DLST

DLST

This coming Sunday at 2 AM we will fall back for daylight saving time. All, except for the more sensible folks in Arizona, who will continue on the normal time. According to Wikipedia; DST has been tried in various forms for some time, but was installed in US in 1942 during the war years to save energy. It is questionable if it accomplishes that. The farmers always operated on sun time. We will adapt!

The trees are definitely changing color and before long will be losing their leaves. This year we will not have to be concerned about raking the leaves, or I might add, shoveling snow a little later. This is another advantage of living in Drury Place apartment.

I have been putting together a collection of games to put on the community machines. I have put together everything from jacks to chess. I hope that games will be a good way to get the residents introduced to the computer and also they are good for hand-eye coordination, entertainment and mental stimulation. We will see what happens. Next month I will be putting on some demonstrations and instruction.

I enrolled in 3 courses thru Virtual University. www.vu.org You can enroll in 4 classes for the 20 dollar fee. But I can not keep up with one let alone 4. But, one does get some good information and can either print it out or copy to a disk. I enrolled in 35 days to better writing

The truth about Islam

Liberate your inbox with

Thunderbird

I think that I am a “drop out”. I have not done any of the homework for the writing class and I have not been able to get Thunderbird installed on my computer. The Islam class will be interesting. It is put out by 2 practicing Muslims. I had put together information, and led a class on Islam, about 3 years ago. I am curious what this class will bring out about their beliefs.

Robert Spencer who maintains “Jihad watch” on the internet, recently authored the book “The Truth about Mohammad”. This is his blog

My Invitation From al-Qaeda

By Robert Spencer

FrontPageMagazine.com | September 6, 2006

In American al-Qaeda operative Adam Gadahn’s convert-to-Islam-or-die message to America released last Saturday, he extends a special invitation to the President, as well as to Daniel Pipes, Michael Scheuer, Steve Emerson – and me:

If the Zionist crusader missionaries of hate and counter-Islam consultants like Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Michael Scheuer, Steven Emerson, and yes, even the crusader-in-chief George W. Bush were to abandon their unbelief and repent and enter into the light of Islam and turn their swords against the enemies of God, it would be accepted of them and they would be our brothers in Islam. And we send a special invitation to all of you fighting Bush’s crusader pipe dream in Afghanistan, Iraq, and wherever else W. has sent you to die.

Gadahn also praises Western leftist sycophants and apologists for the global jihad, and invites them to become Muslims as well:

Why not surrender to the truth? Escape from the unbelieving army and join the winning side. As for those who have expressed their respect and admiration for Islam, and acknowledged that it is the truth and

It is important to note that Gadahn’s “invitation” to Islam is coupled with a threat of violence: “To Americans and the rest of Christendom we say, either repent (your) misguided ways and enter into the light of truth or keep your poison to yourself and suffer the consequences in this world and the next….” In this, Gadahn is following the example of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, who told his followers:

“When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action…Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them…If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya [the tax on non-Muslims specified in Qur’an 9:29]. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them” (Sahih Muslim 4294).

Muhammad’s directions here to extend an invitation to Islam and follow it with a threat were also followed recently by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For his part, Gadahn calls the Islamic prophet Muhammad “the chief and master of Adam’s children, and the embodiment of high morals and good character.”

The thuggishness of Gadahn and the supremacist creed for which he has become a salesman was evident in other parts of his message. “Islam,” he explained, “is the only religion acceptable to God and came with the revealed book, the Koran, which abrogates all previous revelations, like the Torah and Evangel [Gospel]... God recognizes no separation between religion and state.” In this he makes an expression of the Islamic supremacism that delegitimizes the religious traditions of Jews and Christians. In line with the Qur’an (3:67), Gadahn says, “Abraham was neither a Jew or a Christian, but was a Muslim hanif.” (A “hanif” is a pre-Islamic monotheist.) In other words, Judaism and Christianity as practiced today have no legitimacy, but are merely renegade corruptions of the true religion, Islam.

Maybe Adam Gadahn is angry with me for describing him a couple of years ago as he appears in an old photo: as a “pudgy, long-haired American kid who appears to be locked in a desperate, losing struggle to grow a beard.” Adam, I see from more recent photos that you have won that struggle, for which I congratulate you. In your larger struggles, however, you will not prevail. Thank you for your invitation to me to become a Muslim and wield my sword against the enemies of Allah. But I’m afraid I must decline. While I appreciate the fact that becoming your “brother in Islam” might afford me a measure of personal security that I do not enjoy today, some things are more important than that. I cannot and will not give in to violent intimidation, come what may, and I do not want to live in a society that bows to such intimidation.

I believe that societies that respect the equality of rights before the law of all people, including women and religious minorities, as well as the freedom of conscience, are superior to those that do not. I hope that such societies will be able to summon the will to resist you and your “invitation” in all its implications before it is too late.

Meanwhile, Adam, I have an invitation of my own for you: I invite you to accept the Bill of Rights, and enter into the brotherhood of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. My invitation does not focus on my religion, although I invite you to that also, but rather on a framework within which people of differing faiths can live in peace, harmony, and mutual respect – provided that none of the groups involved cherishes supremacist ambitions to subjugate the others.

I hope you will consider my invitation carefully.

A recent time magazine article “The disappeared”, relates the experience of an Iraqi who was kidnapped and held hostage for 5 weeks. The family finally had to pay 40000 dollars to get his release. The kidnapping is big business.

And this from Australia.

Imam justifies rape of unveiled women

Australian cleric compares victims to 'uncovered meat' that attracts cats

Posted: October 26, 2006

1:40 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Australia's top Muslim cleric rationalized a series of gang rapes by Arab men, blaming women who "sway suggestively," wear make-up and don't cover themselves in the tradition of Islam.

Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly's comments in a Ramadan sermon in a Sydney mosque have stirred a furor in the country with even Prime Minister John Howard weighing in with condemnation.

The cleric also said the judge in the case, who sentenced the rapists, had "no mercy."

"But the problem, but the problem all began with who?" he said, referring to the women victims – whom he said were "weapons used by Satan."

One bit of good news, in a way, the young lady in Baghdad who has been able to be our eyes of life there, has made a posting to her blog-BAGHDAD BURNING-, so she is still alive though very discouraged, which was the reason she had not posted since Aug.

We will very soon have an election—what will the future bring? Be sure to vote, it is a privilege!

