and that can not be applied to people engaging in behavior that is contrary to the Bible.<br />
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The gay community or it's activists often have proposed local statutes allowing gay marriage. Christian groups have tried to push a Christian marriage amendment. Both are continually denied by the voters in America.<br />
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Right? Wrong? And what about the new Federal statute mandating gay marriage nationally?<br />
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Here's what I think. Marriage was originally instituted by God through the Hebrews. I will not debate this. Since this country's founding, marriage has not been tied to religion. Therefore, trying to define marriage by religious principals must fail. I don't really care what the union is called, People are going to live their lives as they see fit, even if they don't get a certificate. The debate over denial of loved ones visitation rights, etc. should be settled in favor of all people in a relationship. Maybe a written, signed document is all that should be needed. Compassion, right?<br />
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I'm in favor of Federalism, and states need to have their rights re-established and allowed to decide this issue internally.<br />
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Final point. I know the LGBT community is supposedly happy about the supreme court usurping state's right and federally mandating gay marriage, However, this is unconstitutional and every American citizen should be against and frightened by the abuse of our Constitution in any case. You know that the left would be screaming murder if the court had mandated the definition of marriage in alignment of Christian principles. What I'm trying to say, is that this LGBT victory should not and probably will not stand not on the merits of the issue, but just because of the illegal, unconstitutional way it was instituted.<br />
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That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.<br />
<br />Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-15566917464092268202015-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:002015-07-10T15:47:11.686-07:00I installed laminate flooring!!!We had become sick of the carpeting that was in the house when we bought it. A sickly, dirty, grey indoor-outdoor low pile type. There was a spot in the middle where it was unraveling and the floor seemed uneven, it was too dirty to clean and we have had numerous kittys that had grown up to full cats he. Now that we have grandkids running around here, we needed a floor that was clean and easily cleanable. We chose laminate flooring.<br />
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During "Crazy Days" in Devils Lake last year, we went to Lamotte's Paint and Glass and purchased the Shaw flooring and underlayment we needed. It's sat for a year and it was time since we were home to tackle the task.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWubOxqsAon3i9CwnWl5TaBxxdtnJPrZJ91-H5HEEK2X5qrfW2lruBwhv2QFqkKkSAuapH99EfWdskXaOazcfPZ5B0jXisq6kqbVKJGSuMNflA8-Eam5Zo1oIXTODipeyxHCZEMll_7k/s1600/0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWubOxqsAon3i9CwnWl5TaBxxdtnJPrZJ91-H5HEEK2X5qrfW2lruBwhv2QFqkKkSAuapH99EfWdskXaOazcfPZ5B0jXisq6kqbVKJGSuMNflA8-Eam5Zo1oIXTODipeyxHCZEMll_7k/s320/0001.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old carpet</td></tr>
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The old carpet pulled up easily enough dragged it and the equally nasty padding out to the garage, uprooted the nailboards along the wall, removed all the staples that held the padding and tried to make the old flooring as clean and smooth as possible. The house has settled over the years and the floor is noticeably lower along some of the walls. I knew there would be places where I'd have to build up areas.<br />
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Because we had a number of large pieces of furniture, and we were still have to move around the house, I started with the living room and mover items to the dining room. At first, the old hardwood floor looked like we could just refinish it maybe. But, because of the drop on the edges, boards were pulling apart making gaps and such. I decided to just continue with the original plan of laying new floor.<br />
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That was probably smart, because when I got to the center of the room, there were two large sections that had been filled with interlocking boards totally unlike the rest of the floor. There had apparently been an archway between the living room and the dining room. It had been removed and the floor where most of the separating wall had been was patched in. This would not be the biggest issue.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACCJBsz3y7gZyI_tpdjqwTTq0sHYj_vYyNOjsw1CTM2q68Dzaa0UQA5N9GkePd4CakNlHfxGbgWGh2uAJowduWSoBcebjl8KQ5zj00a2z3jeXbJql_w_BS0mOwIpz7w_RcPHGUTkCmes/s1600/0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACCJBsz3y7gZyI_tpdjqwTTq0sHYj_vYyNOjsw1CTM2q68Dzaa0UQA5N9GkePd4CakNlHfxGbgWGh2uAJowduWSoBcebjl8KQ5zj00a2z3jeXbJql_w_BS0mOwIpz7w_RcPHGUTkCmes/s640/0002.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the arch had been.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXn36f7ZVCl0Osbx7Osw6XWPiAzJ5FNyGlFiFFBy-en0qGuSKWhl87PI_g_ukqrY9juNMP7ofNCoDL2HJAvTA1xPMLKOzOfgWkNQXPjAZ-UuabQTjJ4L5tPuCj7RXVcxjLHHMpIt1Cuc/s1600/0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXn36f7ZVCl0Osbx7Osw6XWPiAzJ5FNyGlFiFFBy-en0qGuSKWhl87PI_g_ukqrY9juNMP7ofNCoDL2HJAvTA1xPMLKOzOfgWkNQXPjAZ-UuabQTjJ4L5tPuCj7RXVcxjLHHMpIt1Cuc/s640/0003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entire living room exposed.</td></tr>
