|
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Nov 25 2008, 06:03 PM
Being a librarian isn't the most exciting job around, but librarians can be pretty intelligent. Some end up becoming school teachers, and who know, they could become the First Lady of the United States, like Laura Bush.
Some of them may even know a few things about saving money, like this librarian....
"A retired Virginia school teacher and librarian who died two years ago left more than $2 million to split between the universities she attended, the schools announced Tuesday.
Jane Iris Crutchfield's estate will donate $1.1 million each to the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia."
Continued HERE
|
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Nov 25 2008, 11:49 AM
Stressed-out by your boss? Beware….
If you are prone to heart disease, your workplace and the managerial style of your supervisor could be impacting your health.
"Burdened by an overbearing boss? Your heart may pay the price, according to new research.
The Swedish study found that workers' risks for angina, heart attack and death rose along with the reported incompetence of their bosses.
"This study is the first to provide evidence of a prospective, dose-response relationship between concrete managerial behaviors and objectively assessed heart disease among employees," said lead researcher Anna Nyberg, from the department of public health sciences at the Karolinska Institute, and Stress Research Institute at Stockholm University." Continue article HERE
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some families spend more time dealing with hospitals than others do…that’s just an unfortunate fact. And some hospitals lead patients to have better experiences at them than others do.
Last week my husband happened to have some “work” done on his heart. He’s had some major surgery done before and has been to many hospitals. I’ve been to several, too, for various reasons. We’ve got our opinions regarding them, but when it comes right down to it, you can’t beat the care from doctors, and especially from nurses.
This time he had his care a the four year old Wisconsin Heart Hospital. I’ve got to tell you, if you ever have to have heart care and have a choice of where to go, this is the place to choose. It’s modern, clean and efficient. Everything was right at the fingertips of the medical staff, even in the patient rooms. Wow. I was really impressed.
|
By Janet Evans
Monday, Nov 24 2008, 05:24 PM
These are serious questions I ask.
Real-life questions.
These instances just happened to me this past week in my oh-so-interesting life that I lead.
Why?
Why is it that when I go to purchase a pair of shoes and I ask for a size 7 1/2 the sales person comes out (and this happens all of the time) with two boxes and says “I don’t have a size 7 ½ but I have a size 7 and a size 8?”
Why?
I have been wearing shoes since I was a child. My foot has been a size 7 ½ since I was in high school. It has not changed. I could not fit my foot in a size 7 shoe even if my name was Cinderella. My feet would turn in and I would fall over. Okay, some of you may say perhaps I could fit in a size 8 shoe. Maybe. But I don’t.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why?
Why when I ordered an appetizer at a restaurant was I told “we don’t have that any longer but next week we will be having egg rolls on the menu.”
“Next week?” Why would I care what a restaurant is having on their menu next week when I am ordering today? It wasn't even close to what I was ordering in the first place anyway. I just had to sit for a moment and say “Duh! to myself and then say, “Okay.” And then move on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why?
Why did I have to stand in line the other day while a manager at a store had to show a young employee, who appeared to be older than a high school graduate (but looks can be deceiving) how to ring up the purchase ahead of me and make change. He could not make and count back change. This process, for a simple purchase took approximately five minutes. The manager was very patient. The employee was not flustered, nor did he seem embarrassed. I was amazed. It was just under a $15.00 purchase and was paid for with a twenty dollar bill.
Why?
I know there are no answers. But I just had to ask.
|
By Janet Evans
Sunday, Nov 23 2008, 08:07 PM
I have two cats. I originally wanted an outside dog…but I have cats. It’s because of my kids…who no longer live with me and haven’t for ages, but that’s a long story. One of my cats sleeps all day, and it’s like I don’t even have him. The other one is always on my computer keyboard, always under my feet, always in my way. He’s the one that needed an expensive operation years ago and needs the special cat food now that both cats must eat because if one eats it, well…they are both going to eat it. It’s prescription cat food…which in my opinion is a scam. No one is going to go and buy prescription cat food for their cat if they don’t need to. You know why? Because it cost an arm and a leg. Well, it did cost an arm and a leg. Now that the cost of grain, corn, oil, fuel, shipping have gone up it costs just under $50.00 a bag, That’s nuts! These cats weigh 12 and 14 pounds. The food isn’t satisfying because it’s dietary. But I can only buy it through a Vet. It’s a scam I tell you.
