I haven't abandoned my blog, I've just had some health issues that have made it a bit difficult to be motivated to write anything. However, I'm writing this because I'm still getting trolled by The Nameless One and his silly friends. So I'm writing this to make one thing clear: you can try to hide all you like, but you will never succeed. I know who visits my site, okay? That's right, I know who you are. Haven't I proven that time and again? Proxy servers, VPN's, cached pages, different devices, different locations, even changing your browser language! Nice try, but stop trolling. If and when I choose to post that letter, that's my decision and you will have brought the consequences of it upon yourself. You have been given ample opportunity to work this out. If you have something to say, you know where to find me...you just need the guts to say it.

 

Oh, btw, thanks for the heads up on the webcaching. Should have that angle covered now.

Sorry I have been lax with this blog lately, I kind of ran out of steam, but my Swedish stalker has been keeping me in business, so I'll see if I can't post something suitable to maintain interest. And thanks for all the visits buddy! Or should I say, merci?

 

Anyway, I came across this BBC documentary a couple days ago and I wanted to post it here because I think it really needs to be viewed by as many people as possible in order to address an alarming situation: the arrogance of humans. I'll let the documentary say the rest.

 

D&C 71:7

 

 

Here's the scenario: a couple, who have been members of Find A Grave two years longer than me, have deliberately created multiple duplicate memorials because they didn't add their extended family before I did. I have had issues with this couple and their family member (who has only been a member for a quarter as long as me) ever since this other family member joined. These people are the reason I have stopped generously transferring memorials and have resorted to the FAG transfer guidelines.

 

Why does this situation bother me so much? Why do I now just stick to transfer policy? Because I don't like their attitude. As I stated, the couple have been members for twice as long as me, at this point. That gave them two full years to have created those memorials, and they state that they live in the area of the cemetery, and yet, it took me entering those names for them to apparently become interested.

 

I used to be very nice about transferring memorials; I didn't care whether you were family or not, as long as they weren't my family as well. But the aggressive attitude of the family member has caused me to become annoyed to the point of denying others (who have been a good deal less offensive).

 

It's not just their attitude, though. I've come across others who are just as aggressive, and frankly, I don't get it. These people either don't understand the concept behind Find A Grave, or they have something to hide. They act like their privacy has been violated, while apparently forgetting that anyone can walk through almost any cemetery, see the headstone and do their own research if they so choose! (I say "almost any" because I do know of at least one cemetery that is "closed.") The paranoia these people exhibit is bizarre, especially considering the deceased we're talking about died, in some cases, close to 100 years ago!

 

Maybe it's concern over their family name? Well, do I care about the reputation of my ancestors? For the most part, no. People are human and those who went before are no less prone to common human failings than anyone alive today. Would I be offended if I found out one of my ancestors had a bad reputation? Well, let's see, I know of at least one who did, and I don't think any less of her. In fact, it's somewhat comforting to know that, just as I have failings, so too did my ancestors.

 

I believe that everyone, regardless of who they are or what they did, deserves to be remembered, and I am no respecter of persons when it comes to creating memorials. I have added memorials for murderers, and where possible, I've  added memorials for their victims.

 

And it's for all of these reasons that I find this family to be so colossally offensive in their attitude. The only reason I can even think of to explain it is a disease that a presenter at this years RootsTech convention identified; My-Tree-Itis. My-Tree-Itis is the irrational obsessive hording of genealogy, and it manifests in the refusal of sufferers to share the information they have with anyone else. We are all related, and we should all be helping each other. But people like these...they will expect others to help them, but will be stingy with the aid they give.

 

 

Some guy named Jeff Hanneman died yesterday. Facebook is "blowing up" about it. I even got into a bit of an argument over it. Some people would like you to believe it's big news because, apparently, he did something major for music...or something. So why don't I think this is "big news?" Because people die every day. Yes, even "important" people. The thing is, your level of notoriety doesn't make your death any more important than that of anyone else; the importance is not who died, but why they died.

 

But that's not the only reason I'm annoyed by all the hype surrounding Jeff's death. Jeff was one of the guitarists, and a founding member, of the metal band Slayer. Yeah that Jeff Hanneman. In the metal world he's what you'd call "a big deal." If you don't know anything about Slayer then nothing I say about his perceived influence is really going to make one jot of difference to you, so I won't bother. But the important point here is that he was actively against all things Christian.