Always, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BOOO

October 2, 2006
Autumn is here and the trees are beginning to change color. The goblins are trying their wings in readiness for Halloween. We see geese flying south and when Bill and Peggy were here they went to the waterfowl refuge near Great Bend and got pictures of the Canadian geese and also the white pelicans. Also, we note fewer birds at our feeders.
September was my natal month and October is our anniversary month (63 Years). I should probably change the personal information on my blog. September slipped by without a posting. We are very happy to have had a visit from each of the clans this summer and we were able to move along some of the extra stuff, with instructions to not bring it back!
We are starting back on our vitaband exercise class this week. The instructor is back after being out of commission for most of the summer due to a motorcycle accident.
We are really into the political drumbeat season. It is important to be able to express a choice and this off-year election is more importent than some. Not only for this election but it is laying the ground work for the coming general election in 2 years.
I wonder if the Middle East will ever be able to develop a ballet rather than bullet governance. I just finished the book “Future Jihad” by Walid Phares. It is a good book and explains the nature of the concept of Jihad. The last paragraph of the book:
“In trying to warn, understand, and propose the best possible policies to avoid the rise of future jihads, I seek to contribute to an effort of reasoning so that the future Earth will be more peaceful than ever. It is going to take the hard work of many courageous people to ensure a happy ending to this millennial quest for conflict. Many visionary people in the West and many more brave people in the Muslim world will contribute. This will decide if future jihads end up with mushroom clouds around the world, or if peace, democracy and freedom mushroom worldwide.”

I am concerned about the author of the BAGHDAD BURNING blog. Her last posting was Aug 5 and she doesn’t go 2 months without posting, even when there is little electricity etc. She is very discouraged as she wrote in her last post “Is it time to wash our hands of the country and try to find a stable life somewhere else?”
Over the years she has been able to give insight into the life and living conditions which is not available through the main-stream media. You can access her blog using the hyperlink in the side bar of my blog.
The theatre and the symphony seasons are starting and we will enjoy those. We continue to enjoy the library. Mary is more independent with her new walker. I purchased a new Sony micro stereo outfit with CD and cassette drives. We enjoy the music on it and also I can send music and podcasts to it from my laptop computer. So we are all set to enjoy the winter. I am still trying to stimulate interest in computing here at Drury place.
Trust that this finds everything well with you and yours----until the next time, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BACK TO SCHOOL

The last of August is the time when school terms begin again. The teachers in our family are getting ready and here in Salina the classes have begun or will Monday. We have teachers in our family in both the elementary and highschool level and we are proud of all of them. Education is as important as the basic needs of food, clothes and shelter, and I guess that in this time of turmoil around the world ond should also add security.

An excerpt from the “BAGHDAD BURNING” blog

Since the beginning of July, the men in our area have been patrolling the streets. Some of them patrol the rooftops and others sit quietly by the homemade road blocks we have on the major roads leading into the area. You cannot in any way rely on Americans or the government. You can only hope your family and friends will remain alive- not safe, not secure- just alive. That’s good enough.

In the Israel- Hezbolla fighting there is a cease-fire and at least the possibility of a plan to cool or resolve the conflict. The UN and the Europe forces may fill the vacuum and eparate the two sids and the Lebanon army become active in the region—time will tell. Poor Lebanon was pulverized and will take years and a lot of money to recover. In the mean-time Hezbollah is making more converts by dispensing money from Iran. Also Iran has test fired several short range missiles! This is to let the region that Iran is the emerging power. Fanatics require and enemy.

The last two weeks CSPAN’S Q and A progams showed the opposite ends of Islam—Akbar Ahmed stating the Islam is peaceful but admits that there is great need within the community to combat the radical elements, Robert Spencer on the other hand arguing that Islam is inherently warlike and to hate the west etc is a requirement. Pod casts are available but it is evident that there will have to be a change within the Islamic community. We can not do it from the outside. In the meantime we will have to hope that the plots like the one to blow up airliners from UK to US will continue to be thwarted.

I just finished reading “Founding Mothers”. Bless the ladies! We would never have founded this country, a beacon to freedom and liberty, without them.

We are doing quite well here at DRURY PLACE. Mary got a 4 wheeled walker with a seat and this makes it a lot easier for getting around. She feels more secure and if she does get tired she can rest on the seat. Yesterday, we made a test run to take it to the library with us and it just barely fits in the trunk of our little Escort Ford car. She has taken it and walked up the grocery store. She feels more independent. I picked up a book at the library “Julie and Romeo Get Lucky” by Jeanne Ray. It is a fun read.

I notice that the Blogger blog program has been updated with more bells and whistles I have not made the switch yet but will probably do so before the next posting.

I hope that this finds all well with all of you.

Til next time---HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

DOG DAYS

DOG DAYS

I always wondered why this time of the year was called the "dog days" of the year. So, using the trusty GOOGLE, we googled it. It is the 20 days before and 20 days after the star Serius, the dog star, is in alignment with the sun. Now the mystery is gone. I do not know if I feel better or worse. It was nice to think, " why is it called dog days?"

What a difference a day makes! War breaks out in the middle east. Or rather, it spread out or over with a vengance. It is hoped that it is not the fore-runner of WWIII. However in one way we were or are in WWIII, as the radical muslim movement is world-wide and it will persist until there is a change within the muslim world. As long as hate is preached, hate will be returned.

Dalai Lama quotes:

“Freedom is the real source of human happiness and creativity. Irrespective of whether you are a believer or nonbeliever, whether Buddhist, Christian, or Jew, the important thing is to be a good human being.”

“I believe in humanity and its level in a person is more important than his or her belief or faith.”

“My message is the practice of compassion, love, and kindness. Compassion can be put into practice if one recognizes the fact that every human being is a member of humanity and the human family regardless of differences in religion, culture, color and creed. Deep down there is no difference.”

Well, that is enough for “deep stuff”. For some levity a friend sent some jokes in the email.

This ought to make you feel better about your computer skills!
===============
Customer: Hi, this is Celine. I can't get my diskette out.
Tech support: Have you tried pushing the Button?
Customer: Yes, sure, it's really stuck.
Tech support: That doesn't sound good; I'll make a note.
Customer: No, wait a minute... I hadn't inserted it yet...
it's stil on my desk...sorry....

===============

Tech support: Click on the 'my computer' icon on to the left
of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?

===============

Tech support: Good day. How may I help you?
Male customer: Hello.. I can't print.
Tech support: Would you click on "start" for me and...
Customer: Listen pal; don't start getting technical on me!
I'm not Bill Gates.

===============

Customer: Hi, good afternoon, this is Martha, I can't print
Every time I try, it says 'Can't find printer'. I've even lifted the printer
and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he
can't find it...

