MADE IN USA

On yesterday's blog Rex wrote about our "fan/swamp cooler". There is picture of me bending down and pointing to the label.

This is the label I was pointing at and particularly the words "Made in U.S.A." When we were at Home Depot looking for a portable fan swamp cooler there were three choices. Two were made in China and one had the "Made in U.S.A. label. Once I saw that label, my buying decision was made. But in all reality it was not my decision to make...Rex was the guy with the debit card so I had to "sell" my reasons to him. Wasn't hard once I explained how I felt about domestic products.

These four words "Made in the U.S.A." have taken on a new and important meaning for me. In these times, I really try to have those words on everything I buy. Why would I spend money on products that do not support my country, my fellow Americans, and our way of life?? As I grow older I find that most of the world doesn't like Americans, even though we are the first country to respond with money and necessities after any and all disasters. Buying products made in China was curtailed when it became public they were using lead based paint to paint children's toys. Why would I buy products made in a country that was preying on our most vulnerable citizens -children?

I am the first to admit that is sure isn't easy to buy American made products...you have to look long and hard. And if you want clothes, you might just as well forget it, but in my opinion, anywhere but China is my next choice!!

ECO EVAP COOLER

WE'VE ADD TO OUR EQUIPMENT TO FIGHT THE TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT OF SUMMER, WITH A PORTABLE EVAPORATIVE FAN.

WE'VE HEAD THE DISCUSSION BEFORE, ON WHETHER TO USE A/C OR A SWAMP COOLER. AIR CONDITIONING WON OUT, AND WE ADDED THE NEW A/C TO THE BEDROOM. BUT A SWAMP COOLER IS SO MUCH CHEAPER TO OPERATE WITH ONLY A SMALL WATER PUMP AND FAN, AND NO COMPRESSOR.

NEITHER OF US WANT TO LEAVE OUR CAMPSITE AT BLACKSTONE, SO IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE ELECTRIC CHARGES WE BOUGHT THIS FAN. WE HAVE DECIDED TO STAY THE MONTH OF JUNE WHERE WE ARE, TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH THE POWER WILL COST US.

WE HAVE BEEN READING OUR ELECTRIC METER WEEKLY TO GET A HANDEL ON JUST HOW MUCH POWER WE ARE USING NOW. WITHOUT ANY COOLING OR HEAT, WE USE ABOUT 80 CLICKS ($11 - $12) A WEEK.

THE NEW FAN CAN BE USED WET OR DRY. WE FIGURE THE NEW A/C IN THE BEDROOM IS GOING TO BE CHEAPER TO RUN THAN THE ROOF TOP AND WE CAN USE THIS BIG FAN, DRY, TO BLOW THE COOLED AIR FROM THE BEDROOM TO THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER.

WE WILL USE THE FAN, WET, TO COOL THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER.

I DON'T GET IT?

I KNOW MOST OF YOU FAMILY MEMBERS ARE FROM THE MIDWEST AND DON'T UNDERSTAND "WET" OR THE CONCEPT OF A SWAMPER. IN THE ARID AIR OF THE SOUTHWEST IT IS POSSIBLE TO COOL AIR BY PULLING THE AIR THRU A WET MAT CAUSING EVAPORATION AND THUS COOLING THE AIR. HERE IS THE FAN.

NOW HERE IS THE FAN LAYING ON IT'S FRONT. SEE THE BLUE MATERIAL IN THE BACK OF THE FAN? THIS MATERIAL IS KEPT WET WITH WATER AS THE FAN PULLS AIR IN FROM THE BACK.

HERE IS THE BACK OF THE FAN OPENED UP, SO YOU CAN SEE INSIDE. THE BOTTOM OF THE FAN IS A PLASTIC TANK THAT HOLDS THREE GALLONS OF WATER WHICH RECIRULATES THROUGH THE BLUE MATTING. THE PURPLE THING IS THE WATER PUMP THAT RECIRCULATES THE WATER.

THE FAN HAS BEEN DROPPING THE INSIDE TEMPERATURE 10 DEGREES, AND HAS BEEN USING ABOUT A GALLON OF WATER EVERY HOUR. IT IS GOING TO SAVE US CLICKS ON OUR ELECTRIC METER.

