HAND SURGERY

MY HAND SURGERY WAS A SUCCESS SO FAR. THEY USED A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CAMERA AT THE HOSPITAL TO GO INSIDE MY WRIST AND AND CHECK OUT THE BONES. IT IS IN BAD SHAPE. MY CARPAL TUNNEL HAS STARTED TO COLLAPSE FROM THE BOTTOM UP, WHICH IS NOT GOOD. NORMALLY THRY WOULD CUT INTO THE WRIST, CLIP THE TENDON AND FREE THE NERVES BUT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT WOULD BE.WEDNESDAY MORNING I GO IN AND HAVE THE PLASTER CAST AND WRAPPINGS TAKEN OFF, THEY WILL X-RAY AND WE WILL FIND OUT WHEN SURGERY NO.2 WILL BE. THIS WILL PROBABLY FUSE THE WRIST PERMANENTLY WHICH SOUNDS BAD BUT WILL HAVE THE FULL USE OF HAND AND FINGERS AND WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE HAND SIDEWAYS JUST WILL NOT NE ABLE TO WAVE HAND UP AND DOWN. THEN OFF TO CARPAL TUNNEL SURGERY NO 3. DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO SLOW MY POSTING DOWN MUCH. HAVE HAD 2 DAYS REST AND PLAN FISH FRY TONIGHT AND CHURCH TOMORROW. DON'T KNOW PEOPLE DO IT WITHOUT JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME.

Surgery

Just one more day and then I need to go have exploratory surgery to look at the bones in my right hand. being right handed it is going to be a real challenge for awhile hunting and pecking with my left hand doing these posts, but I will be doing my best to keep up. Gotta get up before the roosters though to get there that morning and the neighbor is going to look after our little Holly, our Boston Terrier. She sleeps alot so she will probably be sleeping when we get home as it is outpatient surgery. Kind of interesting though as they will go in with a very very expensive tiny camera and look at my bones to see what needs fixing. Well I will soon be off to work at my part-time job, serving up soft ice cream that is yummy in cones, malts, shakes, sundaes and banana splits, and don't forget the hot fudge and hot carmel. Come on down and have some.

Bid 4 Prizes

This is the greatest site I have found yet on the internet. They let you bid on great prizes such as HDTV's. Designer Bags and cash. Not only that but they give away free gifts. The cool part of this site is that instead of trying to be the highest bidder for a prize, you try your best to be the lowest bidder and the lowest bidder wins the price. You can win an Apple I-Phone or Scion XB or even a cash prize. Not only that, but they have a new winner every day at their website. You can also take part in their Sweepstake and who wouldn't want to win that. It is an easy game to play and is definitely user-friendly. Look into it today and have some fun before the next auction ends. It is easy to register and so much fun to try to be the low bidder instead of the highest. Don't forget that low bidder wins the great prizes.

Blue Angel Crashes

One of the famed Blue Angel jets crashed killing the Navy pilot in South Carolina at an air show. It crashed into a neighborhood of small homes and trailers. They were flying in formation during the show and one dropped below the trees and crashed. Clouds of smoke went up. At least one home was on fire.This was a very sad happening. A plumber backing out of a driveway saw the plane coming through the trees like a big fireball coming at him. It doused his truck in flames and debris and the wreckage hit plenty of houses and mobile homes. The elite team had just recently celebrated it's 60th anniversary.

New computer

got a new computer tower today and this is lots faster than the old laptop. sure makes alot of difference. good color too. will help with posting as much faster. Really rained tonight. glad we didnt get any hail.

Iranian Dam Could Flood Antiquities

Archaeologist are warning that an Iranian dam could flood newly discovered antiquities. Not only that but that its reservoir could damage Iran's grandest site, the ancient Persian capital of Persepolis. Pipes were opened for water to start flowing into an artificial lake created by the dam spanning the Sivand River. This is located 520 miles south of the capital, Tehran. They plan to use the lake's waters to irrigate the area's farms. This had been delayed for months to give international archaeological teams time to conduct excavations in the area of the planned reservoir. They found significant discoveries such as a road believed to be the Royal Passage of the Achaemenids, a powerful dynasty in ancient Persia in the 6th century, B.C. They also found a village with a cemetary and inhabited caves dating back 7,000 years. Archaeologists are very upset over this calling it stupidity.

