Reprobate: True confessions and lies

2011-12-11T00:52:00.000-08:00

It has been a little over a month since my wife passed away.

For the first time in over 40 years , I am alone.

Whether it was roommates, the usual assortment of girlfriends

or a wife sharing my life, living together, I've always had someone.

Sometimes the sudden loneliness is almost to much to bear.

The grieving, continues. This is the time when, I suppose,

I should "man up", "grow a pair" etc. The personal loss is more devastating

than I could possibly imagine. I still have a difficult time talking about Karen's death,

especially with the strangers I have to deal with while trying to settle her estate.

It is easy to understand why the suicide rates skyrocket during the Christmas season.

Lest anyone reads more into this then what was intended, don't worry. I'm too selfish,

too egotistical to contemplate ending what is a very strange journey. I still believe that

there is a lot that I can do to make people smile.

Despite my travails, I would like to wish to my family & friends, a very Merry Christmas.

Let there be peace on earth & within every one of you.

It's Personal

2011-11-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

This blog will be silenced for a while.

My wife, my partner, my friend died last night.

She had been ill for the past few years.

Her spirit kept fighting,but her body had to give in.

I need some quiet time to spend with family.

2011-10-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

In these difficult times, we the American people are faced with extraordinary choices to deal with extraordinary problems.

The difference between the Democratic political party & the Republican political party are very simple. It comes down to one thing.

When in power or out of power, the Dems. sit back, spend their time & ponder & try to see what they can accomplish to make the world a better place for all to live in. When forced to deal with an issue that they perceive restricts the freedom of individuals, they wring their hands and react to that particular situation. The Reps. on the other hand run like a constant machine that, while preaching smaller Government with less restrictions, they continually assault the basic rights of the individual. They continually plot. Under the guise of too much regulations on people, industry, banks etc., all the time these bastards try to take away the woman's right to choose what to to with her own body. They try to restrict the right of people to vote. Laws introduced that require a photo ID. Students cannot vote where they attend college, they must return to their hometown to vote. No same day registration at the polling place etc. This happens daily on the local, state & national level. No regulations on industry, there goes any hope of safety standards for workers. There goes any hope of a cleaner environment. Tax cut for corporations. No regulations on the banks. That worked out real well. Remember the housing crash. No rules to restrict greed & unsavory practices that cause financial hardship for the people or the country. As long as they get theirs... fuck the rest.

Now the Dems. work under the cloud of of political naivety. They still believe in the inherent

quality of the good in people. Wake the fuck up. I believed in that quality once myself. Forty fucking years ago when I was in my twenties & stoned all the time.

If the working middle class who vote for the Reps. because they cannot wait to take over, & think that things will change for the better, don't worry. Even if these asswipes get everything they want, the voters who mistakenly think that they, the people will now run the country & put things right, forget it. You'll be sold put as soon as the big money boys start to pull the political & purse strings.

Vince Flynn, a best selling right wing author of spy novels, who occasionally has a good thought wrote in his first book titled "Term Limits" the plot line of eliminating members of Congress who violate the trust of voters & who are corrupt. By eliminate, think "with extreme prejudice. " That is a work of fiction. As is this the belief that the Reps. are working for the good of the people & the country. Sic semper tyrannis.

Thank you for smoking

2011-09-19T02:22:00.000-07:00

I smoke cigarettes. I have smoked for decades. I enjoy smoking. As the saying goes, "too old to care & to addicted to quit." I smoke in my house, my car, my back yard, my front yard, anywhere that if it is legal to smoke, I smoke.
I try not to smoke around non smokers in public. i.e. the streets or outdoor events. If I do smoke at these events, I find a open area & I do not blow smoke in the direction of nonsmokers. This is done out of a sense of civility, not out of concern for the supposed effects of "second hand smoke." I am smoking now, even as I type this blog. It is so tasty. That said, on with the show

I stream via Netflex. Lately, I have been watching British cop shows such as "A touch of Frost", "Inspector Lewis" & my personal favorite, "Midsomer Murders." If you're unfamiliar with "Midsomer Murders", look it up on Wikipedia. 13 seasons & counting. It offers a great cast, plot lines & is intelligently written.
Recently, while watching an episode of season 11, I noticed that on a dark & chilly night, while a murder was about to be committed, a barmaid, witnessed the two antagonist (one was brandishing a firearm) having a heated argument.
These two people then walked off to a semi secluded space. A gun shot was heard off camera & one of the two ran off & was seen by another woman standing on the street corner. The commonality of the witnesses is that they were both outside, enjoying a cigarette. Both witnesses provided essential information & were instrumental in helping the "coppers" solve the crime.

My hypothesis, is the logical assumption that smokers have now become crime fighters. You can have your "Batman" your "Kojack" your "Dick Tracy"
& the countless others involved in crime solving. Without us, the average
smoker, outside in all kinds of weather, crime would be running rampant.
So the next time all you nonsmokers see us enjoying our addiction, don't condemn us. Lighten up & light up. The next crime solved could involve you. Smokers unite & ignite. Lets help keep the world a safer place.

Reform this you government peculators

2011-09-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Social Security System is not broke. It has never been broke. It will never be broke. Let me qualify that last statement.

Since the 1980's our beloved federal government has been stealing the SSS surpluses to pay for other programs that strike their fancy. Presidents Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II & now Obama have perpetrated this thievery on the American public. Where do you think the money comes from to pay for the Wall Street & auto makers bailout? How about the Iraq & Afghanistan wars? Both political parties are equally guilty. They have pissed away this money.