THE PUNCH LINE
"Obama's approaching his first 100 days in office. He's had to deal with a financial crisis; pirates; swine flu; all that plus he's got a live-in mother-in-law." -- David Letterman

TIME WARP

MY TRIP TO LAS VEGAS ON SUNDAY WAS TO MEET UP WITH A FAVORITE FIRST COUSIN, JERRY, FROM MONTICELLO, WISCONSIN.

OUR VISIT WAS LIKE BEING IN A TIME WARP........

HOW OFTEN IN LIFE DO YOU SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH SOMEONE WHOM YOU'VE KNOWN FOREVER, OUTSIDE YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY?

WE HAD THE SAME GRANDPARENTS, WE KNOW ALL OF THE FAMILY STORIES AND HISTORY, FROM THE BEGINNING, ALL OF IT !! HELL, WE EVEN KNOW WHO "NORMAN" IS, AND UNCLE JOE AND AUNT HANNAH, AND GRANDPA RECHSTEINER.......... SOME OF THESE DEAD FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.

SO WHEN JERRY STARTED A "GRANDMA STORY", YOU HAD TO STOP AND THINK......... IS THAT JERRY'S 85 YEAR OLD MOTHER? MY 81 YEAR OLD MOTHER? OR OUR REAL GRANDMOTHER, THAT LIVED TO BE 102?

BUT WHAT REALLY GOT ME WERE THE "UNCLE HANS" STORIES ......... TO ME "UNCLE HANS" STORIES ARE ABOUT MY BROTHER HANS, BUT TO JERRY, AN "UNCLE HANS" STORY IS ABOUT MY DAD. I RETURNED THE FAVOR AND TOLD "UNCLE JOHNNY" STORIES AS WE SAT IN THE GOLDEN GATE CASINO DOWNTOWN WHERE JERRY'S DAD AND NEIGHBOR ALWAYS STAYED WHEN THEY CAME TO VEGAS SOME 30 OR 40 YEARS AGO.

IT WAS A GREAT VISIT, AND FUN TO HEAR ABOUT JERRY'S KIDS AND GRANDKIDS, WHOM I'VE NEVER MET, ESPECIALLY MY FAVORITE, LACY CLARE, A FREE SPIRIT I'VE ALWAYS ADMIRED.

PRICKLY PEARS

THE PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS IS THE LAST TO BLOOM IN THE SPRING. THESE YELLOW FLOWERS TURN INTO A RED KNOB LIKE THING THAT PEOPLE USE TO TO MAKE PRICKLY PEAR JELLY.

ALSO IT IS POSSIBLE TO EAT THESE GREEN CATI. I TRIED IT ONCE, AND CLEANING THE THORNS OFF BEFORE PUTTING IT ON THE GRILL WAS WORSE THAN CLEANING A BULLHEAD FISH.

OPPS!!! LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SECOND BATCH OF BABY ROAD RUNNERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ANOTHER BOONDOCKING EXPERIMENT

WITH THE COMING OF SPRING THE SUN HAS BECOME STRONGER AND IT RECHARGES MY WALMART CAR BATTERIES MUCH MORE QUICKLY. I ONLY HAVE ONE VERY SMALL PANEL, AND NO CONTROLLER SO I HAVE TO TEST THE BATTERY OFTEN TO SEE WHEN IT'S FULLY CHARGED. IF THE PANEL IS ON TOO MANY EXTRA DAYS IT WILL BASICALLY COOK THE BATTERY AND RUIN IT.

I HAD A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY AND DECIDED TO TRY A NEW BOONDOCKING EXPERIMENT. MARY WAS OUTSIDE LAYING IN THE ARIZONA SUN SO I HAD THE REQUIRED ADULT SUPERVISION TO RUN MY EXPERIMENT.

I DECIDED TO HOOK UP OUR INDUCTION HOTPLATE TO THE INVERTER AND COOK MY BREAKFAST OF BACON AND EGGS OUTSIDE. I WAS CURIOUS TO SEE HOW MANY WATTS OF POWER THE HOTPLATE WOULD DRAW. WHEN I FIRST TURNED ON THE HOTPLATE IT STARTED TO BEEP AND I KNEW THE HIGH TECH HOTPLATE WASN'T HAPPY, BUT I DECIDED TO FIRST CHECK THE INVERTER TO SEE HOW MUCH POWER I WAS DRAWING OFF THE BATTERY.




