Trader Joe's / Jungle Jim's

Another note on IKEA. OK two years ago I asked for an IKEA and by magic it is coming so it is time for me to make another timely request. We are being flooded by organic supermarkets but they are all about the same so as I drive by the parking lots they never too full.  Well only two in Fishers but just outside the border others and since they are very close I count them in the mix.  Now in case you don’t read the WSJ--- we have Kroger that is looking to buy out one of the chains and that means the one on 116^th right across from Kroger the odds are will close.

So city leaders what I want next is one of two chains to move into Fishers. I expect you to get working on this right away. My first choice is Jungle Jim’s from Cincinnati but if you tell them Fishers they might break down laughing so approach them about IKEA and not Fishers. Then if they turn you down go after Trader Joe’s. It’s a hassle to have to drive down to the only one around for the $2.99 AKA used to be known as two dollar Chuck.

So instead of wasting money on getting more car dealerships or dumb ugly office buildings downtown get moving on Jungle Jim’s or Trader Joe’s.

Donald Burn the Books, Mike buy a $5 card.

Ok so now the Donald wants to re-write the laws to make it easier to sue the media, what is going to do next, burn the books?

The campaign is going to get even more nasty as time goes on, why do people like this nut job because he yells at people? Because he says anything he wants even if it is not true just to get a headline.

I heard he is going to build walls around all Taco Bells, there Mexican aren’t they.

Things are not much better here in Indiana where the Republicans are running wild in the state house. Thank goodness many of the very dump laws are being defeated but why are they even seeing the light of day. A bill to allow payday loan companies to become legal loan sharks.  That’s right 180 percent, of course the Republican Sen. Travis Holdman said "We are talking about providing access to credit to folks in our state that don’t have any other way to borrow money because they don’t qualify for credit cards, or conventional bank or credit union loans.” Well after this they will not have even a roof over their heads. 180%.

Then our great Governor is adding 1.1 million dollars for the care of the elderly and at the same time he wants to spend 53 million for the states 200^th birthday. How about 1.1 million for the birthday and 53 million for the children and old folks who don’t need a birthday party.  Actually how about $5 for a nice card.

Also we are back at it again on deer hunting in a cage and to add injury to insult they are passing a bill to allow high powered rifles for deer hunting. Just what we need AK47 and M16 for deer hunting. But they did turn down a bill to allow state employees entering the state house from being allowed to carry guns into the state house.  Maybe they were afraid of the employees.

Just another day in Indiana.

IKEA

Yea an IKEA is coming to Fishers. I remember telling one City Council member almost two years ago they instead of strip malls should be going after something major like IKEA. Now my wife thinks I should apply to work as an assembly person at the store. This past week I put together an office chair, laundry triple section basket, Wednesday a table is coming I will have to put together. And over the years lots of IKEA stuff. I look at putting them together as fun and the less I have too look at instructions the power I have over the kits.

So if I don't get the job because they don't want to pay rocket scientist wages I will go to area homes and do it for a nice meal. Who knows maybe we could start a business like the Nerd Squad but call it the IKEA no extra screw Squad. When we put your IKEA furniture together no extra parts or screws. Have power screwdriver will travel.

Letter to editor in Indy Star 1/9/2016

Future of Fishers isn’t as rosy as IndyStar article showed

IndyStar’s Jan. 3 story on the future of Fishers painted a very rosy picture of the city.

But I do not share the same idyllic vision.

We can argue for months about the beneficiaries of all this development.

I would like us to ask why so much happened over the last few years?

I suspect it was not at the request of either residents, or those who wanted to move in. I submit it was a plan by the architects, the engineers, the property developers and their business partners to cash in on the boom. Abundant evidence comes from the campaign finance reports of the previous Town Council and the current mayor.

For example, in the 2014 campaign, Mayor Scott Fadness accepted over $240,000 in donations. Of that, less than 10 percent ($19,000) was from residents of Fishers. The rest? Political action committees: $15,000. Corporations: $16,000. Individuals with a mailing address not in Fishers: $93,000. And the biggest donor category was “other organizations” (law, engineering and construction firms): $99,000.

Is it any wonder that the future of Fishers looks like it does, when it’s been carefully planned by those same engineering, construction and architecture firms that will benefit from the millions of dollars in contracts to be won? And which, by the way, cannot vote but can clearly influence the election.

This is no way to look to the future. Instead, it’s a recipe for failure just waiting to happen.

Steve Mathys

Fishers

Could not have said this any better. Steve you hit the nail on the head. 

New Book - Field Guide to Hallmarks of US Military Insignia - review

I just released a new book that only took me four years to research and write. Below is the first book review, when you read this you will see a very happy author. Why did I do this when I expect to sell only 100 copies and now with this type of a review maybe 200. But why? We need to record as much of this as possible before it is lost to time. For example finding the WWI information was very hard, even WWII or current. So if you have a favorite topic and know a lot how about writing a book. Actually in today's print on demand it is even easier than you realize. You can write and publish at zero cost and then pay just for the books you want. Have a book in mind, history of your family, history of a company, history of a town or anything else. Get writing. Want more information on how to do this e-mail me at mrmac@aol.com. I will be happy to aim you in the right direction.

