"Red Marbles" and more from Mot at TNT Friday Night 10-22-2021

TNT:

Mot:   Red Marbles!...

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr.. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'
'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good..'
'They are good, Barry.. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'
'Good. Anything I can help you with?'
No Sir, Jus' admirin' them peas.'                                                                  

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'
'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'
'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'
'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked..
'Not zackley but almost.'
'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy.
'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs... Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.
With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances.. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever..

When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.

Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes...

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.
They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size.....they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..'

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral :
We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles:

A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...
An unexpected phone call from an old friend .....
Green stoplights on your way to work...
The fastest line at the grocery store...
A good sing-along song on the radio...
Your keys found right where you left them.
Share this with the people you'll never forget.
I just Did...

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED

**

Mot: .. More Marital Bliss!!! --- from Mot of Course! ~~~

Mot:  .. There is Karma fer that Annoying co-worker fer sure! ~~~

Mot:  -- I Thinks They Actually Do it This Way!! ~~~  bird

Mot:  Getting Clever They Are!! ~~~jurassic park

Sunday Night "Snickers" from Mot at TNT 10-17-2021

TNT:

Mot: ""Fred"" was bragging to his boss one day, "You know, I know everyone there is to know. Just name someone, anyone, and I know them."

Tired of his boasting, his boss called his bluff, "OK, ""Fred"", how about Tom Cruise?"

"No dramas boss, Tom and I are old friends, and I can prove it."

So, ""Fred"" and his boss fly out to Hollywood and knock on Tom Cruise's door, and Tom Cruise shouts, """Fred""! What's happening? Great to see you! Come on in for a beer!"

Although impressed, ""Fred""'s boss is still sceptical. After they leave Cruise's house, he tells ""Fred"" that he thinks him knowing Cruise was just lucky.

"No, no, just name anyone else," ""Fred"" says.

"President Bidden," his boss quickly retorts.

"Yup," ""Fred"" says, "Old buddies, let's fly out to Washington," and off they go. At the White House, Bidden spots ""Fred"" on the tour and motions him and his boss over, saying, """Fred"", what a surprise, I was just on my way to a meeting, but you and your friend come on in and let's have a cup of coffee first and catch up."

Well, the boss is very shaken by now but still not totally convinced.

After they leave the White House grounds he expresses his doubts to ""Fred"", who again implores him to name anyone else.

"The Pope," his boss replies.

"Sure!" says ""Fred"". "I've known the Pope for years." So off they fly to Rome.

""Fred"" and his boss are assembled with the masses at the Vatican's St. Peter's Square when ""Fred"" says, "This will never work. I can't catch the Pope's eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards so let me just go upstairs and I'll come out on the balcony with the Pope."

He disappears into the crowd headed towards the Vatican.

Sure enough, half an hour later ""Fred"" emerges with the Pope on the balcony, but by the time ""Fred"" returns, he finds that his boss has had a heart attack and is surrounded by paramedics.

Making his way to his boss' side, ""Fred"" asks him, "What happened?"

His boss looks up and says, "It was the final straw... you and the Pope came out on to the balcony and the man next to me said, 'Who the heck is that on the balcony with ""Fred""?'"

 ************

Mot:   ~~ Yet Another - ""be thankful Guys"" - Tip! ~~ from Mot of course! ~~

Mot:  Yet More Tips on Relationship Bliss!! ~~~ from Mot of Course! ~~~

Mot:  ~~~ Late One Night ---

Mot: ~~~ Today is ---

"Keep Believin' in the Unbelievable!" By Dr.Dinar

Keep Believin' In The Unbelievable!

by Dr. Dinar

Sheesh. They can put a man on the Moon. Or at least we think they can anyway.

Could've been Hollywood magicification for all we know.

Without a doubt the lighting situation was highly suspect.

But let's go ahead and give 'em the benefit of the doubt, just for the sake of discussion.

What we do know is they can put shampoo and conditioner in the same bottle.

Well, according to the label anyway.

Even if we're unable to see inside the bottle itself, that much we can see.

However, based on the results, it certainly appears we're being fed some serious misdisinfo.

Would the shampoo company intentionally deceive us?

Naw... they wouldn't do that.

Or would they.

The all-in-one results certainly aren't anything even close to those derived from implementing them in a two-step process. Shampoo first, then conditioner.

Matter of fact it almost feels (and looks) as if there's been no conditioner applied whatsoever.

Once again, we're left with two options. Believe or don't believe.

Moving on, let's go with something a bit more visible. Like a sandwich.

We know they can put peanut butter and jelly in the same jar.

How do we know that? Because we can see it.

Yes, thanks to something as simple as a clear glass jar, we're able to see the two key ingredients in all their swirlicious glory.

We know what Peanut Butter looks like. We know what Jelly looks like.

Especially when both are applied to two separate slices of bread.

Both easily recognizable, totally different colors as well as tastes.

So when you see them both swirlified in the same clear glass jar, it's pretty much a no-brainer.

No need to be a believer in the unseen, the evidence is unmistakably clear.