All surplus revenues, which by the way are paid for with with your earmarked tax dollars collected from you payroll tax (FICA) were going into a special Social Security trust fund at the U.S. Treasury. In the fund is Treasury IOUs for the spent revenues. When the “trust funds” are needed to pay Social Security benefits, the Treasury will have to sell more debt in order to redeem the IOUs. These T Bills, which the public "purchases" offer some of the lowest interest rate on the planet.

Social Security now "owns" nearly 18 percent of the federal debt, making it the largest single holder of US debt. The government owes almost twice as much to Social Security as it does to China.

Through the decades, the Feds have "borrowed" trillions of dollars from Social Security. Last count was 2.5 trillion & climbing. When the US decides to default on money owed to Social Security, which they will because they can, the public who have worked their entire lives will be left out in the cold without so much a blanket to keep warm. That blanket was supposed to be Social Security.

2011-08-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

Amy Winehouse shuffled off this mortal coil last week. Boo hoo fucking hoo. She assumed room temperature from an overdose of overindulgence. Another case of someone with talent who lacks the talent for living. Whether she lacked support from friends, management or whomever, she was a death that was waiting to happen. The big surprise in all of this, is that it took so long to happen.

Face it. She doomed herself years ago with her chosen lifestyle. How many times to you continually go to rehab & celebrate getting out by getting drunk & doing hard drugs within a week of release? What is so ghoulish about her death are those who are so quick to ascend her into the martyr hall of fame, & the sudden increase of her CD sales as a result of her passing. Unless she showed extraordinary musical talent, (which was questionable) Amy was destined to be a footnote in the history of music. Another flaming star that quickly faded for whatever reason. Life is incredibly hard. It gets no better with age, which perhaps luckily, Amy Winehouse will not find out. You know. I just don,t fucking care!

Bits & Pieces

2011-07-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

You know how life insurance policies have the clause excluding payment if death is caused by an act of God. If you're an atheist, do you even bother getting insurance? Do you sue the insurance company & make them prove that God exists? What is an act of God? According to the Bible, acts of God , to name a few, were parting of the Red Sea, creation, plagues, floods & the infamous burning bush. (Careful of that bikini wax ladies.) If flooding is considered an act of God, per the Bible, why do insurance companies offer flood insurance?

Back in the late 30's or early 40's, one of the most celebrated party givers, movie star, Broadway star & overall bonne vivant was Tallulah Bankhead. She once gave a party & invited the Marx Brothers. Well Chico Marx was at that time in lust with Miss Bankhead & wanted to have sex with her. As the story goes, he approached her & said, "Tallulah, I really want to fuck you. " To which Tallulah replied" And so you shall dear boy, so you shall." Truly a broad with style.

Every year as more & more of the Nixon tapes & documents are released, they continue to show how hard "Tricky Dickie" tried to thwart the Constitution of the United States to suppress opposition & the illegal use of federal agencies (FBI, CIA, IRS) to screw over the people on his enemies list, & the illegal bombing of Laos & Cambodia. The list goes on. When that asshole took a dirt nap, he was afforded all the bullshit tributes from the then current President Bill Clinton , former Presidents & various statesmen. Jesus H. Christ, Clinton even proclaimed a national day of mourning.

Throughout our history, the United States has had stupid Presidents, incompetent Presidents & corrupt Presidents. No one was more evil than Richard Milhouse Nixon. Darth Vader was in the White House. I reached adulthood in the late 60's & saw first hand what that fascist tried to do to this country. And no, I cannot let it go. To this day I still hope someone drove a stake through his heart to make sure he stays dead. We came perilously close to having a dictatorship established in the USA.

Final thought. Someone needs to abolish Congress. Who the hell are they really working for?

Wham bam thank you ma'am

2011-07-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today, whilst fixing breakfast, ABC's Good Morning America was in the background .

They had a story about Halle Barry's stalker etc.

Pretty sad all the sickos out there.

The bizarre thing was, they had an interview with Paris Hilton regarding her experience with a stalker.

Who the fuck is she kidding? You don't have to stalk Paris Hilton... just have TMZ set up at your house & the publicity slut will show up at your door in minutes.

You gotta love the need to create these minor league celebrities.

The list is endless.

F%@k Fox

2011-07-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Well they're at it again.

For the last week a half, the powers that be at Fox Noise have chosen a topic to inflame the public, and they keep fanning those same self created flames. It's the Casey Anthony verdict.

If you don't know the background of the charges & the trial itself, stop reading now.

Anyway, the jury found the defendant ( Casey Anthony ) not guilty. In the jury's own words, the prosecution failed to prove their case.

That's not good enough for the Fox folks. Why use a match when a flamethrower will do.

In the Fox Noise typical overreaction & moral indignation, they interviewed Ms. Anthony's ex fiance, uncles, cousins, aunts, neighbors and anyone who was of similar opinion that a major miscarriage of justice was perpetrated upon the American public. Kill that bitch. Execute her now.

They only naysayer going against the Fox Noise credo, believe it or not, was Jerry Rivers, or as he's known on the network, Geraldo Rivera.

Geraldo actually took on one of Fox Noise's ,major fascist contributors, Bernie Goldberg. After Bernie put his line of crap out there to further incite the mob, Geraldo, in a nice piece of lawyer speak, told Bernie to shove it up & break it off. Reminding Bernie that he was not a lawyer, or judge.

The jury found her not guilty. Case not proven. Move on with your life.

Well after inciting the mob for over a week, the asswipes on their morning show were shocked that some of the jury were scared for their lives. Some had quit their jobs, some were moving out of state.