 

Why is that important? Because of the plethora of RIP's I've seen over the last 24 hours, with regard to him. If it weren't so pathetic, the irony would be comical; for two primary reasons:

1. If you don't live in peace, then you can't rightly expect to rest in it.
2. Rest in Peace is a Christian phrase from a Catholic prayer.

This is basically part 2 of yesterday's post. Remember my list? Well item number 2 was a Facebook post about rainwater capture. The post was actually a share of a share from a website. I confess that I didn't bother to read the entire article, opting instead to skim it; because what I did read proved that the person writing it is an angry whiner.

 

The article is about how rainwater collection is illegal in most states. Well, I don't know about "most" states, but I do know about Utah; the same Utah specifically mentioned in the article. The author made pains to suggest that rainwater collection in Utah is illegal - which it isn't; but because the author didn't bother to indicate when their example occurred, I can't say for sure (and frankly, I don't care to do all the legwork to find out) that it happened before or after the new law was implemented. Regardless, rainwater collection has been legal in Utah since May of 2010.

 

So what's my issue with this article (apart from the lack of dates and facts)? The issue is the total lack of responsibility repeatedly exercised by people. The Utah example was about someone who set up a rainwater capture system without first checking the rules. The author then goes on (ad nauseum) about how Americans shouldn't have to have permission from the government to capture rainwater. Well, I disagree.

 

In society today, there is a complete lack of understanding with regard to the need for rules (laws). The attitude is that all laws are bad and we should all be able to govern ourselves as we see fit. Well that would be great if everyone governed themselves with the same moral standards! Unfortunately, they don't.

 

The current gun debate in the US is a perfect example of this. The US already has gun laws and those laws should be sufficient to regulate and protect; and they would be, except for those people who think they can do whatever they want, so violate the laws we already have! (And, by the way, enacting stricter gun control laws isn't going to stop the problem at all - RE: Chicago gun-free zone if you don't believe me)

 

Rules are not the enemy. They exist to protect people, animals, the environment. A basic set of laws is necessary because humans are selfish creatures and many, when left to their own devices, will take advantage of others. Do I like having to get permission to do what I want? No, but I understand why some regulation is necessary and it bothers me when people, who didn't bother to check the laws, get their panties in a wad when they find out there are laws.

 

So what's the answer? Be responsible! Before you build a new structure on your property, find out what the regulations are! Before you set up a rainwater capture system, find out what the regulations are! Before you buy those dozen chickens, find out what the regulations are! Before you do anything, find out what the regulations are! You'll save yourself a lot of stress, time, and money in the long run. And if you choose not to check first? Then don't get bent out of shape when the government comes along and tells you you've broken the law.

Yes, this is post numero due for today. Don't freak out, I've done it before. I wrote the other because I wanted it to be know that I know...y'know? But I'm writing this entry for three reasons: 1) I actually do have better things to do than waste time on a man who is clearly devoid of any and all integrity (although I'm not ruling out the possibility of posting a letter I'm writing that I want him to read); 2) because of an FB post about rainwater capture; and 3) because of a comment about non-moldy bread.

 

As you know, I've posted a couple times about the atrocious state of the world's food supply. Well, after the last post I just started bookmarking all the articles that were cropping up, almost daily, about the vile nastiness we're consuming; and I've now amassed so many that it's high time I clear out my bookmark menu! Because of that, we're going to work through my list backwards.

 

Before we begin, I suggest getting some snacks and pulling up a comfy chair, cuz this is going to take a while (and I'm not even going to get to number 2 in this post).

 

I was talking with my mother last night and she mentioned that, after talking with me and other family members about all the food-related creepy grossness, she started noticing that the bread wasn't getting moldy any more, or at least, not like it should. I told her about the people who have bought fast food burgers and left them out, some for a decade or more, and what has, or hasn't, happened to them. Surely you've all seen the pictures floating around Facebook? If not, the basic story is, the burgers aren't degrading...at all. Why should that freak you out? Think about it.

 

But what else is going on with our food? Well, milk in Germany has turned up with cancer-causing fungus that is suspected to be from contaminated cow feed from Serbia.

 

In France, a restaurant just outside of Paris was shut down when inspectors discovered a pot of boiling caterpillars on the stove, and meat with no veterinary certificates showing origin.

 

In Denmark, the world famous Noma restaurant was given a formal warning for being the source of a Roskilde Sickness outbreak in 63 guests over a 5 day period of service. Roskilde Sickness is a norovirus (food poisoning) that causes vomiting and diarrhea. The warning came after complaints of food poisoning prompted a visit by inspectors who discovered that there had been illness among employees who couldn't properly wash their hands because there was no hot water in the staff hand-washing taps.

