Memory Education

Technology advances… so what new miracles are on the horizon. Scientists are currently working on a way to communicate to the human brain via a telepathic type induction technology ( I have no idea) that would enable the human brain to access a mass storage devise similar to a memory card… and with the mere thought of the brain, be able to recall all the information that is stored on the card.  Worn like a necklace type devise that’s connected to several neurotransmitters located just under the skin of the scalp… any and all information contained on the memory card will be accessible as if the information had been learned and stored in the brain itself. The implications for education and available knowledge would be endless. Program the memory card… plug it in and an 8 year education would be available in a matter of nanoseconds. It will change the world as we know it. What a brave new world… it will change everything… literally everything. All knowledge and education at your fingertips… instantly. Rather sounds like something from science fiction. Existing work on this technology is still very limited in functionality. As the process is refined and developed the possibilities are endless.
This also seems a bit scary… what kind of a world will it be if we all had access to unlimited education and unlimited knowledge just by more or less plugging a memory card into our brain. Of course the next question would be… who would get this technology and who would not? Who would control it? Scary… yes… unbelievably scary. Like genetic engineering, the benefits could be unimaginable… as well could the implications if this was improperly used. Like most things that were planned and developed for the good of mankind… and later mutated for destruction and weapons of war. It seems like we are playing God with unlimited powers, but with the mind of a child, not knowing the dangers involved. Scary indeed. Reminds me of a line in a movie… “The Incredibles”… if we were all able to be super… then no one would really be super. If we were all knowledgeable … not to be confused with being smart… then none of us would really be knowledgeable. No one would stand out from one another. Where is this all going? Again… not to be confused with being smart… while on the surface this may seem to be a giant leap forward in some respects… I can’t help but feel that there’s more potential for negative then positive. Want to know how to do something… buy this memory card… plug it into your brain… instant knowledge and know how. Program information will self destruct after one application. Sounds funny to say the least… and again… scary to say the most.
To read more on this developing technology,  research articles on Telepathic Brain Memory Induction. Interesting reading… but as I say… looking to the future benefits verses possible implications… it’s more than scary.

PS: I can see some very disturbing applications of this… programming by wife… dry your hands… wipe your feet… shut the door… take the trash out… pick up your things… … … I could go on… but I’m sure you get the idea.
Excerpt:
Dateline: Debate rages. Astonishing new research being developed to allow memory cards to be accessed by the human brain via a form of Telepathic Induction. Neurotransmitters will allow the human brain to “plug into” random access memory cards as if the information on the memory card was actually stored in the brain. Current testing has yielded limited positive results, and a breakthrough can be visualized in the near future. Electromagnetic impulses are transmitted directly in to the brain giving the person unlimited access to unlimited information stored on the memory devise. The implication on education and knowledge could be endless. It’s “The next step in human development” as quoted by the CEO of Global Telepathic Induction International. The knowledge of a 8 year Medical Degree could be as simple as changing a memory card. The possibilities are endless. If testing and development continues to go as planned, a working prototype will be available for testing by the end of 2016. If successful, product rollout to the public at large will start by 2020. Initial costs estimates range from $100 for temporary programs to the thousands for programs that would offer complete medical degrees, still a fraction of the cost and time of an eight year education. Opposition is expected by education institutions world wide. President for the Institution of higher education is quoted as saying that this represents nothing more than a “cheat sheet” to pass college exams and should not be permitted. Moral implications and no doubt years of court injunctions and appeals will be forth coming. Watch for future developments on this story here at this station.              

New Years Desktop

Same old desktop for me… never gonna happen… changes weekly.

Here’s my New Years desktop… my icons positioned on the sides.

Here’s the original (without icons) that you are welcome to use!

My some of my others favorites…

favorites… cause I created them.

 

and my favorite backup…

If you were wondering what program I use to make these…

Microsoft Picture-it 10. on Windows Xp.

