A boomer's views on current events (Not political) Archives - A Boomer's Thoughts

A LOT OF UNCONNECTED THOUGHTS FROM A GUY WHO GETS A LOT OF UNCONNECTED THOUGHTS

psteik — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:30:23 +0000

Do you ever wonder who was the first person to try to eat another animal? What would make a person look at a rabbit, for instance, and think, “wow, is that animal fast. I wonder if I could catch it and eat it?” Going a step further, did they immediately decide to cook it? Were they eating rabbits before fire became a tool? Once humans started cooking meat, how long did it take to decide, or share, what temperature and cooking time came out best? Was the “original cooking temperature – Approximately ten inches above three medium logs?” Who invented smoking? What was the original material smoked? Is there a history of that somewhere I’m not aware of? Who invented the bow and arrow? When? What strange things have you witnessed? If you’re curious, one of the strangest things I’ve seen was at Disneyworld. I was there with two of my daughters’, one son-in-law, three grandkids and my ex-wife. After typing this I realized that what I just typed has nothing to do with the story. Sorry, but I think I’ll leave it in anyway. Meanwhile, back at my interesting tale: I was walking down Mainstreet Disney World behind a couple who looked, to me, like they were in their mid 30’s. I was trying to work my way back to my group, but I could see them slightly ahead of me and decided to take it slow and people watch for a while. Of course there were kids all around, under various levels of control ranging from walking with their parents to running wild. I clearly heard the lady in front of me say- loud enough for everyone to hear- “I wish they would have an adult only month here!” Her tone was loud and angry, so angry that there was no chance she was joking. Being a retired peacemaker, I was waiting for the man to say something calming or maybe change the subject. Instead, he replied in a louder voice, “I can’t believe they were able to collect so many misbehaved brats in one place! This is even worse than last year!” Their loud conversation continued and made it clear that they have been coming to Disneyworld at least once a year since they married six years ago. They hate kids and have vowed never to have one. However, they love Disneyworld! I slowed my pace a bit, just to make sure these two weren’t attacked by an angry parent. Express checkout lanes are a Godsend and I appreciate them. I was in a 15 item or less line, not too long ago. I had 13 items and, probably foolishly, I was a bit self-conscious. I was concerned that a member of the secret express lane police would not be aware that the sign said 15 because, often, only 12 items are allowed. As my anxiety mounted one of the two young men at the cash-register very politely suggested I go to the checkout three isles down. I, very defensively, blurted out, I only have 13 items. (I was sure I had been falsely accused) The young man held back a laugh and said, “But you’re the third cart in line and they have nobody waiting.” He added, “You can stay in this line if you like.” One of the things I dislike about our Main Stream Media is their obvious collusion with the Democrats.

I am a conservative. I have never hidden that. They disguise themselves as “impartial reporters of current events” while, in actuality, they are assisting the liberals. How many of you remember the Rodney King incident? The “Incident” was: On March 3rd of 1991 a subject known to the Los Angeles Police as a felon, eluded the police who were attempting to stop him for suspected driving while intoxicated. He had been previously convicted of an armed robbery and sentenced to 2 years in prison; he served one before his release December 27th of 1990. Related to the armed robbery conviction was the fact -that became known to the pursuing officers- that the weapon displayed in the armed robbery was a metal pipe and that pipe was used to strike the Korean store owner after he complied with King’s commands to hand over the money from his cash register. The pursuit endangered the lives of the police officers, people on the route King chose and King himself. When King was finally forced to stop, he continued to refuse to comply with lawful orders to lie on his stomach and put his hands out for responding officers to hand cuff him. Instead, he continued to kneel and ignore numerous lawful commands. At that time LA Police were taught to strike resisting offenders one time with their issued PR24 night stick to force compliance. After the single strike the officer was to return to his original position and wait for the offender to comply. If the offender remained non-compliant the protocol called for another command to be issued. These actions were repeated several times and recorded by a private citizen. An edited version of the recording, that did not include the lawful orders, was repeated in a cycle by all of the major news stations. Mr. King’s criminal history was not widely reported. He was referred to as, “The motorist Rodney King.” Mr. King’s known violence was not widely reported. The fact of the pursuit was not widely reported. What was widely reported were the police baton strikes. I call this lying by omission! What do you think? There are numerous examples- The Russia Hoax (Proven to be a fabrication). The “Unarmed teenager in Ferguson Missouri (Turned out to be fleeing a strong-armed robbery and he attacked the officer; the officer killed him in self-defense. The listed “Victim” in the press stories, Michael Brown, was 6-4″ and weighed 292 pounds) The claims that were proven to be false in court still come up in many reports. Thanks for reading to the end. I hope you enjoyed it Phil

