Bob Hoff's "Catching My Interest--and I Hope Your Interest as Well" Blog

What men really want to hear from you on a date

2011-11-11T01:00:00.001-08:00

By Robert W. Harris

Don’t get me wrong: In general, men are in awe of women’s date-night conversation skills — which are, hands down, far superior to their own. Even so, though, you ladies do still insert your stiletto’d foot in your mouth every once in awhile — or, conversely, miss prime opportunities to make a remark that would raise your stock in our eyes. Curious about whether you’ve got the right choice phrases in your back pocket and avoiding the bad ones? Check out this list of things guys love (and hate) to hear on a date!

Five things men love to hear on a date:

1. “Then what happened?”
It’s only human for a man to want to think that his life is reasonably interesting. And while interrupting him, changing the subject, or acting bored are well-known nails in the conversational coffin, it’s not enough to just sit there, smile and say “uh-huh” every few seconds. Actively egg him on with comments like, “You’re kidding! What happened next?” or “Go on...” That way, he’ll know you’re genuinely interested versus just being polite.

3. “Thank you.”No doubt about it, manners matter — and are sorely lacking in today’s less formal dating scene. Tap into your inner Emily Post, and it’s sure to make you stand out. So, thank him when he tells you that you look pretty tonight. Thank him for paying for dinner. Thank him for walking you to your car. It’s such a small thing, but it’ll make a huge difference to him

More...

My take: So why am I offering Mr. Harris's dating advice? Am I an ex-dating expert myself?
Well of course not. I just think that dating ettiquette is an interesting subject. Like most men
and most women too, I know what I like in dating behavior from my date. I can add one
definite dating NO-NO. Don't ask the woman for financial "chip ins" for the dinner tab. Just
don't. Don't even, unless it is an emergency, ask her to leave the tip. If you do, she my
leave you a general dating tip you don't want to hear. Believe me.

At my level of maturity, I mainly have to worry not to "date myself" by my
remarks anywhere. Now that can be embarrassing. You know like saying, "when I was
a teenager we worried about World War I looming, Such a statement makes you look
older and lacking the quality of being hip.

Happy dating!

Unexpected Learning Opportunities

2011-10-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Albertson's Brand "Honey and Oats"

How about the back of a cereal box?

One of the best learning opportunities: children,

especially five or six years old. The other night

grandson Jimi told me, "Grandpa, do you know

how to make shortcuts for computer programs?

My Dad taught me. Want to see?

And he made a couple for me to see.

"Wow, Jimi, that is cool beans."

I was impressed. Not to mention educated, :)

The Only 2 Financial Rules You Need Live By

2011-10-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

by Tara Struyk
There's a lot of great advice out there to saving money. But if it overwhelms you, start with just these two simple rules and you'll be on your way to financial independence.

(Article starts)
When it comes to the way we think about money, I've noticed there are two kinds of people: those who think $1,000 is a lot of money, and those who think $10 is a lot of money.
I fall into the second category. But I'm not especially frugal. I have a fairly nice car, I take a vacation every year, and it isn't too hard to convince me to drop a few hundred dollars on a great pair of shoes now and then. I've never even clipped a coupon. But I've also maxed out my retirement savings, bought a house, and live without debt — all on an average salary for where I live.

More

My take:
I really like the concept of mindful spending that the author introduces. If I am honest
I must admit that I usually don't spend money as mindfully as I should. Sounds like a
good New Year's resolution to start in October or November, right?

These past several years have proven the necessity to plan ahead in case money flow in and out changes drastically and suddenly. The way I see it: we can only do the best that we can and learn from our own money decisions in the past.

Bob Hoff
October 19, 2011

Ron Paul on "The View"

2011-10-15T00:48:00.000-07:00

Ron Paul stating some of his positions on "The View"

I am currently reading Liberty Defined by Texas Congressman Ron Paul
on my Kindle; it is very informative about his beliefs on the Constitution, a
subject that he is an expert on. Learn more about this man running for the
Presidency in 2012 on the Republican ticket.

Start by reading what Representative Paul says in his book about bipartisan-
ship, his analysis being very thought-provoking and refreshing. Very!

Ron Paul on Wikipedia

The above is a surprising look at a politician, who is anything but typical,
commonplace, and ordinary; he is amazing in his thoughts, actions, goals,
and beliefs. He wants America returned
to  traditional American values for itself
and  our citizens.

He is among other things a fiscal
conservative, (government should spend
less )a person who believes in constitutional
rights, keeping America out of other  countries'  business, and one who believes that government  must refrain from  butting into the personal lives of its citizens.

Find out more about the sane and productive political goals of Ron Paul. He is
amazingly and positively different and citizen-oriented. He ran for the Presidency
in 1988 and 2008.

Bob Hoff
10/15/11

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Praises Ron Paul's supporters

2011-10-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton on Ron Paul's supporters

Hillary Clinton has noted the enthusiasm of Ron Paul's supporters

Our Grandson, Quotes, and Jimi Hendrix

2011-10-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

Grandson Jimi named after Hendrix

Music is my religion.
Jimi Hendrix

Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.
Jimi Hendrix

I try to use my music to move these people to act.
Jimi Hendrix

Music is a safe kind of high.
Jimi Hendrix

Music makes me high on stage, and that's the truth. It's like being almost addicted to music.
Jimi Hendrix

My goal is to be one with the music. I just dedicate my whole life to this art.
Jimi Hendrix

All I'm gonna do is just go on and do what I feel.
Jimi Hendrix

When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do.
Jimi Hendrix

All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked.
Jimi Hendrix Quotes

Blues is easy to play, but hard to feel.
Jimi Hendrix

I wish they'd had electric guitars in cotton fields back in the good old days. A whole lot of things would've been straightened out.
Jimi Hendrix

Imagination is the key to my lyrics. The rest is painted with a little science fiction.
Jimi Hendrix Quotes

Jimi Hendrix On Love

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye.
Jimi Hendrix

You don't have to be singing about love all the time in order to give love to the people. You don't have to keep flashing those words all the time.
Jimi Hendrix

The time I burned my guitar it was like a sacrifice. You sacrifice the things you love. I love my guitar.
Jimi Hendrix Quotes

White collar conservative flashin down the street, pointing that plastic finger at me, they all assume my kind will drop and die, but I'm gonna wave my freak flag high.
Jimi Hendrix Quotes

I have this one little saying, when things get too heavy just call me helium, the lightest known gas to man.
Jimi Hendrix

I'm gonna put a curse on you and all your kids will be born completely naked.
Jimi Hendrix

Quotes About Life

I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see.
Jimi Hendrix

You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven.
Jimi Hendrix

To be with the others, you have to have your hair short and wear ties. So we're trying to make a third world happen, you know what I mean?
Jimi Hendrix

Every city in the world always has a gang, a street gang, or the so-called outcasts.
Jimi Hendrix

It's funny how most people love the dead, once you're dead your made for life.
Jimi Hendrix

In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first.
Jimi Hendrix

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.
Jimi Hendrix

You have to forget about what other people say
Jimi Hendrix

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/26XCD1/www.great-quotes-powerful-minds.com/thanksgiving-quotes.html

Bob Hoff
10/9/11

3 health reasons to cook with cast-iron pans

2011-10-07T20:19:00.000-07:00

3 health reasons to cook with cast iron pans

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor at EatingWellMagazine

Cast-iron skillets may seem like an old-fashioned choice in the kitchen. But this dependable cookware is a must in the modern kitchen. Cast-iron skillets conduct heat beautifully, go from stovetop to oven with no problem and last for decades. (In fact, my most highly prized piece of cookware is a canary-yellow, enamel-coated cast-iron paella pan from the 1960s that I scored at a stoop sale for $5.) As a registered dietitian and associate nutrition editor of EatingWell Magazine, I also know that there are some great health reasons to cook with cast iron.
17 Healthy Recipes for Cast Iron Skillets
1. You can cook with less oil when you use a cast-iron pan.
That lovely sheen on cast-iron cookware is the sign of a well-seasoned pan, which renders it virtually nonstick. The health bonus, of course, is that you won’t need to use gads of oil to brown crispy potatoes or sear chicken when cooking in cast-iron. To season your cast-iron skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with a thick layer of kosher salt and a half inch of cooking oil, then heat until the oil starts to smoke. Carefully pour the salt and oil into a bowl, then use a ball of paper towels to rub the inside of the pan until it is smooth. To clean cast iron, never use soap. Simply scrub your skillet with a stiff brush and hot water and dry it completely.
Must-Read: The 2 Healthiest Oils to Cook With (and the Worst to Avoid)

Bob Hoff
100711

Coffee may prevent depression, scientists say

2011-10-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

By Michelle Roberts Healthreporter, BBC News

Coffee may prevent depression (in women) scientists say

Women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likelyto get depressed, research suggests.

It is not clear why it might have this effect, but the authorsbelieve caffeine in coffee may alter the brain's chemistry. Decaffeinatedcoffee did not have the same effect.

The findings, published in Archives ofInternal Medicine, come from a study of more than 50,000 US female nurses.

The experts are now recommending more work to better understandthe link.

