Ramblin' Jan

So long Comcast, sending Xfinity into the beyond...

2012-02-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

It's been a very frustrating few weeks. I've finally decided that my only option is to ditch Xfinity / Comcast and move over to Uverse or whatever it's called...

My emails have been vanishing into thin air. Some go through, some don't. I thought it was my web host as I have umpteen different websites and multiple email accounts for each site. I have it set up so they go to three different computers so I can keep up with them a little easier.

When they couldn't find a problem I figured I had a corrupt file and so spent time deleting emails, reloading programs, cleaning out things, and doing all the things you do when you have huge email files.

Nothing worked.

I receive emails just fine. It's when I reply or send that I have problems. I decided to call my web host instead of opening an on-line ticket and get to the bottom of it today after doing some experimenting on which ones were vanishing, trying to find a pattern, etc. After a loooonnnngggg time we finally discovered that my IP address was being blocked by pbl, zen.spamhaus and others. Six all told. The only solution they could come up with was to have Comcast assign a new IP address.

Ha ha ha on me.

The Xfinity woman-with-attitude that I talked with dumped it back in my lap but not until she messed up my Internet service. She had me unplug their modem and she tried to reset the IP address. She dorked it up trying to do something -- she admitted it. Because of whatever it was she did, I couldn't get back on to the Internet via wireless. I was on hold multiple times while she talked with her supervisor, they tried various things... THEN finally told me I had to call Comcast's Signature Support as it was over their heads.

She neglected to tell me that I had to PAY for the privilege of talking with Signature Support.

She messes up my system and I have to pay to get it fixed. You know I was a bit uptight about that one...but I make my living on the computer and you do what you have to do. I paid.

While working with the $$$ignature $$$upport guys (yep, took two), I learned that I shouldn't be using my Netgear router --- which the Xfinity guy who installed the new router when we bundled phones into the system NEGLECTED to tell me... So, after they got everything up and running, yours truly had to run to the store to buy an adapter 'cause my main computer was too far away from their modem to work. My other computer is, luckily, near enough to plug in directly.

I am livid. I STILL don't have my email working. Turns out I'm not alone with this problem. After talking with some tech friends and doing some research I learned that having a Comcast IP address blocked on the receiving end is not unusual. Seems that Comcast is supposedly the most abused email system when it comes to spamming. And, if what I've read is correct, Comcast isn't going to do diddly-squat about it.

I wasted an entire day on this mess and it's still not resolved. I decided to wait until tomorrow to try Comcast again. I want my money back for Signature Support. I also want them to find a solution for the email problem. If not, adios Xfinity.

Wish I'd NEVER decided to bundle phone, Internet and TV.

Gotta tell you NOT to do the phone thing... they told us incorrect dollar amount (extra monthly $8 not shared during multiple discussions), told me modem had 12 hour back up so wouldn't lose phones during Comcast outage. Lost service during first outage...they had to come out & put in a new modem. I could bore you to tears on the subject of Comcast phones (assuming you haven't already gotten bored and quit reading, of course ;-). I will tell you that to solve THAT problem I have to unhook the TV modem they gave us, travel to their center & exchange it...time, time, time.

Now this email problem with the modem. IP address can't be changed 'cause of the type modem, or that's what they told me.

I know U-Verse AT&T will more than likely bring its own set of problems, but I'm tired of fighting with Comcast. And, I need my email to work.

Guess that's enough venting for now. Writing a blog and sharing with whoever reads this is SO much better than kicking the wall or hitting a pillow .

Storm - 1 Comcast / Xfinity - 0

2011-08-07T07:49:00.004-04:00

We had a bad storm yesterday and it knocked out our electricity. Just ours, no one else in the neighborhood got hit.

The first thing I did was pick up the Xfinity / Comcast phone to call the electric company. No dial tone. The phone said "Searching...." and it kept at it until the phone beeped... and then beeped again a bit later. I finally took the battery out of the phone. The land-line phone we have, the one without any computerized or electrical gadgets, the one that has always worked in the past (pre-Comcast) was dead as the proverbial doornail.

Luckily in our modern world we all had cell phones and I was able to report both the electrical outage and the phone outage. Comcast said the battery failed on the modem and they'd be out next week to fix it. Uh huh.

We switched to Comcast phone last week. We already have cable and Internet. When I compared their latest deal (it included Fox Business News Channel for as long as we have the phone and some movie channel, plus a whole bunch of others) to our current deal with AT&T we saved some money. Not a ton, but in the end, after the two year 'deal' period, we'd still save a few pennies so I decided to give it a try.

My biggest concerns had been losing phone service when we lost cable / Internet and/.or electricity. I asked the guy on the phone AND the service tech when he came out to install. All kinds of assurances flowed... backup battery gave 4 hours of talk time or 8 hours of phone in the event electricity was out... the phone was separate from cable / Internet and would work in the event either or both of those went out.

Four days later, electricity is out and that brand spanking new modem has what they say is a defective battery. They actually had me open the modem to ensure that they put a battery in the thing. Nice people, can't complain on that front. Every experience has been good with the individuals I've encountered at Comcast / Xfinity.

Problems continue to be length of time it takes to get them out here. It's usually three or four days to get into the rotation. Then they cancel and reschedule (have had that happen twice).

Now I'm going to get a new modem or new battery or maybe both. My problem is going to be that I'll have to wait until the electricity goes out to know whether it'll actually work or not. I'm sure they'll have a little tester, but it won't tell me whether the battery holds a charge. It won't tell me if the modem connects correctly with the battery.

Oh, and lest someone suggest that maybe it got hit with lightening, it didn't. The fuse blew at the main pole coming into our house. I watched them replace it and voila, all the lights came back on... and the phone.

Not happy thus far. I do like having Fox Biz though.

Over 15 "Freedom Riders" Set to Journey Across the Country From Atlanta to New York City as a Means of Tribute to September 11th Fallen Heroes

2011-07-16T15:15:00.002-04:00

/PRNewswire/ -- Ask any citizen on the street and they can tell you vividly where they were when our country came under the worst attack on our homeland. Imagine being a first responder and going out to help the innocent victims of September 11th, 2001. Almost ten years to the day, a cycling tour (Freedom Ride) has been organized from Atlanta to Ground Zero to commemorate the first responders and pay tribute to the fallen heroes and their equally courageous survivors.

In 2009, on the eighth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, firefighter, Mike Palmeri of Atlanta Fire Station 21, was working the same shift he was the day of the attacks. An avid cyclist, he envisioned a ride covering more than 1,000 miles on two wheels. That vision became a reality. Now, with 15 cyclists, they have been dubbed, "The Freedom Riders." The riders are made up of both Georgia-based firefighters and public safety officers.

On Friday, August 26th, these intrepid Freedom Riders will take to their two wheels as they embark on a journey of a lifetime. A send off ceremony will take place on Cafe Street, the outdoor lobby of The Terminus Building in Buckhead, Georgia at approximately 9 am. A moment of silence will be observed at 9:11 am. The riders will continue through the city of Atlanta's Midtown and Downtown communities before heading north through Ellijay and the ominous challenges of the Appalachian Mountain Range. Every day for 16 days, the Freedom Riders will press on through weather and an average of 100 miles a day as they head for their pilgrimage goal, Ground Zero in New York City. Their "family," the American Fire Service at the end of each day's ride, will greet the Freedom Riders in every city. A solemn remembrance service, at Ground Zero, will culminate the ride on the ten-year anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2011.

For a complete list of Freedom Riders, ways to support and volunteer, please visit www.FreedomRide2011.com. Connect with the Freedom Riders on Facebook and Twitter to follow them on their journey.

Mission:
Demonstrate the American Spirit of duty, honor and country
Raise money for the Atlanta Fire Foundation

Had my thermography scan this morning

2011-03-14T16:54:00.000-04:00

I wrote earlier that I was considering having a thermography scan rather than suffering through another mammogram. After I shared my thoughts on it, I went out and researched the subject as I indicated I would (see some of the links at the end of my blog).

I read and read and read and then read some more. I am now a semi-expert on the issue. After all my reading and research I concluded that it's was worth giving it a try. Generally it was considered a viable alternative by some and a good addition to health care by others. I didn't find any that said "NO, HORROR, DO NOT DO THIS".

I checked around, couldn't find any place locally that did it other than Health Concepts in Fayetteville. There was one place listed in Peachtree City, but they didn't have a website. I may be an Internet snob, but if some place doesn't have a website, I'm not going. It looked like they used some kind of mobile service anyway.

I had my appointment this morning at 10 a.m. I had already filled out my paperwork, which they conveniently post on-line so you can print and complete prior to the appointment. Saved me time, saves them paper and toner!

I walked in, handed over my paperwork, sat down and before I got comfortable they were ready for me to take my scan.

It was painless. It was fairly fast given they do six different scans. I didn't have to sit in a room with a whole bunch of other women wearing a little paper top. I wasn't cold. They didn't mash my boobs. The tech explained everything to me prior to starting, then answered questions and volunteered more info as we went through the process.

After it was all said and done, I was able to look at my scans on the computer. They had a huge chart showing the various things to look for and she took time to point out and compare some of my results with those on the info chart. Of course, we didn't get into "gee, that looks bad" or any kind of suggestion regarding the results. She just explained what the various colors meant and things along those lines. I was able to see just how tense I was in the neck area!