So it only stands to reason that if they can do all of those things, then why on Earth can't they get this GCR done.

Yeah, yeah, I get it. This is a biggie.

A never previously been attempted, once in anybody's lifetime, one for the history books, global sized event.

Yet, isn't that exactly why they assigned this task to only the most intelligent folks on the planet.

If it were up to me and my goal was to make this GCR thing happen, I know I would do everything possible to ensure I had assembled the best Team available. Wouldn't you?

Isn't that sort of Rule No.1, hire those more intelligent than yourself.

It only makes sense.

Keeping all that in mind, we also have endless amounts of trendsetting technology at our fingertips.

From talking clones to flying drones, without a doubt we're wise beyond on years.

And still, with all that at their disposal, they still can't seem to get this done.

We're constantly being told that they've been working on getting this thing done for the past fartoomany years.

However, with no visible proof, one can't help but begin to wonder if this thing truly is getting done.

As in making forward progress of any sort.

Not to point fingers but if any of us were to be appointed to a similar position, we'd have been fired long ago.

And rightfully so.

After all, you're hired for one reason. To do a job.

One job. Complete a desired task.

Basically, to git 'r done.

And I don't know about you but from where I stand, they ain't got it done.

Not yet anyway.

Close? Maybe. But done?? Not so much.

I don't care how many hundreds of times I hear "It's done... we're just waiting for the release."

Until they release it, it ain't done.

Until it's liquid and spendable, it ain't done.

Until I can buy groceries and pay the electric bill to keep those groceries cold in the fridge, it ain't done.

Until I can buy the groceries for the person behind me in the grocery store line, it ain't done.

So please, if you're one of those continually saying "It's done, but... .", please check to see how important that add-on but is.

I believe you'll come to find that one little but makes all the difference.

Which brings me back to my original thought.

That being if any of us were in charge of getting it done, regardless of what "it" is, yet we continually fell short in accomplishing our goal, we'd surely be excused from our place of employment.

And our replacement would be hired (or recharged, depending on if we were to be replaced by a Robot or not) post haste.

Hmmmmm... replacement. That's it!

What if we seek out replacements for whomever the heck it is that's responsible for completing this task.

Whomever's job it is to make this RV / GCR thing happen. To git 'r done.

The one's that don't appear to be getting it done. Yeah, them folks.

Would it be a group such as the A-Team, with all of their battle-hardened skills?

Or a bunch such as Charlie's Angels, with their super-stealthish abilities among their many attributes.

Surely they could get the job done.

And no, I didn't refer to any of them as Shirley.

Heck, at this point I wouldn't care if it was The Brady Bunch.

As long as we're assured they're on our side and want the best for humanity, I'm okay with it.

But wait. Let's think about this for a second.

What if I'm wr... wro... mistaken in my thought process.

What if the people assigned to completing this task actually do want it done.

What if they are in fact doing their very best to get it released.

What if they are indeed on the good side, wanting the best for humanity.

After a decade of feeling as if it's entirely possible we've been duped, I think it's only natural to be more than a bit skeptical.

To begin to question everything and everyone involved in this situation.

Especially when we're all too aware of the many folks that don't want this to happen.

Yet, at some point you have to have faith.

In both the people in charge as well as the ongoing process itself and the supposed progress being made towards completing the process.

Think about it. Doesn't matter how long you've been involved in this exchange endeavor, if you're anything like me, then you've yet to see any factual signs of progress.

After hearing words such as Article 140, the HCL Law, new Prime Minister seated, Erbil Arbil Gerbil ramblin' by our monitors for over a decade now, one becomes quite numb to all of that delirium.

Meaning all of the supposed results are just as intangible as the forward progression of the process itself.

As Bruce Springsteen often says, we're runnin' on empty, runnin' blind, unable to see any progress nor the process itself.

He must be a currency holder.

Come to think of it, looking back, hasn't it pretty much been that way since the very start.

Runnin' on faith, believing in the unbelievable.

For the most part none of us had ever been to Iraq.

Yet we were so anxious to connect with someone that had (or had a connection to someone that had) that we were easily swept up by people that continually made claims of having connections in places we could never have imagined.

Were we idiots for believing them? Hmmm... perhaps. Let's hope not.

Believers in the unbelievable? Without a doubt.

And who could blame us.

If you're going to get involved in anything like the RV/GCR and you refuse to believe in the unseen, I wish you all the luck in the world.

You're gonna need it.

This whole thing runs on the unverified and unseen.

Believing in the unbelievable is key to surviving this journey.

So at this point in the process we're pretty much stuck believing that the people in charge of this RV/GCR thing, whomever they may be, have only the best of intentions.

Believing that they're working with much more intelligence and knowledge than we tend to give them credit for.

Or at the very least hoping they are well aware of Google and aren't afraid to use it.

Who knows, they might be just like us.

Fed up with the seemingly endless broke Holiday Seasons and want this done and completed just as much as we do.

Perhaps even more..

Let's hope this is a season of miracles after all.

And let's hope our Christmas Bonus isn't just enrollment in another year of the RV/GCR "Rumor Of The Month" Club.

