Hi Everyone,
As I have said so many times before, the majority of politicians just don't have any common sense. I have to give credit for today's blog to a woman who wrote a letter to the editor of my Gannett newspaper. Her name seems very familiar since she lives in my old childhood town and I believe she was my ninth grade homeroom and social studies teacher.
The Republican platform, which was approved during the GOP's recent national convention, includes among other things, that abortions would become illegal. Their reasoning for that stance is that they also included in their platform that life begins at conception. Consequently, having an abortion would equate to killing a person. Foregoing the argument about the separation of church and state; if that is their position, have they really thought it through? Did they use any common sense in coming to that conclusion? I think not. Why? Well let's use some common sense and see for ourselves.
If at the time of conception, an embryo is then considered a person, will the following happen to a pregnant woman?
1) Will she have to pay for: two tickets to attend a movie, two tickets to attend a museum, two train tickets for a one way ride or two plane tickets for a one way trip?
2) Will the census count every pregnant woman as two people?
3) Will a pregnant woman be able to claim an extra dependent on her tax returns before she has even given birth?
4) Will a pregnant woman be legally allowed to drive in HOV lanes?
5) Will a pregnant woman have to pay two tuition fees to attend college?
6) Will a pregnant woman have to pay double medical insurance premiums?
How far would this go? Where would this end?
As the writer said in her letter, "This idea of person hood beginning at conception can have wild and detrimental ramifications for the entire society". I am sure that there are other ramifications that have been missed, but the GOP's positions were not well thought out and obviously again lacked any common sense. Women should be able to control their own bodies and not have the government make the decision for them for such a personal decision. Roe v Wade should stay the law of the land and person hood begins at delivery and not at conception.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Common Sense Award #5
Hi Everyone,
Again I have shelved, temporarily, my planned topic for this week in order to inform you of what I believe is an even better topic.
Yesterday, my family and I spent time with family members in New Jersey. When we were outside, I noticed something that I have never seen before. As we were standing outside, I happened to look at a telephone pole across the street and saw a solar electric panel near the top of the pole. I then asked who put it there? I was told that their electric company, Public Service Electric and Gas had installed them. I was then shown another one down the street and still another one further down another street. It seems that during the past 12 months or so, PSE&G had installed some 5,000 solar electric panels, (photovoltaic systems) on certain poles. They obviously only used the ones that get the best southern exposure.
During sunny days, the solar panels produce clean green electricity that goes directly into their grid. When you think about it, electricity usage is always the highest during the summer months. So during the long summer days, the extra electricity created by these solar panels must help out a lot. For this reason, I am awarding PSE&G my Common Sense Award. This is only the fifth time I have given out an award. The last award I gave out was back on 3/20/11. PSE&G should definitely be commended for their thinking outside of the box and using great common sense by installing the panels on individual telephone poles. PSE&G also didn't have to buy an unknown amount of land to install the same number of panels. They already owned the poles, so it just makes great common sense to install them on their own poles.
I have never seen solar electric panels on any telephone poles in New York state. Maybe the NYS power companies should take a short drive to NJ and see for themselves. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to come up with new and exciting ways to increase electricity output. It just takes initiative, money and of course common sense. I don't know if PSE&G is planning to install more panels, but I sure hope they do. Congrats to PSE&G!!!
Til next week.
Peter
Again I have shelved, temporarily, my planned topic for this week in order to inform you of what I believe is an even better topic.
Yesterday, my family and I spent time with family members in New Jersey. When we were outside, I noticed something that I have never seen before. As we were standing outside, I happened to look at a telephone pole across the street and saw a solar electric panel near the top of the pole. I then asked who put it there? I was told that their electric company, Public Service Electric and Gas had installed them. I was then shown another one down the street and still another one further down another street. It seems that during the past 12 months or so, PSE&G had installed some 5,000 solar electric panels, (photovoltaic systems) on certain poles. They obviously only used the ones that get the best southern exposure.
During sunny days, the solar panels produce clean green electricity that goes directly into their grid. When you think about it, electricity usage is always the highest during the summer months. So during the long summer days, the extra electricity created by these solar panels must help out a lot. For this reason, I am awarding PSE&G my Common Sense Award. This is only the fifth time I have given out an award. The last award I gave out was back on 3/20/11. PSE&G should definitely be commended for their thinking outside of the box and using great common sense by installing the panels on individual telephone poles. PSE&G also didn't have to buy an unknown amount of land to install the same number of panels. They already owned the poles, so it just makes great common sense to install them on their own poles.
