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[anotherstephencobert]

refseek.com

www.worldcat.org/

link.springer.com

http://bioline.org.br/

repec.org

science.gov

pdfdrive.com

[anotherstephencobert]

There are some Gentiles in this world who have taught me things about The Pound of Flesh that I don't believe any Jew ever dreamt of.

Stephen J Cobert

[anotherstephencobert]

The poor wish they were rich, the rich wish they were happy, the single wish they were married, and the married wish they were dead!

Abigail Van Buren, the original Dear Abby, when asked to summarize what most of the letters she received were about

[anotherstephencobert]

February 12, 2022 - Memorial celebration

This past Tuesday, February 8, I received word that my son, Travis Atwater of Wichita, KS, had passed away. He was suffering from liver failure ad this doctors were not offering much hope, but we were hoping and praying that he would make it.

Yesterday evening in Wichita, by the Arkansas River just across from the Mid American All Indian Center, a memorial celbration and balloon launch was held in Travis’ honor. A good number of his friends and family showed at 6pm, right around local sunset, to pay tribute to Travis Atwater.

Travis was always a big Dallas Cowboys fan. In keeping with that, it was suggested that everyone wear blue and silver, or blue and white, for the memorial I and my friend and roommate Beckt Wisdon (pictured above) went out and bought Cowboys t-shirts to wear ther. (Under our jackets, of course - it was kind of cold then!)

Travis’ wife Deanna was actually estranged from him at the time of his passing, but they had never divorced and in fact she was the one who planned the memorial. She prepared a large card for us all to sign.

Becky and I prepared a collage of photos of Travis through the years. I searched my portable hard drive for images of my son and got them printed off at Walgreens. Becky’s daughter Felicia cut out white stars and Becky pasted them onto a blue posterboard (Dallas colors once again) and then pasted the photos onto that,

Deanna and I both posted announcements about the balloon launch on Facebook. A couple of my former high school classmates expressed concern that balloons were not safe for the environment, but the decision was made to go ahead with the balloon launch just the same.

The group of Travis’ friends and family started to gather around 5:30 Saturday evening and was a fairly large gathering by the time it officially started at 6:00pm. We started with a moment of silence, and then “Go Rest High on the Mountain” by Vince Gill was played. As the father of the deceased, I gave a short eulogy, and then Kenny Chesney’s :Knowing You” was played. Travis’ girlfriend and caregiver Shannon Gonzales gave a tribute to him, and then his cousin Shannon Atwater (who was really more like a brother to him) shared his memories. The song “Dancing in the Sky” by Dani and Lizzie was played, and then we all releasd our balloons.

Travis was not any big community leader or corporate big shot, but he was a man who tried to make life better for the people in his life and in our community, and he will be sadly missed.

Rest In Peace, Travis.

[anotherstephencobert]

Jan 26, 2022 - Reflections on this miserable stinking COVID

Does it seems to anyone else that this damn coronavirus is performing the virus equivalent of putting its thumbs against its head, sticking out its tongue and waving its fingers while chanting "NYAH NYA-NYA NYAH NYAHHH!!!"?

We've been battling this microscopic turd for two years now. We've identified variants and subvariants, developed vaccines and boosters, and done every damn thing shy of dropping an atomic bomb on it. And it STILL runs rampant... possibly more so than ever.

In the past few weeks the thing has infected a remarkable number of people in my circle of family and friends. My daughter-in-law Deanna and my granddaughter McKenzie (age 10) tested positive for it. My sister Carol and her daughter Rachel tested positive (and both of them had received vaccines AND the booster shot). Shannon, my son's friend, has children who tested positive for it. My friend and co-worker Janis tested positive for it last week when earlier in the week she'd tested negative -- and she has other health problems and did not need this crap. Then two days ago at the hotel, I had to cancel a reservation made by a caregiver whose patient gave it to her and put her in quarantine.

It's like, in spite of all our high and mighty technology and medical advances, this miserable virus is ploughing forward anyway.

[anotherstephencobert]

Well, if you saw the post you know what this is about. If not, well, maybe do a Google search on the long tag and that should make it a little clearer. I technically got Whammed two days ago but am just posting it here now.

[anotherstephencobert]

Two months ago (or about three posts ago if you prefer) I reported that my ex-wife, Teresa Calton, passed away from complications due to COVID-19. Last month, our adult som Travis was hospitalized with the symptoms of jaundice and other concerns (he in fact tested positive for COVID while there) and was released with the warning that he was to take in Zero alcohol.

Last Thursday I received word that he was back in the hospital because his liver had shut down and his kidneys were shutting down. I have visited him twice since then. Apparently he has been given some medicine that has brought about some improvement in his kidneys. His liver, however, is beyond the ability of medicine to restore.