And as of today 7/12/2011, the beat goes on. Those self righteous peckerwoods won't be happy until someone takes out (kills) Casey Anthony. Then Fox Noise can do a month on gun owners rights.

P.S.

Where was Fox Noise's moral indignation when David Vitter (R) Senator from Louisiana was arrested for having sex with Whores. (prostitutes) Not reported at all on Fox. That asshole is still in office.

Where was Fox Noise's moral indignation when John Ensign, former (R) Senator from Utah was charged by a Senate investigating committee of having sex with a staff member (female), bribing her husband with a lobbying job & lying to the Senate about those events. Ensign resigned 24 hours before the report was made public & he could be arrested. Not reported.

So boys & girls, once again, Fox Noise has given ample reason to get f#%ked.

On the lighter side. Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Fox empire had to close down one of his tabloids (News of the World) the other day amidst a scandal involving hacking into crime victims emails & cell phones.

These intrepid reporters also hacked into & stole private files (bank statements, medical records) of politicians, doctors & people associated with the Royal Family. The police were also bribed by these same reporters so they could get juicy tidbits to publish. Example: A judge got busted for sex with a boy & the cops tipped off the reporters So they got the story first.

One of the main targets appears to be former British PM, Gordon Brown.

Several reporters have been arrested as well as one former editor. Another former editor, who now runs Murdoch's "Wall Street Journal" may face charges of lying to Parliament during the initial investigation. (2007 & 2009) Scotland Yard continues to investigate some of the more serious alleged crimes. Such as James Murdoch (spawn of the Devil) who oversees the Murdoch operations in the United Kingdom, signing a check for 1 million dollars speculated to be "hush money" & in his own words "misleading Parliament". His own words. All this has led to Murdoch's empire losing 3 billion dollars in one day & putting in jeopardy his purchase of British Sky Broadcasting Group. Sometimes bad things do happen to bad people.

This, that & the other (the gift that keeps on giving)

2011-06-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

By now you've heard all the pundits trying out for "America's Got Talent" with their Anthony Wiener jokes

Wiener in hot water

Wiener gets roasted

Wiener to be grilled etc, etc.

They would be pretty funny if the situation wasn't so tragic.

Here is another example of a politician thinking they are bulletproof. Another politician betraying the public trust with their suspect moral character. Hey goofballs, it's the electronic age.... there ain't no secrets. Just resign for the Christ sake. You are a disgrace & a liability. Oh yeah. Grow the fuck up.

LeBron James the Donald Trump of athletes. What a arrogant, egotistical, clueless #@%*&#@$*@.

You now represent everything that the public despises about over paid ballplayers. In the off season, I expect the proverbial "other shoe to drop", by you committing a felonious act. You will show no contrition & buy your way out of what would be a mandatory prison sentence for any non "superstar. Hey LeBron, is that your picture in Webster's Dictionary right next to the definition of LOSER.

Mitt Romney: Claims to have created jobs. Falsehood. This liar made his fortune by buying businesses at bargain prices, laying off thousands while outsourcing their old jobs & finally running the companies into bankruptcy. Nice guy.

Finally. Former MN Governor & Presidential wannabe Tim Pawlenty. Or as the Republican hipsters call him.... T-Paw. As if any one who is even remotely hip would vote for this inept

incompetent liar.

Background: Pawlenty take over as Gov. in 2002. Inherits a huge budget surplus & in the space of 2 years runs it up to a $4.56 billion deficit. He cuts education spending. Cuts Corporate taxes by 20%, Increases fees (camping permits, driver license,fishing & hunting licenses & all things that affect the general public) That was his double speak for keeping his campaign promise of not raising taxes. Cuts aid to cities, forcing them to increase property taxes. See, it's not T-Paws fault. A complete failure as Governor.

As to the liar part... last week, while courting the loonies, he appeared on Fox Noise & stated that the top 2% income earners in the USA accounted for 70% of all taxes paid. Maybe to some foreign country where all their off shore accounts are hidden.

If he couldn't manage the budget for the state of Minnesota, just think of the possibilities of him running the federal government. Best sell those treasury bonds now .

2011-06-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

I am embarrassed & ashamed of my faulty memory again this year. Today I was playing some inane trivia game online, when, about 10 questions into the quiz, I realized the theme of the quiz was D Day. Every year the date of June 6th continues to not resonate in my feeble brain.

As a child of a WWII veteran, this date should at the least old some significance to myself & others of my age group.

Over 9,000 American troops were killed or physically wounded. Countless thousands of others were psychologically scarred for life from that horrific event. The memories of those heroic troops are still so vivid to this day that when the film, "Saving Private Ryan" was released, the U. S. Veterans Administration opened up a "hotline"to deal with the D Day survivors experiencing flash backs.

I'm not suggesting that a national holiday be declared honoring D Day. I do think that at the very least, every broadcast media outlet should shout it out every hour to remind idiots like myself, what a true sacrifice these gallant troops of all branches of the military did to stop an absolute madman from his dream of world conquest & the annihilation of the human race.

Again my apology, for being so wrapped up in my little world, to momentarily forget one of the most important events in American history & those who participated in keeping us free to be wrapped up in our own little worlds.

Slapped

2011-06-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

The following people really need a "Leroy Jethro Gibbs" head slap. And slapped hard

Andrew Breitbart (right wing slanderous liar)

CNN (for allowing jackholes like the above spread bullshit without using the word "alleged" & without challenging him. The Anchor & producer should be slapped hard & then fired for timidity)

Chris Matthews (let somebody answer your questions you conversation interruptous)

Every one associated with Fox News, except Shepard Smith (for obvious reasons)

Joe Scarborourgh (check your ego at the door. Nobody cares that you were in Congress 10 fucking years ago. It's a completely new bought & paid for game right now. Shut up & stop interrupting your guests. You're as bad as Chris Matthews)

Michelle Bachmann (batshit crazy)

Harry Reid (spineless milquetoast)

Nancy Pelosi (how incompetent can one person be?)