The global economy ain't got time for that.

And neither do we.

Hang in there folks and keep on believin' in the unbelievable.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer: Please consider everything in this post as my opinion. I’m not a professional Wealth Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, 'Rumor Of The Month' Club Salesman, etc.. I’m simply someone that chooses to believe in the unbelievable, including but not limited to, the possibility that they truly do want to get this thing done. Be sure to consult a professional for any financial decisions you make now and in the future.

"Tidbits From TNT" Saturday Morning 10-16-2021

TNT:

Tishwash:  Integrity Reveals The Amount Of Iraqi Funds Recovered Until The End Of 2020

Today, Friday, The Integrity Commission Revealed The Total Funds Recovered From Inside And Outside Iraq Until The End Of Last Year.

The Director-General Of The Restitution Department At The Commission, Moataz Al-Absi, Said In A Press Statement That Al-Ahed News Followed, "The Total Amount Of Money Recovered From Inside And Outside Iraq, As Well As The Money Sentenced To Be Recovered And Seized Amounted To (1,417,900,842) Dollars, (33,582,725) Euros, And (2,329,521) One Pound Sterling, (951,428,263,286) Iraqi Dinars, (720,529) Jordanian Dinars, And (3,652) Swiss Francs, In Addition To The Seizure Of (14) Fourteen Real Estate, And (5) Stakes In Various Companies.

Al-Abbasi Added, "The Authority's Recovery Department Was Able To Recover Approximately $17,700,000, While It Was Able To Seize Funds In Other Countries Estimated At $4,170,000, Which Is Expected To Be Recovered Soon," Pointing Out That "The Department Is Seeking To Recover A Total Of $2,200,000,000." It Represents The Funds That Were Issued Judicial Decisions To Recover From The Iraqi Courts.  link

************

Tishwash:  During 2022... Iraq is promised a financial balance caused by oil prices

On Saturday, the Institute of International Finance expected that Iraq needs a price of 64 dollars per barrel of oil during the next year to achieve financial balance .

The institute stated in a report that "all oil-producing countries will witness a decrease in the oil price to achieve parity or financial balance in the budgets of the oil-exporting countries and without a significant deficit," noting that this is due to "the rise in oil and gas production in these countries in exchange for limited government spending cuts. " .

According to the report, the oil price in Iraq - the second largest oil producer in OPEC - will be at $62 a barrel in 2022, down from $63 a barrel this year .

In the rest of the oil and gas producing countries, Qatar’s budget will witness a financial break-even point at $44 a barrel next year, down from $52 a barrel in 2021 .

Bahrain, which is described as the smallest oil producer in the Gulf - will also witness a financial parity, at $ 76 a barrel in 2022, compared to $ 82 a barrel in 2021 .

In contrast, the fiscal breakeven point in the budget of Saudi Arabia - the largest oil exporter in the world - will drop to $67 per barrel in 2022, compared to $75 per barrel in 2021 .

The Institute of Finance also expected that the UAE - the third largest oil producer in OPEC - would benefit from the drop in the financial breakeven in the oil price to $ 64 a barrel next year, compared to $ 69 a barrel this year .

The fiscal parity of Kuwait's budget - an OPEC member state - will also drop to $61 a barrel in 2022, compared to $65 a barrel this year .

The financial balance of the Sultanate of Oman - the largest oil producer in the Middle East outside of OPEC - will also decline during the next year to $ 67 a barrel in 2022, compared to $ 74 a barrel in 2021

link

************

Tishwash:  Replace damaged coins with new ones

Paper currencies are exposed to damage quickly, especially those of small denominations, due to their frequent circulation and use by children in direct transactions between different shops and markets, in light of the weak education by the Central Bank to replace damaged currencies in the bank, which created an outlet for the weak-minded of Taking a percentage of the money in exchange for replacing the damaged ones with new ones, sometimes up to 50% of its value.

 Citizen Ammar Basem says that “the shops and markets spread throughout Iraq do not accept dealing with damaged cash denominations, and they try as much as possible to get rid of them by returning them to the citizen or refusing to take them from him, even though it is a valid and non-false currency.”

Bassem added to “Al-Sabah” that the children who destroy the most small denomination paper currency are children, sometimes they put it in their mouths or tear it up, intentionally or unintentionally, especially if it is damaged from the ground up.

Ali al-Bahadli (the owner of markets) says, unknowingly, large numbers of small cash denominations (1000), (500) and (250) dinars accumulate in me, because I left my young son to run the shop during my absence, so the people take advantage of walking their damaged coins on my son, Which compels me to incur an unnecessary loss.”

Al-Bahadli added to Al-Sabah, “A person comes to me from time to time, who collects damaged currencies from the shops and directly replaces them with new ones, in return for a commission that sometimes reaches half its value.”

And he indicated that "this loss should be borne by me because of the culture of inadmissibility of citizens in trading, even though they are currencies officially issued by the Central Bank and are not counterfeit."

In this regard, the expert in economic affairs, Dr. Hussein Al-Khaqani, explained that “the Central Bank is the only authority that is able to issue and print currency notes according to the law.”

