OMG!! Wind is whipping something fierce! The snow is falling, in a straight line, driving across the yard. My power is flashing on and off. Nasty this one. (Thank God it waited all Winter to get this way). Time to go offline, maybe throw in some laundry, or do the dishes, or, or, or... - Love to all XOXO, Me

Crude, 101

As she writes, 

Judy just told me…. 

“It’s really hard to take you seriously
when you’re sitting there with a bag on your head.”

 

I mean really, how rude…

ROTF!

Good Afternoon Everyone;

Gas station- Top management, and I slept with no one to get there.   hehehe

Overhearing an interview on TV, with Alison Kozik inspired this. 

She was replying to someone who thought that anyone, even/especially as President of the United States, can actually change gas/oil prices.

Memories From the Townline- 

You would not believe the number of people that came into my office to tell me that I was charging too much for the gas!

Who? Me?   hehehe    But they weren't kidding!

I assured them that I had nothing to do with it, and calmly tried to explain the law of crude, (what was current a few years back).

What happens to change the prices on the signboard

Our supplier gave me their price (to the station), with each tanker delivery. 

If necessary, I would adjust my price accordingly- Most often, this price reflected exactly what most nearby sellers were charging.

Oddly enough I was also threatened when I had posted our price to reflect ONLY the mandatory 6% mark-up. 

All businesses are required to mark up accordingly, by law, in Wisconsin. 

Admittedly, I do not know if the mandatory mark~up is 6% in other states- (might be higher, might be lower)?

A man from a local organization/corporation of stations came into my office, asked if I was the GM; - if I was, "Anne".

I was, (on both accounts).  hehehe

Having lived in this area, and being in retail business for most of my adult life, I knew who he was. To this day I remain unimpressed. (True, dat). hehehe

He told me, in no uncertain terms, to raise my price to reflect what *their* company charged, then added his "or else" !

If you know me at all, you also know that I am not easily intimdated. I refused to do this; at least until I heard back from the owner.

The owner was very easily intimidated. 

Too bad.

However...

In the meantime, I solds lots of gasoline... And when the tanker came again, the gas prices had gone down- (and viola!), were now to the point that my previous price was then stayed!

Earlier in the day, people had already seen the higher prices in Green Bay- so they STILL came to buy their gas from me.  
Worked out quite nicely if ya ask me. hehehe

• So how does the price of a gallon of gas come to be? 
• Who is responsible? 
• How and why?

AAA has told us that gas prices (at the pump) are up 27 cents in this one month.

Like it or not, this is not political.

No single person can dictate a change, upward, or down, to gas prices.

Prices are determined ONLY by supply and demand around the world.

While having some Great "Oz" ability to lower gas prices sounds GREAT in a campaign speech, gas prices are simply determined from higher oil prices.

Well, that and... 

... Read on. hehehe

The Game is on. The field is slick...

The US is the biggest consumer of the worlds oil- but we are just one player in this very big game.

As long as demand continues to fluctuate, so do the prices of a barrel of crude oil.

Our ability, specifically The Presidents ability, to influence oil prices is very limited.

Crude oil prices are raising significantly and that's the biggest reason why we are paying more at the pump.

1. The suppliers set the price- No matter where it comes from-
2. The middleman - as a refiner- gets his $hare.
3. The delivery company/corp get their share.
4. The stations are forced to charge more because THEY are paying more.

Iran has threatened to close a major shipping lane in the Middle East.

If this happens, though it probably won't (my opinion)- But *if* this happens, the price of a barrel of crude oil will rise exponentially.

The threat alone, Wall Street, has also forced prices to rise. Unfortunately when the fear subsides, the price will not drop.

According to Ms Kozik, if we stop buying oil from the middle east, and drill here, it would STILL take decades to see a lower cost of crude oil.

We do not have enough oil for America's need? I think we do.

Getting [to] it will be a major problem- And every lawsuit from those with the simple tree~hugger mentality will also cause those oil prices to rise. 

Save the nasty retorts- I use "tree~hugger" only to define the radical BS from some. (And you have to admit that SOME go waaaay tooooo far). 

You already know that I have nothing against those that wish to save the woods. Remember, I always planted my own trees. I always had my own garden. Until.

This drilling is something that needed to be done in the 50's, 60's and 70's.

For now, it is still not too late. 

Do you think there is nothing much anyone can do? You are wrong.

• We need patience.
• We need to turn down the thermostat.
• We need to stop making stupid trips anywhere to pick up a forgotten gallon of milk, or a single package of smokes.
• Hence, we need absolutely to make lists, and shop with them in hand.  

