When my old sink stoppers became grody, I decided it was time to modernize with newer, better, redesigned stoppers for a mere $1.99 each. The first set were mesh baskets, which seemed while shopping to be a good idea; however, there was no “plug” mechanism included with the basket and the mesh rusted within the first week of use. Money down the drain, so to speak.
Next came a set of sink stoppers that would not allow the water to drain from the sink unless the stopper was removed, retailing at $3.49 apiece. The purpose of the sink stopper basket is to catch the fall-off from the dinner dishes so it can be sent to the trash bin, not allowed to go down the drain with the water. No, I don’t have an in-sink eradicator and, if I had my way, the auto dishwasher would also be gone from my kitchen. This set of stoppers had just one setting: plug the sink. I went in quest of a sink stopper that both plugged the sink drain and also allowed the water to drain without removing the stopper basket.
The third set of stoppers were chrome plated, but more substantial than set #2, and I made sure there were options for stopping and draining before I bought these pricey pieces of drain equipment at $5.49 each. Yep, they stop up the sink, but only allow a trickle of water to actually drain without some manual interference in the process. Thus, the sink fills up with water as I use it to rinse dishes, rather than allowing the water to drain continually. There is not enough clearance between the basket, the stopper and the drain for dual stopper action during use, which seems weird, but that’s the way it is.
How hard is it to make a drain stopper that works? I wish I had kept the old, grody sink stoppers because they not only plugged the sink for the big dish jobs, but they allowed the water to drain from the sink when I was finished cleaning dishes. I am an unhappy kitchen kamper who wishes she could find stoppers that plug the sink and allow it to drain without removing the stopper!~!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A Quick Aside
I don't watch either O'Reilly or Hannity because both men have a general tendency to be Johnny One Note, harping on their side of any issue and obliterating anyone with a different opinion. However, I've watched network news and been concerned about the overwhelmingly positive media coverage of President Obama's lavish campaigning activities, from posh Hollywood parties to the ladies of The View and onto the couches of the late night's biggest names. Never has any serving President enjoyed such overt media fawning as the current President, who uses the media as his own personal PR office.
I decided this evening to see what's up with the radicals, and I must say that I'm impressed with the stories I haven't seen/heard anywhere else, including the attack on the embassy at Benghazi and who knew what, when, and why. Basically, the key American government players were in the White House SitRoom, watching in real time the attacks on American citizens at the embassy in Benghazi, and emails sent within the first two hours of the attacks made it clear that this was a planned terrorist attack and included a call for help that was never sent to them. There were those who escaped to other parts of the embassy compound and continued to fight for their lives while awaiting the help they called for, but which never came. This includes two Navy Seals who lost their lives seven hours after the initial attack, a very big window of opportunity for fellow Seals to arrive and effect escape.
Anyone who wants to know what it is like to be afraid for one's life as an American citizen in a foreign country should see Argo, a deja vu flash-forward from 1979 and a similar incident to what happened this month at the American Embassy in Benghazi. Had not one man, an "ex-fil" specialist played by Ben Afflect, been committed to saving those American lives, they, too, would have died in service to their country. The film is very well done and more than timely in its message.
I also listened more carefully to DL Hughley, a comedian and guest of Bill O'Reilly, who took great pains to clarify racism for me and other viewers. If a white candidate indicates that the President of the United States may not be telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, that is dispicable and racist -- the white man calling out the black man. However, if the first African American President of the United States repeatedly tells his white opponent that he is not telling the truth and is, in fact, a liar, that's just good politics reflective of the office the A-A opponent holds. Language is no longer universal, but bound in meaning and intent by the color of the skin of the user?
My mind was thinking about geese, gander, and sauces in this land of the free, home of the brave.
I decided this evening to see what's up with the radicals, and I must say that I'm impressed with the stories I haven't seen/heard anywhere else, including the attack on the embassy at Benghazi and who knew what, when, and why. Basically, the key American government players were in the White House SitRoom, watching in real time the attacks on American citizens at the embassy in Benghazi, and emails sent within the first two hours of the attacks made it clear that this was a planned terrorist attack and included a call for help that was never sent to them. There were those who escaped to other parts of the embassy compound and continued to fight for their lives while awaiting the help they called for, but which never came. This includes two Navy Seals who lost their lives seven hours after the initial attack, a very big window of opportunity for fellow Seals to arrive and effect escape.
Anyone who wants to know what it is like to be afraid for one's life as an American citizen in a foreign country should see Argo, a deja vu flash-forward from 1979 and a similar incident to what happened this month at the American Embassy in Benghazi. Had not one man, an "ex-fil" specialist played by Ben Afflect, been committed to saving those American lives, they, too, would have died in service to their country. The film is very well done and more than timely in its message.