WOW !!! I WAS ONLY DRAWING 40 WATTS. THIS IS TOO COOL, I'M GOING TO FRY BREAKFAST USING VERY LITTLE OF THE SOLAR POWER I HAVE STORED UP IN THE BATTERY. I'M BRAGGING TO MARY HOW WELL THE EXPERIMENT IS GOING.

MARY'S BEEN THROUGH THESE BOONDOCKING EXPERIMENTS ALL WINTER, AND HER REPLY WAS, "WHAT IS THAT BEEPING SOUND?" OH THAT'S THE INDUCTION HOTPLATE, IT'S NOT HAPPY ABOUT SOMETHING. "WELL DON'T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD TURN IT OFF AND FIND OUT WHAT IT'S NOT HAPPY ABOUT? BESIDES THAT BEEPING IS DRIVING ME CRAZY."

BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OVER TO MY FRYING BACON THE HOT PLATE HAD TURNED ITSELF OFF. SHIT, THE EXPERIMENT FAILED!! SO PLUGGED THE HOT PLATE INTO THE OUTDOOR ELECTRICAL SOCKET WE ALWAYS USE WHEN COOKING OUTSIDE AND WENT IN TO GET MY EGGS AND STUFF OUT OF THE FRIDGE.

WHEN I CAME BACK OUT, MARY ASKS WHAT IS THAT SMELL? SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING! I LOOKED DOWN AT THE INDUCTION HOTPLATE AND THE SMELL AND SMOKE ARE JUST ROLLING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM.....................

GOD DAMN IT !!! I BURNED UP OUR VERY EXPENSIVE INDUCTION HOT PLATE!!!

WE USE THIS APPLIANCE REGULARLY WHEN THE WEATHER GETS HOT TO COOK OUTSIDE. THESE CAMPERS HEAT UP LIKE A TIN CAN IN THE SUN, AND COOKING INSIDE JUST ADDS TO THE PROBLEM. WOULDN'T YOU KNOW IT, THE NEXT WEEK WE HAD A HOT SPELL, AND SO WE WERE FORCED TO REPLACE THE MAGNETIC INDUCTION COOKER.

LAUGHLIN RIVER RUN

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ANNUAL MOTORCYCLE, "LAUGHLIN RIVER RUN". WHAT USED TO BE THE THIRD BIGGEST MOTORCYCLE RALLY IN THE NATION, SOME 75,000 BIKES STRONG, RIGHT BEHIND STURGIS AND DAYTONA BIKE WEEK.

ATTENDANCE HAS DROPPED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. FIRST CAME THE FAMOUS GUN FIGHT BETWEEN THE MONGELS AND HELL'S ANGLES MOTORCYCLE CLUBS AT THE HARRAH'S LAUGHLIN CASINO. THEN CAME THE PRICE GOUGING. THE CASINOS WERE CHARGEING $650 FOR A THREE NIGHT STAY IN THEIR HOTELS DURING THE EVENT, NOW THAT'S WAY OVER TRIPLE WHAT THEY USUALLY CHARGE FOR A ROOM IN LAUGHLIN. A NEW RALLY HAS POPPED UP ON THE SAME DATES IN PHOENIX, INITIALLY CALLED, "THE FUCK LAUGHLIN RUN". I'M SURE IT HAS A MORE POLITICALLY CORRECT TITLE NOW. THE POLICE HAVE BECOME UNRELENTING, AND BOLSTERED THEIR RANKS TO ELIMINATE ANY KIND OF "FUN" THE BIKERS MAY HAVE ENJOYED IN AT PAST RALLIES.

ENOUGH OF THAT TOPIC. THROUGH A QUIRK IN MY SCHEDULE, I'M GOING TO VEGAS THE NEXT THREE WEEK-ENDS !!! VEGAS BABY, MY FAVORITE PLACE ON THE PLANET !!!

