Turkeys in Da' Hood
Surprised to see wild turkeys standing by the side of the road about 100 yards from the house today.
Picture quality not worth a damn though.
Thinking of getting a new camera. Any suggestions on a good inexpensive one??
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Turkeys
Turkeys in Da' Hood
Surprised to see wild turkeys standing by the side of the road about 100 yards from the house today.
Picture quality not worth a damn though.
Thinking of getting a new camera. Any suggestions on a good inexpensive one??
Monday, April 11, 2005
Black Thursday - Corporate Destruction
It's Monday and I should be at work.
I should be but I'm not because I got laid off on Thursday. Laid off with about 30 to 35% of the other employees I worked with. After 24 years with the same company, I am now going to be forced to "sign up" for un-employment for the first time in my 37 year's of working.
WHY??
"We're not making any money" they said.
I find that hard to believe considering that we worked 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, from October of 2003 through 2004. That's the most I have worked since I have been employed there. Almost 200 hours of overtime. (Just so you know, I didn't work straight through. We had 4 rotating shifts. We would work 7 days, then off 7 days.) 12 hour shifts.
The "family owned" business I worked for was bought out two years ago, by a $5 billion a year "corporation", which was our competitor.
That's when the trouble started.
They started making changes. They started having lay-offs every 6 months, and our 250 plus employees started dwindling fast. They kept telling me that my job was secure. We ARE going to sell your machine later but it WILL be replaced with a newer and more modern one, knowing they couldn't tell me the real truth because we were working 7 days a week and they needed me. Well, my machine, along with 3 others have been sold, and WILL be re-placed. In Hong Kong, El Salvador, or Mexico.
When we were bought out, the ONLY thing that changed was the MANAGEMENT. We still had the same people, the same accounts, and were working more than we ever have. How were we losing money? How did they run an $85 million company into the ground so fast? To me it's totally the managements fault. Bad news is, I'm the one in the un-employment line.
I guess the Six Sigma bullshit and the bulletin board about how much money we were saving was a "crock". It said we saved $3 million last year, you said we lost money. I guess the big "corporations" can make it say what they want to on paper to justify their means. Say they "project" to make $25 million and only make $22 million, that is a $3 million "loss" to them, even though the $22 million was more than they made last year.
Justify their means.
It cost me my job.
I believe it was the plan from the beginning so I probably should have expected it.
What better way to get rid of a competitor than to buy 'em up and shut 'em down.
Thanks ASSHOLES!
I should be but I'm not because I got laid off on Thursday. Laid off with about 30 to 35% of the other employees I worked with. After 24 years with the same company, I am now going to be forced to "sign up" for un-employment for the first time in my 37 year's of working.
WHY??
"We're not making any money" they said.
I find that hard to believe considering that we worked 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, from October of 2003 through 2004. That's the most I have worked since I have been employed there. Almost 200 hours of overtime. (Just so you know, I didn't work straight through. We had 4 rotating shifts. We would work 7 days, then off 7 days.) 12 hour shifts.
The "family owned" business I worked for was bought out two years ago, by a $5 billion a year "corporation", which was our competitor.
That's when the trouble started.
They started making changes. They started having lay-offs every 6 months, and our 250 plus employees started dwindling fast. They kept telling me that my job was secure. We ARE going to sell your machine later but it WILL be replaced with a newer and more modern one, knowing they couldn't tell me the real truth because we were working 7 days a week and they needed me. Well, my machine, along with 3 others have been sold, and WILL be re-placed. In Hong Kong, El Salvador, or Mexico.
When we were bought out, the ONLY thing that changed was the MANAGEMENT. We still had the same people, the same accounts, and were working more than we ever have. How were we losing money? How did they run an $85 million company into the ground so fast? To me it's totally the managements fault. Bad news is, I'm the one in the un-employment line.
I guess the Six Sigma bullshit and the bulletin board about how much money we were saving was a "crock". It said we saved $3 million last year, you said we lost money. I guess the big "corporations" can make it say what they want to on paper to justify their means. Say they "project" to make $25 million and only make $22 million, that is a $3 million "loss" to them, even though the $22 million was more than they made last year.
Justify their means.
It cost me my job.
I believe it was the plan from the beginning so I probably should have expected it.
What better way to get rid of a competitor than to buy 'em up and shut 'em down.
