Simple Thoughts

Preview: State of the Union 2012

2012-01-23T14:06:00.000-06:00

The president delivers the State of the Union speech tomorrow. Typically, the speech is the way a president can take credit for the good things that have happened during the past year, and reset the agenda for the next year. Rarely do these speeches mean anything, or change anyone's behavior. Every four years the speech occurs while the president and most of congress are working to get re-elected. In these years, the speeches sound a lot like a campaign speeches. That is what we can expect tomorrow night.

Obama will continue his shameless attempt at class warfare. He will claim the rich do not pay their fair share, without defining what a fair share is or mentioning that the top 50% of wage-earners pay 98% of the federal income tax. The complicit media will not call him out on it. His democrat supporters will stand and cheer for the obvious lies.

Am I becoming a pessimist? I think so. A couple of months ago, -T and I watch a Redbox movie entitled "Atlas Shrugged". The movie is a remake of a book published in 1957, but amazingly synchronized with modern times. The premise of the book is that successful people must be free to create, and must be rewarded for their efforts. The "capitalist " cannot be a slave to government or society or his will to succeed will diminish. Destruction of a profit motive through excessive taxation and regulation will ultimately convince the capitalist to "shrug", give up, or go where his value is appreciated.

On Tuesday, Obama will continue to instill reliance on the federal government through welfare, extended unemployment, food stamps and other government programs. Many of those who now rely on those programs will support Obama because they do not see how they can survive without them. This is exactly where Obama wants them. He must generate the feeling of class warfare to ensure entitlement-reliant citizens will vote for him instead of the republicans who support the successful capitalists.

Atlas Shrugged ends with the successful capitalists disappearing. The mystery is solved when it is found they are not abducted, but were merely given a chance to become successful in a world without government coercion. They willing choose the alternative.

How close is America to seeing its best and brightest shrug? I believe it is very close. Entrepreneurs voluntarily move overseas or use foreign labor to avoid an over-regulating, over-taxing federal government. An Obama second term could become the tipping point where others will simply give up and let the feds take care of them, leading to a recession/depression like hasn't been seen before.

Bizarre

2012-01-13T15:05:00.000-06:00

This winter the weather has been nothing short of bizarre. The good kind of bizarre. While Midland, Texas digs out of another snowfall, KC and many cities in the north and west have recorded little to no snow. Storm after storm have hit the southern US, while much of the rest of the nation has been warm and dry.

The only thing more bizarre than the weather has been the weathermen. Last Wednesday evening, the KC area was brushed by a small winter storm that hit St Louis and Chicago with quite a bit of snow. The local weathermen did not predict any significant snow accumulation for KC. Regardless, during the 10:00 PM news, they had colleagues stationed across KC reporting on the flurries that were just beginning.

The next part I just couldn't make up. One meteorologist was doing a live shot from the parking lot of the local station with a yard stick in his hand measuring the snowfall. The quote was "Yes, Krista, it looks like we have about a tenth of an inch of snow". It really is getting bizarre. In the spring we see live reports of it raining. Now, a dusting of snow get a live shot. Real BREAKING NEWS!

Occupy This

2012-01-11T11:07:00.000-06:00

I have remained interested in the Occupy movement, mostly because I like to watch slow motion train wrecks. I find the lull in activity humorous. Obviously, winter has throttled the participation. They want to protest, but only when it is comfortable. They must have moved back to their parent's basement to play video games until Spring.

The movement was doomed to failure when the first doper drop out described the movement essentially as a college student welfare plan. He wanted his student loans forgiven because large Wall Street firms were bailed out by the federal government. It made no sense then, and still doesn't.

I am fascinated by their requests for hand outs because their perceived greed by corporate leaders. Doesn't that make the Occupy movement greedy? If they covet the possession of those who have more than they, isn't that a form of greed? They want what others have even though they haven't accomplished a thing to claim that right. Does that make the 99% guilty of greed? I think it does.

But as Michael Douglas said in the movie Wall Street, "Greed is good". Good greed is what motivates us to accomplish things we can be rewarded for. There is no reason to be ashamed of good greed. As long as greed remains within the bounds of civility and the law, it is a force that delivers value into the marketplace. Bad greed is the desire to acquire something undeserved. Bad greed describes the Occupy Movement very well.

KC Chiefs 2011 and 2012

2012-01-09T10:21:00.000-06:00

It's time to wrap up the 2011 Chiefs schedule and look forward to 2012. Being a man of character, I will admit that I was wrong. I had picked the Chiefs for a 4 win season. They won 7. Even the smart-a kid from Memphis who picked 6 wins was more accurate. That hurts. Not as much as his UK Wildcats squeaking by the KU Jayhawks in the college basketball opener, but it hurt nonetheless.

One tendency for the Chiefs every year is they always lose a couple games to teams they should beat, and beat a couple teams they should lose to. 2011 was no surprise in that regard, however the fact they missed the playoffs by one blocked field goal was a gigantic surprise - a fact that shows just how weak the AFC West division is.

During the first half of the season, the KC Chiefs were a dreadful team. During this stretch they had neither an offense nor a defense. I predicted that Matt Cassell and Todd Haley wouldn't see the end of the season and was right on both. I expected Matt to be benched, and he might have been if not for a hand injury that ended his season early. Todd Haley was canned with 3 games left in the season largely due to his Tyler Palko experiment. During the second half of the season, the Chiefs showed no apparent offense, but a defense that might be developing into an exceptional one.

The emergence of Justin Houston was key to getting pressure on the quarterback, something that did not happen during the first 8 games. Derrick Johnson also developed into one of the best linebackers in the game. Add Tamba Hali, and you have a very good linebacking nucleus that should be strong for many years to come. The defensive backfield was also strong despite the loss of Eric Berry. Based on the last 4 games, the Brandons are looking like shut down corners.

Haley's departure couldn't have happened at a better time for Romeo Crennel. Romeo immediately changed starting quarterbacks and pulled off the upset of the season when KC beat the undefeated Green Bay Packers. Not only was this a shock to the entire NFL, it also gave hope to playoff contenders that Green Bay could be beat. Since the game we haven't heard "best team in history" mentioned again. Crennel appears to be the new Chiefs head coach, based on a 2-1 record to end the season. He was very close to 3-0 as the Chiefs should have beaten Oakland in game 15.

So how will a Crennel-led team fare in 2012? I am optimistic. The harshest schedule in franchise history is behind us, and the 2012 schedule looks fair, almost easy in comparison. At home the Chiefs will face 4 playoff teams in their 8 opponents; Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. They will do no worse than 4 wins and could win 6 at home in 2012. Away they play Denver, Oakland, San Diego, Buffalo, Cleveland, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay. I see the Chiefs winning at least 4 and possibly 5 on the road next year. That would put them in the 8-8 to 11-5 range. Remember that 8 wins was good enough in the AFC West this year, so the Chiefs have a legitimate shot at the division title next year.

DS of the Week - Velda Lisette Pettit

2012-01-06T15:27:00.000-06:00

Have you ever noticed that most liberals like to use all of their names? I think that is strange. I know that when any called me Frank Thomas Bryant, I was in trouble. Nobody uses their middle name unless they are a liberal. Take Velda Lisette Pettit from Lone Jack Missouri. I am going to assume that Velda is a woman. I am guessing on gender, but real confident on ideology. She is a lib. The evidence follows.

Obama support lacking

The president has started campaigning for re-election in 2012, but those opposing him started the “one-term president” campaign as soon as he won the 2008 election.

His inauguration was barely over when all the political factions started viciously attacking him. Lawmakers on the far right in Congress sat on their hands obstructing any efforts to try to stop the rolling snowball economy the Bush administration left. These flag-wearing Americans did absolutely nothing to halt the loss of jobs or create new ones.

I’m sure the people working for GM and the other big auto companies are glad they have jobs. Yes, Ford managed to stay afloat with their own money.

Unlike the Bush administration’s bailout of Wall Street and the big banks, where taxpayers’ money was loaned with no strings attached, the Obama administration insisted that there would be an accounting of these taxpayer dollars.

It has been said that government does not create jobs. That is wrong. Government creates jobs because the private sector will not.

Velda Lisette Pettit
Lone Jack

Let's take Velda's points one at a time. First, she claims that Obama's opponents began working to ensure he was a one term president as soon as he was inaugurated. True. I think that was because Obama was the first ever media anointed, un-vetted president. Velda, remember how the media claimed he was the most intelligent man ever to run for the office? How his credentials prepared him for this destiny, even though the republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin, had more relevant experience than Barack had? And they trashed Sarah as unqualified. You are right we on the right started working to ensure he was a one term president. He has done more damage in 3 years than any other person to hold the office. And we are just holding him to his own words. Barry said that if he hadn't turned the economy by 2011, he would be a one term president. I hope he is right.

Velda's second point was that republicans sat on their hands as the economy tanked and did nothing to stop the loss of jobs. True, sort of. Obama had both houses of congress during his first 2 years, and everything he wanted congress to do was done. He got his stimulus through. Same with Obamacare and financial reforms. Velda, he got everything he wanted and look at the results? And who are the obstructionists now? The republican led house has sent 22 job producing bills and a budget to the democrat controlled senate who have tabled each. And you have the nerve to claim republicans are the obstructionists?

Just to be clear Velda, are you referring to the Bush Wall Street bailout that Obama wanted and voted for? Doesn't your messiah own a little of your criticism too?

Finally, nobody says government doesn't create jobs. They do, and they create too many. Without private sector jobs, there isn't the revenue needed to pay for government jobs. It is part of the recipe for running up the record Obama deficits. The private sector will create jobs. They will do it right after the socialist Obama leaves office. Get a clue Velda, you are the DS of the week.

Read more here: http://blogs.kansascity.com/unfettered_letters/#storylink=cpy

May 28th, 2012

2012-01-04T10:52:00.001-06:00

Nope. It's not the next end of the world date, at least I don't think it is. What is 5/28/2012? What is the significance? This week marks the start of the Dog Days of Winter. The holidays were fun and filled with vacations and 3 day weekends. But that is now over. The next couple of months promises the worst environment of the year. Snow, wind, cold, political commercials. There won't be relief until 5/28/2012, Memorial Day. It seems sort of unfair to follow the best time of the year with such a long drought of things to look forward to.

I guess its best to look for the silver linings, such as the days are now getting longer. And it is also a blessing that we are not this guy:

For Apple users, try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GXUphyeOjko

May You have a Prosperous 2012

2011-12-29T15:17:00.000-06:00

Prosperity. Webster defines it as: a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects; good fortune. I say that prosperity is something that happens between a person's ears. Yes, financial success contributes to a person's sense of prosperity, but so does family, faith, and self-contentment. You can be prosperous and broke. But our society too often equates prosperity with wealth.

Many people feel that prosperity is a right, something they are entitled to, or something that can be given to them by someone else. The Occupy Movement is a great example of this belief. They are wrong. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence tells us that we have the right to pursue happiness (or prosperity), not that we have a right to be happy or prosperous.

Only a very few lottery winners, debutantes, heirs or heiresses are awarded their prosperity. Most prosperous people have worked to attain it. If anyone relies on someone else for their own prosperity, they will be disappointed. Governments cannot give prosperity. Neither can those who are already prosperous.

But you can learn about prosperity from those who already have it. How did they get it? They most likely started with an education. They then applied what they learned to create value, whether by producing a product or service that others are willing to pay for, or by filling a role within someone else's enterprise. Regardless, nearly all that have achieved prosperity have worked hard for it.

So I wish you a happy new year, and a prosperous 2012. But you will need to work for it.

Campaign Kickoff

2011-12-28T09:51:00.000-06:00

With the Iowa caucus less than a week away, we are nearing the official kickoff of the 2012 campaign for President. On the democrat side, we have Humpty Dumpty, a broken president that has been and will continue to be patch together by a complicit mainstream media. Humpty Dumpty should not have a chance to win, but as we learned form 2008, the press can make a difference. Much of whether Humpty Dumpty is re-elected has to do with who the republicans decide to run against him. Without the mainstream media and with a modicum of intelligence, the American people would elect Rodney King before they would re-elect Obama. Who can the republicans run that has at least the same electability of Mr. King?

Newt Gingrich - Always the smartest guy in the room, has great ideas and a track record of leading a successful conservative movement, but says really dumb off-the-cuff things. If we anointed presidents, Newt is the right guy. Unfortunately, we don't and a successful candidate must gain a majority of those who bother to get our of bed vote. So many people hate Newt. During the campaign, he will probably say something that will cause more voters to hate him. I like Newt a lot, but I don't think he can win.

Rick Perry - Americans won't elect another Texas governor for a few decades. Perry has few new ideas, and a propensity for looking dumber than a box of rocks. If he were to become the republican nominee, we would see his brain cramp during the republican debates over and over between now and next November. He just can't beat Humpty Dumpty.

Ron Paul - Strong on fiscal policy, weak on everything else. I tire of Paul supporters telling me how his foreign policy is pure brilliance. He has no policy. His so called foreign policy is to do nothing. That's not a foreign policy, that is doing nothing and letting other countries do it to us. If by chance he becomes the nominee, expect 4 more years of Humpty Dumpty. Paul's more likely impact on the election would be a third party run. If he does that, expect 4 more years of Humpty Dumpty. Paul can't win, but he can help Obama.

Michelle Bachmann - The favorite of the Tea Party, and much like Sarah Palin, Michelle has been destroyed by the media. Who might be the most effective opponent of a slick black man? Another one (Herman Cain) or a woman. The democrat machine has made sure the women, Bachmann nor Palin, can beat the anointed one.

Jon Huntsman - Forget about Jon. He would be more at home challenging Obama for the democratic nomination. Jon comes off as smug and arrogant. His demeanor is not presidential, and he isn't a conservative. Enough said.

Rick Santorum - Rick was given little time to make his case during the 500 republican debates held so far, but he is one of the true conservatives in the race, and a personal favorite. I am hoping that his recent move in the polls is a sign of things to come. Rick has no major baggage that would restrict a national campaign. His biggest problem is name recognition, something the debates have not helped. In all likelihood, Santorum becomes the VP candidate for whoever wins the nomination.

Mitt Romney - Mitt is worrisome to any conservative. He has a history of a chameleon. He is liberal when he feels he needs to be. Is he acting conservative now for the same reason? He does have a lot going for him. He has weathered the criticism level against his past positions very well. He seems to be a good debater, and would probably hold his own against Obama. Conservatives have done a good job at cornering him on key issues. He can't run from his commitment to stop Obamacare and out of control spending. Nobody has better private enterprise experience and results than Romney. He is an executive that has the skills to lead.

Any of these candidates would be a better president that Humpty Dumpty. What is most important in 2012 is assuring that Obama is defeated. Who is the best candidate? I feel somewhat guilty for this, but Romney seems to have the best chance of beating Obama. I would rather have Gingrich, Santorum or Bachmann but feel these three have problems that Obama might use to win. That cannot happen.

A lot can happen between now and November, but at this point, I believe Romney has the best chance of beating Obama.

Payroll Tax Holiday

2011-12-22T15:51:00.001-06:00

The continued Keystone Cops routine playing in the halls of congress took a bizarre turn this week when the Senate got off their lazy butts and passed an idiotic 2 month payroll tax cut extension. Assuming the senators understand that a 2 month extension enactment is burdensome to both large and small businesses everywhere and that it will not have a significant impact in improving the economy, one can only conclude they wanted to kick the can down the road two months and fight about it later.

Clown #1 (John Boehner) mistakenly believed the house republicans would take the easy road too and pass the 2 month extension. Much to clown #1's surprise, the house did not go along and instead passed a 1 year extension. Under normal rules the two bills would be sent to a house and senate conference committee to resolve differences and resubmit a single modified bill to both houses. That is when clown #2 (Harry Reid), who had already adjourned the senate, refused to participate.

So now, clown #1 is emphatically broadcasting that his guys are still in Washington and ready to negotiate, while clown #2 is refusing and blaming the impending payroll tax hike on the house. Obama has sided with clown #2 by calling for the house to come back in session and pass the 2 month extension. If you have been following this circus, you might be wondering what Frank thinks. Get ready for a surprise.

My take is this. Everything is fine just the way it is now. Let the rate return to 6% on January 1st. Why? Because if you have a popular program like Social Security that is not fully funded (meaning that Chinese loans will make up the difference in 2012), you do not intentionally cut funding (or in this case, continue to extend a tax break). At a tax rate of 6%, Social Security continues to remain solvent for a few more years. At 4% it is immediately insolvent.

The Washington lunacy followed closely by a radical left media are trying (somewhat successfully) to put all the blame on the republican house. They will trot out case after case of sob stories, people who will claim they cannot survive without that extra 2% in their paycheck. All the pain a suffering caused by the republicans who wouldn't agree to a flawed and idiotic 2 month extension, but instead agreed on a 1 year extension. They will be flogged mercilessly, all in the mainstream media's attempt to put humpty dumpty (Obama) back together again in time for the 2012 elections.

Why aren't they asking why Obama cut funding to Social Security in the first place when he initially instituted the payroll tax cut? While they are at it, why not ask why this progressive socialist president cut Medicare funding as part of his grandiose Obamacare take over of the American health care system? Why would he support the continued under funding of Social Security? Obama is the only president in history to cut both Social Security and Medicare funding - all in the first 2 years of his first term! Isn't that a big deal? Republicans have attempted to reform both entitlements. Democrats have simply cut funding to both. Who does the mainstream media characterize as enemies of Social Security and Medicare?

If these facts were reported accurately, the Occupy movement might have to battle senior citizens for park space in which to demonstrate.

UPDATE: Just 10 minutes after posting this I read that clown #1 blinked. How come I never get what I want?

Beale Street

2011-12-21T15:34:00.002-06:00

Friday afternoon was spent at the National Civil Rights museum in downtown Memphis. Friday evening was spent just a few blocks away at a location known simply as Beale Street. Beale Street is the club district in Memphis and boasts a talented and diverse line up of local bar bands. I had not been to Beale Street since BILL's bachelor party some 30+ years ago.

But BILS wanted to go Beale Street, sort of his last hurrah before going under the knife. He has shoulder surgery schedule for this afternoon. So BILS, SILL, nephew Willy and I headed downtown for dinner and to catch some music. Since I am a servant at heart, I volunteered to be the designated driver. I didn't encourage the other 3 to take advantage of my service, however they did.

Our first stop was Blues City Cafe to continue my pursuit of the best barbecue in America. I didn't find it, but the local ribs were fine. The band was supposed to start at 7:00, which turned into 7:30 and finally 8:00. Within a few minutes of their first note, we all agreed to find a better spot for music. Just two doors down, we settled on a place where the Patrick Dodd trio was playing. Patrick is a gifted blues guitarist. We spent the next two hours enjoying a couple of sets.

