Morning Rant

Update on Plants in Japan

2011-03-15T14:02:00.000-07:00

Things do seem to be getting worse in Japan. Now there are a total of 3 plants involved in the accident. Yes, I am calling it an accident because that it what it is. No one maliciously caused what occurred. But we need to search through the all the reports to the truth.

Unfortunately for my business that is hard to do. No one is going to say anything definitive until it is definitive. This will probably take months. But we can cut through some of the hype and media frenzy.

First, while the design of the containment structures at one of the plants is a type that may have some design flaws, not all plants that are involved are of that type.

Secondly, the design of the containment structures, flawed or not, was NOT the cause of what is going on. The cause my friends was the loss of power that occurred as the tsunami carried away the fuel oil tanks that supplied the emergency diesel generators. Once they were gone, the fate of the plants was sealed.

I am still having a hard time understanding how someone would build a plant that close to the ocean and leave fuel oil tanks above ground and virtually unprotected. I have worked at several plants of GE design. In fact, I was licensed to run one of them in North Carolina that had the same containment design that one of the plants in Japan has. I have never even seen the entire emergency diesel generator fuel oil system that unprotected. In the US plants I have worked at the all but the main supply tank (which can hold upwards of 500,00 gallons of fuel oil at some sites) is the only tank that is above ground. There is a supply of fuel oil for use only by these emergency generators that is below ground and are in watertight compartments simialr to those found on submarines. In short, they are well protected. Are these things full proof. No, nothing is. But they are tough I tell you that.

If I get any more updates from work I'll let you all know so stay tuned.

Please Remain Calm

2011-03-11T19:34:00.000-08:00

While we sit and watch TV and read the news about all that is going on in Japan, it is hard not to be over whelmed with all that has happened. My concern, because I work in the industry is the nuclear plants that are having problems.

If the news that we hear is true, and I stress TRUE, we are indeed on the edge of having something very bad going on at those plants and I pray for all the workers.

But let us do that, pray, for now and wait until the people and government of Japan can get things stable and report on what is really going on.

After the Three Mile Island accident in PA those many years ago, there were reports of radiation leaks and hazards to the public. After the dust settled the experts themselves agreed that they acted to fast on facts that were not true. The press however is out for ratings and circulation and will sensationalize anything. I don't care if its Fox, MSNBC, CNN or The Funky Times, they are all in business to make money and will say anything to get ratings.

That being said let us flip the coin. Like I said, I work in the nuclear industry and they are in business to make money. So it is their best interest to put the best spin on what is going one. Will they lie? Well one recently did lie to the legislature and the people of a state and got caught. So yes, it can happen.

So where is the truth? As always it is some where in the middle and in this case even that is scary. Because if we look at some of the "facts" that are currently being reported, even partially, are true. Those plants are in very bad shape.

Now, I am not an expert on the design of the plants in Japan. But I work on a plant that is similar to those that are in trouble. So I am going to state some of the "facts" and what it means if they are true.

The plant is at a pressure more than twice its normal pressure. If true this means that not only did power at the plant fail (as has been reported) but valves that are designed to automatically open to relieve the pressure also failed. This is hard to swallow since these valves open on over pressure far below twice normal pressure (normal pressure is 1000 psig and these valves open at 1100 psig) and require no power to do so. The pressure in the reactor overcomes spring pressure and the excess steam/pressure is released.
The plant has lost power. In a situation like those in Japan this would not be too hard to believe. Certainly the off-site power (the grid) is decimated. If the plants in Japan are designed as those int he US are, I find it hard to believe that all power is lost. But again, it is possible. If true there are still other methods to get water into the core to cool it. There are diesel driven pumps for example. But these could only function to put in water if those valves I spoke of in item one totally failed to work. If they can't get water in to cool the core the situation is very bad.
There are reports of radiation levels in the plants control room is 1000 times above normal. I will tell you this, if that is true then the fuel is already damaged and things again would be extremely bad.

I don't say these things to scare people. What I want is for all of us to wait until things in Japan calm down and let the experts get in there and get things done. Then we can see how bad it really is.

Supreme Courts and the West Borough Baptist Church

2011-03-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged in nearly a year. So I guess it is fitting at this near anniversary that I should put fingers to the keyboard and see where this rant leads me.

This week, the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church. Justice Samuel Alito was the lone dessenting vote. Many of us in America are outraged by this outcome. But should we be surprised by it? I, for one, was not and I will explain why.

We all know that the defense put forth by the Westborough Baptist church was on the grounds of free speech. The line put forth by the family of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was concerning the pain and suffering the church caused them. Thus the line was drawn.

There was no way the Supreme Court was going to find for the Snyder family. Even though I believe that the justices might feel that what occurred was over "the line" the court did not want to decide where that line was. It is my belief that the court believes that the establishment of the line should be by the legislative branch no the judiciary. Had the Court ruled in favor of the Snyder family the flood gates would have been opened. Everyone who believed that they were wronged by free speech rights would have brought an immediate law suit in federal court. This would h ave over whelmed an already over whelmed system. But wait, the justices were sworn in promising to follow the constitution. In the end, that is exactly what they did. But you could not convince me that all 9 judges don't believe that Westboro Church is vile and needs to be reigned in. They, however, were not going to be the ones to do it while in the process placing more worked on an over worked system. We still have a lot of positions on the federal bench that remain unfilled because we have a congress that can't seem to get any work done.

But let's also look at the Westboro Baptist Church. Folks, this is not a church at all. They profess to be but what they are is a business. They are in the business of making money. How? You learn that the Westboro Baptist Church is coming to your town to demonstrate at a funeral of a fallen soldier. You are outraged. I would be outraged. That biker group Patriot Guard would be outraged. Now you have two groups converging on your fair town. A group of bikers hell bent on keeping the church group away from the funeral. Emotions run high. Cameras are rolling. News cameras and the cameras of the Westboro Baptist Church are rolling. There is an altercation between someone and one of the church members and it is all caught on tape. That is what the church wanted. Now they do not threaten to so the individual that started the altercation. They threaten to sue the city, town or county for not protecting them. They don't want to sue. They want to settle and so does the local government. So they settle for, oh lets say $100,000. Just what they wanted.

The church is not all lit up over America and gays. The church is lit up by dollar signs and if some reports are true it netted the Westboro Baptist Church over $1 million last year. To add insult t injury that is all tax free.

The best action is for each city, town, county and state to pass a law that they will be no demonstrations within 1000 feet of the entrance to the area where any funeral or burial is taking place. Oh, you can still have your free speech. But you can have it over there.

Leave it to Pelosi

2009-03-18T07:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in quite a while. Work has been hectic and I have been so busy that I haven't had time.

Well, leave it to the current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to get me to the point that I need to take extra blood pressure medication to keep from having a coronary.

Pelosi spoke to a group that included both legal, as well as, illegal aliens and said that the enforcement of existing immigration laws, as currently practiced, is "un-American."

Really. I think it is time for the wonderful people of California to say goodbye to Ms. Pelosi by kicking her butt out of office the next time the opportunity presents itself.

Excuse me but didn't she, with the rest of her colleagues in the House, take an oath to up hold the Constitution of the United States. Well Madam Speaker...that in my mind includes the laws that are in place to protect that document and all it stands for.

Please, doesn't the word ILLEGAL mean anything to you? I guess not with the way those in congress and the current administration seem to forget to live by it.

People complain about laws in this country all the time. I for one don't think that the current laws against prostitution and use of marijuana are worth the paper they are printed on and should be repealed. I tell my elected officials this and that is all I can do.

Ms. Pelosi however is the Speaker of the House. She can introduce legislation and even control how the bill flows through the House.

Ms. Speaker, if you don't like the current laws try something novel. Instead of calling them un-American try changing them. Instead of jumping all over ICE and law enforcement for enforcing the laws that YOU and the others in congress passed you might try to enact changes.

Go ahead Nancy...introduce a bill in the House of Representatives that changes the way the law looks at ILLEGAL aliens.

You won't because you know what would happen.

Here is the link to the article http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/18/pelosi-tells-illegal-immigrants-work-site-raids-american/

Hypocrits

2009-02-20T11:30:00.000-08:00

Have you all read this news article?

Foxnews:

WASHINGTON -- Invoking his own name-and-shame policy, President Barack Obama warned the nation's mayors Friday that he will "call them out" if they waste the money from his massive economic stimulus plan.

"We have asked for the unprecedented trust of the American people to deal boldly with the greatest economic crisis we have seen in decades -- and the privilege of investing unprecedented amounts of their hard-earned money to address this crisis," Obama told a gathering of mayors at the White House.

"With that comes an unprecedented obligation to do so wisely, free from politics and personal agendas," the president said. "On this I will not compromise or tolerate any shortcut."
The $787 billion economic plan passed by Congress and signed by Obama will inject a sudden boost of cash into infrastructure, education, energy and health care.

Now the political focus shifts to how all that taxpayer money will be spent on meaningful, job-creating projects.

Obama has staked his reputation on it.

He said Friday that legislation will allow the country "to watch the taxpayers' money with more rigor and transparency than ever."

The White House released excerpts of Obama's comments shortly before he spoke in the East Room.

"If a federal agency proposes a project that will waste that money, I will not hesitate to call them out on it, and put a stop to it," Obama said.

"But I want everyone here to be on notice that if a local government does the same -- I will call them out on it as well, and use the full power of my office and our administration to stop it," he said.

The president did not specify how, exactly, he would call out one of his administration's own agencies or a local government.

I don't often re-post an entire news article. However in this case I thought it was best to put it here instead of by link.

Looking strictly at what the President is trying to do this seems like a very good idea. On the sheer basis of it I would agree.

But when you look at all the spending on pet projects that the President allowed congress to add to the stimulus package it smells to high heaven to me.

Don't you think this is just a little hypocritical? Tell the state and local governments that he will be watching and call out those that propose spending that is wasteful all the while allowing those in the House and Senate a free pass.

I don't think so Mr. President. Is this what you call change? Is this what you call transparency? I guess that transparency only applies to state and local government not to those on Capital Hill.

You want to do this Mr. President I am okay with it, in fact, I am for it. But you need to start by going through the stimulus package and naming all those in the House and Senate who added waste full spending to the bill. Spending like neighborhood stabilization and all those other little pet congressional projects that are in that 1100 page piece of legislation.

Call out your old friends in the congress Mr. President, then you can call out those in state and local government that are wasting the taxpayers money.

Here is an idea

2009-02-19T05:47:00.000-08:00

I happened to see the conversation Greta Van Susteren had with Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on the Fox news website this morning. Senator Kyl and Greta were lamenting the fact that no one had the chance to read the Stimulus package bill prior to voting on it.

Well ain’t that just a damn shame. Like this is the first time I have heard that complaint from a member of the Senate or the House. It has been brought up before and by members on both sides of the isle, democrat and republican.

My question is, and it is a rather simple one, why haven’t you clowns done anything about it?

You know that the House and Senate setup their own rules on how legislation is expected to be handled. All it takes is a vote by the members of that chamber to amend to rules. Why not go for it? Bring up a change in the rules in the House and the Senate that says no legislation will be voted on without first having three days to allow all members to read the bill. We want bi-partisan politics, well this seems like something each side can get behind. Each committee could enact a similar rule for their respective committees. Problem solved. If you don’t read the bill now it is the fault of the senator or house member.

Yes, this would slow down the legislative process. Well to quote a phrase used by the Blue Collar comedian Ron White, the legislative branch of government is already moving at half the speed of smell. What the hell is more of a slow down going to hurt? Besides, it will take away an excuse for all these legislators because they can’t say they didn’t have time to read the darn thing.

Let us just suppose that members of the House and Senate are not behind a change in the rules like this. What happens then? The answer is simple…DO NOT VOTE FOR THE BILL. There ya go. If the leadership cannot get the proposed legislation to its members in time to allow said members to read it then just don’t vote for it. I don’t mean abstain. I mean vote no. I don’t mean vote present. I mean vote NO.

We send these men and women to Washington to be our elected representatives. How can they in good conscience vote for a bill that they haven’t even read? How can WE THE PEOPLE allow our elected representatives to behave in a manner like this? We send them there to read the bills and cast a vote for us. Now we see again where these elected people are not doing what we expect them to do.

Just once I would like to see a press conference where a Senator or Congressman steps up to the microphone and says, “I didn’t vote for this bill because the leadership did not get it to me to allow sufficient time for me to read it.” Lay the blame square on the shoulders of those in leadership of the House and Senate. I don’t care what party they belong to.

It is high time we started holding our elected representatives accountable for what they do in Washington. But it is also high time we start holding ourselves accountable for allowing this to go on as long as it has.

Fairness Doctrine

2009-02-18T05:52:00.001-08:00

There has been a lot of talk recently about the federal government and/or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) re-instituting something called the fairness doctrine.

What this basically says is that radio, TV and other media outlets have to provide a both sides of an issue equal time during interviews and debate over these issues.

No at first look that seems enticing to me. That would make all the liberal leaning media provide a more fair and balanced approach to the news. May be we could get away from the slanted news all news outlets seem to use.

But at the same time, this idea flies in the face of one of the most basic freedoms in our Constitution, that of free speech.

I must admit that on the surface a fairness doctrine for all the news outlets looks pretty good. Then all the news outlets from Fox news to CNN have to give both sides of an issue a chance to have equal time. That would mean that WE THE PEOPLE would get a more balanced product from the news.

But as you did into it you come to realize that this would be a huge intrusion into the free speech rights of all Americans.

Now I may not like the way a news outlet presents its news. I may not like the way the news is skewed to one political side or the other. But you the listener always have the option of changing the channel or turning the TV or radio off. I have news outlets I never watch due to the obvious slant they put on their news. That is my right. That news outlet has just as much right to present the news in any manner they chose consistent with journalistic ethics.

Ultimately whether a news outlet continues to present the news with a certain political slant depends upon how many viewers they get. The number of viewers determines the advertising rates and thus income to the company.

If you don’t like CNN…don’t watch. If you don’t like Rush Limbaugh…don’t listen. But I don’t need the federal government telling me, a private citizen, what kind of news I am allowed to watch and/or how fair they have to be. If I don’t like it…I won’t watch/listen to it. The decision is mine not Uncle Sam’s.

Not to mention now there is a move within the legislature and the FCC to apply this fairness doctrine to the internet. I always thought that www stood for the “world wide web”. What gives us the right to tell the rest of the world how they have to run their websites and its content?

I want everyone to take notice of who is behind this movement to bring the fairness doctrine back to life. It is the democrat party folks. They are the ones that are trying to silence you and me. If they go through with the plan, then the sites where I post this blog will have to find people to submit content from the opposing view point. Even if there are no people submitting such content.

In short the so called “Fairness Doctrine” is only fair to incumbent politicians. They will be allowed to control to news content and to offset those that may speak against them within the public sphere. The Fairness Doctrine is NOT fair to WE THE PEOPLE.

Keep your eyes open people. They will try and package this thing in a way that tries to hide what they are up to. Make sure your elected officials know that you are opposed to any kind of fairness doctrine in news reporting.

Politics As Usual

2009-02-17T06:21:00.000-08:00

Why is it that WE THE PEOPLE expect something different when all we have is the same ole band of degenerates in public office?

Now we have the new Senator from Illinois, Roland Burris, being caught in a potential perjury scandal. Sorry folks, life long politician equates to life long liar. It is just that simple, or at least it seems to be.

In case you are a parallel universe and have not kept up with such reports, here is a quick overview of what we currently know.

First of all you have the now former Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, who was allegedly trying to sell President Obama's vacant senate seat to the highest bidder. Then we add the former Governor's brother, Robert Blagojevich, who apparently was the point man in all this mess. Robert apparently called Mr. Burris and asked for campaign finance assistance. The dollar figured being bandied about in the media is $10,000. Mr. Burris declined to help due to the fact that he was seeking the vacant senate seat. Smart move by Mr. Burris don't ya think.

Rod Blagojevich was indited by the State Senate of Illinois for his actions related to the federal investigation. The actions then shifted to the State House in Illinois where Rod Blagojevich was put on trial for impeachment. One of those who testified against the governor was Mr. Burris, who had just taken the oath and had been seated as the junior senator from Illinois.

Now here is where things get a little hazy.

While being questioned by the State House's Impeachment Committee, Mr. Burris did not say anything about having contact with Robert Blagojevich prior to his appointment as President Obama's successor. Then on February 5th an affidavit sent to the Illinois State House democrat leadership where Mr. Burris admitted that he did have three phone conversations with the former governor's brother. This sets us up for the old familiar political game of they said, I said. The Illinois GOP (that is Republicans for those that don't know) has stated that this amounts to perjury by Senator Burris and that he needs to resign. Mr. Burris states that he simply answered the questions he was asked and that no one ever asked him about his contact with Robert Blagojevich. In short, he was never given the opportunity to come forth with the information about the contact he had with the governor's brother.

Senator Burris has stated that he has no intention of resigning from the senate. For that matter why should he? He fits right in with the rest of the group. I always thought that our elected officials and those appointed to serve in the government were held to a different standard. Apparently the standard they are held to is different. It is a lower standard.

Mr. Burris, don't you think that the Illinois House Impeachment panel might have wanted to hear about the governor's brother contacting you about campaign fundraising help? Are we to believe that you never had the opportunity to put forth that information during the impeachment process? Transcripts of Mr. Burris' impeachment committee testimony clearly shows that he was directly asked about speaking to Robert Blagojevich. Now I am pretty dense Mr. Burris, but wouldn't a phone call be contact. Or are we using the Clinton defense; "it depends on what your definition of contact is"?

Let us be real Senator. The only reason that you submitted the affidavit to the Illinois House was you were told by Robert Blagojevich's lawyer that it is possible that at least one of the phone conversations you had might have been taped. This is nothing more than a politicians attempt to cover thine own ass.

Some people may not like those of from the republican party. But one thing you must admit. If this were a newly appointed republican senator, would he be allowed to stay in office? The answer is no.

If William Jefferson were a republican he would have been run out of office. If Charles Rangle were a republican he would have been removed from office. But I guess Mr. Burris does just fit right in with those in the House and Senate. Particularly those with ties to the democrat party.

Its time to clean house people.

Is California the start?

2009-02-16T03:57:00.000-08:00

If you have not paid much attention the State of California is at the edge of the cliff and is ready to take a dive into the abyss.

According to reports the state faces a deficit of over $42 billion. The state has had to stop some public service type projects and delay paying tax refunds due to the latest crisis.

After a 30 hour session trying to pass legislation that will cut into the deficit the state senate is still one vote shy of having the required 2/3 majority to pass. The senate needs the votes of 3 republicans and apparently, they are not willing to cooperate.

What is the sticking point? Well it seems along with deep budget cuts there is also a rather hefty tax increase. This is something that the Republicans in the senate see as a deal breaker.

On strict principals I must side with these republicans. But given the fact that I may get an IOU for my tax refund in the coming weeks may be I should rethink that position. Nah.

Both the federal government and those at the state level have avoided this issue for far too long. The issue of spending more than you are taking in. Now that the overall economy is on the rocks everyone is feeling the pinch...and it hurts like hell.

WE THE PEOPLE have allowed our elected officials to take us down this path. We should have been in near revolt over some of the spending that has been allowed to be passed by state legislatures and that of the federal government. But we sat idly by and did nothing. We let the spending on frivolous research projects, projects for the arts and yes...even education go unchecked and unquestioned. WE THE PEOPLE have allowed the frivolous spending that is in the current stimulus package to go through congress with out so much as a whimper.

Question...how many of you even contacted your elected Representatives in the House or Senate and let them know how you feel about the stimulus package? All of the polls said that only about 1/3 of the population favored the thing. The phones in the capital should have been ringing off the hook. The capital email servers should have been shutdown due to the high volume of incoming emails. As far as I heard, none of that happened. So once again we sit back and do absolutely nothing. Oh we will whine and complain when our taxes are raised. We will complain about the pork spending that congress does. But we will not stop and say a darned word. To make matters worse we re-elect these people to office and then act surprised when all we see is more of the same.

During the presidential campaign then candidate Obama said that he would not allow pork spending. Well Mr. President, look at the bill you are about to sign and tell me what you see.

Now to top it all off someone else has come forward to ask for their piece of the stimulus money. Guess who? The United Nations. Are you kidding me? This is the nation that pours more money into third world countries than any other. An earthquake hits...we send money. A flood happens...the American people are there. Yes I said the American people...that would be WE THE PEOPLE. It is not through the federal government only that money is sent to these places that are hard hit. It is from the Red Cross and other like organizations where WE THE PEOPLE give our hard earned dollars to help people. Now the UN wants 0.7% of the total stimulus package. That is over $5 billion taxpayer dollars to go to another of the most bureaucratic and wasteful, not to mention corrupt, organizations out there. Hey...can I give the answer to the UN for us. You can kiss our ass. You are never there to help us so you can take your request for $5 billion and put it where the sun don't shine.

Look, I am getting side tracked here.

We have went down this road of social spending for far too long. I am all for giving help to those that are in need. There was a time a few years ago where I collected unemployment for over a year and where if it weren't for my church I don't think we would have made it. But there were LIMITS. We can't just give out money for welfare and other things on an endless bases. We can help yes. But in the end that means that those receiving help must also help themselves. Right now we make it too easy to sit back and relax on the backs of those of us who are working and paying taxes. I can't speak for all the taxpayers but my back hurts.

It is time we started forcing those elected in Washington and in state governments to do what each of us has to do...live within our means. You can't spend it if you ain't go it.

Yes, this is going to hurt...really bad. But in the end our children will be much better off. We might see a little relief ourselves.

Get Back Our Trust

2009-02-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well the grill is fired up in the chambers of the House Financial Services Committee meeting. The latest "meat" to be grilled are CEO's of the banking industry. Rep. Barney Frank has told these CEO's that they must work hard to gain back the public trust.

I have a better idea. Hey Rep. Frank...how about you and the other members of the House work to try and get back the public trust?

I just cannot believe that an organization that has an approval rating of 31.7% (that is the current average) is out to tell anyone to go earn back the public trust. The public lost its trust in the congress when Bush was president. They used to chide Bush about his approval ratings when the approval rating for congress was 10 points below that for Bush.

Get real Mr. Frank. As far as I am concerned we would do better having the other Barney in the House of Representatives. By the other "Barney" I am referring to that purple dinosaur. Come to think of it, there is a resemblance and you never see the two of them together.

No one in the House or Senate seems to be the least bit worried that their approval ratings are below that of Barry Bonds. No one in the House or the Senate seems to be willing to do a damn thing to try and gain back the trust and respect of WE THE PEOPLE. This is part of what makes me wonder why WE THE PEOPLE re-elect these relics to office.

Hey Mr. Frank. I realize that you don't read into the New Testament a lot. But there is a valuable lesson for you there if you take the time to read it. You might want to pass this along to the others in the House cause I don't think most of them read the Bible much either. Look at Luke 6:41-42 or Matthew 7:3-5. Then get the plank out of your own eye before you try and get the speck out of someone else's.

Now I know that didn't stick so let us try it this way. Get the public confidence and trust in Congress back Mr. Frank. Then you can tell others to do the same.

Oh hell no!!

2009-02-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Wait, did I hear Obama correctly? The government is the only ones who can get us out of these economic tough times? Oh hell no.

I have tried to stay very positive about President Obama. I have been impressed with some of his Executive Orders since taking office. But those were not law, there were merely orders to his administration on how they will conduct business.

I haven't even said much when some of those Executive Orders and promises were not followed. Lobbyists have been selected for high positions and he signed two bills without posting them on the White House website as promised. Some of this stuff takes time, I understand that.

But now we get into the area where the President and I totally disagree. Government are NOT the ones to get us out of this economic down turn. Industry and business will get us out of it Mr. Obama.

Even if the entire $800 billion were to be put in the country infrastructure, this would not guarantee us a way out. Once that money was spend we would either have to spend more (which will probably happen) or all those that went to work on roads and bridges would be laid off. The ones who would get rich on this deal are those that run the contract companies that get the contracts.

