budward's Blog

With the end of my favorite and last Windows system I will ever own,
I bid a fond farewell to Microsoft.
     I will keep that old HDD around just in case I feel nostalgic but
in the meantime I will be enjoying the freedom of Linux Mint.
    I even themed it to look like XP so my wife won't be lost.
I would post a few pics but it's been so long I don't remember how anymore.

Bye Bye, Bill!  Maybe we can hang out around the pool sometime and re-live the good ol days!

OLD  VERSION: The  ant works hard in the withering heat all summer  long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The  grasshopper  thinks the ant  is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come  winter, the ant  is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper  has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL  OF THE STORY: Be  responsible for yourself

MODERN  VERSION:

The ant  works hard in the withering heat all summer  long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The  grasshopper  thinks the ant  is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come  winter, the shivering grasshopper  calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant  should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and  starving.

CBS, NBC ,  PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of  the shivering grasshopper  next to a video of the ant  in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.. America  is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How  can this be, that in a country of such wealth,  this poor grasshopper  is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit  the Frog appears on Oprah  with the grasshopper  and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'

Acorn  stages a demonstration in front of the ant 's house where the news stations film the group  singing, 'We shall overcome.'  Rev. Jeremiah Wright  then has the group curse God for the grasshopper's  sake.

Nancy Pelosi &  Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry  King that the ant has gotten rich off the back  of the grasshopper,  and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant  to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC  drafts the Economic Equity &  Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the  beginning of the summer.

The  ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate  number of green bugs  and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is  confiscated by the Government  Green Czar.

The  story ends as we see the grasshopper  finishing up the last bits of the ants  food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's  old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it.

The  ant has  disappeared in the snow.

The grasshopper  is found dead in a drug related incident and the  house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize  the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL  OF THE STORY:  Be  careful how you vote in 2012.

Hi lottery post family!

You need to have a facebook account to help.

I have a friend with a son who has autism.  She is trying to win a guitar for him at a local business. They are having a contest on their facebook page where you post a comment as to why you should win a guitar they are giving away. Who ever gets the most likes will win.

If you go here Samuel Music and first you have to like Samuel Music( or you can't vote)
and then scroll down and look for the contest announcement then click on "view all 5 comments and click " like " on the comment from Cassie Wheeler. I have a picture of what to look for below.



This would be really good for Elijah and I thank everyone who helps from the bottom of my heart!

thank you...Bud

I couldn't take it anymore.

After having 2nd degree burns on my right arm and having it wrapped for 2.5 weeks, I got my tools out and started turning wrenches again.

My bandage was filthy but I felt great! It felt so good just to be doing something.

And my car now has a new radiator fan and Electronic Temperature Control Switch.

It will thank me by continuing to ave 35mpg.

(1996 Saturn SL2, 272,000 miles and climbing.. new motor at 220,000)

Today my wife and I celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary and we also mourn the passing of our son 12 yrs ago today.

I am asking everyone who reads this to hug your spouse/significant other and kids and tell them you love them.  You never know when they will be called home to our Lord's house.

Bud

Received this from a friend.
I know I'm guilty of not checking my card.

SCENE 1.

This is a new one.

People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they?

A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker.  After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself, 'Funny, I thought I locked the locker.   

Hmm,  'He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order.

Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whooping bill of $14,000!

He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions.

Customer care personnel verified that there was no Mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen.

'No,' he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made.   

An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet.

The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards.

Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them.

How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy?

$9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped?

Small amounts rarely trigger a 'warning bell' with some credit card companies.

It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big
one!
SCENE 2.

A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card.

The bill for the meal came, he signed it,and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along.

Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket.  Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another
person.

He called the waitress and she looked perplexed.

She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man.

All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier
immediately looked down and took out the real card..

No exchange of words --- nothing! She took it and came back to the
man with an apology

Verdict:     Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours.

Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.

Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, 'assuming' that it has to be theirs.

FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

SCENE 3:

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in.

I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly to my checking account.

The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.

While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing.

I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.  Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.

He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing.

He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open.

About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.

Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card.

Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of
phone, I probably would never have known what happened.

Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don't be
careless.

Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card.

Be aware of  phones, because many have a camera phone these days.

Here we go again.

Dear Friend,
As you read this, I dont want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe
everyone will die someday. My name is Almed Al Nayle a merchant in Dubai,
in the U.A.E.I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled
all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few
months to live, according to medical experts. I have not particularly
lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone(not even myself)
but my business.Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always
hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only
thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is
more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.
I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would
live my life a different way from how I have lived it.
Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property
and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few
close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I
have decided to give also to charity organizations, as I want this to be
one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money
to some charity organizations in the U.A.E, Algeria and Malaysia. Now that
my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.
I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and
distribute the money which I have there to charity organization in
Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the money to themselves.
Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contended with
what I have left for them.
The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge cash deposit of
Sixty million dollars $60,000,000,00 that I have with a finance/Security
Company abroad. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and
dispatched it to charity organizations. I have set aside 40% for your time
and service.
Please reply me with honesty as soon as you receive this mail.
God be with you.
Almed Al Nayle

I just keep winning those lotteries without even entering.
How lucky can one guy be?  I got two of these notices today.

Maryland Lottery Agency.
From: The Desk of the Maryland Promotion Agent
United Kingdom
(Customer Services                                           
WINNING PARAMETERS
REF Number: MLI/231-ILGI0651/09
TICKET Number: 20511465321-072
SERIAL Number: 472-971177
LUCKY Number: 21-23-27-31-39-45
Date: march 29,2010.

Dear Sir/Madam,
Your Email address was selected online in this week's MARYLAND LOTTERY

AGENCY.However,you have been approved for a lump sum payout of

$1,500,000.00 To file for your claim, please contact your Principal

Counsel
Name Attorney Robert T. Fontaine
EMAIL marylandclaims@ufo.tc

You are advice to contact him via email and along with the following

details below.
1) Name:
2) Address:
3) Age:
4) Sex:
5) Occupation:
6) Tel/Fax:
7) Country.

Kindly remember to quote your reference number and lucky numbers in all

correspondence.
Congratulations, Once again from all our staff.
Sincerely,
Buddy Roogow
Online Co-coordinator
MARYLAND LOTTERY PROMOTION.

Check out channelstocks.net.

Subscription is fairly cheap at $6.99 per month as compared to

channelingstocks.com who's monthly price is $29.95.

The 545 People Responsible For All of America's Woes.
Charley Reese.
Stonewall County Courier.
Aspermont, Texas.
September 19, 1985

The TRUTH NEVER gets OLD!!

545 vs. 300,000,000 (Republicans & Democrats Alike - No One Is Blameless)

EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS WRITTEN IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.

Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.

545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred Senators, 435 Congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices -- 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party. What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes.

Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red ..

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want them in IRAQ .

If they do not receive Social Security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power..

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it is up to you, though you have several choices:

1. You can send this to everyone in your address book and hope "they" do something about it.

2. You can agree to "vote against" everyone that is currently in office, knowing that the process will take several years.

3. You can decide to "run for office" yourself and agree to do the job properly.

4. Lastly, you can sit back and do nothing or re-elect the current bunch.

My wife's brother(Terry White) has been diagnosed with Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
It is incurable and he's got some hard times ahead of him.

Thanks to all that help out!

Bud

then watch this

I found this and laughed my a$$ off!

Funny Saw 4

Dear Friend,

I am Mr. Peter Lee ting Chang Executive Director of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Hong Kong.
An Iraqi named Haider Hanoon,a business man made a numbered fixed   deposit of (346,736,899.68 TWD) for 18 calendar months, this is  valued  to Fourty- Four million Five Hundred Thousand United State  Dollars only  in my branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to  him, even during the war, Six years ago (2003). Again after the war  another notification was sent and still no response came from him.  We later found out that Haider Hanoon and his family had been killed  during the war in Gunfire that hit their home at Mukaradeeb where  his personal oil well was.

