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We have a new look for and host for our Novotney Artography site. Not everything is posted yet but it's a start! If you are looking for something different, please take a look... We suggest you check out the "Wondering Wine Glass Gallery" for new post card ideas... Thanks for your support.

Vote "Yes!" on Amendment 68...

There seems to be a huge resistance here in Colorado to supporting anything that will add funding to our schools... Colorado ranks near the bottom among all states in public funding for schools. In my humble opinion, Amendment 68 (A68) offers Colorado voters a better option for better schools.

With all the negativity on supporting education in the state, I have a question - What would be an alternative to fund our schools that you would or could support? Colorado voted down a tax increase in the previous election. Colorado schools and their teachers need help! Schools are closing and overcrowding is common place in some areas, Additionally,quality teachers are leaving the career field and our kids are not receiving the education necessary to be successful!  What's the answer? A68 will not cost the tax payers of Colorado a dime! 

One of the major objections seems to be that Colorado should not support an out of state company. My answer to this is - If you don't want to support the out of state entity, don't go there, but don't crap on something that can add to the bottom line of kids getting an education at no additional cost to the tax payer! 

There is an incredible amount of disinformation on the subject floating around.To make an informed decision on how to vote on this issue, take a look at the complete language of the proposition. It will address the concerns that have been at the forefront of the anti-A68 campaign. The number one concern appears to be who will administer the funds? The bottom line is, the State Treasurer will disburse the money to Education Fund on a per student basis. Furthermore, under A68, each and every school district is empowered to use the new education funds provided by the measure as they see fit - that's local control. With local control, schools get the help they need, where they need it.  Please access the full wording of A68 at this link... http://yesforbetterschools.com/.../Initiative2013-2014.pdf .  

Please Vote "Yes" on Amendment 68.

What to do when a wasp or bee stings your dog: Articles for dog owners | Hill's Pet

What to do when a wasp or bee stings your dog: Articles for dog owners | Hill's Pet

A Bit of History and Frustration!

As I prepare to pay my taxes, yet again, I must rant for a moment... As you read this, note that I am neither a Democrat or Republican. I subscribe to no "one political ideology" other than I vote my own mind. With that said here goes the rant... 

Did you know the Internal Revenue Service was started in 1862 to fund the war between the states. I think we are still paying on that debt. It sucked in 1862 to be a taxpayer and still sucks now.  The IRS is an agency that is controlled by no elected official.  It is an independent arm of the Treasury Department. Sure tax codes are set and approved by the executive and legislative branches of the government but the IRS has almost free reign in their approach to dealing with the American people.

I'm wondering, whatever happened to the Jeffersonian idea of "Democratic Process" and "No Federal Government" intervention into the lives of the citizens of the United States? As many of you know, I served and defended my country as an officer in the military and love it beyond belief. Regardless of this fact, I find that I'm sick of all the  political bullshit in Washington, on both sides of the fence! We need change!!! Right now! I feel as if I'm personally funding the national debt!!! Someone is having a damn good time and it's not me!!!

I want to offer one more thought before leaving this post. It involves  savings in next year's federal budget and perhaps a resultant reduction in the National Debt.  Let's institute a flat tax in this country!  Everyone would pay their fair share.  Don't give me the party line of "disproportionate burden on the poor."  10% is 10% of whatever number you are deducting it from.  It's fair and extremely democratic.  It would definitely increase revenue!  There would be no deductions.  Some will say that a flat would hurt housing.  Guess what, the idiots in Washington already have their sites set on not allowing you to deduct your mortgage interest in the very near future.  Think about it for a moment, the government is already reducing the amount of deductions that you can take nearly every year.  If you are like most middle income families, you fall in the 25% to 35% tax bracket.  You somehow manage to reduce you tax burden down to about 15%-20% using your deductions, while others pay next to nothing. When congress finally gets around to removing your one true deduction of owning a home, you'll pay more and they'll spend more, regardless of the party in power, but you will suck it up and continue to own your home because that is the true American dream.

