Hi Everyone,
A while back, I watched a show on HDTV, (don't recall the name of the show), but it was about building hurricane proof homes. I remember that the house was circular which helped high winds go around the house. I also remember that the front and rear doors opened outwardly. When you think about it, if you live in a hurricane prone area, wouldn't it just make common sense to have exterior doors that open outwardly instead of inwardly? When exterior doors open outwardly, external winds can not blow open the door, which leads to more severe interior damage.
I know a lot of people in this country don't like the government interfering with their lives. But if you think about it, wouldn't it be better protection for one's life, famly's lives and property if there were things you could do to better safe guard in case of a hurricane? But what if states passed laws that prohibited inwardly opening doors at all shore line communities and then another 50 miles inland? The addition of outward opening exterior doors, along with other safety precautions, (for high winds) would dramatically reduce insurance claims. That would then reduce insurance premiums.
I do realize that there are issues with outwardly opening doors. For instance, preventing the door from hitting the house when a small to moderate breeze tries to blow the door off the hinges. That could be an easy fix. But another issue is that the door would be subject to the elements and no one wants the interior part of the door to be soaking wet. So yes there are drawbacks, but isn't a safety feature more important then some inconveniences? If I lived in a hurricane prone area, common sense tells me that I would rather have the outwardly opening door than an inwardly one. I would opt for safety every time.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
An Oops Moment
Hi Everyone,
Like many of you, before we buy something, we do our homework to determine what is the best product for the best price. The best price doesn't always mean the least expensive. Our latest endeavor is to find one of those large outdoor storage containers for the outdoor cushions. It is unbelieveable how many choices there are. After doing some internet research, it was time to go out to the brick and morter stores to look and touch and make the final determination.
My travels landed me at the local Home Depot store. I went to the area where they had the outdoor living room, patio and cushions on display. I searched for the containers to no avail. I finally asked an employee and I was told that they were located in the outside garden area. I walked around the garden area an finally found the display of the 6 or so containers. Much to my dismay, half of the containers were located on a shelf about 5 feet high. The rest of the containers were on the second shelf that must have been about 8 feet high. This created a bit of a dilemma for me. Obviously I would not be able to check them out without the assistance of employees with at least a ladder or a forklift. I found an employee and showed him which containers I wanted taken down for my closer inspection. The employee thought about my request and replied that instead of him taking them down, if I just picked the one I wanted he would deduct $10. I told him that I was considering 2, one of which was a Rubbermaid one. He immediately said that he would take off $20, making it comparable to the lower price one. Since I had already done my homework and liked the Rubbermaid product, I picked it. Since the one I picked was up on a shelf, he told me that he would get it down and take it to customer service with the new lower price. I agreed and then went to have a key made.
By the time I returned to customer service, I saw my container there and told the employee that I wanted to pay for it. I asked for the $20 discount and the employee asked why? I told her the story and she said that the employee needed to tell her that. She radioed the employee who confirmed the $20 discount. Now don't get me wrong, I love an extra discount just like the next person and it came as a complete surprise. What I don't get is why they don't dispay them on the floor like every other store does? Having the containers at such a height where only a center from the NBA would be able to check them out made absolutely no sense. Common sense would tell me that they should be displayed on the floor. If every person interested in purchasing one received a $20 discount, Home Depot's profit margin on that product definitely decreased.
I benefited from the lack of common sense on Home Depot's part. Now that doesn't happen very often. But I'll take the discount anytime.
Til next week.
Peter
Like many of you, before we buy something, we do our homework to determine what is the best product for the best price. The best price doesn't always mean the least expensive. Our latest endeavor is to find one of those large outdoor storage containers for the outdoor cushions. It is unbelieveable how many choices there are. After doing some internet research, it was time to go out to the brick and morter stores to look and touch and make the final determination.
My travels landed me at the local Home Depot store. I went to the area where they had the outdoor living room, patio and cushions on display. I searched for the containers to no avail. I finally asked an employee and I was told that they were located in the outside garden area. I walked around the garden area an finally found the display of the 6 or so containers. Much to my dismay, half of the containers were located on a shelf about 5 feet high. The rest of the containers were on the second shelf that must have been about 8 feet high. This created a bit of a dilemma for me. Obviously I would not be able to check them out without the assistance of employees with at least a ladder or a forklift. I found an employee and showed him which containers I wanted taken down for my closer inspection. The employee thought about my request and replied that instead of him taking them down, if I just picked the one I wanted he would deduct $10. I told him that I was considering 2, one of which was a Rubbermaid one. He immediately said that he would take off $20, making it comparable to the lower price one. Since I had already done my homework and liked the Rubbermaid product, I picked it. Since the one I picked was up on a shelf, he told me that he would get it down and take it to customer service with the new lower price. I agreed and then went to have a key made.
