Riley Rants - Licking Calcutta

How to write a travel review

2013-05-16T05:13:00.000-05:00

Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airports, attractions and even products can be helpful to other people. Hopefully these tips will help you share your experiences and make it easier for you to write something up.

Where to post your opinions. The first thing you'll want to do is select a site to share your wisdom. I've been using TripAdvisor and you can see my profile there. It is an easy site to use too.
Allow me to introduce myself. People want to know about you, why you took a trip, how often you travel, and whom you were traveling with. I travel a lot with dogs, so many of my reviews address the pet-friendly parts.
What type of rooms / restaurants / meals. This helps the readers determine if your review fits their travel and lifestyle choices. If you are only reviewing ultra-posh not-pet-friendly places, I won't be apt to read your posts.
Briefly describe your experience. This is the place to share things that fellow travelers may not find on the various business web sites. In my reviews, there is often a piece about how much grassy space was available for the dogs. I've also made note of places that claim to be accessible and aren't -- my sister is a social worker and we also traveled with parents that needed accessibility so those often grace the reviews too.
Be specific. "It was great." isn't really that great... Tell people why you found it great. Was the front desk really helpful? Were there amazing shower heads that rejuvenated your skin? Mints left on your pillows? Dog bathing and spa area?
Photos. Now that most phones have cameras and video, this is your chance to skip the 1,000 words and give highlights with photos and then brief written descriptions.
Additional information about the area. Was the Internet $20 per night? Was the beach view only on the rooftop while standing on your friend's shoulders? Are people cooking meth in the rooms? In Orlando, one cab service required that we be at the airport 3 hours before the flight was scheduled -- not helpful with dogs and it would require a pickup at 3:15 AM... ugh. This is the chance to let folks know what you liked and didn't like and why.
Amenities. How was the pool, the workout area, the business area? Were the beds comfortable, lumpy, old, smelly? How about television, good channels, not enough, poor selection? Was breakfast offered and how were the selections? We stayed in a very nice hotel that only had sugary-carb-loaded options which was challenging.
Services. Did the staff treat you nicely? Were they accommodating and hospitable? Were the rooms clean? (If not, share what was wrong with them.) How were the common areas?
Overall. Remember to share your overall impressions and I like to share if I would go back again.

Hope that helps and looking forward to seeing your reviews!

Happy Birthday to me

2013-05-13T05:13:00.001-05:00

Dream tonight of peacock tails,
Diamond fields and spouter whales.
Ills are many, blessings few,
But dreams tonight will shelter you.

Let the vampire's creaking wing
Hide the stars while banshees sing;
Let the ghouls gorge all night long;
Dreams will keep you safe and strong.

Skeletons with poison teeth,
Risen from the world beneath,
Ogre, troll, and loup-garou,
Bloody wraith who looks like you,

Shadow on the window shade,
Harpies in a midnight raid,
Goblins seeking tender prey,
Dreams will chase them all away.

Dreams are like a magic cloak
Woven by the fairy folk,
Covering from top to toe,
Keeping you from winds and woe.

And should the Angel come this night
To fetch your soul away from light,
Cross yourself, and face the wall:
Dreams will help you not at all.

~Thomas Pynchon

Banskters screwing over mortgage holders

2013-05-08T05:13:00.000-05:00

How's the Great American ~~Dream~~ Deception working for you?

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Book Review: How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish without a Trace by Frank Ahearn and Eileen C. Horan

2013-04-16T05:13:00.000-05:00

Intriguing is an apt descriptor of How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish without a Trace by Frank Ahearn and Eileen C. Horan. The book does leave the reader with a feeling that there should be a disclaimer like “Don’t try this at home” or “The people writing this book are professionals,” but much of the information could be used to keep people more protected in the both the digital and real worlds.

The authors are skip tracers and if you are unfamiliar with that term, they provide a definition. Skip tracer: a person who tracks people down and uncovers private information for a living. Targets include jailbirds, deadbeats, subpoenaed witnesses, and just about anyone else who’s trying to hide.

With the briefest of Internet searches, the authors do appear to be some of the top skip tracers in the field.

The book is pushed as an "authoritative and comprehensive guide for people who seek to protect their privacy, as well as for anyone who's ever entertained the fantasy of disappearing - whether actually dropping out of sight or by eliminating the traceable evidence of their existence." It seems like a good starting point for people looking to become more private in their day-to-day lives.

The book concentrates on these three areas: misinformation by destroying all the data known about you; disinformation by creating fake trails; and reformation the act of getting you from origination to destination without leaving any clues.

The book provides numerous tips and tales of the author’s experiences, but doesn't detail how to create a completely new identity in a new location, which seems like a critical piece to disappearing; it mostly shares how to leave false trails with dead ends so that those looking for you are less likely to find you.

The book does offer good advice in the chapter called “Disappear from a Stalker,” with beneficial information and tools for those needing to safely get on with their lives, and the authors seem genuinely interested in helping those being pursued.

How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish without a Trace is an easy and entertaining read that does offer valuable information about protecting your privacy. If you are considering purchasing the book, heed the author’s advice and buy it with cash.

Article first published as Book Review: How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish without a Trace by Frank Ahearn and Eileen C. Horan on Blogcritics.

Thanks for stopping past -- Today we have Mountain singing Mississippi Queen.

Serial economic bubbles are destroying America

2013-04-09T05:13:00.000-05:00

The Daily Show offers this exclusive, unedited interview, former Reagan administration budget director David Stockman where he warns against serial economic bubbles.

I want some FREE money like Wall Street gets.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

3 tips to having a happier horse

2013-04-03T05:13:00.000-05:00

Art by Riley

Let your horse be a horse. Horses are made to be grazing all day on open ranges full of tasty grasses and ideally, your horse is able to enjoy that in your pasture. If not, put a hay rack in the stall to help slow down consumption and more closely resemble the natural grazing patterns. Depending where you live and the quality of your hay, you may need to supplement the hay with vitamins and other nutrients to provide your horse with a balanced diet.
Control parasites. Flies, ticks and the ever-present varieties of worms can wreak havoc on your horse's immune system and overall health. Regularly de-worm your horses and work hard to keep flies and ticks at bay. You may find a spray is a decent solution to reduce barn pests, or start using natural predators to control the pesky bug population.
No foot, no horse. Hoof care and knowledge has improved dramatically over the years. There are now nutritional supplements, topical products, modernized shoes, and nail-less shoes all aimed at keeping your horse up -- and even -- on his feet.

