Life in the "D"

Yeah, I know Detroit has a crappy reputation throughout the US, as if it is the only city that has abandoned buildings, and crime (I have seen Tacoma, so any West Coasters from that area should not be so hypocritical) but it does not help when the only news I see is this:

3 people, killed 1 wounded after Detroit shootout

I would bet your last dollar that something good happened in Detroit, and something bad happened somewhere else (your city) but somehow that never makes it in the news.

The best part of the story? The gunmen "fled in a Dodge Avenger." I have driven a Dodge Avenger. You ain't "fleeing" anywhere in that thing!

Some things are just too easy...

Ya know, some things are just to easy to make fun of. For example, take a look at the picture of Tactical Chemlights. It says "safe, instant light" for

1) Minefield Operations: Really? is there such a thing as a safe minefield operation?

2) Covert Operations: HA HA HA HA. "Look we are being covert and sneaking up on the bad guy" Bad guy: "hmm, wonder what the light is?"

3) Amphibious assaults: I have seen Iwo Jima. I don't think chem lights are going to help out.

4) Firefighting: Gosh, I don't know, doesn't fire produce light?

Feel free to add your own!

Man, did I miss making fun of the military!

Global Warming?

Oh, come on, this is getting just stupid. Polluting pets? The only thing more polluting than pets are the friggin' idiots who waste electricity generating such stupid ass reports!

This is way out of control...

Acne and Assault Rifles

So, I made it to Afghanistan. I have been here a little over a month, but I have been pretty busy learning my new job so I have not had much of a chance to write. After being away from the military for some time, two thoughts have occurred to me since I have become reacquainted with my old profession:

1) I look at the soldiers that are around me, and I think, "man, I have gotten old!" and

2) should I be concerned when I see a young man with an m-16 slung across his back, putting on acne medication?

eh, it is probably just the fact that somewhere along the way I turned into an old fart....

Last Posting

Hi everyone,
This will be my last posting for awhile. I am heading overseas for a job, and I am not sure how much time I will have to keep the blog updated. As I have written numerous times, Michigan is not quite the land of economic opportunity it once was, so you have to take a job where you can.

I want to thank everyone who has read my blog, and offered words of encouragement. They have kept me going during the past eight months more then you could ever realize.

Thank you again, and check back periodically. If I find I have some free time, I will certainly try and offer my humble opinion on current events!

Bob

The French

Only in France would guys pose naked (sorta) for a calendar to protest their impending layoff!

Go Grandpa Go!

Yeah, you got love any 91 year old man who not only takes care of bad guys, but does it while naked!

Health Insurance for the Terminally Stupid

Great video!

Actors!

It never ceases to amaze me. Paid professional liars (actors and actresses {you don't think Sly is really Rambo, do you?} stick their nose in an area they really don't know jack sh*t about, and their incredibly stupid opinion is given front page news!

Now we hear Charlie Sheen (is he still acting, or has he spent all his money on crack and whores?) claims 911 is a great big cover up, and the evil George Bush was behind the whole thing! As dumb as this sounds when it comes from well meaning people, it sounds even dumber coming out of a two-bit actor like Sheen. But the best part of the story? He wants to meet with Obama (who he supported for President (what a shock, I know) and discuss his bull sh*t theory with him! Oh, please meet with Sheen! I can not wait to see the two of you on the nightly news!

As far as Sheen claiming the Bush White House was behind it all, and Usama Bin Laden is working for the US government? Umm, look at recent history, dumb ass. It was UBL who blew up two American embassies in Africa while "I can't have sex with my man-wife Hillary so I gotta bang a 22 year old intern" President Clinton was in office, and who, by the way (with the exception of launching a couple of Tomahawk cruise missiles) did not do anything.

Which led to the USS Cole bombing, after which Clinton did, you guessed it, nothing (the bad guys who planned the Cole bombing were killed by the CIA during the BUSH administration.) So bin Laden figures, what the heck, the US won't do a thing to defend themselves so why not take out the twin towers (for a second time, 'cause in case you forgot, he tried to blow them up early in the (yep) Clinton administration who proceeded to do, NOTHING!

Yeah, it all George Bush's fault, Sheen.

A Tale of Two Presidents

hmm, lets see how screwed up the Dems as a party really are. When Obama, the anointed demi-god speaks to schoolchildren, wow, he is just the greatest thing since sliced bread, but when George H.W. Bush (papa George) speaks to schoolchildren, he is castigated by the press and investigated by a Democratically-controlled Congress!

politics being what it is, I know this is the not first time any Congress used a "save our children" line to push a political agenda, but man it just seems like the Democrats spend a lot more energy throwing stones...

Guess that is because they are dominated with liberals...

Teacher accused of selling grades

Ok, is that the going rate? I mean $1400 seems high to me. Did she sell on a curve?

$1400 for an “A”

$1200 for a “B”

$1000 for a “C”

$800 for a “D”

What do you think? You could make some cash doing this…

What did he say?

Hey, I am not a fan of the current administration either, but this guy went way too far. No one, and I mean no one, should pray for another person’s death, regardless of your opinion of their politics. I have said it before and I will say it again, the founding fathers of this country designed a peaceful method to change the country’s current political path, the VOTE!

You should especially not pray for their death if you are a pastor of a church! Your words hold more weight, and besides, the last time I checked, I don’t believe Jesus ever recommended that method of change…

Psycho!

Greenpeace's Take on Ted Kennedy

I really don’t like “Limousine Liberals”

Lockerbie Bomber

It is ALWAYS about the oil…

Read it here: Lockerbie Bomber used as bargaining chip

Good News!!!

This was really cool. A woman walked into a California police station and said she was a girl that was kidnapped in 1991! It just frickin' sucks that any kids are kidnapped, but all too often it ends in tragedy, so it is nice to see a happy ending!

The parents have got to be freaked out! After 18 years, it would be hard to keep the faith...

Cool!

Cheating husband wears a sign

Yeah, this guy is an idiot. I hope the chick was worth it

UN wants to teach children to masturbate

I swear, I am not making this up! The UN wants to teach children as young as FIVE to learn how to masturbate! This is dumb on so many levels, and a sign of why the UN is pretty much a waste of an organization.

1: What a misuse of funds
2: I think the kids will figure this out on their own. Millions of people throughout history have learned it without the help of a quasi-government agency...

Stupid, just plain stupid

A Robber's Duh! Moment

Yeah, this guy is pretty dumb! He used spray paint to conceal his identity, then had trouble breathing and died!

At least he he will save the taxpayers the cost of the trial!

Darwin is alive and well...

Microsoft's Duh! Moment

Man, this is too funny. Microsoft photoshoped a picture on its Polish website, replace a black man's head with a white man's head! That is stupid enough, but the best part? They forgot to photoshop his hand!

How did they get to be the largest computer/IT/high tech company in the world?

I smell a job opening...

Pot Smokers Having Trouble in Bed

This Australian study said dope smokers may be cheating themselves from a sexual "high." This is probably a good thing, since I would hate to see heavy users breed anyway...

The Viagra Effect

Man, the government (any government) could figure out a way to ruin everything! My favorite line in the story? "And the marked preference is for women aged 30 years younger."

Duh!

Read the story here: Viagra effect undermining Brazil's pension system.

Texas' Finest (not)

Yeah, probably not a very flattering portrait of law enforcement in Texas. But hey, the girl is cute!

Military "Brats" grow up fast

This is a great article about the effect the deployments and constant moves have on the children of the military members. I know that my deployments affected my children, but I believe that in the long run it made them stronger and more self-sufficient.

Interesting article, read it when you get a chance.

This is News?

Is this freakin' sad or what? This is what passes for news these day? The First Lady wears shorts on vacation to the Grand Canyon, and the press is all aflutter.

Gimme a break! It is no wonder the MSM (Main Stream Media) is going down the tubes...

Sad, just sad.

Army Seeks to Mentally Toughen Troops

I read this article several times, and still wonder about its effectiveness. I am glad to see the Army is going to try and provide coping skills to soldiers who are depressed, angry etc and I really hope it does some good because our soldiers deserve the best.

