Pre-Owned Proprietor Of A Pre-Owned And Pre-Paid....

I have just learned from an entertainer, blessed with gallows humor that our language seem to be fine-tuned to let us learn to cope with one the results of global free-trade; The general deterioration of our living standards and the slow but sure evaporation of the middle classes in the countries of the so - called First World.

This is why during the last few years, assumedly under the banner of “Commercial Correctness” the expression “used“, as applied to objects was replaced by the word “pre-owned”.

Come what may, it sounds just an iota more prosperous and the buyer is  more inclined to bite, since now he/she will be the proud owner ( providing the payments are kept up) of something that is more “pre-owned” rather than something “used.”

In this scenario one can visualize a gallant on cloud nine, motoring his “pre-owned” vehicle home from the City Hall with his “pre-owned “ ( divorcee) wife to the jointly acquired “pre- owned” house-trailer, equipped with “pre-owned” furniture from the local “ Pre-Owned Mart”.--- Such idyll --

And they say this is just the beginning? 

Doomsday Scenario A Day, Will Smooth Your Worries Away

                                                                           
Can't speak for others but it seems to me that Doomsday theories are the main staple of some of the educational and geographical channels on our TV.

I just got over the fear endured by the idea of the giant tsunami generated by part of some island sliding into the Atlantic ocean far-far away. - I started to feel good again, breeding normally, like on a bad date when I was young. Even started to criticize some taxes and learned to live with some awful commercials. Indeed I started to spray the over advertised Breeze to freshen things up around the TV.

Then, I dropped in to see a friend. His TV was on, and surprise! He was anxiously watching a "science" program describing the possibility of rays from a distant 'Death Star' wiping out all of our debts, hopes and doubts- together with our lives.

Since then, within a couple of weeks, I had the opportunity to find out from a Science show, what life on Earth will be without people, the future without oil. Accepting the possibility of snooping aliens lurking on deserted highways waiting to abduct perfect specimens of homo-sapiens to examine in spaceships with functional but well cooled interiors.

Still, I have learned to adjust to just about everything that may can happen to us on this planet of unlimited potential. Well, that's what we are told.

Everything started to click again, until on a sunny day with a goofy smile on my face, I was stretched out in a dentist chair, staring at the TV embedded in the ceiling. I just started to relax as the freezing started to work, anticipating a painless tooth extraction.

And suddenly, the screen on the tube started to show a preview from an upcoming TV series. On the screen, up to now placid wild animals started to organize with intellect for the purpose of attacking humans and even tasting them, accompanied by the flashing of HEALTHY teeth and disgusting smacking of lips. -

I have reached my breaking point and murmured to the dentist to PLEASE bring on the tools of the trade and extract the damn tooth. After everything I have seen, I am sure I could live in a world with no teeth, eating baby food.

 However, I could be wrong. A Super Storm, like the one playing on the tube could knock out the power. --Then what?

---

Options:

He Is Wise In The Ways Of Marriage

                                                      
                                                                          (Someone sent this to me )

Comleted or Finished?  No dictionary has ever been able to define satisfactorily the difference between "complete" and "finished." 

 

 However, during a recent linguistic conference, held in London , England , and attended by some of the best linguists in the world. Samsundar Balgobin, a Guyanese linguist, was the presenter when he was asked to make that very distinction.  

 

The question put to him by a colleague in the erudite audience was this: “Some say there is no difference between ‘complete’ and ‘finished.’  Please explain the difference in a way that is easy to understand.”

 

Mr. Balgobin’s response: “When you marry the right woman, you are ‘complete.’  If you marry the wrong woman, you are ‘finished.’  And, if the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are ‘completely finished.”

 

His answer received a five minute standing ovation.

Really! This is the best city to live in North America?

                                                                            


Almost on a regular basis, we are informed by the media that this  or that city is the best place to live in Canada or the U.S.

The criteria for selecting the fortunate city is complex but apparently accepted by the public. Who cares? The fortunes of one or another city are brightened, at least for a while.

However, some people evaluate a city's livable potential by what they see on popular programs on television.

Here is the rendition of a "Down to Earth" person who is a regular viewer of a well-known "Soap Opera".

 His favorite city is the central place of the story. Briefly, this is what he told me. The city has sky -scrappers like any large city has traffic jams and everything else.

Ah, but now comes the quality of life in the city. To start with , crime must be practically non-existent. Police headquarters is a model of peace and tranquility. There is no hurry, and peace and quiet is the overriding impression inside the building.

The Chief of Police is a pleasant person. His son, without much ado became a detective and reports to daddy Chief. Crime must be very - very low in this desirable city.

