PensionersRants

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Monday, December 30, 2019

Sunday, December 29, 2019

"Where Eagles Dare" by Alistair MacLean

"Where Eagles Dare," a book and a movie about British commandos on a WW 2 raid into Germany. I saw the movie more than once and decided to see if the book was anywhere close. I was not disappointed. The book and movie ran along the same lines, although I found the book much more exciting. The start was slow but then it was non-stop action, intrigue and twists to the plot. What I did not like was the continuous flippant remarks by the second in command. Too much for a mission fraught with danger. For those interested in WW 2 commandos, I highly recommend this book.

One of the worse inventions is cans of spray paint. How much graffiti would there be if they had to use paint brushes?

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Boxing Day


Christmas: A day of love and forgiveness. Followed by Boxing Day: A day of frustration and anger.

Ego


Everyone has a different idea about right and wrong. Some of these will make you shake your head, while others will make you shiver.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

"The Lady Chapel (Owen Archer, #2)" by Candace Robb


"The Lady Chapel" is a 13th. murder mystery. It has court & political intrigue and more than enough murders to satisfy anyone. For some, justice is quick, while for some others crimes are deliberately forgotten. I had trouble with the time frames during sequences of events. Events out of sync and sequences cut short to start another thread.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

"The Wrecking Crew" by Donald Hamilton


"The Wrecking Crew " is #2 of the Matt Helm series. It is a spy thriller of the cold war era and lacks the page turning quality of the modern age. What did surprise was the gems of wisdom that are still relevant today. I found the language had too much bravado, reminding me of the gangster movies of the 1930's.

Monday, December 23, 2019

A Christmas Carol

Started watching the new Scrooge TV movie, "A Christmas Carol." I lasted 20 min. It was crap.

Cannabis Edibles

On sale for the first time in Nova Scotia is Cannabis Edibles. As they were doing the interview, the camera panned across some of the products. I saw a brownie for $14.00. Gives credence to the saying that a fool and his money are soon parted.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Ambulance


I was out doing my walk yesterday morning as an ambulance came by. When it was next to me it put on its siren. I almost jumped put of my skin.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Shortest Day


Today is the shortest day of the year. Some places up north have 23 hrs. of darkness. Daylight saving time doesn't help them much.

Friday, December 20, 2019

1959 - ADAM HATS - Magazine Ad - MEN SINGING CAROLS - Best Gift

This is a Original 1960
Adam Hats
Magazine Ad
Measures 7 1/4" x 10 1/4 "

The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy

They have adult westerns, so maybe this is supposed to be an adult spy story. Adult westerns seem to drag on as this book does. The book could also be called, "the Making of an Assassin", or in this case two of them. On the one hand, the brothers readily take to it and on the other hand they whine about the right or wrong of it. The dialog seems to be written by adults who think this is how teen-aged boys converse. It could have been a good story if perhaps it had a different writer. If you are looking for excitement, you won't find it.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Sports Bar

Just saw a stupid ad. A crowded sports bar, an NFL game on TV, everyone eating wings and ….. drinking Pepsi. Yeah, right!

Water Pic


Saw this Water Pic ad where they were scrubbing an ear of corn with a tooth brush. Now, who in the world, scrubs corn with a tooth brush?

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt

An interesting book about Hoffa and the Mafia after WW 2 till the 70's. It has a good account of war action and atrocities. There are shocking revelations about Gen. Patton as well as Mafia members. For me, it lays to rest any doubt I had about Hoffa's demise. It has great descriptions of the Mafia and its fund raising activities. When it got to the trial scenes, I found that it had a lot of rambling. You have to keep in mind that this is the later in life of confessions of a man who has killed at least 25 men. Memory does fade.I recommend this book if you are interested in labor activities during this time period. 

1949 Champion Spark Plug Magazine Ad



This is a 1949
Champion Spark Plug Ad
Measures 14" x 10 1/2"
#B 215

This link gives you access to ebay 
and all ebay items in this category.

This link gives you access to Amazon

This is a link to my Blog. 

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Spend your money on experiences, not possessions.

According to a 2012 study from San Francisco State University, true happiness comes from buying experiences—not more stuff. So instead of spending your paycheck on a new watch, use that money to take a trip and make some memories to last a lifetime.

Jokes


No matter how funny a joke is, it will offend someone.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Red Phoenix by Andrew Warren


Thomas Caine seems to be an ex CIA agent with PTSD, which gives the book a roller-coaster ride of twists and turns. Some of the scenes of a monster truck and an attacking crane are a bit far fetched. The book starts with Caine out for revenge and when the book finishes, after a large stack of bodies, he is still on the same route.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Plum Sauce


Yesterday I had plum sauce with my stir fry. When I read the ingredients, I saw that there was no plums involved. It was actually made from pumpkins. 