I have never seen solar electric panels on any telephone poles in New York state. Maybe the NYS power companies should take a short drive to NJ and see for themselves. It doesn't take a lot of imagination to come up with new and exciting ways to increase electricity output. It just takes initiative, money and of course common sense. I don't know if PSE&G is planning to install more panels, but I sure hope they do. Congrats to PSE&G!!!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, September 16, 2012
We Saw It With Our Own Eyes
Hi Everyone,
This is not the blog that I had originally planned to write today. But what happened yesterday changed my mind. My wife and I had to go to our local grocery store yesterday and since it was a Saturday, the parking lot was full as usual. I found a woman loading her car with groceries, so I decided to wait for her space. The woman glanced at our car a few times while she was loading her car, albeit at a slow pace; but patience has its virtues and I wanted her space. Editor's note: the woman appeared to be middle age, probably in her fifties. But what happened next surprised us both.
When she had finished unloading her cart, she pushed the empty cart behind the rear bumper of a large SUV. My wife and I looked at each other in a kind of disbelief. She then proceeded to get in her car and backed out of the space. She then motioned for me to pull into her vacant space. I gladly obliged her. As we pulled into the space, we realized that there was a woman in the driver seat of the SUV that now had a cart right behind it. The SUV was so tall that there was no way the driver could have seen the cart. As soon as I parked, my wife jumped out of the car to tell the driver about the cart. The driver was extremely happy that she had been told about the cart and thanked my wife and then me for telling her.
Now for the ah ha moment...... As my wife and I walked by the SUV to the rear bumper, where we were going to take and use the cart, the woman who put the cart behind the SUV, had waited in her car and rolled up to us to tell us that she hadn't put the cart behind the SUV. She told us that it was someone else, and that she decided not to move the cart since we may have needed it. What?????!!!!! What did she just tell us? That she didn't put the cart behind the SUV? Was this woman stupid or did she lack any common sense what so ever? She knew that we were watching her while she unloaded the cart. Why would she: 1) put a cart behind a vehicle and 2) then lie about it? She could have just driven off. But noooooo, she waited for us to lie and try to place the blame on someone else. What was she thinking? Common sense should be on her wish list for her next upcoming birthday!
My wife and I were flabberasted about the whole little incident. Having worked in Human Resources for a long time, I am never really surprised about what people can say or do. But this woman takes the cake.
Til next week,
Peter
This is not the blog that I had originally planned to write today. But what happened yesterday changed my mind. My wife and I had to go to our local grocery store yesterday and since it was a Saturday, the parking lot was full as usual. I found a woman loading her car with groceries, so I decided to wait for her space. The woman glanced at our car a few times while she was loading her car, albeit at a slow pace; but patience has its virtues and I wanted her space. Editor's note: the woman appeared to be middle age, probably in her fifties. But what happened next surprised us both.
When she had finished unloading her cart, she pushed the empty cart behind the rear bumper of a large SUV. My wife and I looked at each other in a kind of disbelief. She then proceeded to get in her car and backed out of the space. She then motioned for me to pull into her vacant space. I gladly obliged her. As we pulled into the space, we realized that there was a woman in the driver seat of the SUV that now had a cart right behind it. The SUV was so tall that there was no way the driver could have seen the cart. As soon as I parked, my wife jumped out of the car to tell the driver about the cart. The driver was extremely happy that she had been told about the cart and thanked my wife and then me for telling her.
Now for the ah ha moment...... As my wife and I walked by the SUV to the rear bumper, where we were going to take and use the cart, the woman who put the cart behind the SUV, had waited in her car and rolled up to us to tell us that she hadn't put the cart behind the SUV. She told us that it was someone else, and that she decided not to move the cart since we may have needed it. What?????!!!!! What did she just tell us? That she didn't put the cart behind the SUV? Was this woman stupid or did she lack any common sense what so ever? She knew that we were watching her while she unloaded the cart. Why would she: 1) put a cart behind a vehicle and 2) then lie about it? She could have just driven off. But noooooo, she waited for us to lie and try to place the blame on someone else. What was she thinking? Common sense should be on her wish list for her next upcoming birthday!
My wife and I were flabberasted about the whole little incident. Having worked in Human Resources for a long time, I am never really surprised about what people can say or do. But this woman takes the cake.
Til next week,
Peter
Sunday, September 9, 2012
When Is It Not Real?
Hi Everyone,
We have just experienced one of the hottest summers since records have been kept. I can remember when we used to get about, maybe 10 days of 90 degrees or hotter. Now, I lost count after June ended. But, when it gets really hot, one of the best and most refreshing, non-alcoholic summer drink is lemonade. I personally like it on the tart side. Of course there are tons of other drinks, including soda, but today's blog is about lemonade and in particular, Tropicana lemonade.