That is where the trouble began. Nephew Willy spotted a Petrone Tequila logo on the bar. Three or four shots later, nephew Willy took a nap. BILS was keeping up with nephew Willy and in fact took the lead a few minutes later with his fourth or fifth shot. BILS was tolerating the alcohol far better than nephew Willy. In fact, BILS was having a pretty good time which would continue for the next hour or so. Nephew Willy's good time ended just a few seconds after the following video was shot.

Memphis

2011-12-20T16:12:00.001-06:00

Using my last few vacation days of the year I was able to spend a few days in Memphis celebrating NILK's graduation from the U of Memphis. That celebration occurred last Saturday evening. Since I arrived on Thursday evening, I had quite a bit of time to spend doing other things. One of the "other things" I decided to do was visit the National Civil Rights Museum in downtown Memphis.

The trip included NILB, NILK and FILN. The four of us headed downtown, and started with a lunch at Gus's Fried Chicken (it's World Famous!) just a few blocks from the museum. Gus's Chicken is a soul-food establishment with a limited menu - spicy chicken. You can order it white, dark, or as strips, but it all comes out white and spicy.

While Gus claims to serve soul food, the patrons were overwhelmingly pasty white even though the restaurant is located in a predominately black neighborhood. The chicken was tender and juicy, just like you get at KFC. It was a little spicy, but not too much, just enough to get your attention. Would I go back.? Probably so, if I was in the mood for spicy chicken.

After lunch we were off to the museum. I did not go immediately into the museum as a call from a boss at work delayed me. I loitered outside as I took the call. Seeing me as easy prey, a fairly aggressive panhandler approached. His first comment was that he knew I was not prejudiced because, well, I was here at the Civil Rights Museum wasn't I? Memphis has some of the most thoughtful and intellectual pan handlers I have ever encountered. After disposing of him without losing a cent (my personal policy), I entered the museum where I garnered my first ever senior discount. At 55, I was entitled to a $2 discount over the normal $13 price of admission. I could get used to this!

The museum is laid out chronologically, beginning with the early slave trade that included many of the founding fathers. It moved on to Lincoln and the emancipation, followed by KKK, lynchings, and the WW1 and WW2 eras. Most of the information presented dealt with the 50's and 60's and the struggle to force an unwilling south to abide by equal employment and civil rights laws enforced at the federal level.

Images from this period were especially powerful to me. As a boy, I did not see "Whites Only" signs in my Kansas hometown. They weren't there because the local population was 100% white. But that doesn't mean there was no overt racism. There was. The news footage of blacks being literally washed off the streets with water cannons brought back distinct memories of comments I heard back then, such as "they should machine gun those niggers down". Johnson County Kansas was no different than Selma Alabama in those days. There just wasn't as much opportunity to notice.

The first half of the museum was much like others I have visited - far more information than can possibly be absorbed without spending days there. I quickly found myself "driving by" most of the exhibits, stopping occasionally to spend time with something that caught my attention. The second half of the museum contained the most memorable items. This is where the National Civil Rights museum acquired and restored the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was murdered, and the boarding house across the street from where Jame Earl Ray shot him. I can only express the experience of seeing (and remembering) the news footage and pictures from 1968 while standing on the same spot 43 years later, as especially powerful. These are the memories I will retain.

The museum's content also brought back memories of that night in 1968. While much of my family remember the night vividly since they were in Memphis, I remember the night because I and a friend "slept out" in my backyard. We had seen the scenes of rioting coming out of Memphis and other cities. There was a curfew in Kansas City that night, although rioting was minor. But my friend and I wondered if blacks would begin burning the town down. In my small town suburbia, it never happened. A few nights later, a couple of arson instances were committed in Kansas City, but Shawnee Kansas emerged unscathed after the assassination of Martin Luther King.

Unscathed, but not unchanged. In my lifetime, civil rights have progressed more that what my father could have ever imagined. I remember when there was only a couple of black families who lived in the "colored holler" of Merriam, and when a single black kid began attending the same school as I did. Now, blacks represent 5% of the local population. I work with blacks every day. They no longer are maids, custodians and bus boys, but can be found in just about any profession. I believe most are seen as people first, and blacks second. No matter what I hear from the "blacks are victims" charlatanism coming from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, I know that we have all come a long way in one generation.

DS of the Week - Robert L. Thatch

2011-12-13T04:00:00.001-06:00

So I had a couple minutes and thought it might be time to bring back the DS of the Week blog. It was just too easy. In 30 seconds I am on the KC Star Letters page, and there it was, the second letter published today from Robert L. Thatch.

Republican Party’s small government lie

I am tired of Republicans trying to present themselves as the party of “small government.” They usually say it is “as the constitutional framers intended it.”

Think about Homeland Security, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), the huge growth in the NSA (National Security Agency), plus wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. All of those are of Republican origin, and all are extremely large, expensive and intrusive on personal freedoms.

The next time you hear comments from a Republican about them being champions of small government, say something about their pants being on fire.

Robert L. Thatch
Kansas City

What Robert must have missed was the Constitutional reference that obliges the Federal Government to provide for the common defense. Since that reference is on the preamble to the Constitution, it is highly likely that Robert L. Thatch is not a constitutional authority, he just plays one in the letters he writes.

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

It is humorous that each point Robert L. Thatch mentions are points that can be honestly argued as defense of America (Homeland Security, TSA, National Security Agency). Citing two wars can also be considered national defense. I could give Robert L. Thatch a break if he was arguing against any of the agencies or wars he mentions, but to criticize anyone who say it is what the framers intended only displays a dramatic depth of ignorance.

Robert L. Thatch, you made it too easy for me. You are the DS of the Week.

Generating Web Search Engine Hits

2011-12-12T10:30:00.001-06:00

During my hiatus from blogging, I did continue to track the number of hits received from Google, Bing, etc. With so many blogs, the number of hits I get from these sources are sometimes the majority received. Yes, that's right. I sometimes get as many as 5 hits in a single day from search engines. This post is an experiment that attempts to maximize the number of hits received from that source.

First, the majority of hits to my blog have used the key words: "Stack Ranking", "Simple Thoughts", "I am not a smart man", and, George Waldenberger". Just putting those words in this blog will generate several hits this week. I can generate a few more using this paragraph:

While strolling through the grocery store, I noticed the magazines that claim you could "lose 20 pounds" without exercise or changing your diet. They were sitting next to the "Kim Kardashian" and "Lindsay Lohan" magazines, right under the "National Enquirer" with headlines stating "The world will end in 2012" and "Space Aliens Live Among Us". These ought to be worth a few more hits a day.

The next paragraph should draw hits for the next year: Did you see "President Obama" and 60 minutes last night? All the presidential candidates are getting serious air time. Just the night before, I watched the Republican Debate featuring "Newt Gingrich", "Mitt Romney", "Ron Paul", "Michelle Bachman", "Rick Santorum" and "Rick Perry".

Now trolling for a few more gratuitous hits: "Michael Jackson", "Angelina Jolie", "Brad Pitt", "Jennifer Aniston", and "Jennifer Lopez". The Internets most popular keywords are: "Google", "E-Bay", "Yahoo.com", "Music", "Mapquest", "Google.com", "Food", "Travel", "Hotmail", and "Computer". Makes you wonder if most users of search engines are brand new users, doesn't it? I was surprised the word "sex" was not in the top ten. I'll keep you posted on whether the number of hits to this blog increase.

Between now and January 2013

2011-12-09T09:57:00.000-06:00

Hello, it's me again. I have intentionally ignored this blog and enjoyed every minute of it. In case you missed it, the days of one blog every day except Sunday are over. I found the discipline needed to maintain that pace to be like my personal ball and chain. "What would I write next?" was my all-consuming thought. I am glad I did it for a period of 2 years, but even more glad that I have now broken the habit. I blog only when I want to. I haven't wanted to much lately.

While not blogging, I have kept up with the political happenings. Nothing much has changed in Washington. In fact, the cancer of that city has only grown larger. The Left and the Right have become even more entrenched in their positions. In a way, that makes predicting the future very easy. I am quite confident in this: Nothing of substance will happen in Congress or the White House between now and January 2013 when the newly elected president and Congress are inaugurated. Extension of the payroll tax holiday will not be passed. Neither the President's, nor the Republican's Job Bills will pass. For the next 13-14 months, nothing will happen.

Why? Because the Left is committed to playing class warfare games. They say the rich have trampled the middle class and they must pay. The Left will not agree to anything that does not raise substantial revenue from the upper class. On the other side, the Right will not agree to anything that raises taxes. They have pledged this to the electorate that gave them a House majority in 2010. Raising taxes against that pledge would be political suicide.

Gridlock is more locked than ever before. But the good news is that it really doesn't matter. America will continue to work much as it has over the past 10 years of gridlock. Citizens do what they do regardless of politics. Businesses still produce what is in demand. Consumers will still spend money on what they want or need. Capitalism will still work, all be it at a slower pace. What does matter is the election of 2012. Next November, those citizens that care enough to vote will either give power to one party or split the executive and legislative branches. At this time, it appears the Right will succeed in consolidating power, but that could change. If the polls turn against the No Tax pledge, the Right will see their solidarity evaporate.

It is no surprise that I hope and pray the Republicans take the White House, hold the House and get a 60+ seat majority in the Senate. That is the only way gridlock will be broken in a positive way. As the framers of the Constitution intended, the electorate will determine the direction. Who will win? The side that fosters hate and discontent within the citizens, or the side that currently hold to a principle that put them in office? It seems an easy choice, but so many are deluded into thinking that their prosperity is determined by politicians of any flavor. Now it's looking good for the good guys, but it ain't over yet. November 2012 can't come soon enough for me.

Feeling Nauseous

2011-11-16T10:47:00.000-06:00

Four Wins Still in Play

2011-11-15T16:17:00.000-06:00

It's been a roller coaster season for the KC Chefs. And the coaster has peaked and picking up downhill speed. A couple weeks ago, the KC fans were happy about the 4 game win streak and the 4-3 record after losing the first 3 games of the season. With winless Miami and Denver (also winless at the time) coming up, a 6-3 records was in the bank. Didn't work out that way.

Not only did the Chefs lose both, they also lost their 64 million dollar man, Matt Cassel. With the toughest stretch of games in franchise history coming up and journeyman Tyler Palko at quarterback, we haven't seen the bottom yet. It starts Monday night at New England, then moves to Pittsburgh, Chicago, NY Jets, and Green Bay before a relative break with Oakland and Denver to end the season.

It is quite possible they will lose all seven. That would end the season with a 4-12 record just as this humble fan predicted -- nearly a year ago. Now for a couple new predictions. Todd Haley, the hobo coach, will be fired before February 2012. Matt Cassel will not be the starter in 2012.

2011 Academy of Country Music Awards

2011-11-10T09:34:00.002-06:00

It was cool. After 3 hours of watching performance after performance (that was the cool part), with a few breaks mixed in to hand out awards, my only question was why didn't Zac Brown win anything? That was the obvious omission, however I am sure it will change. Remember that 5 years ago Brooks and Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Gretchen Wilson, Big and Rich only needed to remain breathing to receive more than a fair share of awards. You don't even see them in the crowd anymore. The tide has turned, beginning 3 years ago when Sugarland, Miranda (whom I practically discovered), Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood, and Lady Antebellum started taking turns cleaning up. Zac's turn is coming.

Last night it was The Band Perry who won the most awards with 3. That was a surprise considering they have only released one record. They also won the ACM Redundancy Award for sweeping Best Song, and Best Single with "If I Die Young". What is the difference? I did enjoy The Band Perry's performance. It did make me consider purchasing their music. The Girl Perry is easy to look at and has a great voice. The Boys Perry look a couple of chromosomes short of a full package. Word is that during an off camera presentation they won the award for County Performers Most Likely to Become Serial Killers, so that made 4 awards for the night. At least they write their own stuff which is big in my book, so I can live with their selection.

Taylor Swift had a good night winning Entertainer of the Year. Her performance of new material was also a highlight of the show. Taylor doesn't have the skills of many performers, but makes the most of what she has. She is not a great guitarist. She can barely sing. But there she was, all by herself, sitting on a couch playing her guitar and singing a song she wrote. I give her a lot of credit for that. The song had a pretty good hook line. Something about people throwing rocks at shiney things. If that were true, they would have been throwing rocks at Erin Andrews legs. Erin presented an award and must have shined 'em up for the occasion based on the camera glare cause by her walking on stage.

I must confess that I also have an innocent fantasy about Taylor. In my fantasy, she is my daughter. I see us on the beach outside of the home she purchased for her daddy. After every album release, she buys her daddy a new beach house, each a little bigger and closer to the water than the last. We never lock the doors or turn off the iron because if it burns down, she will just release a new album.

The Glen Campbell tribute was sort of sad. He didn't look bad - had the slobber wiped off of his face and everything. But it was pretty obvious there weren't going to let him embarrass himself by singing. After taking the stage, he donned his guitar, strummed once, and they broke for commercial.

Other observations from the show were: Jason Aldean needs to learn to articulate. He is sort of going Bob Dylan on us. Miranda sounded pretty good. A huge change from her "mailed in" performance on Austin City Limits. Footloose is not a country song, but Blake Shelton made it seem like it might be possible. There isn't that much difference between Little Jimmy Dickens and Justin Bieber. Rascal Flatts isn't country. Not even a little. Lady Antebellum is seriously overrated. You don't need to release a record during the year to be anointed Best Female Vocalist. They should change that. Sissy Boy Kenny and Grace Potter performing "You and Tequila" was really good. Its the song that is still bouncing around my skull today.

Worst Day of the Year

2011-11-07T16:07:00.000-06:00

Every day is a gift.

Whoever said that didn't say it on the first work day after going off of Daylight Savings Time. As I blogged 2 years ago, this is the worst day of the year by far, bar none.

I remembered this fact this morning when I work up without the aid of an alarm clock, and with a nagging feeling that I had overslept. Going to work with the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon wasn't so bad. But now it is just after 4:00 PM and dusk is apparent. I feel like I am working late, something I avoid doing. I won't see my front yard in the sunlight until Saturday.

Today is worse than the average day after the Chiefs lose to a team they should beat. That happens every year too.

It might even be worse than a hypothetical day when KU loses to UK in college basketball. That hasn't happened often during my lifetime, and if it happens this year, its just an anomaly. It would still make me want to vomit.

Me Too

2011-11-04T16:26:00.000-05:00

I am reporting a high likelihood that I too was sexually harassed by Herman Cain. My evidence is stronger than has recently been reported by the mainstream media. There are no un-named sources or feeble facts. My case is strong, here are the facts.

It was the mid 1990's while Herman was the CEO of the National Restaurant Association. I walked into the men's room at a local Chili's restaurant. And there, lying on the sink was a pubic hair. The exact same MO used by Clarence Thomas (another powerful conservative black man) when harassing Anita Hill.

Recapping:

The event occurred in a restaurant while Herman was the CEO of the National Restaurant Association
He used a pubic hair, just like Clarence Thomas
Clarence and Herman are both conservative black men

I don't believe in coincidence. I didn't realize it at the time, but now it seems so clear. Herman left that hair lying on the counter top. Remembering the event, I am now shocked and incensed. Not to mention willing to share my story with any news organization willing to pay me a minimum of $25,000.

Redemption

2011-10-26T11:48:00.000-05:00

From the backwoods of Kentucky to the backstreets of Memphis, this is a story of redemption for a boy named Kelly. As a boy he began to follow his Wildcats who played basketball. He knew no better coming from a small town in Kentucky where all the confused blindly followed what they thought was a major league team.

Over time, Kelly learned the sun did not rise nor set behind those Kentucky hills. He soon realized a much larger world was out there waiting to be explored. He learned of Memphis and the team that played under the title of Tigers. He wondered if all that he had learned as a boy was false. He moved to Memphis and soon married a gal who called the University of Memphis her Alma Mater. His new sisters in law called Mississippi State of the Intolerable Cow Bell, and the Community College of Tennessee as their own. Kelly began to realize that he may have been wrong all of his life.

His curiosity led him to other schools who for years played far better than his Wildcats. He learned that many of these schools had better talent, better coaches and just as much tradition as found in a small town in Kentucky. That quest led him to Kansas. There he found a team worthy of his attention. Kelly became a Jayhawk.

I never get tired of posting this picture.

DS of the Week - Bernadine Kline

2011-10-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

Full of santimony and claiming to know the mind of God, Bernadine Kline is the DS of the Week. Her letter to the KC Star follows.

Occupy Wall Street

And it came to pass that the Almighty looked down upon earth to check on his creation. He peered into the halls of Congress and was astounded at the obstructionist behavior of his people.

“What’s this?” he roared. “How dare they protect the 1 percent over the 99 percent? How dare they create a person out of a corporation.

“How dare they disenfranchise the poor, minorities and the elderly of their right to vote claiming voter fraud! How dare they defund education, science, medical research and the arts? Do they not hear the cries of my people?

“My people need jobs. My people need generosity and compassion in their time of need.”

One of the angels then whispered into the Almighty’s ear, “They will not act because they intend to defeat President Barack Obama at any cost, even unto the destruction of the homes and families and lives of millions of your people, Lord.”

It was at this point that the Almighty, righteously angered, picked up a sign and joined the Occupy Wall Street protests. But Fox News didn’t recognize him.

Bernadine Kline
Liberty

So many lies and distortions, it is difficult to know where to start. I could be nice and just say that Bernadine is just confused. Or maybe that she has been brained washed by the liberal media. But I don't think so. Those things can be fixed in time. With a name like Bernadine, she must be a mature adult but has somehow not learned how to look beyond the superficial.

You can fix confusion. You can fix misinformed. I think the comedian Ron White must have met Bernadine during one of his tours. Bernadine inspired Ron to write his infamous line, "You can't fix stupid."

Deathtraps

2011-10-17T09:42:00.000-05:00

Indy car racing is one of the most spectacular styles of racing in the world. It is also one of the deadliest of all racing sports as was witnessed yesterday in Las Vegas. Dan Weldon, one of the brightest stars in open wheel racing was killed in a multi-car collision near the start of the race. It isn't surprising. The Indy car is designed for speed. Very little has been done to improve driver safety.

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If you were to design the most unsafe race car imaginable, you would start with open wheels. As one driver hits the wheels of another, the effect is to launch the race car into the air as happened during yesterdays accident. If that isn't enough, the driver's head is slightly extended from the fuselage of the car which travels at 220-240 MPH. It is a vehicle that tends to kill drivers.

