Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
"pulled out a QUARTER!"
Nice story, Ksquared. Reminded me of the time my grandfather took my two brothers and me fishing and on the way home, stopped at the drug store on Main Street. He pulled out a quarter and told my younger brother (around 5 at the time) to go into the store and buy himself a candy bar. Looking back, I think he did it just to give my brother a little confidence-building "life experience". A few minutes passed and my brother returned with five Butterfingers (they were a nickel each) and informed us that he was told that with his quarter, he could have five candy bars rather than just one. Our grandfather had a big laugh about it, and many years later enjoyed telling the story at family get-togethers.
Phil, I've read that fire ants, which are very aggressive and work together in large numbers, prey on young horny toads and that insecticides used on fire ants also are effective on one of horny toads' primary food sources, the harvester ant.
NovoMira, I would guess that it was more than 40 years ago when I last saw a horny toad. I grew up in deep South Texas (the Valley), where the creature was common. None, boy or girl, was ever a pet of mine, however. :)
For anyone not familiar with the horny toad (the more official name is 'horned lizzard'), copy the following site into your url box to see several good photos and interesting information. I attempted to include the http:// part, but the complete link wouldn't work for some reason.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/wild/reptiles/horned_lizard/
JOHN KERRY
HORNY JERK?
No relation to a threatened-species creature in Texas commonly known as a Horny Toad ...
Ksquared ...
going back and forth on Clinton's book
FWIW, here's the result of CNBC's viewer poll on that topic ...
Will you buy Bill Clinton's autobiography?
Yes, right away .............. 18%
I'll wait for the paperback .. 7%
Not if you paid me ........... 75%
Cold-seeking Ksquared ...
Sounds as if Houston's summer weather has invaded the hills of NJ. As least you may get some relief, while it'll only get worse here thru August. I do enjoy having the longer days this time of year, as well as a growing and crape-myrtle-flowering yard. We indeed had a mini-monsoon season this past week. I finally was able to mow the grass at the end of the week. The yard always looks its extra-green best when it's freshly mowed after a few rainy days.
The past two weeks have been The Return Of The Kidney Stone for me. It started out with a high fever but only a brief period of low-level pain this time. I unexpectedly passed the 3/8 inch stone without pain yesterday morning. It looks like a rough-edged boomerang -- rather ominous for a long tall Texan to be passing. <g>
Have a good weekend and keep cool.
Justin, thankful for A/C and stone-free urological function
Morning, Ksquared ...
Look at the picture of Lewinsky
Perhaps Bill was cowed into fooling around?
Hope your summer is going well. Hard to believe we're already close to the longest day of the year.
Justin
Nice Elvis show, joye1. Thanks.
If the board takes requests, I have several ...
Roy Orbison ... Ride Away
Elvis Presley ... Just Pretend
Elvis Presley ... True Love Travels On A Gravel Road
Carpenters ... Love Me For What I Am
TIA
paintster.Ksquared ...
painting the front door a fresh green
I know you're too young to remember this moldy oldie from 1956, but here it is anyway as a tribute to your freshly painted door ...
Midnight, one more night without sleepin'
Watchin' till the mornin' comes creepin'
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
There's an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door
Don't know what they're doin'
But they laugh a lot behind the green door
Wish they'd let me in
So I could find out what's behind the green door
Knocked once, tried to tell them I'd been there
Door slammed, hospitality's thin there
Wonder just what's goin' on in there
Saw an eyeball peepin'
Through a smoky cloud behind the green door
When I said "Joe sent me"
Someone laughed out loud behind the green door
All I want to do is join the happy crowd behind the green door
Midnight, one more night without sleepin'
Watchin' till the mornin' comes creepin'
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
Green door!!
I guess it would be safe to say they don't make 'em like that anymore ... <g>
Justin
paintster.Ksquared ...
painting the front door a fresh green
I know you're too young to remember this moldy oldie from 1956, but here it is anyway as a tribute to your freshly painted door ...