===============

Customer: I have problems printing in red..
Tech support: Do you have a color printer?
Customer: Aaaah..................thank you.

===============
Tech support: What's on your monitor now, ma'am?
Customer: A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me at the
7-11.

===============

Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore.
Tech support: Are you sure it's plugged into the computer?
Customer: No. I can't get behind the computer.
Tech support: Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back.
Customer: OK
Tech support: Did the keyboard come with you?
Customer: Yes
Tech support: That means the keyboard is not plugged in. Is
there another keyboard?
Customer: Yes, there's another one here. Ah...that one does
work...

===============

Tech support: Your password is the small letter "a" as in
apple, a
capital letter V as in Victor, the number 7.
Customer: Is that 7 in capital letters?

===============

Customer: can't get on the Internet.
Tech support: Are you sure you used the right password?
Customer: Yes, I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it.
Tech support: Can you tell me what the password was?
Customer: Five stars

===============

Tech support: What anti-virus program do you use?
Customer: Netscape
Tech support: That's not an anti-virus program
Customer: Oh, sorry...Internet Explorer.

===============

Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a
screen saver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears.

===============

Tech support: How may I help you?
Customer: I'm writing my first e-mail.
Tech support: OK, and what seems to be the problem?
Customer: Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but
how do I get the circle around it?

===============

A woman customer called the Canon help desk with a problem
with her printer.
Tech support: Are you running it under windows?
Customer: "No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a
good point.
The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and
his printer is working fine."

===============

And last but not least...

Tech support: "Okay Bob, let's press the control and escape
keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the
screen. Now type the letter "P" to bring up the Program Manager."
Customer: I don't have a P.
Tech support: On your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: What do you mean?
Tech support: "P".....on your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT!

Hope that this finds all going well with all of you, as it is with us here in Salina, where it is hot, but not too hot; dry, but not too dry and the people are friendly.

HAF aka HAPPY DOC

GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME

2006 IS ABOUT HALF GONE!!
The harvest is over and with varied results but there will be wheat for bread!! We have had some rain here so there is hope for the fall crops. All in all we have been lucky here. We have had no severe storms--erlier ther was a hail storm which dented cars and made a lot of work for the people repairing dents and also there is a lot of work repairing roofs. The east coast at prsent is getting too much rain so there is such a things as too much of a good thing! The 4th of July is almost here. The birthday of our coultry reminds us that establishing a new governance is a difficult job, as it is proving to be in IRAQ. I have been told that they can not say the pledge of allegiance in the schools now!! I do not know if that is rue but I wouldl not be surprised. We have gone too far trying to be "politically correct". The next 6 months will be given to a lot of noise by the politicians. None of them will do as much good as the effforts of Warren Buffet and the Bill Gates foundation with the non government money and effort. A friend has sent me an e-mail of a tribute to WW2 vets, who are disappearing at the rate of 2000 a day. I am enclosing the URL http://www.managedmusic.com/beforeyougo.html

We are well settled and happy with our new living arrangement. It is very convenient. It was time for us to make a change. Mary has decreasing ability, parfticulary since the last little stroke that shehad. We have been having tests run to try to find out what all is going on and perhaps we will find out something this week. Whether or not it will be anything that much can be done aboout.
I have just finished readng Madelein Albright's book "The Mighty and the Almighty". It is a good book and emphasizes the need that we need to have a better understanding of the cultures of other peoples to get along in this decreasing world. This is certanly true. I am now reading "The Tipping Point--how little things can make a big difference". This fits one of my favorite quotes
Wen a butteerfly flutters its wings
in one part of the world
it can cause a hurricane in another

The Theater closed its season with the production of "Cats". It was extremely well done. They will open the next season in Sept. with the p;roduction of "The Wizard of Oz"

The organizing of my art supplies and checking what I have is progressing and I have begun to practice trying to get a feel for the water and color and different surfaces. Also doing some reading and refreshing of techniques. What will happen will happen

You might check the recent post of the Riverbend blog from Baghdad. Access from the side bar..

Will close for this posting but will try to make entries to the blog more regularly. In the meantime, the very best to all of you. HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

MAY FLOWERS

The April showers came and the May flowers are blooming. Especially they are in the stores in flats to be planted for the garden, but this year we do not have to do that. We can just admire others efforts. The important thing about the rains is that the roof of Drury Place is fixed and there are no more leaks which is a joyous state of affairs for all.
Mary has recieved her new hearing aids as the old ones did not manage to make the move and probably got thrown out by mistake. She has to get used to the new ones and one of the tricks recommended is for her to read out loud for several minutes each day--this is to train her ear to speech etc. I think that she will read to Cleo and she will become the educated cat. We may introduce her to KOKO and YUM YUM who are the cats in the "Cat Who" book series by Lillian Jackson Braun.. We have been reading her most recent book 'The cat who dropped a Bombshell".
With the coming of the Summer, the Symphony season has closed. The last performance the last of April was "Carmina Burana". This was an outstanding performance and was presented with a choir of 200 voices and three soloists all of whom did an excellent job. The symphony as usual was superb. The English transalation was shown on the side on a small screen. The whole performance was a moving experience. The Motto of the Symphony this year is "Music that moves you" and this certainly did. It is a shame that so much effort goes into such a production and then after one day it is gone. As far as I know they do not make any recordings. The recordings do not "move you" like a live performance. The community theater will be presenting "CATS" in June. I have heard it said that one of the reasons that the muslim world is so backward is that they do not encourage the arts--music, art, etc. Even the prehistoric peoples created rock-art in their caves etc. Bill and Peggy have been having a great time exploring the rock art in the Seminole Canyon area of Texas.
I hve been having a session with some of the residents once a week on the computer trying to get some interest going here at Drury Place.
May is Graduation Month. Our youngest grand child, Corey and our oldest great grand child, Lauren, graduate from High-schol and grandsons Eric and Nick graduate from college. We will go to Corey's graduaion "open house" this afternoon and then tomorrow the graduation ceremony. Then she will be spending the summer working as a life guard and getting ready to go to Kansas University. She will be a 4th generation Jayhawker!
I have been looking over my art supplies and equipment and reading some to refresh on water color painting. I am planning to try to do come painting--will see how it goes. It has been probably 13 or more years since I have tried to paint.
This is Mother's day week end. We may be the only nation which has a special day for Mothers. It is approiate that we do honor the Mothers. The American Indian refered to the earth as Mother earth. We have not been taking the best of care or Mother Earth and Mother nature has not been very happy about it. Mothers are the nurturing force of the world and we learn to be "civilized" at our mother's knee.