The Chief and his top detective son is almost always tied up investigating the sneaky, often illegal doings of two icons of American industry and their family members. While the youngsters don't seem to be attending places of higher learning, they sure as hell involved in the running of multi billion dollar companies. Practically everyone of these  people served time for various crimes, sometime for murder. Still, the good life in the city is rolling on. Every two month or so,  a wedding is thrown in with corny and cruelly long home made wedding vows by the couples.

You never see poor people, run down neighborhoods and food banks. Working conditions for the police must be the envy of other city's on the continent. The chief's detective son is often
seen home during the day untangling complex matters involving his wife and her connections.

One could go on describing the marvels of this urban center as shown on this vehicle of cultural enrichment, commonly called television.

However, common  sense cautions me not to give away more or there may be a stampede for this city of peace, calm and interrelated plutocracy blessed with unlimited opportunity in their police department blessed with splendid working conditions.

Ouch Doc! That Really Hurt!

                                                                                   
The good old days. A few years ago I was anxiously sitting and shaking in my sneakers in the dentist's chair, waiting for the prognosis. After reviewing the X- rays my dentist quietly announced that I will need a root canal to save the tooth that happened to be one of my yellowing molars that looked like a vampire's tooth in a B movie.

Two appointments were scheduled for the procedure. At the end of the second session my molar was as good as they come.They years passed and beyond the periodical visits for checkups I had no other contact with the dental office.

One day my doctor's practice was taken over by a new young dental surgeon. -- She was pleasant and appeared to be up to date on leading edge procedures.--Shortly after I was told another molar needed a root canal, similar to the first one. Then,I was advised that she does not do root canals on molars and referred me to a specialist- next door.The specialist, at specialists' fees, needed two sessions for the process. No problem.

During the session, I happily smiled that this is all over and in a few minutes I will be out of there and soon will be chomping on some delicious bits of something not harmful to the newly repaired tooth.

Good things and happy state of minds don't last for ever. The specialist approached me smiling. I opened my mouth expectantly so she will be able to put in the filling as the final touch.--And then she said, " Sorry,I can't put in the filling -The rules don't allow it, you have to make an appointment with your dentist for that".

I thanked her, relieved from my tooth induced pain, and a large sum of money I went home, turned on the TV to distract my thoughts of the disappointment concerning an additional appointment.
As designated by chance the TV shown one of those Nature programs where two laughing hyenas were feasting on one carcass.--

I hope the gods will forgive , but I could not help thinking that this show is in line with my experience.--Such is life.

We Can Control The Climate But Unable To Manage Population Growth?

                                                                           


Since Climate Change in one form or another seem to be on the media menu almost everyday,
I take the liberty and publish again something I had scribbled some time ago.

It is relevant today and is not going to disappear like the Dodo Bird. Read on if you wish.

The subject of the real and well trumpeted climate change came up in a free wheeling discussion among a small group of people while having a coffee.

Frankly, the subject palls me, as I have heard just about every argument surrounding the issue.
Nevertheless, one of the debaters expressed his view, and frankly I am still thinking about the validity of his line of reasoning.

This is what he said: " I am not denying that something is going on with the climate. Climate change has been going on for thousands of years. That is the main reason that today we are not debating sitting atop a glacier that used to cover most of the Northern part of the continent.

 What is up for debate is whether human activities are the major cause to what seem to be escalating climate change. Accepting this, we should identify the contributing human activities and do something about them."

"If human activities are the problem, then, any political solution will be nothing but a band-aid solution and we will pay for it big time.---- Because whatever we come up with, no matter how much we pay, any such solutions will be quickly outstripped by human population expansion.

Based on the current situation, as human numbers increase, so, too, does the amount of carbon emissions from human activities. Why circle around the problem? We should place a cap-and-trade tax on human procreation.

We are already close to share the planet with 8 billion people and there is no indication that the growth of population will slow down."

Roughly this is what he said. One does not automatically accept this gentleman's reasoning. Nevertheless, some people may find it interesting.----- I did.

A Note About Scammers Praying On Lonely Hearts

Almost incredulous how scammers can fool us with clever tricks and by the use of applied psychology. Naturally, most of us using a computer or some other device will say that is ridiculous and only dummies can be victims of con artists using the computer to fool their marks.

Putting into simple terms, the fact is the scammer try to trick us to hand over our money. Simple as that. And often they are successful.

Dating web sites are favored by some scammers, knowing that lonely people are vulnerable and often are hoping, even against the caution whispered by their subconscious. Scammers are creative and people from all walks of life have been freed from their money shattering their misplaced trust and hope.

The ability to hope for a favourable outcome makes lives at the very least bearable. Scammers know this and are sophisticated in the manipulation of the potential victim's mind.--Make sure it is not you.