BIG BAD WAL-MART

Big Bad Walmart… well… that’s a personal choice… good or bad. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs… and my thoughts expressed here are not intended to be imposed upon you. Like everything else… it is what it is… take it or leave it.  I see lots of people bashing Walmart, and to each his own. Walmart had a better way to do business within the free enterprise system and grew to be the worlds largest retailer in the span of a relatively short time (verses companies that have been around for 80-100 years). They developed a business strategy that obliviously supplied a service and pricing policy that was extremely well accepted by, and beneficial to the populous at large. People made Wal-mart the largest retailer in the world by choice, the choice being, by shopping there. This type of growth always brings about change. Companies or business concepts that fall short on delivering what the buying public wants will generally loose business or go out of business. So there’s always going to be a downside to the positive. I’m sure that the stage coach lines that gave up business to the trains felt that trains were bad. Eventually anything to do with horse & wagons went out of business due to trains and trucks. Trains lost out to busses and big trucks…. busses lost out to cars…ships lost out to planes… etc,etc. So there’s always the greater good that results in the lesser bad. Lots of people no doubt lost their jobs… lives were changed as progress marched on. Remember, it’s the peoples choice. Walmart didn’t get to be the largest retailer because people were made to shop there. Walmart simply offered, and continues to offer good service, great value, and great convenience… all at one convenient location or right to your door. Companies that fall short of what Walmart is offering…  can not or choose not to compete in business (give the majority of the buying public want they want)… well… they will either loose business or go out of business. It’s called free enterprise and it’s what makes and keeps other companies honest and competitive as progress and business evolves.  Why would anyone choose to spend more money for the same item some where else? Some because of concept of loyalty to small business. Some like over the top service, and don’t mind paying extra for it in an upscale store. Some like the idea or concept of shopping at socially elevated elite store for designer brand names. Some just like old favorite places to shop and don’t worry about prices. As the economy continues to get worse… and whether you believe it or not… the poor are getting poorer, and the middle income class are heading to the ranks of the poor as more and more choices are made to “do without” what they once enjoyed. Luxury spending is disappearing and what was once everyday purchases are quickly becoming harder choices. So if you are being spared the economic stress, you may be able to continue to spend more money then you need to by shopping at small businesses, socially elite stores, and designer brands…and you can afford to, and be entitled to, spend your money anyway you like. I find myself, as obliviously millions of other Walmart shoppers do, thankful for Wal-Mart's pricing policies of bring me the lowest prices available. Good service, perhaps not great service, value for my money, and convenience of shopping all at one location.

So what prompted all this? Years of talking and complaining about Walmart… and all the negative effects. Like I said… I’m sure the horse & wagon teamsters, and their family and friends, felt the same way about trains and trucks. Just as in modern times, Video Rental stores that were once on every corner gave way to Net-Flix and on demand movies. All things improve and change. Everyone wins big as a whole. Old technology and old business practices give way to the new, modern, and most beneficial service, goods, and value… which is ultimately decided by the buying public… who supports Walmart with their shopping dollars.

Recently witnessed a opposition to Walmart by someone that has a great aversion to Wal-Mart's existence. An employee of a well know vacuum company wrote the following comment as they bashed Walmart.

Excerpt: As their perfect example…

Perfect example. XXXXX sells a "Steam-It" floor cleaner. It retails for $179.99 on the XXXXX Website and in our stores... XXXXX did a one-time buy for Walmart and they offered it for $149.99... Walmart couldn't sell it for $149 and lowered the price to $119... which we are then forced to match in order to make sales... I was making about $20 off of it that way... They undersell and DESTROY brands and the value in the product.

Their job is a commissioned salesperson… the cleaner they sell is priced at $179. They normally would make $80 commission on your hard earned money for being the middleman. The company worked a deal with Walmart to sell their floor cleaner in Walmart stores for $149 ($30 less then the floor cleaner store). Walmart put the floor cleaner on sale for $119… an extremely great savings to consumers. The floor cleaner company store dropped their price to $119 to match Wal-marts price ( otherwise they wouldn’t sell anything… go figure!) … and the sales person complained about the fact that their commission was cut from $80 to only $20 for each floor cleaner they sell. Yall decide for yourself. The population as a whole are going to shop at Walmart… and the sales person is not going to get an extra $60 in commission for simply being the middle man. So why do arguments condemning Walmart for keeping other companies honest (pricing policies) seem to have any validity at all… and more over, why do they expect others to support their reasoning when millions already express their beliefs by spend their hard earned dollars at Walmart where they continually get more value for their money? Well… you judge for yourself.