Donald Trump (ego in proportion to him being the biggest blowhard asshole on the planet)

Michelle Bachmann ( needs a second helping)

Newt Gingrich (really morally bankrupt person who can't keep it in his pants while spouting family values. Just go away)

Politicians (shut up & get to work asswipes)

And finally... Barack Obama ( for being less than you promised & for wanting us to believe)

Say what?

2011-05-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Two days ago, the New York 26th District held a special election to fill a seat in the U S House of Representatives vacated by a republican involved in a scandal. What a surprise. The big surprise was that in a heavy republican district, the Democrat won in an upset. The reason the Dem. won was because the Rep. came out in favor of Wisconsin Republican U S Representative Paul Ryan's

budget plan to among other choice things included the abolishment of Medicare.

Now Ryan is hitting the air waves saying the Democrats used scare tactics to stir up the seniors & the Republicans didn't present the true picture of his budget plan etc. etc.

Locally, the Republican controlled House & Senate are deadlocked with the Democratic Governor over the state budget. The Republicans as usual want to cut social programs, aid to cities, cut corporate tax, raise property taxes, cuts funding for victims of child sex abuse, services for battered women, sexual assault providers, community crime prevention and gang and drug task forces & maintain the status quo for the upper 2% income. (The rich)

The Governor wants to raise the tax rate on the upper income to help balance the budget.

The Republican ain't gonna let it happen. The result is a stalemate, which will cause a special session to be called.

Now the rumor floating around, is that the state will be forced to shut down effective July 1 2011. No government except essential services.( i.e. law enforcement & a very few others)

This will coincide with the 4th of July weekend. Good luck getting to that camp site you reserved when all the state parks are closed. Have fun getting your driver's license renewed. Enjoy getting your unemployment check. Amazing that all the services shutting down will have the most impact on the middle class. What a stunning revelation.

I believe it was either Aristotle, Descartes, Nietzsche or some other philosopher of bygone times who had an interesting take on the ideas being put forth by the Republican politicians.

I quote,"Hey motherfuckers, kiss me where I stink"

Republicans had best beware. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam. The American Eagle is coming, & is he pissed.

The Killer

2011-05-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

During his playing days, Harmon Killebrew was nicknamed the Killer. He got the name because of his ability to kill the old horsehide & his propensity to destroy opposing pitchers, but never was there a more inappropriate name for a gentler man.

Harmon Clayton Killebrew as of this date is dying. He has cancer. On May 13,2011, he checked into a hospice to spend his last days with dignity. From all reports, dignity was the key word in describing how Harmon Killebrew lived his life.

I met him more then 30 years ago at a sport collectors show. I was lined up with others to get the autograph of the local hero. His warmth & kindness was instantly apparent. He would patiently listen to the fans with their reminiscences, smiling & exchanging kind words with them. He respected the baseball fans. I have since passed that autograph onto my grown daughter with the belief that she too will honor the man.

Of all his accomplishments, the single most moment I remember about Harmon Killebrew was something he said in his Hall Of Fame induction speech. "I'll never forget, we used to play a lot of ball out in the front yard and my mother would say, "you're tearing up the grass and digging holes in the front yard?', and my father would say, "we're not raising grass here, we're raising boys."

I find that I have a tear in my eye & the cliched lump in my throat as I think back to the excitement & joy of watching him play. I have that same tear & the same lump in my throat thinking that somewhere, someone is writing a new definition to the words "class act".

Thank you so much Mr. Killebrew.

2011-04-17T02:41:00.000-07:00

The other day, as I am wont to do, I was listening to the TV while I was doing other inane keep busy projects. A commercial came on the old tube that caught my interest. It was for a new breakfast cereal... Cheerios Cinnamon Burst.
Well being someone who enjoys his cereal as much as the next fellow. I thought I'd pick up a box on my next trip to the grocery store.
Now for a little background. I've been eating cereal for over sixty years. Nothing like a quick, tasty and nutritious breakfast when the standards of eggs, toast etc. becomes boring. My paternal grandfather taught my sister & me as children to enjoy a bowl of cereal as a bedtime snack. I really like cereal.
So, with some anticipation, I purchased the new taste sensation of Cheerios Cinnamon Burst.
Oh, the horror. Three bites into the first bowl & it was at best,terrible. Not only did I pour out the remaining bowl, I tossed the rest of the box into the trash. Lesson learned.
This cereal was so distasteful, I felt compelled to send an email to General Mills(the manufacturer). That email & the corporate response is entered below....

"Tried Cinnamon Burst Cheerios the other day. Don't quit your day job. That is unless it's developing new cereal. It is god awful. Three bites & the whole package went into the trash.(I recycled the box) Been eating General Mills cereal for over 60 years. Remember Jets & Twinkles? I do. I have purchased Honey Nut Cheerios since day one & they are the best. They (HNC)are probably embarrassed to have to have the Cheerios brand name associated with Cinnamon Burst. Yuk. I also enjoy Wheaties, Kix, Rice Chex, Honey Nut Chex, & Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The only non General Mills brand I buy is Tony Tiger (Frosted Flakes). Well, you can't win them all. For a geezer, I love my General Mills cereal. Try to do better next time. Thank you"

The response:
"Thank you for contacting General Mills regarding your disappointment with Cinnamon Burst Cheerios. We are sorry your experience did not meet the standards we expect from our products.
We maintain stringent standards in all phases of the packaging process, and are committed to creating products of the highest quality. Although our products are very popular, we realize that tastes among individuals vary greatly and it is impossible to please everyone.
The satisfaction of our customers is very important to us, and we hope you will continue to choose our products.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to this problem. Your questions and comments are always welcome."
Sincerely,
Norma Stone
Consumer Services

Wading through the very polite & formal corporate speak, I have discovered that my taste buds are askew from their R & R department & apparently everyone else.

