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Ice Cream

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The local radio station airs a program where locals call in to sell or trade stuff they don’t want anymore.  The hostess was remarking about buying a bread machine and how it came from a moment of inspiration (cold winter day)…but, yeah, didn’t progress past the thought…and she remarked how much stuff we buy that we don’t need.  Don’t get me started…I’ve been through so much that material stuff no longer has its hold on me like before.  It’s hard to get past that, because of the way our society values things instead of people, but once you do get past it, you become so much more free.

Anyway, the host talked about ice cream makers and how you cranked it a couple of times, and said “enough of this, I’m going to ___ (he names a popular ice cream place).”

Well, I started thinking about how much I loved home-made hand-cranked ice cream….

I was introduced to it at my summer camp.  If you have never had hand-cranked ice cream, I highly, highly recommend it.  Delicious.

The thing about it is that it was a group effort–all of us in our camp cabin took turns cranking.  We actually argued over who would get to crank!

I think there is a lesson in there–what may seem too hard as an individual–can be achieved if we all took turns carrying the “load”.

 

Cisco asks Obama/NSA to stop interference

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Cisco CEO John Chambers has written a letter to President Obama insisting the NSA cease its interference with Cisco products.

From the piece:

The letter follows the circulation of pictures on the Internet showing NSA staff opening boxes of Cisco gear, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. “There have been allegations that the NSA has intercepted IT equipment in transit from manufacturers to customers to help monitor and gain information on surveillance targets,” the paper wrote.

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So…Edward Snowden’s revelations haven’t had the impact…nor damage that is alleged…because apparently, they’re still doing it.  I don’t see how Snowden can be charged with damaging information when the parties involved are still up to the same violation of the Fourth Amendment.

2006

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…is it me, in my circumstances, or did everything seem to stop in 2006?

I went to get the transmission fluid and oil changed today.  The shop is the old time independent shop–the kind that those of us of a certain age remember.  It was the “filling station” type gas station.  They had a couple of pumps–maybe four if they were really progressive–and a full time mechanic working.  The mechanic was usually the owner.  You knew him by name and if he was any good, you were a regular customer.

I walk in the place, and it smells of oil and gas of years of working on cars.  It used to be an Amoco station, with red, white, and blue stripes still on what used to be display booths.  There were long fluorescent bulbs, now missing, to highlight the products.  An old wall safe is still in its place.  Countertops have been removed, except for one.  One could tell it was a busy place at one time..situated at a busy corner in town. There is a calendar on the countertop with the year “2006” on it.  Names and times are scribbled on it…customers of days past.  It just made me take a breath by the year –the year I lost my house –and I wonder to myself if everything stopped that year…

Now it has one mechanic that knows his stuff.  He changes the transmission fluid.  When I tell him it’s been seven years since I’ve had it done, he remarks that he’s seen much darker fluid.  Mine still had some “red” to it–meaning the usually red transmission fluid wasn’t completely black.  He said the car was in pretty good shape for the amount of miles on it (225,ooo).  I know, though, it’s days are numbered…I was told by a mechanic that it would probably not make it past 220,000…so I’m already 5k over the engine life.

Anyway, it was good to hear the transmission wasn’t as bad as I thought.  I just hope that solves the car rolling on me when I park it…otherwise, we got issues.

(I’m feeling my migraine coming on…probably won’t be here tomorrow.)

P.S.

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More thoughts on the prior post and feminism in general.

Because the thing that continues to upset me is that there isn’t much mention of women who stay at home.  The emphasis is on women and careers…but not embracing the women and particularly children.  Women at home are particularly vulnerable…and in need of support.  Note that I don’t say they need protection, as in overbearing control–but rather, support for whatever decision they make.

As I get older, I realize more than ever how much it meant to stay at home…even though at times it nearly drove me crazy…because it was so isolating.  Women who stay at home need to be connected without being smothered…is that a possibility?   They also need financial support in the way of Social Security in their own names and accounts.  This would ensure her being taken care of in old age and a small price to pay for giving kids the best start in life.

I mean, if this country values kids, giving them that special time to grow up in a place where they’re not treated like a number, not held to a rigid schedule (yes, I know some households are kept on a schedule–mine wasn’t– other than mealtimes, bedtimes, that sort of thing.).  Being un-scheduled allows one to just let the mind run free–openly explore, and clear the mind for new ideas.  I look at daycare centers as making kids feel like a number.  And feeling rushed in life.  I can’t see a kid being able to ride a bike down the lane when at daycare five days a week.  They get little time after they get home on weeknights (none in the winter for any outside activity).  And by that time, the creativity and spontaneity is dulled…if not completely gone.

I’ve just seen such a dramatic change with my generation’s working mothers that it can’t be denied how important it is for someone–be it mother or father–to stay home and allow kids their childhoods.  I know that is difficult with the stagnant wages and for single Moms…but there again, we should be supporting them with livable wages and a support system so that the kids could be at home.

Just airing my thoughts…

 

Cat saves boy from dog attack

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(hat tip to Diane Ravitch)

Wow.  It doesn’t surprise me that the cat is a tiger cat….love them–they’re definitely people cats.  My two kitties in adulthood, Samantha, and Bandit, were both tigers and the best pets.

It tickled me to hear the owner say that she followed them home.  She “chose” them.  Heh.

Glad the little boy is okay.  What an experience to tell your buddies. So there, cat haters. 🙂

(And I’m not trying to be down on dogs, because you all know that I love dogs, too.  Owners, on the other hand…they’re like the parents that say their kids “would never do that” when confronted with wrongdoing…same with dogs…)

 

 

People who say the right things…

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(hat tip to Thomas at Yes Means Yes)

An ex – NFL star is being accused of raping women after he drugged their drinks.  It allegedly happened on several occasions in several different cities, but the m.o. was the same–drug their drinks and rape them.

What is outrageous about Darren Sharper is that he presented himself as a supporter of women and women’s rights….while he allegedly abused them.  Good God.