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A FEW OF THE REASONS I THINK THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA IS USELESS

psteik — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 02:26:07 +0000

I could be wrong, I have been wrong many times before. I could be overreacting or just too sensitive about how my fellow officers are, and have been, treated. In the mid 1970’s and early 1980s, I believe, the Mainstream Media (MSM) started shifting its’ allegiance from the police to the criminals. You might agree, you might not. Here’s my reasoning and please let me know where you stand! I remember in the mid 1970’s some Chicago area politicians suggested the press stop using skin color to describe suspects because it was “prejudicial.” I was a high school student, working at a gas station at the time and thought it was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. After I heard that blurb a rape in a nearby suburb was reported. The offender was described as a “Well-dressed, dark-skinned male, approximately 5’09” with long black hair, in his late teens or early twenties.” I pictured my best friend, who the description fit exactly. A few weeks later the rapist was captured. He was a male black with long corn rolls! I have no idea how they caught him; the police must have been given a better description because- if I had been a cop at the time- I would have stopped my friend before the offender! That was my first experience with the craziness of the woke culture! They could have just said, “It was some guy” because I’m sure, the description they put out did not result in any real tips. I noticed, almost like there was a template, the media started describing police statements as allegations and comments associated with the suspect more like, “The arrestee’s mother said her son was an honor roll student and the police picked on him.” “Alleged,” to me, sounds less than trustworthy while “said” gives the reader an expectation of hearing the truth. I still, at this point, had not considered a career in policing but, I was wondering to myself, why the media had turned. Several years after I joined the police force, I earned my master’s degree. This allowed me to work as a teacher, and I took a position at a local junior college. The new job included teaching 1 to 3 classes a quarter and did not interfere with my full-time police work. I was thrilled to have the opportunity and truly enjoyed my years teaching in the mostly minority school that hired me. The school was in the shadows of Chicago. Most of the students were Hispanic, the next largest group was Black and I had a few Asian and White students over the nine years I taught. One thing I did, before accepting that job, was vow to myself that I would try to be a teacher and a learner. An idea I had to accomplish that was to ask the students how they felt about certain current events. Early in my “second career”, I asked about a gang related gun battle on the West side of Chicago in which several people had been injured with one killed and one in critical condition. A girl in the class, much to my surprise, volunteered that her grandmother lived on the block that the incident took place and this student was visiting the day of the shooting. This girl said she was bothered because during the coverage she observed the news people kept saying that the police “alleged” this had happened, and “alleged” that had happened. My heart jumped out of my chest! This was something that had been bothering me since I was her age (And I was no longer her age). She continued, “If they had asked anybody, which they didn’t, they could have had a lot of eyewitness testimony and sounded more convinced that the police version was true and accurate!” I kept my poker face and asked the rest of the class if they had any thoughts on that observation. The whole class erupted! One kid I never heard from in discussions said, “Yeah! and they played the 8th grade picture card!” I asked for clarification. Before he could respond a few students interjected. One said, “You know; the last picture of him without gang tattoos and piercings!” (This was before tattoos and piercings were as widely accepted as they are now). Another student threw in, “They also included the crying mother’s comment that the police have targeted her son, and he is a good boy without including any comments from people in the neighborhood who are tired of the shootings and violence and could have pointed her son out!” The original girl confirmed that nobody from the press bothered to ask any of her grandmother’s neighbors about the incident. She said her family had lived there for a few years and she knew many of the residents. I asked if they would be willing to speak against the gangs and she said, “Everyone is scared! But now they’re more afraid of getting hit by a stray bullet now than they are of making someone mad!” As the years went by this was a common theme. Because of the area I taught in, many of the students were close to the incidents that made the news. That girl wasn’t the only one, over the years, that surprised me with firsthand information. I had students who were related to participants and victims, knew some of the people from school and sometimes just recognized them from the streets. I offered extra credit to students who would bring in press clippings and offer their own summary of the incident and how they would handle the initial call if they were the responding officer. This saved a few from failing and also gave me a better insight into their lives. Sorry, I’m drifting off the subject. Dealing up close with so many students who lived in the areas that were regularly in the headlines I was reassured that I wasn’t the only one who saw the MSM abandoning common sense- and wasn’t happy about it. Who doesn’t remember the CNN reporter with the burning police station in the background while he reported that the “demonstrations were mostly peaceful…” My undergraduate degree is in journalism. I know a little about how reporting goes. Or, at least, how it used to go! I studied at, what was then, the #9 school of journalism in the nation. My professors included editorial veterans with newspaper, media, advertising, and marketing experience. I was taught to present the truth in an unbiased and entertaining way. One professor constantly reminded us, “If a reader can tell what your political belief is by reading your article- you should switch to the editorial department and abandon news writing!” I agree with him! What do you think? Please comment, and tell a friend to check out “aboomersthoughts.com” Thanks, Phil