The May 2 posting of the BAGHDAD BURNING blog is interesting. You can access it by using the link in the side bar of this blog. She has a different spin on things in Iraq. The Iranian infiltration in Iraq plus the inadequacies of the Iraq governance and police results in the Iranians having 150,000 Americans hostage in Iraq. Another site of interest is INFORMED COMMENT by Juan Cole. the address is www. juancole.com
The political posturing and retoric will be heating up between now and the election. I hope that some concrete improvement will happen in the middle east, but that is probably wishful thinking.
I guess that on that pessimistic note I will close. However, the day is sunny and very pleasant temperture. We will enjoy the day and hope that you all also will have a great day.
HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

APRIL SHOWERS

The trees are blooming, the robins are here, so Spring is busting out all over.
We are settling into our new location. Mary says that we are never moving again. In the process of this move, by some unknown reason we lost some of Mary's summer clothes and her hearing aids. We have to say "huh?" a lot! I have a hearing aid but do not use it most of the time. It does increase the volume of the high frequency tones so I hear more clicks and clacks but there is some question whether that helps any. In the not too distant future we will get it checked out.
The living in the apartment is different but we are enjoying it. The people here are all great and friendly. The meals are good and quite ample. There are activities of one kind and another going on. We have put our 2 tower computers in the activity room and they are connected to my wireless internet connection in our apartment which appears to reach thru most of the building. I have started some instructional session and will get people "wired". Also they can prtactice and the the machines for games and text operations.
Ther in an exercise area with stationary bikes and a weight machine. However, we will continue with our vitacise band exercise program thru the Park and Rec. which we have been doing ever since we have been living in Salina.
The Drury Place Building has a flat roof and it had some leaks and we had a rain and some of the apartments got quite a bit of water! We had a little. The rooofers are here now and a new roof is being installed so we are hoping for not too smuch rain until it is completed. Then, it can rain a lot as we are behind normal in rainfall. The flowering trees however have been "doing their thing" so, there must be some moisture down deep.
Cleo has adjusted to the move. We find that there are severl cats who have brought their "cat moms" here. Cleo has not met them yet but DOMINO a black and white tom lives on the second floor as well as JETTA MARIE and SNOW. TOBY live on the first floor.
We really like our location, it is walking distance (we ahve haven't done it yet) to the grocery, pharmacy, bank and Wendy's and Dairy Queen.
We realize we are are very fortunate. Several of the people here have walking aids of one kind or another and there are 2 with motorized units to get around. Also there is a very spry 97 yr old who is very alert, straight posture and walks with a firm steady gait and takes the stairs with no problem.
I had a small skin cancer on my forehead removed this week. It was quite small and was totally removed.
If you are reading t his, check the "BAGHDAD BURNING" link in the side bar, the April 2 posting is interesing.

Best wishes to all HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

MOVING ON

No blogging occured during February as the month was spent in "MOVING ON" . We have moved to a reitement facility. The name is "Drury Place" and the address is 1000 Schippel Drive Apt. 120 Salina, Kansas 67401. The telephone number and the e-mail remains the same as it was. The process of downsizing to get into a one bed-room apartment took some doing. We got rid of the couch and got a love seat, changed the TV for a thin LCD model etc. Anything smaller and getting rid of unnecessary STUFF enabled us to get the ob done and now we can begin to live "normaly". We hve a small kitchen which will not be used very much because 2 meals a day are furnished. There will be much less house work for Mary to worry about. Even the laundry is reduced as they do the sheets and flat work.
The people are all very friendly and helpful and we will like the new living situationl. The location is good in that we are in walking distance to Wendy's restaurant, grocery store, post office, bank and eveN a liquor store (which we will not need). There are acitivities going on at different times.
We have vowed to not accumulate so much stuff and will ask 2 quetions, where can it go and do we need it!! Mostly anything coming in--something will go out.
Cleo, our cat, was able to be moved with us. She had a lot of boxes etc to explore but mosstly hid under the bed for the first 3 days, but now is out and about and demanding attention and telling us what to do in her singular regal way. We are glad that she could come with us. I was surprised that they would alow small pets but I think tht it is a change for the better in the thinking of geratric management. Some people have been here at Drury Place for 8 to 10 years. One gentelman here is 97 and very active and walks with a spry step. We do see a wide variety of walking asstive units, some with wheels and baskets etc. One person hs been here for 10 years and has a motorized unit.
I have just finished the some 800 page book by Doris Kearns A team of rivals. I has a lot of details in about Abaham Lincoln's :Presidency. It also gives a lot of insite into the living in America during that time. I recomend the book if you have the time.
I think tht the last couple of postinge of the Blog Baghdad Burning are of interest. She tells about the life in Baghdad and one gets a feeling that is not available from the mainstream media. It is a hectic time for the people there. The link to the blog is on the side bar of my blog--just cllick on it.
We have placed our two tower computer machnes in the activity area in the basment of Drury and have them connected and operatng. Hope to get some interest in learning some computing and at least they can be used for some games. I tested one out yesterday and plalyed a game of checkers and won which may be the first time. I have a chess program which I have not installed yet. I plan to get a wireless card nstalled ad then they can have internet access using my connection. I tested and the signal from my transmitter in the apartment reaches into the basement, so we should be able to make it work.
This brings you all up to dae as to the happenings to us. More at a later time.
Sending best wishes to all HAF AKA HAHPPY DOC

=Jan 20 2006
OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!!
The new year has started and we hope that it will be more peaceful and with fewer disasters than 2005. This is a time for me to wish all of the viewers of this blog and very happy new year and best wishes for all of your endeavors.
Here in the middle of Kansas we have had very little winter weather and it is approaching the end of Jan. As with much of the mid-west we are in need of moisture, but we have not had the prairie fires that have been so bad in TX and OK.
I have been lax in making postings to the blog. We are in the process of making changes in our living situation by moving into a retirement living facility. The process takes time and making decisions during the downsizing process. I am very pleaed with the facility, we will have our own apartment and no yard work and very little cooking, as two meals a day are provided. There will be adjustments but I am looking forward to it. The process of getting things ready for the move is slowed down by having to read over old things that you have tucked away and nearly forgot about, It is good to see them again. I have found pictures that were lost, re-read old newsletters, reunion booklets etc which have broght to mind many memories of old friends. Also it is somewhat startling to see the names and pictures of class mates who are now with us only in spirit. I found a Haiku that I wrote on the occasion of a class reunion.
"Old high-school memories
Flowed like well-aged golden wine
Laughter, fed the heart"

We start our mornings with quotations of the Dalai Lama, we were given a day calendar for Christmas, A recent quotation--
The three R's of life
Respect for self
Respect of others
Responsibility for all of your actions.

