Money Back Guarantee?

Have you ever ordered something on-line, with a thirty or sixty day return policy guarantee?  You know the one,  with the miracle product,  that: "if you are not completely satisfied,  then return it for a full refund."  Here's the problem... you must call customer service within the cancellation period,  to cancel and return the product.  But,  for some reason,  you can never get through,  and they tell you to call back at another time.  They are always "experiencing heavy call volume,"  and so they cut off your call.

Even though they have a website,  and you were able to order on-line,  for some reason, you can't cancel on-line. "Cancel anytime, if not completely satisfied.!"  The only way to cancel, is to talk to them, but you can't get through.

Well, I have learned to save myself the aggravation, by trying to 'test cancel' before I buy. I call the 800 number and try to cancel, even though I have not yet bought the product.  I also go to the websites they recommend in their 'hold messages', while I am waiting, to see if there is an on-line procedure for cancelling. If I am not successful in 'test-cancelling', then I don't order the product.

It's too bad,  that even though some products seem like something I want to buy,  if the 'cancel' phone number is experiencing 'unusually heavy call volume',  then, maybe there are a lot of dissatisfied people.  And if they won't let me cancel,  the same way I bought it, on-line,  then it must be a scam, and a waste of my money.  

Seriously, try this 'test cancel' as a reasonableness test of the company and product.  If it's easy to order, but not easy to cancel,  then if fails the test, and the product is not what it seemed in the advertisement, so save your money. 

Looking into the future

My son, age 28,and I were discussing what technology might be like when he gets to my age. It came up because I had been to a recent Social Media for Realtors, training class and was amazed at the things that are now possible, which were not even dreamed about when I was his age in 1978.

I told him that working as a CPA the first electronic calculator I saw in our office, was the size of a personal printer today. It was noisy and cost $700. Only a few accountants in our firm had one. . Sears released a handheld calculator for $30, but it failed with any regular use. I worked on a large company assignment, with many store branches, and in order to consolidate their numbers, we laid a paper spread sheet, on the floor, taped together, across the room, with several accountants kneeling and making changes to the twenty foot document as entries were posted. My first mobile computer was a Compaq computer which weighed 30 or more pounds. I carried it through St Louis Airport terminal, only once, before I realized I needed a luggage cart to keep from dislocating my elbow.

My first mobile phone, was a Motorola Dina Tac 8000. You could not put it into your pocket. It was almost the size of a Liter bottle of Coke, and about as heavy. It didn't ring very often, as you never gave out the number, because of the excessive cost per call and per minute. You used it for emergency calls only.

I am sure that there are some of you who were 28 in 1958 or 1968, who put these minor problems to shame. That is why we started the discussion. He was wondering what his children or grand children would take for granted that he is living without today.

Seeing how far we have advanced in my life, I hope for these things for him and his family:

Microsoft Operating software and all their applications are considered the pile of junk that they really are, and someone has found away to store data without strings of I's & O's. All automobiles are battery driven, and the battery is the size of a D-Cell today. It lasts thousands of hours, and is recharged by the Sun, even on a cloudy day. Vehicles have mechanisms to avoid pedestrians and each other, as well as stationary objects like trees and bridges. Vehicles actually drive themselves and only require an address to deliver the occupants safely.

Air travel uses magnetic force operated vehicles, like Dick Tracey's comic book transportation units, and they also know how to avoid other airborne vehicles and the ground at high speed. Doctors no longer need to diagnose your illness, as the human body has been mapped completely and most ailments can be repaired with stem cell therapy, which comes in a lotion as well as a tablet. Dentists merely need to give you a shot of the same medicine that doctors have, to re-grow a single tooth or a whole set.

We have no further issues with identity theft as all transactions involving cash from your bank requires an eye scan, which can be done remotely to pay bills. Social security was bolstered in 2013 as the Republican Congress cut government spending and raised the limits and rates on social security and Medicare, and doubled the rate for taxpayers making over a million dollars per year.

The enormous deficit was eliminated by stopping our reliance on foreign oil and collecting billions from all our foreign allies for past assistance.

The national obesity problem was eliminated by an implanted device that instructs your brain to reroute any excess food intake to the large intestine for disposal. This same system works equally well for alcohol and drugs so that the euphoria and buzz associated with those vices is eliminated.

Football is still the most popular sport in the United States, but it is no longer necessary to be in a seat at the games, or even watching it on television, as a small fee will allow the purchaser to have a hologram view of the game, complete with realistic sound and percussion as if they were actually watching the game live. The view will be as if they were sitting on the sideline fifteen feet above the ground. They can share the experience with their friends as if they were all at the game together, or at any sporting event for that matter.

