Going Postal

I see that Congress is telling the Post Office that they have to keep delivering mail on Saturday. That is just stupid, but no one ever lost money betting against finding intelligence in Congress. Australia, Canada and Sweden all deliver five days a week, and I am not sure that is even necessary. I try to use electronic delivery from all businesses that offer it. I got one letter on Thursday, and one on Friday. Today I got a magazine. Maybe I'll get an iPad someday and eliminate that.

Mail is certainly important in a war zone, and was especially important to those who served before e-mail. There was no need for phone cards in Vietnam, as there were no phones to call back to the States. Letters were the only means to connect with family.

But, mail is important at other times, also. I left MacDill AFB in Tampa in 1974 and headed to Iceland. The road from Hofn to the radar site ran along the mountain. We didn't often get snow, but when we did, it was accompanied by 60 knot winds that piled the snow on that road and closed us off from civilization and mail. I watched grown men blubber like babies after going days without mail. They finally had to fly over and drop it in.


When we flew into Hofn, it was on C-47/DC-3 out of Keflavik. A noisy rattling plane that was the only aircraft I could ever sleep on. Go figure. We'd fly all the way to Hofn, and the winds would be too strong to attempt a landing. The runway was gravel, and iced over in winter. Back to Keflavik to try again tomorrow.  It took three attempts before the pilot said. "the heck with it" and put her down. It was a bit scary and we flew over the beach where one plane sat that didn't make it the year before. I found out later the site had a cabin made out of another plane that didn't make it.

Hofn was a radar site that monitored Russian Bears flying across the Arctic  I imagine satellites do this today. I was not a "scope-dope", but managed the site exchange. I was in the Air Force and the Site Commander was my boss, but the exchange belonged to the Navy, so I also worked for them. Not a problem except for the time I had to tell my boss the Air Force IG could not enter my office. Maybe I could have been more tactful, but tact is not a strong suit with me.

Sgt Joe Pyrdek 1967-68

When I wasn't minding the store, I kept busy working as a DJ. We had an AFRTS station that was 1400 KHz and cranked 10 watts. It was enough to reach into town. I did country before I went to work in the morning, soul on Saturday, and classical on Wednesday night after the movie. I was also the projectionist for the 8 movies they sent us each week. There wasn't much else to do, and I still remember it as one of my best assignments.

A harmonic convergence?

Sometimes things just come together. It may not be earth shaking, or awe inspiring, but it just fits, it feels right, and you have to take action.

This happened the other day when I was reading Lauren Ritchie's column. I read her column often to see what the politicians in Lake County are up to. Nothing ever changes, but it is fun to see them standing naked in the noonday sun as they spend their time and energy promoting their wacky ideas instead of tending to the people's business. This particular commentary was about the shakedown being put on the school district employees to cough up for the Boy Scouts honoring the school superintendent.

This event is co-chaired by Carey Baker. I thought we got rid of Senator Truck Nutz when he was term-limited out of office. Only in Lake County do uneducated gun nuts get elected. Unfortunately, he managed to step over the dead body of our property appraiser to get him another cushy lifetime position. No term limits this time, and we have to look forward to annual missives begging us to address him as "honorable." Fat chance!

He must be using the property appraisal mailing list to promote his Boy Scout activity. I cannot think of any other way I would get invitations to their dinners. I am thankful to Senator Truck Nutz for one thing. I now have a list of people that I can refer to when voting or conducting business in Lake County.

There is, of course, the honoree Dr. Moxley. I believe I have already recognized Dr. Moxley in the past. I recognized her as a poor leader who is more concerned with the opinions of the people who hired her than the students she is responsible for. A Carver Middle School student has been trying for two years to get a Gay/Straight Alliance approved to reduce the effects of ignorant bullies at her school. The solution our hapless school board espouses is to ban all clubs rather than allow one with such a lofty and needed goal. You can play all the games you want to, but it is Dr. Moxley who is the final word, and her word has been NO.

Next is co-chair Sean Parks, a Lake County Commissioner in South Lake. Since I do not plan to move, I can ignore him.

