Coolish day, but very sunny and pleasant.
"Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to Believe Matilda:
The effort very nearly killed her."
Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)
01. Why I am the Way I am.
While doing the New York Times Sunday Puzzle, there was a clue about PCB's and I went to the Internet to learn more about the compound.
At NOAA (Nation Ocean Services) I read that "PCB contamination is high in the Housatonic River and New Bedford, Massachusetts." Since I grew up at New Bedford, this, of course, caught my interest.
PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) was banned in 1979 ... PCB's were made for things like capacitors and electric appliances such as TV sets or refrigerators and were output from factories like New Bedford's Cornell Dubilier (I think that my mother worked there for a while during World War II.) Cornell Dubilier waste was pumped directly into New Bedford's Acushnet River.
I spent a good part of my early years swimming in all of New Bedford's water... there was an 11 mile coastline, with river and ocean frontage... and I took advantage of it all.. playing there almost every day, except for the Winter months.
So.. these chemicals have probably made me the way that I am... you can decide whether that is a good or bad condition. (I did notice that whenever I went swimming with an open sore on my body, by the time I dried up from my swim, the sore had caked over and had begun to heal.)
02. Important Cases Pop Up
The Supremes have decided not to hear the same sex cases this term. So, same sex marriage will now be legal in states like Virginia and Utah.
The Justices will, however, hear some other interesting cases, including, as follows:
a. The appeal of a fishing boat captain who threw his undersized catch overboard and was charged with obstruction of justice.
(Yates vs US)
b. Alabama moved 120,000 black residents into already majority black election districts, ensuring racial gerrymandering, which is supposed to be illegal.
(Alabama Legislative Black Caucus vs Alabama)
c. Is it an exercise of free speech to threaten to kill your wife on a post to Facebook?
(Elonis vs US)
d. Should pregnant women be exempt from normal duties because of their condition, such as lifting 70 pound packages"?
(Young vs UPS)
03. Old Story about God's Picture
On the Ted radio program, one of the presenters told an old story, as follows:
A 7-year old girl was drawing a picture and her grandfather asked her:
"What are you drawing, dear?"
The little girl said: "I'm drawing a picture of God."
"But nobody knows what God looks like." said the grandfather.
The little girl answered: "Well, they will now."
04. Canine Sniffing
Our good friend Hermine Saunders wrote her Sunday column about the many breakthroughs being made by using dogs to sniff out diseases. They apparently are very good at it. However, we were sorry to see that Hermine left off information about "Lab reports."
05. Funny News
Wait Wait Don't Tell Me: Soon, you'll be able to get a cell phone that comes with a little phone ("little buddy"
WWDTM: There was a food poisoning outbreak at the recent food safety conference.
WWDTM: A guy waited in line to get to the teller, where he put in a request to "give me all your money." The teller said: "I'm sorry, but I will need two forms of ID."
The guy got back in line while he searched his wallet for the two items.
06. One of our Sports Heroes
Olympian Baltimorean Michael Phelps was recently arrested for driving 84 MPH and crossing double lines in the Harbor Tunnel. He is also charged with DUI.
Good work, Michael.... time to grow up!
07. Voting Change
Did I hear correctly? 16 year olds are now allowed to vote in Scotland. OMG!
08. Marcy's Charges Dropped
Giant employee Marcy has had her charges dropped for arson and threat against a public official because a witness evaporated. Also, a guy named Michael was solely charged with the false statement of a destructive devise in Court.
So, was all of the story wrong? Was she just sitting at work minding her own business and casually said "maybe I should call in a bomb threat to avoid a court date" and was Michael just standing nearby and decide on his own to help her out? Did Giant fire her? Will she take action to get redress for false imprisonment? Time will tell.
09. Produce etc
Farmers are doing OK. Soybeans are fully podded and tomatoes are almost all harvested. Winter crop planting has begun in fields that have been harvested.
10. Truism
Fellow NARFE member, Dave Pyatt, quotes Otto von Dismarck:
"Two things the public should never see being done is sausage making and legislation."
11. The End Times
The Reverend Mike Taylor is at it again, trying to scare people about preparations for the "End Times" in his periodic "religion" column. Yes, I know, we have free speech.. however,, the problem with what Mr. Taylor says is that some people might believe his nonsense.
12. Bless my Pet Skunk!
Another questionable religious activity (in my opinion) is the upcoming "blessing of the animals" at the Deer Park United Methodist Church in Smallwood, Maryland. If it rains, the animals are welcome to come inside to poop.
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