Midnight, one more night without sleepin'
Watchin' till the mornin' comes creepin'
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
There's an old piano
And they play it hot behind the green door
Don't know what they're doin'
But they laugh a lot behind the green door
Wish they'd let me in
So I could find out what's behind the green door
Knocked once, tried to tell them I'd been there
Door slammed, hospitality's thin there
Wonder just what's goin' on in there
Saw an eyeball peepin'
Through a smoky cloud behind the green door
When I said "Joe sent me"
Someone laughed out loud behind the green door
All I want to do is join the happy crowd behind the green door
Midnight, one more night without sleepin'
Watchin' till the mornin' comes creepin'
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
Green door, what's that secret you're keepin?
Green door!!
I guess it would be safe to say they don't make 'em like that anymore ... <g>
Justin
Morning Ksquared ...
browning arborvitae
Isn't the arborvitae tree often seen in rows along the outside boundary of cemeteries because of its low-maintenance requirements? Not a lot of snow-plowing and salting in cemeteries, I guess, and apparently what you have is a shrub variety?
When my parents bought their present attractive house in 1962 (moved in on the day Marilyn Monroe died), it had two small arborvitae on either end of the front of the house. They grew and grew over the years, eventually screening the nice front elevation of the house. My mother, now 91, continues to disallow trimming them.
Good luck with your shrubbery. I've heard that a good hedge near the street/road is good for reducing traffic-noise in the house, along with the visual screen that it provides.
The browning arborvitae and deer notwithstanding, I hope you're having a good spring.
Justin, having a stormy spring day in Texas
dexprs, when thinking about the proportion of one's investment in company stock, just think "Enron". I'm retired from another Big Energy company where Ken Lay was our No. 2 man before he moved along to become the chief at the newly formed Enron. Lay was a likeable and admired man, and it would've been unimaginable for any of us to think of the financial devastation that would eventually happen to Enron's employees and retirees under his leadership.
Diversify, diversify, diversify. It can't be said enough, IMO.
Two-cent Lucent.
Well, Ksquared, if nothing else, it has a certain poetry about it.
I usually have a penny stock in my portfolio. My current one, HYPD, has paid off thus far but remains a risky investment, which is why I take some profits and do a little trading with it as it moves upward.
Just curious ... Are Mohacsy and dexprs the same person? If not, who or what is "Mohacsy"?
TIA
O'D and Santafe2, Thanks for the welcome. One can find some interesting places like this thread when following Ksquared around IHub. <g>
Justin
Investing Ksquared ...
Dopey question du jour
Shortly after Liz Claman became an anchor on CNBC, she was chatting with stocks-editor Joe Kernen, who mentioned that a stock had been a five-bagger in the past year. "What's a five-bagger?" Liz asked. Kernen managed to keep a straight face as he explained that the stock's share price was 5 times what it had been a year earlier. So there's no question you could ask as a novice investor that would be any dopier than Liz's as a business pro. <g>
Justin, recommending the dart-toss for successful investing
Towelling Ksquared ...
Buy Scott Towels with the half size sheets ...
I haven't gone near Bounty since ...
I'm also no longer going after the Bounty since discovering Viva 'Strong & Soft Like Cloth' Towels that also have a 'Choose-A-Size' half-sheet option. Big improvement over Bounty.
Justin, Embracing Life's Messes with Viva Towels
Please stab away, trkyhntr and anyone else.
Ksquared ...
As a keen observer of societal devolution, how would you answer this question posed by Chairman Greenspan during his Senate testimony this morning:
Why is it that U.S. fourth-graders perform well in testing relative to the rest of the world and near the bottom at the end of high school?
Justin
Howdy, Ksquared ...
I refuse to deal with cell phones
The next time you're in a supermarket checkout line or at a newsstand, take a look at the back cover of the current Reader's Digest. It has a Rockwell-style painting spoofing the current pervasiveness of the cellphone in today's everyday life.