I cannot ignore Sen. Alan Hays, who recently threw a conniption fit over having to sit behind a bus loading and unloading. I cannot imagine why he was in such a hurry. He is a darling of the Christian Coalition and the Chamber of Commerce, so I automatically vote for whomever is running against him. Since he had to wait for the bus, he immediately rushed to Tallahassee to file a bill banning buses from ever delaying him again.   I kid you not! This, along with bills banning truck nutz and droopy drawers, is what passes for legislation in Florida.

Two other Lake County Commissioners are on the list: Jimmy Conner and Leslie Campione. I must remember to cast my ballot against Campione, as she is my commissioner. Ditto for the Sheriff, Gary Borders and his chief deputy Peyton Grinnell, should he ever run for higher office. I wonder if there is any truth to the salacious rumors going around on those last two? School Board Member Bill Mathias is not in my district, but I will pay attention to who votes with him.

I have been considering a new car, and have done a lot of research. It is good, because my present vehicle comes from Vann Gannaway. You can be sure my next vehicle will come from someone else. I don't plan to get another house, but Shamrock Realty will be avoided because of Keith Shamrock, as will Vangie Berry Realty because of Michael Tart.

I will stay away from Mission Inn to avoid “Bud” Beucher; I really don't have to worry about Kasey Kesselring, as I have nothing to do with Montverde Academy. I am not sure about Bill Hayes. Was he a teacher?

Now, some may take umbrage at being included on my list. All I am doing is supporting the Boy Scouts or Dr. Moxley, they say. You are supporting a group that discriminates, and you are supporting someone who does not put the students of Lake County first in all things.

Proverbs 13:20 says "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

I can't say it any better than Solomon did.

Hey Spain, thanks for nothing.

Can you believe that it is almost the 200th anniversary of Spain's ceding of Florida to the USA? Yes, it was on February 22, 1819 that the dastardly deed took place. We could under King Juan Carlos instead of Rick Scott. We probably wouldn't have the annual redneck convocation at Daytona Beach either. Despite all the hullabaloo over Danica Patrick at the pole, you can be sure that one of those good old boys will make sure she doesn't finish. They can't be beaten by a girl! She's going off at 18-1, if you plan to waste your money. UPDATE: OK, I was wrong. She did finish 8th. Congrats.

Speaking of rednecks, the Lake County School Board is really showing their ass over the issue of a Gay-Straight Alliance at carver Middle School. The talk about their desire to end bullying, but when a positive answer to the problem comes up, they stall and bloviate and hope the children graduate and go away before they have to do anything. It reminds me of the time a grand jury was investigating a parent's abuse of his children, and the father brought up the fact that his ex was a lesbian. All of a sudden the investigation of the father ended and the grand jury spent their time on the mother. This was one of my cases in Texas, and it shows where their heads are at. Gay and lesbian teens are not going to go away even if you bury your collective heads in the sand. They have always been here, and will be here long after your redneck ass is dust. Mega kudos to Lauren Ritchie for her excellent reporting on this exercise in stupidity by the school board.

I love the Ticked Off! column in the Orlando Sentinel. It is amazing how people get ticked at the smallest things. Someone today complained about a $110,000 jury award. That certainly doesn't compare to the $160,000 award to an old woman who spilled coffee in her lap. How about the burglar who got $500,000 because he got locked in the garage for 8 days, or the dumb Okie who put her Winnebago in cruise mode and went back to make a sandwich. She got $1,750,000 and a new Winnebago. How's that for profiting from your own stupidity?



Did you know that 11% of high school seniors are using Spice or K-2? That's synthetic marijuana for those who have not come across this drug that is available in gas stations and convenience stores. One of my clients has almost completely destroyed his life over this stuff, and another was well on the way. Hopefully the latest intervention will save him. The latest news says the government may very well lose their case of these designer drugs because they can't keep up with the chemists that are producing them. This will be something to watch closely.

I haven't started destroying that Gazelle as I resolved to do for this year, but I am working out three times a week with a trainer. He is making sure that I leave my 45-minute sessions with a sweaty tee.Oh, well, I am getting better, and I do get 45 minutes of reading in. Currently, I am listening to Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Morality by Patricia Chruchland. I had been reading Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to WWII by Douglas Blackmon. It was outstanding.

