If you purchase a toy with a retail value of $15 to Knotts Berry Farm from December 5-20, you will get a voucher to get into the park for free! Also, you can buy the toy outside the park before you go in and then present a voucher for a free ticket at the main gate, so you don’t even have to buy the toy in advance.

Proof of purchase is required.

It’s not free, but it’s close to it.

Click the link for more discounts to Knotts Berry Farm 2009 and park info:

http://www.knotts.com/public/admission/prices/deals.cfm

Electric Garage Heaters

Doggie Bark Collars

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How about paying just $15 to get into Six Flags Magic Mountain in December 2009?

All you need to do is buy a toy for $15 or more, leave the price tag on, and bring it to Six Flags. Give them the toy and you get a free admission ticket.

Be sure to call the park at (661) 255-4500 to check on the exact dates for this promotion. A link is shown below.

TICKET PRICES AT THE PARK

• General Admission $54.99
• Child Under 48″ $27.50
• 2 & Under FREE

 

DAILY TICKETS
ONLINE SPECIAL — $29.99
USE BY JANUARY 4

Buy your tickets online for just $29.99 when you purchase and visit by January 4, a savings of $25! Print your tickets at home and go straight to the gate.

Six Flags Magic Mountain Link:
http://www.sixflags.com/magicMountain/tickets/index.aspx

Sewing Machine Report

Martial Arts Training Equipment

Iwish someone would explain to me just what a “right” is in America.

If it is in the Bill of Rights, does that make it a “right”?

If it is in the Constitution, does that make it a “right”? Or is it the other way around? Whatever is not specified is a “right”? Wait, that makes no sense. Let’s see, is owning a SUV a “right”? Or flying to Florida? Or refusing to drink milk? I really don’t know.

And I suspect few others know the answer to this question. Maybe 1 in a 1,000 have a clue. I really don’t care if healthcare for all is a RIGHT or not. It is just the right thing to do. At this point I say that the Public Option must stay in the Bill or nothing, like Nancy Pelosi proposes. Why? because whatever is done right now is done forever, at least for our lifetimes. In other words, if we pass a half assed bill to trust the insurance companies, then the change to improve it in the future is gone. Zap.

By the way, as I understand it, if an insurance company does not have the power to enforce the rule of not accepting people who have certain pre-existing conditions then they will go broke. I do know for a fact that the insurance companies, especially the smaller ones, are slimy bastards who will do anything to deny coverage. This is not true of the biggies like BCBS and Aetna.

These days your list of things to pack for a camping trip are somewhat different than those of 100 years ago.

A checklist today would usually include:

Bedding – Tent, sleeping bag, tarp, sheets and blankets, pillows, air mattress or sleeping pad

Tools:  Axe, hammer, air pump, repair kit for air mattress, dust pan and brush, utility bags for storage

Cooking – stove with propane fuel, large water jug, dish soap, utensils (spatula, knives, forks, spoons), matches or lighter, charcoal, firewood or propane stove, can opener, heavy duty aluminum foil, dish pan, cooking oil, seasonings, sugar and condiments, paper towels

Personal items – washcloth, shampoo, razor for shaving, toilet paper, tooth brush/tooth paste, rain gear, medications

Miscellaneous – flashlight, batteries, lantern with fuel and mantles, pocket knife, compass, bug repellant, candles, electrical tape, cell phone and charger, small shovel, radio, camp chairs, travel alarm clock, first aid kit, hand wipes.  

By contrast, here is a list of things from “How To Camp Out”, a book written in 1877 by John M. Gould.