You know what I really like about the idea of a flat tax, it would allow the American people to un-employ several thousand Internal Revenue Service workers...Your taxes would simply be deducted by your employer or perhaps, if self-employed, payed by you on a monthly basis and you would never have to deal with filing a return.  A flat tax would put much needed money into reducing the National Debt, simplify the process, and  help free up money to grow the economy, its simple economics.  Best of all, everyone would pay their fair share!  

A Huge Change!

I'll begin this post by stating that there have been some major changes to my body and my life! 

I recently took an 8 week challenge from my wife. You see, she is a distributor for a product called Le-Vel Thrive. When she first told me what she was promoting I was very skeptical.  She said she had found this new product that would help me get my weight under control, have more energy and mental clarity, as well as improve my overall feeling of health. All I had to do is take two pills when I first awoke in the morning, have a shake mix for breakfast about 20 minute later and put on their DFT foam patch for the day. She stated that I wouldn't have to change anything else in my life style and I would see and feel a huge difference in my body. This sounded kinda like one of those miracle prescriptions that never pan out, right! Right! After a couple days of pestering I took her up on the challenge. 

I didn't really notice anything until about the third day of the challenge. The first thing I noticed was I had more energy. The second thing I noticed was that the normal aches and pains that I felt on most mornings were gone. The third thing that I noticed was I wasn't reaching for the coffee pot to get me going. I use to be about a six cup a day coffee drinker, but not anymore.  Although I had taken notice of this change, I didn't say anything to my wife about feeling better, I just let it ride. 

At the end of the first week I weighed myself and to my surprise I had actually lost three pounds and I was feeling really great! This weight loss continued throughout the eight week challenge. Every week I found myself 2 to 3 pounds lighter. By the forth week I started including a bit of exercise into my weekly routine and the pounds just melted away. I found myself excited about getting out and doing things again. My golf game really improved and I started looking forward to walking my weekly round of 18 holes and carrying my golf bag again. 

Thanks to my wife's encouragement for me to begin this challenge I have gone from being a middle-aged 6 foot 1 inch couch potato, weighing 243 pounds, to trimmer and more energetic 218 pound healthy person. I've lost 4 inches off my waist line and put on lean muscle in the process. The challenge was probably a life saving event for me. My goal is to be under 200 pounds by the end of the year! I think I'll be there sooner. 

More energy and a better mood to get out and do the things I used to do is what the challenge has brought me. What's holding you back from accomplishing the things you want to accomplish? Do you want to feel better? Lose some weight? Have better mental clarity? For more information on the Thrive 8 Week Challenge go to www.rockymtnthrive.com . Either link will get you there! 

Take the challenge!  I've become such a believer in the product(s) that I can't image myself going a day without it! Thrive on! Live life to the fullest... Thank you to my wife for introducing me to this amazing experience. 

Peanut Butter and Molasses

 

And..

Peanut butter and molasses as a treat for your dog just doesn't sound right, or does it? It does when you consider that in a world of processed foods, there just doesn't seem to be anything out there that can be considered healthy. Most store bought treats contain large amounts of animal by-products, artificial flavors, artificial colors and artificial preservatives. All which can have an impact on your pet's overall health. 

Over the years we have experimented with many different types of treats for Lucy - some good and some not so good. We've tried people foods that were considered healthy but Lucy would just turn them down and besides, there can be dangers in feeding your dog the same foods that you eat. We've also tried what were considered wholesome foods from the pet store that upset her stomach and were very expensive. But there was one treat we could always count on that she could tolerate and seemed to enjoy and it just happens to be peanut butter! She just loves the stuff! I must warn you; it is not easy to watch your dog eat peanut butter, especially in its normal packaging. They will lick and lick to try to get it all out of their mouths. But they will never turn it down and it's actually good for them. 

One day while in the store I came across a box of dog treats that listed all natural and low fat "peanut butter and molasses" healthy treats for dogs. The treat is a hard baked cookie containing unbleached wheat flour, whole-wheat flour, blackstrap molasses, palm oil, whey oats, natural caramel, nonfat milk, egg, salt, baking soda, natural peanut butter and brewer's yeast. They are baked semi-hard to help keep teeth clean. There is no artificial anything in the cookie! I instantly purchased them and brought them home for my dog.