Enough for today. I'm going out to enjoy the 80 degree temps we are enjoying this week. Yes, the azaleas are in full bloom and the grass needs cutting. Despite the antics of Governor Scott and the uneducated dolts in the Florida legislature, we can enjoy nature's beauty. I'll be out watching some clients play Bocce tomorrow and you can be sure I will find a mess of bacon to make my weekend complete. So, enjoy your snow, as I enjoy my sunshine.

Resolutions Update

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted. I did not plan any regular updates, not even once a week. I just wanted to get it down when the mood strikes me.

I am not exactly setting the world on fire with my resolutions for the new year. I am making progress. I finished a book this week. It is a whole lot easier to finish one when it's a Jack Reacher mystery than Team of Rivals.

I resolved to exercise 13 minutes every day. I have not done that exactly. I do work out 30 minutes 3 times a week with a trainer, and I did walk an hour yesterday, so I am averaging more than 13 minutes a day. I have a race on my schedule for March, so I have to get in shape. Does anyone have a GoPro Hero I can borrow?

I'll be able to add a cultural event this weekend. No, not the Superbowl, but the Mount Dora Art Festival. Always a great was to kill a couple of hours - and you get exercise, too.


I got home today and found a bag with what looked like dog poop on my lawn. Must have been my neighbors. They must have seen some poop on their lawn and thought one of my evil demons had left it. I think I'll get them a sign for their yard.

Speaking of poop, I see where actor Jason London denies defecating in cop car during arrest. Who does he think he is- Ted Nugent?




And, speaking of Ted Nugent, local gun dealers are reporting sales have quadrupled in the past month. Quadrupled! One says you can't even get a spot in the parking lot at lunchtime. So, is ex-Senator Truck Nutz, owner of one of these stores, sending a personal thank you note to President Obama for making him richer. They blame him for the opportunity they have to gouge the gullible and make obscene profits, so they should be thanking him, too.

I can't believe I am watching The Greatest Superbowl Commercials of all Time. Will they be taking commercial breaks to show some football? We complain about commercials, and then we sit down to watch an hour of them. Are we nuts? No, I just wanted to see Catrinel Menghia again.

I can stare at Catrinel while Windows 8 is downloading. I am expecting a steep learning curve, but I want to upgrade to Office 365, and I'm assured it works much better with Windows 8. Sounds reasonable, so we;ll find out.

Bacon Fudge

I have been meaning to make bacon brownies for some time. I finally got around to it last night. Well, it was bacon fudge, but that's OK.

I had the bacon already. Yes, you can use any bacon that your favorite supermarket provides, but I was looking for something special. I used Boss Hog bacon, which is available from Bacon Freak. It may not be the perfect bacon for bacon brownies as it does not get crispy when you cook it. That means you have to cut it up instead of just crumbling it. Ladies, if you are interested in attracting the right kind of male, Bacon Freak also has Boss Hog fragrance.

Now, do not think that you need a whole package of bacon to make brownies. In fact, you only need about a quarter pound. What to do with the rest of that bacon is not a problem. One of the steps in making fudge is to stir the milk and sugar for four minutes. While your right hand is stirring, you can be picking up the prepared bacon with your left hand and enjoying it. It won't lesson the stirring time, but it sure makes it more enjoyable. I found that when I was finished stirring, I had exactly a quarter pound left.

I mentioned milk and sugar. You will need that as well as eggs and chocolate, Marshmallows are nice, and, while I consider pecans essential to good brownies, I forgot them. That is called a "senior moment." If you have not experienced one, don't worry, you will. Say that last line as Steven Berkoff did in Rambo II. LOL

Now, I could give you all the measures, but that would be a real waste of time. When I was picking up a Christmas present Pat at ordered at Walmart, I found a box of Carnation fudge mix at the checkout. I grabbed it, thinking this was a simple solution to my quest. Since I had no eggs in the house, It was the perfect solution. I just substituted a tablespoon of the bacon grease for a tablespoon of butter and I was good to go. I cut up my bacon and put it in the mix as I was putting it in the pan. I saved some to put on top as you see above.

Note the Carnation box says 24 servings. It should be obvious from my picture, that I will only get four servings.

Next time I will use a brownie mix. Ghiradelli and Duncan Hines both make them, and I am sure there are others. Makes  it easy to prepare as you do not have to worry about missing an ingredient. If you are a purist with time on your hands. there are many recipes for brownies and fudge on the internet, or you may have a favorite anyway. Just add bacon after you pour in half the mix, and then gently pour the other half on top. Remember to save a little to top you goodie.