Al-Khaqani commented on the condition of the damaged banknotes and the reason for their non-acceptance or rejection by the public, saying: “The reason is due to the refusal of a number of banks to receive such currencies from merchants and shop owners. General refusal to deal with damaged currencies.

And Al-Khaqani stated that “the central bank should urge all banks to accept dealing in these currencies as they are official and not counterfeit, in addition to the fact that banks have the ability to sort out and isolate the damaged ones, and that their acceptance by banks means acceptance of trading in them among the public.” 

He pointed out that "the ideal solution to this problem is to impose (credit card) or (Visa and MasterCard) cards on shops, markets, filling stations and all parties that deal with cash, as it was imposed on retirees and employees." He stated that "the real application of banking automation realistically reduces the size of the cash block, and thus encourages the public to trade digital currencies when buying or selling, thus reducing their financial losses in small units."  link

Mot:  ~~~ ur so full of it!! --- No Way did YOu Do That!! ~~~

Mot:  Can't Make Them All Happy Ya know!! ~~~

"Hurry Up and Wait" by Dr. Dinar

Hurry Up And Wait by Dr. Dinar

You'd think I'd be better at this thing.

And by "thing" I'm referring to this seemingly endless waiting game known as the RV/GCR

Heck, right from the very beginning we've been waiting.

Started off waiting in some wonky dark bubble of some kind.

Finally, after 9 long months, thinking the wait was over, we began to see what we thought was the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sheesh, get us out of this Waiting Room.

We're ready to rock this world!

Unfortunately, as we'd come to find out, there was much more waiting ahead.

Waiting for someone to hold us.

To feed us.

Someone to do whatever else it was we felt needed doing that for some reason or another we hadn't quite yet figured out how to do ourselves.

And so we waited.

And waited some more.

Not much seemed to be happening as far as speeding up the waiting process so we began throwing in a tantrum or two, simply to turn things up a notch.

Sure, we also threw in a bunch of whining as well, for dramatic effect.

Really added to the heightened sense of urgency.

Or so we thought, anyway.

After all, what did we have to lose.

It wasn't like they were gonna put us back in that wonky bubble, right!?!

Amazingly enough, occasionally all of our screaming, crying, and whining actually worked.

We got what we wanted.

Other times, not so much.

So when it comes to waiting, although we don't enjoy it, after a lifetime of perfecting our waiting skills we've pretty much become experts at it.

As time passed, we moved from turtle on its back status to terror on the floor tile mode and everything escalated from there.

We were in essence mobile and that was a complete game changer.

No longer were we being held back by our physical limitations.

Suddenly we could scream and shout as well as twist it all about.

And did we ever take advantage of it.

To the point of being such a huge distraction on all levels that they were forced to up their game in accordance.

Hence, our introduction to the Rumor Mill.

All brought to us courtesy of a colorful cast of characters that lived in a box in the family room.

From morning to night, 7 days a week, these fine folks told us everything we ever wanted to know about life.

About reality.

Well, reality from their perspective anyway.

Who were we to say they were wrong.

Who were we to say anything.

At that point, we were pretty much speechless. Literally.

They all seemed so convincing, even if we weren't quite convinced they were real.

After all, most of us had cats & dogs at home and so we knew they were real.

Yet, for some unknown reason, none of them ever took the time to talk to us.

Yeah, they made the occasional weird noise here 'n there but it only seemed to happen when they wanted food.

Or attention.

Come to think of it, I'm beginning to see a pattern there.

Anyway, the one's in the box spent the time to give us the full scoop on everything that was going on.

So it was probably best to listen to them and forget the one's at home.

They obviously had an agenda.

The one's at home only wanted us for food.

We knew it.

They knew it.

Their gig was up.

As time passed, we began to reach new heights, which enabled us a better perspective with which to view the world.

Once again, in an effort to contend with our new & improved viewpoint, they were forced to up their game, reaching new levels of creativity.

Enter fine folks like the Tooth Fairy and Santa Clause and who knows who else in between.

None of them visible, much less verifiable, but believe in them we did.

And as I recall it didn't take a whole lot to get us to believe those stories.

Was it because they came with a built in bribe, a reward of sorts, as proof that they existed?

Perhaps.

I mean, if they didn't exist, how else did those quarters  end up under our pillow.

Even better yet, what about all those presents under the Christmas tree.

Who do you think could've managed that.

All overnight, no less.

That was no dream, although it sure felt like it.

And that went on for years.

At least until we were about 7 or 8 years old.

That was about the time we began to notice the first inklings of disinfo floating around the classroom.

Rumors that, not only were they confusing, but they were extremely disappointing as well.

What do you mean the Tooth Fairy isn't real!

Who's gonna make up a story like that.

And if they did make it up, what would be the reason behind it.

Why would they want us to believe in something that wasn't true.

Next thing you know, it was the Easter Bunny.

Say it ain't so.

I mean, some of us have actually seen him in real life.

Even had our photo taken with him.

There's no way he's not real.

And then they really dropped a bombshell on us.

Yep, the jolly guy in the big red suit... was a fraud.

