The Worldly Observer

A Whole New World: 2012

2012-12-03T07:25:00.001-06:00

Hello, how has everyone been? It has been awhile since I last posted and I have had a number of changes in my life since we last met. Last Nov I uprooted and moved to Dallas for a new start in life. Sadly my mother, who had been in declining health since a stroke a few years back, passed away on the 10th of Feb. She was a strong woman who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for over 30 years but never gave in to this debilitating disease and was mobile until suffering the stroke. She will be missed greatly. She passed surrounded by family and is no longer suffering, so for that we are grateful.

After trying my hand as a car salesman, warehouse worker, transportation driver, and valet services for a Hilton Hotel, I am a lot driver for an auto auction in Hutchins, TX and have met a wonderful woman who I am in a wonderful relationship and going on one year in Jan. So that's a brief recap of the past year and hopefully more to come.

I will have some photos posted soon of the wonderful scenery in the Dallas area and once I replace my lens that was unfortunatly destroyed a while back, I will have many more to share. So it is currently time for me to head to work so I will cut it short and see you again soon.

Halloween Stories

2011-10-06T22:35:00.000-05:00

Its that time of the year again, October brings an end to summer and welcomes in the fall harvest season. It also means that Halloween is just around the corner. Decorating the house, costumes, trick or treating and festivals are all part of enjoying this holiday.

Another is gathering together around a fire or candlelight and telling scary stories. The supernatural has always sparked the imagination of storytellers for centuries. Some based on local legend, old folklore, and even nightmares.

The theme of death, evil and the occult are what some of the most recognizable horror stories are based from. Characters like Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf man and The Mummy have been replaced with more familiar characters who, like most big celebs, need only one name. Jason, Freddy, Michael.

Recently the vampire genre has undergone a complete makeover with the introduction of the Twilight Series. The Cullen clan, who not only can go out in daylight ,but even work and blend in with regular humans are simply portrayed as a little peculiar, goth types. The werewolf is also reinvented with the indian legend of the skinwalkers, shape shifters that take the form of a giant wolf instead of simply a large hairy man.

One of the all time favorites is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow depicting a small town, a school teacher Ichabod Crane, the love interest of his, Katrina Van Tassel, and the two protagonists, Brom Bones, and the headless horseman.

Zombies have recently been given new life (no pun intended) with the creation of the AMC series The Walking Dead. The story chronicles a group of survivors of a zombie apocalypse trying to search out a safe place to restart civilization while fighting their way through the country now covered by the undead. The human relationships are what makes this a winner with the zombie battles an added bonus instead of just constant gruesomeness and carnage as with other previous zombie movies.

In general the horror movie has became somewhat stale with the onslaught of Saw movies that were timed to release on Halloween or the remakes of some of the classic movies like Nightmare on Elm St, or Friday the 13th and Halloween. While some redefined the character and told the story from a different point of view, they tend to take away from the original frights that we all enjoyed.

Whatever your personal preference is, or even if your not a scary story or movie person, this time of year makes for great imagination and fun for the kid in all of us to enjoy a little rush of adrenaline and chill down our spine. Keeps the blood flowing.....

Photos: updated photos from Harlingen Cemetery.

2011-10-06T02:09:00.000-05:00

Finally managed to get some photos scanned into the computer this week so hope you enjoy them. The design of the markers were unique to each culture and at one time specific to certain areas of the cemetary. Anglos on in one part, Hispanics and African Americans in another.

2 Broke 2 Smoke: The Fastest Quit Smoking Method in Today's Economy

2011-10-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

After smoking for nearly half my life and waking up with a tightness in my chest, shortness of breath and a general odor that engulfed my clothes and self, I decided it was time to quit. That was the first time. I managed to quit for a few days, amid the stresses of my job as a customer service rep, the regular routines of daily life and pressures I endured, but then the weekend came.

As I decided that I would go out and have a couple of drinks to unwind, a cigarette seemed like something that would go along with a cold beer. I broke down and bought a pack at $3.99 from the local convenience store. (Yes $3.99 is prob cheapest you'll find them down here) and proceeded to light one.