Thanks for stopping past. Today we are listening to Rex Allen sing I Ride An Old Paint.

Cherry picking the bible

2013-04-02T05:13:00.000-05:00

Two things I have been thinking about based on commentary I've read recently on Facebook -- Cherry picking and God's Law. Let's start with the definitions.

Cherry picking, suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position, while ignoring a significant portion of related cases or data that may contradict that position. It is a kind of fallacy of selective attention.

God's Law sometimes called Divine law is any law (or) that in the opinion of believers, comes directly from the will of God (or a god). As a "Cradle Catholic" I will include information from Thomas Aquinas and the Treatise on Law, divine law, as opposed to natural law, comes only from revelation or scripture, hence biblical law, and is necessary for human salvation. According to Aquinas, divine law must not be confused with natural law. Divine law is mainly and mostly natural law, but it can also be positive law.

I saw this image on Facebook and thought it could really be helpful for those that like to cherry pick -- including the Catholic Church in San Francisco that encouraged division via their page and the partial passage they posted.

I'm unclear how the any version of the Bible is actually considered to be literally God's Law since God did not write it. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the authors were a variety of human men writing over at least 1,000 years. Of course just like most writing, their writing reflects their own views, values and experiences so it is no shock that there are inconsistencies in the Bible.

Where it gets dicey for me is people selecting certain passages to support their own views and then completely ignoring other pieces that are applicable to living a "Golden Rule" type of lifestyle. Some divinely sanctioned aspects have become outdated -- or at least I hope most people see them that way. Here are a few examples:

Slavery in general
Fathers selling his daughters as slaves
Polygamy
Coveting your neighbor's wife (10 Commandments) majority of modern Jewish and Christian folks no longer accept the biblical view of women as men's property

Today, it seems like we are hearing a lot about sex-related topics.

Abortion - which isn't addressed in the Bible.
Same sex marriage - there are select passages about relationships between men. Like slavery and the status of women, it's time to acknowledge that the values of biblical writers are not necessarily our own. Please mention Leviticus... okay, I will.
Opponents of same-sex marriage cite Leviticus, which basically says that when a man sleeps with a man as with a woman it is an abomination. Yes, it does say that, of course if you want to follow that one, you'll also need to have the death penalty for these other abominations: eating pork and a woman wearing a man's clothes. Oh yes, don't get tattooed either...

While you are cherry-picking the Bible, remember that you should think in the context of when it was written -- a long time ago, well actually, a really long time ago. What did the word's mean and what was the context?

Now get ready for the profundity!

The underlying premise of the Bible is LOVE. So simple really, and yet so difficult to attain.

"What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor: That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary." ~Rabbi Hillel

"Whatever you wish people to do to you, so you should do to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets." ~Jesus of Nazareth (Also could be considered a Rabbi.)

"Love is the fulfilling of the law." ~Paul (Also Rabbinically trained)

If you are quoting the Bible as your authority, are you doing it in a way that shares the ultimate message of equality and loving each other, and remember this means everyone regardless of age, gender, socio-economic status, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

Death and taxes, well really only taxes

2013-04-01T05:13:00.000-05:00

I've been working on our taxes and one thing I have noticed is now that I make less money than I have in my entire adult life, I owe more in taxes than I ever have before. That is messed up. (yes, I cleaned that up a bit to protect your delicate senses.)

Did you know that about 75% of federal filers will get a refund in 2013? I am part of the other 25%. That refund is about $2800, which may be about what we end up owing. All part of living the dream.

As someone that writes about money and finances a fair amount, I would love to find the proverbial sweet spot where I don't owe and I don't get a refund. So much for that plan, I owe, I owe, it's off to work I go...

Yes, we all love getting refunds, and I loved it too when I got them, but it isn't very practical. If you are lucky enough to be getting $2800 in refund monies, you are actually loaning the government about $54 per week interest free. For me, I'm using and hanging on to the money throughout the year and if we cut back any more on the amount coming through the door we would need to live in a tent and become hunter-gatherers.

Interest rates are really low now so you aren't watching tons of interest income flying out the window as you loan the government your extra cash... yes, there is a BIG but, just like in Pee Wee Herman. Interest rates are really low, but we still have inflation. That means your money is worth less (not worthless) when you get it back than it was when you loaned it to the government.

This is even more important to consider if you owe money on credit cards and are carrying balances that you are paying interest on. There are some zero percent introductory rates out there, but once that is gone, you are paying more than your bank account is earning and perhaps you should consider using your own money throughout the year to pay down debt. (Picture yourself paying it off with money your are overpaying the government.)

Now that you've read all that, enjoy your refund. Yes, I know you'll be doing it the same way because it's like getting a big old prize! I think it is a psychological thing, but what do I know!

Thanks for stopping -- Today we have Tax Man Shoes by the Zac Brown Band

Review: Joby Ultrafit Camera Slingstrap for Women

2013-03-29T05:13:00.000-05:00

Look at your camera; are you able to fit in in your pocket? If not, you are probably using a neck strap that as the day wears on, eventually makes your neck and head feel really heavy. To make your photography experience more enjoyable, you may want to try the JOBY UltraFit Sling Strap for Women. (Yes, there is a men’s version too.)

This thin-profile, surprisingly soft camera strap is easily adjustable, the ergonomic design offers a nice fit, and if you carry any of the larger cameras DSLRs with longer lenses, it will be an excellent addition to your gear.

When I got the strap, the folks at JOBY suggested watching their video so I could quickly learn how to use the strap; of course most people won’t do that, so I opted out too so I could see if it was easy to figure out. It was pretty easy for me to figure out how to work the strap. Watching the video would have decreased the time to get comfortable using it, so invest the 92-seconds and watch the video.

