If you’re headed that way, or haven’t yet found a good family vacation and WILL be heading that way, there’s still time to settle into a nice hotel and take advantage of the “Magic Monday” concerts for the remainder of July, on the 14th and the 21st. Featuring Radio Disney artists, these FREE concerts will take place at the Radio Disney stage next to the Giant Ferris Wheel on Morey’s Mariner’s Landing pier. Show times are scheduled for 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

The Radio Disney Summer Concert Series finale will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 26, 2008, at the Wildwoods Convention Center Oceanfront Arena. That finale will feature Raven-Symone from Disney Channel’s “That’s so Raven” and the currently showing Walt Disney movie, “College Road Trip” starring Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symone. The July 26th concert will also feature Mitchell Musso from the “Hannah Montana Show.”

What’s the catch? Nothing to “catch” here except a great family fun vacation. Plus, July 26th concert ticket holders may enjoy super savings at Morey’s Piers from the time of purchase through July 27, 2008. Simply show your official July 26 Radio Disney Summer Concert Series finale ticket at Guest Services on Mariner’s Landing and receive $10 off an all-day waterpark ticket for either Raging Waters or Ocean Oasis, or $10 off an amusement pier wristband valid for all three of Morey’s Piers, or $15 off a one-day splash and ride combination ticket.

Can’t beat a “catch” like that one at Morey’s Piers, can you??

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

Looking for some family fun? How about Radio Disney artists at Morey’s Piers?

Fast forward to my adult years, and I am beginning to learn a lesson all the world needs to take more to heart: The weather, everything related to Climate Earth, is awesome and cannot be controlled — but it appears that we can do stuff as puny little human beings that isn’t HELPING the climate/weather/global warming crisis we appear to be facing.

One of the things we can do that’s very harmful, and we do it every day, is pump pollutants and so-called “greenhouse gases” (chiefly carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere, hoping somehow it will just go away and all will be well.

All is not well, and with the G8 and G5 nations — arcane labels for the world’s leading and second-leading industrialized nations — addressing such issues, things are not looking much better. You see, there’s a price attached to cleaning up the gases we release into the atmosphere that no one really wants to pay. If you’re an “industrialized” nation, you risk slowing or even shutting down your economy if you restrict greenhouse gas emissions significantly. If you’re an “emerging” industrial power, you’ll likely not get there if you restrict industry enough to make significant cuts in greenhouse emissions.

What’s it gonna be? We have two choices, it seems, in the end: 1) stifle or even cripple the economy, or, 2) boil/roast in our own pollutants and take a good deal of the world down the tubes with us.

Gee, what I wouldn’t give for a quick, easy answer to this one. But, as I often said here in the past, I’m just a guy who reads the papers. So, what are we going to do about this mess? Anyone??

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Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

World’s nations simply won’t get serious about tackling world climate problems

Not many years later, we learned that he had Alzheimer’s disease — a terrible tragedy for him, his family, and the nation no matter what your politics might be. This horrible disease destroys minds, lives, and families with no regard to political affiliation, creed, or character. Science is learning about this scourge and some day may defeat it and even find a way to reverse the process, restoring minds much like you might replace or restore degraded system memory in your computer. We ought all to pray for that day.

Meanwhile, as we consider our elected leadership in this country, we cannot deny there is risk in electing elderly leaders. I’m talking about Sen. John McCain specifically. First, let me say that he seems to be a nice person. Indeed, I applaud the way he and Sen. Barak Obama have — SO FAR! — pretty much avoided “going negative” in their presidential ad spots. What a refreshing difference — SO FAR! — from the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns.

All that aside, I can tell you as someone rapidly turning into an Old Guy myself that McCain’s age really can become a factor in his presidency. I don’t really have time to check the numbers, but I recall hearing that if he is elected he will be the oldest president ever elected in the U.S.

At this point, McCain certainly “passes muster” physically and mentally for quality leadership. The reality is, however, that if he becomes president his presidency will be happening at exactly the time that many brilliant, healthy people start to slowly “slide” physically and mentally, and sometimes even plunge downhill rapidly.

Do you want to take that gamble with the presidency? I can’t tell you how to vote. I really wouldn’t want to tell you NOT to vote for McCain because of his age. But I do want you to think seriously about it if you haven’t yet.

