SPARKLING POOLS...KEEP YOURS THE ENVY OF YOUR NEIGHBORS!
Chapman Air and Heat is often asked by our customers if we know a good plumber, electrician, carpet cleaner, pool cleaner, pet sitter and the list goes on. When we get the opportunity to refer someone, you can rest assuredly we will only recommend the best.
The folks at Mirror Image Pool & Spa have been keeping pools pristine for many years. Having known the Owners for years, Chapman can attest to their honest reputation and quality of work. The excellent service they provide fits well within any budget.
Visit their website http://www.mirrorimagepools.com/ or call Amanda at 214.718.8123.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Profit or Non-Profit
Is Business for Profit Immoral??
Some folks from the left believe that capitalism and for profit businesses are immoral in nature. With the President encouraging public service, many of our college professors are voting for the leftist candidates and many of our youth are seeking not for profit jobs. At first glance, working for the government or non profits seems like a noble cause but could there be a more cynical political agenda at work here? Are community organizations the missionaries for the new Church of Government?
Executive Pay at Non-Profits in Question (UPI.com) Sept. 1, 09
A nonprofit organization (NPO) is an organization that does not distribute its’ surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its’ meaningful goals. The amount of money a lot of these NPO executives are paid is in conflict with what most of us believe an NPO should stand for. For example: Sol Pelavin, Chief Executive Officer of AIR was paid $1.1 million and Stephen Moseley, President of AED, said his salary was $879,530. Both of these NPOs received taxpayer’s money from USAID… which is the United States Federal Government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid with a budget of $39.5 billion dollars.
I would like to suggest that neither businesses nor profits are immoral. It is people and people without accountability which are more likely to become corrupt. With the non-profits becoming the fastest growing lobbyist in Washington receiving your donations through taxation, would you have chosen these charitable organizations? Is it moral that these non-profits and public service jobs be 8-20 times greater than the median annual household income of $50,233?
What’s your take on all this?
Some folks from the left believe that capitalism and for profit businesses are immoral in nature. With the President encouraging public service, many of our college professors are voting for the leftist candidates and many of our youth are seeking not for profit jobs. At first glance, working for the government or non profits seems like a noble cause but could there be a more cynical political agenda at work here? Are community organizations the missionaries for the new Church of Government?
Executive Pay at Non-Profits in Question (UPI.com) Sept. 1, 09
A nonprofit organization (NPO) is an organization that does not distribute its’ surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its’ meaningful goals. The amount of money a lot of these NPO executives are paid is in conflict with what most of us believe an NPO should stand for. For example: Sol Pelavin, Chief Executive Officer of AIR was paid $1.1 million and Stephen Moseley, President of AED, said his salary was $879,530. Both of these NPOs received taxpayer’s money from USAID… which is the United States Federal Government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid with a budget of $39.5 billion dollars.
I would like to suggest that neither businesses nor profits are immoral. It is people and people without accountability which are more likely to become corrupt. With the non-profits becoming the fastest growing lobbyist in Washington receiving your donations through taxation, would you have chosen these charitable organizations? Is it moral that these non-profits and public service jobs be 8-20 times greater than the median annual household income of $50,233?
What’s your take on all this?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
All Work and No Play Makes...Charlie!
My dad will celebrate his 80th birthday next month. I would say he is not your typical senior citizen. He has always been an a/c technician by trade. He started way back when most folks didn’t even have central a/c and heat in their homes. Some have called him a master at his trade. He is, in general a very handy guy who can do a little bit of everything. He’s one of those guys whose children will proclaim “my dad can fix anything.”
He was never into sports or hobbies. No golf, no fishing, no NASCAR, nothing like that. His leisure activities consisted of work, work, and more work. He was always working on something. If you wanted to have a conversation with him you would speak to his back or sometimes his backside; as he usually had his head stuck inside some piece of equipment, like a furnace or something. Mind you, I am not complaining. As I was raising my son as a single mom I could always count on him for any and all household emergencies; plumbing backups, and broken windows, whatever. Whenever anything went awry, I called Dad.
One spring, I got the idea to relocate my water heater to make more space in my kitchen. I had only to mention the idea to Dad and the next thing you know, he shows up with his tools, ready to go. Of course, I was thrilled, but I had no idea what I was asking him to do. I knew that the crawl space was somewhat confining; but as I watched my dad disappear below floor level I stuck my head in the opening and watched as he inched his way toward the other side of the house I realized this was not going to be a walk in the park for him. I watched as his work light got smaller and smaller and when I could no longer see him, I began to panic. I thought “what if he gets stuck down there, what if a gas line explodes, what if a snake bites him.” So I called out to him “Dad, are you ok?” no answer, “Dad, are you ok?” louder this time, no answer, “DAD!!” Even though his reply “yeah” sounded very muffled and far away, his tone implied “why are you yelling?” Still, being the worrier that I am, I felt it necessary to walk around knocking on the floor to locate exactly where he was under the floor “just in case.”