I was back in my car in half an hour. Loved the turn around!

Now I wait. I was pleased to learn that they send the scans to Duke to be read by experts. She said it can take a week, but typically they're much faster. She explained what they'd be looking at, how they did it, what they were looking for when they manipulated the scans. I won't bore you with all the details. If they find something I'll get a call. If they don't, I'll get a letter. This is one time when I'm willing to sacrifice a tree to make paper for my letter!

I found it to be a very easy process. It wasn't demeaning or uncomfortable in any way. I would prefer not to have spent the $175 but it was certainly worth it given the alternative.

In three months I'm supposed to go back for another scan. I wasn't real thrilled about that one - it'll be another $150 dollars. However, after learning why they wanted the scan, it made sense. Cancer cells grow fast enough that in a three month period they'll be able to see if there have been any changes. If I have what they think might be a 'hot spot' they'll compare today's scan with the one they take in three months. If it's grown or gotten 'hotter' then I'll be off to see my insurance-covered doctor to get a mammogram.

According to the tech this process can detect many cancers years earlier than a mammogram or self exam. In my reading I learned that mammograms detect roughly 80% of cancers, ultrasounds around 83% and thermography, 90%.

It made sense that thermography might find more cancers. You have to have something big enough to feel to find it with a self-exam. It has to have reached a certain size to be detected in a mammogram. The thermography scan picks it up as it's picking up steam. In my laymen's terms, cancers start changing things around the corrupt cell. It needs nutrients, it's working, it's hot even when it's just beginning to cause trouble.

It's not meant to completely replace having to have a mammogram. Here's a disclaimer that I found typical on most sites I looked at "Disclaimer: Breast thermography offers women information that no other procedure can provide. However, breast thermography is not a replacement for or alternative to mammography or any other form of breast imaging. Breast thermography is meant to be used in addition to mammography and other tests or procedures. Breast thermography and mammography are complementary procedures, one test does not replace the other. All thermography reports are meant to identify thermal emissions that suggest potential risk markers only and do not in any way suggest diagnosis and/or treatment. Studies show that the earliest detection is realized when multiple tests are used together. This multimodal approach includes breast self-examinations, physical breast exams by a doctor, mammography, ultrasound, MRI, thermography, and other tests that may be ordered by your doctor."

Given that mammograms can detect some cancers that thermography scans might not pick up, it's probably not a good idea to eliminate those nasty things completely. I think if I had a history of breast cancer in the family or high risk factors I would probably do both. If I had to do test frequently as some with high risk factors must, then I might opt for thermography the majority of the time to keep from subjecting my body to even tiny amounts of radiation.

So, bottom line for me, in three months I'll go plop down more money for the baseline comparative scan. In a year I'll have another scan. I'm having my regular exam by the doctor in June so she'll do a touch and feel scan that's probably better than the ones I do.

I'm going to look into the ultrasounds, too. Maybe in a year or two, insurance will start to cover more preventative options like thermography and ultrasounds as opposed to mammograms. A girl can dream...

Here are some articles. Read them with the knowledge that many are protecting their bread and butter, and that anything 'new' is suspect by some.

Thermography vs Mammogram

2011-03-12T06:54:00.003-05:00

I'm going Monday to a local clinic to have a thermography scan. I'm working on the terminology, this is all pretty new to me!

I've been overdue for a mammogram and have been putting it off, putting it off, and putting it off. Did I say putting it off? Oh, man, do I hate those things. I'm one of the unfortunate few who always gets called back to have a second scan. It's bad enough having them mash your boobs once, but to sit there in the waiting room still wincing from the pain of the first one knowing you're getting ready to do it again is about as much fun as... well, can't think of anything to compare.

I got into a conversation with a friend who works with breast cancer survivors. She convinced me I should get my butt (and breasts) in to get a mammogram. A couple of other girlfriends joined the conversation and we started sharing horror tales about the process. Yes, it's true. If you lay on the ground and have a car roll over your breasts it's good prep for this procedure.

Smashing them in a refrigerator door will also help prepare for the pain. I'm sure you've seen the many cartoons and jokes, just like I have. Problem is, they're not really funny when they're true!

So, the breast cancer friend suggested we try thermography. I'd heard a bit about it, but figured it was probably expensive and that insurance wouldn't cover it. I called and asked and learned that no, most insurances won't cover the scans. There is one that will do it, but you pay extra so it's probably less expensive just to pay for the scan out of pocket.

I'm getting ready to go do some research. I have an appointment Monday morning at Health Concepts in Fayetteville, GA. The cost for the torso scan is $175. Then you're supposed to do a follow up in around 3 months for $150 to establish a baseline. Then it's $150 a year for a scan.

I heard there's a clinic in Peachtree City that also does scans. I'm going to track them down and compare pricing. I'm willing to drive a bit to save some money!

I'm also out doing research on the procedure itself. If they find something I know I'll then need to schedule a mammogram so I can get under my insurance and go the doctor route. Of course, I'm hoping they won't find anything!

I'm going to end this, go do my research and will share more with you later on what I find.

Grab your tissues and prepare to be inspired

2011-03-09T06:22:00.000-05:00

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;This &amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

This is a video from 1999. It is a timeless example of true love and inspiration.

The young man in the wheelchair being helped in the Iron Man has cerebral palsy, is mute and a quadriplegic. His family was told he'd be a vegetable and to put him away. Instead, his parents (now divorced) and two brothers treated him as a regular member of the family.

When he, Rick, was 15 his Dad pushed him in a 15K race. He wrote on his computer that it made him feel like he wasn't handicapped.

At the time of the video above Rick was 37. His dad, Dick Hoyt, was 59. They were the first tandem couple to ever complete the Ironman Triathlon World Championship. It took them just over 16 hours.

In thinking and reading more about the father-son duo a myriad of positive messages flitted through my mind. Think about what it takes for a Dad, who I understand wasn't a runner prior to their first race, to push through and become strong enough, determined enough, to do this for his son. How can I complain about the petty things in my life when I watch that video and reflect on their lives? How can I whine about the aches and pains I have from walking or running when I'm in perfect health, have healthy children, after reading about this family?

The pair are still running together and have a website, http://www.teamhoyt.com/. Reading through the pages on the site it turns out that the duo have now completed six Ironman competitions!

I guarantee you'll need tissues to watch this.

---

Father-son marathon duo finds a new challenge
Celebrity owner reopens Holland landmark
DICK HOYT TAKES ON RESTAURANT BIZ
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090623/NEWS/906230344

Tea Drinker Discrimination

2011-01-28T07:18:00.000-05:00

I'm a hot tea drinker. I don't drink coffee and unlike many of my fellow coffee abstainer friends, I don't even like the smell. For some reason the fact that I don't like the smell seems to shock people more than the fact that I don't drink it. I'm not a snob, I'm just as addicted to my hot tea as coffee drinkers are to their brew. A morning without hot tea becomes a day with a major headache. Caffeine is addictive no matter how you swill it.

I'm a minimum two huge cups a morning type. I measured my cup recently, it holds two cups of fluid thus I'm getting four cups a day minimum of tea and caffeine.

My tea of choice is PG Tips, a British tea that is very strong. Pam, who's from Great Britain, at the Broadway Diner in Fayetteville turned me onto the tea. I thought initially I'd have to just stop in there to get a cup or two or ten, but turns out you can buy it at Kroger, at least you can buy it at "my" Kroger on the south end of Fayetteville, Hwy. 85. There are 40 bags to a box, it usually runs around $4 - $4.50 for a box. Not a bad price at all for a good cup of tea.

By now you're possibly wondering why I titled this blog "Tea Drinker Discrimination". If you're not, you should be given all the rambling prior to that statement...

One of my pet peeves is restaurants who give unlimited coffee (they pretty much all do) for one price but charge me for each and every cup of tea I drink. They charge the same for coffee as they do for tea usually, yet some, a few, restaurants charge me $2.25 or $1.75 or whatever for each and every cup of tea. I was actually told the other day at one Peachtree City restaurant that no, they didn't charge per cup. If I used the same tea bag over and over they would allow me to have three cups of hot water to go along with the one measly tea bag they were willing to allow me to have. Yep, I could re-use that puny thing they called a tea bag three times. I drink my tea with cream or milk -- reusing a tea bag that's been soaked with sweetener and milk isn't pretty, nor does it taste like anything other than weird water.

Once I discover a restaurant discriminates against tea drinkers I mark them off my list. I never return. I used to politely, nicely, try to let them know why but after a few blase responses (ala, we don't give a flying flip, there aren't enough of you tea drinkers to make a difference) I quit telling them why. I just don't go back.

There are two restaurants that I've marked off my list in Fayette County. One in Peachtree City and one in Fayetteville. I'm not naming names as they're fairly popular with my friends and I like the owner of the one in Peachtree City, would very much like her to succeed. I doubt my aggravation about her tea discrimination would hurt her business anyway. Now I think I may have hurt the business of the one in Fayetteville because they were positively snotty when I raised my eyebrow about being charged. I canceled my dessert order and left the restaurant they were so snippy about it. Since then I have taken enough business from them that I've cost them much more than it would have to just give refills on 10-15 cent cups of hot tea...

Think about it. How many people drink tea like I do? I may have two cups after dinner, maybe three if it's cold outside. It's going to cost them maybe 50 cents for those three cups of tea if I'm drinking the better selection. I'm going to buy dessert. I'm going to be a happy customer. I'm going to come back if the food was good and the service at least decent.