Senator Tim Johnson

Senator Tim Johnson is preparing for return from rehabilitation from a brain hemorrhage. In order to do this, his ofice staffers are preparing his office so that it is wheelchair accessible. He not able to walk and has limited use of his right side at the present time. He will be in the rehabilitation facility awhile longer and will undergo outpatient theraphy also before returning to the office. He is expected to use an electric scooter to get around so they are widening aisles and doorways and refurbishing his bathroom. These renovations will take several weeks and I am sure Sen. Johnson will be happy once he is able to return to work again after such a tramatic event.

Fred Thompson - for President?

Fred Thompson, well-known actor in Law and Order has announced that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer, nearly three years ago. He is 64 and feels he is in remission. He has never felt ill from it and this is a very slow-growing type of cancer, probably not life threatening. He decided to announce this on the Fox New Channel and also ABC Radio because he is considering running for president and felt the public should know. He doesn't feel it is a big deal as far as his health is concerned but he only knows as much as a person can know about such things. I think he was being very fair with the public by letting them know, don't you?

White House Considers War Czar

Now the White House is considering naming a high-powered official to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He or she would report directing to President Bush and also Stephen Hadley, National Security Advisor. What would be the goal of this appointee? It would be to improve coordination of military and civilian efforts in these countries by different parts of the government. It just seems our government keeps on growing and growing. It sounds like at least three retired four-star generals have been asked but declined so far. So at the present time, no one has been offered the job.Meghan O'Sullivan, the most senior White House official responsible exclusively for the wars has announced she is leaving. Democrats think it is funny. They say it the job is filled by the Commander in Chief. Who will get this job? Who knows?

V A is Seeking WWI Veterans

The veterans of WWI never received any VA benefits. Therefore, there is no record of any of them. They just happen onto them once in a while by other means and they think there could be alot more of them out there yet. Right now they know of four, one is 102, one is 107, one is 106 and the other is 108. If you know of any of these veterans, please e-mail ww1@va.gov or fax the information to 202-273-6702. Or you can mail the information to the Office of Public Affairs, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420. They are asking the public's help to identify these who may have escaped their attention and would like to be able to honor them.

Don Ho has Died

Don Ho, a legend in his time, has died at the age of 76. His signature tune "Tiny Bubbles" is known by everyone. He died Saturday morning of heart failure. He entertained Hollywood's biggest stars and thousands of tourists for four decades. For alot of people, a trip to Hawaii wouldn't be the same without taking in his Waikiki show. He put on a great show, a mix of songs, jokes, and great songs. He will really be missed.

Open Water Fishing Season

Get ready fella. It's finally open water fishing season. There have been a few out there already but the rest of us are looking forward to our first trip out. Now one of the basic things you want to remember is to put the plug in your boat. You would be surprised how many get out there and don't remember it till the boat starts filling with water!! I've forgotten it a few times myself. Make sure the line on your reel is fresh. Alot of worry about the right lures, hooks, fish location and then go out fishing with old fishing line. That's the only thing between you and your fish and if it is not good and your knot isn't good, you're going to be wasting alot of good fishing time getting it together. If you are going to wade in, be sure you patched that hole in your waders because that water is COLD this time of year. And make sure you got a new license and make yourself aware of the new fishing rules. Things do change. Early in the year the walleyes often will be shallow in very definite locations. So it's best to anchor and cast for those fish. And don't forget the anchor. There are probably a few more things you will check out but get out there and catch 'em.

NASA pays $26+ million to Columbia Family Members

It was announced that NASA paid $26.6 million to family members of the astronauts that died in the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. This was an out-of-court settlement with the families. They obtained the money through a congressional appropriationin 2004 in order to pay this award. The families do not wish to discuss it further. This is a private matter, after all, a very sad happening. They didn't announce how much money each family received but a husband of astronaut Laurel Clark thought the figures were on the "low side" of what they were seeking. No amount of money can bring back their loved ones.