I WONDER IF MY FAVORITE X-COUSIN-IN-LAW, TERESA STILL KNOWS WHERE I KEEP MY MASTER CARD TO BAIL ME OUT OF JAIL? THE FIRST TRIP IS SUNDAY AND MARY HAS TO STAY HOME AND WORK...........

TUNE IN TUESDAY'S BLOG FOR THE FULL REPORT .....

Homeward Bound

I am excited!! Why you ask? I am going home to Wisconsin in 12 days! I am so looking forward to seeing everyone. AND as an added bonus, I will be there for my Mother's 88th birthday and Mother's Day. Now that is cool!

No matter where I live, Wisconsin will always be my home...well, maybe not so much in Jan., Feb., and Mar! Now that I know you can experience winter without snow, ice, and below zero temps I like it!

For my Mother's birthday I got her one of those picture frames that does a slide show of pictures. I think I got pictures of just about everyone, at least I sure asked people to either e-mail or snail me pictures and I am happy to report that I got quite a few of them. She will definitely like that.

One thing I do a lot of when I am in Wisconsin is drive. I actually spend most of my time in a car. My kids and grand kids live 90 miles from my Mother which explains all the driving I do. Since I am flying home I have rented a car for the week--can't be without wheels.

The bad thing about going to Wisconsin in 12 days, I only get to stay for one week and that just isn't long enough to see everyone I want to. But it will just have to do for this trip!

GOOGLE CHECK

LOOK AT THIS, AFTER THREE YEARS OF BLOGGING AND RUNNING GOOGLE ADS ON THE BLOG I FINALLY GOT A PAYCHECK FROM GOOGLE.

$102.62 FOR THREE YEAR'S WORTH OF BLOGS? THEY ONLY SEND YOU A CHECK WHEN THEY OWE YOU OVER $100.

BUT HEY A $100 IS A $100 RIGHT?

WE'VE ALREADY EARNED $18.65 TOWARD THE NEXT CHECK.

(NOTE TO UNCLE HANS: WILL PAY YOU YOUR PORTION IN BELIKENS)

HOY !!! HOY !!! HOY !!!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY EDDIE !!!

THE PUNCH LINE
"Mayor (Michael) Bloomberg says he's going to crack down on cabdrivers in New York who text while driving. I hate it when I'm in a cab and the driver is Twittering with the Taliban." -- David Letterman

ARE YOU UP THE CREEK?

FOIL COVERS FOR THE WINDOWS

HERE IS THE ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION, "WHAT'S NEXT?" WE ARE COVERING MOST OF THE WINDOWS WITH A FOILED COVERED FOAM. THE STUFF COMES IN A ROLL AND YOU CUT THE PANELS TO MATCH THE WINDOWS.


THE FOIL REFLECTS THE HEAT OF THE SUN, AND THE INNER FOAM ADDS INSULATION TO THE GLASS TO HOLD THE COOLED AIR INSIDE. WE DID ALL THE WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS IN THE BACK OF THE TRAILER. IT'S AS DARK AS A CAVE BACK THERE, EVEN IN THE DAYLIGHT, AND I HOPE, AS COOL AS A CAVE AS WELL.

I ALREADY KNOW I'M NOT GOING TO LIKE THE EXTREME HEAT OF SUMMER VERY MUCH, BUT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO "BE PREPARED" THE MOTTO OF A TRUE SCOUT.

"NOW, SUNNY & 90"

THE PUNCH LINE
"Navy SEALs -- what incredible marksmen. They shot the three pirates without hitting the captain or any of the parrots sitting on the pirates' shoulders." -- Jay Leno

DeLonghi AIR CONDITIONER

TODAY WE STARTED GETTING READY FOR THE HEAT OF SUMMER. FIRST STOP WAS LOWES TO BUY A SECOND AIR CONDITIONER. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S NEW IN PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONERS TODAY?

WE SELECTED THE DELONGHI PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONER. IT RUNS ON REGULAR 115 AC CURRENT. BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO RUN TWO AIR CONDITIONERS AT TIMES, THIS UNIT WILL BE PLUGGED IN WITH AN EXTENSION CORD DIRECTLY AT THE CAMPGROUND PEDESTAL. HERE ARE THE NEIGHBORS CHECKING OUT WHAT THE HAPPY CAMPERS ARE UP TO?