I now use my cellphone for long-distance calls because of its much lower rates. Otherwise, it continues to reside in the trunk of my car for use in emergencies.
Sounds like you're having a challenging winter this year, what with the heavy snowfalls and so forth. Low temps here have brushed against the 32 mark but the grass and Mexican heather continue to be green.
In Buick news that I saw in the paper this week, for '05 a new model, the LaCrosse, will replace the Regal and Century. It will be the first change since my '97 Regal model. The new model looks like the present Regal morphed ahead a bit to look more like every other new car these days. The article said that Buick's future lineup could include a new full-size sedan, a rear-wheel flagship sedan and a convertible. So there may be new choices for you when your present Buick finally gives up the ghost. By that time you should be around 64, which is the average age of Buick owners according to the article.
Glad to see that you're still rolling along in feisty form.
Justin, ready for Spring to spring
those earnings under, let say $50,000/year will spend all that money and thus will pay that tax on 100% of their income
That would depend on how much of the expenditures were exempt from the tax (food, rent/mortgage, insurance, medical/drugs, childcare, etc.).
Morning, Ksquared ...
So the chimney heat is gone with the wind, so to speak. Makes sense when the wind is Arctic, and explains why we never see a chimney on an igloo? <g>
Life can indeed become overwhelming at times. Going solo, as we do, has its many advantages but can be short on support in difficult times when we're not part of a comfortable group. I have a semblance of that at my church which has given me a number of friends and which provides a place for spiritual connection. Whatever your situation is, I know that you have the right stuff to deal with it and see your way through.
Keep in touch.
Justin
Afternoon, Ksquared ...
Been too cold around here to have [a fire?]
As someone who's never been involved with indoor fires except for candles and gas space heaters, ovens, etc., I need help understanding your "Been too cold ..." line.
Nice to see you back after your midwinter break.
Justin, chillin' in winter temps today
Now that I think back on my early days in the neighborhood, it seems a little odd that my first encounters were with the kids. The parents probably were bemoaning the intrusion of a single guy into their territory, wringing their hands and saying, "There goes the neighborhood," and generally keeping their distance from me. In today's world they likely would not have allowed the kids anywhere near my house.
On my very first day, the small moving truck that had dropped off my meager apartment belongings had barely pulled away when the doorbell rang, and I was greeted by a group of the kids. An older girl of maybe 11 was the spokesperson and announced, "We're the kids in the neighborhood and wanted to welcome you." About that time an orange mangy-looking object flew past me into the house, and it turned out to be one of the neighborhood cats. It was quite an adventure redirecting the animal back to the outdoors.
Then it was a week or so later that the little girl who later initiated the leaf-gathering project was at the door and wanted to know if she and her brother could have the dog house that the previous owner had left behind in my back yard. I told her they could have it if it was okay with their parents. Several minutes later she returned with several other kids and said it was fine with the parents. I last saw them carrying away the dog house like a team of ants herding a bread crumb. I closed the gate and thought that was the end of that. But the next morning as I was leaving for work, I noticed that the dog house was in the middle of my front yard. Never did hear an explanation as to why the move ended that way, but it was always an amusing story to tell to the parents in later years, long after I'd become an accepted part of the neighborhood.
Next came the first Halloween and my initiation into the giving end of Trick Or Treat. As the kids came by, a parent usually was tagging along out on the street, and as I passed out candy to one of the pretty little girls, I could hear the dad chuckle and say, "Welcome to the neighborhood."
there was a giant pile of leaves in front of a house
Nice story, PW. It reminded me of something that happened with me in my first autumn as a homeowner. I had moved into my home as a 34-year-old bachelor in September 1977 and quickly discovered that the neighborhood had a large number of children in the 7-12 age group.