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RIP CHARLIE KIRK- GONE TOO SOON!

psteik — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 04:36:44 +0000

I have only been aware of Charlie Kirk for about 5 years. His syndicated radio show premiered in early October of 2020, and I started listening a short time later. During that time, I grew to admire him and believe that he was one of the smartest people on the radio. I heard of his photographic memory and long hours of preparation for the debates he participated in, then I listened to him and believed that the sky was the limit for this hardworking crusader. I often learned from Charlie but, even better, I heard him school “experts” with facts that proved their assertions were not correct. He did it with such class, calm and compassion that it was beyond impressive! I have only heard him raise his voice a few times and those were in response to loud hecklers who would not let him respond to their lies. Even with those rude people, Charlie was just loud enough to be heard. He did not demean them. He did not disparage them. He schooled them, and while he schooled them, he schooled the audiences that started very small and grew into the thousands like the crowd that saw him assassinated. He was a religious man who put God first in all things, as I believe, we all should. Even as Charlie was lying lifeless, the left was attacking him with claims he was a racist, a hater and a false Christian. I am so tired of attacks like this, particularly when they are so blatantly false as is usually the case. At some point in my life, I started censoring my comments in fear that I would offend someone with an opposing view. For years I had expressed myself, as all Americans should. Then, after constant bombardment from the Main Stream Media (MSM), I began to hold back. I remember a day I was looking through my closet to choose a shirt to wear to a family function. Most of my extended family are Chicago Democrats and, while they wear whatever they want, they are offended by conservative attire. I was very tempted to wear one of my “Pro-Police” shirts. I was looking at a short sleeve shirt that had, “Breathe easy don’t break the law” stamped on it. The other shirt was a long-sleeved T-Shirt that had the “Police flag” stamped on it. Both shirts, in my opinion should not be objectionable to anyone but criminals. I thought it would be nice to let them know that police officers keep the peace and should not be targeted for doing so. I realized that the “breathe easy” shirt was a bit provocative, but believed that a police flag, worn by a police officer, should not offend anyone. As I was telling myself that I remembered how offended they had been when I challenged their liberal assertions in the past. I chose to wear the plain black t-shirt instead. I used to fly my American flag every day, until a “well-meaning” neighbor pointed out that my flag is offensive to illegal immigrants. I had a long discussion with the neighbor. I brought up the fact that nobody is obligated to live in our country, and it is easier to get out of than it is to get into (Not counting the Biden years)! The neighbor remained intentionally ignorant and I, eventually, took the flag down and only fly it on special occasions. Charlie’s assassination woke me up. I knew that I was wrong to compromise my beliefs to appease those who disagree with me, but I succumbed to the media. I knew better but still failed to be who I was meant to be. I recently heard a recording of Charlie answering a conservative student on a college campus. The student told Charlie he loves America and planned to enlist in the Navy to serve his country. He asked Charlie if he had any ideas as to how he should reconcile the sad fact that the country he loves officially embraces and endorses abortion and the LGBTQI community. Charlie responded that the love of country comes from tradition, laws, and established practices of that country. He added that the governance of the country may drift away from its’ ideals when inept public servants get into office. Charlie added that the beauty of America is that these poor officials can be voted out and the damage they do can be corrected. Then he reminded the student that it’s the country he loves and is signing up to fight for. I like, I fear, so many others. Stopped fighting for my country with my words. I hid my love for America under a bucket so I wouldn’t offend the haters. Those who are offended by our flag, our traditions, our police! I let the MSM convince me to shut up. America has to be fought for on the streets and on the battle fields. I we don’t keep the flame of liberty and The American Way burning we will lose it!