But I wonder what truly is too blame for the problem? How about the fact that we are STILL in Iraq after six years, two years longer than we were in WWII? Or the fact that the troops are subjected to numerous extended deployments, short rest periods, and fighting an enemy that can not be seen which can wear even the toughest person down?

Yes, the troops that were in WWII had it tough as well, with constant battle and little downtime. However, there is a mental difference when you know you have been attacked (as the US was) and the need to beat the enemy before they kill you and more importantly, yours.

Let's face it: Iraq (as opposed to Afghanistan) was never a threat to US safety, so it is hard to deal with the crap our soldiers have to deal with on a daily basis when there is no "threat" to your family to justify the bullsh*t.

Just my two pennies worth...

Gotta Love This Headline

Man carries assault rifle to Obama protest-and its LEGAL (emphasis mine.)

Wow, a person exercises their constitutional rights, and it's huge news! Yes, you are entitled to carry a weapon openly in numerous states, including good old Michigan!

Thank goodness there are people willing to do this to prove a point. I doubt I would ever carry a weapon openly because I do not believe most police officers know I am legally allowed to do it, and I would not want to get shot by some trigger-happy (and many cops have good reason to be) police officer.

Anyway, good for him. And I love the emphasis on "assault rifle," since I don't think most liberal reporters would know the difference between an "assault rife (able to fire on full auto which is illegal to own by the way) and a semi-automatic (one trigger pull, one bullet) which is perfectly legal and is what most hunting rifles are.

Girl fined for selling lemonade

Wow, this poor aspiring entrepreneur was fined $50 for selling lemonade without a permit! The petty bureaucrats must have been Obama supporters! Tax and fine everyone! Stop free enterprise! No one can make a profit! (j/k)

I am sure the fine upstanding enforcers (it took three of them to subdue this 10 year old criminal) of all that is good in NYC were just doing their job...

I am not sure if the public servants are any different than the military (I am guessing they are) but I would not have the balls to go back to work and tell how I smacked around a 10 year old girl and put her in her place. I would be heckled to death, and rightly so!

Potbellies are "in"

Cool! I have said for years that "thin is not in" and "fat is where it is at" and now it seems the rest of the country agrees!

No more gym, no more running for me!

Woodstock

As America approaches Woodstock's (1969) 40th anniversary, it is amusing to see how the event is viewed. My favorite line of the story "... his mother paid for..." so his lazy drug addicted butt could go party for a few more days. Thank God his mother figured out how to hold a job to pay for all of it!

My thoughts on the whole thing: gosh, thanks hippie 60's culture that led to a drug epidemic of epic proportions in this country, the break up of American society into two distinctly different camps, and the concern that the country was disintegrating by enough of people that they would vote, not once, but twice for Richard Nixon.

Thanks, hippies!

Michigan Prison may receive Gitmo prisoners

Well, I guess this is good news for Michigan. At least it will save a few jobs

Ted Nugent Defending the 2nd Amendment

I received this video from my brother-in-law. I am not sure how old it is, but it is great explanation of our 2nd Amendment rights, and exemplifies my feelings about most violent criminals in our society.

Hope you like it

Pirates charging for expenses

Man, is this a great gig or what? Not only do Somalia pirates get paid a ransom when they kidnap a ship, but they get to charge for expenses (whatever that is) as well!

I can not decide whether to laugh or cry over this story!

The White House: The New Gestapo?

Have you been following the request from the Obama White House to send any "fishy" information, INCLUDING EMAILS (emphasis mine) critical of the health care reform to flag@whitehouse.gov? So, let me get this straight. If I disagree with the health care reform bill, and list my reasons in an email to my neighbor, they should forward this to Obama?

Critics are stating that this is the exact same thing the Nixon administration did when it kept its "enemies list." The White House has stated that they are only collecting the information so they can provide data to counter the argument and will not keep a record of the names.

Here is one problem: The Privacy Act of 1974 (passed after the Nixon list came out) forbids any government agency from collecting information on a person who is exercising their First Amendment right to free speech. Here is another problem: the government is required to keep any correspondence it receives.

So collecting the information is illegal, and deleting the information is illegal.

I have stated in numerous postings that this administration is starting to scare me...

p.s. running the servers required to store the information costs money!!!! So I have to PAY to have the White House spy on me!

Friggin' nice, huh?

Lawmakers Receiving Death Threats

Hey, I dislike our current crop of politicians as much as the next person, but this is going to far. A North Carolina Congressman has received a death threat as a result of his open support of health care reform. That is way too extreme. The founders of this country developed a much smarter and safer way of changing the political course of this country; the vote.

Like I saw on a sign of protest earlier: You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out of office.

Inmate hides gun in his fat

Yeah, how would you like to be the cop responsible for searching this dude? He hid a 9mm handgun and two magazines full of ammo on his 600lb fat a*s! The cops did not catch it for a day or so, and the bad guy only said something just before he had to go to the showers.

Can you imagine the new procedures at the police academy? "Do you have any weapons on you?" Please lift up your big fat stomach and prove it."

That should constitute hazardous duty pay for the poor guy responsible for THAT job!

Our Education System is Working!

A product of a California public education, no doubt!

The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Round 2

As Congress heads out for its month long recess, members are being routinely booed, yelled at, etc as they meet with their constituents. The Obama White House is stating for the record that the anger has been mostly "manufactured" by conservative groups.

Oh come on, now Obama. Do you really think the anger most of us feel toward you and our other "leaders" has to be "manufactured?" Trust me on this one homey, people of this country are pissed off at you and the rest of the Washington crowd and it ain't make believe.

If you really feel this way, it goes to show how out of touch you are with the citizens of this country.

New Look

Yeah, I changed the look of the blog. What do you think?

Grieving Mom Fined

I like Great Britain, they make great shows like Top Gear, Kitchen Nightmares, etc but you have to wonder sometimes at the mentality of their officials. This mother was fined for spending too long at the casket grieving for her child who died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Yeah, I know two stories in two days about some weird rules in the U.K. might seem like I am picking on England, but both were just way too bizarre for me to not make a comment.

Ford vs. GM

Nope, it is not a comparison of various models, horsepower, top speed etc. Instead it is a question of how likely are you to buy X vehicle?

46% of the people surveyed said they would buy a Ford over a GM because they did not take a bailout.

Good news for Ford, bad news for GM

"Sin Bins" in the UK

Wow, this should scare everyone. The UK wants to put parents under 24 hour CCTV (Closed Circuit TV)to make sure their children go to school, to bed, and eat right! In addition, "private security guards will be sent around to carry out home checks!" Granted, most of the families that are in this situation are there for a reason, but come on, where does it stop?

Big Brother would be so proud!

Oh, and by the way it is only costing the taxpayers of Britain a potential total of 400 million pounds! I don't know what that is in US dollars, but 400 million of anything is an obscene amount.

Scary, just scary!

Cool blog I am now following

If you get a chance, check out this blog: It is called LAID (Legally Armed In Detroit.) Lots of good info on your RIGHT to defend yourself and the Second Amendment.

Pretty Cool Version of Taps

My wife sent this to me. I am not sure where it was filmed at, or who the girl is, but it is a very cool rendition of "Taps." Check it out.

Snail Mail going bye bye?

I read this story about the United States Postal Service's financial woes and started really paying attention to the mail I receive. And it is true, I get very little "important" mail via the post office anymore. Most of my bills come electronically (and I pay them electronically as well,) and I don't write letters (not that I did much of that anyway since no one except my immediate family could read my chicken scratch) anymore since I used email exclusively.

Faced with a $6 billion (yeah with a "B") deficit, the USPS is using a hiring freeze, early retirements, consolidating routes and even considering dropping Saturday delivery to try and bridge the gap.

Unfortunately, I do not see this situation getting any better for the Postal Service. I have no intention of changing the way I receive and pay bills, and I highly doubt I will ever write a "letter" again. The telegraph replaced the pony express, the telephone replaced (umm not sure, but I am sure it replaced something!) and the car replaced the stage coach driver.

Adapt or die...

Texting While Driving is Dangerous?

Wow, it took a study (undoubtedly financed by my tax dollars) at Virgina Tech to determine if texting while driving is dangerous.

Umm, yep.

