Thursday, 05 November 2009

  • Batting 1.000

      The baseball season is over. The Phillies put a valient effort forth, and came up short.  But for $200 million, shouldn't the Yankees be in the World Series every year? 

    But in other news, the state of Maine... yes, in the liberal New England corner of the U.S. - repealed the law passed earlier this year, by voting 53% to 47% in favor of traditional marriage between one man and one woman.  that's 31 for 31.  31 states put it to the public polls, and 31 states have passed it.

    With all the bad news, the doom and gloom you hear about the economy, let's look at the bright side every now and then.
       I like how the media puts a spin on the news.  "Unemployment claims are down"   As in... there are still 300,000 newly unemployed people this month, but that is down from the 500,000 last month..  This is a sign that the economy is turning around."
      No it's actually a sign that just about everyone that can be unemployed... is now unemployed.  We are running out of people to unemploy. There are some jobs that just can't be lost. Think of education, the teachers, bus drivers, janitors, professors,etc. Think of the healthcare and medicine - doctors, surgeons, nurses, secrataries and insurance discount hagglers.  Speaking of insurance.. when is the government going to take them over?  There are a lot of people who will never be out of a job. Food transportation will always be employing people.  
      some jobs just always will be, so of course the new unemployment claims are going down.

      In the Great Depression of the 1930's - unemployment was almost 1 in 5 workers.   The total population of the U.S. was 122 million in 1938.
    In 2007 there were 138 million taxpayers (workers in the U.S.) Of a population of 300 million people.  So, if we use the same theory of tax payers to total population....
     You are looking at 56 million workers/taxpayers in the U.S. in 1938.
      A 20% unemployment rate meant that 11 million people were unemployed..  
    In 2009, a 10% unemployment rate means that 13.8 million are unemployed.
      So, you can say "look the unemployment rate is only half of what it was in the Great depression!"
      Or you can say "People seeking unemplyment benefits hits an all time record high!"

    It all depends on whether you want to put a positive or negative spin on it.  The news media decides what it wants to do.. depending on whether it is for or against their agenda.

    ~ * The Countryboy * ~

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

  • Pet Peeves

    Before Thanksgiving time of year rolls around.... I thought I'd try to list some things I'm not thankful for; like things that annoy me.

    In no particular order:
    - People who eat with their mouth open. So you can hear them eating whatever they are devouring.
    - People who swerve to miss cats, squirrels or other animals; and hit trees instead.
    - People who drive $80,000 cars, and then have Domestic Relations (your tax dollars to help underprivilaged people) pay their $500 deductible.
    - Big rigs who drive 62 mph. (New drivers, due to insurance regulations)
    - Big rigs who drive 65 mph and take 3 miles trying to pass the 62 mph truck
    - People who can't take a gift or small favor.  They get defensive, won't accept it.  I bought some snack size candy bars for our 'chocolate-aholic' people in our department, and put it in the community candy jar.  And the lady kept saying "you don't have to bring any in, I take care of it. You hardly ever eat any..etc."  Just say "oh, thanks, Wilmer!" and then be quiet.
    - People who can't take a compliment.  If I say, "I like that color" ... the people think the worst case scenario like 'he must not like every other color'.  NO! I was just trying to brighten your day.
    - Race isn't a crutch.  You are not persecuted because of your skin color. The most persecuted people are white males.  There are too many of us.  Due to government equality laws, we only get the job if there's not a minority or female in line ahead of us.
    - People who have to do everything in excess.  They lack the idea of 'middle of the road' moderation.
    - Girls.  not all.. just 2 types of them.  Those who, when they like a guy; are unable to talk to him. They won't talk to him. And the guy has no idea the girl does like him, because she never talks to him or reciprocates any interest he may show.
     And then the other extreme.  Girls who when they like a guy, won't let the poor guy alone.
    - Stubborn people who won't take advice. They would rather do it the hard way, and learn on their own.
    - People who complain about how things are done. Or who's in charge of an event. But they don't have any ideas of how to do it differently. And they most definitely don't want to do be in charge.
     - The media's effort to "celebrate everything that is NOT normal or traditional."  I understand, as Christians we are to love everyone. We don't have to accept everyone's lifestyle.  Be kind, be loving, but we need to be careful what we celebreate.
    - Sports media. Who just can't believe that Christian young men are stellar quarterbacks in college. No duh! good work ethic, stable home life (usually), avoids the party crowd, and wa-la add a little athleticism and you have a good quarterback.  Take Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, and Tim Tebow.  Yes, that Tim Tebow who has already won 2 National Championships and may win his 2nd Heisman trophy this year.

    ~ * The Countryboy * ~

Saturday, 24 October 2009

  •  *I'd have to say the last joke is my favorite...*
    Sisters Out of Gas
    Returning after traveling a great distance by car to get
    medical supplies for their small clinic, the nuns ran out of
    gas quite literally "in the middle of nowhere." They knew
    the area well; no gas for miles in either direction. Not
    wanting to leave the supplies, and not wanting to be
    separated, they began to pray. Just then a gas tanker
    stopped, and the driver asked, "Sisters, what is wrong?"
    They explained their gas gauge was stuck and they had run
    out of gas.