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AN “OFFICIAL INFORMATION DOWNLOAD” FROM AN AVERAGE GUY

psteik — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 02:24:46 +0000

When I served as a police officer I was concerned about co-workers who would/could make a strong decision based on limited evidence. Watching TV cop shows I see the same thing; only more. I was watching a police show called, “Body of Proof” (Per Wikipedia- Body of Proof is an American medical/crime comedy-drama television series that ran on ABC from March 29, 2011, to May 28, 2013 and starred Dana Delany as a medical examiner…) in one episode the lead character, Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) says, “She was dating a married man!” in a very definitive way after finding sperm, without spermatozoa, in the unmarried murder victim’s diaphragm. My, inquisitive, mind jumped to the possibilities of divorced guys, impotent guys, widowers? But, somehow, all of those possibilities were quickly eliminated- as is the case in most crime dramas! My apologies! When I wrote that down I meant to include the season and episode but neglected to. Unfortunately, in this “information age,” in my opinion, our access is limited to what “They” want us to know. Who are they? The major outlets and many politicians! We can circumvent this problem by searching the internet and other sources for “The other side of the story.” I am convinced this is necessary. Our duty; as citizens who are entitled to vote on the direction of our country, is to find the truth and then vote our consciences! It doesn’t take a great mind to see that we are being lied to by both sides! We, as the voting public, have been subjected to smear campaigns, outright lies and other deceptions. I don’t believe that Biden suddenly fell into a demented state towards the end of his term! If you do, God Bless you- please tell me why! I don’t believe because he was messing up simple sentences, then didn’t appear for a normal campaign and, at the few appearances he did make, he was entertaining- to say the least. I don’t believe that our planet is close to destruction. As a child, I was very concerned when this “imminent catastrophe” was first announced in the late 60’s. But now; after several predicted calamities, some with ten-year deadlines connected, have failed to wreak the havoc promised, I feel Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth” was actually a false manipulation of a pliable and trusting mass. I remember that we (The People) went through a series of “Climate Threats.” Do you recall hearing that we must cut back on the size of families or the Earth will not survive! As a result of this there are many countries that are now facing “underpopulation” concerns! The argument since the 60’s has been that our planet can not sustain the growing population and placed the original “date of doom.” as I recall, was in the early 1980’s (There have been many revisions giving us about 10 years to change or die). I recently found an article (9/18/22 Townhall) by Marion L. Tupy that stated, among other things, that the availability of products, overall, has increased 6 to 1 over the last 100 years with no sign of the flow of resources and minerals decreasing. Believe it or not, but it is food for thought. More food for thought: Is there really a danger that our supply of fossil fuels will run out? No, new sources and procedures of obtaining gasoline have been found. Are fossil fuels really harming the environment? No, at least not in a major way. Are EV’s a viable alternative? No. Questions to ask are where does the electricity to fuel them come from? And the following questions. Are EV’s an effective alternative? No. But they are being pushed harder and harder by our press and many politicians! Have you heard any negatives about fossil fuels in the press or from politicians? I haven’t! Is this the only thing, other than the Covid Vaccine, that nobody is allowed to find fault with? Can our power grids endure a switch to EV’s? No. On the same day that California announced its’ plan to allow only EV’s to be sold, as new vehicles, by 2035 they also requested their citizens refrain from using their electric appliances during peak hours to avoid brown outs! Talk about craziness! Does anyone recall that “Climate Change” was once called “Global warming” and when the temperatures got cooler in the 70’s it was temporarily changed, in many articles to global cooling and then Climate change. Yes, it was hard to follow all the changes back in the day. The only constant was that it was our (Humanity’s) fault! A by-product of these lies concerns me; and leads me to believe that a large portion of our population is not doing the due diligence required for a democracy to survive! How do you feel? Thanks for reading to the end, please comment. Phil