Thanks ASSHOLES!
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Friday, April 08, 2005
Jenks Crayton Suspended
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Last night the Cuilford County Board of Commissioners voted, along party lines, to suspend Tax Director Jenks Crayton pending the outcome of a second state investigation.
The State Bureau of Investigation already cleared Crayton of any wrongdoing in the reappraisal of Republican Commissioner Steve Arnold's property. Arnold even said that the Board of Equalization and Review made the appraisal changes against the recommendation of Crayton's staff.
Commissioner Paul Gibson said "If he did nothing wrong, we should clear his name."
I agree, and in the "true spirit" of that statement, I vote that while the N. C. Department of Revenue is conducting their audit of Crayton, that they audit every single Commissioner on the board. Pull out all the stops and see what little tid-bits of sordid info we can come up with.
Maybe we can find out why Bruce Davis, while being a member of the board that sets property tax rates for the county, can't pay his on time like the majority of taxpayers in the county.
Maybe we can find out, once and for all, where the $1 million loan to the St. James apartments and managed by Skip Alston, went.
I wonder if the majority on the board would go for this?
Yes, this is Guilford County partisan politics at it's best. The Board members who called for the audit have the majority. Crayton works for the county at the will of the Commissioners. If YOU don't like what he is doing, FIRE him. Or can't the man who is pulling the strings get enough votes to do that?
The SBI's time has already been wasted and now you want to waste the time of the Dept. of Revenue.
Ouit your penny-anny crap and get on with the business of running this county and TRY to do some good.
UPDATE: This just posted. Seems Bruce Davis might have some tax and revaluation issues himself. Like I said, if the Dept. of Revenue is here doing an audit, why not audit every single commissioner on the board. Let's really see who has something to hide.
Last night the Cuilford County Board of Commissioners voted, along party lines, to suspend Tax Director Jenks Crayton pending the outcome of a second state investigation.
The State Bureau of Investigation already cleared Crayton of any wrongdoing in the reappraisal of Republican Commissioner Steve Arnold's property. Arnold even said that the Board of Equalization and Review made the appraisal changes against the recommendation of Crayton's staff.
Commissioner Paul Gibson said "If he did nothing wrong, we should clear his name."
I agree, and in the "true spirit" of that statement, I vote that while the N. C. Department of Revenue is conducting their audit of Crayton, that they audit every single Commissioner on the board. Pull out all the stops and see what little tid-bits of sordid info we can come up with.
Maybe we can find out why Bruce Davis, while being a member of the board that sets property tax rates for the county, can't pay his on time like the majority of taxpayers in the county.
Maybe we can find out, once and for all, where the $1 million loan to the St. James apartments and managed by Skip Alston, went.
I wonder if the majority on the board would go for this?
Yes, this is Guilford County partisan politics at it's best. The Board members who called for the audit have the majority. Crayton works for the county at the will of the Commissioners. If YOU don't like what he is doing, FIRE him. Or can't the man who is pulling the strings get enough votes to do that?
The SBI's time has already been wasted and now you want to waste the time of the Dept. of Revenue.
Ouit your penny-anny crap and get on with the business of running this county and TRY to do some good.
UPDATE: This just posted. Seems Bruce Davis might have some tax and revaluation issues himself. Like I said, if the Dept. of Revenue is here doing an audit, why not audit every single commissioner on the board. Let's really see who has something to hide.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Our Governor Is GAMBLING???
Our Governor is gambling.
Looks like he made a little wager on the game tonight. Problem is, I thought gambling was "illegal" in North Carolina sans the big Texas Hold'em poker bust at Ham's, and the canceling of the Bassett Texas Hold'em game with John Elway promoting their new gaming table for the furniture market. Although all the money was going to be donated to the American Cancer Society, a charity.
Bassett officials said "The law was the law."
Alan Fields, an ALE district assistant supervisor, said three conditions must be met for an activity to be classified as gambling: It must be a game of chance, involve something of value and include a prize.
So Governor, is pizza and barbecue not a prize or something of value?
I know the argument coming. It's not a game of chance.
A game of chance is a game whose outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device, and upon which contestants frequently wager money. (Our laws state something of value and a prize hence shutting down the Ham's game for a chance to win a trip.)