Communication has advanced to telepathy, and merely requires you to think of the person with whom you want to communicate, and they will sense your signal and connect with you telepathically. Neither of you will need to speak, as you can converse more effectively through ESP.

Do all of these seem out of reach? Henry Ford once said, " The Future fairly startles me with it’s impending greatness."  What would he say today?

Remember when you needed a phone, pager, computer, calculator, calendar, camera, alarm clock, address book, map, transistor radio, television, and electronic game. Each were separate devices, and did not interact together. Now the smart phone does them all in a package smaller than that old transistor radio. Who would have believed it? Henry Ford,  would have.

Helping Others, Your Way

I have felt others pain. I mean that I actually feel pain when others hurt themselves in my presence. I don't know why. I don't like it, I don't want it, and will do anything to avoid watching others injure themselves. Funniest Home Video's is often not funny to me, as someone falls off a horse, bicycle or skateboard. I feel the pain myself.

I was watching a Michael J Fox movie the other night, and his 'love interest' drank too much liquor, and got sick by the side of the road. Michael, also started to get sick, and she reminded him that he had not been drinking. He told her it did not matter, he was a 'sympathy sick.' That's what you call someone who gets sick at the sight, sound or smell of someone else getting sick. I have that same affliction, but I will spare you the details and stories.

Having survived a few hurricanes in Florida, I often think about those who face the aftermath of a major catastrophic event, and the pain they must feel. Haiti, Japan, Tuscaloosa and Joplin, just to name a few. Fortunately I have not seen them actually injured, so I don't feel their actual pain, like I mentioned. But, looking at the destruction and loss of life, none of us can help but feel something for them. What disappoints me is that I don't often act on that feeling. If someone needs my help, I will give it. If someone asks me to contribute to a needy cause, I often do that. But once the victims leave the media spotlight, I forget about them. I think we all allow ourselves to forget their pain.

I am not admonishing you, more than myself, I am giving you food for thought. Obviously I cannot solve all the aches and pains of the injured, nor will my pain, ease theirs, but I can try to help some.

I recently heard a quote: "The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy." Kalu Kalu.


I like to volunteer. I will not list the things I personally do to volunteer to help others, it shouldn't matter. What I do, may not be something you can or like to do. I ask you to consider finding your own way to help others. There's no wrong way to give of yourself, your time, your money or some combination of each. It does not matter how, so long as you do something. What I am suggesting is that you find a way, even the smallest way, to consistently help those in need, and not just because they are in the news. Consider it pay back for the ones long past, in the news, where you did not help.

We are a large world population, and if we all do a little bit on a regular basis, it will pick away at the overwhelming pile of need. Please find something you like to do, or something that makes you feel good. This will motivate you to continue doing it. It would be a sad life to record, if we died and the only thing left to show, for our life, was a pile of accumulated stuff. Wouldn't you rest easier, if you felt your life meant something? If you could say, "I did what I could, I actually made a small difference." I promise it will be something you actually look forward to doing, and those receiving it will, as well.

A Box of stuff

I have a box of stuff. It is sentimentally valuable to me.  I don't even need to describe it here as it would be unimportant to most,  except my family.  It has very little actual value. It occured to me that if someone found it after I was long gone, they would wonder what it is, and why I kept it, and not know this sentimental attachment it had to me.

Most people have a similar box of memorablia or junk that they like to sift through from time to time. It will also get tossed after they are gone, along with the stories that were attached. We keep this stuff because it reminds us of some specific time or event in our lives. If it is important to us now, so it may also be important to someone in your family.

Certainly we have seen all television coverage of the aftermath of a hurricaine or twister, and you see people, on the news clips, sifting through a pile of rubble that was once their house. On camera they say, "we lost everything.!" The house, furniture and clothing can all be replaced if they had insurance, that's not the 'everything', to which they refer. What upsets them the most is losing all of their 'stuff.' All of the pictures and treasures from a lifetime. These things are not listed or covered by insurance. They cannot be easily described or explained, to another without holding the item and vebalizing it's significance.

You might have some family heirlooms that were passed on to you: Aunt Franny's china, grandmother's silver, dad's straw skimmer. If you saw some of it at a second hand store, you wouldn't give it a second thought. But, knowing where it came from and that it has a past, makes these things valuable to us all.