Then there’s the finches. Wild golden finches. I believe all the golden finches in Franklin, WI are in my yard. Oh, it’s my fault. We feed them very well. Not with just any old finch food. We feed them with thistle seed…black Nyjer seed. Last year we paid $17 for 20 lbs. of this seed, which would last about six weeks. This year the price has gone up to $35. Our finches are spoiled. I tried a different seed but they won’t eat it. So, I took away some of the feeders…but I like my finches, and so do my cats. My cats are entertained by the finches. Some of the finches hang upside down to eat! Okay, by now you think I’ve lost my marbles…these finches aren’t even my pets.
But this leads me to the point of this blog post…
Fenway, a yellow Lab owned by Brenda Magno of Ayer (right), samples some goodies on the counter at the Pooch Barkery in Ayer. (Photo by Jon Chase for the Boston Globe)
Even though things aren't looking really good in the economy, it's being reported that people are still spending money on their pets. People love their pets!
"Retailers may be worrying about the possibility of the worst fourth quarter in generations, but those in the pet products industry are finding themselves in a veritable oasis among much of the gloom of American business. Companies that sell everything from organic dog treats to couture-inspired pet toys say business is up even as economic indicators show shoppers are pinching pennies during one of the worst downturns in decades."
Continue article at the Patriot Ledger
|
By Janet Evans
Saturday, Nov 22 2008, 08:13 AM
Is it something you would embrace?
Most people seem to surround themselves with noise…music blaring from iPods, constant cell phone calls, television, activities. Although there are those who steal away and enjoy their love of reading. But if you had the opportunity to venture off alone…for a long period of time, a time of solitude, would you take it? If you could spend months by yourself with nature and books, would you take the chance to learn about life and most importantly about you? Could you do it?
I believe age has an impact on such a concept, along with your personality, but I think it would be an awesome experience to try solitude…of course for a temporary period of time.
Why do I bring this up? Because The Economist posted a book review of interest. A Book of Silence, By Sara Maitland is of what I just discussed. Maitland does go on an adventure of solitude, but takes it further and makes it one of “silence.”
"SARA MAITLAND’S book is not about peace and quiet. It is about silence as a practice, a discipline, a way of life. A cottage in the country will not do. It is more a matter of desert caves and open oceans, or, in her case, wild Scottish moorland. It’s the real deal.
How Ms Maitland gets to that point is a long story; a hunt for greater solitude and further remoteness along the length of Britain, with a detour to the Sinai desert, which she describes with a disarming sense of being thought mad. Her friends tell her she is, and she realises that the modern world has little room for serious silence seekers. It is not just that blasting radios, mobile phones, traffic and aeroplanes can be a source of despair. It is also the assumption that communication and relationships are central to all human life. Ms Maitland knows this because she has been there. Brought up in a large, articulate family, she was nourished on argument. Her politics, her feminism and her religion all fed on talk. In such a context, silence becomes an absence, a mark of intellectual abdication, a rejection of humanity. "
Continue HERE
|
By Janet Evans
Friday, Nov 21 2008, 12:48 PM
This time thanks to the Aussie's.
What can I say, the topic is out there and it’s part of life. It cannot be ignored.
When I heard there was talk of a toilet tax, I wondered if you had heard the poop on that…
And besides that, "experts" dont want "flushing" toilets anymore.
What's the world coming to?
"As the world celebrates World Toilet Day today, sanitation experts have called for the end of the flushing dunny to save water and provide fertilizer for crops.
Leading health advocates have called for the use of "dry" toilets which separate urine from faeces and remove the need to flush. Speaking at the recent World Toilet Summit in Macau, World Toilet Organisation founder Jack Sims said the concept of the flushing toilet was unsustainable."
Enough of that...you'll have to finish reading this article by clicking HERE
And take a look at some "weird" toilet designs
|
By Janet Evans
Thursday, Nov 20 2008, 09:57 PM
Have you changed your driving habits in the past year?
