181 Days (and counting…)

I was reading the usual slanted and biased articles from the lamestream media (LSM) on the web this morning and saw one of those annoying ads that keeps moving while you are trying to read.  It had a countdown clock showing the end of Bush’s presidency in days, hours, and minutes.  I chuckled and dismissed it.  It reminded me of these people who feel they need to have a “W” on their car and those who have the “W” sticker with a red line over it.  In the end, they become nothing more than a bumper sticker on your car which as we all know, depreciates the value upon selling time.  But, I digress.  Back to the clock.  So it said about 181 days (at the time of this writing) and it got me to thinking — do we really think things will change radically on the 182nd day?  Let’s explore two scenarios:

“November 5, 2008:  Obama elected first black president in American history.”  Now, as a Democrat, and having a Democratic Congress (assuming all things remain equal), Obama will likely spend his first 100 days trying to back out of everything Bush and Co. have set up over the last eight years.  Every law, every executive order, every policy decision will be reviewed and likely be redone.  Starting on Day 101, Obama will begin anew with HIS policies.  Taxes will rise, government entitlements and handouts will rise, people will become more dependent on government to provide things for them like housing, food, supplemental income and the like.  But strangely, gas will still be $4 a gallon with no plan to drill at home, eggs will still be $2 a dozen, corn prices will still be high due to the use of the food supply to fuel our cars, milk will still be $5 a gallon and on and on.  Obama will say “it’ll take time for our policies to work” which is political double-speak meaning some time around 2014 or 2019 — otherwise known as “well after his presidency ends”.  Of course, none of this holds true if the Democrats lose the Congress.  If that happens, then Obama’s first (only?) term will be deadlocked in a constant tug-of-war.  Nothing will move forward and Medicare, Social Security, the transportation and aviation bills will sit unpassed or unsigned.  Vetoes will be used frequently.  In other words, more of the same that we have seen over the last 2-3 years where Congress thinks it is more important to pass laws naming a bridge in Montana after a dead Senator.  (But I bet you WON’T hear the Speaker of the House call Obama a failure.)  Yes, sadly, an Obama administration will likely be a difficult pill to swallow regardless of your place in society.

“November 5, 2008:  McCain elected oldest president in American history.”  Here is an example of a coattail presidency - a la George HW Bush (1988-1992).  McCain will come into the presidency under tremendous pressure to upright the ship the Bush and Co. have tried to sink.  While he may be a bit more moderate than his counterpart, he’ll still rail against Congressional leaders who want to pass more earmark and entitlement programs.  Oh, and let’s not forget Iraq/Afghanistan.  The Congress was been completely stymied at every turn in trying to get our troops out of Iraq and Bushie has foiled them at every turn.  Now, McCain comes in and Congress will try the same tactics to push for withdraw plans.  Of course, being a war hero and a Republican, McCain will not support any “timetables”.  So, we are left with “Bush the Second Coming” and watch as the country continues to bog down again while SS and Medicare, and housing continue to bottom out.  In other words, we’ll be no better off than we are right now.

So, there we go.  Neither candidate would change anything.  The LSM completely loves Obama.  And if they have their way, he’ll win in a landslide.  I mean Newsweek alone has had six covers (5 in 2008 alone) dedicated to him.  McCain has had two.  Now, magazine covers do not a presidency make, but if this does not show bias, what does?  I am not sure what the fascination is about this guy but I know this — I am scared for this country and I am scared for myself.  I do not want to become a government automaton having the government provide everything for me from the cradle to the grave.  But if our so-called “leaders” have their way, we are destined for submission.  “1984″ anyone?

So let’s countdown the days until Bush leaves.  And then reset the clock for when our self-reliance leaves too.

Panhandling

When I used to work downtown, it was a constant challenge to walk anywhere because of people who asked for - no, demanded - money from me to “buy food” or something similar.  In most cases, these people looked as if they have not had a bath in months and their clothes were worn beyond use.  Some stats I have seen tell me that several people living on the streets are mentally not-all-there and I’ve seen a few of those — you know the ones who scream - to no one.  I am specifically referring to the ones who block your way, follow behind you, or get up in your face demanding money and when you say no, giving you some shit or cussing at you.  I have become more and more suspicious over the years due to a specific event that occurred while in college at Georgia State.

