" Thanks for the tip FG..
If this cabbage just stays alive for 10 wks I will be impressed! lol... "

" P.S. for cm: A safe, healthy way to keep bugs from eating up your cabbage is to used diluted dish soap in a pump-spray bottle once a day. You can rinse it off when it's time to eat the cabbage. On the small, personal garden level, and well-diluted, this should not present any kind of environmental risk -- and your cabbage should make it. Otherwise, cabbage (and related plants like broccoli) are very susceptible to being eaten to nothing long before you can harvest them. Best of luck! "

" It's greed, cm, plain and simple. That includes producers IN the U.S., as you rightly state. Producers (esp. those who produce goods in huge quantities), cut corners wherever they can, and that includes in the area of making sure of cleanliness and safety.

We may need more inspectors, or we may need inspectors who actually do their jobs, or both -- and actually DOING something about infractions, something heavy-duty, serious and effective, wouldn't hurt either. If all you get is an after-the-fact slap on the wrist, the incentive to keep your products safe and healthy isn't enough. Greed trumps it every time. "

" We are growing a cabbage,
3rd grade school project across the USA.

I don't have a green thumb--I've been know to kill a cactus.

If this goes well-maybe I will attempt a mini-garden. "

" Thinking back on the big LETTUCE scare last year, I guess I can't totally blame just the companies that grow OUTSIDE the US.

the only answer seems to be--more inspectors
ok--more HONEST inspectors!

There was a time when people truly took pride in their work and didnt abuse the power of high positions, they used to have good morals and values, and they stood strong on them.

Today nearly everyone can be bought-all to keep up with the Jones'.
They have no value for life, the greed consumes them as if a fancy house & car MAKE them whole.!
"

" If Obama can not make good judgements in his oun life how can he make good judgements in his public life. "

" quiver
read YOUR post --mine was a reply to it.
PS I dont live in Moravia either. But I know nice people that do.



quiveringthigh wrote on Mar 22, 2008 9:20 PM:

" CM, kind of hard to knock on his door when I live on the west coast. Maybe I can call you. You drive by his house so much.
I just think if this board is set up like others, personal comments can be done and discussed without the whole universe reading. I am a private person. Maybe you should mind your own business. You seem to be another Auburn Waa Haa, that gets off on other people's conversations. "
"

" Right, cm -- these corporations buy produce abroad then import it to sell here are saving on labor costs -- because the people in those countries are paid so poorly they are trapped in slave-like conditions of poverty. Even with the shipping costs and whatever lame tariffs we may have on such goods, it's STILL cheaper than paying an American worker a decent living wage.

But we pay in other ways -- such as produce grown without even the sham of a regulatory system to check to see if the food is safe to eat! Hence my comment about corporate greed poisoning our food.

Someone makes a personal attack on a poster, the poster defends herself by explaining circumstances, and gets busted on for that as well. Typical. Baiting comes in many forms, but it's still low.

The best leads I've had in tracking down answers to health questions for myself and friends have been found in casual conversations about health matters with as many other people as possible. Doctors seem to be so set in their ideas that it's hard to get them to look at something new when the old isn't the answer. I've known many, many people who have had this sort of problem with their health care providers. If something I say here triggers an idea in someone else which puts me on the trail of an answer, great. Likewise, if something I say about my health helps someone else with a similar problem, even better. It means I can give back.

Meanwhile, the more people know that I am not gaining due to "letting myself go" -- i.e. lack of discipline in eating and exercise, the better I feel and no harm to anyone.

Karl's had his public apology from me for my mistake and we've made our peace. If he still had a problem with me, I don't doubt for a second he'd let me know. Beyond that, it's no one else's business. "

" CM, might be "dcliffy" getting a choice spot. "

" Cm, you are pathetic. Maybe you should change your screenname to WAA HA! That's what I will call you from now on. I guess this is your week to argue with me. Bring it on. I know how to handle you Moraivia people.

"

" I never understood why our country purchases fruits or veggies when we can grow them here?
granted they may save on labor in Honduras,
but shipping and handling to bring the product here, plus distribution expenses seem more costly than the savings on labor would be?

"

" Tonight coming out of a restaurant from dinner there was this HUGE 1/2 monster-size truck parked in the very front handicap spot with a handicap tag on the mirror. We commented that this had to have been an upper body problem, no way a person with lower body troubles could ever get in and out of that truck!