So, I have another life suggestion for you. I recommend that you go through this stuff again, soon. If you think it will have value to a family member, then tell them all about it and give it, or leave it to them in your will. That item will have new significance and a new life. If it is very special, it will also be passed on to their family with the same story.
If you have other items that have no value to others, but are special to you because they remind you of a story, or event or time in your life, then write down that story before it goes to the grave with you. Once on paper, you could share each story with someone, or just accumulate them so that when you are gone, the stories will be found with your 'stuff.' They won't be left wondering why you have this box of junk. You will have told them, in your own words. I bet they keep some of your stuff themselves. It may even become part of their 'box of stuff."

Law of the Garbage Truck

This is snippit from an article by J. Dick Martinez. He is Grand Master of the Florida Masons.

"..people are like garbage trucks. They drive around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile and wave, wish them well and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't.

Life is ten percent what you make it, and ninety percent how you take it."

This might be a good time for a New Years resolution. If you don't have one, or have failed at others, this might be one you could try. It will not take much effort. It will take lots of will power and self control. But here's a new twist. This year, write down your resolution, and send it to anyone who rides with you in the car. Now you have to actually try to follow it, or you will hear about it.

If you think about it, what do you actually benefit, when you blow your horn or gesture at another driver. It might feel good, but it is short lived, and most of them will gesture right back and you never know what might come next. and even if they ignor you,  you will never change them by getting upset.

Smile, wave and wish them well. You will feel much better, I promise. Plus you may have actually been successful in your New Years resolution. Happy 2011.

Small World

It never ceases to amaze me how small our world seems sometimes. It is that 'six  degrees of separation" thing. The Human Connection. The Theory is that we are all so closely related, that any two individuals could be connected through at most five acquaintances, or the six degrees. Some believe it to be an Urban Myth.

I like the theory myself, I am amazed at who I meet sometimes, who know people, who know people, I know. My dad died in the military over fifty years ago. He was kiiled in a fire, on the USS Bennington, in the Atlantic along with a hundred other men. My family went to the 50th reunion of that tradegy a few years ago in Newport Rhode Island. Before I went, I sent a note to the organizer and asked if he knew anyone who actually knew my father. He said he would send a note to the crew members. I was only four years old when my dad died, so I did not have a lot of memories, of him.

I met a lot of people at the reunion, but none who actually knew my father. When I returned to Naples, I got a letter from a man who actually lived in Naples. He knew my father, in fact he worked for my father on the ship. I went all the way to Rhode Island, and the one person I was looking for was right here in Naples. We met, and he was a delightful man with lots of stories and anedotes about my father. I enjoyed the meeting. One email to Bennington Crew members, thousands and thousands of  people, and from that email, three people have now contacted me, who knew my father. Wow!

One more story, and you will believe we really live in a small world. Recently I went to a highschool reunion. I met someone I went through twelve years of school with. I had not seen her in over forty years. The reunion was on Friday night. On Saturday morning, I was running some errands which took me a few hours. On my way back home, I randomly stopped at a flea market. I parked my car walked into the market, turned right and stopped at the first booth. someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was my highschool friend. I had not seen her in forty years, and the day after the reunion, I ran into her again. It is a small world. I bet some of you have better stories than these. Let me know.

Football Trifecta

We have three NFL (National Football League) teams in Florida. Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. My son and I finished our trifecta by going to see the Dolphins last night. We have now been to a game at all three Florida stadiums, and I am here to tell you, from a pure entertainment view, they are all worth the trip. It does not matter where you sit, or whether you are a football fan, fanatic, or tag along friend or spouse. All the teams work hard to make sure that you get your money's worth. Just being part of the spectacle and interacting with the other people there is an experience.

I say it does not matter where you sit, because we sat high and low, in these stadiums, 7th row, 60th row and nose bleed seats. The game is viewable from all seats, and so is the extra entertainment. Fireworks, stadium video, celebrities, fan participation, sideline antics and choreographed beautiful cheerleader movements. Pregame, halftime and post-game programs. A mega-merchandise store and a Gallery of Legend Players, It is non-stop sensual stimulation. Forget the old single scoreboard, the entire stadium's flat surfaces light up with information, sights, sounds, and the contagious thunder of the excited crowd.

Forget about the old days of just hotdogs and peanuts, there are so many choices for food, Cuban sandwiches, wraps, pints of ice cream, nuts, smoothies, even a booth with Boar's Head products sandwiches. Nothing is cheap, but, it is worth what you have to spend.