Lucy has been eating these cookies as a treat for about a year now and loves them. 
They come out of the box as what I would call a large cookie for a treat, so I break them up for her. She never gets more than one large cookie on any given day. She's actually on a schedule for her treats receiving about a third of a cookie three times a day. This helps us maintain her calorie intake and of course, her weight. What a great idea for a treat! 

Since I'm not in the business of selling dog treats, I won't list the company here on my blog but if you will drop me a note I will be happy to give you the name of the bakery. Just a note, if the company ever goes out of business I think these treats would be easily made from home. It might take just a little experimentation in the kitchen to make up a healthy treat for your favorite critter but it would be well worth the time to do so! 

Cheers!

You Can't Control Everything!

Born in Galveston, Texas in 1878 in the post slavery south, the boxer Jack Johnson went on to become one of the greatest boxers of the 20th century. But there is more to the story... John Arthur ("Jack") Johnson had many obstacles to overcome in his life. Born to parents who were former slaves and fighting at the height of the "Jim Crow" era, Johnson became the first African American World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, maintaining the title from 1908 to 1915. How did he accomplish this amazing feat in a time of racial bigotry, subjugation, and other barriers imposed on African Americans of his day? He concentrated his efforts on the things that he could control and didn't worry about the things he could not; thereby, refusing to bow to conventional wisdom that an African American could not compete in a world not built for him. Control is a concept that I've been struggling with for a while but I think I have a handle on it now...

Locus of control is the concept that refers to what we believe affects our existence. Individuals who have an internal locus of control believe that events result primarily from their own behavior and actions. Those with an external locus of control believe that powerful others, fate, or chance

primarily determine the outcome of events. One of the most important aspects of personal performance is understanding, what is, and what is not, within our control. Attempting to influence or change what is beyond our span of control is a fool’s errand. Even more disturbing is when we forfeit responsibility and effort to fix the things that are well within our power. Knowing the difference makes all the difference.

There is an old prayer that reflects these sentiments...

“God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed. Courage to change the things that should be changed and wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”
─ Reinhold Niebuhr

Do you feel out of control? Do you know your locus of control? You might want to take some time to truly understand the concept.

A New Book for Aviation Professionals

A note to all my old flying buddies. A couple friends and former coworkers have co-authored a new book that many of you may find interesting. The title is Automation Airmanship, Nine Principles of Operating Glass Cockpit Aircraft, Authored by Captain Chris Lutat and Captain Ryan Swah, released 2013 through McGraw Hill publishing. It is a must have book for anyone flying or instructing in today's advanced technology aircraft. I feel it would make a great addition to any serious aviation professional's library. I think you can find it over on Amazon.

A game of continuous improvement…

While this post has nothing to do with Lucy... or dogs for that matter. I felt compelled to share it here. The story begins -

As I established my setup for the first hole on the small executive golf course I like to play to work on my short game, I had to back off the shot. My mind was all over the place, how many times had I been presented with a shot just like this over the last 30 or so years that I have been playing this game?   “Many I thought to myself”… No matter how long I play the game, there is always this little nagging thought running through my brain - am I truly prepared? Have I practiced enough? Is my swing good today? The thing is - you can never truly master the game of golf – there always something that needs to be worked on or reworked. It’s all about continuous improvement. I guess this is what draws me to the game…

At the beginning of every year, I try to establish goals for where I want to be with my golf game by the end of the season. Sometimes I’ve succeeded and other times I’ve failed at my goals but they are always there. They give me something to concentrate my improvement efforts on. In reflecting back on my efforts to improve my game, I’ve discovered some roadblocks that prevent me from achieving all that I want to achieve.

For me, finding and dedicating the time to practice has always been a major obstacle. They say to truly become an expert at something; it takes about 10,000 hours of concentrated effort and practices over the course of a lifetime. There is no way that I have that kind of time to spend on my golf game. But I do put in practice time and I do attempt to make it fun. Speaking of fun, the fun has not always been part of my game. If I didn’t hit just the perfect shot or scoring wasn’t going well, I would sulk, get mad at myself and basically adopt a pretty crappy attitude about how I was playing. It was like emotional jetlag, I just couldn’t get past what I had just done, which led to even more problems. I use to see this same phenomenon in some of the students that I would train back when I was a flight instructor, but that’s another story...