Forgot to write it down? 

Too bad. Do without. 

Simply refuse to start your car to chase the damn do~over. Or walk!

Save for meds, and truly sick children, whatever it is, I promise you do NOT need it badly enough to warrant picking up the car keys.

Bottom line is, unfortunately, and regardless of who is president, (or what politicians CLAIM they will have the power to do), the REALITY is that they have very little influence over the price we pay.

2012. 

It is an election year. the gas/oil prices have historically, always, risen during an election year- 

Why would this year be any different?

Take it from someone who (mostly)  loved retail/station management, our Mr. Gingrich is full of shit.

XOXO

Me

PS
For those that missed my reply in my original post about Casey's surgery, she is alright.

Wish I had the energy to blog. Miss you all. XOXO, Me

Casey. Punk. And me too.

Good Morning All;

I have been sitting and standing and trying to catch up on some laundry- 

The way my back feels, (and in a new spot), is that I am waiting for this next vertebra to crack. (I know this 'feeling' too). 

I am so careful. 

I wish the feeling would just go away- or crack already. 

It's much like having a very bad kink within.

I had gone to my pain appointment much earlier this month; having changed the time myself to accommodate another appt in the same building, & not wanting to make 2 separate trips. Mistakenly I had thought the doctor she had given me was one that I had already met, and liked. 

My bad.

As it was, a 'new' [to me] doctor walked in, stated that he was going to change my meds, took my cane and told me to walk. (Keep in mind that I was having a particularly bad back day to begin with). 

I would not walk without taking his hands, and taking some very tentative steps (in case this bonzo decided to pull away his hands as my support).

Then he tells me to sit. 

He repeats himself- BECAUSE I WASN'T MOVING/SITTING FAST ENOUGH!

Oh shit, (I could go on and on... But to save you the letter I wrote to my regular doctor, I won't).

Suffice to say this guy was an ass. 

He had not even LOOKED at my chart when he chose to  change my medication regimen!! WTfH???

I am still furious at being treated like dirt by someone who doesn't even KNOW me!

And yes, I held on to that letter for 2 weeks, rereading it to make sure I still felt the same way. 

I did, and do.  And yes, my doctor now has it.

Unfortunately since I can barely move, I have to call in and make another appt- an earlier one than the one I now have, because this regimen is NOT working for me.

I could blame it all on the fiasco about the death of yet another superstar who doesn't know how to read a Rx bottle, but this was weeks before her death- 

And it's shit like that that really upsets me. So I won't go even write about that crap.

Not much other news...

Punk is still sick- Not really 'sick' sick- but barfs every now and then. Vet said it is a birth defect in her throat- But I am wondering WHY this would only present itself now??? He had no answer for that, save that she needs to lose some weight. (But she has weighed the same now, approximately, for a few years)...

Let's see...

Oh, in case you missed it, I posted about Casey's next surgery in my calendar here... Poor kid. 

What I didn't write is that her Paps came back bad, and now she will also be having a colposcopy.

She has more courage and love than most people have in their little fingers.

I hope all is well with everyone. 

Forgive me please for not writing, and not commenting on your own blogs. I see many pages of new stuff that I cannot even get to. 

*sigh*  - I will never catch up.

XOXO
me

I don't know who said it, but it makes a heart soar- especially for those of us facing degenerative and mortal diseases... "Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence". Pretty good, huh? I will be offline for the majority of the day as I am waiting for my pain doctor to call me in response to a letter I wrote to him. Grrr... It wasn't pretty, but hey, that's why I blog, right? hehehe And I promise to get better at doing so, as soon as I can get around the damned pain anyway. My love to all. XOXO, Me

Casey's Next Surgery

Start:

Feb 21, '12 07:00a

From her last visit to Minneapolis, and once again Casey's stomach is not emptying correctly. (This is not specifically the delayed gastric emptying that she was operated on for previously- but close).

She has been having much pain, (daily, hourly), and has now been referred to another surgeon.
We met with him yesterday afternoon.
He has described the surgery as quite simple, even 'outpatient'. (Say "YAY")!

During another EGD, (esophagogastroduodenoscopy ), her surgeon will go to the very bottom of her stomach and cut the pyloric sphincter so her food can more easily move onward.
As it is now, her stomach must actually (severely) cramp up to be able to pass her food onward; thus accounting for the awful radiating pain.
Please keep her in your thoughts.

