Blog Archives

Swimming Pools

10/31/2023

Some facts:

1. There are 10.7 million swimming pools in the U.S. with 60% being above ground pools.
2. The average costs of putting in an inground pool is around $42,000.
3. Of course Florida and then California, by far, have millions of pools while Wyoming only has 3,000.
4. Only around a third of pool owners and/or their children go into the pool more than six times a year. Most of the use being when children are less than 13 years old.
5. Every death is tragic, but the odds of a child drowning in a pool are .00009%.
6. Sales for both above ground and inground pools hasn't slowed down in the last ten years.
7. Besides the high costs of putting in an inground pool, annual costs (i.e., electricity, chemicals, maintenance, etc.), run around $3,000.

The Associated Press

10/31/2023

The Associated Press put out an article that the antisemites storming the airport in Russia threatening to kill Jews flying in, was just a protest.

If you've seen the footage, you know this is an outright lie proving once again, that press credentials need to be pulled. The AP is nothing compared to how it used to be a more independent source of world news. They won awards again and again not only for their articles but also their pictures. Now it's just one liberally spun article and then another. Sad. The AP used to be awesome until around 20 years ago when it went liberal like so many other "so-called," news agencies.

Picture of mob at Russian airport.

A Great Story!

10/29/2023

There's a new movie out with Casey Affleck, Beau Bridges, and Zooey Deschanel called: Dreamin' Wild that is based on a true story about two brothers, Donnie and Joe Emerson, in the late 70's who produced their own music album when they were 15 and 17 and it flopped.

Donnie was a music prodigy who could play multiple instruments, sang great, and could write amazing songs. The other brother was a decent drummer. They loved each other deeply and although Joe could've been jealous of Donnie because he was a phenom, instead was happy for him and cheering him to shoot for a music career. Joe was content working on their father's family farm. Music to him was fun, but not a career choice.

Donnie's father believed in both boys and did everything he could to support them including building a state-of-the-art $100,000 (half a million in today's dollars) recording studio on their farm and in it they self-produced and self-released their first album, Dreamin' Wild, in 1979, an eclectic mix of rock, soul, R&B, country and funk music.

Their father and mother almost lost their farm due to borrowing money against it to help Donnie pursue his dream; but, the album flopped, and they were in a deep hole. They kept having to sell land to bring in revenue and his 1,600-acre farm dropped down to just a couple of hundred acres.

Here's where the story gets wild. Around 30 years after the album was released (it was 2008), someone in the music business found one of their records at an antique record store in the vinyl section and he was blown away at the sound and the lyrics. The brothers were in shock when they heard someone was interested in their music; especially after so long.

The record company relaunched the album with all the marketing behind it and put them on a mini concert tour. Donnie had kept playing music all those years and was making money at small venues including weddings where he and his wife would play so he was ready to go when they talked about the relaunch. Joe hadn't played drums for 30 years, so he had to quickly catch up.

People began to be exposed to their music and even after 30 years, they were performing great, and the crowds were going wild. They were the buzz in Los Angeles. I knew nothing about this story until I saw the movie, which I strongly recommend watching if you are into music. I'm now a fan.

School Choice?

10/29/2023

A recent poll in Florida showed that 34.68% of Floridians are against school choice. They'd rather put all their eggs in the public-school basket even though Florida is one of the best states when it comes to school performance in reading and math. We are a Pro School Choice state, and it shows.

I'm going to go out on a limb and state that a majority of those who oppose school choice are transplants from up north and not true Floridians or southerners in general. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 😉

Words of Wisdom from Vern Buchanan

10/28/2023

This was too good not to share:

"When Riley Gaines, who has made a name for herself as a champion for the preservation of women’s sports, is more vilified and unwelcome on college campuses than terrorist sympathizers, you know something’s wrong.

But that’s exactly what’s happening at so-called elite institutions like Harvard across the country in recent weeks following the barbaric and bloody attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel.

In fact, while Gaines was repeatedly denied the opportunity to give a speech on Harvard’s campus, the Ivy League school looked the other way while pro-Hamas demonstrations popped up and more than 30 student organizations called Israel “entirely responsible” for Hamas’ terrorist attacks.