But so is talking on the phone, fiddling with the radio, stuffing a quarter pounder in your mouth, curling your hair (seen it!) or any number of things that distract you while driving. This includes talking to your significant other and yelling at your kids; "don't make me stop this car and beat your ..." (at least he was practicing safe driving techniques and was going to pull over to correct the error of my ways!)

I could have told them that and saved the taxpayers a ton of money...

Bikini Bandit

My first thought when I read "Bikini Bandit" was "wonder if she is hot" (hey, I am guy) but then I clicked on the link and saw her picture.

Nope.

Congressional Approval Rating

The latest polls indicate that 60% of Americans disapprove of Congress' performance. 60%? Why so low a number? I would have thought the number would have been higher, maybe around oh, I don't know, say 100%. The biggest drop came among Democrats and Independents, the very same group that elected the mental midgets (no offense to the vertically challenged among us) we are currently saddled with.

But more importantly, who are these 40 percenters? Where do they live at? I want to go visit them and see if I can get some of the obviously good drugs they are on.

New Home Sales Rise

Hey, this is cool and everything but I don't see where employment is growing as well. All this tells me is that the housing prices have returned to the point where everyone can afford them. As much as I hate to see the market value of my house, (omg) falling prices do help to ensure that everyone can partake in the "American Dream" of owning your own home.

Just a thought.

First "Published" Writing

I just had my first "published" article. Check it out if you get a chance at:

Public Officials and Corruption

Thanks,

Obama's (Sort Of) Apology

Well, I guess Obama has rethought his comment about calling the actions of the cop "stupid." Of course, he has not really apologized, which tells me that he stills thinks the action was "wrong." And I guarantee that the ONLY reason Obama is half-ass saying he was wrong in his choice of words is to avoid the bad publicity he is getting.

I love how he is (and everyone else) still states that the incident is about "race." Last time I checked, it was about law and order. The cop had every right in the world to do what he did, had old Prof No-Job obeyed the cop, none of this would have been an issue.

Good old Obama: backing another worthless jack ass (anyone remember Rev Wright, the same guy who said God DAMN America and was Obama's spiritual advisor) until it becomes a politically untenable position.

Your first instinct is usually your truest response and Obama's response should tell us all what kind of man he truly is.

Obama's "Stupid" Comment

Can you believe Obama's comment about the arrest of the Harvard professor? He said the police acted "stupidly" while admitting he "doesn't know all the facts" about the arrest. Umm, let me see as*hole, the cops received a report of a breaking and entering, and the jackass refused to show ID to the police until the cops arrested him. Updated: He was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Then the "I can't get a job in the real world with my worthless degree so I teach African studies at Harvard" professor claims racial profiling because they arrested him. How about you take your keys with you next time, stupid ass, and it won't be an issue, huh?

And shame on Obama for not backing the police who were doing their jobs. Oh, and by the way, do you think the fact that Obama and no-job are friends has anything to do with Obama's comment?

Of course not, I am sure he is just looking out for his fellow man...

And one other fact Obama should have checked on before making his own stupid comment. The cop who arrested Mr. No-Job is racial profiling expert, who taught the course at the academy and was handpicked by his former police commissioner (who is black) for the that job.

Official Fired For Being Married To Porn Star

I mean, what kind of crap is this? This guy is living every red-blooded male's fantasy, and he gets fired for it? It is not like she was a drug dealer, crackhead, liar, thief, etc. She is a friggin' porn star for crying out loud! Maybe it is not as great as being a religious figure like a Rabbi (oh, wait the FBI just busted a couple of rabbis in NJ for corruption) or something!

At least she is making a honest living, and he is giving hope to every old dude like myself!

Obama's Health Care Plan

There are some legitimate reasons for discussing universal health care for the citizens of the US, but can we fix the freakin' economy first, Prez? Anyone who has a job is half-worried they are going to lose it, and anyone who does not have a job is too busy scrambling to find one to think about UHC for the rest of the country.

Plus, it will undoubtedly add to our tax burden which should give anyone pause before jumping on the bandwagon. In addition, I always get worried when politicians try to ram anything down our throats before we have a chance to openly discuss (think Patriot Act) it. Makes me think the slippery SOBs are working their hidden agendas... And lets face it, there are ALWAYS hidden agendas.

So it is nice to see that Congress is pushing back on Obama's plan. Get the economy pumping again, then we will be in a much better mood to discuss such sweeping changes.

Another Job Opening

Sweet, another job opportunity just opened up! This dude is going to quarterback for Las Vegas instead of the Bills. True, I gotta QB in Buffalo, but it could be worse, I could be QBing for the Lions! I spent some time in Buffalo and it ain't that bad. Kind of like Detroit with a worse hockey team and no baseball team. However, the wings at the Anchor Bar (the original home of the Buffalo wings) rock!

And I love the last line of the article "and if...doesn't play well, then he ... ends up sitting at home, unemployed." If that is true, can someone PLEASE tell me why the Lions players are not collecting unemployment???

Obama's Jeans

Man, I thought I was the only one who thought he looked like a dork when he was throwing out the first pitch before the All Star game. Guess not, huh?

A Tale of Two Car Manufactures

As I have mentioned before, I am not a Japanese car basher, and I have a hard time determining an "American" car, so reading that Toyota is no longer profitable in North America is not a good sign. There is a Toyota Tech Center in Ann Arbor, MI, a stone's throw from Detroit, which employs Michigan residents, as well as manufacturing sites and dealerships throughout the US all giving employment to Americans so their financial troubles will hit home. Hopefully, Toyota will not pull out of their North American operations. Not only will this be an economic hit for the various communities, but a public relations nightmare for Toyota.

On the other hand, it is nice to see Ford has top billing in quality, beating out both their cross-town rivals and Toyota, Honda, BMW, etc. Nice work, now see if you can capitalize on it, would ya?

At least my Ford stock may be worth something after all....

Some Good News

A group of leading economists state that the recession is easing, but not over. I guess that is great news if you happen to live in the other 49 other states in the US, but somehow I do not see it "easing" in good old Detroit for quite some time.

Plus, my Tigers dropped 3 straight to the Yankees so it still sucks living here!

However, I will believe the recession is easing when I see it....

Job Opening!

Well, I read where Paula Abdul may not come back to American Idol. She is "hurt" and "angry" so she may just up and quit. With the current unemployment situation, I don't think the producers will have any problem filling her position! In fact, I am contemplating throwing my resume their way. I will work for half her pay and still make out quite nicely!

Unfortunately, I have never seen the show (honestly!) so I will have to watch the reruns to figure out what I am supposed to do. However, it can not be that hard since they have actors and musicians doing the job now, so I should have no problem with the job requirements...

The Kindle and Amazon

I don't know if any of you had any intention of buying a Kindle, the e-book reader from Amazon. I have read quite a bit, both pro and con, about the device. The cost is pretty high, about $300, and you still have to pay for the books, albeit at a lower cost so I guess eventually it would pay for itself.

I had decided that I was not going to buy one, for a couple of reasons; 1) Cost. $300 buys me a lot of paperbacks. 2) It is a fragile electronic device, and tossing it into my laptop bag or luggage like I do a "real" book would scare me to death. Finally, 3) there is a lot to be said for falling asleep with a paperback and not worrying if it falls off my chest!.

However, there are some good reasons to buy one (storing 1500 books on one device, and wirelessly streaming your new purchases to the Kindle is kinda cool.

Now, however, there may be a far more important reason to not buy the Kindle: Amazon deleted legitimately purchased copies of several books because the publisher decided that they did not want to publish electronic versions of the book! Like the author of the article says, he never has to worry about a bookstore coming to his house to take back copies of books he bought. Granted, Amazon refunded the money, but how pissed would you be if you were half-way through the book???

Sorry, I guess I will stay "old-school" when it comes to my reading...

Great Unemployment Article

If you get a chance, read this article on white-collar unemployment in Michigan. The woman in the article's experiences eerily echo my own. The only difference is she had an inkling that her job was on the chopping block, and I had absolutely no idea mine was.

In fact, I was on the phone at 6:30 in the evening with the recruiter I worked with, finalizing the offer details on the person I was hiring for my Louisiana position. I was let go the next morning with next to nothing in severance, and no vacation pay since my last day was right before Christmas! Nice, huh?