But as we all know most of that $800 something billion is going towards pork barrel spending that will do NOTHING to jump start this or any economy. Most of it will just make WE THE PEOPLE more dependent on the government instead of themselves. That will mean more people taking government handouts and less people working and paying taxes.

Don't you get it...it will make the situation WORSE not better.

I know some of the social program funds are needed. The extension of the Unemployment Benefits for one. But even this is putting the money into the pockets of the people, not into the pockets of those in government or those that are contractors.

Once again our elected folks in Washington looked the other way as nearly 50% of WE THE PEOPLE were against the stimulus.

A friend sent me an email. The title was "What Form of Government Do We Have?" I am going to post the link to the video at the end of this little rant. But for now, answer the question. What form of government do we have? Well, its obviously not a dictatorship. Its not a Monarchy.

Most people say its a democracy and that answer is dead wrong.

Watch the video and decide for yourself where we are and where we are headed.

http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment/

Liar, Liar Pants On Fire

2009-02-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

If I were to make a list of every time a politician had back peddled on a statement made in public I would have a blog that would go on for pages. So let us just concentrate on the latest shall we.

Jim Cooper (D-TN) said in a recent interview that he got some quiet encouragement from the Obama Administration to vote against the stimulus bill that passed in the House last week. If you are living in a cave and haven't heard of this bill it has nearly 1 trillion dollars of of tax breaks and government spending aimed at stimulating the US economy into a recovery. To say that some of the spending is "pork" or "earmarks" would be putting it mildly. There was even $2 million in the bill originally for contraception. That was finally pulled when Speaker Polosi got hammered on it. But there is still a mess of spending in this bill that will do nothing to stimulate a damn thing.

But I digress. The main point here is that Mr. Cooper stated during an interview with Liberadio on Monday that he had received encouragement from the Obama Administration to vote against the stimulus package. Mr. Cooper was one of eleven democrats to vote against the measure. Yet yesterday Mr. Cooper came out and told us that was not what he said. He now states that he was encouraged by talks with the Obama administration over the stimulus bill.

Oh please!! How many of us actually believe that Mr. Cooper knew exactly what he was saying during that radio interview and is only changing his mind now that the proverbial shit has hit the proverbial fan. Now he wants us to believe that he was misunderstood. I bet it will be a cold day in hell before Mr. Cooper does another interview with any media outlet, liberal or conservative.

Why can't these people just tell the damned truth. Yeah, I was given encouragement to vote against the bill. Now if the Obama administration wants to go out there and say it never happened they can. But what kind of credibility does Mr. Cooper have when the story changes that much in two days?

Politicians live and die by their ability to give speeches and interviews. Let's be real here. President Obama won an election by preaching exactly what WE THE PEOPLE wanted in Washington...change. He never said what change nor did he lay out any programs. His message was simply change. I am not knocking it. That is the way politics works. I have said this before and I will say it again, the only way that there will ever be meaningful change in Washington is if WE THE PEOPLE do it by voting incumbents out of office. Obama may actually want meaningful change and has shown some of that in his Executive Orders. The only problem is he still has to deal with the "old guard" in both the House and the Senate.

Why would WE THE PEOPLE vote for a President who promises change and give him or her the same old ragtag band of people to deal with in the Congress?

So now we have Mr. Cooper back tracking on his statement and looking like a complete idiot. Tell it like it is Mr. Cooper, the wheels have come off the stimulus package. Even President Obama has admitted that it needs a lot of work that alone is justification to stand by your original statement.

Now tomorrow I will write a blog that says that this is not what I actually said. I will whine and cry about how my comments were taken out of context or that the true meaning was just completely misunderstood or just plain missed by us feeble minded people.

Hey it works for these assholes...why not for us?

Score Another One for Obama

2009-02-04T05:22:00.000-08:00

I have said in this blog previously that I am a less government kinda guy. I do not like government intrusion into the private sector. I believe that the federal government causes more problems than it fixes.

Let me also say, in case anyone missed it, that I am not for all these bailouts. If these business's are going to fail because of their own mismanagement, let them fail. If the services that these business's provide is vital, someone will come in and pick up the pieces. If the services that were provided by the company are no longer needed, then the company was doomed to fail and all you are doing is throwing money at something and delaying the inevitable.

But now that the money has been given to these banks and auto makers you can bet your fanny that I am very interested in how that money is spent.

Enter President Obama. I saw an article on Foxnews this morning. Below is the title of the article and the link.

Obama to Limit Executive Pay for Bailout Recipients
Administration plans to limit pay to $500,000 a year for executives of bailed-out companies in a new get-tough approach to bankers and Wall Street.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/03/obama-plans-cap-executive-pay-government-assisted-financial-institutions/

There are going to be people, some are referenced in the article, that will not like the idea of this kind of government intervention in private business. These people feel that the government should in no way be able to place restrictions on the compensation given to company executives.

Normally I would agree with this sediment. But once these companies accept money from the TARP fund, those companies have agreed to government intervention. The government can continue this intervention until such time that the company pays the taxpayer back all the monies it received from said taxpayers. Don't like it...don't take the money. It is that simple.

The article does point out that some companies might decide not to accept the TARP money and would then subsequently close their doors. Well, you know what, they make their decisions and they must face the consequences. Most of these executives sat back and watched their companies going south without a care in the world. Why should they care? Look at the bonuses some of these folks got. Look at the golden parachutes. Many ran their company to the brink of bankruptcy and then got millions once they left the company.

How does one apply for a job like that? I want a job where I can fail miserably, still get paid, and then get millions when I am fired.

In the job I am in your are paid based on your performance. And if you perform poorly and get fired you get a kick in the ass when you leave. You may get two weeks pay but you are not getting any kind of golden parachute.

In addition, its not like these company executives have shown that they know how to spend money wisely anyway. Once the TARP money was received some of the companies held great parties for their executives at spas and resorts. Others bought that new corporate jet they just couldn't do without. If you can do that then you can do without the TARP money in my book.

So way to go President Obama. I still don't agree with the current stimulus package before the senate, but I have to give you kudos for sticking it to those companies that take government money.

I just hope it all makes a difference.

Sorry

2009-02-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

He comes another one. Now Tom Daschle, Obama's selection for Health and Human Services Secretary, is now the latest to be caught with a tax issue.

Doesn't it seem funny that people who wrote the current tax law are having such a problem following the damned thing. Kind of makes you wonder what chance WE THE PEOPLE have and following it.

What is even worse is how you and I would be treated by the IRS and the federal government if we had a tax problem. My daughter and her husband are currently having a federal tax issue and let me tell you that the treatment they are receiving a vastly different from that of the two tax cheats in President Obama's cabinet. Some how with us just saying we're sorry don't exactly end the problem.

Now I in no way think that this is strictly a problem with those in the democrat party. It has become apparent that all those elected folks in Washington are a pack of lying, conniving, cheating, despicable example of the human race. What is worse to me is that the rest of the liars and cheaters are going to be the ones to confirm these liars and cheaters. This may just be a case for the opinion that the patients are running the hospital.

One must wonder if Mr. Daschle would have found the error in his tax returns had he not be selected for this cabinet position. How long would this little error have gone unnoticed? I think the IRS needs to rethink its procedures a bit.

I think it is high time that every member of the House and Senate. Every member of the current administration, regardless of party affiliation be subjected to an IRS audit. With as many of them that seem to be found cheating the government on their taxes I think that would be a great idea. The audit should go back as far as we are allowed, by law, to go. Hey...include those that were part of the previous administration. It all works for me. Just let us see how many of our honest, hard working politicians are honest.

The best one yet though was the Treasury Secretary that said it was because he used Turbo Tax. Do any of you truly believe that this man actually used Turbo Tax to do his returns? I don't. If I were the creators/owners of Turbo Tax I think I would be working on finding out if our friend Mr. Geithner actually used the tax preparation software and if he don't have a license for the stuff I would sue his ass.

At least Daschle just came out and said he made a mistake. Mr. Geithner has to blame it on a computer program that no one, with his background, would ever use.

Now lets add a little insult to injury with this tax issue. I will still have to file California state tax for 2008. Since I have been having Mississippi tax withheld the state of California made me pay quarterly tax payments. Smokin and I made those payments on time for 2008. Now we get told that if we have a refund coming from California that we will get an I.O.U. Now wait a minute...if I would have been late sending in my quarterly payment I would have been in violation of California State law and would have been held accountable for penalty and interest. Yet Arnold and Company, LLC, can give me an IOU and there is no penalty and there is no interest? Oh hell no. I don't mind the IOU. I don't even mind that the State of California got to use my money interest free for a year. But when I forget to render payment and I am hit with interest and penalty and when you don't give me a refund all I get is sorry that is some bullshit.

What would have happened to Smokin and I had we sent in an IOU for a quarterly tax payment. I don't think that California would have been the least bit amused. But if end up owing taxes to California I may just send them an IOU in the mail. I don't plan on ever stepping foot in that state again so what the hell.

Are You Serious?

2009-01-28T04:28:00.000-08:00

First off, let me start by giving full disclosure.

I am a conservative. I have listened to Rush Limbaugh and do like some of his views. I also subscribe the Limbaugh Letter and Rush 24/7.

This country is in a fix right now. Jobs are being lost and families are losing their homes and their lives. In California right now the latest thing seems to be to kill your wife and kids when you loose your job. That has happened three times recently.

So while the House and Senate look to pass the new stimulus package what else is being done? Well it seems that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched an online petition to express outrage at conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh for saying he wanted President Obama to "fail."

Are you kidding me?

First of all, Mr. Limbaugh is NOT a politician. He is a radio talk show host and his job is to create controversy so he can get listeners. He apparently has a lot of them. As I said I have listened to Mr. Limbaugh in the past. My work schedule does not allow the time to listen to him now. I do agree with a lot of Mr. Limbaugh views. I do believe in less government. I do believe in lower taxes and a reduction, or at least a revamping, of some of the entitlement programs the government offers. I DO NOT believe that I would like to see President Obama fail. I DO NOT want to see the situation in this country get worse just to see a conservative/republican voted into office. ANY OFFICE. President...Senate...House...State...ANY OFFICE. To see this country get worse will hurt to many Americans in the long run. We cannot afford that.

So I say support the president. But is there is an area where you feel that President Obama's plans are not in the best interest of the country you need to let him know and your other elected officials no.

No to those in the democrat party that want to go after Rush Limbaugh. First, get back to running the country and leave him alone. All you are doing is playing right into his hand and making his listening base stronger.

Second, look back at how the democrat party as a whole treated former President Bush. You may not have said; "We want him to fail" but you certainly did everything imaginable to see that happen. Actions speak louder than words and your actions speak volumes. Add to this the fact that Mr. Limbaugh cannot vote on one bill or pass any legislation. In short, all he can do is talk. So he can say he wants President Obama to fail but you folks have the office to carry it out and you did to President Bush. That is what the opposing party is supposed to do after all.

Next, stop this crap of going after former President Bush and any of his administration. I have said it before and I will say it again, your candidate for president promised change. WE THE PEOPLE voted for that change. You all had better get on board with it or you will dome you reign to be very short lived. You might even help Rush Limbaugh succeed.

The choice is yours.

Score One for Obama

2009-01-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

I did not vote for President Obama. But, as I have said, he is my president. And when he does something that I think is right I will certainly say so. Here we go with example number one.

If you have kept up with all the hype surrounding the expected stimulus package currently making its way through congress you know that there is a bunch of stuff in that bill that has n0thing to do with creating jobs or helping out the current financial crisis. There was actually money in that bill, over $200 million, for birth control. Yep, you heard it right, over$200 million for condoms and other forms of birth control.

Well, President Obama called the democrat leadership in the House and gave them a big "hell no" and that has been pulled from the bill. The president told them that it had nothing to do with economic stimulus and needed to be axed. The leadership complied and the condom money has been cut.

Well now we hear that there is approximately $4.19 BILLION for "neighborhood stabilization activities." While the original wording in the bill would have sent this money strictly to the state and local governments, the wording has been changed to include non-profit entities.

Now how is the hell does this have anything to do with economic stimulus? I know that the states and local governments are feeling the pinch. Hell we all are. But too much money has already been given out to the banks and the auto makers with no oversight as to what the money is being used for. So now we give it to the states where we have no oversight as to what it is being used for. Not to mention giving it to non-profit organizations. Some, like ACORN, are about as shady as some of the banks. Some of them, like ACORN, are also under federal investigation for fraud and other charges.

If this stimulus money makes its way to ACORN, some are going to see this as the democrats "giving back" to the organization that helped get Obama (and others) elected. Now that may or may not be a fair assessment. But it is one that will be made non the less. And I don't think even the look of "politics as usual" is what President Obama needs right now.

So President Obama, its time to pick up that phone again and give ole Nancy a call.

Might not be a bad idea for WE THE PEOPLE (that means us) to call our representatives in the House and tell them the same thing.

Don't know how to contact your representatives? Just use the link below and click on your state.

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Tell them, and Obama, that we were promised change.

The First of Many

2009-01-23T07:40:00.000-08:00

Well did you hear the news?

Yesterday President Obama went in to the White House press room to say howdy to all the members of the White House press corps. While coming in to play meet and greet a reporter from the Politico did a surprise attack on the President and actually had the nerve to ask a question.

First, President Obama get used to it. You are now the President and along with that comes something you might have never expected. Your are no longer allowed to be "just an everyday Joe". Every where you go you are going to be asked questions by reporters, your staff and everyday citizens. Get used to it. It comes with the job.

Second, I think all the media should read my blog from yesterday. The man is new to the job. Take a few steps back and let him catch his breath. You don't need to hound the man every time he walks by. Besides, you might want to remember that old adage you catch more flies with honey.

Now as far as the question President Obama was asked I think it was a fair one. He has promised, in his campaign and now via Executive Order, that there is going to be more transparency in his administration. President Obama has also tried to put the brakes on the lobbyists with access to the White House staff. As I said yesterday I praise these moves and hope he is serious.

But when you select a lobbyist for a key defense department position and you get questioned on it by a reporter and respond as you did, that will lead to headlines that basically say that it is all lip service. Which is what you got from some news outlets.

Please!

2009-01-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

Okay people, step away from the news and take a deep breath. Hold it. Now exhale slowly.

What is wrong with WE THE PEOPLE in this country?

First of all you had people saying that Obama wasn't president because he didn't say the oath properly. Oh come on. Do some of you folks just sit around and look for reasons and excuses to say that President Obama isn't really the president? He wasn't born in the US so he doesn't meet the requirements of the Constitution. He did say the oath correctly. Which, by the way, was more a problem on Judge Roberts' part than the Presidents.

Now there are news reports about "confusion" in the Obama Administration. WELL DAH!!! None of these people have ever done this before you idiots. This is all new to them.

Can you people on the conservative side of the isle just stop and listen to yourselves. Please!

You used to complain about all the things liberals came up with about Bush. So is this tit-for-tat or are you just as anal as some of them were.

Oh...and in case you didn't know President Obama did redo the oath of office so there.

Now to the other side of the coin. He people...it has only been TWO WHOLE DAYS. All that has been done is a couple of Executive Orders. Now while I will admit to liking most of those orders (if not all) it is only Executive Orders!! They do not require any input from the House or Senate nor the Judiciary. He is stating how is administration is going to operate. Before we go off all "willie-nillie" as a friend of mine would say let's slow down a bit.

Conservatives...give the man a chance. If you don't like his plan for the country then rip the plan not the man. Oh...and as an aside if you want to rip any plan that the Obama Administration puts forward just remember how it felt when the liberals were blasting Bush for his plans yet not offering any ideas of their own. Rip the plan sure, but offer alternatives.

Liberals...this is not the second coming. Obama is not the messiah. He is like each and everyone of us he is a man pure and simple. It might well be wise for all of you to take a deep breath and let the man do his job instead of waiting for the miracle to happen. Give the President some breathing room ya'll. Let him catch his breath and get his programs started.

Now it begins

2009-01-21T05:40:00.001-08:00

Now it begins for President Obama.

The parties are over and he has spent his first night in the White House. I hope he and Michele got a chance to "git-r-done" in the oval office before they hit the sack last night. I have a feeling that the opportunities for the President and the First-Lady are about to become few and far between.

I also hope that the President's hangover is not too severe this morning. I can well imagine that Mr. Bush might be a little on the peeked side this morning. I know if I were in his place and just got out of that job I would go on a binder that might last a month.

So all the best Mr. President.

And for all the liberals out there, Bush was not able to lay any of his problems at the feet of Mr. Clinton. So the problems and all that happens are now President Obama's. You want to get your panties in a bunch now you can blame it all on the man in the White House. You seem to know how to do that well enough. Or at least you have for the past 8 years.

Good luck and may God be with you President Obama. I will be praying for you and your family.

Thank you former President George W. Bush for keeping us safe since 9-11. I pray for you and Laura as you enter private life.

Myspace

2009-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

For all those that are members of Myspace, did you see the announcement on your Myspace home page?

Well here it is. Take a read would ya.

Hey guys—Today's Presidential Inauguration is going to be one of the biggest historical events in our nation's history and you can watch it live on MySpace Impact starting at 8:30 am PT/ 11:30 am ET. Also, yesterday we launched the Presidential Pledge project encouraging celebrities to record a pledge of service to President-elect Barack Obama. More than 50 celebrities document their pledges to our new President—check out the video and create your own video at www.myspace.com/presidentialpledge.

Now in theory I should have no problem with a statement like this. Except the fact that every American should offer support to every president. That includes Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and yes George Bush (both).

Now I was not around Myspace 4 years ago when president Bush took his second oath of office. But I would be willing to bet that Myspace (if it were around) had any such announcement as this for George Bush. I would bet that Myspace didn't ask anyone to pledge anything to Bush. There in with me lies the problem.

If the polls are correct, WE THE PEOPLE, are fed up with partisan politics in America. We are tired of the fighting between the democrats and the republicans.

Okay...so let me ask you this. How many of you who call yourselves conservatives were just tickled to death when president Clinton was impeached? Now answer truthfully. I'll admit that I was. I don't like people who lie and Clinton was great at it.

Now how many of you so called conservatives were just totally pissed when Clinton wasn't convicted and removed from office?

Okay liberals...your turn.

How many of you want Pelosi and congress to go after Bush and Cheney and put them in jail? Again, be honest. Would it make you happy to see them in jail?

If we cannot stop fighting amongst ourselves in the political realm how can we ever expect our elected officials to do the same?

This is not to say that we shouldn't disagree. Far from it. It is in dialogue that we grow and that things truly get fixed and things move forward.

But there is a difference between dialogue and hatred. There is a difference between discussion and revenge.

WE THE PEOPLE need to support every president that serves. Democrat or republican it doesn't matter. No president cannot be successful without the support of all Americans.

Again, I am not saying that we need to walk in lock step with President Obama. But he does need and deserve our support and our prayers. I know that is an easy thing to do when the person in office is the one you wanted. But, in fact that should not matter.

Think about it.

Now I'm Pissed

2009-01-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Want to get pissed right along with me. Here is a wonderful article that I found about service men and women returning from deployment overseas. This is from the Demoines Register.

Read it and see what you think.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090118/NEWS/901180340

Now ain't that some shit. People get sent overseas by our country and come home to bullshit like this. Not one of our returning soldiers should have an issue when they come back. But we have become a country that doesn't give a damn about laws much less common decency.

We see the money being spent on the inauguration of a new president while we see people losing their homes and kids not being fed. There are people who say that this money is not taxpayer dollars. We all know that is just pure crap. If these people can raise all that money to run a campaign to win the office let them go out and raise money themselves to pay for this stuff. Including the security for speakers and the new president.

This country is going in the toilet and we are just sitting on our collective asses and watching it. Look at the shit we have let congress get away with. The financial and auto bail outs. Look at how much money we have thrown down the crapper.

Now don't get me wrong...I DO NOT blame Obama for this. Let's face it, this crap has been going on forever and will continue as long as WE THE PEOPLE (remember that) continue to let it. But at the same time all I heard from Mr. Obama (he ain't the president yet) is CHANGE. Well what the hell has changed. We are still spending money we ain't got and with those bozo's in the house and senate that ain't a gonna change any time soon.

You see if I were Mr. Obama, I would just tell everyone to have a party if they want to. I on the other hand will be there to take my oath of office and once that is done I will go to that new house I moved into and have a beer and a pizza. Might even smoke a cigarette afterwards.

If we are for change, and I think we all are, then we should demand change. Not the same old BS. Just like have you heard that Ms Pelosi has said that they might "have to" prosecute ole George and Dick. Have to my ass. If that is the case madam speaker, then you had better get your own house in order first and investigate how you chicken bastards in congress voted to give your right to declare war to the president instead of exercising it yourselves. Investigate that. Take some damned responsibility for your own crap. Don't just demand that others take responsibility for theirs.

Okay...so I got a little off topic. But I am fed up.

To all you folks in Washington, D.C., who are there for the party. Have a good time. But please don't whine about your financial situation because you spent all that money on transportation, hotels and meals. And don't complain to me if things don't change the way you think they should. Complain to those that need to hear the complaints. The elected members of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the new president who will be sworn in tomorrow.

And if you know of a soldier returning from active duty who has lost their job because their employer is an asshole, please get the word out about these employers. Lets protect those who protect us.

It's Not Logical

2008-12-31T06:41:00.001-08:00

Those who know me well know that I am a Star Trek nut...Trekkie if you prefer. I even have the original Star Trek theme as my ring tone on my cell phone (it's true).

As I was looking at the morning news all I could hear was Mr Spock saying; "It's not logical, Captain." What is not logical you might ask? This BS that everyone in this country now has the right to say that we are offended.

Well guess what...I am offended at your being offended.

Something people living in this country had better come to realize is that at some point in your day you are going to be offended. There is not a darned thing you can do about it. Don't believe me? Let's just take a look at the latest rounds of "I Am Offended" that is in the news and see how things could play out. (Sounds like a new game show..."I Am Offended" here is your host Don Imus).

Do you folks realize that President-Elect Obama is planning on having someone say an invocation (that is prayer for you rednecks out there) at his inauguration? Now we have the atheists that are all up in arms over having an invocation and In God We Trust stamped on our currency (that means money). Okay, I think we can all agree that we cannot have it both ways. Either God is part of our society or God ain't. There is no middle of the road. Why? Because the atheist would never accept the middle of the road. Groups like that never will. So either they are offended because God remains a part of the great US of A or the Christian is offended because the right to religion has been taken away. Who wins? No one does. In fact we all loose.

You see, I am more concerned about the infringement of rights on individuals than I am about someone having to see the words In God We Trust on the dollar bill. Let's take the gay RIGHTS movement as an example. There are people out there who are being denied the basic rights of marriage or civil unions which fails to provide them with the same rights as hetero married couples. My wife is the one who decides my care if I am in an accident. My wife has the right to come see me in the hospital. That is not true for committed gay couples and that is infringing on their civil rights.

If you are an atheist and do not like in God We Trust on your cash then do not use cash. Use credit cards and debit cards. There is a way around your problem. You can chose not to believe in God and that hurts no one but yourself.

There are always going to be areas where we are offended. Even with what I said about gays and civil rights I am still offended when I see gay couples holding hands or kissing in public. But you see that is MY problem...not theirs. If I don't like to see it then I can find another restaurant or look the other way.

It's just like the old saying, don't like what's on the radio? Turn it off or change the damned channel.

Some of us need to change the channel.

The Plane Trip Wasn't Enough?

2008-12-30T04:40:00.000-08:00

You gotta love the US Auto makers. Or at least admire the golden orbs called balls that they are carrying around.

If they didn't learn enough about pissing the US taxpayer off with their little trip to Washington aboard individual private jets, I hope they can learn the lesson now.

It seems Chrysler felt that they needed to say thanks to the US taxpayer by taking full page ads in three big US newspapers. Ads that cost around $200,000 each. Just to tell this fat bastard in Mississippi thank you.

Well let us get one thing straight Mr. Chrysler, I did not approve of the bail out you clowns got. You wanna blow smoke up some ones skirt might I suggest another road trip to DC. There is the teat you should be sucking on. Or are already sucking on.