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MISCELLANEOUS BITS OF INFORMATION

psteik — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 21:36:22 +0000

It is a sad truth that I, and many others, have come to an age where my obituary will not read, “Gone too soon” or “His untimely death.” If your idea of “evidence” in an argument is to produce an article the contains words like, “Could be…” or “Possibly as much as…” you are probably not going to convince anyone to come to your side that was not there already. Unfortunately, in this age of “Opinion journalism” it is our duty as citizens to research any claims made. To do this you must leave your “comfort zone” but if you don’t do this you will be worse than uninformed, you will be misinformed! According to the IRS website the top 1% of wage earners in the United States paid 40.4% of the taxes in 2022- The most recent year they reported on. According to “Tax Foundation” the top 1% of US wage earners pay taxes at a rate of 25.9% of their income which is nearly 8 times the lower rate of 3.3% that the lowest wage earners pay Have you ever gotten trapped in the “Rule of: If this, why not that?” As a cop, I gave the mother with a car full of kids a break when I stopped her for going 16mph over the speed limit. Then I would question myself- If I gave her a break, shouldn’t I also give the guy speeding in a sports car the same break? Is anyone aware that the millionaire governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker (D), at one time had 64 NGO’s? I wonder if those were investigated as intensely as Trump’s business ventures? You might not be aware that, before running for governor, he removed the toilets from one of his mansions so he could claim it was not a residence. I am human, as I assume most of you are. On some days, in some moods, I judge myself very harshly. Failures, “Shoulda, coulda & woulda’s cloud my vision. Other days I thank God for all of my blessings. If I could regain the hours I’ve wasted watching “health videos” on the internet, I would be a happy man! Have you seen them? The ones that pull me in start with- “Give me just a minute of your time and I will show you how to eliminate (Name the affliction)!” These videos claim to have the “Free” cure of any number of ailments. The minute of my time, generally, takes over 15 minutes and the “Free” cure ends up being $40+ dollars a bottle. BUT! Rest assured, you can get the cure for less if you order 3,6,12 or more bottles! That’s not the worst part. Once you click, you know what’s coming, you are buried with more, and more “Miracle cures.” Ahhh, I love it! (That was sarcasm). As an aging American I am experiencing some of the maladies bodies experience after years of abuse. I used to jump up and run without a thought. Now I plan how I’m going to get out of my chair without pain. I lived through an auto accident that should have killed me back in 1996. A reminder of that accident is that my knees tell me when bad weather is coming before the weather forecaster has any idea. My body has gone from “Party all night” to In bed by ten and still tired when the morning comes. The “Well toned body” I used to be proud of now lifts half the weight with twice the effort and holds on to belly fat and flabby muscles despite my best efforts. Thanks for reading, please comment in the space provided. Phil

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MY GRANDMA’S DOCTOR CAME ON A HORSE- 2025 VEHICLES AVERAGE OVER 180 HOURSEPOWER!

psteik — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 01:51:19 +0000

When my grandmother was born the doctor arrived at the family home on horseback (That’s one horsepower!). Now, the “average Joe” can buy a car with an average of 180-200 horsepower!

Sometimes I find myself musing about the massive changes that have taken place in our own lifetimes.

When I was a young boy, my mother flew to New York to help her sister when she delivered her 9th child. I remember standing at the departure gate with my dad and siblings. We were waving at mom as her bi-prop commercial airplane was pulled from the gate.

Since then, the propeller powered airplanes have morphed into jets, then jumbo jets, supersonic jets and, who knows, what will follow.

