Enough with the use of “coward” to describe these devils!

     

 

 

 

 

  President Obama on Boston bombing: "This is a heinous and cowardly act"; "the FBI are investigating it as an act of terrorism."
 

 

            Here we go again saying things just because they sound good and not because they make any sense. Whoever bombed Boston, along with all the other people who have done heinous things over the years are not cowards. Has anyone looked up the definition of coward lately? The same holds true for those who call people who commit suicide cowards. Have you ever stared down the wrong end of a gun barrel? I can’t stand looking down the wrong end of an unloaded single-shot shotgun with the breach wide open. I can’t imagine what it would be like knowing it was loaded. A coward wouldn’t have the nerve to stare down a loaded weapon and pull the trigger. I know damned well that I just couldn’t do it. I’m a coward. In this instance, it’s a good thing.

            I understand wanting to condemn the people who do these horrible acts. I understand wanting to call them names without cursing. I understand that you want to do the equivalent of calling them a “little boy” or “little girl”. I understand wanting to sound “eloquent”. However, you also need to sound intelligent while doing so.

            These people were brazen. They had gall and audacity. My grandfather went and shot people in WWII and he was called a hero. I’ve sat here thinking about that. I don’t think I could go out there and shoot people. I’m afraid that I would be a coward.

            These people obviously feel like they are in some sort of war. Instead of calling them cowards, it’s our job to find them, punish and destroy them, and set an example for others who would think of doing the same.

               So, the people who did this aren’t out there taking credit for it. Does that surprise anyone? Is that cowardly because they want to stay anonymous? Our very own Revolutionary War soldiers were called cowards by the British because they hid behind trees and fought instead of standing in the open making themselves targets like the British did. Who was smart and who was dumb? Our side won. The British still refer to our guys as rebels. (And for the record, the only difference between a patriot and a rebel is who gets to write the history books).

            This doesn’t make what happened right. It isn’t. I condemn taking innocent life. It also doesn’t justify saying things that aren’t true for the sake of saying them. Call a spade a spade.

            Whoever did this was evil. They had the gall and the audacity to take a harmless event and turn it into a bloodbath. They took innocent lives forever, including the life of at least one innocent child. They maimed many others for life physically, and they affected so many more mentally. What’s wrong with stating it like that? I think it’s much better than throwing the “coward” word around out of context.  

 

            Maybe if we quit calling them cowards, they’ll quit trying to prove us wrong.

 

 

Kudos to Bunn

          I try to buy American when and where I can. When I had a few extra dollars in 2009, I was in the market for a new coffee maker. I did some research and decided upon the Bunn GRX model. It was about $100 from Walmart. While not all of the parts are American made, the company headquarters is in America, and it’s assembled right here in the U.S.A. Not all Bunn coffee makers are assembled in America anymore, but the GRX model is.

          The coffee pot ran flawlessly, that is, until a few weeks ago. It just up and died. My wife had used it to brew a pot of coffee, and when she went back to get another cup, she noticed the warmer switch light was out. She thought maybe the little light had died, but we come to find out that the entire coffee maker was dead. It wouldn’t heat water inside anymore either.

          I figured that either a switch had burned out, or maybe an internal fuse had given up its ghost. So, not wanting to throw this coffee maker away, I went to the Bunn website for research. I was hoping I could diagnose the problem and maybe order the parts. These GRX coffee makers come with a 3 year warranty and mine was on year 4.

          I couldn’t find any info about my problem. I saw a link for Bunn support, so I filled that form out, with my coffee makers date code, and description of the problem, and asked Bunn if there was a fuse that could have blown, and I asked them if I could order the parts from them.

          The response that I got was totally unexpected. They sent me an e-mail that stated that my coffee maker was out of warranty, but only slightly. They said that they had ordered me a brand new coffee maker and that it would be on its way. They said that all they wanted in return was for me to ship my old unit back to them at my cost so they could inspect it, and improve their product.