In ordinary language, the word random is used to express apparent lack of purpose or cause. This suggests that no matter what the cause of something, its nature is not only unknown but the consequences of its operation are also unknown.
What could be more "randomizing" than a basketball player? You never know who is going to show up. Jawad Williams, on Saturday night, played his best game since February. Sean May has been playing good lately, but who knows which Sean May will show up tonight? Same can be said for Deron Williams, Rashad McCants , Luther Head, and all the other players on the court.
Basketball not a game of chance and not gambling? If not, why do all the "bookies" get arrested for taking bets on basketball, football, baseball, etc. when our own Governor is making bets? Shouldn't the law be enforced equally, no matter who you are and what position you hold?
I know it should be and I also know it never will be.
Leave the little fish alone if you're not going to take the big ones.
IMHO, "what's good for the goose, is good for the gander."
Even if it's only a little "friendly" wager.
GO HEELS!!!
Looks like he made a little wager on the game tonight. Problem is, I thought gambling was "illegal" in North Carolina sans the big Texas Hold'em poker bust at Ham's, and the canceling of the Bassett Texas Hold'em game with John Elway promoting their new gaming table for the furniture market. Although all the money was going to be donated to the American Cancer Society, a charity.
Bassett officials said "The law was the law."
Alan Fields, an ALE district assistant supervisor, said three conditions must be met for an activity to be classified as gambling: It must be a game of chance, involve something of value and include a prize.
So Governor, is pizza and barbecue not a prize or something of value?
I know the argument coming. It's not a game of chance.
A game of chance is a game whose outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device, and upon which contestants frequently wager money. (Our laws state something of value and a prize hence shutting down the Ham's game for a chance to win a trip.)
In ordinary language, the word random is used to express apparent lack of purpose or cause. This suggests that no matter what the cause of something, its nature is not only unknown but the consequences of its operation are also unknown.
What could be more "randomizing" than a basketball player? You never know who is going to show up. Jawad Williams, on Saturday night, played his best game since February. Sean May has been playing good lately, but who knows which Sean May will show up tonight? Same can be said for Deron Williams, Rashad McCants , Luther Head, and all the other players on the court.
Basketball not a game of chance and not gambling? If not, why do all the "bookies" get arrested for taking bets on basketball, football, baseball, etc. when our own Governor is making bets? Shouldn't the law be enforced equally, no matter who you are and what position you hold?
I know it should be and I also know it never will be.
Leave the little fish alone if you're not going to take the big ones.
IMHO, "what's good for the goose, is good for the gander."
Even if it's only a little "friendly" wager.
GO HEELS!!!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
TESTING
Thunderstorm, Surfside Beach, July 2004
Just seeing if I can get this picture thing to work. LOL May take me a while too.
Friday, April 01, 2005
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Terri Schiavo
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Monday, March 28, 2005
Friday, March 25, 2005
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Terri Schiavo
The Supreme Court turned down Terri's parents today, refusing to intervene to keep her alive.
I have no problem with Terri dying to end her suffering, I do have a problem with the manner in which they intend to end her suffering.
Starvation.
"The basic metabolic response to starvation is conservation of energy and body tissues. However, the body will mobilize its own tissues as a source of energy, which results in the destruction of visceral organs and muscle and in extreme shrinkage of adipose tissue. Total starvation is fatal in 8 to 12 wk."
Eight to twelve weeks? I thought the doctors said a week or two. Do you starve quicker when you are brain-damaged??
"In more prolonged starvation, weight loss may reach 50% in adults and possibly more in children. Loss of organ weight is greatest in the liver and intestine, moderate in the heart and kidneys, and least in the nervous system. Emaciation is most obvious in areas where prominent fat depots normally exist. Muscle mass shrinks and bones protrude. The skin becomes thin, dry, inelastic, pale, and cold. The hair is dry and sparse and falls out easily."
Is it acceptable to starve her to death simply because she is brain-damaged and probably can't comprehend what is happening to her? What happened to "cruel and unusual punishment" or is that only reserved for criminals and prisoners of war??
You can go to jail in this country for starving animals yet we are going to starve her to death. Just doesn't make sense to me when we have people hollering about people starving in Ethiopia, Darfur, and Sudan. Starving is starving no matter where you do it, or is there a different set of rules for her because she is incapacitated?