How about in the past six months?
Are you driving less?
Are you carpooling?
Do you take a bus?
Have you bought an economy car?
Do you think before you drive...planning our your day now?
Now that fuel has come down in price, will you go back to your old ways, or will you stay with your change for good?
After all, we haven't solved our energy crisis...this is just temporary, right?
"Americans are driving less despite falling gas prices, reflecting the deepening recession and signaling a shift in lifestyles and driving habits that could outlast the current turmoil.
Drivers logged 10.7 billion fewer miles in September than they did the same month a year earlier — a 4.4% decline, according to data issued Wednesday by the Federal Highway Administration.
FINANCIAL CRISIS: Economic outlook dims
The data reflect the effects of the worsening economy. "With the unemployment rate going up, people are just not driving," says Fred Milch, division planner for the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, in the South Atlantic region that saw the biggest year-to-year driving decline (5.7%). "They just don't have the money to go on leisure trips and don't have money to go shopping. … People get in the habit of not having to drive."
Click to continue
|
By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Nov 19 2008, 05:32 PM
Paul Nawrocki, from Beacon, N.Y., sits in Bryant Park to use free Wi-Fi, Tuesday Nov. 18, 2008 in New York, Nawrocki, who has been out of work since February, walks around the city wearing a sign that says "Almost Homeless," as he hands out his resume and looks for work. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do, and a determined man is the kind of man who lands a job in a bad economy.
Times are tough, people are losing their jobs left and right, and if you are one of those unfortunate souls who has lost your job, and desperately need to find one, you've got to think on your feet.
I think Paul Nawrocki is a winner because he's not just sitting around waiting for a job to come to him. I hope he finds a job.
"After nine fruitless months of looking for work, Paul Nawrocki turned to a Depression-era tactic to find a job.
Over the past few days the 59-year-old businessman has been walking the sidewalks of midtown Manhattan wearing a suit, a tie, and a large signs that reads, "Almost homeless."
"My unemployment benefits are going to run out in less than a month. I was getting a little panicked and I didn't know what to do," said Nawrocki, who was laid off from his job at a toy company last February."
Continued HERE
|
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Nov 18 2008, 06:19 PM
I recently came back from a visit to Burlington, Vermont....named the "healthiest" city to live in, in the United States.
It's darned pretty...that's for sure. And I wouldn't mind living there. I could do it.
They may be healthy...but that may be because there is absolutely nothing to do there but be healthy.
Hike, snow shoe, walk, ski, eat at home, garden.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
That's Burlington.
Burlington Residents Know What Makes A City Healthy
|
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Nov 18 2008, 07:03 AM
But they’re oh, so adorable! I recently visited my sister, who has two…one 4 lbs. and one 8 lbs. They are like toys with personalities. I’m talking about puppies.
I doubt that the Obama’s will be getting a hybrid for the White House dog. Most likely they will be settling for a pooch from a shelter to show Americans the right thing to do?
But there are many out there who fall in love with hybrids and can’t resist. They cost a pretty penny…$600 to $800 (there may also be traveling expenses, such as airfare involved). But what about their lifespan? Man’s best friend really isn’t supposed to be a toy…and a shortened lifespan might be something hard to deal with. There are unanswered questions.
“As with so many trends, it seemed to happen overnight. One day, no one had ever heard of a puggle. The next, little dogs with furrowed foreheads and floppy ears were everywhere.”
“The rise of hybrids has been just as dramatic. In 2000, the A.C.H.C. registered about 200 litters a month; in 2007 it is registering 500 to 700 a month. The number of different types of hybrids has also continued to grow—there are now over 400 hybrids registered with the A.C.H.C., including affenpoos (affenpinscher plus poodle), pookimos (American Eskimo dog plus poodle ), rat-a-paps (American rat terrier plus papillon), bordoodles (border collie plus poodle), and Jack-a-bees (beagle plus Jack Russell terrier).”