The horse and buggy has been replaced by the automobile. Early cars created less than one horsepower (per AI Overview, The Benz Patent Motorwagen had an engine that produced 0.75 HP). As noted above, the average car sold in 2025 can produce as high as 200 HP with the Porsche Panamera leading all 2025s at 670 HP (Per Kelly Blue Book). The Porsche is definitely not an “average” car!

I started my life listening to AM radio. When we were doing yard work my dad and I would listen to the Chicago Cubs on his portable battery-operated radio. FM radio was invented in 1933 by Edwin Howard Armstrong (Per “How Stuff Works”), but I don’t recall any real FM radio listening audience until around 1971 or ’72- at least not among my group. At that time, we were all driving around in our own, or our parents’ cars with standard AM radios that provided us with 3 local rock and roll stations. The emerging FM stations that played rock music were coming on strong playing a much wider variety than the AM stations and, with a real FM radio, the music was available in stereo!

My buddies were replacing their AM radios with FMs, those of us that couldn’t afford a “real” FM radio installed FM adaptors- they didn’t give us stereo, but we did get the larger selection of songs. Now, of course, all of the new cars have FM radios and, some manufacturers, are considering eliminating AM radio capabilities.

The reception with AM radios was often scratchy and the FMs were much clearer. This was because of how AM radio waves are received and that has not improved. One AM station in my area that I still listen to is making their programing available in other forms- via computer etc. – in an attempt to save listenership.

Not all of the changes are great as I grow older. My memory used to be as good as anyone’s. Now I have to write notes to remind myself of why I am going into a different room!

I hope you enjoyed my rambling. Thank you for reading to the end

Phil

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TOUUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR!

psteik — Thu, 02 Jan 2025 03:37:57 +0000

As we enter the new year, many of us will make resolutions to live better in the year ahead. I am a cop who has written hundreds of accident reports, and a person who has been a “frustrated civilian” driving behind cars driven by rude, or unaware, drivers so I am offering my 2 cents worth of information you can use, laugh at, or just disregard completely. I have also added tid-bits of information I have gleamed from surviving near 70 years on God’s green earth. This includes actions I have been impressed by and want to share. Actions I have been irritated by and would like to end. And actions I was intrigued by and offer for your consideration. Please take my advise as it is offered, something for you to evaluate and, if you choose, to copy or comment on at the end of the blog. If you drive in any lane but the right lane on multi-laned roads, and notice other drivers are passing you on the right… 2025 might be more pleasant if you make a resolution to drive in the right lane. The right lane is designed to be the “travel lane.” Any lanes to the left of that going in the same direction are designated as “passing lanes.” Yellow traffic control lights are a warning that the light is about to turn red. It is not advisable to slam on your brakes when the light turns yellow, there may be a car behind you driven by someone who is determined to get through on the yellow. If you are in the intersection, waiting to turn left, remember the oncoming traffic is legally allowed to enter the intersection on the yellow light. Do not complete your turn until the oncoming car either stops or passes you. The life you save may be your own. If you are turning right on red, with a car in front of you doing the same thing, keep an eye on that car. Make sure it has completed the right turn prior to starting yours. I believe the world would be a much better place if we all lived by “The Golden Rule”- “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE OTHERS DO UNTO YOU. I was teaching a law enforcement class and was happy to see the textbook noted that all major religions have some form of the golden rule as a directive. Try following that rule for a while and let me know if it doesn’t make things better for you. Benjamin Franklin had noted years ago that “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. That might be worth a try. Eating healthier is always on my list, because I’m not good at it, but I think doing that successfully would certainly improve anyone’s life, I plan to try again this year! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. Please comment!

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WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?

psteik — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 04:40:15 +0000

Sometimes I just enjoy whatever invention I am taking advantage of, air travel, a warm house in December, a word processor or whatever!

Sometimes I think a little deeper. I know that all created things aren’t necessarily good. If you a need to point it out- have at it. I’m just writing this to express my respect for the people whose minds can see a need, potential need, or whatever and turn it into something.

I’ve compiled a short list of things that, at some point in time, some very creative mind said, “Hey! What if I were to….

I understand that many of the inventions/creations that I mention here have been credited to someone, many others happened so long ago we will never know who to thank and others are up for debate as to who was the first.