It will be interesting to see how the Indy Car league reacts. After NASCAR lost Dale Earnhardt in 1991, they set about improving driver safety. Soft walls were installed at every track. The HANS device was invented and widely adopted to stop the drivers hear from whipping forward at impact. The entire car was redesigned with fire suppression systems and foam protective panels. A carbon fiber seat acts like a safety cocoon for the driver. The result is a safe race car.

Just Saturday evening, Jimmy Johnson, the biggest star in NASCAR, slammed head on into a wall going 190 MPH. Five minutes later he was being interviewed on the broadcast. His biggest complaint was that he had the wind knocked out of him. The Indy Car series will need to take dramatic steps to avoid a repeat of yesterday's mishap. They may need to slow the cars down as NASCAR did years ago with restrictor plates. They definitely need to protect their drivers heads and keep the cars on the track.

Christmas in October

2011-10-10T16:09:00.000-05:00

The Christmas in October program has been around Kansas City for years, yet I had never worked in a work group that provided the opportunity to participate. That is, until this year. I few weeks ago I volunteered to donate a Saturday before hearing the horror stories of those volunteer teams who got stuck with a family with younger members who seemed disturbed that you would inconvenience them by working on their house. Or those who worked in a house so uninhabitable that breathing was a risk. Or the unfortunate team who volunteered to do more work than could be done in a month of Saturdays. I heard the horror stories and wondered if last Saturday would be a good day or a bad one.

But I did have the sense to throw in with a veteran team leader who took the time to both review the work load versus the team size, and interview the residents we were planning to help. It made all the difference in the world. At 8:00 AM we pulled up to the small 2 bedroom home of Mr. and Mrs Love who lived at 111 Ghetto Drive, Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Love was 80+ and had significant health problems brought on by a career in a burlap bag factory which exposed him to formaldehyde and led to the loss of a lung. He was the healthier of the two. Mrs. Love was on dialysis, and couldn't move around much. Both were very nice people who appreciated the help we were there to offer. I couldn't have asked for anything better than to provide assistance to an intercity couple who couldn't do for themselves.

Still I worried that -T would have a problem. The first job was to clear out the front and back yards of years worth of trash, debris and overgrowth. I knew that one rat or snake and -T would be done for the day. But while the work was hard and sometimes unpleasant, the critters left us all alone and by noon, much of the outside work was finished. Even my "skilled" work was already underway. I had finished replacing a 4x8 sheet of plywood that served as a ceiling in their back porch, and had replaced a rotted out panel in their back door. A couple of others were working to replace the couple's sink and counter top. That sounds like a massive project until you consider the tiny kitchen had only one counter about 5 feet long, and in that section was the sink. Somehow, the Love's had raised 4 children in that small home.

By 3:00 PM, the projects were complete and the volunteer ladies were helping Mrs. Love clean and organize her living room. -T and I took that opportunity to leave. We said our goodbyes to the couple who profusely thanked us. We were both whacked, and in bed by 8:00 PM. We never do that.

This morning at work I spoke with another volunteer who stayed a little longer than we did. She told me that Mr. Love spent an hour working his newly repaired and painted backdoor. He had never had a backdoor with a lock and key before, and estatic that he now had one. The experience left me amazed at how those who live in the same city are not accustomed to the little things we take for granted. I don't think about small homes or locks on my door. I have a large house with many locks. I don't worry that I don't have cabinet or counterspace to make my peanut butter and cheese sandwich. I never worry about a triple homicide ccurring across the street. But the Love's do because it happened a couple week ago.

It is a different world and only a few miles away. I plan to volunteer again, or maybe even lead a team next year. I think Terri will do the same. It was a satisfying experience.

Where's Lisa?

2011-10-07T08:53:00.001-05:00

A local Kansas City missing child case has now moved to a national story. Ten month old Lisa Irwin was supposedly abducted from her crib sometime between last Monday evening and 4:00 AM Tuesday morning. The parent's story goes the father came home from work around 4:00 AM and found the child's bedroom window open, the front door unlocked and Lisa was gone. Sorry parents, I ain't buying that story. Especially since you recently added that 3 cell phones were also stolen. The story doesn't make sense.

First, stealing a sleeping child from their bedroom just doesn't happen often. Sure, there was the Lindbergh baby and Samantha Smart, but that is about it. That's 2 out of a couple million supposed kidnappings. The other 2 million times ends up being the parents or another family member did the snatching. There is a good reason for that. It can;t be that easy to kidnap a sleeping child from their bedroom. Even if the perpetrator manages to quietly enter the room, the kid is going to scream their lungs out when they see it isn't Mommy picking them up. And then the perp walks out the front door? I don't think so.

But is gets more unbelievable. Not only are we to believe the perp walked out the front door with a quiet kid, they also stopped somewhere along the way to steal two working cell phones, and one old non-working one. Who keeps all their phones at one location? Who leaves a non-working phone in the same place they keep the working ones? And unless the perp is "box of rocks" stupid, a cell phone is tha last thing they would steal. Turn it on and the cops show up a few minutes later. I think the cell phones are the break the police will eventually use to solve this case. The question they will answer is why were they included in the kidnapping story? But it could take a few more days.

Currently we are in the hysterical Mother phase of the case. Lisa's Mother can't speak without breaking down. Remembering Susan Smith (who offed her 3 boys), you gotta wonder if she is hysterical because her child is missing, or from the trauma of some crime she committed to the child.

I'm liking the Mother for the deed. She had the time and opportunity while hubby was working. If I am right, the case will soon move to the Orange phase. That is when the mom and dad are marched off to arraignment in handcuffs wearing orange jumpsuits.

Herman to the Occupiers

2011-10-06T09:01:00.001-05:00

"Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself. It is not someone's fault if they succeeded, it is someone's fault if they failed."

"When I was growing up I was blessed to have had parents that didn't teach me to be jealous of anybody and didn't teach me to be envious of somebody. It is not a person's fault because they succeeded. It is a person's fault if they failed."

Okay Herman, you now have my attention.

Cats Still Rule, Yes Really

2011-10-05T04:00:00.003-05:00

Over 2 years ago, a dual blog post that was incredibly articulate. sophisticated, and amazingly insightful, conclusively established that Cats do rule while Dogs in fact, drool. Since that time there has been no further discussion on the subject, proving the accuracy of the hypothesis. Metaphorically, cats are the musicians of the animal world. They sit inconspicuously with their sunglasses on, and say cool things in their Lou Rawls-like voice such as "what's happening mama?" to their owner. Conversely, dogs are trying frantically to catch a sniff of somebody's crotch - very uncool. If you happened to miss those posts, you can become edified at Cats Rule and at Dogs drool.

Since that time, the number of cat inhabitants at our home has increased 100%. Allison's cat, Acura a.k.a. Miss Puss, now lives with us. Miss Puss was, at first, very antisocial - very uncool, but stopped short of crotch-sniffing. She didn't want to be around us and would hiss at her smarter, maler, more intelligent partner, Chumley. Recently she has become more social, allowing the humans to pet her occasionally. She has also taken a subservient position as shown in the picture below.

Chumley has claimed the dominate sun drenched position on the kitchen table, while Miss Puss knows her place on the floor. Things are coming together as nature intended.

Occupy Wall Street?

2011-10-04T04:00:00.002-05:00

The far left loonies and a few misguided righties have recently descended to near flash mob tactics to protest what they see as an American injustice - highly compensated people on Wall Street. They have bought into a socialist mindset that says only government is capability of distributing wealth and ensuring that all people are treated fairly. Government does this by regulating business and taxing the wealthy so they cannot earn too much. Their belief system is flawed.

Government is not the fairest arbiter of wealth and success. Instead, a far more fair and just system is already in place. The laws of supply and demand. Wall Street Fact Cats are highly compensated because there are so few who know how to do what they do. Occupy Wall Street protesters are compensated so meagerly because there are millions of low paid losers like them just waiting for a job. Where there are few, the price increases. Where there are many, the price decreases. Basic supply and demand.

Wall Street Occupiers believe that when a Wall Street fat cat earns a $10 million salary, that is $10 million no longer available to others. In fact, everyone has the opportunity to educate themselves and take a Wall Street job and make their $10 million dollar salary. If it was easy to do, we'd all be doing it. Of course, supply and demand says that if we all did it, there would be an oversupply of Wall Street fat cats and a corresponding decline in demand. leading to lower Wall Street Fat Cat salaries.

Terri and I saw a couple of Occupy Wall Street protesters Sunday afternoon on their way to the KC mecca of left wing lunatics, the Country Club Plaza. These feeble-minded losers are simply protesting their own inability to be successful. They are sad people who have little understanding of how economic work. Just like many in our federal government.

Jobs Bill

2011-10-03T09:41:00.001-05:00

Obama say "Pass this bill, pass this bill", even before there was a bill. He really doesn't expect congress to pass this bill. In fact, he knows they won't. That was his carefully calculated plan. He sees the jobs bill as a win-win for him. In the unlikely event they pass it, he can spend a half trillion dollars for votes in 2012. He will create more union work by funding infrastructure projects, increasing education spending, and extending unemployment benefits even further. But Obama knows his bill will never pass, and will use its failure to lambaste republicans for the sick economy that will persist through the 2012 elections. So he either gets money to buy votes, or he gets a scapegoat to run against.

The Sunday news shows were already coming to Obama's aide. The Meet the Press panel yesterday was a collection of worn out and wrinkled liberal kooks. Their common message was that republicans were not going to allow Obama to win the jobs bill battle. It was personal they said. Republicans wouldn't allow Obama to get his bill at the cost of more jobs and suffering by the little people the democrats care so much about. Obama can't fix the economy because of the republicans. The carefully avoided a couple of facts that show just how specious their argument is.

First, "the bill" Obama wants congress to pass has no co-sponsors. None, either in the house or the senate. Nobody in congress wants to be seen as a sponsor of this flawed bill. If it was a good bill, there would be 10 or 20 co-sponsors jumping on the jobs bill bandwagon. Co-sponsorship is how they claim significant election year results to their constituents. But no co-sponsors. It would be a waste of energy and political capital to co-sponsor the DOA bill.

Second, the bill was introduced in the democrat-controlled senate. Yet, the bill Obama wants congress to pass without delay has not yet been brought up for debate and won't for at least another week. Harry Reid could have put it on the senate's agenda immediately if he wanted to pass it now as the president asked. He didn't. Now, other democratic senators are saying that it wouldn't have the votes needed to pass the senate. The republicans would kill the jobs bill. That is a certainty, but they may not need to. The democrats may do it themselves.

So Obama has begun his campaigning with the "pass this bill" mantra - a bill he knows has no hope of passage. But true to form, he will use this bill as a way to blame his failure on someone else - the republican house. This is the same group who have become the media whipping boys. The republican house is seen by libs as the root of all problems in Washington. They are attempting to convince the voters of this.

The media continues to not mention the republican house has passed a budget, a balanced budget amendment, several deficit reduction bills, a jobs bill, and each was sent to the democrat-controlled senate where they were tabled. Who is the party of NO? Harry Reid and Barack Obama lead them.

Fair share?

2011-09-19T22:20:00.001-05:00

Reid, Obama, Pelosi, et al. I hear them continually saying that we must raise revenue for the federal government by making the rich pay their fair share. I vomit a little in the back of my mouth. If they truly believed their statement, they would propose a different plan.

Half of Americans pay no federal income tax. The top 1% pay 38% of federal revenues while earning only 19% of total income. I agree with Reid, Obama and Pelosi and take it one step farther - everyone should pay a fair share. Do the poor use our highways? Do they benefit from the defense of our nation? Do they claim the benefits of being an American citizen? All do, most more than others. They should pay their fair share. The rich already do.

Which politician will state the obvious? Every person who earns income should pay taxes. I don't care if it is just a token payment. 1% is better than nothing. That is the way you raise revenue fairly. The first candidate to support that position gets my vote.

2011 Circus

2011-09-13T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was the date of this year's trip to Ringling Brother's Barnum and Bailey's Circus, also known as the lamest show on earth. But the grand kids like it.

Mix 2 parts grand children, with popcorn, lemon aide, cotton candy and a promise to buy each an over-priced trinket, and what do you get? See below:

Revisiting My 16-0 Prediction

2011-09-12T09:23:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Heaven looked down on Arrowhead stadium and decided not to provide the first of 16 miracles needed for the KC Chiefs to go 16-0 on their way to the first Super Bowl title in 43 years. Since miracle #1 did not occur, I feel that numbers 2 through 16 won't either. It is time to revisit my 16-0 prediction in this new light. My original thought after seeing their schedule was 4 wins. Now I wonder where those 4 wins might come from.

Here is the Chiefs dismal schedule.

KC @ DET - Probably not.
KC @ SD - Definitely not.
MIN @ KC - Probably not.
KC @ IND - Maybe

KC @ OAK - Probably not.

SD @ KC - Definitely not.
MIA @ KC - Maybe.
DEN @ KC - Probable win.
KC @ NE - Definitely not.
PIT @ KC - Definitely not.
KC @ CHI - Definitely not.
KC @ NYJ - Definitely not.
GB @ KC - Definitely not.
OAK @ KC - Probably not.
KC @ DEN - Probable win.

So I have 2 probable wins, 2 maybe wins, 4 probably nots, and 7 definitely nots.

Each year the Chiefs win one or two games and lose one or two they shouldn't. That will work to their favor this year since they should only be expected to win 2 games all year. Add in a maybe win and one they probably or definitely should not win at all, and you get to 4 wins in 2011.

If the Chiefs go 4-12 or worse, expect Todd Haley to be among the unemployed before the year is over.

Captain Obama

2011-09-09T08:49:00.001-05:00

The long awaited speech on a new jobs program was held last night. It turned out to be the same old stimulus investing (newspeak for Spending) that has been tried and failed. Last night, Obama attempted to assign his failures to the republicans. If they go along, (and they won't), failure can be shared by Obama and the congress. If the republicans block him, Obama will have his scape goat to run his reelection campaign against. Despite what he said last night, that speech was nothing more that political gamesmanship.

Wall Street was not fooled as the NYSE opened down 200 points after what was supposed to be a night that built confidence in business and investors.

Politics aside, the content of the plan can best be summarized as "Captain Obama circles back to the iceberg".

Meat

2011-09-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

I like meat. A lot. Beef is my favorite, pork is good, chicken and turkey are okay. Beef is the best. With beef and pork as my two favorite meats, it is no surprise that I like barbecue. Ribs, brisket and pulled pork dominate my barbecue diet. But surprisingly enough, the meat I long for the most is not barbecue. It's prime rib. Not from anywhere. Most restaurant prime rib is nothing more that roast beef.

I long for the prime rib served by Antoine's on the Boulevard. Antoine's was once a restaurant in downtown Kansas City located on Southwest Boulevard. It was one of those memorable places that couldn't be compared to any other. The owner was the cook and usually made his way from table to table speaking with his customers during the meal. After the main course was completed, a halved watermelon would be delivered filled with fruit balls floating in 7-Up. The fruit balls had been soaked in the remnants of gin, rum or other liquor bottles. Once the bill was paid, Antoine would hand deliver roses to the ladies and suckers to the men. Antoine knew how to take care of his customers.

Antoine's on the Boulevard served boiled shrimp. All you could eat. They brought it to the table in a Tonka dump truck. Due to the relative chronological proximity to my employment at Red Lobster, I didn't like shrimp that much at that time. I never ate it there, but those who did raved about the flavor. They also served lasagna and other Italian dishes. I have no idea what they tasted like.

Antoine's on the Boulevard served prime rib. It was good. That is an understatement. It was better than any prime rib I have had before or since. Antoine served it up every weekend for about $10 a person. Usually the portion size was around 16 ounces. On a good night, Antoine became generous and the portion size was that of a small roast. Maybe a medium size roast. But the size wasn't the reason I craved it. It was the flavor. I have no idea how Antoine seasoned his prime rib, but it was delicious and unique. The cut was always extremely tender and immensely flavorful.

Antoine's on the Boulevard closed when Antoine decided to retire. I was shocked that nobody continued the business. He had a loyal following. Every night, he had a waiting line of an hour or more. No, not a line, a waiting mob. There wasn't a lobby. People would wait anywhere in the restaurant they could find enough space to stand. It was not uncommon to have somebody stand next to your table as they waited on your table. You would think that somebody would have stepped up to serve that demand for prime rib and shrimp.

My search for a good cut of prime rib has been fruitless. There was one close call in Nebraska. We were visiting Terri's side of the family in Hampton, and were treated to a meal at a place called Chances 'R'. I had the prime rib. We were in prime beef country. It had to be good. And it was. It was the closest I have experience to Antoine's on the Boulevard. But not quite there. Chances 'R' gets an honorable mention. Antoine's on the Boulevard closed over 20 years ago. I still crave that meat.

Invest

2011-09-02T04:00:00.001-05:00

Continuing with the Owellian theme, invest is the newspeak for spend. Invest is a much friendlier word that can be confidently spoken by a liberal government official. Spend can't be stated while the government checkbook is so far in the red. We can't spend, but we can invest. Invest is good. Spend is bad. Bad politicians spend money they don't have. Good polititians invest taxpayer money.

Okay, give them their word. I don't think it is working on the great unwashed masses. Most everyone who pays attention now knows that we as a nation are broke. The checkbook is overdrawn. Ever new dollar we spend is a new dollar we borrow. Knowing that, we understand that no one, be it an individual, a business or a government, borrows to invest. To do so is nothing short of moronic.

We Proles are starting to figure it out.

News

2011-08-31T04:00:00.001-05:00

I am sort of a news junkie. Cable TV and the Internet were the best things to happen to people like me who can't wait until 6:00 or 10:00 to learn what is going on. It's kind of hard to believe that once during my lifetime, people would wait for the next newspaper to read about current events. I remember when Kansas City had both a morning and evening paper. The KC Times was waiting on the driveway each morning when we woke up. The KC Star would be delivered around 4:00 PM each afternoon.

It was probably 30-40 years ago the newspaper became a single publication delivered only in the morning. Then, people were satisfied to read about yesterday's news. Not so much anymore. Newspapers across the country are withering. Many have already gone under. Only old folks remain loyal to the print media. I cancelled my subscription a few months ago, proving my relative youth. A common question I hear whenever I am involved in a technology meeting is "How many still subscribe to the newspaper?" In a room of nearly 100 people, only a handful of hands go up. Five years ago, nearly every hand would raise.