By the time I returned to customer service, I saw my container there and told the employee that I wanted to pay for it. I asked for the $20 discount and the employee asked why? I told her the story and she said that the employee needed to tell her that. She radioed the employee who confirmed the $20 discount. Now don't get me wrong, I love an extra discount just like the next person and it came as a complete surprise. What I don't get is why they don't dispay them on the floor like every other store does? Having the containers at such a height where only a center from the NBA would be able to check them out made absolutely no sense. Common sense would tell me that they should be displayed on the floor. If every person interested in purchasing one received a $20 discount, Home Depot's profit margin on that product definitely decreased.
I benefited from the lack of common sense on Home Depot's part. Now that doesn't happen very often. But I'll take the discount anytime.
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Throw Away Society
Hi Everyone,
For about 20 years or so, we have been living in a throw away society. We buy things that are used either once or for a limited time and then we throw it away. There are even other things that we buy that if taken care of, would last a lot longer. Some examples are: lawnmowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, patio furniture and even cars.
We all know people who buy something new and in a short time, they look old and don't run or work like they used to. If they had only taken care of them, they wouldn't have to replace them prematurely. I have even known people who can't seem to keep a car in tip top shape after 3 or 4 years. Of course they then either have to pay a huge bill to their mechanic to repair it or they get rid of it in order to get a new or used one.
I have always been a practioner of taking care of everything that we buy. We have a beautiful and large patio table and chairs that are 11 years old and still looks new. They get taken into the garage during the winter to protect them. I had a leaf blower that lasted 19 years. I had a chainsaw last me 29 years until dry rot and an unavailability of replacement parts forced me to buy a new one. Believe me when I tell you that, that chainsaw had a huge workout during its lifetime, including cutting some 65 cords of wood. I also still have a car that I got new and is now 26 years old and still going strong with almost 300,000 miles on it. Although it is no longer a daily driver, it looks and drives like new and when I show it at car shows, people are amazed. With each of those purchases, I read the owner's manual and followed the instructions to keep them all running and looking like new. In this day and age, everytime you have to replace one of those products, you face sticker shock at the cost. Maintaining your things will save you a lot of money over the life time of its use. Common sense has proven to me time after time that taking care of your things is the most efficient way to go. In addition to the fact that you save money, you also get to wear a badge of honor with your friends and repair businesses when you tell and/or show them.
Think about it. Til next week.
Peter
For about 20 years or so, we have been living in a throw away society. We buy things that are used either once or for a limited time and then we throw it away. There are even other things that we buy that if taken care of, would last a lot longer. Some examples are: lawnmowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, patio furniture and even cars.
We all know people who buy something new and in a short time, they look old and don't run or work like they used to. If they had only taken care of them, they wouldn't have to replace them prematurely. I have even known people who can't seem to keep a car in tip top shape after 3 or 4 years. Of course they then either have to pay a huge bill to their mechanic to repair it or they get rid of it in order to get a new or used one.
I have always been a practioner of taking care of everything that we buy. We have a beautiful and large patio table and chairs that are 11 years old and still looks new. They get taken into the garage during the winter to protect them. I had a leaf blower that lasted 19 years. I had a chainsaw last me 29 years until dry rot and an unavailability of replacement parts forced me to buy a new one. Believe me when I tell you that, that chainsaw had a huge workout during its lifetime, including cutting some 65 cords of wood. I also still have a car that I got new and is now 26 years old and still going strong with almost 300,000 miles on it. Although it is no longer a daily driver, it looks and drives like new and when I show it at car shows, people are amazed. With each of those purchases, I read the owner's manual and followed the instructions to keep them all running and looking like new. In this day and age, everytime you have to replace one of those products, you face sticker shock at the cost. Maintaining your things will save you a lot of money over the life time of its use. Common sense has proven to me time after time that taking care of your things is the most efficient way to go. In addition to the fact that you save money, you also get to wear a badge of honor with your friends and repair businesses when you tell and/or show them.
