Monday, the 30th day of July, 2012

The XXX Olympiads are happening in London, UK as I write this. Opening Ceremonies were on Friday (Fish & chips/bangers & mash/Guinness & Bass were de rigueur) even though the football/soccer tournament started two days earlier…  A significant item for me (since I have four daughters) is the fact that – for the first time – there are more girls than boys in the US Team (the reason for that being that our boys did not qualify in soccer, and our girls did). Furthermore, every one of the over 200 participating countries has sent women to the games, even if some of the girls have to run with their heads covered and in full-body suits… Progress is progress!

…and then there was the Sparta “Oriental Night” experience… Good Lord! Homemade sushi, Thai rolls, sake, artichoke crowns, pot stickers, plum wine, Japanese whiskey, oriental salad, pepper beef over white rice, ice cream on cinnamon shells with macerated fruits and caramel, and two types of fortune cookies! Thank you host (Buffet Bill a.k.a. known as “What else Bill”) and hostess (Saint Ginny)… God I love good food, sprinkled with the appropriate libation, and in good company!

Please share with me your thoughts on the following: do you think that restrictions on possession of military-intended weapons by the general public are a violation of the 2^nd Amendment to the USA Constitution? If you have an opinion either way, please share your rationale with me… (Try to be more personal than “The Founding Fathers didn’t know fire arms beyond muskets”, or “The 2nd Amendment does not exclude any type of arms”…)

Some trivia for you… Did you know there are 748 children in the Van Buren County school system, from K to 12? And did you know that it costs, an average of under $8,100 to school a child in this county per year? And did you know this average cost is about 10% lower than the state average?

Now, the recommended book: “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski. Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar leads an idyllic life with his parents in a farm in Northern Wisconsin where they raise dogs. Edgar’s father dies and an uncle moves in; the idyll is in peril…

(If you have books to recommend, please send me the info – No 50 Shades of Gray, please!)

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“Fortunate is the person who has developed the self-control to steer a straight course toward his objective in life, without being swayed from his purpose by either commendation or condemnation.”

 - Napoleon Hill

So, stay the course, my friends…     

Tuesday, the 24th day of July, 2012

Went to a Chamber of Commerce meeting this past week… It was a meeting open to all; Van Buren County Commission and City of Spencer Commission were invited. The issue to share/discuss was a proposal submitted by Fender/Morgan to the chamber for the revitalization of Downtown. What is being proposed, at this time, is the production of a couple of studies to determine scope, span, priorities, costs, projects and their eventual execution. The three key entities to make this happen, at this stage, are: the chamber, the City Commission and the County Commission. Their main accountability is the identification of and application for Government Grants (Federal and State) to fund these studies. I think we are up to a great start, but also to an uphill climb, and here is why: of the City Commission, only one alderman attended and her attendance there was limited to “listen”; on the County side, only the Mayor and one commissioner attended (out of nine, I believe… However, the wife of the Chairman of the County Commission passed away on the day of the meeting; his absence was quite justified). According to Fender/Morgan, in all other efforts of this kind around the state, the County or City own the initiative and the chamber supports it; in this case, both the County and City have yet to  ‘show up’, with the people at the chamber having led the efforts so far… I will be going to the next meeting of the County Commission and get their position on this initiative. By the way, the next meeting on this subject is Thursday, August 16^th 2012, 6PM CST, at the Chamber of Commerce. Please come if you can.

We all have heard enough already about the shooting in Colorado. I only wish there was a way to tell when somebody’s mind starts to decay and tending towards that type of violence so it could be diagnosed, treated and prevent all the loss! Only a wish!

Went this past weekend for lunch to a friends’ house in Phase III; they split their time between South Florida and Hawks Bluff. They ordered from their preferred fishery in Florida (and had flown in overnight) fresh jumbo shrimp, sea scallops, baked clam in their shells, and a blue marlin spread that was second to none I’ve ever had. Lunch was an experience which ended too soon! After lunch we sat around in the terrace for a good conversation, and some folks engaged in an abbreviated wine tasting… Made it back home sometime after 7PM (extended lunch!) The food was great, the host & hostesses were most gracious, and the company simply superb! It is going to be a tall order to top this one!