          I couldn’t believe it! Now that’s how a company should operate! I’m not saying this is how they will treat you if your coffee maker is out of warranty, but they easily could have told me to pound sand.

          I got the new coffee maker sent to the door by UPS. It was a brand new model too, not a refurbished one. They told me to keep the carafe and the brew funnel where you put the filter and grounds. They only wanted the main unit returned. I shipped it back to them Priority Mail at a cost of about $14.

          When companies like Bunn do things right like this, I feel I should let people know. If you want a good coffee maker that helps the American economy, buy this Bunn. They stand behind their product. Kudos, Bunn! I used to buy generic coffee filters, but it’s Bunn from now on in. You made me a believer in your company and a lifelong customer!

 

The WCF Courier doesn't give the "full story".......

              
              Have you been noticing the WCF Courier pushing it’s 99¢ “Unlimited Digital Access” lately? They’ve been pushing it on their Facebook page and on their website.

               I am a subscriber to the Green Gazette. It’s $9.99 per month, and you can view the electronic edition to their paper. I thought I would take a chance and switch to the Courier and see how their service works. It always seems like the Courier covers this area of Iowa a little better than the Gazette.

               When you go to the WCF Courier website, you’ll see a link at the top of the page for their e-edition. This is the WCF Courier equivalent of the CR Gazette’s Green Edition. At the right of the page is login information, but right above it, is the advertising that you see at the top of this post.

               It says, Special Offer, 99¢ for “Unlimited Digital Access” for 30 days, and it’s something like $7 per month after that. Hey, what a bargain! That is until you realize that you do not get their e-edition with “Unlimited Digital Access”. So what exactly does “Unlimited Digital Access” mean when it comes to the Courier?

               From their own website:

 

Digital Only 99¢ Special

1st month, introductory rate ($6.95 after)

If you are not a current newspaper subscriber, you can now test drive a WCFCourier.com subscription for only 99¢! As an online-only subscriber, you will have unlimited access to our premium content such as breaking news, local, state and regional news, sports, weather, obituaries and more.

We hope you continue to enjoy the quality journalism produced by The Courier.

Purchase!              

Print discount 99¢ Special

1st month, introductory rate ($1.95 after)

As a newspaper subscriber, you can now test drive a WCFCourier.com subscription for only 99¢! As an online & print subscriber, you will have unlimited access to our premium content such as breaking news, local, state and regional news, sports, weather, obituaries and more.

We hope you continue to enjoy the quality journalism produced by The Courier.

Purchase!  

             So, for digital only, you get premium content such as breaking news, local, state, and regional news, sports, weather, obituaries, and more. It sounds a lot like what you’d find in the newspaper. Aha! But the devil is in the details, or in this case, lack thereof.
             What I found out the hard way was that what you are in fact getting, is access to their website where they put up “select” news articles and obituaries. It’s the same thing that the Gazette and many other newspapers give you for free.

              Listen, that’s fine that the Courier wants to charge you for access to their website. However, the way that they are marketing it is pretty shady. They make is appear as though you get the e-edition as part of the “Unlimited Digital Access”. The fact of the matter is, you only have LIMITED digital access, as the e-edition is not part of the package. This is not explicit in their advertising, and the way they advertise it on their e-edition page makes this matter of fact quite convoluted to the average consumer.

               I called and complained to the Courier. Their operator made me feel stupid as she acted incredulous that I would actually think the e-edition would be part of the “Unlimited Digital Access” package. I mentioned to her that I thought it was shady advertising because it was not explicitly mentioned that it was not included. I told her that “unlimited” generally means “unlimited” unless there is fine print, and in this case, there is none.

               I also pointed out to her that the CR Gazette includes the digital edition as part of their package to which she retorted, “This is not the Gazette.” How painfully obvious!

               I have a lot of respect for the WCF Courier when it comes to journalism. However, this episode really upset me. How can I trust a news source that uses shady tactics to drive revenue?