Using the strap is pretty simple. Start by screwing it into the tripod mount on the bottom of your camera and sling it over your shoulder. (Yes, this is less convenient if you shoot on a mono- or tripod on a regular basis.) Once it is on, all it takes is a tug on a ring and it will cinch up to your body making it easy to move around. To shoot, lift the camera up and away from your body and you are ready to shoot. The camera moves smoothly on the strap and allows enough slack to easily shoot. The strap is also able to be locked in position, but it does seem to stay in place pretty well with just the weight of the equipment too. The camera will be hanging upside-down when the strap is not in shooting position, and it was easy enough to grab and shoot.

You’ll like the SpeedCinch system which provides hands-free stability by securing your camera close to the body for extra mobility and camera protection when shooting on-the-go. The JOBY UltraFit Sling Strap for Women is worth buying.

Educational video: http://vimeo.com/48486689

UltraFit Sling Strap for Women by JOBY from JOBY Inc on Vimeo.

Article first published as Review: Joby Ultrafit Camera Slingstrap for Women on Blogcritics.

Is it true? kind? necessary? is now the time?

2013-03-28T05:13:00.000-05:00

Is telling the truth always the right thing to do? Well, that is a yes-and-no answer. Yes, being truthful is a good plan, plus who has the recall to remember a pack of lies! That being said, my father used to say, "The truth always hurts." and there are certainly times where that is true. Think about what you are sharing and whether it is worthwhile spewing forth. Often when we share something that is hurtful, we are doing it because of an issue -- apparent or not -- that prompts us to make that comment.

Have you ever said something in anger and then wished it had never escaped your mouth? Or how about commenting on someone's vulnerabilities or making horrific revelations? What price do those activities cost us, and the people around us? We hear the word "transparency" a lot, but if I were only basing the world on the transparency of Facebook, I think I have certainly seen enough of that! Facebook is somewhat like wishing for the super-power of mind-reading and then getting it... sometimes I feel like my eyes need to be in traction!

Anywhoo, I digress. How do we determine what to say and when? I like this guide.

Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
Is now the time to say it?

Are these the be-all-end-all to day-to-day living? Probably not, but they may help you decide what to do next. I have found that truth and kindness often mirror back at me, and likely you will discover this too. What are your motives -- be honest -- about sharing the information.

There are folks out there that we may recognize by the term "honest to a fault" and I think those could be recognized by their ability to spew forth truth with no regard for how it impacts those around them. Fairly indiscriminate, but that is my own opinion. If nothing else, this often keeps people at arm's length because most of us don't want to have those interactions every time we see someone.

Sometimes the truth does hurt, and it does need to be shared. At those moments, be gentle, but pay attention to be sure you are not avoiding saying something because of fear or being uncomfortable. This truth telling requires emotional intelligence, being attentive and having a fair amount of comfort in your own skin.

Have you used the true, kind, necessary, now method? How did it work for you?

Psycho Killer - The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Thanks for stopping past!

Bankster love...

2013-03-27T05:13:00.000-05:00

I feel so much better now knowing that Jamie Dimon is loved by his fellow banksters, no wait let's make those minions, no that's not quite it either... Do you smell the brimstone wafting through the room? Wonder if that has anything to do with this?

In case you weren't aware, Jamie Dimon is a Chief Executive at JPMorgan CHASE and most people that care about anything other than themselves despise this man, or at least his ~~illegal~~ allegedly illegal business doings.

Apparently Glassdoor just released their survey results -- yes, I now am leary of their accuracy on all businesses -- of the 50 most popular chief execs. Dimon got an 87% favorable rating from his underlings. Was there a memo that suggested the 2,200 employees would be retaining their jobs if they shared some love? Or perhaps this is a case of venomous pit vipers voting on each other, and yes, I picture them slithering around with the heads of the folks from JPMorgan CHASE on snake bodies.

Yes, perhaps I am being too harsh. What other companies got some accolades? Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Wells Fargo. Did you see the 1973 movie SSSSSSS -- I think it is something like that, although that man turned into a Cobra. Here's the trailer -- try to contain your enthusiasm.

To reward you for stomaching this story about bankster love. Roscoe Holcomb - I am a Man of Constant Sorrow

Hypocrites and Christians

2013-03-26T05:13:00.000-05:00

One of the most frightening phrases I have heard through my life is "I'm a good Christian." This is not because I have anything against people that are, it's just my life experience that when I hear that phrase I am about to experience someone behaving in a very non-Christian fashion.

This week Facebook went red with many people showing support of equal rights -- and yes, I was one of them. After FB went red, there were many comments that I now feel compelled to share information about... Yes, I really wanted to say correct some ideologies, but I know that isn't likely to happen. Full disclosure, I was raised Catholic. So here goes!