Read the story about hybrids HERE
Click on the photo of the "Malkie" below
(Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese)
to see a slide show of "Hot Hybrids"
|
By Janet Evans
Sunday, Nov 16 2008, 01:15 PM
It’s sweet and at the end, if you are human, should give you that little twinge in your heart.
And you’ve heard stories like it before.
But we need to hear these stories.
We need to know our children are doing what’s right.
It makes us realize that there are adults teaching them what’s right.
And that we can all be all-American.
Please read the entire story...you'll be glad you did...
NBCSports.com
By Alan Abrahamson
Even while losing, these kids learn to win
Manattan Beach, CA.
"If this were a movie, Garrett Roth, who is 8 years old and autistic, would have stepped up for the last penalty kick in his youth-soccer league game, the Blue Lightning against Manhattan United, and knocked it home to deliver a playoff victory for Big Blue.
That didn't happen.
Life isn't a movie."
Click to Continue
|
By Janet Evans
Sunday, Nov 16 2008, 10:00 AM
I came across a good read in Christian Science Monitor that you just have to see…but before I take you there I have to give my pick.
You see, the writer, Jeffrey Schaffer, is right on. He’s telling Joe Biden, well, I’ll let you read it yourself…
Joe Biden, can you hear me? This is your moment, pal. Animal-wise, I mean.
While pundits and the public are swept up in speculation about what kind of dog the Obama family should bring into the White House, you now have a golden opportunity to make your own pet selection away from the media glare.It’s a chance to showcase your famous freewheeling approach. The right choice can crystallize your presence in the administration as being distinct from the boss and fascinating to the American people.
Show us something different, Joe. Let Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, have the dog experience. You need to establish your own persona as a pet owner and you can do it by taking ownership of a young...
Okay, Okay…before I take you to complete his fine article…and it’s genius, don’t you think?
I have to put in my pick.
I say a young owl…doesn’t matter what type..snow owl, screech owl, barn owl…
Their heads turn all around…they can watch your back. They are perceived as wise…always pictured with a graduation cap on their heads. They are thought to be inquisitive…who, who, who? An owl would make you, Joe Biden always look wise next to President Obama.
Now on to the article…
Joe Biden, Time For You To Choose A Pet
|
By Janet Evans
Saturday, Nov 15 2008, 06:38 PM
By Janet Evans
Saturday, Nov 15 2008, 04:16 PM
 I want the truth…
Who of you out there has eaten Spam?
Will anyone admit it?
How about if I rephrase it and ask if anyone was ever forced to eat Spam?
I’m going to admit it.
I have eaten spam.
First let me tell you why I’m bringing up this product.
Spam , made by Hormel , of Austin, Minnesota, is in the news. It seems that they can’t keep up with the production of Spam. During hard times production of Spam increases. Austin has many restaurants that actually serve Spam on the menu. I mean, would you go out to a restaurant and actually order Spam? I have a hard time going out to a restaurant and ordering spaghetti since I think that’s too plain and simple and should be made at home.
Now I grew up in a very simple family. There were eight of us…and for a time we had three kids in each bedroom. We were crowded. We had a small house but a lot of land and a huge garden and orchard with organic vegetables and fruits. We ate simple food. And yes..sometimes we ate spam.
I remember asking my brother a few years ago how he prepared his turkey for Thanksgiving…he said he just carved a can of spam into the shape of a turkey and had that. …he didn’t want to go to any trouble. He was just making fun of our Spam days. But seriously…A sandwich of Spam, cut thin, fried, with lettuce, mustard and tomato on fresh white bread wasn’t all that bad…at least from what I remember.
I don’t eat Spam now but I won’t look down on people who do. Wow, that Spamburger in one of the restaurants is $6.29!
"Here in Austin, local officials have tried to capitalize on Spam’s kitschy cultural status, even if a decidedly unpleasant odor hangs over the town (a slaughterhouse next to the Hormel plant butchers 19,000 hogs a day). Austin advertises itself as “Spamtown,” and it boasts 13 restaurants with Spam on the menu.