And they say it is certainly too soon to start recommending thatwomen should drink more coffee to boost mood.

Read More

Bob Hoff
10/7/11

Steve Jobs Quotes

2011-10-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs Quotes

....A walking and talking and breathing motivator, no.......?

Netflix's 10 Most Rented Movies Ever

2011-10-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

"No Country for Old Men" (2007)
"Iron Man" (2008)
"Inception" (2010)
"Sherlock Holmes" (2009)
"The Departed" (2006)
"The Hurt Locker" (2009)
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
"THE BUCKET LIST" (2007)
"Crash" (2005)
"THE BLIND SIDE (2010)

See More Details

If you care to, send me your top ten favorite recent movies
screen or DVD. Thank you.

jimivictorino@gmailcom

Thanks,
Bob Hoff

Knee Problems

2011-09-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

6 Ways to Ruin Your Knees

Expert tips on how to avoid damaging your knees.

By Shahreen Abedin

http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/features/6-ways-to-ruin-your-knees?ecd=wnl_art_093011
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Whether you're a seasoned athlete, a weekend warrior, or totally laid-back when it comes to exercise, knowing how to protect your knees from damage can mean the difference between a fulfilling lifestyle and longterm, strained mobility

I owe my dang, dinged knees to

jogging for ten years
walkouts and walkdowns and walking around the caverns for 19 years
Dancing with the Stars competition

Bob Hoff

2011-09-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

9/30/2011 11:17:35 PM

To: Boston Red Sox Upper Management

Wow, I thought that two days ago was a bummer when the Boston RedSox didn't make the playoffs. But then tonight, news that Boston ManagerTerry Francona is moving on. Upper management must be out of their minds; doesanyone remember that Red Sox Manager Francona's team won the World Series in2004 and 2007 and contended in 2011 until the team recent failure. (LowerLevel) managers in any job need their supervisors to back them out, to helpthem deal with the team personnel problems. Why didn't upper management helpFrancona set player expectations and help enforce those expectations? No,instead, Francona is encouraged to leave. I feel sorry for players Jacoby,Adrian, Jonathon, Dustin, Marco, etc. Who from the upstairs office went to batto help the? The Sox miss the 2011 playoffs by the slimmest of margins and themanager is given his "walking papers." Such public displays ofnon-support do not bode well for the team. Surely, other 2011 team members willwant to get away from the Boston Red Soxas well. Would this have happened hadthe Sox made the playoffs? I doubt it.

You solved your problems with the age method of ineffectiveand disastrous and embarrassing blame; I don't fault Mr. Francona for desiringto be out of Boston, and to be into a more positive baseball environment. In the meantime,I think that upper management blew it and needs to replace themselves.

I protest your failures.

Bob Hoff, MA born, NM resident

BRS fan for 59 years.

P.S. Best of luck Mr. Francona and Red Sox players.

Bob Hoff

The 100 Top Childrens Books of All Time

2011-09-30T07:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what the answer to this question is? I have.

http://childrensbooksguide.com/top-100

Top Ten

Where the Wild Things Are
The Giving Tree
Goodnight Moon
Green Eggs and Ham
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day
Guess How Much I Love You
Pat the Bunny
Love You Forever

#11-- I like because of its ecology theme: The Lorax by Dr.Seuss. Our sons--
Jeff, Erik--had all of the above books but two.

Then Grandson Jimi had access to these and other books. Next stop for Jimi's books is at the home of the daughter of a niece.

Jacoby Ellsbury, A Red Sox Legend in the Making

2011-09-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Do you know the name Jacoby Ellsbury in professional baseball? I do because he is on my all time favorite team, the Boston Red Sox.
Jacoby Ellsbury
Boston Red Sox

He is the 28-year old center fielder of the Sox. A couple days ago he hit an inside-the-park home run and ran the bases like a deer. Yesterday in a doubleheader against the NY Yankees he hit 2 home runs in the first game and a home run in the 14th inning of the second game. He became a member of the 30-30 club in the first game, Boston's first ever.

To gain membership in that exclusive club, a player must hit at least 30 home runs and steal 30 bases. Jacoby, a native-American (Navajo), did just that this year. Besides socking the ball a long way and stealing bases at will, he blazes to all parts of the outfield making seemingly impossible catches to break the hearts of hitters desperately hoping for a hit against this speed demon.

Read his bio above to see the extent of his previous sports ability; it is an awesome capacity and set of skills--make no mistake.

Jacoby, #2, should be on television tonight when his Sox take on the Baltimore Orioles.

Go Jacoby and the Sox tonight.

Bob Hoff

5 Foods That Can Trigger a Stroke

2011-09-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com
Tue, Sep 06, 2011

Few things feel more terrifying and random than a stroke, which can strike without warning. And fear of stroke -- when a blood vessel in or leading to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot, starving brain cells of oxygen and nutrients -- is well founded. After all, stroke is the number-three killer in the U.S., affecting more than 700,000 people each year. Here are five food catergories that cause the damage that leads to stroke.
1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods
Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.

Read More

Personally, I never understood hydrogenated oils before this article. Does anyone know about butter? Is that a nasty choice too?

This article has more very useful information. Share this with others. For instance, diet soda puts humans in as stroke pending bind.

Also, Caring.com looks like a great site to have some familiarity with--lots of potentially useful information. For instance, I want to read "Slowing aging" Lots more potentially useful information on that site. This anti- aging article says:

"Have more sex. Is sex the new anti-aging secret? Some experts think so. Researchers in Scotland following a cohort of 3,500 people recently concluded that regular sex slows the aging process. Sex is good for the obvious reason: It makes you feel close to your partner and gives you that Zorba-like zest for life we all want to feel. But there's a physical effect as well. During sex, the body secretes the hormone DHEA, which has been linked to weight loss and muscle strength. Studies show DHEA production declines as we age; having regular sex may be one way to prevent that decline. For women, sex releases the hormone oxytocin, which can help moderate mood swings. For men, having sex stimulates production of testosterone, the decline of which is linked to a host of aging–related issues."

Gosh, I love the Internet. Bob H.

Top 10 Things You Never Want to Hear at Work

2011-09-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

Whoever came up with the expression, "It's better to give than to receive," must have been talking about bad news.
Of course it's awful to deliver bad news, no doubt about it. But having been on both sides of the equation more times than I care to think about, I'd have to say that, given the choice, I'd rather not be on the receiving end.
Unfortunately, there is an awful lot of bad news being delivered these days. And I hate to say this, but so sooner or later, you're probably going to end up on the wrong end of it. When that happens, you're going to wish you had some warning because, well, you know what they say, forewarned is forearmed.

Read On

Personally, here are some things I dreaded hearing:
by Bob Hoff
(1) Bob, have you ever had any basic computer training?
(2) Please go into my office and shut the door.
(3) Do you listen to what I say?
(4) Are you still fighting with Mabel?
(5) Your heart isn't really in this line of work is it?
(6) Are you happy or satified or at ease in your job?
(7) Have we ever given you any training for this job?
(8) Do you know the purpose of your job?
(9) You do know that I am your supervisor, correct?
(10) Would you be interested in a lateral transfer to another
division?
(11) Why don't you bring your resume up to date by
tomorrow?

"My Heart will go on"

2011-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

If you know Jimi, you know that he is a "musical 6-year-old" and loves music and dancing.
One of his favorite songs recently is the theme from the movie Titanic, My Heart will go
on

He is using a Casio keyboard, though not as a piano as he should. But I am not

going to, and I bet you aren't surprised by this, going to take off any points for this.

Why would I? He is our grandson, remember?

I have a three-part dream: (1) that Jimi pursues music into adulthood and (2 and 3)

that we find a larger affordable house that would allow us to buy a piano for

he (and grandma Chris) and that we find a larger affordable house--both by surprise

at a garage sale.

We have to have dreams, don't we?

Dancing Demo for Doing the Three-Step in Tango Dancing

2011-09-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

As suave and as sopisticated as I would like to have you believe that
I am, the truth is that my "suaveness and sophistication" skills lean
toward the left side of the measuring meter. I would love to learn how
to dance the tango, but the truth here is that in my dancing I also lean
to the left.

Don't you admire the tango-dancers of the world as they command the
dance floors of the world and the attention of all those who are around them
staring as they dance? I do. However, the only thing that I remember about
the tango in my life is that as a young person I was always getting tangoed
up in messes made by others, but involving innocent and sweet-natured me.

Though I took ball room dancing lessons as a young child, tango lessons
must have been taught when I was playing hooky(read carefully, not
"hockey").Did you realize that at eHow.com that basic videotango lessons
reside.

Basic Tango Steps at www.eHow.com

Won't my wife be amazed when she wakes up tomorrow and discovers me
tangoing with our broomstick in the living room? Well, I bet she is.

