Warning: This Is Not a Sunshine and Roses Post

The week has been busy as usual--baseball in the warm sunshine, baseball in the cold rain, and baseball at night.


My computer network is down, and I can’t figure out how to fix it. Jason came and tried to help yesterday, but he couldn’t solve the problem either. I hate to bother the boys on the weekends with computer problems. It just drives me nuts though. The whole mess started when we bought a new wireless printer to replace a crappy one.

A short time ago, we bought a new wireless printer. We chose a Kodak because the ink cartridges are so much cheaper than the HP cartridges. I have had HP printers for years and have been very satisfied. They are easy to install and the finished product is satisfactory. The cartridges are very expensive though. The Kodak printer was not satisfactory. While the cartridges are cheaper, they don’t last as long. The color printing was streaky necessitating cleaning the cartridges before every printing job which wastes ink big time. The colors were off. There is no such thing as “red.” You get dark pink. Perhaps we bought a bad unit, but think twice before buying a Kodak.

We went back to HP. It prints beautifully, but we can’t integrate it into our wireless network. We tried and tried, but the outcome is that it the wireless printer is now connected with a USB cable, and my laptop can no longer connect to the network. I am at a loss. I suppose I’ll pack the laptop away and sell it in the yard sale that I’m planning for late spring. There is really no reason to keep it if I can’t get on line.

Hate and hatefulness is alive and well in our country. Our politicians are being threatened, and it seems that some on the right are actually encouraging less than civil protests and civil debate by literally putting crosshairs on those with whom they disagree.

The war continues on two fronts with no end in sight.

According to some sources, the economy is improving with unemployment down and the housing market has picked up bit.

I’m a bit disappointed with the media lately. We have huge problems in this country; I think we, the public, must have access to the truth about the issues. During the last few weeks, the national news section (I’m not referring to the entertainment section, but supposedly, the “hard” news) has featured numerous stories about Michael Jackson, Sandra Bullock’s marital problems, “Dancing with the Stars,” the lamentable deaths of several young people in the entertainment industry, what television shows are being cancelled, and reality show 15-minutes celebrities. It doesn’t bother me that “fluff” is reported, but it should be in the proper venue, not as hard news. I want to know more details about the health care bill. I want to know about the appointments that have been held up in Congress for no apparent reason by seemingly petty and vengeful politicians. I want more details about Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I want to know more about the North Korean problem. The first mandate of the press should be to inform the public truthfully with no bias on the vital issues of the day. “Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.” Tell me the information and let me make my own mind about issues.

And who the heck is Justin Bieber? On second thought, don’t tell me. I don’t give two hoots. . .