Mind blown.

Almost from day one I'd gone to the Mall to visit with him, convince him of just how nice I'd been, drop off my Must Have list, and go home and wait for that oh so special day.

That's one guy I knew for certain was real.

Now, did I ever actually see him slide down the chimney?

Ummm, that would be a no.

Did I ever see him place all the presents under the tree?

Again, that would be a no.

But how could I.

I was too busy sleeping because I was told that if I went to bed early, I could get up early and open up the presents he'd dropped off overnight.

Made total sense.

And I wasn't about to risk it by testing their story.

I knew that somewhere between the socks, sweaters and underwear was bound to be at least one, if not two things that were actually on my list.

But eventually the rumors became impossible to ignore.

To the point where I finally had to give in.

Sure enough, Santa Clause wasn't real.

Santa was a rumor.

He was a big piece of a huge disinfo campaign, sent to me by the very same people I was supposed to trust the most in life.

Looking back, I guess I can see why they did it.

Their goal was to keep hope alive.

To help us have faith in the unseen.

To believe in better days ahead.

Fast forward to today and it seems as if we're living in the very same scenario.

We're running on rumors, misinfo and disinfo.

We've been down this road a time or two.

We should be experts at this by now.

And at the end of the day, we are.

The hard part is in having the patience to hang in there and remember that.

That's the one life lesson that we never truly master, regardless of how many times we're tested.

We have to know in our hearts that it's a process.

A process that's been in process, in the process of processing, for longer than any process has any right to process processing.

And thankfully, we also know that somewhere along in the world's slowest ongoing process, they will begin to process our exchanges.

And I hope you continue to hang in there until the process reaches our level of processing.

That will make all of this seemingly forever of waiting all worthwhile.

Remember, we were raised on rumors.

We're experts.

We got this!

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor in any way connected with the Cartoon Network. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

From Recaps Archives………

"Bits and Pieces " from Mot at TNT -Friday Night 10-8-2021

Thank you Mot!!!

TNT:

Mot:  A minister was completing a temperance sermon.

 With great emphasis he said, 'If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river.'

 With even greater emphasis he said, 'And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river.'

And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he Said, 'And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and pour it into the river.'

Sermon complete, he sat down..

The song leader stood very cautiously and announced

With a smile, nearly laughing, 'For our closing song,

Let us sing Hymn #365, 'Shall We Gather at the River.'

Mot:  An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard.

Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger-printed, and photographed, and then placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.

Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car!"

************

Mot:  As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.

On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it".

Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?

"Believe in Angels, then return the favor."

Mot:  ~~~ Karma!! --- Ya KNow How I Love Karma! ~~~

I went to get my hair done in a Hispanic salon. Walked in and was greeted in English so I responded in English and kept speaking English during my time in there.

The woman doing my hair starts talking to another stylist in Spanish. Talking trash about me, "Who do I think I am coming to a Spanish salon."

Well, I'm Mexican. I let her keep talking trash the whole time. Once she was done, I got up and, in fluent Spanish, thanked her and told her I'd be sure to never come back.

I walked out without paying. No one came after me.

**************

Mot: ~~~ Have You Ever Ventured into ~~~ ""Moms Mystery Bag"" ~~~

"Bits and Pieces " From Mot at TNT Saturday Night 10-2-2021

Thanks Mot….for all the joy over the years you have given us all…….

TNT:

Mot:  Loved this.... passing it on🐝

My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could help them and he said he was sure they wouldn't survive. Casualties of honey collection I suppose.

I asked him again if we could at least get them out and kill them quickly, after all he was the one who taught me to put a suffering animal (or bug) out of its misery. He finally conceded and scooped the bees out of the bucket. He put them in an empty Chobani yogurt container and put the plastic container outside.

 Because he had disrupted the hive with the earlier honey  collection, there were bees flying all over outside.

We put the 3 little bees in the container on a bench and left them to their fate. My dad called me out a little while later to show me what was happening. These three little bees were surrounded by all of their sisters (all of the bees are females) and they were cleaning the sticky nearly dead bees, helping them to get all of the honey off of their bodies.

We came back a short time later and there was only one little bee left in the container. She was still being tended to by her sisters.

When it was time for me to leave we checked one last time and all three of the bees had been cleaned off enough to fly away and the container was empty.

Those three little bees lived because they were surrounded by family and friends who would not give up on them, family and friends who refused to let them drown in their own stickiness and resolved to help until the last little bee could be set free.

Bee Sisters. Bee Peers. Bee Teammates.

We could all learn a thing or two from these bees.

I did not write this I should add, but love it. Bee kind always.

************

Mot: --- Welllll --- That didn't Go as Planned!! ~~~

Mot:  aaaahhhhhhh Yet More Marital Insight!! ~~~ from Mot of Course! ~~~

Mot:  ~~~ It's Offically! ~~~

Mot:  --- HEY Dude!!! ~~~ Stay in Your Lane!! ~~~

More Humor As We Wait....and Wait...and Wait Some More!

More Humor while we wait!!!

Sabickford:  The biggest lie I tell myself…"I don't need to write this down, I'll remember it."