You would think that a CEO of a large company like Chrysler, Ford and GM, would have to have a lot going for him upstairs. I mean one would think that these guys are like smart. But obviously that is not the case. Evidenced by how they have run the auto companies in the ground and how they not only fail to learn from their own mistakes, but the mistakes of the mortgage industry. I seem to recall those parties after they got the bail out money.

But at least someone got a massage with a happy ending from the parties that the top brass at those financial institutions had. Here I get to look at a front page add that says; "F&%K YOU" to the US taxpayer.

And through all of this our elected officials just sit back and let us take it up the old shoot. Oh...now congress wants the mortgage companies to explain where the hell the money went. How was that not part of the deal in the first place? This is not a 5-year old and his allowance for heaven's sake. This is BILLIONS of OUR dollars and you the elected have no idea where the cash is going and what it is being used for. Oh, and it's not like you asked for an accounting of the money spent...YOU NEVER ASKED. It was never part of the deal.

Here it is almost 2009. You know what...2010 will be here before you know it. That will be our next chance to truly make a change in Washington. Our next chance to take out our own full page ad that says "get the hell out of my face" to all those elected to the House and Senate. It will be here before you know it. Let us not forget.

Time to say goodbye

2008-12-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

I started doing internet broadcasting on June 16, 2008. I started on a site called NowLive.com. NowLive claimed that it was a social broadcasting site. To me when I first joined on May 31st it seemed to be nothing more than a glorified chat room, which, by the way, I hated.
As I started listening I found that it was more than that. You could actually call in and interact live. Now, that I liked.

I really must thank NowLive for introducing me not only to internet broadcasting but also to some people who have become very dear to me.

First, there is Baddog. When I first went into his show (Dog House with Baddog) I found him to be a very quiet laid back person. Now I have found that when he is like that you had better find something and hold on cause something is about to happen. I became his co-host and we have had a great time together. I love this man and his family. They are actually really part of the family now. Our son married his daughter. Incestuous little group aren’t we.

As I listened to the Dog House I was introduced to two brothers who are from Alabama. I found out that Meroll and C-roll had a show called Brotherly Love which seemed to be about anything but love. But then given my dad’s family, I was used to that. I soon became a regular caller on that show as well.

This little group of people was becoming very close. So close in fact that that right before Christmas 2007 on the Dog House with the help of Meroll and C-roll, Smokin and I renewed our wedding vows. It was December 23, 2007, our 35th wedding anniversary. We spent it with our family on NowLive.

While NowLive grew there was a force at work that I think started the sites decline. The advent of the NETWORK.

I can see networks for radio and TV. In the future there may be something to networks on internet radio/TV. But at the stage this was in last year this was just a joke. It was people looking for power and they found people who were willing to give theirs up. All for the promise of some cold hard cash. No cold hard cash ever developed. But the chasm that developed on the site was proving to be very destructive. Friends were turned against friends as one network would not allow its members to promote shows outside of their own network. This was something that Baddog, Meroll, C-roll and I could never agree to. We believed in supporting all shows on NowLive thus promoting the site. Although all of us were approached to join these networks, we declined. This rattled some cages and angered some people. But we stayed true to running our individual shows the way we wanted.

Here is where our next character in the cast enters. Actually, I had been working with Pastor Rick Hope for some time. He was running a show called Challenge from the Heart. A show designed to get people talking about Jesus Christ. An off-shoot of that show was Sunday Morning with Pastor Rick. Yep…our very own NowLive internet church service. Complete with a sermon by Pastor Rick and some Christian based music. That show was picked up as a featured show on NowLive and was also broadcast on Yuwie radio. The family had grown by one as Pastor Rick became our pastor. PastorRick also officiated when we renewed our wedding vows.

There is one other accomplishment of note I would like to mention here. In August, 2007, the staff of NowLive asked for someone to step forward and try to break the website by doing a marathon show. Baddog stepped up and accepted the challenge. With the help of his wife, SexyShelly (and the name is appropriate), and his daughter Amanda and a cast of several others including the rest of the “family” we ran a show for 137 hours. The only down time was when the site crashed (they told us they wanted us to break it). Those breaks were very short, only a matter of minutes, and we were back on the air. The marathon consisted of 137 hours of interactive comedy. Music was played to allow the occasional trip to the outhouse (hey, we are rednecks) and to throw down some groceries. Then back at it. I want to make it clear that this was all Baddog, SexyShelly and Amanda. All the rest of us did was call in and lend give someone to talk to and play off of. All we did was support, but it did cement the family in a way that all of us would never imagine.

With all of the network stuff on the site continuing it was only a matter of time before we created our own network. For no other purpose than to piss off those that were running networks. When the Redneck Radio Network started it boasted two shows that were featured on NowLive. Brotherly Love and the Dog House with Baddog. Wakeup Call with Broken and Smokin joined the ranks as featured in July, 2008. That gave the “network” three featured shows. No other network could boast that. But in fact we were really a network. We were just a group of friends having poking fun at other people and having fun doing it.

All this time things on NowLive really started going south. One of the premier acts on the site left to join another site. Ester Goldberg and “That’s Estertainment” could be looked at as the clash of the rednecks with Hollywood. This was because that “skinny little bama bitch,” Meroll and that “fat mutha fucka,” brokenpole, along with C-roll would be found in virtually every That’s Estertainment complaining about the smell of wolf pussy. Baddog may not have been on the callers list a lot. But he was definitely in the chat stirring up the pot.

While Ester had left on her own terms, others were forced to leave because of finances. Such shows and Morning Wood (later Goober and the Viking) and Buttafuco and Nads were soon off the air. Replaced by shows that wanted to do nothing more than make the mouths of young pre-pubescent males’ water by shaking breasts on cam. Oh the site traffic went up. NowLive became the T&A network.

Not that the Redneck Radio Network didn’t have some fun with it. We had picked up another family member along the way. A gay pervert named Jessie Odell. So let’s see…you take on part Michigan redneck blend together with one big fat ass Mississippi redneck then stir in two-parts bama redneck and put in that touch of gay and what do you have? I have no idea but it is funny as hell. It was Jessie that had fun with a caller on night who called another show on NowLive and somehow got connected to the Dog House. By the time we were done some woman host on NowLive was supposed to get a picture of an erect penis in exchange for on pair of worn panties. The Forbadden Show was never more fun I can tell ya that.

Marty and C-roll created a “show within a show” by turning Brotherly Love into a cross between Judge Judy and Jerry Springer. They held the Brotherly Love Court of Public Opinion. Meroll and C-roll were the judges. Baddog was Chief Prosecutor (although the only thing I think he ever prosecuted was a beer). Myself? I became the “Drunk Bailiff.” Thus started one of the greatest lines in all of internet radio history. “Bailiff, whack his pee-pee.” While the Brotherly Love Court of Public Opinion was short lived, it cemented the relationship of four people. We found we worked well together and enjoyed making each other, as well as the audience, laugh.
But with the funny side of things there was the almost constant barrage of people who would come into shows and just act like total morons. Some would actually call but most were just in the chat. We had fun with more than one of them but in the end it just became too much. So we went to the staff of NowLive for help. What we got was a heapin helpin of “ain’t you happy that we have this site for you and it’s all free you don’t have to pay.” In chorus with that was a shit load of “we are so over worked and don’t have the time to get involved with all you little squabbles you will just have to handle them yourselves.”

You can imagine where this went. Especially given the fact that the show host had no ability to ban or block anyone from the show chat and in some cases even callers. Some would even magically un-mute themselves. So what now? Call a site admin. A person who is a volunteer and is given the power to ban people from the site. Never mind the fact that most of the people that were banned were let back on by some other admin or the staff. This also brought the staff down on us for over working the admins.

Finally in a user lead revolt we got the right to ban people from our show. Things went a little smoother after that. But the end had already started. Complaints to the site staff were always met with “you are getting this platform to use for free. Why are you complaining?”
I never said much to the assholes that ran the site at the time but WE WERE THE PEOPLE BRINGING IN THE SITE TRAFFIC YOUR MORONS!!!

That is something the assholes in charge of NowLive ever considered. That the user’s…those running shows…were what was bringing people to the site. Every time you brought up problem it was like pulling the cord on one of those old toy dolls. A recording would come on and say; “you aren’t paying anything why are you complaining”.

Now there is a sound business plan for ya…kick the people running shows in the balls and get them to leave. Will someone please explain to me how you are supposed to make money by having nothing but an AM/FM radio cast and some bullshit featured shows running on the site?
So the audio quality began to suffer. On the Dog House, a show that is interactive (for the NowLive staff that means we talk to each other) it is awful hard to do anything when you can’t hear the other people talking. Now it may sound like we complained a lot to the NowLive staff. Let me just state for the record that I was told many times that we were not the trouble we thought we were. That they wished they had others like us. Okay…so maybe not. But we complained again.

My wife, smokinbeaver54, wrote a question in an open bulletin. I chose to put mine in the form of a comment to BigDog. Listed below are the answers we got.

posted by bigdog @ 11/23/2008 7:27:38 PMYes I have got the apology and I am sorry...I am basically not involved any more...the only way you can get good audio all the time is to use flash...the issue with call in shows and audio quality is when the site traffic goes up....I am very sorry for the issues but its out of my hands since i do not pay the bills and the people that do right now are trying to find ways in this bad economy to survive...do you think hosts would pay for call-in shows? thanks

posted by bigdog @ 11/21/2008 5:32:24 PMwhat not ask for help instead of posting stupid bulletins slamming the site (not you but the other half)...I would be happy to do some tests and see why you are having such issues...if you want to set up a time and do a test...or maybe explain exactly what the issue is that would be great...its not like i ignore you right?

First…when we asked for help all we got back was that we should be thankful we didn’t have to pay that the site was free. In the top message you can see where that was going. And we were not the only ones being pinched for cash by NowLive.

I got emails from other site members that told me similar stories. I will not post these messages here out of respect for these friends. Not out of respect for NowLive, frankly I could give a shit about them. But I do not want to hurt friends that for whatever reason want to maintain access on the site. Just know that sooner or later members who want to run a call in type show will have to pay for it. Even if you pay I think the site will continue to go downhill and that is really a shame.

The other answer offered by the NowLive staff is to run what are called “flash shows”. This is a show run via webcam and microphone with not callers allowed and no podcast. Well Bigdog let me remind you of a few things that I have told you about before. The flash shows suck ass. If someone does co-host on cam the delay is terrible. Not to mention that the audio quality is NOT what you say it is. I have tried running flash shows and the audio was reported to be “shitty” by the listeners. In addition, I have been in the chat for these shows and I will state that the audio is worse than shitty.

On December 1, 2008 the Dog House with Baddog started at its normal time of 7 PM ET. But we lasted less than 15 minutes because of the audio quality on the site. Baddog decided to shut it down and immediately went to Usteam.tv and have stayed there ever since.

So one on hand I need to thank NowLive for allowing me to meet some very great people. People who I have become very close with. A couple I have even met person to person. Several have even broke bread at my table and I at theirs. A few others I hope to meet face to face in the very near future.

But I have to say that I hate the bastards for destroying something that was wonderful. A whole community of people that would support each other and help each other. For that NowLive I say a hardy FUCK ALL YA’LL.

So if you want excellent audio and video quality come over and join us on ustream.tv. Just follow the links below stop by and say howdy!!

Dog House with Baddog (M – F at 7 PM ET)
www.ustream.tv/channel/doghousewithbaddog

Redneck Radio News (Sun at 7:30 PM ET)
www.ustream.tv/channel/redneck-radio-news

Wakeup Call with Broken and Smokin (Sat 9 AM ET)
www.ustream.tv/channel/wakeup-call-with-broken-and-smokin

Sunday Mornings with Pastor Rick (Sun at 9 AM ET)
www.ustream.tv/channel/sunday-mornings-with-pastor-rick

Bible Study with Brokenpole (Sun 10:45 ET)
www.ustream.tv/channel/bible-study-with-brokenpole

We Need to Take Christmas Back

2008-12-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

I got an email from a good friend yesterday. I forwarded it to folks in my email address book and I feel the need to reproduce it here. The title is "Twas the Month Before Christmas".

Twas the month before Christmas
*When all through our land,
*Not a Christian was praying
*Nor taking a stand.
*See the PC Police had taken away,
*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
*The children were told by their schools not to sing,
*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
* December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.
*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod
*Something was changing, something quite odd!
*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.
*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
*Are words that were used to intimidate me.
*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace
*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'
*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,
not Happy Holiday!
Please, all Christians join together and
wish everyone you meet during the
holidays a
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Christ is 'The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!

You know folks, if you don't want to celebrate Christmas that is alright with me. I have no issue with that. I will leave it to you how to explain to your kids how little Johnnie next door got a new bicycle for no apparent reason.

I won't even mind when you get a paid day off for a holiday that you have no intention of celebrating.

But how about just shutting the hell up and letting us have a little fun won't you. No one is telling you to sing the First Noel or Silent Night or God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or O Come All Ye Faithful or Joy to the World or We Three Kings or O Come Let Us Adore Him. But darn it if I want to sing I sure as hell am going to sing.

I see no where in federal or state law where you are required to purchase and decorate a pine tree or any other tree for that matter. But if I want to put up a CHRISTMAS TREE I should be allowed to do it.

No police officer is going to ticket you or arrest you if you fail to say Merry Christmas to people you meet on the street. But neither should we be arrested for saying Merry Christmas in public where someone may be offended. If it offends you then maybe you should just lock yourself in your house from Thanksgiving til New Years Day.

I am a 54 year old kid and I love Christmas. I love everything about it. My youngest is 28 years old and I still get goose bumps watching her open presents. My 31 year old daughter is living with me now in Mississippi and I will have tears in my eyes as she opens her presents Christmas morning.

So I am going to wish you a Merry Christmas. Go ahead and get pissed or offended if you like. But you are not going to stop me.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Santa: Pinhead or Patriot

2008-12-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Anyone who watches the O'Reilly Factor on Fox news will recognize the words in the title of this blog.

On Tuesday, December 9, 2008, Mr. O'Reilly had Santa as a patriot in his usual segment. While I can agree that Santa may be a patriot I have to wonder about Mr. O'Reilly. Or is it Santa?

I tried to get a figure for how many service men and women will be away from their families this Christmas and I couldn't even come up with a good estimate. It is certainly in the thousands. In my time in the US Navy I spent time away from family during the holidays.

So "Santa" setting up a furlough so a 3-year old girl can see her daddy seems like a good thing. Certainly a heart warming story for Mr. O'Reilly to air on his program.

The story goes that the little girl told Santa that she wanted to see her daddy for Christmas. We are led to believe that some how this Santa arranged for a furlough so the daddy could come home and see the little girl. As I watched the tape of the little girl hugging her daddy and crying "I love you daddy" my heart melted. I think it was melted by the tears that welled up in my eyes.

But as the day has worn on my mind has started thinking about all of those other men and women. The other mom's and dad's that would love nothing more than to be able to come home for Christmas. My mind wandered to all these other children who saw that segment on Foxnews and now wonders why Santa was not able to bring their mommy or daddy home. To all the other mom's and dad's who are left at home to explain why their loved one cannot be home or worse yet...why Santa didn't work a miracle for them.

I can still remember Christmas of 1980. I had gotten out of the Navy in November and this was my first Christmas as a civilian. Yes...I worked Christmas day. But it was only an 8 hour shift. I also got 2.5 times my normal pay for working that day.

To the person in the service every day is the same. Christmas, New Years or your birthday they are all the same. All that day does is brings you one day closer to the date when you get out or retire. There is no extra pay and no bonus in your stocking.

Yet these courageous men and women are there fighting for us and for our freedom. They are away from home protecting us as well as their own loved ones. They are out there placing their lives on the line so people have the ability to put up signs denigrating the Christmas holiday. They are there protecting Bill O'Reilly and his right to free speech (as well as mine and yours). They are there fighting to protect even those who deface and burn the flag they defend with honor and their lives. You may not think that is so much. But believe me it is everything.

I wish that all the men and women serving in the armed forces could be with their families this Christmas. I wish that each of them could see and hug their children and watch them open their presents Christmas morning. But that is not going to happen.

So instead I will pray for each and everyone of these brave men and women. When I see one of them I will walk up to them and thank them for their service. It is the least I can do. It is all I can do.

In this time of year where we start thinking of New Years resolutions how about that one. To pray for our soldiers safety...everyday. To pray for the families of those that have fallen...everyday. To thank a soldier or sailor every time you see one.

To all our fine service men and women...thank you so much for your sacrifice for me and for this nation. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Most of all...God bless you and keep you and please be safe.

Jonathan Sparks
US Citizen and Veteran.

An Apology

2008-12-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

I need to give an apology. One that I am happy to give but is some what over due.

Before the election last month I published a series of blogs asking the people of the USA if they were awake. Wondering why, as a people, we keep electing politicians who are clearly cheating us while collecting a pay check from the American tax payer.

Well evidently the voters of Alaska and Louisiana are awake and are fully aware of what is going on. Evidence Mr. William Jefferson (D-LA) and Mr. Ted Stevens (R-AK).

Mr. Stevens was an joined the US Senate in 1968. In case you are not aware he was recently found guilty of corruption but said he would not resign from the Senate. Well the voters of Alaska did that for Mr. Steven's sending the old man packing. Fortunately he will not be part of the upcoming 111th Congress which meets right before Mr. Obama takes the oath of office.

Mr. Jefferson was elected to the House of Representatives in 1991. Most recently Mr. Jefferson has been the target of some federal investigations where, according to published reports, some $90,000 in cold cash was found in Mr. Jefferson's freezer. Now I realize that a person is innocent until found guilty, but fortunately the people of Louisiana held Mr. Jefferson to a higher standard and also gave him an eviction notice from his seat in the House.

So there are people out there who are listening. The government didn't listen to us and bailed out the big banks. Note that the banks have been bailed out but that has done nothing for the poor American whose home is being foreclosed. The banks got there and the rest of us can go to hell.

Now we have the auto makers and again the American people are saying to let them fail. Instead our elected officials will ignore us and give them money.

Wake up people!!! Or do you just like giving money over to rich fat cats who have driven companies in the ground. Oh...and in this case "fat cats" means both Union and Management!!

Is a death enough to wake us up?

2008-12-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

Let us not mix words here. We are all responsible for the death of Jdimytai Damour. Each and everyone of us. Me. You. All of us.

What does it take to make a society wake up and look at what is going on around them? Will the death of a man do it? One would certainly hope so.

And how about the 2000 people that were in line to enter that Walmart store that morning, how do they feel this morning? Was the death of Mr. Damour worth all the money they saved on those Christmas gifts? I hope it was. Personally I don't think I would be able to sleep at night if I knew that I had been there in line at that store on Friday and I helped cause the death of another human being.

If that were not bad enough there was the O.K. Corral shoot out in a Toys-R-Us store in Palm Desert, California, that resulted in two men dead. Two sets of kids that will be missing a parent for Christmas. I wonder how those two women that were fighting that started that whole mess feel this morning? Was it all worth it?

Personally I think the cost that has been paid is way too high.

The celebration of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. A man that came to earth to save each and every one of us. A man who showed, by his life and death, the perfect example of love. A man who showed compassion and mercy to all he met. Now to think that this his how we celebrate his birthday. We trample some Walmart greeter and have a shoot out in a toy store.

We complain about the terrorism and killing in the world. Yet we ourselves are so unconcerned about human life that we would trample a man to death and then have the audacity to complain to the store and the police when the store has to close because of the man's death.

Yes...we are all responsible. I know some of you are reading this and saying that I'm not responsible. I was no where near that store on Friday. May be not. But rest assured we all have a role in the man's death as well as the death of the two men in Toys-R-Us. How you ask?

We have done all we can do to remove the words "Merry Christmas" from our vocabulary. We have done all we can do to remove Christ from Christmas. We have done all we can do to remove Christ from our public schools. We have done all we can do to remove any reference to God in our lives. Should we expect anything different for our actions?

Again there might be those that say that they have not taken prayer out of schools, they have not take God out of our nation, that they have not taken Christ out of Christmas. If you have sat back and watched as this has happened, as I have, then you, like me, are guilty.

I submit to you that we are reaping what we have sowed. We want God out of everything and this is what we get for our trouble.

All I can say is that we had better pray that God is the forgiving and loving God we read about in the Bible. For if not then there are 2000 people that were in a line outside of a Walmart store in Nassau County New York who might not be forgiven. Forgiven for breaking one of those Ten Commandments that we want taken down...Thou Shalt Not Kill.

My prayers go out to the family of Mr. Damour. Look at what Thanksgiving will always mean to that family from now on.

I pray for all of those 2000 people who were at that Walmart Friday morning. I pray that they may find the forgiveness that only God provides.

I pray for the families of those two men in Palm Desert and their families that they can find a way to celebrate Christmas. I pray for the wives of the two men, that they may find a way to explain to their families why it happened. That they can find a way to explain to their children why daddy isn't there this Christmas.

I pray for each and every one of us. That we can find a way to make sense of all of this. That we can finally realize what it means to take prayer away from our children, to take God out of our society. What it means to take Christ out of Christmas.

That is why you fail

2008-11-24T04:32:00.000-08:00

A great and classic line from Star Wars. I think now this line may apply to the gay and lesbian community.

If you have not heard the dating website eharmony has just reached a settlement in a lawsuit that was filed in New Jersey. A gay man sued the website because if excluded homosexuals.

I guess the main operative word here is settled. I wish eharmony would have fought this lawsuit and stayed with it. Only in this day and age of being politically correct I guess there is no upside to doing that.

I have blogged on the homosexual topic a couple of times over the past year. I have said that I think voting for proposition 8 in California to ban gay marriage is a mistake. I have also said that sometimes the gay community is its own worst enemy. Instead of taking little bites from the apple they seem to want the whole damned thing all at once. Admittedly this might be a little hard for me to totally understand given the fact that I am not gay (although I was in the Navy and served in submarines). I have no idea how this makes these people feel. I have friends that are gay and have explained to me in detail how all of this affects the gay community. That is probably why my stance on a lot of things relating to gays has softened over the years.

But when it comes to someones personal business you can take you PC world and toss it out the window in my book. The eharmony dating service was started by an evangelical Christian. One could see where having gays on his sight might be offensive to him. Now while he may not have taken steps to make it easy for gays to use, neither did he do anything deliberate to block them off the site. The site was established for heterosexual couples. Now they are being forced to change how their website operates just to satisfy gays. I'm sorry...but to me that is just plain wrong. There is nothing out there that blocks the gay and lesbian community from creating their own singles/dating website. In fact do a google search and you can find a bunch of them.

Recently in California there were a group of right wing Christian people who decided to protest right in the middle of a known gay area. Needless to say many of the gays that lived in the neighborhood were not happy having people coming down their street protesting. One of the residents of the area got right up in the camera and stated; "if you don't like it here why don't you just leave?" Well gay and lesbian rights activists...why don't you just leave us alone. If you don't like eharmony...don't go there. In fact start your own website. Nope...force others to conform to your way of thinking by making a business change its practices to suit what you want.

In my humble opinion this is why things such as proposition 8 in California and changes to state constitutions in other states banning gay marriage have taken hold. instead of finding your own way or setting up your own business you instead tear down or infiltrate a hetero based website. Not that they excluded you. They didn't. You just wanted the wording change I guess so you could say that you changed the world.

Well don't be surprised if this doesn't have a backlash with it. Keep attacking the evangelical Christians and you may find yourselves facing more and more states where gay marriage is banned. My suggestion is to hunker down for a while and let some of the smoke and fire blow over.

But then again...I'm not gay so I just don't understand.

The Holidays Are Coming!!

2008-11-13T06:47:00.001-08:00

The holidays are coming!!!

We just finished Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving is around the corner. Less than a month after that Christmas will be here. Then a week later we start a new year.

The Christmas decorations have been in the Walmart here in Vicksburg, Mississippi since the beginning of October. The kids are going to start getting excited while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads.