I also listened more carefully to DL Hughley, a comedian and guest of Bill O'Reilly, who took great pains to clarify racism for me and other viewers. If a white candidate indicates that the President of the United States may not be telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, that is dispicable and racist -- the white man calling out the black man. However, if the first African American President of the United States repeatedly tells his white opponent that he is not telling the truth and is, in fact, a liar, that's just good politics reflective of the office the A-A opponent holds. Language is no longer universal, but bound in meaning and intent by the color of the skin of the user?
My mind was thinking about geese, gander, and sauces in this land of the free, home of the brave.
The Highlight Reel
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like writing as it seemed that everything I began sounded negative and not worth posting. However, a highlight reel of thoughts can ketchup on my life.
First, I cannot watch President Obama when anyone challenges his credibility because the smirky, arrogant, patronizing look on his face disrespects the person questioning him. He does the face at press conferences and incorporated the look during the campaign, but totally perfected it for the debates. A person does not “win” a debate by being derisive of the opponent; s/he wins it on the depth of the discussion. He has depth of knowledge that could be communicated forcefully and with a thoughtful face, but each time he commented, he did the smirky smug face, which, for me, eradicated any points toward the win column. Additionally, Obama has made public appearances on talk shows his primary campaign strategy, funded by gala Hollywood events that go for $25k a plate and are often hosted by prominent members of the gay community; hence, Obama’s reversal of his stance on same-sex marriage two weeks before Ryan Murphy’s (Glee) first pricey dinner party in his honor. I resent the hell out of the President using Air Force One as his personal cross-country taxi as he flies from one star-studded fundraising event and “late night” media event to another, all the while telling we, the people, that we have serious issues that need a serious commander-in-chief.
Frankly, the only person I find more offensive than President Obama is Whoopie Goldberg, whose racist rants and racial slurs against white people are inexcusable. I don’t know when “her people” came to this country, nor do I know where/when they were slaves, but I do know that my maternal grandparents came to this country at the turn of the last century with little more than their own determination to become Americans, to learn the language, to bear children who would speak English and be enriched through education and work experience and enjoy a better life than they would have had in their homelands. They were frugal, hardworking people who raised 3 children, 2 of whom served during World War II. My mother gave birth to 6 children, all of whom knew that priority #1 was a good education that would ensure a better life for them and their children. I never heard my parents threaten anyone to “look out” for the person occupying the White House as Goldberg did in 2008, when she dared “you white people” to “look out” because now there was a black man in the White House.
Next, the airlines have it wrong: mandate that all passenger luggage must be checked and transported in the cargo hold designed for that purpose, with the cost of that transport part of the price of the ticket, not a penalty fee. If there are passengers who absolutely must bring the contents of an over-sized backpack, a bulging roller board, and a temporary office in their briefcase, charge THEM to bring it on-board, creating traffic jams in the narrow passenger aisles as they cram all of that “luggage” into small, overhead bins. I am amazed at the volume of luggage passengers are allowed to bring onboard, and sometimes amused at what it takes to cram all those belongings into small bins designed for small items. I venture to guess that during an accident, such as a sudden downdraft that can pop the overhead bins open, more passengers are injured by the bulky, heavy passenger luggage stowed in the overhead bins than any other cause. Thus, if the airline personnel are not willing to monitor what’s being brought onboard and limit the size, as well as the weight of the items, they should require ALL luggage be checked.
Additionally, I am offended by the total sexualization of the media, such as the overt sexuality of the performances, as well as the costumes, on shows such as Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, X Factor, and Idol. These are all “talent” shows based on the participants’ ability to perform a skill with expertise that wins him/her the talent contest. Instead, we see Christina’s breasts barely covered by a series of garments designed to show off her private parts, especially when she r-e-a-l-l-y leans into the camera angle. Gilles Marini apparently won top votes not for his expertise as a dancer, but because his overtly sexual dance revved up Carrie Anne’s “babymaker,” causing her literally to fall off her chair in excitement. Contestants come to the preliminary rounds as “real” people, but compete in the performance rounds in stylized costumes that don’t reflect who they are and what they sing, but create a look that appeals sexually to audience members. On one of the make-over events on one of the daytime shows, a woman in a knee-length dress was accused of looking “old,” and the hostess suggested that she needs to “turn her sexy up” by wearing tighter, shorter, and more revealing outfits.
I cringe to think of the generations who are being raised with this mindset, both the young girls who have to meet this “sex” standard and the young males who are being urged into sexual relationships based on appearance, rather than on the content of a person’s character.