After checking out some reviews on the old internet, all of which range from near orgasmic enthusiasm to it's just ok, I find that once again I stand alone.

Now, in the scheme of things, being dissatisfied with a breakfast cereal don't amount to a hill of beans. However, a hill of beans would have been much more tasty then Cheerios Cinnamon Burst.

Hey Lucy I'm home & you got some splainin' to do.

2011-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Why would any middle class working person (most of those with households income between $40,000 and $95,000) ever support the Republican party?
When was the last time the Republicans didn't try to screw the working man?
Tax breaks for the rich.(Congressional Republicans) Union busting.(Wisconsin Governor) Shifting the tax burden on the middle class with increase fees. Increased property taxes. All in the name of balancing the budget,while giving tax breaks to the wealthy & corporations.(owned & run by rich folks) The Republican Party is made up of misogynistic, venile, corrupt bought & paid for douche bags.
Any person who considers themselves to be informed, and still thinks that the Republicans will look out for the working people is either crazy, stupid or just an asshole.
Oh, by the way. In case you believe I'm a Democrat. Guess again. The nicest thing I can say about the Democratic Party is that they are made up of well intentioned incompetent dogooders who if unchecked, would give away the store to be politically correct to assist the "downtrodden masses" The only difference between the Republicans & the Democrats is that the Democrats will wear a condom while they fuck you in the ass.

In an attempt to strip funding for Planned parenthood, Sen. John Kyl of Arizona in a statement on the Senate floor said that 90% of what Planned Parenthood does is to perform abortions.He can't take it back, it is forever part of the congressional record. The true figure regarding abortions performed by Planned Parenthood is 3%.
When called on his verbal faux pas, the Senator's office clarified the discrepancy to CNN that claimed that Kyl’s comment “was not meant to be factual.”
In keeping with what is apparently the new definition of public oration, the following is not meant to be factual.
Senator Kyl, you sir, are a contemptible, pusillanimous cocksucking liar.
Thank whatever gods there are that you are soon retiring.

Kansas, what the hell?

Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a bill restricting late-term abortions based on the presumption that a fetus feels pain after the 21st week.

A Wichita man on Monday petitioned top state officials to keep President Barack Obama off the Kansas ballot in 2012, saying that the president wasn’t eligible for the office because he has failed to prove he was born in the United States.

Home of the Westboro Baptist Church known for its extreme stance against homosexuality and its protest activities, which include picketing funerals and desecrating the American flag. The church is widely described as a hate group and is monitored as such by the Anti-Defamation League and Southern Poverty Law Center. It is headed by Fred Phelps and consists mostly of members of his large family.

What the ?

2011-01-30T22:07:00.000-08:00

On 1/30/2011, the local newspaper,(St. Paul Pioneer Press) published an editorial titled "For tight times, trim the size of state workforce."

The editorial extols the proposed legislation put forth by Republican State Rep. Keith Downey. The legislation calls for the elimination of 15% of the state workforce over four years. In the editorials own words, "The state of Minnesota employs about 34,000 people (not including those at our colleges), roughly the same number as 10 years ago."

Not exactly expanding the work force to handle the problems arising with the 10 year increase in population & the needs of the taxpayers. Mn population according to 2010 U S Census: 5.3 M.
34,000 employees to provided service to 5.3 M via DOT, DNR, Revenue, Veterans Affairs etc.

The editorial goes on to say "The legislation Downey proposes would give the governor various tools — from attrition and early retirements to wage freezes and layoffs — to trim the size and cost of the state workforce."

I have a partisan concern regarding this solution as my wife is a current state employee. Before you start to piss & moan about that, some facts.

The missus has not had an increase in wages (other then COL) for 7 years. She, amongst others were denied early retirement the last time it was offered as being to essential to the workforce. She will retire on her own volition within 2 years.
She currently oversees a division that brings tens of million of dollars into the state coffers annually.

Again the editorial. "It also would adjust wages in the public sector to match those of similar duties in the private sector, and give bonuses to state employees who find ways to save the state money."

The state has continually under paid their workers vs. the private sector for decades. They constantly lose the young & innovative to the private sector for that very reason.

As to the bonuses proposed for employees for cost saving ideas,
a little flashback story.

I last worked as a state employee 30+ years ago. I came up with an idea on my own to change part of a current system as I saw the waste & hated doing that aspect of my job. There had to be a better way. That idea was projected to save millions & save time processing income tax returns. I believe that change is still in effect today.
My bonus was a hearty thank you letter & a certificate of appreciation from the then Governor. I was so excited that I almost injured myself in my sprint to the waste basket to toss the useless documents.
Do you think anything will change.

The editorial goes on."Downey's proposal would save big money over time, though it would not create a windfall of immediate savings. Some of what he proposes has upfront costs."

If you are trying to help balance the budget, & the bill proposed will offer no immediate savings & will increase current costs, it seems that only one conclusion can be drawn from it.

Union busting.