My reasons to cancel the subscription were many. First, the KC Star editorial board is very liberal. They haven't supported a conservative local politician in years. They are completely out of touch with the values of their readership. Second, there was very little I would read in the paper that I didn't already know. Dilbert and the obituaries were the only sections that would have new content for me. I can now get that on the Internet. Third, at $45 every 2 months just to read two sections and the Sunday ads, my tightwaddiness kicked in. We still buy the Sunday paper at $2 per week. I was shocked there was no attempt by the newspaper sales force to retain my subscription. Are they giving up?

While the print media withers, cable news prospers. Some of the best cable shows are news programs. Fox News seems to lead the way, thanks to their center-right bias that matches the country's politics. Occasionally I tune over to MSNBC or CNBC just to see what the libs are talking about. Their bias is far more left than Fox is right. A few nights ago I listened for 15 minutes and heard 3 different guests talk about how uneducated the right and their candidates are. I think that completely discounts lib's charges of bias toward Fox News.

People listen to the news that best represents their values. Fox News draws more viewers that most network shows during certain time slots. I think that proves that America is not a centrist or left leaning populous. We are center-right and moving to the right. I know that I am thankful that Fox News is successful. If MSNBC or CNN were the only news networks on cable, I would either watch far less news or vomit a lot more.

2011 Kansas City Chiefs

2011-08-30T04:00:00.003-05:00

Expectations among fans is high after the Chiefs unexpected division win in 2010. This year, anything less than a conference title will be a disappointment. So can they do it? Let's look at the preseason for clues. The defense has been the bright spot. This year they are getting burnt for long pass plays much less often that last. They really haven't stopped the opponents first team at all. But that is the bright spot.

The offense has been awful. The first team hasn't scored a touchdown, even when given field position twice inside their opponents 10 yard line. They settled for one field goal. The offensive line has offered the six million dollar man, Matt Cassell, with absolutely no protection. He has spent more time on his back that an Independence Boulevard hooker. The KC coach, Todd Haley, and GM, Scott Pioli, both claim they are not concerned and continue to "work the plan".

Did I mention the schedule? Brutal. The final 8 games include 5 with 2010 playoff team and the final 4 teams. Last year's division title team only played 2 teams that made the playoffs. A powder puff schedule to be sure. So what will they do this year? Smart men with a rudimentary knowledge of professional football will pick them to win 4, no more than 6 games in 2011. Repeat of a division title would be pure fantasy.

I, however, will pick the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl in 2011. I see them winning all 16 games due to a series of miracles. All bad or missed calls will go in their favor, weather conditions will thwart their opponents game plan, fumbles will bounce their way every time, and opposing players will regularly lose their composure in game situations. That is how the Chiefs will win 16. A series of miracles is the key to the season.

Indianapolis, New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, NY Jets, and Chicago, you are all going down to this years Super Bowl Champions. San Diego, Oakland and Denver, you have no chance. This is going to be fun.

Humpty Dumpty

2011-08-28T12:43:00.002-05:00

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,
All the king's horses and all the king's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

But that doesn't mean they won't try. If the election were held today, Obama and the democrats would lose. Big. Unfortunately, the election won't happen for another 14 months. The Ministry of Truth believes that is plenty of time to put Humpty back together again.

The Ministry of Truth, NBC division continued their efforts today on the morning talk shows. While hurricane Irene dominated the coverage, NBC felt it was necessary to continually compare the federal government's response to Irene to that during hurricane Katrina. That is like comparing a thunderstorm to a hurricane. No, not like, that's actually exactly what they did. Irene was a dud. The damage and human suffering caused by Irene was far less than hyped. Never the less, NBC thought it a good opportunity to bring back images of the human suffering during Katrina as a reminder of what could happen if Obama is replaced by a republican conservative like George Bush.

The theme of the morning talk shows was hard to miss. Bush bad, Obama good. If Obama wasn't there, he couldn't take care of the millions of people in the path of Irene. I am somewhat amazed they didn't report that Obama stepped out on the back porch of the White House and shouted "Peace be still" to the storm as it passed Washington.

DS of the Week - Debbie Wasserman Schultz

2011-08-19T04:00:00.006-05:00

I just realized the video embed didn't work, so I am re-publishing ...

“The president is in actually remarkably good shape, given that he is still struggling to help pull our economy out of the Republican recession that he inherited. His numbers are still strong,”

DWS is a democratic representative from Florida who recently became the democratic national committee chairwomen. She is very consistent in her statements. Everything she says is a lie.

The RealClearPolitics.com chart above illustrates just how badly Obama's job approval ratings have become. If DWS believes Obama's numbers are good, I can only hope they get better between now and November 2012.

A Weekend with the Little Monsters

2011-08-18T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, Lyndy dropped off the 3 grand kids off at our house for the weekend. Shortly after, Lyndy and Dan left for Eureka Springs and a short 4 day mini-vacation. Interestingly enough, the grand children thought that a couple days with Nana, Papa (and Aunt Bubba), followed by a couple more days with Mimi and Papa, as a vacation. For our two days with the grand kids, we had a few plans for them. Friday evening we went to Culver's for hamburgers and frozen yogurt. All 3 kids were in bed by 9PM and we had little trouble getting them to sleep.

Saturday morning began earlier than most Saturdays as the sound of little feet awoke the adults just after 5AM. That's okay, I naively thought. We'll just wear them out today and make them beg and plead for bedtime tonight.

Saturday was a rare perfect summer day in Kansas City, so we left early for the local park. The grand kids played on all the equipment, expending energy with each minute. By lunch we decided that is was a good morning's wear down, so we took them to the Dollar Store and then lunch at Wendy's. The afternoon was spent mainly outside playing. Watching them run and wrestle convinced me they would soon be tired.

By Saturday evening the grandparents were spent. The grand kids motored on. I don't think they can wear down. We did get a few good pictures before handing them off to their other set of grandparents.

A Contrived Crisis

2011-08-15T15:20:00.000-05:00

Every month, households across the nation consciously or unconsciously perform a simple, but necessary budget exercise. They look at what bills must be paid, their available income, and any extra items they would like to purchase. They decide how to pay these expenses by setting a priority order. Families will usually ensure they pay for the house, utilities, food and utilities before deciding whether additional items can be bought. Businesses do much the same, prioritizing payroll, benefits, materials, and such before making new capital investments.

Most marginally responsible families stop the spending at or before the money runs out. Dire consequences result if they were to borrow enough money to pay for both necessities and desires every month. Nearly every person with a grade school education is smart enough to understand this. Not so with our current congressional representatives and president. They ask for an open line of credit so their spending is not limited in any way.

During the recent debt ceiling crisis, Obama and his loyal minions made statements saying that if the debt ceiling was not raised, the United States would default on loans. They also claimed they could not guarantee paychecks to soldiers or Social Security payments to seniors. This was a contrived crisis. Each month the United States takes in enough tax revenue to pay debt service, military payroll and Social Security checks with billions left over. If the debt ceiling had not been raised and interest payments, paychecks or Social Security were not paid, it would be due to a conscious decision by the Obama administration to pay other bills instead. In reality, there was zero likelihood of a U.S. credit default. But using the Raum Emanuel tactic of never letting a crisis go to waste, one was created for the sole purpose of scaring Americans and denigrating the Tea Party.

Obama's behavior is analogous to a family borrowing to pay both necessities and desires, and being denied a new loan because of their irresponsible action. They then threaten their family that they may not have a home next month because the bank would not loan more money. The fault is not with the bank. The problem is their spending habit. The same is true with our government.

Now take it a step farther by imagining the bank saying they would loan more money if the family would come up with a plan to live within their means. The family opts instead to reduce the amount they will increase spending in the future but decides to make no real spending decreases. Because of the poor spending habits and a refusal to commit to a plan that reforms the destructive behavior, the credit agencies lower this family's credit score. Now, every dollar they owe will carry a higher interest rate. Does this convince the family they have a problem? It should, but instead they blame the credit agency and the bank.

Obama has given lip service to getting the national deficit under control. Whenever presented with an idea to do so, he resists. Congressional liberals have acted even worse. Senator John Kerry called the credit downgrade issued by the S&P ratings service, "the Tea Party downgrade". Many might believe him, however the downgrade was justified based on Obama and the democrats refusal to accept reduced spending (not a reduction in planned increases) and a balanced budget amendment.

1984 All Over Again

2011-08-12T16:20:00.001-05:00

Hello again. It's me. I did a good job of containing myself during the contived debt ceiling crisis, but I can't contain myself any longer.

I recently reread the George Orwell book 1984, a futuristic novel about an all powerful Big Brother government of Oceania, with an Inner Party that controls every aspect of its citizen's lives. While reading it, I was often reminded that Orwell's writings from the 1950's are still relevant today. I saw many parallels with current American politics. However, during the past few weeks as liberal democrats and Obama have made ridiculous statements during the debt ceiling negotiations and the credit downgrade that followed, I began to associate those statements to terms Orwell used in his novel.

It became quite clear that our mainstream media is equivalent to the Orwellian Ministry of Truth. Just as this ministry sought to control all news and history for the benefit of the Big Brother and Inner Party, the mainstream media seeks to ensure the our crippled president Obama is insulated from obvious truths. His "version" of the truth is always reported in a positive light and never challenged with obvious facts. Opponents are ridiculed as inflexible and uncompromising.

But the 1984 parallels go beyond the media. Orwell used the terms doublethink and newspeak to explain how the Inner Party sought to control thought and language in the fictional state of Oceania. Doublethink is the state of mind where 2 mutually exclusive facts are both believed. Big Brother (Obama) and the Ministry of Truth (mainstream media) expect their subjects to use doublethink. How else can they believe the evil pro-business republicans wouldn't participate in finding a solution to the debt ceiling contrived crisis, when in fact they were the only group who passed not one, but two bills to raise the debt ceiling and sent them on to the Senate only to be tabled by the democrats. The first of these bills was called Cap, Cut and Balance and was a serious plan that would have cut real spending levels (not just the rate of spending increases) and forced congress to take up a balanced budget amendment this year. To believe the republicans did not participate, one must engage in doublethink.

We also see examples of newspeak. In the novel, Orwell introduces newspeak as the official government sanctioned language of Oceania. The newspeak vocabulary eliminates all words that detrimental to the Inner Party. In the newspeak language, "tax increases" would be eliminated in favor of "revenue enhancements". In Oceania, Orwell's Inner Party also promote class warfare by equating "capitalists" as the devil overthrown by Big Brother so that all citizens could prosper. Wow. All you need do is exchange "millionaires and billionaires" for "capitalist" and the parallel is frightening.

So when you hear Obama and the democrats tell us there is no spending problem, just a need to get millionaires and billionaires to pay their fair share, (double)think of 1984 and Big Brother.

Life is Good

2011-07-01T09:57:00.000-05:00

I realize I haven't blogged in several weeks and that is not typical of me. It is not that I lost interest in bloviating over the Internet, nor that I ran out of ideas. Instead, it seems that my work is finished.

In reading the letters to the Kansas City Star I find the IQ of the Kansas City residents who write the Star has mysteriously risen enormously. Since I haven't had many quarrels with the letters, which took away my DS of the Week material. Maybe my criticism of their stupid ideas has finally worked?

And just look at what is happening in Washington! Congress and the president are seriously working on cutting the federal budget and getting our fiscal house back in order. Obama has proposed a spending reduction plan that will only required 6,000 thousand years to reach balance. I imagine if he is successful at raising taxes on the "rich", he can cut that number to 5,500 years.

So the country is again on the path to prosperity. Conservatives will likely win the White House (if they don't pick another McCain) and a majority in the Senate. Life is good, and it will only get better.

Cigarette Warnings

2011-06-21T09:40:00.000-05:00

Smokers are pigs, digusting, stink, and often put their rights above those of non-smokers. However the new warnings to be put on cigarette packages next year are just another example of an overbearing federal government. The sad news is that it won't do any good.

Any smoker with an IQ higher than tap water knows that smoking is bad for them. They got the clue when they coughed up part of their lung yesterday, or when a single flight of stairs leaves them breathless. They get the message. So why haven't they quit?

To understand why smokers don't quit, you need to understand what motivates people to change, or not change. It is all about risk and reward. Any bad habit that provides an immediate benefit will be difficult to kick. Smoking gives the smoker immediate pleasure. It also provides other side benefits, such as commradre as they stand outside with other smokers.

Now couple that immediate benefit with a negative consequence that is both delayed and uncertain. Not all smokers become sick. Hardly any become sick immediately. So a habit that provides immediate pleasure with a delayed and uncertain negative consequence is the reason that smokers will ignore these new warnings and continue to smoke.

The entire government approach has a Clockwork Orange flavor to me. In the movie the main character, Alex, is in prison for violent crimes that he committed. He is selected as a candidate for an experimental treatment called Ludovico’s Technique, a form of brainwashing that incorporates associative learning. After being injected with a substance that makes him dreadfully sick, the doctors force Alex to watch exceedingly violent movies. In this way, Alex comes to associate violence with the nausea and headaches he experiences from the shot. The process takes two weeks to complete, after which the mere thought of violence has the power to make Alex ill.

Our government is attempting the same mind control on a smaller scale. They have passed a law that will force smokers to see painful visuals every time they light up. Sounds like the Ludovico Technique to me. I don't see it working given the risk/reward equation that is so powerful to a smoker. But I do worry what may be next. Will we begin to see dead butterflies on our power bill? Or pictures of murdered children at stores that sell weapons?

Demonize the Poor

2011-06-14T10:31:00.000-05:00

Liberals has consistently and successfully parried all conservative attempts to jump start the American economy by claiming they only want to give money to the rich. This has become known as demonizing the rich, or promoting class warfare. It really enrages me.

First, its not giving money to anyone. It is not taking as much as they planned to. Remember the money being "given" to the rich is their own money. Money that was earned, saved or invested. If the government doesn't take it, is that really constitute giving? I don't think so.

Second, assuming it really is giving money to the rich, who else would you want to give money to? The rich has shown an ability to turn a buck into two, and create a few jobs while doing it. If the intention is to jump start the economy, who else would you give money to?

Since Obama has taken office, entitlements to the "poor" are risen. Where are the jobs? It's not working. In fact, it is a drag on the economy. As those who pay federal income tax as fallen below 50% of all citizens, our economic problems have compounded. As entitlements continue to grow and be funded using borrowed money, the value of our dollar has plummeted. As unemployment payments have been extended up to 2 years, unemployment has continued to run over 9%.

Sounds to me that our problems are not caused by the rich, who pay federal tax, and do not draw on entitlements or unemployment compensation. The problems are caused by the poor. At least I have never met a rich person who collects welfare. I am waiting for a candidate to state the obvious. Our current problems are in large part due to so many people collecting off the public dole. Just like with a Ponzi scheme, when more people collect than contribute, catastrophe is near. Let's demonize the poor for a while.

DS of the Week - Reggie Marselus

2011-06-13T10:43:00.001-05:00

This week's DS comes from Reggie Marselus, someone I have crossed paths with in the last 10 years. Here is Reggie's gem published by the KC Star.

Obama’s puny critics

You can tell a lot about a public person’s job performance by examining the critics. That’s why we can conclude that President Barack Obama is having success in his first term in office. His critics have nothing.

There is no substantial footing on which to construct accusations. Opponents’ complaints are trivial and sophomoric. Even those who consider themselves serious thinkers find no solid footing.

No comprehensive policy discussions find their way into valid and thoughtful critiques. It’s all just goofy rallies, inane costumes, phony patriotism and insincere flag waving.

That’s because Fox News would rather air coverage of a circus than a policy forum. No real solutions, just name calling.

President Obama is an honorable man doing an honorable job. And no number of infantile cheap shots will derail his considerable accomplishments.

Reggie Marselus
Lenexa

Unemployment - up, national deficit and debt - up big, energy prices - up big to name a few. But Reggie considers these true measures of a president's job performance trivial, sophomoric, goofy, inane, phony, insincere and infantile cheap shots. How can an individual come to this delusional conclusion? Probably because after 2 and a half years of the Obama administration, Reggie still blames everything bad on George Bush.

I have seen Reggie's letters to the star several times over the past few years. Based on content, he is a left wing radical liberal that is completely out of touch with reality. My eye catches his letters because he once applied for an open position on my team. I know that something in his resume disinterested me from pursuing him. I guess I can trust my gut. Reggie is now proven himself to be an idiot.

Vacation 2011 - One Final Video

2011-06-11T04:00:00.003-05:00

Make sure to turn the volume up.

Vacation 2011 - Coming Home

2011-06-10T10:50:00.000-05:00

Around 7AM on Saturday morning, we loaded up the rental van and started the long trek back to Nashville. The trip seemed shorter this time. The only notable event was our lunch break. Around noon, I pulled off the highway to fill up with gas. The GPS indicated there was a few local restaurants so we tried to achieve consensus on the lunch location. As with the entire vacation, the conversation always went something like this:

Where does everyone want to eat?
I don't care.
I don't care.
Neither do I.
Okay, what do you want to eat?
I don't care.
I don't care.
Neither do I.
Okay, how about [insert restaurant name here]?
I don't care.
I don't care.
Neither do I.

My attempt to avoid this conversation was to find any local restaurant and just stop. It worked. We found the Black Bear Diner, with adjoining Sugar Bear Ice Cream parlor. It was definitely local flavor, reminding me of the many drive in restaurants that were around when I was a kid.

After consuming a $5 cheeseburger, fries with ice tea, we were back on the road. We pulled into Robin's and NILB's house 5PM. I have shared a few pictures of our vacation, but the story is the picture that I missed. Similar to the surprising of Lyndy with her cousin Heather last summer when I snapped a picture of my feet, I missed a once in a lifetime shot while in Nashville. Robin and NILB had vacationed a few days in Florida while we were in North Carolina. They had boarded their two dogs. Both dogs contracted diarrhea upon returning home. The picture I missed was after Robin had taken one of their dogs out to "potty". When returning to the house, Robin wiped the dog's butt. What I would give to have a picture of that.

Vacation 2011 - Sunset Beach

2011-06-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

After an 11 hour hour drive, we arrived at our condo around 6:30 PM eastern time. This year we reserved a 3 bedroom condo on the Oyster Bay golf course, a departure from past years when we stayed at Sea Trails or Brunswick Plantation. The condo was nice and very large.

By 9:00 PM we began to notice that it wasn't getting any cooler inside. A quick inspection found that while the fan was running, the outside compressor was not. It was not a big deal since temperatures that night were in the low 80's outside and high 70's inside. But with the forecast of heat moving in, a quick fix was the only thing that would save the vacation. Luckily, the homeowner we rented from realized the critical nature of AC at a vacation condo and was able to get a repairman out on Sunday morning to fix the problem. Disaster was narrowly averted.

The six days from Sunday through Friday were remarkably similar. The only things that changed much were the golf courses we played at and the restaurants we ate at. Golf and seafood are the attractions of Sunset Beach. Our condo was located within 5 miles of 10 or more courses, and about the same number of seafood restaurants.