Sadly, these sorts of disgusting comments and rallies have not just been limited to American colleges and universities.

In fact, when asked if President Biden is concerned about a recent rise in antisemitism, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded by saying, "we have not seen any credible threats.”

Worse, she then went on to say, "Look, Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks. And certainly, President Biden understands that many of our Muslim, Arab-American and Palestinian-American loved ones and neighbors are worried about the hate being directed at their communities."

And while she later attempted to walk back her comments, the damage was done.

The refusal of college administrators and even the White House to immediately and forcefully condemn the glaring and dangerous rise in antisemitism both here and abroad is nothing short of disgraceful.

Let me know if you share my outrage at Jean-Pierre’s comments and agree that antisemitism has no place in America." - Vern Buchanan

Most Recognized Athletes of All Time

10/28/2023

Subjective, but here is one ranking I found of the greatest (most well-known), athletes of all time in major league sports:

1. Michael Jordan (NBA)
2. Lionel Messi (MLS)
3. Tom Brady (NFL)
4. Muhammed Ali (Professional Boxing)
5. Wayne Gretzky (NHL)
6. Babe Ruth (MLB)
7. Roger Federer (Tennis)
8. Jack Nicklaus (PGA)

A True Statement

10/27/2023

A reminder that we can tell the true character of someone by the way he or she treats people who can do nothing for them, or to them.

Keeping Secrets

10/27/2023

I heard a homicide detective discuss how key, word of mouth is (tips), in solving cases. Then he said something funny about human nature in that it's been his experience that the only way two people can keep a secret, is if one of them is dead. 😉

Naval Criminal Investigative Service (Founded 1993)

10/24/2023

The show, NCIS, has been one of the Top Ten television shows for around two decades and there are a couple of spin-offs that are doing great as well with NCIS Australia beginning this season.

Within the Department of the Navy, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is a civilian federal law enforcement agency uniquely responsible for investigating felony crime, preventing terrorism, and protecting secrets for the Navy and Marine Corps. They work with foreign intelligence, terrorism taskforces, and conduct various investigations and operations, ashore, afloat, and in cyberspace. They have some of the best cyberspace analysts in the country.

There are around 2,000 NCIS personnel, with more than 1,000 serving as Federal Special Agents. It’s a unique agency for the military as it’s civilian-run and is headed by a civilian law enforcement professional who reports directly to the Secretary of the Navy. They operate in approximately 191 locations, in more than 41 countries. NCIS frequently gets involved in crimes where local, state, or foreign law enforcement agencies have primary jurisdiction, so they’re seen as an effective resource.

NCIS is often the first federal law enforcement agency on the scene when U.S. interests overseas are affected. In addition to serving at major naval commands around the world, NCIS Special Agents deploy aboard all Navy aircraft carriers and with amphibious task forces. NCIS agents routinely visit ports before our ships arrive and work with domestic and foreign counterparts to identify and mitigate security threats. NCIS also conducts protective service operations for senior naval officials and visiting dignitaries.

Many of the television show’s episodes are based on true stories and they’ve got a lot to work with such as a Navy officer dying at sea from what they thought was a heart attack but then they found that his wife had been sending him cookies laced with arsenic. She said she didn’t want to be married to him anymore because he was no fun; she was around 15 years younger than him. It’s a sick world out there.

Diversity Sucks (Tongue in Cheek)

10/24/2023

I've been around long enough to realize that diversity, in general, is not a strength. Countries like Britain, France, Germany, and New Zealand, have all had leaders make comments that they must get immigration under control because it is hurting their countries. There's too much division so things aren't getting done and resources are being squandered.

They have large numbers of immigrants from middle eastern countries who treat women as property. Who attack women who claimed to have been raped. Who aren't allowed to drive. There are sections in France where the police won't go because the immigrants from the middle east are policing themselves based on their ideology, not France's laws of the land.

The bottom line is that when someone mentions diversity, I want to jack-slap them. Not sure what it means, but it somehow sounds appropriate. 😎

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Author: John Mann

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