The Constitution of the United States was written from The Bible. Nice try, but that isn't even close to the truth. Before you get all bristly, here's some information from Christian scholar, Dr. Gregg Frazer:
In the hundreds of pages comprising Madison’s notes on the constitutional convention (and those of the others who kept notes), there is no mention of biblical passages/verses in the debates/discussions on the various parts and principles of the Constitution. They mention Rome, Sparta, German confederacies, Montesquieu, and a number of other sources — but no Scripture verses.
In The Federalist Papers, there is no mention of biblical sources for any of the Constitution’s principles, either — one would think they could squeeze them in among the 85 essays if they were, indeed, the sources; especially since the audience was common men who were familiar with, and had respect for, the Bible. The word “God” is used twice — and one of those is a reference to the pagan gods of ancient Greece. “Almighty” is used twice and “providence” three times — but neither is ever used in connection with any constitutional principle or influence. The Bible is not mentioned.
When it comes to marriage read the Bible for God's law. My preference is not the Biblical definition of marriage. I prefer to think of it as two adults who make a commitment to each other based on love and mutual respect. I’ll take that over a ‘Biblical marriage’ any day. Yes, I will provide a few examples of why I feel that way.
Genesis 2:23-24 and Genesis 2:18 and Genesis 2:20 the general concept from the beginning of time, women were created to serve men. Based on this, there are no equal rights, God has spoken and women are NOT equal. The first element of a Biblical marriage is that a woman is her husband’s servant. (That ought to get some good search results.) Or we can head on over and look at Paul's letter to the Ephesians 5:22-33. "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior" In my years of comparative religion studies, someone is surely going to tell me that those are Old Testament, so here's a little newer version for you to investigate: Matthew 5:18-19, Luke 16:17, Matthew 5:17, John7:19. Yes, you may seek those out and report back to me.
My take on it is that Jesus expects every person who claims to be his follower to obey what is written in the Old Testament. Sorry, but you can’t have it both ways, either you believe what the Bible says or you don’t.
In regard to Equal Rights and the Supreme Court. They need to get over themselves and realize the PEOPLE voted. This is NOT a Socialist country the government should NOT be able to overturn that vote. Except for the part where the law is actually more important. Here's a helpful tidbit for our citizens that might actually help them understand a simple explanation of the role of the Supreme Court. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/role-supreme-court and http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/supremecourtintro.html It is their job, as defined by the constitution, to determine whether laws are consistent with the constitution. The USA is based on the constitution, and the checks and balances of the 3 branches of government - Legislative, Executive and Judicial.

Now my head hurts so I know it is time to walk the dogs. Want to thank all of you for your Christ-like acceptance of others... Today we have The White Stripes - Conquest. Thanks for stopping past.

What has LinkedIn ever done for you -- or me

2013-03-25T05:13:00.000-05:00

LinkedIn has always been a bit of a mystery to me. It really hasn't done much of anything for my career search, but in this economy (or lack thereof) I'm not sure it is helping anyone.

Yes, perhaps LinkedIn is loaded with potential to do business, and the gurus love it -- okay they are sort-of LinkedIn gurus, so that should be taken with a sack of salt.

The powers-that-be would also like us to think LinkedIn is all about gaining new contacts and developing new business -- I've got lots of contacts, but none have really done anything for my business or job search.

Now someone should pipe in and share you get out of it what you put into it. Fair enough, but I have not reaped the rewards of my efforts and I have been on it since the economy tanked in 2008. Perhaps I need more time on there to actually do something with it?

For me, there needs to be some return on my investment. Thus far, I have gotten absolutely nothing out of it of any value. It seems like there should be a social network out there for professionals where we could actually network, find resources, share thoughts and ideas, but in my experience, LinkedIn isn't it. So far, LinkedIn has been the place where I get unsolicited job offers (the kind that Craigslist warns you about), lots of sidebar ads that mimic news, and a never-ending string of sales pitches. None of these compel me to participate more than I have thus far.

Initially, people asked me for help getting on to LinkedIn, in hopes that it would help their careers. Now my biggest request is how to get out of LinkedIn. That in and of itself should tell all of us something. Perhaps if there were some pictures of kittens or food there would at least be some redeeming quality, until then LinkedIn seems fairly worthless.

First a LinkedIn video and then what LinkedIn seems to me -- smoke of a distant fire...

Sanford Townsend Band - Smoke From A Distant Fire

Victoria, let me tell you a secret

2013-03-24T05:13:00.000-05:00

Image from FOX21 News - Colorado Springs

I saw this link on Facebook: A Letter to Victoria’s Secret From a Father | Rev. Evan Dolive and did some investigating.

Here's the secret, Victoria, sexualizing little girls is not a great plan. How about letting them be girls and not using your “Bright Young Things” line to have them in underwear that says things like “Wild,” “Feeling Lucky?” and a lace trim thong with the words, “Call me” across the front panel. Eeew.

How about empowering these little girls to become confident and maybe even providing scholarships to show they really are bright young women and not things.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Cruel coyote killers...

2013-03-23T05:13:00.000-05:00

Image from City of Bloomington

I was really saddened to see that my tax dollars go to cruelly killing coyotes and other wild animals. Usually I am not a big fan of FOXNews, CNN or other sensationalizing media outlets, but in this case I am making an exception.

Fox News shared that Animal torture and abuse is a 'regular practice' within federal wildlife agency -- that is disgusting to me. Their story covers Gary Strader who enjoys letting his dogs attack trapped animals. Strader now works at Wildlife Technologies as an "expert" that apparently hasn't gotten the memo about mass killings of coyotes being ineffective.

Wildlife Services (USDA - APHIS - Wildlife Damage Management) is a relatively unknown program that is supposed to kill wildlife in a humane fashion that is seen as a threat to the environment and livestock, and also protect the general public from wildlife hazards that may impact commercial airplanes at airports.

Having had dogs stolen and used as "bait" for fighting dogs, I can guarantee that allowing dogs to attack restrained animals is not humane, and the Wildlife Services are no better when they condone the brutality.

Don't forget, it is your tax dollars that are waging war -- and yes it is unnecessary -- on wildlife, and yet, no stopping and no investigations... hmm. Seems like a great place for abusers to get work and benefits though.

There are images out there of folks that work for Wildlife Services -- you probably won't like what you see, so you are on your own if you decide to follow the links.

Jamie P. Olson coyote - Google Image Search
Gary Strader coyote - Google Image Search

The USDA claims that they don't condone any form of animal cruelty and holds all employees responsible for adhering to Departmental and Agency standards and directives. Yes, this does include Wildlife Services (WS) personnel too and they are expected to use approved and humane methods to euthanize captured or restrained animals whenever practicable, and in accordance with American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines.

Perhaps the WS has not shared with their employees that humane is usually possible. I also noticed that the volume of animals being killed could no way reflect the actual number of wildlife that might be implicated in attacks on people and cattle. If you spend any amount of time looking around, it won't be hard to find evidence of cruelty.

As part of the Wildlife Services program to eradicate all coyotes Strader claims to have dropped phosphorus bombs into coyote dens and then thrown dirt over the hole so the pups suffocate. In the FOXNews article, he also talks about Wildlife Services employees ignoring the trap-check laws too, leaving animals to slowly die from starvation or the elements. Again, these don't sound particularly humane to me.