For many, this is a very sad time of year. Folks who have lost loved ones this time of year feel the sting of the holidays. It is not a time of happiness for them. Rather its a time for loneliness and depression.

There is another group of individuals that are often over looked during the upcoming holidays. Many of us know some of these very special men and women personally. To others, they are just acquaintances or someone we have heard of through church or other prayer group.

But each and every one of us owes these very special men and women a debt that we can never repay.

Many who read my blogs regularly or listen to my show called Wakeup Call on Saturday mornings on NowLive (www.nowlive.com) have probably already figured out who I am talking about. Those of us connected with the Redneck Radio Network talk about these men and women often.

The special men and women I am referring to are those currently serving in the armed forces of the United States of America.

During this time of year we get, or at least I get, hundreds of emails for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I get holiday jokes by the dozens. Then every once in a while I get an email like the one I got this morning from a very dear friend, I call him Jakey. An email that puts everything in such focus and contrast.

Here is the email. I pass it a long to each of you.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
‘SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY! COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
'MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.'

Please pray for our troops this holiday season. Pray for their safety. We don't need another family to have the holiday season because it was at Christmas that a son, daughter, mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt or uncle was lost.

Pray for the meaning of this holiday season not to be lost on all those serving so far from home. Pray that they realize that we are all here at home missing them and praying for them.

May God richly bless our service men and women. And may God bless America!!!

Thoughts and Prayers

2008-11-10T04:26:00.001-08:00

Most people know that I am an ex-sailor. I served for 8+ years in the US Navy and was proud to serve on nuclear submarines.

Those of us who have served on "boats" know how tight nit a community submariners are. So it is with great sadness that I heard about those 17 civilians and 3 sailors that dies during sea trials on that Russian submarine.

I can remember how I felt when I heard the news about the loss of the Kursk. How I felt when that sailor aboard the USS San Francisco lost his life when the boat collided with an undersea mountain. And I have to admit that the San Francisco struck a nerve with me since I had barely missed an undersea mountain while serving aboard the George Washington Carver.

It matters not whether it be a warship or a research vessel, there is something special to me about those that have been under the ocean waves in a vessel that was designed to submerge and surface. All those that have served are part of a brotherhood. A very special band of brothers. A family.

So to those 20 men and their families go my thoughts and prayers.

May God bless those that are lost and comfort the those left to morn. Amen.

He's Back

2008-11-07T05:54:00.000-08:00

He's Back!!

Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. is back in front of the cameras now that the election is over and he appears to be none to happy.

It seems that the media is now being blamed for being "weapons of mass destruction" because the coverage of Rev. Wright and his views were attempting to derail Obama's hopes for the presidency and severed the long time relationship between himself and Barack Obama.

I have a clue for Rev Wright...it was not the media who was a weapon of mass destruction. It is you sir that are a weapon of mass destruction to the ideas of equality in this country which you crave so much.

Has America been a racist country? You bet. Have we made strides in trying to overcome these issues? You bet. Does someone going around proclaiming "God Damn America" for any reason help that cause? Absolutely not! Does someone proclaiming that HIV was a disease brought forth by the US Government to kill blacks help the cause of equality? Oh hell no!!!

It is time for some inner searching Pastor Wright.

I am white...but I would never stay in a church that said anything the likes of what has been said in you service Mr. Wright. Not just in sermons but in church literature. Now had this only been reported on Fox News I might be able to find some reasonable doubt. But when the same things are shown and said on CNN...NBC...MSNBC...etc, it is clear that it is not just a case that we might have misunderstood. You sir are a racist yourself and in my opinion sir you need to get back into the Bible and look into your stance. I believe Jesus preached a sermon of love sir.

Not to mention...had these same principals that you put forth have been stated by Senator McCain's pastor...Jessie, Al and yourself would have been in for forefront DEMANDING that McCain throw his pastor under the bus.

You got what you deserved Mr. Wright. Just as clearly as Don Imus and others who have used racial epitaphs. They were racist sir and so are you.

Like a Child

2008-11-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

Although I am not a scholar of the Bible I have spent some time studying it. Many people believe that the Bible is just an outdated book that has no relevance in today's world.

You see I disagree with that thinking. I think there are great lessons about life to be had if a person just spends the time reading the Bible.

For instance, look at the verses in Matthew 18:2-4

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

These verses were brought to my mind this morning when a friend at work told me about his 7 month old granddaughter. He had attended a funeral of a very close family friend yesterday. While that is usually a very sorrowful time, he found great joy in the fact that his family were all together. Including the 7 month old granddaughter that thought the music provided by the organ was so beautiful that she should just sing along with it.

We need to be like that little baby. In the midst of sorrow and grief we need to find the way to put that all aside and just bask in the glory of it all.

There are many who are mad about the out come of the elections on Tuesday. Their candidate didn't win or there was an amendment or proposition up to be voted on and it didn't come out as we would have liked. We need to be like my friends 7 month old granddaughter and just let it all go and be happy.

Instead of protesting and looking for ways to change the vote or for some way to over turn the decision of the voters, we need to look the gracious God in heaven and just say thank you Lord that we are in a country where we have the right to vote for these things and not have them just thrust upon us by some dictator or ruling class.

Instead of looking for a way to subvert, overturn or change the outcome of the election so it goes in our favor we should be looking for ways to affect real change in the way things are.

Instead of turning to the courts to look for ways to overturn the results we don't like we should be looking for ways to work together for a way to change the minds of our fellow voters.

As soon as I heard that Obama had won the election I wanted someone to file a lawsuit or something that said he couldn't be president because he wasn't born in the US or couldn't get a proper security clearance because of his background. But I realized that would do nothing more then cause further division of an already divided country. The time for division is past folks. it is time for healing and if President Obama can bring us back together as a nation then I can deal with some of the down side. If nothing else he deserves the chance to do his best.

But while I say this I hope this sinks in to some of those who in the past didn't give a new president a chance. That would be those folks who things like "if so-n-so wins the election I am moving to where ever." Of course they never do move. That is because this is the greatest nation there is and they know it. It matters not whether there is a democrat or republican in the White House. It doesn't matter whether the republicans or democrats are in control of the House and/or Senate. This is still the greatest nation there is. If you feel all of that changes with the folks who are in office then maybe it is time that you leave and find some place else to live. Better yet...buy an island some where and start your own country and see if you can do better.

One last point... Karl Rove was absolutely vilified by the media and a lot of people in this country. Did any of you hear him speak on Fox News yesterday? The great villain of the Bush Administration implored the people of this great nation to give President Obama a chance.

Mean while the sun is still shinning. The rain is still falling. The earth is still spinning. The world ain't come to an end. Accept the election results and get on with your lives. There is still much work to be done.

It's Over

2008-11-05T04:41:00.000-08:00

Yes...it is over. Around the country this morning some are continuing the celebration while others cry in their beer. Another election day has come and gone.

First...may I congratulate Barack Obama on his victory. No, this is not who I voted for. But as I have said many times in this blog he will soon be my president. I will support and defend him. Does that mean I will agree with every decision he makes? Oh hell no!! But I will not sit by while people call him names or demean him. Now I just wish a few of my friends could learn the same trait.

And while I am on the subject to those friends...and you know who you are...who always blamed everything on Bush and not on past administrations or the congress...just remember that stops when Obama is takes office on January 20, 2009. The countries problems will then be on his shoulders. If the blame for all this countries woes rests at the foot of George Bush then so will all the blame for the problems in 2009 and beyond. I don't want to hear any BS about what the prior administration did or didn't do. Also, if Obama does not pull the troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan it is no longer Mr. Bush's war. It becomes Mr. Obama's war.

Next...I figure the lawsuits will start today. Obama doesn't meet the constitutional requirements, voting irregularities. May I just say let it go people. It is time for this nation to get back together. If we want the politicians to stop the partisan politics then it is high time that we stop it.

There is one thing that I am very disappointed in and that in the winners in congress. Folks...congress had the lowest approval rating in history and yet we allowed the incumbents to be re-elected. Well there is always 2010!!!

Release the Tape

2008-10-30T06:22:00.001-07:00

If there is still anyone in this country that believes that there is not a media bias in this country I want some of what your smoking.

Now here we have the LA Times. A great liberal newspaper (I can say that because the paper endorsed Barack Obama on October 19th). They have a tape of Mr. Obama toasting a member of the PLO during a dinner during his run for the Senate of the United States. Also present at that dinner was William Ayers. Now if you don't know his name at this point there ain't much I can do to help you except tell you to google him.

So here the LA Times has this tape. At this point, I don't care whether you are democrat or republican. Just answer two simple questions. If this tape the LA Times was of John McCain with these people, would the LA Times release the tape? Would you be outraged over the LA Times refusal to release it?

I believe the answer to those questions says a lot. If you are currently a democrat you know that you would be crying about the LA Times not releasing the tape. Also you can bet your ass that if this tape were of McCain, instead of Obama, that the LA Times would have released it when they printed the article. It would not matter if the tape were provided by a confidential source or not. The LA Times would do, say or pay anything to get that tape to the public. That my friends is what those that are conservatives call "media bias" and I hate to say it but they are right. It IS media bias.

I guess I am a skeptical person by nature. The way I see it is if there were nothing on the tape then the LA Times would release it. That would clear Obama's good name. Since they will not do that and are fighting it so much it makes me think that there IS something on that tape that some do not want "We the People" to know about. I don't care whether the tape is of McCain, Palin, Obama or Biden...I would want the tape released.

How do you feel?

What happens?

2008-10-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

The whole thing with those "skinheads" who wanted to assassinate Barack Obama opens up a very interesting Constitutional question...What happens if a candidate or president elect die before the election or entering office?

Now understand that I am glad that the FBI thwarted the attempt on Mr. Obama's life. Whether I am for a candidate or not I do not wish him or her harm in anyway. But this situation does make for some interesting discussions about our Constitution around the water cooler or coffee pot.

So let's delve into our Constitution and see if'n we can find an answer.

First...there are several different cases that must be explored here. Some are rather straight forward. Others are much more interesting.

First...what happens if a party candidate for president dies before the election?

In this case what happens is determined by the individual party. Most likely the parties would select their VP candidates as the candidate for president and a new VP would then be selected. But actually there are no hard and fast rules for this case. But it is handled by the individual party and its own rules. There is also the question of the laws of the individual states if the candidate dies so close to the election that new ballots cannot be prepared and put in place. We must remember that our Constitution does not allow for postponement or moving the date of a General Election.

Okay...so its after November 4th. We have an elected president correct?

Actually no we do not. We do not have a president-elect until after the electoral college casts their votes (which happens on December 15th this year) and that vote is certified by the joint session of the House and Senate (which always occurs on January 6th).

So if a candidate dies between November 4th and December 15th we are in the same basic situation we are in if the candidate dies before November 4th. Again there are no provisions in the Constitution for this situation. There are no provisions for a "do over" election process. It would seem at that point that the party involved would have to come up with a new candidate or candidates prior to December 15th when the electoral college votes.

Of course who the electors vote for could be open to interpretation. Actually that falls back to the laws of the individual states. What you could easily end up with is a situation where no candidate receives 270 electors and the whole thing could go to House of Representatives.

So what if the candidate dies between December 15th and January 6th when the House and Senate certify the electors?

This is a very murky period. The problem is that the Constitution is silent as to just when the winning candidates become the President-elect and the VP-elect. It uses the titles without ever defining them. Do we have a President-elect when the electors vote or is it when Congress certifies the vote and declares the winner?

If we assume the former then there is no problem; the Twentieth Amendment controls. In that case, the Vice President-elect shall become President on Inauguration Day.

However, if there is no President-elect or VP-elect until Congress counts the votes and declares the winners on January 6 then I have no idea what happens. Can you say Supreme Court?

Once the election is certified by the joint session of the House and Senate on January 6th, the 20th Amendment takes over and, as stated before, the VP-elect would become the president-elect and take the oath of office.

Now please note that I am not a lawyer. I never played a lawyer on TV and no...I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Select last night. So I could have this all screwed up.

I just thought it would be fun to look into it.

Oh...and in case you would like to take you own trip through the Constitution...here is the link.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am20

The Constitution

2008-10-27T04:41:00.000-07:00

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Do you remember those words? Some of us had to learn them in school growing up. We had to stand in front of the class and recite those immortal words from memory.

In 1972, I enlisted in the United States Navy to defend those words and all that they stand for.

Do you remember?

I think that there are 546 people in this country that don't remember. That is a president, vice president, 100 senators, the 435 members of congress and 9 members of the supreme court. Everyone of them a politician who has forgotten that the first three words of that document are WE THE PEOPLE. That is truly sad.

But there is something worse. I also think that there are 305 million US citizens that have also forgotten that the preamble starts with WE THE PEOPLE.

Don't believe me? Let's just look at the recent Mortgage Bailout bill passed in the House and Senate and signed by President Bush. The citizens of this great nation (and yes...it is a great nation) were over whelmingly against that bill becoming law. Yet the president, senate and house voted and signed that bill into law. Have you read the headlines lately? Have you seen the list of those that are wanting a piece of that pie? Banks, lenders, insurance companies and the auto makers just to name a few. And just in case you haven't heard who is fronting all that cash folks it's you and me. Every tax payer in this country is going to send money to help all those starving executives on Wall Street. Who by the way pay all those starving politicians on Capitol Hill.

I had an email sent to me recently that said that there should be a law passed so that politicians would have to wear uniforms like they do in NASCAR. You know with the names of all their corporate sponsors prominently displayed. Now wouldn't that be an idea!!

One of the party candidates for VP has said recently that it is our patriotic duty to pay more in taxes. Oh...and in case you were not aware that was Mr. Biden. Well Senator...how about the oath you took when you became a member of the Senate of these here United States. You remember? Let me remind you sir.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Support and defend the Constitution. See those words sir. And what were the first three words of that document again...WE THE PEOPLE.

Gee...should I continue? Why the hell not.

How about you President Bush. Do you remember that oath of office that you so proudly recited...twice? Do you remember Mr. Bush? I think not when you signed that bail out bill into law. So let me refresh your memory sir.

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

You see it matters not whether it is a democrat or republican. The oath is the same for all of them. To defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. That document that starts out with those three immortal words...WE THE PEOPLE.

You see folks it is not about them...it is about us. They are not the boss...we are. All of these politicians are worried about what is in it for them. In fact...we have become a society of "what is in it for me". Again look at the companies that are all lined up for a piece of the bail out pie. Look how fast cities and states and counties line up to get a piece of a federal pie. Look at all the fighting that took place after 9-11 when they all lined up for the government hand out. Gimme.

Look at the number of people that are sitting around and not working with their hands out. Gimme. And we refuse to secure our borders to stop the in flux of illegals...yes I said illegals. I said it because that is what they are folks. They are here ILLEGALLY. And they stick their hands out to Uncle Sam and say gimme. And we smile and fork it over.

Enough is enough people. Wake the hell up please. We have 8 days left until the election. EIGHT DAYS. Count them, 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8.

Now to be honest at this point I could give a hoot who wins the presidency. If we can just turn over congress. If we can just change the members of the House of Representatives by 40 or 50%...it will send a wake up call to all of the politicians. It's time to let them know that we have woke up and we don't like what they have been doing to OUR country while we were sleeping. That will tell Mr. Obama that we are not going to sit still for tax increases. It will tell Mr. McCain that we want our troops home.

We can take it back people if we just wake up!!

Palin's Clothes

2008-10-24T05:59:00.001-07:00

Big news!!!

Governor Sarah Palin was taken on a shopping spree for new clothes!!!

Hey...are you people really concerned about who shops where and who pays???

Frankly...I don't give a rats ass. I also don't care that while her husband is talking about people in America starving Mrs. Obama is sitting some where having champagne and caviar.

Let's get this issue on the table. These are politicians we are talking about. They are used to talking out of both sides of their mouths. They are used to telling you what you want to hear. All the speeches and all the public appearances are all scripted. You want to know what the candidates really think get them out in public and off the prompter and away from the handlers. Both McCain and Obama have been caught expressing thoughts better left unsaid while speaking off the cuff. The latest of course was Obama and "Joe the Plumber".

So I don't care if Mrs Palin bought the clothes or if the party bought them for her. I don't really care if she keeps them or not. I don't care what Michelle Obama is eating. I don't even care. So enough of the crap. Let's get back to the issues that 'We the People' need to make a decision on November 4th.

There is is...short and sweet.

At it again!!!

2008-10-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

Looking at the news today and what to my wondering eyes do appear. Another congressman saying "it wasn't our fault".

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) is the chairman of a House Oversight and Government Reform committee. He blames the whole mess on the big credit ratings agencies like Standard and Poor's.

The California Democrat said, "Millions of investors rely on them for independent, objective assessments,. The rating agencies broke this bond of trust, and federal regulators ignored the warning signs and did nothing to protect the public. The result is that our entire financial system is now at risk."

Hey Waxman you ass...millions of American investors also rely on Congress to protect them from crooks like this. But I don't see you folks taking any action. All the action that was attempted in 2005 was blocked by partisan politics. I have only seen one congressman stand up and say that y'all had it wrong. That was Arthur Davis, D-AL. Not any of the other 434 members of the house had the guts to stand up in front of country and apologize for this mess. That includes republicans as well as democrats. Oh...and let us not leave out the 100 members of the Senate.

You hear that so many of the people here in the US are fed up with the partisan politics. Yet 'We the People' won't do the one thing we can do to put a stop to it. Stop voting for incumbents and give others a chance. You can bet you ass that if 'We the People' voted just 50% of the 435 members of the House of Representatives out of office in 12 days that they would all take notice.

It is time to hold all of them accountable. But it is up to 'We the People' to do that. You can't vote all the other representatives out of office...but you can vote your own out.

Get the word out. Get them out of office on November 4th.

I am a Redneck!!!

2008-10-21T09:30:00.001-07:00

Okay...let's make this clear. I now live and work in Mississippi and I am a redneck. Now to top it all off I have been insulted by some freaking pin head from Pennsylvania who thinks he is Mr. Know-It-All.

That pin head is none other than John Murtha, D- PA.

He opens his flapper and calls some of his constituents "racist". Now he says that no one understood what he meant. So now it comes down to they are "rednecks" who wouldn't vote for a black person for president. Well Rep. Murtha, I am a redneck and I live in the middle of 'redneck central' and I am proud to be considered a redneck!!! There are also a lot of 'rednecks' here in Mississippi who are going to vote for Obama.

Sorry Rep. Murtha, but what you said is the same thing, just now you have spoken out about a large group of people and personally, I hope Bill Russell kicks your fat ass in 2 weeks and dumps your worthless butt out of congress. Honestly, how the good people of Pennsylvania have put up with you for as long as they have is beyond me. And for the record Johnny, calling someone a "redneck" is a racist remark in my book. Although I doubt anyone from the media will say that or if they have I haven't seen it.

Murtha, and others like him in congress, need to be tossed out like left over salad. I have blogged on this a lot lately. We need to send a message to all the members of the House and Senate. Shape up ass hole or you will be out...period.

I have no doubt that there are people all over this great country, not just in western PA, that will not vote for Barack Obama because he is black. Well you know what Rep. Murtha, deal with it! That is there right.

There are also some folks who will not vote for McCain because he is white. Well you know what Rep. Murtha, deal with it! That is there right.

Quit frankly sir I think anyone who votes for a candidate based on race alone is a racist. Not to mention an idiot. But that is that persons right. But to take an area or a group of people and lump them all together with a label, such as redneck, is also to be racist Mr. Murtha.

So why don't you come out sir and apologize for being a racist yourself. Then maybe I can take what you say seriously.

Sorry Boston

2008-10-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

So the league championship series have finally come to a close. Going to be the Phillies and the Rays in the World Series.

Tough luck Boston. But you have to admit, the BoSox made it interesting. You know that after game 5 and 6 that the Rays had to be thinking "not again". Not another come back from a 3-1 deficit to win and go to the series.

But it was not to be and the Devil Rays won game 7 and put themselves in the series.

For the record, I am an Orioles fan. Yeah...sucks to be me doesn't it!

But even when the Orioles were riding high in the American League I never liked seeing the same teams (even the one I rout for) in the World Series year after year. It is nice to see new teams, or teams that haven't been there in a while, make it to the series.

Tampa Bay has never been there and for the Phillies it has been 15 years.

Wanna see something else that is just outstanding? Then take a look at this!!!

New York Yankees
Detroit Tigers
New York Mets
Boston Red Sox
Chicago White Sox
Los Angeles Angels
Chicago Cubs
Los Angeles Dodgers
Seattle Mariners
Atlanta Braves
St. Louis Cardinals
Toronto Blue Jays
Philadelphia Phillies
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Cleveland Indians
San Francisco Giants
Cincinnati Reds
San Diego Padres
Colorado Rockies
Texas Rangers
Baltimore Orioles
Arizona Diamondbacks
Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals
Washington Nationals
Pittsburgh Pirates
Oakland Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays
Florida Marlins

There are the rankings for the 30 MLB clubs for salary at the start of the 2008 season. Look at who paid and then look at who is in the World Series. You have to love it!!

So sit back all you baseball fans and enjoy the World Series.

Can the Phillies give Philadelphia that championship it wants so bad? Can Tampa Bay complete the trek from last to first?

We shall see.

What is their purpose?

2008-10-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

I think it is high time we look at the newspapers and other media in this country. What exactly is their purpose? What do they do for us? What makes them so special that they have specific authority expressed in the Constitution?

The way I see it newspapers are supposed to give us...well...the news. Along with pages upon pages of advertisements and circulars that we can use to line the bottom of the birds cage.

But any more I think it should be the ads and circulars that are read and the news pages that should be put in the bird cage. You can let "tweetie" use that special white out to correct errors.

But seriously, how can a newspaper or news magazine claim to fairly report the news when they are all going out and endorsing candidates for office. Doesn't that give that publication a vested interested in seeing one candidate or the other win or lose?

So much was made about Gwen Ifill and the book she has coming out next year about Obama and how could she fairly moderate a debate. How about all these news organizations endorsing a candidate? How can the news that they present be fair and balanced?

Now I realize that we are all human beings and we have feelings and desires. There is not a news person in this country that does not have their own opinion as to who they hope will win the election. But when you come right out and state an endorsement for a candidate or party I think all thoughts of being fair and balanced are out the window.

Do you realize that if the pastor of a church promotes a party or candidate from the pulpit that the church they serve can loose its tax exempt status. I think we should either abolish that law from the US Tax Code or start applying some of the same principals to the media. If any news organization or member of that organizations news team endorses a party or candidate then that news organization should loose its constitutional protection.

It is not the job of any newspaper or news organization to promote a party or candidate or to endorse a candidate for any office. It is the job of the newspapers and news organizations to report the news...PERIOD!!!

It is time that 'We the People' stand up and boycott all of these newspapers and other news agencies that are endorsing candidates. Stop buying the papers and magazines that endorse any candidate and this practice will stop.

Now maybe next we can get all these hollywood celebrities to stop the BS and we might actually have a easier election cycle in 4 years.

Then again...

The Final Push

2008-10-16T04:23:00.001-07:00

The final push is here. The debates are over. All that is left is for 'We the People' to make our decision on November 4th.

We have heard all that the candidates have to say. I doubt there will be anything new said by either party in the next 2+ weeks. So it is all out there. The statements. The comments. The record. Now it is time for you, the voter, to take the next 2 weeks and make a decision that we will all live with for the next 4 years.

But this election is about so much more than who will occupy the white house. There are also 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate that are up for grabs.

I have stated many times in this blog as well as stating it on the Redneck Radio News on NowLive (www.nowlive.com) that it is time for all the current members of the House and Senate to be kicked out on there collective butts.

Need a reason to do that? Just look at the recent comments by Rep. John Murtha. That western Pennsylvania is racist. Think about Rep. Ted Stevens from Alaska who is currently in federal court. Then there is Rep. Tim Mahoney. He took the seat vacated by Mark Foley for sending text messages to an intern. Now we find that Mr. Mahoney was having an affair while he was running for office. Guess the hours on the campaign trail just got a little longer.