Make A Hotel Reservation Here

I am anxious to go on vacation. I am sure now that it is Spring, everyone is getting the itch to go on vacation. I got onto the internet and looked up all kinds of websites to see what they had to offer and I found one that is the very best site Hotel Reservations of all of them. They have hotels worldwide and in all the popular destinations and fantastic deals to go along with them. They specialize in cheap hotels, luxury hotels, hotel deals, and discount hotels. That way they can fit into anyone's budget and you can go almost anywhere you wish without spending all your vacation money on a place to stay. They even have great deals close to home so if you are taking a big family and working with a small budget, you should be able to get a hotel you can afford and the whole family can have a good time without wrecking the family budget. On the other hand, if money is no object, you can head for Las Vegas for some gambling and shows or New York for sightseeing and Broadway shows. Myself, I would love to go to Honolulu. I have always wanted to see Pearl Harbor and take the tours of the beautiful island, swim in the wonderful blue ocean waters and just lay out on the sandy beach. Perhaps you are more the bed and breakfast type, they have those rentals too and condos.


They can hook you up with flights, car rentals and you can reach them by phone in both the USA and Canada and Worldwide. They have 24/7 Customer Care at your service all the time. There are special internet rates too, so ask about those or look it up on their site. If you are dreaming of a cruise, they can set you up with whatever you wish. You can also pick vacation packages for the type of vacation you want to take, how many are going and their ages and the number of rooms you will need and they can get that altogether for you. It's as easy as 1-2-3. Just get online with this site and get that vacation set up and ready to go. You won't regret it and you will save alot of time and money.




I am being paid for this post.

Death Squad in Brazil

There was a huge death squad in Brazil that was responsible for up to 200 killings in a year over the past five years. Most of these were linked to loan sharking. They were also involved in drug and gun trafficking. This gang was accused of killing hundreds of people over a number of years. Brazilian police finally arrested 18 suspects and are searching for 10 others. This gang was made up of hired guns, businessmen and policemen. They charged $500 to $1500 for contract killings. Among those arrested were two of the gang's leaders and various people involved in handling the gang's finances and several police officers were among those arrested. Mainly to remove evidence from crime schenes, the police in the death squad acted to do this.

Keep Your Batteries Cool

You know that battery operated tools are the greatest and give you mobility wherever you are working - unless the battery is dead. You can prevent alot of battery problems by following these hints. The first thing you should remember is that heat is your battery's number one enemy. It not only takes out its strength but is shortens their life as well. You should always store cordless tools in a cool place. Don't leave them laying out in the sun or keep them in a hot car or truck or trunk of the car.If your battery gets heavy use and run down, let it cool off first before recharging it. Did you know that the chargers generate heat. Also wait until the battery runs completely down before recharging. Partial charges just create problems. So-called "quick chargers" don't always bring the cells up to full power. If you use this method, then after 10 quick charges, charge your battery to full capacity. They do run down even if they are not used often so if you know you have a job ahead, make sure and get a good charge on your tools beforehand. And remember, keep them cool as much as you can.

Real Estate Information a Mouse-Click Away

One city has developed a Website that allows anyone to find the information they need on any piece of real estate anywhere in Iowa. This could be online by September. Several realtors already have gone online with their listings and you can walk thru the houses right online without ever going there. In that way you can decide ahead of time whether it is a waste of your time or not. This Website is going to be designed for use by the general publis, as well as,professional users such as bankers or abstractors. You will be able to type in a street address, city, and/or county where the real estate is located and find out the names of the property owners, assessments and if there are any tax payments due. Should save alot of time for alot of people.

Heart Surgery or Pills?

If you could choose between having heart surgery and maybe taking some pills, what would you choose. I bet you would choose the pills. Well there is a study underway between open heart surgery and angioplasty, where they thread a small balloon into an artery and open up an artery. A study last week found patients who once decided to take medicine and have angioplasty, didn't fare any better than those who took the drugs instead. This is an important finding because 1 million Americans every year are implanted with stents. However, each patient musts be evaluated separately to be sure they and their doctors make the right informed decisions. Angioplasty can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Most drugs are generic, so if this proves true, huge savings could be made.