Now that I’m older and wiser and possess a better understanding of the game, I find a new foe knocking at the door - physical degradation. My body isn’t as strong or flexible as it once was. But maybe this is a good thing. In my youth, I could hit the ball a ton and I didn’t think anything was out of reach (a problem in its own right). Today I find myself truly thinking about how I’m going to manage the course to achieve the results I want. I guess the old adage; “Old age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm” holds some truth after all.       

I guess the bottom line for all of this is - golf is a game I will never master it. It, like life, presents us with many obstacles that we must face and overcome. To truly enjoy the game, you must put in the time to develop skills for the level you want to participate in. But most of all, we must put in the effort to enjoy the game – no matter what transpires on the scorecard. This is my new philosophy and my goals reflect it.

Pet Adoption

Are you thinking about obtaining a four-legged friend? Check out dogs looking for good homes through adoption. Adoption is the first best place to find a great dog. The ASPCA has a national database that will allow you find what you are looking for. Our Lucy was an adoption pup!

Some people shy away from adoption because of special needs or perhaps behavioral problems of some of the dogs. I can honestly say that we would adopt again in a minute. With love and attention, an adopted dog can become a valued family member.  When we first received Lucy she was under weight and very shy. It took a bit of time but she got into a routine and never looked back. She is one of the best-socialized dogs I know. All we did was offer her support and attention and she blossomed.

The dogs in the national database need your help and support. Please at least begin your search for a new dog through an adoption organization. There are literally thousands of dogs that are up for adoption and some do not have much time to find a new home.

If you are interested in a particular breed of dog, you can probably find it at an adoption organization. Just today I was up on the ASPCA site and found Jake CI 1864 (a full boxer in the database). Jake is part of the Prison Trained K-9 Companion Program here in Colorado. He is spayed and neutered, fully vaccinated and wormed for internal parasites, and best of all he is fully trained and ready for a great home. The prison program is not a tax-funded program and therefore there may be some expense incurred but it is well worth it. The program serves society and dogs looking for great homes at the same time.

There are many other adoption routes to take, all you have to do to find one is type into your web browser “adopt a pet” and you are sure to find one near you. Please begin your search for a new four-legged friend through an adoption agency.

Thank you.

Helping a Boxer with a Sensitive Stomach

Through the years I have written articles about Lucy’s sensitive stomach issues. I’ve informed you of how Lucy actually eats three meals a day and how this manages to keep her tummy issues at bay. Some may be thinking that I’m overfeeding her. The truth is, she rarely gets more than one cup per serving of her favorite dog food. In addition, she gets no more 1 to 3 treats on any given day but this is another story to tell later. This method of multiple feeding works only because of the quality of the food she receives.

Over time her dog food has changed. When we first brought Lucy home we were sold on Science Diet products. She did well with this food as far as the sensitivity goes but she put on weight. So we went exploring and experimenting with different foods. We tried all-natural foods from the health food store and several others as well. Some would cause weight gain, some would cause weight loss and some an excessive need to go poo. Some foods had too much filler and others perhaps not enough. Some so-called sensitive stomach foods actually magnified the sensitivity problem.

One day she got sick and kept getting sick on a regular basis. We took her to the Vet and had her checked out. She was healthy but had a sensitive stomach issued said the vet. The Vet recommended we feed her nothing but rice for a few days. The problem remedied itself very quickly. We asked the Vet to recommend dog food that would help us with our problem. I was expecting to have to spend a great deal of money on this recommended dog food but was pleasantly surprised with his recommendation, He recommended Purina One Rice and Lamb (Sensitive Stomach) dry dog food. Don’t worry, I don’t own stock in Purina nor am I advertising the product for any type of profit. I’m simply offering up a solution to a problem many dog owners run into.  Besides, the food has been fantastic for Lucy. No more sensitive stomach and she possesses abundant energy and displays all the signs of a healthy dog.