Travis turned 37 in September. I have learned from his wife that his alcohol problem was much worse than I realized. He is not eligible for a liver transplant until he has been free of alcohol for sic months, which would be about five months from now.

The lyrics of this song are not all applicable to Travis: his mother is no longer with us, and Schultz seems to be singing about a child rather than an adult son.

But I certainly relate to the message.

[anotherstephencobert]

Tuesday quote

“True sadness is when someone still thinks you’re the same person after all these years. They brand you because of their own ego, fear and lack of spirituality. What's sadder is when they are Christian.” ~Shannon L. Alder

[anotherstephencobert]

DAMN does this piss me off!

I realized a long time ago that I live in a world where rainforests are being despoiled, global warming is a reality, bees are dying by the millions... and the news media is feeding me crap about what Kanye said yesterday and what the Jenners wore last week and who the kardassians screwed last night, etc, etc, etc. I resolved to find the news that was important and follow that rather than what Big Brother wanted me to concern myself with.

All right, for the past two years we’ve had this pandemic. Admittedly, it is an important concern and we need to be knowledgeable about it. But all this time I had not heard about violence against the Trans community or Trans murders and I was naive enough to believe the world was accepting our Trans brothers and sisters and recognizing them for the people they are. I actually read on Yahoo! that 2021 was the worst year for Trans violence and Trans murders, ever. I feel like such a fucking prole, following what the media wanted me to see and overlooking the stories they deemed were “marginal”.

I have a Trans friend here on Tumblr. (Probably more like a Trans acquaintance; she has thousands of followers and probably hardly knows I exist.) She has some talent for singing and playing the guitar. Some months ago I suggested that she and some other members of the Trans community form a band and do a cover of Stevie Wonder’s 1974 hit, “You Haven’t Done Nothing”. I meant it seriously, though I’m afrad she may have thought I meant it as a joke. I think it would be even more pertinent now.

[anotherstephencobert]

Teresa Calton, Wichita, KS: 1946-2021

This photo is of Teresa Calton of Wichita, KS. We met in 1988, and in 1989 we married. I regret to say that, as seems to happen so often these days, our marriage did not last and we divorced in 2001. Even after we divorced, we were still friends and visited each other.

I was thinking about it and today, October 21, 2021, is the 20th anniversary of the day we divorced. Which makes what I have to write now a bit bizarre.

Teresa was admitted to Wesley Hospital in Wichita about a week ago with COVID-19. Even four days ago, she was getting up to use the bathroom, eating and talking with people. Then she took a serious turn for the worse. This morning our son Travis received word that she had been moved to the ICU and was on oxygen and feeding tubes. Then at 1:45 this afternoon the doctors called him to say he nneded to come in right then to make his final farewells. It was just before 5:00pn Central time that he contacted me to tell me she had passed away.

I find it this side of unthinkable that, after so many deaths, people still think that this damn virus is some hoax or conspiracy. Yes, Teresa was 75 years old and was not in the best of health. But this disease is real.

Rest in peace, Teresa.

[anotherstephencobert]

Uhhhh...

My, how times have changed.

When I was a pre-teen and young teen (and admittedly that was half a century ago), “cornhole” had a meaning that... well, you sort of didn’t say the word around your parents, teachers, clergy or anyone else who might get you into trouble.

I checked it out, and apparently now “Cornhole” is the name of a game called such things as corn toss, bean toss, soft horseshoes, Indiana horseshoes, and probably some more. The game itself is a favorite at locally-done street fairs and carnivals. There is even an American Cornhole organization.

A lot can change in half a century, and if the word has lost its earlier risque’ meaning, then jolly good for it. But it still seems a little “off kilter” to me.

[anotherstephencobert]

Sunday quote

“Stand up to hypocrisy. If you don't, the hypocrites will teach. Stand up to ignorance, because if you don't, the ignorant will run free to spread ignorance like a disease. Stand up for truth. If you don't, then there is no truth to your existence. If you don't stand up for all that is right, then understand that you are part of the reason why there is so much wrong in the world.” ~Suzy Kassem

[anotherstephencobert]

and how is that in any way inferior to calling it “the big bang”?

[anotherstephencobert]

[anotherstephencobert]

Tuesday quote

"We only live once. We all have an expiration date after that we will never come again. I'm not saying that to make you sad. I am saying that so you can cherish each moment in your life and be grateful that you are here and you are special." ~Plato

[anotherstephencobert]

FOUR YEARS AGO TODAY

June 22, 2017 - Police remove a sick, elderly woman from outside Senator Mitch McConnell's office, where she is protesting having her health benefits taken away so the rich can have tax breaks. This is the kind of country we live in now.

That was four years ago. Does anyone believe things are any better today?

And for that matter, can anyone give an answer that makes the slightest amount of sense to the question, WHY DO THE RICH DESERVE TAX BREAKS?

[anotherstephencobert]