Terri shanked it right

We played at The Pearl East, The Farmstead (above), Oyster Bay, The Meadowlands, Lion's Paw, Panther's Run, and The Valley. All were great courses in primo condition with the exception of The Valley, a par 70 executive course that had just aerated their greens. We played there as a second round of the day on our final day in Sunset Beach. Each of us had our good days and our bad days. All of us had a bad day on The Valley course as our golf muscles were complete worn out by then.

There are more seafood restaurants in Calabash (seafood town near Sunset Beach) that time enough to eat at each. We made a valiant attempt. In order, we ate at Twin Lakes, Emma's, Southern Gravy, Captain Nance's, Damon's, Oyster Bay Clubhouse, Greenside(?), Southern Gravy (again), The Grapevine, Granny Allyn's Diner, Crabby Oddwater's, Sunrise Pancake House, and Dockside. Between the 4 of us, we didn't have a single bad meal. Twin Lakes, The Grapevine and Southern Gravy were the best in my opinion.

Thursday evening on the beach

We did find the time to spend one afternoon at the pool, another in Myrtle Beach, and one evening walking the beach. Otherwise, our time was spent golfing and eating. It is what old people do. Our last night in Sunrise Beach was used to make our third trip to The Creamery - it has become a tradition to spend our last evening there.

Is SILC trying to smack BILL?

Vacation 2011 - Getting out of Town

2011-06-07T17:02:00.000-05:00

The blog has been quiet since I have been on vacation. But it stands to reason that my return to the blog should deal with what -T and I did on our summer vacation. The short version is that we had a great time. The longer version follows.

We began our vacation with a 4:30 AM alarm on Friday, May 27th. By 5 AM we were out the door on our way to catch a 7 AM flight to Nashville where we would meet up with our vacation companions, Lloyd (BILL) and Cindy (SILC). Allowing 2 hours to catch the flight seemed reasonable, but after horsing the bags and golf clubs from the car to the shuttle bus, through the long check in line, we had no time to spare. But we made the flight which was uneventful (the kind I like).

We landed in Nashville shortly after 8 AM, picked up the bags, golf clubs and rental van. From there we were off to our niece Robin's and nephew in law Brent's (NILB) new home. There we met up with BILL and SILC, and spent the day with the four. The first stop was the Pancake Pantry, a Nashville tradition for the past 50 years. I have heard stories about their breakfast, but never experienced it before this trip. To Robin and NILB's surprise, the line was only 30 minutes long. Only 30 minutes long at 9:30 AM on a Friday! The Pancake Pantry prides itself on always having a line, so we were indeed fortunate.

After breakfast we returned to Robin and NILB's home for the tour. It was then discovered they had a leaky shower in the bathroom, so myself and BILL decided to make repairs and perform a little home repair 101 for NILB. A couple hours, a trip to Lowe's and then to a local hardware store, and the leak was fixed. At least I hope it still is. At the time, I forgot to explain the warranty in detail, but will now. There isn't one.

A late breakfast calls for an early dinner (or supper as they call it in Nashville). Another landmark, the Loveless Cafe, was our destination. For the record, it was there that I consumed the ONLY barbecue of the trip. A great meal served with their famous biscuits and jellies.

The final destination on this leg of the trip was an evening of Nashville music. We went to a country music bar named Tootsies. As soon as we entered, we were standing in front of a local band that was playing their butts off. There was no open seats in the room, so we shuffled off to the back room hoping to at least be able to hear the band. Even better, the back room also had a band who was just warming up. Soon they began to play and we had a near front row seat. The talent of these bands that are trying to get their break into the music business, far surpasses what is witnessed in Kansas City. After leaving Tootsie's we walked the streets, occasionally stopping to listen to a street performer that was hoping to get their chance too. It is no wonder why Nashville is call Music City.

By 8:30 we were ready to settle down for the night, espesially since we now had a senior in the group. SILC needed her rest before the long trip on Saturday. We were back on the road by 7 AM Saturday morning, cruising east through Tennessee, then North Carolina, cutting across South Carolina before arriving at our destination, Sunset Beach North Carolina around 5 PM. The trip did afford us the opportunity to visit a while with niece Kelsey. She attends a community college in Knoxville, and lives in a large house with about 20 other girls that also attend the University of Tennessee. Kelsey entertained us with her stories of discovering what might have once been soup sitting covered on their stove in the shared kitchen. It was discovered by smell, and not by anyone wondering why a covered pot was on the stove for so many days or weeks. She also updated us on her love life. He current boyfriend is pictured above. I believe she said his name is Mike, and he is a teacher in her hometown.

One final picture from the trip to North Carolina is the row of phone booths spotted at a rest stop along the way. It caught my attention due to the number of pay phones. Does anyone use a pay phone anymore? I can't remember the last time I did. And assuming they are sometimes used, why so many? There were about 8 lined up, even though the picture show only 4. In this day of cell phones, a row of 8 pay phones stood out as very odd.

More about vacation very soon.

Lauren or Scotty?

2011-05-26T04:00:00.001-05:00

I haven't commented often on American Idol season 10 this year. The reason was my disappointment in just about everything related to the show, such as the judges, the contestants, and the format of the show. There were a few good contestants. They were all voted off before the finale on Tuesday. News flash . beep.. beep..beep.. beep. American Idol his no longer a talent competition, it is now a popularity contest.

While this has been true for several seasons, it was never more evident than last night watching a young, weak-voiced Josh Turner impersonator compete against a teeny-bopper super-sized school girl. Neither are more talented than Haley (gone in round 3) or James (gone in round 4). But you are probably wondering who I think will win.

I don't care. Neither deserve it. Neither will have a significant music career. Neither deserve mention along with past Idol winners, or even past high finishers. America screwed this season up bad.

But if you pressed me, Lauren wins. I just hope that American Idol season 11 replaces the judges, or the show is cancelled.

Complete Irresponsibility

2011-05-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

The United States Congress has hit a new low in irresponsibility. They haven't been held in high esteem for decades, but their current job approval rating of less than 25% begs the question: What does 25% of America see congress doing that is good? I am at a loss.

As bad a job as congress is doing, I wouldn't expect job approval to increase at all in the coming months. The reason is the current debate over spending, the deficit, the debt ceiling and future budgets. Instead of stepping up to solve problems, I see more and more congress people increasing their personal level of irresponsibility. The non-existent federal budget is their first area of irresponsibility.

Followers of Dave Ramsey know the first step to controlling personal finance is to do a monthly budget. As he says it, "Every month, on purpose, on paper". This exercise allows families to understand their income and obligations, and plan accordingly. For those who have serious debt problems or not enough income to make ends meet, a monthly budget is basic survival. Yet, our United States congress has not passed a budget since 2009 (for year 2010). Since a 2011 budget was never passed, the federal government has lived on continuing resolutions. These are nothing more than taking a loan out to pay the mortgage every few months. Not passing the budget is the first sign of increasing irresponsibility.

Next, enter representative Paul Ryan. Ryan has developed a budget plan that would put America back on the road towards fiscal solvency. It is a bold, courageous step that made him the target of big spenders on both sides of the aisle. Instead of debating Ryan's budget, or better yet, developing a budget proposal of their own, many in congress have taken the cowardly approach of just demonizing Ryan and supporters of the plan. President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Chuck Schumer have all claimed that Ryan's plan would "kill medicare", when in fact, Ryan's plan may be the only way to save medicare. Instead of putting forth their own plans, they merely criticize the Ryan plan.

The most recent sign of increasing irresponsibility is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's statement last week: “There’s no need to have a Democratic budget, in my opinion,” Reid told the Los Angeles Times last week. “It would be foolish for us to do a budget at this stage.” Instead, Reid wants to wait to see if the deficit-reduction meetings led by Vice President Biden bear any fruit. Before that, Reid wanted to wait for the Gang of Six — now nearly defunct — to come up with something.

So Harry believes it is okay for Congress to shirk their constitutionally mandated role of establishing a federal budget for the president to sign. There is only one reason he would say this. He would rather continue throwing rocks at other peoples proposal that open himself up to criticism of his own proposal. With leadership like this, I doubt that American will ever get its fiscal house in order.

Here is what I expect for the near future. Democrats will amp up the "Republicans want to kill medicare" rhetoric. They will repeat it until many believe it is true. Nothing will be done to save medicare. Medicare will eventually collapse under the cost of the program. I only hope it does not take the American economy with it. Democrats will then claim that Republican killed medicare. The sad part is that many will believe them.

DS of the Week - Harold Camping

2011-05-23T04:00:00.001-05:00

After spending a lifetime in an attempt to determine Judgement Day by studing the Bible as a coded riddle, yet another prediction has missed the mark.

During all that studing, he must have blown right past Matthew 24:36: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."

Was it not clear enough?

One More Day

2011-05-20T04:00:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the end of the world according to Harold Camping, an 89 year old preacher from Oakland, California. Since first posting on this subject, I have learned a few more tid bits to help us in our planning. First, tomorrow won't be the "fireball" end of earth. Instead, it will be the rapture, leaving the earth intact for another 6 months. So now I do need to mow the grass.

But I will have time. Not only does Camping predict the day, he also predicts the hour. The event will occur at 6:00 PM, so my Friday evening has now freed up. I can finish final preparations on Saturday morning. -T and I will have plenty of time to wash the clothes, take out the trash, change the sheets, mow the grass and give those hardwoods a final swiftering. But how much time? The world ends at 6:00 PM, but 6:00 PM where? That specific time occurs at different moments in the 24 time zones across the globe. Does he mean 6:00 PM West Coast time where he lives? Or maybe he is referring to TV show time, you know, 6:00 PM Eastern, 5:00 PM Central. If so, we just lost another hour. Or maybe he is speaking GMT, the worldwide standard that everyone can use to convert to their local time. If so, there went another 5 hours for us in the central time zone.

So now I feel rushed. We have so much to do tomorrow morning. At least, I took care of the toenails last Tuesday. What about the cat? Anyone reading this after 6:00 PM on May 21st, please drop by my house when you can and feed Chumley. We will leave the front door unlocked.

The end of the world comes as good news to some. Pelosi stands to again become House Majority leader.

All You Need to Know About Obamacare

2011-05-19T14:45:00.001-05:00

On March 9th, 2010, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” Absurd as it seems, she was right. We learn a little more each week. The most recent revelation was that of the 1,372 waivers approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, roughly 20% were to businesses located in Pelosi’s Northern California District. The waivers apply to one provision of the law, which requires health plans to offer at least $750,000 worth of annual medical benefits before leaving patients to fend for themselves.

Not reported by the mainstream media, the entire state of Nevada, home to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is receiving an Obamacare waiver! Nevada has secured a statewide waiver from certain implementation requirements of the Obama administration’s health care law, because forcing them through “may lead to the destabilization of the individual market.” How can this be? Wasn't this legislation the crown jewel of Obama, Pelosi and Reid's two years of complete control of the legislative and executive branches?

Not really. The waivers are simply a payoff for ramming the bill the American people didn't want through the House and Senate. "Payoff" connotes a value for not participating. Unfortunately, you and I will be forced to.

Spider Webbing

2011-05-17T04:00:00.003-05:00

For a couple weeks I have been thinking about writing a blog that describes my conversations with -T. I thought the format of the post would be how she changes subjects without warning, wanders off topic, but eventually returns to the point, even is it is an hour later.

I wasn't able to describe it coherantly, so never published the post. But then, last Sunday a preview of the Love & Respect video series hosted at our church gave it a name. It's called Spider Webbing and it describes many conversations I have with my wife.

DS of the Week - Jean Dunlop

2011-05-16T08:49:00.002-05:00

Jean Dunlop of Kansas City is this week's DS of the Week. Jean is a great example of how the mainstream media can fool the weak minded into believing something that is not true.

Tax burden on poor

I find it very interesting that the GOP continually recommends budget cuts that directly affect the poor who really need the resources. I wonder how much of the deficit would be alleviated if the large corporations and the upper classes actually paid the same percentage of taxes that are paid by the poor and middle classes.

Even if they all paid 15 percent to 20 percent, I believe the national debt would be vastly lessened.

People need to understand this fundamental premise, rather than to respond viscerally to a cry to decrease government spending.

The poor and middle working classes have shouldered this burden alone for too long.

Jean Dunlop
Kansas City

Jean does not realize that 51% of lower income Americans pay no federal income tax at all. That would be "the poor" she believes pay more than their fair share of taxes. I am sure the so called rich and large corporations would trade tax rates with the poor and middle class in a heartbeat.

While Jean plays the part of a DS, the blame is on the main stream media as they continue to perpetuate the lie that America's rich and large corporations pay little tax, and benefit greatly from the tax policies of George Bush. This would be the same tax policy that Barack Obama and the democratic congress just extended another 2 years, but I am sure Jean is unaware of that fact. The main stream media have again proven that if you repeat a lie often enough, a DS like Jean Dunlop of Kansas City will believe it is true.

The Next 10 Days

2011-05-11T13:39:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have seen the recent press about a Christian group that claims the end of the world will occur on May 21. There have been newspaper ads and billboard around the country announcing the date. The group bases their claim on a complex Biblical formula they invented. They used the formula before to predict Armageddon in 1994. They were wrong, but using a continuous improvement philosophy, found their error and recalculated the end date as 5/21/2011. They think. Who knows, maybe they are right?

So that gives everyone 10 days to prepare. What will you do? Myself, as a Christian, will prepare in the same way I would before going on a vacation. Since I plan to leave on a vacation several days after the scheduled end of the world, I just need to accelerate my preparation slightly.

Since the group didn't specify whether the end would come early or late in the day, I may need to cut the grass on Friday night. On second thought, maybe I can skip that since the yard would be consumed in a ball of fire anyway. I will need to cut my toe nails. I don't know why, but I always do before vacations. I think I do it so that I won't need to pack the toenail clippers. Saves room in the toiletry bag. I cancelled the paper delivery last month, so that is one thing I don't need to worry about. But what about the mail? The US Postal Service claims to deliver regardless of rain, sleet, snow or dark of night. Nothing about Armageddon, so maybe I will be safe and put a hold on the mail.

That pretty much sums up my preparations. -T will have other things. We will need to wash the bedding, empty the trash, and do the laundry on Friday. Then just before the end of the world arrives, -T will need to swiffter the hardwood floors. Then, we are outta there.

Madison's Second Performance

2011-05-08T20:32:00.000-05:00

The video is not too good, but the audio is awesome.

Her Nana and Papa are so proud.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2011-05-07T04:00:00.002-05:00

I have worked in a corporate environment for nearly 15 years. Today (Friday) I have just witnessed the most stupid meeting ever called. As if yanked straight from a Dilbert cartoon strip, a meeting was called and a list of issues (Issue Register) was sent with the meeting invitation list. The meeting was conducted over a conference call complete with remote PC meeting space where the Issue Register was displayed to all participants.

The call host began by saying that he would not be using the meeting to discuss the issues contained on the Issue Register, begging the question of why it was created? How does he believe the issues would be be resolved. He then wanted the meeting participants to weigh in on what this meeting, and the future series of meetings, should be used for. So my summary notes from the meeting are:

Issue Register distributed to meeting recipients
There was no known purpose for this or subsequent meetings.
Meetings will not be used to discuss issues
Let the magic begin

I get paid for this. You can't make this stuff up.

Picture of a Dead Guy

2011-05-06T14:39:00.000-05:00

I have listened to the right and left leaning media with interest ever since Obama announced last Sunday evening that Osama bin Laden was dead. I find that I cannot agree with either. The announcement was breath-taking. After nearly 10 years on the run, America got its man. A sense of relief and satisfaction was felt by most Americans old enough to have witness the twin towers crash down. I believe the national unity ends there.

Obama's decision to send in the Navy Seals was described by the left as a "tough call" made by a decisive leader. Baloney. It was a no-brainer that if not made, would have sank his presidency. Clinton took heat for lobbing a couple of Tomahawk missiles at OBL after the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. Bush took heat for letting OBL out of the box a Tora Bora. Obama would have been destroyed had it ever been known that he knew where OBL was and did not act. The liberal media are propping Obama up, making him look like the hawkish president he is not.

On Monday and Tuesday, many of the conservative talk show hosts paid complements to Obama's handling of the event. By Wednesday they began criticizing him for the clumsy, sometimes contradictory, stories coming out of the White House. When the White House announced on Thursday they would not release pictures of the dead OBL, the right attacked. I don't understand it.

Osama bin Laden is dead. Even al-Qaida acknowledges this fact. There will be some extremists that will not believe that he is dead. A picture will not change their feeble minds. Releasing the picture will not make OBL any deader. There is no upside, and could have a huge inflammatory down side. My gut tells me that when there is no upside and a potential downside, the risk can never be justified. There is no need to release a picture of OBL with a hole in his head. The right should back off.

I am sure that many people would like the satisfaction of seeing OBL dead. Maybe they would consider it closure for 9/11. Myself, I take great satisfaction in knowing the OBL spent his last 10 years wondering if a Navy Seal would be the next and final thing he would ever see. I am sure he knew how it would end for him. It must have been a tormented life. That, along with a tormented eternity is vengeance enough for me.

Smokers are Pigs

2011-05-05T04:00:00.001-05:00

The weather is beginning to look more consistenly like Spring, and I have restarted my habit of walking the campus each day for the purposes of exercise and stress reduction. My route through the campus takes me past several areas designated for the vanishing breed called cigarette smokers. I am amazed at how disconnected they are from their surroundings.

Smoker areas are littered with cigarette butts. They simply throw them down instead of using the provided ash cans. What amazes me more is how they also throw down so much other trash, be it celophane cigarette package wrappers, empty packs, gum wrappers, or anything else they have no need of. I have come to the conclusion, in a blinding flash of the obvious, that cigarette smokers are pigs. They foul any area where they are allowed to congregate. They are completely oblivious to how they take advantage of the courtesies extended to them. Even a dog knows not to poop in its own bed.

Judging from the past 10 years, I expect that society over the next 10 years will eliminate the courtesies smokers now receive. It is getting rarer to see a smoking section at any public establishment, and almost all smoking now occurs outdoors. Even these rare areas are being moved farther and farther from normal egress to and from buildings. The grade schoolers of today do not know what a typewriter is, and many have never seen a wired phone in their home. The next generation my never see smokers as it will be banned for all public places. Good riddance.

Criticism

2011-05-04T09:42:00.000-05:00

I am not that good at taking criticism. Even the constructive kind. I shouldn't be that way, but I am. When someone tells me that my brisket was too dry, you shouldn't cook bacon over a open flame, or maybe that electric smoker wasn't such a good idea, I react negatively. I know they are trying to help me, but I guess I am thin skinned. -T claims that I have become increasingly sensitive in my advancing maturity.