It goes well with your favorite vanilla ice cream. I use Ben & Jerry's, but conservative friends can use something like Blue Bell. It's not real ice cream, but I guess it'll do.

Don't forget to enjoy.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Unintended Consequences

Things do not always turn out the way you planned. That should be no surprise to anyone, but sometimes the way things happen is just funny.

I went to CVS the other day as Pat told me they had a sale on TRESemmé. I am not a slave to brands, although I do like Pure Aveda, so three for $10 was very appealing. I got to the store and found they also had coupons on them worth $1.75. That's buy one, get two free! What a deal. Needless to say, I did look around and got caught at the "As Seen on TV" shelf. Santa brought me a Kuerig for Christmas, so I saw they had a package of four filters that you can put your favorite coffee in (Starbucks Sumatra) your Keurig. I had a single filter, but four means I always have coffee ready to brew. Hey, Starbucks, what's up with that "Blonde" coffee? If they want weak coffee, they can find it on the supermarket shelf in large quantities.

Then I saw what they called a "pocket hose." Definitely something I need, as I got a shower the last time I turned the hose on. There was also a light that you slap up on the wall and it turns on anytime someone walks by. Great idea, but it was a disappointment when I got home as it really doesn't provide much light. It's OK, but you would need about 10 of them to light a two-car garage. Lastly, I got a Mighty Mend. I have several projects where that would be useful.

Bottom line: I went in to spend $10 on shampoo, and walked out about $60 poorer. Maybe I would have been better off going to the salon.

Oscar Time

The Oscar season has started, and for the next 44 days, we will be bombarded with award shows, and discussion about who should win. I am something of a movie nut, so this is a fun time of year for me.

Three to see, if you haven't already, are Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, and Silver Linings Playbook.

Of course, there is always controversy about the Oscars. This year, it's the omission of highly regarded directors. I am reminded of a line by one of my favorite characters in  Inglourious Basterds: Shosanna Dreyfus: "I'm French. We respect directors in our country."

The Broadcast Film Critics Association gave out their awards last night, and Argo won Best Picture, and Ben Affleck was awarded Best Director. Affleck was one of the directors left off the Oscar ballot. Maybe I should add Argo to the "must see" list.

I really enjoyed reading "No Easy Day: The Autobiography of a Navy SEAL" by Mark Owen, so Zero Dark Thirty is on the top of my list to see.

Final Thought

I have been a philhellene for many years. I fully expect to spend my last days in Greece. Imagine my surprise to find out today that I actually have Greek blood. Being mostly Sicilian (from my mother), I find that at one time there were more Greeks in Sicily that there were in Greece. They totally dominated the island until the Romans came. Many of the greatest Greek myths, and some of the greatest Greek temples and amphitheatres, are Sicilian. Archimedes was born in the Sicilian city of Syracuse, which came to rival Athens in power and prestige.

Ya'll have a great weekend.

Sunday Morning Musings

In the aftermath of the Sandy hook shootings, we are seeing many panels of "concerned" citizens being formed. Orlando will have it's own on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.. You can watch it online at www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion if you want, but your time is better spent elsewhere.

The panel will include Ex-Senator Truck Nutz. What does he have to contribute except "buy more guns"?

Carey Baker is the poster child for what is wrong with the Florida legislature. An uneducated gun dealer who spends all of his time trying to find the next big office to hold. He has contributed nothing to improving Florida, and his presence on any panel is not even to the level of Taylor Swift.

There is also state Rep. Dennis Baxley, sponsor of Florida’s “stand your ground” law. This is the law that allows white Floridians to murder minorities with impunity. Like a cancer, it has spread to many other states through the efforts of white supremacists.

Can Orlando not find more intelligent and informed people to make up their panels?

I wonder how many of the panelists will bring up violent movies and games. Canadians watch violent movies and play violent games and they are not shooting each other. Maybe it is time to look elsewhere. That would, of course, require a panel that is not stuck in a rut.