If you are a tailgater, these stadiums cater to your needs. The parking is laid out for tailgating with plenty of space, and portable toilets. The smell of food cooking is everywhere. If you need something, just ask your parking lot neighbor. We forgot a spatula to flip our burgers on the hibachi grill, and it only took a minute to find one. You could make an evening of just sitting in the parking lot, and watching the fanatics, and I believe some people do. There were several tents with big screen TV's. There is so much to see, there was even a pole, with ladies dancing around it and a crowd cheering them on and taking pictures.

If you live in or just visit Florida, I suggest a drive and visit to any of these football stadiums.  Buy your tickets on line, EBay or scalp them at the game. I promise, you will enjoy yourself and come away with a unique experience and lots of memories. Don't forget the spatula.

Smooth Ride?

Have you noticed the condition of the roads and streets in SW Florida? More specifically, Naples, FL? Unless you are a part timer here, you don't know how good you have it. You need to spend a spring experiencing the patchwork roads in snow towns up north.

A visit to any town, and I could pick on lots of them, but my recent experience with Cedar Rapids, Iowa, makes me wonder what the cost is to the drivers and their cars.

I realize that poor CR, has just had the flood of the century, but lots of my experiences there, were well before the flood. The roads are worse than a patchwork quilt, with each patch, of varying sizes, at different levels. Obviously the road crews work very hard to fill in the holes made by the seemingly never ending winter, with its freeze/thaw cycle, and the rains of spring. But filling in a hole, so that it makes a speed bump seems like they are not accomplishing much.

When you have aluminum rims and you hit a pothole filled with rain water. and your tire goes flat because it bent your rim, you are happy to have them filled, no matter how bumpy.

The temperature in this area is very hot in the summertime. If you have ever noticed the effect that the heat has on things you leave outdoors, for an extended period, then you have an idea of why I am surprised that the roads are not in the same shape as Cedar Rapids. But apparently the heat is no match for the effect that freezing and thawing has on asphalt and concrete. So count your blessings.

You will certainly see a pothole covered here, and occasionally some cracks in the pavement, but the repair seems to be made by a former Zamboni driver, rather than a moto-cross track designer. It is actually flat to the road, and hardly noticeable.

I am certain we have some road issues in Naples, but not like the rest of the country. Type the following phrase into your 'web browser' "Fix our roads, " and you will find over 50,000 sites with that phrase. Reading the first few pages assures me that poor Cedar Rapids is not the only city with a pothole problem. While visiting CR recently, I noticed they were working on the roads, but they will never be what we have in Naples. We are lucky, compared to 50,000 other locations in the world. Maybe we should find something else that does need fixing.  I am sure I will hear something from you!

Go Fish!

I met with a new client today in the Southwest Florida fishing business.  He said that the fishing is so good now that everyone in the 'business' will look forward to a wonderful 'season' in SW Florida. That's good news for the people who visit us in the winter.   For those fishing enthusiasts, the mix of weather, currents, wind, Mother Nature and perhaps oil in the deep water west of us, has filled our waters with fish. Bottom fishing in the Gulf has seen people catching their limit of Grouper and Red Snapper.

We have so many varieties of fish in the Gulf, Lakes and Bays surrounding us, that there is literally every type of fishing you could want. I like Gulf fishing as it requires less skill, which describes my fishing prowness. Lack of talent. If you go out on a Gulf charter, they provide everything for your day or half day. When you go, make sure you select a boat that does the kind of fishing you want. Call and ask, and if they don't have what you want, I am sure they will refer you to another who does.

The cost of a commercial fishing trip is determined by how many people are on your boat.  There are 'party' boats which are larger and carry lots of people.  These cost less and the assistance is not as personal but it is still good fishing.  These are a favorite of some friends of mine,  but they fish a lot,  and know how. It is not my type of fishing.  A Charter boat will cost you a hundred dollars per person, more or less depending if there are others sharing the day with you.  But the fishing is personalized and the assistance is very good and personal to your style.  If you think of the cost as a per hour fee,  and you end up with dinner at the end of the day,   then it is well worth it.  Don't forget to tip your captain if he finds fish for you.

On a Charter boat, always tell your boat captain what you want to accomplish. It will determine where they take you and the type of tackle needed. On a party boat, you will fish, when and where they stop.

The first time I went out on a charter boat, I did not know what to tell him. I was totally unfamiliar with the protocol. Luckily my son caught a good sized Red Snapper and whatever it was I caught, the captain had not seen before. We did not keep anything that day, We were merely out to enjoy the Gulf, and inadvertinly feed the Dolphins with most everything we caught and threw back.