Brief political note: this past week there was cloture in the US Senate regarding Outsourcing Tax Credits – The measure was rejected by a 56-42, with 2 not voting. Here is the deal: Current tax law allows for the cost of moving jobs overseas to be deducted as a business expense. S. 3664, sponsored by Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., would end that tax break while continuing to allow a deduction for jobs returned to this country or moved within the United States. The bill would provide an additional tax credit for 20 percent of the cost of moving jobs back to the United States. On July 19, the Senate rejected, 56-42, a motion to take up the bill, which would encourage companies to bring jobs back to the United States. The motion fell four votes short of the 60 needed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed made by Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Four Republican Senators, Scott P. Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins and Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, and Dean Heller of Nevada voted with all participating Democrats to take up the legislation. No further action is scheduled on the bill. Our Tennessee senators voted as following:

Ø  Sen. Lamar Alexander voted NO

Ø  Sen. Bob Corker voted NO

They both voted to continue the current tax law which allows for the cost of moving jobs overseas to be deducted as a business expense. Who the hell are they representing?

Now, the recommended book: “For One More Day” by Mitch Albom. It is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond. It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?

A day like today in 1783, 229 years ago, Simon Bolivar, liberator of five countries (Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador & Peru) and founder of another (Bolivia), was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He "is today considered one of the most influential politicians in American history." - Wikipedia

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“Talent is God-given; be humble.  Fame is man-given; be grateful. Conceit is self-given; be careful”

- John Wooden

So, stay humble, grateful and careful, my friends…

Thursday, the 19th day of July, 2012

Most of my commentaries today refer to the political morass we live in today… Do the clowns we sent to Washington really represent us? Or do they think they owe their allegiance only to the lobbyists who fill their pockets or to the sectarian and extremist faction they take sides with (I'll omit names)? So, on to the soapbox I go...

There is a critical shortage of qualified labor to fill about two million (that is 2,000,000!) open technical jobs in the US, requiring medium to high level technical skills; our schools are not producing the educated work force needed to fill those jobs so the country can increase productivity and our economy can grow; something is not working, right? On the other hand, there are some folks who are hell-bent on cutting budgets on education and R&D (“teachers make too much money”… Perhaps they believe that proficiency in and mastery of Quantum Physics or Differential Calculus will be achieved by home-schooling???)…  Meanwhile the clowns we send to Washington choose to use their time on voting to repeal Obamacare for the 33^rd time!

There is a fiscal crisis (dubbed the ‘fiscal cliff’) that is coming our way when, at the end of the year, all of our taxes will go up and severe budget cuts will go into effect in areas that would translate into job losses for hundreds of thousands across the country. There is a need for people from both parties to get together and work out some compromises (yes, COMPROMISES!) to avert this crisis… Meanwhile the clowns we send to Washington choose to use their time on voting to repeal Obamacare for the 33^rd time!

The going rate for a fixed 30 years mortgage is about 3%, give or take ½ a point. However, I learned this week that the going rate for student loans, the loans which finance much of the future work force of our country, is about 9%; yes, you are seeing right. In my opinion, going to college is not a luxury; however the banks are treating it as such and allowed to do so… Meanwhile the clowns we send to Washington choose to use their time on voting to repeal Obamacare for the 33^rd time!

Phew! It is off my chest; time to get down from my soapbox...

Moving up to positive grounds: Greg Gendusa posted in Facebook a letter he received from the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC) regarding Rocco Toscano still having to comply with the stabilization of ditch lines to avoid sediments entering the water; they said Rocco is still negotiating with contractors to get the job done… Good news. Thanks Greg for the update. We’ll keep an eye open to see when the work is done…

Now, the recommended book: “Exodus” by Leon Uris. Uris is a master of inserting fictional characters and sub-plots within the context of actual historical events. This is a story nested inside the process of the creation of the State of Israel after WWII. A must read!

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail.”

- Abraham Maslow

So, keep expanding your bag of tools, my friends…

Monday, the 16th day of July, 2012

Strawberries & cream! What a match the Wimbledon gentlemen championship it was! Scotsman Andy Murray was the first Britton to get to the finals since 1938, against one of the most talented of champions of all times, Roger Federer… Federer prevailed, but Murray gave a good account of himself… Worth watching!

Independence Day came and went with all the BBQs, fireworks, red-white-&-blue ornaments and paraphernalia, pledges of allegiance, Hymns of the Republic and all those good things; pool parties were great!... Local elections are in about three weeks from now (August 2^nd, I believe)… If you are a registered voter here, get out and vote; I don’t care who or what you vote for… Vote! Jan and I already did!

Participated on the 5K race for Van Buren County Home Coming day on July 13^th. Of 36 entrants I was the oldest; so, it was incumbent upon me to look after the youngsters, and bring up the rear ensuring nobody was left behind (that’s another way of saying that I came in last!) And it was fun! Went back to the square later in the afternoon and enjoyed the company of friends/neighbors, some food, and music. Good time!