Given the small percentage of people who drink tea and the even smaller percentage who drink multiple cups, what's the big deal about free refills? The vast majority of restaurants don't charge for tea refills, from the nicest upscale places to the lowest end dive. Why do some restaurants try to grab a nickel on tea? What's the cost of a lost customer? What's the cost of having someone pull business meetings to other restaurants? I like to enjoy my meal. I don't enjoy some meals without my after meal, sometimes during meal, hot tea. And no, I don't always drink hot tea with a meal when I'm out. It's a mood thing, and sometimes a weather or time of day thing. I rarely have hot tea with lunch unless it's really cold.

I know all you coffee drinkers and caffeine abstainers are rolling your eyes at the idea of someone walking out of a restaurant, never to return, over being charged for a second cup of tea. It's the principle of the thing. It's part of the enjoyment of my meal. I pay pretty hefty prices for the privilege of eating at many restaurants. I don't mind, I know they need to cover their costs and hopefully make a profit. Tea isn't going to make or break them. But it can cost them if they charge for refills.

So there.

Ditching Nexium...

2011-01-23T13:21:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I started getting killer heartburn. I tried all the normal over-the-counter remedies, even tried Prilosec for 60 days straight. As soon as I stopped taking it, wham, the horrible keep-me-up-all-night heartburn was back. It was getting worse.

I finally decided it was time to talk with my doctor. She put me on Prilosec, prescription (not sure if there's a difference) for a month or so. Either they have to go through the 'try-this-first' hoops due to insurance or she didn't believe I'd already done it I suppose. Of course it didn't help. Just as soon as I stopped taking it the heartburn came back with a vengeance. Again, it seemed like it was worse than ever.

She sent me to a specialist who knocked me out and took a look. He said I had acid reflux, my little dooflotchy (lower esophogeal spincter (LES) muscle) that normally stopped acid from coming up the esophagus was weak, not doing its job. He told me I need to take Prilosec. Every day. Forever. Due to changes in my insurance he had to switch me to Nexium after a few months, but both did the job.

I did NOT like having to take a drug. Unlike my norm, I didn't go out and do any research, I just meekly filled my prescription and did away with the heartburn. Pain will do that to you... completely knock out the intelligent questioning part of the brain!

If I forgot to take it one day I knew it before the end of the day. I would end up taking two pills to be able to sleep,

I've been compliantly taking my medicine for almost three years now I guess. Off and on I've wondered how it works but have gotten sidetracked before I hit the computer and forgot to look it up. During that time frame I did a bone scan and discovered I had the beginnings of Osteoporosis, the you're-not-there-yet-but-if-you-don't-take-a-drug-you-will-be kind. I now take a weekly drug to help keep my bones in tip-top shape.

This morning I finally remembered to go look up Nexium. I wanted to bang my head on the desk. Guess what one of the side affects can be? Bone loss. Osteoporosis. Another is vitamin B12 deficiency which can lead to various brain problems. (Hah, now I have an excuse!).

I decided to get off the drug. All it's doing is wiping out 90% of the acid created in my stomach. I didn't go into any great depth as to what that could do to your digestion, but I did see a ton of comments from people who were having difficulties that stopped once they weaned themselves off Nexium (I'm assuming Prilosec is the same).

One of the things commonly noted was the rebound affect -- try to get off and your heartburn problems increase tremendously. All annecdotal, but I did see some links to studies that supposedly supported their assertions.

I'm going to list some suggestions to get off the drug in case you're interested.

low carb or no carb / no sugar diet. (I'm already doing that, started about 10 days ago so I suppose my timing in trying to get off Nexium is good.)
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day. Mix with water, take straight or mix with honey. (I tried that for weight loss, couldn't handle the taste so hopefully won't need to go that route. It is the most common 'cure' noted though... I guess I could put it on my salads, maybe that would work just as well.)
take Nexium for two days, Zantec for one - alternate like that for 2 - 3 weeks. Then go to every other day. Finally after about 2 weeks of that move to Zantec every day for 20 days. (I may try that one. I have no earthly idea why it should work, but it's one of the most common ways I found on the forums I read.)
papaya enzyme before ever meal, also one after if that doesn't help. Aids digestion, a good idea if you have any digestive problems in my opinion. (I keep a jar)
ginger - the kind you buy at the health food store. Good for digestion. (I'm going to try.)
DGL - a type of licorice (Info) (I'm going to pick up some & have just in case.)
chewing gum after every meal. Gets the juices going, helps digestion. I'd guess that peppermint would be more helpful than fruity gums, but that's a guess. (My mom always said my siblings and I looked like cows chewing cud when we chewed gum... I am scarred for life, can't chew it except on rare occasions!)
don't eat two hours before laying down. (Good idea to help prevent heartburn, acid reflux, something I'm already doing... a bit late in the game as I used to love a late-night snack, but sticking with it now that it hurts if I don't!)
eat apples (helps digestion)
avoid fried foods
loose weight
eat smaller portions, frequent meals rather than large meals
sleep with the head of your bed slightly raised. It helps to stop the acid from traveling up from your stomach to your esophagus.
take probiotics to help with digestion. (already doing sporadically, guess I'll make it a regular thing)
D3 supplement (I already take, supposed to help with so many different things, including wrinkle reduction... who knows about things like that, they say it will then years later say it really didn't. Can't hurt as long as I don't overdo it!)
cut back or eliminate caffeine. (Not giving up my hot tea, ever.)
stop smoking (not an issue for me)
baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon for symptoms or take it as a preventative twice a day. (Not me, no way.)
surgery if you have loose lower esophogeal spincter (LES) muscle, although some of the above remedies may still help per forums

I'm not a doctor (obviously...) and I can't tell you whether any of the above are good, bad or ugly, or whether they work. I'm getting off the stuff one way or the other. I have the kind that is due to a weak muscle so not sure that any of the above are going to do me any good. We'll see.

I'll try to pop on here off and on and let you know how I'm doing. I didn't take a pill this morning --- may end up taking one tonight to be able to sleep. I just figured I'd see if being on a low-carb, no sugar diet for a couple of weeks did the trick... I don't have my licorice, apples, ginger, Zantec, etc. yet so I don't have anything to allay symptoms. If I end up with bad heartburn tonight I'll wait until I can go to the store before beginning the weaning process!

A few links:

Butterbeer just SOUNDS like it has to be good...

2011-01-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

The word just rolls off the tongue so nicely it makes you want to repeat it. And hearing the description in the press release below, it made my mouth water. If I ever make it back to Universal Orlando I'm going to have to try one!

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT CELEBRATES ONE-MILLIONTH BUTTERBEER SOLD AT THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

Popular Beverage Hits Major Milestone: Universal Orlando Marks Moment with 1,000 Complimentary Butterbeers

In celebration of selling its millionth Butterbeer inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort shared 1,000 complimentary Butterbeers with guests on the streets of Hogsmeade.

Butterbeer appears as a favorite drink inside the Harry Potter books and films and is only available inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It is a nonalcoholic, frothy drink reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch and is served cold or frozen.

Much has been written about Butterbeer since it made its debut on June 18, 2010, making it one of the most talked about beverages of 2010. There has been much speculation about its secret ingredients – but Universal Orlando will not share the closely guarded recipe. Universal has implemented special security procedures to protect the details.

Butterbeer quickly became a guest favorite. To help meet the strong demand, Universal Orlando added a fourth Butterbeer location within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

“You can see the excitement on our guests’ faces as they wait in line – and then the smile that comes with their first sip,” said Ric Florell, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Resort Revenue Operations for Universal Orlando. “Butterbeer is not just a beverage. It’s an experience.”

Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the most spectacularly themed environment ever created. It is the only place in the world where the wonder, excitement and adventure of the Harry Potter books and films come to life.

Talk about starting the New Year off right! Lottery Jackpot is $242 million!

2010-12-30T15:17:00.000-05:00

Mega Millions is bringing the fireworks to the celebration on New Year’s Eve. The jackpot for Friday’s drawing is an explosive $242 million to a single annuity winner. It only takes $1 for a chance to start 2011 with a bang.

Any lucky player who matches all five white ball numbers, along with the Mega Ball number, could win approximately $9.3 million a year for 26 years with the annuity option. Or a player could select the cash option and win a single payment worth approximately $154 million.

Any Georgia Lottery retailer who sells a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket can earn the $25,000 retailer incentive bonus payment. If more than one winning jackpot ticket is sold in Georgia, the retailers selling the winning tickets will share the $25,000 retailer incentive bonus.

As with all other Georgia Lottery games, proceeds from Mega Millions will benefit education in the state of Georgia. Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $12.1 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. More than 1.25 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.

MEGA MILLIONS FAST FACTS
Draw Date: December 31, 2010
Estimated Jackpot Amount: $242 million
Annuity Amount: Approximately $9.3 million a year for 26 years
Cash Option Amount: Approximately $154 million
Cost to Play: $1 per play
Drawings: 11 p.m. (ET) every Tuesday and Friday
Overall Odds of Winning Any Prize: Approximately 1:40
Odds of Winning Jackpot Prize: Approximately 1:175 million
Date Jackpot Began Rolling: Nov. 12, 2010
Number of Rolls: 14
Last Winning Jackpot Ticket: Nov. 9, 2010 in Ohio
#1 Georgia Lottery Jackpot: Mega Millions = $390 million; March 6, 2007; Ga./N.J. winners

For more information on the Georgia Lottery Corporation and Mega Millions, please visit:
www.galottery.com and www.megamillions.com

Play Responsibly – It’s All About Fun!