The next time we went out, I told the captain we just wanted to catch fish and keep a few larger ones for dinner. He put out some trolling lines and before long we had as much as we wanted. Lots of Mackeral & Bonita. It was a good day on the water, and a good evening of fish fried and broiled for friends. The next time out, I told the captain I wanted to catch a Snapper or a Grouper, if time permitting I wanted to try for a Goliath Grouper. We caught some small Snapper and Grouper that day, but never got a bite from a Goliath.

I have also been backwater fishing in the rivers and canals upon which our area is surrounded. This is totally different fishing, but for some who might have a fear of deep water, this might be a way to still enjoy the sport. The back waters are teaming with all varieties of fish, and it is not necessary to go very far to find them.

We have sun, sand and surf in SW Florida, but we also have fish, and lots of people who make their living helping you catch them. Spend a day with them on the water, and you will be hooked, along with your dinner.

Good Luck.

Fifty Percent Discount

I went to a sale the other day at a golf store, that was going out of business. I had seen the signs advertising it for a few weeks. But I waited until the sale percentage discount on their signs showed 50% - 70% off. I hoped I would get lucky with a size that might save me some money. Waiting was a mistake.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, " “Things may come to those who wait...but only the things left by those who hustle.” The leftover, picked over, lucky sizes were those that I could not use. Plenty of size 32 pants and XXL & XXXL shirts. I was greedy, rather than satisfied to get a reasonable sale price, I wanted a steal. I did not consider that there would be others who were satisfied to get a small bargain, and the good merchandise.

It seems to me that some of us might approach other things in our lives the same way. We wait for the big profit, the larger discount, the lower purchase price, or the higher sale price, and as a result, we lose out. I suggest that you be satisfied with a good deal, and stop waiting on the 'best.' You may not get anything like me!

Prepare to lose your valuables

Sounds like a dumb thing to do, but how many of us really know what's in our wallet (or purse.) ? I had a box of keepsakes that I had been throwing things into for many years. It had a small coin collection that my mother had given to my son, when he was too young, and not ready to maintain it, so I kept it for him and planned to give it to him as a long lost gift. I also had a wind-up collectible car that my dad had given to me in 1952. The items were not that valuable to anyone but me. They certainly had more value to me, than the person who broke into the garage and stole them. Once they were gone, they again had value to me, but I could not remember all of the things in the box. That bothered me the most.

This feeling is described in a poem by William Shakespeare,

" For it so falls out
That what we have we prize not to the worth
Whiles we enjoy it, but being lack'd and lost,
Why, then we rack the value; then we find
The virtue that possession would not show us
Whiles it was ours. "

You may have such a treasure box, or not. But whatever you have of any value to you or your insurance company, I suggest you start treating it that way now, instead of longing for its return or guessing at its contents after you lose it.

With this same thought, I suggest that while sitting on the couch, listening to music or the news or weather on television, that you dump the contents of your wallet or purse in your lap, and make a list or copy of its contents. The first thing is to place the your license, credit/debit cards, gas cards, and all those other things which you haven't looked at in years on a photocopier, or a scanner. Make sure to copy both sides as you need the customer service number on the back of the cards to report them stolen. When we lose our wallet, our first thought should be to cancel the cards right away. The easiest and quickest way is to call the service number and give them the stolen card number. If the only place to find that is on the card.....well now you have it. By the way, don't keep the list in your wallet. Store it in a safe place at home.

Remember to file a police report. It's unlikely you will get your stuff back, but it is important to the credit card and insurance people.

While sorting through your valuables, try to simplify your life by eliminating some of the stuff you do not need to carry around on a daily basis. Never keep things that cannot be replaced. That is what safes and safe deposit boxes are for.

I think this is part of my boy scout training. "Be prepared.!" Are you?

Florida Panthers

If you live in Florida, then you know we have a cat like creature that we hear about, but rarely see. That's because the current population is less than one hundred. You will regularly see on the news or hear about another being killed by a car. The automobile is their biggest threat.

The highway department actually created underpasses to allow them to cross roads and interstate highways, without getting hit, but apparently the cats cannot read, or there are not enough signs to direct them.

Florida panthers are shy and try very hard to avoid people. They do not seem to be dangerous to humans, as there are no documented cases of a Florida panther attacking a person. The chances of you being killed by a panther are far less than your chance of "becoming a victim of lightning or death by bee-sting.

