Political Reputation

Politicians spend much time and gold on reputation,

guarding it from doubt and any cruel accusation.

Each candidate employs a mob to make sure people draw

the right conclusions on their boss's charms and great éclat.

But voters have their own ideas about each new contender,

that is not based on spin or hype or creed, or even gender.

It is not based on polls or widgets from technology.

It is not based on all the hot air fumes from their TV.

The people always cast their vote based on this verity:

"This is what my hairdresser said confidentially!" 

Your Car is a Critical Component of Emergency Preparedness!

Not only can regular car maintenance save you money but it can also prevent unexpected mechanical failures. Nobody wants to be stranded on the side of the road in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm, or when leaving your home because of an local emergency or disaster. Keeping up with your vehicle’s needs is critical to a happy ownership experience and fortunately there’s quite a bit the average motorist can do to keep their ride running in tip-top shape.

Hikingware.com offers these basic suggestions from professional car mechanics to make sure you can get in your vehicle and GO if and when the need ever arises suddenly:

Lubricate door latches and key holes.

This may seem like a small thing, but it can become critical if you live in a part of the country where it gets below zero and/or experiences ice storms. Unlubricated, a car door can become frozen shut -- making it nearly impossible to open. Use a lithium-based grease spray on hinges and key holes every 6 months. At the very least, it'll prevent squeaks!

Change the air filter. 

An air filter prevents dust and grit from entering the delicate internals of your car or truck’s engine. Luckily these are generally simple and inexpensive to change. Depending on how polluted and dusty your area is, it's a good idea to change them at least once every six months.

Disposable paper filters can be purchased for as little as $20. Installing a new one is an easy way of insuring your engine has a good supply of fresh air. If you want a little extra performance and to help the environment you can invest in a washable, high-flow filter.

Tire pressure.

Traction and stability can be affected by tires that are either over or underinflated. Having a good pressure gauge is the only way of properly keeping tabs on this. You can get a simple analogue unit or even a battery-operated one with a digital display; either will do the deed without breaking the bank.

Tire rotation.

Of course there’s more the average motorist can do with his or her vehicle’s tires. Rotating them can increase the number of miles they last, saving money in the long run. All that’s needed for this task is a socket or tire iron for loosening the lug nuts, a good quality jack and some jack stands for safety. If you don't feel up to rotating them yourself, check to see if free rotation is included the next time you buy a new set of tires -- it often is.

The serpentine belt.

The serpentine belt is what powers all of your vehicle’s accessories. It takes the engine’s rotation from the crankshaft pulley and uses it to turn other things like the water pump, alternator and air-conditioning compressor. Without a belt your car or truck’s engine would overheat and its battery would die. So check for wear and tear, and keep an eye out for even the smallest of cracks -- when you see them, it's time to make a change!

Changing your serpentine belt can be accomplished with basic hand tools in just a few minutes. Additionally these rubber components are very affordable so there’s no excuse for not taking care of this maintenance item.

Spark plugs. 

And while you’re under the hood it might be a good idea to change the spark plugs as well. This task is a little more challenging as they can be a bear to get at in some vehicles.

More adventuresome motorists that are up to the challenge may find the job rewarding, it can also improve performance and fuel economy. Many vehicles these days come with spark plugs that are equipped with platinum-tipped electrodes. These are often rated to last for 100,000 miles so you don’t have to change them very often.

Oil change. 

Changing your ride’s oil is one of the simplest and most effective ways of keeping it running well for years to come. A good quality lubricant will protect internal components from the damaging effects of friction, heat and other combustion byproducts. A premium filter will prevent any particles from damaging delicate internal components.

Read the service manual.

Finally, one of the best recommendations professional mechanics make is picking up a good service manual. These books offer invaluable advice on how to repair and maintain your vehicle. They’ll walk you through even complicated procedures one step at a time so you can succeed in making necessary repairs. A service manual is a smart investment if you plan on keeping your ride reliable after the factory warranty expires.

From the dadster

Hey there, Madel Padel;

So how are things mid-week in the Whitmore household? It's hard to remember how hectic family life could be -- with work, spouse, kids, school, church, friends, etc., all clamoring for attention. Sometimes I get a little lonely & sad thinking about the busy-ness of my life as a young family man, and how all that has pretty much evaporated now. But when I feel like I've been marginalized or trivialized I just sit back and savor some good memories -- about you kids or your mother or my life in the circus or my mission; and then I usually feel fine again.