Another argument: Sale prices at other stores… namely grocery items. Yep… I use to work at a grocery store, a major chain, and their pricing policy was to offer some great sale prices on limited items, good sale prices on other items… and it projects great price image. And if you did all your shopping there for all your grocery needs, as most people do, you are going to pay more in the end for your total grocery bill despite the savings on the sale items. Ahhh… only going there for great sale items? Hope you were going by there anyway, cause if it’s a special trip or out of the way… the cost of gasoline to get there will usually exceed the savings. Remedy… Wal-Mart's price matching policy… so why go anywhere else?

So for me, and millions of others… thank goodness for Walmart. And if you have extra money to freely spend more than you need to… for whatever reason… the more power to you. That’s why it’s America… freedom of choice. Just don’t try to convince me that your way of thinking is absolutely right for all… especially when the opposite is so blatantly  oblivious.                     

Happy New Year…

Happy New Year to One and All !

New Year Card for You!

click on the link below…

http://www.123greetings.com/send/view/12727311305440851466

http://www.jacquielawson.com/preview.asp?cont=1&hdn=0&pv=3291504&path=83554

Got this from a friend… perfect New Years Message.

Where did the year go? Suddenly it is December .......again

and we realize that with giant strides we started in January and within a blink of an eye,

2011 is on its back! 

A big "Thank You" to each and everyone of you, for any impact you had on my life this year.

Especially for all the e-mails I received.......without you, I'm sure that 2011 would have been extremely boring.

From my side I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas Season filled with Loving Wishes and Beautiful Thoughts.

May 2012 mark the beginning of a Tidal Wave of Love, Happiness and Bright Futures.


And to those who need someone special, may you find that true love.


To those who need money, may your finances overflow


To those who need caring, may you find a good heart 

To those who need friends, I am still here for you ..

Thanks for being my friend!!

Wishing Everyone a Happy New Year!

The Holidays…

The Holidays and reflections … thinking back, and thinking ahead.

Thanksgiving has come and gone… Christmas is barely past… we reflect on the past year…and start looking for the New Year. So with a clear mind I reflect on Thanksgiving with family… Christmas with friends and coworkers… and have warm thoughts of time shared with family and friends. Thoughts of our rving friends that somewhat scattered all over the country and how nice it would be to see them all again.

First and foremost… the past year… well, lets get the negative out of the way first. Things that needed to be much better, but were not… and for the oblivious reasons. Politics, nuff said about that. Economy, worse then we think. Personal economics, everything going up by leaps and bounds… and yes, don’t kid yourself… the poor are getting poorer and the once middle income folks are quickly becoming poor. Oh… and the rich, well, their grabbing all they can… and getting richer. Some honestly… some not. Travel, somewhat slowed with the elimination of luxury spending. Outlook, grim… ya do what you have to do and make harder choices limiting or eliminating things that were once part of your everyday life. Armageddon, well… at several points in my lifetime, at least six different ones, the world was coming to an end…. so 12-21-2012 does raise such an alarm… but don’t worry… there will be more predictions of doom as the latest one goes unfulfilled. Just a sideline thought… BIG Business. Well there’s Walmart ( sneaking in a positive) that seems to be a economic positive for the populous at large. Anything you want at a “value” price… certainly seems to be doing right by the people and keeping other businesses honest as far as prices, so to speak. Gasoline and Oil companies… well… there’s the opposite end of the spectrum… politics, greed, corruption, and the source for all economic evils… and that’s putting it mildly. Another quick thought… when the price of a barrel of oil was $80 the price of gasoline was $1.35… then oil prices went up, gas went up… now oil of back down to less then $100 a barrel (that would be a 20% increase)… but gas is still more then twice the price that it once was. Oil company exec’s rake in billions in company profits… and millions in personal bonuses for a job well done in running the company more profitably… can yall spell MONOPLY… that’s not only tolerated and condoned by politics, but orchestrated through political corruption. Health care, medications, and insurance follows a close second to creating economic woos. Do you know why it’s illegal to buy prescription medications out of this country? Well here’s a clue. The same medication, made by the same company… here in the states via my Rx plan that pays 90% of the cost, my Rx costs me $24… the same exact Rx, made by the same company in the companies original packaging cost $15 just across the border… just plain cash… so what is majorly wrong with this picture. You’d actually think that with the economic downturn that we are in, that the greed  and politics would at least slow up and not be so oblivious… but they have actually gotten worse… stealing more then they ever did before.    

So, negatives out of the way… now how about the positives.

okay….

okay….