It is strange that I take criticism so poorly, because giving it is one of my strengths. As a manager, one of my primary roles is to criticize. We call it coaching or developmental feedback, but it is just criticism. The good kind. I soften it by telling my folks that it would be unfair not to criticize them. After all, how can I expect them to improve year after year if I don't tell them what to improve on?

Delivery of criticism is also a talent. I once took a course that claimed that you can tell anybody anything if you just say it the right way. I don't know about that, but I do my best. One tactic is to lead off the criticism with a complement. "You are one of the strongest contributors on my team and could become even stronger if you would show up for work occasionally." "I really feel fortunate to have you on my team, and would like to see you become less timid and more productive." This also works with personal relationships. "Your brisket is wonderful. Too bad it is a little dry." "Cooking bacon on the grill is a great idea! It's so unfortunate it didn't work." "You absolutely rock! I know you will master the electric smoker very soon!"

Osama is Dead - Reactions

2011-05-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

Anonymous Saudi:
"I feel that it is a lie, I don't trust the U.S. government or the media. They just want to be done with his story. It would be a sad thing if he really did die. I love him and in my eyes he is a hero and a jihadist."

Hamas:
"We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood. We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs."

Anonymous Egyptian:
"I am not happy at the news. Osama was seeking justice. He was taking revenge on the Americans and what they did to Arabs, his death to me is martyrdom, I see him a martyr."

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf :
“American troops coming across the border and taking action in one of our towns, that is Abbottabad, is not acceptable to the people of Pakistan. It is a violation of our sovereignty,”
Frank Bryant:
"May his 88 virgins look and smell like pigs."

DS of the Week - David Gregory

2011-05-02T04:00:00.004-05:00

I made the mistake of watching Meet the Press this week. The show's host is David Gregory, an inferior replacement for the late Tim Russert. I always respected Russert because I knew he was a liberal, but took great effort to be fair minded and usually was. Gregory is also a liberal, but each week he says something stupid that prove his liberal colors. This week he mentioned that Obama had released his birth certificate. He asked David Axelrod if this was all about racism. What?

The U.S. Constitution mandates that a president must be a "natural citizen" to be eligible to serve. From Article 2, Section 1:

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Obama brought the controversy on himself by not answering the questions immediately. Since he did not, the question of his citizenship has followed him. When Gregory asked if it was all about racism, he tipped his hand yet again. He is a big liberal who cannot miss the chance to call conservatives racists, even though calling into question Obama's citizenship was justified. To libs like Gregory, anyone who opposes Obama on any grounds does so because he is black. Shame on you David Gregory. You are the DS of the week.

Note: When he released his long form birth certificate, Obama proved that he did not meet the constitutional qualification to be president. The Constitution clearly states "natural born citizen", which has a definition.

Natural-born American citizens are those born of American citizen parents, within or without the American Republic, provided in the latter case that one of the parents had resided in the United States prior to the birth of the child.
Obama's father was not an American citizen, so by the strict interpretation of the Constitution, Obama is not eligible to be president. Since the writing of the constitution, the language has been expanded to include those who did not have to do anything special to achieve citizenship, I suspect Obama did not and he obviously bases his claim of eligibility on this. Either way, he is president now and to remove him would do more harm to the nation than letting him finish the term.

But still, the question is a valid one and not based in racism.

Interior Design Primer

2011-04-29T10:30:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was accused of boring blogging by someone who blogs on occasion. This critic believes my best work is done when I blog about interior design and the DS of the Week. Since he is a devoted reader, I will give him what he wants. This first blog will cover the basic skills needed to balance form and function, beauty and comfort into your home. Please remember that I am not a trained interior designer - it simply come natural. Use these rules and techniques in your home and you will be thought of as an inspired designer of comfortable living spaces.

Rule #1 - Use color and pattern. Look at this example! What a bold use of color to draw attention to the predominate features in the room. This designer was not afraid to use lots of color and lots of pattern in one space, and neither should you. Wouldn't it be a shame to live in a solid color room with solid color furniture accented with solid color pillows plus maybe one patterned one?

Rule #2 - Understand wood. Use it to your advantage in your home. Getting wood in each room creates a warm feeling that makes a house a home. This designer used wood in their bedroom. Notice how the furniture is arranged so they can view and enjoy the wood?

Rule #3 - Be creative. The worst thing you can do when designing your interior is stay inside the normal boundaries. Do you really want a home that looks like your neighbors? This designer didn't and took great risks to ensure their home was unique to any other in the universe.

Rule #4 - Use green. Green is the predominate color in nature, so use it liberally in your home. This designer used green in their kitchen. Think of how often the ceiling will color coordinate with the food they are serving. But don't make the mistake of using green only in the kitchen. Green is a great color for the bathroom also. Green bathroom tile is making a come back in certain parts of the country.

Rule #5 - Never put form ahead of function. Remember that no matter how pretty the room is, you still have to live in it. This designer had that in mind when designing efficiency into their kitchen. Just think how easy this kitchen will make meal preparation. When facing to the right and preparing a meal, a quick 180 degree turn and they are facing their canned goods. No more stooping to reach items or opening cabinet doors. This is simply a marvelous kitchen design.

Follow these 5 simple rules and you too can become an interior designer. A new DS of the week will be named in the next blog posting.

I Could've Made a Difference

2011-04-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I anointed the KC Royals as the 2011 World Series Champions. They were 10-4 at the time, in first place, and looking good in all areas of the game. Since then they have gone 2-8 and looked like the Royals we have come to expect. I now wonder if they can become the champs. I can't help but think that I could've made a difference. If I were just the starting shortstop, things could be a lot better. A couple of key hits in crucial situations, a nicely turned double play, taking an extra pitch and drawing a walk, or just keeping the clubhouse mood positive. They could be 18-6 and the surprise of the league. If only I were the starting shortstop. I could've made the difference.

On Wednesday evening I watched American Idol. The talent level of the contestants are no different than prior years, yet the program is no longer enjoyable. I really don't care who is the 2011 American Idol. What is the difference? The judges. What a shame. Each one takes their turn saying the same thing. "You are so great", "That was beautiful", "You rock!", "You are in it to win it". I guess that would be true if each contestant was that good, but they are not. When the judges only provide positive feedback, they cheat the performer on what is needed to improve. They are playing the grandparent role, and not the coach.

Simon knew how to honestly assess the performance and provide candid feedback. He was also entertaining when he did it. I should have been named Simon's replacement. I can provide candid feedback, like "That was unbearable, sort of like fingernails on a chalkboard" or "You suck". That is what this year's show lacks. Honest feedback. I could've made a difference.

I Stand Corrected

2011-04-26T12:03:00.000-05:00

Last weekend my niece Heather and her husband NILK visited from Memphis. It was a great time for -T and I as we always enjoy our time with a young and middle aged person who have their heads screwed on straight. They left around noon on Easter after enjoying a brunch of -T's ebberwaffles and eggs. There was supposed to be bacon, but ... you will probably hear about that later. During brunch I started telling them a story of when BILL , SILC, -T and I visited a Branson winery and participated in a tasting of their products.

As I told the story, we were standing around a high table next to an older couple who were obviously Ozark hill people. You could tell by the toothless grins, and how there were nowhere as sophisticated as SILC (the standard I always use to compare others). The tasting started by pouring everyone a sample of grape juice that was sold at the winery. "mmm, pretty good" was the reaction from all around the table. The next sample was a sweet fruity wine which brought the same reaction. Subsequent samples became progressively dry (bitter), until the final sample brought a dramatic reaction from the older lady from the hills. She shrieked "yaaaakkkkk!, that was awful" as she spewed her sample out on the table. Not the typical high brow wine sampler reaction. BILL, SILC, -T and I found the reaction to be hilarious.

-T remembers the event, possibly better than I do and corrected me midway through the story. She claims the tasting started with the dry wine and moved to progressively sweeter wines. Maybe she is right. I told the story how I remember it, and it made a better story my way. But in the spirit of honesty and accuracy, I will post these corrections:

During the wine tasting at Stone Hill winery in Branson Missouri, the order of the tasting may well have been from dry to sweet.
In a past blog about School Lunches, I did claim that my grand daughter's school required that 2 fruits and 1 vegetable be included in lunches brought by the kindergartners. I now need to correct that post by stating it was actually policy for preschoolers and applied to my grandson Clay.

I am sorry for any inconveniences these innocent errors my have caused and will attempt to blog more accurately in the future. Everything else you may have read on Simple Thoughts is entirely accurate and can be believed without question.

DS of the Week - Scott Adams

2011-04-25T09:48:00.000-05:00

Scott is the recipient of this week's DS award. I actually like Scott. He is the cartoonist that creates the comic strip Dilbert. Dilbert is my favorite comic. Of all time. Scott is absolutely a genius at poking fun at the daily activities that occur in most offices. When Scott blogs, I don't like him so much. Scott is a lib. Here is a recent excerpt from his daily blog.

I wonder if any old-time racists still exist. I knew a few racists when I was a kid, back in upstate New York. In my adult life, I don't think I've met one. I wonder, does such a person exist who can watch President Obama on the news, then meet an unfamiliar African-American guy and assume in advance that he's less...what? I might be able to draw comics better than President Obama, but only because he hasn't tried. On every other comparison I wouldn't do so well. I don't think I'm alone. I don't mean to insult you, but if I'm picking teams for chess, debate, Scrabble, or basketball, I'm picking Obama before you. And I don't even know you.

Scott sounds like he may be guilty of idol worship. He supports Obama simply because he believes Obama is a smart guy. Check your principals at the door - vote for who you think is the smartest. Disregard the platform and what the candidate says. Intelligence is the only criteria to use when selecting a leader. People like Scott are the reasons we currently have an inexperienced president who is struggling to lead.

Voting for a man just because he is smart? I suspect Hitler was smart. So was Bernie Maddoff. I am glad we they didn't run for president in 2008, or Scott and his ilk may have voted them in.

I found that Scott's selection of Obama to his basketball team stereotypical, and borderline racist. Yet, the intent of his blog appears to be to smear those who do not support Barrack as the racists.

I will continue to read Dilbert each day, but when Scott Adams blogs, he shows himself as a DS.

Zero Tax Payment

2011-04-20T15:38:00.001-05:00

The media has played up General Electric' zero federal income tax in 2010 recently. Why haven't they followed up with the story that 47% of all American wage earners didn't pay any federal income tax either?

Of the two stories, The GE non-payment impacts the average tax payer less than the 47%, since GE would pass their tax burden on to consumers as a cost of doing business.

Each of the 47% who don't pay a federal tax directly increase the amount of taxes paid by the 53% who do. I think that is the bigger story.

I Like to Watch - Jane Eyre

2011-04-18T04:00:00.005-05:00

On Saturday I gave -T the chance to get even with me for making her see "The Music Never Stopped". She made sure the score would be even by the end of the day by selecting "Jane Eyre". But like the good husband I am, I did not complain and accompanied her with the obediency I have instilled into both our children, and was subsequently passed to my grand kids.

I found the movie to be a classic cinematic masterpiece, well acted and with a certain elegance few movies can claim. The plot was complex and brought surprises at every turn. The story went something like this.

People can be mean. Jane was sad. People were mean to Jane. Jane Eyre was a sad child and a sad teenager. Jane Eyre was a movie about mean people and a sad person. I picked that up during the first 10 minutes. About then Jane blasted right through the cup of coffee I had downed from the concession stand and hit me like a horse tranquillizer.

The next thing I know is that the lady a few seats down had to go to the restroom, so I woke up and let her pass. I noticed that Jane was still sad, but also forgiving to an aunt who was mean to her. The horse tranquillizer kicked in again.

The next thing I know is that the movie had an ending and -T woke me up. The closing credits were playing sad music, so I don't think much of the plot changed while I snoozed. Jane Eyre was about meanness and sadness. Oh, yeah, and forgiveness. I suspect it may be a movie they turn into a book. Sort of like Les Misérables, which was a much better movie than Jane Eyre. After watching Les Misérables, I thought it could become a classic if they turned it into a book. A few days later I was at a book store, and bam! There it was. Les Misérables, the book. They must have had it ready to go when the movie was released.

-T liked Jane Eyre. You will have to ask her about it. I think the moral of the story is that people can be mean. We should forgive them. And that -T and I are now even.

DS of the Week - Barack Obama

2011-04-16T04:00:00.003-05:00

After a hiatus of 36 years, we have a new DS of the week. I can't remember who was the last one, but the new one is President Barack Obama. He now has something to display next to his Nobel Peace Prize. The only difference between the two is that this award is deserved. Why does he deserve this award?

During a conversation he thought was on with donors to his campaign, he said the following:

"I said, 'You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We'll have that debate. You're not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we 're stupid?'"

Yes, I do wonder. Over 65% of the population has no interest in his stupid health care scam, yet he defends and protects it with more enthusiasm that he defends our country.

He also deserves this award for leaving a snickers in the punch bowl when instead of comparing and contrasting his budget plan to Paul Ryan/s, he opted to trash Ryan's intentions and tells fibs about how Republicans want to leave the poor and elderly behind. How can he expect productive negotiations after laying that groundwork?

Anyone who gave a fair review to Obama's speech on deficient reduction knows that he was extremely deceitful. In the words of Representative Joe Wilson, "You lie!"

DS of the Week

2011-04-15T04:00:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time in the land of Shawnee Kansas, a young man was hired by the Red Lobster restaurant chain. He started as a busboy earning $1.60 per hour which was minimum wage at the time. Very soon he proved his value to the restaurant manager, who acted on the young man's request to do real work in the kitchen. The young man was promoted to dishwasher. But he had not yet reached his potential. Within a few weeks he became the back up cook, fry cook, broiler man, assembler and finally the lead role in the Red Lobster kitchen, expediter.

This was a time before computers, the Internet, or blogging. Yet, this young man yearned to do something more. He wanted to write. So he began a weekly column, published only in the break room of the Red Lobster where he worked. The column was called "DS of the Week". Each week, the young man would faithfully chronicle events that occurred in the restaurant that he considered to be stupid. It might be a dishwasher who dropped a stack of plates, a back up cook who left a can of oysters unrefrigerated for a day or two, or a broiler man who rested his arm on the white hot broiler grate. There was never a shortage of material.

The purpose of the DS of the Week column was to poke a little fun at comrades and be as humorous as possible. The column had the support of the restaurant manager who saw it as a way to build teamwork while learning from mistakes. Nobody become too upset when named DS of the Week, and everyone got their turn. Little did that young man know that DS of the Week would eventually become Stupid Letter of the Week, and regularly followed by up to 12 different people.

So now you will understand the name change and why I don't plan to use Stupid Letter of the Week any longer. So what does DS stand for you might ask? Well, it's a compound word that starts with Dumb. Since I do not curse, that is all I can say.

Two Budgets

2011-04-14T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last week the Congress reached an agreement on a short term spending resolution that supposedly cut around $40b from the budget. What I find humorous is that our representatives aren't hiding in shame over their efforts. That is because in the time it took them to reach the agreement, we had spent more in interest on the national debt that they supposedly saved. They continue to nibble around the edges of the problem instead of tackling it. Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

Now the Congress is taking up the larger issue of increasing the debt ceiling and passing next year's budget. Those fights will make last week's threat of a government shut down look like a small skirmish. Raising the debt ceiling will get done since it is the only way Congress can continue to spend money, and America cannot risk defaulting on our debts. The battle royale will be on next year's budget. There will be 2 budgets submitted for debate.

The first budget has already been released by Rep. Paul Ryan. His budget tackles entitlements through various ways, such as block granting funds to the states, and privatizing certain responsibilities. His budget also provides some tax reduction intended to stimulate economic growth. Since Ryan's budget focuses on spending, there is a lot of pain in it. Liberals have already, and will continue to criticize the budget as friendly to business and hurtful to the middle and lower income citizens. It is probably a fair criticism. Those who benefit from government spending the most will feel the most pain. Those who generate the most government revenue will be spared much of the pain.

Within the next few days, a liberal budget will be released. That budget will increase taxes, especially on corporations and the wealthy. That budget will not seriously address entitlement spending. That budget will be an easy sell to the American public who rarely look beyond the surface. The sound bites will sound good, and their budget will become the most popular. But it will not solve our debt crisis. Why? The simple answer is that we don't have a tax rate problem, we do have a spending problem, and the liberals will never agree on reduced spending. If the next budget were to increase the tax rate to 100% for everyone earning >$250k a year, all fortune 500 companies, and confiscate the assets of every American billionaire, they could not fund the federal government for a single year.

Any American who supports increasing the corprate tax rate is deluded. Increasing that tax only increases the cost of doing business for the corporation. As with any cost of doing business, it is passed on through higher prices for their goods and services. Does anyone really believe a corporation that eats the higher tax rate will be in business very long? Increasing the corporate tax rate increases cost to all Americans. It is simply a hidden tax that makes for a good sound bite.

Any budget that does not aggressively attack entitlement spending is simply smoke and mirrors that will not solve the problem - SPENDING.

School Lunches

2011-04-13T04:00:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week I learned the school my grand daughter goes to requires that her sack lunch include 2 fruits and 1 vegetable. My first reaction was the policy was insane. What are they doing? Do they think that school lunches are more nutritious than those carried in, so they need to enforce a nutrition policy? Or is it that a potential exists for "lunch envy" when one student sees a better tasting lunch brought in by another student. I am sure that would set off a few riots in the kindergarten lunch room at her Christian school. Maybe even a food fight reminiscent of "Animal House".

This was new information to me, and if still a parent of a grade school child would set me off - sorta like when my daughter's kindergarten teacher began a policy of assigning homework every day. She really wasn't assigning homework to the student, but rather to the parent. Assignments were things like "count the number of red items in your house", or "dress a bag of in-the-shell peanuts in authentic Civil War clothing and reenact the battle of Gettysburg". Okay, only one of these was true. But the point is that it forced the parent to spend considerable time with their child each day to finish a stupid pointless assignment. Have you met Allison?

Then I find out on the news that in other areas of the country, certain items such as potato chips, cupcakes, soda, and Twinkies are banned from sack lunches. And one school in Chicago has banned students from bringing in sack lunches! That goes way too far. I am of the opinion that a parent should be allowed to send Red Bull and Cotton Candy in their own child's sack lunch if that is what they want them to have for lunch.

Now is That Really Helpful?