A culture of cruelty has existed within the agency for decades, according to critics.
Rex Shaddox, a Texas law enforcement officer who worked for Wildlife Services in the 1980’s, said he left the agency – which at the time was called Animal Damage Control – after a particularly disturbing occurrence.

Shaddox said he and other workers were ordered to report to a city dump in Uvalde, Texas, to witness agency officials experiment with M-44 sodium cyanide on dogs from a local pound that were supposed to be euthanized.

“We were told to watch as they held the dogs down and shot cyanide into their mouths, one by one,” he said. “I went home and cried that day. And then I quit.”

(Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/12/animal-torture-abuse-called-regular-practice-within-federal-wildlife-agency/#ixzz2NLYxJQf7)

If you haven't read my previous article on coyotes, here are a few things to add to your coyote knowledge. Coyotes usually eat small mammals like rabbits, squirrels and rodents. Yes, they will prey on larger animals like deer and livestock, but those are not the usual meals. Like all large predators, coyotes are crucial to ecosystems and help maintain and control prey animal populations.

Now for the magic part that Wildlife Services is apparently missing -- the more coyotes that are killed, the more they will reproduce. So either these folks are ecological morons or they are killing vast quantities in order to produce even more coyotes because they just like to kill them.

Today in lieu of music, Wile E. Coyote. Thanks for stopping past.

Declutter like your vitamins -- one a day

2013-03-21T05:13:00.000-05:00

Hurray, hurray, it's finally spring cleaning day! Okay, anyone who knows me, knows that is not how I feel about cleaning. That being said, I would like to offer up a challenge to each and every one of you. Yes, that's right, I am throwing down the gauntlet.

Your mission should you chose to accept it (Ah yes, now the photo makes sense doesn't it?) is to move one item per day out of your life. You may donate, sell, toss, recycle each item, but it needs to move out of your house. You are welcome to do this every day of the year, but let's be realistic and have this project run from today through the first day of summer which is 21 June. This gives you roughly 16-weeks of sorting and purging in the Less-Is-More mindset and only requires one item per day. You'll also want to move things out of your home as quickly as possible once they are sorted or they'll continue to clog up your space.

My goal is to get to a place where less-is-more in the material goods allows me to have more in the living part of my life. What are your goals for decluttering / organizing / sorting / purging?

I feel like my life has been a constant purge since my parents died (2006 and 2009), since moving multiple times, since becoming a sofa-homeless person, and the quest continues. Do I have less now than many people? Absolutely. Could I have less than I do right now? Absolutely. Because I have been sorting and purging for so many years, I have garnered a few tips along the way.

Start small (sometimes this means you can accomplish something in one sitting)
Start with something that is bugging you when you look at the clutter or mess
If the space that is bugging you isn't small, pick a small section of that space and start there

To help you out, I'll be sharing along the way -- plus this keeps me accountable to the one-a-day process too. I plan to start on the catchall bedroom and closet. Here are the pictures at the start, and yes, it bugs me to post them, but how will you know what my space -- actually my stuff in a friend's space -- looks like if I don't share it.

Well, I'm off to do the first round. Looking forward to hearing / seeing your results. Hope this project seems doable for you, and good luck! I'm happy to answer questions and help where I can, just ask. Here's the page on Facebook with items seeking new homes.

Today we have Lido Shuffle from Boz Scaggs

Mission Impossible Image: Peter Lupus at Brian's Drive-In Theater

Siberian Amazon

2013-03-19T05:13:00.000-05:00

Yes, I watched Xena when it was on -- love women that get to kick some butt. So what does this have to do with the price of tea in China? Probably nothing, but I was sorting and found a deposition where a former employer decided to try and take advantage of a group of strong women and was relishing the results. By the way, we kicked legal butt, not actual human butt.

Some of my favorite things from the deposition:

Witch, witch, witch! (Both in the deposition and a recounting of all us of stopping by to get our pay and the same things being shouted as the employer ran from the room...)
Satanic cult leader. (Of course if that were true, we wouldn't have needed an attorney and by now I might be something other than homeless.)
Cast a spell on the workers. (Perhaps they just didn't like this woman, who's to say?)
Catholic cult leader. (Once again, apparently Catholics are not Christians when it comes to depositions. Guess all that money invested in the degrees was wasted.)
She's evil. (Not like Dr. Evil of course, that would be too fun.)

Anyway, still sorting and repeating the mantra, Less is More, Less is More... Now on to our musical selection, today Electric Light Orchestra performs Evil Woman. Thanks for stopping past.

On St. Patrick's Day the world is my oyster

2013-03-18T03:17:00.000-05:00

More photos

Of course I'm allergic to shellfish, so perhaps that is not the best statement... Oh well, I'm going to let it stand and take my chances.

Today I find myself reflecting back on my gift of homelessness for my 50th birthday, what it has taught me and where I want to go next.

I've been working on taxes, and it is amazing how much we owe in each of the years since the collapse of the USA economy in 2008 -- have never paid so much in taxes as we have since losing those high paying jobs, the house, the American Dream. Looking good for owing again this year too.

That owing taxes has prompted me to want to live somewhere without state income tax --as of this moment 41 states have a broad-based individual income tax. Only seven states lack an income tax altogether. They are:

Alaska
Florida
Nevada
South Dakota
Texas (One of the highest property tax though...)
Washington
Wyoming

There are two more states that only tax dividend and interest income:

Tennessee
New Hampshire (One of the highest property tax though...)

From there, I thought what state would benefit me the most as a not-really-retired-retiree. (That means I am still looking for a "real job" while I develop my skills in other areas -- have you seen my photos?) These are the best states that have no income tax or exempt pensions and Social Security income, and that also have low property and sales taxes top the list. These states are: Alaska, Nevada, Hawaii, Wyoming, Florida, Louisiana, Delaware, and Mississippi.

Now which of those are warm? Probably the ones with alligators. Let's look at a map and see where gators live. Those all look like places without too much snow and that is a good thing according to my husband.