P-51 Crashes at Reno Air Show, Killing Pilot and Two on the Ground

2011-09-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

Warning: Please do not read this if details of deadly accidents are upsetting
to you. It is upsetting to me, but it caught my interest because the pilot in the crash
was flying a P-51 Mustang, a plane that my Dad flew in WW II

Read at article about Reno plane crash

Our father, a U.S. Navy pilot, flew many different planes, and also performed as a
stunt pilot, though not in any movies. Family stories say that Dad, who passed away
in 1984 at the age of 62, owned two planes (as a civilian) when I was born in 1947.
I have very dim memories of being taken up by him when I was a young child, as
well as more distinct memories of going to flight shows with he and the family to see
such popular show" pilots as the Blue Angels (Navy) and the Thunderbirds (Air Force).

In the early 1970s, while I was serving in the National Park Service In Washington,
my wife accompanied me to an airshow to see the Thunderbirds perform. The next day
one of the Thunderbird pilots experienced mechanical problems with his plane and had
to eject.

His ejection was successful, but tragically his parachute took him to his death when he
landed in the burning wreckage of his own plane.

More on the P-51 Mustang

Jimmy Sillas, the building of the gate, the second day, June 1, 2011

2011-06-05T04:40:00.001-07:00

Setting the scene: with my friend Jimmy Sillas’ craftworthiness (sp?) and leadership and my ability to perform minor assistance, Jimmy has produced the first of two gates on May 31, 2011. Here one of our sons stands ready to cover our backs. Several years ago he built us a storage shed in the back yard and is still resting.

o(*J*)o Just teasing, “D.”

Our grandson Jimi, the son of the man who has our backs above.

Gate two constructed in as many days.

Thanks again, Jimi. The gates look great.

End note to this post: I take lots of pictures that I end up not being in and write quite a few blog posts that I am nowhere to be found either. So please indulge me as I post this picture of our most senior son Jeff and and I taken taken on August 8, 2006 (maybe ) back when my “looks” were not being challenged so often.

My Multi-talented Friend, Jimmy Sillas

2011-06-04T08:56:00.001-07:00

This is about my friend Jimmy Sillas. He worked at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park for many years in the maintenance division, serving as a maintenance supervisor.

We both toiled at Carlsbad Caverns for long and interesting chunks of our lives before retiring in different years. We had vastly different jobs, his job required practical and mechanical knowledge and experience—the ability to maintain physical facilities. My job required research, public speaking, and very infrequent manual labor. While we both did computer work, I think that Jimmy would agree that my computer work was more fun than his.

Both of us are glad that we were privileged to work for the National Park Service as permanent employees for as long as we did.

Simply stated, Jimmy always could, and still can, work well in creating, planning, and maintaining physical objects or processes, He was so good doing such work that he became a supervisor in it.

Jimmy’s retirement days are here and have been for a couple years. Two daughters, Brenda and Blair, and a son, Jimmy, Jr. and five grandchildren (and of course, his wife). are his treasures in retirement life, as they were before retired life.

These are the people who make his retirement years Golden and Fulfilling. Jimmy stays busy with his Heart and Efforts in Family Matters, as well as his Hands on Projects around the Home Front.

Jimmy and I worked for many years together at Carlsbad Caverns National Park where we became friends. While my job was in a different division—visitor services (education and other logistics assisting the visitors entering, navigating, and exiting the park) we still had opportunities to become and be friends.

Recently, needing some advice for getting two gates replaced in our backyard, I asked Jimmy if he knew anyone who could help me or provide me with other “leads.”

Despite his busy life, he proposed that he could build two gates if I helped.

I accepted, immediately wanting to know how I could pay him or otherwise, reciprocate. He said not to worry about it.

While I appreciated his offer, I wanted to “give” him something, but I figured that I could devise a plan for that after the fact, smart lad that my parents had so many, many years ago. o(*><*)o

Jimmy does carpentry work very skillfully, very effectively, very professionally. Carpentry work is only one of his maintenance skills and not his favorite one at that.

This gate was built by Jimmy on the morning of May 31, 2011.

It is made of pine (great smelling) and so, so nice. My wife Chris loves painting and can hardly wait to brush up (and down) on her painting skills

We are taking Jimmy and his wife out to eat next week.

Assistant Bob doing Arnold S pose. Please note History Channel emblem hat.

6 Simple Diet Game-Changers

2011-06-02T01:26:00.001-07:00

y Paula Spencer, Caring.com
Tue, May 24, 2011

Bonus Tip: The right breakfast will also make you more productive at the office, so avoid these at all costs: The 20 Worst Breakfasts in America.

2. Tilt Up Your Rearview Mirror

The Rest

Note: Selected and “blogitized” by Bob Hoff in my blog Catching My Interest and I Hope Yours As Well, 5/16/11

Esther’s Birthday Party, January 2011

2011-01-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

A while back Esther “planned and pulled off a super birthday party” for her husband Mike. Just recently, Mike did the same for her. On both occasions, Mike and Esther two son’s, Michael Brian and Ivan, were everywhere-- making the party work and assisting guests.

Also attending both parties were Esther and Mike’s grandchildren

This Aguilar family knows how to party. If you look in the American Heritage Dictionary (1968), under life of the party it says see Esther A.; also see Mike A.

Esther, it can be argued successfully, is not a shrinking violet.

According to a secret birdie Esther was so excited about these special birthday glasses that she asked Mike if she could wear them to Walmart the night before the party; Mike took a very firm stand and said, “what ever you want, Dearest.”

Lots of dancing at the party and, of course, Esther did not hesitate to trip the light fantastic and others joined right in. Several party-enjoyers admitted to this blog poster guy that they had appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand when Clark brought his Philadelphia-based show to Carlsbad and televised it nationally sometime in the past. When I contacted both the Argus and Wikipedia about this historical event, both replied, “Say what?”

Isn’t that B. Hoff in white suit above?

**It’s was Friday Night Fever

**Grand-daughter in the red

**When not dancing and mingling, Esther

posed for a few pictures.

Some of Esther’s friends in attendance were:

(Left above) Esther, Chris, and Grace singing “Volver.”

(Right above) Mike and Grandson

Nancy G. and Rose S.

Esther and Mike’s grand daughter dancing again

Happy Birthday, Esther. A great party, Esther and Mike; thanks for the stroll down memory lane for some of us and a history lesson for others! Super fun for all!

Help stop Comcast and NBC Universal from combining and limiting our rights to choose the media we prefer at costs we can afford.

2011-01-12T09:52:00.001-08:00

Urgent

Open Letter

Watch Al Franken video and sign letter to help prevent the merger of

Communication Giants,

Comcast.com

NBC Universal

Remember in our history books when people like President Teddy Roosevelt use to enforce the non-merging of companies heck-bent on monopoly and being Robber-Barons.

Are these companies not potential Robber Barons wanting to line their pockets at our expense? Looks to me like they are. BH

Al Franken at Wikipedia

Daniel Hernandez, intern, stays by Gabrielle Giffords' side UA student pulls her into lap, holds head to stop bleeding

2011-01-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

Daniel Hernandez had been U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' intern for five days when she was shot Saturday outside Tucson.

The junior at the University of Arizona was helping check people in at the "Congress on Your Corner" event when he heard gunfire. He was about 30 feet from the congresswoman. When the shots began, he ran toward them.

"I don't even know if the gunfire had stopped," he said Saturday night as he kept a vigil at the University Medical Center cafeteria, gathered near a TV watching tributes and getting updates.

When the shots began that morning, he saw many people lying on the ground, including a young girl. Some were bleeding. Hernandez said he moved from person to person checking pulses.

"First the neck, then the wrist," he said. One man was already dead. Then he saw Giffords. She had fallen and was lying contorted on the sidewalk. She was bleeding.

Using his hand, Hernandez applied pressure to the entry wound on her forehead. He pulled her into his lap, holding her upright against him so she wouldn't choke on her own blood. Giffords was conscious, but quiet

Read On

Then see related video

Video interview of Mr. Hernandez

(Bob Hoff note) A very inspiring story of a “positive” and “contributing” twenty year- old young man coming to the aid of fellow human beings after another young man, “troubled” and “grudge-carrying,” opens fire on defenseless human beings in a lashing out of hatred, violence, and “senseless” motivation.

Thank you, Mr. Hernandez for for your courage and quick thinking reaction in such a moment of indescribable horror.

Best and worst bottled water brands

2011-01-07T05:26:00.001-08:00

By Lori Bongiorno

How much do you know about the bottled water you drink? Not nearly enough, according to a new report released today from Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Bottled water companies try hard to hide information you might find troubling," says Jane Houlihan, senior vice president of research for the Washington D.C.-based research and advocacy group.

EWG analyzed the labels of 173 unique bottled water products and company websites to determine if companies disclose information on where water comes from, how or if their water is treated, and whether the results of purity testing are revealed. The nonprofit also looked at how effective (and advanced) any water treatment methods are. Researchers followed up by calling dozens of bottled water companies to find out which ones willingly tell consumers what's in their bottles

Read on

Sneak peek from article:

How does your bottled water brand stack up? Here's a look at the 10 top-selling* U.S. brands:

1. Pure Life Purified Water (Nestle), EWG grade = B

2. Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = C

3. Aquafina Purified Drinking Water (Pepsi), EWG grade = D

4. Dasani Purified Water (Coca-Cola), EWG grade = D

5. Deer Park Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

6. Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

7. Ozarka Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

8. Poland Spring Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

9. Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

10. Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water (CG Roxane), EWG grade = F

Filtered tap water received the best grade (an A) from EWG because if you change your filter regularly, EWG says it is purer than bottled water, plus it saves money (bottled water can cost up to 1,900 times more than what flows from your tap). Drinking tap water also takes less of a toll on the planet. EWG offers plenty of tips for filtering your tap water so that you can drink the healthiest water possible

Bob’s Note

A BH note: one way to “test tap water” for drinking is to hold a small glass of it up to a window with sunlight streaming in.