 

In the US, Whole Foods Market, Inc, will require all products sold in it's US and Canadian stores to be labels as either GMO or organic by 2018. At present, the US doesn't require any kind of safety testing for GMO's before they go to market as the food industry claims they're safe, despite an almost total lack of independent research verifying their claims.

 

In Switzerland, IKEA's restaurants sold 720 chocolate almond cakes containing coliform bacteria (which includes E. coli). Chinese authorities reportedly destroyed almost 1900 kg of the same cakes because of excessive levels of coliform bacteria. The presence of coliform bacteria is used as an indicator of sanitary quality of foods and water.

 

Also in Switzerland, a Swiss laboratory found traces of pork in seven out of twenty tests conducted on kebabs sold in several Swiss cities. Although the tests show low proportion, Jewish and Muslim tradition forbids the eating of pork.

 

As if messing with our food isn't bad enough, two Swiss retailers have removed various shoe models from their stores after tests found they contained a cancer-causing chemical. The chemical, Chromium 6, is a toxic byproduct of chromium, widely used to tan leather.

 

In Sweden, grocery chain ICA ordered a recall of two meat products over concerns they may contain horsemeat. After the first lasagne horsemeat scandal, ICA began testing it's own meat products labeled as beef. Preliminary tests show at least two products are positive for horsemeat.

 

In February, fears of additional horsemeat contamination caused IKEA to halt the sale of additional meat products after tests by a meatball supplier showed positive results.

 

In Norway, pork contaminated "halal" meat was discovered in kebab meat and pizza toppings. The contaminated meat was found in both grocery stores and fast food eateries.

 

Even pets aren't safe; in March, Natura Pet recalled several pet foods due to salmonella contamination. During random sampling by the FDA, salmonella was found to be present in at least one of Natura Pet's products.

 

In Sweden, one of the few bright sides to the horsemeat scandal is that contaminated frozen lasagne being pulled from store shelves was going to be made available for the homeless of Stockholm. (Do I need to remind people that the issue with the horsemeat contamination was never that it contained horsemeat, but that it was labeled as being 100% beef?)

 

In the UK, a Health Protection Agency investigation linked pre-packaged salads to around 300 Cryptosporidium infections in England and Scotland. Cryptosporidium causes the diarrhea illness Cryptosporidiosis, and is closely related to Plasmodia (malaria parasite) and Toxoplasma (toxoplasmosis parasite).

 

In Sweden, more trouble for IKEA. The company halted sales of elkmeat lasagne when it tested positive for pork in a Belgian lab.

 

Still in Sweden, Sweden's National Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket), asked prosecutors to investigate a company believed to have labeled Polish horsemeat as Swedish beef tenderloin. Apparently, they can't even be sure where this mystery meat came from because the documentation is so sketchy.

 

In the US, the food industry has such control over the FDA that at least 13 substances, banned in other countries because of their health risks, are legal in the US.

 

Again in Sweden, the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control (Smittskyddinstitutet) has warned that frozen berries may have been responsible for 22 cases of Hepatitis A in Sweden, and appears to be linked to a 30-person outbreak in Denmark.

 

In Germany, apparently more than 100 German food retailers have been buying misrepresented meat for at least two years. A Dutch abattoir was selling the meat, horse, as beef and has sold some 50,000 tons of the stuff to at least 124 German butchers.

 

In Spain, more than 4% of all meat being sold as beef actually contains horse. Four areas of Spain have reported that their "beef" contains horse.

 

Once again Sweden! In April, IKEA looked to sell or give away it's horsemeat contaminated meatballs. If that wasn't possible, they hoped to use them as biogas.

 

In the US, biotech company Ventria Bioscience is making GMO rice with human DNA. They are splicing human liver genes into rice DNA with the intent of using this "Frankenrice" in the production of pharmaceuticals.

 

And finally (for now)...

 

In Spain, health authorities in Navarre have discovered E. coli in spaghetti meals, and at least one plate of lasagne containing listeria, prepared for Navarre's hospitals by a private company. Apparently the company, Mediterránea de Catering, has a history of poor hygiene, food handling, and workplace accidents.

 

 

BELOW: Originally captioned on Facebook by Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company as: Even the squirrels know.