But, I am one of the fortunate ones. I have some breathing room, and after my 70th (or so) resume sent out (with almost no responses, but what do you expect I live in Michigan,) I have decided to change course and work on my own.

I will let you know how my decision turns out. If it sucks, you will know because DTE will shut off my electricity and I will no longer be able to update my blog...

Escaping the cubicle?

Hey, what gives? Collecting unemployment is NOT one of the career choices on this list!

I smell a conspiracy...

Another Funny Video

In the spirit of political correctness (and anyone who knows me knows how PC I am [not]) I almost decided to not post this video that I received from a friend. But then I thought, "what the heck, it is pretty funny."

Enjoy

And The Hits Just Keeping Coming Part II

Gosh, is this hard to believe or not (j/k)? Obama states that unemployment is likely to keep increasing.

I wonder if this is what he meant when he talked about "change?" Yep, the unemployment rate keeps changing (up!) and the deficit has hit a new high, and will double by the fall.

Man, I can not WAIT for another four years to see what "change" we are going to be in for...

Oops!

You know the old saying, 'never bring a knife to a gun fight?" Here is a new twist: Never bring a toy gun to rob a gas station You might just get your butt handed to you!

My New Career Choice?

This is not a bad idea! I have been approached (as most of us have) by panhandlers and depending on my mood, the time of day, the lunar cycle, etc I may give them some money. Although honestly, I am much more inclined to give money to the street musicians, since they are providing some moments of entertainment. I have a bunch of shirts and ties gathering dust, so I may as well put them to good use!

Just kidding, the Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I won't find myself in this predicament anytime soon. I have watched shows on TV where they interview the homeless and yes, some did it to themselves with alcohol or drugs, but sometimes life just hits a person particularly hard (abuse, unanticipated death of a loved one, etc) and they have a very hard time dealing with it. So they move out, lose their job, whatever, and end up as just another statistic.

I guess not all of them use the money to buy alcohol or drugs, huh?

The USA is not Number 1 (thank goodness)

Hey, it is nice to see after all of the years of being called "Ugly Americans" that we are not the rudest tourists, not by far. That dubious honor goes to the French. Of course the way the the French Expedia Marketing Director explains it ("the French...we're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of landscape and culture') does little to help their cause!

Oh, well at least we can take some comfort in that!

Michael Jackson's Children

I hate to see any child lose their parents, but I am not sure if you can consider Michael Jackson a model parent. I read where his daughter said that "she loved him so much" and that is cool, but I wonder if she would have felt the same if she was the child good old Dad hung out the window.

Probably not.

I don't care what anyone says about him, he was way too bizarre to be treated as a demi-god

Body Mass Index (BMI)

So, I read on NPR's web site the top 10 reasons why the formula used to determine a person's BMI is crap. I used the formula and found out I am overweight, and with just a slight nudge could fall into the obese category. This is where I throw the penalty flag, 15 yards for excessive BS!

This formula is similar to the formula (neck/waist measurement bounced against your height) that was used to determine body fat while I was in the Navy, which was another crock of "you know what." If you had a big fat neck and a big fat waist, you had a better chance of "beating" the system then someone who had a small neck and mid-size waist. Since your body fat was tied to your promotion opportunity, you can see how this can have an impact on someone's life. Every time I had to have my body fat measured, I thanked the Good Lord that I was "blessed" with good genes and did not have to go to the extremes that I saw others go through in order to meet the criteria.

If life was not hard enough as it is, now anyone who uses this method to determine how good a shape they are could really start to feel bad about themselves.

Yeah, I would have to agree with NPR'sr reasoning. Time to move on

And The Hits Just Keep On Coming!

I am not the first to notice (duh!) but this state continues to go to hell in a hand basket. I am really starting to wonder at what point to I give my now worthless house back to the mortgage company and take my chances elsewhere.

I know that things are tough all over, but it is going to take YEARS before Michigan recovers to some degree, although I honestly doubt it will ever regain what "glory" it had when I was growing up. We always said Michigan was a pretty good place to live. The weather was not as cold as Minnesota, North Dakota, etc and not as hot in the summer as the deep South. You could make a pretty good living with nothing more then a third grade education (I am not saying that the workers are dumb, just merely stating that there was no requirement for "higher education" to work the line) working in the auto plants, but that is a thing of the past.

I read somewhere that the majority of the people leaving the state are the college educated, well-rounded types who have had enough and left. Just the skill set the state will need when/if the recovery happens and the economy does diversify as it needs to if the state is ever to get back on track. The US auto industry is shrinking (I don't think it will ever die out despite GM and Chrysler's inability to turn a profit) but it will never recover to its 1970s/80s market share so the state will need people with other abilities to propel it into the future.

I left years ago, but came back when my wife needed to take care of her sick Mother. The state has changed, and not for the better. I gotta wonder when it will be my time to walk...

Good News/Bad News

This is a Good News/Bad News kinda thing. Glad to see the price of gas (should) drop, but it sucks 'cause the economy is still in the tank...

Baby Boomer's Anthem

I recevied this video from my sister and thought it was pretty funny (for those of us that can relate!) so I decided to post it here. Enjoy!

Duh!

Wow, what a DUH! British spy chief's cover blown on Facebook Though I am suprised that this does not happen more often then it does! I guess there are some things you CAN NOT trust your spouse with....

Another Worthless Public Offical Take 2

Man, does the Governor of South Carolina sound like an idiot, or what? Numerous encounters with women while he was out of the country on trips to "blow off steam," until he finally has a full blown affair. Oh, and he states that he visited her only "once" on the public's dime, and NOW (after he admits the affair) says that he will reimburse the taxpayers for their generosity. Gosh, thanks Guv for being such a stand up guy!

I know my last few postings have been about this b.s. but it just keeps coming to light so I keep commenting about it.

Oh, and I love how every politician that gets busted has a "come to Jesus" (always in public so we can see how sincere they are) meeting where they state how holy they are now, and God has forgiven them and we should also.

Umm, no. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

My best part of the story? Where this jackass keeps asking his wife to visit his mistress! I freakin' love how incredibly stupid this guy truly is. I don't know of any wife who would agree to meet the girl her husband has been sleeping with.

Why, oh why, do we keep electing such trash to public office?

Another Worthless Public Official

In case you are lucky enough to not be from Detroit, you probably have not have paid attention to the city's recent spate of elected officials and their jail terms. First, the city had a Mayor (google Kwame Kilpatrick) who had an affair with one of his senior people, fired a police official who might have found out, forced the city council to settle out of court for around $8 Million or so when said officer sued the city, then got busted when the news came out anyway and went to jail for a lying under oath.

Now another one of the city's elected council members, Monica Conyers, admits her guilt for taking bribes, and is going to resign July 6th. Why wait so long? I guess she needed one more PAID holiday on the taxpayer's dime. Anyway, she faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She makes (made) $81,000 a year plus a city car, but I guess that is not enough for such a fine example of a civil servant. Like I wrote earlier, I am not sure what it is about public office that turns people into pigs, but there has got to be something to it.

As much as this pisses me off as a Michigander (but I am not a Detroiter, the only things I like about Detroit are the Tigers and Red Wings,) I know crooked politicians are everywhere. Unfortunately, however, for a state that gets as much bad press as Michigan does, this is stuff the state just does not need right now.

(former) PFC Lynndie England

Remember her? She was the face of the Abu Ghraib "torture" scandal. Say what you want about the supposed "torture" she was accused of (posing for a picture with a rope around some guy's neck and pointing at the genitals of another man, yeah sure that is "torture" or what passes for hazing in some fraternities) I think she was a scapegoat for senior personnel.

There is no way that what she was doing was not at the very least condoned by senior military personnel. As far as the article stating that a jury of officers convicted her, I highly doubt that a bunch of officers are going to let another officer take the heat when they can divert the attention to a PFC reservist. It is way too convenient for them. I think at that time the war was going badly for the Bush administration and this was an opportunity to hold "someone" (heaven forbid you can hold the CIA or senior Bush officials) accountable for the screw up.

The article states that she is having a hard time finding a job, she is receiving death threats etc and all because of a picture. I do feel sorry for her but I have a suggestion for Ms. England: Run for public office or become a pop/movie/TV star.

