Journal Entries
Early Valentines
Posted Feb 11, 2009
I just received a snail mail card from one of my daughters.
*To Daddy
Happy Valentines Day
Even though you were busy
when I was a child, I always
knew you were doing it for
me. You always tried to support
us, to make sure we were happy
and healthy. I have always loved
you and I always will.
Love you sooooooo much.*
I know I'm often over sentimental on this thread, but that large sound you just heard was my heart. Sorry for the schmaltz.
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Latest reply: Feb 11, 2009
Ripe Plums are Falling
Posted Jan 16, 2009
ripe plums are falling
now there are only five
may a fine lover come for me
while there is still time
ripe plums are falling
now there are only three
may a fine lover come for me
while there is still time
ripe plums are falling
i gather them in a shallow basket
may a fine lover come for me
tell me her name
Chinese Book of Songs
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Latest reply: Jan 16, 2009
Sam
Posted Dec 30, 2008
OK, here’s the thing. One of the presents I got this season was software, including an off line / online casino with one of my favourite mindless things to do- slot machines. It has the usual suspects, enchanted forest machines, machines that are cheap copies of adventure stories, pirates, gemstones etc.. I came to notice that the best payoff ratios are two machines, one of a US football nature and another called *Heroes* which is completely and utterly military. Then I noticed that the *pay glass* or chart that indicates what the payoffs are told an interesting (at least to me) story. Here are the payoffs, with only the top pay shown, that is to say how many points one would get if they got five symbols in a row.
Five star general- 3000
Uncle Sam- 1500
Badges of the four services- 500
Machine gun- 500
US flag- 400
Ammunition box- 200
Purple Heart medal- 200
Red Cross symbol- 100
Soldiers kit- 100
Dog tags- 80
OK, fair enough I hear you say, a five star general should be in charge. But twice as valuable as the symbol of the government and six times the value of the symbols of the services? By the way, when the Uncle Sams or flags lines up for even two adjacent squares a rounding rendition of the national anthem fires up and when the machine gun hits it fires rounds at the glass of your computer, complete with bullet holes. The bottom five don’t even get a *bong*. The descending payoffs are the worst for the Red Cross, the kit and the dog tags.
Now call me paranoid and suspicious, but surely (don’t call me Shirley!!!) this is the general perception of the military if not the actual working system. Medals, medicine and the nuts and bolts of the army, navy, airforce and marines are unimportant- medicine, guts, glory and the common man mean nothing next to the chain of command which is entirely separate from any democratic control.
I still play it but I wonder now and then what the reaction would be if two small changes were made, change the national symbols to Italian ones and replace Sam with Mussolini. (Or Franco, or Stalin, or Mao, or any number of others). Would it still be fun to play? Or am I just being paranoid along with being silly? 
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Latest reply: Dec 30, 2008
Deck Us All With Boston Charlie!
Posted Dec 24, 2008
Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo!
Nora's freezin' on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!
Don't we know archaic barrel
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don't love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker 'n' too-da-loo!
Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloupe, 'lope with you!
Hunky Dory's pop is lolly gaggin' on the wagon,
Willy, folly go through!
Chollie's collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarm bung-a-loo!
Dunk us all in bowls of barley,
Hinky dinky dink an' polly voo!
Chilly Filly's name is Chollie,
Chollie Filly's jolly chilly view halloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, woof, woof!
Tizzy seas on melon collie!
Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, goof, goof!
™Kelly Studios
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Latest reply: Dec 24, 2008
Home Alone
Posted Dec 23, 2008
Due to a variety of reasons today I find myself with the prospect of spending Christmas alone this year. I was going to visit but my transport had other ideas. 
It brought to mind the lyrics of one of my favourite Stan Rogers songs, *First Christmas*:
http://www.oldielyrics.com/christmas/first_christmas.html
I would recommend buying the song, like the Church of Leonard (Cohen) it does the heart good to be dried out now and then.
Take care all and I will thoroughly enjoy myself, never fear. My new iPod is loaded with books and geegaws and hooked up to the Wifi and I have some excellent beers in the fridge.
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Latest reply: Dec 23, 2008
clzoomer- a bit woobly
Researcher U200838
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