Got you thinking… thought so!  Well, there’s lots of positives despite all the negatives. From a light hearted humorous side… (which is sadly not true for everyone)… we still have a place to live (okay… we’re in an Rv… but that was by choice)… so we are legally and technically “homeless”. We still eat… and sometimes have meat more then once a week (hotdogs don’t count).  We still can keep warm in the winter with extra clothes. Electric… well, that’s pretty much a necessity right after food (just turn it off when not in use). We have music to comfort us,  television and movies to entertain us, computers to communicate, and sometimes find a cashew mixed in with our peanuts at is now only10% premium nuts. We have our health… so long as we don’t get sick. We have friends that we can still talk to anytime via cell phones and the internet. Ah… the internet… the ability to communicate instantly with family, friends, or the masses as a whole. And as indicated above… Thank God for Walmart, which seems to be the only BIG business that is not price gouging the people…. and serves the free enterprise system to keep all other  business from unfair or elevated pricing practices. Technology… now here’s a great convenience and savings… for me… the big savings is in photography… no film to buy, no processing, no printing, no storage issues, no lost of faded photos, and no more expensive (in both time and money) albums to put together and organize… now a pleasant and cheap hobby.  No more prepaid phone cards and looking for a payphone (do they still exist?).

Words of Wisdom… or maybe just my way of thinking. 

Okay… so much for material things. I have my wonderful wife that keeps me not only centered, but inspired. She also has the ability to make my day perfect just by smiling. Nothing seems too bad when I’m with her.

Religion, now there’s something that most people use to can lift their spirits and give them an emotional hope and faith… I won’t go into this any further.

Family and friends are comforting during stressful times and make the good times even better. If you are down.. it’s like the old saying… “misery loves company” …but look at it this way… yall can comfort, console and encourage each other… works better than you might think! Give it a honest try… works wonders.

Escapes: My favorite… take the Rv to Orlando, either work for Disney or buy a season pass, and go in the parks for a daily dose of Magical Moments and make believe. Works wonders to forget all about the real world every once in a while. The more you can stop thinking about the real world… well… this falls into the category of …. the Happier you will be!

If you need to pay someone (especially for repeated sessions) to listen to your problems and offer possible solutions that usually don’t work… just get some more friends… their free and probably have better real solutions… but then that would be called advise… and we know that that good advise is usually not taken… so you’re right back where you started, but no worse off… and a few more bucks in your pocket.

Time and Money… if ya ain’t got the money…then by all means… take the time to slow down and smell the roses… take a photo or two while you are there… it’s good for the soul. Time with family and friends is an excellent use of “slowing down to smell the roses” time.

I may add to this later… or continue as another entry… either way… it’s nap time. By the way… a nap or two doesn’t hurt anything either. It’s another mini escape.

Everything is what you make of it. Look for the good… and warm content feelings will follow.

If you don’t like being in the rain (or whatever situation you are in)… get out of it…. or at least pretend to be a duck until you do. 

Everything …”It is what it is”… while you’re in it, or until you make something different of it.

oh… forgot all about New Years Resolutions… how did I do with last years? and what will the New Year see? Well… that’s the next entry.

Yall have a safe and Happy New Years!                    

Thanks…

Just when I thought I didn’t have anything important to say…

So I’ll just say “Thanks”.

Thanks to my readers... of my Fb and Blog... family, friends, and many more. I have recently been amazed by the stats on my blog. December was a busy month, so I didn't post too many entries... but hit a record high for me. Not rock star status, but fairly impressive for an old retired guy... that is enjoying his own little version of fame. So thanks for reading... hope yall enjoy my entries. Wow... nine hundred and eleven hits last month. I don't think I'll quite achieve the status of E.F.Hutton (when E.F.Hutton talks, people listen)... but it is nice to see that I have readers all over the world. Thanks.

Hope you continue to read and that I may spark your imagination, spark some fond memory of something that was memorable for you, give you a new perspective for looking at something from a different point of view… or just plainly bring a smile to your face and a moment of inner peace and contentment.

So, Thanks again for reading…

and it’s true, you’ll never know what you will find here.

Signed…

…Richard (for those that know me in my adult life)

… Rich ( for those that feel closer )

… Rick ( for those from my younger years )

… Dick ( for those looking for a fight ) … lol.

See No Evil…

See No Evil… Hear No Evil… Speak No Evil.

Remembering Fun with Friends.