After further investigation it was also discovered that Haider  Hanoon did not declare any next of kin in his official papers  including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided  in me the last time we were at my office that no one except me knew  of his deposit in my bank. So, Fourty- Four million Five Hundred  Thousand United State Dollars is still lying in my bank and no one  will ever come forward to claim it. What bothers me is that  according to the laws of my country at the expiration five years six  months the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong  Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

My proposal, I am prepared to place you as the next of kin in a  position to instruct HANG SENG BANK to release the deposit to you as  the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am  prepared to share the money with you in half. That is: I will simply  nominate you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to  you. We share the percentage 70/30. I would have gone ahead to ask  the funds be released to me, but that would have drawn a straight  line in my involvement in claiming the deposit. I assure you that I  could have the deposit released to you within a few days. I will  simply inform the bank of the final closing of the file relating to  Haider  Hanoon I will then officially communicate with my Bank and  instruct  them to release the deposit to you. With these: all is  done. I am aware of the consequences of this proposal.

I ask that if you find no interest in this project that you should  discard this mail. I ask that you do not be vindictive and  destructive. If my offer is of no appeal to you, delete this message  and forget I ever contacted you. Do not destroy my career because  you do not approve of my proposal. You may not know this but people  like myself who have made tidy sums out of comparable situations run  the whole private banking sector. I am not a criminal and what I do,  I do  not find against good conscience, this may be hard for you to   understand, but the dynamics of my industry dictates that I make  this  move. Such opportunities only come ones way once in a  lifetime. I  cannot let this chance pass me by, for once I find  myself in total  control of my destiny. These chances wont pass me  by. I ask that you  do not destroy my chance, if you will not work  with me let me know and let me move on with my life but do not  destroy me. I am a family man  and this is an opportun
ity to provide  them with new opp

If you give me positive signals, I will initiate this process  towards  a conclusion. I wish to inform you that should you contact  me via  official channels; I will deny knowing you and about this  project. I  repeat, I do not want you contacting me through my  official phone  lines nor do I want you contacting me through my  official email  account. Contact me only through the numbers I will  provide for you  and also through the email account that i will  provide therein in this  email. Further more be informed that the  fact that you are a foreigner give  you the privilege to stand in as  my deceased client beneficiary as my  deceased client had no  relation all his family died with him during  the war and I can not  use my relation because its not accepted here in  Hong Kong. Also I  am very confident that we will be able to establish  the trust that  is needed to complete this deal and all that I need  from the time  been is your willingness and commitment so that we ca
n end this in
the next one weeks.

What you need to understand about this transaction is that I will  make sure that it passes through all international banking laws  regards to this I will take care of all the expenses and the cost of  retaining the service of my Attorney to give the transaction the  proper documentation that is required to perfect the finishing. Your  only obligation in this transaction will be to set up two offshore  accounts that can accommodate these funds and I will give you more  lightly later once you agree to partner with me. Like I said before  there is no risk involve as it will pass through international  banking laws and all documents related to this transaction will be  sent to you by post for your perusal and trust.

I do not want any direct link between you and me. My official lines  are not secure lines as they are periodically monitored to assess  our level of customer care in line with our Total Quality Management  Policy. Please observe this instruction religiously. Please, again,  note I am a family man, I have wife and children. I send you this  mail not without a measure of fear as to what the consequences, but  I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that  success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is  the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. Do not  betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should plan a  meeting, soon. Should you be interested I will prefer you to send me  your FULL NAMES, ADDRESS, OCCUPATION AND PHONE NUMBER. On the email  address below.

E-mail:changpeterting@yahoo.com.hk

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

I await your response.

Mr.Peter Lee ting Chang

Here is an article I found.

Oxygen Cap?