Last Commented Lifestyle Blogs (2,465)

It went down to 40 Fahrenheit with winds of 25 miles per hour last night and I put the heater on for the first time.
As expected, the place filled with a burned smell as the dust on the heater coils burned away. Defeating the purpose of heat, I had the windows open for a while to allow the fresh air in and the smoke smell out.
Good thing it didn't set off the smoke detector.

Tonight, it's expected to be in the 60's so no plans for the heater... but that decision will be made later! Much later...

In this week’s laundry there were two shirts; a blue one and a red checked one. The blue shirt always had blue buttons and the red shirt had white buttons, but that is no longer the case. When I took the clothes out of the machine I was astonished to see that the blue shirt now has white buttons and the red shirt has blue buttons. I can’t explain it; I suppose it’s just one of those things. I can live with white buttons on the blue shirt, but blue buttons on the red shirt just looks wrong, so something needs to be done. There are seven buttons on each shirt, but, as I said, I’m prepared to put up with the white buttons on the blue shirt, so it is just the seven blue buttons on the red shirt that are causing the problem. However, I cannot replace the blue buttons on the red shirt with the white ones without removing them from the blue shirt first, which seems a pity because I don’t mind them being on the blue shirt; I only mind the blue buttons on the red shirt. It just seems so unfair that I have to deal with fourteen buttons when only seven buttons are bothering me, and, quite frankly, I am having trouble accepting it. I have decided to put both shirts back in the wash and hope that the problem sorts itself out. I realise that this is a long shot, but it’s worth a try.

I delivered a radiator to an address in Calver, Derbyshire, the other day. The address turned out to be a massive 19th century mill that had been turned into posh flats. When I got there, I phoned the customer and she told me where to wait, so that she could come down and let me in.

Later, when I was back at the warehouse, I was telling someone about the mill, and what an impressive building it was. He said that he had also delivered there some years ago, when he worked for a furniture company. He also told me that the mill was used as the location for the TV series, Colditz, which was broadcast in the 1970’s.

That night, I looked on YouTube and discovered that all the episodes were available, so I started watching episode one. Episode one opens with a load of British prisoners being marched through the countryside by the Germans. Next, we see them arriving at Colditz Castle, where -after being de-loused and what have you- they are assembled in the courtyard, ready to be addressed by the prison Commandant.

By this time, I had recognized the “castle” as the place I had delivered to earlier in the day. When the camera angle changed and the Commandant came out of the door that I had been let into that morning, carrying a radiator, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The thought that only a few hours earlier I had been in the place where all those captured soldiers had been lined up and had the law laid down to them by that arrogant nob head of a German officer filled me with a very eerie feeling.

Then I remembered that I was only watching a TV drama, and all those soldiers were only actors, and the German officer wasn’t even a German. Still, at least I can say that I delivered a radiator to the place where they filmed that very popular TV series, Colditz, in the 1970s.

I broke the screen (glass) on my phone finally! At first I was shocked but that slowly morphed into mild annoyance with this fractured view of cyber space.

I went to breathe some clean Air and talk to god this week.



She says "Hi" btw!

Been wondering what the white pencil I have is good for so I made a black background with marker and made a simple drawing


...and took a pic with negative filter.



Oh right...Ima get a new phone!

I have lately been making enquiries about computers, with a view to buying a new one. Apart from a small amount of frustrating and mostly fruitless research online, my investigations have taken place in two branches of Currys PC World; the leading national electrical goods chain.

When asking so called experts about technical things of which I have only a basic knowledge, I have learnt from experience that it is better to pretend I know even less. The “experts”, however -whether it be from their experience or a result of their training- have learnt to do the opposite. There usually seems to be some sort of equation at play, whereby the extent to which I appear to be lacking in knowledge brings about an increase in their pretence of having more of it, in direct proportion. Anyway, after being led up two distinctly different garden paths by two different sales assistants, I wasn’t really left any the wiser about what technical specifications would best suit my needs.

Once all the talk of gigabytes, processor speeds and a multitude of other computing terms designed to make your head spin have become too much to bear, and you are reconciled to leaving the store with something that will only match your requirements if luck happens to be on your side on that particular day, you are then expected to submit to having your intelligence insulted by being presented with a choice of “sales packages” all of which comprise a combination of elements meant to impress you while not actually being what you want. If you want X and Y as part of your package, you will also have to pay for Z, even though you might not know what Z is, or what it’s for, let alone need it. Besides, whether you need it or not, how can you miss out on getting Z for that amazing price? You can, of course, insist on having the package without Z; after all, they are hardly likely to refuse to sell you the computer, but then you will be charged more for X and Y.

There is wisdom in the saying, “buy in haste, repent at leisure”, but with computers, you can spend the best part of a whole day buying one and still have plenty of leisurely repentance to look forward to.