That being said, I give you my list of things that some amazing minds brought to us that make our lives easier, or affect us, every day!

Who was the first person to think “outside the box” and:

Crush tobacco leaves up, wrap another leave around them, then light it on fire and inhale it to create a cigar?

Do the same thing with paper to make a cigarette?

Drill into a tooth to stop it from hurting? Who was the first person so desperate that they allowed someone to drill into their tooth?

Pull a tooth to stop pain?

Cut into a living human to fix something inside? Again, who was the first person to say, “Yeah, go ahead and see what you find!’- Authors Note: I hope this happened after anesthesia was invented.

Kill an animal, put it over a fire, and eat it?

Put ground coffee beans in a strainer, percolate water over it, and drink the hot liquid it created?

Tea?

Pound a piece of metal into a piece of wood to connect it to another piece of wood?

Create something sticky to hold objects together?

Make a window?

Color a liquid and put it over wood to make it last longer and look better?

Communicate with smoke signals?

Create a gas to make people sleep temporarily? Author’s Note: How many tries did it take to determine how much was needed to be effective and how much would be deadly?

Splint a bone to help it heal?

Rub sticks together to start a fire?

Make a clock?

Make a calendar?

Create spices?

Put meat in tubes to make hot dogs or sausage?

Create medicine out of plants?

Predict weather accurately?

Communicate verbally?

Create letters, words and structure to document spoken word?

Think of making gears?

Document history with cave drawings?

Create pens, pencils, crayons, ink, ball point pens etc.?

Fireworks? Did they survive?

Guns?

Bows and arrows?

Spears?

Rapid fire guns?

Solid rubber tires?

Inflatable rubber tires?

Hearing aids?

Eye glasses?

Magnifying glasses?

Nitro glycerin? Did they live?

Paper?

Gas stoves?

Refrigeration/ Air conditioning?

Electricity?

String, rope, thread?

Cardboard/Pressed wood?

Drug capsules that dissolve in your stomach? How did they determine how long the process would take?

Plastic?

Photography?

X-Rays?

Remote controls?

Bottle caps/Bottle openers/Flip tops?

I know there are many, many more! Please add your thoughts to the comments section.

Thanks for reading to the end?

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UNRELATED THOUGHTS FROM OUR PAST.

psteik — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 03:24:39 +0000

Who remembers the mechanical horses, cars and trains that used to be outside of department stores? As the fifth of six kids, I remember getting a bit upset when my mom refused to front the money for each of us to take a ride. Now, as a veteran grampie, I easily understand the stance she often took! That would be a few bucks out of a very tight budget, not to mention the extra time she’d be away from home.

It occurred to me that alarms and barking dogs lose their effectiveness when they are activated too often.

Geese should never be killed WALKING across a road, yet it’s a sight we have all seen. THEY CAN FLY! Not only can they fly, they can fly in formation so “No goose is left behind!” I can’t count the number of times I have been stopped by a large gaggle of geese walking slowly across the street. I wonder how many accidents are caused because someone in the resulting “human line” is impatient, or not paying attention, and collides with the line of cars the geese have created?

I was reading a prayer today that, I knew, was written in biblical times. A word in the prayer was “persist.” I read it as “posted,” what has this computer age done to my mind?

My wife and I raised seven children. We taught them to walk and talk and, sometime later, regretted it after they talked back or walked away when we wanted them to stay. We would laugh about how much better life was before the kids acquired those skills. We both agreed, emphatically, however, that the time we spent “Potty Training” the kids was time well spent.

I heard someone say, “Grief is love with no place to go.” I, unfortunately, don’t know who said it first, but I love that saying.

I am wondering, would one of my childhood favorite shows, “The Lone Ranger” have been as popular if it had a different theme song- Not “The William Tell Overture.”

Earlier today a friend asked me how I was doing. I thought it would be entertaining to say, “I’m drinking lukewarm coffee on a mediocre day.” My friend just went on to the reason for his call. I thought it was very clever so I’m trying it out on you now.