THE UNIT LOOKS PRETTY SLEEK. IT'S ON CASTERS AND CAN BE ROLLED AROUND ON THE FLOOR. THE UNIT REQUIRES THAT A BIG WHITE HOSE BE VENTED OUT OF A WINDOW. WE ARE GOING TO USE THE UNIT IN THE BEDROOM TO COOL THE BACK HALF OF THE TRAILER.

WE SELECTED THIS MODEL BECAUSE, BESIDES A THERMOSTAT IS HAS A CLOCK TIMER FUNCTION. WE ARE THINKING TO SAVE ELECTRIC WE WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN WE GO TO WORK AND SET THE TIMER TO TURN THE UNIT ON AN HOUR BEFORE WE GET HOME FROM WORK. WITH THE BED ROOM DOOR CLOSED IT SHOULD BE NICE AND COOL FOR SLEEPING. BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE UNIT ALSO HAS A REMOTE CONTROL, SO I CAN LAY IN BED AND CONTROL THE A/C.

ON THE BOX IT SAYS, 5 MINUTE INSTALLATION. AH, YOU SEE THAT WHITE HOSE THAT HAS TO GO OUT THE WINDOW? THAT WINDOW CRANKS OUT FROM THE BOTTOM.

LOOKS MORE LIKE A 12-PACK PROJECT THAN 5 MINUTES. WE BOUGHT SOME WHITE STYROFOAM TO BLOCK THE ENTIRE WINDOW OPENING, AND THEN CUT HOLES FOR THE HOSE OUTLET AND CORD. SORRY ABOUT THE PICTURES, BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF TWELVE PACKS, AND STEAKS ON THE GRILL IT WAS DARK OUT. THE SECOND CORD IS FOR THE OUTDOOR TV.

ALL IN ALL A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT. NOW WHAT'S NEXT?

STILL "SUNNY & 80"

THE PUNCH LINE
"How about that Octo-Mom? She was cleaning behind the couch today and found two more kids." -- late night TV host David Letterman

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAD !!!

HOY !!! HOY !!! HOY !!!

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAD !!!

THE PUNCH LINE
"Is there enough swash in my buckle?" -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Questions To Ask Yourself Before Becoming A Somali Pirate."

It's Just Pure Laziness

This is a rant about one of my pet peeves.

It gets very windy here in Arizona which creates a situation that just aggravates the hell out of me. One of the things that bugs me the most is going to the store and seeing grocery carts rolling all over the parking lot because people are too lazy to put them in the "cart carrels". I just don't understand why people can't take the time and energy to walk, at the most 150 steps, to secure a shopping cart. It's no wonder there are so many overweight people around if they are too lazy to put away grocery carts!!

So why is this one of my pet peeves?? When my Honda had only 7,000 miles on it, a runaway grocery cart banged into it. The thoughtlessness of some lazy person cost me $600 of cold, hard cash to fix. I will NEVER be the cause of that happening to someone else.

CUTLER/ RODGERS

WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN BAY FOOTBALL, SINCE THE END OF THE FAVRE ERA, IT'S HARD TO FIRE UP FOR THE GREEN & GOLD. LAST YEAR I WAS HOPING THAT BOTH THE PACKERS WITH RODGERS AND THE NEW YORK JETS WITH FAVRE WOULD DO GREAT. WHEN BOTH TEAMS FELL APART DOWN THE STRETCH IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING.

NOW WITH FAVRE RETIRED FROM FOOTBALL I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE REALLY HARD TO GET INTO IT THIS FALL, UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN THE CHICAGO BEARS WENT "ALL IN" AND HIRED THE DENVER QUARTBACK CUTLER.

HOLY SHIT !! WHAT AN EXCITING YEAR THIS IS GOING TO BE WITH TWO YOUNG GUNSLINGERS RODGERS /CUTLER. THE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE PACKERS AND THE BEARS IS AS OLD AS FOOTBALL ITSELF.

THE EXCITMENT BEGINS ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 IN THE OPENING GAME, BEARS VS THE PACKERS AT LAMBEAU FIELD.