One Saturday morning one of the girls showed up at my door and told me that two teams of kids were having a contest down the street to see who could collect the largest pile of leaves. My fenced back yard was full of leaves, and without thinking it through, I granted permission for the kids to carry them away. Five or six of them showed up with rakes, brooms and bags and proceeded to do a pretty good job of clearing out my leaves and disappearing out my back gate toward the street.
A little later in the morning, from my back yard I heard the joyous sound of kids having a good time nearby. Peeking over the fence, I discovered the destination of my leaves -- a huge mound in my neighbor's back yard. I figured I was in trouble with the parents, but when I later encountered the mom, she laughed and said she had to stand over the kids with a whip until they had transferred all the leaves to garbage bags.
Being a photographer, I took a number of pictures during the whole incident, and the various parents found them amusing many years later. And I've lived here happily ever after, but with all the kids now grown up and gone.
1951 ... A great year for Ksquared and the Tennessee Waltz. <g>
Merry Christmas to you, Ksquared ...
And best wishes for a healthy and fulfilling New Year.
After passing my big kidney stone and having successful heart tests and colonoscopy recently, I feel good about starting the new year on a healthy note. Fulfillment, prosperity and those kind of things remain to be seen, but I'm optimistic.
Hope that Santa remembers you've been a nice Ksquared this year ... <g>
Justin, past Santa's age limit
Ksquared ...
Thought you might like this little joke I came across on the 'net today ...
Did you hear what the U. S. troops in Iraq are calling the Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter that Hillary used to tour Iraq?
"Broomstick One"
Ksquared ...
No more stones would be a good thing. This one will get a chemical analysis, and diet changes likely will be suggested.
One of the benefits of being single is being invited to various people's Thanksgiving dinners. I had several invites here, but I'll be with my brother and his family in North Texas. It's the only time each year that I get to see his kids, two of whom are now married. It gets more complicated when in-laws come into play, and it's generally quite different from days of old with the original family unit. But it's nice to still have family to get together with.
Sounds as if you're almost set for winter with the firewood in place and the yard near the end of its growing season. Meanwhile, have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Justin
Drummerman ...
Three months and still no solution? That has to be very frustrating. Hang in there .. the saga will eventually end and you'll have your life back. At least that's how I feel today minus the stone.
Justin
Ksquared and Old_Drummerman ...
Thought I would report the final chapter of the kidney stone ordeal. After two weeks of pain and doctor visits and x-rays, I gave birth to the stone earlier this evening. It's a half-inch long and quarter-inch in diameter with an evil-looking spur on one side. I experienced a moment or two of blockage but it popped out very quickly, thankfully.
I hope that O'Drummerman has made progress as well.
Justin
Thanks for the info, Drummerman.
My pains have been on and off for two weeks and not as intense as my first round with a kidney stone 15 years ago. The first x-rays showed the possibility of a stone on the left side where the pain is, and the doc wants me to have the dye x-ray series, which I'll be doing this morning.
Just one question ... Is the ultrasound procedure for pulverizing the stone not an option in your case? It sounds simpler than the roto-rooter method which I had 15 years ago, and I don't think it requires anesthesia. But the roto-rooter is certainly simpler than the surgery that was required in earlier times. I've wondered how people got thru this sort of thing before pain medication and modern medical procedures came along.
Glad to hear that you'll finally be getting a solution on Thursday. Good luck.
Justin
Ksquared ....
I think that Phil pretty well described the sound of the tensioner problem. In my case, I didn't hear the binding sound every time I turned the steering wheel so didn't have it checked out right away. When I told my oil changers about it, they said I was low on power steering fluid, which turned out not to be the only problem. The tensioner failed shortly after that. Phil's good advice to check out unusual things immediately can prevent a serious problem.
The funeral for my 76-year-old retiree associate and friend did go okay as far as funerals go. He didn't have any family except for a sister, niece and nephew. He was divorced, and both his children had died. The nephew gave a nice eulogy, and the niece narrated something like a Powerpoint presentation that apparently funeral homes are offering now .. just give them a stack of photos reflecting the deceased person's life and they plug them into the video presentation. Since I had only know this man for the past 20 years or so, it was a good way to take a look at his entire life.