Conspiracy fun facts:
The Pioneer Press is owned by Denver based Media News Group, nationally known as anti union. The National Labor Relations Board has numerously cited Media News Group for what can at best be described as questionable business practices with unions & their workers.

The state workers union traditionally donates to the Democratic party. It also endorses Democratic candidates. Does it seem at all partisan that this legislation is proposed by a Republican who represents one of the richest districts in the state, or that it is wholeheartedly endorsed by a newspaper owned by an anti union
corporation.

There are ways to help balance the current budget by reducing the number of big money management in the state(some is outsourced, i.e. consultants). Reduce the size of the legislature & temporarily, their wages. Eliminate the Per Diem cost to the legislators. They are only in session 120 days of the year. If you want to use cuts to the state workforce to reduce costs, isn't it only appropriate to ask the same of the legislators?

In keeping with the times, it looks as if the working middle class will continue to shrink in size, & those that temporarily survive will take it up the rectum once more form Corporate America & the government.

Dateline: Your World & Welcome To It

2011-01-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

In regards to the Tucson shooting.
Can Chris Matthews, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly just zip it, close their respective pie holes, put a lid on it?
What the hell is wrong with you asswipes?
Whether rightie or leftie, this is not the time to try & score points on this horrendous event.
Look up the definition of decency & have someone explain it to you.
JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

JESUS H. CHRIST.
Will someone just nuke the planet now. We have officially lost all sense of humanity.

Hey, Arthur C. Clarke, I got your 2010 right here.

2010-12-13T23:17:00.000-08:00

On a purely personal front, 2010 can kiss my big fat wrinkled white ass & good riddance.
The missus almost assumed room temperature (died) following routine surgery to have an ovarian cyst removed. OOPS. I've had elbow surgery to repair an entrapped ulna nerve. Total numbness & partial paralysis in left hand for 4+ months. You gotta love the hoops the insurance companies make you jump through before you can get the obvious taken care of. Recovering nicely now. Thank you Dr. Christina Ward. Forced into taking early retirement via Social Security to keep income coming in. Hence the term income. Nice economy & job market. Buried under 17.3" of snow two days ago with Arctic cold temperature following. Christ, winter is getting harder to abide as the years pile up. Truly a really eventful horseshit year on the medical side of things.

I've become more cynical (didn't think that was possible) & disgusted with mans continued inhumanity to man. Wake up assholes. We're all in this sinking ship of life together.

On the plus side... still have a roof over our heads. The dog is still alive (going on 13+ yrs.) The daughter & her husband are doing relatively well. Reconnected with some childhood (teenage) friends. Although some things are best not remembered. And I wish they wouldn't.
Putting everything into some sort of perspective, not the best of times, but still we survive.
With that in mind & apart from all that humans try to do to make the world uninhabitable, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & peace. Come on God, hit me with your best shot. See you next year.

Webb's Best

2010-11-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of posts previously I touted what I considered the best comedy show of OTR, Fibber McGee & Molly.
This trip down the OTR highway, I'd like to take everyone to the best detective show.
OK, maybe not the best plot wise or longest running, but certainly the most unusual.
"Pat Novak For Hire."
This little gem starred Jack Webb. The Pat Novak series with Webb lasted only nineteen episodes. It ran from February through June of 1949.
The basic premise concerned Novak who owned a legitimate boat charter service in San Francisco trying to economically survive. Due to continued lack of business, Novak would hire out doing odd jobs. Most of the odd jobs, were shady & involved tough guys & dangerous dames & always led to murder, which of course, Novak would get the blame. It co-starred Raymond Burr as Police Inspector Hellman, a belligerent cop who really hated Novak & only wanted to either lock him up or send him to the electric chair, regardless as to what the evidence revealed. Burr was about 8 years from starring as Perry Mason on TV.
It is best known among its fans for being fast paced with plenty of action. The finest thing about Pat Novak For Hire was the rapid fire one liners amongst the characters, & the hard boiled narrative . Here are some examples of that dialog.

"Around here a set of morals won't cause any more stir than Mother's Day in an orphanage."
"She was at least 50, because you can't get that ugly without years of practice."
"I better have a drink first. There's an ugly taste in my mouth. I think it's saliva."
"She sauntered in, moving slowly from side to side like 118 pounds of warm smoke."
"You can't afford to have them start laughing at you. People will get the idea it's your face."
"She was kind of pretty, except you could see somebody had used her badly, like a dictionary in a stupid family."
"Somebody had gone duck hunting in the middle of his back."
"I began to think about the .32 caliber pistol. It's a woman's weapon--well, that doesn't prove anything, so's a bread knife if she's in a bad mood."
"You're always in trouble, Patsy. You're a child of adversity, a son of scorn. The fates spit in your eye, and you try to retaliate, but the wind's always blowing in the wrong direction."
"You'd like to fight for some strange fantastic cause, wouldn't you, Patsy? But you can't find anybody your size. Men are too small, and the gods are too big."
"Did your friend get his face at a fire sale too."
"The street was as deserted as a warm bottle of beer."
"I looked up the only honest guy I know, an ex-doctor and a boozer by the name of Jocko Madigan, a good guy, but to him a hangover is the price of being sober."
"When she opened the door, I found out what the right kind of breakfast food'll do. She was wearing a slack suit without much slack."
"My head must have looked like a jackpot--everyone in town was hitting it."
"She had nice hair, and the dress helped too. It was dark blue and had a v-neck, but the designer believed in big letters."
"She was a real pretty nurse, if you like pure mammal."
"She looked real good sitting there in a white crepe dress. It was one of those tight fitting babies that made a bathing suit look like a toga."
"She was in her 30s and pushing 40 hard enough to bruise it."
"I rent boats and do anything else that goes with a weak will and a strong stomach."

Of course Jack Webb went on to bigger things as director & star of Dragnet, both on radio & TV. He also was the creative force behind such TV shows like "Emergency" & "Adam 12". An interesting post script. When Webb died in 1982, he was interred in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, and was given a funeral with full police honors. On Webb's death Chief Daryl Gates announced that badge number 714 which was used by his Joe Friday character in Dragnet would be retired. Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles ordered all flags lowered to half-staff in Webb's honor for a day.

What a whacky night

2010-11-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

The spouse & I had just drifted off to sleep when a loud pounding on our door, coupled with the dog barking woke us up.
Going downstairs to see what idiot was banging on our door at that time of night, I damn near crapped pants when there appeared at the door a beefy policeman telling us that there was a "SWAT situation" & we would have to evacuate our home.
Well it turns out that one of our townhouse neighbors had caused a ruckus & the cops were called to his home. (Details are sketchy as I don't know what exactly prompted the call to the cops, or who initiated the call. More info awaits when more neighbors return.) After evacuating, the missus , dog & I settled into the family car down the block to wait out the event. We later did find out the the loony when confronted by the police had threatened to blow himself up. That alone was the reason for the evacuation.
From the safety our the car we watched some text book operations. Townhouse surrounded by minimum 20 cops/SWAT team.(just in the front) Street cordoned off, armored vehicles, sniper rifles. Like living a Bruce Willis movie. The whole operation from evacuation to the all clear (they busted the moron) took about 4 1/2 - 5 hours. They even had a police chaplain present.
After the nut job threatened to blow himself up, the police cut the natural gas supply to minimize any potential damage to neighboring townhomes (ours included).
Xcel Energy had to come out to relight the water heaters & the furnaces after the all clear was given. A great time was had by all except the dumbass loony.
Now a bit of background of crazy boy.
We, and not just the wife & I, but the entire six unit townhome in which we live, plus the surrounding townhome residents,(that's in excess of nine families) have tried for over 10 years to bring about some sort of involvement by the local authorities over the actions of the guy.

Drug dealer (medium to big depending on time of year) Dealing drugs out in the open parking lot around small kids. So many customers, it looked at times like a McDonalds drivethru. Cops could do nothing unless they eye witnessed. We had video tapes of deal going down etc. Not good enough.

One of his roommates accidently shot him in the stomach.

Mutiple police calls for disturbing the peace,fist fights etc.

Outstanding warrants.

Harboring a fugitive. That was a hoot to see 15+ squad cars from Maplewood Mn, St. Paul Mn & the Mn State Highway Patrol & Ramsey County Sheriff converge in the parking lot. All police advancing with guns drawn toward this bozos townhome.

His crackhead buddies tried to break into his next door neighbor's unit while she was home with her kid. Cops called. Crackheads split before cops arrived.

There are more, but you get the idea.
Reprehensible does not quite do justice to describe this guy.

We have tried to have his townhome unit declared uninhabitable by the city as he has trashed the inside. (broken furniture thrown outside & inside, wallpaper ripped off the wall, hanging in shreds, garbage & trash piled in living room. etc.)
Can't wait for the Hazmat team to show up today since the cops were inside his house after his arrest& saw the living conditions.

So all is well. Bad boy taken away. I'm sure there is some heavy duty psycho evaluation coming up. Not to mention,long term jail time if found competent.
And how was your day?
Book Em Danno!

79 Wistful Vista

2010-09-24T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan of OTR (Old Time Radio.) Being of the age in the 1950's, I was lucky enough to be able to listen to some of the best shows first hand during the waning years for this type of program. With the advent of television, what is now called OTR was soon replaced with music, news & local programming with an occasional network show thrown in.
My interest in OTR was rekindled in the late 60's when I came across some old vinyl (33 1/3) records the featured the adventures of "The Shadow". This soon evolved into a search for other programs, which luckily were starting to become part of the nostalgia craze. More & more companies were reissuing these programs on vinyl & cassettes.

I started to collect shows like "The Lone Ranger", "Jack Benny", "Dragnet", "Gunsmoke" & more. Thanks to MP3's, I now have in excess of 3,000+ episodes. I am by no standard considered a serious collector, I leave that to those who have tens of thousands of episodes. After decades of listening (I can't fall asleep without listening to the OTR mp3's), I have opined that of all the shows that I have heard, (and some of them do not hold up or are just plain dreadful), the best & most timeless is "Fibber McGee & Molly".

Fibber McGee & Molly ran from 1935 - 1959. It was sponsored for the majority of its run by Johnson Wax. The show was rated #1 or #2 throughout the 1940's. It is honored
with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Fibber McGee & Molly was also the first radio show to spin off two of their supporting characters into their own shows.
("The Great Gildersleeve" & "Beulah").
The premise of F&M was what is now standard for sitcoms. The blowhard bumbling husband, the long suffering understanding wife who could put the spouse in his place with one withering word.
Beyond the simplistic story line, Fibber & Molly was quite topical for its time. Many episodes centered around the home front during WW II. Plots involved Red Cross & scrap drives. The importance of voting etc. McGee always trying to ingratiate himself in to the current event. His ego was boundless. He could do everything better than anyone on the planet. Foot in mouth was his basic dilemma. Fibber preceded Ozzie Nelson of Ozzie & Harriet fame as never working for a living.