When he finally emerged hours later declaring that the hard part was done, I was relieved. I told myself I would never ask my dad to put himself in such peril again! I told him as much and he just kind of chuckled and said there was no danger, but he admitted it did make his back kind of sore and he might be a little too old to work like that anymore.
He didn’t mean it. That was about ten years ago and he’s still working. He loves it; it’s how he’s made. Charlie, that’s what I call him at work, still reports to Chapman Air & Heat every morning, where he worked as a commercial service technician until last year. Nowadays, he takes care of maintenance around our shop, picks up parts and equipment. When asked if he is ever going to retire, he says he believes if stops working, he stops living. Look for him around the shop on any given day and you may find yourself addressing his backside as he stands on a ladder with his head stuck in the ceiling working on ductwork or re-wiring something. As I said, he’s not your typical senior citizen.
He was never into sports or hobbies. No golf, no fishing, no NASCAR, nothing like that. His leisure activities consisted of work, work, and more work. He was always working on something. If you wanted to have a conversation with him you would speak to his back or sometimes his backside; as he usually had his head stuck inside some piece of equipment, like a furnace or something. Mind you, I am not complaining. As I was raising my son as a single mom I could always count on him for any and all household emergencies; plumbing backups, and broken windows, whatever. Whenever anything went awry, I called Dad.
One spring, I got the idea to relocate my water heater to make more space in my kitchen. I had only to mention the idea to Dad and the next thing you know, he shows up with his tools, ready to go. Of course, I was thrilled, but I had no idea what I was asking him to do. I knew that the crawl space was somewhat confining; but as I watched my dad disappear below floor level I stuck my head in the opening and watched as he inched his way toward the other side of the house I realized this was not going to be a walk in the park for him. I watched as his work light got smaller and smaller and when I could no longer see him, I began to panic. I thought “what if he gets stuck down there, what if a gas line explodes, what if a snake bites him.” So I called out to him “Dad, are you ok?” no answer, “Dad, are you ok?” louder this time, no answer, “DAD!!” Even though his reply “yeah” sounded very muffled and far away, his tone implied “why are you yelling?” Still, being the worrier that I am, I felt it necessary to walk around knocking on the floor to locate exactly where he was under the floor “just in case.”
When he finally emerged hours later declaring that the hard part was done, I was relieved. I told myself I would never ask my dad to put himself in such peril again! I told him as much and he just kind of chuckled and said there was no danger, but he admitted it did make his back kind of sore and he might be a little too old to work like that anymore.
He didn’t mean it. That was about ten years ago and he’s still working. He loves it; it’s how he’s made. Charlie, that’s what I call him at work, still reports to Chapman Air & Heat every morning, where he worked as a commercial service technician until last year. Nowadays, he takes care of maintenance around our shop, picks up parts and equipment. When asked if he is ever going to retire, he says he believes if stops working, he stops living. Look for him around the shop on any given day and you may find yourself addressing his backside as he stands on a ladder with his head stuck in the ceiling working on ductwork or re-wiring something. As I said, he’s not your typical senior citizen.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Canning and Family Mealtime...A Dying Art
I grew up watching my Mom and other female family members can. We had a big garden in our back yard, full of fresh vegetables and fruits. I loved picking the vegetables and helping my Mom prepare the veggies for canning and watching her can tomatoes, okra, green beans, pickles, corn, potatoes, turnip greens, beets, squash and most of all, sand plum jelly. In some areas, they are referred to as wild plums. Regardless, there is no better jelly and this was the only jelly served in our house and...is still the only jelly made and served to my family. My children grew up eating it and my grandchildren are eating it. Makes the very best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!
When canning, Mom was in rare form. Every tool needed was sterilized, in place and ready to go. She reminded me of an artist carefully painting on canvas. She loved growing, canning and preparing the food. She grew up on a farm with a big garden, chickens, cattle and pigs and all their food was home grown. She helped her Mom can, her grandmother canned and canning was part of their everyday life and they loved it!
Today, I know very few baby boomers, besides myself, who can and lots of us grew up with canning in the family. Recently a vistor at my house noticed all the canned jelly, jellin' and curiously asked what that was. He was from the Northeast and said he had never seen homemade jelly or tasted it. He was curious as to how I made it. I gave him a jar and he asked me the best way to eat it! The only jelly he was familiar with was Welch's Grape. That is NOT jelly!
In the day, canning was truly a family affair. The flavorful results kept family members together at mealtime. The family actully looked forward to mealtime and every bite was savored. Perhaps family mealtime today can be considered a dying "art" as well. In today's hurry up and get me fed society, we are really missing the mark on how enjoyable sitting down with the family for dinner can be. When's the last time you heard, "what's for supper"?