Maybe it's time we let Dr. Jack Kevorkian out of prison. At least he could be a little more humane and end her life quicker without all the extra, unnecessary suffering she is going to go through.
If she really, really did NOT want to be kept alive by artificial means, as her husband Michael contends, then WHY wasn't she allowed to die back in 1990, when her heart stopped and brought on the brain-damage?????
I'm glad I have a living will with all my desires spelled out. That way there is going to be no he said/she said bullshit for anybody to fight over.
PULL THE PLUG.
SEE YA!!!!
I have no problem with Terri dying to end her suffering, I do have a problem with the manner in which they intend to end her suffering.
Starvation.
"The basic metabolic response to starvation is conservation of energy and body tissues. However, the body will mobilize its own tissues as a source of energy, which results in the destruction of visceral organs and muscle and in extreme shrinkage of adipose tissue. Total starvation is fatal in 8 to 12 wk."
Eight to twelve weeks? I thought the doctors said a week or two. Do you starve quicker when you are brain-damaged??
"In more prolonged starvation, weight loss may reach 50% in adults and possibly more in children. Loss of organ weight is greatest in the liver and intestine, moderate in the heart and kidneys, and least in the nervous system. Emaciation is most obvious in areas where prominent fat depots normally exist. Muscle mass shrinks and bones protrude. The skin becomes thin, dry, inelastic, pale, and cold. The hair is dry and sparse and falls out easily."
Is it acceptable to starve her to death simply because she is brain-damaged and probably can't comprehend what is happening to her? What happened to "cruel and unusual punishment" or is that only reserved for criminals and prisoners of war??
You can go to jail in this country for starving animals yet we are going to starve her to death. Just doesn't make sense to me when we have people hollering about people starving in Ethiopia, Darfur, and Sudan. Starving is starving no matter where you do it, or is there a different set of rules for her because she is incapacitated?
Maybe it's time we let Dr. Jack Kevorkian out of prison. At least he could be a little more humane and end her life quicker without all the extra, unnecessary suffering she is going to go through.
If she really, really did NOT want to be kept alive by artificial means, as her husband Michael contends, then WHY wasn't she allowed to die back in 1990, when her heart stopped and brought on the brain-damage?????
I'm glad I have a living will with all my desires spelled out. That way there is going to be no he said/she said bullshit for anybody to fight over.
PULL THE PLUG.
SEE YA!!!!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Uncomfortable
Maybe the fur-lined model with velcro strips to facilitate easy removal would better suit your taste.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Engineering 101
What parent's want their kid's to learn in college.
The fine art of construction.
(Link sent by a friend.)
The fine art of construction.
(Link sent by a friend.)
Monday, March 07, 2005
Last Word on Skip..............I Hope
March 1, 2005 City Council meeting.
In response to Skip Alston charges of racism in the Housing & Community Development Department in Greensboro, Councilmember Florence Gatten outlined the effort that department has put forth to help such affordable housing projects succeed.
Councilmember Claudette Bouuoughs-White defended Alston. "Racism is a problem in Greensboro. Distrust is a problem in Greensboro" she said.
Councilmember Tom Phillips asked her for an example. He said, "Weve been asking for specifics. If you feel there's been racism, tell us about it".
Burroughs-White responded by saying, "It is alive and very well".
Specifics. Specifics. Specifics.
Skip, Claudette, it's time to PUT up or Shut up!
In response to Skip Alston charges of racism in the Housing & Community Development Department in Greensboro, Councilmember Florence Gatten outlined the effort that department has put forth to help such affordable housing projects succeed.
Councilmember Claudette Bouuoughs-White defended Alston. "Racism is a problem in Greensboro. Distrust is a problem in Greensboro" she said.
Councilmember Tom Phillips asked her for an example. He said, "Weve been asking for specifics. If you feel there's been racism, tell us about it".
Burroughs-White responded by saying, "It is alive and very well".
Specifics. Specifics. Specifics.
Skip, Claudette, it's time to PUT up or Shut up!
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Loans vs Grants
Why not call them grants if you never expect to be re-paid?
City leaders say that providing affordable housing to poor people outweighs the financial risk.
Managers at these 24 complexes have re-paid a total of $881,000. of a total of $12.5 million. That leaves a total of $11,619,000.00 owed to the TAXPAYERS with the promise of collecting ....Nil.
