Fire Fascination

There comes a time in many young boys' lives when there is this huge urge to burn something.

Such a time arrived for me, probably around age 10 or 12.

Several things coincided to make the "perfect storm":

1.  I was visiting my younger cousin.

2.  They had horses.

3.  So they had straw.

In their gravel driveway, we started a small fire which quickly burned out.

For some reason, I decided that building a larger fire closer to the barn would be a great idea.  After all, there was more straw there!

So we did.

As the flames reached several feet in height, my alarmed uncle rushed over and stomped it out with his work boots.

Then he spied me and rushed over to have a serious talk with me.

I greatly feared I might receive a stomping of my own.

I didn't, of course, but I can't remember ever being more afraid in my life!

Blind

I had just received a 1950 Ford as a present from my Aunt and Uncle.  

I was about 16 at the time.

It was winter and my younger cousin had come to visit.

Even though it was night and snowing heavily, we decided to take it for a test drive.

We were traveling maybe 45 mph when I decided to try out the overdrive feature.

This meant pushing in a control on the dashboard.

Unfortunately, instead of engaging the overdrive, I turned off the headlights.

"Where are we?" I shouted to my startled passenger.

"How should I know?" he shouted back.

Luckily I fumbled around and found the light switch before we drove into the ditch.

Flu of 1918

This story is from Minnesota:

In a small southern Minnesota community there was concern for the health of twin brothers who farmed not far from town.

The flu was fierce, and neither brother had been to town recently.

Sadly, news arrived that one of them succumbed to the flu during the bitter winter.

The following spring, a surprised shop keeper met the surviving brother on the street and blurted out:  "Was it you, or your brother, that died?"

Military suggestions for DIY Masks

This was posted on Yahoo.com

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/06/diy-t-shirt-masks-and-balaclavas-military-services-release-face-covering-guidance.html

Abraham Lincoln Quote

I ran across this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln:

"I do not like that man.

I'll have to get to know him better."

Covid Mask Materials - 2

New article on Face Mask materials from Yahoo News:

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/best-coronavirus-face-mask-materials-new-study-120000624.html

Ukraine

A young lady from Ukraine worked for the company for which I also worked here in the USA.

She was hard-working.  (She had two jobs at once!)

She was very smart.

She helped customers find us on the Internet.

She helped with translation of English into Russian when we sold machines to Ukraine and Russia.

Later, she moved away, went back to school,  and became a lawyer.

Now she owns her own business in International Law in California!

Health Care - 2 Kinds

Just listened to a discussion of Health Care in the US on National Public Radio.

Seems there are (2) basic types:

1.  Hospitals treat sick people and send out bills for these services.

2.  Hospitals receive a set amount of money up front to keep a person WELL.  They get to keep any money left over.


It looks like:

1st type:  Makes most money the sicker people are.

2nd type:   Makes most money the "Weller" people are.


Which do you have?

Covid-19 - Too Hard?

I was just thinking:

We had a neighbor who was in the trenches in France during World War One.

Thousands of Americans served in Europe and Asia in World War Two.

Americans served again in Korea.

Then Vietnam.

And then in Iraq and neighboring countries.

Now is our turn.

But the difference is:  We are just asked To Stay Home!

And, it seems, some of us can't even do that.

Looking for a Bargain

Having taught in Higher Education for several years, I make the following observation:

An Education is one of the few things many are willing to pay for - but not get.

Spanish Lesson

One day at work, I got the following message on the intercom:

"Al, there is someone speaking Spanish on the phone.  Pick up Line 2."

I am not sure why I was chosen to answer as I knew no Spanish.

"Hello?"

A high lady's voice was heard, talking 60 miles an hour.

"Non Comprehendo."  This was the only phrase I knew.

A pause, and then more rapid talking.

Very slowly, I said:  "I - only - speak - English!"

A longer pause, and then:

"But - I am speaking English!"

Covid-19 Bandana

The Bandana may be effective in the fight against Covid-19.

Consider this:

When have you last heard of anyone catching the virus during a stagecoach robbery?


Here is an approach to making a mask - from CBS New York:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfyTDy_VIek

Covid-19 Disinfectants

This is from the United States EPA:

https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2

Be safe!  

We are all loved by someone.

Fear Birthday Candles

I think I was in second grade when a "displaced person" joined our class.

I recall this person as a little girl from (Nazi) Germany.

I don't think she spoke English, and I remember her as painfully shy.

One day, someone brought a Birthday Cake into our room complete with burning candles.

Our new classmate immediately hid under a desk.

I suppose she had endured bombing at some time.

Little kids should not experience such things.

Covid-19 Mask News

This seems to be important for those of you making Covid masks:

https://news.yahoo.com/using-blue-shop-towels-homemade-221911287.html

Religious Rules 01

A local lady belonged to a church which forbade women from wearing "men's" clothes.

One day, being a modest person, she put on overalls before doing repairs to the roof on her house.

She was kicked out of her church.

Covid-19 Suggestion for Gov. of KY

The Governor of Kentucky has asked citizens to email their questions to him to be addressed during his daily 5 pm news conferences on television.

I sent the following:

Can you decree the following?

Any junk mail destined for delivery in Kentucky must:

1.  Be printed on Toilet Paper.

2.  Contain no staples.