Think about it. Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Say it A'int So, Again
Hi everyone,
I know that I have written about this before, but I feel that it needs to be repeated. I have said so many, many times before, that I have lost count about how politicians don't have any common sense, what so ever! For the majority of politicians, a prequisite to going into politics is, no matter what your age, seems to have never learned about what common sense is. This leads to not being able to use any common sense, since they haven't learned it. I watched today's Sunday morning TV news programs and again, I am so very disappointed.
An interveiw is supposed to work something like this; (correct me if I am wrong), one person asks a series of questions and the other person or maybe persons, are supposed to answer the questions. Seems straight forward and simple enough, don't you agree? Except when it is election season, which seems to be a 24/7/365 affair, that is not how interviews go. Ok, ok, I should take that back and say only 50% of the interviews go that way. Half? Well, there is always a news person/interviewer, but on these shows they are called moderators, who ask the questions just like an interview should go. But when the other person, which is always a politican, answers the question, there is no real answer. Rather, there is a beating around the bush, while adding some prerehearsed comment to deflect the real answer which might and probably would hurt their cause. There are no direct and truthful to the point answers. I find this type of interview extremely frustrating and exhausting to watch. It gives the appearance, maybe rightfully so, that the politicians are more interested in getting whatever message they want to get out and to hell with the content as it pertains to the actual question(s).
Most politicians on both sides of the aisle do this as common practice without using any common sense. Just because it is a common practice, doesn't mean that it is a best practice. It is obviously a worst practice and should be discontinued immediately. Questions should be answered to the point, truthfully and with facts. No made up facts, no spin, no lies and no deceptions, period. Name calling should also be included. It is a sad state of affairs that this happens over and over and again and again with no end in sight. When will politicians realize that the American people really wants direct, truthful and to the point answers. Nothing else should be acceptable. I know, I know that this type of answer won't end any time soon, but I can still hope!
Til next week.
Peter
I know that I have written about this before, but I feel that it needs to be repeated. I have said so many, many times before, that I have lost count about how politicians don't have any common sense, what so ever! For the majority of politicians, a prequisite to going into politics is, no matter what your age, seems to have never learned about what common sense is. This leads to not being able to use any common sense, since they haven't learned it. I watched today's Sunday morning TV news programs and again, I am so very disappointed.
An interveiw is supposed to work something like this; (correct me if I am wrong), one person asks a series of questions and the other person or maybe persons, are supposed to answer the questions. Seems straight forward and simple enough, don't you agree? Except when it is election season, which seems to be a 24/7/365 affair, that is not how interviews go. Ok, ok, I should take that back and say only 50% of the interviews go that way. Half? Well, there is always a news person/interviewer, but on these shows they are called moderators, who ask the questions just like an interview should go. But when the other person, which is always a politican, answers the question, there is no real answer. Rather, there is a beating around the bush, while adding some prerehearsed comment to deflect the real answer which might and probably would hurt their cause. There are no direct and truthful to the point answers. I find this type of interview extremely frustrating and exhausting to watch. It gives the appearance, maybe rightfully so, that the politicians are more interested in getting whatever message they want to get out and to hell with the content as it pertains to the actual question(s).
Most politicians on both sides of the aisle do this as common practice without using any common sense. Just because it is a common practice, doesn't mean that it is a best practice. It is obviously a worst practice and should be discontinued immediately. Questions should be answered to the point, truthfully and with facts. No made up facts, no spin, no lies and no deceptions, period. Name calling should also be included. It is a sad state of affairs that this happens over and over and again and again with no end in sight. When will politicians realize that the American people really wants direct, truthful and to the point answers. Nothing else should be acceptable. I know, I know that this type of answer won't end any time soon, but I can still hope!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, April 22, 2012
When is a Secret Not a Secret?
Hi Everyone,
By now, I'm sure you have all heard about the Secret Sevice scandal that happened in Cartagena, Mexico. The Secret Service agents that were involved are not assigned to protecting our President. These are a special group of agents that arrive way inadvance of the President's arrival. They are there to secure the locations that the President will visit. This includes securing and debugging the entire floor of the hotel where the President will stay. They take every precaution to insure the President's safety. So far there are at least 11 Secret Service agents and an unknown number of marines involved.