I am reading a book about Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Title: TEAM OF RIVALS The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.
It is good but big and filled with a lot of information--not real fast going. I need to split up reading time with frivolous, so went to the library today a checked out a Rita Brown book with Sneaky Pie cat and her friends.

I am cutting back some on my involvement with the senior center computer program. I will spend more time with Mary and transportation etc. She has started on some physical treatment session to see if her strength. balance and endurance can be improved.
We were surprised to learn that an old school mate from Ellsworth High is moving into Drury Place about the same time that we will be moving there. Once we get settled I hope to get out my brushes and do some water coloring, it has been probably 12 years since I have wet a brush so we will see what happens--hope for what some call "happy accidents".
May the wind be at your back and the sun on your face
AF AKA HAPPY DOC

WINTER SOLSTICE

I note that it is almost a month since my last posting to the blog. I am believing the adage that time goes faster as one gets older. I have be convetings some VHS tapes to DVD discs and then hve been makeing copies of the DVD's to give to family. The Salina library technology section hs the equipment to do this. I do not have a DVD burner athome. The Nero software at the library did not always work as it shold so I have had to ;make several sessions, but it is grat to have the capability. It is a great asset for the community.
In our lab at the Senior Center we are hoping that in the first of the year we will be able to get broad band connection, which willbe grat for the classes and workshops.The winter solstice is 4 days away. The erth will begin its tilting to increas the length of the day and warming the northern hemisphere. Mother nature decided to prove to us that she still controlls the seasons and this morning there is about 5 inches of snow on the ground! When we go to the library today, I am signing up for a Kansas library card, my old one is out of date. This card allows access to several databases for research--genealogy etc and even the world book. Also, there are some 12000 e-books, so we wil be preparedshold we have to "hunkerdown" until Spring--which is unlikely.
I have added a couple of links to the side bar of this blog. One is a link to Thomas P M Barnett's page and blog. He has information on his thiking and analysis of the world problems. The other lilnk is to "Baghdad Burning" which is a blog by an Iraqi young lady who has been publishing for some time and she gives insite into what it is like to be living conditions they have--limited electricity etc. Her analysis and report of the recent election is interesting. It is amazing that 70% + of registered voters voted, This is better than we do in the USA! The Google "news" link is also ther and clicking on onay of the links will take you to that site.
I question whether the huge oil storage fire in England was all an accident and that the Jihadists did not have a hand in it. Regardless, the international terorist network has to be defeated. The book "The Wests last Chance" by Tony Blankley likens the threat as equal to the Nazi quest for the world in the late 1930's. Probably, the Senate's blockage of the Patriot Act is not the way to do it. In WWII we had to come together and also to temporarily restrict some priveliges to be able to mobilize to get the job done.
We send our very best wishes to all, not just for the Season but for the whole year-and more.
AF AKA Happy Doc
PS. The link to Baghdad burning may not be in the side bar
The URL is:www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com

THANKSGIVING

The golden leaves are now gone and the trees are bare. Large piles of leaves are on the parkings for the vacuum machine to come along. We have mulched all of ours as we ususlly do so hopefully are adding more back to the soil. Of course running the mower adds a little more carbon (5 pounds per gallon)to the atmosphere so you can not win every thing but one does what one can!

I have finished reading Thomas P. M> Barnetts new book "BLUE PRINT FOR ACTION" which is a sequel to "THE PENTAGON'S NEW MAP". I am making my book notes on the book the main part of this blog. Also at his web page (www.thomaspmbarnett.com) you can get mor information and listen to audio recordings of some radio interviews and also his blog etc. I thought that his writings were inportant enough that some time ago I was promted to write my one and only letter to my congressman suggesting his book should be read--I did not get an answer--perhpas the folks there do not read!

TITLE: BLUE PRINT FOR ACTION A future worth creatingAUTHOR: THOMAS P.M. BARNETTlibrary no. 327.73contents:1.what the world needs now Understanding the Seam between war
and peace. A department for what lies between war
and peace. Barnett's A to Z Rule set for processing
politically bankrupt states2. Winning the war through connectedness Connecting the middle east and the
world. creating the new rule set on global terrorism3. Growing the core by securing the east Locking in China at today's prices. In the
Future, America's most important allies will be new
core states. The Trains's engine can travel no
faster than its caboose.4. Shrinking the Gap by ending disconnectedness The coming choices. Tipping points in
the journey from the Gap to the Core. Essential
building blocks for shrinking the gap from within.5. We have met the enemy The resumption of history and the latest
enemy. The convergence of civilizations. The
world made one or just nonzero.This is a sequel or continuation of his earlier book
"The Pentagon's New Map"FUNCTIOINING CORE' Those parts of the world that are actively
integrating their economies into a global economy
and that adhere to globalization's emerging
security rule set. Old Core--America, Europe and
Japan. New Core, whose pillars are China, India,
Brazil and Russia.NON=INTEGRATING GAP: Regions of the world that are disconnected from
the globl economy and the rule sets that define its
stability,--The Caribbean Rim, Andean South
America, virtulayy all of Aftica, portions of the
Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Middle East
and most of Southeast Asia. The main goal and effort of globaliztion is
th "shrink the gap". The military needs to revamp its self into
a war-making component and a peace keeping,
nationbuilding component--post conflict activities.
Thes SysAdm part needs to be just as important as
the warmaking as far as funding etc. In time
should have cabinet level representation.
(?replace Homeland security) To shrink the Gap need to replace hunger. "The
most telling example of misplace funding priorities
is seen in what the Core currently spends on
agricultural subsidies to its own farmers versus
what it would ned to spend to eradicate hunger
inside the Gap....Because we don't facilitate agricultural exports
from the Gap to the Core, we inadvertenlyl lock
many of those nations into long term dependence
on commoditis as their main exports, delaying their
industrial development. The less connected these
states are to the global economy, the more likely
they are to fall into conflict and instability. Spend 10 billion on SysAdmin reconstrucion work
inside the Gap and you'll save the global economy a
good 2- billion or more.

We enjoyed an excellent performance of the "MIKADO" last noght and we will seen the play "The Odd Couple" this Sunday. I have been woking of some power point presentation for use at the Senior Computer learning center and also at some of the Elder living centers. So far, only minimum progress being made in the living centers as many fee that they are "too old" or do not want to try as the machine is too frightening.