Jerry’s Other Place sells a Spamburger for $6.29. Johnny’s “Spamarama” menu includes eggs Benedict with Spam for $7.35. At Steve’s Pizza, a medium Spam and pineapple pizza costs $11.58." You ‘ve got to read the entire article from the New York Times…
HERE
|
By Janet Evans
Saturday, Nov 15 2008, 07:35 AM
Go get your wallet or your purse.
Now take out one of your business cards.
Go ahead….
Take a good look.
Pretty boring?
Same old, same old?
I thought so.
It’s time for a change.
From Wired…
Spruce Up Your Business Card
Anyone can do it.
|
By Janet Evans
Friday, Nov 14 2008, 01:05 PM
Finally marketing firms are realizing that when we watch television and we watch a commercial, they really need to focus on the item that they are selling. I mean really, how many times have you watched a commercial and when it was over, you can't remember what the hell the item was that was being promoted? That's usually when the commercial was too good. It was a funny or entertaining commercial.
Let's get real, unless it's the Super Bowl, we really could care less about commercials. That's why with DVR's, etc we are breezing right through them.
So marketing has figured out that they need to just flash that brand so our eyes pick it up.
"With such a short exposure, and the sound disabled, the fast-forwarded ads that work best are those that contain little information and are simply intended to reinforce awareness of a brand, says Dr Brasel. The strength of such split-second ads was evaluated by inserting ads for two different brands of British chocolate bars, Aero and Flake, which are not sold in America and should therefore not have been familiar to the viewers. By a factor of two to one, those who were exposed to a brand image promoted in the centre of the screen during fast-forwarding ended up choosing that brand. So when you start to see TV ads in which the brand image takes centre stage, you will know why."
Read the entire article from the Economist HERE
But, you know, years ago, they really knew how to do commercials. They alway focused on the brand. And that's illustrated in one of my favorite T.V. shows by one of my favorite comedians...Lucille Ball....
Who wouldn't want to buy Vitameatavagamin !
You know you want it!
|
By Janet Evans
Thursday, Nov 13 2008, 06:45 AM
I'm worried about issues with Obama being president, but this isn't one of them...
Of course, now that Obama is going to be president, he has so-called relatives coming out of the woodwork. It doesn't surprise me and it doesn't suprise me in the least that there would be those who say they are "Arab" relatives. I suppose there will be more of this to come during the next four years....But does it matter? He has been elected president and come on...we know his citizenship has been verified.
"Now Barack Obama is being claimed by not one but as many as 8,000 Beduin tribesmen in northern Israel.
Although the spokesman for the lost tribe of Obama has yet to reveal the documentary evidence that he says he possesses to support his claim, people are flocking from across the region to pay their respects to the “Beduin Obama”, whose social standing has gone through the roof.
“We knew about it years ago but we were afraid to talk about it because we didn’t want to influence the election,” Abdul Rahman Sheikh Abdullah, a 53-year-old local council member, told The Times in the small Beduin village of Bir al-Maksour in the Israeli region of Galilee. “We wrote a letter to him explaining the family connection.”
Read the entire article HERE
Actually, I think many people would be amazed that the origin of their name may come up in the Middle East and Europe with links in one way or another from a very long time ago. People were every transient .
So, as long as a certain guy who has been hiding in the mountains for eight years doesn't start making accusations...I'm sure we'll be okay on this one.
|
By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Oct 28 2008, 06:57 PM
Remember when Michael Jackson shocked the world with his dangling of his baby over the balcony?
Well, did we all just take that as immaturity? Poor parenting skills? Attention-getting? Just plain stupidity?
Whatever it was…I just had a semi form of déjà vu while I was looking for a video clip tonight.
You have to check this old video clip out.
And while you are there, you will probably get a kick out of some of the other clips on the right side-bar, if you have a few minutes to spend perusing the site of
What were they thinking?
|
By Janet Evans
Monday, Oct 27 2008, 07:18 AM
Yesterday on Righty Blog I posted about people doing anything for money.
Today, I’m blogging about, well…getting goods or services for….nothing.
When I say “nothing.” I don’t really mean that. I’m talking about bartering.
Have you ever bartered?
I know someone who bartered a driveway in exchange for a beautiful antique cherrywood sleigh bed. She misses the bed, but you only need so many antiques, and she needed a driveway.