2011-04-08T12:08:00.001-05:00

Forget about Gabrielle Giffords ushering in a new environment of civility, the current budget battle between Republicans and Democrats is increasing the volume of hyperbole. Here are a few quotes taken over the last 2 days:

Nancy Pelosi: “There is actually a war on women,” taking aim at House Republicans’ efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and restrict access to abortions, among other measures.

Jesse Jackson: “This is a Civil War fight, I think Time magazine has it right. This is the 150th anniversary of the 1861 Civil War. Now those are determined to shut the federal government down to make their point — their ideological-religious point.”

Washington D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (another democrat):“We are absolutely outraged. This is the functional equivalent of bombing innocent civilians,”.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: "This is Virginia's big weekend. It's the cherry blossom, the cherry blossom festival. People plan to come here all year, and one of the things they want to do when they come here is take a walk down the Mall, go to the National Art Gallery, go to one of the great Smithsonian museums. Won't do that, they'll close at 12:00 tonight. All of this to stop women from getting the regular tests and preventative services that they need,". Harry! Which is it? Do the Republicans want to be mean to tourists or women?

Remember these the next time you hear democrats call republicans mean-spirited.

Stupid Letter of the Week

2011-04-07T04:00:00.008-05:00

The honor of being named the most stupid person to write a letter to the KC Star this week goes to K. Edward Young. You have to worry about the opinion of anyone who uses their first initial. Makes you wonder if they are ashamed of it. I think K stands for Kook. So I will call K. Edward Young, Kook for short. He proves it with the first sentence of his letter. Anyone know what counties America has taken over recently?

End warmongering

We need to replace the Pentagon warmongers. Instead of going around the world taking over countries in the name of democracy, the U.S. should let the affected people decide what they want.

Look at the Middle East. We go to their countries to promote democracy and human rights.

In their eyes, we are the aggressors and use force upon those who do not accept democracy, as we occupy and desecrate their land.

Every year we spend trillions of dollars in the region, and all over the world to treat people like this.

The United Nations and NATO tell us to go take care of the problems.

Do we ever see any other countries coming forward, putting their soldiers on the line more than us? Do we ever see those war debts paid back to us?

Billions of dollars goes to Pakistan to help fight al-Qaida every year. Have we seen a dividend?

Bring our soldiers home. Protect our citizens and our borders. Save those billions of dollars. Cut the Pentagon’s budget.

K. Edward Young
Kansas City, Kan.

In the Kook's world, the Pentagon decides where to start wars the citizens of those countries don't want. I guess he hasn't read the Consistution that gives control of the military to the President. I also don't believe he has stayed on top of current events and doesn't know that Libyians started this war themselves to get what they want - freedom from a dictator.

The bad county, America, goes to the mid east to promote democracy and human rights. Gastly! We are so bad. We should be ashamed! I wonder if the average Iraqi or Afghan would agree that America has desecrated their land? I doubt it.

What an idiot. Kook, you are what is wrong with America. Blaming this country for supporting democracy and human rights across the world. You should be ashamed of much more than your first name!

Weather Obsession? Maybe.

2011-04-06T04:00:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week I posted about an episode of severe weather we had in the neighborhood. I indicated that my normal location when severe weather rolls in is standing on the front porch. I have always had a interest in extreme weather. A good thunderstorm with lots of lightening will entertain me for the duration. The past 3 years living in Basehor has satisfied that interest with several severe weather days, a couple of blizzards and more snow than I can ever remember in a 2 year stretch.

But even before that, others have noticed my weather interests. SILC and -T always gave me trouble for watching the Weather Channel so much back in the eighty's. I had to explain to them that I was interested in the channel only because they were originally owned by the same company that owned TeleCable, my employer of the time. But I will admit that I also liked to follow the weather radar. That was new and cool.

My interest in weather probably comes from my mother. She was deathly afraid of tornados. Living in Kansas in a home without a basement is a bad thing for someone with that phobia. My mother had my father construct a tornado shelter in the crawlspace of our house. It was made of four 4"x4" posts with a 3/4 inch plywood roof. I seriously doubt whether it would have provided any significant protection form a tornado. It would more likely ensure that all of us were smashed equally under the weight of a collapsed house.

Yet, during each tornado scare, we would all crawl under the shelter in our damp, dark, musty crawlspace and wait for the portable radio or tornado sirens to inform us it was safe to exit. We had a map of the Kansas City area, complete with concentric circles at peridoic miles from downtown. This allowed us to plot sighted tornados and predict whether we were in their path. We were set up in case a tornado did destroy our house. We had bottles of water and saltine crackers to sustain us until rescuers arrived. We had water putty to plug a broken gas line that we happened to share under the shelter. We had empty Miracle Whip jars to use to relieve ourselves in. We had flashlights and a transistor radio.

I think my mother was this way because of weather events in her life. I seem to remember a story from her childhood when high winds or a tornado struck as they barely escaped into the storm shelter of their house. There was also a nearby F5 tornado catastophe in the Ruskin Heights neighborhood of Kansas City in 1957. Forty people dies in that storm which leveled a 71 mile path from Williamsburg Kansas to Martin City Missouri. I can imagine this left an impression on a young mother with a 1 year old son (me). Her maternal instinct was to protect her family. This was the environment that my interest in weather, specifically severe weather grew.

Ruskin Heights High School gymnasium.
I don't know how many times my mother told us the story of the tornado that could spell.

2011 ACM Awards

2011-04-05T04:00:00.001-05:00

On Sunday night the Acadamy of Country Music (ACM) handed out their awards for 2011. This is the big event of the year for Country Music. So many of you are wondering if they got it right this year. I give them a C-. Here is my review of the effort. Remember, I try to assess the talent, while the ACM judges based on poularity.
Awards:

Vocal Event of the Year: “As She’s Walking Away” – Zac Brown Band ft. Alan Jackson - Good pick. Zac Brown doesn't win enough awards. This guitar band that can sing is one of the brightest spots in country music now. It is also nice they were able to prop up an aging country boy singer who is on his last legs.

Video of the Year: “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert - Stupid category, but if you have to pick a winner, why not this one.

Song of the Year: “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert - How many times can one artist win an award for a single song. The funny thing is that she won Album of the Year for "Revolution" during last year's ACM awards, and this song is on that album. How many years do they allow a song to qualify for this award?

Single Record of the Year: “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert - Okay, somebody tell me the difference between Song and Single of the year. I think they are the same.

Album of the Year: “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum - Interesting. Last year, Miranda won the album awards for "Revolution", while Lady Antebellum won the single awards for "Need You Now". This year, they simply swapped awards. Does this mean there isn't that much good new Country Music? I think there is. The academy just isn't trying hard enough.

Top New Artist: The Band Perry - Okay, these one hit (so far) wonders are interesting enough. We will see if they can follow up their debut album with something that still sounds like Country Music.

Top New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year: The Band Perry - Again a double award for the same thing. Stupid.

Top New Solo Vocalist of the Year: Eric Church - Who?

Top Vocal Group of the Year: Lady Antebellum - Over rated. Lady Antebellum got a lot of air play on both pop and country stations this year. That doesn't make them good, it only makes them popular. Personally, I would love to never hear "Need you Now" ever again. It was an over-played song on a mediocre album.

Top Vocal Duo of the Year: Sugarland - Who else now that Brooks and Dunn broke up?

Top Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert - Miranda is a great entertainer and song writer. She has never been a great vocalist.

Top Male Vocalist of the Year: Brad Paisley - Three years straight. I am good with this one.

Entertainer of the Year: Taylor Swift - It has been three years they removed the Entertainer of the Year tattoo from Pretty Boy Kenny. I am glad they started spreading this award around, however I am not sure Taylor is the most deserving.

Performances:

Best of the night was a tie. Keith Urban performed in the manner that makes him special - just himself, a guitar and a chair. Forget the screaming electric guitars Keith. Last night's performance is what sets you apart from the others. Also great was the Zac Brown Band with Jame Taylor. Although James sounded old and frail, their transtion from "Colder Weather" to "Sweet Baby James" was a highlight of the evening. These guys (ZBB) don't get enough credit.

The only other performance that I can remember was Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland) with Rhianna. Talk about a beat down. I have never seen one artist turn a duet into a street fight that ends with Jennifer sitting on top and rubbing Rhianna's nose in the fact there is no vocal comparison between the two. Jennifer was brilliant. Rhianna was missing in action. Maybe she stepped backstage for a brief crying jag. She was so out of place. It was like comparing a professional singer to a grade school musician. Oh wait, maybe that was exactly what it was.

Make sure that you check out my NCAA tournament prediction.

Severe Weather

2011-04-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

Even though I have lived in the so-called Tornado Alley all my life, I have never seen one (I won't count the nanosecond view of one I once had from my grade school window before the teacher intervened). I thought that was going to change last night. We had an especially hot humid day for April 3rd. The record high was 82 and we hit 91 around 2:30 in the afternoon. Winds were strong all day. A strong cold front was coming, so the set up was great for severe weather.

Around 7:00 PM I did what I always do when severe weather is close - I stand on my front porch and watch it. I hadn't been watching to long before I spotted a strange cloud formation that had my attention. From radar I knew that a super cell thunderstorm was nearby. I was able to see the upward building of the core and thought it looked to be passing just to my northwest.

As I continued to watch, I noticed a building sound of high winds. It started very low, but was increasing in volume. Soon I was convinced that a tornado was near. Did I take cover? No, instead I stepped out into the yard to see if I could spot the funnel. I saw nothing, and soon the noise began to abate. It was then that I decided to head to the basement, not for shelter but to see if -T has heard it also. She had, and commented on how it had rattled the windows and doors.

Shortly after, Lyndy called and we tried to have a conversation, but could not due to the hysterical screaming of our grand kids over the phone. Lyndy was calling to tell us there was some wind damage in her neighborhood and their power was knocked out. They had arrived home just as the wind that I had heard hit their neighborhood. So instead of inviting them over to ride out the power outage, -T and I climbed in the car and went over to see the damage.

Lyndy had some blown down sections of fence and lost a little siding from their house, but nothing too serious. Many of their neighbors fared much worse. We saw snapped trees, broken or blown out windows, and several out building that were severely damaged or completely destroyed. Lyndy's yard was littered with much of the debris.

I suspect what I heard was a microburst. The noise sounded quite near, however the force of the wind at my house was minimal. Just 200-300 feet from us, the damage began. I suspect it formed immediately overhead with the force limited to a narrow path a few hundred feet wide that extended from my back property line at least a quarter mile to the east. While I have never seen a tornado, this is the fourth microburst I have witnessed, the second since moving to Basehor. Maybe I have lived in Micro-burst Alley all along?

I Like to Read - Manhunt

2011-04-02T04:00:00.001-05:00

I recently finished the book Manhunt, a book about the 12 days following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. I often read history books, but rarely finish them. Manhunt was much different. It captured my interest from the first chapter and held it to the end.

The book is primarliy a historical chronicle of the events preceding Lincoln's assassination, the actual event, the death room where he lingered before dying, the pursuit of John Wilkes Booth and conspirators, and the eventual capture, death or arrest of each. I was especially impressed by the level of detail provided in a book that reads as a novel. Many of the conversations were not fabricated, but based on testimony of witnesses, be they doctors, cabinent secretaries, casual witnesses, investigators or the conspirators themselves. These folks wrote everything down in amazing detail.

I was amazed at how the entire story was pieced together from hundreds of sources covering over 50 years. The book is an amazing read whether you like history or not. The story is compelling and written as a first hand account of this historic time.

I am Changing

2011-04-01T04:00:00.002-05:00

As I get older, I sometime realize that my beliefs of my youth are no longer valid. Being the adult that I am, I acknowledge that fact, swallow my pride and change what I believe. Here are a few recent changes.

I now believe the KC Royals will win the 2011 World Series
I believe that Coach Calipari is the best college basketball coach in the game today
I believe that President Obama has been a wonderful leader and I will vote for his reelection
If Obama doesn't get a second term, Hillary would be okay
I believe the KC Chiefs will win the 2012 Super Bowl
I cannot wait until Obama care is in full effect so that I can get better quality health care
I now believe that Global Warming is based on solid science and that it is man made
I believe my taxes are too low and should be raised
I believe our congress has been good stewards of the national treasure
I believe that April Fools day can be a fun day

Traffic

2011-03-31T04:00:00.001-05:00

Three years ago I did not know what traffic was. We lived a couple of miles from work and made the trip in just a few minutes, regardless of road conditions. Now we live 25 miles away and the drive to an from work takes 30 minutes on a good day, 45 minutes or much more on a bad day. I usually don't mind the drive.

I can enjoy the drive in to work. It's early, the conservative talk radio has my attention, and traffic snarls are fairly rare. The drive home is different.The first 5 miles of the trip are on a very congested section of interstate highway. If I get an early start, I cruise right through. Otherwise it can be an interstate parking lot. Since I want to get home to spend time with my 53 year old woman, the going home traffic is aggravating.

There is one traffic phenomonon that I just don't understand. I'm in the extreme left lane (fast lane) cruising at 50 mph. All of a sudden, traffic slows to a complete stop for a few seconds, then picks up and accellerates to 50 mph again. How can that happen? There are no left hand exit or entrance ramps. Is there some moron a mile ahead that brake-checks everyone? If you catch them can you perform your own special version of road rage on them?

Opening Day

2011-03-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

A couple years ago I was at at KC Royals versus Detroit Tigers game that rapidly got out of hand. I left the stadium in the seventh inning with the Royals down 18-2. On the way home I tuned into the ballgame on the car radio. In the eighth inning the Royals scored 4 runs making the score 18-6. In the bottom of the ninth, the Royals play-by-play guy made a statement that stuck with me. He opened the inning by saying, "Well, a couple hits, a couple walks, an error or two, a balk, stolen base and a couple of grand slams and we're right back in this game." The epitome of optimism.

Tomorrow is Opening Day in Kansas City. I am predicting the Royals will win the World Series this year. No one can dispute they are due. This perennial loser has been quietly saving up their wins so they can take the World Series in 2011. Who knows. A couple hits, a couple walks, an error or two, a balk, stolen base and a couple of grand slams during a hundred or so games, and we're are in the thick of the pennant chase. Do it another 11-12 games and we win the series. Now I am the epitome of optimism.

Stupid Letter of the Week

2011-03-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

The stupid letter of the week goes to Danny Martin of Lathrop Missouri. Danny also gets special mention for his Blinding Flash of the Obvious. Danny correctly connects unrest in the Middle East with U.S. involvement.

U.S. hand in unrest

Maybe it is time to look at our American government to explain why all the turmoil is happening in the Middle East. Possibly the American government is responsible for the civil unrest and protests that have spread throughout the Middle East.

It would not be the first time the American government has covertly started unrest in the Middle East. We only need to look at Iraq and Afghanistan to see our American government’s covert operations at work.

Now President Barack Obama has taken it to a new level. He quietly approved a multimillion-dollar deal, now frozen, to provide refurbished armored troop carriers to Gadhafi’s army before the recent fighting in Libya. Today we are supplying the rebel forces with small arms and ammunition.

That is proof the American government is more concerned with control of the Middle East oil market than it is with humans suffering through a revolution.

Danny Martin
Lathrop, Missouri

You are correct Danny. The U.S. has triggered the unrest in the Middle East. And they didn't do it covertly as you have implied. They did it by installing fledgling democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nothing covert there Danny.

Mental midget that he is, Danny also made the leap from aid attempt to Gadhafi, and current support of the Libyan rebels to America's desire to control the Middle East oil market. If America is controlling the oil market, we are doing an extremely poor job of it.

Danny must feel that our involvement has the Libyan rebels acting like mind numbed robots willing to suffer, not for their own freedom, but to follow their American master. Get real Danny. The rebels are following their own desire - freedom. They are not controlled by American wishes. America is simply facilitating what would be in both our interests - a Gadhafi-less world.

I Like to Watch - The Music Never Stopped

2011-03-28T04:00:00.001-05:00

I took a personal holiday last Thursday to spend the day with my bride. I had never spent an entire day with a 53 year old woman before and that is one of the things I want to do. I also want to spend time with a 54 ..55 ...56 etc. year old woman and expect to get that opportunity too, someday. We started with a brunch at a new restaurant we recently discovered, ran a few errands and went a movie. Since I was taking a valuable vacation day, I had the honor of selecting the movie. I picked a brand new movie playing at the local eclectic movie house titled "The Music Never Stopped".

I had seen previews and became interested because it featured music from one of my favorite bands, The Grateful Dead. It seems the rest of the world is just now learning about their music - something I have known for nearly 35 years. I also found the movie had a plot - another plus when selecting a movie. Knowing that -T would never pick the movie, I did. She rolled her eyes and agreed to come along. The following is an abridged version of the movie's description.

"The Music Never Stopped," based on the case study named "The Last Hippie" by a doctor who also wrote "Awakenings", which led to a movie that starred Robin Williams. The stories are very similar. "The Music Never Stopped," tells the story of a father (Henry) and prodigal son (Gabriel) adjusting to the son's cerebral trauma.

Set in 1967, after the father forbids him to see a Grateful Dead concert, son Gabriel runs away from home. Nearly twenty years later, Henry, a straight-laced engineer and lover of big band music, is shocked to learn that his estranged son requires major surgery to remove a suddenly discovered brain tumor. After the operation, it is found the tumor damaged the part of his brain that facilitates the creation of new memories.

For Gabriel, past, present, and future become indistinguishable, and he lives fixed in the era of Vietnam, acid trips, and psychedelic music. Determined not to let their son slip away again, Henry and wife Helen vow to connect with Gabriel, who is barely able to communicate effectively. Unhappy with Gabriel's lack of progress, Henry does his own research on brain injuries, which leads him to Dr. Dianne Daly. She is a music therapist who has used her methods to make significant progress with victims of brain tumors.

As Diane works with Gabriel, she realizes that he is most responsive to the music of the Rock and Roll era - The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and particularly the Grateful Dead. Even though he is unaware that the era of his music has long passed, the effect is remarkable, and he begins to be able to have conversations and express himself. Although Henry loathes rock and roll, he is determined to create new memories and salvage his relationship with his son. While his own health fails, Henry begins his own pilgrimage through the bands of the sixties. As he learns the songs that animate his son's soul, he indeed begins to form an unusual but emotionally vibrant bond with the child he thought he had lost.

While -T will have a different opinion, I absolutely loved the movie. I connected with the plot on many levels. I related as a son, as a father, and as a brain damaged deadhead. -T was surprised that I could stay awake. She had a difficult time doing the same. She asks why I hated Ordinary People so much when I liked The Music Never Stopped. Both had a similar emotional plot, (I think because I slept through Ordinary People). Easy. Play Grateful Dead music as the soundtrack to any movie and I'm there.