I was out in the quad - an area where students would gather between classes - having a smoke.  I was reading a chapter in a book on something.  Suddenly, this well dressed man sat down near me.  This was not an uncommon event as the GSU campus had a diverse range of people of all ages.  He was dressed in a three-piece suit, nice shoes, etc.  After a few minutes, he asked to bum a smoke off of me.  Again, no big deal — I frequently would ask someone for one if I was out.  After say 10 minutes or so, he turned to me and asked for some money for food.  I looked at him kinda shocked and kinda laughing (inside).  This well dressed man needed $5 to eat?  Is he kidding?  I declined and turned back to continue to read.  This man decided he would preach to me about the finer points of “helping a brother out”.  That was his mistake.  I turned to him and said that I am a student who is not working.  I also informed him that I have a young family (Sperm was less than 18 months old at the time) and that every penny I had went into keeping a roof over my head and diapers on my son’s ass so for him to come here and beg ME for money was just rude.  I told him I should be asking HIM for money given I could barely afford to keep gas in the tank of my car.  I then got up and walked away as he cussed at me.  Later, after class (like 2 hours later), I had to walk back through the quad to get to my car and guess what?  There he was again.  This time he was hitting up some ladies sitting there trying to have a conversation.  I thought about going up to “assist” the ladies by engaging them and “forcing” the panhandler out of the picture.  But, I saw one of the ladies reach into her purse to give him money.  I chuckled and walked on.  He won, and she got suckered.  Some of these panhandlers are professional homeless people looking to get something for nothing - that is getting other people’s money without putting in a good workday like the rest of us do.

The City of Atlanta will now be using undercover cameras to catch aggressive panhandling.  I say why bother?  Most of these people WANT to be arrested!  They know they will have a good night sleep on a mattress, get cleaned up, and get a decent meal - all on my dime.

So, one way or the other, I am giving money to panhandlers.

Friday Free-For-All

Yes, ladies and gentlemen.  It is Friday.  It is the free-for-all.  Pick a topic.  Discuss.

At Tuesday’s elections for school board, Clayton County had a 21% turnout rate.  Where are all the people calling for the liquidation of the current school board?  1 in 5 bother to vote?  And don’t pull this “I had to work” crap.  The polls open at 7 and close at 7.  Unless you are a cop or a fireman, it is highly unlikely you were working.  It is more likely you were on your ass eating bon-bons watching Oprah.

Speaking of sitting on your ass, America is fat.  1 in 4 are considered obese.  Ya think?  People in Mississippi are the fattest.  I told Missus we should move to the French countryside.  We’d be stick figures within a month.

Starbucks is closing stores including one near me in Vinings.  In my opinion, the company should be fined for the land disruption.  They are positioned on a corner which cannot support any other company so it will sit empty and become an eyesore.  (We can ALWAYS use another nail salon!)  Oh, and did I mention it opened in freaking December?

Jesse, Jesse, Jesse.  Hello pot, meet kettle.

Mr. Hypocrite Gore says the US should not be using fossil fuels by 2018.  OK.  Thanks Al.  Give me an option I can afford and I’ll use it.  Now, please go back to your 14,000 sq. ft. mansion and burn enough power in a year to power 2000 homes.

The third doping accusation has hit the Tour de France.  And this one booted a name people were saying would be in the final push.  What a shame.  And what a let down to the team.  This guy will be suspended for a minimum of four years.  Should be forever.

GDOT demotes the treasurer to “assistant” treasurer.  Why can’t we just fire people anymore?  This is the guy who doctored the books for 30 years and got the department in the trouble it is now.  Fire his ass and move on!  Can he be arrested for fraud?

Missus and I set a date.  Spring 2009.  Soon to be gone:  days sitting in my underwear, dancing uncontrollably to music, singing, dishes in the sink more than one day, and a queen bed to myself.  But these things can be cut loose.  I am gaining something much more important - a friend.