Technorati Tags: presidential campaign, age and leadership, physical and mental aging, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

Speaking from Old Guy experience myself, I don’t think we want an Old Guy for president

I’ve even gone so far as to say I would never vote for a Republican again, given my disgust over the years with Republican presidents and even local-level Republican elected officials.

So now, I must belly up to the table, grab my metaphorical fork, and get ready to gobble down a large helping of metaphorical crow. I actually find myself in a position where I MAY, I want to emphasize that, MAY vote for a Republican gubernatorial candidate here in my proud home state of Missouri.

Yup. I could end up voting for Kenny Hulshoff if he gets the Republican slot instead of Democratic “sure winner” Jay Nixon. That would not be a light or easy decision for me to make.

Simply put, everything I have seen or heard of our current Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon had led me to feel very strongly that the man is pretty openly dedicated to self-serving politics. I may be totally wrong, though I have a lawyer friend who agrees with me on this — and my lawyer friend has repeatedly worked with Nixon and his office. My lawyer friend’s opinion is that Nixon intentionally delayed action or outright ignored Lawyer Friend’s efforts at some important legal stuff.

So, I face a real voting dilemma here. Throughout my pretty long life time, I have found the Democratic Party most representative of the fairness and civility I look for in elected officials. I have consistently found, in my experience and my opinion, that the Republican Party has worked tirelessly to ignore the needy and stroke the rich, and do so in very self-righteous fashion.

Maybe I’ll just stay home from the polls in November and hide my head under a pillow.

Technorati Tags: political decisions, Democratic or Republican candidates, party line voting, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

To vote party lines or not to vote party lines — that is the question

I absolutely do not understand new television technology. What, in terms that really MEAN something to me, is the big difference between a plasma TV and an LCD TV? If I get a plasma TV, and find a plasma TV mount to hang it from the ceiling on along one of my old house’s walls — why is that better or worse than a flatscreen LCD TV? And, is there a difference between flatscreen TVs and LCD TVs??

I’ve watched some news features on various television shows comparing all the TV technology and talking about buy and giving them for gifts. But I really don’t understand any more about it than I did before I watched the so-called “explanations.”

All I can conclude is this: It’ll be a few years in this economy before I can get the money for a new TV anyway.

Technorati Tags: plasma TV, plasma TV mount, LCD TV, flatscreen TV, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

I must be getting old: Television technology has me stumped

Eat less food and be more active.

Yeah, I know, revolutionary, ain’t it??

Fact of the matter is, I am one of the biggest offenders, being considerably overweight and far, FAR less active than I should be.

But the reality is, any diet, dietary supplement, group health plans, etc., only work if you DO them or USE them. So why not just face reality and get on with it? Most of us, the absolutely overwhelming majority of us, have no medical problems, glandular problems, etc., which make us overweight and limit our activities and make us unhealthy. We simply eat too much food and exercise too little.

Here’s an idea: I invite you to join me in a “Half Year’s Resolution” (since there’s still half of this “New Year” left, get it?): I will eat only one moderate sized helping of food at each meal and I will get out of the chair and/or away from my desk and move around — walk, jog, swim, bicycle, whatever — for at least 10 minutes each day.

Good luck to you — and to me.

Technorati Tags: infallible diet, healthy eating, healthy exercise, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

Here’s my best, revolutionary diet ‘plan’ that works for ANYONE

We find ways to fool ourselves into thinking that national security is the major issue. The war on terror, the body counts in Iraq and Afghanistan, spreading democracy throughout the world, and keeping our nation free — sure, sure, right. All that’s important. At least we tell ourselves all that’s important.

But as soon as the average pump price for gasoline topped $4 a gallon nationwide, and with crude oil topping $130 a barrel headed toward $150 (some people say) — what are you and your friends most concerned about, REALLY?

We’re most concerned about 1) getting and keeping a job and the income we need for living, 2) finding ways to afford outrageous gasoline prices and rising food costs, and, 3) very little about the war on terrorism.

As Bill Clinton’s campaign managers said in the now classic phrase from the 1990s — “It’s the economy, Stupid!” The “steering rack” that guides the Engine of State in America has and always will be Americans’ perception of good times and bad times. When jobs are good, prices are down (or at least tolerable), and Americans can continue to live the good life, THEN we take serious looks at terrorism, just and unjust wars, the spread of democracy, saving the environment, etc.