This country has a screwed up history of electing people who do some pretty bad things to public office, and then upon conviction for those same acts, they re-elect the SOBs! Or in the case of our "stars" you can be convicted for drug use, assault, etc and you will end on some reality TV show making comments about other dumb criminals and getting paid quite handsomely for it!

I hope her book sell a million copies

Michael Jackson's Debt

I know that you see this more often then not, but it still amazes me how someone who had the kind of cash Michael Jackson had can piss it away, and end up $400 MILLION in debt!

On top of it all, I can not fathom how much money he had at one time (millions I would guess) and still die with that kind of debt. That is quite a swing in cash flow, with his millions he had at one time, spend all of that, and borrow another $400 million.

I guess it is true what they say; the more you have, the more you spend.

Oh, and by the way I really don't care how the the accused child molester died...

Family Values???

Wow, what a shocker! ANOTHER politician who lectures the world on "family values" admits to having an affair. I am going to circulate a petition that we hyphenate all our political "leaders" with Senator-Thief, Congressman-Cheater, Governor-Liar, etc etc.

What do you think?

Fight Political Correctness!

It is a welcome sign that an individual who espouses views opposite the political mainstream and is fired from their job, can fight and be re-instated. However, it sucks that he had to go through it in the first place. It is a sad commentary that political correctness manifests itself more and more in the field of education, where open and honest debate should be a hallmark.

But unfortunately, you see dissenting views suppressed by educators (?) becoming the norm. If our children are not given access to differing points of view, they grow up to become "educators" (again, I question whether they truly are educators, or just fascists using their power to silence any who dare oppose their views) who can not tolerate those same opposing views.

And how in the h*ll can the Assistant Principal call anyone "too patriotic? I guess she can wave a 1950s textbook at the next group of terrorists bombers and maybe they will just go away...

Read the story here: Kansas Teach with Conservative Views

GM hits two million Buick sales in China

Wonder what they (GM) are doing wrong in the North American market??? It appears to me that Buick (as a class) is for the "older" generation. That same line of thought USED to be applied to Cadillac, but that brand has managed to re-invent itself with some pretty cool designs. I guess the Chinese see something I don't.

Read it here: GM hits two million Buick sales in China

Today's Kids!

Anyone who thinks that today's generation of kids are just short of worthless and lazy should read this article! Not too bad. I have a couple of nieces who I think are pretty brilliant, but this young man is something else.

However, I am a little disappointed in his choice of major (Radio and TV!), since I think anyone that sharp could definitely be an asset in a field where he could use his skill set to more of an advantage, but I guess we will see where he ends up in life.

Regardless, it is nice to read articles that don't paint such a bad light on today's kids.

Kiss Cost High School Senior Diploma

When I first saw the headline for this story, A Very Costly Kiss, Senior Denied Diploma, I thought there must be some version of sexual harassment, or some other horrible thing the student did to have the school administrators deny him his diploma. But no, when the young man's name was called to receive his diploma, as he walked across the stage, he blew a kiss to his mother in the audience. He was sent back to his seat minus his diploma.

This could win "the stupidest thing ever done by a school" award in my book.

Dumb, just plain dumb.

Double Standard?

If Sotomayor belonged to an all-white, all-male club this would be the kiss of death, and regardless of the true story, the press would bury the candidate. But Sotomayor belonging to an all-female club gets barely mentioned in the press.

I guess the press is going to try and bury anything that might prevent her appointment to the Supreme Court...

An Article from Ben Stein

My sister (thanks Lori!) forwarded me this article from Ben Stein. I had not seen it before, but if you have read any of my previous posts, you would know that this article is spot-on, and mirrors my own thoughts almost exactly. I have never cared much about Hollywood, and I am glad to see Mr Stein has almost the same impression.

Real heroes (and heroines to give women their just due) go to work every day, take care of their children, and do what is necessary to make the world a better place. I do not begrudge anyone making a lot of money doing their job, but for heaven's sake, there is absolutely NO reason to put them up on some pedestal and hang on their every word as if it was manna from heaven.

Read Mr. Stein's article here: Monday Night at Morton's

My Kind of Church

Hey, ya gotta love a Pastor who invites his congregation to bring their firearms to church to celebrate the Fourth of July and the Second Amendment...

Read it here: Gun-Loving Pastor to his flock: Piece be with you

GM's Junk Heap Article

Yes, GM did a lot of things badly on their way to bankruptcy, but I wonder if this author will do a counter point to his article about some of GM's poorly designed cars like, ya know, the Corvette (still rocking) the Camero, both new and old, etc.

Probably not.

No Smiling for Driver's License Allowed

I mentioned this little nugget to a couple of people, and no one believed me. Yes, DMVs around the country are stopping people from smiling for their Driver's License picture. It has something to do about facial recognition software, but still. I always get comments from close friends because I don't smile for my picture. I used to tell them that I hate getting my picture taken, but now I can tell them I doing my part to help combat crime!

Gas Prices

Does this suck or what? We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't! The global economy is still shrinking, but they are hoarding gas in anticipation of a recovery later this year. So, we took a pay cut (or got laid off) your job is on the bubble, you are trying to save money as best you can, and you still get screwed at the pump!

I am very interested in the development of electric cars, hybrids, etc (although they are not going to be the end all, be all, like most of the "experts" are saying i.e. where does an apartment dweller plug their car in???) if for no other reason then to eliminate this b.s. we have to put up with.

Read the whole story here: Oil is Plentiful, Demand Weak

CNN Video Clip on YouTube

One of the many reasons I have a hard time watching CNN anymore (notice her snide comment about Foxnews???)

YouTube Has Restored Our CNN Clip

Another Funny Video

If you have some time to waste....

SnugWow

I know a couple of people who have Snuggies (not me 'cause I have standards) but they are very close to me!!! Here is an updated version of their Snuggie

Pink Boxers Soldier

GO ARMY!!!!

California Schools

Hey, California is bankrupt (almost anyway) they can not balance their budget, their school system is consistently ranked in the bottom of the 50 states in areas like reading, writing, arithmetic (you know, what you are SUPPOSED to learn in school) and instead they are focusing on teaching students as young as kindergarten about the gay lifestyle.

Now, I have absolutely nothing against a person's sexual orientation, but I do have something against wasting the taxpayer's money teaching issues that are a parent's responsibility.

As I read more about about how screwed up the California school system is, I no longer wonder why the lawmakers can not balance their budget. They were never taught simple math!

Go back to the basics, California, and teach the children the necessary skills to compete in the global marketplace!

Corruption in Illinois

The article here states that corruption in Illinois costs the average family $109! The total amount is enough to "pay the salaries for 8124 teachers." The Illinois Senate supposed to vote on an ethics proposal, and what a shock, it isn't expected to pass!

What is it about being a government bureaucrat that turns people into pigs who try to get as much out of the public troth as they can? The average salary is higher then most of their constituents, yet that does not stop them from shoveling even more into their mouths (pockets.)

You can not have the foxes guarding the hen house...

New Fuel Milage Standards

I see that Obama has announced the new Federal standards for fuel mileage. I understand on one hand why it was necessary for the Federal Government to do this, since each state was insistent on their own standards, which made it difficult for the automakers to meet various requirements. Do they make all cars meet California standards (adding the respective costs to each vehicle even though other states don't require them) or???

So it makes sense that the Federal government would reach a compromise, and from what I read, it looks like a good one. However, I always get worried when the government mandates anything since it adds costs that someone may not want to pay.

Shouldn't we let the market decide what product to build? The consumer (including yours truly) has already chosen to stop purchasing large SUVs as gas prices climb skyward, so the auto manufactures responded by stepping up production of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles.

Like the VW commercial says, "the people want..."

Statue of former President loses its head

Yep, our future leaders (what is it about Ohio?) at work. Hey, at least it wasn't George W. Bush (yet)!

Child vs Adult's Brains

Here is a shocker! Scientists have discovered through exhaustive research that child's brains are organized differently then adults! Wow, it took a "study" to determine that little nugget? Any parent could have told them that fact

Cheerios is a drug?