One of my friends sent me the attached picture, that his friend took with a cell phone, while out hunting.

So as you can see , they do exist. I saw one slinking into a large palmetto stand at a golf course recently. It was darker, almost black, but certainly a panther, not a bobcat.  It had a long tail,  but it was probably very muddy, rather than actually that color. I immediately turned the golf cart in its direction, then, realized what I was doing, and thought better of it. I did not want to be on the Panther Net website as the first human getting eaten by a panther.

They are interesting creatures, and seem to be surviving despite our urban sprawl. If you want to donate or learn more about them then visit the following websites.
http://www.floridapanthernet.org/ or,
http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/floridapanther.htm or,
http://www.panthersociety.org/index.html

Continuous Compression CPR

I used to travel by air regularly as a company owner.I spent a lot of time in airports and once, in the early 1980's, I was in Chicago's O'Hare Airport, waiting for a flight. As the line moved forward, at the gate, I noticed a man laying on the carpet, behind the gate attendant, and what was worse, everyone was ignoring him.

I asked the gate attendant what was wrong with the man on the floor. She said that he appears to have had a heart attack. I asked, "why aren't you helping him?" She said, "Paramedics had been called and they will help him." I did not know how to perform CPR. Unfortunately, as with most people, we relied on a few other brave souls.

Within a few minutes, one of these brave souls noticed the man and began preparing him for CPR. He asked if anyone had a "bag." In the early 80's, there was fear, that contact with another person's blood could give you Aids. The drug industry had created some products that you could use to protect yourself while giving another person mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. ("Bag"). The problem was, no one had a "bag." So a woman removed her slip, and handed it to him. He immediately began CPR, which included chest compressions followed by a breath into the man's mouth. The first time he did that, the slip showed a perfect circle of blood where his mouth had been.
The man saw that, hesitated, and then restarted the process until the paramedics arrived. Brave soul.  I left Chicago that day, wondering if the heart attack victim had survived, and if the brave soul had gotten Aids.

With Continuous Compression CPR, we now all have a new tool, that we can use, without training and without fear of killing ourselves to save someone else's life.

More than 300 000 persons die of sudden cardiac arrest each year. Someone in cardiac arrest has very little chance of survival unless you, the bystander, take immediate action to sustain them until the paramedics arrive.

Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart abruptly stops pumping blood, for whatever reason. The heart goes from a regular heartbeat to a random twitching, called ventricular fibrillation. When the heart is twitching blood is not moving through the body, so the patient passes out.

Do not waste time trying to find a pulse. Address the person in a loud voice. If there is no response, shake the person to check if they are unconscious. If there is no response, assess the breathing: Is it normal or abnormal? Abnormal breathing means either no breathing at all or intermittent gasping. If you witness a person suddenly collapse for no apparent reason and that person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, you should assume this as cardiac arrest.

Call 911, and then immediately start chest compressions and continue until the paramedics arrive.  When you leave, you will know that the victim certainly had a better chance of surviving, and the person helping, would certainly also survive.

Here's a nice outing - Give Blood

Every few months I give blood. It is an easy way to help someone without even knowing them. It is a nice outing for you and your spouse, or a friend. It will only take an hour out of your life and it might just save someone else's.

You can donate blood if you are 17 or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health. If you are taking prescription medications, it doesn’t necessarily disqualify you. Call ahead and ask if you are concerned. It takes less than an hour to donate blood, from the time you arrive to the time you leave.

• Follow your usual diet and meal schedule before coming to donate.

• You’ll need photo identification and they will ask you medical history questions.

• You get a mini-physical. They measure your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and red blood cell level.

• Once you have registered and your eligibility determined, they will take a quart of your blood. It’s a simple procedure that lasts approximately five to seven minutes. Resume regular activities afterward.
• You may return in eight weeks to donate again.

The people who take your blood are always nice. They make it fun, and they , of course, have to endure all the 'blood' jokes. "take it all, I will be a quart low after this, why is his blood blue, how come you smile when you stick me with that needle? " I cannot imagine how many times they hear the same jokes in an eight hour shift.

The people who give blood seem to be as nice. Why not, they get free orange juice, a very comfortable chair, a nice environment and other victims close by sharing the same experience.

One final thing, it does not matter what blood type you are. I thought they didn't need my A positive blood, because they could get it anywhere. But the nurse taking my blood said that more people had my type, so naturally more was needed. You don't need rare blood to help, just red blood and a big smile.