XOXO
Me

Happy Valentines Day to all! Question: What do squirrels give for Valentine's Day? Answer: Forget-me-nuts. hehehe Have a good one! XOXO, Me

Is Decaffeinated Or Decaf Coffee Healthy?

Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world. 

Coffee addicts who switch to decaf for health reasons may not be as free from caffeine's clutches as they think.

Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world. Coffee addicts who switch to decaf for health reasons may not be as free from caffeine's clutches as they think. A study conducted by the researchers of University of Florida put forth that decaffeinated coffee is not entirely caffeine-free. Also, it is important to understand that there are a number of significant chemical compounds present in coffee, other than caffeine, which also have strong effects on the body. ">The common active constituents include chlorogenic acid, caffeol and diterpenes. Many health disorders that are aggravated by coffee are still affected by decaffeinated coffee, despite the lowered level of caffeine, due to these other phytochemicals that remain in decaf coffee even after the decaffeination process.

Coffee is highly acidic and it can stimulate the hyper-secretion of gastric acids. Coffee creates more reflux than caffeine added to water, suggesting that other components of coffee contribute to its aggravating effect. Decaf coffee has been shown to increase acidity to a greater degree than either regular coffee or caffeine alone due to the fact that decaffeinated coffee is made from Robusta beans.

This in result aggravates health problems such as acid reflux, GERDS and ulcers making people susceptible to the detrimental effects of high levels of acidity. Decaf coffee consumption has also been associated with a greater incidence of heartburn than drinking any other fluids. Therefore, quitting coffee may reduce stomach problems that are associated with the high acidity of decaf coffee.

Decaf coffee increases cholesterol and heart attack risk

Several studies have shown that decaffeinated coffee raises the risk for heart attacks similar to regular coffee in spite of the lowered levels of caffeine. A U.S. National Institutes of Health study suggested that drinking decaffeinated coffee increased the risk of heart disease. This study showed that the group drinking decaffeinated coffee experienced an 18% rise in non-essential fatty acids in the blood, which can drive the production of LDL cholesterol and an 8% rise in apolipoprotein B - a protein associated with cholesterol linked to cardiovascular disease.

Levels of LDL cholesterol, a strong predictor for heart attacks, increase after coffee drinkersswitch from regular coffee to decaf coffee. These finding suggests that a phytochemical present in coffee other than caffeine is responsible for the subsequent LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B activity.

The fact is that caffeinated and decaf coffees are known to be made from different beans. Decaf coffee is often made from Robusta beans, which contain a much higher content of fats called diterpenes. Diterpenes are known to stimulate fatty acid production in the body. Thus, decaf coffee has proved more harmful effects on the heart as compared to regular coffee. Coffee oils other than caffeine have also been demonstrated to elevate liver enzyme levels, further inhibiting the liver’s ability to effectively regulate serum cholesterol.

Also, chlorogenic acid is found in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. It is believed to raise plasma levels of homocysteine, which is associated with increased susceptibility of developing cardiovascular disease. Reducing intake of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may be important in controlling plasma homocysteine levels.

Decaf coffee may lead to osteoporosis

According to an osteoporosis expert of Creighton University in Omaha, there occurs a loss up to 5 milligrams of calcium for every six ounces of regular coffee that you drink. As little as 300 to 400 mg of caffeine a day doubles the risk of hip fracture.

Low bone density increases chances for developing osteoporosis. Metabolic acidity contributes to demineralization of the bones. The high acidity of decaf coffee increases the risk for developing osteoporosis. It alters bone cell function, increasing osteoclastic bone resorption and decreasing osteoblastic bone formation. Avoiding regular and decaf coffee and including 3-4 servings of calcium rich foods a day can reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Decaf coffee leads to increased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis

Decaffeinated coffee intake is independently and positively associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) onset. According to researchers from the American College of Rheumatology, older women who drink four or more cups of decaffeinated coffee a day are more than twice as likely to develop RA as regular coffee drinkers. Moreover, drinking more than 3 cups of tea per day is actually associated with decreased risk of developing RA. 

Decaf coffee increases risk of glaucoma

Caffeine consumption may be harmful to people with glaucoma because it increases pressure within the eyeball. While caffeinated coffee more significantly increases intraocular pressure, decaffeinated coffee also causes a rise in levels of pressure within the eye. People at risk for developing glaucoma and those who already suffer from glaucoma should avoid anything that further increases intraocular pressure to avoid damaging their eyes.