Hope that you all have a great THANKSGIVING, we truly do have much to be thankful for.
AF aka happydoc

LEAVES OF GOLD

The Fall colors are beginning. Trees are turning gold and yellow. We do not have many reds--none yet. We have had a lot of butterflies at the zinnia and marigold plants but with begnning to have some cooler temps they are decreasing and continuing on their trek to Mexico.! Witht the beginning of Fall the winter season of the theater and symphony has begun. The theater has performed "Beauty and the Beast". They did a good job. Mary is not into fantasy but it was very good production. The symphony had as its first production of the season, Beethoven's 5th. and the guest performer for the production was Tracy Silverman playing a "strange" instrument--the electric violin. I had never heard one and it can make a lot of different sounds, however and few of them sound like a regular violin. It does go well with modern music so we had a wide variety of musical experience.
With Fall comes football which takes up a lot of the news and ink in the paper as well as TV time. I am sure that it is very popular but I can not get very interested in watching it on TV. Our grand-daughter, Kirsten, who lives in Durago has been playing ladies Rugby footbal, which is more straineous that regular footbal. She did not get it from her grandfather. I have a problem getting on the treadmill and walking as much as I should. Always easy to have an excuse to not do it and be involved in something else.
Let us all hold our breath for the 15 of Oct. The date hopefully of the Iraq referendum on the constitution. I have just finished the book "Night draws Near--Iraq's people in the shadow of American War", by Anthony Shadid. The author is an Arabian-American journalist who has lived in Iraq befor, during the war and after the war and with contacts and friends he has known and met gives a very good reporting of the feeling of the ordinary citizen. We have done some things right but also manythings poorly or wrong. The Infra structure was broke and as some have said it is ot a problem of re-building--it is a problem of re-creating. The author also gives a good reporting of the influence of the religion and of the mosques. He knows the language and the culture .
Of course the problems are not limited to Iraq--bombing in Bali, etc. A book that I have not read as yet, "THE WEST'S LAST CHANCE--will we win the clash of civilizations?", written by Tony Blankley was exerpted in the Washington Times--the newspaper that he is an editor of. "The threat of the radical Islamists taking over Europe is every bit as great to the United States as was the threat of the Nazis taking over Europe in the 1940s. ....The radical Isllamist ae able to rationalize concessions to mofernity with ancient-sounding mumbo jumbo while still sounding like authentic fundamentalists, the only true voice of Islam.
The Nazis overwhelmed german society with these methods 70 years ago. Thjer is bulding evidence that the radical islamists are moving ever more successfully down the same path--particularly withing the younger generations in Europe and , to a lesser extent, in the United States."
The Washington Times is a good newspaper available on the internet--register but it does not cost.
The last posting of "Baghdad Burning" blog--www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com of OCT 3 has an interesting take on the feeling of some regarding the referendum. Of more concern for many is how to live with the problems of scarcity of electricity-transportation, gas, security, food etc.
To change the subject--I have been making some audio-video files using "snagit" as training files--it works quite well. We are trying to get some action going in the Senior living facilities for people to get connected to computing. So far, only minimal success.
Well, I have rambled long enough, I note that it hs been about a month since the last posting--so much for every 2 week plan.
Hope that this finds all in good health and spirit
HAF AKA Happy Doc

GREEN GREEN GRASS ALL AROUND

HI ALL
With the rain that we had in August the grass is more like spring rather that the beginning of Fall. Usually the grass is dry and brown by the end of summer but this year we are having to mow every week and the old saying tht you can seit aroung and watch the grass grow is true!
OF COURSE THE MAJOR CONCERN AND THOUGHTS AT THIS TIME IS THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR PEOPLE OF LA. AND THE SOUTHERN COAST. tHE HAVOC OF KATRINA CAN BE HARDLY FATHOMED. Communities and business, large and small are rallying, but it will be lears if ever that things can be back to "normal" NORMAL will have a different meaning after this . A semi trailer truck left Salina today filled with water and supplies to LA, I do not know how many "bloggers" here might be in the region but there will certainly be many stories of both heroism and despair, and emotional scars running deep. It was thought that we might be getting some refugees here but it is now decided that they willnot come to Salina but to larger cities (I do not know that larger cities are better!).
The $3 a gallon or more for gas may start the country to begin to think about conservation, lower carbon output which iin the longrun might have a beneficial effect on the climate and less destruction..
I just finished reading "The Bell Curve" book. The authors theory is that much of the world's trouble is at the base related to the intellectual capacity of the people, whether by nature or nurture. One thing is certain the re-inventing the Scopes MAN/MONKEY trial is not good evidence of a high intellectual capacity and Kansas is right in the middle of that. Perhaps with the genome projects and reserch we can find some way to improve the intellectural capacity and everyone could take a pill and all problems would go away. Like Dorothy we could follow the yellow brick road from Kansas!
We are trying to develoop a program and interest for computing in the senior/reitement living facilities. I got a laptop computer and am developing some powevpoint presentations to take out the to the locations. I also got SNAGIT AND DUBBIT software which enables stilland video capture from the computer and adding audio if desired. This has good presentation and training potential. I have to learn how to use it now!
This months Atlantinc Monthly magazine has an article on President Lincoln and his depression. It also hs the ideal that perhaps the psychological state of Lincoln also was what enabled him to persevere and guide the country at the time and prevent the breakup and free the slaves.
Time does get away and the posting of the blogs does not happen as regular as it probably should . Best wishes are sent to all
HAF AKA HAPPYDOC.