Fayette County Commission Changes Selection Process for Board of Elections

2010-12-10T15:48:00.000-05:00

Last night I attended our local Fayette County Commission meeting. A number of things happened that have me scratching my head, but there's one that really tweaked my curiosity.

The Board voted to give themselves the final approval over who gets to serve on the Board of Elections.

In the past the Republican Party appointed one person, the Democrat Party appointed one and the County Commission appointed the third member. Done, finis, job complete.

Now however both the Democrat and Republican appointees will have to be approved by the County Commission.

I did a little research today, made a few phone calls, and as the county attorney Scott Bennett stated, the selection process is handled in a variety of different ways including the "new" way Fayette will be handling things. The only one I found that gives the County Commission final approval of who is appointed is Henry County. There may be others --- there are a LOT of counties in Georgia!

I can't imagine that the Democrat Party is going to be happy with this one. The County Commissioners are all Republicans. I'd have heartburn about it if I were a Democrat... and who's to say that at some point the tables won't be turned and Republicans will have to go before an all Democrat Board for approval of their appointee.

My research indicates the Board of Elections is supposed to be an independent board. This change seems to be trying to make them a little or possibly a lot less independent.

County Commissioner Eric Maxwell brought up some good reasons NOT to make the move. One being the one I raised in the paragraph before this one.

Another was the way it popped up kind of as a last minute issue. Per Maxwell the County Commissioners have had a policy for the past four years that they would discuss issues like this one in their monthly workshop and / or have at least three Commissioners look into the matter.

He said he first saw the measure two days before the meeting and that to the best of his recollection it had never been discussed at a workshop.

I asked outgoing Chairman Jack Smith what prompted the change after the meeting. He said that it was the only Board that had appointees who weren't approved by the Commission. He also indicated there had been some disputes over control of the budget and other items and this would give them more control. I asked the logical question "how would having final approval over appointees by local political parties change their control, affect budget disputes". I got a shrug type non-answer, a wellll... I really can't remember exactly what Smith said but it really wasn't an good explanation.

I guess at the end of the appointees four-year term if they haven't towed the Commission line they could block their re-appointment?

Now, behind the scenes I've been hearing there's a lot going on in this arena. I've heard that County Manager Jack Krakeel has been bumping heads with some of the appointees. I've heard that the Commissioners don't like that it's possible for the Republican Party to appoint a political opponent... and that they don't care for the fact that they could dump someone they've appointed only to have the Republican Party turn around and appoint them... I'm hearing all kinds of tings and have no idea where the truth lies.

I don't see any reason for the Board to sneak this one in as a last-minute last-vote of the year without some kind of something going on that I'd love to know!

This isn't one that is really going to affect me personally one way or the other. At least I don't think it will. I think it's just another power grab. I also think that we may see the Fayette Democrat and Republican parties working together to try and stop this one... we may also see Henry County Democrats joining forces with Fayette Democrats to try and stop it.

I'm including the video of the vote and discussion on the issue. Let me know what you think about it.

Good morning world! Ready for a little self-discipline?

2010-12-09T08:01:00.000-05:00

My dad is a person of discipline and habit. He's flexible where it matters but in his day-to-day routine he never varied when I was growing up. I'm not so sure about now given he's not trekking off to an office everyday, but back then, we could set the clock by his morning ritual.

Up every morning long before my little peepers started to stiffly open. Showered, dressed and to the kitchen for breakfast by the time my feet finally hit the floor.

He would have a small bowl of cornflakes with a teaspoon or two of bran atop and just enough milk to match the amount of cereal precisely. He'd take half a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and a bag of potato chips for lunch. He left the house at the same time and pretty much got home at the same time every work-day.

I have no idea what his weekend ritual was since yours truly never got up early enough to see it!

Later when the cost of cereal started to sky-rocket he quit putting bran on top of his cereal. Hope that didn't cause him any problems! For a long time I bought him a box of bran for his birthday and Christmas. He was appreciative but Mom finally told me that it wasn't a good idea as when he ran out he didn't replace them.

My morning ritual isn't quite so locked in stone but I do have a few regular habits. I must, must have at least one cup of hot tea in the morning. I like to have the biggest cup available and usually will end up having two (perfecto!). I typically wake up, take care of business, then walk straight to the computers, reboot if needed or start them up. Then I head back to the kitchen to make my tea. I drink my first cup in front of the computer catching up with the world on Twitter and Facebook.

Then it's back to the kitchen for my second cup and breakfast. I've kind of gotten into a habit when it comes to breakfast, too. I now eat either one whole wheat low-fat waffle or the Pepperidge Farm thin whole wheat sandwich bread with some low-fat cheese and / or two Morning Farm fake sausage links.

I make my breakfast and head back to the computer. Usually by then Twitter is going full-force making me completely forget about whatever I'm eating. After the food is gone and the cup of tea is history, I open up my email and settle down to delete spam and read the rest.

After that my morning goes in so many directions I couldn't begin to share!

I wish I had half my Dad's discipline and ability to focus, stay the path. About the closest I come to emulating some of his good traits is my morning structure, which I admit could change tomorrow. Now that I'm older I see how important self-discipline is to success. Sure sometimes people back into something good without having a modicum of self-discipline and inner strength. They're also the ones you read about who had it all and blew it, too!

I've tried through the years to be more structured and focused. I've failed every time. I'm just one of those people who's head is continually turning to see what else is happening. I want to try everything. I can't say no to a good cause and somewhere deep down inside I really do believe I'm superwoman and I can take on any challenge. Note I said take on any challenge --- I said nothing about succeeding!

Oh well. Time to get busy. I have a newspaper to update and the studio is calling.

How good it feels...

2010-12-08T21:24:00.000-05:00

Photo (left to right): Maggie Lachmayr, Bob Crutchfield, President/CEO of Christian City, Pat Sams, Phyllis Bennett, Victoria Hughes, Janet Dunn, Belinda Fitch, Debi Lenox, Dana Forse, Angela Bean, Chair of Volunteer Committee, Angela White, Randy Hall, Heidi Becker, Director of Marketing and Development at Christian City, State Representative Matt Ramsey, and Missy Ramsey

I participated once again this year in the Chair-ity Event, helping to raise much-needed funds for The Children's Village at Christian City. (That's me behind the two elves in the photo above) What a fabulous group of volunteers! What a wonderful cause.

I may have shared my feelings on giving and how I choose who to support before so skip this paragraph if you remember this particular soapbox! I was the local president of a large national charity for a number of years. We raised a ton of money for the cause. Along the way I also joined in efforts to raise dollars for other well-known organizations. Until I traveled to the headquarters of one of the groups. I realized where a lot of our hard-fought donations were going!

I started doing research and decided that I would only support organizations I could see, touch, visit, and get to know personally. I support a wide variety of local groups - the Joseph Sams School, the Promise Place, Southwest Christian Care, The Breast Cancer Survivor's Network... I know I'm missing some... but I'll end the list with "my" charity of choice, Christian City.

The volunteers and staff at Christian City are a stellar group of people who do so much to help so many. They not only support children through numerous programs, but they help our senior population. They're now working on a new program which will provide assistance to adult children with special needs. That's going to be a program I'll be getting behind 100%.

Christian City is well-run. Everyone I've ever gotten to know is committed to what they do and they all go way above and beyond. I'm so impressed with every aspect of their mission and the way they go about the business of helping others.

It makes me feel good to do my tiny, tiny part to help this great organization! I wish I could do more.

The Chair-ity Event is an annual Christmas event that raises money through sponsorships, donations and the auctioning of chairs painted by local artists and other donated items. It is completely volunteer driven. We just held the event and raised over $30,000. Not bad for a 2-hour event. Next year we're going to raise more.

I am primarily in 'charge' of collecting and managing the artists. Many fantastic artists donated their time and talent to paint some of the cutest and most beautiful chairs for the event. I've looked on-line at similar chairs --- our artist's chairs would sell for over $500 retail! I also try to keep up with the website for the event and do whatever else that's needed. Everyone works their tushes off to make the event a success!

This year we held the event at the Dolce in Peachtree City. Very wonderful group who worked with us and truly gave a lot to support our efforts!

Ah well, I'm ramblin' now... it's easy to do when I start writing (or talking) about something important. It's Christmas -- I hope you'll consider checking out Christian City's Children's Village and maybe you'll feel led to sponsor a child.

Like to get involved in next year's Chair-ity event (our 5th annual) or another fund-raiser to support the group? janet at georgiafrontpage dot com.

A few of the customer reviews on Verizon's Samsung Intensity II cell phone

2010-12-07T11:49:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd share a few of the reviews I found on the phone. I haven't gone out to see what kind of reviews there are on Verizon Wireless, the company. I promise, this is the last I'll write on this issue -- at least until I get a response from the letter I'm mailing (assuming I will) and my talk with Clark Howard (consumer guru) if I get through to him.

These are the reviews I found with similar problems / issues. There are a ton of bad reviews but I only grabbed phone shut-down, freeze issue related. I learned my lesson well -- I will do some research BEFORE I get a phone in the future!!!