Keep in mind that my list is for general use and entertainment and does not take into account climate, access to quality medical care, or cost of living, among the plethora of other things that you might want / need in your happy new life. What your finances look like and what your retirement dream looks like will determine your unique fit in a retirement destination -- and yes some are less of a destination than others.

Another big snowstorm is predicted to hit us over the next two days -- so tired of the unrelenting winter...

Today we're listening to Jane by Jefferson Starship. Thanks for stopping past.

Pope Francis I

2013-03-13T16:58:00.000-05:00

Newly elected Pope Francis I appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on March 13, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pontiff and will lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

It's all so magical, waiting, eyes straining, looking for the first wisp of white smoke to puff out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. When it happens, thousands of onlookers will be cheering even without knowing whom the Cardinals have selected.

The time, the conclave selected 76 year-old, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (pronounced Ber-GOAL-io) to be the new pope. He has selected the name Francis, and will be the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. He is also the first non-European leader of the church in more than 1,000 years. Let's be a bit more precise, it has been 1,272 years since a non-European pope led the Catholic Church.I can hear you wondering, so here it is: Gregory III, from Syria, served until 741, this information is brought to you according to Vatican records. (I just can't keep all that information in my head!)

But I digress, once the white puff escapes the chimney, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio who is a little like Prince... gets a new name and now he is know known as Pope Francis I. Francis, was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and is the first pope born in the New World. In selecting him, the cardinals acknowledge the future of the Church likely lies south of the Equator where most of the world's Catholics live.

Francis is likely fairly palatable to the Italians. But wait, he's from Argentina! Yes, he is, but his parents were Italian immigrants to Argentina and raised him in the capital of Buenos Aires. Pope Francis is the son of a railway worker, and was educated and trained as a chemist. He holds a Master's iin chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires. As a teenager, he has an infection and had a lung removed. Francis has lived a fairly simple life, living in a modest apartment, taking the bus to work and cooking his own meals.

I bet you can barely contain your enthusiasm to know where the other popes that are not native Europeans came from, well here's the skinny -- at least according to what I can find. The very first pope: Saint Peter, who was born in Bethsaida, which is likely in the Golan Heights. Peter's remains are in Rome, or as the news folks were saying today he's buried under the buildings. A quick tutorial on the Roman Catholic Church, it was founded in the Middle East. In case you forgot, Jesus was middle eastern too, probably not resembling the blond man seen in so many modern renditions. Lots of popes are from northern Africa, an area once controlled by Rome.

Name that Pope! (Thanks to Max Fisher for the list)

Saint Peter: Bethsaida, modern-day Israel (33 – 64 A.D.)
Pope Saint Evaristus: Bethlehem, modern-day West Bank (97 – 105)
Pope Saint Anicetus: Emesa (today known as Homs), Syria (155 – 166)
Pope Saint Victor I: Leptis Magna, modern-day Libya (189 – 199)
Pope Saint Miltiades: Somewhere in North Africa (311 – 314)
Pope Theodore I: Jerusalem, modern-day Israel and West Bank (642 – 649)
Pope John V: Antioch, then Syria but today part of Turkey (685 – 686)
Pope Sisinnius: Syria (708)
Pope Constantine: Syria (708 – 715)
Pope Gregory III: Syria (731 – 741)
Pope Francis I: Buenos Aires, Argentina (2013 – ?)

Now that I have started on some lists, here's another one that shows what His Holiness is about:

Opposes gay marriage (In 2010 when Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage, Cardinal Bergoglio waged a high-profile campaign against the policy.)
Opposes abortion (He failed to prevent the Argentine Supreme Court from expanding access to legal abortions in rape cases, and argued that gay adoptions discriminate against children.)
Advocate for the poor, mainly in Argentina
Opposes euthanasia
Opposes death penalty
Supports celibacy of priests (In the past the Church had priests become celibate to keep control of land. The Church is still the largest landholder in the world.)
Supports right to life
Supports human rights

I have written about Popes before -- most recently here: God's Rottweiler retires and next, Pope Sicola -- now that would be refreshing | Riley Rants - Licking Calcutta

Another pope story that I will be researching: Pope Joan the female pope - Google Search

Today we'll be hearing from Sinead O'Connor -- Nothing Compares to You. If you aren't sure why I chose Sinead, drop me a note and I'll share the insights about the Irish Laundries...

Thanks for stopping past!

Sheryl Sandberg lean in and kiss my ass

2013-03-11T05:13:00.000-05:00

I shared this status on my FB page and also tweeted a similar thought after seeing Sheryl Sandberg on 60-minutes.

Sheryl Sandberg lean in and kiss my ass. I was a Marketing Director at a Fortune 100 and my misogynistic boss told me I was "too aggressive for a woman" and fired me -- yes he had a history of firing women, I wasn't first or last. How does that fit your model for women in business?

Granted, I am older than Ms. Sandberg -- whose husband is the man behind Survey Monkey and sold an earlier creation to Yahoo! -- but there are things that just stuck in my craw enough to actually write about them this morning... plus, I did have to yell at the television last night too.

Sandberg wants folks to know that she is certain there are fewer women in top leadership roles than men because women hold themselves back. Oh yes, that's right, it wasn't the ass-grabbing drunkards and the numerous bosses that shared how the men got the raise / promotion because they might have a family to support, no that wouldn't have been a problem to getting ahead, it was all me.

Thankfully, Sandberg says she's not blaming women, aka me. She's trying to get us to recognize when and why they don't speak up for themselves. Well let's review how that worked out in my early fast-track career. After one too many lecherous grabs from a boss, I complained to his superior and was told that I should just "take it" and remember that I would be getting married soon enough and wouldn't need to worry about a real job. Oh yes, then there is the other man that when I complained fired me and threatened to sue me for slander / liable if I ever mentioned it. Oh topping on that little cake? Companies could still share information -- true or false -- about you with the next employer.