Note clarity or lack thereof; the clearer the water, the least particles or residents live there. I score that as a plus for pro-drinking that water.

While I am a non-scientist by training, I still don’t welcome floaters or swimmers in my potable liquids.

o( *J* )o

I Need You to follow Me on Twitter Please!

2011-01-05T23:47:00.001-08:00

Find me at Twitter

My Twitter username is jimi62erik22. Follow me at Twitter and I will follow you if you want me to.

I am trying to learn Twitter in more detail and find out more about what some FB friends are up to.

No evil axis intentions am I planning. And since I am not a politician needing your vote; you can rely on what I just typed. o( * D * )o

Thanks,

Bob Hoff

I found this book at the library; it appears useful in learning more about Twitter--

Picture from Amazon, the Tarzan and Jane of booksellers in my mind (T & J get things done in an exciting and emphatic way, no?)

Paydays: the anytime candy bar of champions

2011-01-04T21:40:00.001-08:00

In the vernacular of the times: one of my “faves”—peanuts adhering to caramel.

Technical specifications above—a Payday broken in half.

History

PayDay was first introduced in 1932 by Frank Martoccio. Martoccio founded the F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Company, and also later served as head of the Hollywood Candy Company. Hollywood also produced the ZERO bar.^[1]

Quentin Tarantino reveals top 20 favorite 2010 films

2011-01-04T00:52:00.001-08:00

So why am I (Bob Hoff, Land of Enchantment) interested in the movies of Quentin Tarantino? Because our now 22-year old son Erik shared his Tarantino movie interests a couple years ago.

Tarantino is a different kind of director (see Wikipedia article for examples), and darn if he isn’t interesting. Erik is a general compendium of movie information, serving his own information needs and those of others like me.

Watching movies, reading about them, and discussing them is one of his hobbies. When Erik drops by, movie discussions play into into conversations around our dinner table

(From Wikipedia) Quentin Jerome Tarantino (pronounced /ˌtærənˈtiːnoʊ/; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and occasional actor. In the early 1990s he began his career as an independent filmmaker whose films used nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence. His films include Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill (2003–2004), Death Proof (2007) and Inglourious Basterds (2009). His films have earned him an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA and a Palme d'Or and he has been nominated for Emmy and Grammy awards

***************

Quentin Tarantino reveals top 20 favorite 2010 films

Posted 01/03/2011 1:21 PM by Corinne Heller

Quentin Tarantino, the Oscar-winning director of films such as "Pulp Fiction," "Kill Bill" and the Nazi action flick "Inglourious Basterds," has revealed his top 20 favorite movies of 2010 and the No. 1 contender on his list doesn't even feature live actors on screen.

His (Tarantino’s) top pick, "Toy Story 3," is the latest animated sequel to the hit franchise by Disney-Pixar and sees Tom Hanks and Tim Allen reprising their roles as toys Woody and Buzz Lightyear. In this film, they embark on a quest to help their friends escape from a day care center ruled by evil toys.

Read On

The Tarantino movies I have seen have kept my attention and interest; thanks for your introduction to me of Quentin Tarantino, Erik.

Erik, which is your favorite QT movie AND your least preferred?

More on Rosie the Riveter

2011-01-02T00:36:00.001-08:00

By T. Rees Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writer
Geraldine Doyle, 86, who as a 17-year-old factory worker became the inspiration for a popular World War II recruitment poster that evoked female power and independence under the slogan "We Can Do It!," died Dec. 26 at a hospice in Lansing, Mich.

Her daughter, Stephanie Gregg, said the cause of death was complications from severe arthritis.

For millions of Americans throughout the decades since World War II, the stunning brunette in the red and white polka-dot bandanna was Rosie the Riveter.

Rosie's rolled-up sleeves and flexed right arm came to represent the newfound strength of the 18 million women who worked during the war and later made her a figure of the feminist movement.

But the woman in the patriotic poster was never named Rosie, nor was she a riveter. All along it was Mrs. Doyle, who after graduating from high school in Ann Arbor, Mich., took a job at a metal factory, her family said.

One day, a photographer representing United Press International came to her factory and captured Mrs. Doyle leaning over a piece of machinery and wearing a red and white polka-dot bandanna over her hair.

In early 1942, the Westinghouse Corp. commissioned artist J. Howard Miller to produce several morale-boosting posters to be displayed inside its buildings. The project was funded by the government as a way to motivate
workers and perhaps recruit new ones for the war effort.

Smitten with the UPI photo, Miller reportedly was said to have decided to base one of his posters on the anonymous, slender metal worker - Mrs. Doyle.

For four decades, this fact escaped Mrs. Doyle, who shortly after the photo was taken left her job at the factory. She barely lasted two weeks.

A cellist, Mrs. Doyle was horrified to learn that a previous worker at the factory had badly injured her hands working at the machines. She found safer employment at a soda fountain and bookshop in Ann Arbor, where she wooed a
young dental school student and later became his wife.

In 1984, Mrs. Doyle and her family came across an article in Modern Maturity magazine, a former AARP publication, that connected her UPI photo with Miller's wartime poster.

The artist did take some liberties with Mrs. Doyle's physique, her family said. "She didn't have those big muscles," said her daughter Stephanie Gregg of
Eaton Rapids, Mich. "She was busy playing cello."

According to her family, the original photo of Mrs. Doyle was featured on the cover of the 1986 Time-Life book "The Patriotic Tide: 1940-1950." Geraldine Hoff who became Geraldine Doyle after marrying; the Rosie the Riveter poster was based on her picture

”You're not supposed to have too much pride, but I can't help have some in that poster," Mrs. Doyle told the Lansing State Journal in 2002. "It's just sad I didn't know it was me sooner."

Geraldine Hoff was born July 31, 1924 in Inkster, Mich., and grew up in Ann Arbor, where her father was an electrician.
Her husband of 66 years, Leo H. Doyle, died in February. A son, Gary Doyle, died in 1980.

In addition to her daughter Stephanie, survivors include four children, Jacqueline Drewes of Eaton Rapids, Mich., Brian Doyle of Holt, Mich., Deidre Doyle of Fort Myers, Fla., Lauretta Doyle of Hollandale, Wis.; a brother; a sister; 18 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.

The "We Can Do It!" poster was scheduled to be displayed in Westinghouse facilities for only two weeks in February 1942. As time passed, however, it took on a whole new life.

In the early 1940s, Redd Evans and John Jacob Loeb composed the song "Rosie the Riveter." Simple lyrics helped the tune become a rotation staple on radio stations coast-to-coast:

"All day long whether rain or shine,

she's part of the assembly line.

She's making history,

working for victory”

Rosie the Riveter."

After the song had become popular, the May 29, 1943, edition of the Saturday Evening Post cover featured a Norman Rockwell illustration of a muscular, red-headed riveter with the name Rosie painted on her lunch pail. From then on, many people began to associate the hardworking female factory employee with the name "Rosie," and so the title stuck to Miller's poster.

J. Howard Miller's "We Can Do It!", (below and to the right) commonly mistaken to be Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter at "Wikipedia"

Several women claimed to be the "real" Rosie the Riveter, including Rose Monroe, an aircraft parts worker who appeared in a propaganda film promoting war bonds.

In the decades since the poster's creation, the image has evolved into a pop culture reference that generated scores of imitations

In 1999, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp based on the"We Can Do It!" poster.

For years, Mrs. Doyle made appearances in Michigan to sign posters, until her arthritis made her dependent on a wheelchair and unable to write.While many people profited off the "Rosie the Riveter" image, Mrs. Doyle often said she never made a penny from it because she was too busy tending to her family and "changing diapers all the time."

Article supplied by Bob Valen.

2010-12-31T17:47:00.001-08:00

Why I Deleted My Previous Post on Net Neutrality

2010-12-31T03:43:00.000-08:00

Not because net neutrality isn't a very important issue to the American Internet consumer. It is.

But the information I posted previously was dense and confusing and voluminous enough to gag a mid-size ravenous teenage dinosaur.

So I want to research more understandable info sources.

What I am getting out of the issue so far is that this might be another case of some mercenary corporations caring less than we thought possible about the work-a-day consumer interests (if such people are lucky enough to have jobs)

Instead of continuing to ship American jobs overseas, would it be possible to just permanently ship overseas such Broadband Robber Barons and their doting employees and let them all retire there?

Color me frustrated.

Just thinking.