Coal - A Vital Fuel Source for Electricity

Electricity generated from coal is one of the most affordable and reliable sources of energy in this country. It is a vital component in a thriving economy. Coal-based generation has beome increasingly clean over the past 35 years, the result of tremendous progress in technology. Clean coal technology promises to greatly reduce or even eliminate causes that have been tied to global warmng. Did you know that 85 percent of the electricity in Iowa comes from coal? At least 25 other states rely on coal to supply at least 50 percent of their energy needs. Without a doubt renewable energy sources such as solar, biomass and wind will create job opportunities here and there. But they are not capable of meeting base-load requirements. Clean, affordable and abundant coal remains the most viable fuel source in the U. S. for electric generation.

Where is Everyone Traveling To?

The world is wide open when seeking a place to get away with the girls. One travel agent reported she had women on their way back from Australia and that Vegas is always a hot spot. New York City is another popular destination for your professional women. But still another travel agent said Las Vegas is a "top Spot" with young women. Long weekends in Chicago are also popular because alot of the hotels offer spas. Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona are the big spa destinations. A local travel agent is preparing a vacation cruise for a group of young women friends. A bus trip to a dinner theater is attractive to many women too. Trips to Galena, Illinois, the Mall of America, weekend camping trips or taking part in the Sister-friend weekend are also popular. A salon manager said young women frequently book spa parties at her salon. They get a massage, manicures, pedicures, facials, a little bit of everything. The parties can be scheduled day or evening and often the women bring their own snacks and beverages.

New Mexico's Spaceport

Billionaire Richard Branson has looked out at the bleak and featureless expanse of the New Mexico desert. What he sees is the perfect spot on which to build the future. He plans to build a $198 million launch complex that would blast paying tourists into space. What do you think of that? Time will tell whether other people around there share his vision or not. It would be called Spaceport America and would be funded by the state, local, and federal money. He hopes to have the first rocket flights in 2009 and would initially be suborbital trips that would offer five minutes of weightlessness at about $200,000 per person. Eventually they plan to offer trips into orbit and beyond. Southern New Mexico is poor ranching country and some say they have no intention of paying for some rich people's thrills.
The 27-square-mile site, near White Sands Missile Range, where the U.S. launched its first rocket after World War II, would include a 10,000 foot runway with adjoining terminals and hangars. This big runway would be able to handle the kinds of planes that take spaceships up to 60,000 feet, where they could then be launched. Time will tell if this materializes.

April 11, 2007

It is April 11, 2007 and we have 2-3 inches of fresh new snow on the ground and more coming down. We are in a Winter Storm Warning until 7 tonight. Is this Spring or What? The tulips must think it is winter again. The Robins are wishing they had waited to come north. All the bird feeders are empty. The birds must be hiding out. Had to sweep the snow off the satellite dishes so we could get a picture this morning. It looks like a very heavy wet snow with wind but it shouldn't blow. All the kids are out of school so we should see snowmen popping up anytime now.

2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast

The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be very active with nine hurricanes and a good chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast according to a top researcher. He expects 17 named storms in all this year, five of them major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. The probability of a major hurricane making landfall on the U. S. coast this year is 74% compared with the average of 52 percent over the past century. Last year they didn't have as many as were predicted. This was contributed to by an unexpected late El Nino, a warming in the Pacific Ocean. This can even change the wind patterns in the eastern Atlantic, which can disrupt the formation of hurricanes there. The devastating 2005 season set a record with 28 named storms, 15 of them hurricanes. Four of those hurricanes hit the U.S. coast, the worst among them was Katrina which devstated New Orleans and leveled parts of the Gulf Coast Region. Government forecasters plan to release their prediction in late May.