Huh? The FDA has ruled that Cheerios is considered a "drug" because of statements that claim the cereal will help lower cholesterol. Ok, I guess with all of the "real" drugs out there that the US Government can not do anything about, they may as well take on a cereal manufacture...

I rank this right up there with the government's attempt to make guns illegal. They can not do anything about getting the bad guys to give up their weapons, so they may as well feel they are making a difference by going after the law-abiding citizens and making them (or at least try) give up their right of self-defense.

Pitiful.

Japanese Toilet Kneeler

Yeah, ok, I don't even know what to say about this, but it is still pretty funny. How would you like to explain this little item to your friends and family when they come over???

The Gary Baumgarten Report: 41 Cops Killed In L - Flash Player Installation

The Gary Baumgarten Report: 41 Cops Killed In L - Flash Player Installation

Read Gary's comments about this sad news. It does help to realize how many police officers are killed during "routine" traffic stops, and it might help us to understand why "some" act the way they do when they pull you over.

Wanda Sykes' Comments

I am sure she is ready for her starring role on "The View" now. It is kind of funny to see how the press is reporting Obama's reaction to her comments. The news originally reported Obama "laughing" then "smiling" and now "appeared to smile" as the story grew...

Same Sex Marriage

I see Maine has become the 5th state to allow same-sex marriage. You know, with all of the crap (Iraq, the economy, pirates, corporate greed and public malfeasance, etc, etc) going on in the world I just don't care who marries whom.

I know, as one who leans more to the conservative side, I should care since most conservatives feel marriage should be between a man and a woman, but somehow it just doesn't mean jack to me.

Oh, well, I guess I shall have to get worked up over things like the gazillion dollar debt my children and grandchildren will inherit, sports figures getting paid millions of dollars, but using illegal substances to generate the kind of stats (oh, wait, the article says he may have used that for Erectile Dysfunction [yeah, right] that influence owners into paying those high salaries...

Ford Gains in US auto sales

Nice work, Ford! Keep it up!

Wal-Mart Trampling Death

Remember this story from Black Friday? In case you forgot, or never heard, a bunch of nut job shoppers trampled a Wal-Mart employee to death in the interest of saving a few bucks on the slave-labor-made junk Wal-Mart sells. Well, I guess Wal-Mart is going to pay $2M to avoid charges in the death probe.

However, the vast majority of the money is not going to the family of the man who was killed. Oh, no, instead they are going to give $1.2M to some local youth board that helps with job training and education, $300K to the local United Way, and oh, yeah, $400,000 for a "victim's compensation fund." But that fund is for anyone who was hurt in some form or fashion during the melee, not just the guy who was trampled.

Read the story, the DA could not be more pleased with herself. Funny, she did not put forth nearly the same amount of energy to find those individuals responsible for the actual death, even though they have surveillance tapes. Hmm, I guess it easier to go after a big corporation as opposed to possible voters...

My Daughter as an Obama Advisor?

Wow, my daughter and I had just recently talked about this very issue, and she stated that Obama needs to change the "rules" so US companies can not ship jobs overseas. Pretty smart, I guess she is a lot like her dad!
Read more about it here: Obama seeks tax change for U.S. firms overseas

Kent State Rioters

This group must have been part of the "no-fail" education system I wrote about below...

America's future leaders???

"No-Fail" Grading System?

This is another example of what is wrong with the education system in this country. We are afraid to hold our children accountable for their actions (lack of study and hard work results in failing grades) for fear of hurting their self-esteem. Well, wonder what happens when they get into the real world and their boss (as most mangers) does not subscribe to this line of reasoning?

Maybe the schools I went to when I was younger were not perfect, but at least you understood that if you don't put in any effort, well, I hope you liked the 8th grade, 'cause you are sticking around for another year!

Pitiful.

Read about it here: Are "No-Fail" Grading Systems Hurting Or Helping?

Worker Cuts Off Finger, Eats It

Man, talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face....


Worker Cuts Off Finger, Eats It, To Protest Unpaid Wages

Swine Flu Public Service Announcement

For those of us old enough to remember the 70's swine flu scare, here is a trip down memory lane...

Swine Flu Public Service Announcement

Cool Video Link

If you get a chance, check out the video at the link below. I would suggest reading the post first to understand how the video was created. Pretty cool when you see the final product.

Best Video I've Seen Today

Cruise ship fends off pirate attack

In case you missed it, an Italian cruise ship fended off a pirate attack by using a private Israeli security force. Sweet!

However, I get very disturbed when I read comments from supposed "experts" who state that the "use of weapons ... could make things worse in the pirate infested waters...where ONE HUNDRED (emphasis mine) ships were attacked last year." Oh, just a 100? In that case, no problem. That is no reason to try and stop this activity, or at the very least, make it uncomfortable (or deadly yeah, Navy SEALS) for them.

Huh? At what point do you give up your right to defend yourself and your passengers for fear of upsetting the bad guys? How would you like to be one of the cruise ship passengers who would have been kidnapped? That is precisely the attitude that has led to this situation. Don't upset the bad guys, it will only make it unpleasant for them. Lay down and take the abuse, we don't want to make it worse. News flash, it is getting worse.

And here is a shocker! NONE of the "experts" who advocate those thoughts are sailors (or passengers) on ships that routinely sail those waters. Just a guess, but if the jack ass who made the above statement was held for months (which some have) with all of the mental anguish on both him and his family, I would bet that he would have a totally different opinion of this issue.

Probable Swine Flu in Michigan

It's (probably) here.... Probable Swine Flu Reported In Mich

UK Government paying to trade in old cars

I know it is popular to beat up on the Detroit 3 right now, and some of it is deserving. However, you can not lay the blame for poor management decisions, labor costs, etc all at the feet of Big 3 and state categorically that if they were to design cars people want, bring their costs in line with their competitors, slash brands and so forth then all of their problems will magically disappear.

As I wrote earlier, Toyota, the darling of the press, was seeking financial assistance from the Japanese government and it looks like the European car manufactures are using similar methods to help boost their sales. Although this particular article is about the United Kingdom, if you read the article it states that several European governments, "most notably Germany"(huh? Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW by all standards very good cars need help in these bad economic times) have initiated programs to get people buying cars again. Read the article here: Government to launch old-for new vehicle scrap scheme

I can not help but wonder if all of the bad press Detroit (most notably GM and Chrysler since Ford appears to be ahead of the game) gets is more about our lack of political power in Washington due to several factors, and less about the quality of their automobiles...

Just a thought

Record Texting Attempt

Wow, neither one of these two individuals live with my sister or brother-in-law! So count your blessings you two! I think the best thing I read about in this article is the bill that one of them got from T-Mobile, $26,000!. Sweet! I guess you should check your service agreement a little more closely...

Worst Foreclosure Rates

With all of the bad news in Detroit/Michigan, I was very surprised to see that neither Detroit nor Michigan is on this list of the top four states/cities. I guess that serves as "good news" for those of us in the "D." However, we still have the highest unemployment in the country so take it for what it is worth!

Stripping, the new "going postal"

Wow, I never thought being a stripper could be so dangerous! This is a Jerry Springer/Maury Povich episode just waiting to happen! Police say novice stripper attacked by shoe-wielding rival

ATM Skimmers

I know this is not really something I normally talk about, but it is important. I know a couple of people who have had their ATM cards "stolen" so I thought I would link to this article from Lifehacker.com. The article has a link to a PDF copy of a PowerPoint presentation that shows some of the ways thieves get your card information. It is pretty scary how easy it is. Knock on wood, I have not had anyone get my ATM info, but it could easily be done.

Read more about it here: How to Spot an ATM skimmer.

Biden

I have already given my opinion of this guy once, but it is nice to know it is not just me. Read more here: Biden's List of Political Blunders

If this had been George W. Bush, his gaffes would have been on the front page of every newspaper...

Waterboarding Used on 9/11 Mastermind

The CIA used the waterboarding technique on the 9/11 mastermind 183 times, none of which killed him. However, his attacks killed 2,974 people. Let's do the math, shall we?

If we go one for one, they still need to "drown" his sorry butt another 2791 times. If we want to be nice about and use a ratio, that is only once for every 16.25 people he killed.

I think the son of a bitch got off easy.