After a few min another one, then over the course of a couple of hours I had, without realizing it smoked half a pack! Ten cigarettes in less than three hours! I couldn't believe it. That's when it hit me that I really needed to quit or suffer serious health issues. Already diagnosed with diabetes I should have given it up long ago.

To add to the issue I had recently had an issue at my job regarding my smoking. As I was sitting next to this one coworker, who happened to be pregnant at the time, she turned and nearly gagged as I came from my break having just smoked one. Numerous people smoke but for some reason it was more prominent on me.

A few weeks later as this same employee was sitting in a training session, it being her last night as she was leaving for another job, I extended my hand to wish her a good luck and glad to have worked with her that she gave me a look of utter disgust and instead of a hand, she slowely extende me her elbow and stated "I don't touch people tha smoke." I withdrew my hand and waved as I exited the room, somewhat offended by the notion.

Soon after I had someone comment about the smell of smoke in the area. I never realized it before as the sense of smell and taste are greatly diminished over time by the inhalation of smoke. After quitting for a week I could start to regain my sense of smell and truthfully I almost felt sick as I started to smell the outside worked and my workplace for the first time in years. The world outside smells of decay, death and the general nauseating smell of humanity.

Since that time I realized how much I was spending on cigarettes each pay period and figured I would save tons if I would just quit buying them. As fate would have it I had to catch up on bills and rent which wiped out my paycheck and forced me to give up the thing I had relied on for years.

After a few days the unnerving of withdrawal symptoms started and for a few days I was irritable and temperamental to say the least, but after a few days, then a week and having one cigarette a day, if offered to me, I slowly ignored the cravings. While stopping completely is not something I have achieved as yet, my purchasing of them has. Due to the fact that I could no longer finance the habit I had for years.

While this is prob not the best way to go about quitting,(I have unfortunately started gaining weight again)It will save you money, add some time to your life, and eventually given enough time your lungs can even reverse the effects of smoking a certain percentage. While nothing will bring back the years, or money invested in the habit, quitting however you have to is the best thing for not only your health , but the health of those around you. As well as helping you get noticed more for the real you than for the smell you bring into a room.

Well, at least one good thing came from the bad economy. Now if we can only get Mr. Obama to give up the habit as well.....Ah that's asking to much I suppose, seeing as how he did manage to nail Osama Bin Laden, I guess we could overlook this one...least till election time.

Photos: Historical Local Cemetary Harlingen Texas

2010-09-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

Hello was out this weekend and tested out new camera. Still trying to get them scanned but here are a couple of shots from the local historical cemetery in Harlingen. These were taken with digital Kodak camera .

There will be more photos posted as I get them scanned and touched up. I love the architecture of these old gravestones. There are some from late 1860's and before, back when the town was founded. Keep looking

for more to come.

Review of the Canon A2e 35mm SLR

2010-09-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

The Canon line of cameras has been a major competitor in the photographic world for many years and has a history of quality with there lenses and cameras. They have covered the spectrum from professional to amateur with the long standing EOS series.

While there have been many advances that have came along and digital format is now a mainstay, there were a number of great slr's that are still used. One of these that falls into a class referred to as prosumer was the Canon A2e or also known as the EOS 5.

The A2e was a name used for cameras in the Japanese market and is second to the A2 which did not have certain advanced features included. This camera was produced from 1992 to 1998.

One significant development that makes this camera stand out was that it was the worlds first SLR with eye controlled focusing. The focusing screen has five points in a row that allow the photographer to chose what area to focus on simply by looking through the viewfinder on that point. The system recognizes pupil size and movement and responds.

The feature is useful as mentioned by some photographers, while others say it is not quite up to snuff. At the time it was the first camera to incorporate it and others since then included and improved upon it. Another nice feature is the 5 fps shooting ability in the advanced shooting modes and 3 fps in the normal modes.

This camera also has programming and custom settings that allow a number of special features such as dual manual and AF at same time, and a favorite feature of closeup and slow speed photographers, , mirror lockup with use of self timer.

One of the most important accessories has to be the VG10 Vertical Grip. This allows vertical shooting with one drawback. The eye focus feature is disabled in vertical mode. However the grip does include the major controls that are easily accessed to control shutter, control wheel, and buttons on back for additional controls in different modes.