How Tyler Perry rose from homelessness to a $5 million mansion

2010-12-26T01:55:00.000-08:00

Ebony, Jan, 2004 by Zondra Hughes

Tyler Perry at Wikipedia

ON a warm and breezy Georgia morning, a tall, toned and down-to-earth Tyler Perry swaggers onto the front porch of his grand palace, dressed to the nines. The 34-year-old new-school playwright, who has, he says, made over $50 million writing and producing plays for the urban theater circuit, says that his 12-acre estate, nestled some 25 minutes outside of Atlanta, is a brick-and-mortar testament to the rewards of faith. Perry should know; in the not-too-distant past, he was jobless, penniless and homeless.

Read On

Tyler Perry--Official Website

Tyler Perry on Ophrah Winfrey show

The Most Successful Latinos of 2010 Relacionado: Sofía Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Shakira, Eva Longoria, Javier Bardem, Enrique Iglesias

2010-12-10T00:21:00.001-08:00

The Most Successful Latinos of 2010

Below is actress Sofia Vergara who is a 38 year old actress and has an 18 year old son (she was nominated for an Emmy in her role in “Modern Family” (she is in the process or has negotiated an $8 million dollar “beauty product line” with a major American corporation,

and soccer player Javier “Chicharito” (means “small pea” Hernandez, (Darren see Javier; he plays for the English Manchester Guardian team and is known for his incredible running speed),

and Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim, who with $60 billion + surpasses American Bill Gates as the richest man in the world

and San Francisco Giants baseball player Edgar Renteria who hit the winning 2010 World Series homer against the Texas Rangers.

Of course, this MSN Latino slide show has some other interesting people and their stories.

Aren’t people interesting?

8 gifts NOT to BUY your KID

2010-12-05T08:23:00.001-08:00

By Liz Pulliam Weston

A cell phone
Buy your kid a cell, and you've blown what could have been a great teaching tool. Why? Because your child is desperate to have a cell phone and willing to do almost anything for one -- including work for it.
It's not too much to ask your child to save up for a phone and to pay the monthly cost, particularly when you can get unlimited texting/unlimited Web-access plans from pay-as-you-go providers such as Virgin Mobile for as little as $25 a month (pay-as-you-go metroPCS has a $40 plan that includes unlimited calling). If the kids don't pay the bill, the phone stops working, bringing home the consequences of financial irresponsibility.
Saving for a goal, budgeting for an expense, bearing the consequences if a bill isn't paid -- these are all great money lessons you should be teaching your child.
And what's too young for a cell phone? You should probably hold off until your kids are middle-school age, when they're old enough to do things like walk a neighbor's dog or be a mother's helper to raise cash.
A gift card
You can read my full rant, "Why gift cards aren't gifts." Here's the short version: A real gift takes observation and thought. It demonstrates you've considered the person's special interests, talents and preferences, then chosen something designed to delight her.
If the gift is a misfire, as it sometimes will be, the recipient gets the opportunity to practice tact and diplomacy -- to learn, as I said in my earlier column, to express "gratitude to people who tried to make us happy, however bizarre the actual result."
Giving and receiving gifts is an art you have to learn, and the chance to teach your kids this art is entirely lost when you're thrusting a wad of plasticized cash at them. If you have to cop out and buy gift cards for other relatives, OK, but don't do it to your kids. Get them a real gift instead.
Author "rants" more fully about why "gift cards are not gifts."
A replacement gift
If your child was negligent and broke or lost an expensive gift, don't rush out to replace it. Kids need to know there are consequences, and if you replace the bike that got stolen because Junior neglected to put it away, you're teaching him that it's OK to be irresponsible.
Start down that path now, and he'll be hitting you up to pay off his credit card bills when he's 35. Whatever it was, he can live without it until he earns the money to buy a replacement.
More tips from the above slide show

6 Ways Conventional Wisdom Wastes Money

2010-12-04T21:28:00.001-08:00

Rose Raymond
Saturday, December 4, 2010

Updated guidelines, better ways to save.

Most of us learned the basic tenets of budgeting, housekeeping and auto maintenance from our parents. But times have changed, and some of the things you believed to be true are not the case anymore.

Following are several examples of conventional wisdom that may cause you to needlessly waste money. Dig in and learn how to effortlessly save money by thinking outside the box.

Change Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles

The little sticker placed on the car windshield reminds you to change a car's oil every 3,000 miles -- regardless of make, model or scenario.

But many experts now say the 3,000-mile oil change is dead. Why? New car engines and oil quality have advanced to the point where cars can go 5,000 to 10,000 miles without a change.

"Generally speaking, vehicles don't need to be changed every 3,000 miles anymore," says Tara Baukus Mello, author of Bankrate.com's Driving for Dollars column. "It's somewhere between 5,000 to 10,000, unless they have an engine oil sensor, and then it could be anywhere."

However, don't automatically assume you can push oil changes beyond 3,000 miles.

"It's important to consult your owner's manual for the frequency, the number of miles, the length of time between changes and the type of oil -- and to follow whatever those instructions are," Mello says.

Use Sheets With Sky-High Thread Counts

New sheets usually have the thread count listed on the packaging. There's a misguided notion that more is better, says Barbara Flanagan, author of "Flanagan's Smart Home: 98 Essentials for Starting Out, Starting Over, Scaling back."

Sheets with a lower thread count are better for several reasons, Flanagan says. They can be washed and dried faster, which saves money on laundering, as they take up less space and dry quicker.

In addition to the money saved, lighter sheets are better for your skin, she says.

A Note from Bob:

Do you consciously strive to conserve all forms of energy and other resources that you use? Do you strive to impact on the environment but lightly. With expanding populations and dwindling resources in the world, none of us can afford to not practice Energy Conservation

Remember: the “personal” conservation steps that we all practice individually daily makes a difference. Our efforts will benefit our children and their sons and daughters.

Flying Car Video with Some Backstory

2010-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Larry Henderson for sharing this great
video about a flying car. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Check out the Flying Car

My Speed

More Cruz Fernandez Information

2010-11-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

Cruz’s five daughters, tallest to shortest: Helen, Angie, Lorina, Rose Ann, and Chris

**************************************

Cruz with law enforcement gun.

****************************************
At the dedication of the Cruz Fernandez Memorial on September 4, 1966 in Carlsbad U.S. Senator Joseph Montoya (D, NM) said,

You could not have chosen a more fitting memorial to this fine man.
Throughout a long and productive life, Cruz helped many people to help themselves because he knew from personal experience that was the only way to get ahead.

Fernandez was an outstanding athlete at Carlsbad High School and at the University of New Mexico and later became a leader of the Spanish-speaking community in Carlsbad.
In that capacity, Montoya said, he labored to improve relations between the Spanish-speaking and the “Anglos” and earned the love and respect of both groups.
Commenting on Fernandez’ permanent contribution to his community, Montoya said:

Prejudice between peoples is a disease of the mind which can be removed by the therapy of inter-communication and better understanding.
This is what New Mexico is proving to the rest of the nation, and this is what Cruz Fernandez exemplified throughout his life.

Fernandez laid heavy emphasis on the importance of education as a means to self-improvement, Montoya recalled, and inspired many Spanish-speaking youngsters to continue and complete their education.
(Ted, Chris was but sixteen years old when her father Cruz passed away. She, the youngest of Cruz’s daughters, received her Bachelor of Science degree in January 1972 from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM)
**************************************
Ted, Cruz had the ability to help Spanish-speaking citizens when he did because:
Carlsbad, being near to Texas, was called “Little Texas” and Carlsbad harbored much of the prejudice and injustice found in Texas during those years. Cruz would not accept prejudice, discrimination, injustice, and intolerance toward Spanish-speaking Americans and stood up to combat it on their behalf.
By his unique background, abilities, experiences, education, and motivations, he was one of the few people in this area adequately prepared and more than willing to help others who needed a helping hand to find their way in an unjust society.
Of course, he knew the language.
He had two years of college.
He had knowledge and experience in law enforcement, a “helping profession.”
His law enforcement experience provided him with a knowledge of the legal system and other governmental agencies.
He was an outgoing person with many friends and he liked people.
He was a kind and generous person, who advocated “people in need” and the people of his community and culture.
As we have seen in both these posts, one of his core values was to help others.
(Ted, Erik wrote a school paper on Cruz in 2002. One of the events he cited was that Cruz’s parents could not afford athletic shoes for him, but that the parents of other players chipped in to fund shoes for him. In my experience, generous people often have been the recipients of others’ generosity. Perhaps this was an event that helped shape Cruz in his younger days?)
Senator Joseph Montoya

Cruz Fernandez information by Bob Hoff, for T.G.’s Spanish class paper

2010-11-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Teddy,
So ,who was Cruz Fernandez?

He was the father of your Aunt Linda Christa Fernandez Hoff, my wife. He was born on July 8, 1915 in Carlsbad (L) Baptism picture) and passed away on August 19, 1965 at the age of 50. Had he lived until Chris and I were married on October 23, 1971, Cruz would have been my father-in-law.

Cruz, as a 16 or 17 year teenager. Our son, your cousin Erik, is named Erik Cruz Hoff for his Grandfather. Right below—two more pictures of Cruz.