My dinner party this past Monday was a success. I fed 17 people, including Adam and his kids, and everyone said the food was delicious.  I hope it was -- I blew over a Hundred dollars on it, buying special spices, sauces, noodles, and veggies. I used Sarah's wok to make some really excellent stir fry dishes -- in fact, I'm keeping her wok on loan to make myself stir fries on the weekends when I'm not getting my Senior lunch. I haven't eaten out since I moved in to my own place, and I don't intend to eat out any more. Too expensive.
I made 3 different kinds of Thai salads for the dinner -- two of them were okay, and one of them was pretty awful (I thought); and the one that got eaten up fastest was the awful salad. Go figure.
I even went to the trouble of making my own meat broth by simmering a pot full of meat bones in spring water all day, then straining it, letting it cool, skimming off the fat, and using that as the base for my Thai curries.
I was worried there wouldn't be enough for everyone, so I overdid it -- there were plenty of leftovers, but I had gallon-sized baggies on hand and encouraged everyone to take home something, so now my fridge is pretty bare except for eggs, ham, bacon, pickled ginger, an onion, and ice cream in the freezer.  I'm trying the Slim Fast diet again -- I drink a glass of it each morning and evening, and have my one solid meal at lunch. I've got lots of canned goods, too, so I'm not going to starve anytime soon.
I am reading quite a bit nowadays. Up to ten hours a day. I just finished biographies of Cecil B. DeMille and Mahatma Gandhi, and am reading all the Disc World books by Terry Pratchett. Plus I keep up on my poetry-writing.
 I go to bed at ten and several nights in a row now I have slept right through until 6 without having to get up to use the bathroom. I haven't been able to do that since I was in my 30's!
My feet are starting to swell a little bit again, probably because I sit so much reading, so I try to get up and move around every hour, but sometimes I get so caught up in my reading that I forget.
My Church is just four blocks away, an easy walk for me. It's a really overcrowded ward, with lots of transients, and I feel kinda lost in it -- but I imagine as the weeks go by I'll find new friends and get a calling of some sort. They actually have choir practice in my apartment building on Sundays, in the community room. Talk about convenient!
Well, I guess that's it. I saw Sarah last night with the boys -- Jonny's in Las Vegas on some kind of business trip for a few days. I had her bring over her vacuum so I could give my carpet the once over.
Some of my friends in Thailand have sent me stamp sheets, which I'm using for decoration. Otherwise the walls are bare, and I'm beginning to like them that way. So maybe I won't tack up a bunch of pictures, except maybe a map or two. I love looking at maps.
Take care, daughter mine!

How to win the Powerball

I aim to hit the Powerball just once in my short span;

and I have got a logical and foolproof master plan.

First I take my birth date and divide it by sixteen,

then I add that number to the price of Ovaltine.

Next I take the license plate of any car I pass

and multiply it by the days until I mow my grass.

Finally I cast my horoscope with a hand of Uno,

and divide it by the temperature up there in snowy Juneau.

I come up with a number that is guaranteed to win,

and write it down upon a piece of certified buckskin.

I'll share my system with you for a negligible fee

(since I have been quite broke since back in 1963 . . . )

State of the Union

The President is adamant; our country's doing fine.

(Democrats were duly happy to applaud that line.)

Our economic woes now lay behind us, so he said.

(Change is such a good thing when you lack your daily bread.)

Let's open up the portal to old Cuba for free trade.

(Maybe I can get one of their Pontiacs -- retrograde . . . )

Regrettably our politics remain much too divisive.

(I wish I could insert right here a Donald joke, derisive!)

There's nothing I can do about the wars far overseas.

(Thank god that someone else must soon contend with that disease!)

In sum, I'd like to say that if you'd passed my legislation

this would now become a blessed, gentle happy nation.

But since most of my measures you have pulled down to defeat,

I'll simply have the gallery maintain one empty seat . . .

Boutique Bombs

From the New York Times:  Gen. James E. Cartwright, a retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who was among Mr. Obama’s most influential nuclear strategists, said he backed the upgrades because precise targeting allowed the United States to hold fewer weapons. But “what going smaller does,” he acknowledged, “is to make the weapon more thinkable.”

The small, the stealthy and precise atomic bomb is here,

thanks to Pentagon experts who haven't any fear

that boutique bombs are just the thing to take out opposition

over in Korea with such accurate precision.

It may be unaffordable and needed not at all;

but having it makes Uncle Sam feel powerful and tall.

Thirty billion dollars for one missile ain't so bad;

not when it can pinpoint those whose deaths would make us glad.

A new toy in our arsenal; it makes a man feel good

to know we can blow up all those we have misunderstood.

The Dollar

From the Wall Street Journal:  "As the yuan tumbled during the past few weeks, Chinese consumers have been scrambling to change the currency for U.S. dollars, causing cash shortages at some mainland banks."

Whenever countries find themselves in economic holes

they scramble for our greenbacks as if selling off their souls.

Say what you will, America has money in the bank --

our dollars are reliable, and not some foolish crank.

My bosom swells with pride when I do gaze upon the scene

of dollars holding up the world, from Greece to Aberdeen.

The mighty dollar is supreme -- so please to never knock it.

(I only wish I had a few to line my threadbare pocket!)