My People skills are just fine. It my tolerance of idiots that needs work.

Sometimes I roll my eyes out loud

Ignorance can be trained and Crazy can be medicated… But there's no cure for stupid.

Kids don't know how easy they have it today. When I was Young I had to walk 9 Feet through Shag Carpet to Change the TV Channel.

Good Mom's let you lick the beaters. Great Mom's let you turn them off first.

You don't get smarter as you get older. There is just less stupid stuff that you haven't already done.

Stop trying to change yourself with resolutions. Accept you’re a mess and move on.

If you can't handle me at my worst,,, I don't blame you. I can't either

Don't give up on your dreams…Go Back to sleep

An apple a day keeps anyone away if you throw it hard enough

Mean people don't bother me. Mean people who disguise themselves as nice people bother me.

I love when the smoke alarm cheers me on while I'm cooking

Just calling to remind you that I know you in real life, so your Facebook posts aren't fooling anyone.

Stalking is when two people go for a long walk - but only one of them knows about it.

If you can't say something nice, say something clever but devastating

I wish I was as fat as I was the first time I thought I was fat

I don't wish people "Good Morning" I just say "Morning", then it's up to them. I'm not taking responsibility for the stuff

I'm starting to think I'm the ugly friend that gets invited out all the time just to make sure my friends look more attractive.

Some people are such treasures that you just want to bury them

We have been through so much together - And most of it was YOUR Fault

I don't understand why you pay a shrink. I'll tell you what's wrong with you for free.

I don't get offered drugs nearly as much as D.A.R.E. said I would

Some people want a perfect relationship. I just want a cheeseburger that looks like the ones in the commercials.

I'm a proud supporter of messy hair, no makeup, and PJ's all Day! Who's with me.

If you see me eating a salad in a restaurant, I've been Kidnapped and I'm trying to signal you.

I'd like to offer moral support but I have questionable morals.

My Kids call it "Nagging". I call it "Just do what I freaking told you to do the first time"!

Find people you don't have to hide your weirdness from

I take Coffee with my Cream and Whiskey

I've Been Naughty. It was Worth It!!!!

"Always Drunk" sounds a little harsh. I prefer "Selectively Sober"

Do you ever have so much stuff planned for the next day and then you wake up and You're just like "Nah"?

A whoopee cushion filled with gravy adds a hilarious new dimension to a rather tiresome old joke

Think Old and you'll be old, Think young and you'll be a delusional Old Fart

My Goal was to lose 10 Lbs. this year. Only 15 more to go.

My Diet is best described as"Unsupervised Child at a Birthday Party"

Speaking my mind is easy …. Speaking Tactfully not so much

I tried being normal once but never again will I subject myself to such terrible torture

Auto Correct has Become my Worst Enema

If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?

Arguing with a woman is like reading a software license agreement. In the end you ignore everything and click "I Agree".

When I get bored I like to call in sick to places I don't Work. Today I'm being written up at Kohl's.

I Meditate. I Burn Candles. I Drink Green Tea. And Sometimes I still want to Smack some people.

I'm going to the woods to scream for awhile. Anyone wanna come?

If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.

"In It To Win it" By Dr. Dinar

In It To Win It  By Dr. Dinar

Is this thing for real?

No... really. Is it?

Yeah, this dinar RV deal.

This entire GCR "thing".

Is any of this really and truly going to happen? Like, ever??

Or are we existing in some kind of an alternate universe, alternating between reality and who knows where.

I'll bet there are quite a few folks asking themselves those very same questions right about now.

Not just family and friends of those afflicted with RV/GCR-itis.

Heck, they've had our Rubber Rooms reserved for us for many years now.

It's no shock to them that this once in a lifetime pipe dream has yet to materialize.

To them it's no surprise whatsoever that we aren't celebrating our new lives as millionaires.

Heck no.

They knew from the very beginning that this pie-in-the-sky, too-good-to-be-true Ponzi Scheme was just a scam perpetrated by the banks, the ABC Agencies and the self-proclaimed behind the screens Guru's.

And so far, they're feelin' pretty good about their predictions.

And they won't hesitate to continue to remind us of that fact either.

"Are you rich yet?"

"Did your ship finally come in?"

"How's that new Ferrari workin' out for ya?"

"Enjoying your new Beach House?"

I'm pretty sure we've all been on the receiving end of those jabs.

And more.

The naysayers that continue on with their relentless doubt filled statements, all in an effort to prove themselves right, at the expense of our being wrong.

Which all serves to undermine your foundation, if even just a little bit.

Completely understandable.

For those of us that have been involved in this made for TV spectacle for many years, those that have done the research and built a foundation based on history and how it's extremely likely that history will repeat itself in one form or another, I have a feeling we're fairing a bit better than those that have recently jumped on board the Insane Train.

Yes, I have a strong feeling that those folks among us that are relatively new to this game are going through those initial stages of serious doubt right about now.
Could the naysayers be right?

Could this all be a scam?

Did I fall for yet another Pyramid Scheme, just like my Brother in Law said I did?