Never were truer words ever spoken.

Next year…

So… where will we be next summer?

(if everything goes as planned)

It’s kinda like a world-wind tour…

(hope we can see it all)

So what will we be near?

(here’s the buildup) 

Paris – only 18 miles away

Cairo – only 41 miles

Havana – 98

Santa Fe – 16

Cincinnati – 4

Mexico – 30

Louisiana – 33

Princeton – 118

Lancaster - 82

and only 8 miles from Florida.

It’s a heaven for fishing, hunting, sailing,

motorboating, swimming, jet-skiing, parasailing,

and basically any kind of water sports.

(if ya like that stuff) 

And it’s all in the same one place!

(okay… here’s the lowdown)

Monroe, Missouri

Where?

“Monroe”…. Missouri.

All those other places… they’re nearby towns in Missouri,

they just couldn’t think of any new names they liked,

so they permanently borrow the names of other popular places.

It’s about 25 miles west of Hannibal Missouri and the mighty Mississippi River,

where Samuel Clemens grew up…

ya know… Mark Twain!

and Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher, and their friend Huck Finn!

 

So we’ll not doubt take some days off trips to St Louis, Kansas City

and whatever else sots our mood. 

Ya just never know where we will be on any given season.

and that’s the beauty of Rving!

New places, new faces, new experiences!

Us in our “covered wagon”…

slowly going across the states.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

as for Sam…

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is most noted for his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "The Great American Novel."

Twain was born during a visit by Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it" as well. He died the day following the comet's subsequent return. He was lauded as the "greatest American humorist of his age,"  called  "The Father of American Literature."

How amazed people from the 1800’s would be to see the communication technology we enjoy today. Back then, a person that could articulate their thoughts, speak to people, and write of life’s experiences, whether fact or fictional… well… ya see where it got good old Sam. Today, many of us no doubt met or exceed those abilities… education and knowledge… but get lost in the vastness of society and the technology of communication, which makes being heard easier than ever… but also lost among the billions of other voices. 

 

  

 

 

 

Holiday Recipe

Like most recipes… got this from a friend… he likes to use tequila. The tradition version has an Island-Beach theme… but you can do anything you like. Simple is always best… you’re gonna eat it anyway… right? 

You can do the fancy party version ( don’t eat the shells)… or keep it simple… make my choice… a bundt cake.

I also like the Kahlua & Cream version. Turns out great as a Bundt Cake… just dribble a Cinnamon Glaze over the top of the cake and sprinkle with some fine grind netmeg… and enjoy! Just get the 2 ltr bottle of Kahlua  and 2 quarts of half & half to use in place of the tequilla.

Thanks Bryan for the great recipe! 

Tequilla Xmas Cake
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle tequila
2 cups dried fruit

Sample the tequila to check quality. Take a large bowl; check the tequila again to be sure it is of the highest quality. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point, it is best to make sure the tequila is still OK. Try another cup just in case. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck iin the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fruit up off the floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the tequila to test for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something. Check the tequila. Now shift the lemon ice strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 s and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish the tequila and wipe the counter with the cat.
Cherry Mristmas!

Christmas Card

Merry Christmas to All… and to All a Good Nite!

★*˚°。°*。°*。★*˚°。°*。°˚°★*˚°。°*。°*★*˚°。°*。°*★
˛°_██_*˚°。°/ ♥ \*˚°。°*。°*★*˚°。°*。°*★*˚°。°*。°*★
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.*˛_Π_____*˚°。*。°**˚°。°*。°*★
.°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*˚°。°*。°*°*❤ ˚°*★
*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚°。°*。°* ♥♥
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE
(yes, it’s borrowed… but still very nice!)

There’s another Animated Card to Just enjoy or send!

http://www.jacquielawson.com/preview.asp?cont=1&hdn=0&pv=3111930&path=83563

A Little Christmas cheer…

Land of Cotton (candy)…

 

Oh, I wish I was in the land of Disney, 
Ginger Bread and Cotton Candy,
Look away, look away, look away Disney Land.

In Disney Land,  we all have fun…  
Adventure, thrills and playin in the sun,  
Look away, look away, look away Disney Land.

I wish I was in Disney! Hooray! Hooray!
In Disney Land you’ll hear the band,
see show and rides, at Disney…
Away, away, away down south in Disney.
Away, away, away down south in Disney.