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I cut off the old carpet and mover the furniture into the living room to get to the dining room area. Then I found what would be the biggest challenge. Okay, issue. Problem. In the middle of the floor, yeah, that spot where the carpet was fraying, A square hole cut and patched in the floor. A true "WTF" moment. What did they do? What were they trying to do? What on earth were they thinking?<br />
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I just looked and stared trying to understand. Nothing was coming, so I went into the basement. Apparently, when the furnace, ancient and since replaced by us, was installed, it was done by cutting a hole in the floor and lowering it in. They had cut the floor joists but rebuilt them. It all seemed strong enough but led to issues down the road. just behind the square, the floor boards had buckled up. Probably because the house was settling and the floorboards hadn't been secured properly where the cut had been made. The buckle was a hump from side to side extending back towards the wall gradually diminishing. The floor was going to have to be leveled. There is the foundation floor that runs at a 45 degree angle under the hardwood floor. I really didn't want this to bea major pain, so I first tried a planer. That would have taken forever. Next I tried a belt sander. It had been suggested course paper would just chew right through it. Nope. I had some success with a chisel, but it still was going to be too much work. Then I had an idea. If a board offends thee, cut it out. (Isn't that a proverb or something? My lovely wife suggested I discuss it all with a friend in Devils Lake who spends all his time remodeling older houses. I went to him and he suggested exactly what I had in mind. I'm never sure if my revelations are cathartic or just gas, so it's good to get a second opinion. Out came the skill saw and I cut out a section of the hardwood flooring. The main floor was still buckled, but it wasn't any higher than the rest of the hardwood. Then it was a matter of cutting sections of wood in varying thicknesses and filling in the low spots. I finished with a plate of sheet metal across the entire section.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOIZdJm8hpRuq6AV7hJddgQoYW8GuZH8uJuNYG3fMVkzFPRME2KR1m2WEX7EJjcWx3tycqWSURIXf_b-PiELGr-JUh-8rXWBSQWAk7NVqubanhoKl0MSLcv4CBOjFcfssN5nTROoozJs/s1600/0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOIZdJm8hpRuq6AV7hJddgQoYW8GuZH8uJuNYG3fMVkzFPRME2KR1m2WEX7EJjcWx3tycqWSURIXf_b-PiELGr-JUh-8rXWBSQWAk7NVqubanhoKl0MSLcv4CBOjFcfssN5nTROoozJs/s640/0004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining room showing the furnace drop hole.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAIFTbnvKOiIAD8V4tg-VXJ-YyKyrAaDQkdYGInTGUxiFYNM83f40aopLXavHWUWTd-K7ZZ1K8SD4ZoDlw610ob3tRNEfMgD5kjxTQLOwwzcFJUvI-osh5YsXFhhMnMNGBe4nLcqf7Zg/s1600/0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAIFTbnvKOiIAD8V4tg-VXJ-YyKyrAaDQkdYGInTGUxiFYNM83f40aopLXavHWUWTd-K7ZZ1K8SD4ZoDlw610ob3tRNEfMgD5kjxTQLOwwzcFJUvI-osh5YsXFhhMnMNGBe4nLcqf7Zg/s640/0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hole patch and the buckle beyond</td></tr>
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When the Dining room had been done, (I think it was an add on), They had put in pressboard flooring before the tile. It extended in a tab into the dining room. I picked a line close to the opening, but inside enough to keep the air vent inside the tile area. I removed what I wanted gone with the skill saw. The final issue was that the deepest drop in the floor was on the far wall. It was about a inch drop at the most extreme. I used the removed pressboard to build that up. I suppose I should have just gotten jacks, crawled into the space under there and jacked up the whole thing, but I was thinking the wall would have raised, and it might have caused more issues somewhere else. On top of that, that is the side of the house where they had added the garage which probably added to the drop. <br />
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Having dealt with the floor issues It was time to move all furniture out and start laying the floor. When we bought our supplies, we had gotten two rolls of underlayment, and realized we need more. What they gave us the second time was a different kind, but I didn't know enough then to know if it was very different. It was. so I called them and they ordered the proper material and we did a straight-across swap.. The customer service was great. The undelayment we used was Sound Solution. It absorbs sound and this product has what they call Vapor Bloc. A film that keeps floor moisture from damaging the laminate flooring. It overlaps tapes to the next roll. It was very easy to work with. It's just rolled out and not nailed down. I rolled out one row, and started laying the laminate flooring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT_lm7Nm5LpnxcvlZRC1-6rmSWdtLdKw7cjbXd7Pb3Ogz2_OQtMezZj4_40hlJXQMIHXztbYUKdwvMi4awR0atn7sv1nIuMoQD66IQFmvyOYHPiBruPICbOaKaXgMAvgP5fTyybMb1Cc/s1600/0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyT_lm7Nm5LpnxcvlZRC1-6rmSWdtLdKw7cjbXd7Pb3Ogz2_OQtMezZj4_40hlJXQMIHXztbYUKdwvMi4awR0atn7sv1nIuMoQD66IQFmvyOYHPiBruPICbOaKaXgMAvgP5fTyybMb1Cc/s320/0006.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soun Solution Underlayment</td></tr>