---

"Terrible Phone" on August 13, 2010 by spacetime6 (1 review)

Pros: It look nice and the camera is good for being 1.3 megapixels

Cons: Terrible battery, feels cheap, slow, freezes

Summary: My whole family got this phone and it has been nothing but problems. It has terrible battery life. It barely makes it through a day of average use before it dies. The phone is slow and lags when going through menus or typing messages. It also freezes and occasionally, buttons will not work. The phone also restarts itself for no reason. We have talked to Verizon about our problems and they don't seem to think the phone really has a problem.

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-intensity-ii-deep/4852-6454_7-34140451.html?tag=contentMain;userRate

"Great phone - QWERTY & numbers." on November 29, 2010 by cableguyjro (1 review)

Pros: QWERTY key board AND normal phone dialing on front. Slides easily, cool menu. Very attractive.

Cons: Sometimes freezes or stops. No video.

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-intensity-ii-deep/4852-6454_7-34140451.html?tag=contentMain;userRate

"A couple of the Cons are a real problem." on September 20, 2010 by SophieMorris (1 review)

Pros: So far (3 weeks) I don't have a complaint about the battery life. The microphone and sound quality are acceptable.

Cons: Major Cons: Phone freezes in an unresponsive state. Keyboard lock is frequently ineffective.

Summary: I, too, have had problems with the phone locking up and battery removal/reinstall is only way I've found to bring it back to life. Also the keyboard lock isn't very effective and random dialing is a problem. Text messages aren't organized in a user-friendly fashion. The camera is of poorer quality than you would expect these days. And after three weeks I am still having problems hitting the incorrect buttons on the front screen...poor layout and too cramped.

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-intensity-ii-deep/4852-6454_7-34140451-3.html?tag=userReviews;page

"I will not recommend this phone to anyone." on September 17, 2010 by mittaluser (1 review)

Pros: I like the keyboard

Cons: I do not like the text message set up. you cannot organize your texts efficiently. numerous internet based sites just suddenly open up and log themselves on. Buttons are too easy to push to talk even if the keyboard is locked.

Summary: This phone does not function properly. This phone would shut off with no other way to turn it back on than to remove the battery and replace it. I took the phone back to the phone sales department within the 30 day warranty period. I purposely took it back when phone was in this state and unable to reboot or start up. The salesman told me there was nothing wrong with this phone and that it was working when I brought it in even though he had to remove the battery and replace it to get it to power up. This phone is useless to me. It has already cost me a few very valuable calls. I will not and cannot recommend this phone since it has software problems and shuts down so that you cant get it powered up at all. The salesman was trying to claim the phone was in sleep mode. I think it was in dead mode. The battery had a full charge each time these episodes would happen and once the battery was reset the charge would go down a bar. This had happened several times and is not my imagination as the salesman would like to have implied. there is definetly something wrong with this phone. When the phone shut down, I had someone call the phone, just to make sure there was no connection. There was no call received on the phone and no text message was received. This phone is a rip off.

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-intensity-ii-deep/4852-6454_7-34140451-3.html?tag=userReviews;page

"Worst phone ever, except when it works" on October 8, 2010 by horsegalJPJ (1 review)

Pros: Looks nice

Cons: This phone works properly from one-half to three-quarters of the time, depending on its mood that day.

Summary: So many, many things wrong with this poor excuse for a phone!! Some of them: 1) Sometimes, it won't stay on Contacts list, just instantly returns to the main screen, over & over & over. 2) Won't always complete calls: rings once, then cuts off and returns to the main screen (with 2 or more reception bars). 3) Doesn't always answer calls. If locked, asks you to Unlock, then when I hit Send, this cuts off the call; or just hitting Send first works sometimes, sometimes not. I've been through all the locked/unlocked combinations so NO it's not my error. 4) Has sent blank texts before I hit any keys at all. 5) Does not always alert if a new text comes in. 6) When I get a new text, it tells me "2 (or 3 or 4 etc.) New Messages, but there's just one. 7) The one text that I definitely wanted to Save was the one text that simply disappeared from the phone the instant I opened it. 8) Hitting center select key (while on Main screen) can make it try to do any random function of its own choosing. 9) Power connector is in middle of left side so that if you want to talk on the phone (some of us still use phones for talking!) while it's powering, the jack is exactly where my hand wants to hold it - this could be a personal issue, I realize. Well, that's probably most - but not all - of the problems I've encountered with this phone, from Day One. I have never dropped the phone. I've been using cell phones for about 10 years and have never had any problems like this before. I absolutely hate this phone and can't wait to take over my daughter's old phone instead, since she upgraded to the Droid. I may have had more problems than most - maybe got a real LEMON - but if you read the other reviews, except for the one Pollyanna who accuses the rest of us of stupidity, how could you want to buy this?

http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-intensity-ii-deep/4852-6454_7-34140451-4.html?tag=userReviews;page

JUNK!

Posted November 26, 2010

simpleman

I have used this product for: less than a month

Expertise: intermediate

# of SAMSUNG products I own: 1-2

No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

Posted November 26, 2010

"The Intensity II has been great for pocket dialing (even when "locked"), not unlocking to allow me to answer incoming calls, repeatedly trying to access the web so I can pay for unwanted web access, and new for today not letting me make outgoing calls to my wife who wonders why I won't return her voice mails. Don't buy this phone. The software STINKS!"

Cons: Poor quality, Did not meet expectations, unlocks in at least two unintended ways

http://reviews.us.samsung.com/7463/sch-u460eaavzw/samsung-samsung-intensity-ii-full-qwerty-cell-phone-reviews/reviews.htm

Garbage...a tin can and yarn is more dependable.

Posted November 2, 2010

Sparky99

from Clover,SC

I have used this product for: less than a month

Expertise: intermediate

# of SAMSUNG products I own: 1-2

No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

Posted November 2, 2010

"Within five days of owning the phone it locked up with a screen "USB Main Download". I could not get it to power off or anything. I had to remove the optional hard shell cover (not an easy task), remove the battery, and then I was able to turn on the phone. The very next day, the phone was dead and I could not get it to power on! Again I had to remove the hard shell cover, remove the battery, and then turn the phone back on. UghHH!
What is worse is the USB Mass Storage or memory card accessory will not recognize my photos. They are JPEG which is in the JPG format, yet I can't use the card for what I wanted. This fancy looking paperweight is going back to the Wireless/Cellphone store today!
I have alot of respect for Samsung. I have owned a great digital video camera in the past (still works great) and I still own a 42-inch plasma, both by Samsung.
This purchase has impacted my likelihood of ever purchasing another Samsung product."

Pros: Inexpensive

Cons: Poor quality, Not high def, Too big, Did not meet expectations, corrupted software

No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

http://reviews.us.samsung.com/7463/sch-u460eaavzw/samsung-samsung-intensity-ii-full-qwerty-cell-phone-reviews/reviews.htm

Retrevo Real Time Reviews (compiles reviews from across the Internet)

Quote: “The majority of people had negative reviews and opinions about this product.”

Based on the facts above, Retrevo's recommendation is: Buy with caution if you really want it

http://www.retrevo.com/s/Samsung-Intensity-II-Cell-Phones-review-manual/id/23736ci658/t/1-2/

(Amazon Review Page) This review is from: Samsung Intensity II SCH-U460 Phone, Metallic Blue (Verizon Wireless) (Wireless Phone)

I'm on my 2nd one in 2 weeks - both of 'em like to lock up while the screen is lit up and run the battery down.
These things are junk!

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Intensity-SCH-U460-Metallic-Wireless/dp/B003XRF066

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It likes to lock up, November 18, 2010

By Matthew S. Fite (Fernley, NV United States) - See all my reviews

Monday, Monday...

2010-11-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

I took yesterday off. Yup, gave myself a day off. I only spent maybe a half-hour on the computer... shock! Went out to eat, watched Avatar on the tube, vegged all day. It was nice.

Noel November on Saturday night was fun. The food at the Towne Club Center in Peachtree City is superb! I thought the Noel folks had hired a caterer and went looking to find out who they were... only to be told it was the regular chef at the Towne Club. I told them the food was enough to make me want to sell my home and move in immediately . I did learn that the public can stop in for lunch or dinner, they'll let you hold meetings there, etc. A friend told me that they'd recently changed chef's and the food improved substantially. That's second-hand info...

I went to Noel November last year and it seemed to me that the money being spent by attendees at the auction this year was a LOT less. Last year trees sold close to a thousand dollars, this year they were getting $200 - $400. I left before the auction ended so maybe the prices increased later.

I hope they raised a lot of money for the causes. I know the Realtors who put on the event worked at the Clothes Less Traveled in Peachtree City to raise money prior to the event. The Clothes Less Traveled does a phenomenal job of supporting numerous local charities. Love the organization!

I spent the day-time on Saturday at the Apples & ArtFest in Fayetteville. It was also fun. The attendance could have been better. I think part of the problem is they're not on any main roads, you have to know how to get there. It was a lot of crafts. I came home with some cool pieces, sold a few of my own, spent a lot of time talking with friends who stopped by... It was a good day, think that if I do it again next year I'll make Christmas ornaments, smaller items in the craft-price range.

The apple cobbler and zucchini-apple muffins were drooling-good! Laurie Bean made them, sold them (with a little help from Mom and a cousin). They also sold red-velvet-cake-in-a-cup, which was a big hit. Laurie is a chef, caters... everything I've ever tried that she made is excellent.