Councilwoman Claudette Burroughs-White says "The issue for me is that people have a place to live".
I agree with that but if the need for affordable housing in Greensboro is so great, why are the vacancy rates at these complexes so high?
Florence Gatten said "A decade ago the citizens made a commitment to spend money on low-income housing. Maybe it's time to revisit that choice with Taxpayers".
I second that.
Better yet, since the taxpayers are paying for those apartments to sit empty, why don't we use them to REALLY help someone. Why don't we get some homeless people off the street and out from under the bridges and abandoned loading docks. Really try to help someone. Give them a place to live and a fresh start.
After all the apartments are sitting there empty and the taxpayers have already paid the rent.
City leaders say that providing affordable housing to poor people outweighs the financial risk.
Managers at these 24 complexes have re-paid a total of $881,000. of a total of $12.5 million. That leaves a total of $11,619,000.00 owed to the TAXPAYERS with the promise of collecting ....Nil.
Councilwoman Claudette Burroughs-White says "The issue for me is that people have a place to live".
I agree with that but if the need for affordable housing in Greensboro is so great, why are the vacancy rates at these complexes so high?
Florence Gatten said "A decade ago the citizens made a commitment to spend money on low-income housing. Maybe it's time to revisit that choice with Taxpayers".
I second that.
Better yet, since the taxpayers are paying for those apartments to sit empty, why don't we use them to REALLY help someone. Why don't we get some homeless people off the street and out from under the bridges and abandoned loading docks. Really try to help someone. Give them a place to live and a fresh start.
After all the apartments are sitting there empty and the taxpayers have already paid the rent.
Damn Headlines
After my last post chiding the N&R for not giving a correction story headline as much weight as the original story headline, they come out with a whopper today.
John Robinson responded to my last post with something about an ideal world, the real world, placement and weight of the daily stories, and never really answered my question.
Where in the hell did this headline come from?? I don't remember reading anything that ever said he was drunk. This is WAY over the line.
All this to capture readers attention?
Or to add to the suffering these families are already going through?
John Robinson responded to my last post with something about an ideal world, the real world, placement and weight of the daily stories, and never really answered my question.
Where in the hell did this headline come from?? I don't remember reading anything that ever said he was drunk. This is WAY over the line.
All this to capture readers attention?
Or to add to the suffering these families are already going through?
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Correction??
The headline in the News & Record on Wednesday morning said "Alcohol found in SUV after deadly wreck" (can't find a link), in updating the readers on the tragic accident that took two teenagers lives early Sunday morning.
On Thursday we get a headline "Highway Patrol revises report in fatal wreck".
Why not an equally bold headline with the "correction" article?
Something like "Highway Patrol says no alcohol found in SUV". This "revises report in fatal wreck" seems a little slack to me, as some people just scan the headlines in the newspaper, never reading the article.
The Wednesday headline confirmed (falsely) , most peoples pre-conceived notions that this was a bunch of teenagers out drinking, driving, and acting foolish.
It just seems to me that the Thursday article could have carried a headline with equal weight disputing the Wednesday article.
Why didn't it?
In the Thursday text you did say that no alcohol was found in the SUV and that the father of the driver said that tests at the hospital showed no signs of alcohol, but what if no one read the article?
Of course, if the Highway Patrol had not given out incorrect information, these articles would have never been in the paper.
I just feel like you ought to correct with as much veracity as you condemn.
On Thursday we get a headline "Highway Patrol revises report in fatal wreck".
Why not an equally bold headline with the "correction" article?
Something like "Highway Patrol says no alcohol found in SUV". This "revises report in fatal wreck" seems a little slack to me, as some people just scan the headlines in the newspaper, never reading the article.
The Wednesday headline confirmed (falsely) , most peoples pre-conceived notions that this was a bunch of teenagers out drinking, driving, and acting foolish.
It just seems to me that the Thursday article could have carried a headline with equal weight disputing the Wednesday article.
Why didn't it?
In the Thursday text you did say that no alcohol was found in the SUV and that the father of the driver said that tests at the hospital showed no signs of alcohol, but what if no one read the article?
Of course, if the Highway Patrol had not given out incorrect information, these articles would have never been in the paper.
I just feel like you ought to correct with as much veracity as you condemn.
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