Cheaters

I know that this discussion is attempting to answer a question that does not likely have an answer, but I felt the need to ask it anyway…..why do people cheat?

I am watching the coverage of the Tour De France, the only cycling race I watch all year.  I enjoy watching these guys bike for a hundred miles and still have enough to sprint to a finish.  But recently, two riders were booted from the Tour for doping.  And Floyd Landis, the presumed winner of the Tour in 2006, was found to have doped during his win and has summarily been dethroned (I think).  So what makes these guys dope up especially in this day and age of detailed tests?  I get the fact that athletes feel they need an advantage to remain competitive but are drugs the answer?  The same could hold true of baseball as well.  Roger Clemins and Barry Bonds — two of the best players in the game — have been forever tarnished and their accomplishments soiled for allegedly using drugs to improve their games.  I find it scary that we have become such a competitive society that we feel the need to drug up to win.  When I want to exceed at work, I learn more and do more work to show my worth.  I usually receive a reward in the form of a boost in pay.  I guess that acknowledgement is not enough for some athletes.

I guess since I do not participate in team sports that it is hard for me to understand what they are up against.  I guess they feel inclined to dope up in order to gain some sort of reward be it fame or monetary.

And while I do not want to go too far down this path, there are other non-athletic cheaters too in our society.  You now the ones who mooch, take advantage, and try to weasel their ways into things.  (New Orleans anyone?)  Something for nothing.  Oh, and line/gore jumpers on the roads are cheaters too.  (In the spirit of disclosure, I am a roadway cheater too.  Smirk.)

By the way, I am glad I did not rely on sports to live.  I am glad I have a brain.

Observations from yesterday’s elections

Despite the physical altercations with women, bullying of the other commissioners, and a general passe attitude toward the “unwashed”, Vernon “Mr. CEO” Jones moves into a runoff election for the Senate.  He’ll be taking on Saxby Chambliss.  Good luck there, Vern.  But it is good that he gets out there and tries to unseat the incumbent.  That way “Mr. CEO” won’t be CEO for much longer.

There will be a runoff in my area of the world for a commission seat.  I am glad that my dude (Bob Ott!) is up there and you best believe I will be back at the poll to make sure he gets in.  But I have to wonder…I saw the numbers that showed about 7,000 votes cast.  Now, I do not have exact numbers, but I would imagine there are between 60-70,000 people who live in my neck of the woods and only 7,000 could come out to vote?  I mean c’mon.  This is what I discussed yesterday.  Do people not vote because it is not convient or because they just don’t care.  Sadly, it is probably the latter.  I cannot believe men and women are fighting for freedom halfway across the world just so people here can sit on their dumb asses and not take 5 minutes to go vote.  I guess Oprah was on.  Pffff.

Dunwoody to become a city.  Great.  Just what we need.  Another level of government.  Here’s another example of turning tax money over to a private firm to manage your city.  I wish I was a stockholder in that firm.  I’d be very rich.

MARTA in Gwinnett.  Dems say yes, GOPers say no.  Nothing shocking there.  But what is shocking is that the straw poll shows strong support that was not there the last time.  Most said they’d support putting rail in Gwinnett as long as the system was managed properly.  I bet Wayne Hill is planning to move!  LOL!LOL!  I have maintained that if MARTA’s was absorbed by the state and it’s name was changed, it would be embraced by every county.  Prove me wrong.

Of course, if you did not vote, you cannot complain.

Did you vote?

(Editor’s Note:  Sorry about yesterday.  Got busy and forgot to get a post up.)

So did you vote today?  I did.  Of course, the question is did I vote FOR someone because I want them in office or because I do not want another person in there? 

My rant today is about Voting Day being on a Tuesday — in the middle of the workweek.  Why are we so stupid in this country about voting?  Are we not sending troops to other countries to fight for our freedom so we can vote on a workday and get maybe 30% turnout?  Gather 10 people around you — then pull out three.  These people are making the decisions for 260,000,000 Americans.  What a shame.