Your Class Reunion

Even if you do not have fond memories of your school years, certainly there are some friends, you remember fondly. Connsider attending your next school reunion, just on the chance that some of those friends may be there and remember you the same way.

Recently, in preparing for a small reunion of my own, I have, through the internet and 'social media' connected with a few people I knew as a teenager. I certainly could have managed my entire life without seeing some of these people again. There is really not much now that we have in common, after all these years. But the bond that you form during your formative years is very strong. You are, in essence, comrades in arms, trudging your way together through life, adolescence, puberty, school, parents, siblings, etc, etc.

One way to put yourself into the right frame of mind is to spend an hour with your old school year books/memory books. Read the things your friends wrote to you, or about you and I promise it will bring back lots of memories.

Go to your reunion without expectations. Forget about trying to lose weight or get your wrinkles tightened. Nobody who matters will care. Your true friends will certainly not care, as long as you are there. Go with the purpose to connect, or reconnect, with those whom you shared both trials and tribulations.

We carry our entire life somewhere in our memory. Some memories, just need a little spark to come back into focus. Seeing and speaking to your school friends will bring them back like a flood. You will have no regrets, unless you do not go.

O.B Keeler, a reporter for the Atlanta Constritution, wrote that when Bobby Jones, one of the most famous golfers, retired, ..." he will build a house by the sea, so men that were boys when I was a boy, shall sit and drink with me." Just like Bobby, I think we all want a taste of those times, even, if only for little while.

Word to PDF and vice versa

I was having breakfast with my son recently at a local restaurant. There was a man, sitting in the next booth, asking questions of his young breakfast companion about Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF files. This was obviously his grandson, and despite the older gentleman's best effort, he could not get the answer he wanted.

Maybe if he understood that Word and Adobe were created for different purposes. Their interaction was originally in one direction. From Word to PDF. No one expected that we would want to convert both ways and back and forth.

Microsoft Word was originally created to replace the functions of a typewriter, with the added capability to edit and change the resulting document, on the screen before it was printed.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It created a two-dimensional document in a device-independent, fixed-layout. Its purpose was to allow you to send the large documents electronically to someone. They received a copy of what you had on your screen when you typed it, but without the ability to alter it.

PDF is a very commonly used format across the Internet. The Adobe Acrobat reader is freely available on a variety of platforms, meaning that PDF documents can be viewed in exactly the same way across all these platforms.

By contrast, Microsoft Word documents can only be viewed on platforms that support Microsoft Word.

So to help this poor guy at breakfast; here's an answer, without knowing his question, since he could not verbalize it. "It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish."

1. If you want to send someone a flyer or brochure, then you would send a PDF. The person receiving it will not alter it, only print it or display it.

2. If you want to send someone a contract, and you want them to make changes, then you will send a MS Word document.

3. If you have a MS Word Document, and want to convert it to a PDF, then you need a "Free downloadable PDF conversion program." Type that phrase in your browser and it will lead you to some of them.

4. If you have a PDF document and want to convert it to a Word document, there are not as many free downloads because it is a lot more complicated, but you can find one the same way.

Now you understand why this poor fellow was struggling. He could not explain what he wanted, and the young person really had no reason to understand. Most young people are computer literate but don't spend their days sending and converting word documents back and forth to PDF.

If the man had asked about an MP3 file, the kid would have been a hero.

Never say, "I do not know."

The internet is good for anything I do not know. It keeps me from having to say, " I do not know.", which I do not like to do.

I was watching a pre-season football game and someone asked the group, "where did #84 play his college football?"  I follow football, very closely, but could not remember this little tidbit. There are some very obscure players out there. Here is something to remember from today forward.

Google search, "player name, bio." you can do this on your smart mobile phone, or any other computer device. It will give you everything about any player. If I have more info, like, Dolphins, or wide receiver, then I type that as well.  It merely helps to narrow the search. I got the information in private, then... a few moments later, I said, " USC. Miami picked him 3rd round in 2009. He's, 6'5", the tallest receiver ever drafted by Miami. "Oh yea. that's right, I remember him now" , someone says.  You just smile. Be ready, another question is coming.

There are so many questions like this in every day life. When someone asks , "what movie was she nominated for an Academy Award last year? Use the same Google search. Add Academy to the search.  You will quickly gain a reputation as the trivia expert.  You can tell them where you found it.   Sometimes that story is just as good.  It's up to you.  Depends on who's asking.

I never have to say, I do not know. Why would I?  I do not Know!