GONE ARE THE SHADOWS OF FAVRE AND ELWAY, AND OUT COME THE STARS OF TODAY, CUTLER/RODGERS.

GO PACK !!!

Rodgers and Cutler can relate to one another on an almost innate level, and each passer likely will be cheering for his NFC North counterpart on the inside.

One night last July at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe casino in Stateline, Nev., Rodgers and Cutler, each of whom was competing in the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, sat together at a blackjack table for well over an hour. At one point, each man split a pair of identical cards, resulting in several large stacks of chips that nearly collapsed onto one another.

Before taking their respective hits from the dealer, Rodgers and Cutler looked at each other and grinned. Like their current employers, they were all in – and totally at peace with it, consequences be damned.

HOTTER THAN A TIN CAN IN THE SUN

EVERY YEAR AT THE END OF THE SUMMER SEASON MARY WRITES A BLOG CALLED , "REFLECTIONS ON THE LAKE". THE LAST FIVE YEARS WE'VE WORKED AT LAKE TAHOE AND ENJOYED THE BEAUTIFUL TOURIST AREA., CAMPED AMONG THOSE HUGH BEAUTIFUL PINE TREES. ALL IN THE PURSUIT OF OUR GOAL, "SUNNY & 80".

NOW WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE SUMMER ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT AT 600 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL, HOPING TO SURVIVE TRIPLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES. THE LAST TIME WE SPENT THE SUMMER ON THE DESERT WAS THE SUMMER OF 2000 WHEN WE WERE ON THE EDGE OF THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS AT WENDOVER, NEVADA.

AT WENDOVER WE WERE ON THE HIGH DESERT AT 4,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. LOT'S OF DAYS AT 90 DEGREES, BUT NOTHING OVER 100 DEGREES LIKE WE'RE SURE TO EXPERIENCE THIS SUMMER.

SO AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF READING ABOUT "SUNNY & 80", YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO READ ABOUT REX WHINING ABOUT THE WEATHER, EXTREME WEATHER, ON THE DESERT IN SUMMER.

THE PHRASE, "HOTTER THAN A TIN CAN IN THE SUN" JUST DOSEN'T HAVE THE RING OF "SUNNY & 80".

THE PUNCH LINE
"David Letterman got married... Why would he get married? Maybe he was running out of reasons to be cranky." -- Craig Ferguson

STATE LAWS

THE NEWS OUT OF IOWA THIS LAST WEEK WAS THE MOST SHOCKING WHEN THE IOWA SUPREME COURT BASICALLY MADE GAY MARRIAGE LEGAL. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE CONSERVATIVE FARMERS OF IOWA WOULD OPEN THIS SUBJECT IN AMERICA'S HEARTLAND. THEN AGAIN IF YOU STUDY THE HISTORY OF IOWA YOU'LL FIND THEY HAVE ALWAYS LED THE WAY IN CIVIL RIGHTS.

One, Iowa has a long history of civil rights leadership. In 1839, the Iowa Supreme Court rejected slavery in a decision that found that a slave named Ralph became free when he stepped on Iowa soil, 26 years before the end of the Civil War decided the issue.

In 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that racially segregated "separate but equal" schools had no place in Iowa, 85 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.

In 1873, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled against racial discrimination in public accommodations, 91 years before the U.S. Supreme Court reached the same decision.

In 1869, Iowa became the first state in the union to admit women to the practice of law.

THEN THERE IS CALIFORNIA, WHERE FRIENDS OF OURS HERE IN THE RV PARK FILED THEIR CALIFORNIA STATE INCOME TAX AND WERE DUE A $700. REFUND. INSTEAD OF A REFUND CHECK THEY RECEIVED AN "IOU" FROM THE STATE.

HERE IN NEVADA WE HAVE TWO BILLS OF INTEREST. FIRST A FEW YEARS AGO NEVADA PASSED A CLEAN INDOOR AIR BILL. THAT WOULD BE THE NO SMOKING LAWS, NOW THE CASINOS DIDN'T WANT NO SMOKING LAWS BECAUSE IT HURTS BUSINESS, SO THE NEVADA LAW STATES THAT THERE IS NO SMOKING WHERE THERE IS FOOD OR CHILDREN. THAT LEAVES SMOKING ON THE CASINO FLOORS. HOWEVER MANY SMALL BARS AND RESTAURANTS WENT BROKE, AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS WERE LOST. CLEARLY AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE BIG CASINOS ON THE BUSINESS PLAYING FIELD. THE ISSUE IS BEING REVISITED AND THE SIN OF SMOKING IS HOPEFULLY TO BE RETURNED TO NEVADA.