There’s Mickey Mouse & Goofy too,
Princesses and… Winnie the Pooh,
Pirates, Ghosts, and fun galore,
Elephants, zebra, and loins that roar.

I wish I was in Disney Hooray! Hooray!
In Disney Land there’s pretzel stands,
and lots of food at Disney…
Away, away, away down south in Disney.
Away, away, away down south in Disney.

While Christmas is the best time of the Year,
it’s also when I miss Disney the most.

Simply Magical…

we could all use a little Magic!

 

 

Holiday Card

Wishing everyone a Safe a Joyous Holiday Season…

Here’s a card I’d like to share with you… and you might like to share with others…

http://ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/preview/flash/bws8Shell.swf?ihost=http://ak.imgag.com/imgag&brandldrPath=/product/full/el/&cardNum=/product/full/ap/3132942/graphic1

Happy Holidays…

Christmas Time Small World

It’s a Small World at Christmas…

Tom and the Gang…

Christmas in Disneyland…

It’s a Small World gets a make-over every Christmas

Everything changes for the Holidays…

Christmas Spirit in All Things Small.

How only Disney could do it!

Each park has it’s own unique attractions and events

Disneyland has it’s… and we have ours at Disney World.

If it’s gotta be cold…

I always said… when I was younger… if it’s gotta be cold, it might as well snow… so at least it pretty! Not to much wrong with that idea… right? … if it’s gotta be cold it might as well snow! It’s 27° this morning here in Texas… plenty of cold… chill you to the bone… but no snow. So here’s a bit of a salute to the beauty of wintery snow.

The Cold Hard Facts!

Isn’t snow pretty…

unspoiled beauty…

natures gift wrap… all in white…

Good reason to stay home…

(as if you had a choice)

too much work… wait for it to melt…

Invite a friend over… and chill…

Make new friends…

Make lots of new friends…

Yep… a winter wonderland…

Nature at it’s best… beautiful…

then… Nature turns it all around to mock you…

now there’s a “Frosty” hello…

So much for remembering wintery fun and the snow…

As winter snows turn their back on me…

I’ll do the same and think of warmer times…

tropical breezes and toes in the sand…

I’ll trade those snow covered pines for palms anytime,  anyday!

So if the cold and snow leave you feeling a bit chilled…

(burrrrr!)

Just remember warm tropical places with your toes in the sand.

Boy … could I use a hot cocoa right now!

Just thinking about warm places…

well.. it needs a little help.

Yall stay warm.

Infrequent Flyers

A recent potentially bad experience could have been a major problem. For those that fly frequently, this may not be news… for those infrequent flyers like ourselves it seemed unbelievable. We booked our flights (roundtrip) 4 months in advance through Expedia on Continental / United Airlines. The flight was was changed several times by the airline during the 4 months. The outgoing flight was just as planned… the return flight… or should I say, trying to get on the return flight was extremely stressful. Apparently the airline has a standard practice of overbooking flights… selling more tickets than are actually available. This by it’s self is unbelievable to me… why would you sell more tickets than you have seats. As explained, this is a standard practice to make sure the plane is fully occupied. It was further explained that not everyone shows up all the time. We got caught up in this mess on a day when everyone showed up. Even though we booked our flight 4 months in advance… no doubt in advance of many others that booked that flight… and we got to the airport to check in 2 hours early… we were involuntarily placed on a “standby status”. This was not how we booked the flight… we had confirmed reservations for that flight…  and nothing was said about the possibility of this until we went to get our boarding passes. When I repeatedly asked how they determined who, of the confirmed reservations, is going to chosen to be involuntarily placed on “standby status”, they would not give a answer… only to say we’ll call you “if” we can get you a seat. The only way we were going to get on that flight was if some people either didn’t show up or voluntarily gave up their seats in favor of a later flight. To me this was unbelievable and unacceptable. To add insult to injury, it was oblivious what determined who was going to get on the flight. First consideration for being on the flight was given to three different Continental Flyer Clubs… something like “The Presidents Club”, “Blue Star Flyers” and “Frequent Flyers” ( the names are probably not accurate, but you get the picture). The next consideration was given to those that booked directly through Continental / United. The last consideration was to “Economy Class” booked via Expedia. Then, the next consideration was for those that needed to make a connecting flight (we were not in this category). The flight was overbooked by at least 9 people… and surely more. Luckily we did get on the flight at the last minute, but could have been left in the airport until the next flight on which we had the same status as “standby'”… and this would happen all over again. No doubt this is a practice of long time standing, and unless you fly enough to experience it, you would never know about it until it affected you. I heard it said years ago… an old saying…  “Is this anyway to run an airline?”… just never knew what it pertained to or that it would effect me. Apparently a clue to this possibly of this happening to you is whether or not your conformation has an assigned seat number… but this is something that was never explained anywhere. So it’s flyer beware. It all worked out, but it could have been a real problem. I guess the question to ask the airline in advance… Do I have a 100% guarantee of being on the fight that you book? … and why not? Social status… “First Class” or “Club Member” trumps economy… nothing like the  feeling of being a third class consideration regardless of the time you book in advance or the price you pay… wouldn’t be so bad if they gave you a warning of their practices in advance, and the situation you are in. Just a little warning… so you perhaps don’t get caught in the same situation… needlessly stranded in the airport… left to the whims of the airline as a third class citizen.             