Flour (prepared), Axle-grease, Bacon, Barometer (pocket), Half-barrel, Pickles, Bean-pot, Halter, Pins, Beans (in bag), Beef (dried), Hard-bread, Postage stamps, Beeswax, Harness (examine !), Postal cards, Bible, Hatchet, Rope, Blacking and brush Haversack, Rubber blanket, Ink (portable bottle), Boxes, boots, Bread for lunch, Sail-needle, Brogans (oiled), Lemons, Broom Liniment, Butter-dish and cover, Lunch for day or two, pork, Canned goods, Maps, Salve, Chalk, Matches and safe, Saw, Cheese  Marline, Shingles (for plates), Clothes-brush, Meal (in bag), Shirts, Cod-line, Shoes and strings, Coffee and pot, Medicines, Slippers, Comb, Milk-can, Compass, Molasses, Song-book, Condensed milk, Money (** change”). Spade, Monkey-wrench, Currycomb, Mosquito-bar, Dates, Mustard and pot, Dippers, Nails, Neat’s-foot oil, Night-shirt, Drawers, Oatmeal, Dried fruits,

Oil-can, Dutch oven, Opera-glass, Figs, Padlock and key, Vinegar, Firkin, Pails, Watch and key.

I wonder what they did with the “padlock and key” the “Sail-needle” and the “Oil-can.” I don’t even know what these things are: halter, Brogans, Shingles, Cod-line (must be a fishing line?), Drawers (underwear?), Firkin. Finally, he listed “lunch for a day or two.” Understanding that fast food joints were not invented, I wonder what other food he packed and how much space did he need for everything all together.

How did they get to the camping area? Horseback? So many historical questions.

Visit Martial Arts Training Equipment  and  for some cool patches see Martial Arts Patches.

That’s a crazy liberal idea!

We’ve got wars to wage and taxes to cut!

Promote affordable healthcare for all Americans!

“in a Christian way.”

Pray tell. How do Christians act? Do they invade countries and kill civilians by the thousands and drop atomic bombs on civilians as well? Is that part of their modus operandi? Do they arrange for unliked leaders to be taken out? Do they scorn one of the few truly good presidents, Jimmy Carter, while adoring other Presidents who celebrate overwhelming small countries? Do they claim to believe in God and Jesus and Heavan but rush to Church the weekend after 911 because they are so terrified? Do they really believe anything they talk about?

How do these good Christians really act?

greg

Nice try, Bob. But you don’t give me what I need in your sales pitch. You don’t tell me how we can help the poor people and still keep America “great”.

For example, your side is all wound up about Honduras. It’s like every little distraction going on in the globe gets a lot of their attention and wears them out. Your guys want to be the planet’s king. Too bad the genie got out of the bottle making that impossible.

Maybe you could have named the leader of Honduras a month ago (could you?). Can you name each leader of each of the Central American countries right now? This Zelaya guy, who the hell cared about him a couple of months ago? Don’t you think the people of Honduras know better how to run their own country?

While you are worried about Honduras, did you also have your eyes on Russia and on all of the troublesome countries of the ME not to mention that guy in N. Korea who is crowing like a rooster much to the Conservative dismay. Your buddies want Obama to act like Reagan. Well, fuck Reagan. He died a long time ago. He got lucky, in fact, but the deflated Russian economy. “Mr. Gorbachev, take down that wall!” For chrissakes. What if the other guy said to get the fuck out of Germany? Did I hear correctly? The pact with Russia would reduce the missiles to 6,700? Holy shit.

Me and a lot of others are incredibly tired of the conservatives acting like warlords. That day is gone. Don’t you see it? And why can’t you see that the system of capitalism needs reform?

So, to lecture me about the goodness of wealthy people and how the only path to salvation is to cut taxes for the rich is absurd. Been there, done that. The reason you can’t feel the real angst out there is because you hang out with rich people. They never feel it.

Did I tell you my brother in law, Joel Martino, had a nervous breakdown? He probably gave his money to Maddoff. Cut the wealth of the super rich by 90% and they would still have enough money to live like kings. Don’t praise them, Bob. Pity them.

greg

I am not pro-Socialism if that is what you think. I am pro-common man. There is a difference. We could cut the common man into the wealth equation if we wanted to. But we don’t want that because we are too damn greedy. (Obviously I am not talking about you and me since we are both near broke).

Maybe the spending thingy would work. Maybe it would not. I feel that it would be no better or worse than the Obama method in the long run. It’s a carp shoot, right? To go back to the 70’s and forward and use that as a basis of what works for the economy today is just plain foolish.

I am amazed by the people who claim to know what will work on both sides. It’s pure guesswork.