Don’t kid yourself: The new president will be the guy who best convinces voters he can turn the economy around.

Technorati Tags: economic issues, presidential race, national security, rising gas and oil prices, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

Never forget what the election is REALLY about — the economy

Among my earliest memories are swinging in the local park in the small Nebraska town where I grew up. It had an old, dilapidated set of swings consisting of board seats hanging from chains fastened to a metal pole structure which may or may not have been solidly set into concrete anchors. I know there was sand directly below the swings, with lots of grass, trees, and bushes nearby in the town park.

I just saw a story out of Toronto, I believe it was, about some people in a neighborhood halting the construction of a swing set in a “parkette” built in the 1970s on the site of an abandoned warehouse. Seems the swing set would eliminate the last bit of green space in the parkette. (I’d never heard of a “parkette” before reading that story.)

I think, perhaps, we’ve lost some perspective here. Swing sets ought to be fun equipment located with lots of green space around them — not equipment that eliminates the last green space around them.

Seems to me either the city needs to expand the “parkette,” or the swing set needs to be designed with more green space. But, hey, I know little or nothing about city park/parkette/playground equipment requirements these days, and even less I’m sure about zoning and planning in Toronto.

Those were nice days, though, back when kids could play on real grass among real trees in honest to goodness PARKS, weren’t they?

Technorati Tags: swing sets, city parks, city parkettes, green space, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

And here I thought all along that swing sets in parks were a GOOD idea

Yet who would’ve thought the greatest problems roaring up and down Tornado Alley would be almost “tornado-less” torrential rainstorms??

We’ve experienced literally dozens of tornadoes and tornadic storms in my neck of the woods (southwest Missouri) already this year. Many folks in and around our community have lost homes and suffered injuries from tornadoes.

Yesterday we got hit by rains and flooding that were more damaging than any winds, hail, and tornadoes yet this year to our community. We haven’t gone through the terrors of 31-foot flood crests on the rivers like the poor folks in Iowa, but we got a real taste that left our basement flooded, as well as homes flooded and cars stranded all over our city. We had around 4 inches of rain (3.88 measured at the official weather service site) yesterday. I swear most of it came down during the 30 minutes I was trying to get in and out of a bank lobby.

My wife, Shirley, and I truly can be thankful that nothing precious was lost in our brief basement flooding. Our two kids and their homes were spared any trouble. On the whole, the rain and flooding we “suffered” through was just depressing and irritating. But it served to give us a feeling for the misery many, many people are suffering today throughout the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers’ drainage systems across the upper Plains and upper Midwest.

I join the many folks praying for people who have suffered the damages nature’s onslaught has visited upon our country this year.

Technorati Tags: stormy weather, torrential downpours, tornadoes, flooding, just a guy who reads the papers

Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

Storms, flooding hit home in a small way for my wife and me

Uh, excuse me — an unidentified flying object? Isn’t that the actual definition of a UFO??

If it were small and sparkly, you might think it perhaps ice crystals, maybe angel feathers or something. (Kidding.) Or perhaps something sparkly and shiny would be some gold chain from a family member, girlfriend, or celebrity friend of one of those celebrity astronauts. Ah, well, my age is showing now — “celebrity astronaut”? Sure, back in the 1960s astronauts were celebrities, were famous enough that the general public knew their names and some of their history. (Remember the book and movie, “The Right Stuff”?)

Nowadays, most people couldn’t name a single space shuttle astronaut. No John Glenn, no Alan Shepard, nobody, really, that the average American would know.

We’ve long ago lost the glamor that was in the U.S. space program. We don’t think of them as “rocket ships,” with all the mythical aura of ancient sailing ships venturing into the unknown. They are “shuttles,” like something we’d take every day back and forth to work.

Maybe angel feathers and celebrity gold chains belong in that mythological past we set aside when the Apollo program ended. Maybe unidentified object, sort of a ho-hum generic nothing, really is fitting for the space program we have today.

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Post from: Just a Guy Who Reads the Papers

What was the object the astronauts saw? Do they still take souvenir stuff into space?