Finally, I am so glad that I have my new puppy, who is such a little love. She responds to her name, plays doggie toys with both me and the other dogs, and our potty training is going well. She has discovered her bark and joins the other dogs when they go to the fence to challenge anyone who comes onto their street. We did have a scare last week, when Cinnamon had her second in the series of puppy shots and reacted poorly to it, her eyes swelling shut and her tummy turning bright cherry red. We took her to the vet immediately, where she was given an injection of Benadryl, as well as an injection of steroids. No harm done, and she really slept well that night!
First, I cannot watch President Obama when anyone challenges his credibility because the smirky, arrogant, patronizing look on his face disrespects the person questioning him. He does the face at press conferences and incorporated the look during the campaign, but totally perfected it for the debates. A person does not “win” a debate by being derisive of the opponent; s/he wins it on the depth of the discussion. He has depth of knowledge that could be communicated forcefully and with a thoughtful face, but each time he commented, he did the smirky smug face, which, for me, eradicated any points toward the win column. Additionally, Obama has made public appearances on talk shows his primary campaign strategy, funded by gala Hollywood events that go for $25k a plate and are often hosted by prominent members of the gay community; hence, Obama’s reversal of his stance on same-sex marriage two weeks before Ryan Murphy’s (Glee) first pricey dinner party in his honor. I resent the hell out of the President using Air Force One as his personal cross-country taxi as he flies from one star-studded fundraising event and “late night” media event to another, all the while telling we, the people, that we have serious issues that need a serious commander-in-chief.
Frankly, the only person I find more offensive than President Obama is Whoopie Goldberg, whose racist rants and racial slurs against white people are inexcusable. I don’t know when “her people” came to this country, nor do I know where/when they were slaves, but I do know that my maternal grandparents came to this country at the turn of the last century with little more than their own determination to become Americans, to learn the language, to bear children who would speak English and be enriched through education and work experience and enjoy a better life than they would have had in their homelands. They were frugal, hardworking people who raised 3 children, 2 of whom served during World War II. My mother gave birth to 6 children, all of whom knew that priority #1 was a good education that would ensure a better life for them and their children. I never heard my parents threaten anyone to “look out” for the person occupying the White House as Goldberg did in 2008, when she dared “you white people” to “look out” because now there was a black man in the White House.
Next, the airlines have it wrong: mandate that all passenger luggage must be checked and transported in the cargo hold designed for that purpose, with the cost of that transport part of the price of the ticket, not a penalty fee. If there are passengers who absolutely must bring the contents of an over-sized backpack, a bulging roller board, and a temporary office in their briefcase, charge THEM to bring it on-board, creating traffic jams in the narrow passenger aisles as they cram all of that “luggage” into small, overhead bins. I am amazed at the volume of luggage passengers are allowed to bring onboard, and sometimes amused at what it takes to cram all those belongings into small bins designed for small items. I venture to guess that during an accident, such as a sudden downdraft that can pop the overhead bins open, more passengers are injured by the bulky, heavy passenger luggage stowed in the overhead bins than any other cause. Thus, if the airline personnel are not willing to monitor what’s being brought onboard and limit the size, as well as the weight of the items, they should require ALL luggage be checked.
Additionally, I am offended by the total sexualization of the media, such as the overt sexuality of the performances, as well as the costumes, on shows such as Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, X Factor, and Idol. These are all “talent” shows based on the participants’ ability to perform a skill with expertise that wins him/her the talent contest. Instead, we see Christina’s breasts barely covered by a series of garments designed to show off her private parts, especially when she r-e-a-l-l-y leans into the camera angle. Gilles Marini apparently won top votes not for his expertise as a dancer, but because his overtly sexual dance revved up Carrie Anne’s “babymaker,” causing her literally to fall off her chair in excitement. Contestants come to the preliminary rounds as “real” people, but compete in the performance rounds in stylized costumes that don’t reflect who they are and what they sing, but create a look that appeals sexually to audience members. On one of the make-over events on one of the daytime shows, a woman in a knee-length dress was accused of looking “old,” and the hostess suggested that she needs to “turn her sexy up” by wearing tighter, shorter, and more revealing outfits.
I cringe to think of the generations who are being raised with this mindset, both the young girls who have to meet this “sex” standard and the young males who are being urged into sexual relationships based on appearance, rather than on the content of a person’s character.
Finally, I am so glad that I have my new puppy, who is such a little love. She responds to her name, plays doggie toys with both me and the other dogs, and our potty training is going well. She has discovered her bark and joins the other dogs when they go to the fence to challenge anyone who comes onto their street. We did have a scare last week, when Cinnamon had her second in the series of puppy shots and reacted poorly to it, her eyes swelling shut and her tummy turning bright cherry red. We took her to the vet immediately, where she was given an injection of Benadryl, as well as an injection of steroids. No harm done, and she really slept well that night!
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