Link to cancer and organ damage 

The decaffeinated coffee is likely to contain the solvent methylene chloride that is used to remove caffeine from coffee. This process leaves small amounts of this chemical in the beans. Methylene chloride is a proven carcinogenic that is toxic to lungs, the nervous system, liver, mucous membranes, and central nervous system (CNS). Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage.  Ethyl acetate is an alternate solvent used to extract caffeine. As this chemical is in low quantities found naturally in fruit, companies often market coffee decaffeinated using this process as naturally decaffeinated. However, this is a chemical with serious health consequences. 

From here.

The Shadowlands of Flintville

Subtitled: "Dirty deeds done under the cover of darkness."

OR...  "Things that go bump in the night" 

Good Morning All;

I don't sleep- well, or often- but when I do, it is almost like my own little piece of paradise.

Under the blankets and the homemade quilt- the weight of warmth. 

Personally, I do not care for the lightweight fluffy comforters of today. And am happy to save those bits and pieces of such for the cat or the dog. After sewing up the edges I can place them around to be found (usually by Sputty)- and soon there is a snuggled cat somewhere within the confines of my little farmhouse.

Last night I did not sleep early- I had napped a bit after Casey left, (after spending her entire day here)! When I woke, I was quite wide-eyed and bushy tailed.

Such is life.

It is dark- quiet then- even with the window opened a crack- even with the fan running over the stove. 

If I have the heat on, it is also warm.

Lately I have been using an old piece of Green Bay Packer material for a lap cover. it keeps my legs and feet toasty warm when Punk and Sputty are dreaming, lying elsewhere. It is good enough for me during this (knock on wood) 'warm' winter as I read on and on -from links -and thoughts- that are searched for, then researched on(ward).

Looking forward, with that glass being half full, I was reading about the Spring equinox, and waiting for another page to open about the Fat Witch Brownie Book. (Note: she cooks- she does not eat little girls in small brown uniforms). hehehe

Of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, and a split second before my head turned- I see a great black fleeting image- The cat, very much outstretched like a flying squirrel, taking sail off the chair through the dining room, and into the dark confines of the kitchen.  

I heard nothing, even as he landed on the old rug between the kitchen and the living rooms.

I waited to hear anything...

Comes a memory of the night before- as I'd been woken with a very loud 'bang' and a 'crack'... Later inspection would prove this to be the linen scented candle I had just bought- still in the bag from the store. A 'new' fragrance I had been eager to try in here- A light enough scent that I had thought might mix well with the patchoulli and the sage, (and of course, the dog).  hehehe

Damned cat. As he'd pushed the bag off the table, it had left little hope that I would ever find out if it would have mixed as nicely as I'd imagined... 

As that thought passed, I was quickly reminded that there was something in the kitchen that I, quite probably did not wish to deal with at that point in time- 

I waited. And I waited more- for anything to come of my aerobatic cat.

A moment later I heard a low gutteral growl... The sound that only comes from a feline as it protects its food.

Then nothing once more- save for that interminable 'wait'...

Confirmation came quick as he silently strode back into the room with a mouthful of mouse. A medium-size interloper that, I imagine, had been on its way to seek out the new bag of cat food that I had lain on the chair in the kitchen. Rarely am I able to put everything away form a shopping trip- I put the necessary things into the fridge/freezer, and the rest will be put away when I am able to do so. 

There ARE worse things. (Hmmm... -I think).

Almost as soon as Mr. Sputnik had shown me his pride, it leapt from his mouth- and again my cat began twisting- soaring, to retrieve it. 

I had no capabilities at that moment to participate in the chase. My back being just about as painful as it can get...

And yes, it is a story that has been told by me many times previous. Still, I have not seen a mouse in 3 months. This, thanks to Sputty, (or maybe thanks to the fact that none have been 'in' either. 

Then again, I have not seen last night's mouse either...

I am unaware if the damned cat ate it, or lost it. 

My day is planned in advance to see if he has, or not. 

As for Sput, he is asleep on the couch.

Punk will gladly help me- Her nose being one of my greatest assets. My airborne cat will not help further.

Off I go now- Going to be a LONG creepy day- one of which my nerves are not quite ready for. 

I shall try to put away things in their proper places- Perhaps even I will find a dead medium-sized mouse that has crawled under 'something' in a last ditch effort to hide from its predator... 

Ugh.  Maybe I will even vacuum up the leftovers, if indeed there are any.

At this rate, I will never be able to get my house into shape to $ell it.

For now though, it is warm enough- And as I wait for my little pills to kick in, I will try to go take a few peeks around as I remove my rugs and toss them outside to be shaken off.

My love to all. May you have a 'wunnaful' day!

XOXO

Me