So what are the ingredients for making perfect lemonade? Growing up, the only ingredients used were lemons, water and sugar. The grand total is three! Makes perfect sense to me. What else could possibly be needed? These days since we don't make our own lemonade, we buy it instead. Do you read the labels on every food and drink product that you buy? We read some, but not all. Now I think that is a mistake. After recently buying Tropicana lemonade, I just happened to read the ingredients label. Instead of three ingredients, there are at least six. I say at least six, because when I tell you the ingredients you will understand. Tropicana's ingredients are: filtered water, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, lemon juice concentrate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and natural flavors. Natural flavors? Since flavors is plural, how many flavor ingredients have been added? Hence my reason for saying it has at least six ingredients. But come on now, in reality, if you already use lemon juice concentrate, what other natural flavors are necessary? Isn't lemon juice concentrate already full of vitamin C? My point here is that the original three ingredients have blossomed into at least six now. Why?
Common sense tells me that if Tropicana used less ingredients, the following would happen: 1) their costs would decrease and 2) the product would be better for their consumers. Call me crazy, but isn't that called a win-win situation? So what is the down side and why don't they make their lemonade with only three ingredients? Oh yea, it's called shelf life! By adding those "extra" ingredients, Tropicana has increased the shelf life to an amazing seven+ weeks. Which means it is more like two months+. Most likely though, by using real products, the shelf life would decrease. I would bet dollars to donuts (what does that actually mean?) that people would rather have the real ingredients with no other additives. Doesn't that just make common sense? Someone should inform Tropicana ASAP! So the question is, if Tropicana can make OJ with only oranges, how come they can't do the same for lemonade?
Til next week.
Peter
We have just experienced one of the hottest summers since records have been kept. I can remember when we used to get about, maybe 10 days of 90 degrees or hotter. Now, I lost count after June ended. But, when it gets really hot, one of the best and most refreshing, non-alcoholic summer drink is lemonade. I personally like it on the tart side. Of course there are tons of other drinks, including soda, but today's blog is about lemonade and in particular, Tropicana lemonade.
So what are the ingredients for making perfect lemonade? Growing up, the only ingredients used were lemons, water and sugar. The grand total is three! Makes perfect sense to me. What else could possibly be needed? These days since we don't make our own lemonade, we buy it instead. Do you read the labels on every food and drink product that you buy? We read some, but not all. Now I think that is a mistake. After recently buying Tropicana lemonade, I just happened to read the ingredients label. Instead of three ingredients, there are at least six. I say at least six, because when I tell you the ingredients you will understand. Tropicana's ingredients are: filtered water, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, lemon juice concentrate, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and natural flavors. Natural flavors? Since flavors is plural, how many flavor ingredients have been added? Hence my reason for saying it has at least six ingredients. But come on now, in reality, if you already use lemon juice concentrate, what other natural flavors are necessary? Isn't lemon juice concentrate already full of vitamin C? My point here is that the original three ingredients have blossomed into at least six now. Why?
Common sense tells me that if Tropicana used less ingredients, the following would happen: 1) their costs would decrease and 2) the product would be better for their consumers. Call me crazy, but isn't that called a win-win situation? So what is the down side and why don't they make their lemonade with only three ingredients? Oh yea, it's called shelf life! By adding those "extra" ingredients, Tropicana has increased the shelf life to an amazing seven+ weeks. Which means it is more like two months+. Most likely though, by using real products, the shelf life would decrease. I would bet dollars to donuts (what does that actually mean?) that people would rather have the real ingredients with no other additives. Doesn't that just make common sense? Someone should inform Tropicana ASAP! So the question is, if Tropicana can make OJ with only oranges, how come they can't do the same for lemonade?
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Oh No, Not Again?! Will They Ever Learn?
Hi Everyone,
So the Republicans had their shortened convention last week and I was really surprised by what Paul Ryan said during his speech. You would think that when someone has center stage to introduce himself to the entire nation, you would think that common sense would be paramount. Paul Ryan had the golden opportunity to say things that were unexceptionable. Not long after his speech, I began hearing and reading negative comments. Just so I wouldn't be accused of repeating what some say are the liberal leaning media, I went to the media that most supports the Republicans. I went to Fox News.
Sally Kohn, who is a writer and Fox News contributor, had some very interesting comments on the "facts" Ryan used in his speech on what he didn't say. The following is from Ms. Kohn's column. These are her words, not mine:
Ryan said that the downgrade of the United States' credit rating was because of President Obama.
Truth: The Republicans refused to increase the debt limit, which lead to the downgrading.
Ryan blamed President Obama for the closing of a GM plant in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Truth: The plant was closed under President George W. Bush.
Ryan stated that President Obama wants to give all the credit for private sector success to the government.
Truth: President Obama never said that.
Ryan said that President Obama took $716 billion out of Medicare.