Son disagreed, he said handicap tag abuser!
"

" (1)
All city employees should be as efficient and hard working as our parking enforcement personnel. At least they are doing the job. If APD was 1/2 as diligent with traffic violations the city would be safer and most likely have a budget surplus.
(2)
I have no problem with handicap tags if the need is real, not for a convenience or because its available. "

" LOL!
"anonymous"--in the blogging world, what you're doing is called "post baiting".
Sorry, it doesn't work for me! BTW< gay guys are cool with me--the more of them that come to see your band, the more single girls there are for the guys in the band! ;) "

" Does everyone remember Manowar? I hear that one of the posters making noise on this site used to be a member. That band was soooo bad, The onlt thing they had going for them was that they played so loudly that after a minute or two you could not hear how bad they were. You can Google Manowar and see what comes up. They were really big with the gay crowd in Europe. "

" I seriously think we should all take a moment to remember this two cents blog, which is on the WEB for the WORLD to view, is a place for OPINIONS not personal stories or tedious renditions of ones accomplishments. It is NO ones place to reveal certain aspects of anothers identity or give out enough info that a person can be "googled" and that also applies to one's own self!! A couple of the regulars c/b considered "celebrities" and with that could bring about unsolicited attention. One individual in particular, gives out SO much personal info, a two year old could find her web page in a flash. Another kisses said person's kester for some odd reason, while condemning another on their "opinions". However this person in my opinion has way more intelligence because they havent given out much personal info. So b4 we go about typing info that c/b construed as private info, etc, remember there are undesirables out there with nothing better to do. And honestly if you need 'friends' to celebrate your personal accomplishments or cry with you in your time of need I suggest a novel idea, its called friends. "

" dcliffy can use handicapped parking because he is obviously . OOPS, I mean mentally challenged! "

" Happy Easter everyone!

religious or not may everyone enjoy maybe time with family and friends, a huge dinner, or simple relaxation! "

" irritated, great posting!
I too read all those tax lines-sadly MOST dont, they just see the numbers they have to pay and gripe-or pick out one thing they disagree with and gripe.

I don't know how, but there is the need to STOP this.

I was furious when a few years back Auburn hired an outside company to research and survey THEIR ideas as to what Auburn needed to do for beautification, at a fee of over 200grand.
On the phone my friend living there and I compiled a list-oddly enough it was an exact to theirs-only ours was FREE!

I am positive if the city had just printed some survey type paper-leaving them and a box to drop them in at business locals, comment cards where tourist locals, or sent out an allready hired city personall door to door, they would have spent alot less!

If the city officials were voted in by the citizens of Auburn, why not ASK the citizens what they would like or need??

correct, they are NOT doing their jobs!!

"

" Has everyone paid thier taxes to our wonderful Cayuga County yet? I have been reviewing thier 2008 budget and boy do they need OUR money! First of all we elect Legislators to run the County right? We pay them 201,169.00 a year in salaries. BUT they cant run the County, they need help so they hired a County Manager. Well he passed himself a nice pay raise this year, he is up to 95K per year! But you know what?? He cant run the County either he needed help so he hired a Secretary for a measly $58,755.00 per year (probably the highest paid secretary in NY state!), a Finance Director (which is supposed to be his role) at $25,971.00 per year, and Administrative Assistant in training for $11,250.00 per year oh and an Account Clerk Typist for $28,654.00 per year. So it would seem that when we pay the Legislators $201,169.00 to run the County (they cant do it) so they added The Office of the County Manager at a total cost of $291,242.00 per year, so in a nutshell we are paying close to a half a million dollars on people WHO CANT DO THIER JOB without all this help! The County Manager is working on cutting positions, depleting the County Motor Pool, basically taking AWAY services to the taxpayers while COSTING us MILLIONS! This nonsense has to stop, everyone who is upset over thier taxes needs to start attending Legislative meetings and hold these people accountable for this WASTE of our money! "

" dcliffy 99% of the comments on here a pretty intelligent, until I read yours about Handicap parking,Your probably one the people who doesn't have a handicap tag, but parks there anyway, cause its a choice spot. I do believe you maybe a mental midget. "

" Obama is gulty of using very poor judgement. "

" Na, the chocolate bunny was probably made in China! (Even if it weren't for the weight issue, I can't have caffeine).

Honestly, I really believe that the US has no business importing produce that can be grown here. If it's something special which can't be grown in the United States, fine. But we should be supporting our own economy by buying locally grown foods first, then foods grown at least in our own country. The regulatory system is pathetic, but at least we HAVE one.

Instead, we are letting the big distributors purchase cheap food grown abroad poison us (and our pets) while putting our own American farmers out of business.

Unlike cars, which can have parts built here and be assembled abroad, or vice versa, by companies owned here or elsewhere, produce is pretty straight forward -- either it was grown here or it wasn't.