ENERGY

i labeled this posting ENERGY. As we wind down ths Summer with the dog days Mary and I could use some ENERGY. However the title does not refer to personal energy but is related to the notes on the book "The end of oil" wich I will include.
The computer lab is not active during the month of August--time to get some things caught up etc however. I have made a couple of power point presentations but need some improvement. I have used the library tech center's machne to transfer VHS tape to a DVD. I have transferred some old family movies and some family reunions which I will try to duplicate and then share with the family. I have more that I want to get done. Mary is reading "1776" by David McCullough and likes it very much. we are looking forward to the coming Theater and Symphony seansons.
It is impressive how the British have rounded up the terrorists and in a very short time. I think that their secret service is probably better than ours.
Trust that this finds you hale and hearty and COOL AF AKA HAPPY DOC
BOOK NOTES 12:46 PM 8/2/2005
"THE END OF OIL" by PAUL ROBERTS
Energy and power are inexorably intertwined and

since the industrial revolution energy translates

into hydrocarbons (oil, gas, coal). One of the

striking statistics in book is that for every one

gallon of gas used--5 pounds of carbon are

released!!! The carbon dioxide can not be

cleansed as fast as it is produced, so there is a

global warming and it can not continue especially

as the worlds' energy need will increase

dramatically as the "third" world progresses to

develop and thereby use more energy.
...the warming trend in less than a century has

shown 15 percent shrinking of the polar ice caps, a

ten inch rise in the sea level and widespread

retreat of glaciers, ...longer, more severe droughts,

warmer winters, more floods and hurricanes, the

spread of tropical diseases.
...climate change is not an equal opportunity

disaster....a half-degree change in temperature will

alter the monsoon patterns that now provide much

of Asia with critical rainfall and will reduce crop

yields and displace tens of millions. With even a

small temperture change, more than twenty six

million Bangladeshis would become refugees. As

many as twelve million people would flee Egypt,

while more than twenty million Indians would be

force to migate.
Given the anticipated growth in worldwide

population and economic acivity, most

climatologists believe that even 550 ppm carbon

dioxide is impossible ceiling to impose on an

energy economy that is still even partly reliant on

fossil fuels. If were to have any chance in

stabilizing at that level, it means divesting

ourselves of fossil fuel sometime during the next 4

decades....we must begin developing new energy

technologies and deploying them on a massive

scale in the next twenty years.
Gas being a cleaner source may be a stop-gap to

buy a little time while cleaner and renewable

forms can be developed, Wind -- hydrogen -- clean

nuclear, solar.
The other major factor will be for a change in

life style and conservation of energy use. This

may be a hard sell ("after they have seen Paree!")

but will be important. I listened to a BBC program

where they made an inventory of the energy use of

an English middle class family and compared with

an Indian probably upper class family and the

English one would have to reduce their energy

consumption by two thirds to equal the Indian

Family.

DOG DAYS

We are entering the DOG DAYS of summer. Cleo wonders why there are not CAT DAYS? However I guess that all of the other days ARE cat days. She tells us when to get up, when to feed her, when to get on her perch and look out the door, and when to be combed. The grass is brown, the daisies are gone, the chiggers are ready to attack in the grass, the light of the day has a different appearance and "feel". and of coarse the temperature is hot . Being spoiled Americans, however, we contribute to the imbalance of the planet resources and rate of utilization and somewhtat guiltily enjoy air-conditioning. I trust that we will lnot be as stupid as the EASTER Islanders. The book "COLLAPSE" is very interesting. I will append some notes to this blog. Currently I am reading "THE END OF OIL", recommended by my grand son , Zach. The book is very interesting.. Well, HARRY POTTER is alive and well and the main benefit for humankind is that he has inspired countless kids around the world to READ.. This is great. I noticed that it was released in about 50 languages and even in Braille! There are many areas of the world however that the kids do not have access or money to be able to enjoy a book. The "ROOM TO READ" program tries to do what it can to help . www.roomtoread.org -- establishing libraries, schools, publishing in native languages, scholarships for girls etc. "100 million school age children in developoing world are not enrolled in primary school"
My projedt for August is to convert some of the old VHS tapes to DVD. The new tech center of the library has the facility to do that and next week we will be having a meeting to learn more about it. This is a part of the effort to downsize, organize, and eliminate. and simplify!!! This is at least a year project that Mary and I are committed to.. Wish us luck!
I will append some notes from "COLLAPSE".

BOOK NOTES
COLLAPSE--How societies Choose to Fail or

Succeed--by Jared Diamond see other book notes

by same author "third Chimpansee"

This book is a study of the societies in the past

that have disappeared (Easter Island, Pitcairn,

Anasazi, Maya, Ancient Greece, Norse Greenland),

and of some that were able to adapt or change and

survive.
Societies failed because of one of more of 5

factors
1. damage to environment (usually by people)
2. climate change--temperature --drought
3. hostile neighbors
4. decrease in friendly or supporting neighbors
5 societies response to its problems

The full title of the book should be "Societal

collapse involving an environmental component ,

and in some cases also contributions of climate

change, hostile neighbors, and trade partners, plus

questions of societal responses."

The parallels between Easter Island and the whole

modern world is chillingly obvious. Thanks to

globalization, international trade, jet planes, and

the Internet, all countries on Earth today share

resources and affect each other, just as the

Easter's dozen clans. Polynesian Easter Island

was as isolated in the Pacific Ocean as the Earth

is today in space. When the Easter Islanders got

into difficulties, there was nowhere to which they

could flee, nor to which they could turn for help,

nor shall we modern Earthlings have no recourse

elsewhere if our troubles increase. Those are th

reasons why people see the collapse of Easter

Island society as a metaphor, a worse case

scenario, for what may lie ahead of us in our own

future.
In the study of modern societies the author refers

to Australia, China, Haiti/Dominican Republic.
....the world cannot sustain China and other Third

World countries and current First World countries

all operating at the First World levels. ...My best

case scenario for the future is that China will

recognize that its environmenetal problems pose

an even graver threat than did its probelm of

population growth. It may then conclude that

China'a interests require environmental policies as

bold, and as effectively carried out as its family

planning policies.
....these past and recent reappraisals of values

were achieved despite being agonizingly diffficult.

...They may inspire modern First World citizens

with the courage to make the most fundamental

reappraisal now facing us: How much of our

traditional consumer values and Fisrst world living

standard can we afford to retain?
...it won't be easier to reduce our impact, it won't

be impossible either....cause for hope is another

consequence of the globalized modern world's

interconnectedness. ...While the Easter Islanders

were busy deforesting the highlands of their over

populated island'''they had no way of knowing

that, thousands of miles to the east and west at

the same time, Greenland Norse society and the

Khmer Empire were simultaniously in terminal

decline, while the Anasazi had collapsed a few

centruries earlier, Maya society a few more

centuries before that, and the Mycenian Greece

2,000years before that. Today...we see, hear or

read about what hapened in Somalia or

Afghanistan a few hours earlier. Our television

documentaries and books show us in graphic

detail why the Easter Islanders, Maya and other

past societies collapsed. We have the oportunity

to learn from the mistakes of distant peoples and

past peoples. That's an opportunity that no past

society enjoyed.