There are so many others. Rep. William Jefferson and Rep. Charles Rangel to name a few.

The men and women serving us in the House and Senate have spit in the face of each and everyone of us. The sat back and watched our countries economic stability hit the shitter while they did nothing but take money from those that were driving their companies into financial ruin. What did 'We the People' get? Nothing but a bunch of finger pointing. No one taking responsibility for the failure or for their actions. Not the CEO's of the companies. Not the congress for allowing it to happen.

I think it is high time that 'We the People' do some finger pointing of our own. We can do that on November 4th by throwing their ass to the curb and letting someone else have a chance. Then if the new people we elect don't do what 'We the People' want...then we throw them out and vote in the next group.

Do you want to see the members of the House and Senate scared? Start voting them out and see how fast they snap to.

How many of you remember Thomas Paine?

Thomas Paine was an English pamphleteer, revolutionary, radical, inventor, and intellectual. He lived and worked in Britain until age 37, when he emigrated to the British American colonies, in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contribution was the powerful, widely-read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), advocating colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and of The American Crisis (1776–1783), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. (Wikipedia)

Well, Thomas Paine has come back and he is pissed. Watch the following Youtube video and see where those elected officials have repeatedly gone against the will of 'We the People'.

http://www.lawatchdog.com/SecondRevolution071108.html

Have you had enough?

Do it yourself!!!

2008-10-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

Aren't you tired of turning on the TV or the radio and hearing nothing but all these political pundits telling us what we are supposed to think about the upcoming election?

I know that I am. I am just sick of hearing people, who probably know less than I do, telling me what I should think. This is especially true if this is anyone connected with the media. Any part of the media. This includes (but is not limited to) Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Alan Combes or Sean Hannity.

It is time for Americans to get away from the media and do some research on their own. If you are for Obama that is fine. If you want to vote for McCain that is fine to. Just don't take the campaigns word for anything and take the medias word even less.

Don't like conservative media? Read it anyway. Don't like the liberal media? Read it anyway. The truth of the story lies some where in between the two and the only way that you will find it is to dig for the truth yourself!!!

With the current state of this countries economic situation it is in the best interest of all Americans to get to the truth.

Someone sent me an email (and now I can't find it) that said this whole financial mess so well. In short:

If both parties are against large deficits...why do we still have large deficits?

If both parties are against high taxes...why do we still have high taxes?

We the people don't have the authority to submit a budget. The president does.

We the people don't have the authority to introduce government spending requests. The House of Representatives does.

So where do all the problems reside?

Enough is Enough

2008-10-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

I think I finally reached my breaking point.

Now I enjoy comedy and I enjoy satire. Anyone who listens to the Dog House on Nowlive.com knows that. But constantly calling a candidate that you happen to oppose is just plain being a moron. As far as I am concerned that is an answer by people who cannot debate the issues with facts because they know they will lose.

I might have lost a good friend last night. I sincerely hope not. But I just cannot take any more of calling an opposing candidate stupid when the one that person is for has made just as many mistakes and stuck his foot in his mouth as well. In fact, I don't usually even mention gaffs that politicians make in my blog. I leave that to the night time shows like Leno.

People who listen to me on NowLive and read my blogs know that I tend to lean conservative. Not democrat or republican...CONSERVATIVE. I have also made no secret of the fact that I voted for our current president and I am not happy with the job he has done. I was not happy with president Clinton. But I am not about to call our current president or any former president stupid. What Clinton did with Miss Monica was stupid. Lying about it was even more stupid. But I have never called president Clinton stupid. I have more respect for someone who has held that office than to use terms like that.

But yet that is the way some like to talk about presidents and former presidents and those running for the office. If you like to do that so be it. It is your right to free speech. But it is also my right not to have to listen and I won't.

So there are some areas on the internet that I will avoid until the election is over. If that offends someones sensibilities I humbly apologize. But it is better for me to stay away then it is to chance losing friendships that I value.

The Debate and Congress

2008-10-03T05:03:00.001-07:00

This will be my first two-part blog. There are two points I want to make this morning. One will be concerning the "debate" last night. The second deal with the congress of these United States.

So first...The Debate:

It was 8PM central time. The Dog House with Baddog had just ended on NowLive.com. I was ready to lay down and go to sleep. There was only one problem...my wife wanted to watch some of the VP Debate.

Now I will be honest. I don't generally subscribe to watching political debates. I see these people bloviate too much on the news already. Besides...if you are a democrat you are going to like what Senator Biden says and think that he won. If you are a republican you we see Governor Palin as the winner because you agree with what she says. So in most respects, what is the point of watching? These political debates are more about sound bites and giving the so called news media something to do then they are about the American people.

But, as I laid in bed all curled up in the covers I thought I heard something strange. It sounded like one of the candidates was actually disagreeing with the senior member of their ticket. Did I actually hear that or was I dreaming?

When I was listening to the news this morning I heard the commentators talking about Governor Palin disagreeing with John McCain on the question of drilling for oil in the ANWR. They were stating it in a kind of "how dare she" manner. Like a choice for VP should never disagree with the candidate for President. So I went to a website this morning and listened to the debate. I didn't watch it...I listened to it. Here was Joe Biden agreeing with everything that Barack Obama stands for. Now for the most part Sarah Palin did the same, but there was that part about drilling for oil where Governor Palin did say that she was still trying to change McCain's mind.

So on one hand we have Biden who agrees with everything that Obama's says even when there is clear evidence that he had changed his views since joining the ticket. On the other hand we have Palin stating that there were areas where she and McCain disagreed.

Now excuse me for bringing some logic into this political mess but let me point out something.

My wife and I have been married for over 35 years and I am here to tell you that she doesn't agree with me 100% of the time any more than I agree with her. But you know what? I want her to tell me when she doesn't agree with me. Her opinion matters to me. Her thoughts matter to me.

Now how long have Obama and Biden known each other? How long have McCain and Palin known each other? You cannot tell me that either Biden or Palin agree with 100% with the presidential candidate on their ticket. Folks that just ain't a gonna happen.

If Senator Biden wants to sit there and kiss Obama's ass on national TV during the debate, how do I know that he will speak his mind in those closed door meetings when the shit has hit the fan.

By the same token if Palin is willing to question the stance of McCain on national TV during a debate, I believe it shows that she is willing to lead should the need arise and is not afraid to speak her mind.

Nothing personal ya'll but that is who I want as a VP. I don't want a "yes" man or woman. I want someone who is willing to tell the president that he or she is an idiot if the situation warrants it. I want a VP that I know will speak their mind during those closed door meetings.

That is how I saw the debate.

Now on to point number 2...The Congress:

Now I know many people don't care for Foxnews. I look at the news from several different websites each morning and Foxnews is just one of them. I don't believe anyone should trust just one source for their news. All people have an agenda. That even includes those at Foxnews. They may be more fair and balanced than other outlets but that does not mean they don't have an agenda.

I noticed a video this morning of Bill O'Reilly interviewing Rep. Barney Frank. Now I know this was going to be fireworks and it does consist of a lot of screaming and yelling and even includes Mr. O'Reilly calling Rep. Frank a coward.

Now in some measure I have to agree with Mr. O'Reilly. Rep. Frank is a coward. But so are 433 other members of the House.

As I stated yesterday the only member of the US House of Representatives that has said that they had it wrong was Rep. Arthur Davis (D-AL).

As soon as the interview started Rep. Frank started in with the look at what I did or tried to do. This is the one fact that Mr. O'Reilly had totally correct. With members of the House or the Senate it is all about what I have done and how the other party caused all the problems.

Another example of why we are the American people need to send all 435 members of the House packing on November 4th.

No more of this bull about the democrats did this or the republicans did that. WE screwed up. WE were so partisan that we failed to work together to fix this problem. We are so into petty bickering that we allowed these crooks to screw "WE THE PEOPLE".

At the beginning of the interview Mr. O'Reilly stated that there is blame on both sides of the political isle. Mr. Frank could not even agree with that. With these people it is all about ME and not about WE.

Let's tell them all to take a hike out of Washington.

Is there hope?

2008-10-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

How many of you have been keeping track of the "bail out" bill that has been dancing around the congress for the last week? How many are aware of the vote that happened in the Senate last night? How many are aware of a member of the US House has actually apologized and called on his party to do the same?

Quote from a statement released by Rep. Davis (D-AL) on 9/30/08:

"Like a lot of my Democratic colleagues I was too slow to appreciate the recklessness of Fannie and Freddie. I defended their efforts to encourage affordable homeownership when in retrospect I should have heeded the concerns raised by their regulator in 2004. Frankly, I wish my Democratic colleagues would admit when it comes to Fannie and Freddie, we were wrong. By the way, I wish my Republican colleagues would admit that they missed the early warning signs, that Wall Street deregulation was overheating the securities market and promoting dangerously lax lending practices. When it comes to the debacle in our capital markets, there is much blame to go around for both sides."

100 members of the Senate along with 435 members of the House of Representatives and this man is the only one to come forward and offer any kind of apology for the whole debacle that has been laid at the feet of the tax payers of this country. One out of 535!!!!

Folks it is high time we held the feet of these people to the fire.

And speaking of holding someones feet to the fire. To the presidential candidate that said that it is my patriotic duty to bail these bastards out let me just say oh hell no!!!!

It was the patriotic duty of those in congress to stop this from happening in the first place. What say we take the bail out funds out of the pay of our elected representatives and senators!! Now there is a bail out plan. They ignored it in 2004 during hearings in the house. Rep. Davis said it correctly...we had it wrong!! So I think it only fitting that those folks pay for the mistake. I think someone ought to put a bill in congress that would give them a pay cut. After all...if I were to botch up a job this bad you can be I would loose money. I would also probably loose my job. Why is it that these people are exempt from any of that? The answer, by the way, is because we let them get away with it!!

Not to mention that one of the presidential candidates has one of the crooks from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae as part of his campaign staff and will probably end up on his cabinet.

Now for those of you who want to know who that candidate is I suggest that you do your own research and get the answer to your question.

But I will tell you this...this kind of action should no be rewarded like this.

Not to mention that fact that 3 of the 4 people currently on the tickets for president and vice president were all part of this crap from the beginning. Biden, Obama and McCain are all members of the Senate and all had a hand in it. Have you heard any of them apologize for what happened at the hands of congress? Nope. Again...let's be clear...this was NOT the president. This was CONGRESS!!!

Get the word out...let's make sure that the jobless rate goes up by 470. That is the number of elected members of congress that are up for reelection. All 435 members of the House and 35 members of the Senate. Let's vote all of them out of office and make them look for a real job.

If I lived in Alabama I might let Rep. Davis stay. At least he is apologizing and saying they had it wrong.

Do we finally get it?

2008-10-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

I have been away for far too long. The move to Mississippi is completed and it is high time I get my fat ass in gear and get back to blogging. Many have to me how much they enjoyed reading my morning rant. So it is for those friends that I pick this back up and get back to it.

Do you think we finally get it?

All the talking heads and politicians are going around affixing blame to why the bail out bill failed in the House of Representatives. It was because of Ms. Pelosi's statement right before the vote. Please! It was because Ms. Pelosi couldn't bring the votes in from her own party. Please!!

You want to know why this bill failed in the House. You can ask any of my friends who were in the Dog House on Monday on NowLive (www.nowlive.com). I said it that night. It was the American people who sank that bill. Not Nancy Pelosi or any other politician. "WE THE PEOPLE" DID IT!!!!!!

Much like the Dubai Port deal that got defeated in 2007, it was the American people. We actually told congress what to do and change the course of a vote in congress.

So do we finally get it? Do we finally get the fact that "We the people" can actually make a difference? Do we now see that if we take an active role in government that we can take back what is rightfully ours, control of the government of the United States. Most of those currently in congress think that the American people are sleeping. We aren't paying any attention so they can do as they like. This means all of them. Democrat, Republican, Liberal, Conservative, Moderate or Independent. All of those elected to congress felt that the American people didn't care. We have put up with the lying, the cheating, the finger pointing and all of the other bullshit for so long that we just don't care. Apparently they were wrong. Apparently "We the People" do care and are paying attention. Or at least we are now.

"We the people" sat back and let congress (note...I did not say democrats or republicans) take this country into the toilet and we did nothing. We blame the current president, no matter what party he is affiliated with, for all the countries woes. Are we finally learning that it is congress that writes the checks and passes the laws? Are we finally starting to hold congress accountable for its part in the state we find ourselves in today? I can only hope.

How many people realize that the entire House of Representatives is up for re-election this November? All 435 members of the House are worried about their jobs. We not all. Some are running unopposed or are essentially unchallenged for their seat in congress. Folks let me tell you that this is a shame!! Everyone of those bastards should fear for their job every election. But "We the People" give them a pass. We see them investigated and indited. We see them cheat us and lie. We see just how inept they are at leading this country and we give them a pass.

Oh hell no!!! Wake up folks!!! It is high time that "We the People" take back the government that is supposed to be ours. IT IS OURS!!!! IT IS NOT THEIRS!!!!

About a month ago there was a new show that started on NowLive called Red Neck Radio News. It is on several websites with Nowlive being the flagship. For over a month we have been calling on "We the People" to vote every incumbent in congress out of office the next time they are up for re-election. We can make a start this November by voting out all 435 members of the House of Representatives.

How many members of the House have you seen on TV since the bail out went down on Monday saying that they fear losing their jobs. How many of us live with this fear everyday because of their mismanagement of the country. Remember, congress has more to do with the jobless rate then the president does. Playing with taxes, NAFTA, stifling government regulations. Congress passes tax legislation. Congress ratifies treaties. Congress passes laws and regulations. How much do all of these things affect the unemployment in this country?

Oh...and congress is also the ones that have the ability to take this country to war. But they gave that power that was afforded only them in the constitution and handed it over to the president.

So have we learned? Do we finally get it? The government is "We the People" and it is time we take it back.

Congress...lying assholes

2008-07-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

I have no blogged in over a month. With the move to Mississippi and the new job starting soon I have just had too many other more important things on my mind (and as small as it is there ain't room for much anyway).

Let's talk about congress. That is the men and women who make up the United States Congress. The ones who are so quick to point out when someone else lies or does something wrong. Yet they scream bloody murder if someone should question what they say or do.

Now this problem goes across party lines. But today's member of choice is on Charles Rangel, Democrat NY.

In the past week there have been two articles in separate newspapers regarding Mr. Rangel and some of his dealings. One deals with his taking money for an academic center (named after himself). That one I will leave alone until there is time for all the facts to come out.

The first one published was the fact that Mr. Rangel was renting four apartments at reduced prices in a prestigious apartment building. One of these apartments was being used for his campaign headquarters. Now that my friends is against New York city rules.

Now Mr. Rangel says he has done nothing unethical or against the law. Yet he has given up the apartment that he was using for his campaign office. If he was doing nothing wrong...why give up the apartment.

Well the the city rules state that rent-controlled apartments to be used as a primary residence. So he gave up the one used as his campaign HQs. How about the other three? Are these being used as a "primary residence"?

It is a shame that those who are elected members of congress seem to think that laws and rules passed for everyone else to follow don't apply to them. It seems they also feel that if they just give it back that the fact that they had it doesn't matter. Well I say that is BULLSHIT!!!!!!

If someone robbed a bank and got caught but gave back the money would we just let them go? I don't think so.

If these assholes break the rules they need to be held accountable for that. I don't care if they took campaign money for someone they shouldn't have and broke the law...I could care less that they gave it back or donated it to charity...they broke the damn law!!!

When are we, the American people, going to wise up to these folks. They will say or do anything to get your vote. They will promise you anything...to get your vote. They will blame anybody...to get your vote.

Where is the leadership?

Hey McCain...Obama...you want me to vote for you...stand up and take responsibility when you do or say something wrong don't blame someone else. Don't even blame someone on your staff. Stand up and admit it. It is YOUR staff. It is YOUR campaign.

But most of all this goes to the 535 people who are elected as members of congress. Stop pointing fingers at the President. Stop pointing fingers at the Democrats. Stop pointing fingers at the Republicans.

Start taking responsibility for the things that you do wrong.

Personally...I don't think they have the nerve to do it.

Big Oil vs Big Enviornmental

2008-06-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting news story about a leading climate change scientist that wants to take the oil executives to court and put them on trial for causing climate change.

Now don't get me wrong. I would love to see the oil execs in a court of law. But for enabling the high price of oil. Not for causing climate change. Actually...let's be honest...what I would like is to have several million of us catch the oil execs in an alley and bit the living tar out of them.

But to take the oil companies to court for climate change is nothing but pure bull.

Then again...how about all these environmentalists and tree huggers take the oil execs to court if we the people have the right to take all of them to court and get the chance to prove that these people are nothing but a bunch of lunatics. They are every bit as bad as the oil execs they hate. Just on the other end of the scale.

Much of the climate change that has been brought forth over the past several decades has been debunked by pure science. The earth does got though natural periods of heating and cooling. Most can be tied to effects from the sun.

There are people trying to predict the weather decades from now and we cannot even get it right on the 10 day forecast.

I am not in favor of just jumping off the cliff all together and saying that man has no part in climate change. I sure that we do. But not to the extent that some of the scientists and others are saying.

You see I also believe that there is a God. I believe He created the heaven's and the earth. Do I know how He did it? Oh hell no. Do I really care how he did it? Oh hell no. But I do believe that His divine hand guided the process used.

If God is perfect (and I believe He is) then His creation is perfect and the only one that can destroy it is God. No human being can ever hope to have that kind of power. Even if we nuked this planet I believe that it would some how survive and life would go on. May be not human life...but life in some form.

You see there is one thing that human beings have had the power to do since Adam and Eve left the garden. We have had the power to destroy ourselves. That my friends is called free will.

But then may be I am just a Christian nut job. But that is my opinion. What is yours?

The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress

2008-06-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

You know, sometimes I cannot believe what congress does. And given the current approval rating that congress is getting in the polls maybe we as Americans have finally woke up to the fact that these people are idiots.

There are shelves of self help books to be found in book stores every where. The Internet for Dummies, Computers for Dummies, Carpentry for Dummies. May I suggest a new book...The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress. Although from the look of things they don't need it. They have the process down to a science.

To prove my point I am going to list two examples that have occurred during the current administration. We all know that there are so many others and that it happens to presidents from both parties. Which just means that this is the one place where we seem to have bi-partisan politics.

First, lets us go back in history to just after September 11th attacks in 2001. It was setup in our constitution that only the legislative branch has the authority to take this country to war. Then came the war powers act where congress gave up that constitutional power. Following the attacks on 9/11 congress again gave up its power to the president.

Now on the surface this seems a bit stupid. But remember the Idiots Guide to Being in Congress, why do it and get blamed when you can give the authority to someone else, in this case the president, let him do and then whine about everything they do. You must admit that it works pretty good doesn't it! Everyone is always ready to blame Bush for the actions in Iraq and Afghanistan yet want to forget that it was Congress who voted (and still are voting) to allow and fund these actions.

Now we have the border fence that the Department of Homeland Security wants to build on the border with Mexico. In 2005 congress passed a law that gave the executive branch of our government the ability to ignore environmental and other laws to complete this fence. Well...the executive branch used that option and did exactly that. The case ended up going to the Supreme Court. This involved a two-mile section of the fence near Naco, Arizona. The high court rejected to even hear the case and now the lawmakers are outraged.

Oh please...you passed the law and the president and the Secretary of Homeland Security took the action. Fourteen house democrats filed briefs in support of environmentalists in this case.

All fourteen have been in congress since the law was passed in 2005. Most have also been in congress since the original law was passed in 1996 that allowed bypassing laws and regulations.

I wonder how the idiots voted for those two pieces of legislation? Well...forget your own responsibility and pass the buck.

I'll bet that is in Chapter One of The Idiots Guide to Being in Congress.

That is my opinion...what is yours?

Glad my kids are grown

2008-06-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

My wife and I have 3 wonderful children. Okay...so they weren't always so wonderful. Hell...they were kids. My youngest is now 28 and my oldest is 33. So I don't have the problems any more.

I did have one of my kids threaten to call the child protection people in New Jersey cause they felt they were being mis-treated. I grabbed the phone and asked the child what the number was. She never did give me the phone number.

My wife thought I was nuts. I sat all my kids down and told them that I loved them. Part of the that was to see they got the best they up bringing they could. If that would occur with them being raised by someone else then that is the way it had to be. I would miss them and all I wanted was the best for them.

So did you see the story about the 12 year old kid in Canada that took her dad to court because she thought her punishment was too sever? Did you hear that the judge ruled in the 12 year old's favor????

Here is the whole story from Foxnews.com:

A Canadian court has overturned a father's punishment for his daughter after she refused to stay off the Internet, his attorney said Wednesday.

The girl, 12, took her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on Web sites and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer, AFP reported.

The punishment was for the girl's "own protection," according to the father's attorney, Kim Beaudoin, who is appealing the ruling.

"She's a child," Beaudoin told AFP. "At her age, children test their limits and it's up to their parent to set boundaries. I started an appeal of the decision today to reestablish parentalauthority, and to ensure that this case doesn't set a precedent." Otherwise, she continued, "Parents are going to be walking on egg shells from now on."

According to court documents, the girl's Internet usage was the latest in a rash of disciplinary problems.

But Justice Suzanne Tessier, who was presiding over the case, found the punishment too severe.

Can you believe this mess. Now kids can take their parents to court and get their punishments over turned or reduced. This is pure bullshit.

If the state wants to take charge of my kids punishment then they can take care of my kids period. Only problem with that is we can see how they mess everything else up. I mean look at foster care in this country and how messed up it can be.

Parents are just that...the parents. Let the parents decide what is best for their own kids. If there is proof of abuse...then get the kids out. Otherwise stay the hell out of my business.

Those are my thoughts...what are yours?

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

2008-06-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

I lived in New Jersey for 22 years. For at least 15 of those years on each Memorial Day I stood with my Choir in Trinity United Methodist Church of Pennsville and sang one of the greatest hymns ever written. The Battle Hymn of the Republic by Julia W. Howe.

While there are many arrangements of this hymn out there, the one most generally sung and recognized is the arrangement by Peter Wilhousty. This is the arrangement we did at Trinity.

I also had the pleasure to hear my kids sing that arrangement in high school at several concerts.

Over the years of performing this music in our choir it has become a very meaningful hymn to me. In this age of political correctness and taking God out of our schools, I wonder if we will ever hear this piece of music performed by a school choir.

Well, this morning as I read my email, I got a surprise. I have listened to it (and sung along with it) probably 6 times. I have not been able to get the tears out of my eyes for over 30 minutes.

The presentation does not say what school system this is from. I wish it did. So I could write to them and tell them how much hearing this has meant to me.

So here is an elementary school choir joined by 4 high school choirs as they sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic as arranged by Peter Wilhousky.

Note: If the link does not come through please copy the address and place it in your browser.

God is not out of our public schools completely!!!

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

It happens every June

2008-06-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

I love baseball movies. There are several that I watch each spring before the season starts. Major League, Field of Dreams and Bull Durham just to name a few.

There is one old classic called It Happens Every Spring where a college chemistry professor ends up with a concoction that is repelled by wood. Great movie.

Now we have something that happens every June. People cheering for a friend or family member as their name is announced at high school graduation. The only problem is that in some places that will get you hauled off in handcuffs.

Case in point, Columbia, South Carolina where seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct because they were whooping it up for someone at a high school graduation.

This is one where it is easy to see both sides of the story.

Some parent is taking a video of the graduation of their only child and as the kids name is announced there is a group of people yelling so loud for Brittany (pick the name of your choice) that you cannot even hear the kids name being called. That opportunity will never present itself again. It is lost forever simply because some folks cannot control themselves and act like considerate human beings.

Then there are the parents of a young lady who got pregnant in her junior year. With the help of the school system and her family she graduated with her class. Well you can bet your ass that I yelled as my daughter walked across that stage and got her diploma. Yes...that was my daughter. Now I didn't go nuts with it...but I (okay...we) did give a victory yell.