It also boggles the mind that American companies send food products grown here to China to be processed and sent back as, say, dog food. They are not only doing an end-run on the American worker so they don't have to pay a fair and decent living wage to their processing workers, but they are also risking the health of the consumer here, whether it's a pet or a person -- because, again, China doesn't have the health regulations in place that we do. (And if ours aren't really adequate, imagine how filthy and horrible Chinese food production facilities must be!)

That's all without getting into our supporting near-slave labor in many poor countries.

I think I might be in favor of a law that prohibited the selling of foreign-grown produce unless it could be proven that whatever-it-is can't be grown and/or isn't available here.

I can remember (half-)learning in high school about the U.S. having tariffs to protect our economy -- whatever happened to all that? (Can you tell that for all my studies, I never had economics?) "

" now back to the forum:

How has it NOT become a media event that the 3 running for PRES would have their passports breached LAST year?
They were breached, people were fired, hopefully fix the system better, So why tell us now?

Is anyone else on the FDA recall email list?
I don't think it's safe to even breathe these days?

FG, I think you should splurge on the chocolate bunny for its really the cantalope that will kill you.lol. "

" ps quiver
I am in the book too--dial away.. "

" quiver-if you're a private person you need to stay off the WEB and especially this forum!

I didnt say I drive by all the time--I don't live in Auburn (born & raised there) but I try to visit family yearly.
1.Auburn is not that big.
2.Anywho that sees his name in an editorial can google.
3.My best-friend, for 27yrs- does happen to live around the corner from him.
On my next trip I thought about leaving a stray-black-cat and a box of girl scout thin mints on his doorstep!
(just kidding karl)

so quiver:
feel free to leave your email, for I doubt anyone here will invade your privacy!


"

" CM, kind of hard to knock on his door when I live on the west coast. Maybe I can call you. You drive by his house so much.
I just think if this board is set up like others, personal comments can be done and discussed without the whole universe reading. I am a private person. Maybe you should mind your own business. You seem to be another Auburn Waa Haa, that gets off on other people's conversations. "

" As far as feeding the meters, I believe a lot of merchants/employees park and feed the meters. I have always paid for more than what I thought I would use. And yes, I have had to go out and put more in the meter. I have never received a ticket for parking. PLAN AHEAD! "

" Why should handicapped people get free parking? Isn't that reverse discrimination. They already get the choice spots. "

" Also on parking meters -- the person who told me this story felt that the meter guy was like some speed traps. Correct -- one should not speed, any more than one should park at a meter and not pay it. And there are some places where speed traps are really needed because people go flying through all the time. But there are other places where, say, the speed is reduced just over a hill and the police set up there so they can catch unsuspecting out-of-towners who don't know the speed drops suddenly where they can't see ahead and they use it as a revenue stream, not because there are egregious speeders creating a danger to the community all the time. The guy who relayed this story to me felt the meter situation was much like this latter sort of speed trap. Of course, he can't go file a complaint, because technically, yes, he was in violation. But it's hardly the friendly sort of town environment when you have someone literally lying in wait for the last second to tick off the meter and you immediately get a ticket. Usually there's a little grace period, or, like in Ithaca, your first violation is free.

I just think downtown Auburn has enough trouble attracting and keeping businesses and can't afford to be so hard-nosed and unwilling to allow even a little grace period -- after a while, people will get tired of dealing with the situation, and that doctor will either go out of business or be forced to move his office somewhere there aren't parking meters. And so, another business would be driven out of Auburn. It's just not common sense.

Or maybe I was just having a crabby day yesterday. It was a long week.... "

" Feeding the meter -- the guy had an appointment, and the doctor was running late. You all know how that goes -- doctors often give you an appointment, then leave you sit. Meters (or kiosks) need to be set to allow for that much time, esp. if they are located any where near a doctor's office! "

" telldastory, you misinterpret me entirely. I said that obesity causes a lot of related health problems, which in the long run cost everyone in terms of higher insurance rates. I said NOTHING about their appearance and certainly nothing that could be construed as flaming -- nor was that my intent.

Believe me, I know how people have unfair prejudices against overweight people. I have an as-yet-undiagnosed health problem myself which has been causing me to gain weight -- all fat -- yet I do 45-60 min of cardio 5-6 days a week (under the direction of a personal trainer) and eat a carefully crafted diet of all healthy food and the right number of calories (designed and adjusted constantly by my nutritionist). Still I gain. Against all reason, my body is not working right and I gain. I have had more tests and seen more doctors than I can count -- a lot of them real jerks. I couldn't get anyone to take it seriously until I had gained more than 40 pounds, even though I knew something was wrong when it was only 5 pounds.