Give canning a try...you don't have to have a bountiful garden, just go you your local Farmer's Market, buy the fresh veggies and fruits and let the canning begin!
When canning, Mom was in rare form. Every tool needed was sterilized, in place and ready to go. She reminded me of an artist carefully painting on canvas. She loved growing, canning and preparing the food. She grew up on a farm with a big garden, chickens, cattle and pigs and all their food was home grown. She helped her Mom can, her grandmother canned and canning was part of their everyday life and they loved it!
Today, I know very few baby boomers, besides myself, who can and lots of us grew up with canning in the family. Recently a vistor at my house noticed all the canned jelly, jellin' and curiously asked what that was. He was from the Northeast and said he had never seen homemade jelly or tasted it. He was curious as to how I made it. I gave him a jar and he asked me the best way to eat it! The only jelly he was familiar with was Welch's Grape. That is NOT jelly!
In the day, canning was truly a family affair. The flavorful results kept family members together at mealtime. The family actully looked forward to mealtime and every bite was savored. Perhaps family mealtime today can be considered a dying "art" as well. In today's hurry up and get me fed society, we are really missing the mark on how enjoyable sitting down with the family for dinner can be. When's the last time you heard, "what's for supper"?
Give canning a try...you don't have to have a bountiful garden, just go you your local Farmer's Market, buy the fresh veggies and fruits and let the canning begin!
Beloved Family Dog Dies While Being Groomed
Daisy, my little 6 year old "niece dog" died tragically at the hands of the groomer last month. She walked in a happy healthy little Bichon and within a few hours was dead. The groomer called my S-I-L and told her to meet her at the vet's but no explanation as to why. When SIL arrived, Daisy was dead and the groomer was not answering any questions. The vet said Daisy was overheated by the dryer.
All questions asked as to what happened have gone unanswered but will soon be answered when the groomer has to go to court. Since Daisy can't "bark" for herself, she will have her day in court. Our beloved pets are not property, they are precious family members. My SIL and family are heartbroken. For those who have lost a beloved pet, you know the sadness experienced. It is horrible...in this case, how long did Daisy suffer before she died.
The groomer never called my SIL stating she was sorry, absolutely nothing. Groomers need to be held accountable. If it was a true accident, she should have said that the minute Daisy fell ill. Her cold silence has said plenty.
Please check out your groomer even if you have been using the same one for years. Do they have a medical emergency plan? Are cameras installed so you can see how your pet is being handled? Have you ever had reason to think your dog was mistreated by the way he/she acted when you picked them up OR how do they acted when you drop them off? Some of the best advise I was given when reading up on tragic stories like this and there were numerous stories around the country about deaths such as Daisy's, is to check to see if your vet offers grooming and if so, take your special friend there.
Think of Daisy next time you take your dog to the groomer. If they are not willing to show you around, explain exactly how your dog is groomed, dryed, etc. LEAVE!
All questions asked as to what happened have gone unanswered but will soon be answered when the groomer has to go to court. Since Daisy can't "bark" for herself, she will have her day in court. Our beloved pets are not property, they are precious family members. My SIL and family are heartbroken. For those who have lost a beloved pet, you know the sadness experienced. It is horrible...in this case, how long did Daisy suffer before she died.
The groomer never called my SIL stating she was sorry, absolutely nothing. Groomers need to be held accountable. If it was a true accident, she should have said that the minute Daisy fell ill. Her cold silence has said plenty.
Please check out your groomer even if you have been using the same one for years. Do they have a medical emergency plan? Are cameras installed so you can see how your pet is being handled? Have you ever had reason to think your dog was mistreated by the way he/she acted when you picked them up OR how do they acted when you drop them off? Some of the best advise I was given when reading up on tragic stories like this and there were numerous stories around the country about deaths such as Daisy's, is to check to see if your vet offers grooming and if so, take your special friend there.
Think of Daisy next time you take your dog to the groomer. If they are not willing to show you around, explain exactly how your dog is groomed, dryed, etc. LEAVE!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
When does a hobby become work?
As a star athlete in my youth I can tell you that I didn’t know I was a star until years later. This was due to the fact that no one singled me out. I worked as hard and ran as much as anyone else on the team and talking back was not an option! As the years go by parents are worried less about the life lessons that can be taught through sports and more about does my child get to be the star. Less than 1% of children that play sports will go on to become professional. I say to the parents, “Relax and enjoy”. Your children will be done with sports soon enough. Encourage the life lessons, stop the complaining, and let kids be kids. Remember, your children will learn more from the way YOU act then they ever will from a coach. So the next time you start to complain ask yourself, “Is this how I want little Johnny to act?”
Coach Croom
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