Why can’t we vote on a Saturday?  Or have a holiday on Voting Day?  Or better yet, why can;t we vote online?  What a great idea.  But I am sure some group or another will call foul.  I know I know — poor people do not have computers.  Blah blah.  My tax money pays for libaries - use those computers instead of surfing porn.  Duh.

And I love these “Vote for One” things when there is only one person to vote for!  Why bother?  It is a waste of my time to read over these names for nothing.

I will not discuss who I voted for, however I will tell you that it was not an easy decision this year.  There are no candidates that I like nationally.  But I felt inclined to vote for some of the local and state candidates.  And come November, it will be really hard.

But I voted today.  Which means I have the right to bitch and piss and moan for the upcoming future.  If you did not vote, you have no right to complain so sit down and shut up.

Friday Free-For-All

Yes, it is back!  The Friday Free-For-All returns.  Pick a topic.  Discuss. 

People camping out for the latest iPhone.  <blank stare>  What am I missing?  These phones cost how much?  And these people are camping for days to get one?  And just how do they afford it?  Oh, that’s right, credit cards.  Not to worry.  They’ll pay it off later - when they delcare bankrupcy.  I hope their parents haven’t done something with their rooms.  Losers.

SAG rejects contract offer.  Hmmmm.  Could it be another season of stupid reality TV?  Maybe the beginning of the end of TV?  I not sayin - I’m just sayin…

Headline:  The longest trial in history must be moved.  Look, Nichols did it.  He knows it.  And he is relishing all of this attention.  Can we just get the needle ready?  No, that’s right.  He’ll likely outlive us all - all the while enjoying cable TV, workouts, and a free education.  Shame his meth won’t be free anymore.  Hope he enjoys the “bottom” bunk.

Congress’s approval rating down to 9%.  Does anyone even care anymore?  No, that’s right.  They’re camping out for iPhones.

City of Atlanta to change “Men At Work” signs to “Workers Ahead” at a cost of $144 a sign.  Wait a minute!  I thought the City was in a budget crunch?  Aren’t they firing people and cutting services?  Can’t this meaningless change take place AFTER the budget is balanced?

Sperm gets a mohawk haircut for football.  I’ve not gotten this many looks since I was in college.  <smile>

Obama is it in 2008.  Jesse Jackson is stuck in 1978.  Step aside Jesse.  There’s a new sheriff in town.  Or better yet, go on the baiting circuit with Al.

Former senator Phil Gramm calls US a “nation of whiners”.  I think that kinda sums it up.   Hand me the remote.

Jesse and Obama’s nuts

So, Jesse says he wants to cut Obama’s nuts off for “ignoring the black man”.  He claims he did not know it was an open mike.  His own son condemns his comments.  The media reports it.  But I think there is a bigger issue to mention here that I sort of touched on the other day and that is double standards.

It is well known the Jesse Jackson thinks he and to a lesser degree Al Sharpton are the de facto “leaders” of the black community.  They are always in front of the camera when black injustice takes place regardless if it is preceived or real.  In most cases, they come off as dismissive and sensationistic simply looking for another opportunity to get face time on TV.  The cold reality is that young black youths are not looking to Jesse or Al for leadership, they are looking to 50 Cent, Kayne (prick), and Snoop.

Remember that Jesse ran for president in 1984 and lost fairly easily.  Now, in 2008, another black man comes to the top and I wonder why Jesse thinks he should cut off Obama’s balls.  Could there be a little jealousy rearing its ugly head?  Is Jesse finally outdated?

So the double standard comes into play in this way:  Let’s say that John Kerry or Harry Reid or even Shillary had said she wanted to cut Obama’s balls off, I would contend the media and the black community would have screamed the race card claiming that if Obama was not black, it would have never been said.  Now Jesse Jackson, a recognized leader, says this and he gets a pass with an apology.  If John McCain had said it, he would be sent to a deserted island to repent.  Why?

I hope that our population, all colors, can call this what it is….a comment that should not have been said out loud.

Hospitals

Yesterday, my Padre had knee replacement surgery and I spent the day up at the hospital keeping my Madre preoccupied.  The surgery went excellently and he was awake and in a room by lunch time.  I made some observations about the hospital that I felt I needed to share.