 

When in the course of human events

Fate takes a turn for the worse,

Oft' times it eases the troubled soul

To put it all down in verse

 

I wrote that years ago (it's actually part of a longer poem), but I've found myself quoting it A LOT the last few weeks. If you've been keeping up with the blog then you know I've had some issues with someone I thought was a friend. Well, things are really heating up!

 

From the beginning, I've made it clear that I just want to know why he lied. But I guess he's too big a coward to tell me (still not sure what he thinks he's gaining by this, but hey, he's a jerk, I guess they don't need logical reasons for the crap they do).

 

Anyway, since he won't just do the right thing, I've asked some of his friends to tell him to contact me. Well, instead of doing that, I guess they decided that they would try trolling me instead. Honestly, that was the most fun I've had since this thing began. I guess they think my admittance of craziness means I'm stupid or something (which is fine, you go ahead and think I'm stupid). Well that's okay too; because I, and my friends, know I'm actually brilliant. But, of course, it takes one to know one - which explains why they didn't recognize me. Better luck next time guys.

 

I've already discussed the fact that I recently discovered that a "friend" was lying to me. Normally I don't like to name names, but I admit that I'm sorely tempted to do so this go around. Why? Because, frankly, he deserves to be "outed." But I'm going to keep that name to myself, yet again, for my own purposes (and again, those of you who know me already know to whom I'm referring).

 

So why am I writing this today? Because I'm fed up. This situation never needed to exist in the first place because he never should have lied (and I'm still trying to figure out what he thought he was gaining by doing so). But he did. And I'm dealing with that. Some people have suggested that I may be "overreacting" to this situation. Am I? Honestly, I think not. People have gotten it into their heads that lying is okay. That lying will somehow "fix" the mess they're in. I'm here to tell you, that's just not the case.

 

Maybe you've heard the saying, "honesty is the best policy"? Well, it's actually true. Shocking, I know. But yeah, honesty really is the best policy. Lying destroys trust, and without trust, well, think about it. If you were an employer would you hire someone you can't trust? Not unless you're stupid. Would you trust a crook with sensitive information? Not unless you're stupid. So am I overreacting? No, because I'm not a mushroom, and I won't be treated like one.

 

And here's the best part...this "douche packing queef bag" is merely dragging out everyone's misery by refusing to explain his behavior (would he lie about it? Most likely. But I'll be taking everything he says with a grain of salt - and so should all of you; his "friends - and really, you think he's your friend?? HA ha ha ha, yeah, he's your friend alright, I could tell you "friends" of his a few stories). That's all I want, the truth! And I've made that clear. Which is why I don't understand why he won't just give it.

 

Am I overreacting? No. Because, in the immortal words of Gotye: "...the saddest thing is, all of it could have been avoided." I'm walking the plank with my eyes wide open. And if you're his "friend," then so should you.

 

I haven't been posting here for a while because about mid-March some things began happening that have turned me into a complete, barely functioning basket case (as opposed to the incomplete, fairly decently functioning basket case I usually am). I won't go into detail, but the outline is:

That's it in a nutshell. Some of you know who the so-called "friend" is; for the rest of you, it really doesn't matter for the purposes of this blog.

 

I've said before, that my motto (one I developed many years ago, that has gotten me through some incredibly difficult situations) is: Never give up; never give in; only change tactics. Giving up and/or giving in should never be options. They cause you to lose your own personal power. They strip you of your dignity and hurt you at least as much as the fight. But sometimes changing tactics can seem as though you are giving up; not so! Sometimes you have to "move on" in order to achieve your goals, and sometimes your original goal cannot be reached (because of this tremendously annoying thing called "free agency") and a new one must be set. But surely you've heard it said that the best revenge is to be a success?

 

<digression>I really don't like the phrase "move on" because it implies, at least in my mind, a certain amount of "giving up." It sounds like you've just dropped everything and gone a different way, with very little, if any, serious consideration of the overall situation. Call it semantics, but "changing tactics" suggests that you've thoroughly considered all your options, you've seen what works/has worked and what doesn't/hasn't, and you've now changed your methods to conform to that.</digression>

 

Anyway, I know what the lies are, I just don't know why the lies are (I could venture a guess, but what's the point? - and don't Grammar Nazi me, I know that's poor grammar, it was intentional). And it's not the content of the lies that have been the source of my wound anyway - and being lied to can often beat out physical pain in a side-by-side comparison - no, it's not the content, it's the fact that he lied at all.