So how can Secret Service agents and some Marines think that hiring prostitutes is a good thing to do? They can't!!! Where were the supervisors? Two on site supervisors have already departed from the agency.There is no justification for their actions. You would think that being part of an elite force would mean that they had and used great common sense. Obviously, these agents and military personnel have absolutely no common sense at all! Duh!!! You know that they swear to protect the President, even to the point of putting their own lives on the line. I guess that hiring prositutes isn't considered detrimental to the mission they were on. Hmmmmmm.... let me think about that one. Not being an historian expert, I do believe that ever since there has been prostitution, prostitutes have been used to solicit info and secrets for a person, agency or government who hired them. Consequently, the actions of these people could have seriously jeopardized and put in harms way, our President and all those who traveled with them.
Even when you think that the lack of common sense in this story could not possibly stoop any lower, it does when this sorted tale gets even worse. According to multiple news outlets, when one of the prostitutes asked for her money, the guy tried to short change her and she would have none of that. She then made a commotion which got the hotel security and police involved. Oh come on! Wasn't it bad enough that he hired a prostitute, but to try to cheat her out of her money? Anyone knows that was not going to end nicely, with the prostitute just walking away. It really gets my goat when specialized personnel of the elite Secret Service and the Marines to boot, does something so egregious and down right just plain stupid that defies any resemblance of logic. Any personnel found to be involved in this, should loose their job and be banned from any other agency like the: CIA, FBI, ATF etc., etc., end of story!
Til next week.
Peter
By now, I'm sure you have all heard about the Secret Sevice scandal that happened in Cartagena, Mexico. The Secret Service agents that were involved are not assigned to protecting our President. These are a special group of agents that arrive way inadvance of the President's arrival. They are there to secure the locations that the President will visit. This includes securing and debugging the entire floor of the hotel where the President will stay. They take every precaution to insure the President's safety. So far there are at least 11 Secret Service agents and an unknown number of marines involved.
So how can Secret Service agents and some Marines think that hiring prostitutes is a good thing to do? They can't!!! Where were the supervisors? Two on site supervisors have already departed from the agency.There is no justification for their actions. You would think that being part of an elite force would mean that they had and used great common sense. Obviously, these agents and military personnel have absolutely no common sense at all! Duh!!! You know that they swear to protect the President, even to the point of putting their own lives on the line. I guess that hiring prositutes isn't considered detrimental to the mission they were on. Hmmmmmm.... let me think about that one. Not being an historian expert, I do believe that ever since there has been prostitution, prostitutes have been used to solicit info and secrets for a person, agency or government who hired them. Consequently, the actions of these people could have seriously jeopardized and put in harms way, our President and all those who traveled with them.
Even when you think that the lack of common sense in this story could not possibly stoop any lower, it does when this sorted tale gets even worse. According to multiple news outlets, when one of the prostitutes asked for her money, the guy tried to short change her and she would have none of that. She then made a commotion which got the hotel security and police involved. Oh come on! Wasn't it bad enough that he hired a prostitute, but to try to cheat her out of her money? Anyone knows that was not going to end nicely, with the prostitute just walking away. It really gets my goat when specialized personnel of the elite Secret Service and the Marines to boot, does something so egregious and down right just plain stupid that defies any resemblance of logic. Any personnel found to be involved in this, should loose their job and be banned from any other agency like the: CIA, FBI, ATF etc., etc., end of story!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, April 8, 2012
The Tax Man Cometh Again and Again?
Hi Everyone,
I have a problem with our tax system which includes: federal, state, local and school. The entire system is broken and needs to be overhauled, sooner rather then later and a fairer system should be implemented. But what I am most upset with is, New York state's income tax. We work hard every day, week, month and year and in this economy, if you have a job, you thank your lucky stars. Each time you receive your pay check you see all the taxes that are deducted. Like: federal income taxes, social security, medicare and your state's unemployment tax. Here in New York state, like many other states, money is also deducted for New York state income tax. Obviously, that means that we pay taxes on all of our income, so that New York state gets its money.
Then comes April and it's that time of year to do your yearly income taxes. You add up all of your income, calculate your deductions and poof, you either owe more money to the feds or your state or both, or you get a refund. There in lies my problem with New York state. If you get a New York state refund, that amount of money is then used as income for the following year's taxes. Come on, didn't we already pay taxes on that money? Yes of course! But, besides the fact that New York got the use of our money (refund) for free they then tax us on it the following year as income. Where is the fairness in that? By anyone's definition this is called double taxation. How come you can't be tried in a court of law twice for the same crime, (double jeopardy), but double taxation is legal? I am not sure if anyone has tried to sue the state on the double taxation issue, if not someone should.