Schools are now sending home letters that explain a code of conduct that people are expected to follow during the commencement ceremonies. The people who were hauled off in handcuffs complained that nothing said they could get arrested. Okay...what did they promise you? A pat on the ass?

Now when my kids graduated from high school the biggest offender of the proper decorum edict were the kids themselves. Often under class man cheering for their friends. But the adults are starting to get in on the act. I guess we all just want to act like kids.

But shouldn't there be a happy medium? Shouldn't we be allowed to cheer for friends and family? But shouldn't we also, as adults, be able to control ourselves a little?

Dragging someone of in handcuffs for cheering seems to be a bit much. Maybe just have the police walk around and hand out $200 shut the hell up tickets!!

That is my opinion. What is yours?

It's About Time

2008-06-10T03:34:00.000-07:00

President signed an executive order on Friday that requires all companies that do business with the federal government to ensure that all of their employees are eligible to work in the US.

Well it is about damned time. We can't get congress to get of their collective asses and do a thing to stop or curb the problem. But at least we can force the companies that provide goods and services to our nations government to play by a logical set of rules. Do not hire illegal workers!!

Some are worried about the order that those who were not intended will be caught by this order. People who over stayed visas or came to this country legally but do not have permission to work (such as some students and people waiting for work permits) will be snagged by this new system.

Excuse me...but am I missing something here? Over stayed their visa...then they are here ILLEGALLY. Do not have permission to work...then they are working ILLEGALLY. Waiting for a work permit...then they are working ILLEGALLY. What they are doing is ILLEGAL. As in against the law...unlawful...hello!!!

Now I must admit that there is a down side to all of this. If these people cannot work some liberal person in government will want to give them free medical care...free food...free or low cost housing...free money...a free ride. All at US taxpayer expense.

People keep lamenting that fact that we have thousands of homeless people in America. Well maybe if we stopped providing all these services to people who are in this country ILLEGALLY we could start helping some of our own citizens.

I have been very disappointed in President Bush. Although I am happy that he has taken this step I also have to wonder why he didn't do it over 7 years ago when he took office. If he had we would be that much further ahead.

That is my opinion. What is yours?

The Ping heard Round the World

2008-06-09T04:41:00.000-07:00

If you have ever seen the movie Forest Gump, you will undoubtedly remember that Forest was a member of the team that went to China to play ping pong.

While Forest was not actually part of the US team there was a US team that went to play ping pong in China in 1971.

The trip was setup by President Nixon and was called "ping pong diplomacy" by the media corps. In fact now that trip is said to have started the road to the relationship that China and the US have today.

No US citizen had visited China since 1949. In fact China was on the list of countries where US citizens were not allowed to travel. So in 1971 a group of US citizens became the first in over 20 years to travel to China to play ping pong. Members of that team in 1971 can clearly remember US Embassy officials taking a pen and crossing China off the list of countries where travel wasn't allowed.

Well, a group of aging ping pong players from the US and China are going to meet at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace to have a rematch and commemorate the event that occurred in 1971.

Amazing to think that a game of ping pong could lead to the start of relations between two countries.

Yow know...maybe there is hope for this world after all.

Congratulations Detroit!!

2008-06-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings for winning Lord Stanley's Cup for 2008!!!

So another hockey season comes to an end. Wasn't a seven game final but it was an exciting six game series. Not that I got to watch any of it. Didn't get to see a lot of hockey this season living in Mississippi where they have no idea what ice is unless its in a mint julep.

That and the fact that the NHL decided to go with the little known Versus Network instead of the ESPN. Versus is a Comcast product and goes into fewer homes than does ESPN which I think every cable and satellite provider carry. What a way to grow your fan base...on a provider that is not seen in a lot of homes in the US. Or maybe this was all just a ploy to get more people to go to satellite and buy the NHL Center Ice package.

But it has been an interesting season. Starting off with the Philadelphia Flyers having 5 players suspended for stick work in the first month of the season. Then ending with a game 5 OT game that saw two of the silliest Goalie Interference penalties I have ever seen.

So put up the sticks and pucks for 3 months. But be ready for October when it will all start again.

Why?

2008-06-04T03:33:00.001-07:00

If you have been keeping up with Barack Obama's latest pastoral controversy, then you know that the Catholic Church in Chicago has asked Father Pfleger to take a leave of absence from his church to reflect on what he said while speaking at Obama's former church.

Now I do not agree with the things that Father Pfleger said any more than I do Rev. Wright's comments. But once again we are in the mode of throwing the white guy under the bus and frankly I am sick of it.

Why is it that when a white minister says things like this they are thrown off the train like a sack of mail. Yet if a black minister says these things then we just don't understand the black church.

But aren't we forgetting that it should not matter the color of the person making these remarks? If the remarks are over the line then is should not matter. Can you imagine a white minister in a white church made comments about Obama similar in context to those made about Clinton. Can you just see the out cry by all of the usual characters. Then let's imagine, that we had a rally for that minister and a group of white people gathered around him and cheered this minister like the black community has done with Rev Wright. I think all hell would break loose.

Anyone who stood up for Don Imus after his comments about the Rutgers ladies basketball team we demeaned nearly as bad as Imus was. The only one who has been demeaned concerning Rev Wrights comments is Barack Obama. Of course that is only because he is running for president. If Barack had not be a member of Rev Wright's church no one would have given a damn about the comments he made from the pulpit.

So is all this stuff with Wright and Pfleger politically motivated...you bet your ass. And you know what we should all do is ignore it. Question Obama on his views certainly. But don't give Rev Wright or Father Pfleger another mention in the news. Let them go back into obscurity where they were when all this mess started.

That is my opinion. What is yours?

Can we all just grow-up...Please!!!

2008-06-03T04:37:00.000-07:00

I am not in love with my sister and I do not make love to farm animals. Well...at least not any more!

Folks...it is seriously time for all of us to just grow-up.

Jokes about family bloodlines in the south are as old as...well...the hills.

Were Vice President Cheney's remarks about family in West Virginia derogatory? Maybe. But it was also funny as hell. And nothing that Cheney said was that far removed from comments made on stage by the likes of Jeff Foxworthy who made millions of being a redneck.

How is the statement that Cheney made different from..."if you go to the family reunion to pickup women. You might be a redneck." I guess its different on two fronts. One, Jeff Foxworthy isn't in public office and two, he didn't mention a state by name.

Come on people. Its called humor. Hey I currently live and work in Mississippi. Might even be moving there permanently in the near future. Trust me, the folks in the south joke about this as more than people like Cheney do. Oh...and by the way, I have family in West "By God" Virginia and they all joke about it as well. Or at least they did when I was growing up.

It seems like the only ones that don't want us laughing at ourselves are the politicians. If we are not careful it won't be long before you will get pulled over and ticketed. Not for talking on your cell phone. No, this ticket will be for laughing. There will be no laughing!!!

Imagine Reader's Digest without the monthly "Laughter, the Best Medicine" or "Humor in Uniform". Is this where we are headed? Lord I hope not. I truly believe that humor and the ability to laugh is one of God's greatest gifts to mankind.

So lighten up people. Go out and have sex with your cousin. Go to the barn (or nearest petting zoo) and kiss a goat. Have a laugh. You deserve it.

That is my opinion. What do you think?

I have had enough!!

2008-06-01T04:07:00.000-07:00

Okay...time for a rare Sunday blog.

Another pastoral mess for Barack Obama. What is up with these pastors.

The pastors I have met in my life have all been humble people on an assignment from God. The assignment...to bring the lost home. To bring people to Jesus Christ.

Well between a lot of the TV evangelists and all this stuff at Obama's church it seems that these ministers have lost site of that assignment. It now seems to be about themselves instead of being about Christ!!

In my life I have officiated in several sports. Baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer we the main ones. When I went through the training for all the sports I officiated the one underlying message that was the same for all of them was that the official don't matter. The game, whatever the game is, is about the players. If you officiated a sporting event and no one remembers your name...then you have done a great job.

It is supposed to be that way for ministers. The only one that gets the glory is Jesus Christ. Not the minister...the Savior!!! Period.

But sometimes the ego gets the best of us. Even ministers can get caught up in ego and self. We are all human and we make mistakes.

But with these ministers is seems to go beyond that. When confronted with the fact that their ego has gotten in the way it just makes it all the more about them. Instead of admitting that they got "caught up in the moment" and sinned, the excuses start flying. Oh...they just to what I said out of context. Oh...they just couldn't understand the deeper meaning I was trying to relate. No pastors. You made this about you and your feelings and politics instead of about the Son of God. When you get like this you are no better than ministers like Rev Fred Phelps.

This ain't about you Rev Pfleger. It isn't about you Rev Wright. It isn't even about Barack Obama. Church is supposed to be about the deity that the church believes in. In this case, Jesus Christ.

That is what I think. How do you feel about it?

Thank You!!!!

2008-05-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Thank You!!!!!

In 1995 I enetered on a journey I never wanted to take. I was forced to take a job as a travelling contractor teaching operators for nuclear power plants. The job kept me away from home most of the time.

For most of the 13 years I have been doing this I was 5 hours away from home and could make it home at least every other weekend. Then came the assignment here in Mississippi and that meant I could only get home to see Smokin like every two months.

Now don't get me wrong. The money is nice. But I miss my wife and its not just the sex. The cuddling and talking. Hell we can't even argue like normal a normal couple.

Manyh of you have been praying for me during job interviews and the wait has finally paid off.
I reached an agreement in principal with Entergy Nuclear to become an full time company employee. The "in principal" means that the annual compensation has been agreed to. There are still benefits and relocation package stuff that need to be worked out.

So the deal could still fall through. So please keep praying. There are telling me that the remainder of the process will take about 2 weeks before the final offer is tended. But at least there is a reason to get a little excited.

So thanks to all of you and may God Bless!!!!

On the Internet

2008-05-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

There have bee many celebrities over the past few years that have learned a very valuable lesson. Any photo or video that you take of yourself or have taken with the intent of being private will not be private for long.

The internet and the ease of digital photographs and video make it easy for even the novice computer user to post pics and video.

Now out of Santa Fe. Texas comes the story about a school system that is confiscating student cell phones because of the transmission of nude photos of underage students. But most of these pics were taken by the individual and sent to a boy friend. The boy friend then sent them to his friends who sent them to their friends who...now they can end up on the internet.

No aside from the obvious argument that confiscating these cell phones may be against the law, what the hell are these girls doing taking nudes pics and sending them to anyone? Oh...and did I also mention that many school systems have rules stating that cell phones are not allowed in the school?

Parents...get a grip of your children. No parent can stop a teen from taking a nude pic and sending it to a friend any more than we can stop teen sex. But we do need to school them on the facts. Any pic that you take may wind up on the internet and be viewed by millions of people. If that doesn't embarrass them, then I guess we don't have much hope to stop it.

We have been trying, as a society, to do away with Playboy...Penthouse...Hustler and magazines like them for ages and have not even made a dent. There are always going to be women willing to show off their stuff to get the easy pay check. But this doesn't need to start when the girl is 13.

That is how I feel. What do you think?

What's in Your Wallet?

2008-05-21T02:41:00.000-07:00

For years US paper currency has been essentially unchanged. Oh there have been changes recently. A few new colors have been added. Most changes have been in an attempt to make it harder to counterfeit the currency.

A US Appeals court ruling may change all that making the government make major changes to the way paper currency is designed.

A case was brought against the federal government stating that US paper currency is discriminatory. When I first saw the article I thought is had something to do with the old "God in We Trust" issue. But the suit claimed that US paper currency discriminates against the blind and the Appeals Court agreed.

With US coins the exact denomination can be determined by size and feel. Not so with the paper currency. There is no way to determine whether a bill is a twenty, ten or hundred. They are all the same size and all feel the same. So a blind person is at the mercy of the clerk to see that the correct amount is paid and that they receive the correct change when making a purchase.

Not being blind I would have never thought of this loop hole in our currency. It may cost me money (estimates are 100 billion to re-design and produce replacement cash) in terms of taxes but I applaud the Appeals Court ruling.

One person left a comment on a news sight stating that the blind people should use debit cards for all purchases. Well aside from the fact that requiring blind people to use debit cause is discriminatory in its own right, there is still the issue that the blind consumer is still at the mercy of the cashier to tell them the honest purchase total and that the card is debited the correct amount.

I think the paper money issue is just the tip of the ice burg. How do blind people know that the total that the cashier tells them is correct. Even if they can do math in their head they have no idea how much an item costs. That bar code ain't in braille.

Should we make changes to our paper currency just to make it easier on 10 million Americans? I say yes we should. What do you say?

Ban all kids sports!!!!

2008-05-20T02:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a story out of Wayne, New Jersey.

The family of a boy who suffered brain damage after he was struck by a line drive off an aluminum bat has sued the bat's maker and others saying they should have known it was dangerous.

The young man was 12 years old and was pitching in a Police Athletic League game when the batter hit a line drive that caught the 12 year old in the chest right above the heart. His heart stopped beating and his brain was deprived of oxygen for 15 to 20 minutes. The result was the young man suffered brain damage.

Now I feel for this family and for this 12 year old boy. But in all seriousness accidents happen. Unfortunately this was just that...an accident.

The family is suing Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the maker of the bat. Also named in the suit are Little League Baseball and Sports Authority. The bat in question was purchased at a Sports Authority store.

Little League Baseball is named in the suit because the organization gave its seal of approval to the bat stating it was safe for use in Little League Baseball.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here but I have a news flash. ALL SPORTS ARE DANGEROUS!!!!! Play any sport and you run the risk of serious injury. We cannot take all the risk out of life. Accidents are going to happen. We will never be able to stop them from happening. Yet if this lawsuit is successful we will take away another activity for young men and women and leave them with nothing to do but roam the streets and get into trouble.

But in this day and age someone has to be held accountable. So we sue the manufacturer of the bat, the place that sold it and the organization who tested it. Hey...how about we all sue the family of that 12 year old for allowing him to play such a dangerous sport. Lets arrest the family for putting that 12 year old boy at risk for injury. Yeah...arrest them for child endangerment.

Wait...how about the batter who hit that line drive. Why does he get off scott free? Then we have the 12 year old boy who was hurt. This would not have happened if he had not pitched the ball where the batter could hit it. Where does this end?

This was an accident. There was no malice by the bat manufacturer or little league baseball. There was no malice by Sports Authority for selling the bat. No one wanted to see a 12 year old get hurt. But in life...things happen.

Now I do think it is odd that the family of the 12 year old did not include the Police Athletic League in the lawsuit. Is it because they are afraid of all the traffic stops they will get by the local police? I wonder.

If you really think that this family should be awarded a judgement in this case then you should be the ones shouting from the roof tops to ban all kids sports. Baseball...football...soccer...motor cross...hockey...skate boarding...you name it, let's ban it.

We can certainly do that. But accidents will still happen.

That is my opinion...what is yours?

This is Difficult

2008-05-19T02:32:00.000-07:00

I have not blogged since April 28th. The reason that I haven't done any blogging is a simple one. I have been putting all my energy into stopping a habit that I have had for 30 years.

I was in the Navy in 1977 when I transferred to a new command. I was part of what is called a pre-commissioning Unit for the USS Bremerton. On that crew we several people who had the habit that I am now trying to stop. Chewing tobacco.

I guess it started as a joke. We had an officer that would get sick to the point of throwing up when he knew people were chewing tobacco. Being an enlisted person meant that we had to take full advantage of that. And we did. We would parade one new person after another in front of this officer while doing some novel thing to show him that you had started chewing or dipping. I was one of the first "new people" to start. That was 1978 and I decided it was time to stop. So on April 28, 2008 I stopped at a gas station and discarded all of the tobacco that I had left. At 2PM that day to got rid of my last chew and started on the road to being tobacco free.

I used to drink a lot of alcohol. I was never a real constant or heavy drinker but I had my share. My health made me stop. No problem...I just put it down. That is not to say that someone who is an alcoholic can just put it down. It is a hard thing to do.

Let me tell you that stopping tobacco use is not an easy task. Those that have stopped smoking or chewing will tell you that it ain't a simple or easy task. This is by far one of the hardest things I have ever done.

So I stopped blogging to put all of my energy into the effort. Thus far it has paid off. At 2PM today it will be 3 weeks. I have chewed a lot of gum and ingested nearly a big bag of hard candies, but I am still on track.

So I hope to be back on these familiar pages more often. Might even continue to chronicle how my efforts to stop tobacco use are proceeding.

I just want to thank all of you that have been praying for me as I try to quit. I also want to thank all who read and comment on my blog.

Time for Some Controversy

2008-04-28T02:18:00.000-07:00

Reading the news this morning I came across an article on several news sites about Rev. Jeremiah Wright. If you don't know who this is by now I think you should get your head out of the sand (or your butt) and pay attention more.

Rev Wright is Barack Obama's former pastor. In a sermon (or speech...your choice) on Sunday in Detroit that the black church is mis-understood. That black churches just "do it differently".

He also stated that his words have been taken out of context to embarrass him and Obama.

No all of that may be true. I blogged when all this news first broke that this was not the man running for president and what he said during his sermons delivered to his congregation during a worship service should not matter when it comes to Obama. Many news outlets disagree with this view, and like me, they are entitled to their opinions.

That being said there is one basic flaw in Rev Wrights words from Sunday.

Let's change the scenario just a bit and make this a white minister in a white church and this minister was making statements against America and speaking. This pastor also makes statements against blacks. Would Rev Wright and others in the black community want this man removed from the pulpit like NOW.

If this pastor was also the pastor to a white presidential candidate would not Rev Wright, Rev Jackson and Rev Sharpton want this candidate to answer questions concerning his pastor?

Now I am sorry if this offends anyone but black or white you can bet that your answer to the above question is a resounding YES.

That is where the rub is with me. I am getting tired of certain people in this country wanting this issue both ways. Leave Rev Wright alone but jump on the band wagon if it happens to be a white minister.

Now that is not to say that there are not a few white ministers in this country that do engage in hateful speech when it comes to certain minorities in this country. However, the expectation is that the white community should throw this minister under the bus even if we do believe in what he (or she) is saying from the pulpit on Sunday morning.

Consider this Rev Wright...you say that we don't understand black churches. That may be true. In fact it probably is true. But when you expect change in white America and do not affect changes in black America in kind, I believe that to be discrimination sir. Not reverse discrimination...just plain old discrimination. Now correct me if I am wrong but isn't that what you are fighting against? Discrimination!!!

It matters not whether is it discrimination of whites to blacks or blacks to whites. IT IS DISCRIMINATION...period.

I am white and I found the comments that Imus made about the Rutgers Woman's basketball team offensive. I am the host for a show on NowLive.com (www.nowlive.com) and I co-host several others. If someone comes into one of those shows and drops the word "nigger" you can bet that the person will make a quick exit after being warned that the word in question is not used on our shows. This is the way it should be in my mind. Disc jockeys and others in the public eye have had plenty of time to take that word (and others) out of their on air language.

But as much as I have heard about people like Rev Sharpton speaking out about the use of words like "ho" by rap artists I have yet to hear any of these so called "ministers" ask that a recording by any of these artists be pulled from the shelves or that a recording label should cancel their contract.

As much as white America has had time to delete some of their language the black community has had the same opportunity to do the same.

Until I hear Rev Wright, Rev Jackson or Rev Sharpton start taking their own people to task for use of certain words and fighting ALL discrimination, I am sorry but I just cannot take them seriously.

Discrimination...you are either against it in ALL cases or you are just promoting it.

That is my opinion...what is yours?

Uniforms

2008-04-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

Foxnews has a story that is being reported out of Osceola County, Florida that a member of the county school board has told parents to stop spending money on their vices and spend the money on the school uniforms for their kids instead.

Needless to say this has kind of pissed off some of the parents that live in that county in Florida.

Now on one hand I agree with the parents. We are currently living in some very tough economic times. Maybe this county school board member is out of touch with current reality. The economic hardship just to drive to where said parents would have to buy the clothes could be excessive. But beyond that we have a member of the local government telling people how to spend their money. Hey smart ass!!! I have a suggestion for ya. Why don't you buy the clothes for the kids out of your pocket? You obviously are well paid for what little you do.

But there is another side to this story. This public school system requires kids to wear uniforms to school. Now why would that be? Could it be because parents could not or would not take responsibility for their kids attire?

Just like the United States Congress gave up their Constitutional power to declare war to President Bush, so too have parents given up their responsibilities concerning their kids to the government. And just like Congress now they want to cry and complain about decisions that are being made.

If parents would have taken an active role in making sure that the clothes that the kids wore to school were proper, the idea of uniforms would have never come up. Instead you have parents that send their children to school inappropriately dressed and then the school system takes over.

There is also the fact that some are better off than others and can afford nicer things. Thus we have the start of class envy and that leads to kids beating the hell out of one another over a pair of jeans or shoes.

There is always someone that is going to be better off than you are. Its just a fact and its a fact that we don't seem to keen on accepting. Some people feel that if the Jones' can buy the $200 pair of sneakers than their kid deserves them to. That, I hate to say, is just plain BS. It is just a fact of how life is and has been for decades. I had to put up with it. My kids had to put up with it and my grand kids are going to have to put up with it. Nothing the government does is going to change that so you might as well learn how to deal with it. In doing so you teach your kids how to do the same.

No, instead we want to keep this kind of stuff going. When I lived in New Jersey they actually have formal graduations from kindergarden and 5th grade. The 5th grade graduation actually came with a certificate. You should have seen some of the clothes that parents bought to dress their kids in. This was especially true for the little girls. We are talking expensive gowns. For what? Kindergarden? 5th grade? I have never heard anyone ask to see a 5th grade graduation certificate when applying for employment.

Then there are the extravagant trips that parents pay for when their kids graduate from High School. Then I think about what happened to that Halloway girl in Aruba and wonder if as parents we have lost our minds.

Come on parents...don't want to pay for uniforms...then show the county that you can control the kids attire and maybe then you can shop where I did...the Goodwill Store.

That is my opinion...what is yours?

Friends

2008-04-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

In the Dog House with Baddog (www.nowlive.com/baddog) we got into a discussion in the last half-hour about the friends on NowLive (www.nowlive.com).

Most of the Dog House Crew are coming up on their one year anniversary on NowLive. The main characters on the Dog House all started their shows within about a week of each other. There is Baddog, Meroll and C-roll (www.nowlive.com/brotherlylove) myself and my wife smokinbeaver.

This group started together and have grown together. I'm just not sure that we have grown up together. Being with this group is like be with a group of very immature adolescents. But it is fun!!!

I got a comment yesterday from a recently added member of NowLive asking me why I haven't accepted the friendship request. I commented back the reason was that I didn't know them. I guess I struck a nerve and the individual got pissed at me.

You see I am not like most folks on NowLive. I don't just click accept for anyone who requests it. If I haven't met you in a show, then the chances are I am not going to accept. I usually leave them in my profile for a while to see if I notice the person actively taking part in a show that I am in. The other way to be approved is if I see certain other people on their friends list.

Friends in my mind are a gift from God and are to be cherished. I have been blessed with a great bunch of friends on NowLive. Most of them have actually become more than friends...they are family to me. So much so that two of them, Baddog and SexyShelly, are about to become real family. My son is marrying their daughter. Sounds like some real Jerry Springer shit don't it!!! Well we are rednecks after all!!!! Just wait, real soon you may see us all on an episode of Maury trying to figure out who the daddy is.

If you want to learn more about us and maybe find a way to become a member of this less than exclusive family, why not come to NowLive make a profile (its free...really) and join us. Then look for the fine programming that makes up the Redneck Radio Network:

Wakeup Call with Broken and Smokin - Saturdays at 9 AM ET/6 AM PT
Dog House with Baddog - Monday through Friday at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
Brotherly Love - Look for schedule. They are currently taking a break

Friends are where its at folks. That is how I feel. What about you?

A politician makes stuff up? Are you Kidding?

2008-04-25T06:58:00.000-07:00

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, released an Earth Day press release which contained a bible reference from the old testament. Below is the quoted text from her press release.