Detroit Lions new look

Well, if you can't make money by selling tickets for a perennial losing team, you may as well change the logo so people will go out an buy the new look...

Gosh, I wish they would have saved the money they spent on the new look to buy a quarterback...

Golfing Video

You don't have to be a golfer to find this video kinda funny... (thanks Bob!)

US not prosecuting for "torture"

Oh, what a shock! The world is upset that Obama is not going to prosecute those accused of "torture." I don't think you can compare "waterboarding," sleep deprivation, etc to torture. Last time I checked we did not electrocute people, cut off various body parts, kill their family members in front of you, etc etc to get you to talk.

Like I wrote in a previous entry I don't think you can ask the terrorists "please. pretty please with sugar on top, will you tell us when you plan to kill us next?" The type of persuasion techniques used by the CIA are not anywhere near as gruesome as what Saddam (nor any of the same) have perpetrated on their own people.

Oh, and one other thought: I wonder where all of the groups ((including the Europeans) were during the Saddam killing regime...

US Government faces veteran anger

Wow, if you get a chance read this story: US Government faces veteran anger at extremism report

How can they have the nerve to stereotype returning veterans as potential right wing extremists simply because Timothy McVeigh was ex-Army? If you have not been following this story, stuff like this is popping up all the time with the Homeland Security Department's concerns with militia movements (only since Obama took office by the way) including the Missouri Department of Public Safety looking for cars with (former Independent and Republican) Ron Paul for President stickers on them.

Umm, the last time we had this kind of paranoia in the White House, we burned 80 plus people to death in Waco, Texas for a sawed off shotgun charge.

Bush may have overstepped his bound with the Patriot Act, but at least he did it over concerns from foreign terrorists attacking the US again, not returning service men and women as well as people who favor small government and balanced budgets...

I in no way support a militia movement that seeks to overthrow our elected officials (last time I checked that is what we have ELECTIONS for) but I do get concerned when our civil liberties get trampled on, by either the right or the left in the name of "protection" from what ever bogeyman they want to dream up.

Jr ROTC program

In San Francisco (where else?) they are trying to get rid of the Jr. ROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps) program in high school citing "recruitment concerns and the military's policy towards gays." First off, before I go any further let me mention that this program is OPTIONAL for high school students so not one of their precious little tax deductions are forced to enroll in the program.

This annoys me on several levels. First, the military does not have a policy towards gays, the US Congress does. They write the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the military enforces it. This is like pissing an moaning at the cop that gave you a speeding ticket. He/she did not decide the speed limit, they are merely enforcing the law. You don't like it, change the law.

Second, the course teaches basic citizenship and how to get along with your fellow student. There is nothing wrong with instructing someone on how to work as a team and to honor and respect your fellow students. I am at a loss as to how this can be perceived as a bad thing. This whole issue is politically motivated and to use children in this manner is morally reprehensible.


My favorite part of the the article is this; "opponents... say educating students should remain a role for civilians, and not for retired members of the armed forces." Umm, they ARE civilians dumb ass, and with California 49th or 50th (despite a gazillion dollars in taxes) in school ranking, I would say they have not done a very good job thus far and could use all the help they can get!

Court fines Mom for calling son too much

Man, I don't know what is worse, the fact that Mom placed that many calls to her son (cut the apron strings) or the fact that her lousy son took his OWN mother to court! At least it lets us know that the US is not the only place for incredibly stupid lawsuits. Court fines mother for phoning son

Conficker Check

Here is a great article I ran across that illustrates a very simple test to determine if your computer has been infected by the Conficker virus: Read about it here

Cuba

This is a very good first step toward normalizing relations with Cuba. The past policy did nothing to unseat Fidel Castro, and only served to harden the Cuban people's will. We fought a war with Vietnam, and have normalized relations with that country. It is time to move on, and realize that the previous policy has not worked.

In fact, I think had we allowed trade, travel, etc with Cuba then that the country would have changed course some time ago. People need to get a glimpse of a better life in order to "demand" it from their government. Isolating them does little more then reinforce what their totalitarian government says. If you live in a dark closet all of your life, then darkness seems normal. Only when you get a glimpse of daylight do you start to understand how much better things could be.

Plus they make great cigars and rum...

Just my two pennies worth

Where Heroes Come From

Very cool article from Bob Greene at CNN. Although I served for 24 years in the US Navy, I wish he had not limited the article to just Navy SEALS. I know a hell of a lot of very dedicated men and women in ALL branches of the service who deserve this kind of praise.

John Rich, Country singer

My daughter finally got me to listen to John Rich's song, "Shuttin Detroit Down." I am not a huge country music fan, but it is a pretty good song and has a great message. I do like what he has to say on Foxnews. com as well. It is always popular in the media to state America is in a downward spiral from which it will never recover, so the future belongs to (insert Asian country of your choice here.)

And yet the country always seems to recover from whatever calamity that is supposed to contribute to its demise...

Read his comments here: John Rich Sounds Off

Pirates-Updated!

I hope this story ends well with the Captain of the ship being released unharmed. But I do like the fact that the crew did not stand by, and instead fought back and re-took their ship. That is pretty cool.

Nice shooting, Navy SEALS! Taking out three pirates from the rolling and pitching deck of a U.S. Navy destroyer!

Dad hammer's teen's cell

Yeah, I can't say as I blame him. I had heard this same situation (not at this cost!) happen with my brother-in-law and sister's kid, but I thought that was an isolated incident. Guess not. And all of this happened while she was at school, you know, not studying... Read the story here: Dad hammers Wyo teen's phone

Michigan's First Medical Marijuana Applicant

Well, Michigan had its first individual apply for the permit to use medical marijuana. If the use of marijuana helps alleviate a person's suffering, then I am all for it. As the old saying goes: Man made beer, God made marijuana, who do you trust more?

However, the law does not specify how that person is to obtain the drug, just that the state will have no part in the distribution. The people are usually too ill to drive to the local drug pusher, so someone will have to buy 2.5 ounces at at time and deliver it to their home. Kinda like a "meals on wheels" operation. I smell a business opportunity in the making...

nah, just kidding. I don't think you could mark it up enough to cover the cost of gas, your time, etc...

Funny Video (audio) clip

DUH!
EMBED-Dumb Woman Locked in Her Car 911 Call - Watch more free videos

Runaway scooter

Oh, man, you just can not make this kind of story up....Runaway scooter carries off woman

Nerf Gun

I want one, I want one bad!

Gun Control

This is a horrible story and one that is becoming all to familiar in both the US and the rest of the world. However, I bet that gun control advocates will use this as another reason to institute stricter regulations. I tend to think in the opposite direction. If any of the victims were allowed to carry a pistol they would have had the opportunity to fight back, especially since it took the police 39 (yep, THIRTY NINE) minutes to secure the scene.

I think with that kind of a response time, I will take my chances with my own pistol..

Education?

Granted, this happened in England but it could just have easily happened in the US. Kids get lessons in swearing

How about they stick to teaching them, oh, I don't know, how to add, subtract, divide, multiply...

Point Proven

Here is another fact to prove my point in my recent postings about the ex-AIG executive and the ex-GM CEO Wagoner: Wagoner leaving GM with compensation worth $23 MILLION

I sure this is taught in business school: Run your company in the ground, get millions. Oh, and in your spare time, make sure you screw over your employees so they don't have a pot to piss in.

GM CEO Forced Out

I don't think this is such a bad thing, GM CEO Wagoner forced out. I know a lot of people admire Rich Wagoner, but he has been with GM since 1977 and CEO in 2000. It may be time for some fresh blood that can do the hard things that need to be done (and I hope they bring in someone other then Vice Chairman and COO Henderson.) They need a fresh perspective to get their act together.

At least Bill Ford realized that he was not the guy to lead Ford during their restructuring, and might be one of the reasons why Ford is in a better position then GM. If you doubt Wagoner had to go, maybe you should check out GM's market share and stock price slide during his tenure...

How they built Stonehenge?

A friend of mine sent this video to me. It is pretty cool. Take a look and see if you think this "solves" the Stonehenge mystery (at least as to how they built it.)