I have one more charity to go this year and that's the Chair-ity Event to benefit The Children's Village at Christian City. Let me know if you'd like information, tickets, to make a donation..

It's Monday and I'm back at work. First thing I had to do was figure out what was eating up the memory on my computer, slowing my system. I think I may have it fixed, we'll see. I thought I'd fixed it once before and it came back...

OK, enough ramblin', I'm going back to work. Monday, Monday...

It's the giving time of year... local artists are giving, too!

2010-11-12T08:18:00.000-05:00

Thought you might like to see a few of the chairs that will be auctioned at the Children's Chair-ity Event to benefit the Children's Village at Christian City. The event is December 2nd, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Dolce in Peachtree City.

I have tickets! Give me a call at 404-290-3638 and I'll be happy to deliver them (or send via snail-mail). The cost of the ticket equals the amount it takes to take care of one child for one month at Christian City. It's not as much as you'd think, it's only $30.

They're always in need of sponsors for the children so think hard about taking care of a child for the entire year by giving $30 per month. These kids have sometimes suffered horrific circumstances before coming to Christian City. I've been out there many times and met the kids, seen the love they receive... and met some of the grown-up kiddos who went on to live happy, productive lives as a result of the care they received at Christian City.

This is a favorite event of mine! It combines the talents of many local artists who donate their talents to paint the chairs with the big hearts of many in our community who volunteer, donate or attend the event.

I don't give to "big" charities any more. I worked with them for years, then realized how much of my efforts went into paying salaries and big taj-mahal type office buildings... I read the percentages they actually gave to the cause I was supporting, saw horror tales on the tube about problems, and finally decided my giving efforts would only go to local charities that I could visit, look into, get to know.

The people at Christian City are fabulous. They give, and give, and give... I hope you'll consider giving.

Just a footnote - while Southwest Christian Care (hospice, etc.) was started by the same folks that started Christian City, they are two completely different organizations. When you give to one, you're not helping the other. They work together, support each other, but have different functions. I support both.

A funny one from Jay Leno...

2010-11-10T08:21:00.002-05:00

President Obama was in India yesterday, visiting our jobs. Tomorrow he goes to China, to visit our money.

Mystery missile an airplane?

2010-11-10T07:17:00.000-05:00

A couple of days ago someone caught what appeared to be a missile launching just off the California coast. Everyone has been speculating about it, especially since the military, the Pentagon and anyone who should know what it is denies responsibility, or admits any knowledge of the missile. They're currently inventorying their missiles to ensure it wasn't one of theirs.

Now they're saying that it's probably an optical illusion, that it's an airplane. Could be. I only know what I've read. I think it's weird to say the least. If it's an airplane, why with all the airplanes hasn't anyone caught something like this before? It would seem it would be a fairly common occurrence. I'd "assume" that someone who was flying at that time might have come forth and said, 'oh, that's me'. Or, if that's a regular flight path that it the next day or an hour later or the next morning someone would see another airplane flying that route.

I wonder if someone is going to try and recreate the 'illusion'? I did see a side-by-side photo of the so-called missile contrail and a jet plane contrail. The looked very similar. But then I go back to wondering why they haven't checked flight paths and figured out that an airplane flew that route at the time the video was made...

I have a feeling this is one that's going to be fodder for discussion for a select few for quite some time.

There is going to be a contingency who'll think it's something ominous like an alien spaceship. Or we'll find out it's something benign like a private company is experimenting with missiles (although that avenue has been explored already per the articles I scanned this morning). People are already wondering if it's a foreign missile... I would guess there's speculation also about a foreign stealth submarine firing off a missile just to get our goat.

The words 'government cover-up' will be attached to the story soon, if not already by some.

Who knows? In today's fickle news cycle this is already old news.

Here's a link to the video of the missile / airplane. I was going to embed the video but for some reason it's not showing up when I post the code. http://www.cbs8.com/global/category.asp?c=155799&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=149659&topVideoCatNoB=155712&topVideoCatNoC=155713&topVideoCatNoD=155710&topVideoCatNoE=155711&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5276101&flvUri=&partnerclipid=

If for some reason that doesn't work, here's a link to a story that includes the video: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/experts-unexplained-missile-may-just-be-a-jet-plane/

And, here are a few more articles:

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/11/09/mystery-solved-missile-launch-jet-contrail/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/11/mystery-missile-was-probably-an-aircraft-government-says.html

Working on two charity events and... and...

2010-11-09T13:47:00.000-05:00

I've been a little busy lately. OK, OK, yes, I'm always busy... When I was a kid my Mom's constant complaint was that I could never sit still. I haven't changed!

I should probably put this in my Hummingbird Hollow blog as most of the things I'm doing lately are somewhat or mostly arts related. I'll probably pop something over there later, too... but with a different focus.

Here's a quick run down of a few things on my current calendar:

I'm currently working with a number of other artists to create a Christmas tree for Noel November. We're doing an 'Ocean Blues' theme. None of us looked at each others ornaments, we just created what we thought fit the theme. It's going to be interesting on Friday when we put it all together!

Noel November is an annual event hosted by realtors in Fayette County from all or most realty companies. Groups donate beautifully decorated Christmas trees, wreaths and other items which are auctioned off. It's a day long event with lots of fun things for the entire family. They choose one or more charities to receive the funds raised. More info here.

I'm also working on our annual Children's Chair-ity Event to benefit the Children's Village at Christian City. Local artists paint chairs which are auctioned, along with many other cool items. This year the event will be held at the Dolce in Peachtree City on Thursday, Dec. 2nd. The cost of the ticket equals one month of supporting a child at the Village.

It's a wonderful group and one I'm proud to support.

I also have a number of pottery shows coming up in the near future so I'm trying to squeeze in some studio time. I'm participating in one that will benefit the Life Enrichment Center (Fayette Senior Services) this weekend. It's called Apples and ArtFest. They have over 30 artists who'll be selling their art this Saturday.

Tonight I have a Board meeting for the Clothes Less Traveled. This is a fantastic organization! They take in donations from the surrounding community, sell them to others, then donate the proceeds to many, many well-vetted local charitable groups. They run a tight ship and I'm proud to serve on the Board. I volunteer over there once a month and wish I could do it more often.

I'm also in the process of switching a couple of websites I manage from Miva Merchant to another service. If you're looking for a store-front service I would highly recommend that you don't choose Miva. It has to be the most labor intensive, pain in the tush, convoluted, expensive, hard to manage service I have ever worked with. It doesn't have to be that difficult and it doesn't have to cost as much as they charge! Every little thing that you want to do has to be done with a module --- which you have to buy. Grrrr...

Let's see, what else? I can't forget our news websites (Arts Across Georgia, Georgia Front Page, Fayette Front Page)! They require constant updating and attention. Plus I handle my own pottery website (Hummingbird Hollow Studio) and some rabble rousing political sites. Oh, I also have at least ten Twitter accounts... we have over 200 blogs...

I'm trying to get into a routine, but it's tough. Between painting chairs for the Chair-ity Event, trying to corral artists to get their bios and chairs complete, working on the Christmas tree ornaments and getting the artists together for that, spending time with my family (yep, they are extremely important and I drop everything to spend time with them), getting ready for shows, scheduling shows, trying to set up websites for my customers, going to meetings for the various charities, closing bank accounts (previous blog), shopping (food, not fun stuff), oh, you get the idea.

Busy is the word of the day.

Couple of good things I'm looking forward to: We're going to see the Canadian Tenors in two weeks, then we're going to see Joe Bonamassa! Love Joe's music...

With all that going on I took time out to whine a bit in my blog... critically important! Seriously, I'm not complaining at all. I love every minute of my life and I love doing all the things I do. I just wish that time didn't fly by so quickly, that I could do more, that I had more time for friends, family, could wrangle a bit more time in the garden... oops, now I'm getting into whining territory for real!

Did I mention that I usually read a book a day? Good thing I'm a fast reader...

Hmmm, just saw a cat heading toward the porch. They like to hang out under the back porch, birth, and do whatever cats do. Mothballs keep them away, but they're not good for the environment and they stink. Wonder if that deer repellent would work? Kind of expensive, but worth a try.

Where was I? Doesn't matter, I'm going to go grab a bite to eat, work on my websites a bit then head out to buy something at the Clothes Less Traveled to finish up my tree ornaments. Board meeting tonight.

p.s. you can check out my Facebook page (facebook.com/ArtsAcrossGeorgia) to see pictures of some of the artist's chairs (Chair-ity Event) and tree ornaments (Noel November)

Big Bank vs Community Bank...

2010-11-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

Late last week I stopped by my bank of countless years, Regions Bank, and canceled my three checking accounts. Out of the blue they decided to start charging a monthly fee for my tiny little accounts so rather than pay them to use my money I picked up the phone and easily found a lot of other banks that didn't charge. I had two business accounts and a personal account (no fee on that one). None of them had a lot of money in them, but since the money just sat there for months without being used, thus allowing them to earn money on my money it was silly to stay with Regions Bank.

I planned my day to allow time to answer questions when I canceled my account. I wasn't upset and I really like some of the people at the bank who I've known for years so no way I'd fuss even if I did have a problem! However, no one asked why I was canceling. I walked in, asked the teller who I needed to talk with about canceling my account and was told she could do it. Five minutes later my accounts were closed, I had my cash and I left. Not one question. Not one "gee, we're sorry you're leaving" (even before they saw my small balances!).