    He replied that his tanker was empty and he was on his way
    to load fuel for one of his routes. But on inspection he
    found he had a little in one of his lines; however, he had
    no bucket to catch the remaining tidbit of fuel.

    "Bed pans," replied one sister. "We have bed pans!" With
    that, they got out the bed pans and gratefully caught all of
    the last little bit of gas in the tanker. Then the driver
    said, "Sisters, I am short on time I must go!" The sisters
    thanked him and poured the gas into the car.

    As they were pouring in the last little bit, a highway
    patrolman pulled up got out of the patrol car and stared in
    disbelief. "Sisters, I've no idea what you have done, but I
    sure admire your faith!"

    Favorite Candy

    Our phone rang late one night, and my wife Nancy picked it
    up. She said, "No," and slammed it down.
     "Who was that?"
     "Some boy for Carolyn," she said, referring to our daughter.
     Then it rang again. Nancy listened, said, "KitKat," and hung up.
     "What now?" I asked.
     "A boy plans to ask Carolyn to the prom and wanted to know
    what her favorite candy is. He's going to put the invitation
    into a candy basket."
     The next morning a basket of candy was on our porch. "But,
    Mom," our daughter protested when she heard the story,
    "KitKat isn't my favorite candy."
     "I know," Nancy said. "It's mine."

    Kissing a Nun
    A taxi cab driver got a call to pick up someone from the
    airport. When he got there, he was surprised to see a nun
    waiting for the taxi. As she climbed into the car and gave
    the driver the address, the driver noticed how beautiful she
    was. As he drove on, he kept looking into his rear-view
    mirror at her. The nun couldn't help but notice him looking
    at her. Finally, the cab driver said, "You know, Sister, I
    think you're really quite beautiful."
     "Well, thank you," she answered.
     The driver went on, "I've always had a fantasy of kissing a
    nun."
     "Really?" she asked. "Well, then, pull over." The driver did
    so. Then the nun asked him a few questions. "Are you
    married?" she asked.
     "No," said the driver.
     "Are you Catholic?"
     "Yes," the man nodded.
     "Well, all right then," she said and stepped out of the car
    and gave him a big kiss on the lips.
     The driver felt so ashamed that he decided to tell her the
    truth. "Sister, I have to tell you the truth: I AM married
    and I'm NOT Catholic."
     "That's okay," smiled the nun. "My name's Henry and I'm
    going to a Halloween party!"

    Moral of Story: It never pays to lie.

    *Kenya Elephant*
    In 1986, Peter Davies was on holiday in Kenya after
    graduating from Northwestern University.

    On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull
    elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The
    elephant seemed distressed, so Peter approached it very
    carefully.

    He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot
    and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As
    carefully and as gently as he could, Peter worked the wood
    out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant
    gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the
    man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at
    him for several tense moments. Peter stood frozen, thinking
    of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant
    trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away. Peter never
    forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

    Over twenty years later, Peter was walking through the
    Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the
    elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked
    over so it was close to where Peter and his son Cameron were
    standing. The large bull elephant stared at Peter, lifted
    its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The
    elephant did that several times and then trumpeted loudly,
    all the while staring at the man.

    Remembering the encounter in 1986, Peter couldn't help
    wondering if this was the same elephant. Peter summoned up
    his courage, climbed over the railing, and made his way into
    the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared
    back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its
    trunk around one of Peter legs, and slammed him against the
    railing, killing him instantly.

    It probably wasn't the same elephant.

    *Apprehension*
    After booking my 80-year-old grandmother on a flight from
    Florida to Nevada, I called the airline to go over her
    special needs. The representative listened patiently as I
    requested a wheelchair and an attendant for my mother
    because of her arthritis and impaired vision to the point of
    near blindness.

    My apprehension lightened a bit when the woman assured me
    that everything would be taken care of. I thanked her
    profusely.

    "Oh, you're welcome," she replied. I was about to hang up
    when she cheerfully asked, "And will your grandmother need a
    rental car?"

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

  • Life - An allegory of Spiritual Maturity

    This would be the 2009 cars and trucks version of Pilgrim's Progress. Ok.. maybe not.

    Spiritual Maturity is not measured in years of experience, but in miles traveled down the road.

    A lot of non-Christians think all Christians should be traveling the same speed, on the exact same road, at the exact same milemarker, in the exact same type of vehicle.

    If the many types and stages of maturity in Christians could be related to a car....
    I'd have to say I've met some older model vehicles that are in no hurry to travel any further down the road to spiritual maturity. They seem to be in first gear with the parking brake on.  Some are trying to enjoy everything along the side of the road, every detour.  Or maybe they just don't want any luggage to fall off.

    I've seen some newer vehicles flying down the road, as if they have nitrous injected in their engine. I guess some call that running with wreckless abandon.  Some run out of nitrous, some aren't used to the speed and lose control and run off the road. Some crash.  Too often we hear the saying "See, I knew they weren't going to make it."

    Some just seem to keep on keeping on. They have life in cruise control it seems.