 

I know there's been a lot of junk floating around Facebook about how if someone lies to you it's because they didn't think you were worth the truth, as in, being lied to is predominantly your own fault, but I think that's only part of the problem; see, it ain't all about you. There's a certain undercurrent of fear that goes along with lying as well, and that's the sole responsibility of the person doing the lying. But regardless of it's cause, lying is not an answer to your problems. I don't know what he thought he was gaining by lying, but if he had been honest with me from the get, I can guarantee I wouldn't have reacted the way he thought I would have. You see, I'm not an unreasonable person, and I never, at any time, lead him to believe anything, so if he had fears, they were solely of his own creation - he needed no help from me, thanks.

 

This whole episode has really tested my reserves of strength, and in my darkest moments (the ones in which I wasn't actively cursing him to God) I've been tempted to just give up. Fortunately, I was blessed (or cursed, depending on which side of The Depression you're standing on) with the spirit of a dragon and a bull, and previous soul-searching has given me the tools to come out of this alive (despite how alluring lying down and dying is, it serves no purpose), and one of those tools is music. And every now and then, a certain song will give me the answer I wasn't able to find on my own.

 

Or maybe not. You'd think I wouldn't be able to report on any more food-related scandals this week, but you'd be wrong. What's our tally at so far? Let's have a brief recap:

1. Horse lasagne (with ties to arms traffickers)
2. Horse meatballs
3. Horse on the shelf
4. Inorganic organic eggs
5. Salmonella eggs
6. Fetus flavored Pepsi
7. Horse tacos

First it was horse in your lasagne, then horse in your meatballs, and organic eggs that aren't organic. Turns out that commercially produced milk, bread, and soy are actually bad for you, but now your Pepsi tastes like aborted fetus...oh, and did I mention that your horsey lasagne has ties to Cypriot arms traffickers?

 

 

Um...what?! Ha ha ha, this is a joke, right? RIGHT?

 

Unfortunately, no.

By now, unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about the "horse meat scandal" in Europe. But you may not have heard yet that horse has also apparently been found in IKEA meatballs. Maybe you're one of those people who thinks this "scandal" doesn't matter. Maybe you think people should just "get over it." Well if you are, let me explain why it absolutely does matter.

 

But, for those residing in blissful oblivion, here's a recap:

 

A French company bought beef from a Cypriot company (who got it through a Dutch company, who purchased it from two Romanian abotoires) and then sold it to a Swedish company who put it in their frozen lasagne that was then disseminated all over Europe. But somewhere along this convoluted chain the "beef" turned out to be horse...

 

So why should you care if there's horse in your lasagne? Well, the issue is not the animal it came from (although, there is reportedly phenylbutazone in the meat - this is a drug that is banned for human consumption because it reportedly causes cancer), it's about the deception that went along with it.

Not too long ago (2010) there was a massive salmonella outbreak spawned by an Iowan company (Wright County Egg) that had been a little lax in their safety and hygiene regimen (and that's a gross understatement - the company had 426 positive results for salmonella, including 73 samples that were potentially positive for salmonella enteritidis, and this had been going on at least as far back as 2008). But as with this horse meat situation, this company cared more about their bottom line than about the consequences of their criminal (yes, criminal) actions.

Frankly, I don't care about the lack of evidence; if it's been manhandled then it's probably unhealthy. Look at the health consequences of pretty much everything else that humans have tried to "improve." Milk is a good one, so is bread. And that's only the tip of the iceberg! Don't believe me? Just look at the increase in food-related diseases and allergies! People want to bitch about the obesity spike, but look at what's caused/causing it: our "improved" society has made exercise difficult and unhealthy eating easy.

 

A few weeks ago I witnessed the height of our "modern" society's idiocy: I was watching a football game and saw two commercials that made me even more disgusted with the human race (I know, hard to fathom that there's room for more disgust, but sure enough...). These commercials were back-to-back, so kinda hard to miss the absolute ridiculousness of them.

 

The first commercial started out by talking about how the Okinawans are the longest lived people on earth and it's because of their diet, but YOU can get the health benefits of the Okinawan diet by taking this pill that has the synthesized goodness of the Okinawan diet without all the yucky work! WOOHOO!

 

The second commercial started out by talking about how the Japanese are the healthiest people on earth and it's because of their diet, but YOU can get the health benefits of the Japanese diet by taking this pill that has the synthesized goodness of the Japanese diet without all the yucky work! WOOHOO!

 

*facepalm*

 

Really?

 

But that's the mentality these days; it's easier to take a pill than to change your diet. The only good thing to come out of the horse meat scandal is the greater number of people who have made the choice to prepare their own food, rather than buy pre-packaged, highly processed crap. But talk is cheap; in order to change the food industry, action is needed.