Featured in the best supporting cast in radio were Bill Thompson(The Old Timer,Wallace Wimple plus multiple roles.) He was second only to Mel Blanc for versatility. Gale Gordon (Mayor LaTivia) Gordon is best known for his roles as Osgood Conklin on Our Miss Brooks & Mr. Mooney on various versions of The Lucy Show. Arthur Q. Bryan (Doctor Gamble) Bryan also supplied the voice of Elmer Fudd for Warner Bros. cartoons. Bea Benaderet (Millicent Carstairs) Benaderet went on to play Blanche Morton on Burns & Allen and Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction,both on TV. She also provided the voice of Betty Rubble on The Flinstones.
Fibber & Molly was one of the first shows to work the sponsors commercials into the action. Harlow Wilcox was the announcer & pitchman. Wilcox was one of the busiest announcers in all of radio. Amos N' Andy & Suspense are just a few of his credits. Music during the golden years of Fibber & Molly was provided by Billy Mills Orchestra, a very tight band with a somewhat Latin influence in later years. These guys could cook. Vocals were performed by The King's Men lead by Ken Darby. Darby became a conductor & composer who won 3 Academy Awards & 1 Grammy. He also co-wrote
"Love Me Tender" for Elvis. Obviously, the most talented group of performers from top to bottom, in all of show biz history.

Often uttered by Molly in response to a terrible pun issued by Fibber was what became a catch phrase even to this day, "T'ain't funny, McGee". Contrary to those classic words, it was & is, Damn hilarious McGee.

Your pardon please

2010-09-19T00:55:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss in tending to this blog. What began as a semi-egotistical bit of whimsy has unfortunately become too often, a showcase for personal histrionics.
A very dear friend, & sometime follower of this blog told me that I seem so angry in my postings.
The original intent of this blog was to show the absurdities in the world around us & to comment upon the same, hopefully with a bit of humor. There is certainly a profusion the ludicrous around us today. The last thing that is needed in these cheerless & inflamed times is a third rate hack as myself to add "fuel to the fire."
Yes, there are enough events in the world, especially in the political arena to make anyone become another Charles Whitman. The time has come for me to dial it down.
Occasionally, I will rant on about some jackhole who in my opinion has crossed the line of civility. However, I plan in the future to limit these outbursts to a minimum & return to be the sarcastically humorous SOB that has become my trademark & hopefully endeared me to my family & friends. I will periodically toss in a joke, no matter how much in poor taste it may seem,& completely unrelated just to make someone smile. Thank you for your indulgence.

Outsourced

2010-09-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

NBC has a new "comedy"called Outsourced scheduled this fall 2010. From previews,it looks like they are using every East Indian stereotype they can to garner laughs.
I don't give a rat's behind about stereotypes, if I did, I'd be pissed about how fathers have been portrayed since the advent of sitcoms. Fathers(husbands)are easily manipulated by the family, condescended to by the "smarter" wife. Dumb as a bag of bricks etc.
But, I digress.
How does NBC think offshore outsourcing is a good premise for a comedy? According to the Halogen Corporation, "Outsourcing statistics show that the largest percentage of jobs being outsourced is in Information Technology, by around 28%. The next largest field is human resources taking 15% of the outsourcing market, followed closely by sales and marketing outsourcing with 14% and financial services outsourcing at 11%. The remaining 32% is made up of other different processes such as administrative outsourcing." These stats are just for India.
In this day of a trashed economy & thousands upon thousands losing their livelihood due to outsourcing, I don't get NBC's concept of comedy. Current guestimates are that the U.S. has lost between 4- 6 million jobs directly due to offshore outsourcing, with another 14 million at risk.
The best that can be said about this "comedy" is it is offensive on multiple levels.
NBC has had the lowest ratings they've for years (Zucker you suck). Their ratings are right in the toilet. What else is in a toilet...crap...like the "comedy" Outsourced.

This, that and the other revisited

2010-08-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

This:
The Rev. Franklin Graham, son of famed evangelist Billy Graham was quoted on CNN's John King "I think the president's problem is that he was born a Muslim, his father was a Muslim. The seed of Islam is passed through the father like the seed of Judaism is passed through the mother. He was born a Muslim, his father gave him an Islamic name." Well, anyone with a brain knows that this patently untrue & another right wing loony idea that ranks right up there with the birthers conspiracy. For whatever reason (political, racial) Graham has chosen to perpetuate this bullshit. As a supposed man of God, Graham has sealed his fate in the afterlife. I'm sure that whatever God Rev. Graham believes in has consigned him to own personal hell for those remarks.
Timothy 6:11 says "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." For those who believe, there is no "my God is better than your God". Perhaps the blasphemous Rev. Graham needs to look inward & reevaluate his own beliefs.

That:
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has come out pissing & moaning that movies featuring cigarette smoking should automatically receive a "R" rating. Two jackhole
members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrat Edward Markey and Republican Joseph Pitts, wrote the Motion Picture Association of America encouraging the industry to adopt stronger anti-smoking measures.
Listen up dimwits. Smoking is a personal choice. No one is influenced by the actions of a movie actor's smoking habit. As a adult lifetime smoker who expects to die due to smoking, allow me my vices & choice. Smoke 'em if you got 'em & fuck off.

The Other:
Fox News donated $1,000,000 to the Republican party. Something isn't quite right with this picture. Shouldn't it be the other way around? The Republican party should donate $1,000,000 to Fox News, considering that Fox sells the Republican credo
24/7. Well, there goes the last vestige Fox had of "fair & balanced"
I left my version of Fox's "fair & balanced" when I had my morning sitdown in the bathroom. Believe me, neither one has a pleasant aroma to it.