We have a lot of gun deaths here in Central Florida; many of them are drug related or random drive bys. There are parts of Orlando that tourists should stay out of for their safety. I remember living in Tampa some 40 years ago. If you had to drive through Ibor City at night, you had your doors locked and windows up, and you better know where you are going. People would say that you shouldn't even stop for red lights - it was too dangerous. I haven't been to Ibor City in a long while, but I understand it has become quite a tourist attraction.

The availability of guns results in many losing their lives over what I consider trivial matters. I have always wondered why someone has to shoot their ex, and either spend the rest of their lives in jail or end up shooting themselves. Can they not just get over it? There are other fish in the sea. Seriously, no one has to be alone, you just may have to look harder for a mate. The sad result is children growing up with a parent, or innocent bystanders getting killed.

I am not smart enough to solve that particular problem. I just wish I could understand the reasoning. It is just one of those things that bug me because I don't know why.

It's like my search for George Forman "Comfort Zone" tees. They are the best I have ever worn, and now I can't find them. I swear I will buy 100 if I ever see them again.

UPDATE:  I mentioned Florida treasures the other day (Carl Hiaasen, Commander Coconut, and Debbie Wasserman Shultz), and I forgot one other: Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel. He is a must read, even if he does ocassionly waste your time talking about Taylor Swift.

Time to get ready to watch RGIII, so y'all have a great day.

13 for 2013

Me…jog???  Pffffft… If you see me running, you better run too cuz there’s something chasing me.

I do not plan to do anything in 2013 so outrageous. I did run once in Moron, Spain. It was during their local feria, and they had three or four bulls running in the street, along with some crazy people like me. I almost bought it, as one bull had me in a corner. But, it wasn’t my day, and he was distracted at the last moment. I limited my running after that to my annual fitness test.

Unless one wants to free-float, you have to have some targets, goals, or, what the heck, resolutions to guide you. So, I have come up with 13 for 2013. The intended consequences are to be a better person, and help others at the same time. Wish me luck.

1. Spend 13 minutes per day attempting to destroy a Gazelle by Tony Little.
2. Experience 13 new artistic tastings. I completed one already.
1. Wim Wenders’ “Pina.”  (Modern Dance)
3. Spend 13 minutes per day improving the look of my cave.
4. Perform 13 random acts of kindness.
5. Improve my diet by focusing on healthful carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy products in natural, unrefined forms and some fish, like salmon.
6. Visit the cinema 13 times this year starting with Oscar contenders “Amour”, “Les Misérables”, “Lincoln”, and “Zero Dark Thirty”. 
7. Attend 13 community events
8. Visit 13 new restaurants
9. Read 13 books of quality this year. Starting with “The Boy Kings of Texas: A Memoir” by Domingo Martinez 
10. Lose 13 pounds. Over 66 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight or obese by recent studies, and I am one of them.
11. Quit smoking. Believe me, it will be the 13th time I have tried.
12. Spend 13 minutes a day learning a language.
13. Stay tuned

Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes,

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Moments so dear.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Six hundred minutes

How do you measure, measure a year?

Well, another year is creeping up on us. It is time to reflect and decide how this year will be different than all the rest. There will be disappointment ahead, but there will also be opportunities.

One of my biggest disappointments will be facing a year without Commander Coconut. I have been looking forward to his column every week for many years - well before I came to Florida. He is like Carl Hiaasen to me; a Florida treasure. In fact, I have just about exhausted the list of Florida treasures with those two names. Just kidding; there is also Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Now, I have exhausted the list.

So, 2013. 

13, a Fibonacci number, a happy number, and one of only 3 known Wilson primes. OK, that is probably more than you wanted to know. 13 is a special number in many of the World's religions. The end of the Mayan calendar's 13th Baktun is what caused all this 2012 apocalypse nonsense. I can say that as the 13th Baktun is definitely over. Of course, we all know about Friday the 13th, but, since Tuesday is an unlucky day in Greece,  Spain, Mexico and Latin America, it is Tuesday the 13th that is to be avoided.

Triskaidekaphobica aside, 13 is the number I will use for my goals in 2013. For example, I plan to spend at least 13 minutes a day in my attempt to destroy a Gazelle by Tony Little. I have many more to talk about as the year gets started.

You can safely assume there are at least three or four 13-minute goals here.

Why is there no Eftakaidekaphobia for Italians?