Anna Nicole and Hugh Hefner

Anna Nicole Smith first appeared on the Playboy cover in March 1992 and was named Playmate of the Year in l993. She was 39 when she died of an accidental drug overdose in February. Hugh Hefner found the buxom blonde very aluring because of her presence in front of the camera. She had a Marilyn Monroe quality about her that was clear from the beginning. She talked about Marilyn all the time. She often posed as Marilyn and at a Holloween party in 2004, she came dressed in a Marilyn Monroe type outfit. She brought three men with her in tuxedos, Howard K. Stern, boyfriend, Larry Birkhead and son, Daniel. Hefner says you can take him out of the running as father of her child. He's definitely not the father of her child but the father will be announced on national news today from DNA tests that were taken. In serious fashion, Hefner's empire will offer three upcoming Smith tributes: a 10-page pictorial in the magazines's May issue, and a 60-minute retrospective on Playboy TV and an online memorial on Playboy.com. Hef turns 81 today and just celebrated his birthday with a bash in Las Vegas with his 3 girlfriends.

Imus in the Morning

Well Imus put his foot in his mouth again. But then that is a daily event for him. He's the number one shock jock right now, I believe. He's been at it for years and no one should be shocked by anything that comes out of his mouth. But it seems, he was really "politically incorrect" this time and everyone is yelling for him to be fired. Will he be fired? I seriously doubt it. MSNBC will no doubt keep him as he has a huge audience and they are as liberal as he is. What do you think?

Plan Your Spring Burn Now

Right now is the right time to plan a prescribed burn for the prairie that you have on your property. Conservation uses prescribed burning to manage grasslands in our roadsides, parks and wildlife areas. Burning is a very valuable management tool to maintain and improve the prairie areas we manage. The two main times of the year is preferred in the spring and fall. The timing of the burn is very important in understanding what the fire will accomplish. Spring burns are known to increase the population and height of native warm season grasses and decrease the amount of exotic cool season species of grass such as brome and bluegrass. Spring burns are also the best time to burn for wildlife to benefit from the burn. Pheasants need the prairie vegetation for habitat in the fall and winter months. They prefer the shorter regrowing grasses to nest in. Fall burning will increase the flower content of a prairie while decreasing the amount of grasses. Fall burns can have disadvantages by removing the habitat needed to protect wildlife through the winter months but they are used to burn wet and easily flooded areas that are difficult to access and burn in the spring months.

Apartment Rental Expenses

If you have never lived out on your own before, and are considering renting your first apartment, there are a few things you should be aware of. First off there could be an application fee and/or credit check just to apply for an apartment. This can cost anywhere from $25 to $100. Secondly, a security deposit is almost always required at the time you lease the apartment. It can run as much as 1 1/2 times the monthly rent. Thirdly, some landlords also require a final month's rent up front. That is in case you damage their place, they will use that money to fix it up again and could even charge you more if you really make some serious damage to their apartment. Then you have the expenses of furnishing the apartment and moving your furniture into the apartment. New curtains, new rugs are just a couple of things you will want to get. Finally, please consider taking out renters' insurance in case of fire or theft. This can run you $15 to $30 a month to protect your belongings. You can take a higher deductible to lower your insurance premiums and you will have to stand more of the cost of replacement in case of a disaster. But it is definitely one thing that is a must and so many people don't think of it and are very sorry later on when a thief breaks in or a fire or something like that.

New Toyota Plant?

The Mason City, Iowa City Council met Tuesday night to take the first step toward recruiting Toyota to build a plant in Mason City. That would be a feather in their cap if they could capture such a plant in this area. Toyota is looking to build plants in the Midwest and Mason City needs to take the lead in wooing the auto maker. This would mean about 2,000 new jobs plus 2,000 follow-up jobs. What a boost that would give this area. We'll continue to follow up on this as it affects alot of people and could put many out-of-work people into good paying jobs.

Fire in Houston Office Building

There was a fire last week in a Houston office building. It was a 6 story building and three people were killed and insured at least 6 or more. Many others climbed down ladders to safety. The fire broke out at the end of the business day. Some men who work on the 6th floor were outside when they heard an explosion and then glass shattering. They said they called authorities while a person driving by ran into the building and pulled the fire alarm. The sprinklers apparently don't go off until the alarm is pulled. One man on the fourth floor said he was in the atrium when he smelled smoke and then saw the fire. When he left the fire was raging as he looked back. A close call. It looked like the entire suite was on fire. It just took seconds. Alot were suffering from smoke inhalation. The building was built in the early l980's.