Having just purchased this camera I can not attest as yet to the ability of the equipment. I will be taking it out this Labor Day weekend and taking some shots to see what result i'll get. In the hands of a seasoned pro it is sure to be an important piece of equipment. As a photographer of limited skill, I will see if the controls and features can be used by a basic user.

Wish me luck and I'll post some pics for your comments. Have a great weekend!

Labor Day Weekend: Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Holiday

2010-09-03T09:39:00.000-05:00

Well another week has came to a end, and heading into a 3 day holiday weekend to celebrate Labor Day. Many of you will be hitting the beach, the lake, or river getaway or breaking out the BBQ pits and sitting back with friends and family and catching the many football games starting the season.

There are many ways to spend the weekend but remember to keep it safe and enjoyable for everyone. Make sure to have the essential items in case of any emergency that should arise. A list of emergency numbers including the poison control center, local emergency numbers if your out of the area, and contacts for family members.

Also good to have on hand are emergency medical kits containing basic first aid items such as bandages, aspirin, antibacterial cleaner for scrapes and cuts, aloe lotion for those sunburns, and calamine lotion for the inevitable rashes and allergic reactions.

Taking care while cooking and lighting a fire are also important. Keep children a distance away while lighting a pit. soak the charcoal first with lighter fluid and make a small pyramid of them, makes it easier to light and burn.

Most important plan for the occasion, make sure you have a good idea of how many guests or family will be attending so as to know how much of everything you'll need to ensure everyone gets served and there is enough to go around. One way to insure this is to ask people attending to bring an item. that way they can also bring something they might prefer to eat or drink and help save on expenses.

Overall have fun enjoying your guests and have plenty of games or entertainment for the kids, and the adults. If your going to drink, ensure everyone has a safe way home or a designated driver. Labor Day is a time to enjoy the company of our loved ones and to relax, keeping everyone safe, happy and in one piece will ensure many more to come.

Daily Interlude.

2010-09-02T18:12:00.000-05:00

Just taking a moment while on lunch to write a few lines. Another day at the office. Same as yesterday and perhaps slightly better, but still work as usual. as I work the late shift and watch as the early shift leaves for the day.

We were informed of a fellow agent located in another call center that undoubtedly made a big error in judgment, posting a statement regarding his feelings on employment with said company, resulting in his immediate termination.

We all have jobs we don't like, bosses we can't stand and would rather be doing anything but working , however posting your dissatisfaction while naming the particular business or organization within the context of that page or blog is a sure way to ensure your limited employment .

Advice I can give is if you have to release about your job, do not give company name or directly affiliate you with that company to the point that your job is at stake. Either wait till your at home with friends or out having a drink afterwork, whatever you choose to do to relax. Or if all else fails go by the old rule If you don't have anything nice to say....

Peace in the Middle East

2010-09-02T11:20:00.000-05:00

President Obama sat with the leaders of Israel, Palestine, other Middle East nations to discuss an end to the differences between Israel and Palestine. Obama spoke as a mediator and urged the two leaders to "recognize this as a moment of opportunity that must be seized."

This is the first time both parties have sat in discussions since 2008 when talks came to a standstill in the end of the Bush administrations days. The talks were not marred by the continuing terrorist attacks in the Middle East.

Each side has their own stipulations for peace between them. President Obama was cautious as he listened to each side and presented reasons for them to renew discussions. The goal of this is to end the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip creating an independent Palestinian state.

Both sides are to scheduled to meet Thursday at the US State Dept to open direct negotiations and schedule two more meetings to be held in the Middle East later this month.

After 31 yrs of militant rule peace will be a hard bargain. The terrorist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attacks and refused any type of negotiations for peace.

The coming months will tell if peace can be achieved between these two countries and can bring an end to the violence that has gone on for generations.

Hurricane Earl Approaches

2010-09-01T08:58:00.000-05:00

Hurricane season is still in full force and even though we have been lucky this season, avoiding major storms as in the recent past, there is still time for them to form as is the case with Earl. As recently as today Earl was downgraded to a Cat 3 storm but still possessing 125 mph winds that are causing effects to be felt inland even though it still remains hundreds of miles off.