I remember your commenting on Old_Drummerman's kidney stone problem, but I didn't follow his side of the story. I'll have to go back and see how his situation was resolved. I'm hoping that the testing tomorrow will end the diagnostic phase, so that we can proceed to a solution.
Have a good rest of the weekend.
Justin
Morning Ksquared ...
Had my serpentine belt replaced
Good idea. I had mine replaced at about 45,000 miles, along with the hoses, water pump and alternator. Actually, the alternator went out the evening before I was going to take the car in, so it was a convenient time to replace it.
But at about 60,000 miles, I was driving down a busy street when the power steering went out, followed quickly by the dashboard turning red with the electrical and cooling warning lights. I knew immediately it was the lone surpentine belt and fortunately was able to limp into a nearby repair shop. The problem turned out to be a gadget called a tensioner, which keeps the belt tight and which had broken off. The power steering had been making a small noise, which I was told was a warning that the tensioner was failing. So if you experience something like that, rush to your mechanic immediately. <g>
Sounds as if you're successfully making the quick transition from summer to winter. It's a slower process here, with the leaves now beginning to fall and the lawn as green as ever and the temps no lower than the 50s at night.
Hard to believe that college football is winding down for the regular season. UT has had its ups and downs. OU is much too strong.
I'm in my second week of kidney stone pains, which thankfully aren't continuous but show up for awhile every day or so, with this morning being one of those times. After another diagnostic test on Monday, I'm hoping some sort of relief will be coming soon. Meanwhile, this morning I'll be popping a couple of Advils and going to a funeral of a retiree friend. So not a particularly great Saturday here. Hope yours is much better.
Justin
Ksquared,
I've been wondering how the visit with your childhood friend went, if it's not too personal to talk about. Sounds like you had good autumn traveling.
Justin
Ksquared, you can also indent by using the fixed font. To do that, use the same procedure as for italics, except substitute "pre" for "i" ...
Indenting
with the
fixed font
Thanks, BigCatGuy. :)
Luck could come in handy against OU.
Tight-jawed Ksquared ...
the good guys triumphed
Thanks. I missed the last half so had to read about the conclusion. Sounds like the 'Horns scraped by and stayed alive for another week. I think Oklahoma is next and that should be interesting as always.
Somehow in my old age, I don't live and die with sports as I once did but still enjoy watching Texas play, as well as some of Baseball's league championship games, which become a whole different drama than ordinary regular season games. [Sorry for the long sentence -- wasn't it called a "run-on" by the English teachers?]
Justin, with exhausted typing fingers
Very cool Ksquared ...
Sounds like a bittersweet week of travel for you next week while visiting your terminally ill friend during the peak of fall. It's a season that seems to "fit" with such a visit somehow, if anything could fit with a serious situation like your friend's.
Next week pretty much parallels the week I was in Vermont and New Hamphsire many years ago. The ladyfriend I was with didn't want to make hotel reservations, so we found ourselves arriving back in Boston on the Columbus Day weekend when there was no room in the inn, so to speak. It took my friend with her Gold Card privileges quite a while to locate a vacancy 50 miles or so from the airport. It all worked out, and we made it back home with lots of nice memories and photos of autumn in New England.
Justin, having a green-and-brown fall in Houston this year
Ksquared ...
Fire is roaring downstairs
My, that was a quick summer, wasn't it? Just a blur of lawnmowing sessions at this point. 'Twill be at least another month here before flicking the A/C from Cool to Heat. But this was one of Houston's better weeks weatherwise .. cool mornings and pleasant afternoons with clear skies. A few brown tree leaves on the lawn say that autumn is arriving.
Have a good weekend.
Justin, with half an ear on the baseball game