I have been retired for many years now and still I find myself waking up at 4 AM - time enough to get ready for 6 AM commute to a 7 AM job start. This behavior makes no sense, but there is - firmly ingrained in my life.

In the late 1800's, it is claimed that Albert Pike, a supposed member of the Free Masons and a supposed Satanist, wrote a letter to a friend of his.

In this letter, he explains how all three World Wars are to manufactured. The letter is accurate with the first two World Wars.

Many claim that this letter is a hoax.

However, if you read about how he says WWIII will unfold, it seems as if he was on to something.

If a hoax, whoever wrote it must have psychic skills.

More can be found out about this on youtube and google.

I just wrote this as something interesting and do not claim there is any truth to it. I encourage you to check it out for yourself.

I will not be giving any responses.

Take care all.

Literally, over the past 6 months, I have heard of 6 different small entrepreneur being challenged to exist anymore...after 20+ years of existing. I know these people personally and I come from a small community. I wonder how widespread the issues they face is.


1. A small online reseller, in business nearly 20 years (19), the avenue in which they sell on line, the host has now increased their fees by 5%. In addition to that, states are now charging sales tax across state lines. He relied on buying online and selling online, with these new fees...he is now forced to shut down.

2. Small farms around here, after the tariffs were put in place have been struggling financially. I have heard of several of them in my areas filing for bankruptcy. I now see large farm equipment along the roads up for sale. In addition, the people who pick up milk don't want to travel to small farms just to pick up small quantities of milk.

3. The scrap iron industry is getting hit hard. Two people here locally have stopped buying/hauling scrap after the tariffs. They have been doing this business for well over 20 years. They say to me, in all the years they have been in business, the prices for scrap iron today is the lowest it has ever been.

4. There is a gentleman that has been installing ceramic tiles in excess of 20 years. He says he is still in business, but he says, that he is forced to charge his customers over 10% higher to do the same job he did before the tariffs were put in place. Because of this, he is getting fewer jobs. If this trend continues, he might be out of business sometime in the near future.

5. I just heard lately about a small bakery owner. She has been in business for over 20 years and she has been making it. As of the new year, she is now forced to comply with a new set of complex taxing rules. If she sells something at room temperature, no tax charge...above room temperature...tax collect. A person buys something and leaves, no tax. If they stay and eat at a table, no tax. If they stay and eat at a table and use a napking...collect tax. This is just a short example of the complexity of the new tax rule just put in place. It looks like she might have to go out and buy some new customized for bakery tax accounting software.
She says her profits are so thin in the first place...and questions if it is worth it.

6. The same here as with number 5. This guy has been selling used cars for as long as I can remember...20+ years. Just in the past month, he says he is done. He says it is no longer worth it. The new paperwork he is being forced to do with the new laws and the profit margin he was making, is no longer making it worthwhile to stay in business.

Now, if these people were huge businesses, I am sure they could afford making changes in accordance to the new laws and economic environments they have presented to work within. But, they are just small entrepreneurs...and that is what this blog is about.

I have been looking into Draconian...I have heard a lot of that word in the public media spectrum as of lately. The only other time I have heard about that word was in the reference to the residents of Draco....(Draconian). When doing YouTube searches about that word, the only thing I find is in line with what I have heard about it. It describes the Reptilian species. Listening to a few videos, there have been people who claim to be Reptilians.

I am not sure that is believable or not...I will leave that up to you.

But, this interest in Draconian, lead me to another discussion with somebody I know.

Verified...he was indeed telling me the truth. A truth, I have a hard time ever believing....but like I said, it has been verified and I have to believe it.

A person he knows and I know, claims with automatic writing, they met Sir Isaac Newton.

...this was documented in a book. The entity suggested that her husband move paint cans away from the furnace because they were a fire hazard.

Another person we know also claims that with automatic writing, they met Sir Isaac Newton.
..I have not talked directly to this person, but I am curious as to what the entity suggested to him.


Both of these people have never met each other...and never knew of each other's claims.

What are the odds of that happening? In my opinion, it is not even possible....not believable. But, indeed did happen.



Another fun fact, I am listening to a video program "In the Age of AI" on YouTube, a gentleman predicts in 15 years that AI will be replacing 50% of the existing jobs.

fun

Hello everyone in the New Year 2020. Today 02/01/2020. And I have not yet written my plan for 2020. And how do you start your new year? Are you planning for yourself the realization of your ideas and dreams or wishes for the next year? Or can you make a "wish board"? I know that many people do this. Do you just make a wish when you beat the Christmas chimes? Can you make a wish list? And do you even believe in such things? Could it just be another day for you in your life? Which is no different from the others. Do you believe in Christmas New Year magic? And at least once in your life did you manage to realize something written in the Christmas period?