The eastern seaboard is on alert as far north as main and some areas have already started mandatory evacuations to minimize potential estimated casualties in areas directly on the coast. While it may still increase in speed again and hit with more force than expected, as was the case with Katrina, that sat in the gulf as a Cat 2 then ramped up to a Cat 4 after hitting land.

Even though we are able to predetermine when a tropical storm will become a hurricane, hurricanes are still fairly unpredictable. Hopefully the events of Katrina have made federal and local governments aware of the potential damages and assistance that will possibly be needed should the unthinkable occur. For those of you in those areas, please don't think you can remain and ride the storm. Mandated evacuations are mandated for a reason. Please follow local authorities to safer areas until the storm has passed.

End Of Operations in Iraq.

2010-09-01T08:40:00.000-05:00

President Obama announced today that combat operations in Iraq were at an end. He also spoke about the continuing mission for our soldiers in Afghanistan. The change has been anticipated for many months but US troops are still going to be in Iraq for a while during the slow return home for many.

The war Iraq has been going on for as long as many of the younger generations that are entering high school have been alive. There had been talk of a exit plan, but how to exit without completely giving up our position in the region and ensuring the local Iraqi forces will be able to continue the work the US has started.

There should be a reduction in the number of troops stationed in Iraq, as a complete withdrawal would possibly undermine what the US has been striving to achieve, and what so many of our young men and women have fought and given their lives for.

Returning soldiers will now have a new mission once they have been given time to rest and be reunited with their loved ones. The focus is expected to shift to Afghanistan and the region to buildup US forces to assist our troops who have been stationed in the area for almost as long as those in Iraq.

Whatever the future holds for our military, at least knowing that our brave and courageous soldiers will finally be coming home, even if to only be redeployed to another region of the world, to bring freedom to the peaceful allies we have in that area and preventing the growth of terrorist groups such as Al Qaida, ensuring on the 9th anniversary of 911 that the events that shook our country to its core, never occur again.

Turning 35: Reflections on Life Thus Far.

2010-08-31T11:08:00.000-05:00

Well its official, I am now middle age. Looking back on 35 years I recall very little other than bits and pieces, fragments of events that have occurred. The mid 70's where my time. I recall travelling with my parents and the familiar roadside stops of the day such as gas stations such as Texaco, Shell, Diamond Shamrock. Familiar to travelers were the chains of hotels, their signs visible from miles. One of the most familiar being the Holiday Inn with its green glow and yellow arrow pointing towards a good nights rest, Best Western, Motel 6, and others that are still around today.

I can also recall historical moments, both glorious and tragic. On the bright side there was the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the breakdown of the Berlin Wall, and other amazing and wonderful events. however on the negative we also had the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, The Shuttle Challenger explosion and loss of the entire crew, the fatal crash and death of Princess Diana, and most memorably the destruction and utter loss of our sense of security as a country, with the destruction of the Twin Towers in the attacks of 911.

Looking through old issues of National Geographic give glimpses of ads of the era. From cars to products, you could find a majority of these among the great stories and photos that captured the world we live in for posterity. As I get older these are the things I recall fondly and when I happen to visit a antique shop or flea market and come across an item from what people refer to as "the good ol days", I am taken back to that time and slowly the familiar scenes and sights are brought back into focus. Thats what is commonly referred to as nostalgia.

Its amazing to see the advances from then till now in technology and business. The use and development of computers and communication devices that we now find indispensable have also formed how the world has changed. The now fast paced world of business, where decisions can be made, implemented and carried out within seconds thanks to the Internet has significantly changed how we work, live and play. I have seen the breakdown of organization within the office and the halt of business when that technology malfunctions or shuts down.

Overall there have always been pros and cons, changes and advancements and events which bring us ever closer to either our own perfect society or utter downfall of humanity. With the strains on our alliances with our neighboring countries who we once stood strong with as allies and friends caused by the war in Iraq and the middle east countries we are now even more unsure of our nations continued safety.

Hopefully the next 35 years will not bring us deeper into conflict with our allies. Only time will tell what can happen and if the past 35 years have shown progress continues to happen and nothing we do will change that.
hopefully I'll be around to reflect on the next 30 years.