"The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, 'To minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.' "

Now bible scholars are saying that this quote does not only not appear in the old testament...it doesn't appear any where in the bible.

Now I am not a bible scholar in any way shape or form. I do however have a computer version of the bible that contains 12 different versions and I did a search to try and find any hint that this text was taken from the bible. I too cam up with nothing even remotely similar to the text Ms Pelosi quoted.

According to the bible scholars that are calling her on this little mistake, they cannot even find anything even remotely like that text.

Claude Mariottini, professor of Old Testament at Northern Baptist Theologial Seminary, calls it "fictional," saying, "It is not in the Bible. There is nothing that even approximates that.

So here we have a politician making things up to fit the need. Gee that never happens...does it?

Politicians do this all the time. The big problem here is that with the internet and its vast research capabilities it has become much harder for a politician to get this kind of trick past even the average US citizen. In fact I think it bears stating that whenever you hear a politician quote anything, especially the bible, it might be worth time to do your own internet search and see what you come up with.

A politician is a creature that says whatever they think the audience listening wants to hear. The politician does not want to lose their power. This means they do not want to lose the office they hold unless it is to move up the food chain.

It is time for all of us as responsible Amercians to start watching ALL politicians from whatever party and see if they are being truthful. If these scum will fabricate quotes they will sure as hell lie to all of us.

Remember that politicians want their power and that is power over you and me and the rest of us. Power to raise taxes...lower taxes...spend OUR money and pass ridiculous legislation that may not even give a damn about.

Its time for America to start watching politicians instead of blindly following them.

That is what I think. What do you think?

More Government BS

2008-04-24T01:40:00.000-07:00

As if I wasn't totally pissed off yesterday at FORMER president Carter and his apparent senility, now we have a government agency showing its collective asses to the masses.

Here now I present to you the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

There is a little micro brewery located in a little town called Weed, California. The company using a play on the town's name had a little saying on their bottle caps that has drawn the attention of the agency mentioned above. What is the saying you ask? Well it says; "Try Legal Weed." The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau said that the slogan amounts to a drug reference.

No I do not use weed in any shape or fashion. My wife has been known to use dandelion weeds as a vegetable for diner but that is the limit of our weed fascination. I work in an industry where the use of grass is illegal and getting caught on a drug test would mean an immediate dismissal. So I refrain from use of said product due to that and other personal reasons. But I am not going to ask anyone I know to refrain from its use. I just keep my distance from them to make sure I don't end up with a false positive.

But this ruling by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is pure bullshit.

We have people writing books and websites that exploit women and children. They tell of how to go about luring some kid into a sexual relationship. There are others that tell you how to make and use explosives to kill people. There are books and websites that tell you how to plan a murder and will even assist a person in locating a professional. All of those items are illegal activities and cause a hell of a lot more harm to the public in general than a bottle cap on a beer that says something about legal weed.

The other references above have all been protected by infringing on someones first amendment rights. Never mind that fact that websites tell adult males how to have sexual contact with young boys and scare these kids for life. That is free speech. But any reference to weed will obviously damn our kids to a life of hell and hardship.

May I also mention that this cap was on the bottle of a product that is not for sale to minors. Any minor can search on and get access to websites and books of the other subjects referenced above with no limits or legal issues involved.

Now if you want my opinion (and you probably don't) let me lay it out for you.

I believe in free speech. I believe it is sacred to a point. But whenever a book, website, media, magazine, newspaper, artist, etc gives instructions for breaking the law, they you can kiss your free speech rights good fucking bye. Now this means that this bottle cap might be considered against the law under my loose definition above but if the standard is equally applied to all of these situations then so be it.

But the federal government has better things to worry about than getting up the ass of some little micro brewery for a freakin bottle cap that says Try Legal Weed.

That is my opinion..what is yours?

Hey Jimmie...stay the hell home

2008-04-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

What ever happened to the days when ex-presidents went home to build their library and collect those enormously large speaker fees?

Oh how I long for those days.

Now I want to warn all readers of this blog that my language might be a little more...ummm...harsh than normal. Well I am just sick to EX-president Jimmy Carter and all his bullshit. Mr. Carter it is time for you to get you punk ass back to fucking Georgia and fuckin stay there.

Do you think that is clear enough or do I need to make it a little stronger?

I am a person who typically says that we are to respect our current and former presidents. You may not like them...but they ARE to be respected. You may not like George W Bush...but he IS the president and should be afforded respect.

I am having a very difficult time affording any respect to FORMER president Carter who seems to think that his ass is sitting in the chair in the oval office making decisions and getting sexual favors from interns.

You know what FORMER president Carter, I don't give a rats ass who said what to you about you little trip to see the leader of Hamas. You hear me...I don't fuckin care!!!! I don't care if the US put a big sign on the World Trade Centers with a bulls eye that says "Fly Plane Here"!!!! The simple fact of the matter is that these are kin to the people that setup that little stunt and are currently involved with the shooting of RPG's and rockets into Israel. The current administration has stated time and time again that we will not deal with Hamas. Is there some part of that simple statement that your peanut brain cannot figure out. Being a private citizen does not give you, in my opinion, the right to go off and act like an ass. To go and do things that you know are against the current policy of this administration and then play it off to the old "well nobody told me".

As much as you run your mouth sir I would think you actually read the fucking newspapers and/or listen to the news. Now I'm not sure that you don't qualify for the new No Child Left Behind series called Dr. Seuss Gives You the News.

You know FORMER president Carter, you had your 4 years in the sun. Why not do what all ex-presidents have done before you. Go back home...build your library...collect speakers fees and go quietly into the sunset.

I mean damn Jimmy, get some fuckin class will ya!!! Go build the homes for humanity like you were doing. That is a noble cause for a FORMER president.

But for God's sake please just shut the fuck up!!!!

Poor Mr Clinton

2008-04-22T15:36:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged recently. We are going through an inspection at work and the last 10 days have been really busy.

But, what I want to talk about is former President Bill Clinton and the "open mic" incident that happened in Philly on Monday.

Well ain't this just a little twist of fate. You have to love it when someone gets caught on an open microphone running their flapper. And I don't particularly care whether you are a democrat, republican or independent. I don't care whether you like President Clinton (the former) or hate his guts. I just love it when a politician of any kind who will always take an opponents comments out of context and use them against them gets caught in the same web.

Now I will say, for the record, that I am not a fan or former President Clinton or his wife. Of course I am also not much of a George W Bush fan either. I will also state that I believe that the comments Mr. Clinton made about South Carolina were not meant to either demean Mr. Obama or his race, color or creed. They were taken out of context.

However, after watching the Clinton's use this very same tactic and then get caught with the same trick and wanting to complain about, I am not going to say that I don't find a bit of satisfaction in it.

So how does it feel Bill? Everyone was aghast at some of the open mic comments that President Bush has made when he thought he was speaking without his words being collected for general consumption..

I guess the difference with me is that I can take the comments made by President Clinton as being an oooops. A mistake. Nothing more and nothing less. But I guess the same can't be said for most of the population.

So get over it folks. Get back to the issues and leave this menial bullshit where it belongs. Of the front page and off the news...completely!!!

That is how I feel. How about you?

Take responsibility!!

2008-04-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest problems in the US these days are people who are unwilling to take responsibility for their actions. Dr. Phil McGraw has been on TV with his talk show trying to get people to do exactly that.

Now it seems that Dr. Phil, or at least the staff of his show, refuse to practice what they preach.

We have all heard the story out of Polk County Florida where those 8 teenagers abducted and severely beat a 16 year old girl. The 6 girls and 2 boys were arrested and will be taken to court as adults for their actions. All 8 were given bail between $30,000 and $38,000.

Enter staffers from the Dr. Phil show hoping to get the leg up and get this on the show paid the bail for one of the young ladies. The bail was $33,000 which means that Dr. Phil and his show had to put up 10%, or $3,300 to get the girl released.

Rather than taking responsibility for this major screw up, a representative for Dr. Phil's syndicated show stated that staffers "went beyond" the shows guidelines in posting the bail.

Oh please!!! I find it very hard to believe that a staffer for the show had the authority, on their own, to put up the $3,300 plus whatever collateral was required for the remainder of the bail on their own. A staffer would not have the authority to put up $33,000 of company assets without the consent of the shows main producers.

While Dr. Phil bills his show as an above board show where people are shown the true nature of their screw-ups and take responsibility, the show over the past several months has been shown to be anything but that.

First was Dr. Phil going to see a certain famous female with the hopes of making a show out of her case (I don't even want to mention her name here). Then he proceeds to go on the air and run his flapper about it. The man is a doctor (or so it says in the show title) for heavens sake. What ever happened to patient-doctor privilege? Guess there ain't any when it comes to Dr. Phil.

Now we have this little episode where they try to secure a segment on the show by putting up bail for this girl and we are to believe that the producers knew nothing about it. Now Dr. Phil himself might not have anything to do with this. But some how I doubt it. I can just see good ole Phil going to some staff flunkie telling him (or her) to get their butt to Florida and secure a deal with at least one of these kids to appear. Yep...I think Dr. Phil is up to his folically challenged head in this mess.

Of course all of this has nothing to do with helping any of these kids that are in deep shit at the moment. It is all about TV ratings and ad revenue.

Personally, I think it's high time for Dr. Phil to leave the air and take up his new position as a client for the Hair Club for men. Hell...maybe he can even be the president of the company!!!

So that is my opinion. What do you think?

Things that go BOOOOOM!!!

2008-04-14T03:02:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone.

How would you like to be these folks?

A family that lives 3 miles from the US Army's Picatinny Arsenal had quite a surprise. A fragment from an artillery shell crashed through their house and landed right in the middle of their daughters bed.

I found this reported on Foxnews this morning as I did my morning look at the news.

Almost every morning I sit and wonder what I am going to blog about. Usually a news story grabs me. To say that this one grabbed me would be an understatement.

How in the hell does the Army play around with a piece of ordinance that can throw shrapnel over 3 miles? No...check that...how in the hell can the US Army play around with ordinance that can throw shrapnel over three miles when there is a chance that said fragments could hit the home of a private citizen?

I am all for the US military testing ordinance but someones head needs to roll over this little blunder. Fortunately, the girl wasn't home at the time or this tragedy would have been much worse. As it was, the family cat was struck by the fragment and was killed. That has to be traumatic enough. Especially since you know the Army is not going to completely stop testing at that facility.

Someone connected with the US Army needs to explain this one. They also need to explain, in detail, what steps are taken to ensure that this NEVER happens again.

Accidents happen. I understand that. But with the technology that exists today where we can put ordnance right on the door step of the intended target I think this goes beyond an accident and into negligence on the part of the Army and those responsible for the testing.

What do you think?

Olympics

2008-04-11T03:09:00.000-07:00

Good Morning all.

I was never a big fan of watching the Olympics. Yes...I do watch a lot of the ice hockey during the winter games but really that is about it. I also don't really follow the games and the medal count. So I may not be the best one to blog about what has happened to the games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2008 Summer Games to China. I actually remember some reservations at the time by members of the IOC about holding the games in China. I also seem to remember that there were some understandings made between the IOC and the government of China concerning human rights violations that were occurring in China.

Now what we have is a situation that is as sticky as all those that Captain James T. Kirk and Captain Jean-Luc Pickard went through when dealing with the Prime Directive (for those that are not Star Trek fans that was the non-intereference policy).

Well just as Kirk and Pickard found ways around the prime directive so to now must the IOC find ways around all its policies for the summer games that start August 8th.

Now I am not going to chose a side between those appalled with what goes on in China or the right the government of China has to run its own country. But it seems both sides here had better get some kind of agreement hammered out or this thing is going to be a powder keg.

The IOC knew what China was about when they awarded them the games. The government of China had to know that increased attention to things like the Tibet situation was going to happen. Yet it clearly seems that neither was clearly ready for the onslaught as the games got closer.

There are questions about media access to athletes, especially those from China. There are questions about what the athletes themselves can and cannot do in "protest" of the current affairs in Tibet. If you read news articles today all athletes are being warned not to "protest" in any arena or venue (that includes dorms). But no one has clearly defined what "protest" is. Which brings up an interesting dilemma for the IOC. Isn't limiting the athletes paramount to limiting free speech?

One must remember that an athlete who violates the rules can be expelled from the games...a.k.a sent home. They can also be stripped of any medals won and records set during the games. That can happen for just having the flag from Tibet hanging on the wall of their dorm room.

And in case you forget this whole thing started when two US athletes held up the black-power symbol during the medal ceremonies during the 1968 summer games.

You see just like major league sports the Olympics have become big business. Yes the government of China will have to pay out a lot of cash to build the Olympic venues. But there is also the huge cash rewards from all the travellers and media who come to the games.

We want to call the Olympics athletes amateurs. But just as in the outdated view of the NCAA with respect to athletes not being paid this whole thing has become a joke. The Olympics, in my view, should be about the best from this country taking on the best from that country. Its sports. We need to get all the BS out of it.

What do you think?

You can't fix stupid!!

2008-04-10T02:22:00.000-07:00

I am back after my 6 day vacation from blogging. Many have heard about the weather that went through the south last Friday and I was present where it all started. Finally got internet service back Tuesday night and have been catching up. But it is good to be back on line.

You would think that Wal-mart, being a rather large corporation, would have been smarter than this. But sometimes you just can't fix stupid.

A production company was hired by Wal-mart to video their share holder meetings as well as other high level meetings. Well, after taping these events for over 30 years the production company was told to take a hike back in 2006.

Now the production company is offering access to the video archives of all these Wal-mart meetings. The company charges $250/hour for video search services. There is an extra charge for making DVD copies of video footage. People are lining up at the door to obtain video from these meetings.

Now who would want to pay that kind of money for some lame Board of Directors Meeting footage? How about every lawyer that is currently engaged in litigation against the retail giant!! And they are finding a wealth of information that will aide their clients in their claims against the company.

Now on the surface of it one would have to wonder how this production company can get away with selling this kind of information. After all, Board meetings and the like are usually considered private and not for public consumption. Well the answer is both simple and ridiculous.

When Wal-mart hired the production company there were no contracts signed. They were asked to come in and tape the meetings and events. There was never a contract or agreement of confidentiality.

When Wal-mart pulled the plug in 2006 the company found itself losing about 95% of its business. Rather than going under they decided to make the video archive available for public consumption.

There is footage of male managers at an executive meeting parading around in drag and I am sure that there are more nuggets just waiting for someone to review the right video cassette.

Now I am not a lawyer and I didn't play one on TV. I also did not stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. But I do question whether this little venture is legal. But we can leave that up to the courts to decide. Wal-mart for has offered to pay $500,000 for the entire collection. A number that the production company says is way to low for a collection that is worth millions.

Yes...I can see it now...coming to a theater near you and soon to DVD...Wal-mart:The Movie!!

Have you heard this?

2008-04-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

Air America talk show radio host Randi Rhodes has been suspended for has been described as an "appalling rant" at an appearance sponsored by an Air America affiliate in San Francisco. Appalling rant!!!!! Go listen to the 5 minute and 38 second clip that someone in the audience taped. Here is the link. Just be advised there is very strong language. I wonder if we can get this babe as a guest on the Dog House?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfdhWi5MILo

First off, on one hand this is funny. Air America is supposed to be the liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coulter and Sean Hannity. That being conservative talk radio. But if you listen to the clip Ms. Rhodes is not taking aim at the conservatives. Nooo!!! She is taking aim at the liberal candidate, or at least Hillary Clinton. And it she calls Hillary a "whore", where does that leave ole Bill? I love it when either side starts to eat their own. It does make for great comedy.

But there is another side to this story that I think needs to be addressed. Geraldine Ferraro Ms. Rhodes should not be suspended...she should be fired. Don Imus got fired...she should get fired. Everyone should be treated the same.

Well Ms. Ferraro, how in the hell are they the same? Don Imus made his statements on the open air waves. Randi Rhodes made her comments at a public speaking engagement. Mr. Imus' comments went to millions listening via his syndicated radio show. Ms Rhodes comments were made in a private venue and would have remained that way had it not been for someone with a cell phone.

Were the comments she made beneath contempt? Yes I think they were. I don't like Hillary but I would not call her a whore. Now Bill is a different story...lol.

But this was done not as a part of her radio show but at a private appearance. If Air America wants to suspend or fire her, that is there right. But what she did was nothing like what Don Imus did.

That is just my opinion. What is yours?

Judges

2008-04-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

I thought I had posted this blog yesterday but it didn't show up when I looked this morning. So this is a day late I guess. But if you read my blog regularly you will get the idea.

My blog yesterday concerned Jessica's Law. I have received a few comments on that topic from yesterday and I felt it was time for a sequel.

One comment from my good friend Casey in Alabama centered on what to do about the judges that are releasing these child predators. That is a loaded question...well its a loaded political question.

Some states and municipalities actually vote for some judges during elections. Other states and municipalities have there judges appointed by the government. In the case Federal Court judges these are appointed by the president and confirmed by congress.

But how does one go about removing a sitting judge from the bench? That there is a tricky question and many scholars argue the point. Just do a google search on "removing judges" and you will see some of the arguments in black and white.

Whether it be through impeachment or recall there are ways within the US constitution and most state constitutions for removing a judge from the bench. Once a decision is made to impeach or recall a judge that is when the task moves from the world or law into the world of politics.

Like it or not judges have political affiliation. In the case of the federal courts, there is no way a judge will ever be appointed by the president unless he is a member of the political party or has like political views to those of the president that appoints them. If a federal judge is to be impeached and removed from office it will take people on both sides of the political isle to "git-r-done". Beyond that impeachment is a messy business. Just remember a few years back when President Clinton was impeached.

There is also the fact that congress has been willing to step into the world of the judicial branch. While there have been several federal and state impeachment trials (remember that impeachment is an indictment and then a trial occurs) there have been few and far between. I think this, again, is mainly due to the political nature of the process. But the process is there.

The other problem I have with judges is that they are never required to answer for their actions on the bench. In fact, even questioning a judge outside of the court room could lead to a contempt charge and time in jail.

It is high time that we, the American people, start holding judges accountable for their actions on the bench. There is only one way to do this and that is through our elected officials in either state or federal government. I think one of the reasons you see so many laws being passed with mandatory sentencing guidelines is that judges refuse to properly sentence those that are convicted of a crime. The job of "adequate" sentencing then falls to the legislature where it does not belong.
For those states and municipalities that have elected judges the process is much easier. Don't re-elect the judge. But then again the way in which we re-elect politicians to office, that may not work either.

What to do?

2008-04-02T02:50:00.000-07:00

My blog yesterday concerned Jessica's Law. I have received a few comments on that topic from yesterday and I felt it was time for a sequel.

One comment from my good friend Casey in Alabama centered on what to do about the judges that are releasing these child predators. That is a loaded question...well its a loaded political question.

Some states and municipalities actually vote for some judges during elections. Other states and municipalities have there judges appointed by the government. In the case Federal Court judges these are appointed by the president and confirmed by congress.

But how does one go about removing a sitting judge from the bench? That there is a tricky question and many scholars argue the point. Just do a google search on "removing judges" and you will see some of the arguments in black and white.

Whether it be through impeachment or recall there are ways within the US constitution and most state constitutions for removing a judge from the bench. Once a decision is made to impeach or recall a judge that is when the task moves from the world or law into the world of politics.

Like it or not judges have political affiliation. In the case of the federal courts, there is no way a judge will ever be appointed by the president unless he is a member of the political party or has like political views to those of the president that appoints them. If a federal judge is to be impeached and removed from office it will take people on both sides of the political isle to "git-r-done". Beyond that impeachment is a messy business. Just remember a few years back when President Clinton was impeached.

There is also the fact that congress has been willing to step into the world of the judicial branch. While there have been several federal and state impeachment trials (remember that impeachment is an indictment and then a trial occurs) there have been few and far between. I think this, again, is mainly due to the political nature of the process. But the process is there.

The other problem I have with judges is that they are never required to answer for their actions on the bench. In fact, even questioning a judge outside of the court room could lead to a contempt charge and time in jail.

It is high time that we, the American people, start holding judges accountable for their actions on the bench. There is only one way to do this and that is through our elected officials in either state or federal government. I think one of the reasons you see so many laws being passed with mandatory sentencing guidelines is that judges refuse to properly sentence those that are convicted of a crime. The job of "adequate" sentencing then falls to the legislature where it does not belong.

For those states and municipalities that have elected judges the process is much easier. Don't re-elect the judge. But then again the way in which we re-elect politicians to office, that may not work either.

Jessica's Law

2008-04-01T02:42:00.000-07:00

If you are not familiar with Jessica's Law it was a law past in Florida in 2005 after Jessica Lunsford. She was a young girl who was brutally raped and murdered. Jessica's law has been introduced in many states and on a federal level. In short, the law requires mandatory prison sentences for child predators.

In total, 42 states have pasted some form of Jessica's Law requiring harsh punishments for those who sexually prey on children. Most forms of Jessica's Law call for these mandatory sentences when the child is 12 years of age or younger.

I know this law is controversial. There are law enforcement people and lawyers that don't like the law because it takes any kind of plea bargaining off the table. These people want the flexibility to place alternate forms of punishment or lighter sentences via plea bargins. Plea bargins, they say, are a method to reduce the number of cases that the already overloaded court system must hear.

Now whether you are for or against legislation such as Jessica's law, there is an interesting parallel that I would like to explore.

Gun control has been a hot topic in this country for many years. Many laws are already on the books and there is always an out cry for more. The recent rash of school shootings are the main reason for wanting tougher and stricter gun laws. Yet it is not the gun that does the killing. It is the person who pulls the trigger.

So many people want mandatory sentences and tougher laws, on something that by itself, commits no crime. But want to be flexible when it comes to prosecuting and punishing those that take advantage of young children. I do believe that the right to keep and bear arms is a right allowed under the constitution of the United States. That point can be argued and is being argued. In fact oral arguments were just heard by the US Supreme Court about a Washington, D.C law. The results of that case are scheduled to be released in June. However, what argument can be made about child predators? We are not talking about someones constitutional right to rape or molest a child because that right does not exist.

In Massachusetts there is one judge who has let 6 sex offenders back on the street. The result, 3 of them are back awaiting trial for sex related crimes. One of them allegedly raped a 6 year old boy in a public library. The judge was told by several experts that this individual was a threat young children and the judge released him anyway and the rape of a 6 year old was the result.

Why are we spending so much time and effort trying to regulate something that by itself kills or hurts no one, yet we let people who have hurt children off with lighter sentences?

I will let you answer that question individually. For ultimately each of us are going to have to answer that question and then let our lawmakers and judges know exactly how we feel.

I'll Say It Again

2008-03-31T02:42:00.000-07:00

I have said this before and I will say it again. The primary election process in the US is broke and needs fixing.

Now we have members of both the Clinton and Obama campaigns, including a former president, trying to get the so called "super delegates" to commit to their respective candidates. From all indications it appears that these uncommitted super delegates are going to be the ones to decide which candidate will represent the Democrat party in November.

Now what really bothers me about this entire mess is how the party in question has claimed that President Bush stole the election in 2000. How voters were disenfranchised. How Gore won the popular vote and yet lost due to the electoral college.

Now we have the same process taking place in the democrat primary. Currently Obama is in the led both in delegate count and popular vote. Yet it is the party elite that will decide who the candidate will be. Not the people...the party. Yet I have not seen one article or one news story from those that slammed the process in 2000 saying a damned thing about what could happen here. I have seen articles saying that if the super delegates tap Hilliary that it will cause a split in the party. But I haven't heard a single peep from all these folks about how voters are being rendered meaningless.

Where are the Jessie Jackson's claiming that the process is flawed and how the voters don't matter. May be they are waiting until the process ends and the results known before they speak out about all of this. That of course remains to be seen. Just remember that no one waited for the entire outcome in 2000 to start blasting the process so why wait now. Hell, there were groups of people that were speaking out about the ballots and how things were run before the polls even closed.

Just so you know, let me state my position.

