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Showing posts from August 27, 2017

The Wobblies

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"Wobblies" was the nickname for the first iteration of the radical (I approve!) Trades Union the "Industrial Workers of the World"  (I.W.W.) The lore is that the name "wobblies" came from a Chinese member who pronounced "W" as "wobbleyou", but that tale could be an example of early 20th Century racism. But the IWW cheerfully adopted the nickname. The wobblies has two notable successes, the first in Spokane, WA  (in truth a success for free speech and the right of public assembly, and also a victory which led to the abolition (by law) of the corrupt businesses which offered poor people a job (for a fee), most often for a job which never existed). see  http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/industrial-workers-world-campaigns-free-speech-spokane-washington-usa-1908-1910 The second  in the famous Lawrence, MA strike against the oppressive mill owners. see   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1912_Lawrence_text

Truth in Humour

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 Thanks to Rick P  and Arthur L for  sharing two of these

Good

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I finished my 36 gym rehab. sessions (by Doctor's prescription) at Health Fit on Wednesday last. My weight is down, my BMI is down, my tummy measurement is down. In each case the lower readings  (lower than the day I enrolled 12 weeks ago) are down by just a bit. But I am headed in the right direction. Now I will must up the good work each day at the Sarasota YMCA gym. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I saw my Cardiologist today, and he is pleased with my progress. ------------------------------------------------------------------- This evening I had a healthy supper with my dear friends Ron and Char. Health Fit restores my body, Ron and Char restore my soul. Ron and Char earlier this year with our friend Bob.

Anne Weston is the naughtiest of my nieces.

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My sister Maureen and her husband Bern have one son  (Nick) -  he's a good bloke by any and all standards. They also have three daughters -  Louise, Emma, and Anne (in birth order). Louise and Emma would gladly attest (under oath and notarised) that Anne is the naughtiest one. There is no doubt about it. Not withstanding the truth I zipped over to the Disney Beach Club Resort to have breakfast with Anne, her husband Stuart, and their daughter Olivia this morning, (The Westons).  They are visiting from the U.K. They are great Disney fans, and come here most years). Disney Beach Club Retro. Stuart, Anne and Olivia Weston this morning- August 30th, 2017.  Such good looking people I was away from my home for about six hours today - just under four hours on the road, (230 mile round trip)  and just over two hours with the Westons, (I needed to get back to SRQ for my final Health Fit programme). Despite my teasing about  Anne it was all well worth whil

Oh dear, and Ole

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Oh dear. I poured some much needed engine coolant into the engine reservoir of my aging Hyundai today. In the process I dropped the plastic cap of the reservoir somewhere into the bowels of my car's engine "Somewhere"  . is the operative word.  I can't find it.    So I have created a cap with some heavy duty and much folded aluminum (aluminium) foil. Wish me luck,  for tomorrow (Aug 30th), early in the morning, I plan to drive to our local hades (!) called  "Disney". There  I will enjoy a hearty breakfast with my best beloved niece Anne, her husband Stu, and their excellent  daughter Olivia ("Livy") at the Disney Beach Club Resort

What "The Wars on Drugs" are really about

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/otm/ Scroll down to This American War on Drugs   listen to the programme which lasts  for less than an hour. Then learn that it's not really about drugs   Maybe it is about race?  Listen and learn.  PLEASE! Of course you can spare just one hour.  OF COURSE YOU CAN

Deluged in SRQ (but we are not Houston)

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A weather "system" has stalled in the Gulf of Mexico just off the west coast of S.W. Florida.   As a result SRQ has received more than its fair share of rain in the past three days. For instance last night (Aug 27/27) a heavy storm with torrential rain and magnificent lightning and thunder set  in at about 7:00 p.m. and ended at 4:30 a.m. The drainage ditches are full; the Phillippi Creek is just about overflowing; and the retention ponds are filled to the brim. Below are some pictures of the pond/lake at the south entrance to "The Meadows"   (17th St. and Longmeadow). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Of course  this is but a minor inconvenience, especially when set aside the devastation in S.E. Texas, and the flooding in Houston and other places. I wondered aloud this afternoon as to whether these areas will ever completely recover. Given what happened in New Orleans after H