Providing Options For Assisted Living and Care

2010-08-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

We all have an obligation to care for our parents when they get to the point in life where they are no longer able to care for themselves. Maybe its due to the rigors of age or disabilities but we do what we can to make sure they are cared for. Sometimes that obligation interrupts our own lives, especially if we have families and children.

Having assistance available to help provide added care is something that becomes a necessity at some point or another and usually a costly one. With the recent health reform that may take years before it is fully readily available and functioning, there are other resources available.

Live in providers have recently became a more feasible option. Having this opportunity available for my own parents was a miracle. As with any type of arrangement one needs to consider the pros and cons. Seeking qualified persons with medical knowledge and possible background as a licensed healthcare provider is something you may want to look for. Having a background check on anyone you plan on having stay onsite can also avoid any issues.

Another option is retirement communities that are usually located within minutes of a hospital or medical facility and usually have on staff medical assistants to provide immediate and constant care for those residents that require it. Seeking a competent physician that can provide a list of facilities qualified to handle the individual needs of the patient is also an invaluable asset.

Taking into account expenses is also something that can affect the type of care provided. Medicare and Medicaid along with health insurance can usually make ends meet but also saving a little to put aside for emergencies that may arise is not a bad idea either.

Overall caring for our loved ones is a major responsibility, but knowing that there are options available to assist in making this stage of their life an easy one, as well as being assured they are getting the best care possible gives a peace of mind that they are in good hands.

Local Events: Drug Wars and Violence Along the Border.

2010-08-29T23:54:00.000-05:00

The recent issues with the drug cartels across the border in Mexico have started to spill across to local border towns and are becoming an ever increasing threat to the local populations, and the economy, as the executions being carried out by these groups are targeting not only rival gangs, but civilians that happen to be caught in the crossfire.

Local authorities are stretched thin attempting to curtail these events with the help of the US Border Patrol and National Guard being stationed along the border areas along the Rio Grande river. Across the border these executions are being carried out using a variety of methods from bombings within cities, to decapitation of their victims usually obscenely displaying the remains from bridges or laying piled beside roads as a warning to opposing cartels.

Raids led by Border Patrol have turned up stashes of weapons and ammunition enough to supply an army. Recently major members of these feudal groups have been systematically removed or killed in standoffs with authorities and Mexican military.

As each day goes by more and more of these occurrences are becoming a bigger threat to the farmers and ranchers along the border and necessitating the purchase and use of a gun for personal protection. Local ranchers have been aware of the threat of illegals that cross into the US for years but have started taking a more defensive posture when coming across persons coming across the border.

Hopefully these attacks can be brought under control in the coming days. The general state of security in the United States since the events of 911 has given us a state of awareness that we will have to retain if we don't want a repeat of history.

Introduction

2010-08-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

Greeting and Salutations to everyone. Let me welcome you all to The Worldly Observer. First let me introduce myself, my name is Terry and I will be bringing you events that are going on in this world we live in. There is no doubt the world we live in is slowly becoming a harsh reality that we all have to face on a daily basis.

With the local wars between drug cartels in our local area here to the war abroad that has been an ever present reminder that the times we live in are very violent and dangerous. The uneasy alliances between world powers have never been more strained than in recent times, and the ever changing natural disasters have become increasingly more frequent with each passing year.

Amidst all this, there are stories of survival and strength all around us from local areas to national levels. The goal of this blog is to try and bring you the stories that effect us everyday from positive to negative. These stories and events are happening all around us and I'll try to keep you informed on as many of them as possible.

As mentioned earlier there can't be all bad news, and thats what I will be trying to bring you with lighter posts and columns each week with a story of the week that I will ask you the reader to submit and I will chose one each week to post. I will also be doing occasional columns reviewing items and providing opinions on happenings.

I hope you will join me in this journey and contribute ideas on anything you would like to hear about or ideas for new columns. As this is a new blog I do also ask if you do happen to disagree with the opinions expressed in this blog, do remember they are my own opinions and are not intended to express any particular belief or portray any culture in a negative view. If you feel I have done so please feel free to send me your comments within a professional manner. Refrain from profanity or abusive language.

That being said I hope you will enjoy joining me as we will explore the world around us and learn to appreciate the beauty that we sometimes take for granted, for we all are worldly observers.