We've eliminated diabetes, thyroid and hormones and are now looking at other things -- I have 3 more sets of tests to do in the next month and pray they'll find an answer sooner rather than later -- when I will have gained even more.

But what is hardest to take is knowing that people look at me, especially those who knew me before when I was a lean fit and trim athlete, and think I have "let myself go" -- that I am heavier (though still much trimmer than a lot of people I see around) because I am lazy and eat too much. Neither is true. It's a battle made all the harder by people's prejudices about obesity.

There are indeed many, many factors that go into being obese -- heredity, disease, injury (got one of those too!), medications (prednisone is a terrible med that does horrible things to people's body, yet it is widely prescribed for allergies, sarcoidosis, lupus and other conditions), exposure to hormone-mimicking chemicals in the environment, not to mention the constant barrage of advertising enticing people to eat garbage food, which is, as you say, cheaper and easier to eat than healthy food.

I did post something a while back about handicapped parking spaces. I have a friend with a degenerative muscle disease, and have myself spent time in a wheelchair, and have often been places with my friend when the handicapped places were filled with people who were clearly way less handicapped -- often just fat. Unless the person is heavy due to injury, in most cases, no matter the cause, it's not a bad thing to get out and walk a bit. Just drive around any large parking lot in this area or anywhere -- and you will see way too many handicap parking permits -- it is my personal belief that way too many are given out for only little reasons, leaving people with much greater need without a handicapped place to park.

I am with you 100% about the jerks who don't even have a tag taking up those spaces which are truly needed by so many others. I have no sympathy for them at all. I had a tag myself while I was in the wheelchair, but only used it when I needed it, and put it away before it expired because I didn't feel I should take away spaces when I was starting to be able to walk again. Now there's a good revenue source for the Auburn Police instead of this guy who goes around lying in wait for meters to expire -- nail the jerks who take handicap spaces away from those who need them.

If I came off sounding offensive, my apologies. I understand only too well all the reasons people may be heavy which are not the least bit in their own control. Honestly, you wouldn't pick me out in a crowd as "fat," but knowing how my body was before, it feels horrible to me as it is now. I am still fighting, every day, and hope to see an answer where my body will once again function as it should so my hard work daily will pay off and I can again be 125 pounds of trim muscle as I was before. "

" It h/b my observation thru the years, that when a person of weight loses said weight, a small handful become narcissistic. "

" Hey Karl, I was surprised to c that you d/n have a comment for the ltr to the editor from Friday 21st...titled spitzer scandal illustrates snowball...r u getting soft? lmao "

" It is illegal to feed the meter. You are not supposed to park there for hours on end! "

" Farmers Gal,
I am disappointed that you hold such an opinion of overweight people. You were one of the last I would expect to flame others on their appearances.

Obesity has proven to be an addiction like any other. The problem with it is that unlike drugs, alcohol and tobacco a person has to eat. It is easier to kick an addiction when you can avoid the substance altogether.

I know of several people who are overweight because of injuries that have made it very difficult for them to walk, let alone exercise. There are any number of medical conditions & medications such as prednisone that cause weight gain. It is a vicious cycle to keep ones weight under control when there are outside influencing factors.

I also want to point out that 'junk' food is sadly far cheaper than healthy foods. How many boxes of macaroni & cheese or cans of tuna can you buy for what a bag of oranges or a pack of chicken breasts cost?

The whole issue is just not as simple as not putting the food into your mouth, hence you won't get fat.
Too many factors are at play. When you look at an obese person as with many in society you see a lazy, overindulgent slacker. What you can't see is the arthritis, torn cartilage, insulin pump, damaged lungs, asthma, MS, or any number of medications floating around in someones system that without them they would be far worse off.

Ease up and pick on the totally fit kiddies who park in those spaces because they have gramma's tag or no tag at all and just don't WANT to walk any further.
"

" Sensible, I think Kufs was dropped down a flight of stairs as a child, or something like that. But that's just a guess. "

" Stand proud for fighting and killing innocent people in an illegal war, CM? Did I read that right? Correct me if I'm wrong. It seems to me that again, your logic is really twisted. "

" You are absolutely right about Auburn shooting itself in the foot FG. I've never seen anything like it in the half dozen or so cities I've lived in before.