               I asked the lady at the Courier if I could get a refund and she said that I couldn’t. The best she could do was cancel my subscription. I asked her if I would at least be entitled to the month that I had paid for. She said that by me asking for it to be canceled, it would take effect as soon as some other department got the order.

               I filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Iowa over this. It’s only 99¢, but how many people are they doing this to? I told the Attorney General in my letter that I didn’t care about the 99¢. All I wanted to see was the Courier change how they were advertising.

               Well, today I got a check for 99¢ from the Courier. I guess the Attorney General must have contacted them. However, I went to their website and noticed that they are still advertising the same as they have been.
               If you like the Courier enough to pay $7 per month for just their website, God bless you. As long as you know what you’re getting for your money, then I have no problem with anything. Just be informed – if you take the Courier up on this 99¢ offer, it WILL NOT include the e-edition. That’s extra – a lot extra. The Courier requires 3 months of payment for the e-edition, it does not include the website, and it’s about $15 per month. Don’t quote me on the price, but it's somewhere in that ballpark. The lady who refused to refund my money tried selling me the e-edition – which I think is the whole reason behind the shady advertising in the first place. 
 

After the sting has subsided…….

               It’s been a little over a week since Grandpa passed away. While the initial sting has faded, the large hole left in my life is still very apparent. I have spent the first 37 years of my life with my grandfather in it. In some ways, he filled a void left by my own father, especially in more recent years. Grandpa was there to listen to me. He would give me advice, and always had time for me. If I ever went to see him, no matter how he felt, he would roll out the red carpet for me. He took the time to learn my children’s names. He didn’t do it because he felt he had to, but rather because he wanted to. He always told me how well behaved my children were, and complimented me on my parenting. He knew what each of my kids were like and always took the time to talk to them and of course, tease them the way Grandpa was famous for.           

          He wasn’t like this when he was younger. I remember a time when Grandpa was very salty, had little time for kids or grandkids, and wasn’t so pleasant. With age and infirmity, he was humbled. The man he would become because of these things was wonderful.                    

          As I sat here this morning, I was flipping through my genealogy information and I was looking at all of these names & dates. Every name in my file was somebody’s parent, grandparent, spouse, friend, child - you name it. I sit here and think of all the gaping holes that each one of these people left in the lives of those who loved them. I also think of the gaping holes that were left in their lives when their loved ones died. Death is a part of life. There is no escaping that reality.           

          So what can be done? Well, we cannot defeat death in our mortal state. Nobody here on earth will live in their corporeal body forever. We must accept that we will all feel the sting of death and loss throughout our life until we ourselves die, and leave a hole in someone else’s life. The best we can do is cherish those around us while we are blessed to have them with us. We can also live a life full of giving, kindness, and compassion. The seeds we sow today will be the fruit we reap tomorrow. We can also live our lives in a way that honors those loved ones who lived before us. We can try to be the best people we can possibly be and make the memory of our loved ones an honorable one.

William Eugene Kane 1921-2013

EVANSDALE - William Eugene Kane of Evansdale, Iowa, entered into eternal rest peacefully March 22^nd, 2013 at his home.

Bill was born December 10^th, 1921 at Coggon, Iowa to Fred William and Alice Kay Plimpton Kane. Bill grew up in Independence, Iowa during the Great Depression. As a young man, he went to work for the CCC, Company 781, and helped build Backbone State Park. He married Virginia Scott on May 2^nd, 1942 at Schuyler County, Missouri. Together, they had one daughter, Jean.