In the interview she told the viewers how she almost took the first offer from Facebook but her husband told her to negotiate... wasn't she lucky that he was there for her. I know you'll feel badly that he didn't negotiate a stronger package for her... Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, got paid $30.87 million last year, making her the most highly compensated employee at the company in 2011. (Source: Mashable)

Did you watch the "interview" and what did you think? Read through the top ten below and let me know what you think about those too. Is your career not 30.87 million times better because you leaned back rather than leaning in? Please share your thoughts. Enjoy the up-yours statements.

Here are the most in-your-face statements she made: (Linked to SFGate)

"Men still run the world."
"Women attribute their success to working hard, luck and help from other people. Men will attribute that same success to their own core skills."
Women hurt themselves by "leaning back. They say, I'm busy or I want to have a child one day, I couldn't possibly take on any more. Or I'm still learning on my current job. I've never had a man say that to me."
"I'm not suggesting women aren't ambitious ... but when it comes to ambition to lead, to be the leader of whatever you are doing, men/boys outnumber girls/women."
"My message is not one of blaming women. There's an awful lot we don't control, but there is an awful lot we can control and we can do for ourselves, to sit at more tables, raise more hands."
"I want every little girl who someone says 'they're bossy' to be told instead, 'you have leadership skills' because I was told that and because every woman I know who's in a leadership position was told that."
"Everyone knows that marriage is the biggest personal decision you make, but it's the biggest career decision you can make. ... Partner with the right person because you cannot have a full career and a full life at home with the children if you are also doing all the housework and childcare."
"I am not saying everyone has the resources or opportunities I have. I am not saying every husband is going to wake up tomorrow, read a book and do his share. I'm saying that women need to own the power that they have, negotiate for raises."
"The things that hold women back, hold them back from sitting at the boardroom table and they hold women back from speaking at the PTA meeting."
"I feel guilty a lot. I compare myself with the women who are home with their kids. I think I'm a little intimidated. Every woman feels guilty about the choices that they make."

Dogs and Dino the Dinosaur

2013-03-02T05:13:00.000-06:00

Image from Dinosaur World

I am on a mission to share pet friendly locations, destinations and activities in 2013. I am tired of fake pet-friendly and will be sharing those as I find them too. For those that are pet friendly, I am happy to travel and evaluate and write about your business -- feel free to contact me to get started on that -- have dogs, husband and even passports, will travel.

Today your dogs will be enjoying Dinosaur World which has three locations: Florida, Kentucky and Texas.

Dinosaur World in Plant City. Who loves dinosaurs? Dogs, that's who. Located halfway between Tampa and Disney, Dinosaur World is a park featuring 150 giant dinosaur statues and trails winding through the lush Florida landscape. Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails and it's a great opportunity to snap a photo of your pooch with a giant Stegosaurus (some intrepid bloggers have gotten shots of their dogs posing inside a dinosaur's mouth). Tickets are $14.95. Dogs are free and it is open daily.

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/12/27/4377888/florida-is-a-vacation-paradise.html#storylink=cpy

I loved dinosaurs as a child, and still do! How about you?

The Dinosaur Song -- Directed by Bernard Derriman. Animated by Andrew Collins, Lily Dell, Ian Harrowell, and Brian Estanisloa. For the Big Green Rabbit series.

In like a lamb, or rats leaving the sinking ship?

2013-03-01T05:13:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just want to share weekly highlights. This is one of those days. Michele Bachmann meme is accurate, but should also include Native Americans based on past and present commentary and voting. She is a woman and apparently a misogynist too -- jaw-dropping, you betcha. Feel free to search her name on this blog -- if you can stomach that. You may want to have something to capture the projectile vomiting. In case you are wondering, I am an independent voter and always have been so it isn't party-line related. Here's another meme (also from Facebook) for Shelly...

Sequestration -- aka Congress needs to get off their collective arses and do their jobs. Some of the short-term savings may cost the government money in the long run -- shocking, oh wait, no it isn't. Here are some examples for you.

Internal Revenue Service's will lose $436 million in enforcement budget this year. The IRS generates about $4 in increased tax payments for every $1 in enforcement. That means a loss to the government of about $1.7 billion.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (I still take anything he says with a bag of salt, but this seems reasonable.) told the House Financial Services Committee the abrupt spending cuts could slow economic growth by 1.5 percentage points. Of course there are additional ramifications, but this will get you started.
Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told Congress that the Pentagon would have to cancel maintenance on 25 ships and 470 aircraft beginning Friday. (Why does the term "Chickenhawk" keep popping into my head with regard to most politicians?) By not maintaining ships and aircraft, there will be no savings, and it is likely that costs will skyrocket.
How about all those government contracts? Early contract termination will cost us, the taxpayers, dearly. Plus there may be added fees when things get back on track to cover the risk of this happening again.
What about the folks in Congress wasting administrative time getting ready preparing for conditional cuts that have zero value for the American public? As an aside, the majority were racing home before the end of business today -- rats... sinking ship... hmm...

Now for something completely different.

Sports - "Owlcatraz" Students at Florida Atlantic University occupied the office of their university president, Mary Jo Saunders, after learning their $70-million dollar stadium would receive $6-million be named for GEO Group of Boca Raton, a private prison company. GEO Group has been accused of human right violations and failure to provide suitable medical care for inmates. Saunders reportedly hid in her office for an hour before addressing students and agreeing to a meeting on the issue to be held 1 March 2013. Perhaps GEO was just looking at a fast way to scout out potential clients for future incarceration?

Thanks for stopping and please share you thoughts in the comments or on Facebook. Today we have Matchbox 20 performing Bright Lights.

Guiltlessly get rid of shoeboxes of greeting cards

2013-02-28T05:13:00.000-06:00

I just finished sorting through three boxes of notes for upcoming books and was able to consolidate those into one box -- woo hoo! I know, it all sounds great until the next box I opened had greeting cards in it from relatives that have died...

Yes, there they were, stacks and stacks of sentimental journeying that was hard to reckon with. I am still practicing the less is more theory and decided that I would scan them and then recycle them. No this wasn't easy, and yes, you can do it too.