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The pieces were easy enough to fit together. It might have been easier with two people doing it, But I think what I really needed was a small rubber mallet. Eventually, what I used was a peice of short board that I could slap against the edge for the final fit without damaging the interlock edge. Then it was just a matter of steady work. Row after row. I had my skill saw on the porch to cut the end pieces. The unneeded section I used to start the next row for a stagger. I also had to make cutouts for the heating/AC vents. The hardest part was along the far wall because it works better when you are pushing the pieces into place rather than pulling them because the wall is in the way. I finally reached the kitchen walkthrough, and had to cut strips that were just an inch or so wide.<br />
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We still have to purchase the baseboards to finish. Halfway through, I had an idea that it would have been a good idea to paint the living an dining rooms before laying the floor. Then, while talking to Laurie on the phone, she suggested the same thing. Well, that's what tarps are for, right?<br />
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Over all, it wasn't that difficult. Sometimes the parts were uncooperative, and I would get frustrated, but it's done and it looks great. I cut sections from the old carpet to put under the furniture pieces so they'd slide and not scratch the new floor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4D784rHY5bcSmXzJiRbgBCviORh5GhtlUALL71eMI3vJDcY0DP6tMdezewxaA8JtwTU1Oo62zWqwMHfMw58ljHE0izXmnRNoHQTHcBEgCSQTfflom2iHF40Mnm9sTlELLIamsCgb9Rc/s1600/0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4D784rHY5bcSmXzJiRbgBCviORh5GhtlUALL71eMI3vJDcY0DP6tMdezewxaA8JtwTU1Oo62zWqwMHfMw58ljHE0izXmnRNoHQTHcBEgCSQTfflom2iHF40Mnm9sTlELLIamsCgb9Rc/s640/0008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laying of the floor is finished</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKlmTK1GFp7ywPRD9Zw7LfcDb_QJBB73vSlhJqdgsi_AoC3zQbX1XqFuL7Dy-y8RfDYIR9dzPAmLYU-RnTI6QMSxFcsCCfpAq7bC3ORM9u7CYIFbMTRii48Coeti6PWini6kJ3tjU8xM/s1600/0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKlmTK1GFp7ywPRD9Zw7LfcDb_QJBB73vSlhJqdgsi_AoC3zQbX1XqFuL7Dy-y8RfDYIR9dzPAmLYU-RnTI6QMSxFcsCCfpAq7bC3ORM9u7CYIFbMTRii48Coeti6PWini6kJ3tjU8xM/s640/0009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living Room</td></tr>
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I wonder what I can fix next?Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-39544538804862239372015-04-16T17:14:00.002-07:002015-04-16T17:14:49.918-07:00New BlogI started a new blog specifically for our travels and my photography. You can see it here:<br />
http://caughttraveling.blogspot.com/<br />
Please visit me there/Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-7705296822388735512015-01-14T11:57:00.001-08:002015-01-14T11:57:41.043-08:00Driving.Has this ever happened to you? I was driving my wife home from work this morning. Heading over the hill on Mission Gorge Avenue from Grantville into Santee. There is a lady driving in the lane next to me. You know the type. A bit heavy-set, 40ish, lots of makeup and "Mary Kay" on her back window. None of those factors mean anything, but combined, they always point out a particular type of person who will push past you or talk you down in any conversation. An annoying go-getter that is usually self-centered. She's driving over the speed limit, and constantly drifting into my lane. She was making me nervous, so I wanted to pass her, but she was driving a little faster than I was, and at every light, she'd take off very quickly so I couldn't even get ahead of her that way. As we started climbing the hill past Jackson Drive, she just went faster, and thankfully left me far behind. As I got into Santee, I turned at West Hills and then east on Mast Blvd. My final turn was at Fanita Parkway. There, at the light waiting for the left turn, was the lady who had sped away from me. We sat for a few seconds waiting for the light to change. It tickled me that for all of her speeding and bad driving, she didn't really arrive any sooner than if she'd driven like everyone else. I also had a bit of fun, when the light changed and she was stuck behind a slow-moving truck all the to and through the next turn she needed to make. She must have been quite upset. People need to pay attention and drive like they are not the only creatures on the planet. It was annoying, but I just hope she corrects herself before having a major accident.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-3771529624254741582014-07-01T12:40:00.001-07:002015-01-08T20:36:50.197-08:00Crazy year - What a long, strange trip it's been.Last August, we set out on the road for the East coast. That was fun, we spent time in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. We drove back to North Dakota to welcome our third grandchild into the world in December then headed west to California.<br />
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While in Cali, we took a break and flew to DC for TAPS. When we finally left California, we drove a new route that took us down highway 66 and sopped at the Grand Canyon. new sights for us and lots of fun.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-20950189602184598042014-07-01T12:30:00.003-07:002014-07-01T12:30:38.673-07:00You don't need a weatherman to know.....The weather here since we got back has been very disappointing. a couple of days were great, but since then, it's been all rain, wind, and cold. The expected high today, July 1st is 55 degrees. Really? the winds have been well over 25 mph and raining on and off for days. <br />