Bill was drafted in the US Army and served in the 304^th Military Police Escort Guard during WWII. His first assignment was to bring Rommel’s troops from Africa back to POW camps here in the states. He was then sent to England to prepare for D-Day. He was among those who landed on Omaha Beach. He fought in the battles of St. Lo, Aachen, & Remagen Bridge. During the Battle of the Bulge, he found himself behind enemy lines in Herbesthal, Belgium, where the local shoemaker and his family helped hide and keep him alive for 11 days. He was then able to escape under dark of night and returned back to his unit. He was amongst some of the first US soldiers to enter and liberate the Nazi concentration camps and witnessed firsthand the horror of these camps. What he saw there would haunt him the rest of his life, and he preferred not to speak much about it until only recently.

His wife had divorced him while he was still in basic training. When he returned home from the war, he lived briefly with his mother, then brother Chub. He went to work for Mr. and Mrs. Opal Keller at Keller Implement in Independence as a mechanic and welder. He married their daughter, Vernieta Jeane Keller on April 6^th, 1947, at the Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa. To this union, four children were born, Diana, Kathryn, Teri, and Bill II.

Bill and Vernieta would come to make their home in Waterloo, then Evansdale, Iowa. Bill worked as a mechanic, owned a few trucks of his own, and then drove gasoline truck for the Sun Oil Company. Bill and his wife purchased a cabin in Littleton, Iowa where he would spend many weekends fishing and relaxing. Bill also did mechanic work at his home for many years, and was known as one of the best carburetor men in northeast, Iowa.

On October 18^th, 1995, his wife Vernieta passed away. A short time later, he moved up to a little farm northeast of Eldorado, Iowa. He would then return to Evansdale. He spent the winter of 2012-2013 at Maple Crest Manor in Fayette before returning to Evansdale two weeks ago.

Bill will be remembered for his story telling ability and his never failing to have a good joke to tell. He was an excellent mechanic, loved fishing, and spent many deer seasons hunting with family at Elkader. He enjoyed spending time with people, and enjoyed a good drink.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, three brothers, both of his wives, three grandchildren, and his daughter Jean.

He is survived by one brother; Herb of Evansdale, his children; Diane Nathem of Keokuk, Iowa, Kate Durnan (Mark) of rural Elgin, Teri Kane-White (Chuck) of Oelwein, and William E. Kane II (Roberta) of Waterloo, many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Randy Cummings, Dan Hildebrand, and Bill’s special friend, Sarah Bast of Evansdale who cared for him for the last 7 years.

Per his request, he will be cremated and services will be held at a later date.

SaveValley.Org

     Some of you may be looking for the blog I am keeping about WGS at Valley. It’s not here. This is my personal blog. You can find the one about WGS by visiting www.savevalley.org. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Whole Grade Sharing.

                                                                                                                              -Eric

Angry Birds Load Error

     I shut my computer down without closing Angry Birds properly. I got a load error the next time that I opened it which said something along the following lines: “attempt to index global 'flurry" (a nil value) (call stack not available)” Here is how I fixed it. I am using Windows 7 64 bit Professional. It should be very similar for Vista.
1. Let's find the Appdata files for Angry Birds!
     I went to my C: Drive and in the upper right hand “search” box, I typed Rovio. I have the program actually installed on a different drive, but your appdata is almost always stored on your C: drive. You’ll know you got the correct folder when you open it and it shows another folder labeled “Angry Birds”. When you click on this “Angry Birds” folder, it should have another folder named “updates”, and three files, bi_data.lua, highscores.lua, and settings.lua.
2. Once you locate this correct folder, rename this Rovio folder Rovio I.
3. Open Angry Birds again and it’ll ask you for your key.
4. Enter your key and activate your version of Angry Birds.
5. The program will have created a new Rovio folder. Return to your Rovio I folder and copy the highscores.lua file from it into your new Rovio folder, in the Angry Birds folder (same place it was located before). Voila!
6. Mine works perfectly now.

Update: I just noticed by retracing these steps that Rovio puts all of your versions of Angry Birds in this "Rovio" folder. I have since added Angry Birds Star Wars since I first wrote this. If you have more than one version of the game installed, might I suggest renaming the specific game folder and moving the files that way?