    There are many cars out there on life's road that are a hazard. They don't exactly have their eyes focused on the raod ahead. Some are fiddling with the radio way too much, some are constantly looking in the rearview mirror; longing for what they left behind.  Others are trying to do their finesse facial detailing in the sunvisor mirror. Whether it be applying lip goup, face goup, eye goup or hair goup.  Shaving, talking aggressively on cell phone or texting. Some are even giving discipline lessons to children while navigating.  It's called DRIVING WHILE DISTRACTED.  There are many on life's road that are distracted. They want to be traveling on the road, but they don't want to put their total focus on it.

    There are cars that have so much stuff stacked up on the dash, and on the seats. It's amazing they can see out and see where they are going.

    All have a GPS in their spiritual car. It's programmed to go to the same destination.  Some people get their GPS installed when they are way off the path. But all are directed to go to the straight and narrow road.
       Just keep in mind. Not everyone listens to the GPS.  Some people, purposefully set their GPS to take the roads less traveled. (Don't take that wrong.. I'm not saying that 'all religions lead to God') I'm meaning some people just prefer to struggle and go on their own way for a while sometimes.  But all GPS's have that 'take me home' feature that will direct you back no matter how far you've wandered off the road.
       Some start out on an interstate type of road, heading for the destination.They are several miles down the road when the thought dawns on them, "I don't want to go alone. I want to take other people with me.".  They may trade in the smooth tires for an aggressive Baja Super Swamper tire; maybe even a lift kit, they may go all out and get the 20 ton winch and chain.  They head off to the destination taking back roads, searching for those who got stuck or broke down on the road. 
      Some vehicles are built.. I mean.. designed to stay on the smoother roads. but they too are prepared to help those along the side of the road who may have broken down.
      other cars seem to be interstate only vehicles. If they would get off, they may never get back on again.. 
     It seems the kind of vehicle design correlates to the driver and sometimes even to the types of roads the GPS is programmed to take the vehicle on.  It appears that some vehicles have an easy road, some seem to have mountainous roads.  Why?   I don't know.

      Some cars look like good cars, but underneath the smooth paint job..
     - a transmission is about to give out. Or a radiator is about blow up from overheating, the gas gauge may read "E".  Or an engine might be missing or knocking.  Remember things aren't always as they appear.
     
    As an insurance adjuster, I've seen a 2 year old car catch on fire due to the tiniest of problems.  A mouse chewed he insulation off of 2 wires.. they melted together, which made other wires hot, which melted the wiring harness, which caught the insulation on fire.. which melted a fuel line...
      Daily maintenance goes a long way. It's the little things that appear to be no big deal... that can cause big problems.
      Things may look good. Just wait till they hit a tough time, a hill, or a mountain.  Then you'll find out what the car is made of.  What engine is really 'under the hood'.  Those week spots, the transmission, cooling system, etc.. suddenly become evident.
      When bad weather hits, you can see who has faith and confidence in their tires. Rain, snow, ice... it shows who has bald tires as they slip and slide and nearly veer off the road.
       There ar some things that change our course on the road of life.  Bad accidents, road construction, detours, traffic jams, etc.  All kinds of things to try your patience. Why?  Well, maybe we can learn something from them. Maybe it is to get us out of our comfort zone.  Some people get angry, impatient. Others enjoy the scenery on the detour.

    Some cars are so busy looking and staring at other cars on the road, they don't see what is ahead.  Some are so worried how their car looks compared to others.  They may even miss the sign 'bridge out ahead.'  That's never a good thing to miss.

    "I thought you were paying attention, I was just following you." -  2 thoughts. Be careful who you follow.  And beware of those who may follow you.
     
    May the tracks you leave, lead in a way that is worth following.

    ~ * The Countryboy * ~

Monday, 19 October 2009

  • *Dressed Alike*

    I come from a large family, five sisters and three brothers.
    My sisters and I were looking through the family photo album
    one day. Picture after picture, we were all dressed in
    matching clothes. I asked my mother why she dressed us all
    alike, right down to the baby.

    She explained, "When we had just four children, I dressed
    you alike so we wouldn't lose any of you. Then," she added,
    looking at the pictures in the album, "when the other five
    came along, I started dressing you alike so we won't pick up
    any that don't belong to us."

    *College Funds*

    A kid called up his mom from his college and asked her for
    some money.
     Mom said, "Sure, sweetie. I'll send you some money. You also
    left your calculus book here when you visited 2 weeks ago.
    Do you want me to send that up too?"
     "Uh, oh yeah, OK," responded the kid.
     So Mom wrapped the book along with the checks up in a
    package, kissed Dad goodbye, and went to the post office to
    mail the money and the book.
     When she gets back, Dad asked, "Well how much did you give
    the boy this time?
     Mom said, "Oh, I wrote 2 checks, one for $20, and the other
    for $1000"
     "That's $1020!!!" yelled Dad, "Are you crazy???"
     "Don't worry hon," Mom said, as she kissed Dad on the on top
    of his bald head, "I taped the $20 check to the cover of his
    book, but I put the $1000 one somewhere between the pages in
    Chapter 19!"

    ~ * The Countryboy * ~