Catching Wild Pigs

I got this in an email and thought I'd pass it along, just for the heck of it. Since the people that were sending it out generally send me Republican garbage, I think it's safe to assume this is too. I have no idea who they are trying to bash though.

A chemistry professor in a large college that had some
exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in
the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who
kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The
student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been
shot while fighting communists in his native country who were
trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new
communist government.

In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and
asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch
wild pigs?'

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch
line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs
by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the
ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the
free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a
fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming.

When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn
again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to
that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all
four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The
pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the
gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.

Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run
around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon
they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it
that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for
themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what
he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us
toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the
form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for
unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments
not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc.. While we


continually lose our freedoms -- just a little at a time.

One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free
lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you
cheaper than you can do it yourself.

Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government
'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in
America, you might want to send this on to your friends. If you
think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you
will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate
slams shut!


In this 'very important' election year, listen closely to
what the candidates are promising you -

Just maybe you will be able to tell who is about to slam
the gate on America.

'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is
big enough to take away everything you have.' - Thomas Jefferson

Gardening can be deadly for seniors

VICTORIA, British Columbia (UPI) -- Health officials in Canada's retirement haven of Victoria, British Columbia, are warning senior gardeners dirt can be deadly, as three deaths last year show.

Chief Medical Health Officer Richard Stanwick said three people over age 50 died of tetanus on Vancouver Island last year, and it's likely they acquired it from soil in their gardens, the Victoria Times Colonist reported.

"They were all people who haven't had a (tetanus) immunization in at least 10 years or longer," he said. "There's a lot of risk in the garden."

Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is an infection found in manure and soil that thrives on damaged tissue, and makes its way into the body through even the tiniest of cuts, he said.

It can cause contraction of muscles, stiffness, spasms and death, but can easily be prevented with vaccinations at least every 10 years among adults, he said.




Copyright 2008 by United Press International

To Bowl Or Not To Bowl?

It’s Thursday, also known around my house as Bowling Day. The big question of the day is can I bowl? I am not sure as I write this. But, I am going to the bowling center. The current plan is to go early, and while the early league is bowling, bowl a game and see what happens.

If my ribs don’t cause me to scream in pain, I will bowl at six o’clock as scheduled. If they do make me scream in pain, I will just pay the bowling fees I owe to the league and hang around and watch my teammates do their thing.

Either way, I will give the girls their night away from Franklin. Although I am sure they prefer to think of it as Franklin’s night away from the girls.

In other news, the blogging for pay things are going alright, I’ve got a few irons in the fire and, hopefully, will be doing some blog advertising here soon and making some extra cash. Never anything wrong with extra cash in one’s pocket :)

Smoking

Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette!
Puff, puff, puff and if you puff yourself to death
Tell Saint Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hate to make him wait
But you just gotta have another cigarette!

This was a popular country-western song when I was a kid. I woke up with it in my head this morning and so I thought I'd do a post about smoking. I have two bits of advice for you if you are a smoker:
First, if you are still young, or haven't had the habit long, QUIT! Not only is it good for your health, it is good for your wallet too! Cigarettes are expensive. Almost five dollars a pack here where I live. Look at all the money you'll save by giving them up :)

Second, if you are an old guy like me, having smoked for more years than are good for a body, here's a tip that may help you with that awful morning hacking we all do. When you retire for the evening, put a cough drop in your mouth and let it dissolve. Preferably a cough drop like Hall's vapor type. I notice that on the days I do this I hack and cough a lot less when I wake up the next day. Not sure why, but am thankful I found this out :)

How Odd

Yesterday, my wife called Verizon and made some changes to the phone services that we “buy” from them. Nothing major, just ridding ourselves of a couple of things we do not use, like call-waiting.

This afternoon, She remarked that the phone has been rather quiet. I agreed. Normally we get a number of silly calls, mostly trying to help me with a mortgage that we do not have (we rent).

I think them folks were just waiting for her to leave the house. Since she left to pick up the kid from school I have already had two calls that were junk calls.

I have no idea what they were. We do have caller I.D. and I do not pick up calls that are “blocked” or “unknown name”. I’m sure they left a message on the voice-mail telling me how I can save lots of money with something I do not own.

Happy Monday!

It's Monday again. The weekend is gone, time to get back to work for most folks. Not me, as I am retired, but I remember Mondays and back to work. Some things in Life are unforgettable :)
The weather, which was crummy all weekend is now back to normal. It actually looks quite pleasant outside, sunny and very little wind. Why couldn't it have been like that on the weekend when people want to go outside and enjoy themselves? Mother Nature has a warped sense of humor!
I am working, in the sense that I am busy updating my blogs and looking for ways to make some extra money. Most things I have looked into I shall have to wait for, as none of my blogs are old enough to qualify. But, I remain hopeful that someday soon, I will be able to make some income from them :)
Enjoy your week, whatever work it is that you do. And try to set aside some money for your old age. Open an IRA or see someone about a TSA. You'll be thankful when you retire!

Happy Weekend!

Hooray, it's the weekend :) And, I have money since it is the first of the month! Now, if only I didn't have those cracked ribs to keep me from going out LOL

The ribs are healing, I think. Slowly, very slowly. I will be happy if they are better by Thursday when I can go bowling again :)

In the meantime, I hope all of you have a great weekend :)