As said, I'd found quite a few banks that didn't charge. I had talked face-to-face with some of the various bank reps at the Fayette County Chamber Expo in September. It's a great event and I was able to get a good feel for the people plus got to take home a lot of info to compare.

I settled on Charter Bank. It's a small community bank with branches in Fayette County, Coweta County, and then a few going down into LaGrange and over into Alabama. The only thing they didn't have that I would have liked is ATM fee reimbursement given the small number of locations... but since I never use them that wasn't a biggie for me, but might be for others.

The people were fantastic. Not over the top fake gushing friendly, but real, down-to-earth, gee we really appreciate the fact that you chose us fantastic. I walked out of there feeling that I'd made some friends. I also walked out with a pair of computer speakers and a good thermos. How many banks these days give you gifts for opening an account? I got a kick out of it and had to joke that I was glad they weren't handing out toasters! Then I looked at the list and saw that back in the early part of the year they handed out little bread-toasting sandwich grills... close.

I like the idea of a community bank. I like feeling like I'm more than a number. I like it that while they of course want the big accounts, they still appreciate all the small accounts. I like the free checking, too.

I had forgotten what excellent customer service felt like. Sure, my old bank had really nice people and I liked them. However, their hands were tied when it came to making decisions... understandably so given their size. They didn't know much about me or my account. Only one person in the branch that I've gone into for years remembered my name, and that was because we knew each other outside the bank. I have the feeling that when I walk into Charter Bank they'll remember my name.

I hear SunTrust's commercials saying they give you an individual banker who cares. I like the concept, but somehow I can't imagine that two little start-up businesses like mine would warrant a whole lot of individual attention! I think I have found a bank where I'll get the kind of attention that makes me feel like I matter. That's a rare thing these days in the world of big, bigger and biggest.

I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Oh, the reason Regions Bank gave me for starting to charge a fee is that the changes in the way ATM withdrawals work will cost them a lot of revenue... they have to make it up somewhere. The new regs don't allow them to overdraft your account when you make a withdrawal but don't have the funds. I gather that in the past if you took out a hundred dollars but only had fifty in the account they'd give you the money, then charge your overdraft fees or the overdraft protection would kick in, which also cost money. Now you have to designate which way you want it to work. I found it ironic that I was being charged a fee on my banking account due to ATM fee changes and yet I never use an ATM card on the Regions accounts... I do on my main personal account, which is with another bank. If things go well at Charter, that account may be moving, too...

On fixing those hurting feet...

2010-10-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

Recently I've been experiencing some major (to me) foot problems. I won't go into all the technical gobbledygook I've been told and learned while trying to fix said problems. Basically, the pad of my foot hurts when I put pressure on it right under the toe area. Bones are pushing a nerve which is swelling and causing a lot of pain. My toes were hurting and cramping, and I was walking on my heel to avoid putting any pressure on the pad as it felt like it was badly bruised.

I tried fixing it myself with padding, soaking, massage but nothing helped so I trekked over to see my fave podiatrist. He's great. He told me the problem, said I needed a cortisone shot to stop the swelling. I said no, we tried pads. No help. Second visit I did the shot with pads and taped toes.

Shot didn't help and it wasn't exactly fun although not as bad as I've heard. I'm a wimp when it comes to needles, will pretty much do anything to avoid a shot, so you should know I was hurting pretty bad to acquiesce to the thing... especially since I don't like anything foreign being pumped into my bod.

When I went back for the next visit we tried the "boot". It holds your foot stable. Hated it.

I had to do a show in Florence, South Carolina --- three days of standing on concrete from 7 something in the morning until after 6 p.m. I spent the day switching shoes. Crocs, the boot, two different sets of tennis shoes... nothing really helped. The boot made me walk lopsided and my knees started hurting and swelling.

My son, who was with me, has bone spurs in his feet and he limps at times from the pain. He was also going back and forth to a podiatrist.

The second day I was there a couple walked up and we got into a friendly conversation with the husband. At one point he glanced down at my son's feet and said 'bet you have bone spurs'. We both did a double-take. He then said he probably had problems with painful corns and he'd bet he had plantar faciitis. Wow... right on the mark.

We were properly awed. He then looked at my tennis shoe encased feet (no boot at the time) and correctly told me where I was hurting.

Then he told us that we were wearing the wrong size shoes. Ummm... measured at the shoe store, bought the shoes, they seemed to fit... Turns out he owns a shoe store, Jack's Comfort Shoes, and boy did he know feet and shoes!

I won't go into all the stuff he told us, although I'm sure you'd like to know, right? He correctly 'diagnosed' every ache and pain our poor feet shared with us every time we put pressure on them!

We wanted to go to his store and buy some shoes but couldn't due to time constraints. We both spent part of the following week doing some Internet research, verifying the things that he'd told us.

The next week we planned to be in Columbia so we made plans to go early and visit his shoe store, get fitted properly.

Didn't quite work out. However, we did find a place in Columbia that had pretty much the same philosophy. We went there and had them measure and suggest shoes. They didn't quite come up with the same thing the Florence shoe store owner did, so I had them change out my shoes until they worked like the guy from Jack's said they should. They added extra arch supports for my high arches and put in the little med-pads to spread my bones while I walked. We played with it until I knew it was right.

I spent three blissful, pain-free days walking on concrete floors, same hours as the Florence show. I was shocked and amazed. I really didn't quite 100% accept what the Jack's owner had said until I experienced it!

Last week we found a store here in Tucker, Georgia that has a comparable philosophy and "fits" properly. None of the stores, including the one in Tucker mentioned one important thing that the guy in Florence insisted upon --- and that is that you make sure your heel doesn't slide around in your shoe.

See, most of us measure based on length and width. We may find a shoe that fits us in both aspects, but it leaves our heel moving a little to a lot from side-to-side. My son has bad dryness on his heel --- he thought it was dry skin. The guy in Florence (and I'd use his name but I lost the business card, arrrggghhh) said it was due to his foot moving around in the shoe.

My heel didn't slip out of the shoe, but when I fit the width for the top of my foot I always had room to move sideways. If my heel didn't slide back and forth, the top of the shoe would start to pinch after I'd worn it for a while. I'm not talking about slipping up out of the shoe. It's the kind of movement you don't notice until you're paying attention.

I also thought my pronating was due to my legs, knees, posture, etc. After getting fitted and tested, I realized I had high arches. I pronate, slide inward, when I don't have proper arch support. Duh.

I've become a convert and I know when I slip my foot into a shoe whether it 'fits' properly. I picked up some pads at the Village Shoe Service in Tucker and have rigged some of my shoes (including my Crocs) so they have arch support and extra padding where I need it. The guy in Florence said he won't sell Crocs, horrible for your feet. My podiatrist said they're fine to use as slippers around the house. I compromised by adding the supports!

OK, long post and I didn't cover a fraction of what I learned over the past couple of months about my feet!

I'm still pain-free and am in the process of replacing every single pair of shoes I have (given time and dollars!). Once I learned how my shoes SHOULD fit and feel, it's not necessary for me to spend a small fortune on each pair. However, I'm willing to spend whatever is needed to get good support and continue to walk without pain.

Oh, one quick note --- I'm not wearing clunky medical ugly shoes. I'm in a pair of 'normal-looking' Brooks tennis shoes. And as for dress shoes, there are many, many that are comfortable and stylish, pretty, dainty looking.

Bottom line -- go at least once to a GOOD shoe store, not one where they pull out the old silver thing to measure your foot. Go to one where you get on those machines, can discuss your specific foot issues, get someone with years of experience and training to help you find the right shoes. Go to a store where they'll add the little pads under the cushion to give you the support you need.

And a tip -- never go shoe shopping early in the day. Your feet swell as the day goes on. Shoes that fit in the morning may hurt in the afternoon.

I highly recommend Village Shoe Service in Tucker, Georgia (http://villageshoeservice.com/) and
Jack's Comfort Shoes in Florence, South Carolina 1506 2nd Loop Road, phone (843) 662-4551
(I hope that's the right store! All I remember is that the store had the name "Jack" in it... if you find more than one with Jack in the title, call and talk to them about how they fit shoes).

Hotel Blues

2010-10-12T12:31:00.000-04:00

I've been on the road for the past two weekends, both times in South Carolina. I was working at some flower shows, helping my son on short notice. It was hard work, but loads of fun. I loved spending time with my son!

The first weekend we stayed at an older hotel in Florence, The Thunderbird. While it was older, it was clean and the people were outstanding. The breakfast, a full buffet, was included. I think I gained ten pound in four days just eating at that buffet! Omelets to order, a fruit bar, waffles, pancakes, four or five different meats... even salmon cakes. They offer a great golf package that includes room, two meals, games at your choice of a whole bunch of great golf courses. It's a good basic place to stay.

We ran into a bit of trouble getting into a hotel the second weekend as we were in Columbia, SC at the same time as the South Carolina vs Alabama game. Hotels were packed and the rates were high. Given the number of shows and amount of time spent in hotels Chris had numerous discount cards. Pretty much none of the hotels were giving discounts. Usually he books in advance, but there weren't any deals on-line. Sometimes you'll get better deals showing up at the hotel when the on-line offerings are nil -- and many of your smaller hotels aren't on-line or don't update with deals.