Queen Cleopatra delivers a Royal Edict
Posted by Hello

SUMMER

Summer solstice minus 1 or 2 (I never can remember). The Swedes in Linsborg (little Sweden) will be celebrating. I almost made my deadline of posting every 2 weeks. The past two have gone by rapidly. Some of you know and some do not that Mary fell and broke a rib so we are operating with only one horse and a half. I have learned some new skills such as doing the laundry. Mary is healing but impatient and tired of hurting. I may not hear too well but I am faintly hearing the swish of the scythe of Father Time. We look at other living settings but are well situated where we are, we just havt to stay on our feet!
Presently, I am reading "COLLAPSE- how societies choose to fail or succeed" by Jared Diamond who also wrote "Guns, Germs and Steel" and "The Third Chimpanzee". He is a remarkaable mental giant . So far I have just got the story of the Easter Islanders, South Polynesian islands, Anasazi, Maya. I am sure that there will be some guidelines drawn for our own times. I will let you kknow in future posting. Grandson Zach commented to my last post on June 3 that he was reading "the end of oil" by Paul Roberts and he recommends it, highly. I suspect that it has to do with the hydrogen revolution, perhaps he will let us know more about it.
We are glad that the CLASS (Community Learning and Skills Sharing) program which was stopped because of funding problems is being taken over and sponsored by the library and will start up in September . They have hired a new director/coordinator. The new technology center at the library is top of the line with new computers fast internet, WiFi for portable, teaching area-with 10 work stations--design studio area to create DVD--copy VHS and slides etc.
Compuiterwise, I have been making a couple of POWEROINT presentations to use in our learning center program at the Senior Center.
Queen Cleopartra, the cat, has just made and edict from her throne (the chair which was supposed to have been mine) that you all must take care of yourselves and enjoy. We have a symbiotic relationship--she commands and I obey!
HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

TIME PASSES

Where does time go? If we stand still will it come around again? I think that once it passes it is gone. A friend sent us an email with som interesting information of conditions in 1905. In 1905 just 2 years after my mother and father's marriage there were only 800 miles of paved roads in the country.I will try to be more regular in posting to the blog in the future. However good intentions alone will not get it done. Taking care of the medical items first so more interesting things might come to mind. Mary has , with her new medical program from Mayo's has been having her blood pressure TOO LOW. After consulting with our Mayo contact the dosages have been reduced and she is better but further adjustments may still be needed. I decided that I would see what my pressure was doing and it got my attention because I did not have the divice positioned properly. However, even after doing it correctly my systolic pressure is higher tht they recommend so I have been keeping a record and have seen the Dr and some tests are in the works and I suppose that I will be put on som type of program. Saline received quite a bit of good publicity with the GLOBAL FLYER, now it is a location for casting call for the TV series SURVIVOR. I undertand tht they interview about 800 people to come up witn 16 for the show. It is possible that the next segment may have a Salinian or at least a Kansan. We will hve to watch to see. The main Tv that I watch is C-span on the week ends. Even the French open this year is not of as much interest as Americans have not been doing well and the names of the participants are all strange to us. The Rolling Hills Wild Life Adventure museum has opened and it is trly remarkable. All of the animals are in a natural habitat and there is no glass. There are also animated figures with audio. It should increas tourism and also attendance to the Zoo which is part of the same complex. The library has opened its new technology section and it is state of the art. It has a bank of computers with internet and hi speed connection, a training room with computers and projection for classes, computers for business software. There are also 4 computers for searching library information data bases. Also a digitaldesign center for scanning, converting VHS to DVD or CD, slides to cd etc. My reading has been varied, from Thomas Friedman's :The world is flat", Karen Armstrong's "The battle for God", Richard Miniter's "Shadow War" with some "fluff" such as "The Cat Who--". Have to keep up with Koko and Yum Yum. I am trying to learn about Power Point to make up some slide show for the Senior learning center. I have a lot to learn. With time it seems to go more slowly! I will try to be more regular in posting. I do want to let all know that it is possible to make comments and they will show up on my "Gmail" email in box. Just click on the "comments at the end of the blog and a dialog window open to make a comment and send it. For now will close this but will send a brief note that new has been added--saves writing as many letters and can be utilized in other ways as one gets on to how to do it all. you all take care A Flanders aka Happy Doc

Home in Salina, KS

The trek home was by modern Plny express or stage coach route. John drove us to Bethany, Mo and the "Old folks" changed at the McDonalds "stage stop" and Phil drove and delivered us in Salina in time to see the youngest Grandchild and he friendds in their Junior-Senior Prom finery. I will not go into the "old days" when tuxes, limos etc were not part of the "scene". However it was fun to see the yong ladies and young men and of course there were doting parents and grandparents. The city and parents make quite a deal--all the high schools (3) have their parom on the same night and after their dinner they have a "lock in" at the mall with dancing, games, prizes etc. until morning hours--a safe and sane celebration! Finally, we are un-packed and the mail sorted and we are about ready to resume our life here; including mundane things like laundry, mowing, spraying dandelions etc. Our cat "Cleo" has had a lot to tell us and we agree with her but do not know what we are agreeing to. Mary has started on her new medicines and is soing ok. This is enough for this posting. More later Happy Doc aka SENIORGEEK aflanders_98@yahoo.com haflanders@gmail.com

Mayo Experience

The Mayo clinic covers a large part of the downtown of Rochester, Mn. The 2 major buildings are some 20 stories high and there are other smaller buildings and hospital which are all connected by subway corridors or by skyways so that people can move from on building to another. People come from all over to have their health p;roblems evaluated and for tretment.

This made me think of Hippocrates, the father of medicine, on the Greek island of Kos in the 400's BC. There, people came to be evaluated and treated. Much of the treatment then was only with simple measures and a certain amount of mysticism. The modern evaluations and treatment is p;erformed by doctors, nurses and technicians with the use of complicated machines using w-rays, ultra-sound waves and the "magic of 1's and 0'sof digitization. All the records and results of the tests are fed into the computer system. Every examining and consultation room has sits computer. The patient's record can be brought up and checked from any location.

"Pilgrim" Mary was checked by doctors, nurses and technicians and all of the mocern machins were used to evaluate her health. The end result is that she is doing ok except the high blood presssure needs to be brought under better control and to wear compression stockings for her varicose veins.

So, we are going home relieved and planning on enjoying and "keep on keeping on". We are returning home Saturday, Ap;ril 16.

For myself, I have had a relaxing time and able to do some interestsing reading and finding some new interesting books to follow up on. Also, I have been thinking about some special interests courses we could get together for the Senior Computer Lab.

Hope is all is well with all HAPPY DOC aka Alden