Auburn should be a case study in how NOT to run a city. Don't get me wrong, Auburn has it's good points, I just can't remember what they are anymore. lol... "

" I hate parking meters myself, but if there are no meters then you have employees of stores who would park in the choice spots all day long and parking would be scarce. You can only solve this by having a parking officer enforcing a 2 hour limit, but with no parking fees it would cost the taxpayers.
Also if your parking meter expires, you are in violation. Even if you are on the way to feed the meter. If you make a mistake and didn't park legally, then quit blaming the parking officer. Take resposibility for your mistake. "

" Obama, has never served in the military, but neither did Bill Clinton, he was a draft dodger, and when elected President, a member of the military had to teach Clinton how to properly salute members of the military. And he was our Commander in Chief. "

" Billy Kufs must have hit his head before he posted that drivel. Or maybe he is experiencing a bit of dementia and he now thinks he is God. "

" A CARRY-OVER from today:
YOU are wrong! It's NOT that someone has to do it--It takes a COURAGEOUS person to do it, in war-time or not!
You, and those like you, deserve to stand proud even if others on this forum think otherwise!!!!
God Bless on this Easter weekend!


HazelEyez wrote on Mar 21, 2008 1:52 PM:

" cm-
Of course not everywhere I have been is bare bones. We were talking about Hazardous Duty pay during deployment. We don't get special pay while stateside. And trust me, my husband (who is also Active Duty) and I do not spend money on 'Nice' things. With a 3 and 4 year old we are lucky to have the bare essentials. But we are doing ok and we are not complaining... We do what we do because we LOVE what we do. Someone has to do it, right????

And- Your Welcome. "
"

" FG
Did some obese person step on your toe today?
My arent we so judgemental about them when you know crap about someones personal private business!

maybe they have a 100 pound tumor?
maybe they have an over-active thyroid?

for someone as yourself who works with books you sure are judgemental about their covers! "

" A mini downtown-ish area near me--just took out all the parking meters, the parking committee believe meters are a deterrent to retail sales,
the mayor agreed it would encourage people to shop!

The fees would only be charged at the parking garages & special lots.

The mayor stated although revenue would be lost without having the parking meters, some of it would be saved on parking enforcement personnel costs.

Maybe the NY downtowners should visit the mayors office! "

" quiver we all know you want to yak away with karl--he's probably in the book--call him up!
or just knock on his door..
I normally pass his house several times when I am in NY--since I have friends that live near him. "

" McCain leads both Dems in polls. Go John. "

" Didn't we kill the parking meter issue weeks ago???? I wish we would have a forum set up here. One where we can Private Message other members. I really don't want the universe to tune in to what I want to discuss everytime.! "

" Quack, crap. The 'some little man' as referred has a name and is actually a nice guy beleive it or not! And as unreal as this may sound, he doesnt crawl out from under a bridge either! oohh! U have to commend him because of ALL the complaining we do as tax payers, this city employee really does his job with gusto and earns his keep. "

" I have no problem with free parking for the handicapped in downtown Auburn, though I do have a problem with how handicapped parking permits seem to be handed out like candy so that truly seriously handicapped people get shut out of parking by overweight people and such-like.

Honestly, downtown could use all the encouragement it could get and free parking for ALL would be a start.

I was hearing a story the other day about some little man who walks up and down just waiting for the SECOND a meter (or kiosk) expires so he can slap the person with a ticket. A friend of a friend was running out to feed the meter every so often while waiting for a late appointment, and missed by a few minutes . As he dashed out to feed the meter again, he came upon the little man writing tickets -- who'd been watching him run to the meter and just waited to snag him running a few minutes behind. Real friendly and encouraging for people who might want to use downtown services....NOT!

Auburn is good at shooting itself in the foot, that much should be clear by all the empty and struggling businesses. "

" Quack, quack, quack. First we have people busting on us for writing long posts, and now we have people busting on us claiming we DON'T write dialog, but just sniping. Quack, quack.

All of the Two Cents starters today are so stupid there's nothing to which it is worth responding except maybe the congratulations to Jordan-Elbridge. My son competes in High School Challenge for Southern Cayuga -- so I hear about how good Jordan-Elbridge is.

BTW, theatre "practices" are called "rehearsals." (The kids were in drama for years, and their dad was a professional stagehand in NYC most of his life). "

" Why should they be free? "

" These new parking kiosks will probably drive what few people were supporting the businesses downtown, out, & into the malls. Who wants to fool around with those stupid things?? And then I heard on the radio that they are considering keeping the meters at the handicap parking spots for their convenience. What a joke - those parking spots should be FREE for them. "

" GO OBAMA! GO OBAMA!
BOOOO to Billly Kufs!
And to the host of the WORST waste of a half hour that ever hit the airwaves--"the Billy Kufs show"--smoking whatever you're smoking will eventually result in IMPOTENCE, BUDDY! YOU think you have problems now?...... "