We spent some time trying to find a decent hotel but the prices were a bit high given the quality of the hotels. We finally settled in on one that looked good, had decent rates and per the front desk, the new management was in the process of upgrading the rooms, renovating the hotel. All good. The lobby was beautiful at night, in low light --- spiral staircases on both sides, beautiful hand-painted murals, and a nice sitting area. It didn't offer a continental breakfast, but given the rates we were OK with the lack of what's usually not-so-good food anyway.

We soon discovered that the looks of the front lobby were misleading. The side door closest to our room didn't close without a good shove, nor did the access key work. We had to travel through the front area to get to the room. No biggie, we knew they were working on the place, right? I was a bit concerned about safety given the entry door didn't close easily...

The room wasn't great, but it looked fairly clean. The lights were all low wattage bulbs so until daylight it was hard to see the corners.

I had forgotten my bug spray and spray disinfectant, new additions to my travel packing since the bed bug stories started circulating. I checked the mattresses thoroughly, no bugs, no signs of bugs, no stains. The bathroom looked OK, although they shorted us on the washcloths and hand towels.

We popped the air conditioner on and settled in for the night. I clicked on the computer to hook into the WI-FI they advertised on their marquee. It was down. The front desk said they expected to have it on by midnight. Yours truly planned to be snoozing soundly by midnight. Stuff happens, I figured I'd catch up the next night on updating my websites.

The air conditioner didn't work, something we didn't fully realize until we were hitting the sack. The fan worked and tepid air circulated, but it never got cold. I was OK, barely, but my son was miserable. He played with the thing off and on, slept on the floor next to it to suck up the breeze for a while only to wake up with his back hurting.

The next morning I was able to see the crud build-up in the corners, the stains on the walls (was that blood?), the holes and other problems. It's rare that anyone can please me when it comes to cleanliness in a hotel, this one wasn't filthy, you could tell they vacuumed and cleaned... I could smell the disinfectant. I think that over time things built up and weren't corrected. I decided I could handle it for two more nights if they fixed the air conditioner.

As we left we stopped by the front desk and told them about the air conditioner. They said they'd either get it fixed or move us to another room.

We got back to the hotel around nine that night after eating dinner with some friends. The key to the room didn't work so we figured they'd moved us. Nope, the key just didn't work. We then "assumed" they must have fixed the air conditioner. Nope to that one, too.

Chris went down, talked with the front desk, they gave us the option of two different rooms, both on the second floor.

The first one looked OK, it even had sliding glass doors leading out to the balcony. Chris opened the door, started to step out and luckily realized that there wasn't a balcony before taking that next fatal step. One foot out the door and he'd have dropped down two stories to the cement path. It was "in the works" and had a few other problems -- Chris shared them with me but I've forgotten what they were as we ultimately chose the second room.

In the second, the room was still undergoing renovations also. Things weren't connected, electrical outlets were missing covers, the mirror wasn't on the wall... but it was OK and there was a balcony.

We moved. By the time we settled in all I had time to do was turn on the computer and check a few emails. I was pooped.

No bed bugs, but yes, bugs. Chris went down to the front desk and got a spray bottle of bug killer. We sprayed the entire room down, including the mattresses. Then let everything air out. We talked about checking out, but given the trouble we'd had finding a room we figured we'd end up sleeping in his truck so decided to stick it out.

I spent a restless night, expecting to see bugs. If I'd seen the bug that someone drew on the door jam before getting settled, I might have opted to stay in the other room... or slept in the truck! No more bugs, the spray worked. We sprayed again before leaving the next morning and again when we got in the next night.

I could regale you with more details of the horrors of the hotel, like the key not working on our door again (I guess they check you out every day?), but this would be a book, not a blog. The poor girl at the front desk was in tears one time when we stopped by sobbing that she liked to make people happy but, sob, sob, but...

I hate to pan the hotel forever as a place to stay given that they are renovating. I understand they have new management --- but it's the same owner. New owners would have made me feel better. You don't own a hotel and let it go down that far!

I'm debating on whether to share the name only because maybe when it's finished it'll be OK. I'll go this far --- it's near the hospital, within viewing distance. And, it's NOT the Holiday Inn or Days Inn or any of the other major names you're probably familiar with.

My biggest lesson? From now on I want to see the room before checking in. On-line reviews don't really help when choosing a room because the owners, management, staff or friends will go out and write nice things... and generally the only others who'll share are those who've had a bad experience. It's also hard to tell when someone writes a bad review how much of the problem emanated from their end. There are just some people who find fault with everything or try to scam the system in order to get free rooms or discounts.

Aside from the hotel, everything else about Columbia was great! Wonderful people, great food and it's a beautiful city. I'd like to spend more time there... in a different hotel.

Noodling on Name Brands

2010-09-23T09:07:00.000-04:00

As I was making my first cuppa tea this morning I started making a grocery list. I've thought about it before but something about the list triggered a repeat morning musing on the use of name brands in our vocabulary.

My list has "Tide" on it, "Kleenex", and a few other name brands. I do use some of the name brands on the list, but in most cases I'm happy with whatever is on sale, or I am attached to a new brand. When I go to the "Kleenex" aisle, for instance, I buy Puff with lotion. Before I settled in on Puff I usually bought whatever was on sale. I like Kleenex, but cost usually rules. I got stuck on Puff's with lotion when I had a lingering cold, the kind that keeps your nose red and raw. It was the best. I will also grab a few boxes of a store brand or something on sale to keep in the closet for those who could care less or prefer no lotion.

We also use Tide. I grew up in a Tide family, ditto for my hubby. I had long since moved away from sticking with the brand before we got married, but not so for my husband. I'm fine with using it because that's what he prefers, even though there are others I've found that are less expensive and do just as well. When it's on sale I stock up.

Many of us simply go down the aisles and pick up the name brands. We do it for a number of reasons. It's what we grew up using and we don't even consider changing. We trust the brand. We like it better than others. We get good coupons. We believe the commercials. I guess there are probably some studies that have been done with more insightful and scientific reasons, but those are the ones that popped into my head during my morning tea fixin'.

It is interesting though that whether we actually buy or use the name brands some brands are forever identified with a type of product. Some people don't think peanut butter, they think Jiff and that's what they say.

Soda is 'Coke', 'Pepsi" or... pop, cola or any other number of names. In the south though, home of Coca-Cola, your more apt to hear "gonna grab a coke" even when they're reaching for a Kroger brand knock-off.

I've found that many have loyalty to their mayonnaise brand. It's not real unless it's Helmans... or Duke... For some it's not mayonnaise at all, it's Miracle Whip. Toilet paper? Oh, man, I could probably write a dissertation on toilet paper attachment!

In this day of having a store-full of choices for sneakers (Keds?) it has to be hard if not impossible for a company to garner the kind of loyalty they did in days past. We've gone from one to three TV stations to having hundreds and hundreds. We've learned to ignore advertising because it's in and on everything. Great commercials stick in the old brain, but many times we remember the commercial but the brand doesn't stick. Marketing has become a science.... and a very expensive venture.

Check your vocabulary. How many name brands are a part of your day-to-day thinking and speech? Have your kids picked up the same habits? Do you still use many of those name brands?

Gary Bauer on Moratorium, Shutting Down Oil Rigs

2010-07-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

New Moratorium Threatens Jobs

Ignoring back-to-back losses in the federal courts, the Obama Administration issued a new ban on so-called “deep water” drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Far from satisfying the concerns of those opposed to the initial ban, the new ban has already come under fire. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) blasted the administration’s latest action in her testimony yesterday before the commission investigating the disaster. Here is an excerpt of her remarks:

“I am particularly alarmed by the Department of the Interior’s continued insistence that allowing deepwater drilling to move forward ‘would pose a threat of serious, irreparable, or immediate harm or damage to the marine, coastal, and human environment.’ That claim contradicts testimony given by drilling experts and ignores the history of oil and gas operations in the Gulf.

“…we must put this accident into perspective. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, more than 42,000 wells have been drilled in the Gulf from 1947 to 2009, producing 16.5 billion barrels of oil. It is important to note that in the last 10 years, non-hurricane related spills only totaled about 7,000 barrels. … the record is clear that the Deepwater Horizon accident is the exception rather than the rule.”

“...Gulf Coast businesses and investors still lack the certainty they need to move forward with future plans. Whether you call it a moratorium, a suspension, or a pause, the result will still be a substantial loss of jobs. Even the revised moratorium will force thousands of hard-working Louisianians and others along the Gulf Coast into the unemployment lines.”

Sen. Landrieu is right. Some energy industry executives have expressed fears that the new ban may be even more restrictive. As the Wall Street Journal reports today, “a group representing shallow-water drillers said Monday uncertainty about Interior Department drilling policy has frozen activity in their industry, affecting hundreds of rigs.” One company executive said a third of their “shallow-water fleet has been idled.”

Because the administration is refusing to lift the ban, one drilling company has already begun plans to relocate three deepwater rigs – to Egypt, Brazil and the West African coast. The company’s president testified, “My concern is that if we shut down for six months there won’t be much of a U.S. industry left.”

That may be music to the ears of radical environmentalists, but it will only compound the tragedy of the spill for many Gulf Coast families and increase America’s dependence on foreign sources of oil.

A little medical light-hearted fun! Very cool, very good...

2010-04-21T20:33:00.000-04:00