AIG Executive resigns

An AIG executive resigned on the NY Times op-ed page. He has donated his entire bonus to charity. My two thoughts about this are:

1) do you think he would have resigned had he (as an AIG executive) not received as much bad press about the bonus (because he sure did not when he received so much negativity about what a horrible job he did to get the company in that bad of shape in the first place) and

2) I am glad he gave the money to SOMEBODY, but he still did not "get it." He felt he did a good enough job to receive the bonus in the first place, and only gave it up after getting beat up in the news.

I used to want to be a weather forecaster, since that was the only job you could be totally wrong at the majority of the time and still keep your position, but now I want to be a crappy executive for a horribly managed company. You can be wrong and still get a heck of a bonus!

Pitiful.

This adminstration is getting scary

They are only two months old, and already the administration is starting to scare me. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner wants Congress to give him "unprecedented power to take control of a major financial institution and run it."

I wonder where it is going to stop...

What an arrogant attitude

The condescending attitude displayed in this story is unbelievable. From comments like "a mob can be useful in driving a political movement" and the partnerships between AIG and the government must "proceed 'despite anger and outrage' over the bonuses." Plus they feel we can be "distracted by other events in the coming days."

What a bunch of crap! I don't believe that our employees in Washington 'get it." No one is helping me (or anyone I know) with a bail out. And they sure as he*l are not giving me a $1 million bonus for screwing up. This is not capitalism, where inefficiencies are driving out by market competition, but socialism where governments (again my money) prop up failing businesses because they think it might "hurt" our overall economy. There are banks and other financial institutions that did not conduct business so recklessly that are not getting handouts. They should be rewarded with a larger share of the market, and the others should be on the unemployment line.

Fire them all!

Japanese Man Tasering Himself

My last few posts have been kind of serious, so I thought I would show a clip of Japanese manufacture of tasers testing one out on himself.

Kinda funny in a sick sorta way...

Tea Party Protest

Have any of you been reading about the Tea Party protests going on throughout the country? They do not get much coverage from the MSM (Main Stream Media i.e. CNN, ABC etc) so you have do do a little digging. Basically it is grass-roots movement protesting the current state of our political system, specifically around taxes.

They are continually staging rallies around the country, and are aiming for massive ones on April 15th. Instapundit is one of my favorite blogs, and there are quite a number of entries about the protests on this page . Scroll down and read some of the comments and links to other entries as well as checking out the signs some of the people are carrying. My two favorites are the people holding up the signs which say "you can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out," and "don't spread my wealth, spread my work ethic." Perfect.

I am starting to like the idea more and more of a massive anti-tax revolt, especially after filing my taxes this year. In addition to the $6 gazillion I have already paid, I have to send a check to the federal government for even more money. This despite doing everything I could do to reduce my taxable income. For those of you who think "well, I am getting a return this year so I am ok" I offer two suggestions: 1) Look at how much you still PAID, and 2) guess what happens when your little tax-deductions grow up and move out...

Send me my fair share of this bull sh*t bailout, and let me decide what to do with MY money! If they really want to get the economy rolling again, give the money directly to the consumers (who are the ones who EARNED it after all) and not to a corporation who screwed up in the first place.

If anyone in Michigan is interested, the Tea Party web site is Fresh Tea Daily and, this is the web site to find out your local party's web site Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party

And if any of you are wondering, I am not a member of any right-wing neo-con organization (those groups scare me almost as much as the left wing nut jobs) just a concerned American exercising his constitutional rights...

Strikes

It is always interesting to compare strikes in Europe (especially France) with strikes in the U.S. In the U.S. the strikes are almost always about money in some form or fashion. In France, the strike is usually used as political tool to try and force policy change. I can not see the UAW (or any other union) going on a nation-wide strike to protest the cost of milk, or something like that...

I am not sure why the difference exists. I know most unions are pro-Democrat for some reason I can not fathom (NAFTA was signed into law by a Democrat btw) but they don't call for a nation-wide strike to protest a Republican president's policy decisions. Maybe it is the ability to contribute campaign dollars to the candidate of your choice which gives all of us the "freedom" to feel we can have an impact on our elected officials, or maybe it is the fact that most of us are greedy capitalists who only care about money...

Read about the latest strike here France hit by new wave of nationwide strikes

Biden's Comments about the economy

Biden states that the economy is tougher then FDR's (huh? 25% unemployment vs 10%, the majority of the people losing their homes now [at least at the onset of this recession,] should not have been able to buy them in the first place, etc) I would agree that it is bad out there (especially here in good old Detroit) but I don't think it is Great Depression bad. But my favorite part of Biden's speech is this" Congress's approval rating has DOUBLED (emphasis mine) since the Democrats are in office... because they took action.

Put down the crack pipe, Biden. Going from an approval rating of 1% to 2% (with a margin of error of 3%) is not something to cheer about. Besides, you (and the rest of Congress) pissed away a lot of my money, so it will be a LONG time before I approve of anything you people do

AIG

I absolutely LOVE this Senator's thoughts about AIG: Iowa Senator says AIG executives should resign or commit sucide

Yep, either one of them would be fine by me, especially after the bonus B.S. that has been in the news. If there is any doubt we are moving away from a capitalism-orientated society to a socialist/communist one, this should remove all doubt. When you start using MY (taxpayer) money to prop up a failing business, and then that business is allowed to squander (my) money with no repercussions, we are one step away from the Russian economy of the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

And I am giving a pass to the Detroit 3 for the current time for two reasons: One, from the start the money was considered a LOAN, and two, (after the private jet fiasco) the big dogs are agreeing to pay cuts, bonus cuts, etc until their companies become profitable again.

Aging Celebrities

Man, I thought I was looking old, but there ain't no comparison... Check it out here 20 Celebrities that have aged miserably

Funny Clip

If you need a good laugh, check out this clip I received from a friend. The language is a little strong so don't listen to it at work (for those of you that still have jobs!) Lisa Lampenelli and Simon Cowell on Leno

Michigan's Unemployment Rate

Sweet! We are number one in the nation! I am stating for the record that it will be five years before Michigan recovers. I think the rest of the country will be on the road to recovery by early next year, but not us... Michigan jobless rate highest in the nation

How to treat a woman

I received this video in an email and I thought it was pretty funny.

Farewell Email

Some suggestion for those of you who may get the opportunity (I did not) to send out your farewell email to your co-workers... "Farewell" takes new tone

Gitmo Detainees

And Obama wants to close Guantanamo... He better be very careful before he turns these people loose to do it again (but what do you expect from a junior Senator who was not even in office on 9/11???) Guantanamo Detainees say they planned 9/11

"Cheers" Bartender Laid Off

Man, it is getting bad when the guy who was the inspiration for the "Cheers" (for those of old enough to remember) bartender gets laid off. Boston's real-life "Cheers" bartender is laid off

Obama's Middle Class Task Force

Man of the people, my butt. Obama's Middle Class Task Force Has No Middle Class

Ironic, ain't it?

Obama and Gordon Brown

If you get a chance, read the Telegraph.co.uk article on Mr Brown's recent appearance at the White House. The article is interesting in itself, but what I really enjoyed reading were the comments. Read through them. It is fascinating to see what a wide range of opinions the British have about us. You can find the article here: President Barack Obama just plain rude

Baseball Ticket Prices

As I read about Manny Ramirez's $45 Mil for two years worth of work I had to wonder how this will affect the average fan who goes to the game. I guess they could bump up the hot dogs to $8, soda for $7, beer for $10, etc, in addition to raising ticket prices. Hey, I am all for getting what money you can, and if the owners think they can afford to pay top dollar for players, that is great for the players.

Not so good for the fans however, but the owners and players are in for a rude awakening when we remember that baseball (and all sports) is a business and we are their customer. What do you do as a customer when you feel you are paying too much for goods or services? Yep, you don't buy it.

They should all heed what Derrick Hall, CEO for the Arizona Diamondbacks said in a recent Fortune Magazine article titled How the Arizona Diamondbacks are coping with the recession. He said "The big difference between now and 30 years ago is the fan has a choice between spending $15 for a ticket plus drinks, food (emphasis mine) or staying at home and having the best seat in the house ... with the high definition tv... that's scary."

Yes, it is. And with my DVR I can pause, rewind and fast forward through the commercial breaks!