Naples Coral Reefs

I chartered a fishing trip recently out of the Naples dock, and as we moved west out of the pass into the Gulf, I asked the Captain of the boat if he ever fished off the reefs in North Naples, which were recently discovered. He said he had never heard of a reef and my information was wrong. Well even an old salt like the captain, needs to read the newspaper every now and then, rather than his sextant.

For the benefit of the good captain, and my paradise followers who need a map, here's the skinny: According to the Naples Daily News, in an article, by Jeremy Cox, from October 14th, 2005, " Within the distance of a football field from northern Collier County's shores, researchers have discovered a flourishing and sweeping stretch of coral reefs." The good news is that they are within swimming distance from the beach according to Mr. Cox. North of Doctor's pass. It is not yet the quality of the reefs in the Florida Keys, but it will get there and one day make Naples a much more popular diving destination.

So the next time you are boating out of Doctors pass, head north, and set your depth finder and look for our unburied treasure. Grab your snorkle and have a look. Kindly remember that it is only a 50 year old system, and needs to be treated gently.  Don't be dropping anchors on the reef.  It would be nice if the county put some permanent bouys up so folks can tie off to,  rather than dropping an anchor.   There will be grouper, snapper, crabs and many other types of marine life. Unlike the coral in the Key's which has mostly died off, ours is alive, and should be 'teaming' with sea life. Enjoy.

Be Prepared

We live in an area where the median age is over 60. Ignoring that the media says 60 is the new 50, it should tell you that we are a retirement area. Lots of us are older and as a result we need to prepare ourselves and our assets for some ultimate distribution.
I am not a lawyer, and do not want to try and give legal advice. What I do want to do is give you some common sense suggestions I have learned from my experience with others.

A friend's father had a serious stroke. A stroke is nature's cruel reminder as to who is, really, in- charge. One day this man is living in a beautiful home with membership in the golf club, his favorite cars in the garage, his boat at the marina and his cash nestled safely in his investment portfolio. The next day he is unable to function in any way, nor was he ever able to again. He died shortly thereafter. This is a blog about paradise and how to enjoy it, but part of enjoying is being prepared so you can, without any worries.

There are no guarantees, nor promises about our future. So as the boys scouts say, "be prepared." Prepared to have your business and properties arranged for that time when you may not be around. You need to take some time today and ask yourself, "what do I want to happen after I am gone?"

Take the time to write it all down. Information about the succession of your business, your properties, your family, your employees. If you do not get it on paper, it will not happen as you want it to. Perhaps you have a key employee who has contributed to your success. You want to make sure he continues in that capacity for your family. It will not happen if you do not set it up now. I say write it all down, but only for the purpose of taking it to your lawyer. Write it down so you can get it all laid out, before you let them create a legal document.

Once you have done all you can to cover the possibilities, for that time, when you may not be around, then smile and go play golf, or enjoy your boat with your spouse, children, and grandchildren. You have worked, now do some playing, do some enjoying. There is no need to worry, you are prepared.

Big Rocks are important

A professor stood in front of his class and pulled a large jar from below his desk. He then pulled out a tray of tennis ball sized rocks from the same place. After filling the jar with the rocks, he asked if the jar was full. Everyone in the class said, "yes."

He then pulled out a small box with gravel in it. He scooped the gravel into the jar as he shook it and the gravel filled in the gaps around the big rocks.

Again he asked, "is the jar full?" No one answered quickly, this time, but some brave soul said, "no!" "Good," said the professor as he pulled out a pail of sand. He poured the sand into the jar as he shook the jar. The sand filtered down and filled the remaining spaces. Again he asked if the jar was full. All being smarter, they answered 'no' as a group. "Good," said the professor as he pulled out a pitcher of water. He then filled the jar to the top.

The professor then asked, "what is the point of this demonstration?" One student quickly answered, "No matter how full something looks, if you try, you can always squeeze something else in?"  "No," the professor said. "This jar is your life, and all the things you need and want to do. What I am trying to demonstrate is how important it is to put the big rocks in first, or you will never get them in at all."

In your life, you have to think of the most important things as the big rocks. Your family, religion, your job and your education. So if you want to squeeze in lots of little things, remember to put the most important things, the big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all.

(I don't know where I heard or read this story. I took a lot of time management classes in my business life, and it's possible that it was a story to make an important point,  which it does very well. My apologies to the professor, students, and original story teller or writer. I have retold the story as I remember it.  I would give you all credit if I knew who you were.)