Earth Hour

2011-03-26T04:00:00.001-05:00

Tonight between 8:30 and 9:30 PM, the clock tower at the campus I work at will be darkened in support of "Earth Hour". They ask that "a little candlelight be the beacon that inspires you to get involved in a sustainable future for us all". Symbology over substance. Earth Hour is an invention by tree hugging, left wing liberal groups to make us either feel guilty for ignoring them, or if we participate, feel as if what we are doing something worthwhile. The amount of energy saved by dimming or extinguishing your lights for 1 hour would result in a .2% reduction in our yearly energy usage, and that is if everyone fully participates. Since hardly anyone will, the entire exercise is pointless.

This year, I will participate. I plan to turn on my 5 flatscreen TV's for the entire hour. I might even watch one. My 50" plasma will be that beacon to inspire me. My hope is to negate whatever energy savings is realized by the irrelevant action of turning the campus clock tower lights out for 1 hour. Stupid meaningless stunts don't make a consequential difference.

An I am not against energy conservation. I just feel it is grossly idiotic to think that symbolism makes a difference or even helps. This country needs an energy policy that contains major proportions of oil, natural gas and nuclear power, with thoughtful investments in alternative and renewable energy. The country doesn't need stunts, we need intelligent thought leading to realistic policy. And we really don't need green groups wagging their finger at us trying to shame us into conservation. Join me tonight by making your electric meter spin.

Celebrate

2011-03-25T14:46:00.001-05:00

Join me in celebrating the University of Connecticut's NCAA championship. Premature you might say? I don't know. Just look at what has happened in this crazy tournament. First, all the so called good teams in KU's bracket exited early. Notre Dame, Georgetown, Texas A&M, Purdue, Louisville, and Vanderbult are all gone. I suspect they did not relish the thought of being pounded by a clearly dominate KU team. So instead of playing KU, they intentionally lost early to avoid the embarrassement.

So who remains on Connecticut's path to the national championship? Tonight KU plays the vastly inferior team Richmond. After that they will probably play VCU and Butler. Not too much there. The only real challenge remaining for Connecticut is the final against Butler. Connecticut should be well rested by then. I am thinking Connecticut only wins that one by 15 or 20.

Assasinate Gaddafi?

2011-03-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

Question: If killing one man would save the lives of ten-thousand others, should we do it?

On Tuesday, the U.K. government claimed Muammar Gaddafi is a legitimate target for assassination. They hold the position that killing the Libyan leader would be legal if it prevented civilian deaths as laid out in a U.N. resolution. U.S. defence secretary Robert Gates countered, saying it would be unwise to target the Libyan leader, and that killing Gaddafi was not allowed under the U.N. mandate.

I say we should. My reasoning is that Gaddafi is the military leader of the Libyan army and thus 'fair game' just like any other enemy soldier. Actually, Gaddafi should be considered a high value target - higher than any 'command and contol' center targeted by our Tomahawk missles. Killing Gaddafi would bring this civil war to a rapid conclusion and would save thousands of Libyan and possibly American, Brittish, and other lives.

The world would shed no tears if Gaddafi was killed. His country would prosper without him, and his neighbors sleep easier. He is one crazy scoundrel in a place of immense power, and the world would be a better place without him. So why would Britain mention this as a possiblity and the U.S. immediately stifle it? Could it be that political correctness has spread to the military? Is it no longer about the outcome of a war, but how we are preceived by other countries?

2011 NCAA Tournament

2011-03-23T04:00:00.002-05:00

So far, this year's NCAA tournament has been memorable. The Southwest bracket that includes KU as the #1 seed is amazing. Every team ranked better than tenth has bowed out before the round of 16 begins. I don't remember anything close to that happening in past tournaments. That series of miracles has cleared the way for KU to again lose to a no-name team.

Everyone's brackets are in shambles. Sunday brought a rash of upsets that were unforeseen by even the most knowledgeable. Yet, a few facts remain unchanged. Missouri wimpered and folded. Kansas State underachieved. My brackets are in slightly better shape than either of NILK's, and my daughter who doesn't follow college basketball at all is whipping us both. Some things just don't change.

What Would Frank Think?

2011-03-22T15:41:00.000-05:00

It has been 11 days since I posted anything related to politics or world events. Since then, much has happened. The gigantic earthquake and tsunami in Japan and a civil war in Libya now dominate the headlines. Surprising nobody, not much of anything has happened in the Congress. Still no budget, little cooperation or civility. Bickering continues on whether American can afford to cut spending by $2 billion a week while we are paying that much each day in interest on the national debt.

With my silence, many of you might be wondering what would Frank think? For that reason, I will begin an occasional post on just what I think. You can thank me later.

Frank thinks that president Obama acted far too slow reacting to calls for a no-fly zone in Libya. While he worried about how America would be perceived by the world if we used military force, rebel gains were lost as well as thousands of rebel lives. Quick action might have limited what Gadhafi forces reclaimed and avoided consideration of sending ground troops to support the rebels.

Frank thinks it is hilarious that even after his dithering, America is still seen as leading the effort to oust Gadhafi. Certain heads of state have asked the Nobel committee to strip Obama's Nobel Peace Prize in light of his support of the United Nations resolution calling for a no fly zone over Libya. The most popular tweet today is that Obama has now fired more Tomahawk missiles in anger than all other Nobel Peace Prize recipients combined, (no, I still don't tweet).

Frank thinks it is preposterous that America let the French lead on the Libyan action. Remember French are the ones who could get out of their own way fast enough in Iraq. It is surprising that France will risk their soldiers at all to get Gadhafi out of Libya. After all, France didn't do much to get the Germans out of France during WWII.

Frank thinks that it is humorous that members of Congress are now criticizing Obama for allowing military action in Libya without consulting them. I know it is constitutional to do so, but really, they belong to a legislative body that today has become so polarized that it is essentially useless. If Obama had gone to Congress for permission, Gadhafi might be marching down Pennsylvania Avenue before those clowns authorized the use of force. Still it is fun to watch them eat their own.

Frank thinks it sad the tragedy in Japan will be used by limp-wristed, tree-hugging, dope-smioking liberals everywhere to stop the building of new nuclear plants. They may even use it successfully to shut down operational plants. Fukushima does not equal Chernobyl. There are so many differences between the two incidents. Chernobyl was a Ruskie plant. The Ruskies were inept and dangerous in their nuclear designs. Chernobyl had a containment lean-to shack, not a containment vessel. Chernobyl used carbon to cool the reactor. Carbon burns. Conversely, the Japanese have some of the best nuclear engineers on the planet. The Japanese have performed heroically to limit the incident from becoming a disaster in spite of an overwhelming chain of events. Yet, opportunists will use this event as their reason for eliminating the cheapest, cleanest energy source currently available on the planet. All this to further their desire to make energy too expensive for mass consumption by common people.

Frank thinks tattoo parlors should be prohibited from giving tattoos to fat girls. Have you ever noticed that every fat girl has one? It's usually on the back of their neck or on the shoulder. Start noticing.

Happy Birthday -T

2011-03-21T04:00:00.002-05:00

You are not supposed to tell a woman's age. She's 53 today. Hard to believe that -T is 53. That's old, but she doesn't look it. I am a fortunate man to have a trophy wife that ages so well. Soon people will begin asking me if she is my daughter.

Please wish my beautiful wife Happy Birthday, either by leaving a comment, or by emailing her at her new address: tbasehor@gmail.com

-T - I hope you have a wonderful day and an even better evening. Let me know how I can help. Happy 53rd Birthday. Love you babe. -F

Get Out of my Head!

2011-03-18T08:45:00.000-05:00

In the past I have posted of my love for music. I like many different types of music, and those who know me understand that I was a guitar and a couple of lessons away from becoming a famous rock star. There is usually a lyric playing in my head - it's the background music of my life. It is usually a song that I heard late the day before, or the first tune I hear that day.

This morning the alarm clock went off a 6:30 AM. We have our alarm clock radio tuned to an oldies country station, but not because we enjoy that genre. It is the station that gets the best reception at our house. The music is pretty effective at rousing me to a point where I will turn it off to stop the pain. This morning was especially brutal.

Spread your tiny wings and fly away,

Anne Murry's classic oldie, Snow Bird, was the song that woke me up today. This means that I will have that melody and lyric running through my head all day.

And take the snow back with you where it came from on that day.

I absolutely hate that song. So sappy, so quaint.

The one I love forever is untrue,

This is the price I pay by being so musically inclined. I need to do something to get it out of my head.

And if I could you know that I would fly away with you.

What can I do? I could grab my shot gun and shoot the first bird that happens through our backyard - an unfortunate surrogate for the snow bird that infests my brain. Or I could put on the headphones and blast it away with some better music. Maybe a primal scream is all that is needed. Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!
Spread your tiny wings and fly away

Man vs. Wild - Urban Legend Series

2011-03-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Man vs. Wild is a favorite show of mine, however the survival techniques used by Bear Grylls are not that useful for an urbanite like me. How many times have you needed survival tips while you were stranded in the Sahara, Scottish bogs, or Australian outback? It hasn't happened to me yet but I am prepared if it ever does. It would be far more useful to have an urban version of Man vs. Wild. I could be your host, however the name Bear Bryant was already taken.

====================

In this episode, I will show you how to survive the menopausal woman. Much like surviving in the wild, urban survival requires one to focus on 3 priorities - water, shelter and food in that order. A man can live 10 days without food, but only a day without water. Water is always your first priority, so I will show you how to take advantage of the menopausal woman's hot flashes to create a sweat still.

First you will need to remove your boot lace which can serve as a wick to absorb and collect the sweat caused by menopausal hot flashes. Simply wrap the lace around her arm or torso and place one end of the lace in a plastic bottle. Be careful, it can get a bit slippy here. Over the next few hours the sweat caused by the hot flashes will be collected by the lace and drip slowing into the bottle. You can collect a pint or more of water per day using this technique.

With priority one accomplished, lets move on to priority two, shelter. The biggest risk to your shelter is enraging the menopausal women and finding your belongings on the front porch. You will never know when this danger is ready to strike, but here are a few tips. If you hear a low pitched growl and stare into the blank eyes, do not make any sudden movements or speak. Instead, slowly back away until you are no longer in her line of sight. Anything can provoke an attack, so stay wary until the danger passes and you can rest assured to be sheltered this evening.

The final priority is food. Carry out is your answer. Whatever you do, don't ask what she is fixing for dinner tonight. Your sense of smell is crucial here. If you don't smell anything cooking, there probably isn't anything in the oven. The smart survivalist will immediately ask what she wants you to get her for dinner tonight.

That is the end of this episode. I need to collect my things from the front porch.

A Completely Unbiased Opinion

2011-03-16T04:00:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow the NCAA Tournament begins. To me this is the most enjoyable sporting event of the year. The reasons are many. It is a 3 week event. For the players, it is not about money. The most unexpected outcomes are fairly common. So how will this year's tournament end?

Odds are the KU Jayhawks will win it all. They have the players to win. They are the deepest team in the tournament. Only one team, Ohio State, is ranked higher than KU. All signs point to a successful tournament for the Jayhawks. This means they can win, but will they win? Probably not. That is the beauty of the NCAA tournament. Very rarely does the team who should win it actually win it. The odds of KU winning it are less than 50-50. The same can be said for the other favorites, Ohio State, Duke and Pittsburgh.

Th Odds makers have KU with the best odds of winning - 4-1, meaning the chance of them winning it all are about 25%. Kentucky is a 20:1 (5%) favorite, while Kansas State is at 50:1 (2%) and Missouri at 200:1 (.5%). The 65 through 68 teams that must play into the final 64 teams are all a 5,000:1 long shot.

But the attraction of this tournament is that every team has a chance to win, and something unexpected will happen. I love it.

Stupid, Stupider, Stupidest, Part II

2011-03-15T04:00:00.011-05:00

Diane Capps and Deby Johnson deserve to have their letters to the KC Star shown together. I suspect they would get along well since they both have liberal ideals. Diane believes that killing the unborn is a legitimate method of reducing welfare. Wow! How close is that position to the Nazi's who killed those they determined to be physically or mentally weak. It also assumes that children from unwanted pregnancies will grow up poor and end up on the welfare roles, as if they have no control over it. Cheer up Diane, that non-aborted fetus might someday grow into a conservative who believes in personal responsibility. They could become your children's boss.
Backward political logic on abortion

So the right-wingers want to stop funding Planned Parenthood. What a great way to swell the ranks of welfare recipients.

Diane Capps
Kansas City

Deby doesn't have too much faith in humans. I am sure she believe the world would be a better place if dolphins were in charge. Would she even equate Diane's desire to abort a child as destroying an animal? I doubt it. She probably supports abortion as a viable way to eliminate humanity.

Reforming humans

Why does man feel the sick need to destroy everything on our planet and for it to be acceptable? We murder every animal we have and pollute and destroy everything in sight.

Please have a soul. Please put humanity back in human.

Deby Johnson
Kansas City, Kan.

What is Your Color?

2011-03-14T04:00:00.002-05:00

When first asked that, I replied "I didn't know you could own a color." But wouldn't it be cool if you could? I might want to own the color blue or green. Imagine owning the color of the sky or the color of all vegetation. I suppose one could somehow collect royalties whenever someone used the color that you owned. That could be profitable. So imagine my surprise when I found that you can own a color. I learned this on my niece's blog, Kee Creative.

It was there that I found my that niece owns the colors grey and Moonlit Pool. It annoyed her when a couple of strangers who write another blog used her colors in their house. Okay, so that's how it works.

I am hereby declaring that I own the color white. I have selected white many times and painted walls or trim white in my home for years. I own it. Anyone who uses the color white in their home has 30 days to repaint or initiate payment to me of $5 per month for the use of the color white. It is not your color, but being the nice guy that I am, I will allow you to rent it.

Is that white trim?

Daylight Savings Time

2011-03-12T04:00:00.001-06:00

I do love this time of year. Tomorrow morning we magically transition from Standard (Winter) Time to Daylight Savings (Spring/Summer) Time. As much as I like it, the Einstein doofus-screw-up who designed the transtion made a huge mistake. Since I am all about improving the human condition, I have a proposal for a more well engineered transition to and from Daylight Savings Time.

First consider the current situation. When we "fall back", we gain an extra hour of sleep. When we "spring forward" we lose that hour. Both occur at 2AM on a Saturday morning. A better transition would begin in the fall. Instead of gaining an hour at 2AM, we should gain that hour at 2PM on a Saturday. The benefit would be an extra hour of weekend that would be enjoyed by all.

In the Spring, we lose an hour at 2AM Saturday morning. That is one hour of weekend forever lost. I suggest that we lose that hour at 2PM on a Friday. Friday afternnoon is a low productivity time of the week, so magically zooming forward from 2PM to 3PM would have little impact, and would make the work week one hour shorter.

How is that for improving the human condition? It's what I do.

Do the Math

2011-03-11T04:00:00.001-06:00

Today the Senate rejected HR1, a bill passed in the house that would cut government spending by $61 billion in 2011. That is a whopping 1.5% decrease, but still ensures that we will borrow over a trillion dollars this year. Democrats are coming unglued.
Sen. Patty Murray said the following about the 1.5% spending decrease:

“I am disappointed that at a time when middle class families still need some support to get back on their feet after the Wall Street Crisis, Republicans have proposed a highly politicized, slash-and-burn budget that would pull the rug out from under these families and their children.

..."Republicans are proposing a budget that would hack away at investments across the board and threaten our nation’s ability to compete now and in the future.”

“…not only will the Republican proposal devastate middle class families across the country—it would also halt the beginnings of an economic recovery that our families and small business owners desperately need to take root.”

Harry Reid said:

“H.R. 1 is a mean-spirited bill that would cut the heart out of the recovery that we have in America today,” said Reid. “It goes after little children, poor little boys and girls ... we want them to learn to read.”

Slash and burn? Hack away? Devastate the middle class? Cut the heart out? 1.5%!!!!

Stupid Letter of the Week

2011-03-10T04:00:00.001-06:00

First the manddate preamble. There are no stupid letters, just stupid people who write letters. This week I have chosen a non-politiacal letter from Patti Downing of Parkville Missouri.

Earth-bound duty

I am just going to say what everyone is thinking: It is selfish for Mark Kelly to go on his fourth NASA space flight. The health of his wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, could decline, or she could die in a flash.

I cannot believe that Mr. Kelly would think two weeks in space was that important.

Yes, we all know how boring it is to sit in a hospital day after day. However, he could have gone to his work there in Houston and helped the next guy get ready for the flight.

Mr. Kelly will be thousands of miles away, playing macho “space cowboy” to escape. But the reality of his obligation is here on this planet.

We all must learn to know what is really important and what is just ego.

Patti Downing
Parkville

I am visuallizing Patti as a self-centered, judgemental witch who has a very bad marriage and a god complex. I suppose the though never crossed her mind that Mark Kelly's decision to fly on the shuttle is none of her business, and to judge his action only tells us much about her mental state. She is likely a controlling wife of a timid man, and one who dominates the home. She also seems to know Mark Kelly's mind when she states that he traded boredom in a hospital for the excitement of space travel. I would bet the thought process was far more complex, too much so for Patti's simple mind.

She is judgemental in that she has no idea what relationship Mark Kelly has with his wife, but has deemed his actions as selfish by taking time away from his recovering wife. Maybe Gabrielle fully supports the decision. I suspect that she would, knowing that his service to NASA was also service to a flight crew who had trained for over a year to perform this mission.

Ms. Downing, any one of us could "die in a flash". That fact is not a good reason to quit living your life. Thank you God for giving me a women so totally opposite of Patti Downing. Life might be unbearable with a woman like her.

Hand Out Anyone?

2011-03-09T09:25:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, CNBC reported that government payouts, which include Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance, now make up more than a third of total wages and salaries of the U.S. population. This is a record figure that will only increase if action isn’t taken before the majority of Baby Boomers enter retirement. In 1960, only 10% of the wages were hand outs.

I guess this makes us more humane and fair, but to who? To the third that get a check, or the two-thirds that
write the check? I would suggest to anyone this type of handout is not sustainable. It is the reason that socialized countries, such as Greece, have had economic calamities in recent history. It is our future if the tide doesn't turn.

While I certainly wouldn't withhold a hand up to anyone down on their luck or incapable of supporting themself, it is hard to imagine that a third of American families fit this mold. Instead, I believe we have become too generous and made it possible for some to live a comforable life on the public dole. Imagine the deficit reduction that we would see if the current government payouts were reduced to 1960 levels. We might have a balanced budget. Instead, we hear that Constitutional responsibilities, such as defense, should be short changed in order to spend less. Absurdity abounds in Washington.