For me, the cards go beyond sentimental value because I love genealogy and wonder if these things should be saved for future generations... most of it probably doesn't need to be saved unless there are notes of interest, but you can make that call on your stuff on your own. When in doubt, scan everything in and back it up so it is safe, then there is no doubt if you did the right thing.

I've been doing multi-page PDF documents and I scan the cards so the colorful fronts are the image I see when I look at them. Most of what I have discovered has three-dimensional fronts and often has sparkles and other things that make the flatbed scanner the best option. Pick a good name too so you can find it later with an easy search. One of the cards I scanned has the dates and then what it is: 19521225 Christmas Card from Ag and Mame.pdf easy way to know all the information too.

You may find other things in the various boxes that are scannable -- yes, you should scan those too. Make your life simpler and free up space to allow new experiences in. Today I found titles to cars and scanned them in and then put them in the important papers box. What's that? It's the box you grab when you are fleeing out the door to escape a natural disaster. Of course you will back up all the scanned documentation too, but you should probably have an important document container.

As you start to go through things, you'll decide what is really a keeper and what can be scanned and sent to recycle. Remember that not everything is a precious treasure, but scanning will help you feel like you have some control over what things to keep. (Did you back up after the scans?) Scanning and backing up to multiple locations will help you protect items in case of a disaster like a fire or flood. Be smart about what you are savings and be sure to share your tips in the comments.

Today we have Sentimental Journey with Doris Day and the Les Brown Band.

Does size matter?

2013-02-26T05:13:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought about how much dwelling space you really need to be comfortable? 250... 500... 1,000... 2,000... 3,000... 10,000 square feet? (The house above was 4400 square feet -- and yes, that is HUGE when you are caring for it.) How much space do people really need in order to live comfortably? If you search for that on the Internet, you'll be surprised at how much information there is, and how little of it really answers that question.

Here's one example of sizes for humans -- and a little tidbit about pets too:

Basic principles of design state that there should be an absolute minimum of 200sqft per human occupant, this is also used to establish legal housing implications in custodial hearings. Ideally, the minimum square footage of a residence will be set at 800sqft for two persons and 200sqft per additional human occupant. Occupancy of pets would be at the discretion of the owner/local health department, but 50sqft/pet is suggested.

Okay, that is a decent starting point, but let's look at some historical data. Home sizes have more than doubled from the 1950's to now with the average size at 2,349 square feet.In addition to size changes, the basics have also changed. In the 1950s and '60s, most homes had one bathroom and it wasn't unusual for 2-3 children to share a bedroom. If you were lucky, you had a cottage on a tiny beach for the summer -- of course those have mostly been replaced with McMansions now. When we lived in NYC, the apartment had six rooms, now that would be considered tiny. What has happened? Are we greedy, have we gotten wealthy (well, not me, we lost everything in 2008) or are there more subtle things happening?

I found this at NPR

"You know, we are very tenuous," says local architect Ann Surchin. "No one knows when the next 9/11 will happen. And these houses represent safety — and the bigger the house, the bigger the fortress."

Town planning-board member Jacqui Lofaro says that people who work in cities see bigger homes as a source of peace of mind.

"If you have people coming out from the city, where they are bombarded by people, the tendency is to isolate themselves," Lofaro says. "Their house is their community. It is not the community's community, it is their community."

Does the layout of the space make a difference in how small you can go? I think about boat and motor home living and how small those spaces are, and especially how efficient those small areas are. When I was at the RV show a few weeks ago, I asked how many square feet a thirty-nine-foot motor home was, and the answer was about 400 square feet. That might be doable for two people and some dogs if part of your lifestyle was staying in places with great access to the outdoor part of living.

So, what are your thoughts? How much space do you really need? More -- or less -- than you have now? Are you filling up every space you occupy? What would you change to make it better?

Take a look at some of these -- a large variety and pros and cons to every single one.

The first apartment -- top floor, in the back.

Remote cabin on a Canadian island -- propane for lights and cooking.

The property where North Dallas 40 was filmed. The guitarist is now a politician... oh how times change.

Connecticut on the Mianus River -- the back is three stories walking out to the river.

The family home in Toronto.

I could live in this house full-time. The husbands in the pool.

Connecticut the first time -- where I learned what stairs were.

The land of ice and snow...

The other side of the family -- the farm has been in the family since 1842.

We seem to be people that prefer water...

To grandmother's house we go. She bought the house next door too.

Couldn't find the image of the summer home in Sea Girt, so you get this one instead.

On the backside of this house was a room with a copper roof -- so wonderful in the rain.

More water... also a favorite home.

Front of the house above, capped off oil well in the front yard near the driveway.

Behind the Ever-Expanding American Dream House : NPR

Thanks for stopping past, I really appreciate it. Today we have Everlast - What It's Like

Fight Club philosphy

2013-02-24T05:13:00.000-06:00

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we are free to do anything.” ~ Fight Club

Image

There is a fair amount of truth to that. Let's consider for a moment how most people respond to life -- through fear. Fear from and fear about, lots and lots of fear, plenty for everyone. The sad thing is most people are really afraid to live the life they really want to live. Why? Because they're afraid what other people think and that prevents them from being free to live their own lives.

I've talked about how age 40 and even more, age 50 helps you stop caring what people think about what you do -- for some folks more than others of course. Once you stop caring about everyone else's opinions of your life, you will be free to follow your own path.

So why are we afraid of what other people think? Why are we trying so hard to fit in with what someone has deemed "normal" and who gets to decide what that is anyway? Just like the movie, most people are too afraid to realize they actually can be happy with their lives.

Only after we have lost everything are we free to do anything. Well, I'm well on the way to that. Member of the orphan's club, have no home -- "home free" rather than homeless if we base it on the ax-wielding man in California -- no full time job, no benefits, no family living anywhere near me... looks like there isn't much to lose. Maybe I am ready to be free to do what I want, to not care what anyone thinks, to just do it, live it and really get back to being alive.

Yes, it's time to awaken and open our eyes to the truth.

Thanks for stopping past. Today is Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge.