Blog closed, I'm getting a tan :)

Hee, hee

I'm not here, I'm actually on a cruise in the Caribbean.

I just left some music so you wouldn't forget me.

Happy, Happy Bday

Happy Birthday Time Traveller!!!

I hope you're having a wonderful time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Happy Holidays from our house to yours

My Little Girl's Daddy

I must admit that I'm really not feeling the holiday spirit this year. It's not hard to figure out why either. The Wife has been sick. The kids have been sick. I've been sick. Well, it got much worse today.

The Wife called me at work, a place I haven't been near as much as I need to be lately, to let me know my little girl had fallen. Abby wouldn't move her arm and The Wife was wondering if she should take her to the doctor or wait.

The next call was from the doctor's office. They said Abby had popped her shoulder out of joint. The Wife said my girl was crying for her Daddy. An hour later I met them at the specialist that was suppose to pop her shoulder back in place but they needed some x-rays first. I carried my little girl into the room and held her while they took the x-rays. The first few went fine until they told me to pull her arm across her chest.

I hesitated. I knew it was going to hurt her. The x-ray tech started to do it but I knew it was my job. I waved her off. As I grabbed my daughters arm, I said all the things a parent tells a child just before they hurt them. She begged my not to touch her arm. She screamed. I kept talking to her and looking her in the eye. I was afraid if I lost eye contact I wouldn't be able to look at her again. As quickly and as gently as I could I slid her arm over. It wasn't quick enough nor was it gentle enough. The x-ray tech took the shot. My daughter was crying, "no more, no more. "

I wrapped her back up in her blanket and carried her like a baby back to her mother. I was able to press my face into her blanket on the way back to dry my own eyes. The x-rays revealed that her arm was not out of it's socket. Instead, her arm was broken in half, up high, just below the shoulder joint.


Sometimes I don't think you realize how much you love someone until you see them in pain. And when you're the one inflicting that pain, out of love, it reminds you just how tough of a job being a parent can be. After I sat her down in the exam room, I put my face up to hers and told her I was sorry. As I leaned forward we bumped heads. She made a little pucker shape with her lips so I leaned in and let her kiss my forehead where we had hit. As I pulled away she gave me all the smile her little face could muster. I guess being the child of a parent can be a tough job as well.

Confession #10

I bough my first pair of reading glasses this past weekend. For a guy who has always enjoyed 20/20 vision it made me a little sad. When The Wife saw me wear them for the first time she couldn't stop laughing.

Even with the glasses on I fail to see what's so damn funny. Maybe I need a stronger pair.

WTF's in a name?

Sometimes you just have to wonder what the hell are people thinking. I just read a story about a couple who's child was denied a birthday cake, from a store, because the store refused to put his name on it. These people actually named their child Adolf Hitler.

Obviously these people are starved for attention but why would they do this to their child? Can you imagine when this kid is accused of punching a classmate in school? Of course little Adolf did it. Forget about a military career. What about when he fills out a job application? Would you hire a man named Adolf Hitler? "We really need to land that big bible printing job, send Adolf to close the deal." Right.

The reason the parents gave for giving their child this name? They knew no one else would have it. No shit, maybe there's a reason for that. Nobody has the name "My Parents R. Morons" either. Why didn't they just go with that? At least he'd have a better chance. Grrrrr!!!

Santa Lives

Child Writes to Santa, Asks For Molestation to End
Monday, December 15, 2008

PHARR, Texas — A Texas man has been arrested after a 9-year-old girl wrote to Santa Claus asking that a relative stop touching her and her sister.

The Monitor of McAllen reports that a man from the town of Pharr was arrested Friday and is in the Hidalgo County jail. A criminal complaint says the girl turned the letter in at Cesar Chavez Elementary School. Authorities interviewed the girl after a school counselor reported the letter. The complaint says investigators believe the molestation occurred over a period of four years. The man is charged with continuous sexual abuse of a young child and could face as many as 99 years in prison if convicted.

And some people say there is no such thing as Santa Clause .

Christmas Bliss

Still trying to make up a few missed workouts, I once again headed out to the gym this morning. As I was turning into the parking lot, still without a solid plan, other than the shower kidney punch idea, to stop Chatty Cathy gym guy I don't know from talking to me, I noticed the parking lot was empty.

Not able to accept my good fortune, I crept into the gym looking in every direction. Even when I didn't see anyone I half way expected someone to pop out from under a weight or something. But it was true. The gods of gravity had blessed me with an empty gym on a Saturday morning.

Like a kid in a candy store, I wasted no time getting to it. I cranked up my mp3 player to drown out the music being blasted over the gym speakers and drifted into a weighted world of bliss. I was mad man too. I added extra sets, extra reps to my sets and more and more weight to my reps. Even though I knew I shouldn't go there, I went there. It was a beautiful thing. I mixed muscles that ought not be mixed. I pushed myself and then pushed a little more. For one solid, pure golden hour I was in a zone. My zone. The world stopped turning, time stood still. If there were problems in the world they weren't mine, at least not then.

As I was taking off my gloves to leave, another guy walked in. He asked me, "if I was done." I told him, "I was" and not to expect too much from his workout because I didn't leave anything in there for him. "It was that good?" he responded. "Like connecting with a good left hook to the kidney. I knocked it out" I said. He smiled. I smiled back and left.

Life is good.

HO HO NO!

I think the gig is up! A few days ago my oldest was asking a lot of questions about Santa Claus. Then yesterday he came to me with a covert plan to set up video surveillance to catch the big red jolly fat man doing his thing. I tried to explain that smarter kids than him have tried to catch the big man in action and failed.

My performance wasn't all that convincing though. He had all the evidence he needed . Photos of him at the mall with Santa. Video of Santa rolling down the street in a parade. And commercials, those damn commercials, on every channel. Proof that Santa can be recorded.

In the end I feel like I may have bought him another year of believing in the actual man and sled routine but I'm still going to check the chimney for tripwire and motion detectors before I put the presents out this year.

I'm not ready for Santa's visits to stop yet.

I ... He enjoys the milk and cookies way too much.

My Songs #8

Continuing from my previous post, 10 Songs that have helped me define how I feel, how I see myself or how I see the my world over the past few years.

Whatching The Wheels
~ John Lennon

People say I'm crazy doing what I'm doing
Well they give me all kinds of warnings to save me from ruin
When I say that I'm o.k. well they look at me kind of strange
Surely youre not happy now you no longer play the game

People say I'm lazy dreaming my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice designed to enlighten me
When I tell them that Im doing fine watching shadows on the wall
Dont you miss the big time boy youre no longer on the ball

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round

I just had to let it go

Ah, people asking questions lost in confusion
Well I tell them theres no problem, only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind
I tell them theres no hurry

I'm just sitting here doing time

I'm just sitting here watching the wheels go round and round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round

I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go

When "Hey" really means "move the hell out of my way"

Listen up Mr. Man at the gym I don't know. I didn't get up at 6:00 AM on Saturday to chit chat with you. I'm sorry, really sorry, that the exercise I needed to do just happen to be next to you. You seem like a real nice guy but if you haven't noticed, this isn't a social club.

I don't care how much you use to weigh, how much you can lift, how many inches your legs are or how many pounds you lost. The name and cost of your supplements isn't good conversation either. Why are you pushing them so hard anyway? Are you a vitamin salesman or something? Well actually I know you're not because you told me about your job, your work schedule and your up coming business trip.

Again I'm sorry (for me) that my mp3 player hanging out of my ears didn't give you a clue. Or the fact that I kept trying to lift even though you kept right on talking. Even when I walked to the other side of the gym you just raised your voice so I could hear you, which by the way was worse than being next to you.

Here's a little tip. Sometimes when someone says "hey" to you it might not be because they are striking up a conversation but rather to get you to move from in front of the weights they need. Maybe if you talked less, that two hour workout you bragged about could be cut down, to say, a hour. You know, a hour, like the hour I WASTED this morning. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

Stay Back

Has anyone given any thought to microwave ovens???

Follow me here. The door that protects you from the microwave radiation is made of glass or some sort of plastic. The dishes you place in the microwave oven, in most cases, are made of glass or plastic. If the microwaves can penetrate the containers holding the food why can't they escape through the door made of the same material?! I don't think they are heavy enough to be lead lined or something like that. What the hell?

Mine is mounted above the stove, about my head height. I'm not making any connection with that and my receding hair line but then again...

Please Please Me

A few months ago Time Traveller left a comment on a post of mine:

"he has an obsessive need to please people" (referring to me)

I'm sure she meant it in a nice way but I must admit the comment stayed with me. Maybe because it was close to the truth or maybe because it exposes another truth in my life that I'm having a hard time dealing with at the moment.

Yes, I like to please people, to make them happy. I always have. Maybe I do it to a fault, if that's possible but that's not why the comment stuck with me. I've always known that about me. I've always thought it is one of my better attributes. It stuck with me because lately it's become a source of frustration and irritation.

In a perfect world I could continue doing things to make people happy and the reward of seeing them happy would be all I would want. But that's not reality, or at least that's not my reality. No, with all I try to do to make the people in my life happy eventually one question starts creeping into my mind.

Does anyone care if I'm happy?

Selfish? Sure, but damn, you would think that these people, who not only accept my gestures of goodwill but EXPECT them and in some cases demand them, would want to return a little bit of the kindness. Oh, they offer. They say the things people say but words are hollow and without action they have no real meaning do they? See, I believe my actions, more than my words, are some proof that I care. It's not the only way to show it but by doing even the little things it should signal to them that I feel their burden, understand their desires and respect their dreams.

So every once in awhile I wonder where my proof is. Believe me, I look. Not to keep score but to make sure I'm giving credit where credit is due. Maybe that's a problem too but I have my eyes open and I don't see it. Don't get me wrong, the people in my life do things for me. They do the stuff they have to do or do because there is no inconvenience to them. The rest seem to be gestures that aren't based on anything that would remotely make me happy. I know I'm a big bastard for saying this. I know it's suppose to be the thought that counts but does it count if there is no proof that any thought went into it at all? In fact, it frustrates me further that they don't take even a second to consider who I am or what I'm about.

I'm not pinning my happiness on them. I know being happy is my responsibility. Over the past few years I have done a lot to understand that fact and have tried to adjust my life accordingly. I am happier for it too. Still, shouldn't the people who love me, and I do believe they love me, derive some pleasure for providing some part of that happiness? Or am I just an oddball who thinks this way?

So, should I stop trying to please people? Just go about my life and if something I do happens to make someone happy great but if not, oh well. Is that my answer? I don't even think I would know how. I don't want to either. I like helping a guy lift a big box into his car at the hardware store, getting out a buggy for the person behind me at Walmart or just holding a door open for someone. I like making the people I love happy even more. I like being that guy because I like to think I am that guy but lately that guy is not only feeling less than pleased but like a sucker as well.

With The Wife down last week, I had to spend more time in the grocery store, more than my usual never that is. While looking for an easy dinner idea I stumbled upon what could be the the biggest scam going in the grocery store industry.

As I was looking at frozen pizzas, I noticed there was three cheese pizza, four cheese pizza and, you guessed it, five cheese pizza. Now get this, they were all the same price! Seriously, what kind of fool do they take me for? I grabbed two of the five cheese and swaggered right up to the counter. I just wonder if the cashier noticed the smirk on my face as I thought about getting 10 cheeses for the price of six. SUCKERRRRRS!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Why not just tell me I'm a jerk?

For the last two months The Wife has been unwell. I made her go to the doctor a month ago and told her to slow down many times after that. Not much I could do about her not listening to me. She was determined not to miss any festivals, fairs and Halloween events. Then, last Wednesday she woke me up and said she couldn't take the kids to school. I made her go to the doctor again and I took care of the kids. Two days later, after she spent two full days in bed, she was admitted into the hospital. She has pneumonia that is resistant to antibiotics.

As I was taking care of the kids, my sister called to offer support. She was a little upset that my parents, who live so close, weren't doing much to help me out. I agreed that it would be nice to get some help but taking care of my family was my responsibility and not theirs. I explained there was no need to be upset with my parents, I could handle it.

Later, as my parent were visiting The Wife in the hospital my dad mentioned that my sister was coming in town early for Thanksgiving to help her with the kids. My dad also mentioned, for reasons I can't even begin to understand, that my sister had asked him to have a talk with me. It seems my sister blames ME for The Wife being sick. She thinks I never give her a chance to get a break. That I keep her trapped at the house and don't do much to ease her burden.

Now, I know she doesn't know what happens at my house. She lives out of town and has no idea how our life is structured. It really doesn't bother me what she thinks I do or don't do for my family. I know the truth and so do they. It also doesn't bother me that she told my dad to talk to me about it. He knows what I do too.

It doesn't bother me that if my sister thought about what she did know she would see the truth. Like the week The Wife spent WITH MY SISTER in Mexico while I watched the kids just this year should have been a clue. Or the concert in Atlanta she attended with MY SISTER that she wanted to got to but wouldn't because she had already had me take off work too much this year and it was expensive but I talked her into going.

And it doesn't bother me that my sister mentioned to my dad that I get to do something for myself by going to the gym three nights a week for an hour and The Wife never gets her own time. Because I know all the kids are in school and The Wife has free time during the day and frequently meets her friends for lunch and stuff. She also doesn't know that I let The Wife sleep in on Sundays, my only day off, as I get up early to feed the kids, clean the house and do other things that need doing. Or that I ask The Wife almost every weekend if she wants me to watch the kids so she can go to town and do something she wants to do. See, I like being home with the kids.

None of that bothers me but what does bother me, what really chaps my ass is how my sister got the impression that I don't do all these things. She just didn't come up with this stuff out of thin air. It had to come from somewhere in some form or another. Even if she is just reading between the lines of what is being said, somebody has to be telling her something and it could only be The Wife, my mom or both. Neither of which has ever even suggested to me that I'm not being fair to my wife. In fact both, on many occasions, have told me that I need to get out more and do more things for myself. I'm a little confused by this situation. And bothered, as I said.

So, with all that leading the way, let the holiday season begin. Holy shit!

more press mess

I had planned to stop posting about our biased press, but then I saw this. The first half of this segment is an excellent demonstration of what I've been talking about.

Thinking just a tad

I've been thinking about Christian Slater lately. You know, because he's so dreamy and all that. Ok, maybe not like that but actually a little bit like that. What I've actually been thinking about is his hair.

What's up with this man's hair??? He has a bit of a high forehead and a full head of hair so why comb it straight back? That's a tad weird, right?

Well, I'm not really thinking that it's weird. I'm really thinking that my hairline is a lot like his. If I must admit it, my forehead is a bit higher than average, like his. Not much higher mind you. Lets just say a tad higher, and leave it at that. Seriously, leave it at that.

So I was thinking, not much but a tad, that maybe, just maybe, I should let my hair grow out and comb it back, like, say, Christian Slater does. Only I don't really like the way he does his hair much, maybe a tad but people must right. Being that he's a big star and all. I do like the cool way he gets to push it back when it falls forward. So there is that.

Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about, but not too much, because that would be weird. At least a tad.

A Long Irrelevant News Slant Rant (a must skip read)

Now that the election is over I've had time to examine just how much influence the press has in this country and on the world. From my point of view and from the evidence I've seen, the press cheated this country and the world out of an honest debate about what the candidates had to offer. I doubt anyone will care but I feel I need to chronicle the way I felt the press influenced the pick of the 44TH president of The United States. This has nothing to do with Obama. I don't blame him for what the press did. I'm sure any candidate would have been happy to have the press on their side.

I don't think it's a secret that the press favors the left and therefor the Democrats. They have for a long time. Over the years, I believe, they have tried to maintain some sort of professionalism and balance but that changed in 2004. During President Bush's first term in office it was hard for the press to find much real fault. He had led us out of a recession, placed some regulations on public companies cooking their books, helped us deal with the 911 attacks and started a successful campaign against the terrorist of the world. He was popular with the people and supported by even most of thr Democrats.

Then in 2004 Bush made a huge miscalculation. After defeating the Iraqi army the president thought the Iraqi people would embrace democracy, they didn't. Because of this mistake, Bush didn't have a plan to handle a country that was use to being governed with an iron fist by Saddam. Bush scrambled to secure the country.

During this time the press realized Bush was vulnerable. Then Abu Ghraib came to light. While the extremist were struggling for control of Iraq, the press found out that some of the suspected terrorist being held at Abu Ghraib prison had been miss treated. Now some may read this and wonder why I didn't use the word 'torture' here. I didn't on purpose. While I don't condone what was done at Abu Ghraib, it's nothing that doesn't happen in almost every prison, in every country, every day. It was still better treatment than Saddam would have given them and it happened at a time when the terrorist were taking innocent people hostage and cutting off their heads. That's no excuse for doing wrong but what happened at Abu Ghraib must be kept in perspective with what was going on in Iraq.

The press seized on this opportunity. They reported the story to world as if the US was running concentration camps in Iraq. It was a 24/7 news feast of how bad America is. They were more outraged over naked prisoners than innocent people being decapitated. The story was over reported in an effort to hurt Bush's image to the world and discredit our military's efforts in Iraq. It did but it also had many other side effects. The story fueled the terrorist and had to help them in their recruiting efforts. Because the story was blown so out of proportion, or made public at all, the President's hands became tied. Now a country full of people who were use to being governed by a heavy hand saw that the American people didn't have the stomach to deal with terrorist. The President had lost his ability to assure the Iraqi people he had the strength and might to secure their country. More chaos ensued.

The press saw how much this one story had effected people's opinions and realized two things. One they needed to expose more government and military secrets and missteps. Two, they could turn Iraq into their very own Vietnam. A blue print for shaping public opinion had already been drawn during that war. Now this generation of reporters could use it to push their liberal agenda.

When the 2004 Presidential elections were held, to the shock and dismay of the mainstream press, Bush was reelected. I believe it was at this point the press decided that no matter what it took they were going to get a Democrat elected in 2008.

They spent the next four years demonizing President Bush to America and the world. They exposed national security secrets in an effort to bring down the president. They printed and promoted every lie, conspiracy and accusation that surfaced. Facts and the country's best interest be damned. They made big plans to use the now unpopular war against any 2006 and 2008 Republican candidate. They wanted us to lose in Iraq to hurt Bush and the republican party. Only, the surge worked and Iraq started working. Immediately news about Iraq dried up. If Iraq couldn't be used to hurt the right it was off the table.

During the primaries the press heavily influenced the pick of both nominees. They highlighted the strong republicans candidates weaknesses and played down the weakness of the person they wanted to win. Mitt Romney -spotlight- he's a Mormon, might be a cult. Mike Huckabee -spotlight- he's too religious, may govern from the bible. Rudolf Giuliani -spotlight- has a lot of personal baggage, as does Newt Gingrich. Senator McCain, being a moderate was left alone. They even turned their backs on Hillary Clinton when they realized Obama was more liberal and a better story.

As soon as the primaries were over they turned the spotlight on the once ignored McCain. They focused on his age, his temper and his 90% voting record with President Bush. Even though McCain had been a thorn in Bush's side throughout his eight years in office, the press linked the two as if they were the same. This lie would hurt McCain through out the whole election process.

The skilled fund raisers, strategist, and advisers that helped Bush get elected were now off limits to McCain out of fear of proving the press right about a connection. Had he used someone like Carl Rove, the press would have pointed to it as more proof that McCain and Bush were in fact the same people. The press had effectively cut McCain off from the very people he need to get elected.

All Obama had to do was repeat the lie that voting for McCain was the same as giving Bush another four years, that's just what he did. That might have been enough in itself but combined with the lack reporting the press did on Obama's background and the election shouldn't have ever been close. Anyone who surfaced to threaten Obama was destroyed by the press. Obama never had to counter people like Sarah Palin or Joe the Plumber. The press did the dirty work so Obama could stay on a positive message. McCain on the other hand was forced to try and expose Obama's lack of experience and his questionable past associates. This made McCain come across as a mean spirited, negative person. He never had a chance. And sad to say, I don't think the American people nor the world had a fair chance to form an educated opinion with all the facts.

I could bombard you with lots of data supporting my theory but I won't. I'll just show the numbers that sum up what I'm talking about. These numbers come from independent sources.

Stories about Obama & Biden on the major networks:
65% positive / 35% negative

Stories about McCain & Palin on the major networks:
31% positive /69% negative

Anyone watching the major news outlets, other than Fox, would have concluded that it was better to vote for Obama than McCain. And they did.

I think the press has grabbed to much power during these last four years. They should not be able to decide who we elect. They should not want to influence public opinion about any situation. They are suppose to report the facts and let the public draw their own conclusions. Apparently they didn't trust the American people to make the right choice, their choice, in this past election.

If you think things are going to change anytime soon don't hold your breath. Now that the election is over several reporters and newspapers are admitting they favored Obama. Imagine that. I will leave you with this video clip. NBC's Chris Mathews, who is suppose to be a unbiased journalist, is being interviewed after the election. About halfway through the interview he states that, "I want to do everything I can to make this Presidency (Obama) work." because, "America needs a successful President." To which I have to wonder, "where were you the last eight years Chris?"

http://www.aim.org/aim-column/media-are-big-losers-in-election-2008/
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0411.carter.html
http://journalism.org/node/13307
http://www.cmpa.com/media_room_press_10_30_08.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6pq_Pwjwc0
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2008/11/07/AR2008110702895.html

At 5:00 yesterday morning, I was sneaking out of the house for a business trip. Out of a dark hall I heard a voice ask "Daddy, what's going on?"

I saw my two sons heading towards me half asleep. I asked them why they were up and then in an eerie, monotone voice my oldest said, "when we see light, we go to it."

WTF does that mean?! Are they moths? Are they 'children of the corn' or 'Poltergeist kids'? It felt like a scene from The Shining... redrum, redrum...

Children creep me out sometimes.

I've got gas

On my way to work I passed a gas station selling gas for $1.80 a gallon.

They're practically giving it away.

I'm tempted to pump a gallon on the ground and dance a jig in it. That, or drive in a circle for about 20 miles, just.because.I.can.

Confession #9

The people I work with know absolutely nothing about computers. They think I'm a computer genius. The truth is, I'm barely computer literate but I'll never tell.

Coworker: David my computer is on but the screen is black. I'm tapping the keyboard but nothing is happening.

Me: I'll take a look. *2 seconds later* It's fixed.

Coworker: Thanks, I've been trying to get it to work for twenty minutes. I don't know how you do it.

Me: Not a problem

The fix: Her monitor was turned off. I turned it back on. Shhhhhh...

My Songs # 9

Continuing from my previous post, 10 Songs that have helped me define how I feel, how I see myself or how I see the my world over the past few years.

I Am Rock

~ Simon and Garfunkel

A winter's day

In a deep and dark December;
I am alone,
Gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow.

I am a rock, I am an island.

I've built walls,

A fortress deep and mighty,

That none may penetrate.

I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain.

It's laughter and it's loving I disdain.

I am a rock, I am an island.

Don't talk of love,

But I've heard the words before;

It's sleeping in my memory.

I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died.

If I never loved I never would have cried.

I am a rock, I am an island.

I have my books

And my poetry to protect me;

I am shielded in my armor,

Hiding in my room, safe within my womb.

I touch no one and no one touches me.

I am a rock, I am an island.

And a rock feels no pain;

And an island never cries.

One Long Night

Because I promised the boys a few months ago, I spent a night in the tree house with them a few weekends ago. And, as with most thing with this tree house, it was horrible. One of the longest nights of my life.

To start with, it had rained most of the day so it was too wet for a fire, which was to be a big part of the night. So with no fire to entertain us we climbed into the tree house and I set up a laptop. We laid on an air mattress and watched Star Wars I (which was the fourth one made... I think). My youngest son fell asleep during the movie and my oldest went out right after. That was about 10:00 pm.

I had noticed during the movie that the air mattress had been losing air. By the time the movie was over I was on the hard wood floor. Unfortunately both the boys wanted to sleep next to me. The loss of air caused me to sink which pushed both of them higher and then over on top of me from both sides. I was stuck like a duck in rut.

Then throughout the night the stars aligned against me to keep me awake. There were fire works, gun fire, a wind storm, acorns bombarding the roof, a loose shudder banging the tree house and of course the air mattress situation. I didn't get any sleep but the boys slept like rocks through it all. In the morning my back was wrecked but the boys were all smiles.

Was it worth it? Sure, once, but we'll have to get a better mattress before I agree to do it again. Oh yeah, and some ear plugs for me.

It's Over

The election is finally over, thank the Lord. At the time of this posting it doesn't appear that it will be close, which I'm happy about. The country needs a clear winner right now, not a mess that the courts have to clean up. That's not good for anyone.

I congratulate our next president Barrack Obama. I will pray that he has the wisdom, strength and courage to do what's right for this nation and all it's citizens. Also that he will keep his promise to work with other elected officials to heal this country.

I hope that the Republicans in congress will work with President Obama to solve our nations problems. That they will not sit back and let this country fall into despair in hopes of gaining political strength for their party. We the people deserve full representation even if the party in power gets the credit for moving the country forward.

This has been a long hard fought campaign and now is the time for our elected officials to take off their party hats, roll-up their sleeves and get to work for the American people.

I still have a lot of opinions about this past election process. And, as anyone might guess most of it has to do with the press. But, I will save that post for another time. Because now is the time to celebrate that, win or lose, we are lucky to live in a country where we have a choice.

God bless America.

This is a good one

I hate commercials but once in a while a good one comes along. This is the best one I've seen since the caveman commercials came out.

Halloween 2008

Lots of candy,
Lots of fun,
Halloween 2008,
It's done!

Boo!

I know I shouldn't but... I did

I'm trying not to go there, I really am... but this is too funny. Then again, two guys spending almost a billion dollars to get a job that pays four hundred thousand dollars a year is pretty damn amusing too.

Alright, alright... one funny one about McCain to keep it fair.

Oh Dear

Ever since I was a child people have been claiming that Chinese restaurants are guilty of slipping us mystery meats such as monkey or dog. I have always laughed off such claims because for one, monkey would cost more than beef or chicken and two, no evidence has ever been produced to support such claims.

Until now...

"Here's something you don't hear every day. An employee at Nagano's admitted to bringing a dead deer that they found on the side of the road to work. Thanks to an anonymous caller who says they saw employees bring a garbage bag with a dead animal inside Pooler p-d were alerted.