I have been threatening to write a basic guide to buying/selling stuff of worth for a while now. In fact, I even wrote up a huge post about it; but then I didn't publish it because it seemed too angry and not informative enough. But that's only part of the reason it's taken me so long to get to this...I just haven't been able to figure out how to provide the most useful information in the shortest amount of space with the least vitriol. The other reason, is that I've been so tense and angry lately that every time I start to think about how I'm going to put this together I lose motivation and decide not to do it.

 

Well, enough of that. I'm finally going to get my act together and give the advice I've been threatening for so long! Hopefully it is genuinely helpful, and not angry. :-)

 

The point of this post, then, is to impart some general rules for those who might be interested in buying used stuff. I do intend to also give some advice to those with the intent to sell, but in the interest of brevity, I think I'll put that in a separate post.

 

So, what are some general parameters for determining whether you should buy that thing you've found that looks like it might be worth something, and therefore good to have?

 

The most, if not the only, important factor is condition.

 

Before any other consideration, you need to take into consideration the condition the piece is in. Yeah, the thing might be old, and it might be cool, but if this is an investment, then you better consider the condition.

 

(NOTE: Obviously, this post is geared a little more toward people who are looking to buy as an investment, but the advice is the same even if you're simply looking to own, because once you keel over, your junk is going to have to be sold...just sayin.)

 

Items that are similar/identical and in excellent condition will always cost more, and, therefore, be worth more, than those with issues. The more issues, the lower the price; regardless of how old it is (unless it was owned by someone "famous," then all bets are off - except at Christies and Sotheby's). So if it's clearly in bad shape, then, unless you want it for personal reasons, forget about it.

 

Now, why did I emphasize "clearly?" Because some things are naturally deceptive. Take metals for example...

 

My advice on metals is simple...if the seller has left it in crap condition (read: heavily tarnished), ask yourself why. And don't make the mistake of thinking that everything that looks silver is sterling, because 9 times out of 10, it ain't.

 

Most of the silver you are going to come across is plated. But that doesn't mean it's junk. I've got some very nice silver plate sitting in the kitchen right now. But if the item is plated, and it's heavily tarnished, then chances are, it's going to have some issues.

 

For example: I have purchased several pieces of silver plate this last week, and all of it was tarnished; some pieces more than others. But after half an hour of polishing, I know why the seller didn't bother polishing the teapot...

 

But don't let this completely dissuade you from buying some silver plate, as it is possible to re-silver damaged pieces. There are companies that will do it; but that tends to be prohibitively expensive; and there are solutions that can be used to do it at home. Here is a source for finding re-silvering solutions. Bear in mind, the initial cost of the products will likely exceed the pristine-condition value of the pieces you're re-silvering, but if you really like the pieces you're doing, then the sentimental value is all that should really matter.

 

BELOW: Some of my silver plate. It's not very easy to see, but the teapot is still fairly tarnished.

 

Unless...(there's always a "but," isn't there?)...it really is black. Truly blackened silver plate doesn't get that way by merely sitting on a shelf. If that cream and sugar set is black, then it's probably been in a fire. Best way to be sure is to look for scorch marks or soot. Fire damaged plate is just that, damaged. Yes, there might be some silver left under that black, but it's going to take a great deal of work to find it, and then you're still going to have to re-plate, after that. If you find blackened silver plate, don't spend more than a few dollars on it, because it's just not worth it! For the price, in time and supplies, it's going to take to restore that piece, you could have found an identical piece that you don't have to fix. Also, be aware that a pink or purplish hue is a good indication that the silver is very thin in that area; the tint is very likely the base metal showing through. Not as dire a situation as black, but still to be considered when haggling over price.

 

What about things like glassware?

 

Glassware tends to be a good deal easier to handle. The best pieces will show it; in cut and clarity. Want to know if that glass is really "just glass" or if it's "crystal?" Easy. Do the sound test. Plain glass (with no "lead" content) will make a dull thudding sound when flicked with a finger. Crystal (and the higher the "lead" content, the better the crystal) will sound like a high-pitched bell.

 

The best crystals come from Europe, especially England, Czech Republic and Poland, and they do tend to label their work, so that makes identification easier; and the best glasses were made during the early part of the 20th Century. Best advice: become familiar with EAP Glass, ABP Glass, Depression glass, and Carnival Glass. There are countless sites on the internet and I've given a few links in previous posts.