There was no common sense used when taxing refunds became part of New York state's tax code. This just makes no sense unless.......wait for it........ you were a politician who decided to add this ridiculous tax to fill some budget deficit of many, many years ago. New Yorkers are already paying very high taxes. If New York is serious about tax reform, start with eliminating this double taxation flaw.
I guess there really isn't any free money!
Til next week.
Peter
I have a problem with our tax system which includes: federal, state, local and school. The entire system is broken and needs to be overhauled, sooner rather then later and a fairer system should be implemented. But what I am most upset with is, New York state's income tax. We work hard every day, week, month and year and in this economy, if you have a job, you thank your lucky stars. Each time you receive your pay check you see all the taxes that are deducted. Like: federal income taxes, social security, medicare and your state's unemployment tax. Here in New York state, like many other states, money is also deducted for New York state income tax. Obviously, that means that we pay taxes on all of our income, so that New York state gets its money.
Then comes April and it's that time of year to do your yearly income taxes. You add up all of your income, calculate your deductions and poof, you either owe more money to the feds or your state or both, or you get a refund. There in lies my problem with New York state. If you get a New York state refund, that amount of money is then used as income for the following year's taxes. Come on, didn't we already pay taxes on that money? Yes of course! But, besides the fact that New York got the use of our money (refund) for free they then tax us on it the following year as income. Where is the fairness in that? By anyone's definition this is called double taxation. How come you can't be tried in a court of law twice for the same crime, (double jeopardy), but double taxation is legal? I am not sure if anyone has tried to sue the state on the double taxation issue, if not someone should.
There was no common sense used when taxing refunds became part of New York state's tax code. This just makes no sense unless.......wait for it........ you were a politician who decided to add this ridiculous tax to fill some budget deficit of many, many years ago. New Yorkers are already paying very high taxes. If New York is serious about tax reform, start with eliminating this double taxation flaw.
I guess there really isn't any free money!
Til next week.
Peter
Sunday, April 1, 2012
This could kill you and or a loved one
Hi Everyone,
Does today's topic title seem to be dire? Well, unfortunately it is! Each and every year thousands of humans are killed by it and there seems to be no end to it. What really bothers me is that people don't take it seriously enough and that is when it can kill them. Sometimes without even a warning. It can be the most gentle of things and at other times it can even make mountains into mole hills. The insideous thing about it is that in moderation it actually helps us, but, over indulge in it and it will kill you.
Unfortunately, in this country, Republicans have no plans to combact this killer. But on the other side of the aisle, the Democratics also have no plans. Why not? This has been a problem to people and animals since the creation of the world. So why hasn't someone, some company or some country found a way to arrest this issue? People don't believe there is a problem until they are faced with it and their potential demise. By then a solution may be too late for them.
What is this problem, that it is so wide spread and found around our entire planet???? It is called dihydrogen monoxide. As I said before, this stuff, dihydrogen monoxide, is crucial to all living things on earth. But too much of it can and will kill you in a matter of seconds. Where is the big government agency to help set up guidelines to help protect us all from getting too much of it? There is really only one reason and one reason alone. That is because dihydrogen monoxide is really H2O or water!! April fools!!! Did I get you?
Til next week.
Peter
Does today's topic title seem to be dire? Well, unfortunately it is! Each and every year thousands of humans are killed by it and there seems to be no end to it. What really bothers me is that people don't take it seriously enough and that is when it can kill them. Sometimes without even a warning. It can be the most gentle of things and at other times it can even make mountains into mole hills. The insideous thing about it is that in moderation it actually helps us, but, over indulge in it and it will kill you.
Unfortunately, in this country, Republicans have no plans to combact this killer. But on the other side of the aisle, the Democratics also have no plans. Why not? This has been a problem to people and animals since the creation of the world. So why hasn't someone, some company or some country found a way to arrest this issue? People don't believe there is a problem until they are faced with it and their potential demise. By then a solution may be too late for them.
What is this problem, that it is so wide spread and found around our entire planet???? It is called dihydrogen monoxide. As I said before, this stuff, dihydrogen monoxide, is crucial to all living things on earth. But too much of it can and will kill you in a matter of seconds. Where is the big government agency to help set up guidelines to help protect us all from getting too much of it? There is really only one reason and one reason alone. That is because dihydrogen monoxide is really H2O or water!! April fools!!! Did I get you?
Til next week.
Peter
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