We should do away with the electoral college. The person who wins the office of president should be the one that wins the popular vote. I am even in favor of taking a step back. The first place finisher in popular vote wins the office of president. The runner-up get the Veep slot. That means each party would probably have voice in that each party would have a person high in the executive branch. Would make for some great White House meetings that we could put on pay-per-view.
The primary process should be taken away from the parties and returned to the people. This means that we hold a nation wide primary just like we do the general election in November. The winner of the popular vote is the nominee. If you really want to through some crap into it, let the runner-up be the Veep. Let the people decide the ticket.
Let's get back to holding mock elections in schools. This government we have like to throw money at education, lets make it pay off. All high schools will hold an election just like the real thing with the actual voting equipment that is used in their area. It's high time we start teaching people how all this new fangled touch screen stuff works so they are ready when they turn 18 and it really counts.
Have the polling place setup and do a dry run of the process before the real election. This gives the common people the chance to preview the ballot and the voting machines that will be used. This coupled with the signs that are already posted that offer help to those that need it when voting should put to rest all the comments at the end of an election about the confusing ballots and voting equipment used. If they don't want to take the opportunity to preview what things are going to look like and then they screw it up...oh well. Some times you just can't fix stupid.

So all you folks that are really engaged in the process, come up with your own ideas about how to fix the current election process. You can bet your ass that neither party will take to kindly to my suggestions above. If both sides don't like it, then there must be something good about it.

The one thing I will tell you...VOTE IN NOVEMBER OR SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!!

Body Piercings

2008-03-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

Now here is a story that you knew sooner or later would become an issue. This is from FoxNews.com.

LOS ANGELES — A Texas woman who said she was forced to remove a nipple ring with pliers in order to board an airplane called Thursday for an apology by federal security agents and a civil rights investigation.

"I wouldn't wish this experience upon anyone," Mandi Hamlin said at a news conference. "My experience with TSA was a nightmare I had to endure. No one deserves to be treated this way."
Hamlin, 37, said she was trying to board a flight from Lubbock to Dallas on Feb. 24 when she was scanned by a Transportation Security Administration agent after passing through a larger metal detector without problems.

The female TSA agent used a handheld detector that beeped when it passed in front of Hamlin's chest, the Dallas-area resident said.

Hamlin said she told the woman she was wearing nipple piercings. The women then called over her male colleagues, one of whom said she would have to remove the jewelry, Hamlin said.

Hamlin said she could not remove them and asked whether she could instead display her pierced breasts in private to the female agent. But several other male officers told her she could not board her flight until the jewelry was out, she said.

She was taken behind a curtain and managed to remove one bar-shaped piercing but had trouble with the second, a ring.

"Still crying, she informed the TSA officer that she could not remove it without the help of pliers, and the officer gave a pair to her," said Hamlin's attorney, Gloria Allred, reading from a letter she sent Thursday to the director of the TSA's Office of Civil Rights and Liberties.

Hamlin said she heard male TSA agents snickering as she took out the ring. She was scanned again and was allowed to board even though she still was wearing a belly button ring.

"After nipple rings are inserted, the skin can often heal around the piercing, and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to remove," Allred said in the letter.

Hamlin filed a complaint, but the TSA's customer service manager at the Lubbock airport concluded the screening was handled properly, Allred said.

Allred said she might consider legal action if the TSA does not apologize.

On its Web site, the TSA warns that passengers "may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which alarmed the metal detector."

"If you are selected for additional screening, you may ask to remove your body piercing in private as an alternative to a pat-down search," the site says.

Hamlin would have accepted a "pat-down" had it been offered, Allred said.

Hamlin was publicly humiliated and has "undergone an enormous amount of physical pain to have the nipple rings reinserted" because of scar tissue, Allred said.

"The conduct of TSA was cruel and unnecessary," Allred wrote. "The last time that I checked a nipple was not a dangerous weapon."

TSA spokesman Dwayne Baird said he was unaware of the incident. There is no specific TSA policy on dealing with body piercings, he said, "as long as it doesn't sound the alarms."

If an alarm does sound, "until that is resolved, we're not going to let them go through the checkpoint, no matter what they're wearing or where they're wearing it."

People routinely pass through security wearing wedding rings without problems, and it might take a larger bit of metal to trigger an alarm, Baird said.

I have not seen an article like this since the new restrictions in airport security went into effect. But then again I don't scan the news looking for articles about women having to remove jewelery to board a flight. But I will bet that this has happened before and I either missed it or it never got reported.

When I first thought about getting a tattoo when I was in the Navy, I had an old salty Chief tell me not to get something that I would be ashamed for anyone to see. I guess the same holds true for body piercings. Sooner or later that which you adorn your body with will be visible to someone that you might not want to see it.

So on one hand I have no sympathy for this lady. You want to wear the piercings you go right ahead. Just be prepared for the consequences.

But I think here I we have a situation that has taught me a lot.

First, I always thought that as the piercing healed that it could be removed easily at a future point. I have an earring and I can easily take it out and put it back in. I guess the same cannot be said for piercings in other locations. I mean the lady had to remove the thing with a pair of pliers!!!! (Note to self...no nipple piercings). I would hate to see that type of removal with a prince albert piercing.

But where do we draw the line with airport security. Should this woman have been allowed to show her pierced breasts to the female TSA officer? Should TSA be allowed to make a person remove piercings if there is going to be pain and anguish involved?

There was a time I was sure of my answer. It would have been on the order of whatever it takes to ensure the safety of the flight. Now I am not so sure.

What do you think?

Sad

2008-03-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

This whole story is sad.

In a little town in Wisconsin, an 11 year old girl died from untreated diabetes. Note that I said UNTREATED diabetes.

Diabetes is nothing new. Most people are aware that this disease is affecting more and more people in the US. I am one of them. I was diagnosed 20 years ago and live with the problems caused by the disease every day.

But the disease IS treatable. In this case the parents relied on prayer to cure their daughter. They believe in the bible and believe that all healing comes from God.

Now I am not opposed to that view. I guess I just look at it from a different angle.

There is an old story that has been used by many a preacher as a sermon illustration. The basics of the story are that a man was trapped on the top of his house due to a flood. His neighbors offered help to take him to safety and he refused stating that God would save him. The water got higher and a boat came by and offered to take his to safety and again he refused. God will save me. The water rose even higher and as his house was about to go under water a helicopter came by and offered to rescue the man. Again he refused stating that God would save him. In the end, the man was swept away and drowned. When he made it to heaven he asked God why he didn't save him. God answered that he had sent his neighbors, a boat and a helicopter to rescue him. All he needed to do was work with God and accept the help that he had sent.

I think the same principal applies here. There is help in the medical field for people with diabetes. All we need to do is take that help. All these parents needed to do was seek that help. They did not. They left the girl's health in God's hands.

I believe that every new medical miracle that comes along is a gift to us from God. All healing does come from God in the form of medical break through. Its not that there aren't still big miracles that occur every day. But the little miracles, such as insulin, are also sent to us from God.

But we have to be willing to accept God's help. Just as salvation and freedom from sin were provided by God in His Son, Jesus Christ, the acceptance of this gift is up to us. God does not force it on us. We are free to choose.

So it was for this little girl. The parents could have accepted the God provided treatment that doctors could have provided. Instead they made the decision not to accept that help and now their daughter is with God.

God provides but it is up to us to accept.

Be Yourself

2008-03-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

There are several items in the news over the past few days that point to the old axiom to just be yourself.

First there is all the crap that is going on in the political arena over the past few weeks. There was the Barack Obama and his pastor controversy. There was Governor Spitzer of New York. Although that might be a bad example because apparently he was being himself when he paid $4300/hour for that hooker. Now there is Hiliary Clinton and the now infamous statement about being under the threat of a sniper when landing in Bosnia. Apparently that was not true...excuse me...she misspoke.

I saw a news report on-line talking about the stuff with Mrs Clinton and I think this commentator made a very profound statement. This person basically said that politicians lie so much that they don't even notice when they are lieing any more. It is second nature to them. It was also said that most politicians try to change themselves into something that they believe will appeal to some group of voters that they have totally lost who they really are. Sometimes these changes happen in a 20 minute drive from one speaking venue to another.

If you can't get elected based in who you really are, maybe its time to look for another line of work. Hey try acting...you can change yourself from roll to roll. That should be easy for politicians. They do it all the time anyway!

Now we have the case of an 18 year old high school cheerleader in Florida who died as a result of breast implant surgery. According to the most recent news the surgery was to correct and inverted nipple and asymmetrical breasts which involves the use of implants. Something went wrong during the surgery and now we have a dead young girl and a grieving family.

Now I am not a doctor. I didn't play one on TV and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I am not an expert in the medical field. I do fancy myself s being an expert at looking at female breasts. Don't know much about inverted nipples but I can tell you that real breasts are not really a matched set. There are differences from one side to the other. Some are more obvious than others but there are differences. Just how we are put together.

So was this surgery required for the girls health or was it something she wanted to become more like the airbrushed images in magazines?

If we are just trying to have the surgery to conform to what our society and media expect the perfect male or female to look like, I think it is time to take a step back and re-evaluate what we are tyring to gain. Every time we chose to go under the knife there is a risk. We may not like it, but the fact is that people die during surgery everyday. We just need to evaluate the risk against the potential benefit and make an informed decision.

People marry every day thinking that once they are married, they can change or mold that spouse to be who they want them to be. I think most of us know that is flawed thinking.

Politicians try to change themselves to be more acceptable to get people to vote for them.

We use surgery and other techniques to change who we are.

Maybe its high time we just learn to be ourselves.

Back in Mississippi

2008-03-24T03:31:00.000-07:00

The time at home is California is over and its time to get back to work in Mississippi. The trip back was certainly much less event filled than the trip out to California last week. There were no delays and my luggage actually arrived with me.

But with Easter now behind us and Christmas a long way off this seems to be the time when Christians kind of relax. We have celebrated Christ's birth and His resurrection and there is a natural let down.

Months of working on special music and programs are over. All the special services for Lent have been completed and most Christians go into the what now mode.

I submit that we should be celebrating Easter everyday. The resurrection of Christ was not for only one day. HE IS ALIVE!!!! We should be shouting that from the roof tops. It is the main thing that makes Christianity different from other religious movements. We have a risen Lord and Savior who is here with us everyday.

So as Chrsitians, we should still be as excited as we were yesterday morning when we came together to celebrate our risen Lord.

My wife's church in California did their Easter music service on Saturday. One of the songs they performed was "Was It a Morning Like This". The chorus from this song should resinate with us all year long:

Did the grass sing? Did the earth rejoice to feel you again?
Over and over like a Trumpet underground,
Did the earth seem to pound: “He is risen”
Over and over in a never ending round
“He is risen, alleluia, alleluia!”

Christ rose from the dead that first Easter morning. We should never let that chorus fade.

2008-03-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

Okay…I know that I am not the brightest bulb in the box. But what am I missing here?

FOXNEWS.COM HOME > U.S.

The corn flake sold on eBay for $1,350.

CHICAGO — Two sisters from Virginia sold their Illinois-shaped corn flake on eBay Friday night for $1,350.

"We were biting our nails all the way up to the finish, seeing what would happen," said Melissa McIntire, 23. "There's a lot of relief involved."

The winner of the auction, which lasted more than a week, is the owner of a trivia Web site who wants to add the corn flake to a traveling museum.

"We're starting a collection of pop culture and Americana items," said Monty Kerr of Austin, Texas. "We thought this was a fantastic one."

Kerr owns TriviaMania.com and said he will likely send someone to Virginia to pick up the flake by hand, so it won't be damaged. This isn't the first corn flake that Kerr has tried to buy. He said he purchased a flake billed as the world's largest, but that by the time it was delivered it had crumbled into three pieces.

McIntire and her sister Emily, 15, listed the corn flake on eBay last week, but eBay canceled the auction saying it violated the Web site's food policy.

The sisters restarted their Ebay auction, advertising a coupon redeemable for their corn flake, instead of the cereal itself.

The McIntires said they'll likely use the money for a family vacation.

Copycat items have popped up on eBay, including corn flakes shaped like Hawaii and Virginia. There's also been a potato chip shaped like Florida, and Illinois corn flake paraphernalia, including T-shirts and buttons.

Did I read that right? Did someone actually pay $1,350 for not a box of corn flakes…a single corn flake?

What’s next, someone selling or buying a pair of used men’s underwear with a crotch stain that looks like Rhode Island? I wonder how much that would fetch on the open ebay market?

I guess its time for all of us to start paying more attention to the mundane things around us. I mean that pile of dog crap you just scooped up and threw away could have been in a shape that was the likeness of Elvis and could have been worth real cash.

I wonder if the restaurant you ate at the night before said Elvis turd arrived would expect a percentage of the sale price. I mean after all, it was their food that enabled you body to manufacture that beautiful piece of art.

But seriously, what am I missing?

A Great Story

2008-03-21T07:29:00.000-07:00

The story below was sent to me in an email by a vrey special friend. Now I will tell you up front to get the tissues ready. This is a real tear jerker. But I think there are two very important messages contained in this story that I will discuss at the end.

This is exactly as the email was sent to me. The only thing I did was some formatting.

On July 22nd I was in route to Washington, DC for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately. I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk. When I got off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, "Mr. Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital." My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over. Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital. My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes, and that when my wife had found him he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital.

By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.

The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I ar rived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain received any damage.

Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before.

Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken. He said, "Daddy hold me" and he reached for me with his little arms.

[TEAR BREAK...smile]

By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine, we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.

In the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother. My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound.

The story is not over (smile)!

Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, "Sit down Mommy.. I have something to tell you." At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story.

"Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you, but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then the 'birdies' came."

"The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled.

"Yes," he replied. "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me."

"They did?"

"Yes," he said. "One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you "I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet l ighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like birds that fly.. "What did the birdies look like?" she asked.

Brian answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white."

"Did they say anything?"

"Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be all right."

"The baby?" my wife asked confused.

Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."

My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can." As she listened to Brian telling her the words s he had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left His body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form.. "Then what happened?" she asked.

"We went on a trip," he said, "far, far away." He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult.

"We flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy," he added.

"And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known. Brian went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies." He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay. The story went on for an hour.

He taught us that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much. Brian continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.. Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much."

In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order. A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies.

Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the "birdies." Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this. Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled. Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be.

You have just been sent an Angel to watch over you. Some people come into our lives and quickly go...Some people become friends and stay a while...leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts ... and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present! Live and savor every moment...this is not a dress rehearsal! THIS IS A SPECIAL GUARDIAN ANGEL...

YOU MUST PASS THIS ON TO 5 PEOPLE WITHIN THE HOUR OF RECEIVING HER...IF YOU HAVE PASSED HER ON, SHE'LL WATCH OVER YOU FOREVER...IF NOT, HER TEARS WILL FLOW...

Now don't delete this message, because it comes from a very special Angel.

Now I have no idea whether the events described in that story are an actual occurrence or a work of fiction. But I do no that there are two truths that are presented in that email.

Angels are real and are sent from God to help us and look over us. They can come in many forms. Some come in the form of prayer from people who are praying for a person and some situation or illness. But they are real. I know because as I lay in a hospital bed near death almost 3 years ago, I felt the presence of all those angels from all the prayers people were praying for me.
God's love does not come from the fact that you forward an email to at least 5 people. God's love is unconditional. We have done nothing to earn it and we can do nothing to make His love leave us. All we need to do is accept that which is always there for us.

If you like to forward emails like the one above, please delete the stuff that in at the end that promises something if we pass it on. God does not play that way and I believe that if every Christain looks in their heart they will know that is true.

Who are we to place limits on God's love? God's love has no limits. He gave His only begotten Son to save each and everyone of us from our sins and give us eternal life with Him. Don't put limits on God's love...please.

Great time

2008-03-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was a hoot.

My wife, daughter, son-in-law and myself were invited to the studio of NowLive.com (www.nowlive.com) to do our show Wakeup Call. We were on from about 7:15 PM until about 8:40. We were supposed to just do 50 minutes but they offered to let us hang around a little longer.

We had such a good time and the staff there were excellent. A special thank you to Hristomir for acting as producer. He did a fantastic job. It was a pleasure to meet Bigdog, J-cred, Rafi and KevTom as well.

If you do not know what nowlive is you should check out the link above. It is a social broadcasting website where you can run your on call in show over the internet. There are shows on the site for every taste. Some, like Wakeup Call, Brotherly Love and The Dog House, that have adult content, and shows rated for everyone. We even have our own church service that airs on Sunday Mornings at 6AM PT (Sunday Mornings with Pastor Rick).

There are music shows. Shows that discuss politics and shows where people just gather to discuss whatever interests them.

You go to www.nowlive.com and signup. Its free and easy. Then you can enter any of the fines shows that air daily and call in, type in the chat and even get on webcam.

Thanks again NowLive for the great time last night!!!

I hate air travel

2008-03-19T08:36:00.001-07:00

Sorry I didn't blog yesterday. I was traveling to California to see my lovely wife, smokinbeaver54. And what a day of travel it was.

I was scheduled to leave Jackson, MS at 6:20 AM CT. Now I am a person who is always early to airports. Big airport or small, I am there early. So I was at the airport and sitting at the gate just after 5AM.

There was a high wind condition in Houston and my flight out was delayed. Oh, nothing major, just 4:20 minutes!!! So to say that I missed my connection to Palm Springs was an understatement. Before I left, I had them book me on a flight to Palm Springs leaving at 6PM. Later than I wanted, but at least I would get there.

I was in the air to Houston for just over an hour. By the time I had arrived, all flights to Palm Springs had been cancelled due to the weather. I managed to get booked on another flight that arrived in Ontario, CA. So I had over 6 hours to sit in Houston and wait for my flight.

Houston was a circus. There were so many flights canceled with so many kids on spring break that it was wild. Girls were running around the airport in all manner of undress. Guess they decided spring break was spring break.

I arrived in Ontario at 8:15 PM. Unfortunately, my luggage didn't. Even though I was assured that my bag was moved to my flight it never made it. I get my taxes done this morning and all my tax stuff is in my luggage. My meds are in my luggage. Have I said that I hate Bush Intercontinental Airport sucks?

So I am in Morongo Valley with my wife. I do have clothes here to wear at least.

So a big FUCK YOU to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

Now will you please find my damn luggage!!!!

Don't lie to me

2008-03-17T00:46:00.000-07:00

Are you Serious?

In the news yesterday were all the articles where Barack Obama called the statements made by his long time pastor “inflammatory and appalling.”

In the articles Obama states that he had never heard these statements himself while sitting in the pew. Oh come on Obama!!! Either you sleep through more sermons that I do or you aren’t in church a whole heck of a lot. Or maybe you are just sitting there with your crayons coloring in the bulletin and not paying attention.

Now for the record here, I am a conservative. I don’t call myself a republican simply because I will vote for the candidate I feel is best. It matters not to me whether that person is male, female, republican or democrat. In fact right now I have major issues with a three main candidates.

But I am not going to shy away from voting for a candidate based upon who his pastor is or what that pastor says. I am voting for the candidate not his friends or his pastor. Now the spouse of a pastor does matter to me. She, or he, is going to be our first lady (or gentleman). That is one of the things that bother me about voting for Mrs. Clinton. Now I have no problem with a woman president, I do have a problem with her choice as first husband. But all that is for another time.

Yes, Mr. Obama should answer questions about his stance on what Pastor Wright has said in his sermons. Mr. Obama should answer these questions honestly. Saying that he has never heard his pastor making these remarks while in church brings into question in my mind about whether he is lying or not.

If a politician wants to loose my vote…lie to me.

Cheating in Sports

2008-03-15T05:23:00.000-07:00

As you read my blog you will find that I tend to comment on just about everything. Politics, sports or just the simply stupid things that people do. It is all fair game in my book.

So with that said…off we go.

There was a lot of talk this past NFL season about cheating going on with a certain NFL team. I don’t know why this seems to surprise people. Cheating in sports was invented about 20 seconds after the sport itself was invented. Competition is what it is and people are always looking for some kind of edge. Whether it is steroids and other performance enhancing drugs or stealing signs, this has been going on for ages.

I can remember growing up and listening to baseball announcers talking about how a team would have someone in the score board stealing signs from the opposing teams catcher and then relay the pitch selection to their hitter. This was in the day of no compact wireless receiver capability.

So now the NFL has its version. Below is the latest story from the NFL on what they are going to do to crack down on cheating.

Below is the article in Italic type face. My final thoughts (no I ain't Jerry Springer) follow.

Goodell proposes plan making cheating penalties easier to impose

ESPN.com news services

With confidence in NFL rules oversight at low ebb, commissioner Roger Goddell is proposing enacting easier-to-impose cheating penalties as a deterrent for future SpyGate scandals, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The newspaper cited a memo sent to the league's competition committee Thursday in an article on its Web site and said the proposals included a change in rules that would allow league officials to make unannounced inspections of locker rooms, press boxes and in-game communications equipment.

The measure was among a series of stricter rule changes Goodell wants to enact before next season "to preserve the integrity of the game" and "maintain public confidence" in the sport, according to the memo.

"As the Commissioner and Competition Committee, we must take every appropriate step to safeguard the integrity of the NFL," Goodell wrote in the memo. "We have already taken some positive and significant actions this past season, but we must go further to ensure fair competition amongst our 32 teams and maintain public confidence in our game."

Goodell pledged stricter penalties for competition-rules violations and proposed a plan requiring team employees to give the league reports of "actual or suspected" violations.

Another measure would place each franchise's main owner, top executive and head coach under the threat of league discipline to stipulate that they have complied with the rules and reported violations.

The commissioner also endorsed a proposal to permit one defensive player per team to be connected to a coach on the sideline during games via a wireless device, and called upon the committee to conduct "a thorough review" of all competitive rules and practices.

"I think there are a number of steps that should be taken in advance of the start of the 2008 season to improve and strengthen the enforcement procedures designed to preserve the competitive integrity of the game," Goodell wrote, adding that "too often, competitive violations have gone unpunished because conclusive proof of the violation was lacking."

Last month, Sen. Arlen Specter questioned the quality of the NFL's investigation of the New England Patriots' videotaping practices and Goodell's decision to destroy video evidence uncovered by the league earlier this season.

Goodell fined New England coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and docked the team $250,000 and a first-round draft pick after the Patriots were accused of videotaping New York Jets defensive coaches as they signaled to players during the Sept. 9 season opener.

Specter, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, also cited NFL officials indicating the Patriots taped Pittsburgh Steelers' coaches during AFC Championship games at the end of the 2001 and 2004 seasons, and during regular-season games in 2002 and 2004.

During the NFL season when all of this came out, the commissioner lead us to believe that this was really no big deal. Then they promptly destroyed all the evidence so we, the fans, could get no idea of what had actually occurred.

We also heard that there was no issue and that the matter was considered over once the fines were levied. No we have this proclamation from the commissioner of the changes within the NFL to fix a problem that, according to the league, didn’t need fixing.

We, the fans of professional sports, pay millions of dollars each year to the leagues and to the advertisers of pro sports to attend, watch and listen to their product. It is about time that these people stop treating the fans like we are a bunch of idiots. Its not that we want to know everything about every deal that is made in some secret smoke filled room. But when something such as this cheating scandal occurs, come out and show us the evidence. Let us make our own decision. This is actually what I think they are afraid of the most. They are afraid that we will find out that they are a bunch of egotistical bastards who will do anything to gain an advantage and win.

Nothing personal ya’ll. But I came to that conclusion years ago.

First Blog

2008-03-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog here at blogger.com. Moved here to post blogs with friends and family from NowLive.com (www.nowlive.com)

There is a group of us that run shows that are comedy based. Mainly we do improv and just have fun making fun of each other. The shows are:

Brotherly Love (meroll and c-roll66)
The Dog House with Baddog (Baddogcrew)
Wakeup Call with Broken and Smokin (brokenpole and smokinbeaver54)

We are all about having fun and getting a good laugh at each others expense.

As I get used to this site I hope to blog at least each week day. Usually early in the mornings.

brokenpol