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The farmers are in a bad way since the fields are being flooded. There is a lot of concern in the Devils lake basin because entire farms are going under acres at a time.<br />
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I can't work on the yard which had become overgrown since we were gone, can't do repairs and general upkeep on the house in the rain. Hopefully, this will begin to settle down before it's time for us to leave again.<br />
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Just sayin'...Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-21274939989556774132014-02-26T14:55:00.002-08:002014-02-26T14:55:59.574-08:00We reserve the right to serve refuse to anyone.There was a discussion on facebook about a few laws in Kansas and Arizona that concern who a business has the right to serve and not serve.<br />
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I wrote this:<br />
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If a businessman doesn't want to serve someone, they have that right in a free market. They are free to lose potential business for their decisions. For the offended party, they have a right to publicly protest or advertise against the businessman. The Government cannot pass laws to force someone to serve someone else. It has no right to control that or even personal morality. Death threats and violence should be treated as the illegal acts they are with no bearing on why the perpetrators thought they could act that way. A school can't decide not to teach a group of people though they can control conduct on school grounds. An individual teacher must perform according to the employment contract or they are free to seek employment elsewhere. Currently, our Government is only interested in granting crony benefits to vocal groups that support the progressive agenda.<br />
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Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-85765457002604073602014-02-25T13:45:00.001-08:002014-02-25T13:45:05.849-08:00Baseball been berry berry good to me."Put me in coach, I'm ready to play." - Centerfield by John Fogerty. Spring is almost here. The boys of summer are in spring training and this Thursday, our stalwart Padres begin playing preseason against the Seattle Mariners. <br />
<br />
I'm beginning to get excited.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-18815762368947757562014-02-25T12:50:00.001-08:002014-02-25T12:50:10.969-08:00Why don't they love us?I sit here and watch the administration spend money hand over fist on illegals and liberal causes while hollowing out the military. We have less than 600,000 military personnel. That's less than the population of North Dakota. Does anyone think we could ever protect this country from an attack? Hell, if they give a fraction of the people in China guns they could overrun this country without training just from sheer numbers. This is something we should have learned from the Korean War.<br />
<br />
The President hates our country as any leftist hates any democracy. The slim hope of saving grace we have left is the people's expectations that they still have power. Consider is we were Czarist Russia. The Marxists there just moved in and fired up the population against the Czars and the Jews.<br />
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Still, they are in control and the RINOs hide their heads and balls on the sand like it's just business as usual.<br />
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Recommendations:<br />
Liberals, you need to wake up and realize the true outcome of these actions will be. It's not the one-world utopia you imagine.<br />
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Conservatives: the Washing crowd of Boener and the establishment republicans are not going to save anything. Know who you vote into office.<br />
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And those of you who say you don't care about politics or think you know something because you watch CNN or MSNBC. you'd better spend some time learning the concepts this country was founded on and what the ideology o the left is really all about.<br />
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It's go time.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5342076082485171288.post-23062038487838701832014-02-10T10:58:00.000-08:002014-02-10T10:58:35.953-08:00High Tech vs. Human resourcesI'm trying to get my W-2s for last year. I worked at one company at the beginning of the year, and another near the end. Both are not where I can just drive down and ask for them. Calling the units, I get voice mail continuously. Going online the websites lead you in an endless loop of employment opportunities and community outreach. HR does not exist. What I had to do was search google for the companies corporate offices, and through the switchboard (press "1" for English) was able to leave messages for them to please contact me.<br />
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In this age of electronics and infinite social media, it seems that no one in business is ever near a phone to take a call, or so overwhelmed putting out fires, that they can't answer it anyway.<br />
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It just seems odd.Patrick!http://www.blogger.com/profile/04133693066382843212noreply@blogger.com0