We all have those twinges every once in a while, even us RV/GCR veterans.

It's only natural.

At the end of the day it comes down to this being a currency speculation.

Yes, a SPECULATION.

There are no guarantees, one way or another.

Absolutely none.

We paid our money, we bought our currency, we all (well, most of us anyway) verified that we were over 48in. tall, which means we're "officially" tall enough to ride this ride.

Basically, we're committed (some believe we should have been committed long ago but that's another story for a different day) to this journey, however long it may take.

Long term investment?

Yeah, we know.

Believe me... we know.

After all, how many times have we heard that.

Not quite as many times as we've heard "It's goin' down tomorrow!" but probably pretty darn close.

Which doesn't bode well for those that thought this was a guaranteed Lottery Ticket win.

Once they realized that this ordeal was going to take some time, they've had to do quite a bit of digging to create foundations of their own.

A means of hanging on and hangin' in there by any means available.

And I feel sorry for those that have yet to go through the initial reality check.

We all got "in" shortly after hearing we only had a few days before this thing popped and suffering through the not-knowingness of whether our shipment of IQD would arrive in time or not.

Yep, been there, done that.

And got the faded Fed Ex envelope to prove it.

Yet, here we are, weeks, months, some of us many years later.

Still amazed at how we could still be waiting.

Wondering how all of these endless drop-dead dates and deadlines could have slid by without as much of a provable peep of factual facts to show for it.

Last I checked all the economies around the world should have crumbled at least five years ago.

And yet, here we are, with a world seemingly no worse for wear.

Well, besides the mandatory wearing of the masks, anyway.

Go figure.

And now we're back to the sounds of silence.

Which, I ain't gonna lie, can really be kind of a drag sometimes.

Yep, Dinarland has once again been hushed into submission and to be honest, the silence is deafening.

We've all picked our faves along the way and whether you're a fan of the Newshounds or the Rumtellers, you've surely felt there was someone in Dinarland strummin' the right banjo.

Playin' your tune.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, here we sit with boxes of funny money and seemingly none of the all-knowing Guru's being any more right or wrong than any of the others.

We're all on the same playing field, left wondering who has the ball.
All part of the Plan? Perhaps.
Maybe all this confusion was just part of a well executed plan of deception.

Myself, I lean more towards the uncontrolled chaos of the situation creating most, if not all, of the confusion.

Not to mention all the behind-the-scenes corruption adding to the confusionism as well.

Mix it all together and you pretty much have the scenario we're currently experiencing.

I'm not so sure they had to add any extra ingredients to spice up the mix.

Does that mean we give up? Heck no!

Does it mean we aren't any closer than we were when Iraq was released from Chapter 7 oh so many years ago?

Again, not necessarily.

Maybe so. Maybe not.

Heck, at this point, everything's a guess because nobody really knows.

One thing's for certain though, we HAVE to be getting closer. Don't we?

I'd sure like to think so anyway.

Unfortunately, closer doesn't necessarily mean close.

Then again, it doesn't mean that we're not close.

It only means that despite how often we might forget, things are happening, things have happened, and things are being done.

Just not on our schedule.

Nor anybody else's for that matter.

And not the one thing we want so emphatically to be over and done, which of course is the GCR.

Therefore, it comes down to making a choice.

Do we bail out early, sell our currency back, and say a quick Adios to Dinarland?

I say Heck No!

I vote we continue to stay strong, to fight the good fight, and to prove, not only to ourselves, but to our family and friends, that we were right.

That "they" were wrong.

That this deal IS real.

That we aren't just plain looney.

That we aren't simply one dim Crayon short of a sharp tool shed.

I know I'm not going anywhere.
I'm in it to win it!

And hopefully you are as well.

We've been in this thing for far too long to give up now.

Kindly,

Dr. Dinar

Disclaimer; I'm not a Wealth Manager, Financial Advisor, CPA, Tax Attorney, RV/GCR Committee member, nor am I the Dog Whisperer or in any way involved with the SPCA or the promoting of buying or selling of foreign currency. I'm simply someone that chooses to believe in the power of positive thinking and on the odd chance this thing truly is real, I want to make sure I'm there at the finish line to enjoy it.

 From Recaps Archives

"Humor While We Wait" Posted by Sabickford

Recaps Note: Thanks Sabickford ….for all the chuckles over all these years!

Humor While We Wait

Sabickford:   I'm not saying it's hot outside but two Hobbits just threw a ring into my backyard

Warning- going to sleep on Sunday will cause Monday

I want to start juicing but I'm hesitant, I don't know how to juice Tacos

I've finally lost my mind. If found Don't bother to return it. It wasn't working properly anyway.

For the first time in forever, I decided to go shoot some pool tonight. You should have seen the look on the face of those swimmers.

Money cannot buy happiness, but it’s more comfortable to cry in a Corvette than on a bicycle.

I had My Wife Begging to me the other night - She was on her knees Begging - She Said Please come out from under the Bed and Fight Like A Man

I only do what the voices in my wife's head tell her to tell me to do…

Chinese proverb: "Man who want nurse for girlfriend must be patient"

Women spend more time wondering what men are thinking than men spend thinking.