Police responded and found this on the floor of the cooler laying right
underneath beef. The restaurant was immediately closed down and the Health Department was called in. The Health Department tells me Nagano's was closed for four hours while the restaurant was cleaned and sanitized.

Some food had to be thrown out because of possible contamination. The
restaurant was reopened and placed on warning. It is still unclear if the
restaurant was planning on serving the deer. We did stop by the restaurant to see if anyone was willing to explain why they had the roadkill but no one there was willing to talk . "

~ WSAV TV

YUCK!

More Haters to Hate

Today it was announced that two neo-nazi skinheads were caught planning to assassinate Barrack Obama and kill another 102 black people. Now I've seen some pretty hateful stuff during this election campaign but this is pure evil. I can't even begin to understand how these people think. I don't want to try to either.

It only goes to remind me that I share this world with some sick animals out there disguised as humans. Seriously, they were going to kill a man because he was black and dared to reach for the highest position in this country. Who made these bastards the judge of who is allowed to run for office? Who gave them the right to decide who I can and who I CAN'T vote for? What have they accomplished that gives them such wisdom and power???? Nothing. But, I doubt they have the capacity to think past their hate.

Living in the deep south, as one might expect, I know a few racist. Not as many as you would think but they are here. They come in all colors and ethnic groups. No one race has the market cornered on stupidity and hate. Yet it somehow surprises me everytime I meet one.

For the record, I don't condone it. The other day, a person, who thought because I was white, spoke openly about voting for McCain. I agreed that I thought McCain would be a more experienced choice. Then, this person informed me that they weren't voting for McCain because of his politics but because Obama was black. I shook my head and asked if that was the only reason? They assured me it was. I told this person that they should vote for Obama. I meant it too. If the only reason Obama will lose this election is because of the color of his skin then I hope he wins.

Politics should be about electing the best people into office to represent us. People that share our vision of the direction this country should go. What in the hell does a person's skin color have to do with that?!!! Nothing of course but the haters will never get that because they are evil twisted and sick. The haters hate this world more than they love themselves and that type of person is dangerous, to all of us.

Exactly what I'm talking about

Columnist Leonard Pitts published a column Friday that just goes to prove my point. Though I will give him credit for admitting he is just plain against the death penalty and why. What infuriates me about his column is the fact that he's willing to throw the WHOLE judicial system away for Troy Davis, a cop killer. He states that government makes mistakes all the time so how can we trust it to be right about Davis' guilt or innocence? Please Mr. Pitts, our judicial system has enough checks and balances built into it to assure that anyone put to death is done so with no reasonable doubt. Please, show me a better system. I'll listen.

"I would not wager the change in my sofa cushions on the ability of government to spell my name without error. Yet day after day, we blithely wager the lives of other people on the ability of government to administer justice without error."

~ Leonard Pitts

Davis has had 19 years to prove he was falsely convicted. Through all the appeals, processes and stays of execution no court has found him anything but guilty. Please stop trying to make victims of the guilty, it's offensive to the real victim's family, and to me.

Ha ha ha and ha

As if we needed more evidence that the press is bias.

Saturday, Joe Biden was being interviewed by a Florida TV station. The reporter seem to be asking some unusual questions. Unusual because they were harder than the puff questions Biden is use to getting. These were more like questions Sarah Palin has to answer at every interview.


Joe couldn't believe it. He even asked the reporter if she was joking and who wrote the questions for her. She was respectful and let him answer each question and to be honest Joe handled himself well but OMG! I laughed so hard.


About a week before the election and this is the first time Biden has been asked tough questions. Welcome to Sarah Palin's life Joe! The Obama campaign's response to this interview was to cancel an upcoming interview and ban the station from any further interviews. BAH ha ha ha ha!!!! One tough interview, ONE, and they are picking up their ball and going home.


Of course I don't blame them. Why answer tough questions when the rest of the media is talking about serious issues... like say, how much Sarah Palin's clothes cost.

You just have to laugh.

Happy Birthday Jen!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!!!

I hope it's everything you want it to be and more.

Have fun in Chicago!

I'm so proud of you!!!!

I

Killer Agendas

On August 19, 1989, I was 21 years old. I remember vividly hearing about a police officer that had been shot execution style at the Grey Hound bus station in the town where I live. I can't say I noticed much in the news back then but for some reason this caught my attention. Maybe because I knew the area, it involved a police officer or the way the officer was executed. It scared me because I remember thinking, "if a police officer can be killed like that what can I do to protect myself?"

After fleeing a man turned himself in claiming to be innocent. Nine witnesses claimed they saw Troy Anthony Davis shoot 27 year-old officer Mark McPhail, husband and father, at close range in the head. Some witnesses claimed he was even smiling when he did it. Davis was convicted and given the death penalty.

19 years and many, many denied appeals later, Troy Davis is scheduled to be executed on October 27, 2008. Now I'm not here to argue whether the death penalty is moral or not. That's something people have to decide for themselves. In Georgia the death penalty is legal and used as a tool for justice. Justice the family of Mark McPhail has been denied to this point.

Unfortunately, the closer the execution date gets the more we have to hear about Troy Davis. His family, Amnesty International and even the Reverend Al Sharpeton have blown into town to declare his innocence. They are all claiming that new evidence requires the state to grant Davis a new trial. What's the new evidence? Seven of the original nine eyewitnesses have recanted their testimony. And, they claim no physical evidence was ever found to connect Davis to the scene, although Davis does admit to being there. Even if seven of nine witnesses recanted their testimony that would still leave two who saw Davis shoot Mark McPhail. How many do you need?