FM 82-102 Field Guide to Hallmarks of US Military Insignia, by Joe Weingarten (ISBN 978-1519118882, 1903 Press, www.1903.com. Softcover, 2016, 6” x 9”, 252 pages, hundreds of color and b/w illustrations, $39.00)

The most useful “maps” for collectors to follow are the result of hundreds of hours of research, compilation, and finally, publication. Author, artist, and collector Joe Weingarten has advanced the US military insignia hobby by doing all of that when he finally released his new Field Guide to Hallmarks of U.S. Military Insigina. 

Don’t be fooled by the military technical manual-appearing cover—this book is a landmark of research that collectors will refer to time and again. This is the most comprehensive listing of hallmarks used on US military metal insignia that has ever been available. 

While a number of books have been written on hallmarks used by jewelry manufacturers, Weingarten recognized the cross-over: Medals and insignia are the “jewelry” of the military. Building on that, he scoured old listings, archives, and business records to compile this listing. Whenever possible, company profiles are provided as well. But most importantly, Weingarten endeavored to illustrate the company logos and markings with clear photographs of actual military insignia. In some cases only the company name is shown with a hope that in the future readers will supply additional information and hallmarks for future editions.

Added bonuses in this book are details about dating pinback catch types, clutches, Institute of Heraldry List of Concerns Authorized to Manufacture Insignia, and most importantly, a good index. Codes found on German WWII-era insignia and medals are included as appendices.

As with Weingarten’s other book, Field Guide to US Paratrooper Badges, this current offering is a “work in progress.”   The author welcomes corrections and additions that he will include in future editions. 

While the book is available through Amazon, Weingarten has made it available to Military Trader readers through his web site for the reduced price of $30. Simply log into www.1903.com and search for “BK-6”.

When passion and research finally result in a book, our hobby advances. Joe Weingarten has moved US metal insignia collecting forward with this newest offering. Don’t miss the opportunity to continue your collecting journey with this new map!—JAG 

Peace on Earth, Good will towards Men

Peace on Earth, Good will towards Men

The Donald only knows how to attack people, 2000 people get into a fight in a Mall in Louisville, KY. Crazy people in the name of religion behead people because they believe in the same god but via a different channel. In Germany the book Mein Kampf will be published with the start of the New Year. Will it be taken as a lesson of the history to avoid or will it be on the GOP candidate reading list.  I have to wonder about the Donald.

Yet people try and escape war only to have some Governors in the land of freedom and built on immigration say you’re not welcome. Or the same Governors say you can discriminate if the other person has a different belief or does not follow what you believe. So we can have a bakery that will not bake a cake for gays, Jews, blacks, or Muslims, etc. What is the world coming too?

Police that shoot people from 20 -30 feet away because they have a knife. Get me a break. Different story if they have an AK-47 or a shooting at you. But a knife at 20 feet away? If you have to shoot, shoot for the knees. Shoot at the ground in front of the person and watch how fast they drop that knife or a gun for that matter.

It’s is time for everyone to take a very deep breath and relax.

Its time for “Peace on Earth, Good will towards Men.”  Not by a few but by all of all faiths and even those of no faith.

Happy New Year to all and may you have a wonderful year ahead of peace and a very safe year. 

Indiana doing pretty bad in health rankings

I keep saying Indiana with it's straight sides could slide down and sit between Mississippi and Alabama. The rankings are in of the healthiest and overall rankings. Well Indiana was not at the bottom but in the bottom 20% at rank 41, now back to Mississippi which came in at 49 and Alabama at 45. So Indiana would right at home.

On obesity Indiana is 32.7% with Mississippi at 35.5% and Alabama at 33.5% of a body mass index.  Now on smoking Indiana rank 44^th in the nation and lets check out Mississippi with a ranking of 45 and Alabama at 40^th.  OK let’s go to Diabetes where Indiana didn’t do too bad at 32 and our neighboring states got a ranking of Alabama 47 and Mississippi 48.

Our Great Governor wants to get rid of the EPA and burn more coal. So lets see how the rankings are doing for air pollution and almost the worst in the nation is Indiana at 47. So Governor Pence you only have three rankings to go to win the worst in the nation award. Here Alabama is trying with a 34 and Mississippi is the winning of these three with a rank of 27. Then again the other two states don’t make much.

In cancer deaths Indiana ranks 42, could that have something to air pollution. Maybe not because Alabama is 43 and Mississippi ranks next to last at 49.  Ok let’s look at people’s hearts, and Mississippi wins overall ranking 50 and not far behind is Alabama at 49 and surprise Indiana is 39. Maybe our smoking ratings will have something to do with the cancer deaths where we rank 44^th. Alabama was a little better at 40^th and Mississippi ranked 45^th.  No Kentucky was not 50^th it was 49^th and lost out to West Virginia that came is last.

We do have a drug problem in Indiana where we rank 35^th in the nation in drug deaths, but to my surprise Mississippi ranked 9^th and Alabama was 16^th. But we do rank number one in Meth production in the nation.

Now when it comes to immunization of adolescents Rhode Island comes in first, well it is a small state and they can go door to door and get everyone, now Indiana comes in at 42^nd and is bettered by Alabama at 35^th but Mississippi holds the record at 50^th as the worst in the nation.

Infant Mortality is a subject I hate we should all be close to zero, yet Indiana ranks 36^th and once again Alabama is at 49^th and Mississippi is last at 50^th.

Do we go to the dentist? Not everyone does and Indiana is ranked 45 and Mississippi took the lead ranking 49^th while Alabama was just beat out by a hair at 48^th.

So Governor Pence you will have to do better to get us at the bottom ranking across the board. But I must admit I am glad to see that you are working hard to keep us down in the dumps.