Spell Checker…

The modern computer… what a marvel… everything that it can do… wow. Just think… a mere 40 years ago we barely had a pocket calculator that would do the basic 4 math functions. But there was also a little “modern marvel” that made life somewhat easier for those that held little importance on proper spelling (those that didn’t want to look dumb)… those that felt that being able to communicate thoughts and feelings was much more important than proper grammer, speelling or punchuation. See what I mean? Most people could either articulate their thoughts and didn’t worry about spelling or grammar … or could spell every word in the world and couldn’t convey a thought beyond one sentence. Okay, I know that’s extreme situations… but for the most part accurate… something to do with different sides of the brain. A 50/50 mix gave you a bit of both… swing one way and the other suffered… so you could either express your thoughts - or -  use proper grammar with perfect spelling and no one knew what you were trying to say. Then came the great spelling equalizer… for those somewhat carefree about their spelling and a bit concerned about it… there was the Franklin Spell Checker… it did it all. 40 years later, we have the modern computer, and the modern pc spell checker. 40 years later, all the improvements, all the technology, all the “thinking” ability of the modern computer… and it still can’t match that of the 40 year old Franklin Spell checker. Okay… here’s the reasoning… first we had the dictionary, a good source to check spelling or look up meanings… but on some occasions if you are trying to find out how to spell a word, that you don’t know how to spell, how do you look it up if you don’t know how to spell it! ?? Then came the Franklin Spell checker… now here’s the great thing… if you spelled the word phonetically… Franklin would come up with the right word. Ex: “new-mo-ya” … okay… pneumonia!  I love it ( being sarcastic) when the pc spell checker gives you options of possible choices that don’t even make sense. Lets say you miss spell “school” … you may get the following choices: spool – spook – shoal – etc, etc, and then there’s the other choices: “goodbye” or “football”… now come on… where did those suggestions come from? They don’t even start with the same letter!!! So the modern computer spell checker still has a way to go to match 40 year old “makes sense to me” technology. Now, if only the pc guys would let old Franklin join in … it could be a perfect pc writing world. On further reflection… sometimes I really hate the English language. Like… if we already had the “C”… then why… why do we have the “K”… and the list could go on and on… but that’s another entry saved for a early rainy day, nothing better to do, morning… when Shelly is still sleeping. Good news…they are still around… the Old Franklin Spell Checker (or the something like it) …. think I should buy one… soon. Or maybe wait, and Shelly will get me one so I don’t have to ask her how to spell something every time I write. Good Idea!  Simply … Ingenious!    

Google Art

Google Art… ya see them everyday… cute, interesting, and sometimes funny. All those little creations that momentarily lift your senses, yet probably go mostly unnoticed. Usually something new everyday. Art work to commemorate an important social event, discovery, or holiday. So where do they all go when they disappear? The Google Art Site! Just leave the search box empty and hit “I’m feeling lucky”… it will take you right there. You’ll se some of your favorites plus Google Art from all over the world. Just a little light diversion on a rainy day. Enjoy!

       

Castle Magic…

It all started with a Dream and a little imagination…

So what does a real castle look like?

Like this…

An Artists conception..

The Project Starts…

The Castle takes shape..

The Finished Castle…

Can’t wait to see the new Fantasyland Expansion…

Walt Disney World – Magic Kingdom