Cruz, at left in the back row, (date of picture unknown) had nine brothers and sisters. Sitting in the center in the front row is Grandfather Hipolito Fernandez and Grandmother Maria Zuniga Fernandez. Others:
Back row, left of Cruz, brother Orlando, brother Hipolito Jr., also known as “Pearl” and “Opo”, brother Claude, AKA “Chito” Claude began work at Carlsbad Caverns in 1947. He offered me a permanent caverns guide job by phone in 1971. Guess who I met and married at the caverns when I got there in 1971? Starts with a “C.”
Middle row (L to R) sisters Avelina, Celia, Mary, Alicia
Front row (L to R) sisters Celina, Grandparents, see above, sister Consuelo

Cruz graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1932, the first Hispanic-American to do so. He was a gifted varsity athlete in high school. High school team picture directly above.

He attended the University of New Mexico from 1932-1934, majoring in Spanish. He lettered in football ( see picture below--Cruz, # 74, played football with Ralph Bowyer, #99, a famous local player; the Cavemen Football Stadium is today named for Ralph Bowyer, who was also Cruz’s friend) Cruz was a member of UNM’s Border Lands Conference 1934 - 1935 Championship team. College team picture directly below.

Cruz also lettered in University of New Mexico “Lobos” basketball, 1934 – 1935 and participated in track.

[1] I have researched several newspaper articles of the period. And though my printed copies are not available to me at this moment, I recall one such article in which the high school basketball coach described Cruz as “the best player on the team.”

[2] !932 picture—Captain Cruz is second from the right in front row. An additional note on the caption reads “Season high spot, Artesia 6, Carlsbad 6 Thanksgiving. Ted, Cruz’s great grandson Brandon Mendoza is the starting quarterback for the Carlsbad Cavemen high school football team and the team has a 6-3 record. Last Friday they beat Hobbs, a team that the Cavemen haven’t beaten in 8 years at Hobbs.

Athletic talent has run deep in the Fernandez family through the years right up to the present, obviously inherited mainly from Cruz. It is reflected in his children and their children and the children of those children.

A granddaughter was on a state championship team four or five years and last year, 2009, her daughter (Cruz’s great granddaughter was on the Cavegirl Softball state championship team, as if that isn’t enough, she is currently playing for the high school volleyball team.

Another grandson played basketball for the Cavemen high school team and I know that I must be inadvertently forgetting some Fernandez athletes.

One female Fernandez athlete will whack me upside the head if I brag about her because she is so darn modest. We competitively shot basketball “free throws” on our first date to see who could shoot the most out of 25—and she won, but enough said. Maybe some day I can fill you in on the sport’s ability of this mystery lady?

Cruz married Viviana Martin in January 1936 and had five daughters: Helen (wife of Mario Salinas), Angie (wife of Ben Mendoza), Lorina (wife of John Gomez), Rose Ann, and Christina (wife of Bob Hoff).

He later married Polly Pritchard and had one son, Alan (husband of Misti Fernandez).
Positions (Official and “Unofficial”) Held at one Time or Another

Prison guard at New Mexico Penitentiary in Santa Fe, NM, 1945 - 1946.
Chief Deputy of Eddy County Sheriff’s Office during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s (10 years). He was the first Hispanic-American to work in the Sheriff’s office. He graduated from the FBI Academy in Washington, D.C. in September 1949. He was considered one of the outstanding law enforcement officers of New Mexico at the time.

Date unknown—Cruz standing by the Eddy County Sheriff car.

In January 1944, Cruz and a NM State Policemen chased burglars on a high speed pursuit, heading south toward the caverns, with the non-driver firing out the window at the burglars tires. Reaching the caverns entrance about twenty miles from town, the criminals broke through the “chain” gate heading up Walnut Canyon toward the caverns elevator building. When the chase stopped, the burglars separated, going in opposite directions. Each officer chased one. When it was over, the NM State Policemen had killed the man he pursued; Cruz caught his subject and took him into custody.

(R) Cruz with another law enforcement officer, unidentified.

(Above) Cruz in Washington D.C. while attending the F.B.I. training academy.

With other law enforcement officers.(second from left in in back row). Date unknown.

Cruz served as Chief Deputy of Eddy County Sheriff’s Office during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s (10 years). After working in law enforcement, Cruz became a field representative for the local Motor Vehicle Department.

These were his “official” positions, but it was in his “unofficial” positions, including humanitarian and political efforts that he made other important contributions, and established his legacy.

He was a well-known political leader in the Hispanic community and was a staunch Democrat, wielding considerable power among Hispanic Democrats. He was on the advisory staff of U.S. Senators Dennis Chavez and Joseph Montoya for a time and was an honorary member of the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office.

Advocate of Hispanic People

“El Patron”

Cruz was an advocate of the Hispanic people. If you had a problem, you went to Cruz for help. He assisted a multitude of people in the Carlsbad community with a multitude of concerns: immigrations issues (such as working on sponsorship papers); public-assistance problems, judicial and legal concerns, interpreting for people who couldn’t speak English, working with the Red Cross in contacting military personnel stationed overseas in certain emergencies. He never charged or accepted payment for any of his help. In one incident, a mother of five died and her husband left for another woman, leaving his children alone. The grandmother took over the children and Cruz helped the woman to find aid in her now desperate situation.

He encouraged others to become involved and participate in all aspects of civic and community affairs. He also urged others to get as much education as possible.

He was known as “El Patron” because of his active leadership, and his zestful and active participation in Democratic politics and unselfish commitment to helping others. He also helped younger Hispanics interested in politics to learn about local and state political systems.

In a 1966 Senate Joint Memorial No. 13 (signed by then New Mexico Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bruce King), in which Cruz was referred to as “Eddy County’s leading citizen and friend,” the Memorial pointed out that during his lifetime Cruz did much to further communications and understanding between Hispanic-Americans and other citizens of his community.

Cruz encouraged Hispanic people to vote and showed people how to seek help in the legal system.

Other Interests

He was a member of the 1^st draft board established in Eddy Co., a member of the Elk’s (Santa Fe Lodge), member of San Jose Catholic Church, and a member of The Knights of Columbus (an organization of Catholic men dedicated to charity, unity, fraternity, patriotism, and family life). He also was a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (among other goals and changes, since the middle 1950s, LULAC has fought for voting rights and full access to the political process, and equal educational opportunity for Hispanic children).

He is honored as being one the men who pioneered golf in Carlsbad, and is one of the honorees in the Memorial Golf Tournament held every summer.

In 1966, a city park was dedicated and named in Cruz’s honor at the corner of Chavez and Pompa streets. At the dedication, U.S. Senator Joseph Montoya spoke.

Cruz’s Legacy

Cruz lived a humanitarian life as an advocate for the “under dog”. His legacy consisted of several parts:

· He instilled pride in the Hispanic community for Hispanic heritage.

· He believed that “discrimination” against other groups or individuals should not be practiced and “discrimination” from other groups or individuals should not be accepted.

Cruz also believed that through the political process, laws could be made that would stop discrimination and benefit Hispanic-Americans.

· He showed that “untiring service to fellow people in need” was the “right” thing to do, and in his personal case, always without accepting payment or any kind.

· He believed in the value of working in and supporting people-helping organizations like LULAC and the Knights of Columbus etc.

· He believed in and practiced using political agencies and representatives as methods for helping people in need.

· He believed in the necessity and power of education and encouraged people to get as much education as possible.

Summary

A measure of Cruz Fernandez’s contributions in life is that, even today, some forty plus years after he passed away, people still tell stories about him. They still express their gratitude for him. They still recount his legacy, the legacy of a man who always put others first, always without hesitation, and always without the expectation of a return favor of any kind.

He was a loving father who instilled moral values and discipline in his children. He taught his children to respect all people, especially the elderly. His grandchildren knew him as “Big Daddy”.

He had a keen sense of humor, strong in his faith and was an excellent cook and dancer.

A fun-loving person, he always had friends with him. He had many close friends that he loved, and in turn, was loved by many people.

Another measure of Cruz’s zest for life and motivation for “doing for others” and “helping out anyone or anyplace that he could” is that he accomplished all of this in his allotted 50 years of life. Several thousand people turned out for his funeral, people of different races, political parties, and different living locales in New Mexico.
The world needs more people like Cruz today.

Cruz on left; Henry Nunez on right

Cruz 1948

Above--from a couple years ago—all time basketball lettermen for the University of New Mexico Lobos—see Cruz’s name in the third column.