Truth: $716 billion was the amount of savings in Medicare reimbursement rates, which incidentally, save Medicare recipients out-of-pocket costs, too. Ryan himself embraced these same savings in his budget.
So it seems that on his biggest day in his political life, Paul Ryan showed his real character. How can lying be a virtue? It isn't! But it is always a detriment. Why can't Republicans stand on their record and beliefs and not outright lies? Unfortunately, diehards will now believe whatever, just because Ryan or Romney said it. Honesty is a vital aspect of being a true and good leader. Maybe if Ryan had more common sense, he would not have said lies that he surely must have known would be fact-checked. But to be checked by Fox News and found to be lies, says a lot. Between the two of them, I haven't heard one speech that didn't contain at least one lie. Why is that?
Sally Kohn continued her column by stating that Ryan didn't talk about his extremist stance on banning all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Ryan also did not mention his plan to hand over Social Security to Wall Street. Ryan didn't mention his numerous votes to raise spending and balloon the deficit when George W. Bush was president. And finally, Ryan didn't mention how his budget would eviscerate programs that help the poor and raise taxes on 95% Americans in order to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires even further and increase- yes increase, the deficit. So I have to ask, if these are such important issues to Ryan, why didn't he mention them? Oh right, I get it, Ryan's positions are such an extreme that they will become a detriment to the Romney-Ryan bid for the White House.
As a side note, I just read in today's newspaper that Ryan now says that he did not run a marathon in less than three hours as he claimed in a nationally broadcast interview. Ryan acknowledged yesterday that he had misstated his time by more than an hour. Seems his pattern of mis-statements just continues as usual. What a shame.
Lying is just plain stupid and shows a lack of moral character and a total lack of common sense. Isn't common sense an extremely important aspect we seek in our leaders? Please, please beware of and don't be fooled by sheep in wolf's clothing.
Til next week.
Peter
So the Republicans had their shortened convention last week and I was really surprised by what Paul Ryan said during his speech. You would think that when someone has center stage to introduce himself to the entire nation, you would think that common sense would be paramount. Paul Ryan had the golden opportunity to say things that were unexceptionable. Not long after his speech, I began hearing and reading negative comments. Just so I wouldn't be accused of repeating what some say are the liberal leaning media, I went to the media that most supports the Republicans. I went to Fox News.
Sally Kohn, who is a writer and Fox News contributor, had some very interesting comments on the "facts" Ryan used in his speech on what he didn't say. The following is from Ms. Kohn's column. These are her words, not mine:
Ryan said that the downgrade of the United States' credit rating was because of President Obama.
Truth: The Republicans refused to increase the debt limit, which lead to the downgrading.
Ryan blamed President Obama for the closing of a GM plant in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Truth: The plant was closed under President George W. Bush.
Ryan stated that President Obama wants to give all the credit for private sector success to the government.
Truth: President Obama never said that.
Ryan said that President Obama took $716 billion out of Medicare.
Truth: $716 billion was the amount of savings in Medicare reimbursement rates, which incidentally, save Medicare recipients out-of-pocket costs, too. Ryan himself embraced these same savings in his budget.
So it seems that on his biggest day in his political life, Paul Ryan showed his real character. How can lying be a virtue? It isn't! But it is always a detriment. Why can't Republicans stand on their record and beliefs and not outright lies? Unfortunately, diehards will now believe whatever, just because Ryan or Romney said it. Honesty is a vital aspect of being a true and good leader. Maybe if Ryan had more common sense, he would not have said lies that he surely must have known would be fact-checked. But to be checked by Fox News and found to be lies, says a lot. Between the two of them, I haven't heard one speech that didn't contain at least one lie. Why is that?
Sally Kohn continued her column by stating that Ryan didn't talk about his extremist stance on banning all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Ryan also did not mention his plan to hand over Social Security to Wall Street. Ryan didn't mention his numerous votes to raise spending and balloon the deficit when George W. Bush was president. And finally, Ryan didn't mention how his budget would eviscerate programs that help the poor and raise taxes on 95% Americans in order to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires even further and increase- yes increase, the deficit. So I have to ask, if these are such important issues to Ryan, why didn't he mention them? Oh right, I get it, Ryan's positions are such an extreme that they will become a detriment to the Romney-Ryan bid for the White House.
As a side note, I just read in today's newspaper that Ryan now says that he did not run a marathon in less than three hours as he claimed in a nationally broadcast interview. Ryan acknowledged yesterday that he had misstated his time by more than an hour. Seems his pattern of mis-statements just continues as usual. What a shame.
Lying is just plain stupid and shows a lack of moral character and a total lack of common sense. Isn't common sense an extremely important aspect we seek in our leaders? Please, please beware of and don't be fooled by sheep in wolf's clothing.
Til next week.
Peter
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