Here is what I know for sure. The US will never be the power it was in the 20th Century. It’s people will not be able to buy big houses (like mine and yours) any more. (energy prices will skyrocket incredibly, Chicago has no sun, we have no water)

The people in the US were consumptive pigs and they still would be if given the chance. That won’t happen. Can you imagine a world without the Chicago Tribune? It is tough, isn’t it? Can you imagine a world with mostly tiny cars and houses? I expect the big houses in the big cities (like yours) will become 3 flats or worse.

I hear people saying “Drill, drill, drill” as if that is the answer for the future. How stupid of them. The future goes way beyond 50 years. Actually, the future is now. Isn’t it exciting to be living in such a changeful age?

Robert McNamara died today. I wish more people would take note that he campaigned vigorously against war for the last part of his life. Now, he was one smart dude.

Should we listen to smart people any more? (that would make a good topic of discussion.

Meanwhile, the jerks attack Obama for attempting to establish a bridge of discussion with Russia. That’s all they know how to do. They cannot think of anything else to do. They are idiots.

greg

Yes, my foot is doing better. But yet another tale of the American system (health/retail)

I took my scrip to the Walmart pharmacy an hour ago. Handed them the doc’s computer generated scrip (so they can’t blame the handwriting for errors). The lady says, “He didn’t put the quantity in so we have to call him before we fill the scrip.” To make a long story short, I left the store very angry after a few words. I think I said (loudly), “That’s the American health system for you. How much worse could a National care system be?” This was AFTER the lady slapped the scrip on the counter and said “Go somewhere else!”

Then I said, “This is a life or death situation!” Then the head pharmacist came over and said, “That’s putting too much pressure on us!” He was defending the lady whom I think he bangs on a regular basis after hours, or during, your call.

Now, before you start to valiently defend the phramacy people, I told Yvonne what happened. She said, “But he did put the quantity on it, near the bottom. It said Quantity: 4.”

So, I called the pharmacy back and after identifying myself she quickly said “Your prescription is filled!” I said, “That’s good, but do you understand why I was angry now?” She said, “No, I don’t.” I said, “Two of you looked at the prescription and then you told me I had to wait.” She didn’t care about that FACT.

Just for my own good nature, I called Walmart, asked for the CS manager and told him about the incident. He said, “Oh my god!”

So, now I have to go back to Walmart and pick up my prescription for four (4) pills for which I will be charged $4.00. Then I will call back tomorrow and renew it for another four (4) pills and another $4.00 because my podiatrist doc did not really do the math right since he should have order 4 days worth, or 8 pills.

I think I will blog this and find out if there is a Walmart rep on Twitter and bother the crap out of that person. I don’t think Walmart is represented there yet, though.

The public (including me) is seething and getting angrier. Not a good thing to happen for the folks who don’t want NH when the Congress is discussing an overhaul.

Here are some of my favorite blogs.

1. The Bloggess – Here is a sample:
http://thebloggess.com/?p=2684
Summary: Jen, who is obsessed with giant squids and very fearful of them, tells about her daily activities. She is NEVER DULL. If you want to kill a blog be dull. Jen is getting noticed. I’ve seen her interviewed on various web shows and now she’s been invited by Guy Kawasaki to land on an aircraft carrier with a group of famous people. I’m not making this up.

2. Toby Cryns
http://www.cryns.com/
Ok, Toby is my son and my business partner. If I can’t help my son, who should I help? Wait. What I mean is I have no problem with nepotism. In fact I embrace it. Put that in you smoke and pipe it, Republicans.

3. Alltop.com – ok, it’s not a blog. It is an online magazine stand, quite interesting and powerful, created by Guy Kawasaki, one of my favorite web people.

4. Twitter Search – not to be confused with the main Twitter site. I am a search freak. I love to put together combinations of words that can produce interesting results. For instance, type into Google “Greg is” with the quotes. But use your name to generate a laugh or a tear.

5. Twitter and Facebook – Facebook is still a distant second for me but gaining fast right now.

5. Yahoo.com – this is where I get my hard news. Their headline service is great, changing frequently.

6. Yahoo groups – I have a couple of my own groups and some that I frequent too. Good stuff.

greg cryns