The rain finally came! It might have been a little too late for some crops, but it came anyway; gardens, lawns, creeks, ponds, fruit trees needed the rain! Hopefully now we won’t break any heat records as many other locations around the lower 48 are forecast to do…

Not too many things worth taking about regarding Hawks Bluff. We are seeing more houses being offered for sale in most phases as well as empty lots.  No sale has taken place that I know of… One more case of a water well going disable on a bluff lot in Phase I… Lots of deer around, does with fawns (many twins), and one especially handsome 8-pointer buck (still on velvet) that comes to our stump in the back almost every day…

Now, the recommended book: “The Appeal” by John Grisham. After a jury in a District Court finds a company guilty of polluting the area with deadly consequences, the case is appealed to the State Supreme Court. Plaintiff sets out to buy a favorable verdict…

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

 - Father James Keller

So, keep on sharing your light, my friends…

Tuesday, the 3rd day of July, 2012

There is no need for me to repeat what’s already been posted in our Hawks Bluff Friends group in Facebook; but I will acknowledge the fact that the clearing/cutting/bush hogging of some areas and road sides in Phases II, III & IV (Phase I has not been touched) has created an active and (mostly) positive discussion, and prompted the participation and opinions of many folks (some new, some old); and this is good… Let’s keep the conversation and exchange of ideas going, flush out some action items and, as one of the newer saying goes “let’s do this”, whatever ‘this’ may turn out to be… Armond D’Arcangelo proposed for us to meet as a group (home/property owners) and start asking questions about the benefits we in Hawks Bluff are getting from our County Property Tax dollars; I am ready to roll! Greg Gendusa shared an update on his actions addressing the proper authorities to look into our plight regarding roads, grid and drainage; much appreciated effort! (Need more detail on this to assess how the rest of us can support/help these initiatives). He also proposed the ‘resurrection’ of a newsletter and I think that is a great idea; I will support it as long as it keeps a positive approach, being practical and informative, and without editorializing that could give the impression of representing a crusade against anyone.

Went to Gainesville, FL this past week to help Alex with her move to Alpharetta, GA. Got there on Wednesday; loaded on Thursday; drove up on Friday; unloaded (with Jan, Alex & Leah) on Saturday and the morning of Sunday. The weather proved to be the challenge, as I anticipated, but it was not the wet part as I thought; it was the HEAT instead (up to 109 ̊̊F)! Without boring you with the details, I will share that I have met my quota for aerobic and power workout through, at least, the end of 2014!

A rare (but necessary) policy note. The Supreme Court Of The United States (SCOTUS) made a significant rulings this past week: the upholding of the part of the AZ Immigration law that allows a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) to pass judgment on whether a person is legally or not in this country and, therefore, having the right to ask “show me your papers”. This loose/ambiguous  approach to Law Enforcement troubles me; consider this hypothetical yet plausible scenario: I’ve lived here - my country and my home - for 34 years now, seven years as a legal resident first - green card carrier - and subsequently 27 more years as an US Citizen; but, because on my appearance and my accent any LEO could use his/her judgment to ask me for my papers and, if I don’t produce them (I don’t carry either my Certificate of Naturalization or my passport with me all the time), he/she has the power to detain me, accuse me of breaking the law, and deprive me of some of my rights until I am allowed to clarify my status (guilty until proven innocent). And all this based on his/her judgment, not any of my actions. Next step maybe to require me to carry a yellow symbol on my outer garment??? Outrageous!

Now, the book of the week: “The Verdict” by John Grisham. After a set of rigged trials and appeals, a man accused of murder is to be executed in Texas. Another man, who claims to be the real killer, comes forward right before the execution. The system did not work. The fallout ensues…

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“Extremism, of any kind, is toxic and often lethal. And the pathetic part of it is that extremists never see themselves as such.”

 - Anonymous

So, stay reasonable, my friends…

Monday, the 25th day of June, 2012.

Happy (belated) Fathers Day to all fathers or fathers-to-be out there… I found out the day before Fathers Day from my son-in-law, a father-to-be himself, that my oldest daughter, Clarissa, is expecting a boy. My second daughter, Valentina, did a sonogram on her and they saw the ‘evidence’… Talking about Valentina, she turned 28 years old this past Friday, June 22^nd. Happy Birthday, Tini!

…and the Miami Heat did it! They practically dismantled the Oklahoma Thunder (p.k.a. Seattle Supersonics) in five games… Although I was skeptical (thought that LeBron might deflate like last year) they played with heart, they played smart, and they had good coaching… Congrats to Miami! Additionally, the Yankees have the best record in baseball, have gone 16-5 in June and managed last night to disassemble the Mets ace who had not allowed a run in about almost 50 innings! By the way, I heard that the Miami Marlins had been sent down to Double A league, where they rightfully belong!