A couple of my grandsons are playing football this year. Other grandkids are playing soccer, basketball, softball and other sports. I look forward to enjoying their games with the rest of the family. Many of you may be in a similar position.

One thing that comes to mind when I think about my amateur sports career, my kids, my grandkids and watching my favorite sports on TV is this little piece of wisdom that, I believe, I came up with on my own- but I’m relatively sure I wasn’t the first to make this observation. THE SECOND INFRACTION IN SPORTS IS OFTEN THE ONE THAT GETS THE FLAG.

Was that too big of a buildup, sorry! Watch this year, if you haven’t noticed it on your own. In football, I often see one player take a cheap shot and as soon as the recipient of the shot returns the favor the flag flies.

Thank you for reading to the end. Please comment in the comments section and share this with friends if you liked it.

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CONVERSATIONS i’VE HAD WITH OTHER DRIVERS (That they are not aware of)

psteik — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 02:50:28 +0000

What are the things you see on the road that help you understand the saying “Road Rage?” Here’s an incomplete list of situations that irritate me.

Traveling on a four-lane highway. Everything is going smoothly, Then, about a half mile ahead, I see a car has pulled into the “passing” lane, the lane I’m in- passing cars in the right lane. I slow slightly, expecting the car that just changed lanes to pass the truck it had been following and allow me to resume my original speed. Ah! If only we lived in that perfect world!

The speed limit is 55. I had been going about 65. The car that just arrived in my lane appears to be going about 45 or less. It’s cases like this that cause me to speak to that driver- in a most private way.

Did you not see me approaching quickly? Did you look before you changed lanes? You may not know, but that’s strongly recommended in the “Rules of the Road”- all editions! Do you think it’s possible to pass a truck when you’re going the same speed as the truck? Are you planning on turning left at the next cross street- 2 miles ahead of you? Are you aware that the left lane is designated as a “passing lane?” Did you know that the traffic laws clearly state that slower traffic is to stay in the right lane?

Anyone feel the same? Anyone looking to have me ticketed for going 10 over?

I’m usually not in a hurry. I’m retired. I have no place to go and forever to get there! If someone wants to pass me, I have no problem with that at all. However, when people race to get past me and then go slower than I was going in the first place- that trips a special kind of trigger.

My, one person, conversation might start with: Really? Did my bumper sticker offend you? (I do not have a bumper sticker). Was I obstructing your view? Are we playing leapfrog? Is it my turn? Do you want me to follow you, is Timmy lost in the mine? Is the cell phone reception better way up there? Did Google Maps tell you to do that?

How about texters? As most of you know, we didn’t have that problem when I started to drive. We had both the self-control to never do something that stupid and we had that advantage of no access to cell phones, I admit that lack of access is the real reason we didn’t do it. Texters are a real danger and an irritant at the same time. They are oblivious as to how ignorant and dangerous their behavior is. They wander from lane to lane (like an intoxicated motorist). They slow down for no apparent reason and then, also without warning, they speed up. They get dangerously close to the cars in front of them and/or on either side. And, often, they cause accidents.

What can be said to them that hasn’t already been said? HEY! Haven’t you seen the PSA’s? DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE!! It’s probably best they can’t hear the rest of what I have to say.

A last one I’ll mention here, although there are many more, those people who honk as the light is turning green. They may be the worst, I say sarcastically. Nothing gets under my skin as much as hearing a horn while I am releasing the brake and hitting the gas. I picture those people as the ones who had no friends in grade school because they took their hall monitor assignments too seriously.

What could I say to these people in a real conversation? Are you kidding me? The light hasn’t changed yet! I’m tempted to put my car in park and go back to ask them if they need assistance. When they answer, “No, the light turned green.” I could reply, “Oh, that’s why I was starting to go. But when I heard you honk I thought you might be having a medical emergency, so I came back to check up on you. Wow, look at all the wasted time here! I hope the light doesn’t turn red before I get back to my car!”

I hope you found this entertaining and, you can think of this the next time you run into a driver who shouldn’t be driving.

Let me know what your list is. Is it the same, close, any additions?

Thanks for reading, please follow me and tell your friends if you liked this. Tell me, in the comments, what you liked or didn’t like.

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