 

Other general advice is:

 

Just because it's dirty, doesn't mean it's old. Just because it's old, doesn't mean it's valuable. The more common a piece is, the cheaper it should be. Don't buy a damaged piece and think you're going to "fix it up" and it will be worth what it would have been worth if you hadn't had to "fix it." Restoration is a tricky business and, as I've mentioned before, can do more harm than good.

 

A lot of good bargain hunting is having some general idea of what you're after before looking for it. But if you happen upon a piece that you weren't expecting, then listen to your gut, it probably won't steer you wrong (unless you think everything is worth a mint...in which case, best let someone who isn't quite so gullible do the shopping).

 

A good case in point: early this year I went to the Acorn Antique Show & Sale. I found a vendor with a pile of bayonets. I really wanted to buy one for a friend, but I knew nothing about bayonets beyond the fact that they attach to the front of a rifle...anyway, I really wanted to buy one, so I rummaged through the stack and let my instinct take over. For some reason, I kept coming back to one particular blade. It looked pretty much like all the others, but it had Arabic script just below the guard. It was cheaper than the majority of the others, so that was appealing, too, but that Arabic kept telling me this blade was the one to get...so I did. Turns out, that was a dang good purchase! It is a Turkish blade, circa 1890's. That Arabic script is actually the mark of the Sultan of Turkey, and was stamped on all blades prior to the dissolution of the sultanate. This blade was in great condition, and typically worth at least twice what I paid for it.

 

BELOW: The Turkish bayonet, circa 1890's. Second picture shows close-up of the Tughra of the Sultan. (Click image for larger)

 But my instincts aren't always good...the other purchase I made at that show was actually quite poor...and purely reactionary. It was a badge. It had three crowns and a lion. It had the colors of Sweden...ahh, Sweden...damn you in this instance, because it was that element that made me too blind to think clearly. I paid a good 14 times more for that badge than it turned out to be worth...because it turned out to be a fake. But that lady...ah yeah, she could see I wanted it...so I paid. Very good lesson for you here: don't let your emotions get the best of you; because vendors at shows will take you for a very expensive ride if you let them.

 

BELOW: The liar! The "lady" I bought this from told me it was the badge of the Swedish SS Volunteers...heh, this insignia is not even Swedish; it's Ukrainian! This particular insignia belongs to the 14th Waffen Grenadier  Division of the SS "Galicia" (1st Ukrainian)...and the genuine badges don't look quite like this. >:-(

So, a "situation" arose this last week (and prompted my insanity confession) that has now escalated to a point beyond my wildest fantasy.

 

The current issue stems from my having asked one of my "friends" on Facebook to do me a favor. I know, what an evil person I am, how dare I ask someone for a favor! Y'know what's even worse? I apologized for asking and let it be known that it was okay if the favor was not given. The response? I was summarily unfriended and blocked by this person.

 

Wow, really? Y'know, funnily enough, this isn't the first time this has happened, although the first time it happened I wasn't blocked...well, not at the time...well, let me check and see if that's changed...oh, whoops, my bad, apparently I have been blocked by that other person as well. Again, really?

 

When did it become a heinous crime to ask for a favor? If there was a question regarding said favor then that could easily have been cleared up, but unfortunately, it wasn't. Which leads me to further unwelcome thoughts.

 

Y'know, I don't like being played. In fact it makes me mad as hell when people play games with me. All I can say to you is that, when you need a favor, I hope I'm the only one who can render the aid you need, because unlike you, I don't consider it a crime to help people. Although, in your case I might make an exception.

 

There's something I'd like you to know about me.

I'm crazy.

No, seriously, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and agoraphobia years ago. That's a pretty bad combination because, when you're depressed you should talk to people, but when you're in the thick of an agoraphobic flair-up (and, incidentally, depression is a trigger for agoraphobia) you don't want to...so, when I get depressed I get agoraphobic...and when I get agoraphobic...do the words "vicious cycle" mean anything?

Good times, I assure you.

"Don't they have meds for that?" You ask. Why yes, yes they do, and I've been on meds periodically since I was diagnosed. But the problem with meds is, they make me irrational and aggressive...so yeah, I'm no longer suicidal, but now I'm homicidal. Don't you wish you had options like me? *buffs nails*

"What about that stuff...what is it...St. something?" St. John's Wort? Yeah, I've tried that. But I can't honestly say it had an effect. I know the fluoxetine works, but I don't know the St. John's Wort does, and right now, I'm too whacked to try the SJW in the off chance that it will actually stop me from hurting myself in a bad way. Now I just run the risk of doing something incredibly stupid, y'know, like essentially threatening a good friend (still can't believe I did that - please, disregard my last email! That was the crazy talking!!!)