If Amnesty International wants to protest the death penalty I have no problem with that. But to hide their agenda by claiming guilty people are innocent is ridiculous. THEY WILL DO AND SAY ALMOST ANYTHING TO GET SOMEONE OFF OF DEATH ROW. That's their agenda. They make victims out of killers to further their ideology. Why can't they just be honest and say, "Yes, he's guilty but we're against killing him." At least then Mark McPhail's family won't have sit back and watch a murderer be turned into a celebrity.

Our local paper has jumped on board as well. They print anything Amnesty International says and have written many stories designed to gain sympathy for how hard Troy Davis's life has been. Very little has been written about the crime or the hardship the victim's family has faced. They also played down the strengths of the prosecutions case. They barely mentioned, if at all, that Davis had been on a shooting spree that very night. He had shot another man in the face hours before killing Mark McPhail. The shell casings matched at both scenes.

When you have to hide the truth to further your agenda, you're being dishonest to your cause. When you try to clear the name of a cold blooded cop killer to promote your agenda, you are just plain fucked up.

***** Update ******

Yesterday, the 11 circuit court granted a stay of execution for Troy Davis. This is his third stay. I thought after the supreme court reviewed the case that it was over. Not so. Another thing that makes me sick about this case, every time the paper prints a story about this murderer they post a picture of Davis and his victim next to each other. How sad for the McPhail family.

http://savannahnow.com/node/601947

Freedom from the press?

I guess Joe the Plumber asked the wrong person the wrong question.

Joe Wurzelbacher just asked Obama a simple question about taxes at a campaign rally. Obama answered him honestly and Joe was respectful. I have no problem with the encounter. I wish we could have seen more encounters like it. I learned something watching it.

Then, during the presidential debate, John McCain used Joe the Plumber as an example to highlight the difference between his tax plan and Obama's. Joe the Plumber wasn't all that important, his situation was.

Unbelievably, (not really) the press and media went after Joe the Plumber like he was a threat to national security. Just like they did with Sarah Palin. It's sad that I've learned more in three days about Joe the Plumber than I've learned in 20 months about Barack Obama.

This situation should scare people. Why did the press rush to dig up every bit of dirt they could on this guy and drag his name through the mud? Why did the press feel it was their job to tear down and expose this citizen, to protect Obama, simply for asking a question? Is that where we're headed? Making people scared to ask a question of a candidate out of fear that they will be publicly humiliated. It sounds like something you would expect to hear from a place like North Korea or Iran, not America.

I've been blathering for some time about how dishonest the press has been during this election. I'm irritated because I don't think the press and the media should decide who we elect, still don't, but this truly scares me. I mean if a hard working plumber like Joe can cause such a harsh and angry reaction from the press, by asking simple questions, what would happen if say... they found out about my blog?

Shhhhhh... I'll be quiet before they hear me.

Bar Stool Economics

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100 .

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:


The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do.


The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve.
'Since you are all such good customers, he said, I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes, so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free.
But what about the other six men - the paying customers?
How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'


They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33.
But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings)
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before.
And the first four continued to drink for free.

But once outside the restaurant the men began to compare their savings. I only got a dollar out of the $20,'declared the sixth man.
He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!' 'Yeah, that's right,' exclaimed the fifth man. I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!' That's true!!' shouted the seventh man.
'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!' 'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.

In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

~ Anonymous

Gravity

As I sat in the gym the other day, waiting for my gym partners, I couldn't help noticing how much things have changed.

I noticed the gym was cleaner and brighter than any I had lifted in over the last 20 years but the music was being blasted the same as ever, even though most couldn't hear it because they had on earphones. The gym was full of mostly young men with a few of us older guys scattered around the place. I think that's how it's always been. There were many new machines but the most popular were still the old favorites. The benches looked about the same, as did the weights and bars.

I started remembering when I was just getting started. I weighed all of 125 lbs. I was weak. I looked to the older guys for tips and pointers to help me on my way. I knew if I stuck with it I could get to their level. Ten years and a lot of work later I had put on 50 pounds. As I succeeded at setting goals and surpassing them, I fed off the accomplishments and that kept me coming back. After my first bench press competition I realized it wasn't where my journey had led me but rather it was the journey itself that I enjoyed.

I scanned the gym to see which guy might be making the same journey I enjoy so much. I never found him. What I found were a bunch of young guys who were ten years ahead of where they should be. Guys that had taken less than a year to put on 50 pounds of pure muscle. Obviously training techniques and diet information have improved since I started but that wouldn't be enough to speed up the process by ten years. Last time I checked gravity worked the same now as it did then. The body's ability to recover probably hasn't evolved much in 20 years either.

The sad part is I don't think they get the gravity of the situation. They know they're cheating but I'm not sure they understand what their cheating themselves out of. Things like the experience, the accomplishment, the journey. They've cheated themselves out of the whole damn point. I sat and watched as they made big lifts look easy and I knew they would never realize exactly what it should take to get to that level and the feeling you get when you finally do. Yeah, they still hoot and holler after each lift like it's them and not the steroids or human growth hormone but they know, and then again they don't know, and I doubt they ever will.

It made me wonder if they plan on approaching life the same way. It may be easy to defy gravity in the gym but they better have a better plan for more important challenges in life because life's gravity can knock you on your ass and it doesn't care how big you are. That's something that will never change.