Lucy is eight years old now and has a lean body, strong bones, and strong muscles. She is rarely ill so her immune system must be strong as well. Her digestion is excellent and she rarely has a problem of throwing up like she used to do. I might add that she is quite regular as well.  Her skin coat and eyes are still as stunning as when she was a puppy. And her teeth are in good shape but like many dogs, she probably could use good teeth cleaning and perhaps something for doggie breath on occasion. With all this said, I would have to conclude that the food she is on now is a good one.

For those of you who have a boxer with a sensitive stomach, you might want to check this dog food out. Listed below are the ingredients along with the guaranteed analysis that Purina states concerning the product.  All I can say is that it has worked for Lucy and it may work for your boxer as well.

Ingredients:

Lamb (natural source of glucosamine), brewers rice, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal (natural source of glucosamine), oatmeal, animal fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of vitamin E), lamb meal, animal digest, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, salt, caramel color, L-Lysine monochloride, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous sulfate, vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), sodium selenite

Purina’s Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude protein (min.) 26%, crude fat (min.) 16%, crude fiber (max.) 3%, moisture (max.) 12%, linoleic acid (min.) 1.4%, calcium (Ca) (min.) 1%, phosphorus (P) (min.) 0.8%, selenium (Se) (min.) 0.35 mg/kg, vitamin A (min.) 13,000 iu/kg, vitamin E (min.) 250 iu/kg, glucosamine* (min.) 400 ppm, Omega 6 fatty acids* (min.) 1.6%. *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Nutrients Profile.

If you know of a better dog food that works as well as this one does for Lucy, I would appreciate it if you write a short response to this post for more options in helping a boxer with a sensitive stomach.

Thanks and Ciao for now…

Beer and Its Contribution to Humanity and the Creation of Modern Society

Beer has been around for quite some time. Some think that the production of beer and bread derived from grain cereals containing certain sugars are directly responsible for the development of civilization. Here’s my view of history, beer and civilization and how they have contributed to the development of modern society.

History records that beer has been around for about 7,000 thousand years now. Scientists have uncovered ancient stone tablets with depictions of beer brewers from Samaria dating to as far back as 6,000 years. There are also many depictions of people drinking beer from a bowl with straws (This is an interesting concept and one in which I have tried to emulate on many occasions while attempting the ancient Scottish tradition of playing golf. You need to try this some time.)

Other significant evidence of beer contributing to civilization as a whole comes from the likes of the Egyptians, and central Europe, dating back as far as 3000 B.C. and many argue that beer and bread production directly led to the development of technology and civilization. In fact, ancient prayers have been uncovered concerning beer, bread and onions. Why the inclusion of onions is present is a mystery to me, but I do like them on hamburgers from time to time.

It is a widely held understanding that in ancient times, the best and probably only brewers of beer were women. I have some thoughts on why this is probably true. Women are crafty and never do anything without a purpose. The purpose for brewing brew is straightforward; women were tired of following all those crazy male hunters around looking for game. It was time to settle down and what better way to get a man’s attention than to brew up a batch of beer. Instant success on the woman’s part I would say! The women’s influence on technology can’t be over stated either, they needed better pots to brew the beer in and men were happy to oblige!

History indicates that people overall were not always monogamous in their relationships. The concept of marriage came about because of beer. Let me explain. Since women were brewers of beer and men like beer and most prefer to drink the finest of the delicious nectar, two things had to happen. First, the man needed to establish a permanent domicile and second they had to capture the best brewers of beer and keep them. This led to what we know of today as the family domicile and the invention of marriage. The line in the marriage vow “until death doeth part” can be directly attributed to the production of beer. You see men of the time were quite selfish and didn’t want to share their best beer or lose their best brewers of beer, so they came up with the idea of marriage and thus the institution we have today. I told you women were crafty, brew some beer and capture the hunter of her dreams!

Now with all this said, you may be thinking "Isn't this blog about Lucy the White Boxer"? Yes, but sometime I just have to lighten things up a bit and discuss more important topics such as beer and its contribution to humanity. Until next time, Cheers!