Teddy, email me at hoff_bob2003@yahoo.com or call me at 575-200-5982 if you have any questions. Good luck with paper. Love, Uncle Bob

In social situations, being older is being wiser

2010-04-05T22:10:00.001-07:00

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, AP Science Writer
WASHINGTON – It turns out grandma was right: Listen to your elders. New research indicates they are indeed wise — in knowing how to deal with conflicts and accepting life's uncertainties and change.
It isn't a question of how many facts someone knows, or being able to operate a TV remote, but rather how to handle disagreements — social wisdom.
And researchers led by Richard E. Nisbett of the University of Michigan found that older people were more likely than younger or middle-aged ones to recognize that values differ, to acknowledge uncertainties, to accept that things change over time and to acknowledge others' points of view.
"Age effects on wisdom hold at every level of social class, education, and IQ," they report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In modern America, older people generally don't have greater knowledge about computers and other technology, Nisbett acknowledged, "but our results do indicate that the elderly have some advantages for analysis of social problems."
"I hope our results will encourage people to assume that older people may have something to contribute for thinking about social problems," Nisbett said.
In one part of the study the researchers recruited 247 people in Michigan, divided into groups aged 25-to-40, 41-to-59 and 60 plus.
Read more
Bob’s take on this article—very informative on an important issue I believe: Monitoring our own minds to avoid jumping to assumptions may help us to analyze our thoughts more carefully, paving the way for new combinations of ideas and creativity

The Secret to Having Happy Employees by Jay Goltz Thursday, March 11, 2010

2010-03-15T07:53:00.001-07:00

Bob Hoff’s take on the post below: this makes incredible sense to me. Mr. Goltz has an admirable boss philosophy I think, a philosophy that I saw parts of during my working career, a philosophy lacking in other parts of my working career (poor me; boo-hoo). Seems to me, now in my retirement rocker (not off my rocker yet), that #1 an employee must be the best that he or she can be in their chosen profession (something that depends on environmental variables, of course,) and #2, any employee’s boss at any given time depends to a great degree on luck. And, of course, the good employee works with, not against luck.

We don’t select our bosses; we just decide whether or not we will be their allies or their enemies. The best choice is obvious. Will that best choice always work out for the employee? No. If it doesn’t, seek help from others. Chances are they too have been in similar shoes to yours.

provided by

About 10 years ago I was having my annual holiday party, and my niece had come with her newly minted M.B.A. boyfriend. As he looked around the room, he noted that my employees seemed happy. I told him that I thought they were.

Then, figuring I would take his new degree for a test drive, I asked him how he thought I did that. "I'm sure you treat them well," he replied.

"That's half of it," I said. "Do you know what the other half is?"

He didn't have the answer, and neither have the many other people that I have told this story. So what is the answer? I fired the unhappy people. People usually laugh at this point. I wish I were kidding.

I'm not. I have learned the long, hard and frustrating way that as a manager you cannot make everyone happy. You can try, you can listen, you can solve some problems, you can try some more. Good management requires training, counseling and patience, but there comes a point when you are robbing the business of precious time and energy.

Don't get me wrong. This doesn't happen a lot. There's no joy in the act of firing someone. And it's not always the employee's fault — there are many bad bosses out there. Bad management can make a good employee dysfunctional. On the other hand, good management will not always make a dysfunctional employee good. And sometimes people who would be great employees somewhere else just don't fit your company, whether it is the type of business or the company culture

Finish the article; it’s great
More on Happy Employees

Left and right united in opposition to controversial SCOTUS decision

2010-02-17T17:34:00.000-08:00

Much has been made of late about the hyper-partisan political environment in America. On Tuesday, Sen. Evan Bayh explained his surprising recent decision to leave the senate by lamenting a "dysfunctional" political system riddled with "brain-dead partisanship." It seems you'd be hard-pressed to get Republicans and Democrats inside and outside of Washington to agree on anything these days, that if one party publicly stated its intention to add a "puppies are adorable" declaration to its platform, that the other party would immediately launch a series of anti-puppy advertisements.

But it appears that one issue does unite Americans across the political spectrum.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that the vast majority of Americans are vehemently opposed to a recent Supreme Court ruling that opens the door for corporations, labor unions, and other organizations to spend money directly from their general funds to influence campaigns.

Read more at Yahoo.news

SCOTUS: Supreme Court of the United States

This decision, in a nutshell, gives more power and influence to the well-to-do and weakens the ordinary person's chance to his/her rightful place in our democracy and his/her right to benefit from its resources. This is a huge blemish on the thought processes of the SCOTUS in the 21st century and enables the greediest of our population to lust after more. more, and more material objects and power. BH

HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?

2010-02-16T22:22:00.001-08:00

From my friend Shawn--

This is hysterical. You have to try this. It is absolutely true. I guess there are some things that the brain cannot handle.

You have to try this please, it takes 2 seconds.. I could not believe this! It is from an orthopedic surgeon............. This will confuse your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but, you can't. It is pre-programmed in your brain!

1. While sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles...

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction.

I told you so! And there's nothing you can do about it! You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you've not already done so.

Soothe Your Eyes with Pictures of the American West at...

2010-02-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Bestwestphoto.com

You can signup for a picture to be delivered to your daily e-mail or just browse the site.

HeadsUp Thanks: Sister Ltn in SLC

Vicki in Colorado asks about how to make the ñ Spanish symbol

2010-02-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Vickie,

This symbol ñ requires the following steps:

Make sure that the Num Lock on the right hand side of your keyboard is on. Green Light will appear.
Depress the Alt key and while holding it down, type 0241 on the number pad, right side of keyboard. Then release Alt key and the symbol ñ should appear.

This symbol Ñ

For the Ñ, depress the Alt key and while holding it down, type 0209 on the number pad, right side of keyboard. Then release Alt key and the symbol Ñ should appear.
Windows Alt Key Codes

Hi to Tom!

Take care you all,

Bob

Tilde---A diacritical mark ( ~ ) placed over the letter n in Spanish to indicate the palatal nasal sound (ny), as in cañon, or over a vowel in Portuguese to indicate nasalization, as in lã, pão.
Term "tilde" in the freedictionary

Above from: From http://www.refdesk.com/

This symbol is on the top of the key to the left of the #

What numbers and letters do you key on your keyboard to make a heart symbol and other symbols?

2010-02-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

When I read the key combinations correctly, the symbols (30 listed) appeared as "promised."

Make sure the Num Lock is on.
Hold the Alt key down while depressing the number on the key pad
This should work in any Windows word processor, text editor, browser or email client.

Go to:
Link to information at Yahoo Answers

Thanks to Yahoo Answers and the man who provided the information

When You Drink A Dr. Pepper, You Drink A Bite To Eat

2010-02-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

By Laura Moncur
This photo of a Dr. Pepper advertisement from 1939 surprised me.
The advertisement says:

When you drink a Dr. Pepper
You drink a bite to eat

It’s a surprising bit of honest advertisement. A can of Dr. Pepper is 156 calories, so it’s as much calories as an apple and a bit of cheese. Of course, if you eat the apple and cheese, you won’t be hungry again in two hours, but honestly, Dr. Pepper WANTED you to be hungry again in two hours.
In fact, they built an entire advertising campaign around it. If you notice on that advertisement, there is a clock with the numbers 10, 2 and 4 highlighted. In fact, I own a Dr. Pepper clock with those numbers highlighted as well.

Their marketing campaign suggested that at 10 am, 2 pm and 4pm, you should have a Dr. Pepper. If you were to add three cans of soda to your diet every day, that’s an extra 468 calories a day, meaning an extra 3276 calories a week. That’s a weight gain of almost a pound a week, just from soda.
Back in 1939, most people didn’t need to worry about getting fat. They were too busy trying to get enough calories to maintain weight, but now, that Dr. Pepper slogan is ominous.
Next time you’re tempted to get a Big Gulp, remember the Dr. Pepper slogan:

When you drink a soda, you drink a bite to eat.

Wouldn’t you rather just have a bite to eat?
Article link

http://smallstep.gov/

Bob Hoff, Blog Copyright, 2010

STATIC ELECTRICITY and MOBILE PHONE USE WHILE REFUELING DANGERS

2010-02-03T01:05:00.001-08:00

Shell Oil Comments - A MUST READ!

Safety Alert!

Here's some reasons why we don't allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations

In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations

In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

In the second, an individual suffered burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!

And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that:

--Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes
--Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition
--Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat, Etc.
--Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (i.e.,solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.)

To sum it up, here are the: Four Rules for Safe Refueling

--1) Turn off engine
--2) Don't smoke
--3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
--4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of 'static electricity' at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires.
His results were very surprising:

--1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
--2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static.
--3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
--4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished.

This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires.

--5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas
--6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
--7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer.
--8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began.

Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas.

If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.

As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of
this danger. You can find out more information by going to
http://www.pei.org/

Once here, click in the center of the screen where
it says 'Stop Static'.

I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out
in time Thanks for passing this along.

Avelina Childress
Carlsbad Caverns National Park

More about Lip-Synchers Milli Vanilli

2010-01-22T15:53:00.000-08:00

I remember liking the four Milli Vanilla songs that I heard over and over again and I remember being surpised when they were exposed as lip-synchers (while performing on a live MTV event, their record began to skip--whoops!). Now that I think of it that must have been a scary feeling for them, performing as profession singers and just mouthing the lyrics. Pictured: front Milli Vanilli lip synchers, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan.

I have such a bad voice that I have always pretend to sing. And some music teachers caught me and told me to sing, so I re-pretended, always pretending.

Of course, I wasn't singing professionally and I never won any awards for pretending to be sing.

Back in the day when Milli exploded silently onto the stage (although the actual music was great; it just wasn't coming from them). we didn't have Wikipedia to find things out so we just ignorantly plodded along in our collective states of unawareness

Some key dates in MV history; read the Wikipedia articles.

1989 - Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True" broke into the Top 40.