Why even lock the doors?

When I read this I thought it was funny, in a sad kind of way. I'm not picking on the British. We see this type of thinking in the US as well. It always seems to amaze me that there are people who think like this. File it under "Seriously, WTF?!!

Gardener Ordered to Remove Barbed Wire Fence on
Grounds It Could 'Wound Thieves'

A British gardener’s local council has ordered him to remove a 3-foot
high barbed wire fence around his property in case thieves hurt themselves on it, the Daily Mail reported Thursday. Bill Malcolm, 61, installed the wire at his Worcester property after burglars robbed his tool shed and vegetable plots three times in four months, stealing more than $500 worth of hardware. But Malcolm’s local council told him the wire was a health and safety hazard and warned him they would remove it by force if he did not do it himself, the Mail reported.

“The council said they were unhappy about the precautions I had
made but my response was to tell them that only someone climbing over on to my allotment could possibly hurt themselves,” Malcolm told the Mail. “They shouldn't be trespassing in the first place but the council apologized and said they didn't want to be sued by a wounded thief.” The council said that a fence on the property must be a post or rail fence, not barbed wire.
“With regard to the barbed wire, when this is identified on site, we are obliged to request its removal or remove it on health and safety grounds to the general public as this is a liability issue,” a council spokeswoman told the Mail.

Happy Thanksgiving

Canada

Go Lindsay go!!!

I want to give a little shout-out to friend and fellow blogger Lindsay. She left a link to a couple of songs she wrote and sang. I knew they would probably be good but DAMN!!! are they good. I had no idea. If you get a chance take a listen. You'll be blown away like I was.

Lindsay the songs are great. Just don't forget us when you become rich and famous. Keep up the good work, I look forward to the day when I can say I knew you when... :)

http://www.reverbnation.com/psyche26?current_active_tab=widgets

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

to my wife

To me, fair friend, you never can be old,

For as you were when first your eye I eye'd,

Such seems your beauty still.

-William Shakespeare

What are these economist thinking?

They keep pouring our tax dollars into the credit market so that banks will be able to loan more money. Holly shit!!!!! How in the hell will giving loans to people who can't pay off their current loans help anything??? That's like giving a crack addict more crack to cure him. Sure the withdrawal systems will disappear... until he needs his next hit.

OMG! Financial markets WAKE UP! Go to the heart of the problem. Do things that may actually help. Mandate a ceiling on the interest credit card companies can charge. The short term federal rate is at 1.5% so there should be plenty of profit at 8%. That way people have an fair chance of reducing their debt and can afford to live at the same time. Also, credit card companies will be a little more picky about who they give credit to. At the 24% they charge some people now they can afford to take a shotgun approach. Throw credit at everyone and if most pay they clear some major profit.

Next, realize the housing market is screwed! Government can't fix it. A lot of people will not pay for a house when they owe $700,000.00 and they can buy the same house across the street for $400,00.00. You can't make them. Renegotiate their loans? Most loans are already at a low rate. Extending a loan to lower the payment will not help people who need to sell and will only reinforce the feeling that people are stuck in their house forever with no hope.

The only reason this didn't happen sooner is because people kept taking equity out of their house to pay off mounting bills. When the housing bubble burst that trick went away. All the government can do now is make sure the financial institutions work with people in an ethical and compassionate way and let people work their way out of thier problem.

I think our generation is going to finally figure out the difference between want and need.

I told you so

When I was growing up my sister, the only girl and the youngest in our family, was by far the favorite of our house. No actions were taken to hide it and no excuses were ever given for it. When I was older my mother would tell me to wait until I had children. She surmised that only then would I understand the difference between a daughter and a son. She assured me I would be the same way.

Oddly enough I have three children that are the exact distance in age as I was with my siblings. They are also in the same gender order, boy, boy, girl. I'll have to say my mom was right, girls are different. It's harder for me to discipline my little girl. Obviously I take a softer approach with her than I do with the boys. And, she knows how to tug on my heart strings when she wants something, or more importantly, when she doesn't want to do something. How the hell do they learn that at age three?!

So do I owe mom an apology? Or at least an admission that she was right? Hell no! They may be different but they all have equal value. Will one of them emerge to share more of my interests? Probably, but my job isn't to be their buddy. My job as a parent is to be interested in the person they are, encourage them to find their strengths and help them sure up their weaknesses. I have to be interested in them, not the other way around.

Treating children differently and favoring one over the others is not the same thing. I don't think my mom ever understood that. She thought moms raise girls and dads raise sons. My dad was a workaholic and wasn't around much while I was growing up. As a result my sister reaped the rewards of her close relationship with my mom, as my brother and me watched from the sideline. As a child I didn't understand the dynamics of the situation. All I saw was the inconsistencies in the way we were being raised. Children may not know why something isn't right but they almost always know when something is wrong.

Now when I'm telling my mom some cute or special thing about my little girl, my mom gives me that look. The look that says, "see, I told you so." I don't say anything because you can't change the past and I'm not about to downplay how amazing having a little girl actually is. It makes me sad though, to realize my mom never understood how wonderful raising boys can be too. I see she understands it more now, as I see her grandsons steal her heart over and over again, though I doubt she'll ever make the connection. It makes me happy to see her experience it but sometimes I can't help feeling the emotions of the little boy from my past, that wants to tug on my mom's shirt to get her attention, and say, "see, I told you so."