There are some news about our Phase I here in Hawks Bluff… The first one is that new construction is going up on Horseshoe Drive, on lot 222 (or may be 223?) right across the street from the Fergusons… We saw Peter Talbot this past Thursday here in the development (we were looking after an hours-old fawn we found in the middle of the road) and he talked to us regarding the new construction going up; Peter and Rachelle used to own the Heritage Homes dealership in town and now own a Timber Block dealership after Heritage went belly up… Second news is that, of the four houses for sale in Phase I, there is a contract already on one of them (the one right across the street from the old Suarez house in Forest View Drive); however, there seems to be a snag – pay attention: the agent representing the seller (who is the person I got this information from) has been told by the agent representing the buyer that the FHA would not accept/approve the appraisal of the house because - are you ready for this? - there is no POA, or HOA, or anybody else responsible for the maintenance of the roads in the development! Now, this is third-hand information; I trust my source (the agent representing the seller), but I know nothing about the original source (the agent representing the buyer). I will editorialize no further; let you swallow slowly; and leave you to ponder. In further news, several of us were talking with the selling agent mentioned above and she was asked about the current situation with the Real Estate market; she said: for homes under $100K the market is showing signs of life; it is not great (it isn’t even good) but there is life; for homes over $100K, the market is pretty much still as slow as before; and as for land, forget it, you cannot even give it away!

Going to Gainesville, FL this coming Wednesday to help Alex with her move to Alpharetta, GA; the weather may be conspiring to make my life a little bit more challenging since Debby, as in Tropical Storm Debby, has stalled over the Florida Peninsula, moving with a slow drift, and threatening with dumping water all over the place for the foreseeable future…UGH!

Now, the book of the week: “A Nation of Wusses” by Ed Rendell, ex-Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell addresses the political climate that has led to the demise of the original American Spirit that made this nation great: the spirit to take risks, the spirit to stand for what you believe. Be right or be wrong, but first and foremost, be genuine and real! Politicians, of all political persuasions, are letting polls – instead of their own conscience - dictate policy.

Last, but not least, food for thought:

“If you find an abandoned fawn (or any other wild animal), call me and I will come and get it; I then will take it to the appropriate re-habilitation and reintroduction center. Keeping it or taking it to any unlicensed/unauthorized place is illegal!

 - Kyle Walling – Regional Game Warden

So, stay playing by the rules, my friends…

Wednesday, the 13th day of June, 2012

My only sibling, my sister Ligia, turned sixty one this past Monday, June 11^th … She was the first born to my parents 16 months before I did, and has always been a good girl… She is the person I’ve known the longest, the human being with the closest DNA to mine, and my longest living friend. Happy Birthday!

And the Miami Heat did it to the Boston Celtics! I was somewhat less than confident about whether the Heat would prevail in this series or not… It took them seven games and dominated clearly in the last two games… Now they meet the Oklahoma Thunder in the NBA finals (Oklahoma? Are they sure? Since when do they have anything other than football in Sooner-land???) Although they already dropped game one, I will continue to root for the Heat with a healthy dose of skepticism…

Officially started the process of helping Alex move from Gainesville, FL to Alpharetta, GA… She came up this past week-end from FL to GA bringing some stuff and we met here at her apartment on Sunday. We hanged some shelving for her and also a ceiling fan; she assembled a shelving stand, a microwave oven cart and tested her new oven… We all had lunch and then hit the road in opposite directions…

I used to be an avid reader throughout all my life (in several occasions I read the dictionary – both Spanish and English - cover to cover). In recent years I developed Arterial Hypertension (a.k.a. high blood pressure) and the medication(s) to control it had drowsiness as one of their side effects; the drowsiness manifested at its worst when I would try to read – I could never again read more than two pages without falling asleep; so I gave it up. Several weeks ago, by chance I grabbed a book to review it and, after reading the prologue – much to my surprise – I was able to read on without falling asleep. So, books beware… I’m back! So, here is a new section: recommended book.

Recommended Book: “Trinity” by Leon Uris - Relates the story of several generations of Irish Catholics, their struggle to stay and survive in their homeland, the constant and fierce conflict with Irish Protestant, and their different views of the centuries-long British occupation of Ireland. Good entertainment and learning opportunity.

Now, food for thought:

“In the end, big government or small government is neither the question nor the answer. It is effective government that matters. And you can’t be effective if you are a wuss.”

 - Ed Rendell – Ex Governor of Pennsylvania

So, stay true to your principles, my friends…