1.  Turn off the A/C.  It was so cold in the place that Madre and I spent more time outside and in the atrium than we did in the “surgerical waiting room”.  It was like an icebox.

2.  Get some real TV.  I had the choice of watching TV but it was set to one station that showed 1950s sitcoms like Leave It To Beaver the whole time.  I am NOT a fan of those shows.  Thankfully, I had my crackberry and could surf the web.

3.  To Hospital Workers:  if you have bed news to report to a family, take them somewhere more private.  The whole waiting area had to learn that a mother of several children had terminal cancer and of course, they broke down with emotion.  Move these people off to a private area to allow the news to sink in rather than displaying their grief for the world to see.

4.  Hire a contractor to do food.  Hospital food is like school food.  Enough said.  Chick Fil A would be my first choice.  Or maybe Jason’s Deli?

5.  Draw lines on the floor and make old people stay right.  Yes, I know that is insensitive but do not put me behind every old person in the world while trying to get to the GD bathroom.  Move to the right you dusty old fart!

6.  Smoke in the assigned places.  Madre still smokes and of course, I do not.  I sat immediately outside the main door of the hospital to wait for her while she went to the “smoking area” located about 300 feet away down the hill.  Along comes some dusty old cow who is flaming up as the door slides closed behind her.  She is standing no more than 10 feet from the front door OF A HOSPITAL puffing away.  As i tend to do, I spoke up quickly reminding her of where the smoking area was.  She looked at me as if I took a shit on her face.  As she walked away I smiled and said thank you while thinking “bitch”.  Oh, and did I mention she had a hospital gown on?

Padre will be in the hospital for a few days and should be home by the weekend.  Let’s hope this is the last time I have to go there for a while.

Double standards

(Editor’s Note:  This was the posting I postponed from last week.  Enjoy!)

I am bound to stir up some shit here but I felt it important to discuss the large number of double standards that exist out there today.  While I will not mention them all, I bring this up today because of the recent story stating Rosie O’Donnell and her wife Kelli were splitting up.  Rosie’s response was “…(the columnist) is a lesbian but doesn’t know it yet.”  OK.  That comment seems harmless enough but I am not convinced that it was used humorously.  I think it was meant to be taken as a jab - in other words, it uses lesbian as a negative term.  Now, if I were to use lesbian in this context, I’d be labeled a homophobe.  The same holds true to rappers and hip hop “artists” who frequently use the n-word.  Yet, if I used that term, I’d be labeled a racist.  Just look what happens to Hollywood when the n-word or -ag word is used….they get excommunicated from society until they pay their penance.  Yet, the Rosie’s and Jay-Z’s of the world get a pass.  Why?

I have struggled to raise a boy who frequently uses “-ag” and “gay” when referring to awkward situations saying “that’s gay” for example.  I remind him that some people find that term to be offensive yet when he watches videos on YouTube or on TV, he hears this reference usually coming from gay people themselves.  And do not even mention the use of the n-word by black people - especially comics.  As I mentioned the other day, I become a fan of XM 150 recently.  And a day has not gone by where I have not heard “nigga” or some varation of it all the while soliciting a laugh.

I’ve been told that because I am not gay or black, for example, that I cannot understand what it is like to have a derogatory term sent my way.  Well, I say that is bunk.  A bad word is a bad word - there is no “sort of” bad to one group or another.  The n-word is bad although it applies to FAR more than just black people.  In my mind, n-words are people who suckle off the government tit as long as they can.  Now, if that applies to some black people, then so be it.  But I bet I can find plenty of white n-words out there too.  And as for “-ag” or “-aggot”, while the word does not harbor the same negative connentation as the n-word (in my opinion), it is still considered mean and disrespectful.  And as such should not be used by anyone - including gay people.

In my mind, it is time for either one of two things to happen.  Either we all grow a skin and get over ourselves or we all discontinue the use of negative terms.  Meanwhile I will continue to remind Sperm about what those words mean when he uses them.  Hopefully, by the time he gets older, he will not have to deal with the double standards that exist.

Or maybe I am envious of not being a black, female, gay, handicapped Atheist.  Who knows?