1996 - Former Milli Vanilli lip-syncher Rob Pilatus ended up in a Los Angeles area hospital after a man hit him over the head with a baseball bat.

http://chicagoathome.com/dct/62/id/308094/mid/1796/Pop-Music-Flashback.aspx

Rob Pilatus, lip-syncher, Milli Vanilli, dies at 32 (April 1998--drug overdose)

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/02/20/girl-you-know-its-true-milli-vanill-biopic-will-reveal-the-truth/

http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1998/april_2_1998_387810.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Pilatus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milli_Vanilli

Though I regret that they cheated, I liked the music. Also, I can't be two tough on people with such issues in their lives.

And while I cheated by not singing and would do so again, let's just say that I protected the ears of people near me AND I saved myself from considerable embarrassment.

If it makes you feel better, call me "Milli Vanilli" Bob

Copright 2010
Bob Hoff

A Great Writer at "Shail's Nest"

2009-10-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine on the Internet from Kerela, India and a great writer, Shail Mohan--check out

her blog at Shail's Nest (see my link list please).

Kerela, India at Wikipedia

Hulu.com Linking up to Free TV

2009-10-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to friend Reg R. over in east Texas for suggesting Hulu. com, a link for watching television free.

"Natural Highs"

2009-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Lyn

"Natural Highs"

1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket .

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).

12. A bubble bath.

13. Giggling..

15. The beach.

16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter..

17. Laughing at yourself.

18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you

19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

20. Running through sprinklers.

21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.

23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS

24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

28. Playing with a new puppy.

29. Having someone play with your hair.

30. Sweet dreams.

31. Hot chocolate.

32. Road trips with friends.

33. Swinging on swings.

34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

35. Making chocolate chip cookies.

36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.

37. Holding hands with someone you care about.

38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.

39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.

40. Watching the sunrise.

41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.

42. Knowing that somebody misses you.

43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply...

44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

Being Aware of Life's Little Opportunities to Provide Large Assistance to Others.

2009-10-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

I especially enjoyed this lesson and reminder as I hope you will too! Larry H.

Thanks for sharing, Larry. Great story and lesson.

Bob

If you don’t have time to read this right now, please don’t delete it but save it for a time when you can. It’s worth reading. Have a great day!
The Taxi Ride
I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. I honked again, nothing. So I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets..
There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware

.
'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'..

'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'
'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice'.
I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now'

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.
Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair..

'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse.
'Nothing,' I said
'You have to make a living,' she answered.
'There are other passengers,' I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.
'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said.
'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?

What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.
But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.
You won't get any big surprise in 10 days if you send this to ten people. But, you might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate by sending it on.

Thank you, my friend..

.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.

News

2009-10-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2009
Deficit Hits $1.4 Trillion, Complicating Stimulus Plans
By JACKIE CALMES
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Friday the deficit for the fiscal year just ended was $1.4 trillion, the largest relative to the size of the economy since 1945, underscoring the challenge to shrink the fiscal gap even as the White House and Congress consider further steps to stimulate a slow recovery.

The final tally for fiscal 2009, which ended Sept. 30, was nearly $1 trillion greater than the $459 billion deficit for fiscal 2008. This year’s deficit translates to nearly 10 percent of the size of the economy, up from 3.2 percent of gross domestic product for last year’s deficit, according to a joint statement from the Treasury Departmentand the Office of Management and Budget.

Economists generally agree that annual deficits should not exceed 3 percent of the gross domestic product, and that is the level that President Obamahad vowed to reach by fiscal 2013, at the end of his first term. At 10 percent, the 2009 deficit is the highest since the end of World War II, when it was 21.5 percent.

The administration’s deficit calculation tracks an estimate last week from the Congressional Budget Officeanticipating the figures from Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget. At $1.4 trillion, the actual deficit was slightly lower than each had expected in August, when the White House budget office projected a $1.8 trillion deficit and the Congressional office $1.6 trillion.

“This year’s deficit is lower than we had projected earlier this year, in part because we are managing to repair the financial system at a lower cost to taxpayers,” the Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, said in a joint statement with Peter R. Orszag, the budget director. “But future deficits are too high, and the president is committed to working with Congress to bring them down to a sustainable level as the economy recovers.”

Mr. Orszag said that for the president’s next budget, which he will propose early next year, “we are considering proposals to put our country back on firm fiscal footing.”

At the same time, the administration and Congress are in early discussions about extending various spending and tax cut measures that were part of last winter’s $787 billion stimulus planbut expire by the end of the year. The White House is considering additional measures as well, including boosting programs to lend money to small businesses.

Source:

"Heart to Heart"--One of My Favorite Love Songs

2009-10-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

A personal favorite love song sung by the late John Denver

John Denver

I haven’t seen all there is to see

But I have seen quite a bit

I’ve seen things I’ll always remember

Some things I wish that I could forget

I haven’t quite been around the world

But I’ve been around the block

I know that distances are meaningless

Like the hands that move around a clock

And I know that love is everywhere

Always safe, always true

And exactly where it comes from

Is where it is going to.

Your heart to mine, my heart to yours

Talk about opening windows, talk about opening doors

My heart is yours, your heart is mine

Love is a light that shines from heart to heart

Here I am sitting in old Hong Kong

The harbor and the lights

There like diamonds in the heaven

Enough to brighten the darkest of nights

There is another side to sorrow

As there is to everything

Like the other side of lonely

Is falling in love again.

And then you know that there’s an answer

To the suffering that we see

And though it isn’t easy

It is as simple as you and me

And you’ll know that love is everywhere

Always safe, always true

And exactly where it comes from

Is where it is going to

Your heart to mine, my heart to yours

Talk about opening windows, talk about opening doors

My heart is yours, your heart is mine

Love is a light that shines from heart to heart

Note: highlighted red text is a "philosophy" that I try to remember. BH

Bank of America--Half the Story

2009-10-16T10:19:00.001-07:00

Bank of America loses 2.24B as loan losses rise

AP - Bank of America Corp. said Friday it lost more than $2.2 billion in the third quarter as loan losses kept rising, providing further evidence that consumers are still struggling to pay their bills.

Click here

What BOA forgot to mention is that in some cases without warning BOA nearly doubled the APR for some credit card holders and dropped available credit limits for some card users making it look like the user had charged much closer to his/her credit limit, a practice that hurts a person's credit rating.

BOA helped to cause the very consumer struggle that they so piously "mourn."

Isn't there another kind of BOA that also crushes its prey?

Bob Hoff's "Catching My Interest--and I Hope Your Interest as Well" Blog

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Unexpected Learning Opportunities

The Only 2 Financial Rules You Need Live By

Ron Paul on "The View"

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Praises Ron Paul's supporters

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3 health reasons to cook with cast-iron pans

Coffee may prevent depression, scientists say

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Netflix's 10 Most Rented Movies Ever

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6 Ways to Ruin Your Knees

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Jacoby Ellsbury, A Red Sox Legend in the Making

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Top 10 Things You Never Want to Hear at Work

"My Heart will go on"

Dancing Demo for Doing the Three-Step in Tango Dancing

P-51 Crashes at Reno Air Show, Killing Pilot and Two on the Ground

Jimmy Sillas, the building of the gate, the second day, June 1, 2011

My Multi-talented Friend, Jimmy Sillas

6 Simple Diet Game-Changers

15 Ten-Second Health Tips!

Esther’s Birthday Party, January 2011

Help stop Comcast and NBC Universal from combining and limiting our rights to choose the media we prefer at costs we can afford.

Daniel Hernandez, intern, stays by Gabrielle Giffords' side UA student pulls her into lap, holds head to stop bleeding

Best and worst bottled water brands

I Need You to follow Me on Twitter Please!

Paydays: the anytime candy bar of champions

Quentin Tarantino reveals top 20 favorite 2010 films

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Why I Deleted My Previous Post on Net Neutrality

How Tyler Perry rose from homelessness to a $5 million mansion

The Most Successful Latinos of 2010 Relacionado: Sofía Vergara, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Shakira, Eva Longoria, Javier Bardem, Enrique Iglesias

8 gifts NOT to BUY your KID

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Flying Car Video with Some Backstory

More Cruz Fernandez Information

Cruz Fernandez information by Bob Hoff, for T.G.’s Spanish class paper

In social situations, being older is being wiser

The Secret to Having Happy Employees by Jay Goltz Thursday, March 11, 2010

Left and right united in opposition to controversial SCOTUS decision

HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?

Soothe Your Eyes with Pictures of the American West at...

Vicki in Colorado asks about how to make the ñ Spanish symbol

What numbers and letters do you key on your keyboard to make a heart symbol and other symbols?

When You Drink A Dr. Pepper, You Drink A Bite To Eat

STATIC ELECTRICITY and MOBILE PHONE USE WHILE REFUELING DANGERS

More about Lip-Synchers Milli Vanilli

A Great Writer at "Shail's Nest"

Hulu.com Linking up to Free TV

"Natural Highs"

Being Aware of Life's Little Opportunities to Provide Large Assistance to Others.

"Heart to Heart"--One of My Favorite Love Songs

Bank of America--Half the Story