There may be no excuse for laziness, but I'm still looking.

Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.

'll bet you $4,567 you can't guess how much I owe my bookie.

I hate it when people use big words just to make themselves sound perspicacious.

I'm great at multi-tasking - I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at once.

Tomorrow is "National Take Your Flask To Work Day!" I just made that up. Tell the Others,

I was born with my heart on my sleeve, a fire in my soul, and a mouth I can't control

Being married is like having the freedom to do whatever your wife tells you

It's ok to swallow your pride, You won't gain a pound

Inside me is a thin man trying to get out…I usually shut him up with chocolate.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Right before I die I'm going to swallow a bag of popcorn kernels to make the cremation a bit more interesting.

I hate it when the voices in my heads go Silent… I never know what they are planning.

How many boxes of these Thin Mints do I have to eat before I start seeing results?

Wouldn't it be really fun if breast implants came with Squeaky toys inside them?

I'm not so sure about an inner child, but I have an inner idiot that surfaces from now and then.

Nothing Says 'I HATE YOU" like giving someone's Kid a Drum Set

TEENAGERS tired of being harassed by your parents? ACT NOW move out, get a job, and Pay your own way , QUICK while you still know everything!

A State trooper was asked on a Exam "What would you do if you had to arrest your mother?" In the Blank he put "Call for Backup!!!"

The cashier said Strip down, facing me. How was I to know she meant my debit card?

To All Trolls - So tell me.. Is your butt aware that you head had moved in?

When people cut you down or talk behind your back remember, they took time out of their pathetic lives to think about you.

You're not drunk until you have to grab onto the grass to keep from falling off the earth.

Sometimes life bites you in the Butt. Thankfully I have enough padding there to take the hit.

I sometimes put a sticky note on someone's car saying "Sorry for the Damage" . It's kind of funny watching them look for the damage.

Be the reason someone smiles today! Or the reason they drink. Whatever works.

I need a part-time job that pays $30,000 a week.

My brain is experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by…

Don't they already have enough comedians in Politics?

Karma is like a rubber band. You can only stretch it so far before it comes back and SMACKS you in the face.

Never water yourself down just because someone can't handle you 100 proof

A police office came to my house and asked me where I was between 5 & 6. He seemed annoyed when I answered 'Kindergarten"

The more you weigh the harder you are to kidnap. Stay Safe - Eat cake.

I'm 100% sure I called shotgun, while you were shoving me in the back. Yea I realize I'm being arrested but the rules of shotgun are pretty clear, Man.

I hate those people who knock on your door and tell you need to be 'Saved" or you will "Burn". Stupid Firemen

I started on a new diet. It's called the "I have $10 until Friday" diet

Not one drop of my self worth depends on your acceptance of me

If procrastination was an Olympic Sport, I'd compete in it later.

I Think my problem is that I have really Fantastic bad ideas

I stopped explaining myself when I realized people only understand from their level of perception.

Don't believe all the rumors you hear about me, the truth is much worse.

Old People at weddings always poke me and say "You're Next!" So I started doing the same thing to them at Funerals.

I Hate Tacos! Said No Juan Ever

I have been putting a lot of thought into it and I don't think being an adult will work for me.

Sometimes the first steps to forgiveness is understanding the other person is an idiot.

I hate the term "Crazy" - I Prefer Happy with Benefits.

When I was a kid you didn't have to say "Don't Try This At Home!" Because we weren't complete morons back then.

I believe that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise

When does Hibernation start because I am 100% participating in that.

The fact that jellyfish have survived for 650 million years without a brain has given hope to many people.

Insanity is Hereditary. You get it from your kids.

Two Tales Posted by Mot "The Teacher and the Horse's A**" 9-3-2021

TNT:

Mot:  To emphasize his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie ---

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”

To emphasize his point he said to another guest; “You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?” Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make?” She paused for a second, then began

“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.”

“I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for five minutes without an iPod, Game Cube or movie rental.” She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table, and continued, “You want to know what I make?”

“I make kids wonder.”

“I make them question.”

“I make them apologize and mean it.”

“I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.”

“I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn’t everything.”

“I make them read, read, read.”

“I make them show all their work in math. They use their God-given brain, not the man-made calculator.”

“I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.”

“I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.”

“I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, one nation under God, because we live in the United States of America.”

“I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.”

Pausing one last time, Bonnie continued, “Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make?”

“I make a difference.”

“What do you make, Mr. CEO?”

Mot:  Yet Another!! --- Now You KNows!! ~~~ from Mot of Course!! ~~~

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used?

Well, because that's the way they built them in England, and English engineers designed the first US railroads.

Why did the English build them like that?

Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the wagon tramways, and that's the gauge they used.

So, why did 'they' use that gauge then?

Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that same wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing?

Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break more often on some of the old, long distance roads in England . You see, that's the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads?

Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including England ) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since.

And what about the ruts in the roads?

Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match or run the risk of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome , they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with this?', you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.)

Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah .

The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature, of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system, was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important?

Ancient horse's asses control almost everything......