ANOTHER BILL HAS TO DO WITH PROSTITUTION. PROSTITUTION IS LEGAL HERE IN NEVADA AND THE NEW PROPOSED LAW WOULD TAX THE INDUSTRY AT $5 A POP. YUP, A "PUSSY TAX", CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? DON'T THINK THIS ONE WILL GET OFF THE GROUND, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT . IT WOULD BE LIKE A TAX STAMP ON MARIJUANA, JUST ANOTHER WAY OF FINING PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT WITH THE STUFF. A STREET HOOKER COULD BE PROSECUTED FOR BACK TAXES OWED?

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE AMERICA? I'LL BE WATCHING WHEN WISCONSIN FINALLY ATTACKS THE SMOKERS AND LOSES IT'S TAVERNS ON EVERY CORNER AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS...........

HAPPY EASTER

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE !!!

ONE THING ABOUT OUR RV LIFE STYLE AND WORKING IN A CASINO, WE ENCOUNTER VERY FEW CHILDREN. EVERYTHING IN THE RV PARK MOVES SLOW WITH THE 10 MPH SPEED LIMIT, SHUFFLING OLD DUFFERS, AND NO KIDS RULES. EVEN THE QUADS MOVE SLOWLY UNTIL THEY ARE OUT OF THE PARK AND HEADED ACROSS THE DESERT. THERE IS NO DANGER OF THE EASTER BUNNY BEING RUN OVER IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

BUT WHY WOULD THE EASTER BUNNY BE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO BEGIN WITH? GOOD POINT. SO WE WILL WAIT FOR PICTURES OF OUR GRANDCHILDREN FROM LA CROSSE AND PANAMA CITY TO SEE THOSE EASTER MORNING SMILES, COLORED EGGS, AND FISTS FULL OF CANDY.

ON OUR AGENDA WE HAVE BEEN USING OUR DAYS OFF TO DO THE SPRING LIST. WAXING THREE VEHICLES, BATTERY MAINTENANCE, HOT WATER HEATER FLUSHING AND ANODE ROD REPLACEMENT, PULLING WEEDS, AND JUST GENERALLY LAYING LOW TO SAVE BACK FOR OUR UPCOMING TRIP TO LAS VEGAS FOR THE CHER CONCERT ON MAY 3RD.

HAPPY EASTER FROM THE LAND OF "SUNNY & 80"

Medical Museum (Part 3)

 

The rest of the medical museum involves old books.  When I was a boy, I delivered newspapers to an old General Practioner in Stockton, Illinois.  He was mostly retired and quite elderly.  Dr. Gustafson.  He became sort of an inspiration to me, or, more correctly, to my Dad, who pushed me mercilessly into medicine.  I have no regrets.  When he died, his wife gave me his books, which are seen here.  Some were quite old and valuable.  I yielded to temptation and sold a couple for $750 a few years back.  What good are they but to a collector?..........

 ....my favorite is this Gray's Anatomy............

....Dr. Gustafson acquired it from Dr. Thomas Stafford of Elizabeth Illinois, who signed it in 1886.  Elizabeth is about 15 miles from Stockton, and I am guessing from the dates that Dr Stafford was retiring about the time Dr. Gustafson was starting his practice in Stockton.......about 1918.

....published in 1883, it is already the TENTH edition!........

 ....Also in the tenth edition is this copy of Osler's Textbook of medicine.  It was considered the Bible of medicine for about 100 years...........

....from 1928.........

....the rest of the pictures are just of the books so you can see what sort of books a doctor of that period would own and read........

....Quite an extensive collection, but this guy was all alone, without the Internet or other resource, and had to look stuff up almost every day, I am sure.     

 Thus concludes the medical museum tour.

Uncle Hans