So for now, the trade off is a bit of homicidal aggression...oh, and jitters. It's kinda like having drunk a pot of coffee followed by another pot of coffee, followed by a bottle of No-Doze, and chased with a 2 liter bottle of some caffeinated soda...yeah, it's intense. And don't even get me started on the dreams! (Oh, and if I start laughing for absolutely no reason or I laugh at inappropriate things, yeah, it's the meds.)

So why would I go through with this? Because, if I don't, then I really am that much crazier. No seriously, ask my friends. Cuz, see, here's another problem I have...overactive imagination. I've always been the type of person who spends a lot of time in Fantasyland; probably because my reality hasn't been all that spectacular. So when I'm depressed, this overactive imagination has a tendency to...how shall we say...make stuff up. And usually, it ain't good.

So why am I telling you all this? Firstly, because I want to give a heads up to everyone who knows me personally...I am back on the meds that keep me from hurting myself in a bad way, but they tend to make me mean...yeah okaaaaaay, meaner. (The one upside to this is that they also make me somewhat funny and unblock my writing ability - so while I'm being mean to you, I'll at least have the presence of mind to be funny while I'm writing about it!)

Second, so that when I freak out and need someone to talk to like, right now, then I hope you can be there to listen to me be crazy, because sometimes just talking helps. I've also learned over time, that music helps too. But when I need to talk, I need to talk, and music just doesn't cut it; because, while there is loads of music out there that very accurately describes how I'm feeling (when you're depressed there's no one like Morrissey to make you feel like you're not the only one who's a total loser), there are times when I need someone to be a sounding board and help me work through the morass flooding my brain.

So, how to tell when I'm having a crisis? Well, I'd like to think that I'm not normally stark raving mad and that you can kinda guess when I'm being creepy-weird or "strange." A good indicator is what videos I'm posting on Facebook. If there's loads of the more depressing stuff of The Smiths/Morrissey, or Peter Murphy, Ultravox, The Fixx, and so on, or stuff that suggests I might be angry at someone (like my Oingo Boingo fest this morning), or if I start posting a lot of someecards I've made myself...then it's a pretty fair bet that I'm not in a Polyanna state of mind!

I know it's not your job to take care of me, but I would like to think that we're good enough friends that I can count on you when I'm ready to engage in activity better suited to a horror movie. Hopefully, now that you know I have this problem, I won't be so afraid to let you know when I do need an intervention. But letting you know was the harder part, I think.

And on that note, I will leave you with one of the songs that I pretty much always listen to when I'm feeling worthless.

BELOW: Saddle bags for doctors, medical salesmen, and vets. Due to improper care they are worth under half of what they could be.

BELOW: The impetus for this post. This is a Humphrey Gas iron trivet. While researching it, I came across this blog post.

So, final analysis: it is (most likely) an Arapaho war club circa 1861-1901. Now, what would something like that sell for? It's actually not easy to come by prices for authentic antique Native American pieces because there are laws about such things. But your best bet, is to Google what you've got and see what comes up.

And, basically, that's how you find the price for anything...seriously, before you come to someone like me, or an appraiser, try a little research for yourself, it's not that hard and it won't cost you anything since you're already paying for the internet, anyway.

Okay, so what if you have no idea, at all, about what you've got?

Ex 2:

The lady who came in this morning asked about some glass her mother had had. All she knew about it was that it was bought at a garage sale in the 1960's. She described the color and type, and I told her it sounds like Carnival or Depression glass.

So, what is Carnival or Depression glass and where do you get info on it? Well, both glasses were made during the early part of the 20th Century, and both are pressed, not blown. The way to distinguish between the two is by the sheen; Carnival glass has been treated with chemicals that produce an iridescence on the surface (if you've ever looked at old Carnival glass you might find some where the iridescence has actually come off so the surface looks patchy). Depression glass is simply machine-produced glass made during the 1920's and 1930's. It is often colored and patterned, but not iridescent.

So where can you learn more about your glass? The best source I have come across for Carnival glass is David Doty's Carnival Glass Website. As for Depression glass, there are not a lot of really great sites (like Doty's) that give you loads of information, but there is one site that might help. Suziemax is a site that has info on a variety of different vintage and antique topics. You can find her Depression glass section here.