I think bartering is great. Don’t most people have a talent or skill that someone would be willing to trade with someone else? The biggest drawback in marketing that talent locally. And the second drawback is time. People are so busy that you have to be able to find time to barter with someone else.
What brought this to mind was a post I found on Boomer Chronicles.
Check it out...
How My First Barter Went - Boomer Chronicles
And an article from CNN
|
By Janet Evans
Saturday, Oct 25 2008, 03:54 PM
Maybe you’ll see some of these Halloween costumes out and about tomorrow…or at a Halloween party this week.
Or maybe you need an idea for a costume.
I just love the UPS delivery guy…Can you imagine the face on a real UPS delivery person the first time they see this costume? Priceless.
UPS Guy
I never understand why people bring their babies around and collect candy for them on Halloween. I’m just puzzled by that. Exactly who is eating that candy? Mom and Dad? Or are you redistributing the candy to other kids who come to your door? Exactly what is the story with bringing babies trick-or treating? Come on, fess up…But if you are going to bring baby…here is the costume you need to choose for your li’l monkey….
li'l Monkey
Okay…adults need costumes, too. And sometimes you need a “couples” costume. This seems to be popular this year…it even looks like it could be made easily at home. Whatever turns you on. Ha, ha.
Plug Socket costumes
I know, then there are those of you out there that just won’t go anywhere without your dogs. So you have to have costumes for them too, right?
source
Is it just me or does anyone remember that when we were kids we went out for Halloween, on October 31st, at night…and it was always warmer.
And we didn’t wear coats either.
Am I imagining that?
Okay, I was in Connecticut, but it couldn’t have been that much different.
Maybe I wore pants under the dress. But no coat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now to close...from Saturday Night Live Weekend Update ...
Kevin Nealon: And now, here with a report on how to stretch your Halloween dollar, is "Weekend Update" correspondent, Adam Sandler. Adam?
Adam Sandler: Halloween is coming, and it's always loads of fun! But we have to remember - we're living in a recession, and money is tight. So don't go bugging your parents for these new, overpriced costumes. They're such a ripoff! If you want an original, scary Halloween costume, just use your imagination!
You can just use your own t-shirt! Go as Crazy One-Armed Man. [ stuffs one arm under his t-shirt ] "Hey, look at me! I only got one arm, and I'm crazy! Now give me some candy, or I'll grab you with my crazy one-arm!"
Or, how about going as Crazy One-Hand-Coming-Out-of-the-Neck Guy? [ pokes hand out from the top of his shirt collar ] "Hey! I'm Crazy Hand-Coming-Out-of-the-Neck Guy! Now, give me some candy! Don't you think I deserve some for being this crazy?!
Or.. how about going as Crazy No-Armed-Woman? [ stuffs both arms under his t-shirt ] "I want some candy! Candy, candy! Everybody knows that Crazy Woman-With-No-Arms just loves candy! Now, give it to me, or I'll rip your ear off!"
You can use something that's in your house, even.. [ laughs, holds spoon to his head ] How about a spoon? "I'm Crazy Spoon-Head! And I want some candy! I don't have a normal head, I got a damn spoon growing out of it! Now, give me some crazy candy, dammit! Ow-ooo, this spoon makes me b>crazy!"
[ picks up potted plant ] Or, just use a plant from someone's yard! [ places plant over head ] "Hey! I'm Crazy Plant-Head, how about some candy! Come on, I'm crazy! And I got a plant coming out of my head! Don't leave Crazy Plant-Head hanging, he needs some candy, too!"
Or, a Crazy Plant-Arm! [ pulls plant into his sleeve ] "Hey, look at this! I have a plant coming out of my arm! Isn't that bizarre! I am crazy, I am deformed, and I am hungry! Now, give me some candy! Fork it over!"
Kevin Nealon: Hey, Adam! How about this? [ laughs, places styrofoam cup on his head ] "I'm Cup-Head! Cup-Head, hey, I want some candy, I'm Cup-Head!" [ Adam laughs ] Adam Sandler, ladies and gentlemen.
SNL Transcripts
|
More Posts Next page »
|
|