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Quit Smoking!


 I heard on TV that in Canada, 1200 people quit smoking every day. I think that 1199 people start smoking again the next day.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

No Cure for love by Peter Robinson


I have read most of the Det. Banks series and was probably expecting this book to be of the same quality. It is basically a story relate by the three main characters, the starlet, the stalker and the policeman. Each gives a vivid description of their depressing lives. The love angle was predictable and early on it takes the appearance of a teen age love story. The final interview with the supposed killer was tedious.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Hangover


A penny hang was an establishment common in port cities, and located in a cellar or basement. It featured hooks in the walls, with ropes strung in parallel from one side to another at about shoulder height. In the late evening, drunk and exhausted "clients", who had spent all their money, or were too boisterous to be allowed anywhere else, would enter the penny hang, after paying a penny, and then drape themselves over a rope, and attempt to sleep as best they could. As a crowning flourish to the glories of this place, the proprietor could come down in the morning and untie one end of the ropes, so that the clientele who had not managed to wake up and stagger out already would collapse together in a heap on the floor. In 1933, a London sleeping  establishment, known as the Twopenny Hangover
In 1933, a London sleeping establishment had just such an arrangement. At the Twopenny Hangover the lodgers sat in a row on a bench; with a rope in front of them, and they lean on this as though leaning over a a fence. A man, humorously called the valet, cuts the rope at five in the morning.  There are similar shelters in Paris, but the charge there is only twenty-five centimes (a halfpenny) instead of twopence.
There are suggestions that the word 'hangover' and the expression 'sleep tight' originated from this.

1957 Spud Cigarettes Magazine Ad

This is an original 1956
Spud Cigarettes Ad
Measures 13" x 11"
#B 693



Sunday, December 8, 2019

Confucius Says

"Silence is a true friend who never betrays." 
Is he saying you should keep your mouth shut?

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Snowfall

It's alright to wish for snow, as long as you don't complain about it afterwards and are prepared to shovel where needed.

Friday, December 6, 2019

Windshield Wipers

When I went outside the other day and hopped into my van, I noticed a bit of snow on the windshield. Not thinking too much about it, I started up the engine and 'crack ', the wipers went across the glass and one kept going out onto the driveway. It seems that the day before I had neglected to turn off the wipers all the way. Under the snow was a bit of ice that froze the wipers to the glass. Hence the loud crack when the wipers broke free from the ice. 
My son came out, found the parts and put it back together. So, lesson learned, at least for that day.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

The Golden Rendezvous by Alistair MacLean

The Golden Rendezvous is a modern tale of pirates. A tramp steamer, with the absurd idea of having A1+ cabins for the ultra rich, meanders from port to port. It is hijacked by some of its own passengers and sails on with murder and mayhem to an expected destination. After a slow start, it is fast paced with excitement reminiscent of James Bond.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Law at Randado by Elmore Leonard

Once in awhile I read a western just to keep in touch with the genre. This a story of a western town where the town's elite decide that they don't need the state's judicial system and set up there own court. Of course these are just vigilantes who mete out their own sort of justice. Most of the story is the give and take to get the town back on track. I thought it was a slow starter with the fight scenes dragging on. I pushed on and found it a good story and enjoyed the battle for supremacy at the end. 

Sunday, December 1, 2019

MY T.V. REMOTE

My T.V. remote was working too well, volume wasn't working, hard to change channels, etc. So I took it apart and wiped it all down with alcohol. What happens is, oil from our fingers gets inside and gums up the buttons. After that, I put it all back together and all is well.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Friday, November 29, 2019

BOURNE RETRIBUTION BY ERIC VAN LUSTBADER

This is the 11th. book with Jason Bourne. As always it is a never ending roller coaster of Bourne's fights and escapes. The story takes place mostly in Mexico with side trips to Israel and China. He is on the path of revenge for the death of his loved one, resulting in the death of almost every character in the book, friend or foe. More room for new characters in the next book. I like the short write ups on the progress of each character as the story moves on, all aspects of the story gets filled in, each character on its own path, heading for the inevitable crash. And to top it all off, the surprise ending was a surprise.

Privacy is Iphone.


Saw that ad recently. 
For me privacy is no phone.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Apothecary Rose by Candace Robb

This is a historical mystery from the 14th. century. It is historical but light on the mystery aspect. If you are looking for excitement, you will not find it. I found it slow going for the first few chapters, picking up later on, convincing me to finish the book. with the book completed, I was left with the impression that everyone drank mulled wine.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019